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Water Talks: Waiting on PG&E to Figure Out Life After the Potter Valley Project

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At the first meeting following a proposal for life after the Potter Valley Project, participants talked about money, conservation, water rights, and what to do next, in the absence of key information from the current owner of the project.


At the end of July, Sonoma Water, the Mendocino County Inland Water and Power Commission, and the Round Valley Indian Tribes made a proposal to PG&E about how to continue diverting water from the Eel River into the Russian River without Scott Dam and with a new kind of infrastructure where Cape Horn Dam is now. They hope that PG&E will include their proposal in its draft plan for decommissioning the project, which it will submit to regulators in November.


The three groups agreed to form a regional entity that could legally take on the water right and manage the diversion. But the other members of the Russian River Water Forum, a large group of representatives from interests in the Eel and Russian River watersheds, were not involved in negotiations with PG&E. Some, though not all, feel blindsided. 


At a meeting on August 17, Janet Pauli, of the Inland Water and Power Commission, responded to the concerns, saying, “We were not under the impression that there was an alternative to what we did. We believe the discussion with PG&E needed to be on their terms and their timeline. We also believe there is nothing in our proposal that’s at odds with the goal of attaining the two-basin solution as we understood it. Those goals continue to be water supply certainty and fish passage. I really believe that moving forward, we have to find a way to engage with stakeholders and agencies on this. We’ve been attempting to do that, particularly with the agencies at this point. But if we get support from stakeholders and the agencies, the faster the process will move forward — assuming PG&E accepts the proposal they currently have in front of them.”


Matt Clifford, a staff attorney with the environmental advocacy group Trout Unlimited, said he wasn’t sure it’s even worthwhile to continue with the forum. And he questioned the sense of urgency that’s arisen with a proposal that has to hew so closely to the timeline imposed upon PG&E by FERC, the Federal Regulatory Energy Commission. “It’s not a given that this has to take place, even as part of the FERC process,” he argued. “We’ve got a decommissioning schedule now. PG&E can come in now. They’ve expressed a desire to remove everything from the river, but there are alternatives here that allow for a continued diversion after that. There’s no reason we can’t proceed in a way that allows PG&E to carry out its announced intentions. And the question is, how do we build a diversion after that. The idea that this is the one shot, to create the urgency around that, I just don’t think is correct.”


Erica Costa, a lawyer with Berkey Williams, which represents the Round Valley Indian Tribes, laid out her clients’ priorities, declaring that, “Another important piece here is that the fish migration and the diversions will be on conditions mutually agreed upon by the proponents of the proposal that protect the fishing rights and water rights of the Round Valley Indian Tribes.”


Vivian Helliwell, the watershed conservation director for the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations, is also concerned about fishing. “I see some allowance or recognition for the need for a harvestable surplus for the Round Valley Tribe,” she noted. “I don’t know if that includes a conversation about the huge economic sport fishery and commercial fishery that relied on the fish from this river, and the great economic losses that occurred from those fisheries going down. I don’t know if this is going to be enough,” she concluded. “I don’t know if this forum is going to help us get where we need to go.”
Helliwell, too, was aggrieved about the fact that she didn’t know the negotiation was taking place with PG&E. But Nikcole Whipple, a Yuki member of the Round Valley Indian Tribes and an intern with the conservation group Save California Salmon, said the proposal was foreseeable, even to a newcomer like her. “To me, in the short time I’ve been working on these projects, it’s always been clear to me that the idea to form the two-basin solution moving forward was always about a diversion, and I’ve always known that I’ve been on the opposition…I don’t feel like we’re being blindsided in any way.” She noted that she supports her tribal council.


Matt Myers, of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, wanted to make sure it’s clear that his agency has not taken a position at this time.  “Our staff is participating in the technical meetings for the diversion,” he specified; “but that’s from a technical input level. It shouldn’t be extrapolated that there is either support or not support for a particular proposal or diversion.”


Bree Klotter, of Redwood Valley, asked the lawyers for the Inland Water and Power Commission and Sonoma Water the questions that everyone wants answered. “I was just wondering if there’s been any response at all from PG&E regarding the proposal,” she ventured; “and if not, is there any idea what sort of timeframe we can expect? Will we hear something from them before they submit the initial draft?”


Scott Shapiro, the Inland Water and Power Commission attorney, acknowledged that, “PG&E has not told us whether they will include this in their proposal. We have not had an official communication to that. PG&E has indicated that it will start negotiating with the regional entity when the regional entity is formed. Until that time, we hope to have further informal discussions with PG&E to learn more.”


