LETTERS on Sonoma County Issues

Gazette readers tell us what is on their minds and how they hope their opinions will influence our decisions and actions. Thank you readers! Please send LETTERS to vesta@sonic.net and VESTA Publishing, 6490 Front St #300, Forestville, CA 95426

Hi Vesta,
This is Amie, from the former Natural Connections store in Occidental. I’m loving the GAZETTE more and more, and would like to suggest a new regular feature (of course I have my own motives, as you’ll see below). You know how newspapers show photos of homeless dogs and cats needing adoption? Well, I’m thinking it would be great if you could run a similar feature for local people looking for local part-time work.

I’m 65, and my lovely part-time job at Natural Connections disappeared when Lorraine retired and closed the store at the end of last March. Since then, I’ve been looking for a similar part-time job in a similar retail setting, with no luck. I’ve spread the word, advertised on WaccoBB and other online jobsites, taken my resume into every store on Main St. in Sebastopol and Forestville (several have said “We’d hire you in a minute if we were hiring,” but then somebody’s best friend or relative gets the next job), but no luck.

I don’t need a big career; I don’t want to stock shelves at J.C. Penney for minimum wage; I just need a nice little part-time paying job selling things or helping people out in one of the many ways my past experience has taught me.

I would love to give Gazette readers a chance to hire local, experienced and job-worthy people like me.

Thanks again for all you do.
Amie Hill
aahill@sonic.net if you'd like to offer Amy a job!
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Bohemian Grove Logging
As many now know, the plan to log valuable stands of timber at the Bohemian Grove property in Monte Rio, California was signed off for approval by CALFIRE on December 29, 2009. This development, characterized by Judge Bill Newsom as a “thinly disquised plan...” to log “one of the last two great stands of old-growth” has disappointed more than a few, both Russian River residents and many of the environmentally conscious community.

So what’s next? With such approvals, there’s a thirty day window to file appeal via legal means. Who better to tell the story than John Hooper, organic farmer and past member of the Bohemian Club. John knows the Bohemian Club property and its trees far better than many, and as an owner of forestry stands himself, he has a strong sense of how forests can best be managed.
A wealth of information, including professional testimonials, forestry reports, and forestry management statistics relevant to the Bohemian Grove NTMP is available for review at
www.savebohemiangrove.org
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Editor:
Shoppers from all over Sonoma County are extolling the benefit of having a Wal*Mart SuperCenter selling groceries in Rohnert Park. The benefit is simple: low prices. The trade-offs are much more complex -- and far outweigh the benefits. Low price comes at a high cost.
There are many reasons to be concerned with the presence of a Wal*Mart in our community, especially an even larger one than exists now. Wal*Mart is a mega-corporation that is fully capable of destroying a local economy, that pays its employees poverty-level wages, that actually encourages its employees to apply for food stamps and other taxpayer-supported programs for the poor, that puts pressure on its third-world suppliers, that is viciously anti-union, etc. I think we must educate our community about it. Sure they have low prices, and lower-income shoppers probably like having a Wal*Mart nearby. But we must consider how Wal*Mart achieves its low prices, and the potentially disastrous consequences of a SuperCenter in our community.

In Cotati/Rohnert Park, a Wal*Mart SuperCenter will undoubtedly mean driving some local markets out of business (e.g., Pacific Market, Oliver’s Market), and bringing the attendant blight to the shopping centers which they anchor. Across the nation, on the average two grocery stores fold in a community for every Wal*Mart SuperCenter that goes in. Shopping centers that these grocery stores anchored tend to enter decline, and urban blight increases. The SuperCenter, of course, does create jobs, although they are predominantly “junk jobs”. The net effect on the community is a decided negative. There is no net gain in jobs, and the quality of available jobs decreases. Wal*Mart workers are among the “working poor”, who receive subsidies from taxpayers because they don’t get paid a living wage. There is no enhancement of tax revenues to the local jurisdiction since groceries are not subject to sales tax in California. Finally there is the issue of Third World sweatshops where goods sold in Wal*Marts are manufactured. There is an ethical issue about supporting the exploitation of low-wage workers in other countries.
Rick Luttmann, Rohnert Park
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Letter to the editor
The humanitarian tragedy in Haiti is perhaps one of the worst disasters in human recorded history that even a fully developed rich nation such as the United States would have trouble dealing with. Haiti as the poorest nation in the western hemisphere is in a much greater tragic situation. A lack of first rate hospitals, trained medical professionals and even no military have made the earthquake disaster even worse. The situation in Haiti should be a lesson for all nations of how important disaster readiness and preparedness is to their national security.

Los Angeles California is said by scientists to have a 99% chance of a major earthquake involving the San Andreas Fault in Southern California in future years. In a matter of a few years Los Angeles could be seeing a “Haiti” type of natural disaster. Lessons learned should be studied by our nations disaster experts and changes should be made to prepare the United States for such events otherwise such disasters will be similiar to Bosnia, Haiti and 9/11 style of mass disasters.
Kevin Beck
Henderson, Nevada
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Geyser Soup,
The recent news that Santa Rosa no longer will dump any waste water into the Russian River was greeted with a major sigh of relief! Zero river discharge at last!! It will all get sucked up by the geysers, boiled and turned into “free” electricity. Couldn’t get any “greener” than that!

Well except for the chlorine. Why not skip that awful, chemical and dump the waste water untreated into the blessed bowel of mother earth? The electricity will not “taste” any different! One caveat: suppose there ever were some kind of major eruption? Would our whole county then get “fertilized” in a boiling shower of you know what?
Earl T. Hemming
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Dear Vesta,
In the “Dear Readers” column of the January 7th issue, you say the following: “But like many businesses, you either grow or die. Stagnation leads to death no matter what the living entity.” This is a widely held belief that bears closer examination. If every business has to continually expand in order to be successful, then eventually all the expanding businesses will entirely fill the available markets, and there will be no further room for expansion. What then? Clearly this is a self-limiting strategy.

Other than expanding into new markets, businesses grow by swallowing other businesses. Again if we follow this out to its conclusion, we will end up with one single business supplying everything to everyone. In some major industries we are very close to that right now. Of course, these extremes will never be reached, but it must be clear that the idea of constant growth as a long -term plan is unsustainable.

Neither is it true that living organisms grow constantly or die. Stagnation , or as I would rather call it, a steady state, does not hasten death, and neither does unconstrained growth delay death, in any living organism. In fact the only organism I can think of that does pursue this policy is a cancer cell, which will eventually kill its host.

Even if it were in fact true for living beings, a business is not a living being except in a very general metaphorical sense. In this context there is one very salient difference; living beings have a built-in aging process which leads inevitably to death. Businesses do not. A business can survive as long as it shows a sufficient surplus after its expenses, whether it is expanding or not. The parallel case is not true of a living organism. No matter how healthy a life it lives, or how well it is fed, it will eventually age and die.

It seems to me that a small business could be very successful if it provided a useful service for its customers and paid its staff and owners an income that enabled them to live comfortably, year after year at the same level. It is true that they may have to adopt new technology, but this does not necessarily imply overall growth. What puts pressure on small businesses is the presence in the market of large companies with deep pockets which are determined to expand at all costs. But their expansion is not driven by the needs of the business, it is the result of greed on the part of their owners.

Please note that I am not saying that growth is never a good business strategy; it may be necessary for other reasons, but it is not a necessity for the survival of the business.
This is but one of a whole plethora of common sayings that slide easily off the tongue and are used to guide our actions, that are simply not true, or are true only in a very limited way. They serve the interests, or justify the actions, of those who have power in the current way society is structured, and wish to maintain and consolidate that power. Those of us who feel that the distribution of wealth and power in our society has reached a very dangerous imbalance, would do well to examine the way in which our everyday language works to support the system and constrain our ability to conceive of other ways of doing things.
Patrick Brinton
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Hi Vesta
I just wanted to commend you on a BEAUTIFUL issue. We love soup at our house and that picture and the colors were so pretty and the article rocked. We are saving the article and going to investigate some of these soups too. Good work girlfriend
regards
Joanie
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Medical Marijuana Dispensary in Cotati
The city of Cotati maybe soon permitting a medical marijuana dispensary on Redwood Dr. Given a choice of business philosophies and ethics, what would be best for Cotati?

