Letters To The Editor 04.04.13

Wide Open


FORA’s behavior is why the state of California dissolved redevelopment agencies (“Fort Ord open-space activists gear up for ballot initiative,” posted March 28). The FORA board votes in its own self interest, often out of ignorance and ignoring informed public comment while squandering millions with no accountability. Jane Parker is the consistent member of FORA who asks the tough questions, listens to constituents, and challenges executive staff to provide documentation and reasoning for their recommendations. - Maenad | via Web


There is plenty of open space and the veterans deserve a cemetery, so please help those who served for us and don’t sign the petition. - Hazelwriter | via Web


The Veterans Cemetery may not be a part of this initiative, but I can just see the path being laid. And only half-open space? There are over 86 miles of trails for hiking, biking and horse riding. Add the National Monument acres being managed by the BLM to the rest of, what? – over 325,000 or so other acres of Monterey County park, open space, preserves, etc. and I think there is enough land to keep people busy without exploring the same area twice.


State law will cause the Base Reuse Plan to be enforced. Not ill-informed petitions. Do you realize that the areas you claim are open for development, are already planned for development? The cities and county have plans for all that land. The economy causes it to sit empty.


I, for one, will not be signing the petition, and I will tell everyone who will listen not to as well. - Crystalina1977 | via Web


Online U


I’ve taken online college courses (“Budget-crunched public colleges turn to online courses, with a fat payday for curriculum companies,” March 21-27). I was an adjunct professor in the math department at San Diego Mesa College and wanted to learn about real estate, accounting and other subjects. The online classes I took were great. Would I have learned more in a classroom setting? Probably not, because I would have been much less likely to read the assigned material and relied almost entirely on the lecture. Would I have taken the class if it were not online? Absolutely not.


As a teacher, I had nearly a 50-percent dropout rate in my evening classes. The 90-percent rate quoted, in my opinion, is most likely due to other factors than quality of the instruction. Honestly, I think most of the current college generation would prefer watching Internet videos compared with a lecture. I have two soon-to-be college students as daughters and highly recommend online classes to them to start their college careers. 


Bottom line: online classes are extremely flexible but place the onus on the student for learning. Really though, that’s where the onus should be. - BKB | via Web


Father Fitz


Good riddance! (“After sex-abuse settlement, priest to leave ministry with payout from diocese,” March 28-April 3). The first incident was real: He admitted it in therapy. There are living witnesses to this. Need we say more? Room and board? How about a ham sandwich? He should go back to Ireland and work in a pub and be stripped of his citizenship. - Brad | via Web


By contrast, the Jesuit Order in California had a policy that if a Jesuit leaves the Jesuit Order after 30 years because, for instance, he is disabled as a result of his work as a priest and he gets the message the Jesuits don’t want him any longer and he has no skills that translate into the civilian world, the Jesuit gets $1,000 for each year or $30,000 maximum to start a new life at age 50-plus. - efahling | via Web 


Squid Snuggling


Well played, Squid. (“Extra Helping of Squid: Jose Castañeda resigns from everything,” posted April 1.) - Kristina Chavez Wyatt | via Facebook


Yes, the hair. Only an extraterrestrial could have hair like that. I have said it before – he looks like a Mexican Kennedy. - Carmela Moreno | via Facebook


Wow, so this guy pretty much volunteers the majority of his time to serve both seats in order to serve and better the community and education system… and he’s a target of ridicule and constant speculations? Unbelievable. 


If it’s illegal as you say it is, why was he allowed to petition as an incumbent and why is he in office? When papers are filed to become an elected official, the rules and policies are given. Why waste the man’s time to begin with? - Xtreme | via Web


(Editor’s Note: Um, April Fool’s?)


Siren Song


Actually KRS-One did the exact same bit when I saw him in Santa Cruz (“Fire ends KRS-One show at Golden State Theatre,” posted April 1). Part of his schtick is to call out the sound person no matter what. Ostrich Head played their full set without problems, so really everything went as planned until the end. - Scottydeaux | via Web


Image Makers


I spit coffee all over my iPad when I read Erin Bodine’s quote in the Weekly: “We would like to have more positive stories coming out of Salinas.” (“Local Spin: Marketers say they need to retell Salinas’ story,” March 28-April 3). How long would those stories take to get to the New York offices of DCI? It’s a Donohue-ism, hearkening back to days when former Mayor Dennis Donohue just wanted to imagine a great city and plant new flowers to spiffy the place up a bit.


In just the past 30 days, according to the Salinas Police Department website, Salinas has experienced one murder, six attempted murders, eight armed robberies, a couple of car-jackings, a couple of burglaries, a host of gang arrests, and various and sundry other crap. 


The Weekly’s own pages point to the sex crimes going on as well.


Pretty websites with cool tabs? What a joke. New businesses are nice, but until the core safety issue is resolved and people are willing to actually frequent those businesses, what’s the point? So now I can sit at BJ’s Brewhouse and watch the 6pm news coverage of Salinas’ latest gang crime on the big screen while I sip my wine? Please.


Wise up, Salinas City Council. Invest in your own city instead, and get out from in front of the camera lenses. Nobody cares what you look like. We only care about what you can do. - Alicia Aragon | Salinas