Many of you read, as did the board of The Almanor Foundation, the editorial in the Los Angeles Times September 27, 2022 about rebuilding Greenville. Though we do not want to give more credence to the article which was presented as fact by these two reporters, we share it in this link for those who may not have seen it. Unhappy, angered and appalled by how our community was presented, The Almanor Foundation wrote a sharp and pointed response to the editor. It is as follows:
Dear Editor:
The board of directors The Almanor Foundation read your editorial by Erika Smith and Anita Chabria with disbelief. The said journalist not only unjustly maligned Greenville, CA but rural America as well.
The series came off as arrogant, dismissive, and a biased, one-sided assessment of an entire community. There was no evidence backing their statement that Greenville is being rebuilt on the backs of LA citizens. Where are those facts? The town will only burn down in 10 years? Where are they coming from? Do we say this to flooding, earthquake or hurricane victims?
We assume from their elitist approach that it is justifiable for ALL Californian’s tax dollars to be spent to assist communities and homeowners whose business and homes slipped into the ocean in So. CA. Is that okay because they deserve more than those who reside in a rural county?
With that said, we are curious to hear what LA and other Southern California counties contribute to the lives of other Californians? In their “reporting,” they neglected to mention what Plumas County affords said urbanites:
1. Water and Power – The engineering ingenuity that built the “Stairway of Power” that runs through Plumas County is unprecedented. Today Pacific Gas and Electric Company, operates this descending “stairway” of powerhouses, which utilizes the water over and over for power before it flows on undiminished to other uses, most especially supplying power to 24 million Californians. We think the lowly rural people, the stewards who live and work on these rivers and reservoirs, that feed the stairway of power need to be appreciated rather than maligned.
2. Forest Management – though it was described as “those who opt to live in the woods” another view would be honor those who choose to live in, work and manage our forests.
3. Local Philanthropy – The Almanor Foundation in partnership with 16 other philanthropic entities have granted over $2.5 million to date to the relief and recovery efforts of the Dixie Fire.
Though we understand this was an editorial piece, sadly, the authors presented it as fact. Shame on them for not opening their eyes to see the real Plumas County and Greenville Strong citizens.
Regards,
Judith Chynoweth, Chair, The Almanor Foundation
Susan Bryner, Executive Director, The Almanor Foundation
