Greenwood/Elk columns

May 11 ~ June 29, 1995

May 11,

If your child will be 5 by December 1st, 1995, he/she may enroll in kindergarten. You may register for Greenwood School between 2 and 3 pm May 15 or 17 or call Jane 877-3361 to arrange another time. If it is more convenient, you may fill out forms at Mendocino's Grammar School front office at anytime during the next few weeks. We are part of the Grammar School so it works to register there for Greenwood. Please bring immunization record and birth certificate.

The Greenwood School children and Staff invite you to a performance of an original play based on Aesop's Fables. Join us at the Community Center Tuesday, May 23rd at 7:00 pm.

Bill Edison reports that the Greenwood Community Center received a Communities Initiative Grant of $1,500.00 to help sponsor this summer teen program. As a result Ehren Koepf has been hired to be the program director, when he returns from college in late May. Ehren is well respected by all local teen-agers and is enthusiastic about getting started.

Speaking of Bill Edison, Bill recently received an award from the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Commission of Mendocino County for his work with the "Chill-dren", over the years, as typified by his annual invention, "The Pepper Martin Softball Tournament". Bravo!

Charlie Acker reports that the Silent Auction at the Greenwood Community Church brought in $3,790.00...Can you believe it? Congratulations all round for a great effort.

KZYX had a spring marathon going last week and they were aiming for $40,000.00 dollars. The made over $42,000.00!! The radio personalities from Elk, Walter Green, Jamie Roberts, Eduardo Smissen, Steve Garner and Allen Green did an outstanding job holding up their end. Well done.

Lolli's Taurus Birthday Party was another success this year with the weather cooperating, although it was a bit windy in her meadow at times. Great music showed up! Shawn Nelson, Olaf Palm and his wife, John Paul and a few others. It is really something to listen to goat skin bag pipes, dulcimers, hurtygurtys, accordions, violins and such with the smoke of the barbecued chicken whisping around in the sunlight.

Yes, it is that time of year when everything starts happening at once. It seems we all hole up during the winter but, once the flowers are out and the weather gets mild, every weekend is booked solid with parties and openings and dances to attend.

Getting on towards the wee hours a few of us stalwarts were sitting around the campfire and I got to talking to one woman who had one of those mushrooms, you know, "The Mushroom" that seems to have taken over the coast, "The Mushroom" that is floating in that bowl in your closet, the one with the white cloth draped over it.

I didn't know anything about this phenomenon until a few months ago when I first learned about it at a dinner party in Fort Bragg. Lolli and I were shown, with awe, "the bowl", sitting there in the dark and told about its magical properties. We even got to drink some of the "tea". I was also handed a flyer that told me all about what this "tea" could do. Get rid of wrinkles, improve health, get rid of physical problems and so on.

Yeah sure. I forgot about it.

So now I'm talking to this woman by the campfire and she is sick and tired of taking care of "The Mushroom". It didn't do anything for her, but she didn't know how to get rid of it. She couldn't just throw it out and kill it. She said "slugs and snails, no problem" but somehow this "life" had taken over her life.

I pondered the problem. How is it that slugs, which can at least crawl around and live some sort of low-life, were less important than this thing that just sat in a bowl and converted sugar to tea. I wondered what it's IQ could be? Probably something just a bit higher than a rock and yet, look what it was making us humans do.

The next day, back in Elk, I started asking around. At almost any house, people would show me their "Mushroom" located in their various cupboards and closets. I discovered "The Mushroom" is here in Elk big-time. Even the Elk Store bulletin board had a sign announcing "Two Mushrooms looking for bowls" with a phone number.

One local man I asked said, "Oh yes, his grandmother had one years ago in Lisbon, Portugal. Drank the tea every day. She died anyway". Another man told me he thought they were some form of organic chain letter.

They're everywhere! They're everywhere! One woman claimed the original mushroom came from a star in the Orion Constellation!

Whatever. They are here and, IQ or not, they have convinced us humans to take care of them.

Some folks think the internet is taking over our lives but I am beginning to wonder.

This weekend. May 13th, 8:30 pm till 1 am. Dance to Silver Fox at the Greenwood Community Center. This is a benefit dance for The Greenwood Computer Club. Kay's Classy Bar and Rosi's Hot-Potato Kitchen will be open for business. A great time is guaranteed. $5.00 door.

