Letters to the Editor – May 9, 2011
CDC clarifications
Thank you for covering the City of Arcata’s Committee on Democracy and Corporations annual study session with the City Council. I would just like to clarify a couple of points.
While the CDC has presented a draft version of its proposed Formula Retail and Services Ordinance to the City of Arcata’s Economic Development Committee, we have NOT made presentations to any of the business organizations in Arcata. Our plan is to complete the draft language and then to meet with the Arcata Chamber of Commerce, Arcata Main Street and the Humboldt Independent Business Association to solicit business community input before presenting the proposal to the general public and to Arcata’s Planning Commission.
Towards the end of the article you described my, “bristling reaction,” to City Manger Randy Mendosa’s reminder to the CDC that all press releases have to be approved by city staff prior to release. You definitely nailed my bristling tone on the head, I was, admittedly, feeling a little defensive. I felt that Randy’s cautionary tone to us was based on a perception that we, as a whole, are renegades that need watching more than any other committee. While Randy assured me that past experience with different committees made him generally cautious,
I felt the need to emphasize the fact that we are in no way unreasonable or out-of-control renegades. What I said was that the CDC had never released any statements to the public that in any way countered city policy or spoke for the City Council.
Also, your quote could easily be read to mean that I said the CDC has done nothing, when in fact since its inception it has succeeded in a number of its efforts including, and not limited to, its initial task of implementing a Formula Restaurant Ordinance.
I would also like to invite members of the public to attend our regular meetings on the third Tuesday of each month from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 pm in the Redevelopment Agency’s ante room located near the Intermodal Transfer Station. We are supposed to be a seven-member committee, but currently have three vacancies. We encourage interested community members to submit their applications to the City of Arcata. In order to achieve all that we hope (town hall meetings; fulfilling our educational responsibilities through film series, PSAs, cable access shorts; fundraising; etc.) we need additional members.
Sincerely,
Kathleen Marshall
CDC member
Arcata
Respect Clam Beach
Last week’s lead story (“Buzzkill drizzle fizzles 4/20”) included a comment suggesting that Clam Beach would be a more accommodating location for 4/20 than Redwood Park due to the open space and restrooms.
It’s important to understand that 4/20 activities at Clam Beach have been very destructive and costly for Humboldt County Parks. In recent years the Clam Beach campground was a magnet for many participants looking for an all-night party spot after they dispersed from the time-synchronized lighting-up at Redwood Park and other venues.
In addition to marijuana consumption there was under-age drinking, brawling, loose dogs, vandalism, evasion of camping fees, and vast amounts of garbage. Humboldt County Parks has been forced to assign all available staff to Clam Beach, working far into the night, to contain the 4/20 activities and limit the damage. Sheriff’s Deputies and State Park Rangers have helped monitor for egregious law-breaking and also resource damage on the beach.
4/20 comes just as the breeding season for the threatened western snowy plover is starting to unfold and when the beach-nesting birds are most vulnerable. The cost for staff mobilization and 4/20 clean-up diverts limited County funds from addressing other park and trail needs that would benefit the general public.
This year, fortunately, the effects of 4/20 at Clam Beach were reduced, due in part to a reconfigured campground, soggy weather, having the date falling on a Wednesday, and the City of Arcata’s efforts to discourage the overall event.
So Clam Beach is no place for a free-for-all. Humboldt County Parks shares the City of Arcata’s view that damaging park facilities and destroying resources are totally unacceptable.
Clam Beach and Redwood Park each have their own legacies and reputations for toleration of excessive behavior that are slowly being reformed over time, with considerable management effort. Public land managers and law enforcement agencies will need to coordinate to prevent problems from simply being displaced to the next vulnerable site.
Hank Seemann
Environmental Services Manager
Humboldt County Public Works Department
Eureka
Adoption discrimination
I am glad that President Obama was able to obtain a copy of his Original Birth Certificate to prove that he was born in the United States.
However, if President Obama had been born AND ADOPTED in the United States, he still would NOT be able to produce his Original Birth Certificate for the public or even for his own viewing. By law, he would only be able to produce an “Amended Birth Certificate.” (An Amended Birth Certificate is issued at the finalization of a person’s adoption. This “birth certificate” replaces a person’s birth name with a new name and his/her natural parents’ names/info. with his adoptive parents names/info Once an ABC is issued, a person is kept from viewing/possessing their truthful documentation of birth. His/her Original Birth Certificate is sealed FOREVER.)
I wish President Obama had been adopted so that the country could see how discriminatory it is to seal an adopted person’s birth certificate and replace it with a falsified one.
“We’re not going to be able to do it if we just make stuff up and pretend that facts are not facts.” –President Barack Obama, Feb. 27, 2011
Sincerely,
Mara Parker
Trinidad
The bongo whisperer
Kevin Hoover, you deserve a huge kudo
For describing what downtown drums do do
“Bongeaux hootenanny?”
There really aren’t many
Who juggle words quite the way you do
Alan Sanborn
Arcata
A calm plea for reason
City Hall, anywhere, is a legalized morally CRIMINAL ENTERPRISE based ON EXTORTION far greater than the Capone mob ever was, over all.
In fact reportedly Capone would give those paying “protection” actual protection, ie, – they would never be bothered by inspectors, police, rival gangs, etc, and their business license would be in the mail immedietly, and the business owner would be told to do whatever the owner wanted.
A far cry from the present day condition where buying a business license amounts to inviting hoards of government “inspectors” to invade, harass and destroy your business, and you, with impunity, and the only way to stop this is to DRASTICALLY REDUCE THE SIZE OF GOVERNMENT NOW, or our state, towns, country and way of life will be soon destroyed. See (JBS.org) or call Ed Nemechek at (760) 246-8059 for info.
Ed Nemechek
Adelanto
Steve ‘Mrs. Rubina’ Belanger trusts us!
From: Steve Belanger
Subject: Hope I Can Trust You
Dearest friend,
I am Rubina of Kuwait national though permanent resident of London, United Kingdom. I saw your e-mail contact on internet when I was searching for a God fearing person that will assist me in carry out my wish, I didn’t know why I chose you maybe it is the spirit of God that directed me to you.
Let me just go straight to the point and tell you what the matter is, I have been diagnosed with cancer and I need your help in distributing my funds to charities, I am writing you this e-mail from the hospital where I am currently receiving treatment, I am contacting you because I strongly believe you are in a strong position to handle this project.
Please get back to me as soon as possible if you are willing to help me.
Regards,
Mrs. Rubina
The Internet
Note: For her stalwart service to truth, justice and the Arcata Way, Kathy Marshall deserves an ice cream cone from Arcata Scoop, 1068 I St. (707) 825-7266. – Ed.