Klotter persisted, asking, “Does that mean they will engage in discussions with an entity if we form one?”


Adam Brand, representing Sonoma Water, informed her that, “They haven’t indicated a timeframe for making a decision on the proposal that we have submitted. And they haven’t given us an answer yet.” 

Detectives Investigating ‘Suspicious Death’ at Ukiah Apartment Complex This Evening

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[Stock image by Matt LaFever]

What initially was reported as a medical aid call to Ukiah’s Willow Terrace Apartments on East Gobbi Street has proven to be a “suspicious death”, as per Ukiah Police Department’s Lieutenant Andrew Phillips. 

Lieutenant Phillips could not provide any information regarding the decedent, suspects, or the nature of the incident due to the ongoing nature of the investigation. He did tell us UPD became involved in the situation around 1:30 this afternoon after officers were called to the scene of a medical call that paramedics thought “suspicious.”

A review of scanner traffic from the time referenced by Lieutenant Phillips confirms around 1:10 p.m., scanner traffic medical personnel were called on an echo response to the apartment complex, code for imminent death. CPR was reportedly in progress.

Detectives are actively investigating and have cordoned off a small section of the apartment complex on 237 East Gobbi Street while they process the scene. 

Lieutenant Phillips told us that detectives will secure the area overnight as they wait for Department of Justice investigators to assist in the processing of the scene tomorrow.

More information regarding the incident will be released tomorrow, Lieutenant Phillips said.  

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Northern California’s spotted owl faces Trump-era legal threat

The following is a press release issued by the Center for Biological Diversity:


Northern Spotted Owl, Strix occidentalis caurina, Gifford Pinchot forest, Washington, (c) Tom Kogut/ USDA Forest Service.

Conservation groups intervened today in a lawsuit brought by the timber industry and counties seeking to strip northern spotted owls of protections for their critical habitat across millions of acres of forests in California, Oregon and Washington.

The industry lawsuit attempts to reinstate a critical habitat rollback issued in the final weeks of the first Trump administration that removed nearly 3.5 million acres from the 9.6 million acres that were protected for spotted owls in 2012.

“The forests these precious owls depend on also provide all of us with benefits like clean water, recreation, jobs and climate resiliency,” said Chelsea Stewart-Fusek, an endangered species attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity. “Given Trump’s relentless assaults on our most cherished wildlife and public lands, it’s no surprise that corporate timber interests are resurrecting their attacks on northern spotted owls and the places they live in the name of short-term profit.”

The northern spotted owl first gained critical habitat protection in 1992, and those were adjusted in 2012 under the Obama administration. That rule was challenged in court by the timber industry, resulting in a settlement and a January 2021 designation excluding 3.5 million acres from critical habitat protection, nearly all on public lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management.

Just 10 months later, the Biden administration rescinded the final designation and instead finalized a proposed rule that excluded 204,294 acres instead of 3.5 million acres. That Biden administration rule is being challenged by the timber industry’s current lawsuit, which is seeking to reinstate the expanded Trump administration revision.

“This latest attempt by the timber industry to remove protections for northern spotted owls is a cynical move that perpetuates not only the biodiversity and extinction crises, but also the pendulum swing regarding management of the owl’s habitat,” said Susan Jane Brown, attorney with Silvix Resources that represents some of the intervenors. “Rather than accept that the best available science requires the protection of millions of acres of spotted owl habitat to prevent the extinction and foster the recovery of the owl, industry’s lawsuit seeks to unnecessarily stoke controversy.”

“This is a tired story: the timber industry attempting to game the legal system in order to expand logging on our public lands,” said Tom Wheeler, executive director of the Environmental Protection Information Center. “Unfortunately for them, they have to come through us first. We have stood up for the northern spotted owls and science for decades and we aren’t backing down.”

“The lawyers for Big Timber are cherry-picking a courthouse across the country to attack old-growth spotted owl habitat in our neck of the woods,” said George Sexton, conservation director for Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center. “So we’re intervening to stand up for science and our forests.”

“With northern spotted owl population numbers in precipitous decline, the timber industry seeks to remove protections from a full third — 3.5 million acres — of the species’ critical habitat,” said David Woodsmall, attorney at the Western Environmental Law Center. “This is a choice by the industry to drive the northern spotted owl to extinction for private profit, antithetical to the American values of conservation embodied in our laws. Western Environmental Law Center has fought for northern spotted owl recovery for decades, and we will use the power of the law to thwart any action that threatens the survival of this iconic species.”

