Intolerable situation
Mickey Gibson | Carefree
In his I LOVE ISLAM speech in Cairo, Obama noted that the situation of the Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank was “intolerable.” Since B. Hussein Obama’s roots are deep on the Moslem world he probably thought it unnecessary to elaborate on why their situation was intolerable. I will take this opportunity to give the two reasons why “intolerable” is an accurate description of their situation.
First, for the past sixty years, while other refugee groups across the globe have successfully been resettled, the Palestinians have received no assistance from their immediate Arab, Moslem neighbors (except for the $25,000 Saudi stipend for blowing themselves up). Such a situation can only be described as intolerable.
Second, the Koran says it is the duty of every Moslem to kill Jews wherever they find them. So imagine how intolerable it must be for a Palestinian to wake up every morning, look just across the border and see, horrors, Jews!
B. Hussein Obama said in his fatwa – I mean his speech – that something must be done about the situation. I take it that he does not mean that the U.S.A. should match the Saudi stipend.
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A lesson
Scott Dahne | Cave Creek
I am appalled in this day and age that you, Jason Walsh, would put those elitist, narcissistic views in writing. I hope you never need a policeman, fireman, construction tradesman, doctor, lawyer, or accountant. You see all of those people, along with myself, are the type of shopper that Walmart attracts. I live in Cave Creek, in a much nicer home than yours, along with many of the “UPPERCLASS” people that choose to shop at Walmart simply to save money (typically 30 percent).
According to you, everyone mentioned above, myself included, is “criminally prone, under-achieving … TRASH,” except for you.
Let me give you a lesson in business. Walmart buys at higher volumes, thus getting better pricing, which they pass along to their customers. Those generic products from Walmart are made in the same factories as the name brand products. They’re cheaper with Walmart’s “Great Value” label because there is no marketing or advertising needed to get the product off the shelves like with Campbells or Breyers. Only an idiot would pay more for the same product under a different label.
I suggest we post your picture on the doors of the new Walmart when it opens so that all of the shoppers know you. When you find that nobody will respond to do work at your house, fix your car, provide you medical attention, or support your lifestyle in any way, because you consider them all “TRASH,” then maybe you’ll move somewhere where your attitude fits in. Why do I say this? Well … your house costs less than mine, so I don’t want you around. You see, you’re lower class and I don’t want to associate with your kind.
You live in Carefree, not Cave Creek. Please don’t associate yourself with we Creekers that have respect for all of our fellow human beings. Class is not something that concerns me.
Unfortunately, since I’m probably worth more than you, I guess I’m also considered “UPPERCLASS.” I think I’ll donate everything to charity tomorrow, because I sure as hell don’t want to be a peer of yours.
By the way, I’ve lived here fifteen years versus your measly one year. A “REAL” Cave Creek citizen with the property deed, tax bill and voting card to prove it.
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Dark Side beware – Walmart is a must
John G. Ford | True Cave Creek Resident
I am out of town as you are aware due to the loss of a friend in the East. I did not want to let pass my strong support for the entry of Walmart into Cave Creek. I wanted to voice my opinion Thursday at the P&Z meeting but the unforeseen loss of my friend made me miss this very important meeting. I am and will be an out front and vocal supporter of this important tax generating option that is very much needed in our town. Without Walmart we will only have one option in our beloved town and that is a property tax which I do not support at this time and have no plans to do so now or in the near future.
First my support is not for Walmart as a store but the option of having a strong revenue producer that will in turn generate a strong sales tax base. I am so fed up with the "Dark Side" trying to dictate this towns future when all they are is constant complaining nuisances'.
Anna and her cronies are always causing hate and discontent while never offering a constructive idea to support the town I grew up and love. I am proud of my long tenure in this town and am more than willing to offer my opinion along with backing that up with support of what is best for Cave Creek. I will do whatever it takes to bring this tax supporting option to our town in a location that makes sense while bringing all the shoppers here instead of Phoenix or Scottsdale. Carefree has Lowe's, Phoenix has the Home Depot both of which we had the chance to see in the Carefree Highway Corridor for our tax base but we could not see our face because our nosey "Dark Side Supporter" neighbors got in the way. Surprise! Surprise!
Lets not let these naysayers get the best of all of us again. True Creekers want our western lifestyle while facing the facts that Walmart, at the location chosen, is the right thing for our town. Let’s all show our support and finally see the tax base stay in our town and not escape next door again. Fool me once … Oh well, you get the point.
