Letters to the Editor 04.02.20

Testing, Testing…

There should be more testing available. Testing should not have to be rationed out. Our government/healthcare system (or lack thereof) is letting us down (“A Marina man tries – and fails – to be tested for Covid-19, an example of how confusing it can be,” March 26-April 1).Norma Edson | via Facebook

Nathaniel Sawyer, it sounds like you did everything right. Unfortunately testing 328 million people is not viable We’ll need to rely on random sampling. Scott Cunningham | via Facebook

The countries that have flattened the curve did widespread testing. We are told (because the administration would not prepare for what they called a hoax when warned, because the expert health coordinators were fired by this administration), not to get tested. Because there is a shortage of something does not mean it’s not recommended, advisable, or needed.

Now we’re being told to give our lives for the health and welfare of Dow Jones. 8,000 last week, 80,000 this week, all data collected after the fact because there are no tests, and governors clamoring for supplies are called whiners.

Utterly insane. Luana Conley | via Facebook

How about getting them tested? (“Salinas Police, civilian employees under isolation following ‘significant exposure’ to Covid-19,” posted March 24.) Oh, that’s right… Kat Calabrese | via Facebook

Rent Due

The story about William is one that is being repeated over and over around the country (“The pandemic took the economy by surprise. An expert offers survival tips,” March 26-April 1). While William’s landlord can issue an eviction notice when and if he misses rent on April 1, William still has 90 days to vacate according to California renters’ rights. But still, Jonathan Lipow is on a better track than the landlord’s approach. Why not trade some good labor to work on the property instead of going the eviction route? No one wants to stop working. We all want to contribute and participate in our economy. Javier Chagoya | Monterey

Growing, Growing, Gone

Be careful what you ask for. Grower losing millions, then they are forced to close. Unions are in it for themselves, not the worker! (“Major raspberry grower laying off 334 workers after losing fight to labor union,” March 26-April 1.) Monica Gonzales | via Facebook

Unions are the workers. Unions are comprised of humans, and these humans want a living wage and protections for their families. They are in it for themselves, the worker, as they should be!! This company lost millions because they fought it in court for too long. Malinda DeRouen Mueller | via Facebook

Am I missing something here? Y’all are mad at the union for trying to get the workers better wages and not angry at all at the company that shuts its doors? Kelly Shaddox | via Facebook

The Weekly’s revelation that Premiere paid piles of money to defeat their workers from having a union is nauseating. Probably the legal fees were more money than the raises and other benefits the workers would have received under a union contract. Now we know that going out of business and then reorganizing under a different corporate name to disguise yourself and undermine the law is still a common practice.

So much for a better life and a little more economic democracy in the fields. Whatever the newly named company becomes, remind me to never buy any of their products. La lucha continua!Justice delayed. Gary Karnes | Pacific Grove

Flush It

For people’s sake: DO NOT FLUSH WIPES OR CLOTH. It clogs the intake at the sewer plant (“Not all crap is the same – agencies tell public to stop flushing wipes, paper towels and rags down the toilet,” posted March 27). Kathy D. Matthews | via Facebook

Team Effort

The Weekly has been steadfast in their commitment to bring essential news to readers. Local media shines bright lights of transparency on local government and is an essential partner at times like this when trustworthy communication is so very important.

Weekly reporters are household names and I was devastated to learn that a loss of advertising resulted in the layoff of professional journalists who I trust to dig deep and report on issues that affect our local community (“As the coronavirus slowdown hits newspapers, the Monterey County Weekly lays off seven employees,” posted March 18).

More than ever before, the Weekly needs our individual support. Please join me today and make a monthly commitment (of $5, $25, $100) to contribute to the Weekly Insider program today (mcweeky.com/insider). Wendy Root Askew | Marina

Your message regarding the length of employee service with the Weekly resonated (“Monterey County NOW,” sent March 26). My brother Roger worked for 37 years with the Herald, starting with lead type-setting and graduating to cut and paste mock-ups. Like so many, he was summarily dismissed when the Herald cleaned house.

If you want to know what is really happening in the county, the Weekly is it. Yes, like many, I fear that Squid will track down one of my missteps. As an elected public official [to the board of Carmel Unified School District], I’ve come to understand the staff is perhaps the most genuine and credible that we could possibly expect.

Poor Roger. If he put in 37 years with the Weekly, at least they would recognize a career and loyalty as something of value. Karl Pallastrini | Carmel