BIG BOOK BARGAINS!
Editor,
The friends of the Willits Library present its Memorial Holiday Book Sale, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, May 24, 25, 26, from 10am-4pm. Sunday is $3 a bag. The big book sale is at the Willits Public Library Meeting Room at 390 East Commercial Street in Willits.
Friends of the Willits Library
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TALK TO ME, ELI
Dear Mr. Anderson,
Hello and blessings of easy living to you and yours.
Sir, I'm writing to you to ask for your help with a huge favor.
First, I'm an alone deadhead who has always been easy going and laid back. Yes, I've made my share of mistakes.
Sir, I'm writing to ask if you know of any open lifestyle deadheads in the area interested in a penpal and a true friendship.
Also, there was an article about a transgender, Eli Erlick. Is there any way to find out more about her? First, is she 18? If so, could you please pass along my info to her and let her know I'd love to get to know more about her?
I would be so grateful for your help in this. Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
James Clark
Soledad
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ANOTHER GREAT WILDFLOWER SHOW
Dear Editor,
The Anderson Valley Unity Club’s Garden Section would like to thank everyone who made the 2013, Wildflower Show another success. This year’s show was dedicated to three of our past members: Bobby Peterson, Bobby Hiat and Cleo Hixon, beloved members whose love of gardening and devotion to many wild flower shows for many many years held them in highest esteem. We had very good weather and an increase in attendance over last year. Eugenia Herr’s botanical prints made by her grandfather, were an especially nice compliment to the show. Thank you to Anderson Valley High School’s art instructor, Nadia Berrigan, and her students who produced beautiful acrylic and oil paintings of our valley. In addition Nat Corey-Moran’s photography class provided beautiful close up photos of flowers. Evelyn Ashton’s herbarium and water- colors of plants and Dot Hulbert’s scanned wildflowers made wonderful displays.
The invasive plant table had specimens, pictures and information regarding the damage these plants cause to native species. An extensive Lyme Disease exhibit presented by Sue Davies provided needed information regarding preventive measures and the dangers associated with Lyme.
We wish to thank the following for raffle donations: Celeri and Son of Fort Bragg, Ludwig’s Tin Man Nursery, Oak Valley Nursery, Whispering Winds Nursery, Fiddler’s Green Nursery, Digging Dog Nursery, Dirt Cheap of Fort Bragg, , Mendocino Botanical Gardens, Praetzel and Herr, Sun & Cricket, All That Good Stuff, Laughing Dog Books, Farmhouse Mercantile, Village Books of Ukiah, The Pot Shop, Philo School of Herbal Energetics, The Puzzle People, Fred Martin, Linda Wylie, Eileen Pronsolino, Robin Lindsey, Barbara Scott, Beverly and Marvin Dutra, Christine Clark, Sue Davies, Robyn Harper, Diane Herron, Lois Howard, Grace Espinoza, and Sarah McCarter.
Thank you to Shirley Hulbert, Gloria and Sharon Abbot for the delicious food served in the tea room.
We wish to also thank the following people who helped our club members with collections, identification, the raffle, plant donations, set- up or cleanup: Linda MacElwee, Erica Kesenheimer, Jade Paget-Seekins, Sheryl Green, Bob Sowers, Lynn Halpern, Ken Montgomery, Wally Hopkins, Sarah McCarter, Keith Gamble, Hans Hickenlooper, Bill Harper and Eugenia Herr.
Thank you to the Fairgrounds staff for all their help. Also thanks to Robert Rosen and the Anderson Valley Brewery for allowing us to place our banners, advertising our event, on their fences.
Anderson Valley Unity Club Garden Section,
Robyn Harper
Boonville
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CAMPAIGN FINE AVOIDANCE
Editor,
A comment on Dan Hamburg’s campaign fines levied from the FPPC as a result of misreporting campaign financing: There are fundamental things that the FPPC tells candidates and campaign treasurers about campaign financing.
One is to never accept a cash donation for more than $99. Another is to keep a record of required FPPC information on every donor that gives the campaign $25 or more. So to raise real money legitimately in a campaign, there has to be a lot of reporting and record keeping. Another is all money coming in has to go to the campaign bank account, and the source of this money has to be accounted for. A campaign is blessed when it has a competent treasurer that is willing to volunteer to do the reporting work and do it correctly. I had one when I ran for office many moons ago, it looks like Dan did not. The mistakes the FPPC cited Dan for are ones that should never happen. That being said, politics is a dirty business and the activists that get involved in campaigns are too often not exactly the kind of people you take home to the family.
This is true here in Mendocino County, and it does not matter which side of the political spectrum the activists come from. Political fund raising is a particular problem. Large political fund raising events can raise a lot of money and have limited reporting because people can give serial $20 donations. Anyone in Mendocino County politics knows this. So, maybe there is a jar for donations at the bar and as long as the individual donations are less than $25, there is no need to keep track of where the money comes from, or how many times an individual donates. Of course, if the treasurer is unscrupulous and smart, any $100 or $50 bills that happen to end up in the jar will be changed for $20s and $10s before the bank deposit. For a long time I wondered, how did these large fundraisers raise all this money, yet show a bare minimum of donations over $100, which have to be make public? It took a while for me to connect the dots on this. And BTW, the FPPC does not care about $20 donations, no matter how many come from one individual.
