STREETALK
What business would you open? Asked in downtown Chico
Mitchell Benson self employed
The one I’m doing now. I do building remodels and stuff like that. I’m basically a handyman. [I’d like to expand into] the electronics field, rebuilding circuit boards—electronic repair kind of stuff.
Sean Amaral land steward
For me, I’d probably start a mountain bike business—rentals and also have the shuttle access to get people up there and ride.
Janelle Thomas dental assistant
Hair salon. I kind of want to cut hair. That’s what I think would be fun. I’ve been doing [my current work] for like 20 years.
Tristan Samaniego restaurant employee
It would probably be another juice shop. Live Life Juice Co.—everybody goes there—and Jamba Juice just closed, so there’s another opportunity. I like smoothies.
LETTERS
C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 4
developments never pay for themselves. Valley’s Edge’s infrastructure costs will be huge due to the sloping, rocky terrain and the high cost of building materials that will continue to rise. Even if developer Bill Brouhard ends up paying for the initial infrastructure costs via development impact fees, all subsequent long-term costs will be borne by those home buyers who can afford such costs and by the Chico taxpayers who will subsidize Valley’s Edge for years to come. Meanwhile, down here in the flatlands of Chico, we’ll have to make do with our crumbling infrastructure with no hope of mitigation. Valley’s Edge supporters and local real estate salespeople keep telling us that this development is “just what Chico needs” to help cure our housing crisis. Of course it isn’t. They omit telling us the truth about how the infrastructure costs will price Valley’s Edge homes out of reach of the average Chico family or senior citizen who won’t be able to afford them. But that won’t concern those wealthy homeowners from out of town who will look down on us from above, nor bother Brouhard who stands to make a lot of money from this exclusive, sprawling development. Karen Laslo Chico
‘Water woes will never end’ Re: “Is California’s drought over?” (by Alastair Bland, chico.newsreview.com) These “lowest common denominator” headlines about drought have got to stop. There will always be more demand for water in California than there is water available. The idea that water demand/ supply is in any way related to a single storm or series of storms is exactly the kind of mentality that keeps Californians dumbed down on water issues in this state and how they really need to think about and respond to those issues. Why not this as a headline: “Despite copious amounts of precipitation, California’s water woes will never end.” Now you have set the table to educate—which you do in the article, but only for those who actually bother to read it. Peter Hernes Davis
Write a letter Tell us what you think in a letter to the editor. Send submissions of 200 or fewer words to cnrletters@newsreview.com. Deadline for March 2 print publication is February 20. FEBRUARY 2, 2023
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