Subway spreads onto the VC Star
Our own Kenley Neufeld is front and center in a VC Star story entitled Ojai debates chain retailers; Officials to consider 45-day moratorium (free reg req.).
Kenley Neufeld's Ojai is a place where people swap family stories and recipes at the farmers market and where the local pharmacy has existed since 1891. It's a place where people take their pet geese on walks using leashes, or jog with their llamas. A place where a cup of joe at Java & Joe is actually made by Joe.It's not a hub for Subway, the fast-food giant that pumps out its familiar sandwiches in more than 27,000 outlets spanning 86 countries. Neufeld, a longtime Ojai resident, is pushing for a ballot initiative to keep chains like Subway, Starbucks Coffee and Gap out of Ojai. He and others say chain stores threaten to ruin the personality of their colorful area. "Ojai has a unique, natural beauty," Neufeld said, "and I would like to keep it that way."
It's really great to see Kenley get the recognition he deserves for his contribution in bringing this story to the community. A minor quibble, but it would be nice if writer Kevin Clerici actually mentioned The Ojai Post by name with a link, considering we broke the Subway story and the Jersey Mike's story, not to mention the unattributed local flavor quips he lifts from Heather McKenzie's Only in Ojai post...
| Permalink | author bio | 
Comments (3)
This is good! Next the Los Angeles Times. Also the VC Reporter might like to do a feature article. Has anyone contacted them?
Comment #1 Posted by: Suza | April 23, 2007 07:07 AM
Excellent! Excellent! Excellent!
What a great story. The only points Kevin fell down on were corrected by the ever vigilent spk in the comments section, where he gave credit to the OP and fleshed out the information about Jeff's lawsuit.
And, guess what? Our mayor inadvertently let another cat out the bag. By now the council is madly trying to jump on the anti-chain bandwagon before they get left behind. However, she tries to slow the bandwagon down by saying an ordinance has to be "carefully crafted...to ensure it has a mix of businesses to capture enough tax money from tourists and locals..." Does anyone else see the truth shining through the smoke and mirrors?
Crafty indeed. A "mix of businesses"? In the mayor's mind, would say a dozen Subways meet her criteria? Under the council's leadership, we now have two: Jersey Mike's and Subway. The mayor's comments reveal the city's moneyist, banker-developer bias in spades. Up to now, the council has been stonewalling any attempt at anti-chain legislation, and even suing those who attempt it, and are still suing, without even a whimper of apology. Now that the political tide is turning, the council is forced to back off from its elitist, moneyist position. Now they "craft" a position that allows for a "mix of businesses" which effectively would allow a bundle of chains in by subterfuge.
The council, as usual, misses the point; or worse, sees the point and attempts to subvert it. The point is that Ojai's destiny is to resist the globalization and destruction of local economies by money-mad moneyists who ruin people's lives by the likes of Subways. The city leadership are compulsive money addicts, the "tax man" the Beetles lampooned. They are very crafty, indeed, and will do almost anything to push their agenda of "power to the money" rather than "power to the People." Do I hear an Amen?
What could the mayor mean by "mix of businesses" other than subway-like chains and non-chains? Would she mean restaurants and gas stations, apples and oranges? Perhaps I misunderstand her. Perhaps the paper misquoted her? In any event, I stand to be corrected. But by clear reason, not "crafty" language.
Suza, good idea about contacting the Reporter, maybe Matthew Singer. Could you do it?
Comment #2 Posted by: Dennis Leary | April 23, 2007 09:19 AM
Gretchen did a nice mention today on
www.Studio805.tv
Comment #3 Posted by: Lisa Snider | April 23, 2007 12:33 PM