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MIDDLETOWN – An Elk Creek man died Saturday as the result of a motorcycle collision.
Tracy Griffin, 35, was the victim of the fatal crash, which occurred at 3 p.m. Saturday on Butts Canyon Road, according to CHP Officer Steve Tanguay.
Griffin was riding his 2003 Suzuki GSXR1000 motorcycle behind a small group of motorcycle riders on Butts Canyon Road heading toward Middletown from the Napa-Lake County line when he failed to negotiate a left curve and went off of the roadway, Tanguay reported.
Tanguay said Griffin's motorcycle struck the guard rail, which caused Griffin to be thrown from the motorcycle.
Griffin sustained fatal injuries as a result of this collision and was pronounced deceased at the scene, Tanguay said.
When Griffin didn't show up at the meeting point with the group of motorcyclists, they went back to look for him. Tanguay said they found Griffin where the collision occurred.
Tanguay said that CHP Officer Rob Hearn is investigating the collision.
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Before I return to my discussion of the Alternative Minimum Tax, a couple of important notes.
There is a scam email being sent to individuals targeting those who either did not receive a stimulus payment or felt they deserved a larger payment. This email, which looks official, urges taxpayers to respond by downloading information that will allow them to receive additional money. The IRS simply does not send out emails. So if you receive such an email, it is bogus.
The stimulus rebate received last year, which were based on 2007 income was actually advance refunds of amounts from one's 2008 return. If you didn’t get the full rebate of $600 or $300 for those with lower income or dependents, the IRS will calculate the rebate again based on 2008 data. If the recalculated rebate is larger than what was received last year, you will receive the difference. If the recalculated rebate is the same as last year's, or less, you do not have to pay it back. On most tax software there is a place to report what you actually received as a stimulus rebate.
In addition, while many people were getting ready for the holidays last December, there was a bill passed that effects the tax return preparation for the 2009 tax year.
The Worker, Retiree and Employer Recovery Act of 2008 was approved on Dec. 11, 2008. This act deals primarily with pensions, however under this act there is an important section that deals with retired individuals receiving Required Minimum Distributions (RMD). These are amounts which, in general, must be withdrawn from certain qualified pension plans once a taxpayer reaches the age of 70 ½ years of age.
In general, the penalty or excise tax applied when the RMD has not been taken has been eliminated for the tax year 2009, thus the RMD need not be withdrawn in 2009. This may benefit those who are taking withdrawals from their retirement account by not forcing withdrawals of retirement accounts that are dropping in value. By allowing the principal to remain in the account longer, it is hoped that a recovery will increase the value to the account.
In the last article I mentioned how new legislation could make one's 2009 tax return potentially painful; well I was speaking of what was happening at the time. Both the House Ways and Means and Senate Finance committees have since announced that they are working on new tax legislation. These new potential laws will most likely add a layer of complexity to the existing law. The Senate promises $275 billion and the house promises $30 billion worth of change. These implied promises sound very good, but what will the reality bring?
When judging tax legislation, one must remember that there will be a heck of a lot of speeches and posturing until we really see the reality. So far, none of the analysis of the proposals seems exciting or likely to bring large tax refunds. There will most likely be a continuation of promises and a lot of politics before we actually see workable proposals.
Many of the proposals made will never see the light of day; one such proposal is the “Rangel Rule,” named after the chair of the House Ways and Means Committee. This powerful congressional committee is where all income tax bills get their start, as well as most governmental spending begins. Other committees may propose changes, but all the changes come from this committee. Lake County should be proud that our congressional representative Mike Thompson is a member of this committee.
This rule states that the IRS cannot charge interest or penalties on the collection of past income tax owed. It turns out that the honorable Mr. Rangel paid $5,000 in past taxes he owed but refused to pay any interest or penalties on those taxes. While this is one of my favorite proposals, I seriously doubt that it will see the light of day.
