Letters (Dec. 12, 2018)

• Be Prepared
• Win-Win
• No Pot On Rangeland
• The 'No Problem' Problem
• The Eternal Mystery
• What Happened?
• Why Not?

BE PREPARED

Editor: 

As a retired firefighter, I would like to extend a nod to the Moore family of Paradise for their preventive efforts in urban-interface fire preparation (“Homeowners took critical steps,” Saturday). It appears that their work was pivotal in saving their house from the disastrous Camp fire.

I will also say that last week I had occasion to drive through the Alta Vista neighborhood of Santa Rosa. This neighborhood, with a few exceptions, gets a complete F in urban-interface fire preparedness.

Yes, I single this neighborhood out, but everyone living in urban-interface areas must understand that every summer the threat of fire is at their doorstep.

I urge everyone to follow the guidance from Cal Fire or your local fire agency regarding urban-interface fire preparedness. Your life may depend on what you do before the fire.

Ron Batey

Windsor

WIN-WIN

To the Editor:

Once again, the Palace Hotel has made front page news. I would have to ask, what would be a commercially viable use for the property? If there were one, the current owner would have not had a problem attracting investors to participate in a business venture. So, I have a proposal that is win-win-win.

Work has stopped for lack of funding on the new county courthouse project. No one really knows when and if funding will ever become available. 

However, the project sits on a valuable piece of property. I suggest, that the state sell this property to developers to construct urgently needed housing in the form of apartments and townhouses. This is an ideal site for housing because it places residents within easy walking and bicycling distance of downtown, other commercial areas, medical services and government services (DMV, Post Office, Social Security, Police, City Hall, Social Services). The proceeds of the property sale can then be used to purchase the Palace Hotel property, gut the building, put parking in the first floor and provide court room/office space in the upper floors. I mentioned three wins — the third win is preservation of our precious downtown: downtown businesses will continue to receive the necessary foot traffic they need to remain viable, we will retain the outside appearance of an attractive historical building, and we will not have another empty eye-sore (current courthouse) sitting there empty.

Could we please ask our City Council and County Board of Supervisors to get rolling on this? Seems to be a no-brainer.

D.E. Johnson

Ukiah

NO POT ON RANGELAND

To the Editor:

I commend Supervisors Brown, Gjerde, and Croskey who, on Nov. 16, voted to deny the expansion of marijuana cultivation onto rangelands, including oak woodlands. The oak woodlands found in Mendocino County (and elsewhere in California) are unique: They are found nowhere else in the world. Ours are arguably more pristine than most in California. The oak woodlands provide food and shelter for many species, from beetles to bears. Recently, an article in the Nature Conservancy Magazine (Winter, 2018) about their recent acquisition of over 6,000 acres of oak woodlands near Point Conception stated that “out of California’s 632 species of amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals, more than 300 of them depend on oaks.” I hope that the supervisors’ decision to prevent new or expanded encroachment onto rangelands signals their renewed appreciation for zoning and ordinances that protect Mendocino County’s oak woodlands, and their ongoing support of sustainable land use.

Lisa Ray

Ukiah

THE 'NO PROBLEM' PROBLEM

Editor: 

This is written in response to a letter from a baby boomer who has no problem with someone saying “no problem” to her “thank you." I am not sure what being a boomer has to do with anything unless that allows one to flaunt some newly defined and improved social class. When someone says “you’re welcome” to my “thank you,” they are gracefully acknowledging my offering of appreciation of what they did or said. The response “no problem” is either a flippant or an arrogant remark, showing little respect for my thanks. And I have no problem taking umbrage at that arrogance.

Ed Peoples

Forestville 

THE ETERNAL MYSTERY

Editor,

This is actually directed to the “Powers That Be” at MTA. Once again a “Black Friday” (the day after Thanksgiving) goes by without bus service. Not having bus service on the busiest shopping day of the year is a distinct disservice to your ridership. Who thought up this goofy idea anyway?If you really want to do something constructive then reroute the #9 bus to include Hospital Drive, it shouldn’t be that difficult. I realize that hoping for innovative thinking on the part of Bureaucrats may be a stretch, especially when it involves changing routine, but I thought I’d give it a shot. Question: How many MTA Board members actually ride the bus?

Fred Alexander

Ukiah 

WHAT HAPPENED?

