Posted by JCP
a resident of Old Palo Alto
on Oct 11, 2019 at 6:55 pm
JCP is a registered user.

Great editorial, thanks Bill.

Times certainly have changed since the days of the Vietnam war, when the public was engaged without the distractions of the internet, social media, Beyonce, et al.

Unfortunately, most people don't look to print/subscription-based journalism as a remedy for what ails them. As you say, the online experience has become a myopic and narcissistic experience that does not bode well for civilization.

How do we get back to the days of active public participation in the larger discussion?

There may not be a good answer. But I think it requires a radical approach to addressing the issues, not just reporting on what has occurred.

The Castilleja expansion is a case in point. Your latest editorial was milktoast/pablum. There was no fire or brimstone, just a cautious and uninformed attempt to look like a mediator. The issue is significant and the effects of the proposed expansion are far-reaching and will impact the community at large, not just the surrounding neighbors, for generations to come.

If you continue to try to appeal to the mainstream observer, there will be no rallying cry for the issues that true local journalism should inspire. It's not about feel-good pieces and restaurant reviews. You need to take a stand and be passionate about it.

As a neighbor of Castilleja I feel betrayed by your hands-off approach to the outrageous expansion plans, the joke of a DEIR, and the inept actions of the City's planning department to enforce the CUP.

Castilleja wants to remove housing, kill mature oaks and redwoods, add to traffic woes, disregard bicycle safety, violate setbacks, and endanger local residents. There is no benefit for Palo Alto. The proposed project only benefits Castilleja, who has shown only an entitled and arrogant view of how they should be perceived.

I was an editor of a weekly publication in Santa Cruz in the 1970s and we actually took a stand and made some impact. What have you done? I can't think of a single instance where your articles and editorials have changed the thinking of local government or the public. All I have seen is a rag full of real estate ads, with very little meaningful content.

Sorry, you are good about covering high school sports. I'll give you that.

Posted by I believe in subscriptions and excellent journalism
a resident of Midtown
on Oct 11, 2019 at 8:14 pm
I believe in subscriptions and excellent journalism is a registered user.

I am a proud subscriber to the Palo Alto Weekly and am grateful to Bill Johnson for his vision. Newspapers have been incredibly important over the last few years and I would be devastated to see the ones I rely on weaken or even disappear.