Cheap(er) gas at Indianola

There’s at least one place in Humboldt County where gas is still under $4/gallon. Indianola Market is locked in at $3.99 for historical reasons — the old pump doesn’t go that high.

To get around the problem the Market might start selling by the half-gallon.

The Washington Post reports the problem is nation wide.

Image from Boing Boing.

Grand Theft Wacko

Popular national blog Shakesville examines an absurd notion that appeared in yesterday’s Eureka Reporter. In a letter to the editor, Texas professor Christopher J. Ferguson, Ph.D delivers the good news that abundant pornography lowers incidences of rape.

The backwards doctor wrote in defense of the video game Grand Theft Auto, the latest version of which allows players to murder prostitutes. Apparently Ferguson thinks makers of the game are offering a gift to would-be victims.

In a related note, why doesn’t the word “rape” appear in reports about the horrifying crime that allegedly occurred at Trinidad Beach in which the victim was forcibly sodomized by two scumbags who yelled racial slurs during the attack? Regardless, it does little to assuage Humboldt’s rape-heavy reputation.

Plumley plays Arcata Chamber

Third District Candidate Bryan Plumley’s campaign is in the doghouse following misuse of the Arcata Chamber of Commerce email list to pimp a campaign event.

The Chamber issued an apology saying the email went out “to our members without first being screened as is the normal procedure.” The Chamber assured members the email was not an endorsement and that it “does not and never will take sides in a political campaign…We apologize to our members and to anyone upset by this invitation and especially to the other two candidates.”

Mike Wilson, Chamber member and early contender for John Woolley’s seat on the Supes, called it a “patently political stunt” in an email to the chamber. ” I am extremely disappointed that the Chamber would allow itself to be used in this way,” he said.

Same-sex marriage ruled constitutional in California

The California Supreme Court found same-sex marriage to be constitutional in a ruling issued today. Congratulations to all the couples and individuals in Humboldt County and around the state for having your equal rights confirmed by the high court.

Estelle and Clif on KEET

Smack in the middle of this week’s saturation of candidate forums, second district candidates Estelle Fennell and Clif Clendenen faced off in their first televised debate on KEET Wednesday night on their race to the Board of Supervisors.

The quick version: Estelle effing nailed it in terms of public presentation and comfort level. Her years of radio served her well as she easily discussed a wide variety of county issues with confidence and knowledge.

Not that there weren’t shrieks of horror echoing ’round the Humboldt Herald HQ when she said people have a right to live on their land, “absolutely.” If that’s true, lets throw the General Plan out the window and hand the keys to the assessors office as they distribute parcel numbers willy nilly while the county is chopped into smaller and smaller pieces so people can enjoy their “absolute” rights. At some point down that road you’re no longer living the rural lifestyle.

BRYAN PLUMLEY: Part-time Super

Fellow blogger Richard Marks has a review of Monday night’s debate, where he kindly breaks the news to Third District Supervisorial candidate Bryan Plumley that being a Supervisor is not a part-time job.

Stevie Wonder ain’t got nothin’ on Plumley:

Show up Tuesdays, elected seat
County business is such a treat
And the money’s not bad for part-time Super

Most of the time he’s in finance
At Edward Jones he likes to dance
But on Tuesdays he’s part-time Super

He’s a public servant only half the time
But his bank account is doing just fine
Clients by day, constituents by night
Knowing it’s so wrong, but the money’s so right

The conflicts rise and plague him so
Now it’s too bad the voters know
That he’s got two jobs, the part-time Super

But if there’s some emergency
Leave a voice mail o’er on 5th Street
He’ll do his best to call you back when he’s part-time Super

He’s a public servant only half the time
His bank account is doing just fine
Constituents by day, clients by night
Knowing it’s so wrong, but the money’s so right

There might be things he cannot tell
Like which clients ring his doorbell
Who does he serve, this part-time Super?

And when they speak at the podium
He’ll just pretend he don’t know ‘em
It’s hard to be a part-time Super

It’s just a job, some folks need two
You hire him, he works for you
So he’s got to be a part-time Super
Mr. Plumley, part-time Super
At Edward Jones, part-time Super

[Apologies to Stevie Wonder. Thanks to Richard Marks for the inspiration.]

3rd District debate revelations

Three men running for John Woolley’s seat on the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors faced off in their first televised debate Monday night on KEET TV. The hour-long program rehashed issues from the TNT debate, while viewer questions lead to new territory.

More charges for Gundersen

Former Blue Lake police chief David Gundersen is facing 14 additional charges of spousal rape, according to the Times-Standard. The charges were added following testimony of his wife at a preliminary trial last month.

Vevoda vs. Smith

The quietest horse race in next month’s primary is the fight for the 1st District seat on the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors. Dairyman John Vevoda is challenging incumbent fisherman Jimmy Smith.

The Humboldt Herald predicts an easy win for Jimmy.

Nevertheless, the fight is on and impassioned pleas for money are making the rounds.

Rancher Joe Russ is asking you to ward off doom by sending cash to Vevoda. He says the death of Supervisor Roger Rodoni underscores the importance of a Vevoda win. He also cites “The Tooby Ranch lawsuit fiasco” as evidence of “alarming disarray” of county priorities.

Maybe no one told him about Rodoni’s steadfast support of the Tooby Ranch lawsuit.

Russ says Humboldt County elections are expensive and blames Measure T for making it “more difficult than ever before to raise money from the ‘usual’ contributors.”

*Cough.* The usual suspects.

You can learn more about Vevoda and Smith on Thursday Night Talk this Thursday from 7:30 - 8:30 on KHSU. Ironically, the show will be hosted by David Cobb who helped pass Measure T.

More insight on Eureka molestation case

The North Coast Journal ran a cover story last month about sitting on the jury of a child molestation case at the Humboldt County courthouse. NCJ publisher Judi Hodgson was the alternate juror in the trial of Matthew Christopher Davis.

As the alternate juror, Hodgson heard testimony and saw evidence from the jury box but didn’t get to deliberate the verdict, which found the man guilty on lesser charges of molesting twin brothers. Hodgson seemed to think the evidence supported a stronger conviction.

Now one of the main jurors has stepped forward to voice his disappointment in the outcome. In a letter to the Eureka Reporter, juror Jim Beagle called the jury “too lenient.” He didn’t go into specifics about what moved the jury away from convicting on all counts, but from Hodgson’s article it appears Davis chose his victims wisely. They were troubled boys being raised by their grandmother due to problems with their mother.

That’s not to say children from privileged and stable backgrounds don’t get preyed upon by creeps and perverts. But it looks like this particular creep got away with raping not one but two victims.

Despite physical evidence two jurors wanted to acquit on all charges. That’s a real head scratcher. It’s easier to understand the strange-but-real Stockholm syndrome apparently suffered by these children than it is to grock whatever plagues the minds of some adults.