Letters for February 12, 2015

Bad call on booze

Re “Blight and booze” (Newslines, by Howard Hardee, Feb. 5):

There must be something in the water in Butte County. Once again, the Chico City Council approved yet more alcohol-pushing venues in a town with an excess. Now it approved alcohol sales in a gallery—what next, giving a liquor license to a daycare center?

For purposes of buying alcohol, Chico should be considered a single unit. Holding the line on future license approvals might help limit the unrestricted sense of alcohol use that pervades the campus if not the town (the athletes who recently violated drinking rules for campus clubs).

Robert Winshall, MD
Chico

Keepin’ it weird

The Keep Chico Weird Talent Show was a blast and I am still a little flabbergasted at having won it. Thanks to the judges, sponsors, audience, CN&R and my fellow contestants, especially my fellow comedians, Mark Leather and Trip Hazard. There is an exploding comedy scene now in Chico: Two weekly open mics, showcases at several venues in town and, in April, a comedy festival. It is in getting local comedy recognized that I am most proud of the win. Thank you.

P.S. Just what exactly is the trophy supposed to be? People have asked, I can’t answer.

Kyle Bowen
Chico

Editor’s note: Mr. Bowen, that beautiful brass trophy is a pegacorn—a winged unicorn—of course. Enjoy!

Shame on PG&E

Re “For love of trees” (Newsline, by Meredith J. Graham, Jan. 29):

What a pity! Magnificent sycamores and elms shamelessly cut down at the Oroville Cemetery by PG&E. These heritage trees, one of which was 187 years old, were obviously in prime condition, furnishing shade and oxygen for their community. This needless slaughter occurred despite the heroic efforts of the Oroville area’s caring conservationists, who were finally displaced at the cemetery.

PG&E’s bogus claims of safety reasons are patently false. Tree roots don’t seek gas lines; they seek water or sewer lines. (PG&E’s sordid history is known to many, beginning with its takeover of the Almanor Basin in the early days; it was then known as the Great Western Power Co. They later built multiple dams in Feather River Canyon in their quest for power.)

Other communities have refused to allow such depredations, compelling PG&E to move gas lines. Oroville’s City Council and Judge Stephen Benson have much to answer for. Such degradation may be headed for the Chico area, including the Midway’s beautiful trees. Do our present City Council and Board of Supervisors have the will (and wisdom) to stop this stupidity? Elections do matter, folks.

Robert Woods
Forest Ranch

On avoiding World War III

As I write this letter, Germany, France and the OSCE (Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe) are pushing for a ceasefire and negotiations for peace in the increasingly violent civil war raging between the European-leaning Western Ukraine (Kiev) and the Russian-leaning Eastern Ukraine (primarily the two states of Donetsk and Lugansk). German Chancellor Angela Merkel repeatedly states that she sees no military solution to the fighting in eastern Ukraine.

Also as I write this letter, the U.S. Congress presses for more war, pushing to send heavy military equipment to the right-wing Kiev government of Western Ukraine. And President Obama’s language increasingly sounds like the drumbeat for war as well.

Western governments and Western press blame the conflict on Russian aggression, but there is a more ominous side to this story; the background of what could become WWIII!

Come hear retired Chico State professor George Wright discuss geo-political reality and fantasy between the West and Russia regarding Ukraine, at Chico State PAC room 144, Wednesday, Feb. 18, at 4 p.m. At 7 p.m. join a conversation with Wright at the Chico Peace & Justice Center (526 Broadway); explore the issues and consider options for citizen action. We must understand what is going on.

Emily Alma
Chico

Between Dec. 11 and 15, Congress passed what became the Ukraine Freedom Support Act—2014. President Obama signed it the following Thursday.

The bill includes about six long, dry pages of specific Russian arms sales and bank accounts of key Russian business owners and investors whom the president would have the power to sanction. On the last page is a series of quite ominous powers also given to the president, including: to facilitate the placement of missile sites along the Russian border; facilitate the privatization of Ukraine’s natural resources; promote loans from the World Bank to U.S. oil companies for exploration and extraction of oil and natural gas in Ukraine; allow U.S. NGOs, who have been permitted by Russia to operate nonpolitically in Russia, to organize, now, with Putin’s adversaries there.

Members of the Chico Peace Vigil are very concerned that the Ukraine Freedom Support Act could further inflame the already deadly situation in Ukraine deadly. We urge citizens to call the White House comment line (202-456-1111) and tell our president to support Germany, France and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in their quest for a ceasefire and negotiated peace in Ukraine, and not act on even one part of this dark piece of legislation.

Linda Furr
Chico Peace Vigil coordinator

‘You lose twice’

Re “Just common sense” (Letters, by Mark Sorensen, Feb. 5):

“Crony capitalism” is where private business gets a benefit from government that other businesses don’t get. The Hotel Diamond was restored using millions of dollars of taxpayer loans. Should it default, our city will get stuck with a nasty bill. But since it is making money, the owner, Wayne Cook, keeps the profits. Socialize the risk; privatize the profit.

Our City Council has voted to block the public from using 16 more spaces in the downtown parking garage in order to give even more free parking to the Hotel Diamond. Travelers to Chico who can’t find a room at the Diamond will stay elsewhere, pay the occupancy tax elsewhere, and dine elsewhere. For example, someone staying at Oxford Suites will pay occupancy tax, and cross the street to one of several restaurants where they can eat, and pay sales tax.

So for the mayor to wrongly claim that Hotel Diamond will pay for its parking from increased sales tax and occupancy tax is poor logic.

So the City Council excludes you from parking spaces, and tells you they are paid for by taxes they would have gotten anyway. Underfunded city plus parking shortage means you lose twice.

Barry Johnson
Chico

One-liner of the week

Protect the Earth: Be a TERRA-ist!

