Letters to the Editor 01.28.16

Nakey Yoga

I didn’t really like the cover (“The Naked Yogi: Testing out the naked yoga experience,” Jan. 21-27). Jody Hutchinson | via Facebook

I was looking at your guys’ magazine for this week. I am completely appalled by whoever chose to put a naked person as the front cover.

I am at Jamba Juice, I go to other stores like Safeway and I see this plastered around, a naked person just flat out for all my children to see.

I cannot believe it. I thought you guys were a great magazine. I’ve read your magazine. I’ve picked it up. I thought great things about your magazine. I’ve used your guys’ hints on what restaurants and businesses to use, but I am completely disappointed and very appalled by whoever chose to put a naked person’s naked yoga pose on your cover of your magazine.

It was not on the inside, it’s on the outside, and everyone can see it. I hope you guys are very very thoughtful for your next choice of cover and do not do this again. It was despicable. No Name Given | via Voicemail

Nam-ass-te. Cristina Piosa | via Facebook

Homeless Shaq’d

People should come before property or belongings (“Monterey Mayor Clyde Roberson blocks homeless shelter and safe parking program,” posted Jan. 20). This benefits not only the homeless, but the property owners and businesses in Monterey.

Which is better? Have some shelters/warming rooms/safe spaces or having homeless people sleeping in your bushes and having to deal with them in your business when they try to stay warm? Andrea Baltzegar | via Facebook

There is a good takeaway from this situation for advocates for the homeless.

Just take over abandoned or vacant federal buildings in cities with large homeless populations. If the feds are not prosecuting Y’all Qaeda, they shouldn’t prosecute the homeless. Tom Tessier | via Facebook

As of yet, their fix to these problems has been to do nothing. If they are so easily swayed by those who care to complain at town meetings instead of doing what is right for the public good, they have no business in government. Joseph W. Borawski | via Facebook

It’s all about political B.S. and money for future campaigns. That mayor should represent all constituents, not just the ones with money. Truthful reporting of a human atrocity is not bias, it’s saying it how it is. And it sure is ugly. Kymmberlee Navarrette | via Facebook

The dismissal of the homeless and impoverished population of the Monterey Peninsula will continue to be the norm until those of us who have a heart for this sort of thing stand and change the culture.

The community as a whole has to show that it values people above things. There’s enough heart and guts here to change things. Lip service online doesn’t cut it. I’m talking to myself here, too. Heather O’Donnell | via Facebook

Sorry, but having lived in Sand City with the Salvation Army up the street, and many transients hanging out around Home Depot, etc., with no bad experiences (unless you count offering chicken nuggets to my dog) and now living in Salinas, where folks get killed by gangs, I am really disappointed in the city leaders on this decision.

Providing a safe and clean area for sheltering should not devalue properties.

Churches are empty all week until Sunday. Very sad. Caria L. Martins | via Facebook

This article is demonizing a mayor who actually cares about the community.

Yeah, six women in a parking lot overnight doesn’t sound bad. Are they assuming women poop less than men or something? I don’t think whomever wrote this article has any idea how much trash and human waste vagrants leave behind. I don’t blame residents for not wanting poop on their lawn. Rachel Zalan | via Facebook

(Editor’s note: As portable toilets are made available as part of the One Starfish program, it’s doubtful anyone from the program would be “pooping” on lawns.)

Shore Thing

Thank you so much for the timely and important article about beach erosion and the relationship to the sand mining operation in Marina (“A decades-old sand mining operation in Marina has led to unprecedented erosion, and an investigation by the California Coastal Commission,” Jan. 14-20).

With winter storms and king tides in full swing, those of us who regularly walk the beaches of Monterey have a first-hand appreciation to the extent of erosion and its impact on the dunes.

It is about time that the California Coastal Commission stepped up to investigate the Cemex operation and hold Cemex responsible for the sand removed by them from our beaches.

This sand plant has operated under the radar for far too long. It’s so important to get awareness of this issue to the people of the Peninsula, so that we can save the coast we still have! Please help us keep light shining on this issue. Francie Mitchell | via Web

After reading the very informative article, it was hard to believe that our county supervisors, congressman, Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary officials and Coastal Commission could have all stood by and let this happen.

I bet there are more marine biologists and ocean experts in the Monterey Bay area than almost anywhere else in the world. See the documentary Sand Wars and you will have a better idea as to why this travesty was allowed to happen. Kathleen Cauble | Pacific Grove

CORRECTION

Big Sur resident and legendary Beach Boy Al Jardine’s name was misspelled in a cover teaser last week.