This process makes it crucial that we all be aware of the upcoming changes and determine what, if any, these changes will have on our tax or financial position. This does not mean shifting through all the politics and reports, just that when the final bill is signed that you know the important elements and that you decide if you need to adjust your strategy.
It appears that the Alternative Minimum Tax will not be ignored and will be patched as usual instead of being permanently corrected. The patch, in this case, is a temporarily increase in the exemption level. This tact was probably taken because had it not been proposed, then 20-30 million taxpayers hit with an increase in their tax bill would create a protest too big to ignore.
This of course means that one should have a strategy. As I mentioned in my last article, the days when one could just ignore their tax and financial position has ended. We must be aware how changes in law and finances affect our position.
Of course, a detailed strategy in regard to the AMT must be individualized, but in general, it means, to review your tax return after it has been filed and projecting or estimating what will happen this year and over the next few years.
If you are expecting major changes such as retirement or having children or if there is a potential for higher taxes due to the AMT or less deductions or just more income, then measures should be taken to reverse these effects. This can mean a variety of strategies that in general involve the timing of receiving or paying income and expenses. There may be other tactics that can be taken. The time to act is now, while there is time to plan.
Of course, it’s hard to know what’s going to happen in the future and at this time, it may not be possible. However, once we get into the habit of planning and doing periodic reviews, then when you spot a change, action can be taken before a huge tax bill comes your way.
Jon Meyer is a local tax accountant and enrolled agent with more than 25 years experience in tax preparation. The office of Jon the “Tax Man Meyer “also offers retirement planning and insurance options. Questions regarding this article can be made by calling 928-5200.
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KELSEYVILLE – A Kelseyville man is in custody for allegedly murdering his roommate.
John Robert Gray, 43, was arrested at 4:30 p.m. Saturday by sheriff's officials, who had begun looking for him earlier in the day.
The murder victim is 37-year-old Eric Joaquin, who was reportedly beaten to death, according to one neighbor who spoke with sheriff's deputies.
Lake County Sheriff's officials did not respond to weekend calls or e-mail regarding the incident.
Several neighbors spoke with Lake County News, but asked not to be identified for reasons that included fear of retaliation from some of the subjects who had frequented the home.
On Saturday morning at 9:42 a.m. sheriff's dispatch put out a call to sheriff's deputies about an incident at Gray's home at 10163 Del Monte Way in the Clear Lake Riviera, based on a 911 call that appeared to have been made from the address. The original report indicated the victim may have been shot, according to radio reports.
There, law enforcement reportedly found Joaquin's body inside the house. The street was then cordoned off as deputies began interviewing neighbors.
One of the neighbors, who called the situation “a nightmare,” added, “Whoever did this is a scary person.”
All of the neighbors said sheriff's officials confirmed to them that a homicide had taken place. One man said he was told Gray was the suspect and Joaquin the victim, and that they believed Joaquin had died sometime late Friday night or early Saturday morning.
Joaquin had moved into the house with Gray within the last three to four months, according to one neighbor. That man also reported seeing Gray and Joaquin working together on a project car at the house.
The neighbors reported not hearing anything on Friday night, and one man said he had not seen Gray in several days, a circumstance he called “kind of weird.”
“In the last few days it's been kind of quiet over there,” the man said.
Gray was not arrested at his home, the man added.
One of the neighbors reported sharing hellos and occasional friendly waves with Gray and Joaquin, but he had been concerned about constant comings and goings of others who had been visiting the house at all hours, raising concerns about possible drug activity.
Over the last month and a half the house had been visited by the sheriff's office four times, said a neighbor, including once on Feb. 22, according to a sheriff's log entry. One of the neighbors said he guessed they must have had a scanner in the house; shortly before sheriff's deputies arrived on the Feb. 22 visit, several people came running outside and appeared to be hiding things.
Sheriff's deputies were called back to the Del Monte Way address on Sunday on the report of people taking property out of the home.
