What do you miss most from Ojai's past?
What was better about Ojai in the old days? Post your thoughts here.
posted by OVN administrator at 6:58 AM
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
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The Ojai Valley News is Ojai's source of information
posted by OVN administrator at 6:58 AM
8 Comments:
Steelhead Trout in Ventura River. One could catch them easily from the bridges over the river. Now, it looks like the local Casitas Water District is killing the same fish they claim to be trying to help with the new fish structure at Robles Dam.
I miss the real middle class fun loving friendly people. I miss the times you could go to the park without the homeless drunks urinating in front of the children and begging for money. I miss going out to eat where everyone spoke and understood english. I miss being able to shop in town for the basics wihout having to pay triple prices. And most of all I miss the normal flow of traffic when you could pick up your children from school without feeling you were in the LA rush hour. Ojai will never be the same and yes there is a hispanic gang problem, and a horrendous drug problem. The officials may try to sweep certain issues under the carpet but..you can't hide it forever.
Peasants and Pitchforks is not quite an endearing
label for the emerging political group trying to
save Ojai, although surely the writer meant well with
that title in his recent OVNews editorial.
Ojai has always coexisted with many income levels-
folks intermingled into a larger whole in this
special place. Some are richer, some are poorer.
Some have disposable incomes but no place they can
really call home. Some own their a home but have
little disposable income. But we all who are
attempting this thankless work in local politics have
a strong common bond- we are compelled to believe that
decency can overcome mere politics. If one wants to
get literal, there seems to be a new Ojai dictionary
coming out where the term "building moratorium" means
full tilt buildout of the city. It may very well be
that fighting progress and projects is a lost cause-
but isn't that the only cause worth fighting for? Not
from the lessor, not from the higher, but from the
people.
Remember that phrase? Of, By, and For the People! Pete L
I miss seeing the sidewalks in ojai you cant see them anymore just a sea of Mexicans like ventura or Oxnard looking for more tax free hand outs. The only thing they work hard at is convincing us that we need them if you think we need them then i have some kick*** property in Mexico cheap! OJAI was sweet 20 yrs ago.
People talk about Ojai 20 years ago. What about Ojai 50 years ago before the "Y", before the hospital, when that whole area was nothing but wheat fields. When Nordhoff High School and junior High occupied the same place in the Arbolada. When I earned a dime a line manually setting pins at the four lane bowling alley downtown, when we kept our 3 horses in our backyard within the city limits, when I enjoyed an occassional banana split at the soda fountain in the pharmacy across from the post office. Nothing in the Mira Monte area except Henderson Airport and a couple of homes. When there was nothing East of shady lane except citrus groves and a few homes. When we parked our cars in front of our homes and left the keys in the ignition and doors unlocked all night. Ojai has none of the charm it once held.
Oh, please, you oldtimers. Must
you always bewail your fate and
the fate of progress? Yeah, things
have changed. Get over it. The
universe is not a static phenomenon. Life goes on. Etc.
We're not bewailing anything. Just remembering how wonderful Ojai was before all you "Johnnie Come Latelys" arrived and ruined the valley.
I miss the days when it was only larry bower, bob durett, and chemo driving the three wheel harley. i could tap a keg of beer in front of rookie west's ojai valley market on the fourth of july and smoke a cig. at the same time. remember drinking beer in loops parking lot and street racing on ghorm road. Now that was the days my friends
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