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(The Root) — The suspected mental-health issues of the Newtown, Conn., man who killed 26 people before killing himself on Dec. 14 has many scrutinizing the resources available for people who suffer from psychiatric disorders. The shooter, Adam Lanza, was only 20 years old, and all of the victims, except for his mother, Nancy Lanza, were murdered at school.
These two aspects of the crime are motivating many school leaders and policymakers to engage in a long, unsettled conversation about mental health in places of learning. However, while expanding resources for young people with mental illness is important, discussing mental illness within the context of a mass murder will only result in mental-health stigma and misinformed policies.
Did the Sandy Hook Shooter Have a Mental-Health Problem?
So far, the only evidence we have that Lanza had any sort of special needs was his parents' noting his Asperger's syndrome, an autism-spectrum disorder, to a therapist during their divorce. Therefore, the coverage of the shooter's "mental illness" is grossly disproportional to any evidence presented that he had an enduring psychiatric disorder. The mere fact that we presume an inevitable connection between mental illness and mass murder is deeply problematic. There is simply no evidence that someone with autism is more likely to murder than the general population.
The media's peculiar fixation on mental health as a causal determinant of violence in this particular case has the trappings of race and class biases. In the initial coverage of the Sandy Hook shooting, the media were transparent in trying to make one point clear: If this could happen at this school, this could happen anywhere.
A "neighborhood of spacious houses on a crest overlooking gentle hills" is how CNN described the Sandy Hook community in an article entitled "Shooter's Mother Had Heart of Gold." Would such a description be considered if the subject were a black woman who was single, collected money without having a job and who purchased a cache of weapons, which her son used to kill 20 children? Notably, CNN subsequently changed the title of the article to "Shooter's Mother Wanted Her Son to Fit In."
Many articles also noted that the shooter's father, Peter Lanza, was a successful man who provided the financial means for his ex-wife to raise their children without having to work. However, I have read nothing that postulated the remote possibility that the father's absence from the home was responsible for his son's failures. He admitted to learning about his son's crime from the news and appears completely dumbstruck that his son had the capacity for this level of psychopathy.
Also, the media have consistently displayed a disingenuous amazement that this picturesque town could spawn this type of violence. History suggests that insulated exurbs with a large population of gun enthusiasts, inexplicable paranoia, haughty facades and intolerance of eccentricities are fertile grounds for spontaneous violence among their troubled pariahs.
Overall, it seems the media implicitly accept the premise that mental illness is the only plausible explanation for the shooter's behavior, because otherwise, he was an ordinary young man with an ordinary life. What about emotional trauma or family dysfunction? This statement is not meant to be an affront on the Lanza family or the Sandy Hook community; however, as hard as the media are trying, there is simply no way to examine the shooter's mental state without considering the undercurrents of family and community that shaped his existence.
Beyond biases in media reporting, I am most concerned that the Sandy Hook shooting will mutate the development of school mental-health policies and practices at predominantly black schools, much in the same way that the Columbine, Colo., tragedy shaped school security. Today 19 percent of black schoolchildren and 21 percent of white schoolchildren are diagnosed with a disability by the time they reach the ninth grade, according to the High School Longitudinal Survey. In this edition of Show Me the Numbers, I separate the facts from the myths about mental-health challenges among black schoolchildren. What do young people with mental-health challenges really need from adults and schools?
Facts About Mental Health in Schools
Mental illness is not a clinical term but, rather, a legal term with no relevance to the school setting. A person should be called "mentally ill" only if he or she commits a crime or is subject to civil commitment. Mental-health professionals do not diagnose "mental illness." A mental-health professional would use one, or several, of hundreds of diagnoses from the DSM-IV-TR (the latest version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) to classify a disorder.
In technical terms, a student with mental-health issues would be considered a "student with a disability." In some but not all cases, a child who has been diagnosed with a disability would be entitled to special educational accommodations, as delineated in the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act.
Students with disabilities are very common. According to the High School Longitudinal Survey, about 20 percent of all students have been diagnosed with a disability, if you include those protected under the IDEA Act, including learning disabilities, developmental delays, autism, intellectual disabilities and those diagnosed with ADHD. There is little racial variation in prevalence of disabilities among students. Males are more likely than females to be diagnosed with a disability.
Students with disabilities suffer many adverse consequences in schools, but their experiences vary considerably. Aside from special education, students with disabilities are more likely to repeat a grade, be suspended or expelled from school or have the school contact a parent about problem behavior and poor performance. Using these factors as a reliable predictor of not completing school, we find that students of all races and genders with disabilities are at least three times more likely to drop out of school than their counterparts without disabilities.
Nevertheless, the trajectory of black students with disabilities is not uniformly dismal. Among the black male ninth-graders who are currently enrolled in honors courses, 15 percent have been told at least once by a health professional or the school that they have a disability. Three percent of black males in honors courses have been told that they have a learning disability; 3 percent, autism; and 6 percent, ADD or ADHD. Read more about this in Challenge the Status Quo.
How Black Students With Disabilities End Up in Honors Classes
Having a broader understanding of the nature of disabilities helps us to have a better understanding of how black students with disabilities end up in honors classes. Importantly, a disability does not have to be debilitating.
For instance, a learning disorder may be more aptly described as an alternative learning style. For some students, mastering an alternative learning style will give them a competitive edge over students who are average "standard" learners. A visual learner could master the art of using pictures to encode lessons to memory or use "concept mapping" to invigorate mundane text.
Similarly, while some easy-to-bore ADD and ADHD students have an irresistible impulse to create the havoc necessary to stimulate their nervous systems, others may use their urges to energize the lessons. They may interject humor and anecdotes or push their teachers to create analogies.
While they may have difficulty processing large volumes of dense text, they may be the best at taking discrete concepts and applying them creatively to novel situations. Their scattered attention and hyperactive energy also helps some children with ADHD juggle many tasks, relate to many people and excel in student activities and student government.
Also, most people are aware of the social challenges for children with autism that make it difficult for them to communicate with other students or teachers. However, few take the time to understand the advantages of certain peculiar behaviors. In some instances, children with autism are able to leverage their repetitive behaviors and extraordinary attention to random objects into the development of mathematic and artistic abilities.
How Black Students Without Disabilities End Up in Special Education
Lael L. Montgomery was in elementary school when his father murdered his mother. Instead of receiving the care he needed to resolve the emotional trauma associated with losing both parents in one day, he was sent to school. Predictably, in school Lael was sullen, withdrawn and disconnected.
I share Lael's story to illustrate the fact that having, or not having, a disability is not a rigid category. Most, if not all, people have some characteristics of one or more disability. We all have different attention spans, levels of anxiety, susceptibility to distraction and social acuity, among other issues that are controlled by past and present circumstances, as well as our unique biochemical makeup.
Many black students who end up in special education do not have a disability. Rather, they have circumstances that spur behavior patterns that are not compatible with the school environment. Situation-specific symptoms will usually remit with basic guidance and structural modifications to the person's situation. In school settings, from the standpoint of disabilities, students can be divided into four categories:
1. A true negative: children who do not have a disability and have never been diagnosed
2. A true positive: children who have a disability and have been accurately diagnosed
3. A false negative: children who have a disability but have never been diagnosed
4. A false positive: children who do not have a disability but have been diagnosed with one, or have a specific disability and have been diagnosed with the wrong one
Many problems are associated with false-negative and false-positive diagnoses. A child with an undiagnosed disability might experience less compassion and no accommodations for learning or behavioral challenges. A child with a genuine learning disorder might be expected to follow the same pace as other students, and be penalized with suspensions for opposing an incompatible learning process.
False-positive children may be relegated to a learning environment that is not stimulating or challenging. Research that Dr. Leon Caldwell edited for a special issue of the Journal of Negro Education found evidence that black students are more likely than other races to have false-negative and false-positive diagnoses because of culturally biased assessments, unique styles of expression and environmental stressors.
Lesson About Mental Health in Black Schools That We Won't Learn From Sandy Hook
Black students with and without disabilities can excel in schools that have adequate opportunities for diverse learners and a structure that supports personal and emotional growth and development. Contrarily, schools that view disability and emotional-adjustment difficulties as enduring pathologies (the sorts of afflictions that will cause kids to grow up and one day shoot up schools) that need to be permanently segregated from "normal" students will stunt academic growth and development.
The more than 10,000 black ninth-graders with histories of disabilities who are currently enrolled in honors classes likely benefited from patient and diligent parents who instilled a sense of agency within them and a compassionate school that accommodated a diversity of learners. They are also likely to have some protection from adverse environmental conditions, such as family and community violence, which can compound disability symptoms.
Ivory A. Toldson, Ph.D., is a tenured associate professor at Howard University, senior research analyst for the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, editor-in-chief of the Journal of Negro Education and contributing education editor for The Root. He can be contacted at email@example.com. Follow him on Twitter. His father, Dr. Ivory Lee Toldson, a psychologist who dedicated his career to addressing mental health and to educating counselors in training at Southern University in Baton Rouge, La., died Dec. 25, 2012. This article is dedicated to him.
Ivory A. Toldson, Ph.D., is the president and CEO of the QEM Network, a professor at Howard University and editor-in-chief of the Journal of Negro Education. Previously, Toldson was appointed by President Barack Obama to be the executive director of the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities. He also served as senior research analyst for the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation and contributing education editor for The Root, where he debunked some of the most pervasive myths about African Americans in his Show Me the Numbers column. Follow him on Twitter.


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The Twitter of the Blue Bird
The Twitter of the Blue Bird
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Opening The StarG8 Via Johnny Depp: Cut!
