Letters to the editor

We live in our wonderful community fronting the 2+ miles of prime ocean frontage we call the Noyo Headlands. We love our historic Skunk Train, but since it was sold in 2003 to Mendocino Railway, the future of Fort Bragg has become precarious.

When the Mendocino Railway, a so-called “public utility,” obtained the 260+ acres of the Noyo Headlands from the Koch Brothers’ Georgia—Pacific by eminent domain last November, the future of our town became murky. 1) The cleanup of the toxins (e.g., dioxin, arsenic, heavy metals) is no longer guaranteed; 2) the City’s plan for environmentally protected headlands with day-lighted creeks, a wildlife corridor, modest housing, and extension of the business district is being ignored, and 3) the rare stretch of undeveloped ocean and Pudding Creek frontages may become a tourist Choo Choo Land!

To wit: The Mendocino Railway submitted a map of proposed train tracks from Laurel Street to Glass Beach to the Coastal Commission for approval. They are purchasing properties in the area (e.g., on Alger Street). They contend that they are not subject to local and state regulations for toxin cleanup, and they are advertising on commercial vehicles, airport carts, billboards, and other media.

Therefore, the City of Fort Bragg is suing the Mendocino Railway, challenging MR’s claim that they are a public utility in Superior Court, thereby challenging the ownership of the Headlands. We applaud the City and urge residents who want to preserve our community to run for City

Council in November.

When driving on 20, be extra careful after it rains. The road was very slippery when I was driving my Nissan truck. After I turned on a curve, my truck skidded toward the embankment and flipped over! I was left hanging upside down in my seat belt!

Someone called 911 and many people stopped to help which restores my faith in humanity! Thank heavens I only got a fractured wrist! It could have been so much worse. If I had been going a little slower, I may have avoided this accident and not totaled my faithful 1990 Nissan pickup truck!

It was black and turquoise with a California condor painted on the tailgate. There was also a fern growing on the mudflap for eight years! So I kept the tailgate and rescued the fern and planted it on our property! Since it survived so long it deserved a break.

So when on 20, drive even slower than you think you should!

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