Letters to the Editor 10.08.15

Ooops

I was happy to see the Weekly point out the couple nearly crushed by the breaching humpback last week was violating federal laws. Unfortunately, the Weekly also published a violation of the Endangered Species Act (“Etc.” photo, Oct. 1-7). The California red-legged frog is protected by federal and California law, and hence should not be handled or harassed. In no way, shape, or form would I call for any sort of punitive consequences for the boy holding the frog or the photographer; but it would be a good opportunity for the public to be informed. Kelly Barr | Marina

Lemme guess: He just committed a felony. Tom DeBiase | via Facebook

Sand City Shooting

It seems everyone is pretty comfy with the fact that the Sand City officers got off with “non-life threatening injuries” (“Two Sand City officers injured in deadly Target parking lot shootout,” posted Sept. 21). They only gripe coming from a letter is why the suspects were confronted in the parking lot. (Um, they hadn’t shown a violent pattern.) What seems to be missed, if you look at the officer’s neck wound in the picture in the Weekly, is one-half inch closer would have severed an artery and he would have been dead. That was how close he came to death. And, without the body armor, the other officer would have taken the first shot to the chest.

Kudos to the officers for reacting to the life-threatening situation while wounded and taking out a couple that seem to have perceived themselves as the new Bonnie and Clyde. John Massa | Prunedale

Seaside Shooting

I guess the shooters aren’t following the nation’s outcry to reduce gun violence (“Traffic detoured from Fremont Boulevard in Seaside after shooting this evening,” posted Sept. 29). Laura Emerson | via Facebook

This is getting really out of control. Jennifer Garza | via Facebook

“Soon, we will graduate and do this in Salinas… ” Timothy Foley | via Facebook

Not only in Salinas people. Somebody had to see what happened. Fremont is busy especially during commute hours. Juan Mendez | via Facebook

Averted Shooting

Wtf?! I was studying in the library there until 8pm yesterday and no one said a word! (“Possible mass shooting averted at Hartnell College,” posted Sept. 28.) Thanks for the heads up. Bonnie Webb | via Facebook

The student body, faculty and staff should have been notified. Claudia S. Garza | via Facebook

Excellent work by officials. Lesson learned from Isla Vista massacre. Stephanie Johnstone | via Facebook

The Coming Storm

This is worth reading (“City officials warn of possible flooding in Salinas as El Niño looms,” Oct. 1-7). There is a link in the article to sign up for Alert Monterey. It is a service that will notify you via cell phone, home phone and email about emergency situations and evacuation. Clarissa Hernandez | via Facebook

‘Sup Bros?

Reminds me of the rich pricks down south who try to restrict coastal access because they don’t want their “special place” and “special culture” disturbed by us rabble (“New Monterey Waves magazine has its target audience (local surfers) furious,” posted Sept. 29). Devin Podeszwa | via Facebook

Misleading title. The publisher is quoted as saying it’s not for surfers, but more a “community and lifestyle” magazine. Mike DiFranco | via Facebook

Sounds like gangs protecting their turf. Jody Hutchinson | via Facebook

Missing Mortimer’s

This is what happens when government gets greedy and overtaxes businesses (“Mortimer’s, Marina landmark, closes,” posted Sept. 28). Now the employees are out in the cold. Shame on the city of Marina for being greedy. Sal Jimenez | via Facebook

The Desecration

Why be disrespectful? (“Days after canonization, Serra statue toppled, painted at Carmel Mission,” posted Sept. 29.) Go kick rocks or do something proactive! Says a lot of about what they learn at home. “Children learn what they live”; for every action there’s a consequence and I hope they get caught! Laura Hernandez | via Facebook

The Catholic church has committed sins against mankind for centuries. All they have to do is forgive each other for their sins and magically they have been absolved of guilt. Then it’s OK and they are set to exploit the next group of trusting people. True evil lies within the church; they prey upon the weak and poor under the guise of salvation and eternal life. It’s all invented. Dory Ford | via Facebook

Would hate to see the pope forgive the vermin that would do this. Total scum! Susanne George | via Facebook

That sounds like protest, not vandalism. Sara Sturtevant | via Facebook

History will not be changed, wrongs will not be righted. If you go to a place like Mt. Vernon it will remind you of a mission with its workshops for slave labor, fields for slaves to tend and Washington is probably revered in a saintly fashion. We could burn all symbols of people like Serra, but erase no injustices. Tim Sitar | via Facebook

Corrections

An article stated the Eastwood Trust had conveyed an 82-acre parcel to the Big Sur Land Trust (“Water from an unlikely place – along the Carmel River – may feed a proposed grocery store development in Carmel,” Sept. 17-23). The transfer has not yet occurred, though BSLT officials hope it will in the near future.

A blog post on Syngenta's new leafy greens team (posted Oct. 5) misstated the scope of their work on lettuce and spinach. The team will focus on traditional breeding, not genetic modification, as they work to improve downy mildew and tomato bushy stunt virus resistance. Syngenta does not utilize GMO traits in its lettuce breeding program. The post has been removed.