“The logging industry wants to frame this lawsuit as just about the northern spotted owl, but what’s really at stake are our oldest, most resilient forests, forests that also provide cold, clean rivers for salmon, drinking water for communities and cherished places for countless people,” said John Persell, staff attorney for Oregon Wild. “Trump administration officials have made it clear they view these lands as little more than a source of profit. It’s up to all of us to stand up — for owls, salmon, clean water and carbon-storing forests — and say no.”

“Drastically reducing spotted owl habitat protections is not only antithetical to the best science we have for allowing the imperiled species to recover, but puts at risk all the other benefits that protecting these public lands provide to Oregonians, the very people that these lands are supposed to be managed for,” says Nick Cady with Cascadia Wildlands. “Aggressive logging increases wildfire risk, threatens drinking water sources, recreation opportunities, and much more all for the benefit of corporate timber barons.”

“With less than 3,000 spotted owls left and a population that is declining precipitously, this challenge is a slap in the face to conservation and the survival of this species. Any reduction in acreage of critical habitat could be this species’ death knell,” said Joe Liebezeit, statewide conservation director for Bird Alliance of Oregon.

“Everything needs a home to survive,” said Dave Werntz, science and conservation director at Conservation Northwest. “The northern spotted owl is no exception.”

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service protected the northern spotted owl, a bird found only in the forests of the Pacific Northwest, as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act in 1990. In 2020, because of continued loss of the old forests they need to live and competition with the invasive barred owl, the Service found northern spotted owls should now be classified as endangered but has yet to provide stronger protections for the species.

Santa Rosa Man arrested with gun on Ukiah’s Great Redwood Trail

The firearm, magazine, and holsters consfiscated by law enforcement [Photo from UPD]

A Santa Rosa man with a history of felony convictions and a restraining order barring him from owning guns was arrested Monday morning after reportedly walking down Airport Park Boulevard in Ukiah with a loaded handgun sticking out of his pocket, according to a press release from the Ukiah Police Department (UPD).

Officers responded around 8:15 a.m. on May 19 after a witness — an off-duty firefighter — reported seeing a man in a brown shirt and dark pants handling a black handgun and loading a magazine into it. The witness also reported seeing the suspect walk along the Great Redwood Trail near Airport Park Boulevard.

Police said they quickly located a man matching the description and identified him as Rahul Shukla. Officers detained him without incident and observed what appeared to be a firearm protruding from his pants pocket. According to UPD, Shukla showed signs of being under the influence of a controlled substance at the time of his arrest.

The off-duty firefighter who made the initial call was contacted at the scene and reportedly confirmed witnessing Shukla manipulate the weapon.

A records check revealed that Shukla was subject to a restraining order prohibiting him from possessing firearms and had three prior felony convictions, making it illegal for him to own or carry a gun, UPD stated in the release.

Shukla told officers he had walked about a mile along the trail and agreed to let them search his vehicle, which was parked nearby. Inside, officers allegedly found a large amount of cash, an extra magazine, and holsters matching the handgun he had been carrying.

Later that day, UPD detectives, with help from the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office, served a search warrant at Shukla’s residence in Santa Rosa. No additional evidence was found during that search, according to the release.

Shukla was arrested on suspicion of multiple felony violations, including possession of a firearm by a felon, possession of a firearm while under a restraining order, and being under the influence of a controlled substance while armed. He was booked into Mendocino County Jail.

It’s important to note that the charges against Shukla have not been proven in a court of law. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

A black bear on Branscomb Road

The black bear curiously checks out a passerby [Photo by Daniel Hill]

On May 21, 2025, Daniel Hill, a local resident, captured a striking photo of a black bear on Branscomb Road, a rural and remote stretch outside of Laytonville in northern Mendocino County.

“I was driving home and he was in the middle of the road, so I stopped and he just walked right up to my passenger window,” Hill said.

The image shows the bear just outside Hill’s car, close enough to make eye contact.

According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, black bears are the only bear species found in the state. Males are significantly larger than females and can weigh up to 500 pounds. The densest black bear populations in California live in the North Coast and Cascade regions, which together are home to about half of the state’s bears.

Encounters like this are a reminder that Mendocino County is bear country. Residents and visitors are encouraged to stay aware when traveling in rural areas, especially near forested land.

