Page 40 - Sonoma County Gazette March 2017

Rain, Rain and more Rain:
Well, I’m surprised we haven’t had to summons Noah’s Ark. Mother Nature has shown us a thing or two. Many of us here have had to deal with the harsh reality of natural springs popping up on our properties and flash flooding running down Canyon 6 and Sequoia Street. Although we have certainly been in a drought for five years, I can honestly say that most of us here in
RN have just about had it with all the rain and the huge potholes that have been devouring our roads that are already in bad shape. A safety precaution advised is for folks to drive slowly and cautiously on these two streets. There’s a couple residents on Sequoia and Canyon 6 that speed daily, (this isn’t Sears Point Raceway)....I don’t want to call you out in next months column, because I can and will. So..... my advice is to slow your role...On a positive note we have been fortunate to only experience a handful of power outtages that PG&E has quickly addressed.
Roads in Rio Nido:
Our roads here are and in some cases have disintegrated. They have
become dirt roads. Sequoia and Canyon 6 are worse for wear. Huge, gaping potholes are everywhere and these two streets have become dirt and gravel. Its dangerous, one can trip, fall and seriously injure themselves which is a liability to the County. Just throwing a little asphalt on these potholes is a waste.
These roads need to be repaved instead of putting a temporary Band-Aid on them. Property Owners in RN pay just as much in property taxes as the rest
of Sonoma County. (Heck, you wouldn’t see this in Sebastopol or Healdsburg would you?) I wanted to extend a huge thanks to Larry Tocmakidis, Steve Bailey and Fred Beeler for clearing debris, sweeping the streets and clearing drains to keep them from clogging. Caring about where you live by doing little things goes a long way! Thanks Guys!
The feast of St. Patrick is a cultural and religious celebration held on March 17th. The Irish and the Irish at Heart all across the globe observe St. Patrick’s Day. What began as a religious feast day for the patron saint of Ireland has become an international festival celebrating the Irish culture with parades, dancing, specialty foods and a whole lotta green! How will you be celebrating this year?
Marching Forward.
St. Patrick’s Day, Friday March 17th:
re hydrant. There is also State and Federal disaster funds to cover this. So instead of addressing the issue before the wall and road collapses, and it takes a year or two to rebuild and reopen the road (without disaster funds at that point), the county thinks they should just do nothing until the road collapses? This is also a newly paved road when Sweetwater installed new water mains and re hydrants. Perhaps, there might be some good news and the county will decide that it is in their best interest to be proactive, save money, and maintain our roads, but only time will tell.
Important dates to remember:
Next month I will start a scorecard on the county’s response time for issues people have brought up. When was the issue reported? To what departments? What was the initial response? Has anything been resolved? If you have an issue you can report it on Nextdoor Downtown Monte Rio, or email me. Include information about the issue, who you reported to, and when you reported it. Perhaps the scorecard could be titled County Progress Report or CPR?
March 1st: Ash Wednesday April 9th: Palm Sunday April 14th: Good Friday. April 16th: Easter
The other day I was talking to our re chief at our Park & Rec. A young couple came up and asked if we had seen a sleeping bag they had lost or if we had a blanket for them. The re chief asked where they were from and they said Santa Rosa. He asked why they were here and they said “because it’s not Santa Rosa.” The chief also told me many people he asks are from out of state. This is not sustainable on any level. Compassion includes helping those that want to help themselves, and also helping long term residents stay here. Same goes for businesses. We are an economically depressed area and yet, we don’t get the modest amount of help and services from our government agencies to improve things?
Easter is the oldest and most important feast celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ on the third day of his crucifixion as described in the New Testament. Easter is preceded by Lent a forty-day period of fasting and penance. Most people only fast for a week or two. Forty days is a bit extreme but heck some do it.
PET of the Month: Buster
Buster is the newest addition to our family and is an affectionate, sweet and very curious cat. He has shown he can manage his way around three hounds and even scare them at times. He loves to have his tummy rubbed and is forever curious.
Why do some people have to keep their vehicles and RV’s currently registered and others don’t? Why do we have a group of people continually cleaning up debris while continuing to allow others to degrade our environment? Where will the increased TOT taxes be spent? Where will the new marijuana taxes be spent? I recently came across an article in the SF Chronicle from July 1991 titled “Monte Rio Making Itself Over, Russian River town hopes to shed its down and out image. “ “Home to the downtrodden and forgotten since the 1960s.” “Monte Rio became known as the place where the sleaze meets the trees.” Then again back then we did at least have the Pink.
March has always been my favorite month. Spring, new beginnings, longer days, more sunshine, beauty, and hope. From what this winter has brought, from local disasters to our national disaster, it couldn’t arrive fast enough this year.
This March also brings with it another milestone birthday for me. Hoping our new gym will be open soon as this body needs to work out some stress.
I am glad people are becoming more engaged in community and politics again, but surprised what it takes to make that happen. Leaving national politics aside, I am disheartened to read a comment on Nextdoor that a 26- year River resident has had enough of local government inaction, has given up any hope, and is leaving the area. I also heard from someone else that they are giving it two years and if it doesn’t change, they too are out of here. Our local government doesn’t function as it should and neglects the middle class people here. There seems to be a lack of common sense, and a need for a proactive stance. For instance, there is a retaining wall that is giving way on Starrett Hill Dr. I contacted the county. The response I got was they would check to see if it was beyond their right of way or not. The soil around the telephone/electric pole, as well as the new re hydrant, is shifting. PG&E came out and said for now the pole is OK, but they are worried that road will collapse. Our re chief was out and said he is worried he will lose a
While we still are hopeful Lynda Hopkins will be able to make a di erence, it is beyond what one Supervisor can change herself. It gets back to our community demanding change and better responsive services.
Buster comes to us from Forgotten Felines and was living in the facility for a month before we took him into our home. His previous owner wanted to put him down rather than pay for the surgery to save his life. He is now a happy healthy little cat with more love and hope than we could ever imagine.
So it’s 26 years later, I’m about to turn 60, it’s time to March forward. If you are on the same page, join the Monte Rio Community Alliance. If you live in Guerneville join the Guerneville Community Alliance. If you are a homeowner’s association, a local district, or a community group, join the Russian River Alliance. Together we can make change happen, and happen quickly.
40 - www.sonomacountygazette.com - 3/17
Vacation Wonderland. We just keep getting better.