Hot Air (Blows Hard)

I believe I've told the story here before about being at a meeting that Jim McEntire was also attending, and how I wound up sitting next to him. At one point, Pat Downie, nature's great ditherer, was holding forth as he likes to do, and McEntire, unbidden, turned to me and said: "Pat and I are in the same business - hot air."

It was perhaps the only true and honest thing I ever heard come out of his mouth. I thought of that hot air as I read the praise-filled, new-deficient and entirely unnecessary article about McEntire's "retirement" today. Good lord. He's leaving office, people - you don't need to keep kissing his ass.

Cookies are still delicious - especially the ones

that someone else pays for! And there are still

cookies in the world, yes indeed.

 

Anyway, as Dim King Jim relinquishes his crown, I wanted to take one last moment to say what a monstrous, corrupt and cretinous bully he was, and doubtlessly still is. His greed hasn't just gone away. His sleazy nature hasn't suddenly self-corrected. I haven't seen him apologize for being a thug and a bully. So, yeah, it does seem likely that he won't stay "retired" for long. Especially not in Clallam County, the land where scams are plentiful, and oversight is rare.

Dim King Jim may be leaving, but we still have Nelson Muntz

and Donald Trump to model bad behavior.



You Can't Walk the Plank Without a Board

As promised (though a little late), Scott Nagel has announced the rest of his board members for the Light Up Scott Nagel's Wallet efforts. From what I can see, this board hasn't got enough juice to light up a 20 watt light bulb.

First, to recap: The first three board members announced were former head troll at the PDN, John Brewer, certified friend of the Randazzos, Michael McQuay, who owns Kokopelli Grill, and, of course, Scott Nagel.

This terrible trio will now be joined by:

Mindy Gelder, an "actress and co-owner of New Growth Behavioral Health." Mindy will be filling the slot reserved for a pampered, New Age wacko.

Mathew Rainwater, who is with the Border Patrol. This must be part of their "outreach" to the community. Our sensors don't detect a great depth of commitment to this project from Mr. Rainwater.

Deborah Spinks, realtor. Because, of course, you can't do anything without having a realtor involved.

Sarah Tucker, who is described as a "performance and visual artist, director and producer." Which translates into: Sarah doesn't have a job. But she is, like Mr. McQuay above, a close friend of the Randazzos.

And finally, there's Michael Gentry, architect. Because, frankly, Mike has a vested interest in seeing that this project chooses, uh, well, you know...The right architect for the job.

Hey! Look! Scott's got a board!



According to the PDN article announcing these board members, their selection is "the result of six months of recruiting and selecting, said Nagel and his wife, Karen Powell, consultant to the board." So you see? They not only have a board now, but gosh, they also have their first consultant!

A powerhouse board this is not. But it is fascinating to see who is willing to sign up for a project that is intended to simply employ Scott Nagel. However, if anyone thinks this particular group is a game-changer, or bringers of light to the Lincoln, I respectfully disagree.

May Or May Not Be Mayor

What with all the (totally understandable) anger and upset over the fluoride vote...Well, actually, it's all going to be about that vote for a bit, isn't it? I mean, sure, water pipes can burst, and transformers can catch on fire, but for the near future it's all going to be about the fluoride fluoride FLUORIDE.

Except that...Well, in a very real way, those bursting pipes and flaming transformers are exactly the same as fluoride. All are bought and paid for and provided by your loving friends at the City of Port Angeles. As was the sham "advisory vote" on said fluoride.

In other words, if you took all the money spent on that fake vote, and all the money spent on fluoride, do you think maybe the City could have bought a new transformer with it instead? Or some new pipes? How much money has been spent on the remarkably stupid Smart Meters? How about the Glenn Cutler Memorial Turd Tank? Nathan West's Boondoggle Beach?

How much quality of life has all that bought you, Port Angeles residents? It sure didn't do much for NOAA, and it's undeniable that both people and businesses are leaving Port Angeles. They might not go far away - but they do go away.

But not all people go away. Some of the ones you'd doubtlessly most like to see the back of will never leave. Which is to say, with the New Year coming up fast, soon it'll be time to choose a new Mayor from amongst the same old faces. A new old figurehead. A new old public face for the morally (and otherwise) bankrupt City. A new old leader to fuss and fritter around the edges - and along the beachfront, say - while boring old things like infrastructure continue to Go To Hell.

If only it were this kind of flaming transformer...

Then it might be a tourist attraction.



Exploding transformers? Bursting pipes? Angry mobs in the Council Chambers? Empty storefronts downtown and empty heads in City Hall? No need to worry, no need to fear, for soon Mayor ______ will be here.

One guess as to which blank faced liar most wants to fill in that blank above.

Memo From the City Council to Port Angeles Residents: Fuck You Very Much for Your Thoughts on Fluoride

So...Is anyone really surprised?





Biomess Part Two - Now with More Explosive Potential!

I'm putting this out there for you all, to see if anyone has any details...Apparently, Hermann Bros. have some sort of plan to turn "wood waste products" into "jet fuel." Which sounds exactly like the sort of environmentally unfriendly boondoggle BS that Port Angeles would go for.

My first thought when I heard about this was, "What a stupid, mid-20th century idea." My second thought was, "How would they get it from Port Angeles to its final destination? Trucks of jet fuel rolling down 101?" Now that sounds like a good idea.

Anyway, has anyone heard anything about this? They held some sort of webinar about it yesterday. Details? Thoughts? Anyone?

The Plight at the End of the Tunnel

A reader recently commented that it was about time for another PDN article about the Lincoln Theater. Well, the PDN heard and obeyed, sending forth yet another Diane Urbani de la Paz article that embraces recycling.