There will be an information night about undergrounding the powerlines in Elk at 7 p.m., Thursday, May 11, at the Greenwood Community Center

May 18,

The Greenwood School children and Staff invite you to a performance of an original play based on Aesop's Fables. Join us at the Community Center Tuesday, May 23rd at 7:00 pm. Charlie Acker Reports on the Greenwood/Elk Underground:

"A meeting was held last Thursday evening at the Greenwood Community Center about the proposal by PG&E and Pac Bell to put the overhead utilities underground through "downtown" Elk.

The subject has been around since 1991, when "Rule 20" funds, set aside over the years out of everyone's electric bills, were applied for by then Supervisor, Norman deVall. A petition of interest was signed by a majority of Elk citizens, and a lengthy bureaucratic process of having meetings, establishing the Underground Utility District, and designing the plan has ground through the process to the point where the bids will be let out and a contractor will be selected soon. Utility representative from Pacific Bell and PG&E along with Jim Anderson, Deputy County Administrator, Alan Fallari and Jim Spence from the Planning and Building Department, mad a presentation of the history of the project so far and what to expect this summer when the digging begins.

A date in early September was discussed as the probable starting date. Local Inn keepers listened carefully as the actual construction process was described. A starting date, "After the Great Day in Elk" celebration, i.e., the middle of September, was discussed. We were told that the work day started at 7 am and would continue to 4 pm, Monday through Friday.

"7 am might be kind of early to have a back hoe starting up outside your B&B room you just drove up from San Jose with your bride to enjoy", was one of the general concerns heard that evening.

What it is important to remember is that the project is linear and will progress along in stages. Activity will be intense along different sections as the job proceeds. It won't be "weeks" of jack-hammers and back hoes everywhere at once, so our peace won't be shattered to a much greater degree than the usual log hauling and dump truck parade.

A commitment from Wander Cable TV to participate with the under grounding has not yet been reached, according to Roy. I don't know if that means a rebirth for the satellite dish industry here in Elk, but at least the birds would have a place to stand."

Charlie Acker

The under grounding project will bring the power and phone service to the area of your existing meter but each home owner/business owner has to pay to have an electrical contractor make the final connections into a compatible service. Ben MacMillan at the Elk Store has a sign-up sheet for those folks who would be interested in joining together and putting the bid out to various local contractors. Hiring one contractor to do a bunch of jobs should result in a lower cost per hook-up.

The Annual Spring Rites Dance in Elk had a rather poor showing. The music was great, the food was good and the bar had three bartenders waiting but the full moon was out and it was prom night, up and down the coast. There were dances going on in Boonville and Point Arena and the usual dinners, openings and other weekend activity that suddenly bursts forth this time of year. One good thing. For those who love to dance, the floor wasn't crowded and those that did show up had a great time.

Bridget Dolan's is open for dinner Friday through Monday and has "Pub Grub" Tuesday through Thursday. Check it out before the hoards discover it is open again.

The Greenwood Pier is open and looking good, breakfast, lunch and dinner.

The Roadhouse Cafe will open June 1st, and when they do, Greenwood/Elk will up to full speed.

In last weeks column I want to make a correction. The bag piper, hurty-gurty player, who wowed us at Lolli's birthday party was Sean Folsum, not Shawn Nelson and I still probably have his first name wrong.

I ducked into "Headlands", last Sunday morning, while my laundry went round and round. Headlands is a new coffee shop on Laurel Street in Fort Bragg. My friends Mary and Peter Gealey put the place together after about six months of remolding. The end result was worth the wait. It's beautiful, light and airy and they have live music on occasion. The place is definitely happening. Check it out.

May 25,

Jema wants her rocks back. Jema reports that someone took her twenty granite rocks she had in front of the parsonage. They were special to her because she had hauled them here from someplace in Southern California that is no longer accessible.

Tawny, at the Elk Store, told me that I had missed one when I had my list of new Elk Babies in the paper months ago. I apologize and welcome Margaret Rose Donalan. Born January 19 of this year. 7 pounds 8 ounces, 19 inches long. Daughter of Peter and Shelley Donalan.

Leslie Lawson reports that on Sunday, May 21, Bridget Dolan's will open at 3 for music by "Greenhouse". Pub-grub will be available. Otherwise they are open seven days a week from 5 - 10 pm. Full dinners Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Light meals and snacks Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

FROM: "Charles Acker",

TO: Ron G. Bloomquist, 75562,3337

DATE: 5/20/95 11:34 AM

Dear Elk Computer owner:

Local access to the Internet continues to get faster, more extensive and now,closer to home, through Mendocino Community Network or MCN. The Internet also continues to grow and the amount of data, access to news, services and products, as well as business potential is beyond comprehension.

