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Posts published in “Essays”

Mr. Mudgett’s Murder

The year, 1896. The season, autumn. The time, murderous. A neighbor discovered the half cremated body of John Mudgett, a wealthy rancher of Usal, among the embers of his partially burned home. The passing neighbor…

High School Back in the Day

You might find this story unbelievable. Surprising. Even shocking. Yet what I am about to tell you was a common practice in Chicago in the 1960’s, nine months a year, 5 days a week, with…

The Call of the Mild

The problem with Jack London has always been that while he was a compelling storyteller with a vivid imagination, he was also a racist, or at least a writer who embraced racial ideas about the…

AV Land Trust Sues Peachland Family (Part 6)

Unfortunately, I could fill more than 17 parts with stories of the contradictory actions of the Anderson Valley Land Trust. But a few quick ones (other than being sued) come to mind: One time, AVLT…

The Beef with Kobe

Great teams have great benches. So strong was the musical squad assembled for Kobe Bryant’s send-off at Los Angeles’s Staples Center on Monday, that even Hall of Famer Jennifer Lopez didn’t rate any playing time.…

Elise Drexler

Mendocino County produced many memorable women but one from the Mendocino Coast proudly declared her occupation as a “Capitalist.” This was Elise Drexler, daughter of Mendocino coast pioneers William and Eliza Kelly. Born in 1866…

Counting Crows

At its February 10th meeting, the Fort Bragg City Council unanimously approved sending a letter to the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors.  The first two paragraphs: “Mendocino County’s reliance on Redwood Quality Management Company (RQMC)…

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