During my recent trip to Cannon Beach, my cousin and I stopped in Aberdeen. We walked around a few blocks, went to Safeway for some supplies, returned to our car and headed south. We spent perhaps an hour and a half in Aberdeen. Here’s a little of what I wrote:
Aberdeen is depressing. Now I know why Kurt Cobain got the hell out of there. But seriously, Aberdeen is in rough shape. I’m told its always been a rundown kind of place, but Jesus! Huge parts of its downtown are deserted and empty. Cheap furniture stores are aplenty. The electrical infrastructure looks about 50 years old. The people I met were very nice and down home, but Aberdeen needs some serious work.
I don’t think I was clear about what I really meant. I had not been to SW Washington since the way-back days, so I wanted to make sure I visited. It was sad to see Aberdeen’s downtown rundown and somewhat empty. I grew up in a small town, a small town that blew up into a city. Sometimes I have to remember that this doesn’t happen everywhere.
Aberdeen City Councilman Paul Fritts left a comment in the last post, so I’ll let him have the last word.
What is it with those from Seattle, etc that they take great delight and seem to have a need to slam Aberdeen and every smaller town in Washington?
[…]
Yes, Aberdeen like many areas that has suffered as it has forges through a variety of problems. Unemployment, drug use, suicide, etc. But Aberdeen is and always will be resilient. Over the years it has taken blow after blow yet it continues to survive. Perhaps if the author would have gotten off of his ass and actually done some research he would have found out that Aberdeen is actively courting various businesses to locate here. Most are interested. Some are here. In the downtown area that the author slams two theaters are in the midst of renovation and re-opening within a year or two thanks to John Yonich an Aberdeen native and Bellevue businessman.
His other project along with another developer is the Morck Hotel which was a grand hotel in it’s day.
Currently plans for that entire downtown area have been developed and some work on the buildings started.
The city of Aberdeen’s Community Development Director works her rear off in dealing with various business/industries which want to locate here.
We are working hard to improve our area yet you feel the need to slam it instead of gathering the facts. Good thing you are a blogger instead of a reporter.
Funny thing too, we are all classified as hicks, backward, redneck, flag waiving, conservative scum down here by all of you in Pugetropolis, yet, in the last presidential election only three or four counties/cities voted a straight democratic ticket. Grays Harbor County, which includes Aberdeen, was one of those counties. Only one Republican has held an office in Grays Harbor in 50+ years and that was Rep. Jim Buck whose area covered only a section of Grays Harbor (not including Aberdeen) and most all of Jefferson and Clallam counties. Yep we certainly are a “red” area.
Finally as far as the Kurt Cobain comment perhaps you should go to www.kurtcobainmemorial.org and check the FAQ’s to find out what he really thought and the context of it not just what was said to some magazine.
[…]
Hope this is something all of you will think about the next time you are traveling and feel the need to judge a town through a windshield.
Paul Fritts
Aberdeen City Council
It’s interesting that he didn’t actually disagree with you. He didn’t challenge any of your observations (except, tellingly, the Kurt Cobain reference). He just expressed anger/frustration with you observing Aberdeen for how it looks now, not how it might look in the future.
OUCH….there’s a pretty sour city councilman.
Wow, redneck country hicks who voted STRAIGHT Moonbat!
In the abbreviation of Cluelessman/YLB: LMAO on another of those ASSWipic stereotypes deeeeeeestroyed!
BTW ATJ, he did take umbrage to the Will’s commentary. Reread it because he probably wrote it fast and you are slow afoot, just like your one cell mind!
