The gift of this mural is intended to honor Ronald Reiter. He was in his element along the Mendocino coast and could stand for hours on a headland, taking it all in. He never missed a chance to visit a lighthouse, particularly those with Fresnel lenses. He was fascinated by their science and art. On a tour at the Mendocino lighthouse, he soaked up the volunteers’ words and enthused about the polished brass and circling prisms, his eyes reflecting the glow.He was, himself, a light in the world.  He spent his career working to prevent companies from fleecing consumers. Here are some examples: He prosecuted cases against companies, among others, that lied and tricked low-income consumers into signing liens on their homes. He filed dozens of amicus and other appellate briefs with state and federal courts and occasionally the U.S. Supreme, for example, to insure companies exploiting their workers couldn’t falsely tout their fine treatment of workers in their ads. He lobbied the legislature, on behalf of the California Attorney General, to pass laws more protective of consumers, for example, to prosecute so-called foreclosure consultants, or  to prohibit auto dealers from making misleading claims based on “invoice prices.” He helped consumer protection prosecutors and legal aid attorneys and private attorneys across the state to realize the potential in California’s consumer protection laws to make a difference for the public.  

So his light still shines.  

The mural’s radiance honors his light and reminds us that we, too, can be a light.