Open letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom
As we feared, the COVID-19 is running hard and overlapping the California fire season. This fire season is going to be a particularly challenging time for CalFire and all fire fighters. As they face the challenges in protecting themselves and their families from COVID-19 and still fight the super-hot fires we have been experiencing, our primary concern needs to be the health and safety of our firefighters. While we cannot be on the line with them, we can, in several ways, help to prevent wildfires.
One way is to eliminate the sale and use of ‘safe and sane’ fireworks (which are neither ‘safe or sane’) . I live in Sonoma County and we have experienced more than our share of deadly wildfires. Through the enlightened law enacted by the Board of Supervisors the personal use of fireworks is prohibited in the unincorporated areas of the county, as well as in most municipalities. We have a particular threat here in Northern Sonoma County that other jurisdictions do not face. While fireworks are illegal in the tinder dry areas that surround the city of Cloverdale, they are openly sold in Cloverdale. They are sold with no oversight on who buys them or where they can be used.
Not only is a fire hazard present in the use of these incendiary devices, there is the problem in the way they are to be used. People will use them no matter what the wind conditions are, and there is a great chance that they will be used in large groups (over 10 people) not practicing safe social distancing or the wearing of masks.Â
I implore you to use your authority under California’s Emergency Services Act and sign an executive order banning the sale and use of any ‘safe and sane’ incendiary devices.Â
Is it worth it?
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It will be worth it if it saves just one home.
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It will be worth it if it saves just one person from serious injury
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It will be worth it if it saves just one life.
Thank you for your consideration.Â
C. Jeff Kennedy
Cloverdale
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Thank you, future farmers
The Warm Springs 4-H club would like to thank the Healdsburg Future Farmers Country Fair board members and the community for their support during the 2020 HFFCF. During these uncertain times, the fair board had to cancel the annual event. They were able to organize an online sale for the 4-H and FFA members to market their animals at. Many members had purchased animals’ months prior and already had countless hours and hundreds of dollars invested in their projects. Our club exhibited market swine, sheep and rabbits at the annual event. Â
We are forever thankful for the generous community support that we received during the online auction. The online auction raised $420,000 for the local youth in agriculture. Members have many uses for the money they receive for their projects. Some members like me are saving money for future projects as well as putting any extra in my college account. As a group we were able to participate in a thank you parade on Sunday evening. It was touching to see the community gather around us, waving and cheering as we passed by. Â
We would also like to thank Ms. Hunt and Mr. Valera for organizing the Htown virtual livestock expo. It gave us the opportunity to showcase the hard work that we put into our projects over the last seven months or so. Thank you to all the supporters of this fun event.
As a third-year member of the Warm Springs 4-H club, I think it is a great organization. I have learned so much and have met so many great people. 4-H has taught me responsibility, financial skills, marketing, hard work and a love of agriculture. Without our awesome Community Leader, Dana Grande, and all our project leaders our 4-H experience would not be what it is today. Thank you, Dana Grande for all your hard work and dedication you put into this awesome organization that we all love.
This year did not turn out like any of us expected, but we learned and had a great time even if it was hard. We look forward to seeing everyone at the 2021 Healdsburg Future Farmers County Fair.
Maren Neumiller, Reporter
Warm Springs 4-H
Cloverdale