Stephen T. Davis
Chico

No slack, no way

Re “Cut them some slack” (Letters, by Andy Mahoney, Feb. 5):

I take issue with the letter saying Chico Unified school board members aren’t to be blamed for results.

Many school districts are not unlike Radio Shack. What worked 50 years ago no longer works, but many superintendents aren’t only unqualified for leadership positions, they surround themselves with compliant nonleaders. It’s the Crabs in the Barrel Syndrome, where you have a bunch of unhappy, stubborn crabs stuck in a barrel. One day, a bold, open-minded crab decides to change things and climb out, but the lazy others pull him down again.

With CUSD, I’d look at their management first. Did they promote people who were never teachers? Probably. Do clerks and secretaries wield more power than educators? Probably. Do they promote the compliant, or the best, brightest and most creative?

School boards indeed are responsible for results despite what the previous letter writer stated. The writer gave a sports analogy that the owner doesn’t call the plays. The Warriors’ owner made a change and got Steve Kerr and encouraged him to make changes. Awesome. Education needs to do the same to avoid bankruptcy like Radio Shack.

Give teachers more freedom to jump from the barrel. It’s the only way to success.

Cammie Lorraine Daggett
Chico

After reading the letter from a former school board member comparing board members to movie ticket takers who don’t have any effect on outcomes, I wanted to scream. That’s hardly a comparison. Does the producer of the movie have an effect?

When elected officials feel no responsibility in how the CUSD operates, the outcome is predictable. These are the same people who run for elected office on a platform of change, holding people accountable, often telling the public to throw them out if they can’t make a difference, and then as soon as they are in the position, they claim they can’t do a thing. Poppycock!

Maybe I’m idealistic, but I will forever believe that there’s a rainbow on the horizon, and it is every elected official’s responsibility to find it. Whispers of corruption and mismanagement have dogged CUSD for a long time, and of course it is the board’s responsibility to clean up the place.

Is anything more important for our town’s value and reputation than to have better schools? Forest Ranch, Nord, Chico Country Day all proved how much better autonomy is for schools. Cut elected officials slack? Whether City Council, CUSD or Washington, D.C., do just the opposite.

Olivia Newman
Chico

A worthwhile vision

Safe Space was the vision of a small but intrepid group of individuals who gave themselves the name Chico Housing Action Team and stepped up to open the doors of the Chico Peace and Justice Center, and then the Jesus Center, with all-volunteer help, for homeless individuals for 15 nights last winter.

This winter, supported locally by four churches—Unitarian Universalist, Trinity United Methodist, Bidwell Presbyterian and East Avenue Community (Nazarene)—along with the Jesus Center, Show Love Thrift store, Chico Laundry Co., Has Beans Coffee Roasters, Skyway Storage, countless individual and group donations, and with many hours of service from around 275 community volunteers, the concept of ‘Safe Space’ became a reality for 50 nights for as many as 58 homeless individuals each night. A total of 210 different homeless individuals were served; fed a warm meal, slept safely through the night, and departing in the early morning with a hot beverage.

My experiences with Safe Space have given me new insights into the root causes of homelessness, the desperation and helplessness it can foster, and also new-found respect for many of the homeless guests I was privileged enough to meet, who manage to survive with their hope intact, and whose humanity shines forth when given the opportunity.

Mark S. Gailey
Chico

Thanks, Discovery Shoppe!

We are fortunate to live in a community that is so generous to our local nonprofits! Specifically, I want to send out a huge thank you to the ladies of the Discovery Shoppe for selflessly giving of their time and resources to donate almost $100,000 locally to various nonprofits in 2014.

Our organization, Reading Pals (readingpalschico.org), was very fortunate to be one of the recipients of their generosity this year. It is because of folks like them who are so dedicated to this fine Chico community that organizations like ours exist. Thank you, ladies, for your commitment to making this community a better place for everyone!

Michelle Anderson Curran
Chico

GRUB needs funds

Many in Chico have been inspired over the past seven years by the GRUB Cooperative. If you have not heard of the GRUB Cooperative, we are what is known as an intentional community. We are at 1525 Dayton Road (The Palms to many old-time Chicoans). We farm together through different projects, including Heartseed Farm, GRUB Grown Nursery, a community garden space and education program, and even a bike shop, Old Spokes Home Chico.

There also are many community workshops and events that take place out here. We strive to be a community asset by sharing this place with the greater community as much as possible. We have been leasing this land all of these years with the intent of someday being able to have it purchased as community space, not privately held land. We are now in the position to be pushed off the land. The current ownership must sell it. So we are reaching out to the community for help to secure this vital piece of Chico history and agricultural land on the Greenline. Please contact us a grubchico.org if you can help financially or otherwise.

Ron Toppi
Chico

Cannabis users fight back

The passage of Measure A in Butte County this past November may seem to have silenced the cannabis proponents, but just the opposite is true. A newly formed group, Liberty Rising, has backed a lawsuit brought by medical cannabis patients whose rights to their legally prescribed cannabis are being sorely trampled upon by the implementation of Measure A. We are not sitting idle. We will rise up, speak up and stand up until we have fair measures in place that work for all Butte County citizens.

As the members of the Butte County Board of Supervisors were working diligently to make their measure as restrictive on growers as possible, they were also trampling on the rights of patients to obtain their medicine as easily as other patients go to Walmart and pick up theirs.

Our dispensary was closed down. Our ability to have collectives grow for those who live in apartments and small parcels has been all but eliminated.

The Butte County Board of Supervisors passed a half-million-dollar appropriation for the Sheriff’s Office to harass and illegally enter properties with the intent of eradicating cannabis gardens. I just bet that there are many, many more pressing issues that need the funds.

Anne Murphy
Chico