Meet Mojo, the newest member of the Cloverdale Police Department's K9 unit.

For several years, Cloverdale’s Police K9 unit consisted of two Belgian Malinois, Marko and Rex. Along with their handlers, Officers Mike Campbell and John Camara, the dogs were the department’s “dynamic duo,” sniffing out drug caches and even locating a stabbing suspect who had buried himself in some bushes.

Marko, in particular, was regularly used for community outreach that included visiting local school children in their classrooms. Calling him “a faithful member of our police family and a beloved companion to the Campbell family,” Police Chief Mark Tuma described him as having a sweet disposition. Marko was always eager to meet people, and loved to be petted.

Graduates of Cloverdale’s 2007 Citizen’s Police Academy were so enamored with the two K9s they put on fundraisers to purchase bulletproof vests for them.

Then in July 2009, the unthinkable happened.  Marko died unexpectedly.  The department and the community were stunned. Not only was there a lot of money and training invested in this dog, he was loved by everyone who met him – everyone except the bad guys, of course.

An investigation by local police and the Animal Hospital of Cloverdale showed that his death was most likely the result of a freak choking accident.

Shortly thereafter, the non-profit Cloverdale K9 Alliance was formed by a group of local citizens to raise money to purchase a new police dog, as well as pay for the necessary training and equipment.  The group’s first Mardi Growl fundraiser was a New Year’s Eve party that netted around $8,500.

A few months ago, the department decided it was time to start looking for another dog to join Rex in the field. This time, though, they wanted a Labrador whose primary focus would be drug detection. With the help of their trainer, they found Mojo in Southern California.

The two year old black Lab with boundless energy was originally slated to be trained in Search and Rescue, but his temperament and keen sense of smell made him better suited to be a Sniffer Dog.

Mojo and Officer Campbell have spent the last couple of weeks getting acquainted before the two of them head off for five weeks of intensive training at Golden Gate K9, a Santa Rosa facility that specializes in training police dogs.

Rex is now eight years old and has been an outstanding member of the K9 unit since 2007. Not only has he been instrumental in helping to apprehend criminals, he has located quite a few drug stashes and recovered a significant amount of contraband money.

The average cost to purchase a new police dog, which includes their basic training, is between $10-$15k.  Add to this their ongoing training and care and it’s easy to see why the K9 Alliance is planning ahead to be sure there are funds available for future needs.

Tickets are now on sale for their next fundraiser, Mardi Growl 2012, which will be held in the Citrus Fair Auditorium on Saturday, June 2, starting at 7 p.m.

Tucker McMullen, Susan McCabe, John Higgins and Patrick H. Higgins of the Misdemeanor Band will perform.

Live music by the popular band Misdemeanor will have everyone dancing the night away. An assortment of tasty finger foods will be provided, and the Lions Club will be in charge of the no-host bar. Mardi Gras costumes are encouraged.

In addition, the live and silent auctions will feature a variety of items up for bid such as symphony tickets,  jewelry, wine, Disneyland tickets, and a Frank Gore autographed football, to name just a few.

For those who find they may have partied a little too much, organizers have arranged for the Cloverdale City Bus to provide free rides home for up to 30 minutes after the event closes

Advance sale tickets are $20 each and can be purchased at the Cloverdale Police Department, the Citrus Fair office, the Mail Center, the Cloverdale Reveille, Eagle Tech and Wine Country Group Realtors. Tickets at the door will be $25. All proceeds will benefit Cloverdale’s K9 program.

It should be noted that not one penny of public funds was spent to purchase Mojo or for his initial narcotics training.  Even the bus driver’s salary for the event is being covered by the K9 Alliance, and the City is donating the use of the bus

If you have any questions, or an auction item you’d like to donate, please call the police department at 894-2150.

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Sheehy spent the rest of his life in awe of the water, and he loved nothing more than to be on or near it, especially with a fishing rod in hand.

The Cloverdale man died Thursday of liver failure at Healdsburg Hospital. He was 65.

Sheehy grew up in Puerto Limon, Costa Rica, the son of a man who supervised the port there and also worked for United Fruit Co., which provided housing for the family.

