Letters to the Editor 04.20.17

Pop and Flop

Blah!!! You all can do better!! (“Monterey International Pop Festival announces its star-laden lineup,” posted April 12.) Neil Young, James Taylor, Derek Trucks, Tower of Power, etc. Jane Hammond Ruddick | via Facebook

Scratching head… doesn’t correlate… odd lineup. Joseph Lucido | via Facebook

If you don’t understand this lineup, I suggest expanding your musical horizons. Leon Bridges. Charles Bradley. G Love. Jack Johnson. Norah Jones. Seriously? I guarantee all those complaining are over the age of 40. Kate Shonuff | via Faceook

If you take a closer look at these bands and put your head into 2017 you’ll begin to see the influence from the original musicians. The songs Father John Misty and Jim James write apply to how today’s artists respond to the insanity of the world around them. Dig it man!! Beth Peerless | via Facebook

Horses and undies

Bra and panties for a raffle? (“California Attorney General sues Carmel nonprofits, claiming illegal fundraising,” posted April 18.) As opposed to a Starbucks or Safeway gift card?! Ranae Swicegood McDougal | via Facebook

“We buy them a little gift, maybe bra or panties.” OMG, dying over here. If this is a legit reason, it is the creepiest thing I’ve heard in awhile. Thanks for donating to our horse charity. As a token of our appreciation I’d love to take you panty shopping. Greg Hamer | via Facebook

I like how he says the charity owes him money. If you start a charity, the money you put into it is the first donation! Paul Felder | via Facebook

For the Winner

I wanted to write and thank you for making our day! (“A casting director of My Lottery Dream Home comes knocking in Salinas,” March 30-April 5.) We randomly came across your article and LOVED hearing your side of the story. Poor Wendy has been the brunt of our “Sex Box” jokes all day! She did ask me to set the record straight, she only worked on the show for one week. LOL.

Anyway, thanks for the great laughs and, if you and your husband reconsider, we still have openings for season 3 and season 4, which begins shooting in July.Tucker Smith | Culver City

Editor’s note: Smith is executive producer for My Lottery Dream Home.

Scales of Justice

One item of DNA you didn’t mention was the skin under her fingernails which also excluded DNA from Jack Sagin (“After 30 years in prison for a murder he says he didn’t commit, a Monterey man has a chance of a new trial,” April 13-19). And witnesses=two professional jailhouse informants. Just sayin’. Jerry Kosar | Maricopa, Arizona

Editor’s note: Kosar is Jack Sagin’s brother-in-law.

Highway Driving

Seems like a job for Jimmy Panetta (“Squid gets lost in a highway sign mess over the forthcoming VA clinic in Marina,” posted April 17). The DoD logo and “CLINIC” on the sign should be sufficient. I’ll refrain from commenting on the attitude of Caltrans toward former and current members of the U.S. armed services. Andrew Allison | Carmel

Pale Blue Dot

Earth Day celebrates the anniversary of a movement that drew attention to pollution that had become a national disgrace. Our air was increasingly toxic and much of our fresh water too fetid for use. The situation was so smelly and ugly that it demanded outrage and action. Today, carbon pollution in the atmosphere presents a threat far worse. Unlike the pollutants of the past, it is odorless, colorless and tasteless. Its greatest destruction is decades in the future. Because it doesn’t stink today, it is far more dangerous.

In our current political climate, placing a price on carbon is one of the few actions that would both make a big difference and be politically feasible. It is a matter of urgency that we all call on elected representatives to support a carbon fee and dividend. Tama Olver | Pacific Grove

Water Rating

After seeing the increases in your Cal Am water bills, I’m suggesting you contact your local politicians, especially the mayor of your city, and tell him, “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore.” Our mayors have a lot to say about water policies on the Peninsula and they need to be held accountable. Take action and ask for change. Public outrage is powerful if you speak up. Ray Stevenson | Carmel

Healthy Hope

Once again, we in California have the opportunity to create a single-payer universal healthcare system in our state through SB 562. If the last month has taught us one thing, it’s that our health care will continue to be a political tug-of-war in Washington, D.C. Here in California, we have the infrastructure and talent to make single-payer a success, and just need the political will to make it happen. Get involved and read about it at healthycaliforniaact.org. Stefanie Kaku | Carmel

Correction

A piece about the success of CoderDojo (“Bad Week,” April 13-19) misstated the number of students enrolled in the most recent session. It was 300, not 7,500; the larger figure is projected enrollment for the whole year. In addition, CoderDojo partners with schools in King City, Greenfield, Soledad, Gonzales and North Monterey County, not Salinas and Chualar; those two districts partner with other K-12 STEM programs.