Archive for February, 2010

Uh-Oh

Sunday, February 28th, 2010

Marijuana Use Can Up Psychosis Risk

>>But the association between psychosis and marijuana use is not simple, the researchers noted. They found that people who’d experienced hallucinations earlier in life were also more likely to have used marijuana longer and to use it more frequently.<<

Ah, the classic chicken-or-the-egg problem!  I’m sure the peeps up here will confirm that they use marijuana BECAUSE they keep seeing those colors, but the marijuana doesn’t make the colors.  Well, maybe some of the colors.  And stuff.  What?

Grandma! (not mine)

Saturday, February 27th, 2010

68-year-old Covelo woman sentenced to prison in meth case

>>Police said they found more than seven ounces of methamphetamine at her home, a .22 caliber Derringer pistol and about $30,000 cash in a Tri Counties Bank safe deposit box.<<

Maybe they should raid some of the “retirement communities” around here?  I’m guessing they’re not playing pinochle…

F*ck the budget

Friday, February 26th, 2010

California to Go \’Cuss-Free?\’

Typical.  Too bad Chelsea Handler and Howard Stern aren’t here to pay this legislation the fitting tribute it deserves.

Love my county

Wednesday, February 24th, 2010

So, after losing power last night because someone “ran into a power line” (hate it when that happens), I wake up to read this:

>>A heated debate about how to balance the county budget ended abruptly Tuesday, with the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors having taken no action after almost four hours of discussion.  Chairwoman Carre Brown passed her gavel and invoked “the 5:30 rule,” a locally adopted procedural rule that allows a board member to summarily end the meeting.  ”I think we’re at a stalemate,” Brown said. “And I think it’s going to get nasty if we go on further.”<<  Supervisors\’ budget discussion turns tense

All I can say is, they should go global with the 5:30 rule.  In case you are new to this blog, getting nasty is, in fact, a crime in Northern California.

Ross vs. Mill

Wednesday, February 10th, 2010

Well, thank goodness, “crime” is pretty much the same in Ross Valley as Mill Valley — and, by same, I mean virtually non-existent.  Once again, the Ross Valley “police” seem to act more like therapists than law enforcement officers — bless their souls.  (PS–am going to find another topic to blog about shortly–it’s just nothing else seems to make me laugh as hard).

>>Disturbance: A resident on Ross Avenue was trying to sleep, but her roommate continued to argue with her at 6 a.m.  An officer remained on the scene until one of them fell asleep.<<  Wow, I had no idea the police will actually do this — obviously, the officer had time to spare.  I hope he or she got to raid the refrigerator and conduct illegal search and seizures as a perk.

>>Noise: A resident on Ross Avenue reported her boyfriend was being loud and was going to wake up the neighbors.  Officer responded and contacted both parties.  Both agreed to stop talking to each other for the night.<<  I’m going to assume this critical intervention took place over the phone.  I wonder how pathetic you have to be to call the police so they can tell you to shut up and go to bed?

>>Disturbing the Peace: A juvenile reported having been hit in the face by his mother on Sunnyhills Drive at 12:43 a.m.  Officer responded and a report was taken.  Later, Police Department was called again and the juvenile was arrested and booked in the Marin County Juvenile Hall for assault.<<  OK, I love how the so-called crime here was “disturbing the peace” — taking a page right out of Mill Valley!  Look, you guys can hurt each other all you want, just stop calling us!  You’re disturbing our mellow, dude.

>>Threats: A resident received a threatening message on a cell phone.<<  Ooooooo, creepy.  One possibility leaps to mind: “call me back — or I will REPORT you.”

>>Juveniles: Approximately eight juveniles and three adults were reported to be tearing up new sod in the playground on Butterfield Road at 1:48 p.m.  There was no merit to any crime.<<   WHAT???  Excuse me, police, but I believe, if you go and check the Ross Valley Penal Code, you will most definitely find that this constitutes VANDALISM.

>>Suspicious Circumstances: A man was apparently sleeping on the sidewalk on Forbes Avenue at 7:08 p.m. He was not under the influence of alcohol and was abated.<<  Now, you see, we’ve established many times that you cannot simply sleep on the sidewalk in Ross Valley or Mill Valley — even if you are just very tired.  And, let this report serve as a warning to anybody who tries — sleep and be ABATED.  As an aside, “abate” actually means “to make less active or intense.”  What kind of sleeping was this man doing anyway?

>>Suspicious Vehicle: There was a report of a slow-moving RV on Sir Francis Drake Boulevard at 7:49 a.m.  Officer observed it and it was driving with the flow of traffic.<<  Interesting report.  Would it have been okay if the RV had been going too fast?  Given the time, I’m guessing this report was made by a Type-A+ person.

>>Suspicious Circumstances: A resident on Sir Francis Drake Boulevard believed someone entered his residence and turned his heater off.<<  There are no such things as favors in Ross Valley.  Everything (literally) is “suspicous.”

