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Support Prune Packers
EDITOR: Dear city council and fellow Healdsburgers: We are big fans of the Prune Packers Baseball team. The young college players love the game and play as though major league scouts are watching — which they are. A number of Prune Packers have landed major league contracts.
The National Anthem is sung by a local person with a good voice. The announcing is done by local folks who know the game inside out. Local companies support the team with sponsorships and prizes for the non-raffle, which you don’t even have to pay to enter. The Wurst is the concessionaire with their delicious sausages and hot dogs, plus chips and drinks, for sale at very reasonable prices for a family.
And did I mention that a ticket to the game is only $5? (I’m sure there are deals for kids.) It’s safe for the kids to run around off the field; they have a blast.
Then there’s the history. The Prune Packers have been a part of Healdsburg since 1921. We watch the games in the Clarence Ruonavaara Grandstands. He was a Prune Packers pitcher who went on to pitch for the Cal Bears. And there’s Joe Rochioli, whose hitting won a blow-out game in 1952 against the SF Fire Department team. More recently, the team has been expertly managed by Sonoma County’s own Joey Gomes, a former professional player and veteran coach. (When younger brother Jonny, who helped the Boston Red Sox win the World Series in 2014, comes to a Packers game, he graciously signs autographs.)
There are more wonderful stories on www.prunepackers.org — as well as this year’s schedule. The home opener is June 1; we can’t wait. There is not a more respectful crowd in all of baseball. After all, we know practically everyone in the crowd. Though most of us don’t know the players, we are staunch fans of Healdsburg’s team, and they are such nice guys. We don’t know the folks who come to support the visiting team, but there is mutual respect among the fans. They want their hometown team to win, too, and everyone’s nice about it.
We, dedicated Prune Packer fans, have two requests. One, is that in light of everything that the team does for the community, not least of which is bringing out-of-towners here to spend their money in local businesses, they be given a break on the rental fee for Recreation Park. Special events benefit local families, such as Strike Out Stroke and the Wonder League.
Our second request is that local company and many-charitable-events-supporter Bear Republic be permitted to sell beer at the games. This permission can always be rescinded if there is unpleasantness at a game, but I can say with confidence that there won’t be. A portion of their sales could support the team.
If you are a Prune Packers fan, please let your city council know that you support these requests.
Jane St Claire, Tom Brand, Joe Gellura, Maureen Mousley, David Herzberg, Lorraine Fiamengo, Rose Miller, Stephen David Martin, Elise Bulger, Beneicka Brown, Dennis Brown, Dan Zastrow, Bryan Varner, Benjamin Marchand, Sonia Beck, Elliott Doss, Terry Rochioli, Marie Gewirtz, Deborah Geitner, Healdsburg
Kudos to school board
EDITOR: In special session last week, the Healdsburg Unified School District Board of Trustees made a critically important decision in support of Healdsburg’s elementary school children and their academic development.
As detailed in the Healdsburg Tribune earlier this spring, HUSD faces a third straight year of budget cuts. The 2018-2019 budget situation is partly related to countywide fiscal support to those districts hit hardest by the fires last October per that same article.
Facing these economic realities for the past several months, Superintendent Vanden Heuvel has reached out (and been reached out to) regarding a multitude of scenarios on how to best continue academic progress and simultaneously face these economic challenges together. The board voted unanimously to support a motion in favor of helping protect the K-5 populations from these specific cuts; voting in favor of the importance of ensuring the children of Healdsburg’s diverse community stay on track to learn all they need to learn at each grade level. Kudos to the entire board of trustees for choosing to keep funding the foundation of all academic progress.
Tom Kiff
Healdsburg
Boating safety
EDITOR: Every year someone gets injured or worse on our waterways and lakes. It’s unfortunate that many boaters do not have a clue regarding rules of the road, how to operate a vessel or safety issues. After logging almost 60,000 nautical miles, I have seen things that you would never believe. Before you put your boat in the water, let’s go over a few items.
For seasoned boaters, you probably know enough to keep you out trouble. For new boaters, I hope this helps.
On board, you should have a radio, flares, first aid kit, fire extinguisher, horn and enough life jackets for everybody, children’s life jackets as well. Check them; if they look bad, get new ones.
A small box of tools comes in handy. Check your engine room, especially any loose electrical wiring; if something is going to happen, most likely it will be in your engine compartment. Assign a mate to help and make sure someone else knows how to operate your boat and how to stop it.
When fueling, gas fumes go to the bilge. Loose connections could make one heck of a boom. I’ve seen it. My friend was fueling a jet ski with a loose starter motor wire. He said “When I saw the tops of the trees, I knew I was in trouble.”
Underway: Lake Sonoma, for example; I’ve seen boaters zigzag all over lake. Pretend it’s a roller skating rink. You should travel around the lake in a counterclockwise rotation. If you see a boat coming straight at you, make a pronounced turn to port or starboard; this will let the oncoming boat understand what your intentions are.
If someone falls in the water, have someone constantly point at the person in the water. Keep the boat out of gear when you pick them up. Use your flag if someone is in the water. It’s amazing how fast a boat will be next to you in a short period of time.
Constantly look around. People sneak up on you, especially jet skiers. Have a plan when underway. Have a point of travel, in a straight line. Plan ahead, rather then zigzagging all over the lake. If you have a GPS, use it.
When docking, have a plan on what side you are going in on Have your lines and fenders ready. Make sure children are seated and out of the way of your docking. Do not use your feet and arms to fend off going and departing a dock (I see this all the time). Keep a boat hook if needed. If you are new to boating, pick up a book called Chapman’s; it has all you need to know about boating except experience.
Captain David Cook, 500 Masters license
Healdsburg
Give thanks for food
EDITOR: As the town begins to gear up for the FFA parade and fair, and the young people bring in their beautifully tended animals for exhibition, judging and auction, it is important to remember the violent end that these creatures face. Until that final “Sold!” rings out, these creatures have been lovingly groomed, petted, protected and cared for.
After Saturday night, when the children abandon them and go home, bringing with them the brushes and bedding, the soft rags and blankets, the horror for the animals begins. In the early morning, they are roughly pushed, prodded and slammed into stock trucks where they cry out in pain and terror, defecating on themselves and each other.
It is beneficial to remember where and at what cost our bacon and lamb chops come from so that we can give thanks to that unknown critter whose life came to such an end for our pleasure and nourishment.
Barbara Médaille
Healdsburg