I love Aberdeen, lets start with a true story…sorry so long. Me, my ex wife and my brother and his ex along with several friends decided to go to Westport for the weekend, had a great time then the weather decided to send us home. We had a custom van, and a VW rabbit diesel pickup. As we were leaving the transmission went out on the VW so we rented a tow dolly. As it was the van was full so considering that we decided that we were in constant contact with CB radios that considering the weather my brother would be in his VW in case something happened he could control the stop (no lie we discussed this before hand). Will continue
We got to the fair town of Aberdeen and were pulled over by city police. Asking the officers what the problem was, they said “stay in your vehicle, we arent sure yet”. 5 or so later 10 police cars pull up, 2 cops per car. I looked in the rear mirror and they were in a football like huddle. I asked the first officer (one of the two that pulled us over) what the problem was and he said “nothing I am sure just be patient”. I was patient then another officer (not involved with the original two that pulled us over) gave me a citation for $475.00 for “Pulling a Trailer With Occupants Inside”. Continued
BTW ATJ, he did take umbrage to the Will’s commentary. Reread it because he probably wrote it fast and you are slow afoot, just like your one cell mind!
I know reading is not your strong suit, so I’ll ask politely and use small words: which of Will’s claims did Councilman Fritts dispute?
Of coarse I had my day in court. I researched the definition of the “trailer” in the RCW codes, it stated “any vehicle designed exclusively to be pulled by a vehicle”, so off to court I went with the VW title and a copy of the RCW. Got there and the cop (that witnessed NOTHING) testified like he was there. My chance came and the Judge asked if I would like to question the officer, I said no he wasnt there so he cannot add anything relevant. Asked if I could approach the bench, he approved. I showed him the registration to the VW and explained the RCW definition of a “trailer”. He started to reach for the RCW books in front of him. As he reached I pulled the copy out of my pocket ans said “I took the liberty of bringing a copy of the RCW”.
The judge pondered this for quite some time then said ” I am certain you were in violation of some law, but I cannot take the time to find out which law it is…case dismissed”. As we walked out of the courtroom I smiled at the cop that perjured on the stand and…I suppose a bit sarcastically
said “have a good day”. We had a full 6 car police escort to the city limits. I love backwards towns especially their police departments, but hey my town of Roy is and has been worse!
Methinks he doth protest too much.
@3 Puddinghead, I can’t thank you enough for letting Mr. Fritts know how Republicans (e.g., you) feel about the good salt-of-the-earth working folk of Aberdeen!
I’m sure he’ll let all his friends and neighbors know that Republicans like you think they’re “hicks.”
I’m quite sure Mr. Fritts will read these comments (including yours) to see what kind of response he got (from Republicans like you).
Once again, you have my profuse thanks for alienating anyone in Aberdeen who might have ever been tempted, even once, to vote for any Republican.
thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you
4, 5, 6, 8 – Can’t think of a nicer guy for it to happen to, Chuckie! They probably thought you were terrorists. Either that or they were concerned about the safety of the numbskull riding in the disabled vehicle on the tow dolly.
@9 Methinkso too, especially considering these traffic scofflaws got off scot-free.
Pellethead: It’s your ilk who compartmentalize country folks as:
Rednecks
Toothless
In-bred
baby rapers
etc.
May I present Stupidman – RightEqualsStupid.
He writes this crap all the time.
We who think right don’t write that crap.
May I present Rudejacks as evidence #2:
Rednecks
Toothless
In-bred
Good try Pellethead.
You all (leftist Moonbat!s) call the good people of Aberdeen “fly-over” country!
ATJ:
“Perhaps if the author would have gotten off of his ass and actually done some research he would have found out that Aberdeen is actively courting various businesses to locate here.”
Pellethead:
He said: “Funny thing too, we are all classified as hicks, backward, redneck, flag waiving, conservative scum down here by all of you in Pugetropolis”
I agreed with him. You ASSWipers say it all the time. So if a open thinking liberal sees it too…
“Perhaps if the author would have gotten off of his ass and actually done some research he would have found out that Aberdeen is actively courting various businesses to locate here.”
Where did Will claim they weren’t?
Do you have any actual examples?
You’ve shown yourself to be unworthy of my time, so I’ll cut to the chase. The closest the councilman comes to a direct refutation is claiming that two theaters are reopening sometime in the next year or two, but that doesn’t change Will’s observations of the present condition. On the other hand, he spent much of his comment either acknowledging the challenges Aberdeen faces or defensively attacking the city-slickers. The former supports Will’s comments, and the latter is irrelevant to Will’s comments.
