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King of the road
GREEN Reactor column
[Published in The Blue Paper newspaper on March 29, 2013.]
King of the Road
Listening to “citizen input” at the Key West Sustainability Advisory Board’s workshop on bicycling this week, I was presented with the idea that Key West should be a town were automobiles take a back seat to the island’s bicycles. Interesting concept. It’s not entirely new, since there are other bicycle-centric communities out there. Some are also islands, most without road access from the mainland. Others are small subsets of larger towns. Up to now, millions of Key West tourists each year (with cars being the most popular way to get here) have obscured this vision from me, but I believe it deserves a closer look.
Bicycling has always been my main transportation here (closely followed by walking, then occasional car-treks with the wife). There are plenty of bicyclists more avid than I, but (more…)
More Sides Now
KONK REACTOR column
[Published in the KONK Life newspaper on January 31, 2013.]
More Sides Now
Last summer I wrote a BOTH SIDES NOW column here with a “point / counterpoint” discussion of a number of local hot-button issues raised in the Voice and elsewhere. Let’s do it some more…
Roosevelt Project
Point: I never see anybody working on Roosevelt Boulevard. That project probably won’t be finished until after I’m dead. And why didn’t they tell us how much trouble it was going to be?
Counterpoint: Ain’t armchair quarterbacking fun? The TRUTH of the matter is that the project is ON SCHEDULE. Just because YOU don’t see them doing what YOU think they should be doing doesn’t change that. They’re proceeding according to their plan – a plan that they very much DID make well known to anyone who bothered to listen. (more…)
More Reactionary Voices
KONK REACTOR column
[Published in the KONK Life newspaper on September 13, 2012.]
More Reactionary Voices
Once again I return to answering local anonymous “reactionaries” who have commented in our Island Voice column. (You can submit your own comments there by writing to “voice@konknet.com” or by calling 305-453-6804.)
“Can Commissioner Lopez ever see beyond his district? The thought of opposing the assisted living center at the Truman Waterfront because his district will not receive any taxes from its placement there is not only vulgar but just plain stupid.”
This issue is far too complex for such histrionics. One must understand that a key provision of the Navy’s conveyance of the waterfront property to the City is that there must be a component that would provide direct economic benefit to the Bahama Village community. Prior to the collapse of the Bahama Conch Community Land Trust (BCCLT) that provision was to be met by a grand plan to set up a market-place, small businesses, affordable housing and a community square that would be an extension of the Village. The BCCLT’s demise left a hole in the plan that had to be filled. (more…)
Both Sides Now
KONK REACTOR column
[Published in the KONK Life newspaper on July 4, 2012.]
Both Sides Now
I’ve done a few ‘reactions’ and ‘reactionaries’ columns in the past, where I answered questions and points made in our Island Voice column and other local voice columns. But sometimes the issues that are raised really need to be examined from multiple points of view. They’re not necessarily open and shut cases. Today I’ll look at some that have come up recently, and try some “point--counterpoint”… (more…)
Key West Reactions?
Key West Reactor column
[Published in Key West The Newspaper on September 9, 2011.]
Key West Reactions?
My internet handle has been Reactor for almost 20 years. The roots of that handle come from: 1) my relentless work ethic; and 2) my strong social media reflex impulse. The connection to an album by musical sage Neil Young (whom I venerate) also comes into play. Around the time I became a full-time resident here I expanded it to Key West Reactor. So if you see that on a blog comment or in a forum somewhere, it’s almost certainly me. (Unless it’s something that really pisses you off, in which case I may claim that it was hijacked….)
I bring all this up within my Blue Paper introduction, because in my head I’m calling this column “Key West Reactions”. I have every intention of keeping this column as local as possible. Though I routinely express solid political opinions, I’ll try to leave them at the door. I want to talk local issues and tell local stories, of interest to those of any political stripe. (more…)
‘Keynoter’ editorial was way off the mark
David Lybrand guest editorial
[Published on the KeyNoter newspaper Opinions Page on February 25, 2009.]
‘Keynoter’ editorial was way off the mark
Under the title “TAMPOA’s arrogance hard to believe”, the KeyNoter again shows its contempt for a neighborhood full of good citizens. The editorial puts together a mishmash of falsehoods and distortions to draw the conclusion that this community — that contributes a full 10% of the entire property-tax base to the City of Key West — should be “blown out of the water”. Usually the KeyNoter is slow to participate in such muckraking, but someone there obviously has an axe to grind.
The first error in the editorial is that the gate work at the Truman Annex neighborhood entrance began “without warning”. On the contrary, the job went through the full permitting and compliance process and all work has been fully licensed by the city. There was nothing to hide. (more…)
City taking advantage of a good neighbor
David Lybrand guest editorial
[Published on the Key West Citizen Opinions Page on October 8, 2006.]
City of Key West taking
advantage of a good neighbor
It could happen to you, too, if you let it.
Picture this: You buy a house in front of a big empty lot.
Some of the neighborhood folks have been using your driveway to go see a pretty view from that lot. Being a good neighbor, you let them keep using it. Over the years the traffic grows, but you don’t complain.
One day the owner of that empty lot decides to sell it.
The buyer dreams of setting up new attractions on the lot, but no plan is made for how people should get there.
After all, you have been nice enough to let folks through your driveway (more…)