Letters for February 5, 2015

Don’t forget his family

Re “Caught on the Prowl” (Cover story, by Dave Waddell, Jan. 29):

As much as we empathize with the young women whom this creep targeted, we must not forget that his wife and children are also his victims.

Miles Jordan
Chico

‘How refreshing’

Re “Notes from a Fox junkie” (Letters, by Hugh Rhodes, Jan. 29):

Fox News junkie, how refreshing to find someone in this scary neighborhood with common sense! Most of the people in Butte County are pulled around by their “bull ring”—they lose sight of differing opinions.

How rude to think that we “Tea Party Patriots” may have an education and/or an opinion. Thank you for that breath of fresh air. Haters gonna hate. Watch FrackNation and see if you can see yourself, and on which side.

Mike Sechrist
Corning

Just common sense

Re “Tricked out of revenue” (Letters, by Barry Johnson, Jan. 29):

Barry Johnson wrongly suggested that it’s only about the TOT. In 2001, Wayne Cook took the initiative and primary risk to convert an abandoned pigeon roost of downtown blight into a successful hotel. Investing $8.4 million and years of hard work: the historic Hotel Diamond. The hotel is certainly among the largest private capital investments and historic building renovations in our downtown in many decades.

Among its many attributes, the Hotel Diamond and restaurant now annually produce over $75,000 in sales taxes, $60,000 in property taxes, $220,000 in city occupancy tax, and payroll of over $870,000. The hotel also produces very significant, quality foot traffic, contributing immensely to the health of downtown Chico businesses and economy.

Now Cook proposes to invest $3-$4 million more for an additional 15-16 rooms in the historic Morehead Building at Fourth and Broadway with a proportional positive influence on the economic factors above. To make this investment viable, all six voting members of the council found that the benefits outweighed the potential loss of $5,000-$8,000 in annual parking meter revenue.

Mr. Johnson’s letter spoke of partisan lines, whereas the six-to-zero council decision showed no such thing, just economic common sense.

Mark Sorensen
Chico

Editor’s note: Mr. Sorensen is the mayor of Chico.

Weed out the early retirees

Re “Show us the conservatism” (Editorial, Jan. 29):

There also seems to be another pattern at play in police and fire employee salaries and benefits. Chico recently saw another of a long line of police chiefs retire early.

The CN&R has done a great job of highlighting this trend—search the paper’s website to see the long list. Moving up in the ranks and serving for a few years seems to be a great way to pad your retirement. Benefits for you and your spouse are increased greatly by serving a few years at the higher pay rate.

I would suggest that the City Council members look at this trend and what it costs over 20 years and look into contracts that would require service for five years to increase your lifetime retirement benefits to the higher pay rate. This might end the early retirements for family concerns.

Matthew Martin
Chico

Where’s the evidence, PG&E?

Re “Bad move, PG&E” (Editorial, Jan. 29)

PG&E should be forced to present credible, scientific evidence before a public forum in defense of its decision to cut trees. In a time in which California is experiencing perhaps its worst drought in history, cutting valuable old-growth trees makes no sense.

Instead of passively giving PG&E the authority to cut down trees, communities like Chico should be investigating ways to develop local control over energy sources, developing clean energy, and moving away from the dirty energy provided by the PG&E monopolistic model. We should be looking at the success that Germany, and recently, the state of Nebraska, are having with local energy control and development of clean energy resources. Germany has localized energy and communities are able to supply themselves with enough energy to meet their needs plus sell energy back to the grid for profit.

The money that PG&E uses for tree removal comes from the enormous profits the company makes through outrageous rates it is allowed to charge to provide us with dirty energy. It think it is time for communities to fight back and resist tree cutting, and begin questioning PG&E decisions that affect local communities.

Lawrence Levin
Chico

Brainwashing, brutalization

Personally, I’m more sickened by the Super Bowl every year. Avoiding the phenomenon is becoming increasingly difficult—the monster permeates every aspect of American life. It’s morphed into an entire week of mindless, drooling fixation.

We live in a culture depraved to the point where commercial art—the art of deception in combination with the science of mind manipulation—is now treasured above all other art. People genuinely anticipate watching Super Bowl ads. But how much energy is devoted to examining the way this “art” is used to brainwash consumers into perennially craving more stuff? More specifically: think Budweiser is spending billions because it wants a 12-year-old boy to have a warm feeling about a puppy—or a warm feeling about alcohol consumption?

Big names in football are now saying they wouldn’t want their sons to play. But, the more we know about chronic traumatic encephalopathy, the more garish the halftime shows become. With enough manic-magic and video-game-type theatrics, I guess we can distract ourselves from the dark fact that we are witnessing the brutalization of human beings.

Ever wonder why the games are labeled with Roman numerals? Study Caligula—every empire has a beginning, middle and end.

Patrick Newman
Chico

Look to the individual

Re “The good in godlessness” (Guest comment, by George Gold, Jan. 22):

Thank you, CN&R, for promoting free speech, one of the greatest strengths of modern American society, by printing a wide variety of opinions, stories, editorials, etc.

If Sean Morgan and Andrew Coolidge deliberately chose to insult Mr. Gold by not attending his invocation, then, as officials elected to represent all the citizens of Chico, they should deliver a public apology to all the offended parties and citizens. All elected/appointed officials should respect freedom of expression.

However, while there is sectarian violence across our world, that violence is committed by individuals, and the vast majority of people of faith live in peace and harmony with their neighbors. Unfortunately, acts of violence, because of their shocking nature, always seem to make headlines, while regular and random acts of kindness are too infrequently reported.

There are/were many examples of atheistic societies in history, but I would not even think of judging every citizen in those countries by the acts of their leaders, nor judge a whole group of people by the senseless acts of a few. People are individuals, and all our rights as human beings should be respected and protected at all times. Let us as individuals make this a better world for all.

Tom Molina
Paradise

‘Cut them some slack’

I have to offer some thoughts about the frequent criticism about the Chico school board. As a former school board member in another community, it may be natural to point fingers at the board, but would you blame the ticket-taker at the theater for a bad movie? While few would disagree that the Chico Unified School District is in need of significant improvement, most boards have little impact on results.

The board inherited a horrible situation and the district has been in free fall for many years. But the board can’t be expected to shoulder the blame. The owner of the football team doesn’t stand on the sidelines and call the plays. The owner hires the coach and holds him accountable. If your district office administration is as inept as everyone says, my guess is that the board knows it, too. Most superintendents last only four years and either move on or are encouraged to leave by the board. Cut them some slack.

Andy Mahoney
Magalia

Thanks, everyone!

We would like to thank the community for another wonderful Bidwell Mansion Open House that occurred Dec. 14, 2014. This has been a rich Chico tradition for over 40 years, but it could not happen without the many volunteers who offer time, energy, talent and, of course, cookies and punch!

Many thanks go to the Beulah Rebekah Lodge #60, the Newcomers, the Chico Women’s Club and the California State Parks Bidwell Mansion staff. The beautiful centerpiece was from Expressions by M&T Florist and Knudsen’s donated the juice. The delightful songs of the holidays made each hour unique and we have many to thank: The Wright Key Academy of Music, Sounds of the Valley, Gesundheit Barbershop Quartet, Chico High A Cappella Choirs, and Never Too Young. These talented singers made beautiful music in the mansion.

Lastly, we would like to thank the event coordinator, Virginia Lewis. She continues to be the inspiration that makes it happen.

Debra-Lou Hoffmann
Forest Ranch