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Letters
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- Written by: John Jensen
Prior to the passage of Measure N, for the last four years in Lake County we've averaged around three violent pot-related deaths each year and huge numbers of home invasions that we know of. It is a fact that more such incidents occurred than were reported.
Those horrifying reports were published on a regular basis on this news Web site. Those deaths brought chaos and tragedy for families who lost their mothers, fathers, daughters, sons, brothers and sisters. Friends and co-workers, employers and customers, all suffered tragic losses.
The carnage creates a ripple affect. It alters our perception of who we are and where we live.
Lake County is an incredible place overflowing with wonderful people who came to live in a state of fear and paranoia as their neighbors put their lives, health and quality of life in danger so a relative few could illegally profit from drug sales.
That chaos affects the psyche of our community and makes this look like a violent, wild west environment where no one is safe. It also drives down our property values and makes outside investors reconsider Lake County as a place to locate their business.
Since the passage of Measure N not a single report of a death or home invasion in the unincorporated county has been communicated from law enforcement. Safer neighborhoods is what we voted for and that is what we got.
Business groups are meeting the new environment with optimism by forging plans to encourage outside investment and entrepreneurship locally to create jobs and improve the economy here with legal enterprise.
A new four-year university is in its first year of operation and students are thrilled to further their educations in such a beautiful, historic setting.
Measure N is working. It suffered a glitch when our lawless sheriff practiced warrantless searches to act out revenge on the grower community for turning their backs on him.
That has been resolved by a federal judge and Measure N is now being enforced within the confines of the law as was originally intended.
Growers will tell you that Measure N is not working for patients so I ask; does death and destruction of this wonderful community because of a plant many exploit for profit work better for them?
We are now faced with a choice. Should we continue on this peaceful, productive and optimistic path or return to neighborhoods in fear and backyards filled with a valuable commodity begging to be stolen?
Vote no on O and P, keep Lake County moving forward in peace toward prosperity.
John Jensen is co-founder of Lake County News and he loves Lake County with a passion. He lives in Lucerne, Calif.
- Details
- Written by: Ed Calkins
A healthy and vibrant Lake County economy would fund lake management without need for a special tax.
There will not be a healthy economy without a properly managed lake that is healthy or at least headed in that direction.
The lake and the economy are tightly connected. The special tax is urgently needed at this time to set both the lake and the economy on the course of recovery.
Arguments for Measure S have presented information that is accurate and valid and (rightly so) desperate.
The few arguments against S major or a bunch of minor points and fail to address the big picture.
Let’s face it, no one likes to vote for a tax increase. However, this one will prove to all to be a good return on investment.
One extremely important point that has not received enough focus is that to turn our economy around we need outside investment into Lake County.
In case you haven’t noticed, there are countless businesses that are closed, or closing, or at the very least struggling.
Current properties, the prime example being Konocti Harbor Resort, need to be renovated and up and running to allow Lake County to compete for and again attract tourists to our area.
Developers must commit tens of millions of dollars to a project such as Konocti Harbor. The last deal fell apart due to lack of funding. They competed for development dollars with other areas (SF Bay Area, out-of-state projects) that were in hot economies and did not have the lake issues involved.
Getting significant development dollars committed to Lake County projects is dependent on the county having a well-funded (as in Measure S) and well-managed lake plan.
The health of the lake is a necessity for the success of any large scale investment in the county. If the county is not equipped to manage the lake with adequate funding the lake becomes a risk to developers that cannot be ignored.
Would you invest in a Konocti Harbor Resort project if the county was unable to address the many issues facing Clear Lake? I would not.
Let’s manage our future by managing our lake and our economy, vote yes on S.
Ed Calkins lives in Kelseyville, Calif.
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- Written by: Jake Templeton
I'm writing this letter to try and dispel some of falsities that are being perpetuated on us everyday by people like Tom Guthrie and others who are attempting to undermine two measures that are on the ballot in November.
They first want to try and convince all of us that all marijuana growers are evil and are putting up grows next to schools and churches, which is simply not true.
Are there some bad apples? Of course, but that is the case with anything, from retail business to politics.
But to pigeon hole everyone who grows their own medicine as evil, child-corrupting devils only shows the true ignorance and intent of the people who are outright lying to try and get their way.
The falsities are so ridiculous that I can't figure out how they keep getting put out.
One article said growers use 10 to 15 gallons of water everyday. That is the most ridiculous statement I have ever read.
I would challenge anyone to put that much water on any plant, regardless of what kind and watch what happens; the plant – any plant – will die.
Then Mr. Guthrie and others want to try and say growers are stealing water, and draining the aquifers, another outright lie.
One letter stated 12 growers used 150,000 gallons of water in four months. Besides the fact that every single one of those growers have their own wells bought and paid for by them, the usage was less than what was allowed.
Let's do some math: 150,000 divided by 12 = 12,500 per grower in four months. Now let's divide 12,500 by 4 = 3125 gallons used per month. Now one more time, 3,125 divided by 30 days in a month = 104 gallons per day. Even the places with the harshest water restrictions are allowed 400 gallons per day.
So they used their own well water and used one-quarter of what is allowed everywhere else, doesn't sound like water stealing to me, does it to you?
So in closing I would just like to point out that when people are going to such lengths to discredit something by using lies and propaganda to promote their own agenda you might want to ask yourselves why?
Time to change the status quo. I urge all of you to actually read the measures entirely then make a educated decision based on facts not on lies and propaganda being spread by people who know nothing about growing or about community.
Jake Templeton lives in Kelseyville, Calif.
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- Written by: Valerie Gardner
The Upper Lake Union Elementary School would like to thank Mr. Joe Fernandez and the community members for their generous donation of 15 mini iPads for our students use at school.
We appreciate all our parents and community members that make our school such a great place to learn.
Valerie Gardner is superintendent/K-5 principal at Upper Lake Union Elementary School in Upper Lake, Calif.