One of the two potential dispensaries is Starbuds Group which manages marijuana dispensaries while establishing an educational scholarship trust with 100% of its profits. They pay living wages to all levels of employees, pay local, State and Federal taxes, and document vendor income with 1099’s. They offer 100%* transparent records of all business transactions to the public and authorities. Products are tested for pollutants, THC content, CBR content, mold contamination, and harvest quality. Public safety is managed by camera placement in multiple areas and security personnel. They serve only verified medical cannabis patients who follow State and local laws. The Award-winning owner is Mark Gustely and currently is a California State Contractor, license #932953 and prior #810762, in good standing, and is complying with all local and State regulation, laws and the Attorney General Jerry Browns recommendations.

So wouldn’t any city prefer a business that pays its taxes, builds in safety, pays living wages and returns the profits to the community? We’re asking that the City of Cotati to fully research their options when choosing the ONE business who will be licensed to operate a medical marijuana dispensary within city limits.

*Patients names encrypted to protect privacy.
Mark Gustely, owner, Starbuds Group,
www.starbuds.net
mark@starbuds.net
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Hello Vesta,
Below is a letter to all readers of the Sonoma Co. Gazette which deals with a timely issue facing Sonoma Co. (and the State of California) now.

I would very much appreciate if this could make it into the coming edition of the paper so that more people can be alerted to this situation. It has received hardly any media attention that I am aware of and most people do not even know that a wireless device will soon be installed on their homes whether they like it, or agree with it, or not. There are major public health concerns to this as well as financial and ‘security’ ones (wireless devices are easily interfered with by other types of signals for one thing). Thank you very much!
Sincerely,
Christina Sophia, Graton

Dear Readers,
Do you know about “Smart” meters & are they really smart?

Or is this clever marketing of the new wireless meter that PG&E wants to put on every house & business just to convince us to accept this change without any question and without any public hearings? I’m all for appropriate technology which enhances the lives of the majority. But the wireless meters will not provide this enhancement and in fact may endanger our health, safety & bottom line. For one thing, these are/will be vulnerable to hacking, not to mention the fact that wireless devices can be easily interfered with by a variety of other frequencies.

There is already a class action lawsuit filed against PG&E concerning the meter’s accuracy, & public complaints about this (people say their energy bill greatly increased while their usage did not change). This is occurring in places like Bakersfield where they already have the meters installed. Sonoma County is slated for installation next month though very few people know anything about it. Did you see anything on your bill about this coming change? I didn’t. Those of us who are aware of it are not only concerned about the possible financial effects from likely inaccuracy of these wireless meters but the far reaching public health ramifications which may manifest over time with exposure to additional electromagnetic-radio frequencies 24/7.

And the negative effects are not only on humans. There is plenty of documentation for this as I explain below.

I must say that those of us who are concerned and taking action toward a moratorium on the new meters till safety is satisfactorily demonstrated, are also interested in promoting wiser energy usage, but this does not appear to be the wise way and will simply bring upon us more big brother type control. The meters, in combination with newer appliances will allow PG&E in the future (or “the powers that be” -whoever they may be) to SHUT OFF YOUR POWER or appliances when THEY DEEM NECESSARY without your knowledge or consent!

We are going in the wrong direction here by INCREASING our wireless exposure while in Europe they’re busy getting rid of it! Why? Here’s a few of the health related facts: Wireless “smart” meters will emit millions of new electromagnetic RF signals every day. Exposure to electro smog is documented to have major biological effects on living tissue, including wildlife such as birds & bees. Exponential increase in the use of wireless technologies poses serious health concerns as the Bio initiative Report www.bioinitiative.org) - recognized by the European Parliament - demonstrates many negative health effects including cancers. The Utility Reform Network in S.F. & State Senator Florez are calling for a moratorium on these meters again, slated for installation in Sonoma County in February.

Lampposts, buildings, & telephone poles will host the wireless repeater infrastructure to serve the new wireless meters, which will be installed in or on every home & business. These will add yet another layer of radio frequencies (RF) to our homes and environment and will emit RF signals throughout the day and night. In light of the lack of FCC safety standards for chronic long term exposure to RF and in light of the call for the precautionary principle for wireless technology from global scientists, environmental agencies, advocacy groups and doctors, we call upon concerned citizens to take swift and massive action in order to bring the following requests to the County Supervisors and City of Sebastopol early next month in the form of a petition.

Please educate yourself on this issue which concerns all of us and help us support
a moratorium delaying the installation of the meters in Sonoma county by signing the petition at: www.emfsafetynetwork.org

In the petition we are asking for:
1) a thorough investigation of the PG&E wireless meter proposal and potential health risks of them through public hearings.

2) PG&E to be required to submit a characterization study of the smart meter system planned for Sonoma county & Sebastopol.

3) The Smart Meter health and safety study PG&E commissioned to be made available to the public.

4) Customers to be able to “opt out” of the program and finally,

5) to place a 6 to 9 month moratorium on all new wireless installations to allow time for a thorough scientific review.

Thank you very much for your support!
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Proposed Winery In Sebastopol
The Best Family Investment Group LLC would like to become my new neighbor. They want to move in across the narrow country lane from my home of the past 20 years and build a winery complex that would include a building that is nearly a football field long, 1/2 football field wide, and 4 1/2 stories tall. Further ingratiating themselves to me they intend to host parties with up to 150 guests, 17 times a year and serve 100 guests daily in a separate 5,000 square foot wine tasting room. If that’s not enough to have me quivering in anticipation of their arrival, they are even going to truck in enough grapes to crank out 26,500 cases of wine AND they’ll have operations going 24/7 for several months of the year. What more can I possible hope for? I can’t wait till they’re in so we can have each other over for tea, borrow a cup of sugar, you know, just do the kinds of things that good neighbors do for each other. I hope my tears of joy don’t get the welcome cake soggy when my new neighbors rip out the apple orchard that has been growing here in the scenic corridor since 1925. Good riddance to those pesky old apple trees. Welcome to my new neighbors, the kind that most people only get to dream about.

Just think of it, a wine bottling plant right next door operating all night along. How lucky can one get?

What must I do to become the recipient of all this good fortune?

I must hope and pray that on March 2nd the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors will vote to amend the General Plan twice, rezone 2 parcels and throw in some special policy voodoo so my special neighbors can build a winery complex on an undersized lot outside my bedroom window. Oh, I almost forgot, I also need the Board of Supervisors to accept the MND instead of requiring an Environmental Impact Report. I certainly wouldn’t want to delay move-in day just to do a silly study to see if this project could in some remote way have a potentially significant impact on the environment and surrounding area. If this precedent is set any resident of Sonoma County can look forward to the day when they too can have a neighbor like this.

Seriously folks, this project does not belong here. This project does not fit here. This project is not wanted here. Creating an island of Diverse Agriculture land-use with no buffer to the surrounding residential properties would create an area of conflicting land use which is the exact opposite of the goal of our General Plan and zoning laws.

Can you say: Square Peg, Round Hole!

Contact your Board of Supervisors. Tell them to VOTE NO. Attend the Public Hearing on March 2, 2010 @ 2:10 p.m. 575 Administration Drive Santa Rosa.

