The Sacramento Valley Mirror Keeps it Real
Published on March 9, 2008 by Daniel Taylor · 24 Comments 
WARNING: the following sentimental diatribe may be tl;dr
Being born and raised in Willows, CA, a forlorn outpost of a town known mostly to the outside world as a place to score Taco Bell or Starbucks on Interstate-5 between Sacramento and Portland, I had the good fortune to enjoy the sort of quaint small-town upbringing that many of my more urban rooted friends and associates know only from books and movies. Though the list of things that rule about life in Willows is too long to denote here, I can say that one of the more unique, and perhaps quixotic, aspects of Willows is the Sacramento Valley Mirror, a twice-weekly newspaper that acts as a foil to the local McPaper, the Willows Journal, and more importantly, as an implement of epic shit stirring. Owner / Editor Tim Crews is possibly the most despised in the entirety of Glenn County and for good reason: he’s successfully taken on almost every aspect of the local government, the cops, the County Supervisors, the School District and has somehow always come out relatively unscathed. As a kid in Willows though, I cared less about the uncovering of corruption and graft within local politics than I did the weekly rundown of Police Calls, which ensured that no domestic dispute or Drug bust would go unrecorded. Many lulz were had reading about a buddy’s older brother getting popped for Meth or the high school gym teacher roughing up his old lady. The Valley Mirror is the type of paper that every small town needs, but hardly any have. It has thus earned a surprising amount of accolades from the journalism world at large. Last year, I almost shit myself when I picked up my morning copy of the San Francisco Chronicle and saw the above picture of Crews strolling through Downtown Willows (at an intersection from which one of the five sets of stoplights in the entire town was recently removed, if that tells you anything about Willows). The accompanying story was quite laudatory, painting Crews as the protagonist in the David vs. Goliath fight of investigative journalism versus the corporate news world in the internet age:
The kind of scrappy journalism Crews does may become harder to find if current media trends continue. With classified advertising usurped by the Internet, newspapers across the country are facing mounting losses and, in many cases, cuts in staff and resources. First Amendment scholars fear that investigative journalism may die as newsprint fades away. Crews won’t have any of it. He is a country editor whose little paper is influencing public opinion on a shoestring budget. A maverick, old-school muckraker, Crews is notorious in this rural farming community of 6,220 people and the governmental center of Glenn County.
However, much to the chagrin of those who’d like to see the paper go the way of the dodo, the Sacramento Valley Mirror is now online, providing me with the weekly dose of the small town drama I’ve been missing. A quick run down of this week’s news shows the the Valley Mirror is still doing its thing. The leading editorial “Yes, we owe Glenn County taxes, and Glenn County owes us a fair shake” takes a recent disclosing of the paper’s outstanding property tax bill and turns it into a rather stirring run down of the various intimidation tactics used against the paper since it’s formation:
The paper is founded. In the first three years we have some 30 break-ins, cases of vandalism, or car burglaries. Most reports not even logged.
fter a several such, Sheriff Roger Roberts, beleaguered and looking tired, visited. Hands down on the counter, slumped shouldered, he said, “I just don’t know whom I can trust. But do this, clean the bottom of those computers real well so we can get some prints.†And so we did, with carbon tet. Clean as a phonied up narcotics case. A week or later we had another burglary. Our landlord had heard a scanner in the office – we didn’t have a base then — but wasn’t quick enough to catch anyone. We called it in. Lots of deleted files and searched files. The machine showed when they were entered. Then deputy, and now Glenn County Sheriff’s Lieutenant, Phil Revolinsky was there working when the Glenn County District Attorney investigators arrived.
“I’ll just go get my fingerprint kit it out of my car,†Deputy Revolinsky told Chief Investigator Mike Murray.
“No you won’t,†Lt. Revolinsky recalls the chief investigator saying. And so, no prints were taken.
Sand in the valve cover, water in the gas, .22 hole in a door, the list dragged on until a call to Congressman Vic Fazio’s office prompted the feds to make an appearance. And it all stopped. Three years and 30 or so events. If one lives with this kind of nonsense long enough, it becomes somewhat irritating. There was never one investigation by Glenn County. Those were different times, we are glad to say. [Memo to Willows Police Department: Any progress on the arson fire here 16 months ago?]