The villain of the movie, infamous Freddy Krueger, has trademark razor sharp metal claws with which he cuts and kills his victims, including JD.
Weird then that Depth would become the iconic Edward Scissorhands, yet again intimately interacting with hands as sharp cutting instruments. This time the blades are his own hands.
As the poster above attests to, Depth uses his scissor hands to give people haircuts..
More recently Johnny returns to hair styling as the singing barber in "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street". He cuts clients hair as well as their throats...
A stylized bloody cut passes over Depth's face on the poster for Jack the Ripper film "From Hell".
His most famous character to date, pirate Captain Jack Sparrow, often brandishes a sword.
I intend to go into JD with great depth, Flux permitting.
Me and Jim have talked about developing a synchromystic movie/documentary StarRing Johnny Depp.
Many future blog posts will serve as a development canvas for this idea.
16 comments:
- aferrismoon said...
Eye Eye , said the Sparrow, with his bow and arrow
- February 21, 2009 at 12:09 PM
- Jake Kotze said...
Dig those post with the lights in "Lost".
Challenges perception of subject and environment as separate.
Dissolving boundaries yet again Mr. Moon.
Wondering out loud also what mystery lies behind your choice of banner photos.
Mystery is good.
B gr8
- February 21, 2009 at 12:26 PM
- aferrismoon said...
Photo I took from the Tram, in the centre of Prague, liked the movement and blur
Various elemnets on reflection, pillars and checkers, the figure engrossed within the landscape
Watching Lost at present. still playing with the lights.
- February 21, 2009 at 1:28 PM
- Atareye said...
Awesome connections Jake. Bravo man!
- February 21, 2009 at 2:23 PM
- Atareye said...
I looked at these images again. I'm really excited to see what you guys distill. Looks like there might be allot to it. I thought of the scene in Fear and loathing where Dr Gonzo is waving a razor sharp HUNTing blade in front of HUNTer's face.
Let's go up there and castrate that
GONZO pauses -- A MAD THOUGHT -- turns to DUKE.
(squinting suspiciously)
Have you made a deal with him?
Did you put him on to her?
(backing slowly towards the door)
Look you better put that blade away
and get your head straight. I have
to go wash the car.
One of the things you learn, after
years of dealing with drug people,
is that you can turn your back on a
person, but never turn your back on
a drug. Especially when it's
waving a razor-sharp hunting knife
in your eyes.
WVeri in blue "sickelli"
- February 21, 2009 at 6:38 PM
- skrambo said...
A raZOr for cutting/editing the flimsy film and viewing the Depth of the abyss.
Death would mean a severing of the etheric cord konnekting the physical body to the astral body, crossing said abyss rather than bungee-jumping it.
Word Verification: inative (I, native)
- February 21, 2009 at 7:44 PM
- StrangEye said...
Hello Jake,
stop by and check out some more OSCARs StarG8 info at my blog
Strange Eye
I'd love to get your particular viewpoint.
PS- I know Frank as well (sion mb)
- February 22, 2009 at 2:40 AM
- Ed said...
Depp's portrayal of crossdressing fimmaker Ed Wood is probably my favorite Depp performance.
The scene in "At World's End" where Jack runs into different versions of himself in the afterlife made perfect sense to me.
- February 22, 2009 at 7:51 AM
- StrangEye said...
take a look at "The Ninth Gate"
in light of that Johnny Depth analysis.
It is very fitting with him finding the code and bringing forth the baby with that Green-eyed angel.
Poor Edward Scissorhands!
He just can't help but "cut apart", dissect (interpret) everything he Touches (sees).
I mentioned dear Edward Scissorhands on Thursday 2/19 on my Blog.
In the Michelle Obama Celebrates the Festival of MIN article.
Michael JACKson has put his Neverland Ranch articles up for auction.
Among his prized collection is Edward Scissorhands' Scissor Hands!
- February 22, 2009 at 10:28 AM
- StrangEye said...
is also quite a character in ES.
- February 22, 2009 at 11:13 AM
- Eunus Noe said...
Hey Jake,
I've been thinking about Jackman a lot lately. I've been watching The Fountain over and over, and then he was the host of the Oscars last night. But what I'm finding intriguing is the call of Australia. We have a core of people who have come from down under and their connections are intricate and fascinating.
Australia is trying to say something. I guess the film Australia will have to be next.
Anyway, what I wanted to share had to do with your thought of Brad Pitt being Cronus/Saturn. I just read that Aronofsky had Pitt and Blanchett as the stars of The Fountain originally in 2002, but Pitt quit and the film stalled. Here is a film deeply about the nature of time, and youth and Pitt was to be the star. Amazing.
I haven't seen Ben Button yet either. I guess it will have to be on my list. Fascinating.
I look forward to your synchromystic film projects.
take care.
- February 23, 2009 at 10:57 AM
- Anadæ Quenyan Effro said...
Voila! Another wonderful synchromystical post, Jake. The very day that you published this arch-tickle, I picked up the 2003 DVD The Saddest Music In The World, a stylishly bizarre musical tragi-comedy revolving around Great Depression era Winnipeg.
Rather than the fulcrum bonum for the alignment betwixt Galactic Centre & that of our star, Sol, this film portrays Winnipeg as the world capital of sorrow, the whole gist of this surreal fantasy film. Ever seen it?
Also, I attended art college & for a time was in a Punk/Art Rock band founded by Japanese special effects master, Screaming Mad George, who'd actually devised the sequence in which one of the victimised denizens in the nightmare world commandeered by Freddie Kreuger transforms from a young woman into a giant cock roach in the third installment of the franchise, Dream Warriors, which I understand was ALSO the name of a Canadian Hip Hop band, whose work I'm sure that you must be aware of.
Ya Gno, Jake, as someone who gave up overindulgence in potent potables because they took over everything in my life, too, I'm glad that you finally saw the Light overcoming the shadows & have done something so commendably constructive with that triumph as you are doing.
Keep fighting the Good Fight, Son,
Anadæ Quenyan Effro Von Thüringen
- February 24, 2009 at 10:38 AM
- Editor said...
I linked your post Opening the StarG8 via Jennifer Connelly in my new sync post on Crossworlds. I'd love you to take a look and leave your comments and insights.
- March 1, 2009 at 1:12 PM
- Just Me said...
I've done pages and pages of research on this, with great additions by a lot of other people, over at the Synchromystic forum, focusing more on Feddy Kruger but also connecting to Depp. It might be very helpful in your focus on Depp.
- March 2, 2009 at 10:43 AM
- Just Me said...
A search of the archives at the forum for "Depp" in the "Synchromysticism general" section will also turn up a number of great bits about him and how he ties in to a lot of current events and sybolism.
- March 2, 2009 at 10:48 AM
- admin said...
Hrmm that was weird, my comment received eaten. Anyway I wanted to say that it's good to know that another person also talked about this as I had hassle discovering the same information elsewhere. This was the primary place that told me the answer. Thanks.
cholesterol lowering foods
- June 14, 2011 at 8:13 PM

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Photo courtesy of www.infohostels.com. With all this beer, you need more than 24 hours, but that is all we have!
You know how we roll at Beer Blotter- in and out of cities, embracing and experiencing as much beer as possible. We have day jobs, its just the way it is.
So in light of our upcoming weekend, where we plan on spending 24 hours in the Southern city of Portland, these are our recommendations. For argument sake, I am staring from the morning and ending at your bedtime…and its a Saturday.
Rise and Shine, its VooDoo Time
22 SW 3rd Ave.
This isn't your ordinary doughnut joint, with a range of doughnuts topped with your favorite childhood cereal, a maple frosted doughnut with fresh strips of bacon and my personal favorite the chocolate doughnut with chocolate frosting, crushed Oreos and peanut butter drizzle. OH MY GOD! Its always a good idea to get some thing in your stomach to soak up the booze. See that is me being a responsible drinker, live and learn.
A Walk Through the Market
It might still be a little early to hit your local watering hole for some beers, so stop by the Saturday Market. Positioned along the Columbia River and centered in Portland's historic district, this market is full of local artists, cuisine and flair.
Its 12:00 Somewhere: Horse Brass
4534 SE Belmont St.
Horse Brass is the perfect place to start your beer consumption. For one, they ALWAYS have Hair of the Dog Blue Dot IPA and Fred on tap. Their tap list is amazing. An English style pub, share a few Scotch Eggs with the group.
You are in Portland, bring something back to your friends: Belmont Station
4500 SE Stark St.
Just down the block from Horse Brass, this bottle shop is so much more than just that. Split into two rooms, one glorious room is full of bottles. Although their selection is eclectic, inspiring and worth the visit, it is on the pricey side. What makes Belmont a must visit is their tap room. While you shop, sip on a beer and surround yourself with locals who love beer as much as you do.
Go Rogue: Green Dragon
928 SE 9th Ave.
"Yes" Rogue is a large microbrewery and "yes" they buy out small microbreweries and small beer bars, BUT they do make an effort and succeed in maintaining the integrity of these places. At Green Dragon, a Rogue owned establishment, during our last visit, there wasn't even a Rogue beer on tap. You know what was on tap, a ton of amazing beers, many from Oregon. The bartender and waitstaff here are ridiculously informative and friendly. A wide open space with a funky, slightly psychedelic aura, a visit here will get your buzz going for sure. Did I mention, a cab from Broadway Cab service or a DD would be a good option for this day???
