16 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY july 25-31, 2024 www.montereycountynow.com Betting Odds The Monterey Peninsula Unified School District is placing a bet on property owners’ short-term memories. MPUSD is betting that taxpayers will have forgotten about the $213 million and $110 million bonds that we are still paying for, and betting that taxpayers will give them another third bond for $340 million. MPUSD is betting that we will have forgotten the promise to fix the most urgent school needs. MPUSD is betting that taxpayers don’t understand that the total debt we would owe for these three bonds would be over $1.2 billion! MPUSD is betting approximately $500,000 of public funds to place that bond measure on the November ballot. MPUSD is also betting that you, the taxpayer, will give them millions of dollars more and won’t pay attention to what these funds are being used for. Would you take that bet? I bet I’m being conned. Marta Kraftzeck | Monterey High Art Thank you for the wonderful article you wrote on David Ligare (“Artist David Ligare creates paintings that transcend time, place and philosophy,” July 11-17). I was so taken by your grasp of David’s concepts and vision in his work. Your writing always captures my interest. Your article helped me go so much more deeply into an understanding of his vision. You make a huge difference. Michelle Djokic | Sand City Woven Together Beautiful! (“A group of Indigenous women are weaving a community through an ancient tradition,” July 11-17). Llaritza Rodriguez | via social media End of an Era Jerry Wallace took incredible care of my IBM Selectric for about a decade (“Monterey County’s last typewriter repairman, Jerry Wallace, dies at 82,” posted July 17). He would come pick up my heavy, awkward machine, always bringing me a loaner to use. I brought him the manual typewriters of several friends to service, and arranged for two friends to buy IBM Selectrics from him. Jerry’s greatest kindness to me was switching out the sage green shell of my typewriter for a white shell when I decided I’d like a more “beachy” look. He explained that I shouldn’t trade my typewriter for the white one, because my machine knew my touch. I love that. Jerry was a master craftsman, a generous old-school gentleman, and, yes, quite the conversationalist! My typewriter and I are so glad to have known him. Alyson Kuhn | Eugene, Oregon Spirit of Independence Your newspaper’s bias was immediately clear in the first paragraph of “Democracy is Teetering” (“In ruling that Donald Trump has some immunity from criminal prosecution, the Supreme Court has undermined bedrock principles of American democracy,” July 4-10) by referring to events of Jan. 6, 2021 as a “failed insurrection.” You are of course free to give one-sided coverage on people and issues. But does that fit in with the word “independent” on your front cover? An independent publication would be willing to give abundant space to the Biden family’s alleged malfeasance: Ukraine corruption payoffs, Hunter’s laptop disclosures, the open borders policy, warmongering, subsidizing Israeli genocide in Gaza. Jerry Fallenberg | Marina Pressed Out I have never detested the newspapers as much as I do today (“Biden and Trump should both drop out. Our country is too important,” July 4-10). If our country ever recovers from the results of the next election, I still will not forget this mistake, this betrayal. It’s over. Kelita Smith | Carmel Stop the Bullying The press seems to be preoccupied with how the assassination attempt happened, given security measures. Valid question. I’m surprised that no one has focused on the background and character of the would-be assassin. “Bullied a lot. A lot,” a classmate said. Is it no surprise that someone who was severely bullied might have reason to assassinate the Big Bully himself? Never an excuse to kill. Trump might want to look in the mirror and ask why a young adult would hate him so much. Dear Trump, do you dare to reference the U.S. government site, stopbullying.gov? My only disagreement with the definition is that bullies are described as school-aged. Catherine Stack | Pacific Grove No Excuses Rodeos are the most abhorrent form of cruelty to animals (“California Rodeo Salinas is back. Study up on the different events,” July 18-24). Docile, domesticated, gentle animals are forced into an arena through terror, and tortured with painful devices, like electric prods, spurs, flanks (bucking straps), maze, irritant ointments, etc., to enrage and alter the behavior of the terrorized animals. We no longer tolerate the brutality of bull fights, cockfights and dog fights and rodeos should not be the exception. To inflict pain, to inflict fear and terror on innocent animals, to injure and even kill a helpless animal, all done for the triviality of amusement is sickening and revolting and it must end for once and for all. It is time for lawmakers to step in and ban rodeos too. No cultural tradition should be the excuse to brutalize animals. The promoters of these events do not care about animals. No rancher would allow any of his animals to be used in rodeos or charreadas because they know they will get injured or killed. Lastly, rodeos have absolutely nothing in common with ranching. Rodeos are not a western tradition at all. Alfred Kuba | via web Back on Land What an outstanding achievement (“After over a month on the water, rowing teams finish a voyage from Monterey to Hawaii,” posted July 19)! Be proud! You have every right to be. You all look so happy. Karen Kelley Lund | via social media What a wonderful experience and adventure to show the world when you work together physically, emotionally and spiritually. Great things can be accomplished. Congratulations. Minka Nelson | via social media Letters • CommentsOPINION Submit letters to the editor to letters@montereycountynow.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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