Letters to the Editor 4-30-15

River dams to save water
Editor:
I have lived on the river all my life, from Vacation Beach to Healdsburg, and now in Preston. In the 1930s, 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s, the county would build earthen dams on the river for recreational use, as well as three seasonal permanent dams, as did Austin Creek in Cazadero. But it wasn’t just for the recreational use. It was to not “waste” the water. It was to help shallow wells keep water in them and help the “under flow” stay full. Let’s face it, our forefathers were a lot smarter then we think we are. That said, we should entertain the thought of either a “permanent seasonal dam” or an earthen dam at the First Street Bridge (like Healdsburg’s Memorial Beach). Think about it. We already have River Park, and the water wells are right there. It would draw tourists to the water/park and Cloverdale and we would not have to worry if we have enough water for “thoughtful and responsible growth.”
Tom Johnson
Cloverdale
Kudos to our performing arts center
Editor:
I imagine that not many communities that are the size of Cloverdale are fortunate to have a quality Performing Arts Center such as ours. As I exited the theater last Saturday evening after totally loving the performance of “Proof,” the latest production, I felt so fortunate to have experienced, again, really top-notch artistic live theater right here in town. The acting by all four members of the cast was high-powered, emotional and authentic. The level of talent was remarkable. Clearly, Yave Guzman, CPAC’s Artistic Director, has what it takes to elicit the actors’ best and bring it to the stage. The result could be compared to the best of what we might expect just about anywhere. “Proof” earned the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2001 and the Tony Award for Best Play, and played Off-Broadway and later on Broadway, and closed only after 917 performances to rave reviews. The script is terrific and the Cloverdale production this month was truly professional and of high quality. Looking ahead, the Cloverdale Performing Arts Center will present to us four more productions before this year ends. I have come to expect a very entertaining and inspiring evening every time, because CPAC does a great job delivering just that. One more reason that we in Cloverdale are so fortunate. If you appreciate high quality live theater, be there!
Bob Jordan
Cloverdale