Napa Area Earthquake

It's been said that a wise person looks at the news and media coverage of an event with a cautious eye. We don't often get to see an experience or crisis firsthand. It seems these days that news media want a quick and simple explanation, and complementary to that we as citizens want the "quick and dirty" version of these affairs. This last week I had the chance to see why caution is a good trait to have when making judgments about many things.

After hearing of the recent Napa area earthquake and talking with family there, I visited for a few days to see if I might help some. I saw part of the damage and what I saw on the TV and internet didn't prepare me for what I saw. As with many natural disasters, the logic of why one building is hit and the one next door stands unharmed is missing. I do know it will take time to rebuild and the area will have a "do-over" in how it rebuilds. What will become the priority and how will the area look afterwards? Will Napa become more of a boutique destination spot, or maintain its agricultural tourism region feel?

At few things did happen that made me scratch my head. A San Francisco TV newscaster while looking at a picture of grapes on the ground between vineyard rows said something to the effect that the earthquake was so strong it shook the grapes off the vine.

 No. The grapes were on the ground as they were thinned, picked off the vine to improve the remaining grape clusters. What is bothersome is that many people are out of touch about how our food is produced, and don't take the time to learn more. I admit to not knowing many things, but I hope I wouldn't tell others on TV about those things.

Another perception is that Napa Valley is full of millionaires and they can handle a few lost barrels of wine.  Or at the least they have insurance to cover to damage. That may be true for some, but the majority of people, including non wine makers, earthquake insurance is too expensive and deductibles make them even more expensive. Remember insurance companies are in business to make money, not protect us. The stories I heard were more on the line of people uncovering themselves from piles of wine barrels and boxes of bottles with the help of their friends. The houses that weren't shook to the ground, but had objects fall from the wall or shelves. Of doors and windows that won't open or close fully. Businesses downtown that could open but were shuttered because the business next door hadn't done their seismic retrofitting and might fall. So who is hurt the most?

The workers that make the wineries run. The cooks and servers that bring us our restaurant food. The common man and woman that are trying to house and feed their families. Fortunately it seemed that much of the area is still up and running. The lines of cars and trucks on Highway 29 were still long, but they included winery trucks delivering part of the harvest. Life goes on and that is good.