Opinion

Dear PG&E.

I am writing to state disappointment with the SC City Council for approving the massive Tesla-only charging station in Kings Village Shopping Center. Scotts Valley has exactly one other EV charge station which is at the Walgreens also in Kings Village. That one is rarely used because it is not a common brand and most people with EV cars do not have accounts with that company. There are many non-Tesla EV's driving around Scotts Valley and SLV. I see them all the time. To approve so much space for Tesla-only charging is disgraceful. They should have required that each charge station support any EV. If that is not technologically possible they should have required one conventional Level-2 charge station for every one or two Tesla chargers. I suggest replacing some of the dozen or so that were installed with chargers that can be used by a wider variety of consumers. Teslas can use convention charge stations, but non--Tesla EVs can NOT use these Tesla chargers. Did anyone in the planning department even look into the overall E=V charging situation in Scotts Valley before approving these? It seems not.

I found Pastor PJ Davis's column ("Time to Gather") in the May 22, 2020 edition of the Press Banner somewhat disconcerting and misleading.  While I understand the frustration that Pastor Davis and his congregation must be feeling, Pastor Davis seems to imply churches are being unfairly discriminated against, and I see no evidence of that.  In fact, this issue has already been litigated, and multiple judges have disagreed with Pastor Davis's assessment.  US District Judge Jesus G. Bernal wrote, 

     Massive slaughterhouse closures are driving U.S. consumers to plant-based meat products, as sick workers pay the price.

My name is Ella Nielsen, 7th grade student at Kirby School, writing to address global warming, and how it affects us. 84 percent of the USA’s greenhouse gases are created through the production of energy, and 40% of that energy is used to make electricity. The building up of the greenhouse gases created through this process can affect the climate, and result in global warming. This can affect sea level, the severity and frequency of natural disasters, as well as harm life on this planet. Additionally, climate change can cause a huge increase in expenses. For example, the amount people spend on heating and cooling could increase by 10 percent. The EPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency) predicts that with a “6.3 to 9°F temperature increase, climate change could increase the need for additional electric generating capacity by roughly 10-20% by 2050. [Which could] require hundreds of billions of dollars in additional investment.” Most of our energy comes from coal, petroleum, and natural gases, all of which have a negative effect on the environment. Even though over the last 14 years the usage of coal has gone down by 50%, natural gases have mostly made up for that loss, by increasing their production by 200% while Renewable resources still account for only around 17.5% of the US’s energy.

Do you need Personal Protective Equipment for protection from Coronavirus? Are you making masks, face shields or other protective equipment? Get what you need, or share what you make with those who need it. Visit our local Coordination Hubs for personal protective gear.

I'm not sure why epidemiologists decided to use the phrase "social distancing" to refer to "the conscious effort to

The Corona Virus will go pandemic. Not maybe but will. The U.S. has around 30 million people over 60-69 years of age. Mortality so far is 3.6% for this group. That means over 1 million Americans in this group would be expected to die. In the 50-59 group we can expect over 500,000 deaths. For those older the numbers are much worse. Hospitals will be overwhelmed. The economy at minimum goes into recession and possibly a depression. We should have hand cleaners required at every public entrance. Masks and gloves should be manufactured in the 10's of millions and mailed to every home address to use in public when around others. Test kits should be developed in the millions. Drug companies should be subsided to develop a free vaccine. Congress spends 700 billion on military "defense." How about spending some real money on some a real defense of this country? Please call your local representative and voice your concern. This is the most serious immediate problem we face.

We support Measure S for our local schools! The Valley Women’s Club is a long-standing civic organization based in the SLV with goals of community action, awareness and leadership in environmental, educational, social, and political concerns that affect the health and welfare of the San Lorenzo Valley and our community.

 I am writing to express my full support for Jack Gordon, who is running for Judge. My family and I are long time Watsonville residents, and have known Jack for many years. Personally, I have served with him on the Santa Cruz County Civil Service Commission. I have seen his intelligence, consideration and focused reasoning in different administrative and employment law matters. In each and every situation, Jack has brought his best effort to our Commission work, understanding and appreciating the impact our decisions have in people’s lives and in their workplace. He is an exceptional listener, compassionate, strong communicator and respectful colleague.  I am certain that Jack Gordon would be a terrific Judge, who would engage with fairness and dignity in his duties, and I urge you to support him with your vote. Go to www.jackgordonforjudge.com