This year, Huckfest was better, because last year it was a real disaster. Yet, Matt Fountain didn’t speak out on The Tribune last year to sympathize with Oceano residents who had their driveways and streets backed up a mile along Highway 1, nor with Mesa residents who had to breathe extra PM10 caused by the driving on the beach and dunes.

To say that Huckfest was better this year still doesn’t make it fair that thousands of cars drive through our community and beach for a money-making-private event on public land that is advertised as a “family event” but turns out to be an aggressive, dangerous, and economically unproductive jam for our communities. A Huckfest staff member was greeting drivers at the State Park booth on Pier Avenue wearing a T-shirt that said: “Go Huck yourself.” I do not want the state park I support with my tax dollars to be associated with such a T-shirt.

Furthermore, Huckfest was not good for our economy. Many vacation rentals in Oceano were empty. Huckfest participants didn’t visit our restaurants. They brought everything they needed. But they kept our ambulances and fire trucks busy and disrupted our days and nights.

-- Lucia Casalinuovo - Oceano