Cotati, CA

My visit with Justice Clarence Thomas

Nick Walden — Wed, 22 May 2013 16:31:52 +0000

SSU student and Towns reader Natalie Wisdom shares her monumental trip to Washington. D.C. with Professor Eric Williams and classmate, Alexis Pomush.

By NATALIE WISDOM/SSU

Hang Ego Here

As you walk into Justice Thomas’ Washington DC chambers you will notice a coat rack on his door with the phrase “Hang Ego Here”. Surprising, considering the title of a Supreme Court Justice means you are one of nine unelected individuals and one third of the United States system of government. The Justices are a private group, often avoiding headlines except when thrust into the national spotlight on various controversial cases. It was one hour of my day, yet what I learned from one of the most inspirational individuals I have ever had the privilege to meet, I will carry with me for a lifetime.

The primary reason I wrote letters to each of the nine Supreme Court Justices in the fall of 2011 was to thank Dr. Eric Williams for teaching me how to think, not what to think. This is a simple concept, yet one many undergrad professors fail to accomplish in their individual courses. It has become far too common to walk into a university classroom and hear the instructor’s personal ideology pushed, a biased stance on a controversial topic or a lack of tolerance for diversity of opinions.

I heard back from several of the Justices in the weeks following, each envelope containing a different response. Justice Sonia Sotomayor responded first, graciously accepting my request and awaited the time frame for a trip to Washington, DC. Justice Thomas also agreed to meet with Dr. Williams but when the Court scheduled the PPACA (ObamaCare) cases on the week he was to be in DC, the Justice had to withdraw the invitation. Chief Justice John Roberts, Justice Samuel Alito and Justice Elena Kagan each responded sending regrets but declined due to scheduling conflicts with the Court’s busy spring schedule. Dr. Williams opened the trip up to me and three classmates, and the five of us met with Justice Sotomayor on Thursday, March 29, 2012. Wespentover 30 minutes with the Justice her in chambers. It was a once in a lifetime experience for us as undergrads and I truly appreciated the opportunity, but the failed attempt to meet Justice Thomas was a disappointment.

I ended up contacting Justice Thomas’s chambers in late November 2012 as it was my final semester as an undergrad at Sonoma State. Dr. Williams told me if the Justice agreed to meet with us for a second time we could head over to Washington DC during spring break with several students. Justice Thomasaccepted my second request for a meeting and when he found out we had never attended oral arguments before he offered us his three personal seats in the courtroom. Alexis Pomush, a CCJS senior headed to UC Hastings law school this coming fall, was the only student numerically permitted on the trip, due to the court’s limited seating. We attended oral arguments on Tuesday, March 19, 2013 and met with Justice Thomas that afternoon.

Justice Thomas is an engaging and genuine individual. From the moment we walked into chambers all preconceived stereo-types of who he is as a person were shattered. He welcomed us in and began an hour long conversation with topics ranging from constitutional law to college football. Justice Thomas walked us around his chambers, pointing out various photos on the wall, explaining a quote of humility hanging on the back of the door and described to us the list of individuals he admires. He stressed the importance of teaching students how to think, rather what to think. This isa concept both Alexis and I, along with countless other students who have walked through Dr. Williams’ classroom, are all too familiar with. “You’re very lucky, to have someone who challenges you academically, yet doesn’t give you the answers,” Justice Thomas mentioned to me after I had expressed difficulty grasping legal subject matter. “We need more professors like him, who teach students how to learn, not what to learn.” Questioning what we’re taught “is our job” he explained, adding the importance of taking what we’re taught in the classroom and applying it to the rest of our lives. He concluded with some advice, “Learn as much as you can, read and apply yourselves because everyone’s life ends at the grave. It’s your job to fill in the pages the way you want to.”

As we were headed out, I stopped to thank the Justice’s secretary at her desk and looked over to see Dr. Williams and Justice Thomas shake hands and say goodbye. “Don’t stop doing what do you.” Thomas told him, and I smiled. That phrase was all too familiar to me as just a year before on our way out of Justice Sotomayor’s chambers that exact same message had been conveyed from the Justice to Dr. Williams. I’munaware of anyone else who has been complimented on more than one occasion by a Supreme Court Justice and if you sit in on any of Dr. Williams’s courses today you wouldn’t notice it either. He’s the same professor he was from spring 2011 when I first walked into his classroom, teaching students how to think, not what to think. “Hang Ego Here” might as well be posted on his door, too.

