January 9, 2002

Artichoke awards, 21 years and counting

About ten years before I'd ever heard of Pacifica, and a few years before there actually was a Pacifica to hear of, San Pedro Valley was a place renowned for a food delicacy. Talented Italian farmers like the Del Rossos and the Magrins had grown artichokes for decades. In 1953 seven of their ranches were bought up in one weekend by developer Andres Oddstad. A Seabee during WWII, Oddstad had returned to build thousands of houses for the families of veterans. The newly named Linda Mar grew children, rather than produce.

Artichokes are a wonderful vegetable, but when you see purple flowers they're well past edible. That's why this column for the 21st year in a row will again award Purple Artichokes to a few who deserve less than accolades. I also like to use a Golden Artichoke when something deserves congratulations.

A Golden Artichoke to those who've created a pedestrian path from Linda Mar's Pacifica State Beach to Rockaway Beach. Though it seems simple, it's costly and taken careful work and planning. For years we've needed a safe, continuous pathway the length of Pacifica. The new trail removes a bottleneck.

A Purple Artichoke to K-Mart. They now seek to imitate the worst practices of the so-called membership "wholesalers" like Costco. A store employee stood at the door recently after I'd bought some underwear. Presumably under the assumption that anyone leaving with merchandise is a thief until proven innocent, he planned to compare my receipt to the contents of my basket, then deface the receipt with a smear of ink. I refused, politely but firmly, to show him my receipt, ("I choose not to show it to you") and he didn't pursue the matter. I was reminded of the bulletproof glass separating me from the desk clerk in a Bakersfield motel where I'd planned to stay. I left immediately. If that clerk didn't feel safe without the glass, why was I on the wrong side? I feel more comfortable shopping where a store can trust its customers.

A Golden Artichoke to the volunteers of Pacifica. They do things like remove exotic weeds, re-introduce native plants to local habitats, staff visitor's centers at San Pedro Valley Park and Sanchez Adobe, prepare newsletters for Lions, Rotary, AAUW and other service organizations and serve on committees to preserve our heritage. I can't name them all, but all deserve a compliment.

I will NOT award a purple artichoke to Osama Bin Laden. That would only trivialize evil so massive I cannot fathom it. Presumably he can't forgive us because we made him wealthy. I can't forgive him and his associates for their well-planned vandalism.

A golden artichoke to all those Pacificans and other Americans who've shown so much solidarity by displaying the flag since Sept. 11.

A Golden Artichoke to Jackie Donovan and other local adults who serve the community by working with 4-H. For those unaware, Pacifica 4-H has been building the character and the skill base of local young men and women for decades. I don't know the current crop of 4-H-ers. 4-H made a world of difference for my kids. I've seen what it can do. I can't recommend it too highly.

A golden artichoke to City Manager Dave Carmany. Even when I disagree with him or his ideas, I respect the way he goes about building consensus and doing his job. Cities over the hill complain about funding resources that would make us feel like plutocrats. Yet Dave keeps finding ways to accomplish goals most would think impossible. A new library and a new City Hall look like impossible dreams. But so did a new police station.

E mail Paul Azevedo at Paul@thereactor.net. Check his website at http://www.thereactor.net.