Its time for your first Brewery of the Day, but not your last: HUB
2944 SE Powell St.
Just a quick mention to Hair of the Dog Brewery, as they are not open on Saturdays. In a few weeks their tasting room will be open on the weekends. But back to things within our grasp and one of the best up and coming breweries in Portland, Hopworks Urban Brewery (HUB). With bike frames hanging from the bar, this sustainable brewery is Portland at its best. Grab one of their amazing organic brews and a bite to eat. If your interested, inquire about the brewery. Its just down stairs and worth a peek!
A Trip to Portland Wouldn't be complete without it: Beer Mongers
1125 SE Division St.
Beermongers is a bottle shop that has a wide variety of beers at a very reasonable price. The owners of this bottle shop take great pride in educating the public on brews. Weekly event are held here featuring various breweries. Like Belmont, its a great place to sip on a beer and peruse the collection.
4:15 New Old Lompoc
1616 NW 23rd St.
This area is full of breweries. Did you know that Portland has the most breweries per capita than any other city? New Old Lompoc has several locations in the city including their tasting room, Sidebar which serves up barrell aged goodness. This location is in a beautiful neighborhood and has a very relaxing atmosphere. Grab a Centennial IPA or C-Note Imperial Pale Ale and enjoy the summer breeze on the back deck!
5:00 Laurelwood
2327 NW Kearney St.
Laurelwood Public House- I like that. It sounds straight out of the Wild West. Located in a house, you walk onto the porch and through the front door, a wooden staircase to your left and several dining areas to your right. You feel right at home. If there isnt room outside, I suggest making your way to the bar in the back. You can grab a tall table and sit by the window. The Workhorse IPA is a must try but if you are looking for something different, check out the Tree Hugger Porter.
5:45 Lucky Labrador
1945 NW Quimby St.
Super Duper Dog. If its on tap, get it. Their double IPA will not dissapoint. It is bitter, but herbal and sweet. Whenever we stop here, a sampler tray seems to be the way to go. A dog friendly establishment, their spaces are wide open warehouses and packed full of happy patrons.
6:30 Deschutes Brewing Co.
210 NW 11th Ave.
Granted we have been here at least 6 times, but for those of you who are Deschutes virigins, GO HERE! A long tap list of all their amazing beers will be there to greet you. You never know when Dissadent, Hop Henge or Abyss will show up. Their food- I had an amazing experience with Venison Chili and medicore experience with a chicken sandwhich. All in all a great place to grab dinner and continue your consumption of beers. Located in the Pearl District, Deschutes is close to several other beer establishments including Rouge and Bridgeport.
8:30 Henry's Tavern
10 NW 12th Ave.
Now that you have statisfied your hunger, its time to head out for the remainder of your night. At this point, you are probably tired and tipsy, so Henry's is the place to wrap it up! A young crowd is always there and their back patio is strug with white lights. Day or night, this place is great. The wait staff will walk over and hand you a GIGANTIC menu full of beers, most on tap. Its obscene in the best way possible. Their list is so extensive that I can't help but glare at those around me sipping Mai Tais.
The next day, you wake up, thoughts of beer still overcome your ability to move. If you are staying in the downtown area, make your way to Whole Foods for an amazing bottle selection and some nutritent packed food. There are still so many places to visit in Portland, the city of beer. If you have your own beerxperience in Portland, leave us a comment or email us at email@example.com!
Filed under: Portland, US, The Events, The Grog Spot Tagged: beermongers, Belmont Station, Bridgeport, Deschutes Brewery, Green Dragon, Hair of the Dog, Henery's Tavern, horse brass, HUB, Laurelwood, Lucky Labrador Brewing Co., New Old Lompoc, Rouge Brewery, Voo Doo Donuts


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Fabio Mussi, Italian University and Research Minister, visits ESRIN
Visiting ESRIN, ESA's Centre for Earth Observation in Frascati yesterday, the Italian University and Research Minister, Mr Fabio Mussi, confirmed the importance that the Italian government gives to ESA and stressed his intention to continue to contribute in an adequate manner to the Agency's activities.
The Italian delegation included representatives from the Ministry and from ASI, including Prof. Vincenzo Roppo, ASI Commissioner and Prof. Sergio de Julio, Personal Advisor to the Minister. The delegation was welcomed by ESA's Director General Jean-Jacques Dordain, together with Dr Volker Liebig, Head of ESRIN and Director of Earth Observation at ESA. Mr Antonio Fabrizi, Director of Launchers at ESA, also participated in the meeting.
The Minister was introduced to the activities of ESRIN, in particular in the field of Earth observation, the European Vega Small Launcher Programme and Information Systems. The Minister was given a tour of the ESRIN Site and visited the Envisat building to see the ground segment activities of Earth Observation, acquisition of Earth observation data and distribution to users and the ASI Science Data Centre, which is hosted in ESRIN.
The Minister stressed potential areas for action and mentioned the development of the ground segment data distribution to users, the reinforcement of the GMES programmatic role of ESRIN and possible launch on new activities in the Earth Observation field. He mentioned his plan to reinforce the national space agency and his will 'to reinforce the role of ESRIN and develop it to reach a role comparable to the investment of Italy in ESA'.
ESA's Director General mentioned the key programmatic milestones and successes reached by ESA in 2006 and the challenges ahead for 2007. He stated, "ESRIN is the visible part of ESA in Italy," and that he shares the comments by the Minister on the need to consolidate and reinforce the identity of ESRIN. Dr Volker Liebig thanked the Minister for the strong support to ESA's Earth Observation programme and for ESRIN as the Centre for Earth Observation and welcomed the suggestion by the Minister to grant increased synergies with Italian institutions. The Minister and ESA's Director General agreed on an 'action plan' of six months to assess possible perspectives for reinforcement of ESRIN and its role in the future.
At the end of the meeting, Minister Mussi addressed all ESA employees and confirmed the intention of the Italian government to support ESA and to reinforce the role of ESRIN.


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e.g. bailey: Behind the scenes with the spoken word innovator
e.g. bailey: Behind the scenes with the spoken word innovator
By Rebecca McDonald (B Fresh), City Pages
The Twin Cities would not be the same without e.g. bailey. Even if you've never met him, you've most likely heard his voice on the radio, experienced one of his many theatrical productions or concerts and albums he has produced through Tru Ruts Endeavors/Speakeasy Records. He is co-owner of these organizations with his wife, Sha Cage, another staple poet in the community. There is never a lack of excitement in e.g.'s life, so Gimme Noise went behind the scenes to share in his journey to the release of his debut full-length album American Afrikan this past Saturday (pics here).
Gimme Noise: What has your journey in the Twin Cities poet's scene been like since you moved here many years ago?
e.g. bailey: You end up in a place by circumstance and sometimes you realize that it was where you were meant to be. I had been here once as a kid but only remembered that after I had moved here. Like any good romantic, I was following my heart across the Midwest, and ended up in Fargo then Minneapolis. I dove into acting classes, worked in a warehouse and debated the eternal question of 'L.A. or not L.A.' and a job working for Prince sealed the deal. Prince had just released a book of poetry, so I used it as an excuse to start an open mic at the New Power Generation store. It was my first connection with the poetry scene here. All kinds of folks used to come through. It was a Prince store so there were some wild moments, but I met some folks I'd later work with in the spoken word community, like Anika and Yolanda 'Right On' Jackson.
Finally, I had to make a decision. I could keep making Prince the best artist he could be (which obviously he didn't need much help with) or be the artist I needed to be. So I resigned, paid two months rent, and by a stroke of luck ended up with Sirius B. It's a long story since then but that connection with Sirius B has made all the difference in doing what I do now. I connected with with folks like J. Otis Powell!, Ani Sabare, Rene Ford, Carolyn Holbrook (S.A.S.E.), Patrick Scully, and organizations like the Walker Art Center, Pillsbury, and Intermedia Arts. I couldn't have found a better community to be doing art. I was embraced beyond what I could have imagined. Without it I probably would have L.A. or busted. And I'm not sure I would being doing spoken word.
GN: Describe your new project, "American Afrikan," which you celebrated the release of on Saturday?
eg: 'American Afrikan' is a historical and symbolic experience of being an Afrikan in America, using the medium of spoken word. Sometimes I use spoken word to create non-linear narratives, like I did with 'Blues for Nina,' a spoken word theatre piece about Nina Simone; or the 20 minute short film 'village blues' about returning to Afrika; or 'Patriot Acts,' merging the different disciplines of theatre, dance and film with spoken word to present post-9/11 views of America. I am always looking at ways to push the boundaries of spoken word, and trying to innovate the art form. With this project, I wanted to see if it was possible to create a spoken word album that would present the many different forms of spoken word, and ways of experiencing spoken word, but still be able to engage the audience in some kind of a story.
GN: Why is this project special to you and others who performed with you on Saturday?
eg: I've fallen in love with this project the way you fall in love with your first child. You're just amazed at how it has grown from a little seed of an idea. It's so much a part of you but at the same time it becomes something larger than you. It's a tribute not only to this amazing tradition of spoken word and the artists that laid the foundation, like Baraka, the Last Poets, Ginsberg, but also a tribute to my family and my history. That's why you see images of my family throughout, and hear their voices on the album. And why it's dedicated to my brother who died while I was making the album. I also wanted to celebrate the abundance of Afrikan talent in the community, and tell our story through this medium which is part of our griot tradition. I received a call yesterday from one of the artists, and after hearing the album, thanked me for creating it. You can't ask for anything more special than that.
