All Hail The Marina Center Project.

Recently I ran for Humboldt County 4th District Supervisor and knocked on a few thousand doors in the greater Eureka Area. The subject of the Balloon Track or Marina Center came up often. Even during my committee meetings we had my supporters chanting way to often, "I want a Home Depot." I personally felt it was a poor use of land near the bay. I was not passionate in my feelings, but the Home Depot element had me even signing a "Save the Waterfront" petition. To make a long story short, my message did not resonate in the 4th District. I told people it needed to be cleaned up and developed. After hearing many people, I will say these numbers are around where I thought they would be. The Eureka Reporter - Home I was also not surprised to see the old town merchants overwhelmingly supporting the project. This is better than what we have. Everyone who imagines the possibilities of pie in the sky Culinary Institute, Aquarium, Parks or such do not come up with creative private funding for any of their dreams and so we are now beholden to the Marina Center Project. Like it or not, Arkley owns the land. The project has been changed numerous times after public input. I want to see something built and so I will no longer oppose this project publicly. The up side is that hundreds of union jobs and apprentice training will be available for Humboldt County workers. Build on, and I will make that decision whether to shop Home Depot or not. Maybe it will go belly up from nobody showing up spending their money and then we can lobby for a waterfront softball field where the HD parking lot would be!

Political Money Humboldt vs Shasta County

Bonnie Neely and Nancy Flemming will be spending well over $250,000 (that’s right, a quarter of a million dollars) in their battle for the Humboldt County 4th District Supervisor seat. A similar battle is going on with our neighbors to the east in Anderson. Shasta County is having a highly contentious 5 district Supervisor race. Les Baugh and Norma Comnick have raised only $90,000 between them! The Redding Rancheria donated $3,000 to each candidate keeping an even playing field. Still that leaves the Shasta candidates only $160,000 behind the Humboldt County contestants.

Kind of weird that our county that has 50,000 less people than Shasta with an average of $4,000 less a year per median income than Shasta, would need to spend this kind of money on the Supervisor position. Oh, just for the record, 10% more Shasta residents own their own homes than Humboldt. What is happening to Humboldt County? Or what is wrong? Is it Bonnie's fault? Will Nancy be able to solve our county woes? Guess we will find out soon enough.
Just a side note: The Greater Redding Chamber of Commerce Political Action Committee gives out $5,000 a pop for their chosen candidates. They really love their Republicans over there in Shasta.

But go figure this! Six candidates have raised $273,147 in the race for the three Redding City Council seats. They are way ahead of the Eureka challengers of three council seats. They will only be spending around $100,000. And over 25% of all monies donated in the City Council races are from Bill Pierson and Petrolia resident Ester Saunoras to the liberal candidates. And we were all led to believe that the right wing contributors would “buy” their candidates way to victory. The scale kind of tipped in the other direction.

This election is going to be crazy to the end I tell you!

Traffic Alert!

Be careful driving over 299 between here and Redding. Byron Boyd Trucking has lost 5 trucks this last year due to accidents. One of them they had a truck turn a corner to fast and flipped the truck and trailer on top of a passenger truck going to the other direction. The little truck stood no chance. Speaking of bad traffic situation, they need to have a CHP park on the corner of 3rd and R street in Eureka and stop all the people who illegally and unsafely pass people approaching the Samoa Bridge. I am sure there are other areas that need attention in Humboldt County, but these are my areas of concern right now.

Help wanted. $17 an hour.

What is with some workers? I work at Evergreen Pulp which was before Samoa Cellulose, before that Stockton Pacific, before that Louisiana Pacific, and originally Georgia Pacific Pulp. I am working 24 hours overtime this week because of the lack of qualified replacements. And I am seeing all sorts of call ins the last few weeks. I last called in for an illness in 1990. Yes. 16 years ago! I just don't understand the call in concept. I would rather be sick at work and get paid! Oh, don't start on the , well you will make everyone else sick, I see these sick people showing up to work here all the time! If I feel miserable, what better place to show it! Joking aside. Evergreen is in need of workers who will be committed to our mill. The starting pay is just at about $17 an hour and goes up quickly from there. We are a union plant of 150 hourly workers who want to expand in the near future. 443-7511 for more information.