SFGATE: Buster Posey boots youth camp from Mendocino County hunting ranch

Last summer, I broke the news that Buster Posey had bought the legendary Six Point Ranch, a massive 4,100-acre hunting property straddling Mendocino and Lake counties. The $10.4 million deal made waves, and the community was genuinely excited to call Buster our new neighbor. With his deep love of the outdoors, many hoped he’d embrace the spirit of the land — and maybe even become part of its legacy.

That’s why it stung to learn that the Kids Outdoor Sports Camp, which had been running on the ranch for years, got the boot. The camp taught kids to fish, shoot, and care about conservation — values you’d think would resonate with someone like Posey. But when camp organizers reached out to his team, they were met with silence. No explanation, no offer to keep the tradition going. It felt like a letdown — a missed chance to connect with the community in a meaningful way.

Read about it in SFGATE.

Mendocino auditor case sparks fight over court venue

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Lady Justice mural in the Mendocino County courthouse [Picture by Matt LaFever]

In a stinging rebuke to the County of Mendocino, lawyers for Auditor Chamise Cubbison on Tuesday attacked a change of venue motion as a “waste of still more taxpayer dollars on an untimely, legally defective, and utterly frivolous” court filing.

“The County is attacking the assigned judge to the civil case, Ms. Cubbison’s criminal and civil counsel, and every member of the press, and apparently every sitting judge in Mendocino County,” declared Therese Cannata, a San Francisco attorney seeking damages on behalf of Cubbison.

In the meantime, the costs of the high stake’s standoff between outside county attorneys and Cubbison legal team are mounting. 

Cubbison on Tuesday estimated she has had to spend twice what the county has to defend herself, going without salary or benefits for 17 months while facing criminal prosecution.”

Morin Jacob, the lead outside county attorney from San Francisco, now wants to further delay the contentious Cubbison civil case by moving it to Marin County, where she asserts the county can obtain a fairer hearing on the narrow legal questions she insists are at issue. 

Jacob contends Cubbison’s counsel “and the local media have attempted to transform the straightforward statutory analysis of this writ proceeding into a sprawling conspiracy, involving gossip blogs and sensationalized claims.”

Jacob is managing partner of the San Francisco office of the statewide law firm of Libert Cassidy Whitmore, which to date has billed county taxpayers at least $200,000 to stall Cubbison’s legal efforts to win back salary, benefits, and personal damages after criminal accusations against her were dismissed earlier this year.

Jacob continues to decline repeated written requests to be interviewed about the pending Cubbison case, confining her remarks and allegations surrounding the high profile case to legal documents.

 In her change of venue motion, Jacob argues, “It has become evident, through media coverage and statements made by this court that an impartial hearing cannot be conducted in this county due to local prejudice, bias, and media influence.”

Superior Court Judge Ann Moorman on Feb. 25 dismissed the felony criminal case against Cubbison, an action filed by District Attorney David Eyster in October 2023 and tried by an outside prosecutor in a move that cost the county more than $50,000. At the conclusion of a preliminary hearing, Moorman tossed the Cubbison criminal case and castigated the “willful ignorance” of some key county witnesses. Moorman said evidence showed that Cubbison in fact was a “whistle blower” in a case that revolved around $68,000 in extra pay for the county’s former Payroll Manager Paula Kennedy. Kennedy also was charged by DA Eyster with felony misappropriation of public funds, but they were dismissed against her too. 

Moorman was also assigned to preside over the civil case, which is becoming increasingly acrimonious.

John Haschak, chair of the Board of Supervisors, sparked a new uproar with a letter written May 13 to Cubbison in which he defended county administrative actions since the elected Auditor returned to office. Haschak concluded by asking Cubbison to let the board know “as soon as possible if you are unable or unwilling to fulfill the duties and statutory requirements of your position.”

Cubbison appeared before the board Tuesday in response and repeated that she needs the ability to freely communicate with Sarah Pierce, the assistant County Executive Officer appointed to act as county Auditor for 17 months before the criminal case was dismissed. Cubbison praised the work of Pierce in general but said direct talks between them are needed to understand the complex financial issues at hand. Pierce insisted Tuesday it was her decision to restrict communications with Cubbison to written questions and not engage in direct communication because of demands of her new role as the county’s purchasing agent.

The tense atmosphere surrounding the Cubbison civil case is underscored by declarations expressed in the change of venue motion filed by Jacob, the county’s outside attorney.

