NO VIRGINIA- SORRY, THERE'S NO ROYAL GORGE. JUST DEAL DARLING

Dear Editor,

I'm 8 years old. Some of my friends say there's no Royal Gorge.  Papa says if you can see the frosty, icy snow, there's a Royal Gorge. Please tell me the truth--is there a Royal Gorge?

Oh Virginia,--remember that old warm, fuzzy, but pleasingly icy Royal Gorge?  When they told you they had "listened to the public",  and would build nice places that protected the environment, and the cross country skiing, and the animals?   And, as recently as a week ago, they told you they anticipated a submittal to Placer County after the first of the year (2008)?  Well, Virginia, I'm sorry to tell  you, now's the time to be skeptical- don't listen to another word from Royal Gorge- the fairies on the lawn are more reliable.  You see, darling, they've already been submitting planning documents to Placer County since the day before Thanksgiving- what could be less calculated to gladden the heart of childhood?  Grasp this boundless truth and knowledge- they've led you on, sweetie- maybe they didn't want to upset your holiday-yet.

Of particular interest to you, Virginia, when you're done hacking up your paper dolls, is the "Water Supply Alternatives", which, in well over 100 pages, explores all the ways they can ruin the watershed, no matter how it harms all those fishies and warm fuzzy creatures, and incidentally, your boating on the lake with grampa and watching the frogs in the creeks (who needed frogs and creeks anyway- just watch them on your computer, brat!).

All minds are little, and RG's and Placer County's minds are apparently littler than others.  RG and Placer County have used all sorts of funny rubber stamps (not the cute glow in the dark kind) to say "Draft" and "Private" to keep other grownups from reading the proposals, and asking how these plans will help protect the frogs, and the fishies, and the lakes, and the people who love them. They've even kept out all those men on the water board who are actually in charge of the water- but who worries about fusty old things like laws, which are supposed to exist as certainly as love and generosity and devotion- oops, wrong admonitory piece-

Virginia, once upon a time, a long, long time ago, California enacted a California Environmental Quality Act, and in the happily ever after, it meant that no animals had to die for subdivisions and condominiums.  However, now, if Royal Gorge's development plans are approved by Placer County, who is refusing to let Moms and Dads know about the plans, lots of animals, and butterflies, and flowers are going to die. Oh, and trees, they'll all be cut down.  Sorry honey, Shrek turns out better than this- maybe we should all pool our allowances and hire him.  But sleep tight, in your little bunny jammies, because very rich people will become even richer, and their children will have really nice places to visit- if another developer doesn't get to them first!  

Dear Virginia! Don't believe in Royal Gorge and Placer County! You might as well believe in fairies!