FEDERAL OFFICIALS LOVE THEIR GATES

Jim Milestone, superintendent of Whiskeytown National Recreation Area,
wants to put up 10 more gates in our park at a cost of approximately
$12,000. He uses the same old excuse to lock us out. The longest of
these 10 roads is only half a mile, according to Milestone. He says
the public will hardly notice. We the people just love seeing locked
gates all over our park.

Does he think this will really stop the pot growers? Get real. They
will walk for miles to carry in their supplies and kill our game for
food. Is it worth the money to have the eyesores and access blocked to
the public? He says we can walk in, but for some of us that is not an
option.

In 2008 he said he would only lock South Fork Road for the growing
season; then after the gate was up decided to keep it locked
permanently. Sure, we can go to the king's headquarters each time we
want to use our road. Can I do this at 4 a.m. to go watch the sunrise
or do I have to wait until opening time?

I'm convinced that Milestone and Shasta-Trinity National Forest
Supervisor Sharon Heywood both share the same socialist goals: Lock us
out of our forest. A little at a time over and over adds up. Please
quit insulting us with the pot-grower excuse!

Tom Benfer, Happy Valley