Jeff Pelline's Sierra Foothills Report

I’m old enough to remember the tenure of Ronald Reagan.

My mom escorted him around her school at University High in Westwood when he was California’s governor. Later, when I was in journalism graduate school at Northwestern University in Washington D.C., I interviewed his Administration regularly for reports for the Rapid City, S.D., newspaper (a bigger circulation than The Union, no less). At CNET, Reagan’s son Ron Jr. was one of the network’s first television anchors. We chatted about family matters, including some very sensitive ones.

So it gripes me to read regular commentators on George Rebane’s/Russ Steele’s “troglodyte” blogs in our little county, such as “Mikey McD” (not an “avatar”- at least I think so – for a politically like-minded guy whom I used to know nicknamed Mikey), suggest that he somehow knew Reagan.

“The question is will we have a Bush Republican party or a Reagan Republican party… I am a Libertarian,” Mikey writes on Russ’ blog. Please. When did you hear George, Russ or Mikey bashing Bush during his presidency?

What Mikey forgot was that Reagan was the “great communicator” who over the term of his administration could unite, not divide, even if you disagreed with him. I have yet to hear that approach from the “in your face” conservatives in this extreme right-wing camp.

People are misinterpreting history to revive the local Republican party, which is in decline. Good luck with the revisionist history. Some people have longer memories than Mikey. We’re onto you.

Obama is a “great communicator” too and delivering some tangible results. So get over it and don’t be afraid to “cross over” once in a while. Scary, huh?

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County Assessor Candidate Rolf Kleinhans announced his full list of endorsements, which I reported first the other day.

It represents one of the most intriguing cross-sections of politics that I’ve ever seen in our county. (In fact, it’s an LOL if you’ve watched some of the people listed here lock horns in the past). More important, though, the list is a reminder that politics makes strange bedfellows — and should for a nonpartisan race where “what you know” not “who you know” is supposed to count most. To be sure, Rolf has won some endorsements from people who do not like his opponent, Sue Horne.

I’m still skeptical about a county assessor receiving funds from real-estate concerns, but most conflict of interest arguments fall on deaf ears around here. Rolf addressed the issue here. Rolf’s diverse list of endorsements definitely will tighten up the race against former supervisor Sue, as I said the other day.

Stationary Engineers Local #39
Nevada County Association of REALTORS
California Republican Assembly, Nevada County Unit
California Republican Assembly, Western Nevada County Unit
Ted Owens, Supervisor
Nate Beason, Supervisor
Sheriff Keith Royal
Peter Van Zant, Former Supervisor
Christine Foster, Former Supervisor
Robin Sutherland-Cayton, Former Supervisor
Barbara Green, Former Supervisor
Reinette Senum, Nevada City Mayor
Robert Bergman, Nevada City Councilperson
Carolyn Wallace Dee, Mayor Town of Truckee
Lisa Swarthout
Chauncey and Theresa Poston
Mark Johnson, Former Mayor Grass Valley
Paul Matson, Former Nevada City Mayor and Councilperson
Nancy Weber, NID Board Director
Maia Schneider, Former Truckee Councilperson
Marie Johnson
Chuck and Susan Shea
Carol Scofield
Jeanette Royal
Gil Mathew
Francis Allen
Jim Hurley
Joey Jordan
Wally and Mary Krill
Larry Ingersoll
Kim Janousek
Monty East
Judy East
Stephen R. DeSena
Stephen DeSena
Tim Corkins
Larry Ingersoll
Tom Smith
Gary and Pamela Determan
Pieter Rossi
Kirk Pharis, President Nevada County Association of REALTORS
Pam Auld
April Smith
Mimi Simmons
Phil Ruble
Jake and KC Covert
Dianne Patton
J.D. Miller
John Hensley
Sachi Borman
Francis Allen
Bill Levitz
Monica Avilla
Michael Straight
Nora Thurmond
Dottie Ray Souter
Jeff and Kathryn Boswell
Trish and Dave Meyler
Andrew Roperto
Dave and Carol White
Bob and Deborah York
Pamela Ruth
Scott and Stephanie Allen
Rich and Elaine Blair
Kimberely and Bill Autrey
Cheryl Davenport
Janice Mason
Bruce Frager
Ken and Judy Pede
Ben Levitz

Heck, who knows, perhaps the county assessor, of all people, will become a Pied Piper of our county, helping to unite rather than divide us. Wouldn’t that be a hoot.

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While Grass Valley has plunked down $60,000 for public artwork at a roundabout to welcome people to town, the first sight you see in Nevada City might be a homeless person standing on the bridge, some protestors or a sign on a truck promoting an event in town. (I’ve seen all of them and more over the years).

There’s no “Welcome to Nevada City” signage or fresh flowers planted. While new signs have been talked about, as well as cleaning up Callahan Park, it’s still just, well, talk.

Some residents raised this concern at the recent “town hall” meeting sponsored by the Nevada City Chamber of Commerce. Perhaps the Amgen bike race will be a catalyst to push the effort forward.

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Assemblyman Dan Logue, a very conservative Republican who lives over in Linda in Yuba County, has endorsed Barry Pruett for clerk-recorder in our county.

“Barry has the skills, experience, and necessary judgment needed to administer secure and fair elections in Nevada County,” Logue said in a statement. “Barry will make sure taxpayer dollars are spent wisely while protecting the integrity of the electoral process in Nevada County.”

Pruett’s campaign treasurer, Fran Freedle this week has written an article for CABPRO’s website titled “Corruption with a capital ‘C.’” She is referring to health care reform.

“Who would ever have thought that a candidate for President who promised transparency would bring such corruption to our nation?” Freedle, a former supervisor, wrote.

Fran also is an active Republican who was bumped from the clerk-recorder’s post six years ago after supervisors felt she was appointed more in a case of “not what you know but who you know” — an ongoing problem here. The late Supervisor Drew Bedwell, a GOP along with his successor John Spencer, had added Fran’s name to the list.

Supervisor Nate Beason, a moderate Republican, has endorsed incumbent Greg Diaz for clerk-recorder. “Greg has done an exemplary job in bringing stability, order and transparency to an office left in confusion and disarray after the abandonment of it by his predecessor.”

Long-time clerk-recorder Bruce Bolinger also has endorsed Diaz.

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