Eileen & Thomas Morabito
Sebastopol
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Dear Vesta
A word of praise and thanks is in order to Dr. Gonzales and the staff of Palm Drive Hospital.
On Saturday January 9, after an overzealous start to my New Year’s exercise regime, I went to
the Emergency Department with chest pains. I showed the receptionist my Medicare card, and she walked me back to see the nurse. In a very short time, I had an EKG, a portable chest x-ray, and lab work and then began to wait for the results to be read by Dr. Gonzales. I remember only a nurse named Mark, but all the other workers and technicians were attentive, friendly, and professional. One by one each test came through as normal and I went home after two hours with instructions for a diagnosis of chest strain.

We are lucky in West County to have such an excellent hospital to serve our community.
Cecile Lusby
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Target Center Sues Petaluma
Regarding The Brown Act violation that never happened and other allegations by Target Corporation:

I guess these big guys don’t care a shred for a thing called the Petaluma General Plan, the document we worked on together defining the directions and land uses we intend for our largely independently-minded and pro-SMART Code town. No mention of that in their letter to Mayor Torliatt - or any discussion from them that I’ve heard. And yet it is our painstakingly prepared plan for land use for our city. 7 years of planning went into creating a General Plan that suits our whole town.

That Petaluma has vision was acknowledged by Green Belt Alliance a few years ago when they voted us to be the most environmentally sound city in the Bay Area after introduction of our Petaluma Central Specific Plan. We had a plan then and we didn’t just lose it all because a major corporation is having a tantrum.

After years of personally submitting comments to our newest General Plan, speaking at council and being active in Petaluma Independent Business Alliance and the Petaluma Community Coalition to help create better land use policy, I am not surprised but nevertheless appalled that Target could #1 tell our town how it should use the shopping center - we should, according the them, behave exactly like other “guests” in other towns. A big assumption that people here wouldn’t want to bicycle or bus it to the center. But worse, they are out and out accusing our council members of a violation of the Brown Act by holding a meeting of 4 council members.
This meeting never took place according to Vice Mayor Glass - and I’ve had reason to believe his word for years now.

Several friends have argued that Regency was polite and put up money so we should do whatever they want. I still hold development is a privilege, not a right - and we shouldn’t just cave into Target’s demand that we skim over our process and policy so they get the development they want. This is the center of our city we are talking about and we deserve the time and care needed to get to a good project that has at least a chance of serving the needs of the “guests” who would use it. And then there is that other question, the one gnawing at me: since neither Target nor Regency gave us more than scanty economic data, we don’t have even a foggy idea of which existing Petaluma businesses, downtown or otherwise, will go out of existence due to this project. We don’t know the true costs of this project and Regency and Target are making no attempt to help us get there that isn’t legislated.

Not a friendly way to behave, developers. I know you feel we try your patience, but you try our whole plan for our future - our General Plan that stipulates large new developments shall provide a net positive for the city. We just don’t know if this project will do that. December retail data for the nation shows a loss of over 6% from last year! That means a lot of retail stores - including chains - are closing their doors. People are changing their buying habits all over including buying online - and many huge chains are disappearing forever. Will we end in a few years with a ghost mall? Not likely - but it could happen. That and blight where stores now owned and operated by our neighbors. Where’s the happy ending? I’d really like to know.
Connie Madden
Petaluma
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Those Who Serve, Deserve
I am a WW@ Navy veteran. I was discharged in 1946 from a naval hospital after returning from the Pacific. Since then, I have been receiving outstanding medical care from Veterans Administration Hospital in San Francisco for many years. I am an avid supporter of the VA and the thousands of veterans who have used their services.

The health care reform debate has polarized our country into at least two opposing factions, those who support the right of all Americans to receive basic health care, and those who are fearful of government run medical care. As someone who has received the benefit of government run health care, I can tell you there is no comparison about the quality of service I have received with the VA compared to private hospitalization. At the VA I receive all my medications for free, or a small Co-pay. I have had quadruple bypass surgery, and numerous operations at no cost to me and my family. I use the local VA clinic on a regular basis, and my vital signs are monitored daily at home using the latest in medical technology. Right now, we are deadlocked about what to do as a nation.

I have a possible solution to part of the problem of providing some of our citizens some form of health care. There are at least 47 million Americans with no health insurance. And many more millions that have inadequate insurance to cover the most basic of health care, many of whom are veterans. I propose that the VA open its doors to all veterans and their families to receive health care from the VA. We have thousands of citizens that have served their country since WW2, i.e… Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf War, etc. Why not let them buy into a Veteran Health Care Program? With funding from Congress, expand the facilities and services provided by the VA. Veterans could buy into a medical plan directly from the VA. This would provide revenue for expanding VA services. The cost would be affordable and many would be able to take advantage of it if they choose. From my own experience, at a local hospital, waiting for transfer to a VA hospital, I was billed for medications that I never received. When I reported it to medicare, the hospital changed the bill right away.

This country always talks about how much we appreciate the service and sacrifice of our military men and women. Well, lets do more than give them a parade once or twice a year. We can expand the GI Bill to allow our veterans access to the VA. Let’s honor their service with something meaningful like health care for them and their families.

Opponents of much needed health care reform in this country would find it difficult to argue that our veterans do not deserve this type of government run program. I am sure that many who have served, would greatly appreciate the option of have an inexpensive way to receive quality health care from the VA
Miguel Acuna
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Senior Momentum Feedback
Although I don’t consider myself so ancient, I am generally the oldest person present, wherever I go. I have ample opportunity to be exposed to the abuses described by Zoe Tummillo in her column “Abuse a la Carte”. I have not experienced problems such as she describes. Rude treatment has been around for a long time, and is not necessarily related to the age of the recipient. It is rare that I am mistreated, and when it happens, I will respond appropriately.

In Guerneville, where I shop as much as possible, I have only praise for the merchants, in particular, Dada’s True Value Hardware, Safeway, Lark, and The Mercantile. Nobody talks down to me, patronizes me, or otherwise mistreats me. Safeway personnel are always helpful and pleasant, with one exception, that the Safeway Pharmacist, quite a few years ago, was so shockingly rude to me that I have not since then used the Safeway Pharmacy.

I am pleased with Lark and The Mercantile, where I find good and pleasant help when I need it. The young people at Dada’s Hardware are very pleasant, helpful, smiling, enjoying what they are doing. I enjoy shopping there. My remarks equally apply to Costco, Best Buy, CitiBank, and about anywhere I go. Occasional rudeness may occur, it is generic, not based on my age, fueled generally by the aggressive ignorance of the perpetrator
Richard Wayland
Guerneville
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Dear Vesta,
Let me just say a public thanks to the great management and staff of Sprint in Sebastopol. For several years now, they have filled the printing and stationery needs of the Interchurch Pantry of Sebastopl at no cost to us. So this is a little shout out to our community to support a local business that walks the walk.
Sincerely,
Cecile Lusby, secretary

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LETTER - Guerneville Center Street Project

RE: Four-Plex on Center Street, Guerneville - Dennis Judd project

East Guernewood Park is a sleepy community of single family homes located on the Russian River. Idyllic, nestled amongst the redwoods, the community encourages a live and let live approach to life. Then came the bump in the night. Like the towering redwoods, the problem began small and grew slowly, shutting out the glare of public scrutiny, and threatening to topple and damage the community from winds of greed and corruption. This is a story of an absentee landlord, a greedy developer, a corrupt politician, and the community that will suffer from his abuse of power.

Guernewood Park was first subdivided in the 1920s. The house at 16680 Center Way was built in 1947 as a single family dwelling. Over the years the house was converted to a duplex and finally to a fourplex. The illegal conversions made economic sense in the context of vacation rentals. The vacationers spent time at the river and those few permanent residents knew they were in a vacation paradise.