Sheehy was recruited to come to the United States by the University of the Pacific in Stockton, where he was among the first students enrolled in a new college for inter-American studies.

It was there that he caught the eye of Susan Young, who invited Sheehy to join her and some friends one weekend at her family’s ranch in Alexander Valley. At first, he declined.

“I told him we had a lake and that he could go fishing, and he changed his mind. I kind of hooked him,” Susan said.

The pair were married in 1970.

Sheehy worked for Coca-Cola International as manager of their overseas office in Nicaragua and Honduras. In 1976, the couple settled in Sonoma County.

Sheehy held jobs with Masonite Corp. and Louisiana Pacific, and traveled throughout Latin America as a salesman for Medtronic Scales.

He also advocated for farmworkers and helped many apply for U.S. citizenship.

Sheehy loved heading out on his bass tracker boat he nicknamed “Baby” to catch his limit. The boat was equipped with every bell and whistle.

Sheehy tied his own fishing flies, molded his own fishing worms and created his own worm juice to mask the scent of his boat. He was an advocate of releasing what he caught.

Susan Sheehy described her husband as a man who wanted everything to be the best.

“He told some tall tales, absolutely, but he always said that if it was regarding fishing, it was probably true,” she said.

Besides his wife, Sheehy is survived by three children: Kelly Keller of Fairfax, Va.; Todd Sheehy of Santa Barbara; and Sterling Sheehy of Hong Kong. He also is survived by a brother, Fred A. Sheehy of Toronto, Canada; and his father, Frederick P. Sheehy of San Jose, Costa Rica.

A private burial will be held at Oak Mound Cemetery in Healdsburg.

Visitation is set for 3 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 16, at Fred Young Funeral Home in Cloverdale. A celebration of Sheehy’s life will take place from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. on May 20 at Lake Sonoma’s picnic grounds, site No. 3 across from the visitor center. Guests are asked to bring folding chairs and food to share.

The family requests donations to Trout Unlimited of California.

— Derek Moore

~ The Real Flicks Independent Movie series presented twice a month by the Cloverdale Arts Alliance will feature “Salmon Fishing in the Yemen” at 7 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday, May 14 and 15 at the Clover Cinema, 121 E. First Street. The movie tells the story of a visionary sheik who believes his passion for the peaceful pastime of salmon fishing can enrich the lives of his people, and he dreams of bringing the sport to the not so fish-friendly desert. Following the Monday night showing, a lively discussion of the film will be held a few doors down at the First Street Gallery, 105 E. First Street. Tickets are $8 each, $5.50 for seniors 62+. Arrive early since tickets sell out fast. 894-4410.

~ Learn about “Signs and Symbols” and “Portraits” from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 16, at the Cloverdale Center for the Arts, 105 E. First St. as the Cloverdale Arts Alliance continues their series on How to Appreciate Great Art. Cost is $3 for CAA members, $5 for non-members.  894-4410.

~ Musician Oscar Calderon, playing a variety of music from the 60′s, 70′s and 80′s with Latin Twist, will perform from 7 to 9:30 p.m. on Friday, May 18 at Vino di Amore, 105 N. Cloverdale Blvd. Wine and non-alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase. No admission.  894-6166

~ Have you ever thought about building your own kit plane? Quality Sports Planes, official representatives of aircraft kits produced by Zenith Aircraft Company, is offering a two-day Rudder Workshop on Friday and Saturday, May 18 and 19. Held at their Cloverdale Airport facility on Airport Rd., just off Hwy 101 at Dutcher Creek Rd., this hands-on workshop is designed to help participants determine whether assembling a kit aircraft is for them. For workshop times, reservation details and/or for a registration form, send an email to qspinfo@gmail.com or call them at 894-4084.

~ A 4-week series of Basic Obedience and Agility classes for dogs, taught by Wade Rowley, owner and trainer at AstiKennels/K9 Academy, will  be held on Saturdays beginning May 19 at Farm Yard Feed, 27705 Dutcher Creek Rd.   Obedience classes will be held from 9 to 10 a.m., followed by Agility classes from 10:15 to 11:15 a.m. Cost for each series is $80.  For more info go to astikennels.com or call 953-4526.

