Editor:

My take-away from news regarding our local state university is that the new regime of Cal Poly Humboldt is continuing the old HSU regime's imperial disregard for our community ("Cal Poly Paid Triple Appraised Value in Land Purchase," Sept. 1). 

In January of 2022, a local nonprofit with plans to build senior housing signed a letter of intent to purchase 12 acres of a 16-acre lot owned by two local businesses, Danco and Sun Valley Floral Farms, for $3 million. However: weaponizing two-thirds of a billion dollar grant from the California State University system, Cal Poly initiated a covert deal with the owners that culminated March 22 when Cal Poly placed $54,000 down on the 16-acre purchase price of $5.4 million. Three months later, this deal came to light when the new deed was filed with the county Recorder's Office.

The old HSU regime terminated our community supported college football team and radio station. This new Cal Poly regime engages in duplicitous transactions with the greed-head owners that denies our Humboldt community affordable senior housing and cheats the city of Arcata out of $53,000 per annum because Cal Poly is exempt from property taxes.

Cal Poly's blatant callousness is also found in the fall 2022 issue of Humboldt — the Magazine of Cal Poly Humboldt. From its introduction, written by the current president, and through its 52 pages, the only mention of our Humboldt community comes as potential shoppers at its soon-to-be retail outlet in downtown Arcata.

In the enduring absence of our community's former football team and radio station and more recent, more drastic harms, it has to be said that at least the new regime's renaming gets it right: Cal Poly first, our Humboldt community last.

In response, I'm boycotting the Cal Poly store until the new regime shows our Humboldt community some respect.

Alex Ricca, Blue Lake

Editor:

Last night I had a dream about Arcata and HSU. It began with the building of the Behavioral Science Building. Although many in our town were very unhappy with the size and scope of this building, our protests were to no avail. When, one summer, all the trees lining LK Wood were cut down, and new Spanish styled architecture was installed ... not a reflection of the area here at all ... no one could object. It was state owned. When the community radio station, much beloved by our community of Humboldt, was closed, employees fired, we responded with meetings and were given no heed. When the Native American Studies Department was reduced we were given no voice. When the art galleries were closed and programs cancelled, again the community was not heard.

Now, our fire departments are clearly stating they do not have the equipment nor manpower to handle HSU's housing development.

Its time for the state, which does finance the university's police department, to also create a University Fire Department. We cannot, as a community, as a county, continue to babysit this institution. It does not give a hoot about us.

Ginni Hassrick, Bayside