GN: You are very well known nationally and travel frequently with your poetry. In comparison to other cities, what have you seen as a unique element of the Twin Cities scene?
eg: I've said for years that the spoken word community in Minnesota is one of the top five in the nation. Though we're relatively small and haven't received the kind of attention other communities have, it is one of richest, most diverse and innovative spoken word communities in the country. I've also always felt that we're one of the most musical spoken word communities because of our close relationship with the music scene here. A number of artists have explored and are exploring spoken word with music, but we have a long history of spoken word bands and collectives here from Ancestor Energy to NOW! to Arkology to Poet Tree to Trektah Beam Express to FIRE. We've also frequently merged it with performance art and theatre. That's why it's possible to make an album like this. Without all those experiences working with musicians, and experiments with different disciplines it wouldn't be possible to synthesize all of it. I think that Minnesota is finally starting to get the respect it deserves in spoken word, especially with how well the Slam community is doing and winning the National Poetry Slam [this past year]. It shows that we haven't just been paying lip service to the talent here.
GN: What advice do you have for artists who want to be career artists, to pursue their dreams in music/poetry?
eg: Create your art and don't be deterred, even if you don't get the response or support at first. But make sure you love what you do. The career will come, for better or for worse. Sometimes it's not what we dream it to be. I thought I would be more of an actor or a writer. I never expected to be a spoken word artist. It's just something I always loved, poetry with music, even when I was in high school listening to Jim Morrison, then discovering the Last Poets, then the Beats, then Amiri and so on. I didn't know it was actually still being done, that you could do it as a career, or even that it was called spoken word. That was much later, after I had already fallen in love with it. Stick with what you do, if it's meant to be your work, it will happen. If it's not, you'll still be rewarded by doing it.
Originally posted on City Pages on 24 February 2010.
Show us your best poet face!
e.g. bailey at The Bedlam: Show us your best poet face!
e.g. bailey celebrated the release of his debut spoken word album "American Afrikan" with an innovative, multi-media performance Saturday night at the Bedlam Theater with fellow poets, musicians and supporters. The evening featured the following: Bryan Berry, Kahlil Brewington, Aimee Bryant, Sha Cage, Chris Cox, Chantz, Guante, Ibe Kaba, M.anifest, Mankwe Ndosi, J. Otis Powell!, Sankaradjeki, See More Perspective, Andy Shaffer, DJ Stage One, Dameun Strange, Truthmaze + more. PHOTOS BY B FRESH PHOTOGRAPHY
Originally posted on City Pages on 24 February 2010.
'Tuo Tuo'
Tuo Tuo (Liberian Children's Song)
Children's song by siblings + family
Recorded in Saclepea, Liberia by e.g. bailey
'American Afrikan' on 3 Minute Egg
At a time when bombast and personal invective rule the spoken word arena, E.G. Bailey is a poetic voice of traditional and global perspective. His debut CD, American Afrikan, is a concept album fueled by Bailey's trip nearly a decade ago to visit family and get in touch with his roots in his native Liberia. 3-Minute Egg went to the album's release party last Saturday at the Bedlam Theater, where Bailey melded sampled video and audio with live music and spoken word.
Originally posted on 3-Minute Egg on 23 February 2010.
'Oracles of Equiano (Starkie's Pushing Mix)'
Oracles of Equiano (Starskie's Pushing Mix)
Produced by Starskie
Music by Starskie
Written by e.g. bailey
(E. Bailey, O. Knabben)
American Afrikan (Quotes)
Quotes + Comments
"There is so much history, culture and experience packed in American Afrikan that to summarize would be to attempt to summarize all of African American experience." – Jon Behm (Reviler)
"So what's surprising about Bailey's debut album isn't its aural cinema but how great it is as music. The results are more like Brian Eno and David Byrne's My Life in the Bush of Ghosts reinvented to signify African-ness explicitly, personally, and profoundly than like poetry set to music." – Peter Scholtes (City Pages)
"Straight shit mad orgasms." – Tiffany
'The Unknown Soldier'
The Unknown Soldier
Produced by e.g. bailey + Ben Durrant
Music by DJ Limbs
Written by e.g. bailey
Additional voice by Sha Cage
(E. Bailey, V. Carreon, S. Cage)
American Afrikan (Album)
Press Release • Listen • Liner Notes • Quotes
Click on each of the track titles to listen to the track, plus additional information and notes about each track.
1. Professor Goodwin's Preface
2. Liberia
3. Love Songs In Middle Passage: Africans in America
5. K Street Blues: The Bailout Plan
6. America
10. Blues People
11. Home
12. Motherless Child
14. Afrika
15. Tuo Tuo
16. Afrikan is the New American
17. American Afrikan (Space Station One Mix)
18. Oracles of Equiano (Starkie's Pushing Mix)
20. American Afrikan (M.anifestations Mix)
'American Afrikan (M.anifestations Mix)'
American Afrikan (M.ANIFESTations Mix) (featuring M.anifest)
Produced by e.g. bailey + Ben Durrant
Music by Katrah Quey
Written by e.g. bailey + M.anifest
(E. Bailey, K. Tsikata, D. Hollins)


text:
Who should I name as trustee?
A trustee is an institution or person who is the legal owner of the property held by the trust and who is responsible for using the trust property for the benefit of the trust beneficiaries according to the terms of the trust document. The trustee can be held personally liable if those duties are breached.
You may select one trustee or multiple trustees, depending on your needs. Who you name as trustee will depend on the type of trust you establish and your individual needs and goals.
Generally, you want the trustee to be capable of administering the trust according to the terms of the trust document. In addition to the willingness to serve as trustee, the person or institution selected may need to have investment experience and good record-keeping abilities. You may also want a trustee who relates well with the beneficiaries and is sensitive and flexible regarding their changing needs.
Sometimes, the creators of trusts, known as grantors, like to name themselves as trustee. However, there are two situations where this is inadvisable:
- Where the grantor is also the sole beneficiary of the trust
- Where an irrevocable trust has been created for the primary purpose of minimizing income and estate taxes


text:
Schultz certified: Enviro 'attack' goes to grand jury
A judge found Louis Schultz's use of his car to stop city workers from fixing a sewer line intentional enough to send an attempted malicious wounding charge to a grand jury
"He looked angry and crazy," said Steven Todd Morris, the Charlottesville Public Utilities employee in charge of the April 29 repair on Steephill Street in Woolen Mills.
In Charlottesville General District Court today, Morris described watching a backhoe on Steephill, the narrow, contested street that borders Schultz's Market Street property, when an employee said, "Here comes Mr. Schultz."
Morris said he saw Schultz's car barreling down the hill toward him, jumped out of the way, and told the backhoe operator to put the bucket down as a protective measure. "When I turned around to get away from the car, I could have reached out to touch it with my arm," he said, estimating his distance from the car. "I jumped out of the way, and it was still moving."
After going nose-to-nose with the backhoe, Schultz, testified Morris, remained in his car and took pictures of the scene "with a crazed look on his face."
Schultz did not testify, but his lawyer, Bonnie Lepold, argued that Schultz wasn't trying to "maim, disfigure or kill"–- intent the law requires to secure a conviction–- when he drove his car on Steephill. "It may amount to civil disobedience," Lepold said, "not to a felony."
Judge Robert Downer disagreed, and certified the Class 5 felony charge to an October 18 grand jury. "Clearly, Mr. Morris was extremely frightened," observed Downer.
Not everyone's so convinced that Schultz had mayhem in mind.
"It sounds absolutely ridiculous to me," says radio host Rob Schilling, who arrived at the scene of the dispute in April shortly after Schultz drove his car up to the backhoe.
"I saw workers ambling from the scene," says Schilling, who began videotaping the incident. "I'm sure if they thought they'd be hurt, they'd be scrambling rather than ambling."
Schultz's history of disputes with the city goes back nearly a decade when he was cited for not cutting his grass. Schultz maintained he was creating an environmentally healthier riparian buffer. And in 2006, green-leaning Charlottesville acknowledged the benefits of such buffers in its ordinances.
Shultz also was arrested on Steephill in 2004 when a neighbor tried to pave the murkily titled thoroughfare, part of which Schultz contends he owns.
"I believe this whole thing is about making an example of him," says Schilling, "when he's standing up for his property rights in a visible way. The city is making an example of him."
55 comments
Louis is a fine and honest person. His only "crime" is standing up to the city thugs who are abusing their power. Louis would never attempt to hurt anyone and is not a violent person.
The city on the other hand has a long history of doing whatever they want and crushing the citizens.
The charges against Louis are fabricated as a means to deny him his property rights.
so, the only way to foster infrastructure improvement is to prosecute a property owner who is protecting his right to decide how his property is treated? If the city can prove it's contention why is it working so hard to squash discovery? if Mr. Morris was so afraid maybe he should get reassigned to trash pick-up or snow removal, he sounds a little fragile for the job. what about the fear of Mr. Schultz as he watches strangers begin to steal his property? what would any of us do when a crew of pot-bellied backhoe wielding strangers show up? where's the ombudsman when you need him. we're not talking about the Waco Compound of the Branch Davidians, but an honest, hard-working, contributing citizen of Charlottesville. why the jack-booted response? why haven't the original surveys been validated or publicly viewed? These definitely needs to be an investigation by the Commonwealth Attorney's Office that would at least provide through discovery, Mr. Schultz with the documents he needs for his own defense. this ham-handed attempt at forcing a citizen to obey a bunch of dingdongs on a backhoe is misguided,and proves that justice in Cville is about how big your wallet is. Judge Downer shame on you for facilitating this land-grab. If it was your property the city would think twice before stealing it from you or your cronies. where is your sense of probity and fairness? remember too, the menace concocted by the Utilities crew is nothing compared to the fact it was a public works truck that killed a cyclist on Main Street. I think we all know how difficult it is to get results from Public Works and Utilities maybe Mr. Schultz was just concerned about the competency of the crew doing the work. remember the Snowpocalypse? the Tornado affair?Is this what passes for "world-class city"? i bet those glossy tourist magazines would love to follow this trial. Fox News where are you?