Living in Elk, the telephone isolation factor has become a fact of life. As you know all calls outside the 877 area are toll calls. When the toll call concept is added to a computer on the Internet, you have the makings of a very large phone bill. Those of us that have been connected to MCN have researched the cheapest phone rates, and necessarily have had to wait until late at night to be able to afford "net surfing".

The Greenwood Computer Lab came in to existence in part to research ways to link to the Internet by a local, 877 call. As the months have passed, we have explored many possible solutions, but perhaps the best and most available idea comes to us straight from MCN.

Rennie Innis, the system operator at MCN has offered to install equipment at the Greenwood School (part of the same Mendocino School system that MCN is operated under) that would link us to MCN by a local call. The Greenwood School already has a high speed data link, or "ISDN" line, and Rennie promises he will provide the equipment to give Elk Internet users 877 local call access if we can provide him with 20 subscribers.

This is where you come in. You may be an individual or a family that uses a computer at home, and may have an interest in Internet access, or may be already using an on-line service such as American Online or Compuserve. MCN offers Internet access for $25 per month, plus a one time start up fee of about $60. This fee allows the user 25 hours of access per month, and now via a local 877 phone link! You can even reach other on-line services world wide at no additional cost through the "telnet" server which is part if the MCN system. That means if you have an American Online, or Compuserve account, you no longer pay any phone charges to access it in addition to full Internet access.

The advances in Internet communications are coming so fast that it is hard to comprehend it all. As access speeds increase, and Internet facilities grow, you won't want to be left behind.

The local Greenwood Computer Club can offer technical assistance to anyone wanting to access the Internet, as well as general computer use. The Greenwood Computer Club meets twice a month and the lab at the Greenwood Community Center is open daily in the afternoons. We are desperately short of funds, and encourage your donations and participation.

Thanks. The Greenwood Computer Lab.

Contact Charlie at 877-3474 if you are interested in joining the "group of twenty".

I downloaded Charlie's letter from Compuserve via my computer/phone connection, saved it as a Word for Windows file, re-formatted it to my column style and inserted it into this column. I didn't have to retype it. Just boom - boom and there it is.

The Bruce Wolfe color prints of "The Last Light at Greenwood Cove" are awesome and still being sold by the Greenwood Community Church Foundation to help fund repairs to the church. If you want one, write to them at P.O. Box 56, Elk, Ca 95432.

I had finally had it "up to here" and decided, on my own, to attack our local "federal" building. I bought one gallon of gas, loaded new string in my weed-eater and snuck up on our "new" Post Office, but I was too late. The attack was in already in progress. Lorie McGary and Denny Lunsford were there with weed-eater, riding mower, rakes and wheelbarrow inflicting massive devastation upon the weeds.

Damn, my chance to take things into my own hands and demonstrate citizen outrage, thwarted, once again.

June 1,

I reluctantly attended the Greenwood School play at the Community Center last May 23rd. Carolyn Carleton coerced me into video-taping the event. I'd much rather have just gone home and read a book and yet, I must say, I was very surprised. The play was excellent and the kids did an amazing job. Their memory of their lines and the fact that you could actually hear them gave credit to their many hours of hard work. Well done.

Here is a list of the students involved for future reference by casting agents:

Neshama Rakofsky. Tamma Carleton. Alice Lawrence. Lloyd Sinclair. Ayla Graham. Hal Robinson. Diana Borghi. Larkin Kuny. Ruben Kruger. Diva Gallo. Anna Waldman. Holly Sinclair. Annessa Musgrove. Rosie Muto. Soquel Schafer. Danny Fox. Novia Gallo. Serena Acker.

Karen Rakofsky, who wrote the script and directed the play won high praise from the teachers and students and all who attended the evenings event.. I can't wait till next year.

Peg Frankel handed me a note.

"It's been a long while since we've been treated to a roadside profusion of native wildflowers, but this years heavy rains, coupled the absence of roadside mowing has given rise to a host of old favorites.

The bright yellow California Poppy, brilliant red Indian Paintbrush, orange Monkey Fowers, as well as modest hued seaside daisies, beach Morning Glories and wild buckwheat, etc. Just beautiful."

