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Arcadia Woodland Supporters Plead to County Board of Supervisors
Arcadia Weekly Jan 19, 2011
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Arcadia Woodland Supporters Plead to County Board of Supervisors
for some investigation into the Loss of 200 Trees
By Terry Miller
Michael D Antonovich listened carefully to what Glen Owens and other environmentalists had to say Tuesday afternoon.
The Los Angeles Board of Supervisors was asked to conduct a full and Independent Investigation regarding the destruction of 11 Acres of pristine woodlands in Arcadia last Wednesday. However, despite claims that the County has no investigative arm in the county, it seems Antonovitch got the message loud and clear Tuesday afternoon.
The founding members of the alliance which has tried desperately to save the 200 plus Oak and Sycamore trees that were bulldozed last week were in attendance Cameron Stone, Christle Balvin and Glen Owens in addition to tree sitters Andrea Bowers and Julia Posin adressed the board eloquently and with deep passion for what they believe is a tragedy.
These individuals who have spent countless hours and plenty of their own money fighting Public Works and the Board of Supervisors in a valiant effort to protect them from execution and subsequently some were arrested for their civil disobedience when they went into the trees last week.
John Quigley prepered not to appear before the supervisors but Julia Posin and Andrea Bowers described their harrowing experiences and pleaded with the county for some information.
The fight to save the trees from the county bulldozers had been long and hard for the people of Arcadia and surrounding areas and it still is not over regardless of the fact that the county proceeded with the trees destruction.
“You took our trees, but don’t take the public’s right to know?” Glen Owens said to Michael D Antonovich. Owens pointed out that while as tragic as it is to lose the 200 plus trees, the loss of the public’s right to know could then become a Federal issue.
Owens said they made some “Big Points” and that he had a “gut feeling” that Antonovich would do something in way of an investigation. This was confirmed by Tony Bell, a spokesman for Antonovich’s office when he placed a call to Owens.
“The supervisor doesn’t want another Station Fire incident” Owens saidd in a telephone interview just after he returned from a grueling day in Los Angeles. The group, originally scheduled to speak at 9AM didn’t get to speak until after 1pm.
Owens and other concerned citizens and environmental groups are convinced the County Pulic Works and Flood Control deliberately decieved neighbors of the 11 acres destroyed last week and demand a full investigation.
While Antonovich claims there is no “investigative arm” to do such things, the public’s right to know is important. It seems “The Pressure is On – I Really think I got to him” Owens said.
