DLG Plaza Conspiracy?
So Travis Armstrong thinks that Mayor Marty Blum's "bias" against the News-Press is leading to proposals to remodel De la Guerra Plaza...the DLG Plaza proposals date far before the News-Press Mess. Is this another example of how th News-Press management would rather go to war with it's "enemies" than use diplomacy and tact to achieve their goals? In and of itself -- opposing plans for DLG Plaza is their right -- but yet again the tone and approach leave much to be desired. Revenge, I guess, is a dish best served cold....
posted by Sara De la Guerra | 11/19/2006 09:43:00 AM
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21 Comments:
Sara--what this is another example of is TKA's absolute certifiable DSM-supported INSANITY--self delusional, paranoid, you name it.
what a whack job.
I saw it on city TV.
Paul Casey said that the committee of Plaze visionaries was divided and that meetings were difficult. Now that News-Press has poisoned its own reputation, their clout in that committee has evaporated and the balance of opinion now is in favor of making the Plaza more stately instead of a spot for cars to cruise by people so lazy they cannot walk two minutes from another public lot.
What was far more influential, and way, way, way beyond the capabilities of The Travisty to understand is that the City now nas reliable information on how many cars really go to that part of downtown. The new Granada Garage a few blocks up is underused, and the old Lot 10 Garage also is underused; thus, the 35 car spots along the DLG loop easily can be replaced a couple of blocks away and in the City's own lot by the City Hall building.
This is all really about cars and how lazy or not people are to be slaves to them. It has nothing to do with revenge against the delusional thinkists there in Storke Castle.
But I see from the pathetic editorial is that it is all the fault of Camie Cohee again.
The plaza should be made into a park and homeless service center.
hmmm that's interesting. i wish i knew what he was talking about since the NEWS PRESS didn't cover the meeting on the plaza remodel last week. I guess i'll have to go back to the Independent and the Daily Sound to actually hear what happened.
De La Guerra Plaza is FINE the way it is! However, the NewsPressless is not.. if the City of SB should acquire the NP building by eminent domain and expand City Hall,then Travis might have a point.
I viewed the repeat of the de la Guerra Plaza hearing on Saturday afternoon. Every council member expressed their opinion that resulted in a unified statement. They want to reconfigure the plaza to resemble a European style plaza.
There was mention of the parking and lane removal....a safer and level plaza possibly of a hardscape for perhaps tables and chairs. Much needed safety electrical upgrades is foremost. Perhaps WiFi internet access.... Improvements that could perhaps make you want to spend some time in the plaza with a cup of java chatting with a friend and perhaps playing a game. You know, a real European plaza for community gatherings with minor events. An environment that is inviting you to stay for a while, contrary to what it is now....just scurrying through.
The council stressed the concerns and options for delivery access and trash disposal. The council and members of the public pointed out the available parking Lot 10 is just a block away. 15 minute parking for bill paying and etc. could be replaced nearby. Council statements included that the plaza is under-utilized and perhaps the current utilization was somewhat undesirable with nappers and illegal substance abuse.
Seems to me that this city's creativity can solve the business community's concerns while accomplishing the councils goals to greatly improve the plaza for the entire community. I am convinced that the council gave the correct direction to city staff.
There were humorous moments during the hearing. Mayor Blum, described her trek across the plaza lawn and when not wanting to get her shoes wet from the lawn described cautiously passing in front the News Press. Council Member Williams chimed in that perhaps Travis Armstrong might want to get her....or something to that effect. I don't recall the exact wording but I thought it was in good humor. Perhaps Travis Armstrong thought it was provocative.
I could only assume that any "Conspiracy" is in the mind of the News Press Chiefs. The News Press, this owner or probably previous owners never wanted these changes. Previous councils wanted to go in this direction also. Perhaps after a hundred or so years of trying to finish the plaza it is just time to finish it rather than to conspire.
I don't understand the charges of conspiracy by this council's comments or decisions. The council’s discussion revolved around the enhancement of the plaza for the public as well as the nearby businesses, the News Press included. Does Travis Armstrong think that this council is so petty as to conspire against the News Press while simultaneously degrading the adjacent businesses in this alleged conspiracy to get at the News Press?
