Letters (Oct. 24, 2018)

• Dr. Glusker’s Final Diagnosis
• Golden Rule’s Enough
• Disgusting
• Remember When Crotch Grabbing Wasn’t So Bad?
• The Road To Ruin
• Philbrick The Moderate?
• Pinches: Committed To Mendo
• Orth's For Haschak
• Haschak: Not A Good Old Boy
• Haschak For All The Right Reasons

DR. GLUSKER’S FINAL DIAGNOSIS

Dear Editor:

As I near the end of my term on the MCDH Board of Directors, I would like to outline the principal problems I see at the Mendocino Coast District Hospital, and possible solutions.

First, attention has not been given to how medical care has changed over the last 30 years. What kind of quality care can be provided locally and what kinds of problems need to be sent to a secondary or tertiary center? Specialist care that was provided here twenty years ago is not feasible anymore because standards of care now need infrastructure and resources that require larger centers. Our hospital and clinics need to focus on quality primary care with referral networks for specialized care. This needs to be incorporated into planning. This has not been addressed at MCDH.

Second, the administration at MCDH contracts with two companies, EMCARE and RPG, to provide care in the emergency room and in the hospital. These companies provide transient doctors. There has been a clear pattern of continued borderline to poor quality of care, which the administration has failed to address in any effective way. The result is the public seeks care elsewhere whenever possible. The trust that patients had in the quality of hospital care, the bedrock of its economic survival, is gone. The administration has not effected any solution to this critical problem.

Third, the present Board has not addressed these issues, passively accepting the administration’s direction. The Board has lacked independent, critical thinking and neglected to address these problems.

It is my hope that a new board with Jessica Grinberg, Karen Arnold and John Redding might bring about critical evaluation of these problems and effective change.

Peter Glusker, MD-PhD

Fort Bragg

GOLDEN RULE’S ENOUGH

Editor,

I will celebrate my 78th birthday this week and I have been reflecting and sort of grading myself.

I am an atheist, and now feel I should have been more outspoken on the topic. I've been quiet because I was reluctant to take anyone's crutch away from them.

I now think that I was wrong.

In my youth I was a practicing Episcopalian, was licensed to preach the gospel by the Southern Baptist convention, became an agnostic, then for the past 30 years realized I am an atheist.

The point I wish to make is that I believe the world would be a better place f people didn't believe in spirits. (Not the single malt kind -- the speaking serpents kind.)

As I told my grandchildren, the Ten Commandments are the result of the committee trying to improve on the golden rule -- you know: "Do unto others."

Michael Smith

Philo

DISGUSTING

Editor,

I don’t know how to express the utter disgust with which I view the entire Senatorial “decision-making” process that just appointed Kavanaugh to the United States Supreme Court, on all sides including both the Democrat’s tool (obviously psychologically-impaired female complainant, but a willing tool, nonetheless — who knows what psycho-neurological maze drives people at this level of “accredited” professional stars) as well as the Republican-dominated female hating bastion of dickheads who have eviscerated all the efforts of civil rights activists from this day forth.  

It’s very hard to separate the gender/sex/identity focus from the aggressive/advantitious/powerful class, but in order to see how the cohort of a group of strongarmed thugs have caused planetary, national, and communical crimes, one only has to look at the simple fact that these were a bunch of well respected men, pounding on an unarmed and otherwise civil person. Can we not start by looking at thugocity instead of genitalia?  All over the world? Does anybody not notice that?  

Betsy Cawn

Lake County

REMEMBER WHEN CROTCH GRABBING WASN’T SO BAD?

Editor,

I'm up here in Lake Stevens, Washington. Spending time with my daughter and her family. Having a great time. The corrupt media — ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, MSNBC, the New York Times, the Washington Post and others — are all being paid by the corrupt Clinton Foundation and Hillary Clinton who stole billions of dollars while she was Secretary of State besides killing four good Americans. She and George Soros and another awful billionaire are all behind the corrupt media feeding them with millions of dollars to get behind attempts to derail President Trump’s administration and President Trump. 