Mary Pjerrou handed me a note:

"The U.S. Forest Service has awarded a $25,000.00 Pacific Northwest Economic Initiative grant to the Greenwood Creek Watershed Project for preliminary work on a watershed study and restoration program.

The project will focus on restoring our local salmon and steelhead fishery and improving water quality to the town of Elk.

These federal funds are intended as an economic stimulus to timber-dependent communities which have been impacted by over logging and consequent enforcement of federal environmental laws (such as the Endangered Species Act.)

This summer, local watershed workers, research and mapping technicians, fishermen, and water district workers will begin a watershed assessment (including a fish habitat survey and watershed mapping), and will begin to identify potential restoration sites. If further funding is found, a full crew of field workers will be employed next summer for additional watershed studies and for restoration work. Local displaced timber workers and fishermen will be given training and preferred employment.

The Project adviser is Dr. Fred Euphrat. For further information, call the Greenwood Watershed Association (tel. 877-3405).

It is June and the college students are back in town. That means I'm out of a job. Yep, old grumpy won't be pumping gas for the beautiful people in their shiny Beemers. The handsome, attentive, and intelligent team of Tony Galletti and Jeff Schlafer can deal with that. I'm out of there. I'm off for the summer. Yippee!

Folks ask, "So, what you gonna do this summer?".

Well, in years past I was on the verge of heading out for somewhere, Death Valley, Utah, Colorado, Alaska, anywhere. This year, I'm staying home.

What's changed?

Well, the previous ten years I lived in town, down on the coastal shelf. Summer-time wind and fog drove me crazy. There were very few evenings where I could sit out in a lawn chair and read a book without a coat on. Many times I would give up, throw the dog in the VW bus and head for the Eel river over by Dos Rios.

But now I live up in the hills where it is actually still warm at seven in the evening. I can gaze out over the ocean and down upon that fog shrouded coastal village of Greenwood/Elk, chuckle, and turn the page.

What a difference 5 miles make.

One of these years I want to go back to Nebraska, to the town I grew up in, and see if the old swimming hole is still as large as I remember. But for this year...I'm already on vacation.

Besides, my traveling partner has left me. Yep. Lolli has gone to Nuevo Leon, Nicaragua for a month and a half. She is teaching at a weaving co-operative there. We plan to stay in touch via e-mail.

So, that's it. Read some books, get some sun, check the e-mail. I think I can handle it.

I also have an electric car to paint, water system checks to do four times a week and a column to hammer out once in a while.

But enough about work.

June 8

I just received word from Ed McKinley that our good friends, Peter and Mary Gealey's daughter, Jenny, died in a tragic accident last Friday evening.

I'm sure the details are elsewhere in this paper.

Sad. Just way too sad. Our hearts go out to them.

Earlier this week I wrote a poem. It was sparked in my mind by the wreckage I saw parked out behind the Elk Garage. I don't know the facts concerning that accident, only that it involved a car and a passing motorcycle. The motorcyclist was killed.

I thought about how we all go about living our lives, doing what we do and how one tragic flip of the coin, heads or tails, forever changes them.

A Coastal Weekend

She had her good ol' Toyota

Teaches part time at the local school

He had his Red Ninja Racer

Flying down the coast looking cool

She's heading home from just shopping

Petunias and peas and some wine

He's "Doing the One" in a weekend

Been planning this trip for some time

She's got her clean laundry basket

Maybe tonite they will finally make love

He's got his new racing leathers

His motorcycle fits like a glove

Here are some folks on vacation

Poking along and enjoying the view

He comes right up behind them

To hell with that double line too

She slows down for her driveway

She signals she's gonna turn left

He peeks out around the camper

Blasts his horn, are those idiots deaf

She thinks of herb tea and looks up

California Poppies, Oh, what a fine day

He opens the throttle and whips out

Maybe have lunch down in Bodega Bay

She never saw him coming

Her dog barking up the dirt drive

He never saw she was turning

'til it was late, way to late, to survive

The visitors saw it happen before them

Oh my lord, Martha, wasn't that a sin

How he took her spinning and spinning

Leaving only plastic and Petunias in the wind.

