The new arrival
I can understand John Drzl's decision to put his NorCal Progressive blog on hold. He said blogging is like a new baby. It demands constant attention. I feel the same way about "But ths is Chico," my weekly column in the Enterprise-Record. I've been doing it for more than five years, but it still feels like "my baby." I'm constantly fussing and fretting over it. I'm sure I'm going to feel the same way about this blog, "But this is Chico, too." I don't know if I will be up to the demands of two "babies." In my personal life, having just one child has sometimes been more than I can handle.
This blog will be my column's fraternal twin. The topics will be similar to "But this is Chico," but they won't duplicate what I write in the E-R. I've never been able to state precisely what "But this is Chico" is about. I see it mainly as a response to the sense that Chico is a special place. I'm simply tapping into energy that is out there and writing about it. I'm interested in hearing about Chico's past from oldtimers and I enjoy imagining and speculating about its future. I'm engaged by many of the issues the city is facing right now.
I'm not an idealogue, but I have strong views on many issues. Having strong views is part of what defines a columnist and blogger. I have strong views about idealogues. Chico is politically polarized. I don't want to be part of that kind of debate. I don't like the dynamic that requires each "side" to demonize the other and I find it tiring to listen to the views of people whose views adhere to a set idealogy. I don't want my writing to cause people's eyes to glaze over.
For people who have never read my column, here are some topics I feel strongly about. I hate Chico's hot summers. With each passing year I have a harder time tolerating them. It's one of the things I whine about in my column. I've vowed to stop whining, but this blog may offer fresh opporunities.
Chico's housing prices are outrageous, but I think we are at the end of the rapid-appreciation cycle. I would like to see prices fall by 30 percent so that I could afford to buy a house here. I don't believe Chico's high housing prices are caused by slow-growth policies.
Downtown Chico needs a new parking garage. It's one of those necessary evils of modern society. We will never abandon our cars, although there is no doubt that in the future they will be powered by different kinds of fuel than they are now.
Chico needs a historic preservation ordinance. The city has a tremendous collection of 19th- and early 20th-century buildings, but few protections for them. Sometimes even a strong public outcry isn't enough to save them.
I haven't yet passed judgment on the new City Plaza, but the closer it gets to being finished, the more I like it.
My usual approach to businesses I object to is to boycott them. At present, Starbuck's and Wal-Mart are the only ones in Chico I stay away from. Starbuck's seems like a good company, but we don't need a dozen or more of them in Chico. We have too many excellent locally owned coffee houses. I feel differently about Wal-Mart. The more I read about its business practices, the more I'm bothered by its proposals to expand its operations in Chico.
Chico deserves to have nice-looking buildings. For a community that prides itself on its beauty, its built environment leaves a lot to be desired. Right now I'm running a series of columns on Chico's architecture. It includes readers' comments. "But this is Chico" runs every Monday.