Opinion Piece by Samuel Strait – September 9 2016 – I suspect that it should be clear to anybody not born under a political activist’s rock that the Triplicate’s pretend angst over Roger Gitlin’s repeated calls to have Safeway, or rather SOMEONE to do something about the Looooooong standing mess that occupies the space immediately south of Safeway in the Jed Smith Shopping Center. It is simply too convenient politically for the Triplicate and its editor to pitch a fit about a long standing problem that existed well before Rodger Gitlin came to town. Editor Fornoff’s face should be red with embarrassment over the fact that the Triplicate’s very own vending machine was removed from that particular location due to the unsightliness of the area no doubt, or maybe just low sales.
Just to bring the Triplicate, Editor Fornoff, reporter Tony Reed, Safeway Manager Brian Ridgely, and Democratic shill and regular activist Bill Lonsdale up to speed, that particular area is known around the area as the “Black Hole Of Crescent City”. For years it has been a regular hang out for local and transient vagrants who don’t exactly treat it or the people that pass through with respect. Year around it accumulates trash like a landfill and the smell of urine can be over powering at times. Whether or not Mr. Ridgely chooses to point fingers at every single one of this communities many problems as the cause of this problem is irrelevant. Whether or not the Triplicate and Tony Reed have chosen to create a narrative to cast Rodger Gitlin in a negative light to score political points, while ignoring Ms. Murray’s activities in July is also irrelevant. Whether or not the “Savior of the Environment” when it suits him, Bill Lonsdale, creates a false narrative of “Cyber Bullying”, the bottom line is that either Safeway and its manager Brian Ridgely, Crescent City and its police department, or the owners of Jed Smith Shopping Center have a long standing blight and vagrant issue. If Crescent City ever hopes to resurrect itself as a tourist mecca, this kind of behavior, particularly out of commercial interests such as Safeway and its manager, Mr. Ridgely, cannot continue. The appeal of the 101 corridor through Crescent City is a huge influencing factor for visitor who may wish to pause their journey and spend money locally. For Mr. Ridgely, the Triplicate, and Mr. Lonsdale to even suggest that this area is not an issue is preposterous. Further, to obstruct any effort to initiate a clean up and continued maintenance of the area should be viewed as obstructionist and condemned in no uncertain terms. Yet our very own newspaper and regular, when it suits him, environmental savior, is obstructing that effort. Mr. Ridgely, as it would be with any responsible business owner or manager should be falling all over themselves to clean up and mitigate such a mess without being prompted. The very fact that this is not the case should reflect negatively on Mr. Ridgely’s handling of the management of Safeway.
I would venture to guess that politics is the chief motivating factor and not what is beneficial to this community. Perhaps it is time that a concerted effort be made to lobby for change at the Triplicate by contacting Western Communications in Bend, Oregon to ask for a more perceptive and less political editor. Perhaps then the Triplicate can get back to reporting the news rather than go on political “Witch Hunts”.
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