Letters to the Editor 06.20.19

Jury is In

Heads should roll over this (“Local Spin: The grand jury smacks Monterey County for botched and costly project,” June 13-19). The Monterey County Resource Management Agency and other departments can’t hire staff to assist the public in a timely fashion because the county doesn’t have money. Hmmm. Wonder why. Cost overruns this big always beg the question, is this incompetence or did someone make inappropriate financial gains off the deals? Matt Hanner | via Facebook

Think of how inexpensively the county could have contracted with an accounting firm to do its payroll and accounting. Katie Coburn | via Facebook

For those of us who do business with the county, the grand jury findings are no surprise. Scott Cunningham | via Facebook

Blowing in the Wind

Wind turbines kill an estimated 140,000 to 328,000 birds each year in North America, making it the most threatening form of green energy. And yet, it’s also one of the most rapidly expanding energy industries: More than 49,000 individual wind turbines now exist across 39 states. There are lots of birds that fly out on the ocean. I am for alternative energy sources, just saying there are consequences (“The Monterey Bay area embarks on a plan to meet California’s renewable energy targets,” June 13-19). Janis Spencer | via Facebook

I am all for this, but I would like to see a marine biology lab do a test study on how it will affect the ocean ecosystem in Morro Bay. Put one or two out to begin with, gather data, make sure that is a viable area to put them so as not to disrupt the natural underwater environment. Alexis Maceira | via Facebook

From Castle Wind’s website: “All large energy projects impact the environment to some extent. Floating offshore wind projects are among the most environmentally friendly in generating electricity from a renewable energy source. The Castle Wind Offshore project site will be located over 30 nautical miles offshore from Point Estero in a 2,600 – to 3,600-feet water depth. In selecting the proposed site, Castle Wind sought to minimize impacts to migrating whales and other marine life through, for instance, siting the project outside of known whale migration corridors… Castle Wind will be conducting site characterization and environmental impact studies as part of state and federal permitting requirements… These studies will provide data to establish environmental baseline information, and additional monitoring will continue throughout the life of the project.”

They are doing it right! Shelly Whitworth-Shipley | via Facebook

Editor’s note: Whitworth-Shipley works in communications at Monterey Bay Community Power.

Fireworks Go Boom

Ahhh Squid, perhaps living under the sea protected from stray sparks doesn’t make you the best candidate to support a fireworks display in the most overgrown and under-maintained regional park in the area (“It’s fireworks season, and Squid hears neighbor gripes get even louder than the booms,” posted June 10). Again for the record, the opposition was never against the event but rather the relocation choice and lack of consideration by Seaside to notify Monterey residents and the city staff to prepare and budget for it. Common sense also considered fire risk near homes and wildlife.

The lack of notification to Monterey is the equivalent of a next-door neighbor deciding to have a party for, say, 500 guests in their home without notifying their immediate neighbors – can you do it? Sure. Is it the right way? Probably not.

Squid should show some empathy for the wildlife in this park even though most of the birds there would love to pick at Squid as a snack should Squid leave the lair and venture beyond the sea. Esther Malkin | via Facebook

Editor’s note: Malkin was among the Monterey residents who appealed to the California Coastal Commission; the fireworks show has been moved from Laguna Grande Park to Bayonet and Black Horse.

Bummed to hear people can’t even give it a chance to see how it goes. I live near Laguna Grande Park on the Monterey side and am not horrified by the idea. I used to live in New Monterey when they did fireworks on the beach. Yes, traffic was a nightmare, but there wasn’t trash everywhere and the sea lions and otters did not leave town. When Cali Roots and other big events at the Fairgrounds happen, my neighborhood gets filled and people camp in their cars and leave trash, but it’s not horrific, and since we’re not the neighborhood right next to the Fairgrounds we don’t get special treatment or a magic cleanup afterward. It’s temporary and life moves on. Kim Smith | via Facebook

Looks like we’ve found Chicken Little! Justin Violini | via Facebook

Thanks Squid. As a resident, I believe you put it in perspective. Dave Pacheco | via Facebook

Editor’s note: Pacheco is a member of Seaside City Council.

Close Read

While it’s definitely on the lower end of the scale of importance, using correct grammar, spelling and punctuation does help to maintain a standard of respectability and to present trustworthiness. Might want to review the usage of “whose” versus “who’s” for future reference (“Recent Posts,” June 13-19).

Thanks for what you do and keep up the good work. Magdalena Rahn | Monterey

Secret Sauce

I have been making aglia olio for 40 years! (“Taste: spaghetti aglio e olio,” June 13-19.) Il Vecchio is one of the few Italian restaurants at which I will pay to eat, but, honestly, paying any restaurant for a dish that costs $3 to make for a family of four is a bit painful. It’s the most basic Italian peasant food! Nancy Dayton | via Facebook