Commentary and Opinion by Samuel Strait – April 20, 2023

Clearly, the usual suspects continue to try and inject life into what
should be dead on arrival, that is the pathetic attempt to make the
Sister City elbow rub far more than it can ever be. Mouthpiece Bill
Stevens, of the Kamome Foundation gathered the irrelevant tatters of the
pointless insistence on something beneficial, other than free trips to
Japan and more expense to the tax payer.  I believe both the City and
the County have spaces in their budgets delegated to perpetuating  this
silly agreement as “beneficial” to all in the County.  The latest grift
is that it is somehow going to resonate with 8, 9, and 10 year olds into
how to prepare for an emergency situation by having gaily decorated
“pillow cases” full of essentials to combat an “emergency” situation
that they will have long forgotten about before anything that resembles
emergency in their lives that they will be able to respond to.

But, hey, another half day away from something serious, like getting an
actual education for 3rd through 5th graders, Superintendent Harris
should be proud.  I’m quite sure 750 pillow cases and their “emergency”
contents, plus decorations and transportation were all “free” to those
in attendance.  Clearly the lesson for the day at school must have been
far less exciting than a “field trip” to Beach Front Park.  Perhaps a
short “history” lesson about the year long voyage of the Kamome and the
cost to ship it back to Japan would be in order.  Maybe even a lesson in
economics as to what not to do if you are ever elected into public
office.  I am quite sure that making an origami crane will be the hit of
the party when faced with an emergency.

Then there is the wonderful unveiling of Crescent City’s $200,000 plus
bit of pottery that was mounted in the park, alongside several of the
current “white elephants” with more to come. Another of the current City
Council’s terrific ideas that generate no income and will be sending the
City a substantially increased maintenance invoice from now on.  Right
up there with the decision to spend millions of grant dollars for the
City’s version of “Grand Central Park”.  Wondering just who is going to
foot the bill for this latest extravaganza?  Can’t leave the County out
of this exercise in futility as Supervisor Howard and Starkey were front
and center alongside Blake Inscore and our feckless and voiceless Mayor
Greenough standing in the background as usual. Oops, change of the guard
to the equally voiceless and feckless Isaiah Wright, the current Mayor. 
Wondering how the City’s residents manage to elect such a malingering
cancer as those currently serving on the council?

So the City and the County put on a “show” for visitors from Japan with
the advertised intention of returning the favor this June.  Just another
government boondoggle to benefit the “usual suspects.  I would imagine
that there aren’t too many of the local “Walmart” shoppers that are
going to get in on this charade. Maybe Supervisor Starkey and Kelly
Schellong, as they were  late to the original party.  Japan in the
Spring, cherry blossoms included.  How rich!  it never fails to amuse at
the strident and over the top rhetoric that is used to justify this
continuous train wreck to inoculate the “adults” in the room muscling in
on what was originally a young adult adventure.  Shows what megalomania
will do to even local politicians when there is something in the
offing.  After all why pass up on the benies when the ocean tosses it up
on your door step.