Cotati Farmers Market starts on June 6

Nick Walden — Tue, 21 May 2013 17:04:27 +0000

The Cotati Farmers Market begins Thursday, June 6 and runs through the end of August. Each Thursday from 4:30-7:30 p.m. there will be local produce, specialty foods, flowers, handmade crafts, live entertainment and fun for kids at La Plaza Park located at West Sierra and Old Redwood Highway.

The weekly event is sponsored by the Cotati Chamber of Commerce. For those interested in helping sponsor a weekly market, contact the chamber at 795-5508.

People interested in participating in the market as a vendor or entertainer can contact the Cotati Farmers Market Manager at 769-1830.

Spotted in Cotati

Nick Walden — Mon, 20 May 2013 18:37:50 +0000

Friar Tuck’s Pub and Spirits in Cotati. (BETH SCHLANKER / The Press Democrat)

The List: Five wineries around Cotati

Nick Walden — Mon, 20 May 2013 13:00:05 +0000

Out of all the towns in Sonoma County, you don’t immediately associate Cotati with wine, but there are a few local spots that think you should. While two members of the list are outside of the city limits, they are still fairly close.

The List – Local Wineries

Windy Hill Estate and Winery – 1010 W. Railroad Ave., Cotati. 795-3030.

Libarle Vineyards – 9100 Poplar Ave., Cotati. 664-8540.

Bella Sonoma – 1492 Lowell Ave., Cotati. 795-1489.

Bush-Field Estate Vineyard & Winery – 3200 Sonoma Mountain Road, Petaluma. 665-9762

Matanzas Creek Winery – 6097 Bennet Valley Road, Santa Rosa. 528-6464.

Do you know of any local wineries we missed around Cotati or Penngrove? Make sure to tell us in the comments!

The week in Cotati: May 19 – May 26

Nick Walden — Sun, 19 May 2013 13:00:39 +0000

On Thursday, May 23 the San Francisco Symphony will be performing at 8 p.m. in Weill Hall of the Green Music Center. David Robertson will conduct a program that includes Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue. Tickets are $15 to $145 and available through the SF Symphony Box Office. 1801 East Cotati Avenue. 415-864-6000

Kumare: The True Story of a False Prophet will play at the Songbird Healing Center on Friday, May 24. This documentary is about the time filmmaker Vidram Gandhi impersonated a fake guru and built a real following. The event runs from 7 to 9 p.m. for a suggested donation of $8 to $12. 8297 Old Redwood Highway. 795-2398.

The Free Bookmobile will be in Cotati at Oliver’s Market on Saturday, May 25. From 4 to 5 p.m. you can stop by and get free books for adults and kids alike. For more information, visit FreeBookmobile.org. 546 E. Cotati Avenue.

There will be a Digital Recording Workshop and Pro Tools Demo with Blair Hardman on Saturday, May 25 at Zone Recording. From 1 to 4 p.m. come learn everything about recording for $30. 7884 Old Redwood Highway. Call 664-1221 to reserve a space.

The Marin Dance Theater will host two performances in Saturday, May 25 at the Spreckels Performing Arts Center. Springfest 2013 includes La Folia and excerpts from Sleeping Beauty and Bournonville. Shows are at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. with tickets from $22 to $28. 5409 Snyder Lane. 588-3400.

There will be an Evening of Luxurious Wines and Hand Crafted Cuisine on Saturday, May 25 at Sally Tomatoes. James Family Cellars, Sally Tomatoes and the Education Foundation of Cotati and Rohnert Park are hosting this event that features wine and food pairings. The reception is at 6 p.m. with dinner at 7 p.m. and tickets are $90. 1100 Valley House Drive. Reservations, call 665-9472.

There is a Blood Drive in Cotati on Sunday, May 26. Blood Centers of the Pacific supports hospitals in Sonoma and the surrounding counties and needs blood to help save lives. The drive is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Oliver’s Market. 546 E. Cotati Avenue. Call 545-1222 x110 to schedule an appointment.

— Send your Cotati and Penngrove events to rparktowns@gmail.com.

Viral Cotati stun gun video spurs police review

lcastrone — Thu, 16 May 2013 18:59:01 +0000

By JULIE JOHNSON / The Press Democrat

A video of Cotati police officers entering a home and using a Taser on a resident went viral this week, prompting questions about the officers’ tactics and whether a citizen must open the door for police.

The video, which was filmed May 10, shows officers responding to a report of a domestic disturbance at an apartment on Marsh Way, Chief Michael Parish said.