Another way large donations are given anonymously, a form of illegal bundling, is one donor gives $99 each to numerous people to donate to the campaign. So a high profile donor can remain anonymous while gifting a large sum. This shows up in the campaign records as many $99 donations from people no one really ever heard of. Or it might not show up at all, if the gifted donations are given to the campaign at a fundraiser in $20 increments.
My point? Rightly, the FPPC is going after the Hamburg campaign, but the real money in Mendocino County political campaign fundraising shenanigans remains below the radar.
George A. Hollister
Comptche
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INDIANS, CALTRANS SETTLE
Editor,
The Sherwood Valley Rancheria, through their attorney, were prepared to file today a lawsuit and ask the Ukiah Superior Court for an injunction against Caltrans for failure to adequately consult with the tribe regarding protection of their cultural resources. The two parties have reached a tentative agreement for a temporary stop to any further fence building, vegetation clearing, pile driving, excavation or grading north of East Hill Road. This work stoppage may extend south of East Hill Road depending upon the nature of the work. Excavation of potential historic village sites is of major concern. This agreement is expected to be finalized tomorrow and will be in affect until at least Wednesday May 8th, or until the Tribal representatives receive cultural resource assessment documents from Caltrans and are able to fully evaluate the potential impacts to cultural resources.
Best regards,
Bob Whitney
Willits
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A DYSFUNCTIONAL FUTURE
Dear Editor:
The recent poll by Fairleigh Dickinson University's Public-Mind had some very distrubing results. It was a national survey of registered voters on three subjects.
1) In the next few years, an armed revolution might be necessary in order to protect our liberties. 2) Congress needs to pass new laws to protect the public from gun violence. 3) Some people are hiding the truth about the school shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in order to advance a political agenda.
On 1) 29% agree: however, only 18% of Democrats agree as to 44% for Republicans and 27% of independents. In looking at gender and education more males agree and agreement is highest among those at the lower levels of education.
As would be expected on 2) those who agree on 1) disagree with 2) with 73% of Democrats in agreement as to 24% for Republicans and 48% of independents. Women are 59% in agreement and the higher the level of education the higher the level of agreement. As for 3) Those in agreement were Republican males with a lower level of education.
In summary I would say that although the survey did not ask if the respondent was a supporter of the Tea Party, one looking at this survey might will conclude of the 44% of Republicans in agreement with 1) are Tea Party followers. The survey conveys a scary look to the future and is certainly indicative of why Congress is so dysfunctional. This type of thinking could well lead to acts of violence. Further, one does wonder if these people are capable of thinking rationally.
In peace,
James G. Updegraff
Sacramento
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LAFCO JUMPS
Editor,
Report on LAFCo Meeting, May 6, 2013
On the agenda are the 9 MSRs bundled together in one package for final approval.
Of particular concern for the Commission was the UVSD MSR, especially the statistics and statements in section 3-23 to 3-25. This concern was fomented by the Grand Jury report (round three). The UVSD MSR was pulled from the 9 MSRs for further review by LAFCo. The remaining 8 MSRs were approved by LAFCo. The LAFCo EO was directed to meet with the UVSD to see that all corrections necessary to the UVSD MSR were made and then bring back the MSR for further consideration. The commissioners expressed their position that the MSR is an important document and that every effort should be made to make sure the data is correct.
Commissioner Doug Hammerstrom of Fort Bragg wanted to request the Grand Jury for its source of information. He was advised by commissioner Kesslinger that the GJ information was secret.
The EO brought up the letter from the Grand Jury regarding the City of Ukiah vs. Ukiah Valley Sanitation District – Round 3. He requested help from the commissioners in replying to the report. The commission voted to assign three commissioners as an adhoc committee to assist the EO. It was expressed that in order that the reply be “squecky clean”, unbiased and credible and therefore the adhoc member have no connection to the subject. It was therefore determined that Kesslinger, McFadden, and McCowen be assigned the task. However, the responses required by LAFCo would be brought to the commission for approval before transmittal.
Kesslinger expressed the opinion that this illustrates LAFCo’s lack of regional planning. The Eo said such planning would be the subject of this year’s LAFCo workshop.
— Don Howard
* * *
Two commissioners were assigned as an adhoc committee to assist the EO
Submitted by John Sakowicz
Ukiah
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HAUNTED HOWS
Editor,
How To Become A Haunted House
First, turn yourself into a house. Don’t know
how you’re going to do that. I think the only way
is magic. So, good luck. It’s kind of slow.
At least the kind that you can find today.
But once that’s done, you’ll need some haints.
That's what they call them in the deepest south.
