As You See It: Nov. 12, 2009

The city of Watsonville has hired a marketing firm from Indianapolis to devise a campaign to attract business to Watsonville.

[rita]

How long doe one expect omeone to be sentenced to prion? Life without parole for anything you deem worthy of such a sentence. 8 years in prison is not a walk in the park. A sentence that will involve little assistance in readying the inmate for a return to the community and even less support to keep them from returning to prison Let's just keep doing what we are/aren't doing at present. Do you think all judges come from the ranks of defense attornies, ready to be as lenient as the law allows? Do you think all law enforcement and prosecuters are infallible and only interested in justice for all involved? You had the barest of information about the case. the principals, from the judge, prosecuter, defense, and law enforcement all had more knowledge of the particulars. If you letter had included specifics of all factors involved in sentencing, instead of just kneejerk spewing, your opinion might have had some value. We've been locking up crack addicts and dealers and gang member for quite awhile, now. Is the problem getting any better? Maybe we best look for other solutions, instead of tying the hands of judges, who usually, get to the bench with years of experience and proven competence (Clarence Thomas aside).

[Santa Cruzan]

Doug Engfer - you are right on! Those bicycles do not belong on the path with the walkers. Over the years I have nearly been run over several times so I don't walk along there any more.
But your idea makes perfect sense to have traffic one way with a bike lane. I like it very much. Please send your letter to your local supervisor.

[nocklebeast]

The road on West Cliff is perfectly fine for cyclists as it is. Making the road one way for cyclists won't make it better for cyclists. Replacing a traffic lane with a two way bike path will just increase the conflicts between cars trying to get to the parking on the ocean side of the road.

[Eating]

The West Cliff Drive path works GREAT, every day, every hour, tons of people, no problems...

Except every once in a while someone thinks they have more of a right than others and gets all huffy puffy. If it gets too crowded for you, take a break and stand off to the side and watch the ocean for a little bit.

[Eating]

Santa Cruzan wrote:

Doug Engfer - you are right on! Those bicycles do not belong on the path with the walkers. Over the years I have nearly been run over several times so I don't walk along there any more.
But your idea makes perfect sense to have traffic one way with a bike lane. I like it very much. Please send your letter to your local supervisor.

See...it works! You never really run over, just "nearly" according to you, and we got you to stay away. One less person on the path!

[LooseSCruz]

Santa Cruzan wrote:

Doug Engfer - you are right on! Those bicycles do not belong on the path with the walkers.

Uh, yes they do. That's why that path is enormous and there are signs all over it marking it as a bike and pedestrian pathway. Maybe you just need to pay a little more attention to your surroundings when you're using shared spaces, huh?

[nocklebeast]

Perhaps you're the one who should pay more attention.

With the exception of this one old sign near Gharkey Steet (http://www.flickr.com/photos/nocklebeast/3779... ) there are no signs on the path that encourage cyclists to ride there (nor are they any signs prohibiting them). There are no bike stencils painted on the path.

All the other bike signs are _road_ signs declaring West Cliff Drive as part of the "Pacific Coast Bicycle Route."

LooseSCruz wrote:

<quoted text>
Uh, yes they do. That's why that path is enormous and there are signs all over it marking it as a bike and pedestrian pathway. Maybe you just need to pay a little more attention to your surroundings when you're using shared spaces, huh?

[reality - check please]

"Coonerty says it's safe to walk downtown at night; now he's saying we're better off spending our money on legalizing pot."
Marissa Maciel

Marissa, get your facts straight. There are two Coonerty's in local politics. The elder is with the County and did not speak to the downtown safety issue.

[Duh]

Mr. Frank, Watsoville is most likely utilizing the services of an out of state PR Marketing firm most likely due to the fact that a local company with actual first hand knowlege of the dire high crime circumstances present in a declared Sanctuary City such a Wastonville and its associated high Hispanic Street gang crime rate would be lying in producing a advertisiment saying how wonderfull and safe it would be for tourists to come and stay and spend money in Watsonville!

[In-Sanity Cruz]

Someone always thinks they have a better idea for West Cliff Drive. But, they don't think them through. This is primarily a thoroughfare which enables all of the lower westside folks to get around. Secondarily, it has a beautiful path shared by walkers and bikers. Bikers also can ride with the traffic, which is generally pretty light. It's weekends and summer that change things a bit, but nothing that can be worked with as it is. Cutting out a lane of traffic on any thoroughfare is a bad idea. I suspect this idea comes from a biker.