Elsewhere however, the mood is lighter with headlines such as the epic “Dog Bites Patrol Car.” And though the Willows Police Logs are seemingly yet to be online, there is at least the rundown of Glenn County’s Most Wanted, which from time to time includes any number of childhood friends and dudes I used to smoke weed with in high school. Ah, Willows! One day I shall make my return!
The Sacramento Valley Mirror Keeps it Real,
Tags: 95988, CA, Glenn County, Interstate 5, Sacramento Valley Mirror, Surrounding Areas, Tim Crews
Readers Comments (24)
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If the Revolutionaries in the government would have respected the will of, “We the People” and enacted Proposition 187 we may have avoided these problems.
well said.
The Glenn County Sheriff’s call log is on line! Try http://www.fyi911.net!
Regarding this story about the Valley Mirror newspaper, alot of it is bull. Yes Crews has stirred up much comotion, but he is in it for his own interests, not anyone elses. He gets involved in lawsuits and things that have nothing to do with reporting the truth. Instead he does it for revenue, as so he writes his stories.
He was once the managing editor of that McRag local paper mentioned. THen, he refused to pring the police blotter becasue it smeard people without the benefit of being proven guilty. Now in his own paper, he prints names and his paper is known as “THe Velly Smear”.
He is phoney, but believe what you want to.
Oh come on. Whatever. If you’ve ever spent ten minutes with the guy you would know that he is a kind-hearted and caring person. Yes, he does get involved in some lawsuits, but they are one the\at hve affected people in the community due to a wrongful doing. I am not saying your thoughts are wrong for they are your own, however I do not agree with them. Mr. Crews tells it like it is and keeps it real.
Tim Crews is doing a great job for the people. Keep Up The Good Work Tim Crews Knowledge Is Power
Tim Crews gets right to the facts and underminds the assumptions.
Just want to say that a reporter isn’t doing his job well if it doesn’t piss someone off. Tim reports the news and he is not afraid to make some people mad. Good Job Tim keep up the good work!!!
Nick name for his paper, “The Valley Smear.”New name for his paper, The Smelly Mirror.
Welcome to small town America where the world is too small and not enough pizazz to keep it interesting.
Last year it was about poopy birds in the park. Wow very in the know now!
Tim has done what newspaper editors should always do – print the news, even the bad stuff, and let the people know what’s going on in their community. I want to know where my tax dollars are being spent, and who is thinking they can stick their hand in the cookie jar any time they want and no one will care. Good for Tim, we need about a million more people like him, unafraid to tell us what’s really happening.
PAT JOHNSTON
13020 Hoy Rd.
Red Bluff, CA 96080
Home Phone (530) 529-0873
Business Phone (530) 527-8956
stylist@snowcrest.net
March 1, 2010
Re: Fraudulent Election in California of Senator Jim Nielson and stealing our water
The Daily News story “Sheriff: Much ado about memo” is a perfect example of what I’ve been complaining about for the last 30 years. Politicians passing the buck, when no one has done any investigation into the crime, because of political party affiliations, friendships and keeping secrets past cover-ups.
Cover-ups are like lying, one lie begets another. One act of corruption begets more acts of corruption. Since the 1986 Grand Jury made the statement, “We have received many allegations and suppositions with regard to unsolved murders, drugs, pornography ring involving minors, narcotics being sold openly to students and faculty members and other allegations.
The preponderance of those interviewed, both men and women, have indicated their names absolutely not be released to anyone due to threats of physical harm they received to themselves and their families.”
The corruption continues in Tehama County. The Grand Jury has never properly investigated any allegations since 1995. They pass the buck to District Attorney, who is usually part of the complaint or refer us to the Attorney General, who refers us back to the Grand Jury. This has been going on since 1986, when Sheriff Ron Koenig and other officials were accused by the 1986 Grand Jury.