Hank Sims is the man!

If you are at all interested in Humboldt County politics and especially Eureka for this election, Hank Sims really lets it all hang out in this weeks North Coast Journal. North Coast Journal October 19, 2006 : ON THE COVER : Will vote for...? (The Journal has not updated on line yet for some reason, but hopefully soon will.) I thought I was going to miss the Town Dandy, but what he did was even better. Kind of like the Town Dandy on steriods! Grab a copy and check it out. Lots of Nuts and Bolts type local political stuff.

Hug your kid again! Wow. What is going on.

I will make this short. The Eureka Reporter - Home Christopher Burgess was a 16 year old boy the system let slip through the cracks. He should have had a chance to enjoy adulthood. I am sure there is more to be heard. The facts are not in. He was just a child. Damn life can be too short. Why is this type stuff happening here? Wasn't that long when the Coopers Gulch incident developed. I do not know the answers, but we need dialogue to find reasoning.

Hug your children. Life is short.

The tragedy at Orick beach just ate me up most of the day. The picture of the mother of the 4 year old being consoled was just heartbreaking. You just never know what to expect of the ocean beaches from Moonstone north to Crescent City. My brother Mike had to save me from a sneaker wave at Trinidad when I was around 7. I was down for the count and he grabbed me just in time. He was maybe 12 at the time. We both could have been casualties. My sons and I spent countless hours on the Samoa Beach either playing in the surf, skim boarding or messing around on our Yamaha's on the shoreline, but the surf seems less radical from the North spit to Clam beach. Wish I could just take that moment in time away from both families in this event. It was just supposed to be a happy camping trip.

Odds and ends.

What a beautiful weekend! And I had to work for 7am to 7pm both days. Shift workers at Evergreen pulp work 4 day/night rotations of 12 hour shifts and then 4 days off. Not too bad except for when you have to work weekends and miss the activities.

Proud moment yesterday when Maurice Purify scored the first touchdown for #19 Nebraska in a major Division 1 football clash against #5 Texas. https://www.huskersnside.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=100&ATCLID=656245
Hope he had a chance to point to “Grandma” Madgie. http://www.times-standard.com/sports/ci_4523307 Two division 1 starting players (The other Rey Maualuga at #3 USC) from Eureka High at the same time. Has that ever happened before? I went to school with “Lil Mo’s” mother Mary at EHS.

“Big Mo” Mo Charlo is not on the Golden State Warriors roster anymore. Is he playing in the NBA developmental league?

Fortuna softball put on Prohibition? No beer? http://www.times-standard.com/local/ci_4532913 Can you play softball with no beer? All joking aside, I have noticed a rise in violent confrontations in adult sports the last few years. I respect umpires Alan Mendes and Janet Harwood’s observations.

I have coached for years and wondered when the parents would finally go too far. The Castro Valley Girls basketball team will have a committee choose the coaches team. What’s next, tell her who to play and how to play?
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2006/10/22/MNGTILTVRT1.DTL

Brian Morrisey used Tract in describing the balloon…..well tract in the TS! Or track? Is it “track or tracts of my tears?”

Nancy Flemming was out on the Samoa Peninsula knocking on doors in my neighborhood. Missed me I was at work. She made a good impression on people in town I heard at work.

Gavin Newsom says he is ‘absolutely not convinced’ that he will seek another term for San Francisco Mayor. Huh?

Poll numbers from the SF Chronicle’s Matier & Ross: Arnold up on Angelides by 15%! Ouch. John Garamendi by 5% over Tom McClintock for Lt. Governor. Jerry Brown in landslide over Chuck Poochigam fo Attorney General. Close race between Cruz Bustamante and Steve Polzner for Insurance Commissioner. Debra Bowen is 2% ahead of Bruce McPherson for Secretary of state. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/10/22/BAGMTLTPDE1.DTL

This just in. Droz has a vote.