Sonoma County grew up. More people came to the Russian River as permanent residents and the County passed zoning restrictions. Guernewood Park was zoned for single family homes at a density of four units per acre. Due to its small lot, the fourplex was a four family home at a density of forty units per acre. The ten fold increase in density would never be allowed today, but was grandfathered in as a “legal nonconforming” structure because it existed when the zoning restrictions were enacted.

Four permanent families were a disaster. Building Department records are full of complaints and code violations. The building fell into disrepair, tenants were evicted, utilities shut off and the structure was condemned.

The County has an orderly process for dealing with legal nonconforming buildings. If they are unused for more than a year, then they revert back to having to meet zoning requirements. The Yellow House was unused for more than a year. Utility records document it and neighbors remember it.

Decay breeds opportunity and opportunity can go one of two ways. In this case, greed and corruption took center stage. There are developers in the County that pray on distressed properties and know how to manipulate “The System”. They know how to use public funds to line their own pockets and how to bend the rules to their advantage, wreaking havoc on the communities that are the true victims.

D Judd Apartments LLC purchased the Yellow House for $90,000 as a “tear down”. His contractor, Tom Lynch, took out a permit for $5,000 of work to fix code violations. Now, at $5,000, nobody at the Building Department was paying attention to zoning issues. When the Building Department realized its mistake, it began backpedaling and trying to justify its actions, first citing County Code, then State Code, then Affordable Housing. As each legal argument was shot down through the appeal process, the Building Department was left with only political arguments. It was better to protect the developer at the expense of the community.

The final blow came when the appeal went before the Board of Supervisors. Efren Carrillo, Supervisor for District 5, made a decision that was stunning in its lack of intelligence. County Code 26-94-030 clearly and unambiguously says that the property owner is required to prove that the property did not lose its legal nonconforming status. Supervisor Carrillo ignored the code and ruled in favor of the developer. Supervisor Carrillo is not stupid. The only conclusion is that Efren Carrillo has, once again, supported developers over the interests of the community.

Linda Johns, Guerneville

Click on the image below to read and/or print it:

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United Way Funding for West County - LETTER

Dear Editor,

In response to Donna Roper’s letter last week inquiring about United Way’s funding decisions relative to West County, I would like to provide some context and background on our organization’s funding strategy.

United Way’s community-led funding teams carefully consider the multitude needs and concerns in our community as they make funding decisions each year. During our last fiscal year, our organization made substantial and increased funding commitments to the community, contingent on us meeting fundraising targets. However, because of the challenging economic environment, we did not meet those fundraising targets, and yet the Board made the decision to virtually deplete its reserves to uphold our funding commitments to the community. And now, because economic and fundraising challenges are expected to continue, United Way’s Board of Directors has made the prudent yet very difficult decision to reduce funding commitments for our current fiscal year.

I would like to emphasize that we remain steadfast in our primary goal: to create opportunities for a better life for everyone. We do this by identifying, analyzing and addressing our community’s needs. Sometimes this requires difficult decisions but we firmly believe that the work we are doing requires collaboration across all sectors. Working together, we can accomplish things that no organization, no individual and no government can accomplish on its own.

As part of United Way’s commitment to address our community’s needs, we are holding a series of community aspiration sessions in Sonoma, Lake and Mendocino counties this week. This will be an opportunity to identify the current issues and needs that we face as a community. The sessions are a challenge to the community to envision how it can be an even better place to live and develop a plan to collectively achieve that vision. Details on those sessions can be found on United Way of the Wine Country’s website: www.unitedwaywinecountry.org. 

Together, united, we can inspire hope and create opportunities for a better tomorrow.

Sincerely,
Steve Farmiloe, Chair
United Way of the Wine Country

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RETRACTION of LETTER Published in the June 18, 2009 ISsue

I printed a Letter to the Editor in the June issue of the Gazette - without reading it prior to publishing - and the author of the letter has requested that I publish a RETRACTION. My personal regret is that I didn't read it (it came in right before I went to press and I simply trusted the author because I know him as a contributor to our community and good guy) - his regret is that he wrote it. Below is his letter of retraction. I won't compound the problem by re-publishing his letter here. My next issue won't come out until July 16th, so this is the best I can do for both of us. - Vesta

The Biggest Mistake of My Life!

By The Shadow

Fueled by anger and concern over the safety of the streets of Forestville, my home, I wrote a letter to Vesta, editor of the West County Gazette. The letter talked about the Forestville Youth Park BBQ, then quickly shifted focus to the Bodean Company gravel quarry. The letter was full of hearsay and rumor, based upon information I gathered around town. I never should have written the letter. Nor did I consider other consequences until I read my letter published in the Gazette. By that time it was too late.

At this point in time all I can do is take full responsibility for what I wrote and was printed in The Gazette under the pen name, The Shadow Knows. I will never write about this subject again and I am truly sorry for the pain and suffering I have caused the Bodean Company, Inc. and anyone else involved with this letter.

This is my responsibility and mine alone. I am the one who is fully accountable. It is Vesta’s policy to publish all letters submitted, and I admit that I pushed her deadline, leaving her no time to check for facts and accuracy. She has faithfully published my letters in the past, and knows that I am The Shadow.

I admit to being emotional about this subject. I will never forget the day I saw a fatality first-hand in a truck accident and was truly trying to prevent another accident. I know this letter was not the correct way to deal with the situation. I cannot undo the past but will try to learn from it. If I have an issue, I will direct my thoughts to the people involved, not the general public. Again, I apologize and retract what I wrote in an attempt to make amends.

Sincerely,

The Shadow
Forestville

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Forestville Roundabout - Concerns about safety

Hi Vesta: I went to the traffic circle meeting last Thursday and saw your report on Friday. I guess you heard Ramona's concerns, but you didn't hear mine.

I was alarmed by the sloppiness and lack of concern for safety by the county road planners. Their proposed design creates a blind T intersection at Hidden Lake Rd onto a state highway filled with gravel and garbage trucks. This is deadly. The designers seem to be concerned about sight-line issues at the traffic circle but they completely ignored the other intersection, Hidden Lake Rd, impacted by the new design. The sight-line issue at this blind intersection is critical because when cars enter Hwy 116 at Hidden Lake Rd they do so from a dead stop. When headed east, the drivers need to see far enough west to judge whether they have enough time and space to get up to the speed of the traffic flow on Hwy 116. Currently, turning vehicles can see a long way down the hill westward so that drivers can judge if they can safely make it. When the designers carelessly revised this intersection, Hidden Lake Rd drivers will now have to enter Hwy 116 from the inside of a curve, creating a blind intersection. The turning drivers won't be able to see further than a hundred feet down the hill. I believe these drivers need to see much further down the road, probably 300 to 400 feet more for this to be safe.

I brought this to the attention of the engineers and our supervisor. I was told that the design we saw was "conceptual" but that doesn't make me any happier. So often, these conceptual things become carved in stone and then we become stuck with something that is totally inappropriate. I don't understand how some safety basics weren't covered from the get-go.

Let me explain. Most drivers coming up the hill, headed east are going, at least, 45 MPH. Even though there is a speed reduction sign slightly before Hidden Lake Rd, no one seems to slow down until they get to the top of the hill. At 45 MPH, a car will travel 660 feet in 10 seconds. A turning car, from Hidden Lake Rd, typically takes 10 or more seconds, going from a dead stop, to get up to the 45 MPH speed of the traffic flow. In that 10 seconds, the turning car will travel about 330 feet. In that 10 seconds, a vehicle coming up the hill will close up about 330 feet on the turning car. If the turning car can't see, at least 330 feet (preferable 400+ feet), the vehicle coming up the hill will only have a second or so warning of the turning car and have to brake severely to avoid hitting it. This is a recipe for disaster and I am not going to sit by quietly while the highway designers push ahead on a death trap.