>>Noise: There was a loud group of people on the soccer field on Belle Avenue at 9:19 p.m.  Officer contacted a group of juveniles playing soccer, who hadn’t noticed the time.<<  Didn’t notice the time?  A likely story.  Look, everyone knows you can’t have to much fun in Mill Valley — unless you do it very, very quietly — otherwise, you’ll get ABATED.

>>Suspicious Circumstances: A resident found a counterfeit $20 on Red Hill Avenue at 9:25 a.m.<<  I think what is suspicious is how the resident knew it was counterfeit.  I mean, and I’m just guessing, anything less than certainty, and we probably wouldn’t be reading about it — unless it was making noise.

>>Road Rage: A car was following another car closely, honking and flashing the lights, on Sir Francis Drake Boulevard at 5:52 p.m.<<  Obviously, this was the slow-moving RV reporter on his/her way home.  Or, it could have easily been me.

I can’t help it…

Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010

I know these police logs are getting routine, but they are so good I can’t help but write about them.  Once again, Mill Valley shines as an example of how very far you have to go to find actual crime in Marin County.

>>Suspicious Vehicle: Robertson Terrace at 10 a.m. Caller was out of town and had video surveillance of his driveway and he saw an older sedan backing up to his garage.  Could be the gardener but he drives a truck.  Officer responded and contacted gardener.<<  Wow, bet the Mill Valley police are just thrilled that people have video surveillance — gives them something to do! And, you have to ask, would the “Caller” have called if it had been a NEW sedan — or a sports car — or an SUV?  I’m thinking, not so much.  Too bad we don’t get to hear how this story ended.  Was it the gardener — or maybe the POOL GUY?!

>>Advice to Citizen: Ashford Avenue and E. Blithedale Avenue at 1:20 p.m. Caller had a road-rage incident with a driver in a white van.  She didn’t have license number or a description but she did have a handprint on her vehicle window where the other driver slammed the window.  Advice given.<<  Oh, come on!  What was the advice?  Take a deep breath.  Eat a brownie.   There’s an emergency yoga class up the street for this kind of thing.  And, btw, I love the handprint — to be entered in the federal handprint database?  Bet she thinks so.  She must be a lot of fun when it’s time to pick up the kids.

>>Non-injury accident: Almonte Boulevard and Miller Avenue at 12:45 p.m. Caller reported a vehicle in a ditch with six people inside, they appeared to be student age.  Officers and CHP responded to find all subject gone.<<  And not a trace of any controlled substances to be found…

>>Stolen-Vehicle Report: La Geona Street and Miller Avenue at 11:30 p.m.  Caller reported his vehicle last seen around noon.  Vehicle was locked, and he had keys.  Vehicle was not towed.  No merit.<<  This just confuses me.  Did they FIND the vehicle?  Or did they just assume he forgot where he parked it?  Or, maybe, aliens abducted the vehicle and, as we all know, that is WAY outside of the Mill Valley police’s jurisdiction.

>>Noise Disturbance: 700 block of East Blithedale Avenue at 2:45 a.m.  Caller reported street sweeping for over an hour.  Caller was told to call when noise occurred.  Officer responded and contacted sweeper driver and owner of company.  Work stopped.<<  So, implicit in this report is that the sweeping wasn’t going on at 2:45 a.m. — that’s just when the call occurred.  I think someone was drinking and reporting again…

>>Vandalism Report: Hazel Avenue at 7:30 a.m. Caller found a white paint stripe in front of his house.  Report on file.<<  Now, we know Mill Valley residents define “vandalism” very broadly (and are hyper-sensitive to noise), but this one seems like an accident to me.  Or, maybe this was the street sweeper’s revenge!

>>Suspicious Person: Blithedale Canyon at 11 a.m. Two females reported an older male in a sleeping bag off the side of the road in the bushes.  Officers contacted subject, who resides in Novato.  Novato Police Department said subject left this morning without taking meds and he needed to go back.  Subject given ride back to halfway home.  Subject didn’t meet crazy criteria, but came close.<<  OMG.  I hope there is an internal memo that spells out the “crazy criteria” in Mill Valley.  And, if being from Novato and having the audacity to leave and sleep in a bag off the road in Mill Valley bushes isn’t crazy, I don’ t know what is!

>>Advice to Citizen: Surrey Avenue at 11 a.m. Caller stated ongoing noise problems with neighbors.  Recent event concerned the slamming lid of a hot tub, noting that wife was home alone.  Advice given.<<   Why does it matter if the wife were home alone?  Does that somehow make it intentional slamming?  If I were the wife, I’d get out the leaf blower right away.

>>Assist Fire: Elm Avenue at 8 p.m.  Caller said a very tall tree, at least 15 feet, was down and partially blocking roadway and partly on his property.  Officer responded to find a small branch in roadway.  Officer moved branch to side of the road.<<  As if we needed any more proof that folks in Mill Valley have a different sense of proportion than most other people.   Makes me want to visit, in an older sedan, with some crayons, a trumpet and a lawn chair.   As long as I don’t meet the “crazy criteria” or leave any handprints, I should be okay.