Razor Wire in Redway

In small towns where folk know each other by name, the sight of silver fences can be a cold wake up call to changes in the community. In the guest post below, a local resident Kim Sallaway laments the installation of razor wire shown in his photo above.

I live in a small town where most of us know each other either by name and friendship, or by appearance and familiarity born with grocery store aisle encounters and town festivities.

Security used to mean closing your doors, locking one’s car, shutting the gate after getting the dog and cats in for the night.

In the center of our tiny hamlet, there is an an empty lot used to park work trucks. Recently the owners erected a fence with shiny sharp razor wire topping it, presumably to keep the transients out of the rigs. “Americans on the move”, as my friend Pernel calls ’em, have become a real factor here. The crime rate reflects it. Some of the city folks are coming to the country to steal. That is so sad.

We do more than just lock our doors at night now. We pray for a return to more innocent times that don’t require fences designed to hurt people.

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gauri635
Guest
gauri635
12 years ago

I, too, was lamenting this highly disappointing and unsightly new addition to Redway’s landscape just today with someone. When I first saw work being done at that lot, I had hope that someone would be helping to beautify our little town (which needs all the help it can get, aesthetically). I find great joy in the creative, colorful new mural that our local youth have painted which now exists just down the road from the lot that looks like a prison yard.

bobbi
Guest
12 years ago

This is sad.

Nimby
Guest
Nimby
12 years ago

Redway liquor in the background might explain it. I have stopped there for over 35 years, since I was a little kid. It has only been the last ten that I havn’t so much. It used to remind me of the Honeydew store, a little scary unless you know the cast members, comical once you do. Times change, or maybe I just don’t know the cast members. I own a business in Eureka and we never had a problem with transients until a mini mart selling alcohol was built next door. I have tried fencing but they just climb over and destroy property and scare my customers and employees. My four year old calls them zombies. I really don’t want to top it with razor wire, but I can’t think of how to dissuade the marauders. Picking up hypo needles and human waste is really no fun. It’s a sign of the times, maybe? Oh, and don’t even start your Eureka bashing, there’s probably more zombies per capita in Redway:(

Nimby
Guest
Nimby
12 years ago

Redway liquor in the background might explain it. I have stopped there for over 35 years, since I was a little kid. It has only been the last ten that I havn’t so much. It used to remind me of the Honeydew store, a little scary unless you know the cast members, comical once you do. Times change, or maybe I just don’t know the cast members. I own a business in Eureka and we never had a problem with transients until a mini mart selling alcohol was built next door. I have tried fencing but they just climb over and destroy property and scare my customers and employees. My four year old calls them zombies. I really don’t want to top it with razor wire, but I can’t think of how to dissuade the marauders. Picking up hypo needles and human waste is really no fun. It’s a sign of the times, maybe? Oh, and don’t even start your Eureka bashing, there’s probably more zombies per capita in Redway:(

Mike
Guest
Mike
12 years ago

the bums, yes bums fought the people putting up the fence and one of them even bit the one of the owners in the chest, Disgusting. The town needs to be cleaned out of the rift raft, that contribute nothing and take more then the worth of the poor dogs that accompany them.

Mike
Guest
Mike
12 years ago

the bums, yes bums fought the people putting up the fence and one of them even bit the one of the owners in the chest, Disgusting. The town needs to be cleaned out of the rift raft, that contribute nothing and take more then the worth of the poor dogs that accompany them.

Rebecca
Guest
Rebecca
12 years ago

over and over we end up talking about land and what someone has done with it,
then someone comes along, someone who thinks that land should be “different” ,
some drifter wants to sleep out back so now you cant block that path ?
some bum wants to climb your fence so you cant put razor wire on it cause they might get hurt ?
or is it because they just dont like the look of it ? then who will stand guard and protect your stuff ?

town is different than home, out there at home you know who is around, you can see then coming,
if and when someone is wandering around you find out who they are and why they are there,
in town we cant do that, we already know people will get in and mess with stuff,
so it is the responsibility of the property owner to do his due diligence to stop it in the 1st place.

there is razor wire all over Redway,,,,,,look around,Shell comes to mind,,,,,this is just the newest,,,,,

Rebecca
Guest
Rebecca
12 years ago

over and over we end up talking about land and what someone has done with it,
then someone comes along, someone who thinks that land should be “different” ,
some drifter wants to sleep out back so now you cant block that path ?
some bum wants to climb your fence so you cant put razor wire on it cause they might get hurt ?
or is it because they just dont like the look of it ? then who will stand guard and protect your stuff ?