This problem can remedied by maintaining the current alignment of Hwy 116 and not changing the Hidden Lake Rd intersection. It would be still possible to build the traffic circle. It will may not be the cheap alternative that the county seems to prefer but my life, my loved ones lives and my neighbor lives are worth it. I don't want to be a victim of the county's carelessness and cut rate attitude.

Ken Brown
Hidden Lake Rd
Forestville

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The Blesséd Misanthrope and the Damméd Poor

Lloyd Guccione write an Open Letter to the Community

To: Misters Mike Kerns, Tim Smith, Paul Kelly, Mike Reilly, and Ms. Valerie Brown,
Sonoma County Board of Supervisors, Ms. Shirlee Zane (3rd District) Member-Elect Sonoma County Board of Supervisors Mr. Efren Carrillo (5th District) Member-Elect Sonoma County Board of Supervisors Russian River Redevelopment Oversight Committee

and

The youth, poor, and homeless of our communities; whose patience and forbearance of our collective selfishness, narrowness of mind and action, ineptitude, and social and bureaucratic sloth is a constant wonder…

and

To the community; an open letter.

The Blesséd Misanthrope
and
the Damméd Poor

Upon the Irish lands and people our goodly Edmund Spencer wrote long ago of their plight under the yoke of the English and the travail of circumstance. He described how these poor; in their rags, emaciated, and with animalized mien would creep forth from the forests on all fours in search of food and wood fuel to stave off starvation and death. Fellow man compelled and allegorized to Human wolves. He contrasted this with the position and houses of the English overlords. He called these circumstances to the attention of Court and Parliament. His piece is known as “A Vewe of the present state of Irelande” and was written circa 1598 and published 1633. The Irish for their part called it to the attention of the English by another means: Rebellion.

Perhaps what would be appreciated now is a similar writing upon a view of the present state of matters in Sonoma County with emphasis on the River communities; or in the least an emphatic compassionate essay. An essay that will unveil the righteous and clothe the naked. I am not that writer. But I will attempt to respond and address the current responses to the Interfaith Coalition’s efforts; and the letters and statements that have dealt with the topic of homelessness and shelter.

While those opposed to a homeless evening shelter (either in Rio Nido, Guerneville, or Monte Rio-Villa Grande) are not in reality misanthropic they are for the most part definitely blesséd for they have food, shelter, warmth, paper to write, intelligence to compose and act, and the religious blessing of their pocketbooks and coins. The Poor, likewise, are not really damméd for they shall inherit the earth. However, the Poor and Homeless are rightly less interested in whether they shall inherit the earth (which when we are each and all interred therein we too can so claim to have inherited), than in a more pragmatic and day-to-day Weltsicht.

Their worldview is close at hand; white and numb hands and feet from cold, dampness from morning dew and the wet-soak from rain. Closer still is their flesh to the earth; aided by lying down to it and the meagerness of covering. And for food and nourishment if they have little, and if they should toast their meagerness with the waste upon drink, they only follow the example of their more well-to-do cousins.

The worldview of that other portion is also evident; characterized in this context by admixtures of guilt, failure of practical emplaced compassion, and a self-cultivated fear, trembling, and loathing. Their very distance and separateness from a more earthly world; the immediate, urgent, and unavoidable brings us to

Consideration of Failure and Fear

Nearly eight years ago Mr. Mike Reilly brought to us (imposed upon us) the Russian River Redevelopment Project. Among the early works of the Oversight Committee (RRROC) was the conduct of a community survey. The results showed an interest or concern for many things; among them were our youth and homelessness. Eight years later, millions of dollars later, countless meetings later all the king’s horses and all the king’s men still cannot address and emplace practical and pragmatic solutions for these elementary issues. The roadblocks are the typical; bureaucratic turf wars and labyrinthine processes and procedures; narrow business interests and manipulations of opinion by a small and conservative coterie; vain-glory and political strivings by the want-to-be’s leading to endless ‘accommodations’ and ineffective (and sometimes destructive) approaches; and a community that is sold the “fear” factor instead of the community “spirit” antidote.

The failure of the county to be actively supportive and innovative in addressing the homeless and poor issue here along the lower river has many who will jump and rally to defend past weak-kneed efforts and the battle against “insurmountable” obstacles. Hmmf! What is so “insurmountable” when emergency services has army tents, kitchens, palletized floors, sanitary facilities readily available, and public service land and facilities go empty, unused, or under utilized? The failure is one of “will.” The will to provide for the poor, the homeless, and even the ‘youth’ of our communities is at best mild lip service, good ideas that die on the vine, or coupled with inefficient, money squandering bureaucratization of process. The benefactor in the last example is a well-fed, insured, and compassionate county employee. First among all the rest; the Fifth District Supervisor. These are followed in good order by the rest and then such sorts as head the various departments, commissions, and other sinecures.

That the county’s Fifth District Supervisor (with the help of the Board) cannot see it through to facilitate the care of 2-20 people on the lower river is a measure of a larger problem. That larger problem is an unsustainable inefficiency and near lack of competence on the part of agencies and departments in general, and of directors and procedural processes in particular. What is so difficult or controversial in taking care of these 2-20 citizens for four months in the year by providing them with a mild roof, a warm meal, and a straw mattress and coverlet (if a better provision cannot be found)? The situation illustrates well the capacity of the county to accomplish the simple; or not. In fact, the county and its officialdom are often welcomed ancillary obstacles by those who cannot deal with the fear of strangers in their midst.

A person needs only to read some of the letters submitted to the Russian River Fire Protection Board of Directors to have a clear appreciation of the fear that the homeless and a shelter can engender. It is a childish fear for the most part; a fear of the unknown and the unfamiliar... a fear of the boogey-man and things that go ‘clunk’ in the night. That fear however is not to be pooh-hawed lightly. For many it is as real, unpalatable and debilitating as it gets. And in some ways it is analogous to a similar fear that infected many in connection with housing integration. How so? I can still recall the upset, controversy, and ostracism, which fell upon one landlord (Hagerstown, Maryland, ~1962) and one developer, a Mr. Day (Columbus, Georgia, ~1966), when they allowed and promoted mixed color housing. Understanding and change take time; often that time is measured not in years but in generational changes. So too is the current miss-understanding, stereo-typing, and irrationality that is so often associated with homelessness and poverty.

By example, home break-ins are more likely to come from (or result from) an individual that the homeowner knows or has somehow displayed his or her desirable things to; or by a second-hand communication of such. Drug dealers, the ostentatious, and others such are often the victims of their own activities and proclivities attributable to their own advertisement than from random acts. As for the random act, often (but not always) an act of momentary false bravado, a miss-placed act of desperation, or act of youthful rebellion; such random acts are by their nature and the culture more intractable and un-assignable. A community and neighbors who know themselves are a better assurance of security, tranquility, and peace of mind than one where individuals are envious, bigoted, or ignorant and/or callous of their neighbor’s sensitivities and anxieties.

And as for the homeless being a more significant danger for potential drunkenness or drug use that is a popular myth but a false one. More real danger derives from the working and middle-class member driving home after having a “few” (often in a powerful $20,000 truck, or a daily-washed and weekly-waxed middle-class Volvo or other such icon of “respectability” and/or prowess) than from any foot-bound imbiber. But such thoughts and reflections are of no use or value to those who have already formed their opinion; their Weltsicht. Once such views are formed there is the; can’t teach an old dog new tricks catechism; the closed and righteous mind.

At the RRFPD Board meeting of November the Board agreed to give consideration to the request of the Interfaith Coalition. An on-site visit was arranged and considerations were laid out. These considerations included the approval of the Postmaster (who leases a portion of the building from RRFPD) and the pro-active outreach of the Coalition to the Rio Nido Homeowners Association. The Postmaster was amenable; the Homeowners Association not so.