Editor,

In 1980, after the mixing of cultures in Chicago started the riots and fires, I gave up my limo service between Chicago and the Mayo Clinic for folks who would not fly.

I had read an article that Ukiah, California, was the best small town to retire in so I bought an old moving van and, with my rusty, fenderless Honda, did a “California or Bust” to Ukiah. I did find my three acres overlooking Lake Mendocino. I built a little two bedroom with a big view. Life was good. True to the article I read about Ukiah, it had the following: $5 weekly senior dance, a $7 Sizzler steak with endless salad bar and ice cream bar, all you want. On Perkins, an all you can eat Chinese restaurant, $6, Wendy’s had $1 baked potato and $1 mild chili. Kmart had a $1.50 senior breakfast, egg, bacon, pancakes and bottomless coffee.

The $2 Grand Slam at Denny’s was good and Club Calpella had 12″ salad plates for the bar, plus prime rib for $8. Nice Smorgasborg on South State Street, a Sears Roebucks and Montgomery Ward; two Thrifty’s Drug Stores with double dip ice cream cones $.35. One restaurant I have waited for but we haven’t gotten yet is Long John Silver’s, great fish place. Lower Lake is the nearest one. I would go every week if Ukiah had one. A Skunk ride to Mendocino, always fun. I was an extra in the filming of Murder She Wrote; parking on the ocean was free north of Fort Bragg, good place to cool off.

I took relatives to Crescent City redwoods all the time. Ukiah was Emily Posts’, English only, place to be. No crimes, a lady was safe anywhere, good jobs at Masonite Company.

Today? Addictive gambling, food stamps for sale, entry level drugs made legal. We chose welfare dependency socialism instead of capitalism that does work. All the affordable restaurants I mentioned are gone. Most people like me on social security end up living in a trailer park. So far, not me. Ukiah is divided in two by the haves and the nave nots. 

I repeat- what happened to my Ukiah?

Unsigned

Ukiah

WHY NOT?

Editor,

Since Ronald Reagan the Liberals have had their own way for 24 years to get embedded in our society and change our way of living. They can’t stand the fact that Hillary lost. They’re afraid of being exposed for all their corruption and crooked things they've done. President Trump is doing the right thing fixing the economy, the military, law enforcement, overhauling our teachers who brainwash our kids for 24 years and health care. The EPA people have ruined this country with wildfires and flooding and fish and game and forestry, construction, logging and much more. The Liberals cannot stand it. That's why they hate President Trump. I hope he does a lot more and I know he will. MAGA. Those 24 years the Liberals ruined America will change.

You counterfeits who write articles condemning what I say: don't waste your time. I stick up for America’s good conservative people. If you don't like it, stick it.

Sheriff Allman and his deputies are doing a great job we need him more than we used to because of Jerry Brown and Gavin Newsom’s stupid sanctuary state which means criminals come in from all over the United States to California because they know they can get away with anything they want. Everyone should contribute to the Sheriff. He is the only county organization doing any good. 

County roads will be closed for weeks if it snows. We don't get much snow down here but once in a while we do. If we get an inch anywhere west of Highway 101, county roads and state highways will be closed for weeks because of the brush overhanging our roads. Oak trees especially. It's like driving through tunnels.

California has spent over $30 million in total investigation costs to catch the Golden Gate killer. Now it will cost $20 million more to give him a trial and imprison him. Why? Why do taxpayers have to pay that much just to prove that this killer is a killer? He killed more than 50 people. His trial should just be a bullet between the eyes and it should have been done a long time ago.

Remember the Alamo. Remember Pearl Harbor. Remember 911. Get your act together conservatives. Stick up for this country. 

Why don’t billionaires like Bloomberg and Soros and Steyer donate money to the people in Paradise? People who have suffered through great tragedies. They've got money, spread it around. You know why they won't? Liberals. Bloomberg is so rich he farts $100 bills. He makes $30,000 every 10 minutes off the interest on his money. Why can't these people donate to those who need it? Why not? They could help some people out.

God bless Donald Trump and America.

Jerry Philbrick

Comptche

PS. I just watched the Army Navy game. I've never seen such loyalty and physical ability and cameraderie and great Americanship. Great game. Army won, 17-10. Navy had their chances. Army has a good team but Navy has one too. President Trump was there. Too bad the United States can't come together like these wonderful military teams. We would have the strongest country ever in the history of the world. But thanks to liberals, it will never happen. Too bad.