14 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY august 1-7, 2024 www.montereycountynow.com Cop Stop So disappointed in her outrageous and dangerous displays of privilege (“Monterey County Sheriff vows to ‘set a better example’ after she gets pulled over for speeding,” posted July 26). Top law enforcement officer in the county is a poor example of leadership. Krista Carey | via social media I’m disappointed that she did not address the one stop where she refused to identify herself and asked for a supervisor to come out. Very disappointing behavior. Pamela Reese | via social media The type of cop who gives them all a bad reputation. James Tarhalla | via social media School Dues As a proud parent and alum of Monterey High School, I know firsthand the improvements that have been made at the school (“MPUSD board votes to add a bond measure for staff housing on the ballot,” July 25-31). I could not be more proud of the new science and innovation center, upgrades to the library and little theater, and the improvements to Dan Albert Stadium which just broke ground. But there is more work to do. Much of Monterey High’s campus, including its pool, was built in 1920 and desperately needs investment. Though the pool still works, it has not changed much since my parents swam in it 60 years ago. As a community we have always invested in our kids and we should continue to do so. Go Dores! Heather Robson | Monterey MPUSD’s $340 million bond measure for the November ballot includes “staff rental housing,” 60-80 units estimated at $60 million. A million dollars per rental unit? Since MPUSD owns the land, these units are worth a whole lot more. MPUSD’s own surveys show that 76 percent of teachers would prefer a salary increase to have the flexibility to live where they choose. This is a complex issue, as we need affordable housing on the Peninsula, but not million-dollar rental units. MPUSD becoming a developer, landlord and commercial property manager diverts the focus from school responsibilities. What this bond would do is increase the value of MPUSD’s property at renters and taxpayer expense. As a first step, MPUSD should raise teacher pay to a rate equitable to our neighboring cities, then, separate affordable housing development from the priority of school repairs and upgrades. Vote no on MPUSD’s bond measure. Julie Conrad | Monterey Crossing the Line All I see is a hateful person in [defendant] Max Steiner finding any which way to get away with his hatred by finding technicalities in a system designed to allow him to take them (“Trial gets underway over possible assault of a PalestinianAmerican teenager on Scribble Hill,” posted July 25). It’s obvious the hate-filled Steiner views his bicycle possession as more valuable than the lives of the young women he attacked. He should have minded his own business and kept pedaling. But we all know people like him and his ilk can’t help but interfere to make their hateful opinions known. M. Watney | Seaside Up in the Air Well, I once lived in the fields area of the county with one little school. Now I have three schools in total. Traffic and some of the issues that come with it sucks. You live by an airport! (Complaints about flight noise around the Monterey Regional Airport have inspired activism,” July 25-31.) Amanda Castro | via social media All Around Great solution! (“A divided Pacific Grove City Council votes in favor of proceeding with a roundabout at a problematic intersection,” posted July 23.) I’ve lived in places where this was such a relief, especially during busy hours and before/after school. If the roundabout off of Highway 68 can work, this will definitely be a game changer. Marq Abril | via social media $800,000 on the initial design….in what world does that make any sense? Kelsea Richmond | via social media Living History The Alliance of Monterey Area Preservationists was thrilled to see your cover story highlighting Salinas’ heritage and historic buildings (“Salinas at 150: From breadbasket to salad bowl, Salinas draws on its history to drive its future,” July 18-24). AMAP has been involved with Salinas history for decades, notably pursuing the successful listing of the Old Monterey County Jail on the National Register of Historic Places. The California Welcome Center, often overlooked, is a must-see attraction, highlighting the Valley’s agricultural history. The station area, also known as Heritage Park, also includes a unique railroad exhibit and the restored First Mayor’s House. The Art Deco buildings described by AMAP member Michael Mazgai are illustrated in an attractive brochure and map found on the AMAP website (“Salinas’ extravagant past can still be seen through countless buildings in the city,” July 18-24). Anyone interested in working on preserving Salinas’ history, check out our website at amap1.org. Mimi Sheridan | Pacific Grove Note: Sheridan is president of the Alliance of Monterey Area Preservationists. Recipe for Success Judge John Phillips was concerned about the lack of job opportunity for our youth, whom he saw in a revolving-door situation at the courthouse (“Paid internships for Rancho Cielo culinary grads offers experience and a promise of jobs,” July 25-31). He chose to do something positive, and founded Rancho Cielo to assist those youth. We need more of our people in governance to inspire similar programs to create good jobs, not just sitting back and “governing.” Walter Wagner | Salinas Sing Out I love karaoke but haven’t been able to join in anywhere since the pandemic. If someone comes up with outdoor karaoke, I’m all in! Margaret Piper McNulty | Cupertino/Carmel 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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