These five pups were only seven weeks old when they achieved a certain level of notoriety. (Photo by Skip Engle)

In March 2010, two pregnant dogs were among the 16 Golden Retrievers rescued from the Cloverdale residence of a “backyard breeder.”

Three months, a couple of surgeries, nine new puppies and $46k later, they had all recovered and been placed with loving families. The experience also spawned a new non-profit foundation.

When Community Service Officer Teresa Marino found the dogs, they were caked in feces, mud and fleas. Rotting food and garbage was everywhere. She even found 10 of the dogs inside travel cages, sometimes two to an enclosure, without food or water.

Proud Katy resting with her four healthy pups at King's Kastle.

Two years earlier the breeder, who has since passed away from a brain tumor, was arrested for having 18 unlicensed dogs and running an unlicensed kennel. This time officials referred her for a mental health evaluation.

With no room at the county shelter, the dogs were transported to King’s Kastle, a local dog care facility. Owner Colleen Combs says her facility had been taking in strays, surrenders and dogs in danger of being euthanized for more than a decade, but this many needy dogs at one time was overwhelming.

She had estimated the cost to spay/neuter, vaccinate, test, feed, board and place the dogs at more than $15k. The actual cost turned out to be three times that.

Combs called on the community for help and the response was immediate.

Not only did all the dogs recover and find new forever-homes, the two new moms were able to give their nine offspring the gift of a real “puppyhood.

Pregnant Lily went home with Marybeth Sobecki-Engle and her husband, Skip, until her puppies were born and weaned. Fifty-one Canine Companion puppies had been born in their kitchen over the years, so it seemed only natural.

Lily was so malnourished, though, she wasn’t strong enough to birth them on her own and had to have a C-section. Only five of the ten survived.

Those five not only found new forever-homes, they even found a little fame along the way. Engle took a photo of them that was featured on both the King’s Kastle website and in “Bark” magazine. It also won second place at the Sonoma County Fair.

Lily enjoys lounging in the water fountain at her new owner's home.

The Engles nick-named the only boy pup “Sarge” in honor of their military daughter, Jessamyn, who is currently in Afghanistan. They were pleased when his new family kept the name.

Lily, now a service dog for a Santa Rosa woman forced to retire because of a chronic illness, is enjoying her new life, which includes lounging in her owner’s water fountain.

Gus and Cindy Wolter, owners of the English Tea Garden Inn, a Cloverdale bed and breakfast, had long considered getting a dog, but wanted a more mature one that would interact well with their guests.

They instantly fell in love with mom-to-be Sheba, who was due to deliver again after having 12 litters in six years.

Just before her four puppies were born, the Wolters brought her home for a visit. Later, while still nursing, she visited for a few hours several times a week. “The first time she came, she looked like a lost soul,” says Wolter. “She just laid on the kitchen floor and took a nap.”

Wanting to give her a new name to go with her new life, they decided to call her Katy. She is the joy of their life and a big hit with their guests. Recently, one even knocked on the door to see if Katy could come out to play.

Cindy Wolter and Katy sit together on the front steps of the English Tea Garden Inn.

Every morning before work, the Wolters and Katy have what they call “pack time,” where they all get on the floor to cuddle and play. “All hands are on Katy and she knows when we say ‘pack time’ exactly what we mean. She loves it, and quite frankly, so do we.”

Two of Katy’s pups stayed in Cloverdale. One was adopted by the Vellutini family, the other by Michael and Mary Ann Brigham who own Ruth McGowan’s Brew Pub.

Brigham says her dog, Kyra, is still very timid and afraid of people, but gets along great with other dogs. She even seems to enjoy her weekly visits to King’s Kastle – once she gets past the humans in the front office, that is. Brigham chalks her shyness up to the residual effects of puppy mill in-breeding.

The other dogs have done well, too.

Take Daisy, for instance. Just six months old when rescued, she was adopted by a family with ties to the White House and is now being trained as a bomb-sniffing dog.

