16 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY september 21-27, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com Jail Time Your report on the Monterey County Jail is much needed, important coverage (“New documents reveal how Monterey County Jail and prison health care contractor Wellpath are still failing incarcerated people,” Sept. 14-20). MacGregor Eddy | Salinas Many thanks for writing this story. Hard to believe that in and around Monterey County such things are going on. Is there any hope that some legal avenue is around to compel the necessary changes? How can they get away with it? Why don’t supervisors or mayors or someone make them make the changes? I hope your article puts the spotlight on these terrible events. In any case, keep up the good work! Ted Pierce | Berkeley Playing Politics You seem to promote illegal crossings of the U.S. border with your comment “an open secret that Monterey County’s agricultural workforce includes many people without papers” (“Salinas ag leaders host Ron DeSantis for a campaign fundraiser,” Sept. 14-20). Would it not be better to re-implement a Bracero program so people in the agricultural workforce would have proper papers, and the ag industry would not have to support illegal crossings to obtain needed workforce? I speak from personal experience that ag work is both fulfilling and rewarding financially. Walter L. Wagner | Salinas I applaud Sara Rubin and the Weekly for pointing out the hypocrisy of the ag leaders who are involved in hosting a fundraiser for DeSantis. His racist antics are in no way a path to comprehensive immigration reform. For an employer to host such a divisive figure who targets the very people who make up the majority of their workforce is mind-boggling and suspect—it is beyond the pale. To characterize this article as “supporting illegal border crossings” is a typical deflection tactic and shows a real lack of comprehension. Andrea Smith | Monterey Today’s agribusiness landscape is far removed from mere sowing and reaping—it is steeped in a complexity of labor challenges and legal intricacies. The focus isn’t on the legal standing of a worker, but rather their commitment to the demands of the field. A significant portion of the workforce, nearly half, lacks official documentation. This is not a reflection of employers’ preferences, but a response to the labor markets’ realtime dynamics, especially in places like Salinas Valley. President Trump’s vision of a fortified border came with a nuanced perspective on agribusiness. His support for an increase in H-2A worker visas signifies an understanding of the sector’s needs. This stance wasn’t partisan. Yet, these conversations remain ensnared in the Congressional gridlock. Modern agribusiness stands at a crossroads—caught between the urgent need for a dedicated workforce and the quagmire of legal verifications. It’s not a secret tucked away but an overt challenge, waiting for actionable solutions. The host committee for this particular affair is nuanced. These individuals aren’t primarily driven by extreme ideologies. Instead, their identity is rooted in their roles as entrepreneurs and community pillars. They significantly influence the local economy. Their motivations seem transparent: to establish and maintain connections with those wielding power and influence to further their business aspirations. In this intricate web of business and influence, David Armanasco’s name frequently surfaces. There’s an undeniable pattern in his readiness to engage with this publication, almost as if the platform is an extension of his lobbying efforts. Bill Lipe | Salinas The economy of Florida is certainly much better than here in California. California has more poverty than Florida. California has more homelessness than Florida. Just because you dislike Republicans is no reason why Californians cannot listen to and learn from multiple candidates. [This column] is a disgrace in my opinion. Gloria Moore | via email A Human Crisis Franklin Andrew Glenn Jr. was my son and he was loved very much by his family and friends (“A young man without a home dies along the Rec Trail in the midst of a street drug crisis,” Sept. 7-13). We loved him more than he knew and wanted him home here in Arizona. We would ask him to come back every time he would call home. I was waiting for the day for him to walk in saying, “See mom, I told you I could do it—I’m clean.” This breaks my heart. His son just turned 10 and has always had questions and wanted to go find his dad; he looks just like him. I want everyone to know [Franklin “Smalls” Glenn] was someone to us and his friends; he was a son, a big brother, a dad, a friend and he will be deeply missed. Ara Glenn | Tucson Work Trade Thanks for the great article on the legacy of the Bracero program on the Central Coast (“Monterey County Board of Supervisors commits to a celebration of Bracero history,” posted Sept. 13). I picked berries and cherries in the Pacific Northwest as a child. Native American families from Canada came and worked beside us. They lived temporarily in encampments on the farms. I believe this too was part of the Bracero program. Brita Ostrom | via email Across Cultures Absolutely beautiful (“Through dance and history, a local Filipino American woman shares her love for Hawaiian culture,” Sept. 7-13). Lavene Nunez | via social media agree to disagree Quit making your Forum a political stunt…from a local resident who prefers a non-political atmosphere (“The Legislature should pass ACA 1, giving California voters a chance to approve affordable housing bonds,” posted Sept. 11; Forum appears most weeks in the Opinion Section). Sally Palomino | via email Letters • CommentsOPINION Submit letters to the editor to letters@mcweekly.com. Please keep your letter to 150 words or less; subject to editing for space. Please include your full name, contact information and city you live in.
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