What is truth?
Apparently, whatever some people want you to believe.
On July 23, Sentinel Rock resident Lyn Hitchon began circulating an e-mail newsletter entitled “Carefree Truth.” In it she advises that there will be a series of these truthful missives, complements of her perspective. She plans to address one truthful issue in each edition, a truly admirable community service.
In her first edition, she has targeted Sonoran News, and by included reference, candidates who ran against the old guard in the recent election. It wouldn’t be complete without some form of criticism of Bob Coady, an individual with whom she has a combative relationship, at best – very neighborly. There was a clear implication that Councilman Coady would make, perhaps in her mind, an inappropriate decision to award town advertising to Sonoran News. Clearly Lyn has issues, with Coady and with Sonoran News.
To be completely factual Lyn should have shared some details which would be relevant to her audience. For example, unlike the Republic, Sonoran News is a local news publication. Further, SN has a far better perspective of life and activities in Carefree/Cave Creek than the city paper. The Republic gladly accepts town advertisements but generally provides scant coverage in Carefree. They do provide non-investigative commentary or endorsements if you prefer that term, of certain things Carefree. Point in case was their recent endorsements just prior to the general election. Some folks may have enjoyed the recent Tea Room article, curiously written in a style inconsistent with routine Republic material. Lyn could also have pointed out the huge circulation advantage (in Carefree/Cave Creek) that SN enjoys over The Republic – no contest. Perhaps she didn’t want to confuse her real point with facts.
Lyn should investigate the truth relating to the town’s acquisition of the 8 Sundial Circle property. She will find the facts to be somewhat different than the story told by the prior council majority. That would be a legitimate community service.
Encarta English Dictionary: Truth (noun) - Something factual; A statement that corresponds to fact or reality.
“It is always the best policy to speak the truth – unless, of course, you are an exceptionally good liar.” - Jerome K. Jerome (1859-1927)
John Traynor | Carefree
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Thank you!
On behalf of the Cave Creek Film and Arts Festival I would like to thank you for your generous coverage of the Coyote Awards Ceremony in Sonoran News last week. We were thrilled with the ceremony and your support. We hope that you enjoyed the evening. We are thrilled with the quality of art and the professionalism of the production. We are so lucky to be in Cave Creek.
Thank you.
Judy Bruce | President, Cave Creek Film & Arts Festival
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Open letter to Anna Marsolo, Cave Creek Realty
Anna: I like you, but you have gone too far this time. You have been known to fabricate and distort the facts in the past and someone in your group has told your signers that Walmart can move to the West. They were misled. Walmart can't and does not want to move from the intersection.
You should have all learned your lesson with Home Depot. If you shoot them down they will go to the North East Corner of Carefree Hwy and Cave Creek Rd, and again we get the building and someone else gets the revenue. Then on the other hand without the revenue Cave Creek will be insolvent and we will belong to Phoenix or Scottsdale and you will never be able to get enough signatures for a referendum ever again. Developers will love you.
I would like Don to publish all the names so I along with the other members of the water district that had a bill go from $50 to $280 and the five more months added to the time before we may get relief from the Walmart revenue will cost us more than an additional $1,000.
Thank you very much.
David H. Lewis | Cave Creek
Editor note: The referendums cover over 500 names and are too large for print or Internet. However, both Sonoran News and Town Hall have copies and will be happy to have you review them.
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Carefree Truth
Dear Ms. Hitchon: If we refuse to allow Carefree dollars to flow into Sonoran News, where, pray tell, do we advertise our legal notices? And how much are we paying in comparison to Sonoran News rates? I would be very disturbed to learn that we spend more than necessary just to salve the wounds of past and present Carefree politicos.
Among many other things, some of those recently removed luminaries have left us with an expensive, empty building we bought in haste at a supposedly "bargain" price.
I began my Carefree years in 1985, moved away for a short while, and then came back. But I'm afraid my town has become less and less carefree, and ought to periodically reconsider its name.
I would be happy to tell you some alternatives that I think might be more appropriate for our town nowadays.
James Raymond | Carefree
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St. Michael Jackson
Here is my latest thought on “important” public events ...