Gray, whose booking sheet lists him as being self-employed, is being held in the Lake County Jail on $500,000 bail. Jail records indicate that he's due to appear in court on Tuesday in Department 2.
Harold LaBonte contributed to this report.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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SACRAMENTO – Pet owners around the state won't have to pay a new tax when taking their animals for veterinary care.
The California Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) and The Humane Society of the United States have thanked Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and the California Legislature for responding to the public's opposition to a tax on veterinary care.
The 17-month budget passed late last month by the state Legislature did not include the governor's earlier proposal to broaden the sales and use tax to include veterinary services, a proposal Lake County News has reported on in January.
Leaders of the two organizations that work on behalf of animals and those who care for them expressed their appreciation for the final outcome regarding taxation of veterinary services in the budget bill.
“Requiring pet owners to pay a tax to care for their animals is bad public policy,” said William Grant, II, DVM, president of the CVMA. “We are pleased members of the 'Big Five', including the governor, recognized that and the proposed tax was removed from the final budget bill.”
“On behalf of our 1.3 million California constituents, we are very grateful to California's leaders for recognizing the financial injury associated with the proposed Fido Fine,” said Sacramento-based Jennifer Fearing, chief economist for The HSUS. “This tax would almost certainly have resulted in less medical care for animals and more dogs and cats landing in animal shelters. It was a flawed idea that would've been a step backward in the otherwise progressive trajectory toward more humane treatment of animals in our state.”
Thousands of Californians called an automated phone number established by the governor's office to allow residents to express their support or opposition for the governor's proposal to tax veterinary services.
"The opposition of veterinarians, pet owners and concerned citizens was so intense, a special extension was added to the governor's budget voice mail line to handle the opposition to the tax on pets," Grant said. "We believe the overwhelming number of calls delivered an emphatic message to the governor that taxing pet owners would be hugely unpopular and inequitable."
The budget proposal to extend the sales tax to veterinary services could have added up to 10 percent to the cost of caring for animals in California, according to the state Legislative Analyst's office. This would endanger the health and well-being of animals kept as pets, raised on farms, or sheltered by humane agencies.
Agreeing with one of CVMA's arguments against the proposal, the California Legislative Analyst's Office noted the tax on veterinary services "would create inequities in the tax structure by taxing some services while leaving other similar services untaxed."
"We know the fight to protect animal care from taxation is not over," emphasized Grant. "Our membership remains firmly opposed to taxes that will force our clients to make untenable decisions affecting the quality of life for their pets and that might put our food supply at risk.”
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Take a good look at that salad made up of lettuce on your plate next time you are at a restaurant, because slowly but surely it’s going to be disappearing.
In a way the Greeks have shunned lettuce for millennia, they just haven’t broadly advertised the fact. As a whole, Greek culture avoids lettuce since it is associated with impotence in Greek mythology. Additionally, the god Adonis was killed by a wild boar and his body was found lying in a bed of lettuce.
Needless to say both of these things have made lettuce a less-than-attractive item in their cuisine. While lettuce is occasionally used in Greek dishes and salads, the superstition still affects much of Greek cuisine.
Today’s hip young chefs are always looking for a new angle in order to impress their diners. Lately these chefs have decided that lettuce is no longer chic and many restaurants are changing their menus to be more fashionable. So be prepared now to see a lot more herb salads and micro-greens.
It’s not because lettuce is bad or not nutritious, it’s just not “in” anymore. Lettuce is becoming the culinary version of the chartreuse leisure suit. Sure, there are still people wearing them, but who’s going to ask for their advice on what to wear on a date?
Lettuce-free salads are becoming the “in” thing across the nation. Don’t panic though – the self-serve salad bar will always have its place, but you can expect to see it get a makeover with new ingredients soon. After all, you can’t keep the same look for 20 years and not expect someone to want to give you a little upgrade. And apparently, lettuce is sooo yesterday.