"middle ground," no one has answered your question, probably because it looks a lot like the question "when did you stop beating your wife?"
this is the rare case where the other weekly paper has better coverage of a news item. search google for the headline "City took private property without due process" if you would like to read their article. that paper quotes ric barrick, the city's director of communications as saying: ââ?¬Å?In this most recent incident, there was raw sewage going into a creek and we needed to correct that."
can you explain why your description of things varies so greatly from that of the city's spokesperson? are you suggesting that sewage was flowing into a neighbor's basement, flooding it and then pouring into the creek? that would have had to be a tremendous amount of sewage and i think rob schilling would have noticed and mentioned it. it seems rather more likely that nothing of that scenario is true. your demand that someone else explain the motivation behind a behavior that exists only in your imagination is ridiculous.
i've never agreed with much that rob schilling has to say, but i listen to him regularly. about half my day is in the office, where it's diane rehm, terry gross, and pals. in the car the rest of the time, it's boortz, hannity, and schilling. this issue was discussed a couple of months ago on schilling's show and it was a conservative talk "driveway moment" for me. there may still be an archived podcast of that show, but i couldn't find it.
im going from memory but i believe the sewer line in question runs from a single house, maybe two, down a hill to a distant sewer main. that's what rob schilling's pictures seem to show and google satellite and street views seem to confirm. it was explained that the damage that needed to be repaired was a small hole that allowed rain water to enter, not exit the pipe.
rain water entering our sewer system is a problem. the youtube video of charlottesville sewer mains gushing toilet paper and tampons into local streams illustrates that in vivid detail. it is though, not at all what you have demand an explanation for. furthermore it does not seem to have been such an emergency situation that normal, legal protocols that don't trample on property rights could not have been observed. shannon hill's post above lists some of those protocols that were apparently ignored. why they were ignored is the question that really demands an answer.
I will second John's comments. This whole case should be nullified until a fair and conclusive review by impartial arbiters is conducted. It is my understanding that the basic facts in the case are still in dispute after years of debate. Who owns the land? What easements exist? What rights and obligations do the various parties have? If all these questions, which have been in dispute for years, are not resolved, then prosecuting Mr. Schultz is unconscionable. Given the nature of the street, some reasonable notification and communication between the city and Mr. Schulz would be appropriate. It would be in everyone's interest to resolve this issue amicably.
I have to agree with Middle Ground, especially after comments on the previous article bashed "Public Works employees coming to their defense" on the comment board - what's the difference here? I don't know Mr. Schultz and don't want to debate whether he's a nice guy - I'm sure he is to many people! This situation and these comments do raise several questions, though:
@Donal, @Mickey - how are Mr. Schultz's actions "environmentally friendly" or "sustainable" in any way? I would appreciate some insight into this. From the article, it seems that Mr. Schultz is preventing necessary sewer repairs that are important for sanitation and the environment - and not just for him but for his neighbors.
@CookieJar - how do you know that the City was going to damage Mr. Schultz's property? How do you know that he wasn't going to be compensated if that happened?
Perhaps these questions should have been raised on the previous thread in April, as I myself don't believe that Mr. Schultz's actions amount to a "grand felony". However, I still look forward to answers to these questions and wonder why Mr. Schultz had to cause (what seems to be) an unnecessary confrontation to begin with.
I have known Louis for at least 15 years and am quite certain he had no intention of hurting anyone. He just wanted to stop the work being done on his property. Louis is a hardworking, passionate, and honest person. The case against him should be dropped. Period.
"take the street" "get the proper easement" means eminent domain which would cost the city money. And the city doesn't like giving money to people it doesn't like. As I said before, the city has many arguments with Mr. Schultz before and he needs to be punished.
Is it impossible for the state and local governments (as well as the news industry) to determine who owns the portion of land Schultz claims to own?
Is this too difficult of a task for the entirety of the masses of State and local cubicle jockeys?
After he spends a few thousand$$$ fighting this, he'll be just another little mouse, afraid to stick his head up too much, lest it be mistaken for a nail.
So when the city doesn't repair the sewer line and the sewage backs-up and raw sewage starts to come out of that line because Mr. Schultz succeeded in stopping them, I hope he doesn't ask the City to help him out. I only hope his neighbors don't suffer because of his ignorance.
So when the City doesn't repair the sewer line and sewage backs-up and raw sewage starts to come out of that line because Mr. Schultz succeeded in stopping them, I hope he doesn't ask the City to help him out. I only hope his neighbors don't suffer because of his ignorance.
"why such distrust"
Seems to me the city has a long list of people who lack trust, faith etc in its ability to take care of its responsibilities.
This very paper rarely goes two months without an article that shows questionable competence in the city or county governments....today it is the 360k for playground equipment, last week it was the same folks not having 6k to keep the beches open. In the past it has been refusing to plow snow even though they were collecting taxes, cops running over people in wheelchairs and then giving THEM the ticket, cops shoving pregnant women and iraq veterans for hollering at a cop who was driving like a maniac,
Maybe the city and county should ask THEMSELVES why people don't trust them.
The workers at the site are innocent pawns. It is the people in the offices that created this mess and it is up to them to fix it.
It is not up to Mr Shulz to prove that it is his property it is the trespassers responsibility to prove they have claim.
I have know Louis for many, many years and know that these events have all occurred because he is very concerned about environmental issues on his land, especially issues of stormwater, and those impacts on his neighborhood.
For years, their have been many oversteps by the city (In my opinion) about his property- from the compost, the buffer grasses, and the paving of the lower part of Steep Hill drive. This last incident is just an escalation of events that the City has failed to resolve in a prompt manner with all the adjacent neighbors of Steep Hill.
As for the "barreling down" Steel Hill, I will not even slowly go down Steep Hill drive because of fear I will wreck my car. In 12 years, I have never driven down it in fear my car would get wrecked being lower to the ground.
I know by Louis driving down Steel Hill to stop the work may be an act of civil disobedience. But that is all, he wasn't trying to hurt anyone- he wanted to work to stop. I am sure he was mad, but saying someone is "wild eyed and crazed" is a little much. He would have know from the past that the workers would have called the police as they did when paving the lower part of Steep Hill. So logically, he would have not been aiming to hurt anyone.
The most important issue right now is not who has rights to that parcel, it is that Louis did not intentionally act to harm those city workers and an attempted malicious wounding charge is far too harsh for an act that may more on the lines civil disobedience.
Mr Schultz has worked long and hard to develop his property into a sustainable urban farm. All he asks is that the city determine the boundaries of his property so that he can continue caring for what is his in a responsible, ecologically sound manner. It's time for the city to stop spending money on persecuting/prosecuting Mr Schultz and to spend it on determining the property rights issue regarding Steephill St.
Mr Schultz's defenders are conveniently ignoring the fact that the city crew was repairing a broken pipe so that sewage wouldn't flood a neighboring house. The city met with Mr Schultz on-site the previous day to discuss the scope of the work needed with him and to get his input. When he didn't like what he was hearing, he stormed off in yet another of the fits of childish anger that sets the tone for most of his conversations regarding "his" property. He walked away from the table, leaving the city no choice but to go ahead and do the work as planned. Then he had the nerve to come at them with his car in order to "take pictures." If he merely wanted to take pictures, why didn't he approach from the closest direction (the bottom of the street) by car or on foot? Why did he call Rob Schilling-- of all people-- to come witness what he was about to do? His actions show intent. It was completely irresponsible and dangerous of him to approach in a vehicle from the steepest portion over a very rutted surface. Re the pictures, it's doubtful that Schultz could snap pics while steering his car through deep potholes in the direction of the workers, so it's not surprising that there are no pictures of the workers attempting to get out of the way. While his intent may not have been to harm, it most likely was meant to intimidate.
For the record the jury is still out over whether the street is or isn't his property, so he may be defending for naught. At any rate, if not the city's, it would belong equally to all the residents with abutting land, not just Mr Schultz. In the meantime, is the answer that NO repairs are to be made to any pipes in the vicinity? Is that environmentally responsible?
One can admire all the hard work that he and his wife have put in to making his yard a sustainable paradise, and still disagree with what he did on April 29th. Their property is undeniably beautiful and I greatly appreciate their being environmentally responsible. But I also feel that, in this instance, the city is in the right. Mr Schultz has once again shot himself in the foot by setting the tone that if you're not 100% for him, then you're 100% against him. He makes the choice to deal with people in that manner. The city was just trying to repair a broken pipe. They weren't "stealing" his property. Mr Schultz certainly doesn't have the resources to repair the pipe himself, so what was the solution? Where's the concern for the neighbor whose house could have ended up filled with sewage, so Schultz could make a point?
@very old timer, again, I'm not here to defend the City, but "this very paper" tends to print anything remotely controversial to question the City/the County/UVA/"the man", whether or not the claims against "the man" are justified - not that that is wrong; there is a need to question authority, and the Hook is an appropriate forum to do so. I'm not saying the City is flawless (and I certainly won't come to the back of some of the performances of law enforcement around here), but just because someone raises a claim against someone in authority, that does not make it correct (the snow plowing thing is one where I will definitely disagree with you). I think in this example and some other cases as well, the Hook has tried to do a good job of telling both sides of the story, which is why I still have questions about Mr. Schultz's actions. Still looking for some answers!
in Woolen Mills that the city cited for his compost heap only later to find out that the city three different codes regulating composting and they all said something different? Isn't the city trying to claim access to the Rivanna across his property? This many has been harrassed by the city for years.
