# 109 - May 7th, 2008

Greetings one and all and I hope I find you well. Let’s get straight into the Valley Quiz – answers at the end…
1. What is the link between Judge Harwood June, Austin Hulbert, Jim Clow, and Dave Gowan (amongst others)?
2. What is the name of the wine maker at Navarro Vineyards?...What about the Head Brewer at The A.V. Brewery?
3. Luster Bivans is believed to have planted the two biggest trees in downtown Boonville – both continue to stand majestically at what is now The Rookie-to Gallery. What was his nickname?
With the opening of the Boonville Farmer’s Market this past weekend I thought these words from Thomas Jefferson would be appropriate for the Quote of the Week – “No occupation is so delightful as the culture of the earth, and no culture comparable to that of the garden”. This man Jefferson will go far, I’m sure!
Speaking of the above event I flew into the parking lot beside The Boonville Hotel at about 11am on Saturday and stayed for the final hour of the opening day. There were plenty of familiar faces to meet and greet and bargains galore in the Spring Plant Sale. I wasn’t hungry, having already eaten a huge plate of Country Hash and Eggs at The Boonville Lodge, but according to many there were some delicious snacks provided by Darius and Julie from the General Store, and with music provided by a Bryan Wood, Joe Patelle, and Charlie Hochberg, amongst others, it was an excellent beginning to the ‘season’…
Across the street the bar/restaurant formerly known as The Ox, and prior to that The Buckhorn Saloon, remained closed. Rumors have been circulating for weeks about the future of this excellent location in the heart of town. The most believable of these was that the landlord, A.V. Brewery Supremo, “King” Ken Allen, was going to install his people to run the bar operation alongside an exclusive menu of pizza presented by one of the guys from the rarely open (and therefore inevitably and eventually closed) ‘Lumberjack Pizza’ that had previously occupied the space that is now successfully operated by The Boonville Lodge’s Grill. Well, I have heard from my top investigative reporter, Bald Eagle, that this plan has been shelved and “King” Ken, having found the whole new enterprise too expensive and time-consuming, is intending to sell the property and/or business to “outsiders”. I have heard, but cannot confirm, that with so much time on his hands he will now concentrate his efforts on running for Mayor of The Valley. I couldn’t possibly comment…
With that in mind, you perhaps would like to know that the votes continue to pour in for the “unofficial” Poll on the “unofficial” candidates for the “unofficial” Mayor of Anderson Valley - if such a position was to be officially created. Out of nowhere to head the poll at this point, although perhaps not a big surprise, has come Variety Show Impresario and all-round “Mr. Nice Guy”, Captain Rainbow, (or just ‘Robert’ to some, or perhaps Mr. Salisbury to others)…You can ‘register’ your support for a candidate, either from the list below or perhaps add a new name, by sending a message to turkeyvulture1@earthlink.net… It’s a wide-open race as you can see from the current standings: Captain Rainbow 16.25%; Lauren Keating (of Lauren’s Restaurant) 15%; Bruce Anderson 11.25%; Turkey Vulture 10%; Ross Murray 7.5%; Bruce “Uncle Sam” Hering 7.5%; Vince “Pig Hunt” Bellew 6.25%; Bruce ‘Pat” Patterson 6.25%; Coach Danny Kuny 5%; Emil Rossi 5%; Wayne “Community Xmas Tree” Hiatt 3.75%; Eugenia “Gene” Herr 2.5%; Miscellaneous Others 2.5%...and “King” Ken Allen 1.25%...(p.s. you can vote for yourself!)…
On my daily visit to the Philo Post Office I spotted a flyer on the notice board commenting on the recent fiasco at our “free speech” community radio station, KZYX & Z. The notice simply stated, “Fair Play for Mary Aigner!... Vance Crow must go!” - you’ll get no argument from me on either request…As I was leaving the building I bumped into Beverly, of the former Philo Pottery Inn bed and breakfast. She told me her father, George, would be moving to The Valley permanently in June from his home in London. She is very excited at this prospect and who can blame her? George is a “jolly nice” fellow and I’m sure he’ll settle into Valley life and be enjoyable company wherever he goes…
At the end of this month (May 30th and 31st) and again on the first weekend in June (6th and 7th), The A.V. Theater Guild, under the expert guidance of Rod Basehore, will be putting on its annual production at The Grange. Twelve Valley folks are currently hard at work, rehearsing a couple of times a week, to bring to you two humorous short plays – one by Anton Chekhov and the other written by Basehore himself. I was fortunate to drop by the Grange on Saturday afternoon and managed to catch part of a dress rehearsal in full swing. Based on what I saw, from love amongst the pompous and confused Russian middle/upper classes in the first play to a very understanding female God juxtaposed with naughty nymphs, “dwarfs”, and a wickedly funny Satan, whip in hand, strutting her stuff in thigh high leather boots in the second play, I imagine the finished product will be well worth seeing…
It would appear that I’m out of space so I’ll get my coat and leave…Be careful out there, stay out of the ditches, think good thoughts, and may your god go with you…Oh, and of course, one final request, “Let us prey”…Humbly yours, Turkey Vulture…
You can contact me with words of support/abusel at
Quiz answers…
1. These fine gentlemen were all managers of the Mendocino County Fair at one time or another…
2. Navarro’s winemaker is Jim Klein and brewing the beer in The Valley is Neil Atkins – two very "important" men I’m bound to say…
3. He was known as The Buzzard. I imagine he and I are related in some way…