The MGH Report

Michael G. Haran, Proprietor

ONE FOR THE ANTIQUITIES

Posted by on Nov 24, 2013

ONE FOR THE ANTIQUITIES

 

Published Healdsburg Tribune  11/21/2013

On a day dialed up by the Point Arena Chamber of Commerce, the U.S. Secretary of the Interior, Sally Jewell, came, saw and listened. I attended Friday’s environmental love fest on behalf of Sonoma County Supervisor Mike McGuire who is running for the 2nd District Senate seat in which the beautiful 1,664 acre Stornetta Public Lands is being considered for a land inclusion into the California Coastal National Monument.  McGuire’s time is now limited as he is speaking to the Kiwanis, Rotarians and special interest groups times the seven counties in the district.

But this day belonged to Point Arena, Mendocino County and the California’s north coast. Jared Huffman, D-San Rafael, who accompanied Jewel, was complimented several times for getting the U.S. House of Representatives to pass a resolution to add the land to the Monument. A bill sponsored by Sens. Barbara Boxer and Diana Feinstein is currently stalled. “There’s a lot of uncertainty in the legislative process,” Huffman said. Having Secretary Jewell visit the area “is basically sending a message that we’re going to make it happen one way or another.”Stornetta National Monument Meeting 030

Secretary Jewell told the crowd of over 200 people that by her presence she was confirming President Obama’s commitment to land preservation for future generations. “I wouldn’t be out here if it wasn’t a high priority,” she said. The twelve mile stretch of land is managed by the Bureau of Land Management and is open to the public.

The get-together was as folksy as you’d expect in a small town. A group of about 50 elementary students sang “This Land is Your Land,” read environmental poems to the Secretary and gave her framed copies. Dressed in native costume a few of the Manchester Band of Pomo Indians children gave a brief ceremonial dance.

After the representatives of Boxer and Feinstein said that both senators supported the effort, a representative of the Manchester Pomo’s gave an impassioned request to have the BLM do more to preserve some of their historic tribal areas.  Jim Keena, California’s BLM director who said the BLM has an archeologist who specializes in these issues and he promised to put the two together.

Next came a steady stream of environmentalist like the Sierra Club, Audubon Society and the Mendocino Land Trust to name a few. District Assemblyman Wesley Chesbro, talked about the California Coastal Trail which he help champion. Many local civic leaders, civic organizations and county supervisors all spoke of their support for the Monument addition. Both the Mendocino County Tourism Bureau and the local Chamber of Commerce said that the addition would help promote job growth in Mendocino County’s largest business, tourism.

Everyone got a chuckle when a local activist presented Secretary Jewell with a petition supporting the effort with over 800 signatures from Point Arena residents, noting how exceptional that was considering a population of 450. When Mendocino Supervisor Dan Hamburg expressed concern for the oil “fracking” off the California coast, Secretary Jewell said that being a petroleum engineer she knows a lot about oil “fracking” and that there is a lot of dis-information out there. She flatly denied it was happening and said that we need a balanced approach to oil extraction and protecting the environment.

In her summation the secretary got a laugh by referring to the local petition as being “Democracy in action.” She then asked for a show of hands for how many would prefer the Monument designation by a Presidential Proclamation or an Act of Congress. Overwhelmingly, people wanted a Presidential Proclamation but then several shouted, “Anyway we can!”

 

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DANGEROUS PATCH OF ROAD

Posted by on Sep 19, 2013

DANGEROUS PATCH OF ROAD

Letter to the Editor

Healdsburg Tribune – 9/19/2013

There is a stretch of road at the north end of Healdsburg that could just be the worst patch of asphalt in the entire county. It’s about a third of a mile long and it’s in between Simi Winery and Alexander Valley Road. The southbound lane is particularly hazardous to cyclist. As the road crests right at the Healdsburg City Limits sign it begins a deceptive decent. As a cyclist picks up speed he/she swerves to miss the hazardous road conditions looking for the smooth patches to prevent tearing up tires and being thrown to the ground. At the same time southbound traffic is also picking up speed and since the road is substandard with no shoulder it becomes very dangerous for the cycles trying to get out of the way of traffic.

The county has just paved the first two miles of W. Dry Creek Rd., two miles of Litton Springs and the two mile entrance to Geyserville. The River Rock Casino has repaved much of Hwy 128 but this little patch of road remains untouched. I think the reason that it hasn’t been resurfaced is that the city is waiting for the Saggio Hills development to repave the road however that development could be ten years away.

I was thinking that if one of the City council members is a cyclist they could ride the road to see how really bad the situation is but because of the city’s potential liability maybe the city attorney should to ride it.

I’m a fiscal conservative and I think the city should save money where it can but this stretch of road is a serious threat to cyclists. I think the city could wait for the Saggio Hills development to upgrade and repave the road if they would just put, say, a two foot wide strip of asphalt on the south bound shoulder of the road. The north bound lane is also a mess but because the cyclist is pulling a grade it is not as dangerous. So please, please, please help us cyclist and motorist out and Healdsburg just may get that “Cyclist Friendly” designation that was denied us.

 

 

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