It has been a heart-rending couple of weeks, but finally the media have (I think) completed the canonization of Michael Jackson. Now the news people can go on to more earth-shaking events such as the studies of the behavior of gay penguins. I suppose the next step that Cave Creekers can take is to build a St. Michael sanctuary atop Black Mountain, where the faithful may climb to pay homage to this (how can I put it?) UNUSUAL, albeit, very talented individual. He will undoubtedly become the saint of super-talented weirdoes.
I spent a good portion of my youth collecting the jazz recordings of such musicians as Louis Armstrong, King Oliver, Pinetop Smith (no relation), Jimmy Yancey, Bessie Smith, Speck Redd, Meade Lux Lewis, Albert Ammons and even “Harry the Hipster” (who played “I Stay Brown All Year ‘Round.”) and many others. When I was in Chicago, I frequented the bars where “Mr. Freddie” Shayne played the piano, or where Sidney Bechet played his soprano sax, and I was sometimes invited to Jimmy Yancey’s apartment for his Sunday gatherings, where a lot of the greats appeared.
In my opinion, all of these black people were great, and none of them felt it necessary to lead bizarre, not to say “weird” lives. And all of them were content to remain black, as God made them. Where will their sanctuaries be built??
Ralph G. Smith | Cave Creek
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Jeanette Summers
The more I think about the situation, the madder I get. Now sitting here in Tucson, there is not much I can do except write e-mails. I feel that Jeanette Summers should be rehired as the Botanical Garden Specialist, with a raise and a two-year minimum contract where they cannot let her go without cause.
She was humiliated by being laid off at a public meeting and called a garden maintenance and bulb changer. She was much more than that. I know what they told her when they hired her and she has done everything they asked. She has injured her knee twice on the job, but yet came to work when the doctors told her she could. I don't know if my e-mails will make a difference, but I would like the people of Carefree to know what kind of person Jeanette is and how dedicated she was to her job.
I also want you to know that I support the efforts of Ryan Ducharme and Rod de Szendeffy to Recall Mayor Schwan. In fact, I would like to see the whole council recalled as, if I understand it correctly, all votes must be unanimous and none of the Council stood up and voted to keep Jeannette.
Pete Filiatrault | Tucson
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One more idea on the subject of Walmart
Everyone is whining, opinionating, pontificating and postulating, but no one is offering any alternatives, so let me make a suggestion. Rather than sell out to the corporate culture, let’s just sell out period! Let’s sell the town to the Indians. The whole town, water company and all.
There are plenty of vacant buildings that could house casinos – Indian gaming – millions and millions of dollars. Just think of the possibilities: free water, free fire service, free garbage pickup, everything FREE – even a free dental plan for Creekers. Our trail system could be first class, with water stations and attendants handing out hot towels. There could even be an annual dividend check issued to Creekers – but only Creekers – no Tatum Ranch Rancheros or other subdivision yahoo wannabes with a Cave Creek mailing address.
Our town would be peaceful – no more noisy, raucous council meetings, no dark side, no bright side, no editorializing, no arguing or referendums. The council could just retire and relax. (This would not bode well for Adam Trenk’s career.) We would all just get along. Imagine Anna, Grace, Charlie, Don and Terry sitting in a circle smoking a peace pipe, while Kim Brennan performs a ceremonial tribal dance. With the Silver Spur full of slot machines, the tourists might actually buy stuff in Frontier Town and Marc Peagler could quit giving gloom and doom interviews to the Republic.
Also we’d sell cheap cartons of cigarettes! Half the Valley would come to Cave Creek to buy cigarettes. This revenue alone would probably be three times more than the revenue generated by Walmart.
Name withheld by request | Cave Creek
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Language choice
Dear Verizon: My first language was French, since I lived in Paris. Then, I learned English and Spanish at a Scottish school in Buenos Aires. Eventually, I picked up some Portuguese and Italian. However, I have lived in the USA since August 1953, where, I believe, Standard American English is the national language.
If you ever send me another pandering e-mail in what, in your eyes, passes for Spanish (it's Spanglish) I will summarily cancel my just-renewed contract with Verizon! How dare you assume that, because I have a Spanish (not "Hispanic" whatever the f___k that is) surname, I would be pleased to be addressed in it?
Please acknowledge receipt of this message.
