Hits & Misses: Nevada County wins technology award
Each week we’ll run through the sublime, the trivial and profound issues, decisions and goings on that strike us as Hits or Misses. You can join in, too, by emailing your Hits & Misses to editboard@theunion.com.
HIT (from reader Susan Rogers): to the County of Nevada for winning 1st Place in the 20th Annual Digital Counties Survey from the Center for Digital Government. This top honor in the “up to 150,000 population category” is not the first time our county has won a national award for innovative technology initiatives under Agency Director and CIO Steve Monaghan. Example: streamlining the time-consuming environmental review process required by CEQA, so that small local internet providers can more easily participate in projects to bring better broadband to county residents.
MISS (from Rogers): to a local chamber of commerce executive’s reported concern about “the amount of time the public has to examine the sales tax proposal.” I assume the concern was only about the upcoming proposal to put the sales tax measure on the November ballot, not about the measure itself. After the Board of Supervisors — I hope — votes on Aug. 9 to put the measure on the ballot, the public will have three full months until the Nov. 8 election to examine it, request a presentation for their group about it, ask questions and decide how to vote. Democracy at work.
HIT (from reader Alice Root): To Gina Will, assistant auditor-controller, for taking steps to ensure that the Auditor-Controller-elect Rob Tribble has the qualifications he certified that he has, that are required for this position. Nevada County needs to have a fully qualified auditor, not someone who has “no comment” when asked to verify the qualifications he has claimed. The authorities need to carry the ball on this investigation, and not leave the legal matter to Ms. Will. And a MISS to Rob Tribble, who refuses to show the voters just what his qualifications are. If he has the qualifications, why not show the voters that, and if he misrepresented himself, the voters need to know that also.
HIT (from reader Janice Moule): to Kurt’s Garden’s new space on East Main Street. It is beautiful and twice the space he had previously. Mostly, it just looks gorgeous as you drive by.
MISS (from Moule): to Grass Valley Pool at Memorial Park (as well as the softball diamond). Why has it taken so long to rebuild the pool? The kids have been without one for entertainment and cooling off for two years!
HIT (from reader Shanti Emerson): Where is the best service in town? Free lunches for kids? Free Monday concerts? Daily art opportunities with free supplies? Free audio and online books? Use of computers? Free uke lessons? Collage? Felting? Tech help? Fee legal advice? I bet you guessed it. Our libraries!
MISS (from reader Michael Ireland): to David Ackerman’s comment about publicity and the editor’s note that “he was a candidate for public office.” My take is that Ackerman may have been referencing Mr. Economy as the bozo.
MISS (from Ireland): to Ramona Greb’s comments suggesting that the vaccine, boosters and facemask didn’t prevent Dr. Anthony Fauci from getting COVID-19. Granted, he got COVID-19. But most likely because of his preventative actions the symptoms were mild.
MISS (from Ireland): to Jo Ann Rebane’s response to George Boardman’s editorial about Tedder’s questioning the Nevada County’s HR director to determine if “an assistant dept. head could be hired without a competitive hiring process and whether an elected dept. head could hire their spouse directly under his/her supervision.” She intimates that current clerk recorder, Mr. Greg Diaz, had actually done this. I would ask that Mr. Diaz or the HR director respond to this unsubstantiated accusation.
MISS (from Ireland): Thea Hood’s comments about the Jan. 6 hearings. It does seem true that all members of the committee have the same views. They seem to want to get to the bottom of why Jan. 6 occurred. I don’t know if there could be an opposite viewpoint to trying to get to the truth, but the Republicans did have an opportunity to be a part of the panel. However, the minority leader, Kevin McCarthy, declined. (And to be honest, if Donald Trump apologists were allowed on the panel, it would have turned into political theater that was demonstrated during the impeachment trials.) As for the “alternate details” and “so-called evidence” of which is alluded, I would ask for specifics.
MISS (from Editorial Board member Jo Ann Rebane): to The Union’s masthead on page 2 of the July 2, 2022, edition which states “The Union…Published by Swift Communications of California…” Hasn’t the paper been sold to others twice in the last six months?
HIT (from Rebane): to Nevada County Habitat for Humanity, which continues to build homes with donations, volunteers, and the sweat equity of eventual home owners. Now donations are needed in order to put in underground utilities to serve the next batch of homes.
HIT(from Editorial Board member Thea Hood): to Assemblyman Kevin Kiley, who supports border security devices to stop illegal immigration, human trafficking and drug smuggling.
HIT (from Hood): to Max Lucado who stated that we are all a gift to the world, chosen by God for this very moment. How sad, that from 1973-2022, over 60 million gifts to the world were unopened, totally rejected and discarded.
Gloss