Re: Farewell thoughts on Moscow

[Bill London <london@moscow.com>]

John Francis:
so long and all....
thanks for the great antidote to the crankiness of Stephen Lyons'  rant on
people concerned about their community's future............BL

John Francis wrote:

> I'm moving to Portland (itchy feet) and would like to say good-bye to my
> friends here, and offer a few reminiscences of Moscow. I arrived in 1970,
> and except for two years abroad have been here ever since.
>
> Random memories of the '70s:  law student Bill Hamlett moonlighting at
> John's Alley checking IDs; UI undergrad Kenton Bird bringing student press
> releases into the Idahonian, where I worked under Ted Stanton;  Congressman
> Steve Symms visiting the newsroom, pontificating about how he would never
> live anywhere but Idaho and the contempt he felt for politicians who went
> to DC and forgot their roots; Ivar Nelson, who ran Bookpeople, bringing a
> TV and a keg into the store so we could better enjoy watching Nixon's
> resignation speech (beer never tasted better than on that day).
>
> Like many newcomers, when I first arrived in Moscow I planned to move on
> soon; it seemed too small and isolated. Gradually fell in love with Moscow,
> and the area.  The difficulty of flying here, and our distance from large
> cities, we all probably realize now, are actually assets that lessen the
> deterioration plaguing American cities today.
>
> It is that deterioration that I think is Moscow's greatest danger. Over the
> years we've seen strip development spread along Third Street until it's
> reached right to the border. That did not have to happen.  It almost seems
> our planners felt that because sprawl was happening elsewhere, Moscow was
> obligated to make the same mistake.   How planners, who have seen the strip
> malls of Spokane, and have seen sprawl destroy downtown Lewiston,  could
> still okay WalMart, Staples and Applebees is astounding.  And Whitman
> County has aproved strip development from Pullman to the border. So what
> could have been a green 8-mile parkway of paths, flowers and picnic spots
> joining Pullman and Moscow, making us the envy of other cities, will become
> instead a string of urban junk.
>
> I hope Moscow takes care of its downtown, and its community anchors like
> Farmer's Market and the Co-op, and doesn't take them for granted.  Neglect
> them and they can die (remember the Micro).  The new Kenworthy and the
> forthcoming Community Center are encouraging signs.
>
> I'll be back from time to time.  All the best.
>
> John Francis
>
> John Francis
> 311 E 6th St., #2
> Moscow, ID 83843
> (208) 883-0105