town is different than home, out there at home you know who is around, you can see then coming,
if and when someone is wandering around you find out who they are and why they are there,
in town we cant do that, we already know people will get in and mess with stuff,
so it is the responsibility of the property owner to do his due diligence to stop it in the 1st place.

there is razor wire all over Redway,,,,,,look around,Shell comes to mind,,,,,this is just the newest,,,,,

skunk
Guest
skunk
12 years ago

In Africa, they use electric fence AND razor wire. Problem with that is cats, birds and other animals are killed or hurt. The world is in a downward spiral. Redway may be on the outer rim of the toilet bowl, but it’s in the bowl. Time for people to organize: neighborhood watch groups, putting in public toilets (hard to go even if you are buying something!), and educational outreach to folks. By the way, in many parts of Europe public toilets are a given, which is simply the right thing to do. What we’re watching is the decline of Rome, of western civilization. There is hope but it requires more work than growing the next crop. Therein lies the solution–community organizing.

skunk
Guest
skunk
12 years ago

In Africa, they use electric fence AND razor wire. Problem with that is cats, birds and other animals are killed or hurt. The world is in a downward spiral. Redway may be on the outer rim of the toilet bowl, but it’s in the bowl. Time for people to organize: neighborhood watch groups, putting in public toilets (hard to go even if you are buying something!), and educational outreach to folks. By the way, in many parts of Europe public toilets are a given, which is simply the right thing to do. What we’re watching is the decline of Rome, of western civilization. There is hope but it requires more work than growing the next crop. Therein lies the solution–community organizing.

Eric Kirk
Guest
Eric Kirk
12 years ago

I don’t think we have to blame our crime on city folk. We’ve got plenty of our own element right here.

Eric Kirk
Guest
Eric Kirk
12 years ago

I don’t think we have to blame our crime on city folk. We’ve got plenty of our own element right here.

Scooter
Guest
Scooter
12 years ago

Every back yard in Amerika has a fence around it. And everybody I know has a steel gate on their driveway. I personally think its nicer to have a piece of land in the middle of town that is clean, and being used by a local business to do their thing, than to have a vacant unmaintained weed patch that smells like urine. I use the Redway laundromat regularly and it is a nicer place there now.

Elk Ridge
Guest
Elk Ridge
12 years ago

As most everyone is suggesting and thinking about what to do with an influx of transients who are intent on being the lawless people they are. Ask anyone in Fort Bragg what they think right about now. There really is only a few ways to deal with the problem and most involve a strict community standard of having law enforcement use a no tolerance approach and arrest them enough times so they don’t like the area anymore and move on to other areas. The continual arrest of them and the transport to the jail will convince most to keep moving out of the area. One town I know of used to issue bus tickets to them and dropped them off at the station and other areas told them to be out the county by sundown, old ways were effective, these days the problem is at a point where people are avoiding businesses where they gather and areas where they camp which is not right. If I owned a business I would ask the Sheriff for a few deputies to be placed in a special unit and have at it with the goal to clean it up before it gets worse. I think the business community would support the idea and fund it becuase they are losing money from it now and it is time for action.

Elk Ridge
Guest
Elk Ridge
12 years ago

As most everyone is suggesting and thinking about what to do with an influx of transients who are intent on being the lawless people they are. Ask anyone in Fort Bragg what they think right about now. There really is only a few ways to deal with the problem and most involve a strict community standard of having law enforcement use a no tolerance approach and arrest them enough times so they don’t like the area anymore and move on to other areas. The continual arrest of them and the transport to the jail will convince most to keep moving out of the area. One town I know of used to issue bus tickets to them and dropped them off at the station and other areas told them to be out the county by sundown, old ways were effective, these days the problem is at a point where people are avoiding businesses where they gather and areas where they camp which is not right. If I owned a business I would ask the Sheriff for a few deputies to be placed in a special unit and have at it with the goal to clean it up before it gets worse. I think the business community would support the idea and fund it becuase they are losing money from it now and it is time for action.

Ben Schill
Guest
Ben Schill
12 years ago

This area is or was the major spot for dealing hard drugs in SoHum. That has been true for many many years. Sitting in my car at the laundromat, I have watched dealers show up and groups of folks go back in the brush that used to be on this lot, to shoot up. That’s why the construction guys were attacked, in my opinion. Years ago this lot was the Highway Patrol impound yard and had barbed wire atop the fence. I can remember people waiting for the dealer there 25 years ago.

