Jeff Pelline's Sierra Foothills Report

I received this email from local resident Tom Dalldorf, who had to flee to higher ground because of the tsunami in Hawaii from Japan’s big earthquake, as I reported earlier:

“Finally got to a ISP that could handle my upload to MobileMe. Here’s a link to some pix from yesterday — a day after the tsunami hit Kailua-Kona at 3:35 am. The King Kamehameha Hotel was recently redecorated (much-needed) but goddess Pele had other ideas. The Beerfestival (to be held Saturday) had to be moved to the Kona Brewing Company parking lot with one day notice.”

Outrigger in hotel foyer

Sidewalk gone

Shops ruined

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An inspiring memorial occurred Sunday for local naturalist John Olmsted at St. Joseph’s Cultural Center in Grass Valley. Olmsted died last week.

Inspired by John Muir, Olmsted spent more than 40 years pursuing his dream of a trans-California hiking trail, as the Sacramento Bee observed in its obituary.

Here’s a report of the memorial from one of the organizers:

“St. Joes was packed: amazing service, great music, wonderful stories and tributes.

“John’s walking stick and hat adorned the stage.

“Some highlights: Gregg Schiffner (“Stories of the Yuba” film-maker), Saul Rayo singing a ‘custom lyric’ song about John. John’s son, Alden, gave an absolutely moving tribute/eulogy to his Dad. BTW, Alden announced he would be showing his movie in Nevada County next month.

“It was a ‘who’s who’ in the environmental/progressive crowd and others too, such as Andy Cassano (of Nevada City Engineering).

“The service ended with everyone standing and singing ‘This land is your land.’ Woodie Gutherie would have been proud.”

Here’s the program:
Shawn Garvey – greets everyone
Maidu Reading – Don Ryberg
Muir Reading – Frank Helling
Music – Saul Rayo
Gregg Schiffner – Stories of the Yuba and John
Jason Rainey (from SYRCL) and Izzy Martin on John’s work
Music – Paul Kamm and Eleanor McDonald
Alden, Erik and Pieter – John’s eulogy
Music – Joaquin
Close – Shawn
Final Song – “This land is your land”

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I received this email from Ben Emery:

“Saturday, March 19th, –Emma’s Revolution will open this event at 12:30! (previously scheduled for 1:00 p.m.)
Meet at The Union Newspaper, 464 Sutton Way, Grass Valley, March, then meet at Sierra Mountain Coffee Roasters for speakers and music.

“GLOBAL DAY OF ACTION — PEACE MARCH AND RALLY
with Cindy Sheehan
The Peace Center of Nevada County presents nationally known peace activist CINDY SHEEHAN who will speak at a Peace March and Rally on March 19, 2011 which marks the 9th year of US occupation in the Middle East. Join us on this National Day of Action. Citizens of Nevada County join peace groups from around the country, and the world, to say:

“Stop the US occupation in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan! Stop spending our money on endless wars! Americans want Jobs, NOT WAR! Americans want Education, NOT WAR! Americans want Healthcare, NOT WAR!
The Peace Rally takes place at The Union newspaper, 464 Sutton Way, Brunswick Basin, Grass Valley at 12:30 p.m. SHARP on March 19. EMMA’S REVOLUTION will be here to open the Rally! At about 1:30 as a collective whole we will march over the Brunswick Bridge over Highway 49, and then on to Sierra Mountain Coffee Roasters where we’ll have more music, speakers, and Cindy Sheehan. Cindy will hold a question and answer session to follow.

“The line up of musicians and speakers include: DAN SCANLAN & THE ENABLERS, SAUL RAYO, TOM WOLFE, NORY FUSSEL, LUKE AND MAGGIE, and THE ANYTIME BAND! The public are asked to create banners and to carry signs which send the message to the White House of their frustration with wars and the state of the national economy. Costumes and musical instruments welcome. For more information contact the Peace Center of Nevada County, 216 B Main Street, Nevada City, 265-0200.”

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One of the bright spots in recent memory is how Tahoe/Truckee citizens rallied behind a needed school tax last Tuesday. So far, Measure A is winning by a razor-thin margin of less than 1 percent — in an anti-tax, recessionary era.

The official tally is not expected until later this week, but the winning side remains optimistic.

It is a testament to a grass-roots, family-led effort and reflects the right priorities and values for a community — putting the children first.

Measure A called for renewing and increasing from $98 per year to $135 for the next seven years for the Tahoe Truckee Unified School District, starting in 2012.

The money is used to fund programs that have been in place since the passage of Measure S in 1989: academic programs, technology equipment, visual and performing arts, libraries and so on. Details are here.

We supported Measure A, and many of our good friends were on the front lines — going door to door to help get out the vote. It was an intense effort.

Many of them ran up hundreds of miles on their cars going around the Tahoe/Truckee area. Some of the school trustees said they couldn’t sleep all night while the vote was taken.

So far, the vote is 67.68 in favor and 32.32 against. The measure required 66.67 to be approved.

With all the rancor, rigid ideologues and tea party sentiment in our western county, coupled with rising activism, I dread that it could not be repeated here. To me, it’s a sad commentary on our community.

Here’s a typical comment — this one on right-wing blogger Russ Steele’s site from local tea party advocate and GOP central committee Treasurer Barry Pruett: “53% on education…isn’t this exactly what Wisconsin and New Jersey are debating now? Soon the debate will come to California.” You get the drift.

Kudos to Tahoe/Truckee for standing up for its future.

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The county tea party patriots have redesigned their website, presumably with money from the anonymous $1 million national donor, based on their previous comments.

Here are the headlines:

•”The Black Man: Progressive’s Trojan Horse”
•”The American People Can’t Afford to Lose Wisconsin Union Showdown”
•”In Wisconsin, Democracy is on the line”
•”You can make the difference in local politics”

This isn’t your mother’s Republican party anymore. The people in our “quaint” community better get prepared for it.

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Readers of The Union’s comment section are well aware of the rants of “Wise and Just,” who gets to sling mud anonymously from behind his PC. It’s a bad policy, as I’ve written before.

Now “Wise and Just” has taken a virtual jaunt over to Truckee to spew in The SierraSun, The Union’s sister paper.

The story is titled “Vail Resorts reports strong earnings, credits results to Northstar-at-Tahoe buy.”

But Wise and Just sees fit to make this irrelevant comment, the only one on the story: “This is capitalism and maybe even the rent seeking SBC can learn something here. Rather than turning a perfectly good automobile lane into a bike path. Get a memo to Frisch, these guys don’t need grants.”

Lo and behold, it is eerily similar to a post on former supervisor and CABPRO founder Todd Juvinall’s blog: “Steve and the SBC removed two though lanes from the town of Kings Beach, a plan that will congest the one route that connects North Tahoe. Furthermore, the congestion will drive traffic into a residential neighborhood, by the County’s own scientific findings. The SBC behaved diobolically (sic) and pathetically in this situation.”

The comment violates the paper’s “community guidelines”: “stay on target” and no “attacks.”

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