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Opinion
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- Written by: Lake County News Reports
Last week President Obama took bold action to preserve our nation’s cultural and natural heritage by naming five new national monuments, including the San Juan Islands on the Pacific Coast.
By protecting these special places he is fashioning an enduring legacy for the benefit of our children and grandchildren: thank you, Mr. President!
Here in on the North Coast we’re also blessed with a wealth of exceptional places where people can connect with nature.
For example, last Friday I had the privilege of attending an enthusiastic public gathering on the headlands above Arena Cove, hosted by Congressman Jared Huffman to announce his intention to introduce legislation adding the spectacular Stornetta Public Lands to the California Coastal National Monument.
The bill would also add 10 miles to the California Coastal Trail, making it possible to hike along the bluffs all the way from Point Arena to the Lighthouse and on to Manchester State Park.
This bill will be cosponsored by Congressman Mike Thompson and paired with companion legislation introduced by Senators Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein.
It’s a great idea with apparently unanimous public support, but with little likelihood of success under current Congressional leadership: the 112th Congress was the first since World War II to fail to protect so much as one new acre of public land as a park, national monument or wilderness area.
So I’m joining Congressman Huffman in urging President Obama to step forward to permanently protect this irreplaceable natural treasure by adding the Point Arena-Stornetta Public Lands to the Coastal National Monument by executive order.
Victoria Brandon is chair of the Sierra Club Redwood Chapter. She lives in Lower Lake, Calif.
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- Written by: Ellen Karnowski
In a recent 307 page senate report, $6.2 billion were gambled and shifted on the books at JP Morgan (Chase) bank.
The Dodd-Frank legislation was supposed to keep our system safe from the kinds of reckless banking activities that brought our economy to its knees in recent years.
I am appalled that these kind of callous and careless activities are allowed to proliferate at our financial institutions. As a teacher, our new standards as well as the old ones ask us to teach with “rigor” and “relevance.”
Well, perhaps it is time for the banking industry to also act with the same values in mind. Protecting the “bottom line” at all costs is not an effective practice, whether it is a school’s progress in testing data or a bank’s balance sheet.
The committee that brought this practice to light was headed up by Sen. Levin from Michigan. This is the second time since 2008 that the findings have been discovered. If one of our most predominant banks has utilized the practice of covering up losses, we can only imagine what goes on at smaller institutions.
Also responsible for uncovering the coverup was John McCain, who was also a part of the committee. However, the ultimate responsibility lies with Michael Cavanagh, who was also a task force member and co-CEO of JP Morgan’s corporate and investment bank.
Trillions of dollars on balance sheets are being manipulated to hide trading losses. Vice Chairman Douglas Braunstein stated that compensation for top executives has been reduced. That is putting a Band-Aid on the problem.
Taxpayers should not have to bear the burden of corporations trying to look good to their investors and the public, all the while playing a hiding game with their true net worth.
Let us have some rigor in your pursuit of balanced systems, and stop feeding at the public trough.
Ellen Karnowski lives in Kelseyville, Calif.
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- Written by: Sue Williams
We in Lake County are very lucky to have Lt. Chris Chwialkowski.
His latest bravery – saving a woman from her truck which had sank in Clear lake – is just one of his many ways of serving the community.
I have found him to be caring and compassionate, qualities you do not often find in public servants these days.
If we had a man of the year award in Lake County it should go to Lt. Chwialkowski
Sue Williams lives in Kelseyville, Calif.
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- Written by: Nelson Strasser
Save our seniors. Many of us live in senior mobile home parks. Incredibly, there is no limit to rent increases. Most of us live on fixed incomes, so, as the rent increases we get poorer.
And, we have no options: the cost moving our mobile homes is prohibitive, and as the rents increase, the homes become more and more difficult to sell, and their values decline. Additionally, many of us are elderly and do not have the wherewithal to move.
The owners of these parks are earning a healthy return on their money, averaging over 8 percent return, and with little risk. The owners have the money, the power, and the control over our fate.
However, through the wonder of grass-roots democracy, we seniors have discovered a way to fight back: the initiative process.
In the coming weeks, we will be gathering signature to get our initiative on the ballot.
The initiative will tie rents to social security, which will allow the owners to get increases when the tenants have more income, and not before.
Our committee meets every Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the clubhouse at Sterling Shores Estates at 5830 Robin Hill Road, off Lakeshore Boulevard. We invite any and all who wish to help us “save our seniors.”
Nelson Strasser lives in Lakeport, Calif.