Actually, I'll fess up, it's me.
I'm orchestrating a vast, behind the scenes conspiracy to denigrate the News-Press.
In the Placita I'm pushing for a statue of TM Storke with his principles for running a newspaper engraved on a tablet.
De La Guerra Plaza? High density affordable housing, subsidized by raising taxes on those who commute to or deliver for 7-day a week daily newspapers with editorial offices inside the city limits.
Just wait and see... I am everywhere, watching everything, and nudging the system in a million imperceptible ways to bring disgrace on the News-Press. July until now was just the beginning.
Lesson #256 for Travis and NP management: when you deliberately attack, impugn and alienate yourself from city leaders and decision makers, you really give up your seat at the table--or in this case==the plaza. Your gratuitous, relentless and often irrational and meanspirited attacks upon City Hall welll---not in any way fitting under a legitimate "watchdog" press function--have rendered you impotent in this town. Who in their right mind would WANT your input on anything--you are a laughingstock, a sad, pathetic, whiimpering growl
i think an open plaza would be nice where people could gather have coffee play card board games or just people watch or sit down and take a load off their feet would be nice... people could even use it share ideas and get the local news seeing how this town does not have a local paper that can do the job...or so it seems.
Travis's editorial in yesterday's paper was not the only one dealing issues associated with and at De La Guerra Plaza. For those concerned about the goings-on at and directed by City Hall, John McKinney's piece on "Ethics 101" is required reading. The conflict of interest issue is extremely important, and while we can all legitimately be concerned about HOW the news is reported, edited, slanted, etc...the fact is there are events still happening that need our attention, whether or not we can stomach how they are reported. And this citizen-journalists's well-detailed piece about a real conflict of interest that seems of no concern to anyone in an official capacity is indeed troubling.
fat chance.
A "homeless service center"? Please, just what we don't need is another magnet for drunken bums who do unmentionable things in front of our families. We have enough problems with that already, we don't need to add to it.
Personally, I welcome any efforts to clean up and beautify our city, conspiracy theories aside. Besides, I don't think Mayor Marty, nutty as she is, has the horsepower to pull that off anyway.
Responding to post @ 11:10
Why would I read a News Paper with ethical problems? The recommended editorial no doubt will probably be about bad government. The News Press prefers to publish slanted anti- government editorials without challenging the status quo for having responsibilty. Ethical problems start at home....and work its way up to the government.
Congrats, Sara--you're getting more famous all the time! BusinessWeek mentions this blog & your nom de guerre on page 2 of this article about the News-Press Mess:
http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/content/nov2006/db20061120_567825.htm
What's wrong with having a homeless center downtown? I think it's a great idea. Is that what's proposed for the Plaza?
Yes, most of the Plaza lawn will be a 6-story version of Casa Esperanza Grande, with the rest of the space as a double-decker car parking garage. An exception will be a top-floor suite of apartments for certain Newspress staff to travel in a skyway building connector between the two buildings.
All the homeless people from Ventura County will be attracted here and the City will start a 2.0 percent sales tax increase to pay those people, in addition to a total diversion of Redevelopment funds to pay homeless people to stay off the street.
A homeless center would be great: illegally fired Newspress employees could conveniently step out the door and into a soup line.
History, open space, breathing room are all part of the past. Condo-ize the whole thing. Destroying St. Francis is just the beginning, in fact, let's condo-ize the whole city so every single nurse can be on-call to tend all the neighbors whose lungs will be ruined from all the dust stirred up from all the demolition and construction. It's a great business model for a monopoly to follow.
Why is everyone so against this homeless center? What's wrong with helping them out?
Anon -- Give me more than "whatever?" -- tell us why. One word doesn't do your opinion justice. Expound.
I believe this city is becoming a corporate pawn like everywhere else with money in America. As for DLG plaza, many people continue to gather and park there, as it should be, and has been for years. Cleaning it up would definetly help, WiFi access would also be a must, in my opinion in all downtown parks in Santa Barbara. San Francisco has been doing WiFi access all over the city.
As for a homeless shelter, they help, but I happen to know many homeless who simply do not wish to go to them. In retrospect what people "think" will help, usually doesnt.
my 2cents
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