J-P. A. Maldonado | (proud American and Navy veteran)
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Dear Mayor Francia
You had a very good suggestion at the Council meeting on Monday namely; establish a fund to temporarily help citizens with their water bills. While raising the water rates was necessary (I voted for it) many folks have been hard hit by the increase. Vice Mayor Bunch did his best to come up with a way to ease the pain. As you said, “It was a tough assignment.”
I have a couple of suggestions that might help the situation as well:
1. Establish a function within the Utility Department to provide a “Water Audit” to any citizen who requests it free of charge. We’re all familiar with the free “Energy Audits” provided by SRP and APS whereby they’ll come to your house and recommend ways to conserve energy. The Town of Cave Creek could begin a similar program to advise citizens on water usage. I don’t mean the usual conservation recommendations like low flow toilets and restricted shower heads. While these things are important many of the complaints come from citizens with horses and ranches. There are aspects of ranching that may require a unique use of water, which leads to another suggestion;
2. Establish a committee to advise the Town on the use of best practices for water conservation in horse ranching. I must say at the outset, I’m not looking for a job. I don’t know anything about horses and ranching. But there are a number of world class breeders and ranchers here in Town who are members of clubs and state and national associations that we could draw upon for expertise. This committee would provide guidelines and information to the Utility Department for use in a Water Audit.
The adoption of such a program by the Town of Cave Creek could have some benefits:
• some citizens might see a meaningful reduction in their water bills
• the Town would be seen as pro actively addressing a concern of its citizens
• the program would cost only the time of someone from the water department
Thank you for your consideration.
Reg Monachino | Cave Creek
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Your none vote
Nancy Barto: You used lots of words to try to explain why you failed to represent me on HB-2280. You are my State Representative and I deserve your vote not hundreds of words of excuses as to why you did not vote.
If you were against this issue vote "No." Then, we will know for sure where you stand. You are there to represent us and to vote! You are paid to Vote! So Vote.
Marketing textbooks typically explain that one can only expect about 15 seconds to win or loose the sale. Most people dissatisfied with a product or service just walk away and don't say a word. The Brand Manager or the service provider never find out what their lost customers were concerned about. For every one individual willing to take the time to express their concern there are hundreds who will never be heard from – they just go away! Please know, you lost this sale. My wife and I will be voting for your opponent in the next election.
This issue is a raw nerve – something the people will pay attention to. Let Sheriff Joe do his job. Stand with him and don't put restrictions in his way. Illegals are illegal – how can that be complicated?
Mike Doyle | Cave Creek
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Past is prologue
Page A2 of the Wednesday, July 22, 2009 Arizona Republic reveals the following under
Today's News Briefing:
"Chavez may give socialists control of radio stations he is planning to seize:
"Caracas, Venezuela – President Hugo Chavez said Tuesday that hundreds of radio stations his government plans to seize for allegedly operating illegally could be turned over to Venezuelans who share his socialist vision. The leftist leader has endorsed a move to revoke the licenses of 240 radio stations, or about 40 percent of the country's stations."
That is Venezuela under a freely-elected Marxist. This soon will be the USSA (formerly the USA) currently ruled by a freely-elected Marxist. So goodbye, Rush, Glenn, Mike, Laura, Ann, Newt, et al. See you in the Ilse Koch Pavilion of the FEMA Political Reeducation Facility, where all news will be piped into our cells 24/7 by the All Barack Company (ABC).
C.O. Jones | Phoenix
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Benson and Obamacare
Benson's cartoon showing Dr. Kervorkian as a Republican is outrageous. The Obamacare team's sweeping health care proposal suggests various types of medical rationing, aimed directly at the elderly and infirm, because they will become too big a cost burden for the system.
"Need a new hip or maybe a pacemaker, old timer? Sorry, but at age 70, and in mediocre health, you are no longer a productive member of society." Just go over there with all the other old geezers, and maybe Dr. Kervorkian (Dem.) will come by and help you to the happy hunting ground."
Rationing health care for the elderly and infirm, ensuring an earlier death, as they do now in Canada, is a DEMOCRAT proposal. Conservatives are 100 percent against it, and most thinking Americans should soon join them in opposing Obama's rationed health care plan.
David J. Kolander |
Scottsdale
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