Haints. They is what's left over when we aints.
Magic. See third line. Now hush your mouth.
You’ll
see. The lights will flicker on and off. You
won’t know why. Rats, spiders, a bloody pool,
that’s just effects. The odd echo. The boo.
The most important part: Guilt. More guilt.
Shame helps. Guilt and shame. This is how
you become a haunted house. The tilt
off-square. Beware. You’re leaning now.
Lawrence Bullock
Fort Bragg
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DO NOT FOLD, SPINDLE, MUTILATE
AVA,
Something new in the AVA. Flagging somewhere in the mechanical end. You obviously don't know what you're doing when you fold it wrong. I've been a subscriber for about two decades and during that time this mistake was very rare, now it's every week.
You don't receive and read your paper like we do. In fact, I bet you never read it like we do.
Take a poll. I can't believe that most folks like to hold something the size of a half sheet of plywood at arm's length or spread it out over a table. We all back-fold to a certain degree. I take it all the way down to 7.5 x 11, the same size as it arrives.
The fold you make never comes out! If your fold…! You get the idea.
Possibly I could wet the paper and iron it.
How come this never happened before? And why now?
The AVA uses very fine paper. Properly back folded it can go through countless readings and hands. Improperly folded at the outset, it's a mess and less fun to read.
By the way, this may be my very first complaint so I'll attempt to soften the blow with your share of the of my senior benefits.
All the best,
John Finley
Kodiak, Alaska.
PS. Re: No more print hardcopy editions of the AVA: In that case, fold the whole works up. If money's the problem raise the rates.
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BE FIRE SAFE
Dear Editor,
As a homeowner who last October had a forest fire burn within 20 feet of a dwelling here in Comptche, before it went on to burn 20 acres of our timber, I cannot stress enough that we need to do everything possible to make our properties fire safe. Looks like it will be a bad wildfire season again and it is starting early.
There are four things you can do to make your place fire safe. Clear vegetation and brush within 100' of your dwellings. If you have water storage get proper connections to it so your local fire department can draw from it in case of an emergency. Make sure a fire truck can drive up your driveway and turn around, and last, but not least, put your street number at the end of your driveway so fire fighters can find your place in an emergency.
Those four things are easy to understand and will make your place safer. Another "no-brainer"...financially support your local volunteer fire department. They the men and women who will get there first in your time of crisis. JOIN your local VFD! If you can't be a firefighter there are lots of behind the scenes work always needing doing. They're great community organizations and my husband and I been part of Comptche's for 37 years.
I wouldn't wish anyone the experience I had last fall standing in my house going "OK, if it's going to burn down what do I need to try and take?" and when firefighter's drove up my marked driveway, on a road wide enough for a fire engine, into a yard with no brush near any structure and a hook up to our water storage system available I was glad our family had taken the time to become fire safe in the woodlands.
Katy Tahja
Comptche
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ENCHANTED FOREST
Greetings Members of the Community,
I am writing to introduce myself as Surya Anderson, a representative and co-founder with Jeremy Mayberry of Sacred Sound Systems Event Production. For the past two years we have organized a gathering called Enchanted Forest in Anderson Valley, at what is now known as Camp Navarro on Masonite Road.
Enchanted Forest is an intentional gathering celebrating community through music, dance, art and healing. Our intent is to provide a safe, nurturing and creative environment for friends and family, as well as for our expanded community, to spend a weekend together.
Enchanted Forest is a multigenerational event that is not only ‘family friendly,’ but ‘families encouraged’. My three children along with a host of their friends and many others will most certainly be found exploring the forest and swimming in the creek throughout the weekend. In addition to the natural playground offered we host a magical kids camp within the event itself, packed with activities and daily programming.
Throughout the day we have a variety of workshops and talks geared around interests such as yoga, dance, communication skill building, personal empowerment, nutrition, land (earth) stewardship, permaculture and composting.
In addition to the workshops and music, we also host our Late Night Tea Lounge and Visionary Art Gallery as well as a Healing Sanctuary offering a chance to receive bodywork and massage. We have a variety of organic wholesome food and drink vendors available as well as those offering clothing, art and jewelry.
We implement a strict ‘no alcohol, no drug policy’ and employ a professional security team to maintain its adherence.
I am a long time resident of the Mendocino coast and, having spent most of my upbringing living in Rancho Navarro, I am very sensitive to the delicate balance and beauty this area holds.
I encourage anyone interested to explore the link provided to learn more of what Enchanted Forest is all about.
Thank you,
Surya Anderson, Sacred Sound Systems
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LONG SENTENCES
Editor,
A great line from Ruth Weiss, Queen of the Beatniks.
"I never let gender stand in the way of my affection." -- 1958, North Beach, San Francisco
Heard in Ukiah jail, 2011: "Judge Henderson looks good but has bad English — his sentences are too long."
There were several pages with links at the bottom of the page. You might consider the above.
Captain Fathom
Santa Cruz
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