Over at the Sierra Foothills Report, blogger Jeff Pelline is getting all worked up over the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy and their plot to destroy Nevada County’s economy. First off, he accuses The Union of working hand in hand with said wingnuts by reporting actual events of activism at the Board of Supervisor meetings! Heavens to Betsy! I had no idea that the newspaper was obligated to suppress news that doesn’t fit JP’s ideology.
The incident involved several residents who claimed they were being harassed and treated unfairly by the county building department. Some of the alleged violations appeared to warrant scrutiny from the inspectors, like building a residence on a floodplain with no permits. Yeah, that will get their attention. I can personally attest from my travels in the outback that there are many structures that flaunt the laws of regulation as well as the law of gravity. It’s a miracle that some of them are still standing. But most of the complaints come from residents who try to work with the county and are befuddled by the sometimes contradictory rules that come from state and local jurisdictions. It doesn’t help JP’s case when some of his own loyal followers cite their frustration with the building inspectors.
He then goes on to report that the local GOP is sponsoring a lecture from an avowed birther sheriff who publicly aligns himself with Joe Arpaio of Arizona, a nationally renowned wild west law and order guy. Then there was the lesbian climate change denier who gave a talk on the evils of Agenda 21 some months back. Jeff had a good time with that one.
What he has surmised from all this reactionary activity is that it is impeding the county’s ability to attract more “coast people” to come here and start high tech businesses that could lift the standard of living from the dregs of poverty and ignorance we now endure. Really? Last time I looked, the local fright-wingers were not doing so well in recent elections, with the exception of state and congressional offices. And Jeff is always on the case of Rep. Tom McClintock, who doesn’t even represent western Nevada County anymore. It certainly wasn’t anyone from the Tea Party who was running naked down the streets of Nevada City or selling heroin in the BofA parking lot.
I would counter that if there is a reason that some folks are shunning our fair county, it might be the rise in crime. Just looking at today’s police blotter I see five assaults, three burglaries, three vandalisms, and a smattering of illegal fireworks and/or gunshots. There are always a few incidents involving obviously mentally ill people.
Maybe JP should send a memo to his coastal allies in the legislature, telling them that if they want to see their prosperity trickle up to the foothills they might consider backing off on some of their efforts to make building a house ridiculously expensive, and maybe stop spending Prop 63 (Laura’s law) money on PR campaigns and dubious new age remedies to mental illness. Or perhaps stop sending their prison inmates to our local jail. And maybe send some funds to mitigate the endless stream of mandates that confront our local governments.
Jeff sees the progressive coastal government as our saviors. I think you’ll find a good number of people believe they are part of the problem.
Another case of Government gone wild…
http://www.sacbee.com/2013/08/26/5680375/dan-walters-steinbergs-bills-show.html#mi_rss=Dan%20Walters
That’s some scary stuff, Bob. I can see certain areas where it is important to hold to an established vision of what the community is trying to create, such as Nevada City’s “theme park” scheme, but State dictated housing patterns?
That’s just creepy.
Hey, at least our kids in school can now declare whether they are a boy or girl or something in between and take a shower with the gender of their choice. I guess the old “400” club of athletic achievement here in our schools will be populated with some transgendered hemaphrodites at some point. What a state!
Regarding JP, err, the FUE. I was chatting with some folks on Broad Street the other evening and they asked me why he moved here since he can’t stand the natives. I answered “maybe he likes the fact Nevada City has returned to the early 60’s with all those store fronts empty. Nostalgia.
“transgendered hemaphrodites”. You truly have one of the most wonderfully inventive imaginations in the universe, Todd. Creatures born with both sex organs, each one crying out to be the other.
It boggles the mind.
Why thanks, I am very creative. LOL!
I see Halsey Minor, founder of CNET (the FUE’s last stand before fleeing civilization) owes over 10 million in back taxes and has filed chapter 7 in SoCal.
What makes me think Juvinall has more readers here than he has on his own blog?
Here’s another look at California’s housing problem…
http://www.newgeography.com/content/003882-california-homes-require-real-reach
But of course, the rules are different for some people (people, as in corporate cronies)…
http://www.sacbee.com/2013/08/29/5693836/sacramento-area-legislators-prepare.html#mi_rss=Our%20Region
Jeff’s got his panties in a wad again. Scary Republicans are talking secession! Be sure to read the comments, where everyone (except Jeff) agrees there is room for improvement in bipartisan solutions to rural problems. Coast people will fix everything. Just shut up and obey your betters!!!
http://sierrafoothillsreport.com/2013/09/03/siskiyou-county-supervisors-vote-to-pursue-seceding-from-state/
I went to the linj and whoa nellie! That Pelline fellow doesn’t know much about timber does he. Hell, I agreed with some of Frisch’s comments. Barry Pruett was trying to have a discussion but the large man would have none of it. No wonder my syts are higher than his. LOL!
BTW, many of us attended Doug LaMalfa’s meeting with the US Fish and Wildlife people on the 2.2 million acres they want to make “critcal habitat” for three amphibians (almost 1/3 of our county). Those bureaucrats really have no clue. Retired lawyer Norm Sauer asked them why they never did an EIS as required by NEPA. They looked surprised and had no response. Amazing!
Yeah, I was there. Even the woman from the guvmint agreed that the frog’s demise has more to do with the fungus among us than any human activity, except for the fish they stock in the high lakes that eat the tadpoles.
Sheldon all grown up, AKA, the Grumpy Cat, is in fine form, looking for guilt by past associations in all the wrong places. I wonder if anyone living within 1/4 mile of the Bird’s Nest place has ever filed for bankruptcy? Does that put Greg in the same soup?
Mr. Pelline likes to harp on the old, worn out newspaper model, but the new media is still having problems attracting enough ad money to stay afloat. This article states that more people are getting their instant news fix from twitter. Instead of in-depth journalism, we’ll get our news from twits. This is progress?
http://www.sacbee.com/2013/09/27/5775156/sacramento-press-follows-national.html#mi_rss=Our%20Region
I filled out a questionnaire from the online Union Newspaper. I asked them for a opinion piece by Rebane, Steele and Pelline. Like they used to do. Keeps it interesting.