12 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY august 22-28, 2024 www.montereycountynow.com On Wheels Car Week crowds—have they gone yet? (“A look back at Car Week 2024 in words and pictures,” posted Aug. 19.) Has the swarm subsided? Is it safe to come out of our homes again? In other words, is the Concourse d’ Pestilence finally over? Why can’t these annual infestations be like cicadas, every 17 years? Glenn Nolte | Carmel Valley We participated in the historic and vintage races before Car Week became a car flipper’s auction mania. That brought in way too many people and most could care less about Monterey and how great it is. We quit coming 20 years ago. It simply was not fun for anybody. I think Monterey Bay city planners should try to get the auctions moved to Las Vegas where that kind of stuff is more suited. Having some casual car shows and motoring around to see how wonderful the Monterey Bay area really is a goal I hope to see in the future, before they completely ruin it all. Leslie Rice | Garden Grove, California You did an excellent job of reporting on the events of Car Week. We who live here know it isn’t just a week anymore. If you could also give some space to the problems on our roads and highways during these weeks, I and many other residents would appreciate it (“How to beat the Car Week traffic blues and stay on the right side of the law,” posted Aug. 8). In the past it was a three-day event that brought visitors who were respectful of our roads and neighborhoods. It had prestige and elegance. Many residents, including people in hospitality, have noticed a disturbing demographic change in recent years. Rude, disrespectful visitors have inundated the events but especially the visitors who seem to think our roads are for their racing pleasure. Carmel Valley Road, Los Laureles Grade, Cachagua Grade and Highway 68 are loaded with dangerous drivers going at excessive speeds and passing recklessly. These are roads I have to travel even during these overcrowded days of drivers showing off. I know there are visitors who agree with me. They said it was sad and disappointing and won’t come back. Pamela Takigawa | Carmel Valley Great viewpoint on Car Week (“Getting around on two wheels is the best way to beat the four-wheeled frustration,” posted Aug. 13). Bicycling is the way to go and a bike-themed event would be excellent! I ride my bike, now an electric one, for many of my errands…close to 16,500 miles on it since I got it seven years ago. Paola Berthoin | Carmel Valley Profit or People When profit matters more than people— especially the vulnerable elderly (“A leaky roof and possible mold result in a code violation for a luxury senior living facility,” Aug. 15-21). Roger Kern | via social media Believe me, it wasn’t just the residents complaining. Staff is well aware of the massive rat and roach infestation. [Pacifica Senior Living Vice President] Beau Ayers has never done a thing except lip service. Pacifica has cut much-needed staff in order to pay for their new addition. Frankly, the city shouldn’t allow them to add on an additional building until they clean up the existing ones! Debora Dolier | Seaside Up Stage I dearly hope that its magnificence is preserved for future generations (“Fox Theater, an entertainment venue in downtown Salinas, is for sale,” Aug. 8-14). It is a truly beautiful venue. Matt Brysch | via social media Ballot Blues If the [Monterey County Regional Fire Protection] District had lowered the tax like the County of Monterey did, once the reality became evident that the industry was struggling, there would not be any measure on the ballot (“From A to Z, and beyond— Monterey County Elections prepares a long list of local ballot measures,” posted Aug. 15). They were asked and they said they could not. Only the voters can fix it. Bob Roach | Salinas Life Story How do I sign up? (“A memoir instructor encourages people to write down their life’s stories, before they are lost to time,” Aug. 8-14.) Llaritza Rodriguez | via social media Everyone has interesting stories. Yes, we should be saving these stories for our posterity! With current smartphone technology, it is possible to speak into your phone, have it printed as text, which you can then email to yourself. Copy and paste, and voila, you can have a zero-cost lengthy text about anything. Walter Wagner | Salinas Dance Revolution Electronic music (“Big names in electronic music, including The Chainsmokers and Tiësto, are set to headline a new festival in Monterey,” posted Aug. 15). Will they have any real musicians or just nerds on stage with their laptops? Paul J. Ingram | Carmel I wish this was announced a lot sooner. Two months is not enough time to give people. Hopefully if this becomes a yearly thing it’ll be announced sooner next time. Rachael Englund | via social media Back to School I am old, having gone to school in the late 1940s and early ’50s in England (“School is back in session, marking the end of summer vacation; seeing my friends was my favorite part of going back to school. What was yours?” posted Aug. 5). Very little was fun other than recess. School wasn’t meant to be fun—it was for learning. In those days, corporal punishment was still permitted and, even though I was basically a good kid, I remember being rapped on the knuckles with a ruler over some very minor infringement of classroom rules. Boys could be caned, which was done by the headmaster in front of the whole school. The last couple of years of high school weren’t so bad, fortunately, but it was years before I actually enjoyed learning, when I took adult ed classes in Palo Alto to earn my American bachelor’s degree. Wendy Hursey | Carmel Valley Letters • CommentsOPINION Submit letters to the editor to letters@montereycountynow.com. 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