An officer investigating the 3:48 p.m. call from a concerned citizen heard a man yelling and a woman sobbing in the backyard, Parish said.

He called for backup.

What followed was an encounter in part captured on video with resident James Wood’s cellphone. It shows Wood, his wife and their roommate refusing to let police inside and stating there was no domestic violence issue. The officers kicked in the door and deployed at least one round of Taser darts on Wood after the man moved toward an officer grabbing his wife’s arm.

The video spread rapidly on the Internet, where the original YouTube video had been viewed more than 120,000 times by Wednesday evening and reposted dozens of times on YouTube and other social networking sites.

“People say: Why didn’t you just open the door?” said James Wood, 33, an Army reservist. “They wouldn’t tell me why they were there. They wanted to use force, they wanted to use intimidation, they wanted to flash their guns and intimidate me, a free man, into submitting.”

Parish said his officers have an obligation to thoroughly investigate all reports of domestic disturbances.

“The officers simply cannot walk away from a domestic disturbance call without ensuring that all parties are safe and secure,” Parish said.

Still, Parish said his department will launch an administrative review of the call, including the use of force, to determine if the officers acted appropriately.

Wood and his wife, Jennifer, 29, said they had been arguing in the backyard that day about whether to spend their tax refund on fixing their car or buying a new one.

Their roommate, James Helton, 32, was inside, putting the couple’s 2-year-old daughter down for a nap when the officers knocked. The Woods’ son was playing outside with a friend and his parent.

Helton said he went to the back door to tell the Woods police were at the door.

Officers said they heard Helton lock the door and decline their request to speak with him.

James Wood and Helton said that police had their guns drawn when they came to their front window.

“We had our hands up against the glass. We were more than happy to talk through the glass, or he can have dispatch call our cellphones,” Helton said. “(An officer) became agitated and said, ‘No you’re going to do what I tell you to do.’ ”

Officers said there was too much glare on the window to see inside, Parish said.

Wood said he refused to open the door because the officers didn’t explain why they were there and because he felt the law protected his right to keep unwanted people out of his home.

“If you want to arrest me, you haven’t told me why, but you want me to let you into my house brandishing firearms?” Wood said in an interview Wednesday. “I have a Fourth Amendment right: If you don’t have a search warrant or probable cause, I’m not opening that door.”

Parish said the officers had announced they were there to investigate a domestic disturbance call.

The officers continued ordering them to open the door and come outside to talk, and the individuals inside continued to refuse.

“They could plainly see I was not in distress,” Jennifer Wood said. “I honestly did not want them inside my home.”

James Wood pulled out his cellphone and announced that he was recording the officers, holding his military ID in one hand, his phone in the other. At that point, according to Wood, the officers put away their guns and instead held Tasers.

“I was afraid we might get shot,” he recalled. “The only thing I could think of is, ‘I need to document this right now.’ ”

As the video rolled, Wood told the officers there was one child inside and another playing in the yard. In response to an inaudible comment from the officers he said: “You’re coming inside without a warrant, probable cause, you’re going to kick my door down?”

“Why are you guys not coming out?” an officer said.

“Because we don’t live in a police state, sir,” Helton said.

“Can you do us a favor, all get down on the ground and put your hands behind your back?” an officer said.

“We can’t record if our hands are behind our back,” Helton said. “We need documentation of this violation of our civil rights.”

The officers appear to kick a door down and enter the home with weapons drawn. Jennifer Wood is partially shown standing with her hands up, but she had not complied with commands to get onto the ground.

An officer grabbed her arm, and her husband said:

“You have no right to be in here, you have no right to be here, do not touch her, do not touch her, you are assaulting her.”

The officer deployed Taser darts at Wood, and his wife screamed.

The video ends.

The Woods and Helton said they were pushed to the ground and handcuffed. Parish said the officers said Jennifer Wood appeared to be “taking direction from James supporting the officer’s belief that she was a domestic violence victim.”

Wood was arrested on suspicion of resisting/obstructing officers and booked into the Sonoma County Jail, later released on bail. Jennifer Wood and Helton were cited for the same charge but not booked into jail.

The Woods and Helton said they believed strongly they were not required by law to open the door, and they felt the officers’ use of force was unnecessary.

Although people do not always have to open the door for police, in this case they did, according to Parish.

The officers were investigating a domestic disturbance, which he said qualifies as an exigent circumstance, or an emergency situation, in which they do not need a warrant, Parish said.

