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Posts published in January 2014

Dry Times

Drought. Even the word has a dry, raspy ring to it. Anderson Valley typically enjoys copious winter rain, but drought — for those who have…

Bird’s Eye View

Feeling a little confused/concerned by the whole health insurance issue? You are no doubt not alone. Fortunately, our local Health Center has taken steps to help folks through this and you can receive the help and guidance you may need by giving them a call and arranging an appointment with our local Obama Care expert, Mitzi Wagner, formerly of the AV Teen Center.

The Invisible Americans

In my neighborhood I’m surrounded by Spanish speaking Latinos who work as gardeners, maids, dry wall and bulldozing construction, nannies of Anglo children and checkers in my local Ralphs market. Only on Cinco de Mayo or when my attention is drawn to a rash of gang killings are they truly visible to me.

Letters (Jan 29, 2014)

This is by far the most stupid idea the Community Services District has come up with. We have been in the valley all of our lives and we own a decent amount of property.

World’s Top Nabobs

Oxfam recently noted that a mere 85 individuals possess as much wealth as the poorest half of the world’s population! Why do we, the masses, tolerate this? Probably for the same sort of reason that more people can name the members of the Baseball Hall of Fame or the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame than any living rich person beyond Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, and a Koch brother.

Abbado the Great

I first came to Berlin in 2003, just after the great Claudio Abbado, who has died this week in Bologna, had passed the baton to Simon Rattle after more than a dozen years at the helm of the Berlin Philharmonic. While living in Berlin, I had the chance to hear Abbado only once in what turned out to be his penultimate visit as guest conductor to the Philharmonie, one of the world’s greatest concert halls of any era, and proof that warmly welcoming and imaginative public buildings could be created in the harsh climate of the Cold War and, almost literally, in the shadow of the Iron Curtain.

Chosen

You have probably heard the provocative news that the New York Times recently declared the village of Mendocino and the surrounding scenic coastline to be the Third Best Travel Destination in the World. Not the best place to visit in America or in the Western Hemisphere, but in the entire world.

Off The Record (Jan 28, 2014)

Will Parrish’s attorney, Omar Figueroa of Sebastopol, made the following remarks last Thursday on the Ukiah Courthouse steps after the onerous charges against AVA reporter Will Parrish were reduced in a settlement between District Attorney David Eyster, the Court, and defendant Parrish.

Grapes: The Hog In The (Dry) Stream

You may have noticed that most of the newer vineyards going in these days are what can be called “wall-to-wall” vineyards. Every plantable patch of vineyard dirt has vines on it. Sometimes the vines are even on the vineyard’s boundary fence.

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