I was at work today at the Evergreen Pulp Chip dump. A Virginia Bass sticker was on one of the windows (No, I did not put it there, but there are quite a few chip trucks in the area with them on.) and a truck driver from Eureka said he had already voted absentee. This is just your average joesixpack type who drives truck and is a stock car driver. (If you think you can narrow him down, think again, there are many truck drivers who drive stock cars believe it or not.) He voted for Jerry Droz for mayor. He also voted for Nancy Flemming for Supervisor and explained how she listened to truck drivers concerns about driving in Eureka while she was mayor. He could not remember who he voted for in the city council race. I brought up all the name options and he just could not remember. I decided not to even get into the other election items. There you go folks, the average joe voter. Go figure.

Mayor debate on KEET.

I definitely feel that Virginia Bass was the best on this forum. She seemed well prepared and looked right into the camera while delivering her message. I found some of Peter comments entertaining. He was asked on what he had done to bring in jobs that pay a living wage. He pointed out big box Target! What was he thinking? He also talked about proposed jobs. When talk came up about a police review board Peter said that after the Cheri Moore incident that people were "gun shy" about the subject. Couldn't he find better words to describe this? Droz has this great idea of planting redwood tress down the Broadway, but anyone who has had a redwood tree on their property knows that would be a toughy. All in all it was a good watch.

The HCDCC needs a good cleaning.

I do not like what the Humboldt County Democratic Central Committee (HCDCC) has morphed into. And I am a lifelong participating Humboldt County Democrat!

My mother was a single parent union member and die hard Democrat. I lived in a neighborhood (Myrtle town) that had many working class union Democrats. My male role models were Democrats. In 1975 I registered as a Democrat while a member of the Retail Clerks union. I have been an active community volunteer on the Samoa Peninsula since my wife and I moved out here in 1980 either as a youth or adult sports organizer director. I am currently on the Samoa Peninsula Fire District Board and also on the Humboldt Domestic Violence Services Board of directors.

My wife Robin, (Also a lifelong Humboldt Democrat with parents the same. Dad and Granddad union members.) decided to run for the Peninsula Union School District Board in 1987 and won by a landslide using a door to door campaign. She was then elected President of the board for 5 of her 7 years on the board. She is currently the Business Agent for the district. My wife and I have always participated in the process of elections through voting and have supported Democrats in local politics.

In 1995 I came home from swing shift 3pm to 11pm and watched the news that showed the candidates for the Democratic party running for the 1st District Assembly seat. They were meeting at the “Chicken by the Sea.” I heard rhetoric that had nothing to do with working type democrats like myself. I told my wife I was going to run against these four Democratic “outsiders” and stump real working class issues. I spent a few thousand dollars of my own, but was able to address real issues of the working class. Alas, I lost, but I garnered almost 10% of the vote and maybe have cost past Congressman Doug Bosco a chance for the position. It was an overall positive experience. One of the women running in the 1st District race was Karen Scott. She convinced me to join the local Democratic Central Committee and help from the inside. I took her advise and joined the HCDCC.

I was in fact a member of the HCDCC from 1995 to 2000. The first campaign I helped was as part of Virginia Strom Martin’s successful election committee against Margie Handley in 1996. (Margie had beat Bonnie Neely in a landslide for the Republican representative in the 1995 primary.) I was selected as a delegate appointee by Virginia representing the HCDCC 4th District. I later helped in elections as precinct captain, walker and monitor. I phone-banked for Democrats. I collected signatures to put Mike Thompson on the ballot for Congress. I spent time chairing for the HCDCC at the North Country Fair in Arcata and the Humboldt County fair in Ferndale. My wife and I started renting out the Samoa Women’s Club out of our own pocket for the HCDCC Chicken by the Sea. We not only did set up and clean up, we ran the bar. It was my own personal BBQ that was used by Tom Osuna to cook the chicken!

In 1998 I was asked by members of the HCDCC to run for the 4th District Supervisor seat held by Bonnie Neely. Our philosophy then was to run any and all candidates from the Democratic party willing to go out there and try. I was unanimously endorsed and had many members of the HCDCC help me and serve on my committee. We came up a few hundred votes short but forced Bonnie and Eureka City Councilman Lance Madsen to campaign hard. She outspent us by a huge amount.