 Jacob argues in her April 28 motion that since DA Eyster filed the criminal case, “local news outlets and blogs have spent countless hours speculating, sensationalizing, and promoting unsubstantiated claims against the County in the local media.”

In addition, Jacob criticizes Judge Moorman for “castigating the County in the criminal matter even though the County was not a party” to the felony prosecution, and in the companion civil litigation for not setting “boundaries considering the very narrow legal issue before it.”

Jacob is claiming an obscure state law gave the Board of Supervisors the authority to suspend Cubbison without pay and benefits after she was criminally charged by DA Eyster. The statute in question, however, only specifically cites a county Treasurer. Cubbison did not hold that title at the time of the alleged criminal offense.

Cannata, a noted attorney who has garnered a statewide reputation representing public management employees, ripped the county contentions in a lengthy statement provided this week.

“The county claims, for a civil action that has been pending since December 2023, that it cannot get a fair trial before the assigned judge or any other judge in its own county because of what happened in the criminal case against Ms. Cubbison,” wrote Cannata.

Cannata continued, “What happened was that the criminal case was dismissed, Ms. Cubbison was exonerated, and she resumed her duties as an elected official. Until this filing in the civil action, no one – including the special deputy assigned to the case or the sitting District Attorney – has ever hinted, much less stated, that there was any error or misconduct by the attorneys or judicial officers in the criminal proceeding.”

“Ms. Jacob and the Board of Supervisors sit alone on the island of imaginary facts and law in making this absurd and unwarranted claim,” declared Cannata.

Cannata said as to biased news coverage, “the County was quite content with the press coverage of Ms. Cubbison being arrested and prosecuted in a criminal case for 17 long and terrifying months.”

“After the press accurately reported on the dismissal of the criminal case and sworn deposition testimony obtained in the pending civil action that cast CEO Darcie Antle in a bad light, the county decided that local press coverage would somehow deprive the county of a fair hearing,” Cannata wrote.

Cannata warned that her firm is prepared to “protect and defend Ms. Cubbison’s rights in this civil action, and bring further actions if needed, to put a stop to any unlawful retaliation and interference with her job as an elected official.”

CAL FIRE launches controlled burn east of Hopland to curb future wildfires

A prescribed burn near Hopland [Picture from CAL FIRE]

A large-scale prescribed burn is underway east of Hopland, where CAL FIRE crews began igniting grasslands at the University of California’s Hopland Research and Extension Center (HREC) this week as part of a research-driven fuels reduction effort.

The burn, announced in a CAL FIRE press release, kicked off Monday and is scheduled to continue daily through June 6, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The project is expected to treat about 500 acres of grassland within oak woodland habitat, creating a patchwork of burned and unburned areas that can help reduce fire risk and support biodiversity studies.

Located in southern Mendocino County, just east of Highway 101, the HREC site is a hub for long-term environmental research. CAL FIRE described the burn as a collaborative effort to both reduce hazardous fuels and gather critical data on fire behavior, restoration ecology, and land management.

The agency noted that smoke and aircraft activity may be visible in the area throughout the operation.

This burn is part of broader statewide goals outlined in the California Fire Plan and the California Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan, which aim to reduce the intensity of future wildfires and restore fire-adapted ecosystems.

Residents can track the progress of fuels reduction projects across the state on CAL FIRE’s fuels reduction dashboard, and find wildfire preparedness resources at ReadyForWildfire.org.

The prescribed burn is being conducted under tightly controlled conditions, with crews monitoring weather, moisture, and wind to ensure safety.

This June, art gets personal at Willits Center

Eva Strauss-Rosen’s Chair Fire [Photo provided by the Willits Center for the Arts]

The Willits Center for the Arts is set to open Paint & Paper, a new exhibit featuring the work of oil painter Eva Strauss-Rosen and collage artist Sandy Oppenheimer. The show launches Saturday, June 7, and brings together two distinct approaches to visual art in one thoughtful, engaging display.

Visitors can expect a strong mix of technique and perspective—from Strauss-Rosen’s expressive oils to Oppenheimer’s layered, narrative collages. The opening reception offers a chance to see the work first, connect with other art-goers, and enjoy light refreshments.

Paint & Paper runs through Sunday, June 29. The galleries are open Fridays through Sundays, 11 AM to 5 PM, at 71 E. Commercial St., Willits. For more information, visit willitscenterforthearts.org or call 707-459-1726.