At the RRFPD Board meeting of December the pragmatic situation became exquisitely clear; the Homeowners Association came out clearly and strongly against the location and the Board was made keenly aware that the support of the Association was essential to its considered new tax measure (even if such was not said overtly it was clear, obvious, and undeniable). Such is the outcome of political realities. It did not matter (and does not matter) if the opposition was knee-jerk, irrational, selfish, uncharitable, or just plain know-nothingness. The Board had no choice but to put the consideration to rest with a denial of the request. Realpolitik!

After all “Rio Nido is struggling to keep ahead of the curve as far as blithe” is concerned, as Ms. Kristin Hawley wrote to the RRFPD Board in her letter. I am glad to hear that Rio Nido is so struggling for “blithe” means; 1. Carefree and lighthearted. 2. Lacking or showing a lack of due concern: spoke with blithe ignorance of the true situation. Of course I must believe that Ms. Hawley meant “blight” which means; 1a. Any of numerous plant diseases resulting in sudden conspicuous wilting and dying of affected parts, especially young, growing tissues. b. The condition or causative agent, such as a bacterium, fungus, or virus, that results in blight. 2. An extremely adverse environmental condition, such as air pollution. 3. Something that impairs growth, withers hopes and ambitions, or impedes progress and prosperity.

And if “blight” was intended it too is a curious and apropos use of word. For such use of the word blight evidences a selfish and irrational fear and is certainly an analogous social disease; a disease to be transmitted to the young. It can and will wither their hopes and ambitions and impede their ‘progress’ toward reasoned social compassion and the understanding that prosperity can be measured in ways other that wealth and material well-being.

There are as many saints and sinners among the homeless as there are by comparison such among the housed and courageous struggling ‘blithe’ filled. Who will blithely throw the first stone?

I do not wish to unfairly pick on Ms. Hawley or her unfortunate (accidental) choice of word (a forgivable slip, even if it is perhaps a social Freudian one). Her expressed concerns; sadly, poorly informed and exhibiting extreme biases or bigotry, are understandable and can even be sympathized with. [bigot n. One who is strongly partial to one’s own group, religion, or politics and is intolerant of those who differ.] Ms. Hawley is correct when she suggests opening the Guerneville Veteran’s Hall for the purpose of providing for the homeless and poor this winter. Ms. Hawley intends well but has allowed her fear to trump her natural compassion and reason. Under the right circumstances each and every one of us is susceptible to a similar or same reaction and path. Vigilance knows no rest.

Among the letters received by the RRFPD Board that of Mr. Richard Grace and Ms. Elisabeth Parker also deserves a commentary. In general the letter contains such ill-feeling, poorly considered remarks and conclusions, and negativity that one is reminded of Donald Sutherland’s character’s remark to the tank mechanic “Moriarty”… ‘…such negativity man, …you’re ruining my vibes with your negativity.’ [film: Kelly’s Hero’s]

Mr. Grace and Ms. Parker write of chronic homelessness, using the two words in a clinical and formalistic way; illustrating in the process their sagacity and thoroughness. They write that the Rio Nido Station would prove unsuitable for the purpose. They are quick to define what they mean by “unsuitable.” They spend few words on the actual physical accommodations and considerations. Their considerations of unsuitability are “crime, noise, vandalism, drugs, alcohol, violence, and litter.” Given the prevalence of these attributes of our culture, throughout the culture, irregardless of social class, I do not think the poor and the homeless are going to have any significant impact on the already existing condition.

Crime is not the homeless alternative to loss of hope or desperate circumstances. And further; homelessness is not a crime. Some do consider it a “sin.” Noise derives more from those who “have” than those who “have-naught.” It is a simple matter of economics. They do not have loud vehicles, TV’s and CD players to crank up, nor are their vocal disagreements any louder than the typical domestic type. Vandalism is not the mark of the homeless or the poor. More typically it is the work of the bored and restless; of youth and rebellion. Drugs are more prevalent in the domesticated and housed populace than in those not so. Again…economics. And what of these supposed drugs… what are they; marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin? Probabilities are that there is more use of at least the first in the honest working and middle-class residents of Rio Nido than there is among the few homeless. It is a social consideration nearly equivalent to another group’s ‘can I get you something to drink’ when having a close guest over. And as for alcohol use more is consumed and more dangerously by the median of society than a busload of homeless could even dream of. One just need look at our communities plethora of bars, eateries serving beer and wine, and the sales log of Safeway and the Liquor and ‘convenience’ stores to put the thought (picture) into perspective. As for Violence there is probably more domestic violence (reported and unreported) to justify the dissolution of the community as a whole on that account alone; the community in that instance being Rio Nido itself. Of course the same can be said of any community, and in fact of the nation, the state, the country, and nearly the whole of human-kind itself. This does not lead us into irrational fears. It also does not warrant irrational opposition to community and Christian, Islamic, Buddhist, Anabaptist, Monrovian Brotherhood, or any other religious or atheistic compassionate charity and goodwill. And as for the litter it is nearly a fashion statement of the conspicuous consumer culture. The careless ‘me first’ is present in every aspect of society [from youth and candy wrappers, adolescents and adults and cigarette butts, and pure adults]. Come…! Travel the highways and decorate the shoulders with blithe abandon. The contribution of the many is of more issue than what a few poor (with means to consume and discard) contribute to the general pile.

After all the homeless and poor have a very, very, small carbon and social footprint. It comes with the territory. If one wants real heavy social impact try a Wall-St. heart attack bailout. I didn’t see too many local letters on that issue of account. The ‘talk’ was more like a gentle whisper; ‘…Oh, you don’t say! Well, got to go…shopping, get a drink; whatever! See-ya!’
But the letter of Mr. Grace and Ms. Parker is another matter entirely. Their letter must not be judged or read with a straight ruler of rationality, but with a sympathetic insight into the underlying fears and biases. They, just as Ms. Hawley, given opportunity to view the matter (at first sitting), in another light, would have (I believe) responded with paladins of Christian charity, brotherly love, community spirit and ‘pull together’. Unfortunately their first exposure to the potential of a winter night shelter wrongly elicited a negative response, because it appears that is what was offered to them to consider. In other words; the negative response was most likely not their first response, but rather one that was fed by preconceptions and too quickly inflamed emotions. And with that set of givens it proved to not be an even ‘fair’ fight. The violence, noise, litter of vile words and thoughts, the drugs of anxiety and fear, came from the affronted (Grace and Parker) not from the petitioners.

Ms. Dawnlea Bucey’s letter is a mixed bag. It mixes her reaction with a host of other problems/concerns of hers that exist for her in Rio Nido; the Rio Nido Inn and its owner, trash dumping, foreclosed homes, etc. In Ms. Bucey’s letter it does not seem to matter that neither the homeless, nor the shelter proponents, are responsible or accountable for any of those other problems/concerns. But as so often happens the forwarding of a proposal for the homeless and poor gives opportunity to showcase, vent, and otherwise illustrate frustration with a host of local shortcomings and issues. Some of those “issues” are more about miss-conceptions and miss-understandings of the ‘facts’ than formed from basis in factual realities. Of course that does not lessen the importance and insightful emotional realities of such perceptions. Every bag of concerns has more than just some possibility of merit.

With regards to the Rio Nido Inn situation such are in most cases passing events or circumstances. The loud arguers eventually move on. With trash and the usurpation of communal/community land for private uses the approach is to activate and motivate the Rio Nido Homeowners Association to conduct and facilitate regular bi-annual ‘clean-ups’. They certainly have the experience and practiced individuals to put such program together. A continuing, patient, and compassionate approach to community problems by the community itself is the only practical approach. To ask county government to take interest in the detail of such relatively local and small circumstances is to not understand county government or local politics. To ask much of them is to invite red tape, bureaucratization, and a snail’s pace of inadequate and inappropriate response. Self-reliance by the community is a better road and a more fruitful and sustainable one. I believe Ms. Bucey also appreciates this. Her letter in one vein shows her active interest and efforts. Such is a beginning and hers is noteworthy.