June 15,

A group of four women; Joan Gates, Carole Raye, Rosi Acker and Kay Curtis are meeting bimonthly to help turn the Del Wilcox Theater dream into a reality. Del has single handedly pushed through the paper work necessary to fill out the foundation applications. He has successfully received a grant of $10,000.00 to use towards the project. This group of four has volunteered to assist Del in his endeavors. Roff Barnett is planning to make a generous donation of property which would make it possible for the theater to be built on the North side of the Community Center. The project could be completed for $50,000.00 if we could match the grant money we obtain with donated community time. The group welcomes community feedback and support. Call Kay Curtis for any further details.

The Greenwood Civic Club announced the recipients of two $500.00 scholarships.

Jason (Boone) Fruth who graduated from the Mendocino Community School and, Jordian Williams, who graduated from Mendocino High School. Congratulations.

The Civic Club also donated $1000,00 to the Elk Computer Club/Community Center. This will enable the computer lab to stay open with an overseer three days per week/four hours per day, (Afternoons.)

The Civic Club policy is to "share the wealth" The money brought in by their various activities, like the Annual Rummage Sale, go right back out into the community. We thank all the civic club members for their fine effort.

I don't know when the computer lab is currently open but I will find out tomorrow night.

You see, I didn't attend the last computer club meeting and was elected president. Damn! You have to attend every meeting around here in order to defend yourself. Folks are real sneaky. Anyway. Next week I will announce the days and times the lab is open or you can check with Louis Martin in the mean time.

I haven't had anything in this column about our ol' friends, Louisiana Pacific, for quite a while now, and how we are getting along with them lately.

Here is an up-date, "gleaned" from the latest Greenwood Watershed Association newsletter:

"A new L.P logging plan was approved by CDF on April 13, 1995 -- 122 acres of salvage logging, using mostly helicopter methods, close to town, east of Greenwood Commons. This logging plan has a long history.

In 1993, L-P filed an exemption paper to do 1,380 acres of salvage logging in this area. Exemptions require no public notice and no environmental review. The GWA and the Elk County Water District filed a lawsuit against CDF to stop this exemption. The judge granted a restraining order and L-P withdrew the exemption (then recently filed a regular timber harvest plan -- with normal review -- on the above - mentioned 122 acres).

The principles of the exemption case were argued before Superior Court Judge, James King, this past March. We asked for the following 1) public notice for exemptions; and 2) that CDF review exemptions filings for potential environmental impacts, and require a regular THP where such impacts are indicated. Public notice and environmental review are fundamental to California environmental law. Judge King will rule on the case within ninety days.

L-P is proceeding with a 431 logging plan about 8 miles up Greenwood/Philo road on the Greenwood Creek side. The plan calls for "commercial thinning" (not a clear-cut), using cable and tractor yarding.

Folks up in the 8 mile area report that L-P has planted thousands of baby trees near the 431-acre plan area. The trees have strange-looking white plastic skirts around their bases. (You can see this from the road.) It has been commented that the planting looks like an out-door art installation by Christo.

Our watershed adviser Dr. Euphrat says the white skirts are soil fertilizer and are biodegradable."

The watershed newsletter also pointed out that "landowners, interested in planting trees and native grassed on their property, as part of a conservation program, could get up to $10,000.00 per year in assistance from the California Department of Forestry. The program is available to property owners with more than 20 acres of land. For application forms and information, contact: Jake Markowitsch at (707) 462-0506, or write to: Stewardship Coordination, CDF, P.O. Box 670, Santa Rosa, Ca 95402.

A $15,000.00 donation by L-P to the California Conservation Corps for labor costs of a restoration project in Greenwood Creek may be happening soon. This came about as part of a settlement of a S.L.A.P.P. suit against Anna Marie Stenberg. The project will be mutually chosen by Anna Marie, the Greenwood Watershed Assoc., the Elk County Water District, and L.P." Wouldn't that be a fun meeting to attend!

June 22,

Here is an e-mail message from Lolli who is in Leon, Nicaragua, for five weeks, teaching at a textile cooperative:

"Your e-mail came through fine. Ain't technology amazing. Having a great time. Getting lots done with the weavers although we haven't gotten to the printing yet. Probably start that at the beginning of next week. Currently trying out some new weave structures, and waiting for yarn to come. That's been a classic-missed the lady who takes orders by one day so had to wait another week to see samples; then the salesperson got sick and didn't come this week, so now it will be another week or two before we get the yarns-probably the last three days I'm here!

