There was a pretty impressive turnout at the dedication of Eureka’s new C Street Market Square earlier this morning, and why not? The square, located down at the bay, was the first-phase roll-out of the City’s biggest and most impressive new public space since the construction of the Boardwalk, which it borders. By this time next year, the square will anchor the Fisherman’s Terminal complex, which will include a fresh-off-the-boat seafood market, a cafe/restaurant and a permanent building for the Old Town Carriage Company, which is recovering nicely.
Mayor Virginia Bass kicked the speechifying off with by thanking all the dignitaries in attendance, including city staff, and by giving a little historical perspective on the importance of the Eureka Waterfront throughout the city’s history. Then she introduced Rep. Mike Thompson, who found federal money to fund the project.
Continuing Bass’ theme, Thompson led with one of his customary quips. “I think I smelled the clam chowder from Lazio’s as we came in here,” he said, to appreciative chuckles from the many who remembered the iconic Eureka seafood restaurant once located not far from where everyone was standing.
But idle jollity did not stay with Thompson for long. He noted that “earmark” had become a dirty word in the national political discourse — and yet, he emphasized, this project right here was funded through such means.
“This was an earmark our community needed,” he said. “There is a stark difference between a community revitalization project like this and a bridge to nowhere.”
More pics below. Sorry — the battery on the good camera died and I was reduced to iPhone snaps.
Market Square is home to a bevy of impressive public statues, some of which, unfortunately, look too fragile to withstand either the gale-force winds coming off the bay this morning or the vandals who will surely arrive on the scene soon.
The latter seems to be an example from the “weird animal tail” school of public statuary that is sweeping Humboldt County.
Some teabaggers made the scene to sneer at Thompson.
Though the signeage mainly taunted Thompson for refusing to debate his Republican opponent, Loren Hanks, literature handed out by the Party of Tea members on hand softened this somewhat: Thompson and Hanks, have in fact agreed to two debates later this month. The literature chided Thompson for not agreeing to four debates. The other two, which were proposed by the Hanks team, would have taken place around now.
This article appears in Rise and Fall of a Spam Crusader.
Hey Hank: how did you know those protesters were teabaggers? Did you actually witness men’s testicles dangling in their faces?
Or did you libel a group of complete strangers… because their politics aren’t cool?
It’s called libel and Sims loves doing it in the paper, the website, the blog… I know of at least one person who recently got an attorney because of his repeated libel against her by the NCJ. It’s out of hand and has only gotten worse since they moved to Eureka. It’s like they went from being Arcatans to Eurekans overnight in that as Arcatans they were clueless and thought they were smarter than everyone else, and as Eurekans they are purely mean and only aim to attack the rest of the world.
I never, ever even touch the print version and I only visit the website to gather more and more evidence of libel by the NCJ. Sims: it’s going to be over very soon if you don’t stop. There’s a growing and powerful group of people who are going to make the Reporter’s death look like a mercy killing compared to what will happen when those you’ve truly wronged come calling.
Those people are definitely teabaggers.
That’s what she said!