Letters to the Editor 09.24.26

Leafing Through

This is an excellent story (“As a record-breaking cyclospora season comes to a close, a look at the impacts on local growers and gaps in the food safety system,” Sept. 10-16). It’s commonplace to say that all politics is local politics. Likewise, it’s true about news, even when the impact and import of that news reaches into national and international domains.

This story has all the elements of a political barnburner, it has urgency and intensity and yet, never does it stray from its frame of calm rationality. It points fingers, but it does not bog down in the spectacle of blame or catastrophe. It keeps its poise. As such it’s especially effective. It stays on track and avoids distracting polemics. John Thompson | Santa Cruz

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Allow me to express my profound gratitude for this genuinely splendid piece of journalism. In an era overwhelmed by the superficial, your deft synthesis of microscopic biology, agricultural economics, and regulatory maneuvering elevates this into an exceptional piece of investigative reporting. Hans Ongchua | Marina

Top Job

I am conflicted. While Seaside needs big changes and progress is incredibly slow (and I’m super frustrated with current leadership!), I am concerned about where [Alex] Miller’s political beliefs really are. Seaside is lagging far behind other Peninsula cities and is economically stunted due to decades of poor leadership (“Seaside councilmember faces off against incumbent for the mayor’s seat,” Sept. 10-16). Organizations and people I respect and support are endorsing [Ian] Oglesby, not Miller. Rebecca Pieken | Seaside

Vote for change. Vote Alex Miller. Becky Stofer | Seaside

Team Oglesby until the wheels fall off. Illona Cooper | Seaside

Everyone who wants change should look at the city and see how much it has already changed. It is so much better than in years past. It’s not perfect, but no mayor can wave a magic wand and fix everything. Too many blame current leadership for things set in motion before they took office. Eric Gates | via social media

Four Seasons

These candidates just made it easier for me to choose [Dennis] Donohue for mayor (“Salinas’ mayoral candidates have differing views on rent stabilization, tax measures,” Sept. 10-16). Carlos Prieto | Salinas

Peter Szalai, I’ve met with him a couple of times. Donohue hasn’t done anything. Enough is enough, our community needs change. Angie Ortega | Salinas

I’m sticking with Donohue. Tony J. Gonzalez | Salinas

This happens every time. Donohue will win again because all of the anti-Donohue candidates will split the anti-Donohue vote. I guess people love losing. Adam Urrutia | via web

Magic Tricks

Gee whiz, [Monterey City Council candidate] Vicki Nohrden didn’t even mention she had a book out during the panel at MIIS (“Squid Fry: Fire and Brimstone,” Sept. 10-16). I don’t think religion belongs in politics.

She and [Acting Navy Secretary] Hung Cao think Monterey is a dark, witchy place. I see it as a vibrant place of awesome love and beauty. Lynn Hamilton | Monterey

Plan B

Love this. This is access to health care (“CSUMB officials install a machine dispensing discounted emergency contraception pills,” Sept. 17-23). Jessica DiRenzo | via social media

Awesome! Take the lead, CSUMB! Jen Zeidberg | via social media

This is wonderful to see. Maija Danilova West | Gonzales

Court Room

Thank you, Public Defender! (“Public Defender’s Office to open satellite office in Greenfield,” posted Sept. 11.) Greenfield’s population alone justifies this most important service, and our central location in the Salinas Valley puts us in a unique position to help serve the entire South County area. John Huerta Jr. | Greenfield

War Time

You call it “good” news that Jimmy Panetta, notorious warhawk, has architectured a $639,900 grant for “military installation readiness” review in our county. I can’t agree (“Good Week,” Sept. 10-16).

People in our county are homeless. Couldn’t $600,000 have housed them? People live in slum apartments – couldn’t $600,000 fix them? Is “military readiness” our most pressing issue? Do we expect the Iranian air force to come cruising up over the dunes by Sand City Target any day now? I have seen no signs of it. Josephine Hunt | Seaside

Park Lane

This is a wonderful look back at an important part of North County’s history (“Memories of a historic North County landmark that pioneered the County of Monterey’s parks system,” posted Sept. 10). It is fascinating to learn how this landmark helped shape Monterey County’s parks system. Stories like this help preserve local history. Brendon Mooney | via web

Water Front

Love this restaurant (“New owners are taking the former Woodward Marine Market in an impressive direction,” Sept. 10-16). It was so good I drove from San Francisco specifically to lunch there. Worth it. Denise Kay | Seaside

Correction

A story about allegations against Vince Malfitano misstated the details of an account reported by a dental assistant in California Dental Board records (“In Monterey’s election for mayor, challenger Vince Malfitano seeks to unseat the incumbent,” Aug. 27-Sept. 2). She did not claim Malfitano placed her hand on his groin, but that as he “pulled [her] hand toward his groin area [the assistant] pulled her hand away from respondent’s grip and told him that his behavior made her feel uncomfortable.”