Check The Facts-Don’t Fight Your Friends — Dave’s Diary

Did you ever have someone miss what you were saying, get upset about it and then spread the misrepresentation all over as if it were truth?  How did you deal with that?

A very special community supporter did that to me.  It was a mistake at heart and I don't want to ruffle her feathers but what she said was such a mischaracterization of me and my actions that I simply have to set the record straight.  Unfortunately she did it in public with an attempt to influence others and so there is where I must respond to undo any potential damage she might have done given this person's position and reputation.

Her name is Patricia Temple and this is what she wrote in a letter to the Yakima Herald Republic...and my response.  I hope you will read to the end.

To the editor — As someone who doesn’t live in the city, I’ve attempted to stay out of discussion (other than suggesting that improving the Wilson Building facade would do more than any water feature in improving the appearance of downtown).

Up front, I am past president of Backstage (support group of the Capitol) and past chairman of theater’s trustees. But I was incensed to hear Dave Ettl on the radio saying that only senior citizens were against the plaza proposal and that the Capitol has only four or five events per year. Has he never heard of the symphony (unique to Yakima, most have closed in other, much larger cities) or Town Hall? Or graduations and maybe now, Warehouse Theater productions, not to mention The Orion, Olive Garden, Snyder’s new restaurant and the many tenants in the Larson Building?

And winter? Maybe the young people he knows like slogging through snow, ice, wind and rain for blocks to attend these venues, but I don’t know any of them. I’m biased, but the community must do everything to support the Capitol, which in the current economy, is struggling. It’s the “jewel,” unique and most important to the survival and improvement of downtown Yakima. Prioritize.

Ouch...but not true.  Patricia is great and gets a second chance without question but she needs to also get the facts.  In case you didn't see it, here's my  response to the paper.

Patricia---first of all Thank You for the time, energy and financial contributions you have made over the years to a variety of important and sincerely needy causes in our community.  I have personally witnessed your generosity above and beyond the call for Toys for Tots and Children’s Miracle Network.  I know how much you care for this community so it is with the utmost respect that I have for you when I say you are wrong about me and what you believe you heard on KIT radio.

I have never said it is only senior citizens who are against the plaza.  I spar and debate with people of all ages about the need to get informed enough to understand the parking, the plaza, its intent and potential impact on the city.

What I have said is that we routinely hear from seniors and senior advocates concerned about parking and we have heard from seniors who say they only come downtown for the occasional event at the Capitol Theater and they want to be able to park at the front door.

Given that, I HAVE said this;  Someone –I guess it’s me--is going to have to have the courage to say to sincere and concerned citizens that a responsible city council cannot build for Yakima’s future based on the physical and psychological limitations of its champions of the past.  The short walk or the irrational fears of downtown safety by those who rarely come simply cannot drive the process.  That may sound a little calloused to some but what was a sufficient draw for Yakima’s seniors will not be sufficient for our kids and grandkids to want to call this home.

Our design and decisions should take into account handicapped and senior parking and every REASONABLE effort to accommodate all concerns should be made, but in the end, not everyone will get to park in the front row.  Somebody will have to walk a block and we hope to make it worth the walk. In fact hope to make it worth a several block walk-- just like they do in thousands of cities all over the country and around the world.

Now to the point of your beloved Capitol Theater and your question if I have never heard of the Symphony and the other events?  For at least the past three years I have interviewed Lawrence Golan on our radio show before EVERY symphony performance.  From that association I was honored to have him ask me to narrate a fabulous piece depicting the Biblical battle of Jericho. Ask Lawrence about the nature of our working relationship if you want to know about my support for the symphony.  We interview the people involved in as many of the Broadway shows, Plays and Operas as possible. Ask Nela how much support and creativity she gets from our radio show in that effort.  Just this week we had two members of the cast of the warehouse theater production of Into The Woods on our radio show for interviews and promotion.

Ask Karen Lee and the Yakima Youth Awards about our coverage and support of them at the Capitol.  Ask Kellie Connaughton about our support for Children’s Miracle Network and their “Mr.” pageants at the Capitol..several of which I have hosted there.

We have covered the Town Hall lecture series at great length including interviews taped and live with the various presenters when arrangements can be made. The list goes on and on.  We agree, the Capitol IS a jewel and the breadth of our coverage gives it the respect and presentation it deserves….so I am a little incensed that you would make such a comment about me when all I have written here is so easily verified by the folks at the theater.  Had you done that, you wouldn’t have presented me or KIT in such an incorrect light for the world to read about…perhaps you could have even called me to clarify and we could have had this conversation among ourselves.  You chose this venue so here we are.

If you have attended any of the community forums about the plaza and parking you would know how seriously it is being addressed by our designer—evidenced by a recent editorial in the Herald entitled –Downtown Plaza Ideas Take Parking Seriously- which in part says – “Gustafson’s proposal takes seriously the parking issue and offers serious measures to address it. As a Valley native, she has a feel for the natural essence of our area and has implemented that into her designs.”

You say you are biased on behalf the Capitol and you are--and that’s just fine us.  We love and support the Capitol too.  But don’t allow the bias to blind you to the support you get from me and KIT.  There is nothing in our plans to jeopardize the future of the Capitol Theater.  As you yourself indicated in your letter “it’s struggling” so trying to preserve the status quo is not an option.  We need MORE activity there and in a surrounding environment that will attract patrons of all ages to come downtown and enjoy.  We are on the SAME team. You misheard what I said as it was filtered through your –sorry to say- honest but uniformed concerns.  Please hear me now.  Let’s work together to make the best downtown experience possible including strengthening and revitalizing the Capitol Theater.

and let me add     Respectfully, Dave Ettl,  a fellow Capitol Theater supporter