Good Californians cannot let Gavin Newsom get elected. If he is elected you will have the same thing you have now if that's possible after being led by Governor Moonbeam Jerry Brown. More taxes, more corruption, more infrastructural work not done, thousands of more idiotic permits, more environmental restrictions, sanctuary cities, more endangerment of California citizens. John Cox is the only answer. If you want to save your butt and fix California vote for John Trump, I mean John Cox, sorry.

Also, to Kelly Ruddis in last week’s letters: I don't believe in prosecuting people until they are proven guilty. I don't believe in kidnapping them when they are still innocent, you need proof of guilt. All these people you mentioned, that's what happened to them. The liberal rotten Democrats slammed them with slanderous things before they were proven guilty and they have the bad name on them immediately. It's not right for you or anyone else to call these people what you call them without proof. It seems to me in the old days when you were younger grabbing a crotch wasn't too bad of an idea. All right? Have a good day Kelly.

God bless Donald Trump

Jerry Philbrick

Comptche

THE ROAD TO RUIN

Open Letter to Mr. Jerry Philbrick, 

My name is Ashley Jones. I am one of those liberals you keep writing about. I am also an old man. I served my country in the U.S. Navy as a frogman, retired as a public school teacher after 40 years in the classroom and in counseling offices. I was recently fired from my job as a substitute teacher because I joined a large group of students who quit school in order to protest gun violence in our schools and our country. When you talk about hanging all liberals, does that mean that liberals should hang people like yourself so that our society does not disintegrate into his name-calling or, as in your last letter — hanging? We need to take a moment to understand that we are all doing the best we can. We can disagree and no one wins all the time. Hating each other will eventually destroy us all. Sincerely, 

Ashley Jones 

Alameda

PHILBRICK THE MODERATE?

Editor,

In the Philbrick interview, Marilyn Davin makes the assertion that he has,"all around moderate political views." She seems to completely ignore the content of his letters to the AVA over the past few years. Just two weeks ago he wrote- "He talks like a Republican but votes like a Democrat, like a liberal. He should be hung from a lamppost in the middle of town and left to rot. You liberals better watch out." This sounds "moderate" in Berlin in 1938 maybe, but certainly not the U.S.A. The only other person I've ever heard speak so hatefully towards liberals is Adolph Hitler!

Philbrick also writes in, regularly condemning "Antifa," who are an anti-fascist activist group. Who'd be against Antifa, except for a fascist? Normal moderate Americans don't accept fascism, but Jerry spews venomous hate against Antifa here regularly. This is not "moderate."

The FBI and the school teacher both thought Philbrick was a domestic terrorist back then, and now a bunch of us AVA readers also do too. How can someone as extreme as him be called a moderate when he regularly writes violently veiled threats against U.S. citizens? Hate speech against Americans is now considered moderate? I don't think so!

The real kicker is that Jerry "sees divisiveness of the country as a huge problem." Ha ha ha! Odd how he does not see that his hateful violent intolerance and childish degrading language is his contribution to the very divisiveness he dislikes! This hypocritical behavior is so common now with Trump’s base that it's become a psychopathological dysfunction. Trump’s whole act is 100% divisive, from the "Mexicans are rapists," to the "grab women by the pussies" comments... He's the swamp-king of divisiveness. However, Jerry and the Trumpsters just smirk like idiot hypocrites, and see no problem there!

Trump Guilty Of Fraud. $25 Million Dollar Fine. U.S. Judge Condemns Trump As A Criminal. These are the facts, no exaggeration. But yet Jerry blames liberals every week and not a single one of them has a FRAUD conviction like Donald Trump does! Hillary, Obama, Waters, Pelosi — Not Guilty Of Fraud! Trump Guilty Of Fraud! See the difference?

Crazy how Trump’s fans don't care that he lied and cheated and defrauded U.S. citizens and had to be taken to court to get justice. The angry mob found at Trump rallies scream "lock her up" even though no crime was found. They ignore Trump’s many serious crimes as they are hypocrites!

If Philbrick truly doesn't want divisiveness, then he can begin by not telling AVA readers whom he disagrees with, to "shove it up their asses." He's a radical extremist, not a moderate.

Best Regards,

Rob Mahon

Covelo

PINCHES: COMMITTED TO MENDO

Editor:

Vote for John Pinches.

