It’s been a week since Susanne Baremore and Benjamin Nowain learned that a whistleblower had come forward with disparagaing texts about them, alledgedly written by District 5 Supervisor Chris Kelstrom.
Baremore shared the screengrabs of the texts on social media, including the Thought You Should Know Shasta County Facebook page.
“Susanne and her giant ass were there last night,” Kelstrom alledgedly texted about Baremore to a private citizen who’d released the texts on the condition of anonymity, out of fear of retaliation.
The texts about Baremore were punctuated with a pair of vomiting emojis.
Kelstrom had even more to say about Nowain.
“That guy is such a douche bag … I’d love nothing more than to beat his ass and take away his lunch money,” texted Kelstrom about Nowain.
“Thanks. Now I’m throwing up .. not to mention I just voted to give that little piece of shit a raise.”
Again, vomiting emojis accompanied the text messages about Nowain.
During Tuesday’s Shasta County Board of Supervisors meeting Kelstrom’s alledged texts were brought forward by citizen Joe Dokes during the public comment period.
Kelstrom, who’s notorious for dozing off during board meetings, went stock-still, with eyes frequently fluttering shut, as Dokes took his entire 3-minute allotted time to verbally chastise Kelstrom.
District 5 Supervisor Chris Kelstrom endures an onslaught of accusations about him during Tuesday’s Shasta County Board of Supervisors public comment period. Photo by Doni Chamberlain.
Who is Chris Kelstrom?
Of the three extremist board members who make up the Shasta County Board of Supervisors’ board majority, Kelstrom is perhaps the greatest enigma. Up until recently — when his cringe-worthy text messages about Baremore and Nowain became public — Kelstrom was known as the least controversial ultra-right supervisor, and the most even-keeled.
In his personal life, Kelstrom is known as an experienced auctioneer who volunteers for many causes, such as Jones’ recent campaign fundraiser. He’s also an avowed Trump supporter, and a true believer in the State of Jefferson movement’s desire to split California.
District 5 Supervisor Chris Kelstrom and fellow State of Jefferson devotee Jon Knight display the State of Jefferson flag.
Kelstrom is also a militia member.
A cropped photo shows Kelstrom and Cottonwood Militia founder/Cottonwood barber Woody Clenenden modeling “Shas-Taliban” shirts (a moniker created by Doni Chamberlain).
His former occupation was related to the grocery business, something Kelstrom has said that he quit to keep up with supervisor responsibilities.
While many news stories have featured Crye and Jones, Kelstrom has largely flown beneath the political radar. Unlike Crye and Jones, he doesn’t publicly promote himself and/or his friends, and he’s rarely quoted in news stories or sought by media for interviews.
However, even before Kelstrom threw his hat in the District 5 campaign ring, he participated in online banter about the recall of former District 2 Supervisor Leonard Moty. In one online exchange that included someone who referred to District 3 Supervisor Rickert as a “piece of vile trash”, Kelstrom directed a warning to Rickert.
“Careful, Mary … the recall group can always file more paperwork and concentrate on a different Supervisor this time,” responded Kelstrom.
As a supervisor, Kelstrom rarely speaks, and when he does, it’s usually to weigh in on one of the now-predictable 3-2 vote counts, with supervisors Crye, Jones and Kelstrom carrying the majority votes, while Supervisor Rickert and District 2 Supervisor Tim Garman are frequently overruled as the board’s consistent minority.
Then-candidate Chris Kelstrom
Kelstrom – who stands 6’9″ tall – utilized a campaign slogan that referred to one of his most obvious characteristics — his height: “Head and shoulders above the rest.”
Plus, he often mentioned during campaign speeches his lifelong friendship with Supervisor Jones, and how the men had been close since there were kids.
During forums and debates, Kelstrom memorably stated that he would not renew his lapsed permit to carry a concealed weapon (CCW) because it was his God-given right to carry a gun, and he didn’t need the government’s permission to do so.
During a candidates’ forum in Cottonwood, Kelstrom vowed to never apply for another CCW permit.
