Letters for November 13, 2014

Praying for sanity

Re “Grand old partytime” (Newslines, by Ken Smith, Nov. 6):

I am neither a Christian nor a conservative. I’d assume that I am one of the depraved people that you pray against. Now it’s your turn. I think that you and your rich friends are evil sociopaths. I believe that the people who vote for your kind, if they aren’t rich, are hateful idiots.

My prayer is that someday this country will be restored to sanity.

Rod Caudill
Chico

‘Spare the trees’

Re “Devouring trees and doughnuts” (Newslines, by Tom Gascoyne, Nov. 6):

I’m still upset about Chico allowing removal of 23 Yarwood sycamores on Mission Ranch Boulevard.

The trees occasionally drop limbs up to about 2 inches. In approximately 10 locations the sidewalk is raised by the trees’ roots, and some residents have tripped.

Instead, fix the sidewalks short term, develop a proper pruning program to reduce limb drop, and then a long-term replacement plan for the sidewalks and curbing that values the trees. Focus on maintaining their health. Relocate sidewalks to minimize excavation into the root area and avoid soil compaction.

Sidewalks can be dramatically improved. Reroute them away from the trees, and reconstruct with brick, pavers, asphalt, poured-in-place rubber, plastic panels or polymer-bonded aggregate. Structurally: Root-bridging, or steel plates (used in Sunnyvale), can be used. Other cities have used these methods.

This will work; locals with over 70 total years experience with tree maintenance know. The council can spare the trees. A solution can be developed and funded. Grant funds are more available. By taking advantage of the space available in the overwide street, a long-term, safe, sustainable and aesthetic solution can be designed and built.

Roger Cole
Forest Ranch

A candidate’s take

Running for Chico City Council was an intense challenge. Most of the process was exciting and positive, although other times were a bit rough and tumble. Nevertheless, I truly enjoyed meeting the many dedicated people who work every day to make Chico a better place.

I am humbled by the many hours volunteered by Team Lupe. And, although I did not win, I appreciate each and every vote that went my way, all the tough questions, the words of encouragement, the financial support, and the hospitality of friends and family who believe in me. A special thank you to my husband, Daniel, who never complained, and my three children, Antonio, Alejandro, and my very engaged 12-year-old daughter, Lucinda.

The city of Chico is at a crossroads, shifting from an economic downturn to a gradual recovery. Now is the time to make our community stronger and our beautiful Chico even better than before the recession.

Congratulations to Andrew Coolidge, Mark Sorensen and Reanette Fillmer for being the people’s choice in this midterm election. I wish them well and am confident that the seven council members will work together productively for the benefit of our wonderful city and residents.

Lupe Arim-Law
Chico

Bird-lover’s bite

I consider myself reasonably informed of current events and I try to keep updated on political dealings both locally and nationally. Yet, as I’d assume most of the nation is, I’m not as apprised as I should be on candidates and propositions during election time. Prior to going to the polls, I went online to the Chico News & Review for its recommendations and endorsements, printed them out, and brought them to the polls. What I did was vote in the exact opposite direction of your recommendations.

Now, after the votes have been counted, it turns out your winning endorsement ratio is lower than Madison Bumgarner’s postseason ERA. Interesting enough, I went to your website yesterday and didn’t find anything about the results or a record of your endorsements—strange. So, thank you, News & Review, for helping me make informed, knowledgeable and sensible decisions when it matters most. I’ll continue to line my bird’s cage with your newspaper.

John Neal
Chico

Editor’s note: Mr. Neal went to our website on Wednesday, the day before the CN&R—a weekly paper that’s published every Thursday—hit the stands with a story about the results of the election.

Two for Ms. Quammen

Re “Let’s admit the problem” (Letters by Sherri Quammen, Nov. 6):

Sherri Quammen describes men as violent builders of power plants and agents of war. I’ve worked on power plants; men believe they are there to make a living for their families and provide electricity for men, women and children. Men always go to war for a supposedly “just cause,” supported by an equal number of men and women—initially 90 percent of the population (see Hillary Clinton’s Iraq War vote.)