[Jaydog]

Some people(marissa) just don't get it. It would be laughable if her ignorance were not so detrimental to our town. She has NO idea what the drug dealers are selling on the corner, let me tell you, it ain't weed. Before the pot clubs opened (and before the passage of 215) you could half a dozen hippies selling weed in front of the vacant lot that now houses Logos. They would be openly selling it in parking lots and ally ways. Not anymore. Anyone who wants pot can get it legally, pretty much. Ask any police officer downtown. The marijuana trade has been taken off the street.
Thank God an ignoramus like Marissa is not in charge of anything, especially public policy, she just doesn't get it.

[nocklebeast]

Actually there are quite a number of cyclists that oppose this idea on West Cliff, me included.

In-Sanity Cruz wrote:

Someone always thinks they have a better idea for West Cliff Drive. But, they don't think them through. This is primarily a thoroughfare which enables all of the lower westside folks to get around. Secondarily, it has a beautiful path shared by walkers and bikers. Bikers also can ride with the traffic, which is generally pretty light. It's weekends and summer that change things a bit, but nothing that can be worked with as it is. Cutting out a lane of traffic on any thoroughfare is a bad idea. I suspect this idea comes from a biker.

[pat]

Doug Eghfer, that is a great idea! it is nearly impossible to ride comfortably and safely on the sidewalk or on the road.

[Pittsburg]

Jaydog, stay in Gunpoint, buy your pot there.

[Read-n-Remeber]

reality - check please wrote:

Marissa, get your facts straight. There are two Coonerty's in local politics. The elder is with the County and did not speak to the downtown safety issue.

Get YOUR facts straight: From 10/21/2009 "In Monday's Sentinel, Councilman Ryan Coonerty, responding to a story about the stabbing death of Tenorio on Friday night at Chestnut and Laurel streets, said it is not necessarily unsafe to walk at night in the city."

[Troubling rash]

yet another pot-bot ... just an FYI the dealers didn't get the memo, if you want the profits you don't sell through 'legal' channels.

Jaydog wrote:

Some people(marissa) just don't get it. It would be laughable if her ignorance were not so detrimental to our town. She has NO idea what the drug dealers are selling on the corner, let me tell you, it ain't weed. Before the pot clubs opened (and before the passage of 215) you could half a dozen hippies selling weed in front of the vacant lot that now houses Logos. They would be openly selling it in parking lots and ally ways. Not anymore. Anyone who wants pot can get it legally, pretty much. Ask any police officer downtown. The marijuana trade has been taken off the street.
Thank God an ignoramus like Marissa is not in charge of anything, especially public policy, she just doesn't get it.

[Tuberose]

reality - check please wrote:

Marissa, get your facts straight. There are two Coonerty's in local politics. The elder is with the County and did not speak to the downtown safety issue.

EH, two too many Coonerty's to keep track of! Maybe the Sentinel could have checked this before they ran the letter? The points she makes are still valid, though, IMO.

[YOU Remember Reading]

However, it was the elder Coonerty, Neal, who suggested concentrating on legalizing pot rather than trying to claim the $275,000 grant to go after growers. There is one Coonerty(Neal) on the Board of supervisors and the younger Coonerty(Ryan) on the city counsel. I hope that clears it up for you.
http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/ci_13760657...
Read the last two paragraphs.

[nocklebeast]

pat, it's just not that hard to ride in the street. And with the new asphalt, it's even easier to ride in the street than the path.

http://www.youtube.com/watch...

pat wrote:

Doug Eghfer, that is a great idea! it is nearly impossible to ride comfortably and safely on the sidewalk or on the road.

[Not popular]

While I agree with the Ron Marquez OP piece and the letter from Bill Delaney, I completely disagree with his notion that it is a "wildly popular rail-trail". This is not a popular concept among most people I speak with. Unless you are a People Power cult member or without the ability to think critically (UCSC grads), most working people are against this poorly thought out idea. It is a pie in the sky. DO NOT MAKE THIS PURCHASE - IT WILL BE A TERRIBLE MISTAKE. STOP THE INSANITY.