Wheelchairs of fortune

The Arctic Circle burger restaurant, a popular spot in Eureka since 1967, closed down last week because of a lawsuit filed under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

[carpe diem]

Chris Jones needs to take the time to study adacrisis.com . Legislators fail to pass reforms because they accept campaign donations from trial lawyers, trial lawyers make huge incomes as do "professional" plantiffs on the backs of small and large businesses. Shameful.

[ADA]

I think all Humboldt County companies should file a order of restraint against Singleton and anyone who has filed a lawsuit with him or any other ADA abuse lawyers. If he can not fuel his car, buy food, watch a movie, or go anywhere, maybe he will move out of this area.

[laughing at your expense]

arctic circle is just like Oh's anyway....an old timer thats on its way out....good riddance

[Andrew Bird]

I certainly agree with the premise that the ADA should not accord legal extortion by the likes of Jason Singleton.

But I cannot cry too many tears over the loss of Arctic Circle, a business that served up bad health in every meal. Sorry, but let's be honest. Today we are much more informed about how important diet is, and we all know about the alarming rate of type II diabetes in the United States.

[Anonymous]

Laughing must work at BK or McD's. What other reason could it have for being glad Arctic Circle closed?

While I support disabled access, this type of extortion by Singleton and his clients is damaging their support. The law needs to be changed now to close these loopholes which are exploited out of greed and give the businesses a chance to make necessary changes without all the petty crap of sinks 1/2" too high or a lamp post 1/4" too small. Reasonable people can see what blocks accessibility and what doesn't. Let common sense prevail and stop these parasites from sucking businesses dry.

[Skippy56]

Anonymous wrote:

While I support disabled access, this type of extortion by Singleton and his clients is damaging their support. The law needs to be changed now to close these loopholes which are exploited out of greed and give the businesses a chance to make necessary changes without all the petty crap of sinks 1/2" too high or a lamp post 1/4" too small. Reasonable people can see what blocks accessibility and what doesn't. Let common sense prevail and stop these parasites from sucking businesses dry.

Totally agree, reasonable accommodation and no fine combs of an inch here or there.

[Jeff E]

Too bad Andrew Bird cannot find any compassion for all the Artic Circle employees who lost their jobs.

Jason Singleton is a perfect example of the worst attorney possible. This is extortion pure & simple. He lines his pockets at the expense of small business owners, thanks to the Democrats in the State Legislature.

I will physically throw him out of my business if he ever dared step foot in here & that goes for any friend of his (although I doubt he has any friends).

[I see the truth of it]

Only the friends he pays to associate with him.

And just for information (it's public record and public information, so don't even begin to come at me), the "victim" actually lives in Rio Dell and has been heard saying she won't go after the gas station down there because she knows the employees and likes them. Proof that these are personal, greed-based extortions against local business because her disability apparently doesn't pay her enough to "live the highlife" in glamorous downtown Rio Dell.

[Fred Mangels]

Andrew Bird wrote:

But I cannot cry too many tears over the loss of Arctic Circle, a business that served up bad health in every meal.

A lot of people did like Arctic Circle, Andrew. It shouldn't be for you to decide what businesses stay open or close. Besides, it's the principle of the thing:

"First they came for the Jews and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew. Then they came for the Communists and I did not speak out
because I was not a Communist. Then they came for the trade unionists and I did not speak out
because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for me." -Pastor Martin Niemöller

[Michelle]

Can someone check and see if this is the same dude who did this to the burger place in Blue Lake? Sounds like the same method and poor ability to negotiate or entertain any reasonable offers of correction. Sad.

[laughing at your expense]

Anonymous wrote:

Laughing must work at BK or McD's. What other reason could it have for being glad Arctic Circle closed?
While I support disabled access, this type of extortion by Singleton and his clients is damaging their support. The law needs to be changed now to close these loopholes which are exploited out of greed and give the businesses a chance to make necessary changes without all the petty crap of sinks 1/2" too high or a lamp post 1/4" too small. Reasonable people can see what blocks accessibility and what doesn't. Let common sense prevail and stop these parasites from sucking businesses dry.

no I dont eat any fast food. Thats why I say good riddance. If I worked BK or anywhere like it I would certainly leave my ass hairs in someones burger once a day....just to stay sane.

[Skippy56]

I can see a conflict with SB 1608, it is only a State Law. There needs to be a Federal Law like this, so we are not fighting one another as currently being done regarding medical use of marijuana.