I stepped down from the HCDCC when I started working as a union organizer for the Association of Western Pulp and Paper Workers (AWPPW). I served a 5 year term and last organized on payroll in July of 2004. In 2003 I led the largest successful Industrial union drive in the nation at Dart Container in Corona, California. That victory brought in over 600 people for the United Brotherhood of Carpenters (UBC). I had many other successes on smaller levels in Utah, Washington, Idaho, Oregon and Northern California. Too many years on the road left me home sick, so I came back home to Samoa.

I picked up the paperwork early in the year of 2006 to run against 2 Republicans running for 4th District Humboldt County Supervisor. I left messages with both the Chair of the HCDCC Patrick Riggs and Democracy Unlimited representative Kaitlin Sopoci-Belknap letting them know my intent. I heard from neither for weeks. I went to the HCDCC headquarters on a whim before I was to finalize my paper work and formally announce my campaign. Patrick Riggs, Larry Evans, Richard Salzman, David Cobb, Larry Glass and all the other suspects showed up for a Save the Waterfront meeting and just assumed I was there for that. When they finally figured out who I was, I was escorted out of the meeting room by Patrick. I explained to him why I was running and he seemed all right with my intent. He said I could come to the next HCDCC and speak. So I showed up and spoke at the next meeting. Mr. Riggs had told people this was first he had heard of me? Why did he keep my intent to himself? Was it because he and others on Local Solutions had already pledged their support to Bonnie Neely, a Republican? I did not recieve their nomination.

Then the rumors started to fly throughout the HCDCC. Richard Marks is being recruited by Robin Arkley to split up the vote to help Nancy Flemming. Richard Marks filed his paperwork way late. A vote for Richard Marks is a vote for Nancy Flemming. And these rumors were coming from my fellow democrats and not the “evil” Republicans? And then the kicker came, Democrats for Neely? Is that telling people she is a better Democrat than me? This was not an affront to Nancy Flemming the Republican.

And now the HCDCC is endorsing Democrats over another. Not once but 3 times as of late. So yes, there you have it. I do not like what the HCDCC has become. I still am registered as a Democrat. Sometimes I wonder why. Ideology wise I seem to be aligned with most Democrats. They do not respect their own, so they have lost my respect.

CREG at the Eureka City Council.

My wife Robin and I went to the Eureka City Council meeting tonight to hear some of the CREG testimony. I had to work Friday night so I missed their open house at the Warfinger. I was just a little disappointed as we did not hear any great overviews of the meeting. "There was a great 20 minute introduction of options and like it was positive and like showed options and like stuff like that ......." I was hoping for something with more substance. Oh well. I did get a chance to hear Daniel Pierce address the Council about the possibility of steroid abuse by the Eureka City police force. (Steroids or Donuts? You be the judge.) He was booed before his three minute allotment was over and I feel Peter LaVallee should have admonished the crowd and allowed Daniel to finish. Mr. Pierce did make an interesting point about the officers in the Cheri Moore debacle. Did the police force workers who were put on administrative leave have to be drug tested. If an industrial worker is in an accident or a motorist for instance has a catastrophic accident, they are bound by law to a mandatory drug test. Is law enforcement held to the same testing standard. I really do not know. Maybe they are. Made us ponder the accusation.

Bonnie Neely and the Richard Salzman connection.

Why is it such a surprise to many on the blogs of Bonnie Neely's involvement with Richard Salzman? I have seen people almost threaten slander considering this subject. Let me put the controversy to rest right here. Richard Salzman is helping Bonnie's campaign and has been helping since early in the primary. It has in no way been a secret. I have witnessed his assistance myself. Call over at Nancy Flemmings office and they will tell you the same. Why would Bonnie even think about using Salzman? Why not? Richard helped Jill Geist win the 5th District seat. He helped Chris Kerrigan retain his City Council position. Not only did he thwart the re-call Paul attempt, he helped Paul get re-elected. And yes, he helped Bonnie Neely win the primary election. See a trend? Yes, they all have on thing in common. Victory in the polls. The average voter does not have a clue who Richard Salzman is. Only those in the serious political cicle even know of his involvement. Richard is a good political strategist and knows what needs to be done to win a campaign. And let's face it, most politicians desire to win at any cost! I do not begrudge nor do wonder why Bonnie has not distanced her from Salzman. Not too many really care. Or do they? Call Bonnie up and see. Might be interesting.

