Some items from The Rio Linda
Elverta News, January 2, 2003:
Debbie Courtney selected as 2002 Citizen of the Year by The NEWS
"Few are chosen" - Will Miller (By Norma-Lee)
Debbie Courtney selected as 2002 Citizen of the Year by The NEWS
"Few are chosen" - Will Miller (By Norma-Lee)
Published
in Rio Linda Elverta News January 2, 2003 - Scroll for other articles
Debbie Courtney selected as 2002 Citizen of the Year by The NEWS
Debbie Courtney selected as 2002 Citizen of the Year by The NEWS
Debbie Courtney's work was one of the key reasons why Florida Power and Light (FPL) did not build a power plant in Rio Linda/Elverta. Her letters to the Governor and lesser politicians, her involvement with the Federal EPA, her contacts with the Sacramento Media, her testimony to the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) Board and her untiring effort to spread the truth about FPL were critical parts to the community effort that convinced FPL to leave us alone.
Debbie Courtney does not see herself as a typical activist, but rather as playing a role of being “just the messenger,” and relaying the feelings of her friends and neighbors.
“I don't think I did anything anyone else in my situation wouldn't have done,” says Debbie of her recent crusade against FPL, who sought to build a giant power plant less than a mile from her home. “At best, it was an enormous risk that our residents could not afford to take, and it was not necessary. There are plenty of places energy generators can site that do not expose so many people to so much risk if they are willing to act in good faith and make the investment. Just because cleaner gas fired plants are the lesser of the evils doesn't mean they are devoid of risks and health hazards, especially in the hands of an irresponsible entity. We probably haven't even realized some of the potential health hazards yet, though research is revealing more and more on a daily basis.”
Debbie was born and raised in Elverta, and is
an alumnus of Elverta Elementary
and Rio Linda Jr. and Sr. High Schools. Besides Elverta, she has
resided
in Carmichael, Newport Beach, and Fair Oaks. Realizing there was no
place
like home, Debbie eventually found her way back, and says it's where
her
heart has always been.“I prefer a quiet, simple life in a rural area with as much privacy and open space as possible,” Debbie says. Debbie admits she is concerned about the rapid growth of the area and encroaching sprawl. “I know change is inevitable, but its sad nonetheless. I know the days are gone when one could ride horseback along Elverta Road to Gibson Ranch, unfettered by traffic hazards, or bike to McMillen's five and dime and visit the candy counter, as I did when I was growing up. There must be some way to accommodate change and growth without sacrificing the entire character of the community. Common sense, logic, and consideration for the quality of life should be part of any planned growth. Unfortunately it seems as if these concepts have been displaced by other, often misguided, priorities that benefit the few at the expense of the many. It's extremely disheartening.”
Debbie has undergone several career changes. Her first job for a local furniture manufacturer led to spending several years in the furniture industry, involved in every aspect of the business, including manufacturing, marketing, purchasing, design, sales, and retail management. Seeking a change, she later worked at the Sacramento Bee in advertising sales.
“The common theme throughout most of my work life has been ‘expect the unexpected.’ That maxim really came in handy when FPL came to town”, commented Debbie.
Even Channel 10 TV referred to Debbie's battle against FPL as “David vs. Goliath.” “What Goliath didn't anticipate,” says Debbie, “was an entire community of Davids who refused to give in, and were willing to fight right down to the very last rock. I've never been involved in anything quite like this, and I was amazed at the way my friends and neighbors banded together and rose to the occasion. It was truly a group effort, and although we didn't have FPL's money or numbers, we had heart, and truth, on our side.”
Debbie was aware of the proposed power plant,
although she admits that reality didn't really set in until she read a
letter in The Rio Linda Elverta News
by Patti Camatti from Rio Linda. It compelled her to call the
California
Energy Commission (CEC) and question Patti's claims about the impact to
Elverta
School. She found that the CEC was unaware of the proximity of the
school
to the power plant because FPL had conveniently omitted it from their
data.
