Sunday’s Letters to the Editor

Bring back otters

EDITOR: Fabulous idea to reintroduce sea otters to the North Coast (“Talks slated on sea otter restoration,” June 17). Considering sea otters were almost wiped out by humans for their pelts. If it wasn’t for a federal ban on hunting otters enacted in 1911, we wouldn’t be discussing this at all. Reintroducing beavers to certain areas to manage water would be a good idea as well. It reminds me of an old mining bumper sticker: Earth first, the rest of the planets later.

Some humans believe that we have a right to do whatever we want to animals here on Earth. After all it’s written in the Bible, some say. Our greed and desires seem to supersede all animal rights. If it wasn’t for the “Save the Whales” movement most of them would be gone by now. Look at what’s happening to elephants and rhinoceros on this planet; very disheartening. It’s time to wake up and help protect, preserve, manage, cherish and enjoy all the beautiful animals we still have. Animal species extinction is forever.

KEN SOLBAKKEN

Santa Rosa

Honoring the indigent

EDITOR: After reading two recent articles (“County service to honor indigent,” June 10, and “Study: 25% fail to make ends meet,” June 14), I did not know whether to laugh or cry. In one article, we are told nearly 40 million Americans live in poverty. So we give them handouts — rebates on housing, food, health care, child care — rather than a minimum living wage to make up for their low wages and lack of dignity and respect.

The other article tells us that when poor people die, our county will see to their proper burial. The director of the Human Services Department’s adult and aging division said, “I think that everybody deserves an opportunity for dignity and respect in their last stages of life, and not to be forgotten.” The article goes on: “But each was a human being deserving of an appropriate final resting place — and public recognition of their lives.” Sentiments we can all agree upon.

What does this disparity say about us? It seems to say that we don’t care about indigent people until they die — and then we show them “dignity and respect” and “public recognition of their lives.” Are you laughing or crying?

GENE A. HOTTEL

Santa Rosa

The ‘real’ GOP

EDITOR: Jeff O’Brien’s pride rests in a party that no longer exists (“Celebrating Juneteenth,” Letters, Monday). The “party of Lincoln” opposed civil rights and voting rights legislation in the 1960s, and starting with Richard Nixon has used dog whistles to call to its racist members. And then there is Donald Trump, who is currently supported by 70% of the party even after the debacle at Charlottesville, Virginia. Are you proud of the real Republican Party? This party should go the way of the Whigs. It has nothing of value to offer this country today.

JANE PEARCE

Santa Rosa

Newsom’s veto

EDITOR: Gov. Gavin Newsom championed the seizure of large amounts of fentanyl by the CHP in San Francisco (“May worst month ever for fentanyl deaths in SF,” June 17). However, deaths from fentanyl overdoses continue to spiral upward. After losing my son to an opiate overdose, I am indignant at Newsom’s recent veto of the safe consumption site bill. The worsening mortality crisis demands much more than trying to arrest our way out of it.

There is only one way that Newsom can resuscitate my support. That would be if he actively promotes a similar bill, adding the improvements he claims the vetoed legislation needed. Otherwise, I will sadly assume that he put his political aspirations well ahead of those who have died, their loved ones and those who elected and supported him.

DR. WALT MAACK

Healdsburg

A Sunday feast

EDITOR: I wanted to thank you for including the Feast Favorites recipe book and the special section celebrating local Black business owners and community members on June 18. Thank you for working to increase positive visibility and representation of diversity in our community. Learning new recipes and techniques became a favorite hobby during the pandemic, and I was thrilled to see many recipes for favorite foods that I’ve never tried to make — gremolata, marinated mushrooms, country biscuits and gravy, tomatillo salsa and more — all in one collection. I can’t wait to try them out.

ALISON HARRIS

Sebastopol

Casino’s impacts

EDITOR: It’s hard to celebrate this great casino expansion without thinking about all the ripple effects that will come with it: worsening traffic on Highway 101, accelerated draining of the water table, pressure on local housing, greater impact on the environment due to dwindling natural land and eventual closing of casinos that are job providers farther north (“$1 billion expansion,” June 16). I hope The Press Democrat can cover some of those aspects and maybe eventually get those who will benefit hugely from the project (the Graton Rancheria tribe and Ghilottis) to kick back real things to Sonoma, not just mediocre-paying jobs.

SUSAN (KAREN) PARETO

Petaluma

You can send letters to the editor to letters@pressdemocrat.com.