Letters to the Editor 8-14-14

Community support
Editor:   
The 2014-2015 Sculpture Trail is in full swing with 17 sculptures in Cloverdale and 20 in Geyserville. These contemporary sculptures are unique, from the whimsy to ones with a message. Since this project has no funding and is managed entirely by volunteers, I once again reached out to the Cloverdale community to support the Cloverdale Sculpture Trail. The response was overwhelming; from sculpture sponsors to donations to volunteer assistance. Without this support there would not be a Cloverdale Trail. Thank you to everyone who supported our Trail.
A big thank you must also go to the people of the greater Cloverdale area for taking the time to view the sculptures. Viewers are as important to the Sculpture Trail as executing the exhibit.
Joyce Mann,
Cloverdale Sculpture Trail Manager
Best for Cloverdale
Editor:   
When I moved to Cloverdale there were 3,200 people here. I was struck by the way people pulled together to make good things happen for our community. To get things done, we rowed in the same direction. I hope we haven’t outgrown that tradition.
The Council wants voters to approve a 3 percent utility user tax in November.  Sounds reasonable. Our city—every city — is having great difficulty providing the level of services that residents expect.   
In addition, the Council should act to boost sales tax revenue, by fully supporting local restaurants and the movie theatre.
How? By moving Friday Night Live to Thursday nights.
Why does no other city in the county hold free concerts on summer Friday nights? It’s because that’s the busiest night for restaurants and movie theatres, and is often how they make their “nut” for the winter. During FNL, some restaurants’ business is down 25-30 percent. That’s a lot of lost sales tax. And the ones that serve food at FNL must still keep their doors open that night: pay the rent, wages, insurance premiums— Ouch.
FNL is a wonderful party, and would be just as much fun on Thursday nights. Then our restaurants won’t suffer or fold, employees won’t be laid off, the movie theatre won’t close, and the city will have more money to pay for essential services and improvements.  
I’m confident that our friends and neighbors who produce FNL and the Farmers Market want what’s best for Cloverdale, just as you do.   
CD Grant,
Cloverdale
Books on Stage
Editor:   
You are invited to be read to! “Books on Stage” is a sparkling new series in which one poet and one prose writer per evening will read from their published works and/or works in progress in the comfortable and intimate setting of Cloverdale Performing Arts Center. Each author will read for approximately 30 minutes followed by a Q & A with a short intermission between readers.  Afterwards there will be refreshments available in the lobby and audience members will have a chance to talk with the authors and purchase a book.  
The second evening of the series will be on Thursday, Sept. 4, and features poet Michelle Wing, reading from her book of poems “Body on the Wall,” and novelist and short story writer Amanda McTigue who will read from her novels “Going to Solace” and “Monkey Bottom,” and her book of short stories “Big Fast.”
“Books on Stage” events will take place every two months, are free to the public and will begin at 7 p.m. on a Thursday evening.  Please join us!
Presented by Cloverdale Performing Arts Center, 209 N. Cloverdale Blvd., Cloverdale, CA., cloverdaleperformingarts.com.
Dobie Edmunds,
Board Member, CPAC