Well said.
"I've noticed a lot of rude and disrespectful comments aimed at city workers. It is no more right to make such nasty comments about innocent strangers that work for the city than it is to denigrate Louis Schultz if you don't know him. Such reckless speech could have a whole lot to do with how this whole mess got started in the first place."
Right on, nora. Cville Eye, I'm not sure who you are, but I can tell you I'm not a City employee, and I highly doubt Middle Ground is, either. Mr. Rahal, shame on you in particular for using this story as an excuse to bring up other public works "fails" that you obviously are very uninformed about. Animosity betweens citizens and government runs both ways; it's unfortunate that a trivial matter such as repairing a sewer pipe has turned into such a squabble for both parties.
Still looking for an answer to this question (while admitting that it's a bit after-the-fact): why was Mr. Schultz opposed to having this pipe repaired to begin with, if the City was going to do the work, which would (ideally) prevent harm to both his property and his neighbors? Why so much distrust?! I look forward to a response.
I have known Louis and Laura for over 15 years and have been their neighbor for over 11 years. Although Louis's academic training has been weighted on the decorative arts his depth of understanding on environmental issues is profound. His gut reaction is often correct about what should be done in a particular situation when others are floundering or downright wrong.
The City has been extremely remiss in not resolving this mess. Principally the City Attorney and the City Manager, but the mayor and counselors must also take some of the blame for allowing this issue to fester for so many years, for it has come up several times in Council Meetings. To be fair it is a very complex matter -- it goes back to the days when the Woolen Mills was a Company Village outside the city limits and although there are many alleys in the city that have similar ownership problems, none is quite as complex as this one
Incidentally, Louis is NOT claiming that he is the only owner of Steephill -- there are now five adjacent properties involved: two on Chesapeake, one on Steephill and two on East Market (one of these being the Schultz property).
Louis and the City have been on a collision course for many years, and usually through no fault of Louis's. There was the Compost Heap fiasco where workers were instructed to cite the Schultzs because their compost heap contained vegetation--no I am not hallucinating--Mayor Cox noted that he was also in violation as his compost heap was entirely composed of vegetation! The paving of the lower part of Steephill without checking ownership was a critical error and only served to escalate tensions.
I think Louis was ill-advised in driving his car down Steephill that April day--but as for ââ?¬Å?barreling" down that alleyway--it is physically impossible, the bottom would be torn out of most cars attempting anything but a very slow approach. I know, I went down that very steep hill a couple of days later in my Subaru, and Louis's car is very low slung and I know he would not risk damaging it.
Ill-advisedââ?¬â?yes. Intent on malicious damage--a resounding NO.
@"Greg Doggerel"-- are you actually criticizing someone else for posting under an anonymous name? Does your criticism also apply to Mr Schultz's defenders, or only his detractors and those merely asking questions? Or is it only for people who say things you disagree with?
Where did I demand Mr Schultz's "head on a platter"? Where did I say that a criminal trial was the appropriate method to discover who owns the street? You're exaggerating wildly, you're weirdly defensive, and seem to take this story very personally.
Since you seem to know so much about this story, why don't you step up and answer the question that people are asking: Why did your friend think it was okay for his neighbor's basement to fill up with sewage? Why do you think this is reasonable, responsible, or environmentally sound?
My name is appropriate. I complimented the Schultzes for taking such good care of their property and for being great environmental stewards. I've said that correct ownership should be established, even though it will probably be very complicated to do so. I've said that I didn't believe Mr Schultz's intention was to harm anyone with his car. However, I disagree with Mr Schultz's actions towards the workmen who were only trying to fix a broken pipe. I also find it laughable and arrogant that not a single one of his friends cares enough about the neighbor to even spare them a passing word, or to answer a very simple question.
once again the city workers try to step on the little guy with assistance from their masters. when will cville stop messing with law-abiding property owners who dilligently develop and maintain their property and in mr Schultz's case, far better than the city maintains its own city yard. trying to intimidate mr. schultz with backhoes, police protection and now a willing court only highlights the inequity in representation private citizens have when fighting city hall.
mr. schultz isn't some kook survivalist or even a violent person, he's just protecting his property and liberty. last time i looked that's what happened when we had a revolution in this short-sighted country. with all the resources, attorneys and bureaucrats cville couldn't find a peaceful way to mediate this or even give mr. schultz the discovery documents he needed to fight back. shame cville, shame on the city workers and public works department, and shame on city council for not investigating this matter properly. you may have burnished your reputation for pushing people around but the truth has a funny way of outing you in the end.
I have known this gardener, designer, architect, artist, and friend to all for more then a decade and I personal can tell you Louis Schultz is no ââ?¬Å?angry and crazy" person. Nor is he a harmful person in any manner.
Over the years, I have been lucky enough to have Mr. Schultz walk me around his amazingly designed garden. He has explained in detail of how he has incorporated some wonderful thought out Low Impact Development technology. These standards can be seen used by law in the surrounding District of Columbia and Maryland area. The City of Charlottesville has so much to learn from Mr. Schultz, because these LID laws will eventually trickle down to this area. It is a shame to see in person the damages the city has caused on his design from maintenance work gone wrong.
So, why the attack on him for standing up to laws and standards being up held in the surrounding counties of our Capital? Would we be putting the Prince George's County officials on trail for force stopping a developer from building a parking lot that do not meet these LID laws? Are we going to go back in history to arrest the revolutionary Landscape Architect/writer of independence who developed the ââ?¬Å?small mountain" above Charlottesville because he was ahead of his time in design and environmental practices?
I do believe Mr. Gibson said it best ââ?¬Å? this story goes far beyond simple land stewardship." The city has known for many years about the dispute on Steephill Street with Mr. Schultz and should be finding a clear conclusion on these matters. Until then, Mr. Schultz should not be prosecuted in this manner for being a forward thinker who wants the City of Charlottesville to be in the fore front of environmental sustainability. The need to be sensitive to the unresolved dispute and communicate clearly with him about any work needed to be done could have prevented such a headache - for the city and for Mr. Schultz.
Charging Louis Schulz with attempted malicious wounding is absolutely ridiculous. I can't fault Judge Downer with certifying though, as he is only making a determination of probable cause based on the evidence that the COMMONWEALTH's ATTORNEY chooses to present. That's where the problem lies--prosecutors abusing their power to over-charge our citizens. Meanwhile, actual violent criminals run loose. Jeez.
The true argument here is ownership of the property of SteepHill Street. Mr. Schultz has asked the City of Charlottesville to clarify certain right-of-ways, and apparently the City cannot find any proof of their ownership.
Mr. Schultz defended his rights when the city yet again intruded into his property. I'm sure this frustrated Mr. Morris and other city employees. Still, Morris' own statements seem inconsistent. He says Schultz "looked angry and crazy" yet Mr. Schultz took pictures of the scene after he stopped his car. Therefore, Mr. Schultz was prepared and not "crazy". Actually, Mr. Schultz was concerned about documenting the event, which seems rational to me.
It appears that the City of Charlottesville cannot prove ownership of this street, so instead they have decided to attack the owner of the property.
Louis is one of my favorite people. I've known him for years. I don't doubt for a moment that Louis was engaged in some serious civil disobedience, and inherent with civil disobedience is a willingness to be punished for violating the law in question. And I imagine that he is appropriately prepared. But Louis wouldn't hurt a fly. It's entirely possible that the public employee truly was fearful (I have no ideaââ?¬â?I wasn't there) but the fact that he was afraid does not mean that Louis intended him harm. Because, yeah, there's really just no way.
it really is as simple as this: the city should drop all charges.
then they should do the work to find out who really own the propety.
after that, they should send over their workers, from the policy makers to the road workers, to be led in work shops by louis and his wife laura on how to care for this area's water quality with run off issues all the way to urban gardening. and they should pay them for their sharing of their knowledge.
does the city still have to stoop down to reality show antics to save face?
louis would not have hurt any of these folks. really. i have known him since 1995 and i have been his neighbor for over 9 years.
it is getting more embarrassing to say i live in charlottesville by the minute.
Assuming the city has an easement and it's hard to think they don't if municipal sewer lines are involved, then the city has the right to maintain those lines and the guy is out of order interfering. The law relating to easements is often poorly understood by the GP, but if you own land through which an easement runs you are the "servient tenement" and the holder of the easement is the "dominant tenement". these terms make evident the relationship between the 2 parties in the matter.
With that said, the charges against this cat seem to be prosecutorial over-reach. As a realtor, I have had my share of dealing with client misunderstandings of easements. The classic story is the new owner of property thinking he can eliminate an access easement by closing it off with a big pile of rocks. I own property with an alley just like Schultz's which serves me as a buffer between me and a disagreeable neighbor, but otherwise just a piece of land that I have to mow. There's a sewer line there and of course the city has to maintain it. Why would I interfere?
I don't know Mr.Morris but i do know he is telling the truth, but thats just about pictures being taken. I can't believe a judge didn't throw the case out because of them. My Hannity loving FauxNews watching -ex- roommate helped code a website for this because of the property rights. He had pictures emails, maps, all kinds of stuff for the website. Never went up I think,don't know why. He showed me some to prove "my" democratic party was trying to"destroy" Charlottesville.
I said "BS" but those pictures are a bunch of guys standing around leaning on shovels and joking and not running scared.One or two are working but right in front of the car. Looks like all those big highway crews with only one guy working. They don't look like they even know anyone else is there and joking and smiling not looking "extremely frightened". It was like 15 minutes! Why doesn't teh Hook show that.Or the emails? Alot of people saw them, that how the -ex- got involved..
