Senior News January, 2004 Vol. 25. No. 1

 

Published by the Humboldt Senior Resource Center in Eureka, California. HSRC is a non-profit community-based organization offering services for senior citizens, multi-generational families and caregivers.

New Alzheimer's program lands on all four feet

New Medicare changes: how will they affect you?

Driving and getting older-challenge increases with age

Riding high: woman and steed flow together

Service with a smile-Volunteers make a difference in our community

Role of volunteers will grow under new police chief

No Podunk in McKinleyville

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No Podunk in McKinleyville
by Barbara Ogden

Last month our center hosted another 55 Alive Driving Class, and a gentleman from Fortuna took the class. A few days before the class he called asking directions to Azalea Hall. He said he hadn't been to McKinleyville for about 10 years and asked if things up here on the hill had changed much. He remembered it as a "podunky place."   

Well, yes, things have changed in McKinleyville. We had to grow.         

We have the new Mill Creek Theater Complex with eight screens. The old Western Auto building has been turned into the Church of the Joyful Healer. A new bank is coming in between the Western Auto Store and the Unocal station. Figueiredo's has begun building a new mall after fire destroyed the old building several years ago. Timber Ridge has its new assisted living complex framed. Opie Hendricks has a lovely new office complex across the street from his Buick dealership. The Chamber of Commerce is now located in the Six Rivers Bank building. There are new storage units across from A&L Feed.     

And if you really haven't been to McKinleyville for ages we have the Mill Creek Shopping Complex with Kmart, Ray's and Rite Aid. We have the new ACE Hardware, which is a huge home improvement and garden center. This is located in the old Safeway building at Central Ave. and Pickett Rd.   

We also have our share of fast food places-Taco Bell, McDonalds, Burger King and Subway. We have the Village Pantry, Denny's, Niveen's, Tastebuds and Ramones. How about Papa Murphy's, Round Table and Zack's Crab Stand. And then there is Augoston's, the new guys on the block. The Silver Lining restaurant in the airport has new owners.  We have Lima's and Rite Aid pharmacies, two veterinarian clinics and many specialty shops that sell anything and everything. We have doctors and a lawyer and so much more.     

McKinleyville has changed from a community of people who had to travel to Arcata or Eureka for shopping and services to a pretty uptown place to live with almost everything we need. We are probably about 14,000 in population and growing every day. We still have one main street through town, so it's easy to find most everything-and yes, we have lots of traffic to complain about at certain times of the day.         

But McKinleyville is a community with a special spirit-a spirit of folks helping each other and building their community. Proof of this is our new Hiller Sports Complex with its ball fields and many amenities geared toward the youth in our community.       

If it's been a while since you have visited us, please drive up Highway 101 and on up the hill into town. Yes, we've changed from "podunky" to pretty upscale suburbia. Lots of us think it's sad, but you can't stop progress and commerce. But it's also nice for us seniors-we have everything we need to shop locally and not have to make the long trip to Eureka.  

Barbara Ogden is director of the McKinleyville Senior Center, 1620 Pickett Road, 707-839-0191.