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Linda Bentley’s Walmart article
Harriet Freedman | E-mail
I have to set the record straight on two things that were written in Linda Bentley's Walmart article in the June 10-16 edition of Sonoran News. First, if the quotes around the words "undesirable people" attributed to Ari Friedman were supposed to indicate the words that were used at the meeting, I was definitely misquoted and the statement was taken out of context.
Secondly since Ms. Bentley cannot even get the correct name of the speaker then I know she did not have my correct statement. What I said was that after ten o'clock at night Albertson's at Carefree Highway and Tom Darlington, which is open until midnight, is a ghost town and that the residents of Carefree and Cave Creek would not be the people who would be shopping at the twenty-four hour Walmart in the middle of the night but that Walmart would draw an element of people outside the community which could lead to security issues that Walmart was not prepared to address since Walmart will not have security guards but only security cameras in the parking lot.
Ed. Note: The quote is correct. Since you didn’t fill out a form, or speak into the microphone, your name was written phonetically.
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Letter to my community
Rebecca Lester | Cave Creek resident, 22 years
I wanted to share my hope with my Cave Creek neighbors, council members, the town manager, and our local newspaper, that we can work together to resolve the issue of Walmart. I also want to let Mayor Francia know that there are many Creekers who do not support the Walmart at that location. I read your interview in the paper and we have been remiss not to let you know that.
Mr. Sorchych, per your editorial that those of us who oppose the Walmart are from the Dark Side (whatever that means), incapable of reasoning, “aginners,” and whiners, I disagree with your description of the “Walmart” dissidents. I am not from the Dark Side and I am capable of rational, logical thought. That does not mean, however, that you and I will conclude the same outcome for our community based upon the problems facing us today. I would support Walmart placed on the 240 acres of commercial property. Unlike you, I do not think that Walmart’s expertise on location should override many other considerations. I would also consider a temporary tax hike that could provide relief to our town until some of the financial strain ebbs.
I have never believed that Cave Creek community members could not resolve an issue that threatens our way of life and uniqueness as a community. If we work together, I know we can meet this challenge without sacrificing this very precious community.
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Response to Mark Lipsky
Wes Cooper | Full time citizen of Cave Creek
Sonoran News Letters to the Editor, June 3 - 9, 2009
Mark Lipsky takes a giant leap from my sarcasm to a personal affront with his response in the June 3-9 issue. He further makes several invalid assumptions. Gitmo was originated as an enemy combatant facility for many reasons, security being one. Gitmo, and its personnel, admirably accomplish that mission daily, while gathering information to better safeguard the members of the US Armed Services and US citizens. There is no valid reason to eliminate that facility at Gitmo.
Why does the U.S. need to close Gitmo and relocate those detainees into the U.S.? And why does asking that question negate accepting "... responsibility as an American citizen; ... " and impunging me personally? Further, how does that lead to dishonoring our troops and our government? And what qualifies Mark Lipsky to speak for the troops who have served in Iraq? Wild leaps. I will compare service records with Mark Lipsky at any time.
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Walmart in Cave Creek
H.S. Humphreys | Scottsdale
I have been reading your paper now for a couple of years. I do not reside in Cave Creek. As an informed tax payer in Arizona I cannot understand why the residents of Cave Creek complain about high water bills, but are unwilling to give Walmart a go ahead. Are there so many jobs in Cave Creek that no one needs a job? How far do the people travel daily to go to work? As to the revenue that a Walmart will create for Cave Creek, maybe no NEW TAXES on the people of Cave Creek is a great thing. As a concerned taxpayer, if I had to vote for incoming tax revenue that is not attached to my property, I would vote for NO TAX on my property and vote YES for Walmart. Walmart would replace some of the jobs that the construction industry lost.
What is wrong with Walmart? New jobs, no traveling to a Walmart in Phoenix, tax revenue sounds like a good thing.
The residents of Cave Creek need to take their heads out of the brown paper bags and use common sense. Is Cave Creek so RICH that they do not need any revenue to operate or do they want to pay more in property taxes as well as any other taxes that the City Government want to attach to every Cave Creek resident.
Just my thoughts ...
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None of our business?!
Mike & Kathy Rich | Phoenix
In your "My View" editorial of June 3, 2009, you wrote, in part: “... I can understand why many don’t want a Walmart in Cave Creek and why many do. But while the dissidents would throw the baby out with the bathwater, reasoning people won’t. In the case of Carefree and Phoenix residents, it is none of their business.”