I agree that humans are in deep trouble. We are destroying life on the planet—it doesn’t get any more dire. But, on a day-to-day basis, most of our power lies in the area of consumption. This means thinking through the implications of our purchases. Don’t like power plants? Use much less electricity. Don’t like oil wars? Reduce reliance on planes and automobiles. Hate the brutality and environmental impact associated with animal products? Stop buying animal products. The list is long.

I agree that sweeping changes are needed in our culture and morality. But, I don’t think that men will be persuaded by the argument that they are inherently flawed—or that one gender can make these changes while the other points a finger and waits.

Patrick Newman
Chico

Timorous Earthlings! Do not be so astonished by the bundle of contradictions you live by on the hallowed ground of your ancestors! We have watched you ignore the warnings of Chief Seattle, Misters King and Muir, Charlie Chan’s fortune cookie irony, Woody Guthrie and George Carlin’s scare-casm in your Northern Hemisphere and some other form of Buddha everywhere else. If we were to flying-saucer road-test your failed actions toward each other, look no further than what happens when you get behind the wheel of one of your land ships! Airspace denied!

Ye creatures born of a woman—have ye forgotten to honor the homeland whence your life owes its very existence to or are you just hatchling sea turtles risking it all to return the sea after mom dropped you off at the beach weeks ago? Party like you mean it all the way to the water!

Out of self-preservation, we keep our distance from this gimbaled Planet Opera. We are your conscience. We will be around longer than you will.

Rick Vagts
Planet Chico

That’s not eco-friendly

Re “Welcome to Farm City” (Eco-event, Nov. 6):

Why is the Harvest Festival considered by the CN&R to be an “Eco-Event”? While I appreciate sustainable, organic farms, most conventional farms are anything but. Not only do conventional/factory farms use nearly 80 percent of California’s water supply each year, their overuse of pesticides and fertilizers poison our remaining groundwater reserves. Why? Because most conventional farmers practice the more cost-effective mono-cropping, severely depleting soils of important nutrients.

Their wide use of genetically engineered seeds has also become a major environmental and health problem. These GMO seeds were said to be more ecologically friendly because they’d require less herbicides and pesticides, yet Food & Water Watch found that the “total volume of the glyphosate applied to the three biggest GE crops (corn, cotton and soybeans) increased 10-fold from 15 million pounds in 1996 to 159 million pounds in 2012.” Farmers Feed America?! Conventional/factory farmers are literally poisoning Americans with toxic, nutrient-deficient foods.

If conventional farming negatively affects our water, soil and health, how can it, in any way, be considered eco-friendly?

Sherri Quammen
Chico

‘Ebola’s a gift’

Re “Nurses decry Ebola risk” (The Pulse, Nov. 6):

In 1950 the global population was 2.5 billion. It’s now 7 billion and projected to reach 11 billion by 2099. This expansion will cause environmental destruction, freeway congestion, water shortages, skyrocketing costs of living, and undermining of our language, culture and quality of life.

However, this assumes no other catastrophe occurs before 2060. America’s currently on course for groundwater exhaustion by 2030. Without water, widespread panic, migration and starvation would occur.

Accordingly, Ebola’s a gift. Allowing the disease to naturally prune the population now would spare us the agony of having to kill each other for food, water, housing and medical care in the future. Just as with every other plague mankind’s endured, the strongest and fittest would survive. These survivors could then determine the Earth’s optimum population size and execute a comprehensive plan for maintaining it.

Nathan Esplanade
Corning

Parents speak out

Re “A fatal call” (Newslines, by Ken Smith, Oct. 9):

Regarding the Butte County District Attorney’s investigative report on the fatal shooting of Victor Coleman by the Oroville police, we would like to point out that a lot of the information that substantiates this report is missing. The information possessed by the family leads to a considerably different conclusion than that presented by the district attorney.

We, as the family, deserve to have all the facts in order to understand this brutal killing. We have formally asked for all the investigative reports, but DA Ramsey has not responded. The medical examiner and the Butte County Sheriff’s Office have been forthcoming by providing copies of the autopsy and the recorded dispatch phone calls in which they were involved. We do appreciate that. However, this family is still seeking the truth.

Hershel and Laura Coleman
Bartlett, Tenn.