Saturday's Letters to the Editor

<p class="bold allcaps">Zapped again</p> <p>EDITOR: From the figures quoted in your April 23 article, Zap borrowed $10 million and lost $10 million on sales of $4 million, yet its founders and secretary managed to “compensate” themselves more than $11 million (“Zap surrenders headquarters”).</p><p>With sales figures this dismal and self-indulgence run amok, one has to wonder how Zap will ever pay the settlement or its current investors. It's not surprising that Zap lost the suit and its assets. It sounds as if its Dubai investor is a bit better at math than Zap is . . . too bad for the ones who didn't figure this out early enough to stop the hemorrhaging.</p><p>And Gary Starr receives $3 million but hasn't been “directly involved”? These are some of the highest paid executives in the North Bay, but they aren't involved enough to figure out how to make a profit or when to throw in the towel?</p><p>“Ride the Future” is Zap's marketing slogan. Perhaps that's because it hasn't shown us anything past or present and hopes that P.T. Barnum was right. Pay heed, good people of Sonoma County and planet Earth. Lesson learned — don't get Zapped again.</p><p>ANGELA BARTHOLOMEW</p><p>Santa Rosa</p><h3>Pollution industry</h3> <p>EDITOR: The oil (pollution) industry, like the tobacco (death) industry, will never do the right thing until the top executives are given serious prison time, and extreme financial forfeiture, for their crimes against humanity and the environment. So the current Gulf Coast oil platform tragedy will soon become irrelevant.</p><p>Drill, baby, drill.</p><p>CLARK SWARTHOUT</p><p>Santa Rosa</p><h3>Jenner Headlands</h3> <p>EDITOR: My heart sings. Thanks to the Sonoma County Land Trust, the Wildland Conservancy (“Dozens gather to mark Jenner Headlands deal,” Sunday). Thank you to the sellers and the amazing donors from all over California and beyond who donated millions of dollars to preserve and open to the public an incredible experience. So many gorgeous views and stories of those who lived on the land for hundreds of years to rediscover. I live near Annadel State Park and have noticed in the past 10 years the increase in the number of people who gather or walk alone to enjoy the divine serenity and beauty of the land. Thank you, my Sonoma County community and those who celebrated on Saturday with food, wine and good music.</p><p>MARY SIMMONS</p><p>Kenwood</p><h3>Misplaced school</h3> <p>EDITOR: Your April 24 article “Not in my backyard” presents an and inaccurate picture of the school site issue in Windsor. The majority of homeowners near the proposed Jensen Lane Elementary School aren't against a school but are opposed to the selected site, for many reasons.</p><p>The U.S. Geological Survey shows a “very violent” shaking area of the Rodgers Creek fault at the school site. Is this a safe area for young children? </p><p>Vehicle access to this 700-student school would be at the end of Vinecrest Road, a narrow, two-lane road beginning at Hembree Lane and ending at a cul-de-sac on Vinecrest Circle. Hembree Lane is a two-lane, heavily traveled connector between Redwood Highway and Foothill Regional Park.</p><p>Five hundred parents would drop off and pick up children in an unsafe gridlock for several hours each day, and emergency vehicles could be prevented from access to the school. Changing the school entrance to Jensen Lane would significantly reduce the congestion, but Windsor has no plans or funds to connect the school to Jensen Lane.</p><p>This is a very important issue and deserves a more thorough evaluation.</p><p>JAMES MAVROGENIS</p><p>Windsor</p><h3>Palm Drive costs</h3> <p>EDITOR: Yet again, Palm Drive Hospital has failed to produce an executive capable of running this “miracle” hospital (“Palm Drive CEO pick withdrawn,” April 22). Is this the third or fourth try? How's our bailout parcel tax money doing so far?</p><p>Let's see, the hospital isn't out of bankruptcy yet, and the board has hired consultants at $100,000 each and a Tennessee firm to run the hospital at a cost of $250,000 a year, and it wants to pay another CEO $275,000 a year. Oh yes, and now it will float a $10 million bond to produce ongoing income.</p><p>I wonder what the costs were to get this bond on the table? Is the cookie jar of parcel tax money endless? With no sunset clause, must the balance of west county property owners live with this mandate for life?</p><p>ED MONROE</p><p>Forestville</p><h3>Voting for Fudge</h3> <p>EDITOR: I originally met and ran against Debora Fudge in the 1996 election. She beat me by 100-plus votes, deservingly so.</p><p>After the election, I was appointed to the Windsor Planning Commission. At this time, I stopped being her opponent and became her proponent. I've had the privilege of working with Fudge on many difficult public policy issues. During the most frustrating times in those battles, I've always been impressed with her ability to stay focused on the task at hand, set aside personal considerations and help lead her colleagues to the most sensible solutions.</p><p>It is precisely that combination of policy expertise and personal sensibility that I'm convinced will enable her to serve the public superbly as their supervisor.</p><p>Whether it's dealing with water, transit, economic or education issues in the coming years, I know her extensive background as a professional environmental and community planner, her 14 years in elective office and her strong academic credentials will serve all of us well in Sonoma County. Please join me in supporting Debora Fudge for supervisor. </p><p>KIMBERLY WALTON</p><p>Windsor</p><h3>Wal-Mart fan</h3> <p>EDITOR: Robert Eyler's Close to Home column (“Hidden costs in Wal-Mart plan,” Thursday) about the environmental impact report for the potential expansion of the Rohnert Park Wal-Mart store is very concerning.</p><p>Hidden costs are cited that relate to no extra city taxes, fewer jobs and potential closure of markets, less consumer choice for unique products and lack of support for neighborhood markets close to where people live.</p><p>The EIR and those who dissect it seem to have ignored the issue of the high cost of vegetables, fruit and meat in local markets, especially the high-end stores. Only the carbohydrates are cheap, and we all know they contribute to obesity.</p><p>Wal-Mart charges less for everything and has affordable fresh produce and meat. People can truly eat better for less. Some of us shop regularly at a Wal-Mart superstore in American Canyon and have a list of locations on traveling routes to fill up our coolers on the way home. What about serving the needs of the people?</p><p>SUSAN TUCKER</p><p>Windsor</p><h3>Taking a stand</h3> <p>EDITOR: Whatever Jamie Thistlethwaite said one way or the other regarding the death penalty, she must be commended for speaking out about her ethical standards. Many who run for elected positions avoid straight forward responses. She did not.</p><p>Thistlethwaite is the type of person I would like to see become a Superior Court judge.</p><p>LANNY KEYSTON</p><p>Sebastopol</p>