Micro-greens are the 21st century’s remarketing of the sprout. What is the difference between a sprout and a micro-green? Well in addition to the time from start to finish, a sprout only has its cotyledon leaves which are a plant’s simple “starter” leaves for the seed to draw energy from the sun. Micro-greens happen when the sprout grows its first “true” leaves and starts to take on the characteristics and look of a mature plant.
While sprouts from alfalfa and beans are ready to eat in three to five days from their start, micro-greens are harvested from 10 to 25 days from start. Sprouts are grown in water with no nutritional or growing medium while micro-greens are grown in soil or more commonly a soil-less mix.
Sprouts are served typically root, stem, young leaves combined, while micro-greens are cut from their roots and the growing medium and only the stem and leaves are served. The reason for this difference is that the sprout is living from the water and nutrition that was encased within the seed, while the micro-green will have exhausted that nutritional supply and will need some additional nutrition from the soil mix to continue growing.
Sprouts also grow in a closed environment like a jar or specialized sprouter and micro-greens are grown in a more open environment and sunlight. Micro-green producers like to hold the sprouts industry at arm's length as if to say their products are nothing at all alike, and if you want to be particular they are correct. But I think it’s similar to a particular producer in the chicken industry saying, “We raise capons, not broiler fryers! They’re completely different!” They’re not really; it’s the same bird, just different procedures in their production, that’s all. I think that every one likes to be noticed for what makes them special.
So now, instead of the simple sprouts, we have mini plants of lettuces, cabbages, Asian greens, cresses and radishes. These are then mixed into new combinations and dressed with whatever the chef chooses.
I have personally been a big fan of broccoli sprouts for years, and when Johns Hopkins School of Medicine published a study showing broccoli sprouts were full of sulforaphane, the compound that fights cancer, entire shelves of broccoli seeds emptied overnight and the seed industry had to reevaluate their inventory needs. Now, years later, broccoli seeds are still at least twice the price of other sprouting seeds.
From simply a production standpoint, micro-greens make a great change from lettuce because you can grow micro-greens in only a couple weeks while lettuce takes several weeks or months to grow to a marketable size. This means the price can be drastically cheaper than lettuce for a much more unique salad. Also, in years with heavy rain the tiny lettuce seeds are frequently washed out of the soil and entire crops are lost, while micro-green seeds are grown indoors under controlled conditions, ensuring produce when and where needed with almost no waste.
Another great thing about sprouts and micro-greens is that besides having a sprouting tray all you need to grow them is water and a sunny window. No fertilizer, soil, tractors, or laborers needed for picking. Seeds available for micro-greens are available in standard or organic form.
I don’t want to sugar coat it and make micro-greens sound like a perfect food. While there are many flavor and health benefits, there is one important drawback that I need to mention. The seeds used for sprouting and micro-greens may carry things like E. coli and sprouting them may just wake up and multiply the bacteria. Since the sprouts aren’t cooked this could be a danger.
Don’t use regular “off the shelf” seeds that you would ordinarily plant in your garden for sprouting. Seeds that are sold specifically to be used for sprouting and micro-greens are required to be tested for E. coli and salmonella, and seeds labeled “certified organic” are even more trustworthy. Even so, the general consensus is that the elderly, infants, and pregnant women should avoid any kind of sprouts.
An herb being made into a salad isn’t really a new thing, but the American public is just starting to catch on. Parsley has now been released from its purgatory on the side of your plate as decoration and is actually becoming a center point of the meal. Parsley salad is one of the most popular new things that are popping up on restaurant plates.
Sound odd to you? Next time you are at the grocery store just pick up a bunch of Italian flat-leafed parsley and when you get home strip the leaves from the stems (if you have a rabbit, give the stems to it and watch the smile on his fuzzy little face), dress the leaves with your favorite salad dressing, with maybe a sliced tomato or any other of your favorite salad accompaniments, and serve it with dinner. Goodbye standard salads!
