“Clipping Service” – 13/16

“Clipping Service”
Rated PG
Disclaimer: All names of people, places, things, literary and creative works of art are used lovingly in this work of fiction. None of them belong to this author, and no profit is derived from this use.

The Los Angeles Times

Who will watch the Sunnydale crater?
May 18, 2004

Thomas Pullman
Special to The Los Angeles Times
SUNNYDALE — On the eve of the one-year anniversary of the collapse of Sunnydale into a sinkhole, the state and surrounding towns are in a quandary over who should bear the cost of maintaining a watch over the massive crater.
The circumference of the crater is about 45 miles in total – a lot of ground to cover for the National Guard, who have been maintaining watch ever since the town first collapsed. While they’ve used the patrol as training for new guardsmen, Unit Commander David Conroy said that he and his unit are worried about who will guard the crater, if they are called away to serve elsewhere.
Which begs the question – who will pay for patrols of the ‘Sunnydale Sinkhole’? The crater’s sides are sheer, and hundreds of feet tall. While this is an unexpected boon for local climbers, the fear of the Guard and of many is that people would try and loot the remains of the town and fall hundreds of feet. The few trails that rescue workers tried to cut through the crater are extremely steep and narrow, with only hand and footholds at several points.
“It’s a natural disaster, but there’s some unnatural debris at the bottom,” said geologist Rick Chase. “It’s way too dangerous for anyone without years of experience to attempt. Plus, we’re not entirely certain how stable the sides of the crater are, so we’d encourage people not to get too close.”
With only one layer of rock holding back the ocean, state officials deemed the area inside the crater a hazard, meaning that no one can rebuild inside the crater – even if they could somehow build a stable road for traffic.
State officials have floated the idea of a shared budget on patrolling the crater, much like towns contribute to Mutual Aid for fire protection. Edgy about spending more in a tough fiscal year, many towns are instead positing the idea that the state create a park out of the crater.
“They want us to divert money from our general funds to patrol the sinkhole?” questioned Bengston Alderman Trinna Torres at a recent meeting. “We might as well just take that money and dump it down the hole. If they want to create a state park and administer in that fashion, fine, but I don’t see why the surrounding towns should contribute any more than any other town in California.”
Rocky Harbor Alderman Nathan Bergstrom also pointed out that if the surrounding towns took over guardianship of the crater, it could make them liable for mitigation of any environmental hazards. Amid the rubble at the bottom of the crater, Bergstrom said, there “likely is any number of chemicals, gas, you name it leaching into the soil.”
The towns that surround Sunnydale, however, have seen an increase in tourism since Sunnydale’s collapse. People traveled from all over the state and Southwest to get a look at what used to be a thriving town.
“I just don’t get it,” said Martin Rolfe, the bluff and genial owner of Rolfe’s Retreat, a small café and amenities store in Rocky Harbor. “People come from all over just to get a look inside the crater. I’m not complaining, though. Lots of people buy disposable cameras, sunscreen, or sandwiches.”
Rolfe did say that he wished some of the businesses that used to operate in Sunnydale would set up shop again, this time in Rocky Harbor or Bengston.
“No one made burgers like Doublemeat Palace,” said Rolfe. “I’m more a sandwich-salad kind of guy nowadays, but every once in a while, I’ll crave a Doublemeat burger, and the nearest one is in Los Angeles.”
The Sunnydale crater has become a tourist spot for many who want to get a glimpse of where the town used to be. The National Guard has allowed for this, and visitors can park in the sand before walking to a fenced and guarded overlook. Positioned around the parking lot are stands selling drinks, snacks, and binoculars. UCLA sophomore Monique Hobart came to get a glance, and took a picture for her class.
“It just reminds me of the violence of our everyday lives,” Monique said. “Plus, my cousin in Delaware asked if I would pick up a stone from the crater for him.”
The crater is also visited by former residents of Sunnydale. Sporting a vaguely punk look, the platinum blond, leather-jacketed William Yeats gazed across the crater. He lived in Sunnydale for several years before its collapse, and said that “somehow,” he managed to evacuate to Los Angeles.
“That town was the real making of me,” Yeats said. “Sad to think there’s nothing left of the life I had there.”
Yeats scoffed at the thought of stepping up patrols and guards on the crater.
“You can’t keep people from going back to where their heart lies, or taking a risk on it,” said Thornton. “And if you do, you often end up regretting it.”
Other, younger visitors to the crater had a less romantic view of it. Jorge Perez, 6, visiting with his family, preferred to play in the sand near the parking lot, under the watchful eye of his mother.
“It’s a big hole,” said Perez. “You can’t even see anything at the bottom, it’s all rock. I want to go home.”

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