When I was working on the Willis City Council I worked with John Pinches on many different occasions. He is a hard worker who always listens to views from all sides. He knows the procedures and laws to foster positive progress. He is especially proactive and thorough in matters of infrastructure. He was instrumental on projects such as the Willits bypass realignment for the Brooktrails/Highway 101 intersection. This will make the intersection much safer and move traffic through more efficiently. The current lack of an alternate access into and exit from Brooktrails is one of his primary concerns. John is committed to making the solution to this problem one of his primary projects.

John implemented the Eastside Pine Mountain Bridge project and many others throughout Mendocino County. He is committed to maintaining repair of the more than 1000 miles of county roads in Mendocino County which are in constant need of repair as well as ensuring that the citizens of Mendocino County have an ample supply of clean water.

John Pinches has always had a detailed knowledge of the county budget, finding large sums of money that others had overlooked. In my opinion, John Pinches has the knowledge, energy and commonsense needed to move our county in a positive and prosperous direction. Please join me in voting for John Pinches for Third District supervisor.

Thank you,

Victor Z. Hansen

Willits

ORTH'S FOR HASCHAK

To the Editor:

I endorse John Haschak for Third District Supervisor. He understands the needs of this community and the best path forward. I have served over 30 years as an elected representative on the Brooktrails Township board of directors. During this time I was present for most key meetings on the proposed Second Access Road project. The following describes a case in which Mr. Haschak’s opponent John Pinches failed to serve the interests of the Sherwood Road community.

Over the last several decades, Brooktrails directors helped to create many required planning documents, including a Brooktrails Specific Plan at great cost, to facilitate a second access roadway. The Sherwood corridor today supports the fourth largest community in Mendocino County. The new Willits bypass averages 5,000 to 7,000 trips per day, while the Sherwood Road corridor generates about 10,000 trips a day. There is no dirt road alternative that can provide a rapid evacuation for the size of this community-- that is a fact, not an opinion.

Ms. Branscomb’s recent letter supporting candidate Pinches shows she was sadly misinformed by him about how a Sherwood Boulevard District could operate, falsely claiming that the full project cost would fall to locals. Actually, such a district would provide a local contribution for short- and long-term roadway needs, leveraging county, state and federal transportation funds for Sherwood corridor projects.

As Mr. Pinches stated at a recent debate in Willits, “we must put up real money” to achieve any local priorities. But his only solution for the second access project, to hope “we get lucky and get a federal grant,” contradicts his own statement.

Candidate Pinches spoke about priorities during that debate, yet he displayed his true priorities in 2013 when he killed the Brooktrails second access project. He failed to support it at the point of a funding commitment decision for $3.5 million of state and federal funding in the Regional Transportation Improvement Program.

As Third District Supervisor, Mr. Pinches recommended to the Board of Supervisors to pull this project, ranked number two in the Mendocino Council of Governments’ list and sponsored by the County. On his recommendation, both the Supervisors and MCOG Board abandoned the project, allowing the $3.5 million to be redistributed almost entirely to three of the Cities for their local projects. Public health and safety batted last that day.

No further funding has been forthcoming for this needed project, thanks to former Supervisor Pinches, who cost us five years of delay. The final direction of the Board of Supervisors in 2013 was to not continue project development until a reliable source of funding “was identified,” according to the Transportation Director. MCOG had to follow the Supervisors’ direction and is now waiting for a local share from the Sherwood community to demonstrate local support for this critical project.

John Haschak has demonstrated a constructive approach to this and many other complex issues a County Supervisor must face. He is everywhere and has shown a big ear and a studious ability to gather and process current information. Mr. Haschak is a lifelong learner and will not get stuck in the sands of the past, but instead will help to move us all to a better day. My wife Janet and I enthusiastically endorse John Haschak for Supervisor.

Tony Orth

Brooktrails/Willits

HASCHAK: NOT A GOOD OLD BOY

Editor,

John Haschak for Supervisor

In the race for Mendocino County 3rd District Supervisor between rancher, John Pinches, and teacher, John Haschak, Pinches has accused Haschak of being bought-off by contributions from labor unions. While Haschak has responded to this charge directly by saying he is proud to represent working people in Mendocino County who have never had representation on the Board before, I would like to expand on this matter of campaign contributions and representation.