Parsley may be mixed with other tender herbs like basil, cilantro, chervil, dill and mint to make an intensely flavored salad that will wake up your mouth as if from a deep slumber. Dressings can then become more simple, like clean vinaigrettes or citrus juices that don’t cover the flavor of the greens so the greens can finally compete for the tongue’s attention. Fresh herb salads add exciting new flavors to the dinner table, and they don’t need heavy salad dressing to give them the flavor that most people glug the dressing on for.
Lettuce isn’t going to disappear from the face of the earth; we’ll still use it in our salads and sandwiches at home. After all, only the most persnickety of home cooks will want to make micro-greens at home (what’s everybody looking at me for?). Lettuce is just going to become passé at the restaurant, just as mayonnaise was once a luxurious sauce for steaks but now has been demoted to a sandwich spread. Lettuce had its day and now it’s time to take a backseat to the younger, hipper greens.
So I’m sure you must be wondering what Greek salad is if they don’t use lettuce, and micro-greens and herb salads are just now getting to be popular. Here is a recipe for a true country style Greek salad. No lettuce here. It is a favorite of mine to bring to potlucks since it’s easy to make, easy to multiply into larger quantities, and a little bit goes a long way.
Greek Salad (Horiatiki = country salad)
Ingredients
2 cucumbers – peeled, seeded and cut into chunks
4 tomatoes, seeded and quartered
1 red onion, cut into chunks
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into chunks
1 tablespoon oregano (fresh is best, dried will work)
½ cup Kalamata olives
Vinaigrette to taste
¼ cup feta cheese, crumbled
Toss the first seven ingredients together in a serving bowl and then crumble the feta cheese on top. Serve. Feel free to add capers, anchovies, fresh basil, and scallions if the muse should inspire you.
Ross A. Christensen is an award-winning gardener and gourmet cook. He is the author of "Sushi A to Z, The Ultimate Guide" and is currently working on a new book. He has been a public speaker for many years and enjoys being involved in the community.
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Some of you may know that the pursuit of the bliss of Soul music impassioned my formative years. It made a very constrictive era tolerable. My dear mother took me to see Chubby Checker and a host of other twistin’ rock and rollers at the Cow Palace in San Francisco. That was in1960. The die was cast.
I saw James Brown in his prime several times, twice at what used to be known as the Oakland Auditorium, once at Winterland in San Francisco. I also saw J.B. here in Lake County when he appeared here last. It was a good show. His feet were still fast. But only in eight second spurts. It was no comparison to the nonstop, frenetic, Godfather-getdown on it action of yesteryear.
On my Junior Prom night, we drove to San Francisco’s Basin Street West to see Smokey Robinson & The Miracles. They were good. Smokey was my favorite artist at the time. But the opening act, the late great Tammi Terrell, simply blew Smokey and the Miracles away. She showed the audience every dance that was happening in these United States. She was somethin’!
I’m getting ahead of myself here, but can’t help remembering seeing the legendary Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton at the Julia Morgan Theater in Berkeley just a short month before she passed away at a Los Angeles boarding home. She came on stage using a walker for mobility. She gave an outstanding performance and was not to be messed with. She had a drunk thrown out of the venue. Don’t get it twisted, but she reminded me of my grandfather. I was shocked. It was like a message from beyond.
I had opportunities to see both Otis Redding and Jimi Hendrix. Incredulously, I spurned both chances. Redding played the Bay Area shortly before he died. I was still in high school. Some friends had a free ticket. I declined for some strange reason. It was probably a case of puppy love or a variation thereof. I was so sad when he died.
I was in Oregon in the late ’60s when Hendrix returned from England to his hometown of Seattle a huge international star. Some friends invited me but I declined. Somehow, I hadn’t yet discovered or understood what was indeed possible with the power of Soul. That was the night the Seattle authorities pulled the plug on Jimi as he played “The Star Spangled Banner.” By the time he died I understood. I was sad again.