The local government does want to crush this guy because hes got the "bawls" to stand up to them and they don't likeit.Show the pictures and the emails Hook. When I read some of them, I had to say my roommate had a point.The mayor knew, city manager knew, alot of people knew, but noone could stop this abuse from happening to a property owning citizen? What do we pay them so much for! No wonder the "Tea Party" is growing fast. Not me yet, but I can see why.
wonder if the city ever bothers to read its own code-
Sec. 41. Taking or damaging private property.
The city shall not take or damage any private property for streets, or other public purposes, without making to the owner, or owners, thereof just compensation for the same.
just a few years ago, americas best small city. now that those days are over looks like they're trying to be number one in arrogance, wastefulness, and being on the wrong side of lawsuits.
My first question is who pays property taxes on the land That person to me is the owner who deserves WRITTEN PROOF that the city has the right to do what it was doing. If no one is paying taxes on the land then the city must own it by default.
Secondly, suppose ther sewer pipe ran UNDERNEATH his house, Should the city just be able to show up with a work order and tell him to move aside so they can bulldoze his house and fix the pipe?
If he asks for proof from the city of their rights to tear up property he pays taxes on then the city needs to shown him WRITTEN PROOF of their easement. If they do not have an easement then they need to go to a judge and get an emergency order. If there is no time for that then there needs to be a clear declaraion of the emergency and only as a last resort should they destroy his property without formal written paperwork.
This was not a fire and a firetruck driving across his lawn to save a neighbor, this was work crews who had to be gathered and assigned. If they had time to do that they had time to get authorization from a judge.
Ths city could have probably have avoided all of this if they had done their job and cleared up the dispute that has evidently been going on for years.
Could the Hook do some research and find out who pays taxes on the property in question?
I've known Louis for over 25 years. He wouldn't endanger anyone.
It's easy to portray someone as unstable with a few quotes, but as others above have stated, Louis has no history of threatening behavior. Prosecuting him on hearsay is thin at best.
His conflict with the city about his property has been going on for years. Apparently the best solution that the city had was to force the issue , and when Louis stood up against them, file criminal charges against him.
Louis has improved his property over the years. He's concerned about drainage and sewage. He likes his land and thoughtfully works with it. This is a guy who cares, not the out-of-control weirdo that some people would like to create in order to make their argument work.
@Middle Ground , obviously you are a city employee. How difficult do you think it is to run over somebody with a car? If Mr. Schultz intended to strike someone with a big car, it's easy. Do you really think he would have invited Rob Schilling to witness his running someover with a car? I little bit of brain use can take you a long way.
Middle Ground,
"highly likely that the square footage of Steephill St is NOT added in to the square footage listed on the city assessor's records for the abutting properties,"
Why do you say that? Alleyways are private property that both the city and services have right of way on. Many of those alleyways have been allowed to fall into decay, and then other owners decide to clear them up. That doesn't make it City property.
Your point about the survey though only highlights the failures, not balances the City's position. If this has been surveyed, why the debate for years and years?
Again, I have seen City employees be very reasonable with private property owners over doing necessary work, but I have also seen the City be very foolish about trampling rights, and then try and hide behind all sorts of things.
Very Old Timer, highly likely that the square footage of Steephill St is NOT added in to the square footage listed on the city assessor's records for the abutting properties, and that the abutting residents do not pay taxes on it. Either the residents or the city can have surveys done to clear that up. It seems that the person who is disputing the issue should probably pay for the survey work necessary to prove their claim. That would be Mr Schultz.
I'd like to agree with nora ayala above that the nasty comments against city workers who are doing their jobs are uncalled for. I've lost a great deal of respect for Mr Rahal for the ad hominem attacks he posted above.
I went back and read the original April article linked above and all the comments. It's obvious that many posting here have lost sight of what actually happened, as well as the events stretching out over the several weeks leading up to it. In addition, Mr Schilling's site shows Mr Schultz's car right on the edge of the ditch where the workers and Mr Morris were standing only seconds before. That seems at odds with Mr Schultz's claims that he was merely in the vicinity for a photo expedition.
Seems like if there was an easement, the city would be able to provide documentation and put this to rest pretty quickly. Seeing how it has been going on for years, I expect they can't or for some reason won't provide the papers.
The infrastructure in the wollen mills was installed by the county of albremarle in the 1930s. The city doesn't know where anything is in thAT neighborhood is.
That's what I heard, too, but I didn't want to say without checking when that area annexed.
what a name - "middle Ground" you're anything but that as you continually show your contempt for Mr. Schultz's exercising his right to protect his property regardless of what you and the backhoe bubbas say. If there is an extremist view it's yours as you continue to demand his head on a platter. If you have such a god's-eye view of this situation, why not speak to your cohorts in the Ministry of Contempt and propose a solution that doesn't involve a disproportionate response like the one Mr. Schultz received. The only intimidation is clearly coming from the city not Mr. Schultz who was carried away in handcuffs. the murkiness and lack of clarity over right-of-way and easement in this case by your own admission, like your argument, need the bright sunshine of a public hearing and a discovery process to ascertain the facts, not a criminal trial, to show everyone what a sham this whole affair has been.
as for your criticism of Mr. Schultz's motives and eco-warrior ethos, at least he has friends willing to speak out against an injustice. what have you done for Charlottesville lately mr/mrs. anonymous? at least Mr. Schultz got the guts to stick his neck out for what he believes and he has harmed no one in the process. he has improved his property and the neighborhood he lives in and is proud of his efforts. criticizing him while hiding behind your posts, making snarky comments is so much easier than actually doing something yourself. you criticize Louis for inviting Rob Schilling to record the event when everybody and their mother has a camera on their phone these days - ever hear of YouTube? what's the big whoop? contributing your name and staking your reputation to a solution, that's not Environmentalism, Libertarianism, Extremism or any other kind of ism, it's the right thing to do.
@ Middle Ground - Why are you continuing to reference to a "basement to fill up with sewage". Did your basement get filled with sewage and is this your only major concern here on this post?
I will briefly go into only two LID technology Mr. Schultz has in his garden, BECAUSE this post is not about his land stewardship and design. This is about does the City have the right to use scare tactics to eliminate problems for them.
1.)Bioretention cells are dynamic, living, micro-ecological systems. They demonstrate how the landscape can be used to protect ecosystem integrity. The design of bioretention cells involves, among other things, the hydrologic cycle, nonpoint pollutant treatment, resource conservation, habitat creation, nutrient cycles, soil chemistry, horticulture, landscape architecture, and ecology; the cell thus necessarily demonstrates a multitude of benefits. The increased soil moisture, evapotranspiration, and vegetation coverage creates a more comfortable local climate. Bioretention cells can also be used to reduce problems with on-site erosion and high levels of flow energy.
2.)Soil Amendments.The combination of soil compaction and loss of organic matter has several undesirable consequences:
-With the infiltration capacity of the site significantly reduced, rainwater more quickly runs off into local streams. This, in turn, tends to increase erosion, scouring and the sediment load.
-The rate of groundwater recharge decreases.
-Due to the soil compaction and the loss of organic matter, the availability of subsurface water to plants is reduced.
-The increased volume and frequency of runoff carries pollutants with it that include pesticides, fertilizers, animal wastes and chemicals such as phosphorous and nitrogen.
Soil additives, or amendments, can be used to minimize development impacts on native soils by restoring their infiltration capacity and chemical characteristics. After soils have been amended their improved physical, biological and hydrological characteristics will make them more effective agents of stormwater management.
What does this this means to your concerns? Well, if a broken sewage line did happen and it would begin to spill out onto or in the ground near your house Mr. Schultz design and efforts would more likely save your basement from filling up (saying that you live near him and down hill from the break) then the city repair crew taking days to get out and fix the problem. These LID Urban design tools would protect you! Giving time for the over busy utility crews to get out and repair the problem in the proper manner.
It appears to me ( and I am not fluent at all on its laws as others are) that the City of Charlottesville does not have these laws in place for LID's because they would of never of harassed him in the past and presently. They would of given him AWARDS AND CELEBRATED his efforts to protect the City's property and to be more environmentally friendly. Neighbors would pat him on his back and join in daily in his efforts to making his neighborhood an environmentally friendly place to live.
NOW, don't get me wrong. I personally would like to have his head on a platter. I mean it would be pretty cool as a center piece on my dining room table.
I'm picturing RS speeding to the scene, wearing a mask, cape and union suit, and carrying a video camera...
Ha Ha Rob Schilling quoted. He's the one who calls Charlottesville the "Socialist Democratic Republic". Goofy.
Louis Schultz is hardly a violent person, although it seems the city would like to see him as such. In light of the city's about face on riparian buffers, perhaps we should all see Shultz instead as forward-thinking. Perhaps the city could learn about proper land stewardship from him.
typical socialist government tactics at work here. steal from the hardworking little guy while they give give give to their cronies. money wasted on the jefferson school give away would have been more than enough to buy this property if that's what the city wants. shame on all of these officials for their failure to find a solution to this long ago.
The city won't fix the problem until Mr. Schultz sues them. That is the track record - it has happened probably more times than we know about.... Our citizen focused government only focuses on people who can work the system. It would be nice if the $20,000 that the city is spending to search for a new manager could actually find someone who has some leadership and communication skills. Maybe he/she would decide to lead instead of cower behind their office doors, afraid to admit mistakes and refusing to deal with them. They are a bunch of pansies. How about the citizenery really getting involved with the search process and insisting Council hire someone competent and willing to lead.
Yes, you are confused.
"typical socialist government tactics at work here."
