Beach Dogs!

(Click on pic for larger image)
On The Beach, Having Fun!
The pictures above are of one of my past cars, an old Cougar, I believe around a '79 or so.
On top are my boards and sails etc. The dog belonged to a past girlfriend. His name was YoYo. He was a Samoyed Husky and we were buddies.
The other dog is Critter. She was a reknowned beach dog that was great at Frisbee! She belonged to my friends Cliff and Roxanne Schlabach.
This type of fun is in big danger if the proposed changes on our beaches are passed by our City Council.
Below is a letter I sent to the Caller/Times, it is doubtful that they will print it!


Dec. 11, 2005
Dicky Neely
4141 Whiteley Dr. #201
78418
361-937-3768
Dear Editor,
There you go again! Your double-barreled editorial barrage in favor of closing our beaches to beach traffic in this morning’s paper further demonstrates that your editorial board has never seen a beach development you didn’t like, no matter the cost to the public or environment.
The proposal by Council member Mark Scott to change the adopted city ordinance closing beach traffic in front of the sea wall to include the area desired for development by Paul Shexnailder is unacceptable, furthermore it proves what myself and others have been saying all along about this beach issue. You give in to one commercial development and others will want theirs!
I have never believed this issue was in anyway about “beach safety” which has not been a real issue, but about whether or not public beaches will be handed over to developers for their own private use.
Now you express concern over “turtle” safety! Give me a break! Those turtles have not been hindered or damaged by beach traffic. The most prolific beach traffic in the turtle nesting area is from the large trucks and vehicles attending the drilling on the National Sea Shore. As I recall you were all in favor of that!
Another issue seldom addressed is access for the disabled. As it is now disabled people can use the beaches pretty near anywhere they want. They will not be able to lug their stuff for a half a mile to the beach!
As far as keeping faith with the voters, I don’t think most of those who were in favor of the Packery Channel development had any idea this would lead to a beach traffic ban.
Concerning keeping faith with the voters this proposal is about going back on your word. Everybody on the city council, including the mayor, I contacted prior to the passage of the beach-traffic closure ordinance told me “We will only close this section of the beach. We have no plans to close off other parts of the beach.” Now this comes along. Where will they stand now?
To his credit, Rex Kinnison has stated he would not go back on that vote.
This is an important issue to me. I think preserving our unique beaches for all to come and enjoy is a bigger draw for visitors than would be the building of some fancy high dollar resort catering only to the rich. Are we going to make our beaches a playground for the “rich and famous” only?