During his 2022 campaign, Kelstrom was part of a slate of far-right candidates who appeared so confident of their anticipated win that they posed on election night with small straw brooms to illustrate their expected “clean sweep”.
From left, District 4 Supervisor Patrick Jones narrates the 2022 election night returns as he poses with Shasta County Superintendent of Schools candidate Bryan Caples, Shasta County Sheriff candidate John Green, then-District 5 candidate Chris Kelstrom, Shasta County District Attorney candiate Eric Jensen, and Shasta County Registrar of Voters/County Clerk candidate Bob Holsinger.
Chris Kelstrom won the 2022 election to become Shasta County’s District 5 supervisor.
But of all the candidates photographed holding mini brooms on the June 2022 election night, only Kelstrom won his bid for election.
As part of the Shasta County Board majority, Kelstrom is one-third of Jones and Crye’s overpowering voting trio. Together, they’ve changed the course and dynamics of Shasta County government from mostly rationally conservative, to the kind of extremism that’s put the county on the map as one of the most politically far-right counties in California.
The board majority rammed through a slew of controversial agenda items, from banishing Shasta County’s Dominion voting contract, and ditching impact fees, to designating Shasta County as rural, a label that will stick for a decade.
They’ve appointed a number of stunningly underqualified applicants. They granted the position of health officer to Dr. James Mu, who is largely unavailable due to the time-consuming job of closing his 5,000-patient practice. The board majority stuck with Mu, ignoring the fact that Mu was so lacking in public health training that the county is on the hook to pay for his education.
Furthermore, Neither Kelstrom nor Crye disclosed prior to hiring Mu that the family practice physican had contributed money to their election campaigns.
Then there’s the upcoming county counsel — Joseph Larmour — who’s in a personal relationship with one of Crye’s managers, something Crye failed to disclose before he “poached” Joseph Larmour from Yuba County and voted to hire him, despite Larmour’s limited experience.
But perhaps one of the most widely ridiculed appointments was the majority’s insistance upon grow-store owner Jon Knight to sit upon the usually non-controversial Mosquito and Vector Control board.
Jon Knight, grow-store owner and executive producer of the Red, White & Blueprint docuseries.
Not only was Knight woefully less qualified than other applicants — including an epidemiologist and a biologist — but during his pre-appointment comments he leapt down a conspiracy rabbit hole about the Japanese arming mosquitoes with syringes, and boasting that he was familiar with and certified to sell all kinds of pesticides, a statement that turned out to be false.
And when it came time to vote on a shooting range to fulfill childhood friend Jones’ lifelong dream, Kelstrom voted to support Jones’ shooting range, without recusing himself to avoid an apparent conflict of interest and the perception that lifelong friends will support one another.
Supervisor Garman joined the trio in approving the zoning change to green-light Jones’ shooting range project.
That’s a mere sample of the votes Kelstrom supported with Crye and Jones.
In the 14 months since Kelstom took office, with each meeting he appears increasingly more morose and bored during meetings. He often struggles to remain awake, despite, as he admitted during an inverview, his consumption of two Red Bull energy drinks to get through a supervisors meeting.
Kelstrom’s text victims
Benjamin Nowain was one of many county union employees to speak at the Shasta County Board of Supervisors meetings in 2023. Photo by Doni Chamberlain
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Benjamin Nowain participates in a Stand With Moty rally.
What makes the mocking texts about Nowain and Baremore especially noteworthy is that both are extremely involved in Shasta County politics. Both are frequent speakers during the Shasta County Board of Supervisors public comment period. Both have been outspoken critics of many of the board majority’s decisions. Both fought the lie-based recall of Leonard Moty.
Nowain, who’s a Shasta County employee, led the charge during rallies and protests seeking better wages for himself and fellow union members. He also is the creator of The North State Breakdown, which is published on A News Cafe.
According to Nowain, the date of Kelstrom’s defamatory comments about him coincided with the release of his North State Breakdown about Supervisor Jones’ conflicts of interest.