A government trampling on private property rights is hardly a socialist thing. Was Bush a socialist? How about Cheney? How many individual rights and property rights did they trample on every day? Quite a few.
I wish you knee jerk right wing flakes would open a dictionary once in a while and then apply it correctly to the situation. What aout when the City refuses to maintain peace and order, and allows a couple of business owners to trample the property rights of a bunch of citizens? What do you call that?
Outside of a few items for a few Council Members, I haven't seen much socialism from them. I have seen some fascism, and abuse of power.
I have, as a rule, had good relations with the lower level individual city employees. There are exceptions, and as you move up the food chain, the level of competence seems to decline. This is not the first time they have screwed up and then tried to hide behind court actions to avoid responsibility in a case.
Something worth reviewing is if this area is a street, or an alleyway, because there are some weird rules about alleyways i the city.
As I read and learn more about this story, I think Mr. Schultz probably has some valid points. In today's world, our choice of "documentarian" strongly affects others perceptions of us. I appreciate @Middle Grounds points, and I, too question Mr. Shultz's choice of Rob Schilling. I had to work hard to take Mr. Schultz seriously after reading that he had brought that divisive character on board.
Gate Pratt wrote:
These are crucial points.
Can the City meet a criminal burden of proof? Maybe...in the very narrow sense...i.e. witness was scared, vehicle as possible weapon, and so forth.
However, the broader question regarding prosecutorial discretion in the matter has been raised.
It is a fact that prosecutors have broad discretion, and this prosecutor may very well argue that the facts of the case mean that it must bring a charge against Schultz.
However, doesn't it do so to its own peril, since the underlying issues are material to the dispute? Could it reasonably be claimed that the City is using its ultimate power to do something that it can't do by other legitimate means?
Since the basic facts regarding ownership and responsibility are muddied, does the public prosecutor put its office to poor use by allowing it to appear that a governmental entity [Charlottesville City] is using its police powers to intimidate a private person on a contentious issue for which the City itself is a party?
states that sewerage was threatening another property. If this is so, did the City rely on Public Health rules, or similar process in order to gain access to the disputed property?
-Without proof of ownership, or access allowed by easement, by what other right or emergency order did the City have to be on the property, or to be doing work, i.e., did it claim its right to be there through proper authority?
-If it makes such a claim, did the City follow the proper procedures on ALL points, for instance, did they have proper documents-- engineering, health, or other documents as required, describing what they were to do, in hand?
Should it be found that there is a failure in the City's chain, either in the application of policy or procedure, or if the City failed to use other appropriate means, such as access to a court of law, to secure the unequivocal right to be on that property at that time, then the charges should be dropped immediately.
Otherwise, I fear that our City would be liable for a charge of gross prosecutorial misconduct.
Sorry folks--I put brackets around what "Gate Prat wrote" which was to be the lead in to my own comments, but his comments were erased--and it makes it appear what I wrote were his words....sorry Mr. Pratt!
What Mr Pratt wrote was: It is my understanding that the basic facts in the case are still in dispute after years of debate. Who owns the land? What easements exist? What rights and obligations do the various parties have?
These are crucial questions...and from these questions my argument above flows...
There seems to be a lot of concern over whether or not Louis Schultz is correct about his rights to control what goes on within the Steep Hill Street area which is indeed legally the shared private property of all the abutting property owners. I don't see that this has much to do with the charge that has been leveled against him.
Mr. Schultz has been charged with attempting to maim or kill a city worker. I am yet another person who has known Louis Schultz for over twenty years. He is absolutely not quick tempered nor remotely given to intimidating behavior, never mind actually dangerous behavior. He is however positively stubborn and and will not back down from a position which is not properly reasoned against. This charge does not have the ring of truth to me.
Whether or not he is correct about his rights to the piece of property where the crime of which he is accused allegedly occurred has no bearing whatsoever on his guilt or innocence.It may however be that his long history of wrangling with the city to protect his personal property rights with regard to his yard and garden have earned him some enemies amongst city workers which would go far to explain how a worker might grossly over-fear Mr. Schultz by undeserved reputation created by office gossip or even explain why a worker so influenced might feel justified in grossly overstating Mr. Schultz's actions.
The charge against Louis Schultz is extremely serious. Since no disinterested parties witnessed the behavior in question it will be critical that the court consider both his utter lack of violent history and the political atmosphere in which these allegations were made. Should no more substantial evidence come to light than what already has, a conviction based on accusation only should frighten every one of us who value our right to literally
"stand our ground" in the city of Charlottesville.
As a final thought, I've noticed a lot of rude and disrespectful comments aimed at city workers. It is no more right to make such nasty comments about innocent strangers that work for the city than it is to denigrate Louis Schultz if you don't know him. Such reckless speech could have a whole lot to do with how this whole mess got started in the first place.
Since so many of Schultz's friends have posted here (at his request?), and they know so much about what happened, why have none of them answered the important question that has been raised repeatedly? Why did Schultz think that his right to stop the repair of a leaking pipe was more important than the right of his neighbors to not have a basement full of raw sewage? Is that rational, responsible, reasonable, or thoughtful? Was Mr Schultz going to repair "his" pipe himself? No, he wasn't.
There are too many different excuses and stories here, and they've changed as time went on. He was intending to do something to intimidate the workers into stopping, and asked Rob Schilling to come and film it for him. Then he was merely taking pictures. This stunt reeks of Libertarian grandstanding rather than the protest of a peaceful eco-activist. As stated above, I don't think his intent was to hurt anyone, but the law takes a dim view of someone using a car to intimidate. People could have been seriously hurt.
tom pritchett is correct. Take what is called a "paper" street, add in the jurisdictional change that occurred through annexation, and you end up with a situation that's extremely complicated. It may be very difficult to ascertain what the intent was for that street so many years afterwards. The fact is that it does have a public utility running under it. Looking at a map, whether new or old, it seems that Steephill was meant to be part of the gridded street system in the neighborhood, but was left by the wayside for whatever reason. This is the case with some other paper streets in Charlottesville. Perhaps at this point the city should just take the street, pave it, and be done with it. Or, at the very least, get the proper easements in place and proceed to repair infrastructure when needed. That's reasonable.
A functioning sewer system is overrated anyway.
No, he calls Charlottesville, the Democratic Socialist Republic. I can not believe that Dave Chapman is proceeding with this nonsense. It's time for him to go.
@So, you don't know the background on this feud the city has with Mr. Schultz. The city insists that the alley is owned by Mr. Schultz ut that he must allow te publico e i Te cityhas saidt the seer is neded by several people o the street and therefore they have a right to repair. Yet the city says that the sewer lines on everybody else's property are the responsibility of the owner to maintain and they have no right or obligation to repair the portion of the sewer that is o an individuals property. So, if, the city say the alley is private property and is probably taxed as such, how does the city have the rght to repair anything? If the city has an easement for the sewer line, then the part of that narrow alley that is under easement should be maintained by the city for the benefit of his neighbors in that area and it should be treated like publicly owned and not taxed. This is the first time I have wanted to serve on a jury.
The big, mean, bullying, liberal, sissified, city of Charlottesville.
i've known louis for a decade and a half. he is a person of extraordinary personal integrity (and specific, not general, non-violence). while he always does exactly as he says he will, the corollary is that he expects that same behavior of others. the public record shows that city of charlottesville has failed to meet that simple standard. i have walked louis's land, seen the care, thought, and hard work shaping his lovely, productive acre, and contrast that with wildly uneven record of the city's landscaping and maintenance operations....and also know that this story goes far beyond simple land stewardship. louis is no fringe wacko; he is an articulate, thoughtful, engaged, reasonable citizen. if you care about civil liberties or property rights, or just think government should be held to some basic standard of integrity, you should care how the case of louis schultz is handled.


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Coast Guard trying to ID family missing at sea
Authorities have turned to the public in hopes of identifying a family that sent a series of distress calls saying their boat was sinking far off the Central California coast.
"There is still no information on where the boat was coming from, where it was going or who the people on board are," said Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Mike Lutz.
The unidentified family of four - including two children under 8 - had been sailing a small vessel Sunday west of Monterey Bay. Forecasters had issued a weekend advisory warning boaters of rough seas in the area, and water temperatures typically are in the 40s and 50s, making long-term survival difficult.
The group made its first distress call late Sunday afternoon, said Coast Guard Lt. Heather Lampert. Investigators used the boat's radio signal and radar to determine the call came from an area about 60 miles west of Monterey.
The boaters reported that their 29-foot sailboat was taking on water and the electronics were failing.
Crews planned to search by sea and air through the night Monday to find the family, who said in the calls that they were fashioning a raft from a cooler and a life-preserver ring before they lost contact with the Coast Guard.
"We will just saturate the search area with as many assets as we can, so we can hopefully rescue them," Lutz said.
The Coast Guard released one of the family's recorded distress calls ( https://bit.ly/W90cyv ), in hopes that it would lead to new information from the public that could help in the search. So far the agency has received no reports of missing persons in the case.
The agency believes the boat's name was Charmblow. In the crackling recording, a man's voice is heard saying, "Coast Guard, Coast Guard, we are abandoning ship. This is the (Charmblow), we are abandoning ship."
Investigators determined from the broken distress calls that the family included a husband and wife, their 4-year-old son and his cousin, Lampert said.
The boat's location initially was reported farther north, but Lampert said investigators now believe the call came from west of Monterey Bay, about 100 miles south of San Francisco. The boat did not have a working GPS system.
Calls to harbors in California have failed to locate the boat, and database searches have come up empty, Lampert said. The Coast Guard was expanding its search to Hawaii, the Seattle area and north into Canada.