Ben Schill
Guest
Ben Schill
12 years ago

This area is or was the major spot for dealing hard drugs in SoHum. That has been true for many many years. Sitting in my car at the laundromat, I have watched dealers show up and groups of folks go back in the brush that used to be on this lot, to shoot up. That’s why the construction guys were attacked, in my opinion. Years ago this lot was the Highway Patrol impound yard and had barbed wire atop the fence. I can remember people waiting for the dealer there 25 years ago.

Starla Strong
Guest
12 years ago

Maybe, it is every ones problem. Brilliant give them a bus ticket to the next small town! The problem with America is that no one worries about other peoples back yard as long as it is not their BACKYARD!

Starla Strong
Guest
12 years ago

Maybe, it is every ones problem. Brilliant give them a bus ticket to the next small town! The problem with America is that no one worries about other peoples back yard as long as it is not their BACKYARD!

Karen Lawson
Guest
12 years ago

Yes there are destructive transients.Clear boundaries and unwelcoming environments may (or may not) lead them to move on. They weren’t born that way but maybe it’s too far back to be changed. There are also other homeless people: “throwaway kids” I am most familiar with. Friends are more famiilar with PTSD vets and with families who lost their homes through the help of scumbags.
Let’s not put everybody in the same bag. We are morally obligated to do both: set the boundaries and offer space and/or support for people to form small self-organizing communities to be responsible for what they can. A toilet is a good thing for everybody and civilized nations have them all over the place. Have you ever couch surfed? Notice how much difference between us and them? Couple of bad apples makes the whole batch look bad (and in this case, to turn bad if there is no hope.)

Karen Lawson
Guest
12 years ago

Yes there are destructive transients.Clear boundaries and unwelcoming environments may (or may not) lead them to move on. They weren’t born that way but maybe it’s too far back to be changed. There are also other homeless people: “throwaway kids” I am most familiar with. Friends are more famiilar with PTSD vets and with families who lost their homes through the help of scumbags.
Let’s not put everybody in the same bag. We are morally obligated to do both: set the boundaries and offer space and/or support for people to form small self-organizing communities to be responsible for what they can. A toilet is a good thing for everybody and civilized nations have them all over the place. Have you ever couch surfed? Notice how much difference between us and them? Couple of bad apples makes the whole batch look bad (and in this case, to turn bad if there is no hope.)

anonymous
Guest
anonymous
12 years ago

There is only one reason that the main streets of Gville and Redway look as free of litter. Transients with litter bags and pickup sticks.

anonymous
Guest
anonymous
12 years ago

There is only one reason that the main streets of Gville and Redway look as free of litter. Transients with litter bags and pickup sticks.

trackback

[…] homelessness. A porta potty in a public park recently had advocates and business folk at odds. A fight over the installation of razor wire on an empty lot in Redway reportedly pitted construction workers against homeless and ended with one […]

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[…] homelessness. A porta potty in a public park recently had advocates and business folk at odds. A fight over the installation of razor wire on an empty lot in Redway reportedly pitted construction workers against homeless and ended with one […]

Bunny
Guest
Bunny
12 years ago

TO ANONYMOUS~ Yes, many transients do pick up trash, all around here. But in Garberville we merchants and other business’ contribute to a fund called The Merchant Guild, overseen by the Chamber. We have Henry who not only keeps town picked up but also Redway and in between. He has helpers who need community service hours so it works well most of the time. I’m grateful for all of them, paid and unpaid. Thank you to the unpaid ones not doing comm service especially. Yes we need a bathroom or at least a porta potty. We need one for the transients and for the family tourists. Neither of them should be in the pretty little park that is the entrance to Garberville. There’s plenty of flat land around. Also there’s one at Renner which is quite easy to get to. Not the one for gas customers, the one for others. Common sense people.

Bunny
Guest
Bunny
12 years ago

TO ANONYMOUS~ Yes, many transients do pick up trash, all around here. But in Garberville we merchants and other business’ contribute to a fund called The Merchant Guild, overseen by the Chamber. We have Henry who not only keeps town picked up but also Redway and in between. He has helpers who need community service hours so it works well most of the time. I’m grateful for all of them, paid and unpaid. Thank you to the unpaid ones not doing comm service especially. Yes we need a bathroom or at least a porta potty. We need one for the transients and for the family tourists. Neither of them should be in the pretty little park that is the entrance to Garberville. There’s plenty of flat land around. Also there’s one at Renner which is quite easy to get to. Not the one for gas customers, the one for others. Common sense people.