I wish I could say that was the end of it, but it started what has now turned into 20 years of corruption and cover-ups, right up to the State level. This is a perfect example of what I’ve been complaining about for the last 30 years. Politicians passing the buck, when no one has done any investigation into the crime, because of political party affiliations, friendships and keeping secrets of each other’s past cover-ups.
Cover-ups are like lying.. One lie begets another. One act of corruption begets more acts of corruption.
Many of the people currently involved in this cover-up with Jim Nielson, including himself, have personal and political connections to Koenig, along with. Judge Ed King and Sheriff Clay Parker.
Democrats Secretary of State Debra Bowen and Attorney General Jerry Brown won’t investigate the allegations, because they want our water. Between Nielson, Schwarzenegger, Assemblyman Doug LaMalfa, Senator Sam Aanestead and the self serving Judge from Fresno, who ruled against Lake Red Bluff, they are on their way to stealing what water we have left for themselves and Nielson’s real constituents South of Sacramento..
North state Republicans sitting on our Board of Supervisors and City Council are serving up our water to Sacramento thieves and frauds on a silver platter. How come these local politicians, who supposedly care about water and agriculture has been selling out Tehama County and the City of Red Bluff, instead of protecting our interests?
We also have a serious problem with our City Manager Marty Nichols and County Administrative Official Bill Goodwin. Like Nielson, they are carpetbaggers, who do not live here and obviously, has no interest in helping our community, but seem bent on destroying it.
I wish I could say this was the end of it, but until the community raise up and tell these criminals to take a hike, our problems will continue.
Pat Johnston
Don’t Forget “Scotty”
I do not like the way the media portrayed my friend Donald Scott Williams. He was not what they said, and it makes my heart very sad. He was a Father, Son, soon to be grandfather. He was also someones’ nephew and a lot of peoples friend. Scotty had the most giving, loving spirit. He was a fine young man. He was a awesome person and I think that his parents did a great job with their son. I just wish I could have had the opportunity to meet his parent “with my friend”, “back in high school,” not at his memorial. Someone took his life and this is wrong. We went to high school together and after at least 10 years with no contact we found each other (call it “small town syndrome”) this was in 1997. You really know who your friends are when everything is the same as one left it many years before. Since then I have known of some of his problems with that horrible disease of “Addiction.” Since then I haven’t seen him for quite some time until this time out and he was going to college, staying clean, and looking forward to reconnecting with his family. I say a pray prayer for everyone that this murder has effected. “ORLANd ” this is “our town” and we had a Murder of a LOCAL BOY. Something needs to be done. Please don’t just sweep this under the carpet. Scotti will not rest in peace until justice is serviced. We need to get meth and murderers out of our town!!!!!Let not this be a horrible lesson please stop doing drugs and get an education make something better in our small Orland World. When God shuts the doors he opens windows. Let this be a learning experience to those who have had to learn to hared way. Please do not forget scotty he deserved a lot better and he was on his way. I know that I will never rest in peace until scotty has gotten justice for the taking of his beautiful person
you are right
This need to be in the newspaper
Tehama County Sheriff Koenig was about as dirty as they came in the 1980s there use to be lot of information about him and the people that were connected to hm and quite a bit those killed because of him or by his crew. From people disappearing storage lockers of information with included wire taps that could have convicted him all of this information was confiscated by a Doj agent and friend of sheriff Koenig that was also to be investigated or indicted with koenig .contents of container never seen again. Bodys that disappeared that have yet to be found deputies fired re-hired that is just a start try to find this information online now it all seems to have disappeard but people like clay parker and darrell plemons no some of the truth if not all
Allen, if you have any information. Call me @ 530-527-8956. Always looking for more pieces to this disgusting cover-up that that just keeps covering.
Tim Crews I hope and pray you can get justice for the family of Bud Folglesong and I know you will and keep your ears open and your eyes looking and something is in the air now.
Keep up the good work and God will point you in the right direction to solve the case.
Thank-you Tim for printing the ad about Glenn co cps grievences. I know you put this in your paper for all the families violated by CPS. Thank-You for such a big ad. You and your family will be greatly blessed for not accepting any money and I realize that it costs money to print and I plan on buying a suscription to your paper.
