Page 42 - Sonoma County Gazette March 2018.indd

As the blue sky outlines the tall redwoods outside of my cosy cyber-hut, it is cool and dry. Last year at this time we had received 80” of rain and unto now about 23”. I will not panic, but do hope that we will get a ‘normal’ amount of additional rain.
Hear Ye! Hear Ye! I look on my column as sort of the “Town Crier” of Camp Meeker. It’s an important task, and I must confess I haven’t been as on top of things as I would like to be.
Please come to the rst Cazadero Community Club meeting of 2018, to be held on Tuesday, March 6 @ 7 p.m. at Firehall #1. All are welcome to help plan events which bene t the entire community. Elections will be held and your vote is important.
Minimally, I would have the time and energy to walk the streets of Camp Meeker, getting the low down, the buzz, and the gossip regarding anything and everything, and dish it out here in thick slabs.
Rural Robbers: I was very sorry to hear that many home burglaries have occurred here in Cazadero. I would suggest that folks who own second homes here ask their resident neighbors to be especially vigilant regarding casual traf- c in their neighborhoods. If you see something, say something, either on the spot or by calling 911. There is always a lot of activity by UPS, FedEx, trades- men, weekend renters and AirB‘nB users, making bit di cult to know who belongs.
Ideally, I would give you a little lead time on important matters that affect Camp Meeker: legal, environmental, political, and financial. Failing that, my usual fallback is homage: I try to be the poor man’s Gaye Lebaron, Jim Murray, or Herb Caen (not necessarily in that order) to fill in the sleepy slow-news times with tidbits of local history, philosophical musings, or just plain good writing. Now I DID say “poor man’s” by which I mean a mere metaphorical pauper compared to the luminaries just mentioned. Google Jim Murray if you didn’t grow up a sports fan in LA like I did.
On a lighter note, Raymond’s bakery continues Friday Pizza and music nights. Gold Coast Co ee Roasters and Bakery Cafe has expanded in and out- side and will present The Marshall House Project on Saturday, March17th at 8 P.M.
Today I will get over myself, journalistically speaking, and
As you may know, there will be an election for Sonoma County Sheriff this November. What is unusual about this year’s race is that it will be more than an incumbent or anointed successor from within the department running unopposed, as has been the case for lo these many years – 24, to be exact.
Remember Cazadero Supply’s 1st Saturday 15% Discount Day for your ongo- ing household, vehicle and garden projects. Both the Cazadero and Duncans Mills General stores have plenty of your daily grocery needs plus locally produced foods and specialty ttems. Caz Central next to the General Store fea- tures a great assortment of art works, and interesting books such as local poet Shashana Kane Proctor’s new book “Cave of The Casting Bones”. Another Cazaderan-owned business in Duncans Mills is Treats and Toys, with yummy chocolates and more, located next door to the DM Post O ce.
I’m not going to get into the endorsing business – I’ve never met any of the candidates, and it’s all a very slippery slope to start taking sides on scant research. I will point out, however, that this is a chance to have a real conversation about the way we want to be policed.
Another reason to STOP: Several folks have received tickets for not stop- ping at our ‘temporary’ stop signs down by the creek. Be safe and stop.
March brings both Easter and Passover. The Cazadero Community Church will have a special service at 10 a.m. on Good friday, March 30th.Easter service will also be at 10 a.m. followed by brunch. The Russian River Jewish Community will celebrate the annual Passover Seder celebration on Friday, April 6th-5 p.m. at the lovely Monte Rio Community Center. This festive event o ers traditional readings, wonderful music by Jubilee Klezmer Ensemble, scrumptious potluck and homemade matzoh ball soup! Reservations are necessary(fees apply)-please call 632 5545 so that you may participate in this rite of Spring.
Now for MES March News: Spring is in the air and the students at Mont- gomery Elementary School are looking forward to eld trips. Mr. Sotak’s 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders will be attending The 13 Story Treehouse at the Luther Bur- bank Center for the Arts on March 6th. Ms. Port’s TK, KN, 1st, and 2nd graders will be attending Henry and Mudge on March 15th, also at the Luther Burbank center. To round out March, the students will have the week of March 26th to 30th o for Spring Break. School resumes on Monday April 2nd.
The great Sky Garden is looking for new subscribers. A reasonable fee will help make you into a gardener! Please contact Cathy at schezer@comcast. net for info.
As an unincorporated community, the County Sheriff is the car that responds to our crime-related 911 calls. As of now, two of the three remaining candidates (retired Santa Rosa PD Police Lieutenant Ernesto Olivares and Sonoma County Sheriff’s Captain Mark Essick,) are Sonoma County veterans and the third, retired LAPD Captain John Mutz, comes from outside the Sonoma County Law Enforcement community.
Saint’s Salad_ I am happy to announce that the great Salad Luncheon sponsored by the St. Coleman’s Guild will be held on Tuesday, July 24th-noon at the Firehall. Scrumptious salads, fanciful decor and a very friendly atmo- sphere. Keep your eye on this space for contact information for reservations
Private Public Works: Speaking of spitting and not winning prizes, I’m sure you have noticed the handiwork of the local anonymous wag painting pithy comments on the surface of Bohemian Highway’s more notorious pavement buckles. Whether you find those comments humorous, constructive or both/neither, you’ll have to admit the skulking paintster has a point: Bohemian is getting worse.
Baseball season begins soon and I am really looking forward to a great year1 Whichever team you root for—ENJOY!!
Fortunately, the brain trust in charge of the County has had a change in their thinking since 2012, when the Transportation and Public Works Director rather fatalistically predicted that budget woes would force the County to let many west county roads return to gravel.
I wish very happy March birthdays to Shawn Sheets on the 6th, Rose Abbott on the 10th,Nikki Canelis celebrates on the 13th and Wyatt Parmeter and Annie Austin on the 16th. William Grider will turn 11 years old on the 24th and Taj Hart and my dear friend and fabulous poet Susan Kennedy have their day on the 31st.
Daylight Savings Time commences on March 11 and the Spring Equinox occurs on March 21st. Enjoy more sunlight and call me at 632-5545 or email- mayawrld@sonic.net with news for your Cazadero column!
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That 2012 comment raised some hackles, and as a result, things are
getting done. Slowly. Cazadero Highway got a complete rebuild down to the foundation, and is now smooth as silk. Bohemian Highway is on the facelift schedule, but nothing specific has been announced for either the timing of the road work (sometime in 2018 or 2019 is the most specific information we have) or the depth of the repair, which could be anything from the full-depth reclamation Caz Highway got, down to a more low-budget fog or slurry seal.
touch on some hard news subjects.
All three of them appeared at a candidate’s forum in September and essentially agreed that reform is needed in the Sheriff’s office. If you’re a fan of the Coen Brothers classic movie “Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?”, you are now remembering when the brain trust of incumbent Pappy O’Daniels was feeling threatened by reform candidate Homer Stokes and had the bright idea “Hey, we should get us some reform.”
In all seriousness, pay close attention to this race and decide for yourself whose reform ideas are expressed in concrete and practical policy proposals.
Now say that last three times without spitting and you win the prize.
On Monday, MARCH 5, from 5pm - 8pm at the Rio Theater in Monte Rio - the Russian River Chamber of Commerce is hosting a forum so you can get to know the candidates running for Sheriff.
Slurry seal? Full depth reclamation? What the heck are those?
I’d love to go into boring detail about that, but I seem to have talked myself into a corner this month. I will return to that subject in a future column.
Until then, stay warm and dry!