Letters to the Editor 06.18.20

In Context

Kudos to Walter Ryce (“Hot Picks,” June 11-17). The list of indie films in support of the Black Lives Matter human rights movement is fantastic. They examine African American life from a broader context than just black exploitation. Sadly, these indie films don’t have mega publicity budgets and can be easily missed. As for Walter’s six ways to “maintain a healthy media diet,” I wish everyone would read this. How do we manage too much information? Better to single out a few trusted resources and read them thoroughly than to glean news from tweets, headlines and captions. Robin Gregory | Carmel

Open Up

It’s hard, because I’m really happy to be working again, but I’m constantly worried about my health and my partner’s health since he has COPD (“51 new Covid-19 cases in Monterey County in second-highest daily increase,” posted June 12). But I need to pay bills and eat, so… guess I just have to keep watching numbers go back up. Mackenzie Miller | via Facebook

Doesn’t make any sense to open anything. People dying and getting sick, it’s crazy. Debra DiFranco | via Facebook

The shelter-in-place was only to prevent hospitals from getting overwhelmed. As long as critical care beds, equipment, etc. is available, then we’re not going backwards on the stages. People are going to continue to contract it, just like any other virus or bacterial infection. Lydia Bennett | via Facebook

I’d be interested to see a story on how California will handle jury summons as long as the pandemic remains ongoing (“Marina court staffer tests positive for Covid-19, all Marina court employees ordered to self-quarantine and get tested,” posted June 11; “Monterey court staffer tests positive for Covid-19, certain employees are told to test and self-quarantine,” posted June 14). For people who are high-risk especially, it would be unconscionable not to excuse jurors. If you can’t ever leave your house because you are high-risk (working from home, getting grocery delivery), you should not be forced to appear on an in person jury. This really worries me. Jessica Efird Varnum | via Facebook

Police Pay

Reform the whole system so that community comes first! Our cities need better management of our funds, period (“After decades of entrenchment, police budgets don’t look so untouchable anymore,” June 11-17). Cheryl Robinson | Prunedale

When you learn the history of the police originated as slave patrols and evolved from there, you start to see that these systems never really changed their racism, considering they are founded off of it. Nicole Joyce | via Facebook

Love the police. Love the Sheriff’s Department. Support them all. Deal with the bad ones as specific instances, not representatives of the whole. Frank Foley | via Facebook

I think antifa has taken over Monterey County Weekly. Juan Mendez | via Facebook

The entire institution was based off slave control and needs to be tossed out. It was literally founded on racism and property. It’s not about individual “good cops and bad cops,” it’s an inherently corrupted system. There needs to be a small group who enforce criminal laws and the rest need to go to mental health advocates and community service people. Lucas Musgrave | via Facebook

Dining Out

Nope, not me (“As dine-in service resumes, what will restaurants look like – and will you be going out to eat?” June 11-17). Catherine Goldbeck | via Facebook

I already have! It was great seeing friends and enjoying a meal on the patio. Stef Helbock Pummell | via Facebook

Will we go out to eat? Not a chance. Paul Goss | via Facebook

Really good article. Looking forward to supporting all of the local restaurants. Walter Kupiec | via Instagram

This is amazing! (“Peninsula cities are giving sidewalk and street dining a tryout to support struggling restaurants. Carmel, Pacific Grove and Seaside all came up with plans for experimenting with closing streets to vehicular traffic to allow for outdoor dining,” June 11-17). Valerie Bowman | via Instagram

Trail Time

We love this wilderness and hope it stays that way (“Move: Fort Ord National Monument,” June 11-17). Arno Featherstone | Seaside

Love Fort Ord for its bike trails. Nothing can beat a long day of riding. Mark Wiseau | via Instagram

Coyotes and bobcats, red-tailed hawks and harriers, and lots of lizards. Yann Lusseau | via Instagram

Birds of Prey

What a pleasure to see this! (“Etc. Photo: A family of barn owls looks straight at the camera on a foggy morning in the photographer’s backyard, off Highway 68 near Laureles Grade,” posted June 13). Patricia A. Reed | via Facebook

Spectacular! So beautiful! Christy Jensen | via Facebook

Correction

A story (“A new generation of inspiring leaders sees ways forward to create a Monterey County free of racism,” June 4-10) inaccurately stated the number of top local government officials on the Monterey Peninsula who are not white. It is two of 10, not one of nine as stated by Seaside City Councilmember Jon Wizard; his count unintentionally omitted Carmel Assistant City Administrator/Human Resources Director Maxine Gullo.