Mr. J. Bauer is a man I know and much respect. His reaction, in this instance, however, I see as being too quickly offered and without his normal deliberative reflection. But it can be said that sometimes it is emphatically necessary to respond and react quickly. I think, and hope, that his as well as Mr. Matt Malik and J. Mullineaux’s letter responses would have been more rounded and less stereo-typically myth based had they had the opportunity for reflection. Property values, home break-ins, and other such considerations and events are not to be laid at the feet of the homeless or the poor. That is a wrong and poorly spirited analysis. I know Mr. Bauer is a thoughtful and good spirited individual. I hope his address of a letter to the Board of Supervisors asking their immediate, pro-active, and red-tape cutting scissors help in locating a shelter in the river area will be shortly forthcoming. The potential locations are numerous; a short list would include the parking lot of the Sheriff’s Substation (tent and field kitchen type), the Veterans Hall, the grounds of the county Roads Department (Armstrong Woods Road, for either a trailer or tent and field kitchen type facility). I am assured that there are also a host of other sites. Also, I am assured there are an accompanying host of objections waiting in the wings.

I ask Mr. Bauer, Mr. Malik, and J. Mullineaux to remember that the efforts of the Interfaith Coalition (to seek the approval of RRFPD for the Rio Nido Firehouse) were an emergency outreach. The Coalition has no intention of trying to establish a yearly shelter at that site. It was a move taken out of desperation as the winter and cold set in and the other counted upon location(s) fizzled out one after the other. Also, all three should have the utmost confidence in the proven abilities, follow-through, and exemplary consideration and professionalism that is Ms. Elizabeth Middleberg, and the other members of the Coalition. I ask that all give them the ‘time of day’ to be heard without prejudice. I feel that together the communities and the coalition can get the sluggish snail of county government off its duff to facilitate a rapid resolution and accommodation. One that does not alienate a community or locale and yet compassionately addresses the need locally.

Ms. Mary Bauer Corsetti writes in her short letter that there are other larger fire houses, larger facilities available. Certainly she is right. The generosity of her observation is however lessened when she installs ‘police protection’ into her consideration. I reiterate the homeless and poor are not some evil, vile, lawless, murder and rapine group. They are, in the main, more ethical and moderate in their conduct than the society at large and certainly more so by far than the nation. Witness, please, the past twelve years of war, slaughter, mutilation, destruction, and vandalism, all for the vain-glory of miss-placed values and over-wrought fears. Perhaps this last is a far jump from the issue at hand, but a necessary search for perspective on weighting the matters before us all is due. Perspective, ladies and gentlemen brings us to,

Accommodation and Rebirth

It is the oft cited appropriateness of this time of year that is evoked when thoughts and needs go to consideration of those less well provided for than we. The charities are at the store fronts; the ‘army’ is on point and station.

Two millennium ago an anonymous man made himself immortally known and heralded by his act of accommodation. He gave what he had available, his stable, for two traveling homeless individuals; the temporarily homeless and poor working class artisan-carpenter and his wife. While some may disparage this allusion as a ‘hackneyed’ folk aphorism I still feel it has its power to evoke and poignantly illustrate. Immortality is not easily gained, and it is shown it is not a commodity purchasable in the shops or the churches.

Our culture and fall to decadence, in all aspects and all classes (working, middle, and high), was recently so immediately and graphically given us in the trampling death of the employee at the Wall-Mart store. This event gave new meaning to the bumper sticker; “Shop till you drop.” Material ‘gifts’ for oneself and others, the vain-glory search for fulfillment through materialism and consumerism, evidences the poverty and heartless homelessness of the mass, the mob. I have personally witnessed greater feeling, compassion, love, and selflessness from the poor and the homeless than I currently see exampled in my own middle-class environs. Not to say there are not individual acts of charity and fellow-ness; there are many such, but rather to say that those who give when they have but little are nobler that those who give little when they have much.

There is an honor and nobility of character and ethics among the poor and homeless that could well enhance and better the lives of many who view themselves either ‘above’ or ‘better’ than that group. And “yes” there are also examples of lowliness among the poor and low just as there are such examples among the high and rich. Aren’t each still human; even if some would confer to the poor a “second-class” possibility of life and respect.

I am not a bleeding heart liberal, an idealist of human nature, an “eutopian” , or a ‘goody two-shoes’. I am a rational, compassionate mind encased in a physical animal body of nature. I am human.

This time of year is also iconic for the birth, and in the following cultural remembrance and celebration; ‘rebirth.’ I hope that this minor drama of the Rio Nido Fire station, and the homeless, and the perspectives of the Homeowner’s Association membership, and the travail of the RRFPD Board, and the nobility of the Interfaith Coalition allows for and brings forth an unexpected but longed for fruit. That ‘fruit’ that is longed for is the rebirth of community ethos and individual selflessness. A birth of working together to accommodate need and thereby allow for rebirth. Our collective capacity, including the letter writers, has positive potential to provide leadership and example to a reluctant, staid, labyrinthine, and verily deaf county government. We have the right to expect and demand that our facilities, our contributions, our monies, be returned and efficiently, effectively, and immediately applied to our issues, our problems, and our locale.

If we are all in the same boat of life together; if it is women and children first; if it is blesséd are the poor and helpless; and if it is better to forgive than not then so be it. If it is not so then I want no part of any of it or of any.

When Tolstoy can forgo his birthright, his title, his wealth, his position, his fame, and literary immortality, and take to wearing the cloth of his peasants and live under the same hovelled roof then so in that at least there is “hope” and example. Who will provide us with “hope” and ‘example’ here? Mr. Efren Carrillo? Perhaps…! Hopefully...! If he dares. Without which all aspirations will remain sterile, and shallow political, social, and cultural realities and habits will prevail. I hope he can accommodate a change in how things are done and that he can re-birth the best in all of us.

Sincerely yours,
Lloyd Guccione
Quynh Nhu Le

Note: Copies of the application and letters of the Interfaith Coalition to the RRFPD Board (including the letter of Jan DeWald to Ms. Patty Roland-James, Rio Nido Postmaster), and letters of respondents; Mr. Richard Grace, Ms. Elisabeth Parker, Ms. DawnLea Bucey, Mr. John Bauer, Mr. Matt Malik, J. Mullineaux, Ms. Kristin Hawley, Ms. Sandra & Mr. Robert O’Balle, Mrs. Mary Bauer Corsetti, “STROSE66”, Ms. Susan Lowe, Mr. Steve LaRose, and Ms. Linda Hyndman may be viewed at the Russian River Fire Protection District Offices on Armstrong Woods Road. For additional assistance interested parties are also referred to Ms. Debbie Miller, Board Clerk of RRFPD, and to Ms. Jan DeWald of Russian River Interfaith Coalition, 15013 Leasowe Lane, Guerneville, Ca. 707-604-7328, as well as Ms. Elizabeth Middleberg.