Yes, the lack of little things is amazing. For instance thread to sew up the placemat edges. Danelia only has a kind of beige color because her sister who lives in Miami sent it to her. I'm sure its out there to buy, but there isn't the money. As Danelia (my host mother) says: During the embargo they had money but nothing to buy-lines around the block to buy sugar. Now there's plenty to buy, but no money to buy it with. And bugs, oh boy! There's a very large black beetle/cock roach thing that you see a lot of. And the first night as I went to go to bed there were flying things (fortunately not the biting kind) all over my bed! Danelia brushed them off with a sheet and they didn't seem to come back during the night-probably the light attracted them. In the weaving studio we were weaving along when some big stinky bug that apparently does bite (from the reaction of the women) landed on the warp. Major interruption during which we lost our place and ended up with one shorter pattern. No mosquitoes as yet. That's a blessing.

My clothes seem to fit in more or less. There's no changing the fact that I just don't look like anybody else around. The weavers are really taken by my cloth shoes (and the fact that I have them in so many colors).

In the studio we all "dress down". Its so hot and sweaty and even though Danelia and I are only coming from 2 1/2 blocks away, we dress up in the morning to walk to the studio and immediately change our clothes for sleeveless and shorts, then put back on our good clothes to walk home. Its hot. God awful Hot, and humid. But even that I've gotten used to.

The food is great! Lots of beans and rice and for me, meat every night although Danelia doesn't usually have any. Guest of honor thing I guess, and she is getting paid to feed and house me. I have had some local specialties: Gallo Pinto-which is a rice and beans combo; and Tostones-which are fried green bananas (from our own tree!)-and tasting like french fries. Yum. Also there are fruits of all description and we have fresh fruit drinks two or three times a day.

Our house is pretty modest, but at least Danelia owns it. She's divided it in half, kept the biggest part with the garden in back and divided the other half in half again. Rents those two out.

The walls only go part way up so there's quite a cacophony at night and in the mornings with three different TV's and at least as many radios all going at the same time on different stations! In the morning the radio in the room on the other side of my wall comes on at about 6 am blaring out the time along with some music (including Happy Birthday in English every half hour or so) and news. No need for an alarm here! I'm up and going by 6:30 or 7 and we're off to the studio by 8.

I share a room (actually part of the living room sectioned off by three large ward-robes and a curtain) with Jasmina, an 18 year old girl. There are two adult boys (in their twenties) -Moses who is studying to be a lawyer, and Diogenes who sometimes works as a mechanic. The kids are great. Danelias great, and despite the noise level and the density I feel right at home. We have a very fancy outhouse at the back of the garden and a shower cubicle about halfway along the garden. Banana trees, limes, oranges, and numerous other fruits I have no idea what they are. At the studio there's more of the same including a cashew tree. The cashews grow at the end of a thing that looks like a red bell pepper but tastes sweet (you can use the pepper/fruit for making refrescos/fruit drinks. Danelia tried to roast up some of the cashews for me, but we weren't too successful. Nothing much left at the end of the roasting.

I did get out into the countryside last Saturday with Lee, the project director, to see a rammed earth school in progress. Sister City - New Haven, Conn. supplies the community with used clothes to sell to raise the money for projects. So far this community has put in a communal well last year and now they're building the school this year. Leon is a beautiful old Spanish colonial city-one of the oldest in Latin America, although it had to be moved in the 1600's because the first one was buried in a volcano. Speaking of volcanoes, Cerro Negro is at it again. Started the day I arrived-just little puffs and nothing that we can tell from here, but all the international experts have rushed in. We keep an eye on it on the evening news and hopefully it will be content to go on with the little burps instead of one big one. We have an emergency plan to follow if there is a problem.

Lots of American news on the news, some of which I can catch (train wrecks, etc.) and some I'm confused by. What's this thing with the airman (Scott?) and Syria and all? The kids are asking me why he's a hero and I can't figure it out. Lolli.

Charles Peterson reports (via Rosie Acker), that Elk will loose cable TV access when the undergrounding happens this fall. Wander Cable Company claims that the $50,000 cost to underground, for the present 21 customers, is not worth it.

There will be a demonstration of the Internet connection, Netscape, World Wide Web and MCN at the next Computer Club Meeting June 27th, 7:00 PM. If you been wondering what all the hollering is about. Here's a chance to find out.

"Bare Bones Boogie" at the Greenwood Community Center, Friday, June 30th. Silver Fox on stage. $5.00 door, Munchies available from Rosie's kitchen. Soft Drinks. End of the month blow-out. Come on down!