The CEC sent Debbie a copy of the application. Debbie expected a
document
of a couple hundred pages or so. She said, "Imagine my surprise when a
box
with two 5 inch binders arrived at my door, full of data that appeared
to
be in some sort of foreign hieroglyphics.” Debbie attended a Board of Supervisors meeting and witnessed a presentation by FPL. She related, “I was appalled. I remember being sick for days. I knew nothing about power plants, zoning, etc., and had no idea how to proceed. I just started doing anything I could think of — making calls, writing letters, and asking questions of anyone with any related experience. Fortunately, it seemed as if there was always someone who had an answer or resource. Everyone pitched in, did research, and shared knowledge. The internet was a particularly good source of information.”
Debbie used this information to contact others who had experience with FPL, including residents of Florida, Wisconsin, Maine, Texas, and Pennsylvania. Her worst fears were confirmed. Documentation revealed that FPL had everything from a reputation for unreliable service and poor maintenance that resulted in frequent outages in some areas to violations of environmental standards that led to increased emissions and widespread respiratory illness in another area. Other incidents including a poor safety record seemed to reflect a blatant disregard for public health, safety and welfare. "I've lived all my life in an area served by a responsible municipal utility (SMUD), and all of this came as quite a shock.”, related Debbie.
In August, FPL terminated their license for the project, citing reasons including the change in the California energy market, lack of necessary emission reduction offsets, and "significant community opposition". Though Debbie feels our efforts were blessed by good timing, she also doesn't downplay the difference a community can make. And though FPL may be gone, Debbie says they won't soon be forgotten, at least as far as she's concerned.
“Deregulation will change power generation as we know it. In our area, we have a wonderfully responsible municipal district that we have always taken for granted. SMUD routinely safeguards our health, safety, and welfare in many ways we are not even aware of, in addition to encouraging conservation of precious natural resources” said Debbie. “Many profit-driven merchant utilities care only about using our resources to generate energy that can be sold to the highest bidder, and have no other interest in our community. While competition and a free energy market may save us a few dollars a month on our utility bills, it also relies on consumption and cost cutting measures. I hope we will seriously question whether or not what we save will be worth the potential costs.”
Debbie Courtney was the messenger — she was able to receive and compile information and pass it along to the right people. She was in the right place at the right time; for that we are all grateful. Adios, FPL, It's a done deal.
The NEWS has named Debbie Courtney "Citizen of the Year for the year 2002". She will be awarded a plaque by the Rio Linda/Elverta News commemorating her contributions to the community at the annual Chamber of Commerce Honorary Mayor's Dinner.
Published in Rio Linda Elverta News January 2, 2003 - Scroll for other articles
"Few Are Chosen" (Will Miller)
By Norma-Lee
From Charlie Pride to Walter
Brennan, Will Miller's life story reads like a "Who's Who" of country
music. Born on a ranch in Dallas, Texas, on June 16, 1935, Will
literally cannot remember a time when he didn't sing. His mother,
Myrtis, was a piano player and a gospel singer and she taught the young
Will to sing that good ol' time religion. She also taught him the
valuable skill of harmony singing. Will's dad, Charles, raised cattle,
hogs, chickens, and whatever needed raising on the Dallas ranch. With
his brother, Melvin, he also dabbled in oil.When he was eight years old, Myrtis entered her son in a talent contest on Dallas radio station KRLD. Will sang "God Bless America" and he won! That was his first bite by the entertainment bug but it wasn't until, at age 14, he heard Hank Williams, Sr. sing the "Lovesick Blues" that Will identified that bug as "country".
Charles D. Miller passed away in 1947 and a couple of years later, Will's mother sold the ranch and bought "La Mesa Motel" in Susanville, California. Will graduated from Lassen Union High there in 1953. 1954 found him married and in the Army. After a two-year stint, he was back in the logging town of Susanviile, which left him two options: work in the mill or work in the woods. He chose the woods.
