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Gambling Editor: The institution of Humboldt State, particularly the University Center Board of Directors, needs to be held accountable for the decisions they’ve made on behalf of the student body (NCJ Daily, April 27). Their decisions, particularly the 2011 choice to establish Follett Corporation as the primary owner of our bookstore, have impacted the financial crisis experienced by many students at HSU. What I ask of the board of directors is to no longer give in to corporate monopolies in their attempt to seize student assets, and to reconsider a student-run bookstore on campus. By doing so, an increase in job opportunities will provide students with more experience in working and self-governance. Affording a $400 bill for textbooks is straining, even for students who work full time and, while there are alternatives for buying cheaper/used books, a student-owned bookstore could help facilitate cheaper alternatives and ease financial stress for student budgets. It is the responsibility of the University Center Board of Directors to protect student governance and student authority on campus. Allowing a monopolizing corporation to dictate textbook costs and limit options only increases financial strain and adds even more stress for students already combatting debt, Humboldt County’s lack of jobs, mental health issues and institutional oppression. Kristen Costanzo, Arcata
‘A Punishing Experience’ Editor: Having lived in Honeydew for 37 years, I have travelled the route of the May 20 Tour of the Unknown Coast bicycle race innumerable times in my vehicle. Never have I seen the road in such horrendous condition as I did on my last transit,
Restoration
Terry Torgerson
Monopolized
It was home,
May 9 (“Board of Until it wasn’t. Supervisors Talks ‘Band Aid’ Funding Moving vans for Roads,” posted Fast foods Feb. 8). Tissues and fear A representative of the Public Framing every day, Works Department offered assurances Never stopping that the road crew To talk about would do everyWho was there, thing possible to prepare the course. And who wasn’t. Representatives of — Kirk Gothier the Tour of the Unknown Coast have not responded to my concerns about rider safety. I earnestly encourage all who are planexcluded native plants. ning to participate in the event to travel Urbanized areas and huge agricultural the entire course in a vehicle prior to the developments, deforested lands, urban race in order to make an informed decidevelopments and rural homes have sion as to whether they are up to what expanded greatly. The amount of land will certainly be a punishing experience. protected or even available for wildlife Peter Marshall, Honeydew is rapidly vanishing. As a result, we have seen massive decreases in native plants and wildlife populations that depend on Editor: the diverse native ecosystems that once Regarding the North Coast Journal’s covered Humboldt County and California. May 4 article, “The Butterfly Effect,” California was known as the Floristic describing Daniel Veillieux and Joseph FerProvince because of its great natural ber’s inspiring vision to transform Arcata beauty, diversity and abundance. All living into a wildlife habitat: Why must all the things collectively supported a native ecoplants be native? What about roses and system that was sustainable, i.e., without lilacs? dams and fertilizers; it sustained life. The The simple answer is that wildlife people who lived here valued their land, populations need native plants to eat and wetlands, shores, dunes, rivers and marshuse for nest-building, habitat and raising es. They recognized this place Humboldt their young. Non-native plants simply do as a paradise. not meet the dietary requirements for The time has come to restore these the healthy adults, larvae and young of lands or face more extinctions of plant the many species. Wildlife species are and animal species. It is proper that experiencing die-offs because the plants humans involve themselves in plans to that serve them simply do not exist loreverse the negative effects of human cally. Although, native habitats have been dominance and take on the task of preserved and protected in parks and restoring the native habitat and ecosysreserves, human habits have historically tems. It will benefit the human race as we
learn to be a beneficial part of nature. It is believed that such restorations, on a large scale, would contribute to the reversal of climate change. Xandra Manns, Eureka
Choices in Sum Editor: The tragedy of the young men at an all-night, drunken party started long before one of them was stabbed. Choices were made that had absolutely nothing to do with the color of anyone’s skin. The sum of those choices ended horribly. The tragedy continued when, without knowing the facts, the race card was played by the media and some of our leaders. Uri Driscoll, Arcata
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northcoastjournal.com • NORTH COAST JOURNAL • Thursday, May 18, 2017
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