First, all the money Haschak has received from unions has come from individual members who made a personal choice to contribute, so in fact, these contributions are coming from regular working folks, not from some big commercial special interest that does business in the County.

Pinches criticizes Haschak for raising enough money to run a competitive campaign in this way, comparing it unfavorably to his own small donation, low budget campaign. This comparison is disingenuous. As a first time candidate with little name recognition beyond Willits, Haschak had to start from scratch, whereas Pinches, as a three time former Supervisor, was already well known around the District and he already had campaign signs left over from previous runs. Real campaigns are expensive, and on a teacher’s salary, Haschak could not have afforded to run without significant support from working people.

Pinches claims that since he doesn’t need much money to run, he is not beholden to anyone and therefore he can represent all the residents of the 3rd District; at the same time, he openly invites business people to step to the front of the line at his office. That includes himself, when as a Supervisor, he voted for a contract to pay the US Department of Agriculture $140,000 per year to provide a trapper in the County to kill wild coyotes, bobcats and mountain lions to protect the livestock of ranchers like him. Commercial interests don’t have to contribute to Pinches’ campaign to get special treatment, that’s just what he does.

If, like me, you’re tired of good ol’ boy politics up here in the 3rd District, then you’ll be voting for John Haschak for Supervisor.

Sincerely,

Jon Spitz

Laytonville

HASCHAK FOR ALL THE RIGHT REASONS

Editor,

I strongly support John Haschak for 3rd District Supervisor for the following reasons:

John Haschak promotes smart environmental choices. Pinches’ stance on the environment is checkered. Pinches defended the Board of Supervisor’s decision to not require an Environmental Review of the Grist Creek Asphalt Plant Project on Outlet Creek. This resulted in a disaster causing many residents to suffer adverse health conditions because of toxic air pollution emitted by the asphalt plant. As a consequence, the County paid hundreds of thousands of taxpayers’ dollars in attorney’s fees to defend their hasty and impulsive action and for the plaintiff’s attorneys.

Pinches is a proponent of pumping water from the Wild and Scenic Middle Fork Eel River. His plan is mere fantasy involving non-existent pumps, pipes, easements, and reservoirs to store the water. Kind of like Pinches’ “back of the barroom napkin” cannabis reform proposal. In contrast, John Haschak has an inclusive 12-point plan including elimination of the County’s Track and Trace program, and non-cooperation of the County with any federal attempt to prosecute legal growers. John Haschak wants small farmers to thrive.

Pinches showed his allegiance to corporate timber companies when he endorsed the practice of “hack and squirt,” an industrial practice which has made our forests into grave fire hazards. He also said that County Counsel should not have allowed Measure V (the Mendocino County citizen initiative) to ban herbicide use in our forests to be put on the ballot. John Haschak said the people have the right to protect themselves from the potential threat from wildfire that these standing dead poisoned trees pose.

Pinches says that he saved the County from bankruptcy. This was accomplished when as supervisor, the County cut the salaries of all workers by 10%. When the supervisors raised their own salaries by 40% he did not criticize it. John Haschak has been extremely vocal about these egregious pay increases by County Administration. He has pledged not to accept the pay increase until County workers’ salaries are restored.

John Haschak has the proud support of unions and over 200 small donors because he stands for working people who have been mistreated by the County. It is time for the elites of this County to recognize that poor County worker morale, attrition and chronically inadequate staffing levels will continue unless County workers’ salaries are fully restored, including cost of living increases.

The 3rd District needs a solid energetic supervisor who will work hard, and nobody works harder than John Haschak. He is diligent in his analysis of problems. He listens to people.He is constantly working on solutions. He thinks out of the box. His work as the teacher’s union president taught him the value of collaboration and follow-through.

Pinches takes credit for many projects that he was not responsible for or even conceived. They occurred during his term of office but that’s about all. His claims are about as solid as his pledge to not run for supervisor again when Gov. Brown was seeking a replacement for Tom Woodhouse.

Three terms is more than enough for any supervisor. The people of the 3rd District thank him and now ask him to graciously retire. We need fresh ideas and vision to turn this County around. John Haschak represents the future for the 3rd District and Mendocino County.

If you are tired of business-as-usual vote for John Haschak for 3rd District Supervisor.

Marc Komer

Willits