I would like to know more about this
Reading the newspaper accounts of the hearing between Activist Don Bird and fake Assemblyman Jim Nielson, I have to laugh, even though what happened is anything but funny. Nielson forgave Bird a $7500.00 judgment as long as Bird stays off of Nielson’s property. Bird has been there once to deliver a Sacramento Valley Mirror article to Nielson’s property. Bird can not or attempt to arrest Nielson. Bird can drive by his house as often as he wants, picket against events Nielson is attending, keep his firearms, which he has none of and can keep Bird dogging Nielson in every way he has been with these minor exceptions. The restraining order does nothing to keep his family “safe”, which was the basis for Nielson’s reason for the restraining order.
What did Nielson get out of it? He, his wife and his few supporters didn’t have to take the stand and perjure themselves, under oath. I asked his lawyer, who was paid by our tax dollars, how much it cost the taxpayers for Nielson to abuse his power and try intimidate Bird? She said she didn’t know and had no idea where to get the information. Three lawyers came up from Sacramento, documents filed, witnesses subpoenaed, plus court costs must have cost us a pretty penny!
Neilson and his wife made ridiculous and unfounded accusations against Bird in their declarations. Don drove by Nielson’s house 108 times, since 2008. No one was there. How can you stalk somebody if they are never at the place your supposedly stalking? If Bird wanted to stalk the Nielson’s, he would have to drive down to the gated community in Woodland where their mansion is.
The Nielson’s claimed they saw Bird in his brownish/red older vehicle drive by and follow them at the Gerber mobile. Bird has white vehicle and a champagne colored vehicle and has never seen the Nielson’s at the trailer. Ms. Nielson, being the Director of the California Arts Council, would be able to tell the difference between a light champagne and reddish brown color, especially when she is being paid $95,000 a year to do her “job”. The truth is they never saw Bird, because they are never at their Gerber property.
Ms. Nielson stated, things were being moved around my house, she heard someone running from her property, when she was home alone, while her children were attending school in Woodland and Nielson was working. Yeah right. Ms. Nielson stays in her mobile by herself, while her husband and kids live in the Woodland mansion, even though she works in Sacramento too. She said she couldn’t watch the stars in her back yard or sleep at night, because she was afraid of Bird. If she and her husband were so scared, why didn’t they call law enforcement about it? They said they had to increase security. They put up a sign and a motion light, but no fence. If you are to afraid to sit in your back yard, a fence would make them less paranoid.
The truth is Nielson abused his power and tax payer dollars to try to violate Bird’s First Amendment and his right to hold elected officials responsible for their crimes. Nielson paid Bird $7500.00 to leave him alone, so he can continue to commit fraud, embezzle and abuse his position and our tax dollars, commit perjury and try to intimidate his critics into silence, but the truth is Bird can still hound Nielson, just can’t bother Nielson’s fake nest or threaten him with arrest.
I hope you remember me…I have become involved with, we the people, Redding Tea Party. The major topic at regular Wed eve meetings in weaverville has been agenda 21, plus several other topics which threaten our property rights, water rights, gun rights, etc.
I was wondering…..Is there any possibility of your newspaper expanding, to cover the north state mountain counties? Our local newsmedia seems to refuse to report on whats happening with this Agenda 21 thing…….Agenda 21 is bigger than I imagined and very dangerous to our basic liberties.
The north mountain counties edition could be called, “Mountain Mirror”.
I am prepared to contribute in any way I could in such an endeaver.
Jessie is doin well…………Bob
I was Willows School District Superintendent for 12 years. I found Tim to always be fair and above board. When Tim asked a question I always answered him fair and honestly. When he sought information I gave it to him and never lied. Tim treated me fairly.
gary kemp
I have known tim for many years now. He is fair and looks up all facts before he writes anything. He has went over and beyond for people in the county. Its not Tim’s fault that is dirty people in the county. at least he has the balls to get out there and find out what is what. Keep up the good work Tim…Teri