In all fairness, it might be pointed out that although Kurt Cobain was from Aberdeen, he committed suicide after moving to Seattle.
See, that’s the thing about blogs you can say what you want without filtering it though a provincial city council member or editor.
It’s anarchy I tell ya.
Tough talk from a town that celebrates Tom Cruise day.
Seriously though, being in a small town in Western Washington can be tough. It’s hard to look around and see so much falling apart when it seems like everything is better in Seattle.
I’m afraid you’re going to have to learn some compassion for those cities that just can’t cut it, Will. I sentence you to six months in Darrington.
May god have mercy on your soul.
Darrington ain’t that bad. Send him to Neah Bay, Dave!
PuddyLoser! LMAO at you!
What a losing fraud!
23: Neah Bay, Are you kidding? I’ll have Amnesty International all over me. At that point I might as well send him to Point Roberts without a passport.
I for one am thrilled that Will got out of Seattle for a few days. Even if he did disrespect and misunderstand the town of Aberdeen it was good for him to see reality there.
And by the way, I like Will, I just think it is good for one who has opinions about how far our electeds should go on this issue or that, to get out and see the challenges we face in this diverse state.
Chuck said:
“We got to the fair town of Aberdeen and were pulled over by city police. … 5 or so later 10 police cars pull up, 2 cops per car. … gave me a citation for $475.00 for “Pulling a Trailer With Occupants Inside” …We had a full 6 car police escort to the city limits.”
Aberdeen usually has 3-4 officers, one to a car, on duty. 20 officers, two-to-car, showing up within 5 minutes for a traffic stop is just fantasy. “Pulling a Trailer With Occupants Inside”, RCW 46.61.625, is a $100 infraction. Six patrol cars waiting to escort him after his triumph in court? Another fantasy. Can’t find any record of Aberdeen PD writing anyone for RCW 46.61.625.
I thank Will for taking the time to respond. The point I was trying to make is that it seemed the article was written on appearances of some buildings and the immediate downtown area. This is an old quite frankly ridiculous assessment that has already been done by Rolling Stone, Spin Magazine, the New York Times and closer to home The Stranger and Seattle Weekly. None of the authors, including Will, chose to do any real looking. They came and found what would support their already formed opinions and wrote that. What is also not mentioned is only a few blocks from the downtown are are some very beautiful neighborhoods both old such as lumber baron mansions and new such as new developments going in.
And I do feel I was refuting some of what Will had stated. Unfortunately in re-reading my response I realize that I was not clear. I pointed out the theatres and hotel renovations. What I failed to make clear was that either renovations, tear downs or other improvements are planned, in the works or have already started on other buildings/areas of downtown. Hopefully that clears things up a bit. Through federal grants, investors, etc there are should be many changes that take place in the next few years downtown.
Another thing Will fails to understand or mention if he did is that Aberdeen has actually improved from where it was when Kurt left. Yes, it was worse and it IS improving. As a matter of fact in many ways Kurt, since Will referenced him, would not recognize some of the town today.
The blog also slammed my town without any REAL justification. Yes, to answer some here, I do acknowledge the issues we face. But I think the courtesy should be extended to us to do the research to find out what we are doing to solve the problems we face. Insulting someone who is making an effort to improve does nothing to help the situation. It might help the person making the statement feel more important but it is useless info.
Unless you are in a “small” town that is being swallowed up by those trying to escape the bigger cities such as those much closer to population centers i.e. Seattle/Tacoma it takes alot of time and energy to improve your area. Instead of criticizing perhaps those here should look at what can be done to help those areas along.
In any event I hope that answers where I was coming from. And thanks to Will for stating I could “have the last word”. Something you don’t usually see on a blog. And Will should you find yourself in this area again take the time to investigate you might be surprised. I will even extend an open invitation to contact me for a tour of the whole area.
Wishing a good day to everyone.
Paul Fritts