No Tiger Woods here! HDVS Tournament.

I was on the Humboldt Domestic Violence Services (HDVS) golf tournament committee recently and promised to put a team in the competition. Just a few logistics problems. I was working from 7pm to 7am Friday night the 13th and had to help set up the tournament at 7:30am Saturday morning. I had my outdated equipment ready and hit just a few balls before joining up with my team for the 8:30am shotgun start. I was absolutely brutal. My team of Dave Damme, Steve and Trevor Scott were well entertained of my ineptness. We found out it was a straight scramble with no handicaps figured, so my team was at a huge disadvantage dragging me around the course. When we returned to clubhouse after 1:30pm, the leaderboard had us tied for 2nd at 10 under par! We had no bogeys. It was fun and raised money for a good cause. I think it was the first time I hiked 18 holes in over 5 years. I will have to do it again some time in the future. This time of the year I will stick to basketball until the sun starts showing up again. Oh yes, I had to be at work at 7pm that night the 14th for a 12 hour shift. It was not a pretty sight. But I would do it again!

Imagine: They are really cleaning up the balloon Track/Tract!

Seen it with my own eyes today. Justin Zabel had the Mercer Fraser crew starting the clean up process with a large group of local teenagers doing the tedious garbage pick-up today on the balloon track. Wow, do they have a huge task ahead of them. I have always said that action speak louder than words, and so any physical move forward is great as far as I am concerned. I think it is time for Citizens for Real Economic Growth (CREG) to really start serious dialogue with Security National. I hope Bill Pierson's financial contributions to some of the left slate candidates doesn't interfere with their judgment of open discussion. It will be seen soon enough. Whatever your feelings, it is good to see clean-up a reality.

Mayor and 1st Ward Forum

The Greater Eureka Chamber of Commerce, Humboldt Association of Realtors and the Humboldt Business Exchange held a candidate forum for the 1st Ward candidates for City Council and for Eureka Mayor. I will rate and comment on the 1st Ward candidates but I will not rate the Mayor race as I serve on Virginia’s campaign committee and so it would not be fair. I will make some observations though. Start the arguments!

1st Ward Candidate’s ratings:

1. Larry Glass: He seemed loose and personable and cheerful when in an open audience. He answered the limited time residence question well and pointed out the need to focus on public safety. He felt a lot of local issues flowed through safety. He has been studying the budget and wants to cut waste, but not for the sake of safety. He said he wants the public to be part of the process on the balloon track and if the public wants a mall or a polo field, he will go with the public majority. He has not felt city government has been readable at times, and promises “transparent” processing. He would like to once again address the parking problems of old town. Is for small business incubator plans to give direction to those businesses. Wants to promote tourism and would like the removal of Dams to help fishing on the North Coast. Unabashed tree hugger. His words. Democrat.

2. Mary Beth Wolford: looked great on the KEET debate, and not so good in the open forum. She made a comment on the majority of the police and fire department calls going for the balloon track and had Larry shaking his head no, and Peter LaVallee later saying there were very few calls out there. She also made the comment about parking not being a problem in old town. And she lives down there? She did not really touch on real issues at all. She likes the energy of our people and wants a healthy community. Liked the Meth film on KEET. That was about all as a message. She was not prepared for this venue. Democrat.

3. Tish Wilburne: Less government is the message from Tish. “Government has failed.” She does not like handouts given to people and says people should get off their butts and go get jobs. She would like to see old cars racing in the Redwoods to bring in people. She is soliciting yacht builders currently. Felt Humboldt County attracts some of its problems through government handouts. Libertarian.

Observations of Mayor Candidates:

Jerry Droz: Says the crime rate of Eureka is double the national average and brought graphs to illustrate. Felt people lived in fear and confusion in Eureka. Feels public process was important on all issues. Jerry said we needed to capitalize on a Redwood tree theme by planting them along Broadway and to have Redwood theme area with a huge stump. (Good days of the old Stump house remembered by us old timers here. Jerry is new to the area.) He said he will take no bribes and it isn’t who has the most or biggest signs.