Ukiah man convicted of continuous sexual abuse of a child

MendocinoCountyCourtHouse
[Stock photo by Matt LaFever]

A Mendocino County jury returned a guilty verdict Friday against 49-year-old Henry Robert Frahm Rinne of Ukiah, finding him guilty of the continuous sexual abuse of a child under the age of 14, according to a press release from the Mendocino County District Attorney’s Office.

The felony conviction stems from abuse that occurred between June 2016 and August 2018, when the victim was between eight and ten years old. The DA’s Office extended a “special thanks” to the now-17-year-old survivor “who remained steadfast in her pursuit of justice.”

The case was investigated by the Ukiah Police Department and the District Attorney’s Bureau of Investigations. Deputy District Attorney Jamie Pearl prosecuted the case, which lasted one week and was presided over by Mendocino County Superior Court Judge Victoria Shanahan.

Clinical Psychologist Mindy Mechanic testified as an expert witness during the trial, speaking on interpersonal trauma and counterintuitive victim behavior.

The DA’s Office also recognized a “good samaritan” witness from another county who observed and reported an act of abuse in 2018 and later testified at trial. “Without this witness, the abuse may have continued much longer,” the press release stated.

Rinne is scheduled to return to court on June 5 for a trial on aggravating factors. Following that hearing, the case will be referred to the Mendocino County Adult Probation Department for a background study and sentencing recommendation.

Johnny Pinches remembered as Mendocino County’s straight-shooting supervisor

John Pinches as a younger man, watching logs hauled from his property on Island Mountain [Photo contributed by Ernie Branscomb]

John Pinches, a legendary Mendocino County rancher, budget hawk, and three-term county supervisor remembered for his folksy wisdom and fierce advocacy for rural residents, has died. He was 73.

The news of Pinches’ passing was first shared by his longtime friend Jim Shields, editor and publisher of the Mendocino County Observer, who called him “a good, good, good man who always cared about and represented the best interests of working people and salt-of-the-earth ordinary folks who had no one fighting for them.”

A fourth-generation rancher from northeastern Mendocino County, Pinches served on the Board of Supervisors for a total of 12 years, first from 1995 to 1998, and again from 2007 to 2014. Clad in his signature cowboy shirt and jeans, he became a trusted figure in county politics and chaired the board three times.

Former Sheriff Tom Allman remembered him as “a leader who will be quoted in the boardroom for the next 50 years.” He praised Pinches’ down-to-earth pragmatism, especially during difficult budget years. “He had the ability to be the ‘closer’ at budget time to make sure things worked,” Allman said. “Good roads were very important to Johnny.”

John Pinches singing karaoke, having a good time [Photo contributed by Ken Steely]

Pinches was known for a grassroots campaign style that reflected his rural roots. “He painted ‘Pinches for Supervisor’ on old tires and they were hung up on fences throughout the north part of the county,” said Allman. “It was a brilliant marketing idea and certainly assisted him in winning his first and continuing elections.”

“He made government work better,” Allman added. “I will miss him personally, because of his laughter and his warm greeting.”

Pinches was especially revered for his mastery of the county budget. “Johnny carried a tabbed budget book, marked with points of interest,” said current Fifth District Supervisor Ted Williams. “He understood the critical importance of tracking public funds and recognized that road infrastructure is one of the few investments that benefits everyone.”

Third District Supervisor John Haschak, who now represents Pinches’ former district, called him “personable, smart, and caring.” Haschak said, “Supervisor Pinches had a deep love for our county. He always had ideas about water security and the county’s budget. I very much appreciated him on a personal level.”

When Pinches stepped away from public office in 2014 to focus on family and ranch life, the Board of Supervisors adopted a resolution in his honor. It recognized his contributions across transportation, mental health, and law enforcement committees, and praised the “Pinchesisms” that brought levity to tense meetings:

  • “Whiskey’s for drinkin’ and water’s for fightin’.”
  • “Why can’t we keep not doin’ what we haven’t been doin’?”
  • “We’re not gonna catch up with the Joneses. We’re gonna meet them on the way back.”
  • “The Russians ain’t doing it to us, we’re doin’ it to ourselves!”

The resolution also celebrated his signature optimism, he always carried a comb in his pocket, and his belief that public service was about building the county up, not tearing it down.

Now, as the county reflects on the life and legacy of Johnny Pinches, many agree with what Jim Shields wrote: “We won’t see another Johnny Pinches in our lifetimes.”

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