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Posts published in “Essays”

Run For Cover

The board of supervisors, two of them departing, held a "strategic planning" workshop on December 15th. The County's twenty or so department heads attended. The County's brain trust had assembled to discuss their "accomplishments" and…

Get Out Your Hankies

Mendocino County actually accomplished a couple of things last week, one of which came as quite a surprise to the Board of Supervisors — and us, too. The surprise was the completion of the County's…

What To Do About Captain Fathom

Allan Graham, a long time resident of Albion, a legendary local character who calls himself Captain Fathom, is drinking heavily and making a major nuisance of himself. If he can be confined to nuisance status,…

Whammies Piling Up

Former Mendocino County Promotional Alliance chief executive Director John Dickerson first presented his alarming analysis of the County's total debt load a few months ago. Using Mendocino County and California state records, Dickerson pointed out…

Why America Is Dying, Exhibit A

Most of the people commenting at last Monday's Supervisor's General Plan meeting wanted the Supervisors to give the interested public, much of it from Anderson Valley, more time to comment on the environmental part of…

Going Around In Circles Forever

Last Monday the Supervisors held their annual Economic Development Workshop. The subject of the day was "What role should the CEO and the Board have in economic development?" After all these years and who knows…

The Hitchhiker

The hitchhiker was at the Boonville exit on 101. It was about noon. As I passed her she clasped her hands in mock prayer and shot me desperate eyeballs that pleaded with me to please,…

File It Under Ridiculous

During a routine discussion of a proposed leash ordinance for the new dog park in Ukiah last Tuesday, Supervisor Pinches casually asked, "How does this ordinance coincide with the state law that says you have…

Rahm & Ralph

Hail to the Chief of Staff The first trumpet blast of change ushers in Rahm Emanuel as Obama’s chief of staff and gatekeeper. This is the man who arranges his schedule, staffs out the agenda,…

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