None of our business?! You have to be kidding! We have been fighting Phoenix and County government for YEARS to keep Cave Creek Road north of Lone Mountain as non-commercial as possible. We feel strongly that Cave Creek Road is the gateway to a magnificent area.
We fought the County successfully when a dance studio was planned for the SW corner of Westland and Cave Creek Road. The purchaser of that property wasn't a big box store but he tried to change a residentially-zoned area into commercial because "he got a good deal." Buying residential is certainly cheaper than commercial, isn't it? Then one can flip it. Greater good, huh?!
Within the last year, we joined with the Lone Mountain Alliance as they fought – and won – a change in the Phoenix General Plan from desert rural to commercial. Imagine a condo garage in the middle of equestrian, desert rural properties!
The Lone Mountain Alliance – a group of equestrian property owners who learned you can fight city hall – grew out of a fight with the City of Phoenix over an attempt to change the General Plan from Desert Rural Residential to Commercial at 44th St. and Lone Mountain.
Owners of residentially zoned properties at the Rancho Paloma/Cave Creek intersection have been trying for years to get commercial zoning. Fortunately, the Phoenix Mayor and city council went on record in November, 2006 to say "no more!" Only single family residential will be approved.
Do we always oppose commercial? No. We supported the change to Rural Commercial to enable the Chaparral Vet Hospital. The biggest reason was the hospital's emphasis on equine health. They fit in this area!
Finally, Don, we moved up here 11 years ago because we used to live near Tatum and Bell. We were silent when Walmart wanted to move into the area. Once they opened, the dominoes started tumbling – hard! The traffic, the property crime, the noise ... We decided to leave before it got any more commercial – which, of course, it did!
None of our business?!
We love it up here and we have worked hard to organize our friends and neighbors to support this area. We shop in Cave Creek stores, we eat in Cave Creek restaurants, we attend Cave Creek events, our children attend the Cave Creek schools. We love Cave Creek!
You bet it is our business!
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Dear Ian
Robert Prevost | 10 year Cave Creek resident in the Ventana subdivision
Unlike so many Cave Creek residents, I’m tired of letting tax revenue generating proposals slip away from the city. Everyone should realize that the Cave Creek and Carefree Hwy intersection would sooner than later be changed to Commercial or Mixed Use zoning. The only question now remains: Do we want another gas station or bland strip mall with its usual dry cleaner and nail store tenants or do we welcome a major source of tax revenue that will provide the community with a low cost food source, general goods and services and 300+ new jobs in a tanking economy that might not fully recover for a decade!!!!
I am IN FAVOR of the zoning changes. Just make sure the building’s architecture is appealing and the parking lot lighting is as diffused as possible. That’s not rocket science.
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Walmart
Mike & Juanita Lederls | E-mail
We just wanted to let you know that there are people out here that want a Walmart. Some people say it will put small shop owners out of business, but there are no small shop owners that sell the same things as Walmart. People say that Walmart doesn't pay good wages or have insurance. I have a brother and a daughter-in-law that work for Walmart in other states and they have a livable wage and insurance that is very good. We need the jobs and the income from taxes in our neighborhood. We live on Olsen just west of Cave Creek Road and wouldn't mind a Walmart in our backyard! Thanks for listening.
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Cartoon
Arthur Gimson | Carefree
June 10-16, 2009 publication
I thought that the cartoon in your paper was distasteful. Cartoons, by their very nature are supposed to be funny, even though they may have a raw edge. There was nothing funny.
I do not know Mayor Francia personally, but having attended meetings of the Cave Creek Council he appears to be courteous, respectful and polite. Based on what I have seen, he does not appear to be the type of person that would offer that gesture.
It saddens me that your editorial rhetoric and the cartoon are so divisive. Why not work on solutions to problems instead of feeding animosity?
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Support Israel
Patrick Butler | Prescott Valley
Mr. President: We have a legal and spiritual right to support Israel, and if we don't we’re doomed for disaster. I fear the public is already thinking you favor the Islamic Nation due to your family relationship. Please, sir, keep your eyes on the prize, and do the right thing for God‘s namesake. May His Will Be done.
Shalom Aleichem! Shema Israel.
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Iran’s threats to the world
Eli Erev | Queen Creek
In President Obama's speech in Cairo, he failed to warn Iran to not dare attack Israel. He should have, in a very strong language, insure that they will pay dearly for that kind of action.
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