George Rebane

The services and plans of Hospitality House were described to the Nevada City Rotary Club last Thursday by Janice O’Brian, one of its leaders and founders.  The HH co-ordinates the efforts of Nevada County churches to provide food and shelter to any of the approximately 280 of the county’s homeless who are willing to follow some simple rules of civilization.  Every Thursday evening my church, Sierra Presbyterian, provides the evening meal and a place to sleep for people sent over by HH.  Twenty-five other local churches also pitch in.  This service is provided during the cold months of October through April.  We were told that HH is seeking to expand with some building projects and extend the service to year-round so that the homeless will not have to sleep in bug-infested forests and parks during the warm months. 

I asked how many of these unfortunate folks were home grown and how many came from outside the county.  Ms Maple stated that all of them were indigenous to the county, which answer amazed many of us.  If we note their increased numbers in public venues like the libraries and parks, and listen to the local police chiefs, we may look askance at that answer.  Santa Monica effectively destroyed its homeless care project by going overboard on the amenities it offered.  Word got out and everyone came to enjoy what the city chose to offer. Finally the city’s residents and visitors took exception to the stench of urine issuing from the city’s alleys and parking structures, and the program was curtailed.  We have yet to understand the dynamics of this problem, and probably should have a public discussion before our hearts overwhelm our heads.  Read Dixie Fix for another slant on the bigger problem.

Today CABPRO sponsored a wonderful presentation of agriculture in Nevada County.  The speaker was none other than farmer John Powers of the Nevada County Farm Bureau.  (I always find John informative and a pleasure to be in his audience.)  The main (legal) agricultural product of the county is still timber, however, the local area is also home to about 600 small scale farms that provide their owners with a part-time income and supply the county’s residents and restaurants with locally grown produce and, soon, some organically grown meat products.  They grow it locally, and we eat it – it’s as simple as that.  None of these small farmers receive the subsidies doled out by the perennial travesty called the national farm bill that is now again going through our honorable Congress.

Martin Light, CABPRO’s new Executive Director, and staff are launching a number of new initiatives and events to keep CABPRO members better informed.  Take a look at the CABPRO Report which covers county issues having to do with businesses and property rights from a more conservative perspective.  My hope is that Martin and the CABPRO Board will soon see the time when these informational events will also be open to the general public.  This will expose wider audiences to the more traditional and proven formats of civil discourse and examination of issues.  The right has never been too good at outreach during calm times; everyone is too busy minding their own business while the left is minding everyone else’s business.

(23may08 – the Hospitality House rumination is corrected per Dixie’s comment.  Thanks Dixie.)