Along the way, Will had learned to play rhythm guitar and he started playing at area clubs with a group called "The Rhythm Wranglers". Looking back with a smile, Will says they should have been called "The Rhythm Stranglers"! It was 1958 or 1959 when he went to a club in nearby Janesville and got his first listen to "Billy Jack Wills and His Western Swing Band". The hook that Hank Williams had first set with "The Lovesick Blues" now sank deeper and Will knew there was no other road for him. When he heard the likes of Tiny Moore, Cotton Roberts, Bill Pray, and Vance Terry along with Billy Jack, play their brand of country and swing, the dye had been cast. Will knew the logging life wasn't for him so in 1959, he packed up his family and moved to Sacramento where opportunity abounded.
He took a day job delivering for Crystal Creamery and got a weekend job playing with Ray Davis. Ray had heard Will sing and was impressed with his repertoire and his four octave range but Ray didn't need a rhythm guitar player, he needed a bass man. Will didn't play bass so this might have presented a problem but Ray just taught Will to play bass - in three days! By the following weekend, Will was singing and playing bass with the "Ray Davis Band", a job that he kept from 1959 through 1961.
One night, Jody McCauley of "Jody McCauley and the Country Cousins" sat in with Ray's band. Later, he took Will aside and asked him if he'd ever fronted a band. He hadn't but he was willing to try and with his quick wit and acute sense of humor, Will was a natural. Hired as a front man, singer, and bass player for the high pressure Nevada circuit, Will was finally able to do what all aspiring entertainers dream of, he quit his day job!
The Nevada circuit was grueling. If an act was not warmly received by the audience within ten minutes, the curtain would close, the band would be paid off, and they would never be hired back in that club. But despite the heavy competition, musicians have a way of looking out for each other. Once, at the Commercial Hotel in Elko, the curtain was about to close on the sweaty, white-faced "Country Cousins". Before that could happen, they were joined on stage by "The Cutups", another popular group. They went from curtain closing to resounding ovations and needless, to say, played the Commercial many times after that. Three years later, it was their turn to reciprocate. Will and the steel guitar player were in the audience at the Star Broiler in Winnemucca when David Frizell was about to suffer the inglorious closing curtain. Since Jody McCauley's group were the headliners that night, their equipment was already set up back stage so Will grabbed his guitar and a microphone and started singing harmony with David while the steel player lent that distinctly country sound. Once again, the curtain stayed up.
Back in Sacramento, Will formed "Will Miller and the Night Timers" and became the house band at the popular "40 Grand Club". That was in 1969. In 1971, he hired Perry Jones as his drummer but soon moved him up front to form "Miller and Jones". This gig lasted until 1975 and during those years, he backed all of the greats who came to town. To name just a few, he played for Loretta Lynn, Roy Orbison, Merle Haggard, and Ernest Tubb.
>From 1975 through 1980, Will was once again on the Nevada circuit with his group, "Will Miller and Honky Tonk Fever". While in the Sacramento area, he was always part of the local music scene working on the television shows like "California Hay Ride" and the radio programs. Although touring occasionally well into the 1990's, Will found himself staying more and more around Sacramento as life, deaths, and divorce caught up with him.
He began working with female vocalist and keyboardist, Dianna Lynn, in 1980 and still works with her today as "The Classic Country Sounds of Will Miller and Dianna Lynn". Jobs are harder to get these days. Will remembers a time when there were thirty-two country night clubs in and around town. Today, there are just a handful and the live musician is becoming an endangered species with the onslaught of DJ's and Karaoke Bars.
Sitting with Will and hearing his stories like the time he was fired for letting Charlie Pride sing with his band or the time Walter Brennan gave him a hat to make Will's impression of him more realistic, I wonder why Will never hit it really big. Will believes the answer lies in the first two lines of George Jones' song, "Who's Gonna Fill Their Shoes". "You know this old world is full of singers, But just a few are chosen . . ."