Complimentary Copy Addressees:

Mr. George Klineman, News Editor, Russian River Monthly
Ms. Johanna Lynch, Publisher, Russian River Times
Ms. Vesta Copestakes, Publisher, West County Gazette
Mr. Bleys W. Rose, The Press Democrat
Ms. Brenda Adelman Mr. and Mrs. Trini Amador
Mr. Peter Andrews, KGGV-FM Guerneville Ms. Doreen Atkinson
Ms. Amanda Atkinson Mr. John Bauer
J. Beach Mr. Edward Berger
Mr. Chuck Berger Community Micro Bulletin Board
Mr. Jon Box Ms. Kyla Brooke
Mr. Michael Brown, Community Development Commission Mr. Efren Carrillo
Mr. John Chapman Bernard and Cheryl
Ms. Marlene Collins Ms. Carol Cowley
Ms. Lynn Crescione Mr. Tom Cruckshank
Ms. Barbara DeCarly Mr. Daniel Demers
Ms. Maren Derum J. Dillman
Mr. Rene Di Monche RRROC Document Archives
Mr. Dan Fein Ms. Rue Furch
Mr. Gary Getchell Mr. David Grabill
Mr. Sean Grinnell, RRFPD Chief G. Hamilton
Mr. Herman Hernandez Ms. Maddy Hirshfield
Mr. Rich and Ms. Wanda Holmer Ms. Linda Homen
Mr. Dan Kahane Mr. Vatru Kahn
Ms. Kathleen Kane, Executive Director CDC
Mr. Vu Le Mr. Tom Lynch
Mr. Bruce St. John Maher Mr. Jim Maresca
Ms. Kim Menary Ms. Susi Menary
Ms. Song Nguyen Mr. Dennis O’Rorke
Mr. Cary Ostrofe Ms. Susi Schaffert
Ms. Linda Schmidt Mr. James Severdia
Mr. Guy Smith Mr. Preston Smith
Mr. Boris Sztorch, Redevelopment Project Manager Mr. John Uniack
Mr. Ken White Mr. Ken Wikle
Mr. Randal Saxe Mr. John Molnar
Mr. Marcus Gracia Mr. Donald Wade
Mr. Gaylord Schaap Mr. Norman E. Wilcox
Mr. Richard Grace & Ms.Elisabeth Parker Ms. Dawnlea Bucey
Mr. Matt Malik & J. Mullineaux Ms. Kristin Hawley
Mrs Sandra and Mr. Robert O’Balle Mr. Don Corsetti
“STROSE66” Ms. Susan Lowe
Mr. Steve LaRosa Ms. Linda Hyndman


Fin

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VOTE NO on Proosition 8

From Rachele Ketchem, Sebastopol - “I find it almost funny that 95% of the population is worried about the 5% gay population bringing down the institution of marriage and feel they need to make example of a small percentage of the population that nine times out of ten has nothing to do with a heterosexual divorce. What about the heterosexuals who cheapen the institution of biblical marriage…”


I find it almost funny that 95% of the population is worried about the 5% gay population bringing down the institution of marriage and feel they need to make example of a small percentage of the population that nine times out of ten has nothing to do with a heterosexual divorce. What about the heterosexuals who cheapen the institution of biblical marriage and have sex before they are married? You know fornicators!

What about those that like to have a number of people to sleep around with while married or the people that find it a sport to sleep with married individuals and break up marriages? You know adulterers! What about the sadists & masochists, exhibitionists, porn addicts, the folks who add to human trafficking and frequent prostitutes and strip clubs? What about the predominantly Caucasian Protestant rapists and pedophiles bringing down, not only the institution of marriage but add to the moral atrophy in our society? Not to mention it being a heterosexual societal vampire disease contributing to alcohol and substance abuse in their victims.

Of course if the churches behind the YES ON 8 campaign would talk to their members on "The way to be," these churches would be vacant on Sundays and flat broke from not receiving 10% of all the tithes of the sexually deviant parishioners. They would be mad that they were called down on their "sins." They would rather blame the homosexuals for what they are really doing.

I am guessing that in the YES ON 8 campaign member's Bibles, they have taken a Sharpie and crossed out where it says in their favorite scripture at 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, "Neither fornicators, nor adulterers will inherit the Kingdom of God" next to the homosexuals. Notice in that scripture that the heterosexuals are lumped in the same category as the homosexuals and the murderers and thieves! One "sin" is not worse than the other.

As I ponder on these words I am under the assumption that we are all on the same playing field. So why is there not a proposition on the ballot to demand that heterosexuals keep their legs crossed and keep their hands off the spouses of other people and not glorify this in the media and schools as our kids are taught about divorce? Why not have a proposition to admonish the heterosexuals who are men of violence...rapists and pedophiles and to keep their hands off other people's women and children? It all seems so hypocritical.

This all makes me think about that "rafter" scripture and to truthfully accept everyone and "be putting up with each other and to love one another." After all, the homosexual community has had to put up with heterosexuals committing crimes against humanity against them and their children and getting away with it.

In Sonoma County, we had a district attorney who cared more about keepinga man out of jail - a Caucasian church-going married man - because he did not want him to lose his wife, new baby and job for raping a virgin teenager of gay parents. They were told that the victim "would lose the case regardless of physical evidence because the victim has two mothers which would not be looked favorably upon in court." Ah the ugly truth nobody wants to listen to!

I am a heterosexual married woman and mother of two teenagers. I have talked openly about sex and homosexuality with them. My children and I have a pretty open dialogue compared to my "religious" friends and family around me whose kids sneak around on them behind their back (whose kids tell me everything!) and who are going to vote yes on 8.

I urge everyone to VOTE NO ON 8 because it promotes hate, discrimination on the basis of sexual preference, class distinctions, prejudice and ignorance.

Rachele Ketchem
Sebastopol

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NORA Proposition 5 Drug Treatment for Youth and Adults

As the Executive Director of the Drug Abuse Alternatives Center (DAAC), the largest provider of publicly funded alcohol and other drug treatment in Sonoma County, I have seen both the positives and negatives of Proposition 36, the precursor to Proposition 5. Overall, in my opinion, Prop. 36, the Substance Abuse and Crime Prevention Act of 2000, has been a success in Sonoma County and the State as a whole.


Ironically, I, along with many other treatment professionals, opposed Prop. 36 before it was passed. We were concerned that it had been written by outsiders who did not consult with California’s treatment providers and that it did not have strong enough sanctions for non-compliance with treatment, a key argument today by those who oppose Prop. 5.

In fact, I, and many others, turned out to be wrong. In Sonoma County, thousands of individuals have benefited from treatment instead of incarceration and our Public Safety has not been compromised. Statewide, 200,000 have received treatment and UCLA’s study of Prop. 36 not only showed that treatment has worked, but also that it has saved California over $2 Billion since 2000. The only negatives I have seen are that Prop. 36 has been under-funded which has caused long treatment waits and that no provision was made for treatment for youth.

Prop. 5 will improve on Prop. 36 by:

• Providing a systematic treatment system for adults that will unify the current system of Diversion, Prop. 36 Treatment and Drug Courts into one system with three tracks. Track 3, Drug Court, will not be eliminated, as some have said, but will, in fact, be funded at twice the level it is now.

• Providing $65 Million state-wide for funding of treatment for adolescents which will meet the spectrum of youth needs including family therapy, educational and employment stipends, mental health interventions and much more. Prop. 5 will provide services to youth before they get into trouble with the law.

Prop. 5 will do all this without compromising public safety. Judges, not the offender, will determine whether to send the individual to treatment or to jail. Offenders convicted of serious and violent crimes and sex offences will not be eligible.

Prop. 5 will also reform the prison and parole systems. Currently California spends $46,000 per year to house each inmate (twice the national average) and yet our recidivism rate is almost 70%, while nation-wide recidivism is about 35%. By reducing the number of parolees who are returned to prison for dirty urinalysis tests and allowing them to receive treatment, Parole Agents will be able to concentrate their efforts on supervising parolees who were originally incarcerated for serious and violent crimes.

Prop. 5 will do all this with no new taxes and save the State an estimated $2.5 Billion in its first few years according to the impartial and non-partisan Legislative Analysts Office. Our current system is clearly not working. Please join me, the League of Women Voters, the California NAACP and many other organizations and individuals in voting yes on Proposition 5.

Michael Spielman, MFT
Executive Director
Drug Abuse Alternatives Center
2380 Professional Drive, Santa Rosa
(707) 571-2233 x 308

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