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MaRIN’S PuLITzER PRIzE-Winning NewspaPER $1.00 POINT REYES LIGHT Volume LX No. 49/ Point Reyes Station, California February 7, 2008 ELECTIONS > West Marin BUSINESS > Fairfax garage ECOLOGY > Marine Life CALENDAR > A soprano cast votes for Obama, McCain, becomes Good Earth Natural Protection Act spurs debate for from Fairfax joins female septet on in a high turn-out. /9 Food’s new parking lot. /10 fishermen, environmentalists./10 Saturday in San Geronimo. /20 County says no new permits in watershed by Jacoba Charles A two-year moratorium on building permits within Stream Conservation Areas (SCAs) in the San Geronimo Val- ley will be voted on by the Marin County Board of Supervisors on February 12. A Salmonid Habitat Enhancement Plan will be developed during that time, to provide guidelines for the county’s policies and actions in San Geronimo Val- ley SCAs. The plan and moratorium will affect properties along the 3.5-mile-long stretch of Lagunitas Creek between the Inkwells and the crest of White’s Hill. SPAWN had made it clear that with- out drastic action – such as developing Please turn to page 13 Where have the An American flag hangs at the Inverness home of Caleb Davis, who returned last month after two tours in Afghanistan and one tour in Iraq. Photo by Justin Nobel. salmon gone? by Jacoba Charles HABLANDO /4 Some of the lowest coho salmon runs on Inverness to Iraq, and back record have been worrying fisheries biolo- gists up and down the California coast. Red- How did the Latinos I always knew that I wanted to be in the by Justin Nobel wood Creek in West Marin had zero fish re- army, said Davis. “It was obviously an un- vote, and why? turn for the first time in its history. Bombs fell over Baghdad on March 19, popular decision given West Marin is so lib- “The problem is ubiquitous,” said Bruce 2003. The next day, high school students eral, but I never made my decision based on MacFarlane, leader of the National Oce- demonstrated outside Diekmann’s General other people.” OBITUARY /22 anic and Atmospheric Association’s Salmon Store in Tomales. Three truant youths lay “It was a huge, huge goal,” he said, “and Ecology Group in Santa Cruz. “Everything down in the road outside Bolinas, and a cad- a dream.” is down, and none of the creeks are show- David Fields knew every re of Lagunitas middle schoolers marched Caleb grew up in a modest-sized home car and truck in the area over White’s Hill. in Inverness just down the street from the Please turn to page 10 It wasn’t surprising that West Marin school. He was born in the bedroom, at- youths protested the war. After all, it’s West tended to by a midwife and Dr. Whitte. ASK MISSY /15 Marin, and they are youths. More surpris- He played soccer in middle school and at Extended Sheriff’s call /3 ing was that shortly thereafter, a few young Tomales High he was a star linebacker. >> A Bolinas man was reported in a subject’s Becalm yourself, and men enlisted to fight in the war. One was During his junior year, the football team Caleb Davis, and last month, after two tours won the state championship. “He has al- house, where he was not wanted. He said learn to live simply in Afghanistan and one in Iraq, he returned he was “just trying to make some coffee.” home. Please turn to page 14 14 NEWS POINT REYES LIGHT February 7, 2008 Caleb Davis at an American compound in Afghanistan. He completed two tours in that country, and one in Iraq. Now he’s home. Photo by Josh Hass. an elite unit based in Vicenza, Italy. Words of advice Private Ryan have shown the side of war >> Iraq On a rainy evening in Santa Rosa just At one point, just before Davis was get- that’s not so romantic and glamorous.” continued from page 1 months before he was to graduate high ting ready to leave, his mother sat him down Harr decided that based on his own ex- school and ship off, Davis slipped in a wet for a talk. “I just want to let you know there periences he could give some perspective parking lot and broke the two major bones are options,” she told him, suggesting that to students such as Davis who were eager ways been very focused and determined,” in his leg. His contract with the 173rd was the family would help take out loans for to sign up. “War is not really something you said his mother, Cathy Davis. terminated. He spent five months in a cast him if it was the incentive of cheap school- want to do,” he said. “There are other ways “In seventh grade, he came home from that extended from his toes to his knee. The ing that was leading him into the military. you can find adventure and travel.” school one day and said, ‘Mom, I’m go- doctor wanted to do corrective surgery but “I didn’t want him to go off to the army Initially, he thought Davis was being ing into the military when I graduate high Davis knew that any pins or plates embed- just thinking this was the only thing,” she misled and duped into something he didn’t school,’ and I said, ‘oh, okay.’ I figured he ded in his skin would jeopardize his chanc- said. “I wanted to make sure this was truly completely understand. “I used to think, had a long time to change his mind and that es with Special Operations, so he told the what he wanted to do.” ‘yeah, yeah, sure, okay, you’re going to be he probably would, but he never wavered.” doctor “no.” Others, including his high school his- Special Operations,’” said Harr. I didn’t During high school he trained: 500 push- “He thought it was a stupid decision,” tory teacher, Robert Harr, who has been at think it would pan out.” ups a day and several miles on the treadmill. said Davis. The doctor told him that he Tomales for 24 years, encouraged him to One time, Harr challenged Davis in front He had his eye on a Special Operations unit might never walk right again. reconsider. of the class, saying that he knew the unit he with a very difficult set of entry require- The winter after Davis graduated, the Harr enlisted in the military in 1972, in wanted to go into and that he wasn’t going ments. There was a challenging written test cast came off. He wasn’t exactly happy to the midst of the Vietnam War. Not wanting to make it. “He was so focused that he actu- and a series of physical tests that included find what was underneath. to get drafted into the army he joined the ally made it happen,” said Harr. timed sets of pushups and sit-ups and run- “My leg had atrophied so much it didn’t Air Force. The war ended six months after “I’ll never forget that,” said Davis. “It ning two miles in under 13 minutes. look like my leg,” he said. “I thought I was he enlisted and he spent most of his time at kind of fueled the fire.” “I didn’t want to be your normal dude doomed.” a base in California. Harr doesn’t remember sitting there in Iraq,” said Davis. “I was look- Around the same time, he got a call from his military days fondly. Once, while travel- Misunderstood ing for something above and beyond.” a recruiter in Petaluma: there was a spot in ing at an airport in Texas a girl his age called While Davis was gone it was difficult for He was willing to forgo other passions the unit he wanted. He resumed his training him a baby killer and spit on him. his parents. “I fully accepted the fact that in pursuit of his dream. In his senior year, and several months later he retook the apti- “It was disappointing to be shunned by my son may die over there,” said Cathy Da- he decided not to play football. His coach tude test. On February 18, 2004, he officially your own generation,” said Harr. “You were vis. “Whenever he would come home on and teammates tried to change his mind. joined the military. He was sent first to Fort not a hero. You were a piece of shit.” leave it was an unbelievable relief. I almost “People think you’re young, you don’t re- Jackson, South Carolina, then to Fort Gor- Many of his friends were misled by re- felt like just falling on the floor.” ally know what you’re doing,” said Davis. “I don, Georgia, where he was trained as a sat- cruiters. They were promised great jobs The Davises often felt that the commu- didn’t play football because I didn’t want to ellite radio operator, then to Fort Benning when they got out that never materialized. nity cared more about ridiculing George get injured and ruin my career in the mili- to receive airborne training and a grueling Most of his memories he has chosen not to Bush than the safety of their son. tary.” year of training for Special Operations. remember at all. “The only thing I have left “One guy come up to me and instead of The team went on to win the state cham- They try to break you down mentally by is one old field jacket, one old fatigue shirt asking how my son was doing, he went into pionship.

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