A
Message from Chamber CEO Douglass Wilhoit:
Stockton is on the Move
NOVEMBER
2007 - As
I have mentioned several times in this space over the past eight years
you all know that my office overlooks the Marina, Stockton Ballpark, the
Arena and the soon to be opened Sheraton. As I write this article at
6:11PM on Sunday, October 14, a huge orange ball of a sun is just
dipping past the Stockton Channel and I-5 overpass with a glow of orange
in the few clouds that have appeared toward the end of this beautiful
fall weekend that is so common in your home city, Stockton.
What
is even more breathtaking is the reflection of the orange color off the
west side of the Hotel Stockton, the south side of the Arena and the
west windows of the Sheraton Hotel. It truly reflects all the good that
has been and will happen in this city that is moving forward. I bet that
if I were able to see the Washington Mutual building that would also
reflect the movement east of the rebirth of downtown.
I
have been amazed; no I take that back since I guess it will always
happen, of the small amount of naysayer’s and negatrons who got their
few minutes of illogical fame when they wrote letters slamming the city
for the purchase of the Washington Mutual building. I will not go into
all the details as to why they are from another planet but suffice to
say that The Record’s editorial, after the announced purchase, hit the
nail on the head as to the visionary and good business sense the city
officials had.
Simply
put, this will continue the
exciting
and progressive improvement of your downtown in an easterly direction
and allow more private investment, spurred by public investment, to step
to the plate just as was done around the Cineplex, Bob Hope Fox and will
also happen around the Ballpark/Arena/Sheraton. I have used the example
of the Gaslight District in San Diego and there are numerous examples
around the country of communities who have moved in the same direction
as the leaders of the City of Stockton. Two more that come to mind are
Branson, Missouri and Cleveland, Ohio. They too had their detractors but
just as the sun dropped below the horizon here a few moments ago those
negatrons disappeared also into the sea of oblivion.
The
weekend of Oct. 13 was also the Fan Fest at the Arena for the Thunder
who started their season (and the quest for the Kelley Cup) on October
27. They will have their now annual “Thunder Goes Pink” on November
2 and 3. This issue of Port O Call may be in your offices after both
events but hopefully you were there for the start of the season and
helped raise important dollars for the American Cancer Society and St.
Joseph’s Medical Center. Soon the new season for the Cougars will
begin. I know this season will be a breakout season for them. They are
YOUR TEAMS and with your help they can go all the way to the top.
Our
Fall Tradeshow at the Civic on Thursday, October 4 was a huge success
and the Green Team San Joaquin’s Symposium on Solar added to the
success. A big thanks to the Chamber Staff, volunteers, sponsors, those
who had a booth and to all those who attended and helped to make it a
fun and interesting evening for all.
On
Friday October 12, I had two interesting visitors in my office. First a
representative from Governor Schwarzenegger’s office in regards to a
rather pointed and strong quote I made in The Record on my feelings on
how the State had done it once (deceived) to us on the Women’s Prison
issue and how I felt they were going (deceive) do it again. We had a
very good meeting and she allowed me to give her about an hour of
history on this issue and why I felt it was history repeating itself.
Her comments at the end of our meeting were just two: that she had
received information from me not known to her and apparently the
Governor prior to his signing of the “State Prison Re- Entry
Program” legislation and that if she were in my shoes (and I took that
to mean the communities shoes) she would feel the same way. More to come
on this one!
Later
that day, I had the most interesting visit from Oluwaseyi A. Abolaji who
is a Stanford graduate and
a
standout player for the Cougars in their Inaugural season. He has been
working in Chicago and is about to return to his native county, Nigeria,
to purchase a Palm Kernel Oil processing factory in Lagos, Nigeria. He
and I became friends while he was here and he wanted to stop by to bring
me up to date on what he will be doing and to say how much he enjoyed
Stockton while he was here. I learned a great deal about the uses of
Palm Oil and who knows, someday his company will be shipping that
product to the Port of Stockton just down river from where he played
soccer for the Cougars. I wish him all the success in his native country
and look forward to watching his goal of helping the new democratic
country of Nigeria move into the 21st century.
On
Saturday October 13th I had the pleasure of going, sad to say
for a short time
for
many things were going on in Stockton that day, to Stockton Fire
Department Engine House 2 for the
Fire
Ops 101 (good coverage in The Record on Sunday 10-14 see same on
Recordnet.com)
exercise put on by the Stockton Professional Firefighters Local 456 and
the administration officers of Chief Ron Hittle. There were three teams
of community leaders and city staff members who were placed in full
firefighter gear and went through an all day experience of what our men
and women of our Class One fire department do on a daily basis. The
small part I was able to observe was both interesting and enlightening.
I
have witnessed first hand, while on the SPD, what our men and women of
the fire service and law enforcement have to do to protect all of us. I
do not think that the general public, as a whole, really realizes or
fully appreciates what daily sacrifices they make and what they mean to
our well being, safety and quality of life. I know for sure the jerks
and idiots they protect us from have no idea, nor do they care, the harm
they do to a city, but let it be know that the public safety personnel
of the city, Police, Sheriff and Fire are second to none. It is up to us
to help prevent crime, destruction of public and private property and do
our part in fire prevention in our homes and businesses. When you see a
firefighter, police officer or sheriff’s deputy, know they are
protecting you 24/7 and if you have a chance tell them thanks verbally
or with a wave as they pass by in their vehicles, bikes (motor and
pedal) or at times on horse patrol. The best way to help is to make sure
all citizens respect the right of others and obey all laws meant to
protect all of us. If they don’t, justice should be swift and proper
to let the jerks of the world know that our rights are more important
than theirs if they violate the law and others
|