Gracie, one of the older dogs, lives in Aptos with a grandmother who cares for an 8-year old grandson with a heart condition. Combs reports that Gracie and the boy just “clicked,” and his health has improved as a result.

When her new owner was Mayor of Cloverdale, Katy even got to ride in the Citrus Fair Parade.

Only Eddie, the oldest of the male dogs has died, but his last six months were probably some of the best of his life. His new family says he turned out to be quite a good fishing buddy and quickly embraced the ultimate retirement attitude.

For Combs, the experience was the final catalyst needed to establish her new non-profit foundation, which will create a Vocational Education Center offering both certificated and non-certificated programs for those who work with animals

Known as the GreenDog Rescue Project, its mission is to “revolutionize the current animal shelter model with a nature-based alternative, providing sanctuary and rehabilitation for dogs at risk of euthanasia and improving their relationships with their human families through education, training and outreach programs.”

Combs says the big vision is a working VocEd Center housing on-site shelter, grooming and veterinary services, as well as a number of classrooms. Her goal is to have GreenDog become the model for all future shelters and rescues.

To reach King’s Kastle or Colleen Combs, call either 894-5785 or 838-2785.

Geologist Tom Lion worked closely with a crew from Lone Pine Drilling of Sebastopol to gather the soil samples at Cloverdale's Riverside Cemetery.

Cloverdale’s Riverside Cemetery has been plagued for years by land slippage. The most recent incident in late February took out about 30 feet of retaining wall and damaged several gravesites.

Public Works crews from the City of Cloverdale, owners of the cemetery, put yellow security tape around the area and cleaned up the mess as best they could. With no money to do the actual repairs, though, that was about as far as it went.

At the time, Mayor Bob Cox said he’d like to see one of the town’s service clubs partner with the Historical Society to raise the funds necessary to both repair and maintain the cemetery.

While acknowledging that there will always be costs involved for things like specialized labor and insurance, volunteer caretaker Will Layfield  says he hopes to accomplish much of the work using as much donated equipment and supplies as possible. So far, the City has agreed to waive all permit fees, Lone Pine Drilling of Sebastopol donated the use of their drill, and Cloverdale geologist Tom Lion is donating his services to analyze the soil samples.

When this soils analysis is complete, Engineer Bob Swarthout will design the foundation and footings for the new retaining wall. At this point, Layfield says they aren’t even sure how deep the footings need to be.

“When it was originally built, workers probably did it with shovels, picks and wheelbarrows,” he said. “Our goal is to put it back as close to the original as possible, while being extremely careful with the surrounding gravesites. Three have been damaged already.”

Layfield and his volunteer construction team of Al Delsid, Don Green, Scott Knight and Wyatt Shook say the type of supplies and equipment they need will include plywood, 2×4’s, concrete – lots of concrete! – rebar, steel I-beams, a mine excavator, a small bobcat, wheelbarrows  and shovels. They will also need someone to haul the old concrete away.

A new FaceBook page entitled Save Riverside Cemetery has been set up to keep those interested in the restoration efforts up to date.

Cash donations are especially welcome and can sent to the Cloverdale Historical Society, P.O. Box 628, Cloverdale CA 95425, Attn: Will Layfield.  Be sure to indicate it is for “Cemetery Restoration.”  Any money left after the current repair project is completed will be used to create a reserve fund for future repairs.

For more information, call 894-2067.

Abraham Lincoln once said, “All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.”

When you think of your mom, is there one memory in particular that stands out?

Maybe there’s something you always wanted to say to her, but either haven’t done it yet or never got around to it before it was too late.

Here’s your chance to tell the world about your mom – but more importantly, here’s your opportunity to tell her what’s in your heart and what having her in your life has meant to you

It doesn’t matter if she’s your biological mom, your foster mom or your adopted mom – she’s still your mother.

Share your thoughts in the Comments section below and make this Mother’s Day special for both of you.

Breakfast includes pancakes, ham, eggs, fresh strawberries and a variety of beverages of your choice at the very reasonable price of only $8 for adults and $4 for children under 10. Every mother will also receive a corsage.

