# 131 - October 8th, 2008

Greetings one and all…Are you sitting comfortably - then I shall begin…So the first real rain of the season arrived last Friday and from my vantage points high above the Valley floor I believe I saw many farmers scrambling to get their crops out of harm’s way. I hope they were successful. although, despite the forewarning of an accurate weather forecast, some seemed to have left it too late…
It’s time for the ever-popular Valley Quiz!...Answers at the end…
1. Which three varietals are the most prevalent in The Valley’s vineyards these days?
2. How much did the A.V. Brewery donate to local community organizations from the money raised at The 12th Annual Beer Festival this year?
3. I hear one or two of you saying, “All this talk about wine and beer - what about us tolerance-preaching bible readers?”. Well, if you’re that way inclined, you can always go to The Valley Bible Fellowship to discuss things This is the local Independent Bible Church of no-fixed denomination - but where does it meet?...
Moving on…Public Service Announcement #323: The Haz-Mat service that takes care of your waste that the County Dump will not handle is in town this coming Friday and Saturday, October 10th/11th. They are at the Fairgrounds’ parking lot from 9am to 1pm each day… Meanwhile, it’s probably time for a reminder that The County Dump, a couple of miles out of downtown Boonville on Mountain View Road, is open every Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday from 9am – 4pm each day…
It would appear that several “little birdies” think they know the name of the common thief who is repeatedly stealing gas out of people’s cars and trucks here in The Valley before selling it on for relatively cheap prices. Apparently the authorities were informed at one point and one would think it not be beyond the powers of a basic investigation to either clear this up or even lead to an arrest. So why hasn’t this happened? I think we should be told…
And while I’m on the subject of annoying anti-social behavior, can anything be done about the guy in the black Corvette/TransAm (?) who drives along Hwy 128 like an absolute maniac? He is usually spotted at around 8am, just when parents are driving kids to school, and is invariably in sunglasses as he maneuvers all over the road at speeds varying from 75mph down to 25mph and back up again. He is a serious accident waiting to happen. His antics have been reported at least twice to my knowledge but the response has been one of indifference. Apparently there is nobody around to “protect and serve” us at that time of the morning…I couldn’t possibly comment…
The Quote of the Week, appropriate as always, comes from Robert F. Kennedy…”Every society gets the kind of criminal it deserves. What is equally true, is that every community gets the kind of law enforcement it insists on”…I think he is right on the second point as least, and perhaps it’s time we all made some phone calls before I have to personally go and…(Continued on page 74)…
On to a far more pleasant topic – the upcoming Valley Social Events…The next two weekends (Oct 11th/12th and 18th/19th) see the “U-Pick Pumpkins and Wagon Rides” event at Gowan’s Oak Tree and Fruit Stand on Hwy. 128 - it goes from 11am to 4pm each day…On Saturday evening (October 11th) from 7pm to midnight at The Grange on Hwy. 128, there is the annual Harvest Dance. This is a benefit for The Elder Home, The Senior Center, and The Grange, with music provided by The Peanut Butter and Jam Band. I am reliably informed that dress code should be either a Costume or “Boonville Casual” - whatever form of sartorial elegance that may take…It may also be time to start working on your Halloween costumes because there are a couple of big events coming up. On the night itself, Friday October 31st, there’s a costume party with all sorts of other goodies, not to mention ‘Scary-oke’, at The Boonville Lodge, and on Saturday, 1st November, it’s the Magic Company’s “20,008 Leagues under the Sea” costume party at The A.V. Grange…
Finally this week I have a contribution for “Road Kill of the Week” sent in by The Piratical Pirate bird and Puffin…”We were on Hwy. 128 the other day when we observed a garbage truck pull over and back up. We are particularly fond of garbage trucks and any erratic maneuvering can mean a morsel or more. Indeed, there was something on the road. The car ahead passed the truck and stirred up a cloud of Inflated Greenback feathers. Feeling a surge of community spirit, we stopped to aid the driver clean up the carnage. It was a good specimen with plenty of down and a few of the larger flight feathers. Alas, these days the Greenback lacks any real substance and the feathers don't insulate like they used to. A few more dropped by and in short order no trace could be found.”…Hmm, interesting. Greenbacks, eh? Are you thinking what I’m thinking? – I believe we’re right and somebody around here should be buying the drinks following their piece of good fortune…
Well now I think it’s time to take my leave...Be careful out there, think good thoughts, and may your god go with you…Oh, and of course, one final request, “Let us prey”…Humbly yours, Turkey Vulture…
P.S. “Hi, Bill – I’ll have a pint of beer, please – anything except Coors Lite!”
You can contact me with words of support/abuse by e-mail at
turkeyvulture1 @ earthlink.net…
Quiz Answers…
1. The most common grapes here in The Valley, so I am reliably informed, are Pinot Noir, Gewürztraminer, and Chardonnay…
2. $75,000 was generously donated by the Brewery, although it should be pointed out that nothing was given to the “Save the Turkey Vulture Fund”…
3. The Fellowship is in the heart of Boonville at The Live Oak Building. Call 895-3212 for details…