Heritage Area Moves Forward
According to Tony Smithers of the Humboldt Convention and Visitors Bureau, people are " coming out of the woodwork" in support of his idea for designating the county a National Heritage Area. The only two people mentioned in the article are representatives from the Northcoast Regional Land Trust and Humboldt Botanical Gardens Foundation. Figures.
I guess it makes sense the Sell- Trinkets- To- Tourists crowd would have their day. There's nothing else going on here. We might well be doomed to survive on the grants that seem to be more and more acceptable to the type of people living in Humboldt now.
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Then again, there's that wind farm project being discussed for the Lost Coast area. Hard to see how that will be of economic benefit to everyone, but it is something positive being considered. Let's see how many people end up objecting to that.
posted by Fred Mangels @ 9:21 AM
24 comments
24 Comments:
They're looking for more reasons to bring in more prop 1A and 1B monies.Designating this as a heritage area is one way to do so.
Would you prefer Smithers be doing something else? Tourism is one of the major segments of our local economy and he works for a tourism bureau. So, kudos to him for doing something good within his field.
It seems your animosity is actually aimed at anonymous mystery figures working in other fields who are not putting forward ideas for other forms of economic development. What ideas do you propose?
It is a decent idea.Even though I opposed those measures,I still think that we deserve our fair share of the loot.This could be an innovative way to bring some of that money here.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=d2L8yLmrrYI
Anonymous, have you seen nick's special gift to you?
I feel left out! I sure hope Nick does a video about me.
Actually the idea originated with Marcus Brown of the Timber Heritage Association but it is nothing but a winner for our area. I am glad Smithers is pushing it.
10:01 wrote, "Would you prefer Smithers be doing something else?".
Not necessarily and, believe it or not, I have met Tony Smithers, albeit some years ago.
Also, believe it or not, I'm not sure I'm totally opposed to having a government position trying to promote tourism. I'm not sure it's really needed or, if it is, what things such a position should entail, but the Visitors and Convention Bureau isn't something I toss and turn at night about.
I'm more concerned about this Heritage Area idea and what it might do to the county. There will likely be more and more restrictions on things around here because of it, making it difficult for legitamite business to operate or get started in the first place.
We've all seen what a great deal Redwood National Park was for the town of Orick.
Fred, as a Libertarian you should be adamantly opposed to a historic district. You are a Libertarian right?
"historic district"? Whatever.
I don't know that there's anything wrong with a historic anything. It just depends how it's handled and what government's role in it is.
In this case, I think it will end up with much of the entire county being considered a national park. I certainly find that troublesome.
Of course, that's just from what little I've heard of it. Details will emerge as time goes on.
there is nothing really history worthy in Humboldt county. Indian wars, and Old Growth harvesting. Thats it. We have a few Victorians, which may come in use if methamphetimine is ever legalized. Until then, this place is just another decrepit shithole.
2:42 I think you're pretty perceptive.
Of course, in a third world place like HumCo all the natives are capable of producing is trinkets and making small rocks and pieces of wood out of big ones.
But Fred, on the bright side: when the area is made into a park they'll give protection to the indiginous endangered Whineatarian and Right Wing species.
Without getting into an argument about what kind of "place" this is, you bring up something I've been thinking about:
What makes Humboldt any different from any other county (or parish) in this country? Sure, we have some things that other places don't, just like they have things we don't, including their own history.
Why should Humboldt be considered a National Heritage Area as opposed to anywhere else in the country? They have their own unique history just like we do, which I'm sure would qualify them as a Heritage Area.
Seems to me, designation of a National Heritage Area is only a mechanism to get more pork barrel spending dollars here- everybody fighting over state and fed largesse being perfectly accepted nowadays- as opposed to other places.
That may be acceptable to some, but forgive me if I'm not particularly happy with that system.
What heritage here? A heritage of killing most the old growth? Hacking Indians with axes? Having the first Lawnmower man turned blogger this side of the Silicon Valley?
Fred, I can relate. However, the system is what it is, and if that's the button to push to get money from the government, I say push.
5:42 PM: "...the button to push to get money from the government, I say push."
Money from the govt? The govt has no money except what it steals from its slaves (taxpayers) or prints; but I repeat myself.
Fred, you've failed to make your case that the heritage thing is about pork barrel spending. That's grumpy old man cynicism talking. It's good ol' fashioned herumphing from a rocking chair on the front porch. It's no different than lefty conspiracy theorists convinced things are they way they are despite reality.
Free Money from the government.
The last time we tried that was redwood national park.
What new restrictions will this new grant opportunity impose on local buinesses? Beyond the, money grab...what is in it for anyone by Smithers and his fellow shameless self promoters. Maybe it is the wildlife ranger badge to convince those who aren't looking, that the Conference and Visitor's Bureau is actually doing something.
I'll answer...Zero.
It's just another sell out for another government scrap....Smithers get's some credit for trying and if this works, we get another layer of regulation. What will it be this time? How much of this community's value are these hacks willing to sell out to promote themselves?
Hey Fred, did you hear that BevMo may be putting in a store right here in Eureka! Drunks of Humboldt County, hear me now!
THIS IS A TIME TO REJOICE!
Never heard of BevMo. Have no idea what it is.
Whatever happened to the Tourist Train? Seems Mary was saying it would be up and running by now.
Although Mr. Smithers is a strong advocate for the county and quite a good fellow, this Heritage Area has lots of down sides. The extra layer of gov. can't be a good thing. Plus the money comming in will have enormous strings attached. A huge red flag that should go up to everyone is when Redwood National Park supports it. You all know RNP the zero point destination for visitors in the national park system. The park that turned Orick from a population of 6,000+ to 300. Now that's the kind of economic model we need to follow. Our county needs to develop jobs,jobs,jobs not more grant funded gov. dependent handouts. Just my point of view. A view that comes from close observation. I'll offer to help Mr Smithers in any way possible to push Humboldts heritage and market us to the world,but I urge him to slow down a bit and think about developing an economy not help build more layers of government controls. Dennis Mayo
Thank god for RNP!- Can you imagine the blight of 6000 Orick Folk? The Meth quantity alone to fuel that many kooks is hard to fathom. You think it's an eyesore now, imagine the beautiful trees as stumps. Orick may very well be the reason RNP is underutilized. Can you imagine traveling from states away to see the incredible redwood forests, and you pull into Orick?!!?
If blight exhists in Orick it's the result of RNP and the attitudes of people like you 6:25.Tourists go to Oregon because RHP is a failure. Most of Orick is still a nice place but before RNP it was a beautiful,vibrant community. Everyone loved being in Orick. We would have even been nice to you.
What everyone is missing here is that there is not one quote from the "granting" agency that says that they are at all interested in this. This is just another case of everyone getting excited about and egg that hasn’t even been laid much less hatched. If you have read Prop 1A and 1B you will quickly realize that there is no connection or synergy with the mythical Heritage Area funding. More people talking about things they know little about and wasting everyone’s time.
You're quite condensending 12:26. Think you're the only one that reads? Prop 1A & 1B funding is yet to be determined. RNP zelots will continue to look for any opertunity to further expand. Forewarned is forearmed. What's left of Humboldt Co. is ripe for the "radical" picking.A Heritage Area is a damn good ploy.
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