New this year will be the opportunity to purchase professional family portraits.

According to Kiwanis spokesperson Sue Cummins, all proceeds will go towards  scholarships for graduating CHS seniors and will be presented at the upcoming Awards Night.

“We invite you to support us in our efforts, knowing that every penny of profit from our Mother’s Day Breakfast will be used to help these deserving students further their educational goals.

For more information, contact Cummins at cummins@sonic.net

~ A free Country Music Workshop, presented by local musicians David Garland and Tom McBride, and featuring local musicians Bobby Lee, Jonny Robbins and Ernie Hunt, will meet at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, May 9, at the Cloverdale Center for the Arts, 105 E. First St.  Attendees are encouraged to bring their 6-strings, 4-strings, washboards and/or singing voice!  This will be a guaranteed good time event for all country music and bluegrass fans.   For more information, contact Garland at either 894-2738 or david.garland@medtronic.com.

~ Readers of “This Cold Heaven” by Gretel Ehrlich are invited to participate in a book discussion from 2 to 3 p.m. on Thursday, May 10, at the Cloverdale Library, 401 N. Cloverdale. Open to everyone. No admission.  894-5271.

~ The “vocal jazz” sounds of the Metro Gnomes will return to THE Jazz Club from 8 to 10 p.m. on Thursday, May 10, inside the Cloverdale Center for the Arts at 105 E. First St.  Doors open at 7:30 p.m. Seating is limited to the first 44 club-goers.  Suggested donation is $10 for members of the Cloverdale Arts Alliance and $12 for non-members. Club refreshments served.  894-4414

~ Enjoy a musical mix of Oldies Rock & Roll, Folk and Americana with musician JP Soden from 7 to 9:30 p.m. on Friday, May 11 at the Vino di Amore tasting lounge, 105 N. Cloverdale Blvd. Wine and non-alcoholic beverages available. No cover charge.  894-6166.

~ The 86^th annual Ram Sale will begin at 8 a.m. on Saturday, May 12 at the Cloverdale Citrus Fairgrounds. Animals can be previewed starting at 8 a.m., with the actual auction starting at 1 p.m.  A lamb BBQ, prepared by the Cloverdale Lamb Sale Committee, will be offered at 11:30 a.m.  No admission.  795-3246 or 337-0943.

Vernelle Anders

Sonoma County songstress Vernelle Anders, accompanied by Cloverdale’s very own Greg Hester on piano, will entertain diners from 6 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, May 3 at Piacere Ristorante Italiano.

Anders has performed with the likes of Ray Brown, Jack Shelton, Joe Sample and Tommy Newsome, to name a few, and her musical repertoire includes Jazz, Blues, Latin and R&B.

Piacere is located at 504 N. Cloverdale Blvd.  894-0885.

This display showcases just a few of the many eclectic items available at Oat Valley Vintage.

Two Cloverdale businesses are planning their official grand openings this week.

Formerly located in the Ace Hardware shopping center at the south end of town, the Goodwill Store is moving to a much larger building at 543 N. Cloverdale Blvd.

The newly expanded store means that, in addition to their regular offerings of clothing, knick-knacks and assorted household items, Goodwill’s Cloverdale location can now carry much larger items, including furniture.

The community is invited to the store’s ribbon cutting ceremony this Thursday morning, May 3, at 10 a.m.

Store hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday.  894-5200.

Oat Valley Vintage, located at 31750 Old Redwood Highway North, has been open for a few weeks, even as owners Sandi Crayford, Patti Mills and Sherri Moore continued to gather and arrange their eclectic array of antiques and collectibles.

Shoppers are invited to stop by and enjoy some refreshments this Saturday, May 5 from 4 to 7 p.m. while checking out the two floors displaying everything from Depression glass to old metal advertising signs and everything in between. You might even take home one of several gift certificates they’ll be giving away.

Currently, their regular store hours are Thursday through Monday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.,  closed Tuesday and Wednesday, however they expect to be open every day starting later this month.  894-4814.