Benjamin Nowain is a frequent speaker at supervisors meetings where he often criticizes the board majority. Photo by Doni Chamberlain.
Baremore ran for a seat on the still-undecided District 2 Shasta County Board of Supervisors election. She was also appointed by Supervisor Rickert as a member of the Shasta County Elections Commission.
The official Shasta County photo shows from left to right, Susanne Baremore, former commissioner Dawn Duckett, vice chair Lisa Michaud, chairwoman Ronnean Lund and Bev Gray. Courtesy of Shasta County.
Reached for comment about the texts, Baremore said although she wasn’t surprised to learn what Kelstrom thought of her, she was outraged by Kelstrom’s words about Nowain.
Susanne Baremore
“Supervisor Kelstrom’s comments about me, I can take with a grain of salt. Considering the source, I’m not terribly surprised to learn these are the parameters by which he personally judges me,” Baremore said.
“But, I find it utterly indefensible for a county supervisor to speak in such a threatening and derogatory manner about a Shasta County employee.”
Likewise, Nowain shared his reaction to Kelstrom’s text messages:
“It’s incredibly inappropriate. I’m a Staff Services Analyst II, and he is a sitting supervisor,” Nowain said.
“It’s very concerning to know that people in power in our county speak about their constituents that way, let alone an employee of the same organization. It makes me wonder how many other employees are subject to this kind of behavior.”
Meanwhile, Dokes has filed a formal complaint about Kelstrom with the Shasta County Grand Jury.
In his complaint, Dokes said it’s noteworthy that the text messages included the heading “Chris Kelstrom Supervisor”.
“Kelstrom’s texts are not ‘protected speech’ in my opinion,” Dokes wrote in his complaint. “Kelstrom cannot allege these were just his private conversations, and, even if so, are not protected for purposes of adherence to the Shasta County Personnel manuel.”
Dokes said Kelstom’s behavior was ‘disgusting’ — and said the texts clearly demonstrate Kelstrom’s feelings about Shasta County residents.
“There must be ZERO tolerance for hate speech, harassment or shaming, and espousing violence in Shasta County, even more so by officials,” wrote Dokes in his complaint.
It remains to be seen whether the Grand Jury will investigate the charges against Kelstrom, or whether Kelstrom will suffer any consequences, such as his colleagues’ censure, or possibly a rebuke from the CEO or county counsel.
What is known is that according to Nowain’s wife, Jenny O’Connell, who spoke during Tuesday’s supervisors meeting, the couple will exercise their legal options.
“This text about a public employee is completely unacceptable,” O’Connell said. “You and your ilk have created a toxic work environment. Your harrassment of my husband is more than unwelcome; it is appalling.”
She informed Kelstrom that the couple expected a written and public apology. She told Kelstrom to expect litigation, against the county and Kelstrom personally. Finally, she offered a suggestion.
“I suggest you resign your position,” O’Connell said. “Frankly, you’ve worn out your welcome here.”
O’Connell then reached into a lunch box and extracted a bag of potato chips.
“You want to steal from us?” O’Connell asked. “We’ll give it to you.”
With that, she placed the lunch snack on the dais in front of Kelstrom.
Applause erupted from the board chambers as O’Connell returned to her seat.
And Dokes, who submitted the complaint against Kelstrom? He hopes citizens will rise up and communicate during supervisor meetings their disapproval and disappointment in Kelstrom.
Still, he wonders if there will be any meaningful consequences for Kelstrom.
“My fear is that this behavior will be whitewashed and forgotten,” Dokes wrote in his submission to the Grand Jury.
“I don’t believe the victims will allow this to happen. But with as overtly partisan as this board has become, without external input and investigation, I do not believe a fair and just outcome can be reached.”
Either way, thanks to a whistleblower, Shasta County residents now know a bit more about Kelstrom, supposedly the man of few words.
We’ve learned that quiet Kelstrom had plenty of words all along, simmering below the surface, ready to rise up and reveal his true negative feelings about county employees and the public alike.
When in doubt, check his texts.
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