Axel Lindgren III and his brother, Joe Lindgren, both descendants of the original inhabitants of Tsurai, examine illegal cuts adjacent to Trinidad’s Wagner Street Trail.
On Saturday Tuesday, the Times-Standard wrote about the strange case of a landscaper who had clearcut a wide swath of vegetation, including a stand of mature trees, within the archaeological zone of the historic Tsurai Village site in mid-June. Someone, it seemed, had illegally hired the firm to wipe the bluffs of view-blocking trees, which sit on public and historically sensitive property.
The Journal has since learned that the city’s primary suspect in the case is none other than Trinidad Planning Commissioner Sam Pennisi, a former Arcata City Councilmember. Pennisi and his wife Sharon live in a bluffside home on Wagner Street, directly above the site of the cut, and had previously related to city officials that their vistas of Trinidad Bay were impeded by the vegetation on the site.
The Sheriff’s Office is currently investigating the matter.
Reached at the home Friday afternoon, Sharon Pennisi told the Journal that she could not speak immediately upon hearing a reporter identify himself. She hung up before the reporter could identify what he was calling about.
However, a June 19 e-mail from City Manager Steve Albright to City Attorney Paul Hagen lays out the city’s case against the Pennisis in fairly deep detail. In the e-mail, sent two days after the City put a stop to two days of illegal landscaping work on the bluffs, Albright tells Hagen that a different tree-trimming firm, which had been hired by the family, came into City Hall to discuss cutting the same site. That firm was told that the property belonged to the city of Trinidad, and could be cut under no circumstances. A few days later, Albright says, Sam Pennisi came into City Hall to complain.
Tsurai Village, which includes ancient graves and other historic artifacts, has been the subject of a long, contentious planning study aimed at preservation. It currently belongs to the city of Trinidad, but is slated to transfer to the Yurok Tribe at some point in the future. The California Coastal Conservancy holds an easement on the property.
More on the story in next week’s Journal.
This article appears in National Anathema.
“On Saturday” What? You mean TUESDAY. I’m not even reading your report on this now. The incompetence is just getting to be too much anymore. And “a reporter”?? Really? ’cause we all know Hank isn’t allowed near the news anymore and that leaves Mr. Sims and Mr. Burns as the “he” reporter from the journal that you speak of. How about tell us where you got the email and who the reporter was and maybe even, gosh, identify the tree-trimming firm(s)? Or fuck off. You disgust me.
Whoops! The T-S story in question was indeed published on Tuesday, not Saturday. That was some Friday night calendar dysfunction.
Your anger, though, is a puzzle. You have been promised more in next week’s paper. Sweat it out, there, junior. Hang tight.
This is some unbelievable shit. Un-fuckin-believable!!!
Rich people’s views of the ocean are way more important than native heritage? Which tree-trimming company was smart enough to inquire and which was not?
Is that the same Sam Penisiwho is alway on the radio slamming evil republicans for there disregard of the enironment and lack of respect for native american rights. Gee, this almost makes him seem like a hypocrite
Although Hagen is only the city’s attorney, not a policy maker, I’ll be interested to see how he advises the city to proceed in obtaining civil redress. And certainly a question of conflicts of interest on the planning commission is something a competant city attorney should be highlighting to the council.
Is the Hagan at the city attorneys office related to the Hagans who wined and dined and assisted Larabee and Captain Semen and 75 Injun killin buddies right before the Massacre of Indian Island. Those who don’t learn history are doomed to repeat it. I’m a dyed in the wool democrat and despite their political affiliation I hope they rot in hell.
At ease, Mars. That would be a “No.”
Judging (my mistake) from the behavior on the City government side of Trinidad City Attorney’s office and the events of the past several weeks, coupled with the events of 150 years ago this seemed eerily similar. Wrong is wrong, I was thinking out loud hoping someone would know. I stand corrected for the misstatement, don’t think I’ll call it a misjudgement yet though until they give their absolute best attempt at adjudicating the offenses that occurred on that hillside. Jeesch should we call the cops? He is pretty rich. Wouldn’t a “lesser man” be charged with obstruction of justice as a minimal starting point? Thats just the city clerk enabler. Tom Head is a hard working local who was lied to and decieved. Judging from the lawyers I’ve tangled with the statements (lies) by Ms. Ferrett as to her instructions to Tom as told to two newspapers is the beginninings of one helluva slander and liable case against some really deep pocketed manipulative crooks. Their friends are really coming to their defense too. Other than the TS and City of Trinidad they are like…gone daddyo.
“… the slow, meticuloous grinding of civil servants. Schreibtischtater, he called them…”