August 21, 2004
Our Town - Coming Soon
Our Town will be a new heading and weblog for South Haven Watchdog (coming very soon) that was inspired by Elaine Herbert, the owner of Yelton Manor along with her husband, Robert Kripaitis. Elaine is passionate about preserving the natural beauty of South Haven and I appreciate her taste, so I think her voice is one worth listening to. All who love the town and wish to preserve what makes it special are invited to be authors on this weblog.
To read what Elaine has to say about the town in her very first post, click on the Continue reading "Our Town - Coming Soon" link below.
(added by Denise - 8/22/04)
Tree Tragedy
What happened at Dyckman Park and in the parking lot behind it is horrific.
I agree that the city council has little regard for trees. They have little regard for the natural beauty of town, period. They seem to make decisions based on what profiteers (merchants/builders/real estate/rental agents/builders) want. They also make most of their most blatently stupid decisions based on lack of: information, good sense and/or courage. Fight the real enemy: city council. Good decisions require good minds and the council is full of egos and geezers. Time to vote some sense into that group.
The other tactic I suggest is to choose battles appropriately and fight them as a team. I fought for a year against the commercial advertising banners flapping on city streets and in front of water views without a single word or human body showing up in the editorials or council chambers in support. I was successful in keeping them off residential streets, but it was a tough battle. The council actually *changed the law* to permit them because merchants had already been duped out of $55,000, non-refundable, paid to an out-of-state vendor, unbid by local providers. How ugly are those banners? Where were the voices in opposition?
The destruction of the Great GrandMother tree in Stanley Johnson Park brought many to the battle, but the poor old Dame had already been dead for years since lightning struck it in the mid 90s. The real battle is for the stately parkway trees that are annually butchered and maimed by unprofessional hackers for the electrical utility.
The poor, ugly stumps that remain break my heart. We should continue to speak for them.
In 16 years living in this town I have never seen a tree replaced/planted in any existing park or street parkway. Zero. Where is the will and the budget for this? Shouldn't this be where the good efforts of tree-loving people go?
We should also count our blessings. Our beautiful Marina Park was only planted in 1990 and it's a gorgeous replacement for the junkyard it
covers. Same with the little park at the end of North Shore Drive.
Some progress has been made. More is needed.
Thanks to all who speak up for the small but important issue of our town's natural beauty.
In my opinion, the battle to wage now is against the increasing number of permanent rental signs in residential neighborhoods. These are large, wooden, commercial-type signage that do not belong where we live. The planning commission is holding meetings on this issue NOW. Write to the newspaper and show up in chambers to lend support to ridding our living areas of blatent commercialism. The signs are just the beginning: the next fight is against illegal residential neighborhood rentals and the code/enforcement needed to prevent them.
Thanks to Denise for this forum. Love, Elaine
Posted by Elaine at 07:44 AM | Comments (1)
August 16, 2004
The Ax Fell at Dyckman Park
Impending Doom - Catch it Before it's Gone
We had a tragedy today.
In some minds, it is a small thing. We lost a number of trees that have been with us for a while -- cleaning our air, blocking us from strong winds, sheltering birds, being a most lovely background to a pretty christmas scene.
These trees made Dyckman Park a tranquil setting.
One reason I created this site was those trees. We started fighting for them way back in April, as soon as we saw the fast one the DDA and the City was pulling on us.
You see, they needed to make the downtown main street feel a little more like Wal-Mart in order to attract shoppers (you know, park and walk into the store) and those trees were in the way.
The trees fell because we couldn't get the word out fast enough or to enough people, though everyone we told hated the idea, especially the "Summer People". "They are...why?" Was the response we got across the board from almost everyone we told of the plan, but to no avail.
Those trees are gone.
Maybe we can stop the next catastrophe from happening by getting the word out soon enough. South Haven does have a number of special things left they have not yet destroyed.
Posted by Denise at 09:04 PM | Comments (4)
Welcome to Kristin's Blog
Kristin's Blog - Arts & Entertainment
Kristin is a journalist, photographer, PR Representative for the South Haven Center for the Arts, artist herself and much, much, more. If you don't know her, stick around and see. She knows everything that is happening in South Haven.
Everything: gallery exhibitions - events - entertainment - meetings - classes - parties - brunch.
She'll tell you what's coming and how it went once its past. Come back often.
Posted by Denise at 07:45 PM | Comments (0)
Welcome Democratic Club
The South Haven Area Democratic Club is so strong right now and I think it will keep growing and growing.
Even though I am personally a Green, because of environmental issues, I am with you this election. I saw John Kerry speaking on the floor of the Senate (on CSPAN) 10 years ago making so much sense I said to myself: "Why doesn't someone like that run for president?"
So I hope the authors of this Democratic Club's blog help get the word out, the truth out, whatever it might be.
Welcome Dems and good luck!
Posted by Denise at 07:44 PM | Comments (1)
Welcome Greens
Welcome, Van Buren County Green Party, to your new forum at South Haven Watchdog. I hope that this blog will epitomize the saying: Think globally, act locally.
Greens around the world are fighting to keep the planet inhabitable in every way they can: Ecologically, socially, politically - against governments, against business, sometimes against us all.
It's good to know that somebody's paying attention in the way they are, to the things they care about so deeply. Welcome Greens. Keep us honest, keep us informed, keep us alert.
Posted by Denise at 07:42 PM | Comments (1)
Welcome South Haven Seniors
South Haven Seniors - Click Here
Welcome Seniors and welcome Sandra Tyrrell. Sandra Tyrrell is a PR Representative for the South Haven Area Senior Center, the hub for seniors in South Haven and surrounding townships. Sandra is up on all the events and happenings sponsored by SHASS and also, because she works at the center, knows quite a bit more about the senior scene in this area.
Come back often to check up on classes, events like "Senior Prom", The Variety Show and a score of activities for seniors in the South Haven area.
Sandra will also be talking about a number of High School music and arts events in which she is also involved.
Posted by Denise at 07:41 PM | Comments (0)