Letters for October 5, 2006

Stop viewing plaza in hindsight
Where were all of today’s experts on plaza design when the public hearings and design teams were working and asking for public input? How has an area that was doomed by age and neglect become so perfect in hindsight? If you don’t like the new plaza, why didn’t you get involved?

Who has the crystal ball that forecast all the old elms would die?

Where were the tree experts to challenge the previous city arborist about taking down the diseased elm trees? Only Scott Wineland, a local professional arborist, tried to save the large chestnut on the California Registry of Big Trees, but it was taken down anyway.

The new young trees will need protecting from the sun, as will the plaza users. So shades must be provided between now and when the trees mature, as the mayor has proposed.

But what of the future? If we had a sensible tree ordinance that covered city trees and protected younger trees, things would have been different.

When the grass is green, the trees are in leaf, and the spectacular fountain, artworks and copper-domed bandstand are in use, the plaza will be a very beautiful addition to the renaissance of our downtown.

Alan Gair
Chico

Editor’s note: For an architect’s perspective on the plaza project, check out this week’s Backbeat story (”Growing pains").

Magalia clinic merits saving
Re: “Clinic on life support” (Newslines, by Robert Speer, CN&R, Sept. 28):

What a great service Robert Speer has done to bring the plight of a necessary health service to the forefront. Surely some good person will step up and accommodate this clinic. It is only the right thing to do.

Al Crocker
Chico

Consider an alternative choice
They are spraying us without asking, they put fluoride in our water whether we want it or not, and they make vaccination for our kids mandatory. So I have decided to vote Libertarian this coming election.

Unlike both the Republicans and the Democrats, the Libertarians are not in favor of forcing their ideas of protection on us, and also are against this terrible war in Iraq that’s costing thousands of lives and $11 million an hour.

Wally Herger is so sure he’s got this district in his pocket that he is not even campaigning here, and whoever the Democratic candidate is hasn’t done much more. The Libertarian candidate, E. Kent Hinesley, is a young man without much political experience (maybe that’s a good thing), but at least he is out there every Thursday night at the farmers market taking a stand for what he believes in.

I hope that the League of Women Voters and other groups will give Mr. Hinesley a chance to participate at their candidate events. He deserves to be heard.

Renee Renaud
Chico

Other endorsements
The Butte County Farm Bureau endorses City Councilwoman Maureen Kirk in the race for Butte County supervisor. Respected retiring Republican Mary Anne Houx also endorses Kirk. Houx and Kirk are both persons of honesty and integrity.

Through her independence, courage and experience, Kirk does what’s best for our community. She doesn’t owe any favors to special-interest contributors.

Future development is the main issue concerning Butte County. Kirk’s voting record shows she supports normal, well-planned development that maintains our communities’ high quality of life.

Ron Sherman
Chico

The Democratic Action Club of Chico endorses Scott Gruendl for re-election to Chico City Council. Gruendl is articulate, has the experience, and has the right solutions to maintaining Chico’s way of life and continuing to advance this community responsibly and effectively. He is quite simply outstanding.

As mayor of Chico and health services director of Glenn County, Gruendl has an unprecedented level of experience. He is a staunch advocate for Chico neighborhoods, labor, affordable housing, entrepreneurial development, renewable energy and the agricultural Greenline. And Gruendl is endorsed by the Chico Police Officers Association and the Chico firefighters (IAFF)—the only candidate for City Council endorsed by 100 percent of public safety.

Randall Stone
Chico

After witnessing many City Council meetings, including the confusing and contentious one Sept. 5, I believe it is more important than ever that Chico elects councilmembers who are level-headed consensus-builders, who keep their cool under pressure, and who weigh issues for their merit only rather than voting with their “slate.”

Mary Flynn is a person with a strong vision for Chico’s future—and one who has exhibited a strong commitment through community service for which most of us don’t choose to find the time. That the Torres Shelter exists is a testament to her incredible hard work and vision.

Mary is not a candidate who will push “her own agenda.” Her agenda—clearly voiced in all her candidate statements, forums and interviews—is to make decisions to support all those who choose to call Chico home, today and in the years to come. She has both strong business and community service backgrounds and a track record of consensus-building among diverse community groups.

Chris Persson
Chico

Call to action
The wolves have been in charge of the hen house for some time now, and we should not be surprised by the results. This dangerous governmental mess is the result of the deliberate dismantling of the checks and balances that other Americans fought so hard to put into place.

Whatever your political affiliation has been in the past, please vote in the next election, and please vote to restore the pride we enjoyed when others wanted to come to America to be protected by the individual rights our laws enforced.

Sandee Renault
Chico

A hive mind …
I keep thinking of a childhood tale where a boy gets stung because he put a stick in the beehive. This metaphor is similar to what our president and his administration have accomplished since 9/11. We are no safer than we were five years ago, mainly because now there are many aggravated bees looking to sting whoever disturbed them. The fighting in Iraq has escalated and even the 9/11 commissioners agree that the Iraq war has made us less safe.

Let’s now take back our own country, and bring those guilty of numerous offenses to justice and “stay the course” that our forefathers left for us in the U.S. Constitution!

Alex Sorger
Chico

… and a swarm
President Bush is going to be in Iraq for the next two years. So let’s stop fighting this war the wrong way and do it the right way and finish it. Send 500,000 men over there and get the job done in a month or two.

If you have to declare war, so be it. Mr. Bush, you can’t win a war when you don’t have enough men.

Christine Comfort
Chico

Correction
Re: “Signs of the season” (Newslines, CN&R, Sept. 28): A campaign note incorrectly listed one of the City Council candidates endorsed by the Chico firefighters union. Mary Flynn got an endorsement from the firefighters, who also support Scott Gruendl and Tom Nickell.