“If the officers would have walked away and something happened, then the Police Department would have been criticized for not performing their duties,” Parish said.

Parish said the administrative review had not yet begun and will involve interviewing all parties involved. However, he defended what he observed of his officers’ behavior.

“It was a poor choice on their (the residents’) behalf not to cooperate with law enforcement,” Parish said. “My officers were very professional and very calm, and I’m proud of their performance.”

Cotati Mayor Mark Landman said he asked the chief to issue a statement about the video but would not comment on the incident while it is under investigation.

You can reach Staff Writer Julie Johnson at 521-5220 or julie.johnson@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @jjpressdem.

Earn a “Free Fair Admission” by entering a pre-fair contest

Nick Walden — Thu, 16 May 2013 13:00:38 +0000

If you love coloring, reading, writing, or doing math then this year’s Sonoma County Fair has the perfect way to score a free ticket. They are offering six contests with a little something for everyone and every person who participates will receive a free single-day Fair admission ticket, a participant ribbon, and will be entered to win an additional prize.

There is no cost to enter the contest and all entries will be displayed at the Fair.

Contests for All Ages

Create a “Home Spun Fun” Sampler: Use crayons, colored pencils or felt pens to color your own version of this year’s Fair logo.

Coloring Contest: Get out your felt pens or crayons and color this year’s Fair poster! This contest is for adults and kids. You can win tickets and t-shirts.

A Letter from Hogwarts: Attention Harry Potter fans! Pretend that you are a student at Hogwarts and write a letter to send home. Create your entry on a computer or write it out by hand – just make sure the judges can read it!

Contests Just for Kids

Fair Fun on a Budget: Figure out the best way to spend $25 at the Fair and you could win the cash and free Fair tickets.

Reading and Riding: Helm & Sons Amusements (the people who bring the carnival to the Fair) is offering a special reward to Sonoma County kids who read extra books between March 21 and June 21.

Design a Sticker: Design a sticker with the Fair theme and win $100! The winning stickers will be printed by Santa Rosa Label Co.

To enter, download a contest entry form from the website at Sonomacountyfair.com or pick one up at the Box Office. All completed entries must be dropped off in person or postmarked by June 21st. The Sonoma County Fairgrounds Box Office is located at 1350 Bennett Valley Road, Santa Rosa, CA 95404.

This year the fair will run from July 25 until August 16. For additional information visit their website or call 545-4200.

Video of Cotati police using stun gun on resident goes viral

Nick Walden — Wed, 15 May 2013 21:13:36 +0000

A video of Cotati police officers entering a home and using a stun gun on a resident went viral this week, prompting questions about the officers’ tactics.

You can view the video and article by Press Democrat reporter Julie Johnson by clicking here.

Experience “The Rescue”

Nick Walden — Wed, 15 May 2013 17:45:49 +0000

Kristina Ashley, a local Cotati resident and elementary school teacher at John Reed Elementary School, will be signing copies of her new book on Saturday, May 18 at Golden Spoon in Rohnert Park.

“The Rescue” is Ashley’s first book. It is a children’s story based on her own pet adoption experience. The story follows a young girl and her family as they decide to adopt a dog and how difficult it can be to find one that is just perfect.

Ashley will be signing books from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Golden Spoon, located in the Raley’s Town Centre.

“The Rescue” is also currently available on Amazon.com and through her publisher, Tate Publishing. Look for an in-depth story with the author next week here in the Towns Section.

50th Celebration moves one step closer

Nick Walden — Mon, 13 May 2013 22:44:41 +0000

The Cotati City Council approved the permits for the 50th Anniversary Celebration and Annual Kids Day Parade to be held on July 13 and also decided to provide a financial contribution for the event. The City has offered $5,000 towards the event which includes fees and staff time.

The committee representing the event, comprised of business owners, Chamber of Commerce members and the Cotati Historical Society, has a goal of raising an additional $25,000 to ensure that there will be plenty of fun events for the town to enjoy.

The day will start with the free pancake breakfast at 7 a.m. at the Church of the Oaks and the

21st Kids Day Parade will start at 10 a.m., heading through downtown at ending at La Plaza

Park, where contests, games, a deejay and more will keep the fun going for kids until around 1 p.m. when the event will transition into anniversary party that feature a history walk, food, wine and live music.

People interested in helping sponsor the event should contact John Dell’Osso at jdellosso@ci.cotati.ca.us or Susan Harvey at sharvey@ci.cotati.ca.us. Details about the event can be found at www.cotatis50th.com.