The new angle now is that Scott Nagel is trying to call in the $185,000 in pledges he says have been made, turning those promises into cold, hard cash.

Okay.

Say! I betcha I can make some money

fleecing suckers over the interwebs!



But I have a few questions...

One: Has anyone else noticed that that number Scott keeps trotting out has been unchanging for months and months? In other words, even in the no harm, no foul world of promises, his support seems to be tapped out.

Two: But let's say that people really have pledged a total of $185,000 - what percentage of that do you think Nagel will actually be able to get, cash in hand? And how big a gap does that leave between Scott's wallet and the asking price of $235,000?

Three: Has anyone heard anything about Scott Nagel talking about how much it would cost to restore and run the Lincoln? Or how that (even larger!) amount would be raised? Yeah, neither have I.

Four: Notice how, even when he only has a little bitty bit of information in the first place, Scott likes to let it out in dribs and drabs.

"Oh! We're putting together a seven person board of directors!"

Really Scott? Who's on the board?

"Well...I can tell you two names right now..."

And one of those two names is John Brewer, pudgy retiree and former head troll of the PDN. Round robin, closed system, perfect! Get the next article warmed up, Diane!

It's the Water...But Where Will It Come From?

The headline says, "Port Angeles eyes new water sources in wake of drought restrictions."

The trolls, and more than one City Council member, will say, "What's the problem here?"

Here's the problem - well, one of them, anyway:

The city ended four months of water restrictions Oct. 21, but the El Niño weather forecast for this winter could leave the Olympic Mountains short on snowpack next summer.

Still, it could be seven years before water might flow from wells on the city's West End, which a pair of hydrogeologists said Tuesday was the best place to drill.

Less snow, less water. It's pretty simple, actually. But then again, so are trolls and City Council members. Let's see how many of them manage to stay afloat as they deal with the multiple water issues facing them.

Kevin Costner couldn't make Waterworld work.

Do you think Dan Gase will do any better?



It's the Water...But Will It Be JUST the Water?

Alright then...The results are in! And so, we now know that 56% of the 43% of people who bothered to reply do NOT wan t the City to continuing fluoridating their water - also known as forcibly medicating the populace.

It all seems pretty clear. As the saying goes, THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN.

Now it's the City Council's turn, as well as City staff. I can't wait to see what they will do.

(And as we, once again, debate this issue of importance, let's all take a moment to remember the key role that Karen Rogers played in making this all happen. Karen and the Worst Council Ever should be, need to be, remembered, if only as a cautionary tale.)

Now, City Council...Let's see what you've got.

Wanna Buy a Grocery Store?

So...Despite all the assurances that the Haggen's in Port Angeles wouldn't be sold...It's gonna be sold.

Well, that is to say, it's going to be put up for sale. The question is, would anyone really want to buy it?

Empty Storefronts: They're not just for downtown!



Another Serving of Self-Serving OR Surprise! (Not!)

Every so often the headline says it all...

Clallam County Commissioner joins Democrats and is urged to run again

Gosh! I didn't see that coming...

 

Mike Chapman has joined the local Democratic Party organization, and the longtime Clallam County Commissioner is being encouraged to run for another term in office. Chapman, a former Republican who is now an independent, announced last spring that he would not seek a fifth four-year term. In a Tuesday interview, Chapman said he recently registered with (the) Clallam County Democrats, and made a donation to the organization.

 

So, you may ask, who is "urging" Chapman to run again?

 

Clallam County Democrats’ Chairman Roger Fight was not immediately available for comment Thursday, and the organization’s Port Angeles office was closed Thursday afternoon.

Does anyone really think you're going to get different (which is to say better) results in Clallam County by re-electing the same people who have been in charge all along? It reminds me of an expression about rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.

And does anyone really believe that Mike Chapman has done all this flip-flopping, back and forth political positioning because he's looking out for the people of Clallam County? Because all I see is someone looking out for the interests of one person - Mike Chapman. He wants to keep that big paycheck coming in. It's just that simple.

But will the people of Clallam County be so simple as to fall for this latest version of (the same old) Mike Chapman?

How Much Will It Cost to Pay for the Fix That's Clearly Already In?

Hmmm...Better get out your checkbooks - and check your cynicism at the door, oh please - because Peter Goldmark, Washington's Commissioner of Public Lands, is coming to Port Angeles for a fundraiser at Kokopelli Grill.  A fundraiser co-hosted by long-time fellow travelers Mike Chapman and Matthew Randazzo.

Now, we all know the damage that Randazzo did to the Clallam County Democratic Party, with much of that damage done to protect and promote (the then non-Democratic) Mike Chapman. For all his scheming and backstabbings, Randazzo was "punished" by being given the cushy job he still holds in Peter Goldmark's office - a job he was and is woefully unqualified for. Clearly the fix was in there, eh?

So now, once again it's Chapman in the spotlight, and I have to wonder what fix is in for him, since he has announced, promised and sworn on a stack of Bibles that he won't run for County Commissioner again. (Of course, that was all said before he "evolved" again and became a Democrat - an act that may have negated all his previous promises.) But whatever the case, when you've got these particular players involved, you can be sure that something is going on, and that that something is a lot closer to self-serving than it is to "public service."

In any case, this slimeball meet and greet fundraiser will be held on the 8th, from 3PM - 4PM, which is a great time for working people, by the way. Then get ready for whatever the next chapter is in the never-ending saga of Clallam County Crooks and Conmen. Watch that dark nexus between the County Courthouse and the State Capitol, because something is (always) in the works.