Peter LaVallee: Felt that he had been a good leader and facilitated a huge public process forum of 1,100 at the municipal auditorium about the LGN plans successfully. Talked about how the rail was important, but was not going to happen in the next four years. Felt the homeless problem was “multi –faceted” but did not elaborate. He thinks we need to repair infrastructure to create jobs. He commented we do not have a competitive or prepared local work force. Peter then made a comment that 1 out of 4 high school students in the area graduate with a degree. And claimed he was given this information from city schools. 25%? C’mon, that is not even close. I think the figure is under 10% so one of us is way off. So, we should just give up and go on the government dole? What is he saying or trying to say? He made a claim about making the deciding vote to not give LGN exclusive rights and was corrected by Virginia and Mary Beth that he did not understand the motion he voted on. Peter also made claim on helping the Steamfitters garner prevailing wage on a public works job. No, by law they are assured prevailing wage. Peter did not serve as their agent to secure that. Sid Berg of the Steamfitters would have to do that. You can not take credit for union workers getting what is do them by law! Virginia challenged him to state what he has done the last for years, and he came up with no answers.

Virginia Bass: “We need a can do attitude and local businesses need to grow! We need to remove barriers.” Virginia said she would never take sides to an issue until she had all facts. She pointed out that 91% of the residents in Eureka can not afford to buy a home and would like to reverse that trend. She also would like to see code enforcement and more police available to hire. Virginia is concerned about the local political division and says we need unity to reach our potential. She also spoke of her long ties to the community.

There were plenty of others who saw this forum. Comment away. Please identify who you are if you do comment.

Union endorses Schwarzenegger for governor

I belong to the Association of Western Pulp and Paper Worker's (AWPPW) union. We are an affiliate of the United Brotherhood of Carpenter's (UBC) union. Check out this article. Union endorses Schwarzenegger for governor The San Diego Union-Tribune In other words, some of our dues go to the UBC. So indirectly, I am sending money and endorsement to Arnold. The same guy fighting prevailing wage. http://sbctc.org/pdf/arnold%20pw.pdf Yes the same Arnold cutting back on worker's compensation. California Building Trades Council - legislation & politics - schwarzenegger's workers' comp slashes disability payments Just take me out back and shoot me already. Is all hope is lost on this election for Governor? Oh well, they sent money to local Republican Bonnie Neely also. What can I say. Are the Democrats just losing that much ground? Are they losing some of their identity?

Bonnie and Peter hogging headlines!

Peter LaVallee is once again in the spot light in the The Eureka Reporter - Home. Are they paranoid about fair unbiased reporting? Everyone says the Reporter in Arkley's vehicle. Bonnie Neely and Peter were on the cover just a few days ago? And what about this front page fluff piece by the Bully Pulpiteer James Faulk Times-Standard Online - 'The girls' add joy to Neely's busy day. Then a later story in the health section covering Peter's health issues? What gives. The Time Standard is showing biased for the left slate that is for sure. But it seems the Reporter is going overboard to placate the left as far as I see it. Aren't both papers supposed to give fair and balanced reporting?

Foresters vs Panthers....oh my!

Two undefeated teams duked it out in football in Pop Warner double "A" at a packed Cutten field. The two teams fought hard and were tied at half time at 0-0. Alex Puzz had thrown a ball in the end zone that came up just short for the McKinleyville Panthers right before the break. The Panthers were smaller and used a passing attack, which is unusual at that age. Alex was running for his life most of the time trying to avoid the bigger and faster Eureka players. The Eureka Foresters were using good old power running. The Foresters coach Jr Bean's son went down with a neck injury due to a face mask in the second half that caused an intermission to take precaution and ambulance him away to the hospital. The teams ended regulation at 6-6 tie and so here came overtime! The Forester's had the ball first form the 10? and they scored on 4th down. The Panther's had a chance to tie and drove the ball to the 1 foot line on the forth down. They ran for it and came just short for the potential tie! What a game. Late in the game the Forester's fans were yelling "Offense" while the Panther cheerleaders (Must have been 20 of em) yelled back "Defense" it was great local sportsmanship. Kudos for Rex Bohn and his crew for letting the kids of Humboldt County use this facility for football! There were hundreds out there enjoying the best of Humboldt County weather. And what would be a better venue for our youth? And parents and relatives.

