Letters to the Editor 08.14.25

In Fear

Thank you Weekly team. Your presence in our community is essential (“Immigration raids have not yet come to Monterey County, but the fear that they could is changing people’s lives,” Aug. 7-13). — Lorraine Yglesias | via social media

Thank you, as always, for your consciousness. — Patricia Qualls | via social media

Immigration is a touchy subject, but to me it boils down to following the law. Legal immigrants that are not in trouble with the law have nothing to worry about. Immigrants that have avoided the proper path are breaking the law and certainly have a right to be afraid as well as green cards with a criminal record.

Some people in the article even admit they didn’t do it right, but still for some reason think the USA owes them the right to stay. Norm Groot and Jimmy Panetta need to get on board with the law. There have been and still are successful programs for bringing in farmworkers from Mexico. It is unfair to the legal workers to allow them to be infiltrated with ones that are illegal.

Instead of fighting ICE, why not cooperate with them? If local law enforcement cooperated they might find the atmosphere would be a little calmer. As former President Ronald Reagan once said, “a country without borders is not a country.” — Robert McGregor | Salinas

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Everybody’s next – this is what we voted for, giving more power to ICE. — Sam T. Alvarado | via social media

Thanks for this thorough article. Folks can find Child Safety Plans on the Sus Derechos website: susderechos.info/en/recursos. — Emily Gottlieb | Seaside

If you’re here legally, you have nothing to worry about. If you’re not, that’s called law enforcement doing its job – not some horror story. Stop turning immigration laws into a boogeyman to score political points. — Chris Martinez | via social media

Chris Martinez, my friend just spent four days trying to get her nephew released from detention. He’s Guatemalan with a green card, picked up purely because of how he looks. No criminal history, nothing improper in how he got here and has gone through immigration process. Just pure racism and bounty hunters getting paid to do it with absolutely no recourse when they screw up. — Blair Cushing | via social media

Building Battle

Great summary of this six-and-a-half-hour session (“The J.B. Pastor project sees a further delay after a trimmed Carmel City Council pushes a decision into fall,” posted Aug. 5). — Nancy Twomey | Carmel

I don’t blame Patrice Pastor one bit for being fed up with Camel’s nitpicking (“Monaco developer Patrice Pastor says he’s thinking of leaving Carmel after disappointing council action,” posted Aug. 8).

In a misguided attempt to keep Carmel Carmelish, the town has stifled the very sort of creativity that made it such a special place in the first place. — James B. Toy | Seaside

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You can’t get anything done in Carmel without pushback from self-appointed Carmelites who want to “keep Carmel, Carmel.” Whatever that means. It seems to change by the hour. — Elizabeth Barratt | via social media

Death of Nightlife

What did Steinbeck say? “And Carmel, begun by starving writers and unwanted painters, is now a community of the well-to-do and the retired. If Carmel’s founders should return, they could not afford to live there, but it wouldn’t go that far. They would be instantly picked up as suspicious characters and deported over the city line.” (“Carmel bars Barmel and Sade’s face closure amid clash over late-night ‘community hubs,’” posted Aug. 7.)

At $4,000 to rent a studio apartment, $27 for a martini, 1,000-square-foot homes for sale in the multi-millions, greed is palpable, it’s in the air in Carmel… yet I go there for a nice quiet meal once a week. — Kenny Summit | Monterey

Lights, Camera, Action

I am so excited someone stepped in (“Lighthouse Cinema has a new owner – and big plans,” posted Aug. 4). This is such a great theater with lots of history. I am looking forward to the reopening. — Walter Kupiec | via social media

Love it! I have been seeing movies there since I was a kid; I saw the first Jurassic Park there!

I’m so glad it is staying a movie theater and not turning into a bunch of overpriced condos! — Rachelle Davi-Razzeca | Moss Landing

So happy a local bought it. — Roxane Viray | via social media

I feel incredibly honored to carry forward the history and heart of this beautiful theater. Lighthouse Cinema has meant so much to so many over the years, and I’m committed to making its next chapter just as meaningful – maybe even more. — Ayman Adeeb | Seaside

Note: Adeeb is the new cinema owner.

All Around

This is such a necessary improvement! (“Steps to ease the traffic congestion at Laureles Grade construction site have been rolled out,” July 31-Aug. 6).

All the time I sat at this intersection coming down the Grade and wondering how to make a left turn on a Saturday without getting clobbered! Congratulations to everyone who regularly drives this road. — Stef Helbock Pummell | via social media

I lived in Santa Barbara for 10 years, where it was just about impossible to get to a post office and Trader Joe’s until they put a roundabout in. It solved all the traffic jams. — Sherry Craft | Santa Cruz

Flavor Profile

Lighthouse Bistro is making a name for itself (“A new spot in Monterey travels the culinary world, offering something for everyone – with a surprise or two,” July 31-Aug. 6). Excellent food and friendly service. — Mark Carbonaro | Monterey