Markets, Inc. in order to ensure that Ray’s Food Place in Hoopa is a safe place for community
members to shop. The rodent infestation inside the store, which appears to have developed over
an extended period of time, is reprehensible and unacceptable. Ray’s should be ashamed of
themselves for expecting tribal and community members to purchase products contaminated with
rat feces, oils, and urine.
The Tribe has therefore determined that the severance of our business relationship with Ray’s
and C & K is in the best interests of the community due to health and safety concerns. The
Hoopa Valley Tribal Council Members want to assure the membership and the community that
they are working diligently to develop both short-term and long-term solutions that ensure access
to safe and healthy food. The Hoopa Valley Tribe will make every effort to publicize any and all
temporary services we provide on an ongoing basis, including grocery distributions and free
transportation to stores in the Eureka/Arcata area, which will assist them with their household
shopping needs.
The Tribe will continue to use all communication avenues at its disposal to provide updates to
the membership and the community regarding our efforts.
I'm glad the Tribe is working to assist the people to have a better local store and in the interim, to have access to other markets but I
ReplyDeletehave a question: With one market in the direct area, how is it that a) no tribal members complained and b)elected officials didn't notice it
themselves?
I wonder if most people just piled in their car/truck and drove to the coast or to Redding?
Any idea what rent was paid for the store?
Anyone who has ever rented a place (or especially anyone who knows someone who has rented a commercial space) knows that a good landlord
keeps an eye on the property and ensures its condition doesn't degrade
over time.
I've had both kinds. In SF (when it was all we could afford), we lived in a rented flat that went from one owner to another (an Asian corporation) everytime the Health Department condemned it.
I'm not supporting "Ray's" either although I do wonder if they (corporate HQ) aren't quietly glad they don't have to worry about that
place anymore. I doubt it was that profitable.
An all-too-common situation one encounters over time when the usual response is "What can you do?", a shrug of the shoulders and a fatalistic
reaction where things just don't get done and no one seems to care.
And those who do care get tired of trying to fix things.
Of course it's not like Humboldt County (BoS) sets any positive example itself.....
I hope there's a successful, productive resolution to the store for Hoopa problem. But with the number of problems in the area, the state, the nation and the world, hope gets spread pretty thin.
And meaningful questions remain unanswered.
Keep asking John, keep asking. Maybe there will be some answers, some day that will make sense and actually work.