I did, however, see a very pregnant Aretha Franklin in Portland in ’68 or ’69. Lady Soul drove ‘em nuts. The crowd went so crazy the show was abruptly stopped. I remember a phalanx of Portland police lifting Aretha high in the air and using a “flying wedge” through the crowd to get her off stage. At least they were concerned for Aretha’s safety. They knocked a lot of folks to the ground though.
The next time I saw Aretha Franklin was at Bill Graham’s Fillmore West in 1971. As I recall it was advertised that she would be recording a live album but I might be wrong on that. Maybe they didn’t advertise that fact. Anyway, Aretha tore the roof off again. She couldn’t help it. She was at the top of her game and the band she had that night was beyond belief.
Amazingly enough, I still possess my journal from 1971 and I hereby gleefully quote the young CyberSoulMan:
“She had the baddest band I’ve ever seen. King Curtis (musical director) with the Memphis Horns and the Kingpins rhythm section consisting of Cornell Dupree on guitar, Jerry Jermott, bass, Bernard 'Pretty' Purdie, drums, Pancho Morales, conga drums, Truman Thomas, electric piano and Billy Preston, organ. The background vocals were handled by the Sweethearts of Soul. Of course Aretha played piano too.”
The songs released on the album include “Respect,” “Love The One You’re With,” “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” “Eleanor Rigby,” “Make It With You,” “Don’t Play That Song,” “Dr. Feelgood,” “Spirit In The Dark” and “Reach Out And Touch.”
Aretha and The Sweethearts of Soul sang with passion and power. The Fillmore was filled to capacity with hippies and hipsters, black, white and in between. We were yet holdovers from the Summer of Love. Aretha’s voice touched us in our heart of hearts. We felt it in the depths of our being and screamed our approval in joyous harmony.
But wait. When Aretha seemingly ends the show with “Spirit In the Dark” and plaintively implores of the crowd, can she move with the spirit, can she move with the spirit, CAN SHE MOVE WITH THE SPIRIT, she leaves the stage.
Hold it. She’s coming back to the stage. Jesus, on her arm is RAY CHARLES! It’s *&%$#in’ RAY CHARLES! It’s pandemonium in the Fillmore. They launch into a reprise of “Spirit In The Dark.” Papa Ray takes the keyboards and launches an improvisational vamp.
“Wait a minute. Listen to this. I got one mo’ thang I gotta say. When Aretha sings, can you feel the spirit.
“YES,” we scream. The crowd is one. The spirit and the crowd are one. Ray rises from the piano and is led off the stage.
“More!” we scream.
“Ray Charles,” says Aretha. “The Right Reverend Ray.”
“More! More!”
Now Aretha is preaching.
“Ladies and gentlemen, before we leave, I’d like to say before we leave that you have been much more than I could have ever expected. I’d like to leave you singin” ...
“REACH OUT AND TOUCH SOMEBODY’S HAND”…
Many of us in the crowd are holding hands.
As I end this, jolted by the realization that’s it’s round midnight and I need to get this in to the editor, I’m struck by what a powerful memory that is. I’m also moved that Aretha’s instruction inside her sermonette to reach out and touch still applies today. More urgently than ever. Universally.
Keep prayin’, keep thinkin’ those kind thoughts!
*******
Upcoming cool event:
Calling For Light. A Spring Concert of Poetry and Music. Carolyn Hawley, piano, Chopin and original works. Accompaniment to poetry. T. Watts, accompaniment on trumpet. Lake County Poets LaureateMary McMillan, Sandra Wade, Carolyn Wing Greenlee, James Bluewolf and Jim Lyle. Sunday, March 15, 3 p.m. Galilee Lutheran Church, 8860 Soda Bay Road, Kelseyville. Tickets $10 in advance at Watershed Books, Lakeport and Wild About Books, Clearlake. $15 at the door. Children attend free. A benefit for KPFZ 88.1 FM.
T. Watts is a writer, radio host and music critic. Visit his Web site at www.teewatts.biz.
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