Arts Alive! 10/7/06

The politicians had a great row at the Gazebo tonight! Bonnie Neely was next to Ron Kuhnel who was next to Jeff Leonard who was next to Virginia Bass who was hoofing it into the crowd. Nancy Flemming was stationed in her headquarters with a great spread of food and drink. Mike Jones was mingling with his wonderful wife Susie. No Peter. No Nan. What gives? Paul and Joan Gallegos were the first ones Robin and I ran into. They were childless and I hope they had a good night on the town. He was worried on how I felt post election wise on my campaign. Paul has always done that to me. Never said any thing about his personal concerns. He really wanted to talk about my place in life. I know he pisses so many people in Humboldt County off in so many levels. I have had nothing but positve experiences with Paul and Joan. OK Rose, have a field day with how much he is using me. But why is he nice to me? What has he to gain or me? Nothing!

The Eureka City Council Debate. By Marks!

Let me rank how my wife Robin and I thought the Eureka City Council Debate went on Wednesday. We argued and jabbed but here is how we felt:

1. Mary Beth Wolford- She was the most professional and well spoken candidate. Why was she the only candidate that brought up the pre-approved floor plans for development. This is a big issue to people who want Eureka and affordable housing to be streamlined. Oh yes, she is a life long Democrat.

2. Tie Ron Kuhnel and Jeff Leonard- They both showed they new city processes well. Ron is well spoken but where exactly did he stand on some issues such as the Marina Center? Never really answered, but I will say he is smart! Jeff explained and has been involved in the city processes that give him an advantage to most people. Too bad two fellow Democrats are battling for the same seat. Does Ron feel Jeff is doing a bad job?

4. Mike Jones-He was almost moderate. He sounded like me growing up in Eureka. Paper route, fishing the bay, growing up Eureka.......wait Mike swiped my campaign stump! Wait , no, he swiped my childhood! Republican

5. Larry Glass- He is for change. Yes he made that point. For what though. He wants government to be transparent. What does that really mean? He needs to qualify that statement and say what he has a gripe about. And yes, he needs to smile and seem approachable. (My wife made this comment.) Democrat

6. Tish Wilburne- She brought up real true thoughts and candid rancor. "If you don't like the laws, change them! Don't blame your City Council!" She needed to lighten up and be more of herself. I love Tish and her honesty. Libertarian

7. Nan Abrams- Seemed nervous, which is to be expected. But she also seemed unprepared. I saw her at the Port Development forum and expected more. She needed to be more versed on some of the subjects and needed to take an angry edge off. She is a long time union member and a Humboldt County worker in the trenches with the welfare to work program. Democrat

Statically the incumbent always has the advantage in an election. It is the job of the challenger to prove one of two things.

1. The Incumbent is incompetent and needs to be replaced.

2. That the challenger has new innovative ideas for change.

We do not feel that any of the challengers convinced us to support them in their efforts to replace the incumbents. We own property in Eureka and feel our opinion is valued. Eureka is the County seat and the economic center of Humboldt County and what takes place in Eureka affects all Humboldt County citizens.

If you have any comments let me add that we have been open and "transparent." Please post with your real name. Or you are a weiner. My wife did not say that. Samoasoftball did!

Larry Glass called today.......

And he wanted to let me know that all of his signs were made union by Withan and Dickie out of Portland. Some signs were inadvertently left without the union "bug" but they rectified the problem. I have had a casual relationship with Larry as a long time costumer (I am the consummate Humboldt County consumer) as well as my wife and children. Had great music advice and many pleasant experiences with "The Works." We talked about how hard it is to run a "grass roots" campaign and work full time. It is a great commitment and takes it's toll, that is for sure. Speaking though of signs, I have noticed a great amount of vandalism this race on signs. Way more than the primary. What gives?