# 407 - May 21st, 2014

Greetings one and all – if you are sitting comfortably then I shall begin… Please give serious consideration to attending the Memorial Day service at the Memorial Wall in the Evergreen Cemetery on A.V. Way on Monday, May 26 at 10am. This is ultimately why the upcoming holiday weekend exists and a special and quite short event is being put on by the A.V. Veterans to commemorate those who have died while serving in the military. With U.S. servicemen and women continuing to perish in various theaters of war, a good turnout would surely be a sign that their efforts have not been in vain and are deeply appreciated by those of us who live on. And with that in mind, for the Quote of the Week, let’s turn to Francis A. Walker, American economist, statistician, journalist, educator, academic administrator, and military officer in the Union Army, for his words “We come, not to mourn our dead soldiers, but to praise them”...

       Public Service Announcements (P.S.A.’s)… Calendars and pens at the ready… #315 - The Vets from the Mendocino Animal Hospital will be visiting the Valley tomorrow, Thursday, May 22. Next month, their visits here will be on Thursdays, June 5 and 26… #316 - Also tomorrow, the A.V. High School branch of the F.F.A. is holding its Drive Thru Dinner. The meal includes tri-tip, baked potatoes, rolls, green salad, and watermelon. Tickets are $50 for a dinner for four or $25 for a dinner for two. You can call the School Ag Dept at 895-2514 to reserve your ticket… #317 - Over Memorial Day weekend - May 23 to 26, the annual Flea Market & Indoor Craft Fair runs each day from 9am-4pm at the Anderson Valley Senior Center-Veterans Building in Boonville. The snack bar is open all day and breakfast will be served from 9-11am every morning… #318 - The 12th Annual Open Art Studio Tour is another event that takes place over the Memorial Day weekend - May 24-26. Self-guided tour guides are available at many locations in the Valley… #319 - As part of that event, on both Saturday and Sunday afternoons, at Aquarelle Restaurant in Boonville, artists Michael Wilson and Susan Spencer will exhibit their art but, perhaps even more importantly to some, chef/owner Christina will be selling her gourmet hot dogs right off the soon-to-be-famous Boon Dogs grill… #320 - The Sunday of Memorial Day Weekend, May 25, will see the A.V. Lion’s Club presenting their delicious Chicken and Tri Tip Barbecue at the Redwood Grove in the Fairgrounds to benefit the Anderson Valley ElderHome! Serving starts at 4:30 and festivities continue until 7:30. Along with the always-excellent Silent Auction and music by DJ Pete, new this year will be the ‘Grab Bag Tables’ (whatever they may be?). Advance purchase tickets are $15 at Lemon’s and All That Good Stuff. Seniors (62+) and children (12-) are $12.  At the door they will be $18 and $15. Children under 6 are free... #321 - Finally this week, and not related to Memorial Day at all but certainly an important task at this time of year for some - sheep-shearing… Shearer Matt Gilbert is setting up his schedule for the next few weeks of work in the Valley. If you have sheep to shear and/or good wool to buy do not hesitate to call 972-9144 and Matt will fit you in and you’ll be very pleased that he did…

       As a bonus P.S.A. here is the menu for the Community lunches and dinners over the next week at the Senior Center at the Veterans Hall in Boonville… The Center asks for a $6 donation from seniors for both lunches and dinners and charges $7 for Non-Seniors for lunches and $8 for the dinners… Tomorrow, Thursday, May 22, the lunch, presented by Marti Titus and her crew at 12.15pm, will be BBQ Tri Tip, Baked Beans, Brussels Sprouts, Sourdough Bread, Cole Slaw, Freekah Salad, and Wendy’s Oatmeal Cookies for dessert… Then next Tuesday, May 27, the dinner menu, served at 6pm, will feature Lasagna, Green Beans, Garlic Bread, Ferro Salad, Orange Gelatin, 3 Bean Salad, with a Lemon Pineapple Dessert… Remember, all ages are welcome!... Hope to see you there…

       Moving quickly on to a few of the topics and Valley events under discussion this week at The Three-Dot Lounge… This week one topic dominated discussions - the driving surface of Highway 128 … From our 3-Dot regular, The Old Buzzard, comes another in his insightful series – ‘Signs that the Apocalypse is Approaching’…

       Buzzard reports, “I heard this week from local resident Bill Kimberlin who, regarding the unfinished section of Hwy 128 between Boonville and Philo, writes, ‘I called Wesley Chesbro's office (2nd Assembly District Representative) and Noreen Evans' office (2nd Senate District Representative). The go- to guy is Jeff Tyrrell 707-468-8914. He was helpful but he needs more people to call to get any action, not just me. I want them to speed up the paving job they left unfinished. Cal Trans told me it might not be paved for up to two years. After my calls, and those of others, they are now saying one year. Please call in and ask for a speed up because it is dangerous. The area is from Peachland Road to the Grange. When the summer tourists get here in their rented RVs, towing boats, it is going to get ugly down there at 70mph.’

       “Bill continues, ‘The above mentioned Jeff Tyrell replied to me, Caltrans has indicated that resurfacing of the 3.5 miles along Highway 128, between Peachtree and the Grange, is scheduled for the Summer of 2015.  They also said that since the Summer of 2011, $12.5 million have been allocated to paving projects along Highway 128, unfortunately the asphalt purchase fell short of the miles of estimated coverage. Caltrans has been regularly sweeping the loose gravel along this stretch of road. They also indicate that problem of loose gravel will dissipate as time passes. However, if anyone incurs damages to windshields etc., Kathy King of the claims department can be reached at  (707) 445-6594. So it was a math error and unless more folks complain, via Jeff, we shall be driving over that terrible surface for another year’… Good job, Bill. The road is really quite bad already and that the authorities think we should drive on it for another year or so is shocking. Now it’s time for others to make the call, otherwise a year of driving along as it deteriorates even further will surely be a sign that the Apocalypse is virtually on our doorstep…”

       I’m outta here… So, until we talk again – Make the phone calls;  ‘Keep the Faith’; be careful out there; stay out of the ditches; think good thoughts; please remember to keep your windows cracked if you have pets in your vehicle; and may your god go with you… Oh, and of course, one final request, “Let us prey”…

Humbly yours, Turkey Vulture - hope you enjoyed the read, and who knows, you might miss me when you’re gone (?)…

p.s. You can contact me with words of support/abuse either through the Letters Page or by e-mail at <turkeyvulture1@earthlink.net>

p.p.s. On the sheep, Grace…

p.p.p.s. Hi, George – hope you and Sheila are well…

p.p.p.p.s. Hi, Silver Swan – behaving yourself? Hopefully not!