Greenwood/Elk: Community Notes
It feels a bit meta to be writing about the column in the column, but I felt obliged to offer an explanation after two columns were omitted from the paper in the last month. Both the Mendocino Beacon and the Fort Bragg Advocate have undergone a sudden editorial change which also coincided with the retirement of Debbie Holmer after 24 years of service. Debbie’s retirement is a tremendous loss as she wore many hats, even acting as interim editor when Robin Epley resigned suddenly at the end of August. I wish Debbie well and will miss our weekly email chats with one another. So, with all this turnover, it is expected that things get a bit messy. The first omission was the 9/2/21 column which was a publishing error over in Chico where the paper is now printed. I did send that column out on the Elk Community Listserv in hopes that regulars to the column would be able to read it there. Last week’s column was left out of the paper but did appear in the online edition of the Beacon. With that said, I am reprinting some of last week’s column to ensure the information below is delivered in paper form, albeit belatedly. Lastly, I want to encourage people to continue to support the Mendocino Beacon and its new editor, Chris Pugh, who is a Mendocino County native. Chris has a challenging job ahead; both papers are owned by MediaNews Group, whose headquarters are in Denver, the delocalizing and defunding of our paper makes it hard to produce the kind of quality reporting that once was a given.
In a phone conversation last week, Chris told me he is the only one putting the paper together at the moment. He has two freelancers and a few columnists, and that is it. He seemed very cheerful, however, and is excited about his new position. Chris welcomes feedback and would love to hear from the readership. You can contact him at chrispugh@advocate-news.com. Good luck, Chris! We need you!
From the EVFD Grant Writing Team
The Elk Volunteer Fire Department is pleased to announce the receipt of a $15,000 grant which was awarded by the California Fire Foundation in conjunction with PG&E. The funding of this grant allows the Elk Volunteer Fire Department to begin the process of replacing its communication system. The current handheld and mobile radios are out of compliance and are crucial to the Department’s communication both at home and on mutual aid calls. With ever-changing national standards, the need to upgrade equipment is a constant and costly struggle for a small volunteer department that relies primarily
on donations. With that said, the grant writing team, which currently consists of four members, Sarah Penrod, Ben MacMillan, Wendy Babbe, and Eric Christenson, would like to encourage others to join us in our endeavors as we pursue other grant opportunities to support our beloved community and its fire department. The EVFD is incredibly grateful for this grant and the opportunity it provides. Thank you to the California Fire Foundation and to PG&E!
From Greenwood Preschool Director Jessica Ballard
Greenwood Preschool is now collecting applications for enrollment. We are part of the Mendocino School District and share the same school calendar.
Our hours are 8 >> 00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, and 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Wednesday. We accept NCO and have a few State Preschool slots still available to provide free services to income-eligible families whose children are three or four. The Greenwood Preschool is a play-based educational philosophy program. Please call 877-3361 for more information.
Rummage Sale Update
The Greenwood Civic Club Rummage Sale tentatively scheduled for October 2021 has officially been canceled due to the uptick in COVID-19 cases. We look forward to trying again in the spring when it is traditionally held.