Smith: A Holly Near appearance, ghastly business in Oakmont and saving the Singletree Inn

Ukiah-born singer and songwriter, “Hair” cast member and peace-and-justice activist Holly Near will be in Sebastopol on ?Aug. 27 to be honored by locals and to honor them right back - through song.

Near is one of five people whose names will be added to the town’s Living Peace Wall, created by resident Michael Gillotti in 2015 to acknowledge individuals from near and far who’ve championed social justice and nonviolent approaches to resolving conflict.

Near, who’s worked with the likes of Joan Baez, Pete Seeger, Ronnie Gilbert, Arlo Guthrie, Bonnie Raitt and Jackson Browne, said she will be there for her induction, and will sing.

The ceremony is from 11 a.m. to noon that Sunday at the town square, located just behind the Rialto Cinemas.

Also to be engraved in the wall are the names of Sebastopol’s Don and Dee Schilling, the steadfast civil and human rights advocates; activist and former Peace & Justice Center coordinator Susan Lamont of Santa Rosa; and the late Charles Liteky, who was presented the Medal of Honor for valor as an Army chaplain in Vietnam and nearly 20 years later gave the medal back.

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PEACE IN OAKMONT, meanwhile, remains somewhere over the rainbow.

You might set down your cereal spoon before reading about the latest outrage in the senior community’s civil war over power on the homeowners’ association board and whether or not hundreds of thousands of dollars should be spent on new pickleball courts.

The current Oakmont Village Association board notified residents that last Saturday a paper bag on which was written “YOU NEXT” was placed on the porch of OVA Vice President Ken Heyman. Inside the bag was the head of a rat.

No, I don’t think it’s funny.

At an emergency meeting of the board, Heyman vacated the office of vice president. He will remain an OVA director.

Gloria Young was elected the new president and Greg Goodwin the vice president.

You may recall that just three weeks ago, new OVA President Ellen Leznik resigned from the board, citing disruption from a “very loud group” of residents. And a month ago OVA Manager Cassie Turner announced she’d been “shut out” by the board and had no choice but to resign.

President Young has told Oakmonters the board unanimously approved the installation of security cameras at the homes of all the directors.

Young said the “personal attacks and threats of intimidation and violence” have got to stop. They surely do.

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THE SINGLETREE INN in Healdsburg is renowned in these parts for its blueberry pancakes, machaca scramble and small-town hospitality.

The Singletree also is in deep trouble. The roadwork on Healdsburg Avenue there south of the plaza is killing business. People are rallying for owners Nancy Van Praag and Dolores Rodriquez. Among the supporters of the Singletree are musicians grateful for the 18 years of meals its owners have donated to the Healdsburg Jazz Festival. On Sunday, the festival will give back.

From 1 to 8 p.m., Healdsburg Jazz & Friends will host a benefit concert and barbecue right there in the Singletree’s parking lot. For more details see healdsburgjazzfestival.org.

Even more than usual, the joint promises to be cookin’.

You can reach Staff Writer Chris Smith at 707-521-5211 or chris.smith@pressdemocrat.com.