Greenwood/Elk column for June 29

Loraine Toth reported to me that "Mr. LaFranchi passed away, peacefully in his sleep, in Healdsburg, last week". Mr. LaFranchi's whirligigs have delighted locals and travelers alike that pass by his "coast home" in Little Guyserville, north of Elk.

His whirligigs are tacked up on fences, posts, poles, the sides of his house and workshop. There are birds, horses, cows, chickens, a school house, some Holland style windmills and so on. Some are plywood cutouts of people. One of my favorites was a woman with out stretched arms and the words, "Keep California Beautiful" painted on her, just beside the entrance to his driveway.

Mr. LaFranchi had property, here on the coast, since 1951. Formerly it was an old brick house which he replaced in 1989.

When I interviewed him several years ago he told me made a lot of whirligigs for his nine grandchildren, eight great grandchildren, and various friends over in Geyserville.

Frank La Franchi retired from the California Department of Transportation when he was sixty two years old, back in 1970.

Lots of changes in and around Greenwood/Elk.

There was a big going away party for Jim and Mary Muto and their daughters Rosie and Margie at the Saxe/Karishe's, what, almost a month ago now. Jim and Mary had put a lot of energy into Greenwood/Elk what with restaurant-ing, involvement in the Catholic church, children programs and Mary's fledgling work for the Outlook Newspaper. "Night Time Cafe'" was one family effort that happened at the Roadhouse Cafe for a while and finally folded, but it sure was special while it lasted. Then too, there was the famous April Fool's liver and onions taste-off. Excellent! We all miss them.

I see the house the Muto's were renting in the heart of town is now up for sale.

Carol Powers is leaving Greenwood/Elk after years of, on and off, living here. She is taking a "prestigious" job down in , I believe she said, Santa Barbara. There will be a pot luck farewell party for her combined with the Greenwood Computer Club dance Friday the 28th of July.

Leaving a "prestigious" job in New York City and moving to Elk is Judy Pritchet and her son Slim. Judy attended the last Computer Club meeting and instead of showing interest in the computers, started asking us how many square feet the Community Center had. Come to find out that her partner Frankie Manning, is an internationally renown "Lindyhopper"! As you read this Frankie is in Norway, filling ballrooms and teaching dance workshops. Two weeks ago he was teaching on Catalina Island. Judy is entertaining the idea of introducing her world traveling, New York Lindyhopper to the Greenwood/Elk Community Center! Sort of a, New York/Elk, Sister City project!

The Ted and Marjorie Berlincourt project seems to lurch closer to fruition. They plan, according to the public notice hanging on the bulletin board in the Elk Store;

"To construct an approximately 5000 square foot two story single family dwelling including an attached three car garage, guest quarters and maid's quarters, decking, patios, driveway and parking area, septic system, well, propane tank and water storage tank" on the bluff to the south of Greenwood Beach.

As it is now proposed, it will be visible from town. On June 22nd there was a public hearing concerning the project at the planning department in Fort Bragg. The Berlincourts, their lawyer and one representative from State Parks showed up. Nobody from Elk! No letters from Elk. Nothing from Elk.

I haven't heard a peep from anyone who has a thing to say about this project, good or bad. I'm really quite surprised when normally we raise hell over just about anything. I understand the planning department did asked for some mitigation to possibly reduce it's visibility. The Berlincourts are going to have their landscape architect figure out some screening plantings. The case has been continued to a later date. If you want to learn more call the planning department, 964-5379, ask for Mary Stinson. Refer to Case # CDP-53-94

I hear that the Kelly property has a buyer. That home is the nice looking white house you see up the hill above Greenwood Creek when heading south out of town. Einar Matson has kept a house trailer up there for years.

On and off, during the past few months, I have heard that the Greenwood Pier is for sale. Most recently I hear that it is indeed, for sale. Anyone got some loose change? Around four mil, maybe five, should do it.

Changes, lots of changes.

There was a computer club mailing sent out to "suspect" computer owners in the Elk area concerning joining forces for a common local call connection to MCN (Mendocino Community Network) We need twenty subscribers and we are almost there!

Tomorrow night, last Friday of the month. "Bare Bones Boogie" at the Greenwood/Elk Community Center. Silver Fox is the band. Rosie's Hot Potato kitchen is open for munches and soft drinks. $5.00 door. Benefit for the computer club.

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