[Mark Gramaldy]

It's a shame that local businesses have to walk on egg shells so they don't bare down the wrath of Singleton upon them. Mr. Singleton, do you realize that you are hurting people. And when I mean people, I mean the little guy. Persons with little means. Ones who's jobs are lost. You are doing this when the chips are down for the majority of us in this community. It is clear you don't really care about the problem we who are disabled go through,. No, you use this law as a sword to go against the good intentions behind the ADA laws and bring disgrace to it, your clients and most of all, you, who's clear intention is to rape our community and kick our citizens when they are down. I pray God can forgive you because most informed citizens won't. You my friend bring reproach upon yourself, your faith (if you have any) and your profession. I can not walk. I am confined to this simple wheelchair. I don't have many pleasures in this world but I live close to Artic Circle and I looked forward to my weekly romp down there to get a courtesy cone and the best taco salads in Eureka. This may not mean much to you but it means a great deal to a lot of people who grew up here and have few remnants of how good Eureka use to be and AC was one of them, and you, yes you, you greedy bastard took it away and probably have more targets homed in on your sights and damn it I am Mad!!!!! Continue your violating of our community but be aware that you will not only be disliked but rather you will be hated! Go to Hell Jason k. Singleton and like I said before, if I could rise out my chair I'd like to make my foot a permanent fixture in your rear.

[I see the truth of it]

Mark Gramaldy wrote:

It's a shame that local businesses have to walk on egg shells so they don't bare down the wrath of Singleton upon them. Mr. Singleton, do you realize that you are hurting people. And when I mean people, I mean the little guy. Persons with little means. Ones who's jobs are lost. You are doing this when the chips are down for the majority of us in this community. It is clear you don't really care about the problem we who are disabled go through,. No, you use this law as a sword to go against the good intentions behind the ADA laws and bring disgrace to it, your clients and most of all, you, who's clear intention is to rape our community and kick our citizens when they are down. I pray God can forgive you because most informed citizens won't. You my friend bring reproach upon yourself, your faith (if you have any) and your profession. I can not walk. I am confined to this simple wheelchair. I don't have many pleasures in this world but I live close to Artic Circle and I looked forward to my weekly romp down there to get a courtesy cone and the best taco salads in Eureka. This may not mean much to you but it means a great deal to a lot of people who grew up here and have few remnants of how good Eureka use to be and AC was one of them, and you, yes you, you greedy bastard took it away and probably have more targets homed in on your sights and damn it I am Mad!!!!! Continue your violating of our community but be aware that you will not only be disliked but rather you will be hated! Go to Hell Jason k. Singleton and like I said before, if I could rise out my chair I'd like to make my foot a permanent fixture in your rear.

You're wasting your time, he doesn't care, richies NEVER care about anything other than what they can do (more like who they can screw) to get even more money in their bank account. The only way to get rich in this country is to take advantage of poor people.

[Mark Gramaldy]

To the others in this forum, Please excuse my language. I'm just so upset over this guy. I could just scream.

[I see the truth of it]

Mark Gramaldy wrote:

To the others in this forum, Please excuse my language. I'm just so upset over this guy. I could just scream.

You are hereby excused, scream away.....

[its too bad]

I think the ADA left out any way to enforce its requirements except for hiring an attorney to go after businesses that don't comply. It should have specified that some agency had the power to enforce the provisions and then regulations could have been developed to allow for businesses to have time to comply. I figure the trial lawyers must have had a hand in this because they have certainly reaped the rewards!

And it also means there is no other way to get compliance except to pit disabled people against business owners or expect businesses to seek out someone who knows the regs to survey their property and make recommendations, which the business would have to pay for. Not a good situation for either group.

[anonymous]

comply or face the consequents.

[anonymous]

Jeff E wrote:

Too bad Andrew Bird cannot find any compassion for all the Artic Circle employees who lost their jobs.
Jason Singleton is a perfect example of the worst attorney possible. This is extortion pure & simple. He lines his pockets at the expense of small business owners, thanks to the Democrats in the State Legislature.
I will physically throw him out of my business if he ever dared step foot in here & that goes for any friend of his (although I doubt he has any friends).

What business....i bet you wont post it....i also bet you 1000 dollars that when i walk into the store and say i am a friend and client of mr singleton you don't do a freaking thing.

[Susan]

What a great example of terrible writing by a newspaper!
So, the T-S knows more about this issue
than an agancy who deals with every single day?
You all know more than I do? I only spend MY life IN a wheelchair!
What could I possibly know about it?

I know this:

22 violations. TWENTY-TWO!

Requests to make the place accessible- IGNORED. For 10 Years.

Warnings- IGNORED.

This is why people finally sue. Its not Singleton. Its not even someone with a disability.

Its a business that refuses to comply with the law!

If this were fire extinguishers, or people smoking outside the entrance, you would all be screaming
"WHY didnt they get sued sooner!!!"

But you would rather pretend YOU will never face the challenge of a disability, and see what its like to try and move about, or get served, or find a job or place to live- while lugging around a wheelchair!!
Or oxygen tank, or cane, or....

Alot of people here might want to THINK a minute before they go screaming about how
'unfair' this was!