Code enforcement?
Lincoln treatise had some problems
Remedial history is in order
Shame on school board
Thanks for compassion to friend’s dog
Anger at school board
Gottschalks closing is like a death

(Updated: Friday, April 17, 2009, 1:19 PM)

Code enforcement?

At the April 7 Planning Commission meeting, a local businessman stated he wanted to make his business ‘legal.’ Translation: he has been, and continues, running his business from an illegal location. The county has known this for several years.

The question is: Where has County Code Enforcement been? What will the county do to enforce the existing violations?

Code enforcement affects all of us. It would be good to know Supervisor Wheeler’s position on this issue and code enforcement in general. Possibly, he could discuss the above at the next Town Hall meeting on April 28?

— Lou Aceto, Oakhurst

Lincoln treatise had some problems

An interesting treatise on Abraham Lincoln (‘Abe Lincoln: simply an American’ by Bill Atwood), but there seems to be something wrong about Lincoln meeting in Yosemite with John Muir.

Lincoln was 56 years old when he was killed and was elected in 1861, so that would make John Muir somewhere between 23 and 27 years old at the time Lincoln held office. The biographical information I have states that John Muir didn’t set foot in California until 1868, five years after Lincoln’s death.

It’s true that Lincoln was very interested in preserving Yosemite, but I have serious reservations about Lincoln ever setting foot in California.

In 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt came to Yosemite by railroad to Raymond and then by horse and wagon to Yosemite, where he met with John Muir. They camped together and this spot is well marked in Yosemite and is close to the Merced River. Yosemite was still a state of California park when Lincoln was president and it didn’t become a National Park until 1890.

— Dick Zitzman, Coarsegold

Remedial history is in order

Bill Atwood in his ‘My Thoughts’ column regularly gives Sierra Star readers a good coverage of the faults of our new president’s policies as he sees them.

Fair enough, but when he strays from his area of expertise as he did in his April 9 column ‘Abe Lincoln: Simply an American’ — read carefully.

Atwood wrote: ‘There is a spot in Yosemite Valley that is marked by a simple sign that identifies the campsite Lincoln and John Muir sat and it inspired Lincoln to sign the Yosemite Grant in June 1864.’ — Errors and more errors.

(1) Abe Lincoln never set foot in California.

(2) Abe Lincoln probably never met John Muir.

(3) Muir did not come to California until 1868, two years after Lincoln was assassinated.

(4) The ‘spot in Yosemite Valley that is marked with a simple sign’ is where Teddy Roosevelt and John Muir camped in May 1903.

Dr. Bill Atwood, a school administrator, is obviously in need of some remedial, fourth-grade California and U.S. history. And we now know why President Obama is concerned about improving our educational system.

— Max K. Richie, North Fork

Atwood responds: I appreciate the information from our readers and regret that my recollection of a sign in Yosemite — that admittedly, I haven't seen in a few years — was incorrect. Lincoln did sign the Yosemite Grant, but as our readers pointed out, I should have double checked the dates.

Shame on school board

I would like to echo the words of Mr. Hurd on April 2’s Opinion page. How can we have faith in our school board to do the right things when they themselves have changed rules to cover up the very questionable activities of the board.

With the exception of the newest member, the entire board made a mockery of the whole board process and made itself a target for recall.

Board members, how do I explain what you did to my son when he asks me how this is possibly fair, or for that matter, legal? Now I hear the members won’t discuss the matter on advice from counsel. How long are we here on the mountain going to allow this kind of scam to continue? We should all be ashamed at this kind of education.

— Phil Dane, Coarsegold

Thanks for compassion to friend’s dog

A warm and heartfelt thank-you to all who stopped to help when my friend’s dog was hit and killed on Road 628 Thursday, March 26.

We didn’t get any names, but are overcome with gratitude for the kindness shown by the young man who knocked on the door, the couple on the motorcycle, the gentleman in the red truck, the two young women and finally, the young man who helped bury Ramona.

We weren’t calling out for help — the help just appeared and was offered without hesitation.

Once again, your caring actions helped soften the shock and sadness of losing a much-loved pet.

— Joan Razor

— Kathy Marks

Anger at school board

I recently had the opportunity of attending a PTA meeting at one of our local elementary schools. I was shocked at the anger directed at our elected school board. I thought it might be just a problem at this particular school. I asked a friend who’s son goes to another school if he heard any complaints concerning the board. He chuckled a little and said, ‘now, that is pretty much all that is discussed.’

This concerned me and confused me — a board that was recently elected has already angered so many, so fast. There has to be a reason, what is it? I started asking parents around our community about the negative view of the board. It came down to a small number of things that concerned most.

1. The board seems to not want to hear from the people who put them in office. They seemed bothered if an issue has more than one side to it, and the opposing view may not agree with their own idea. No communication, unapproachable.
2. Why has the subject of misdeeds, concerning the board’s changing of rules after they broke the rules in order to cover themselves for selling school property to another board member at a reduced rate, not been discussed? Our own Grand Jury asked for them all to step down (that were connected to this embarrassment).
3. We have no school superintendent. (This letter was received before the confirmation of Yosemite High School Principal Steve Raupp as acting superintendent until he takes full control July 1.) The board says they will find the appropriate person for the job. The appropriate person, it just so happens, is the employ of the school district already according to a least two board members. Hasn’t the board been told about the good ol’ boy/girl attitude since the voters refused to re-elect a board member for their part in the school equipment sale that the Grand Jury alluded to? Open the hiring process and actually hire the most qualified with the best education, for our kids.

School board members, please remember who you represent. The old ways are not going to be tolerated any longer. A slap on the back and a handshake are not OK any longer. The voters spoke to you in the non re-election of a member of the board. Seems maybe you aren’t listening or just don’t care what the voters have to say. I foresee changes ahead in the board — maybe members who actually get the concept of not doing business as it has been done in the past.

— Dwayne Hurd, Oakhurst

Gottschalks closing is like a death

In October 1994, I was given the keys and the confidence from Joe Levy to open the Oakhurst Gottschalks Store in Oakhurst, as store manager. I retired five years ago and I am free to speak of this, as mangers that are there now can make no comment.

I hired the best people I could find and they were all local residents. We, together with enthusiasm and hard work, built the store into the most successful small store in the chain. I visited the store the first day of liquidation to see how liquidation worked.

There is a person they call ‘The Liquidator’ walking the aisles I know so well, with an unfriendly scowl on his face. The mood of the store was bleak.

I visited the River Park store the day it was announced it would be liquidated, and several employees that I hired years ago, who are still working for Gottschalks, were there, and they were all in tears. Not just because they were losing their jobs, but a more personal attachment to the company. I feel very sad and feel like it was a death of something I hold so dear.

Liquidators’ sales will give nothing to our community like Gottschalks did, and it appears they have no compassion for their job as taking over the stores.

I, for one, will not buy one item from them, but will shop with retailers that are trying to stay afloat during these depressing times, and locally as much as I can.

To all the loyal customers that I run into all the time, and the employees of this great company, from the bottom of my heart I say thank you.

— Carol Hewitson, Oakhurst