Wednesday's Letters to the Editor

<p class="bold allcaps">A better site<EL-2></p> <p><MC>EDITOR: If Lowe’s wants to push its way into Santa Rosa, why doesn’t it push its way over to the building rejected by Wal-Mart? How long has that building been empty? The west side of Highway 101 is just as good as the east side. There is a building shell ready to be used. Parking will be a problem, but it will be a problem off Yolanda Avenue, too. The traffic will never ease up on the west side or the east side of Highway 101. Face it, Santa Rosans needs the jobs, the city needs the tax revenue. Let Lowe’s push its way over to the west side, but let’s get it done soon. There are too many people unemployed to pass off a huge employer to the county. </p><p>SHEILA STEWARD<QR></p><p><MC>Santa Rosa<QR></p><p><EL6><IP0><HRCUTOFF,72,0.3,0,0><EL-4><IP9><QC></p><h3>Abstinence protests<EL-2></h3> <p><MC>EDITOR: If the state Education Code requires that all sides of an issue be covered to be allowed in school, then disallowing Free to Be necessitates the removal of Planned Parenthood as well. (“State says abstinence group unwelcome in schools,” June 8) Is anyone protesting that Planned Parenthood is not covering abstinence but is advocating birth control?</p><p>Sharla Smith, the HIV/STD prevention education consultant, is protesting abstinence education. Abstinence is the only complete protection against sexually transmitted diseases. When it comes to the health and safety of our children, should we not err on the side of caution?</p><p>Alice Jaffey says that students are confused. Where does the confusion come from? Is it from other groups with muddled thinking or with other agendas? Free to Be has an agenda. Is that to say that Planned Parenthood does not? If Free to Be has a moral position, does Planned Parenthood not have a moral position? One might wonder what those moral positions and agendas might be if these organizations are so vehemently protesting abstinence. </p><p>Cutting out abstinence education is unfair, especially in a society that bombards our children with sexual messages without addressing any of the consequences of this behavior.</p><p>REV. THOMAS W. DEVEREAUX<QA0></p><p><MC>St. Peter’s Catholic Church<QA0></p><p>Cloverdale<QR></p><p><EL6><IP0><HRCUTOFF,72,0.3,0,0><EL-4><IP9><QC></p><h3>Asphalt’s effects<EL-2></h3> <p><MC>EDITOR: I have always been stuck in the middle of debates that place environmentalists and construction projects at war. The proposed Dutra asphalt plant in Petaluma is another example.</p><p>I love the park across from the plant and love the river. I am also a member of a rowing club and use the river weekly. I would, however, like to put some things out there from a very personal perspective.</p><p>For 22 years, I made my living in the construction industry operating heavy equipment. More specifically, I worked with paving crews and was exposed closely to the fumes that asphalt produces. I have to say that I have known hundreds of individuals working closely with asphalt products daily and have not known one person sickened by it, short-or long-term. I am more than 60 years old and am in perfect health, even after years of daily contact.</p><p>To think the plant will cause harm to children, pets, wildlife, etc. is completely in error, from my perspective. Will the birds leave? Check out the dump. There was an asphalt plant for years in Petaluma. Was there a sigh of relief when it closed? No. Nobody noticed. </p><p>That’s my two cents (and more).</p><p>PAMELA KELLER<QR></p><p><MC>Cotati<QR></p><p><EL6><IP0><HRCUTOFF,72,0.3,0,0><EL-4><IP9><QC></p><h3>Saving parks<EL-2></h3> <p><MC>EDITOR: For nearly 20 years, my husband and I and many friends from the Valley of the Moon Riding Club have enjoyed trail riding in Sonoma and Marin counties’ regional parks. These parks and other state and community parks are a vital part of what makes the North Bay just about the best place to live anywhere in the state.</p><p>Increased parking fees are a small price to pay to keep our parks open, but my experience has been that few people who hike and bike in the parks actually pay the fees. People park their Acuras and BMWs outside the gate and walk through so they won’t have to pay.</p><p>Even when it was only $2 and I would walk up to them and hand them the money from my own pocket, only one person actually took my money and put it in the can. The rest gave me a dirty look, walked by and pretended they didn’t see me deposit the fee.</p><p>If, in order to compensate for people who don’t understand the difference between a parking fee and a use fee, we have to increase taxes, so be it. Our parks are a valuable resource that we cannot afford to lose.</p><p>KAREN McMILLEN<QR></p><p><MC>Windsor<QR></p><p><EL6><IP0><HRCUTOFF,72,0.3,0,0><EL-4><IP9><QC></p><h3>Dutra’s record<EL-2></h3> <p><MC>EDITOR: There have been several letters about Dutra being great environmentalists and good neighbors. If this is true why was Dutra investigated by the Marin County grand jury? Why was Dutra fined $750,000 by the EPA for dumping in a marine sanctuary? Why has it had dozens of permit violations, which led Marin County Judge John Sutro to demand that Dutra “stop running rough-shod over their neighbors”?</p><p>The details of all this can be gleaned from the Marin Independent Journal and other Web sites. Do the supporters of Dutra live in denial of these facts, or do they have hidden agendas not mentioned?</p><p>The truth is that Dutra has run its business in an irresponsible manner and making asphalt does release many toxins, which it is unlikely, given its past record, to conscientiously contain. We Petalumans are very grateful to Supervisors Shirlee Zane, Valerie Brown and Efren Carrillo for seeing through the corporate hype and speaking out against this project.</p><p>MARY EDITH MOORE<QR></p><p><MC>Petaluma<QR></p><p><EL6><IP0><HRCUTOFF,72,0.3,0,0><EL-4><IP9><QC></p><h3>A wallet returned<EL-2></h3> <p><MC>EDITOR: Often, and especially in this economy, good news is hard to come by. Sometimes, you walk around Santa Rosa and wonder if anyone cares about their fellow citizen. Then “Mason” happens.</p><p>One day recently, my bell rang, and I answered the door. Standing in front of me was a stranger wearing a baseball cap and a warm smile. In his hand was my lost wallet. Mason graciously handed it to me and said he found it near the Sonoma County Library. He was kind, gracious and had gone to great lengths to return my wallet to me, right to my front door. He decided to drive my wallet to my house because he couldn’t find a phone number to call me.</p><p>I gave him a hug, thanked him for his trouble and for being such an incredible citizen. He humbly said, “I live near here anyway.” He left, and I only knew his first name. Without thinking, I didn’t invite him in or offer a reward for his help. In a flash, he was gone and I felt inadequate in my thanks. I hope he’ll drive by my house again and receive a more deserving thank you.</p><p>LISA ORMOND<QR></p><p><MC>Santa Rosa<QR></p>