Letters to the Editor
December 18, 2015
Opinion
A New Mayor, Vice Mayor,
and A Peach
To the Editor:
Let’s congratulate our new Mayor Martin Hernandez and Vice Mayor Jenny Crosswhite. Mr. Hernandez was rebuffed by a prior council; it’s his turn; let’s wish him well. The council wisely rejected Jim Tovias for Vice Mayor. Jenny Crosswhite is an excellent choice.
I supported the election of Jim Tovias when voters ousted most of a prior council following its attempt to force the excessive Fagan Canyon project upon us. But Tovias has been quietly lobbying to bring an air-polluting electric generating plant just downwind of Santa Paula, so it is time for Jim to go. The City of Oxnard has spent the last half century in unsuccessful efforts to rid themselves of such plants. And Edison has been demonstrating the quality of its citizenship by threatening to just walk away and leave their rusting hulks behind on the coast. Have you heard of any council member in any other city (anywhere) lobbying to bring such a peach their way?
Phil White, an engineer and former director of the Ventura County Air Pollution Control District, wrote in the Ventura Star on December 8 that this proposal should be stopped in it’s tracks. He writes: “These plants would be major new sources of oxides of nitrogen and particulates and would exacerbate Ventura County’s existing air pollution problem….The county’s air continues to exceed state and federal air-quality standards for ozone and particulates….This means that our air is unhealthy, especially for children and older people. We need reductions in emissions, not increases….Edison would love to kill the solar and wind industries and just keep building more fossil-fuel power plants. Let’s say no to Edison. Let’s say yes to cleaner air and reduced climate change.”
No one wants to live near such a plant, and this reduces property values. This is also a health and quality of life issue. Inland sites cause greater air quality problems; emissions become trapped between valley walls and are held down by a thermal inversion layer. This is the problem in the Los Angeles basin.
The issue is complicated in that a local corporation (Limoneira) stands to make more millions by leasing right-of-way to Edison, but this corporation has enough money and it’s long past time for our council to take a position. Council members are aware, but have taken no action on this looming disaster. Does anyone believe that any other council in the county would be silent if such a plant were headed toward their city?
Delton Lee Johnson
Santa Paula
Thank you
Vista Cove
To the Editor:
It came to a point when I could no longer adequately care for my mother at home and found myself needing to turn her care over to someone else. This was not an easy decision to make but one that I was forced to face just recently.
I found a place…it is called Vista Cove in Santa Paula. From the time I walked through the doors until this very moment I knew this was the place for mom. What a relief and now I would like to tell you why.
At this facility I have never seen such compassionate, kind, patient, helpful, understanding, professional group of people. From the professionalism of the office staff and the heart and grace of the aides, therapists, all the way down to the janitor. The food that comes out of the kitchen is made with caring loving hands. I see it on each tray my mother receives. I know what it takes to care for one person little lone a whole facility. I have experienced this for the past 8 years, the sadness, countless hours and duties that go into caring for a loved one. With this experience I have had I am sending this heartfelt thank you to all of you for your dedication and your compassion. We appreciate it so very much.
This is part of a poem that was written by Patricia Pack that I found which I send to all of you:
There must a heavenly crown for each giving soul,
Who cares for the sick and disabled, whether young or old.
A brilliant symbol that shines forth as vision of gold.
A fitting reward for each unspoken tale never told.
A bejeweled crown of sparkling rhinestones and pearls,
To be worn by deserving caregivers in all cultural worlds.
It’s high tine we needy take a heartfelt stand.
Show gratitude for each unselfish deed, and extended hand.
Their enduring presence is a testament of selfless will.
Their loving care can’t be equaled by any prescription pill.
A golden crown of diamond, rhinestones, rubies and pearls
To be worn by caregivers in all cultural worlds.
Vista Cove, thank you for being here for my mother and I.
Merry Christmas to all
Kim LaBrot and Janet Alley
Memories Last
A Long Time
To the Editor:
When I was a child my family lived in Ohio for a few years and there was snow at Christmas time. It did seem like holiday time. Dad’s company rigs hauled produce through some forest countryside and the drivers would ask if they could go on to a ranchers property to cut a couple or so firs he may want fallen any way. They would select some nice ones and haul them home for others. My parents would put one into a pail of sand, wet it some to stay green about two weeks before Christmas. On the day before the holiday mom would bake pies, wild cherry and apple from Aunt Minnie’s trees, black berries, from our creek side, and mincemeat. The turkey was in the oven by Christmas morn, roasting slowly full of stuffing. On the eve before we would all have a hot cocoa drink and us kids, me and three sisters, were to be in bed by 7:00 p.m. so Santa could have it quite and a rest while he drank a glass of wine and a slice of pie. Mom and dad got all the gifts out of the closet and under the tree as Ole Santa would place them. Next morning the joy was in the air early when we kids were told to open just one present until after breakfast of hotcakes and eggs and homemade cider. But one gift would be saved until after lunch, a fun plan. The dog got a gift and a treat too.
Next day we went to another aunt’s home, Miss Minnie, who treated us with a nice dinner and berry pie. In our cellar there were wooden kegs of Grandpa’s Dandy-Lion wine and Elderberry wine and Dad’s homebrew. Those were good times. I had good parents. We came back to California one August when dad said “Not another winter there”. Then sister number four was born in Ventura. We were settled in the Ojai area where dad bought a home. It is fond memories. I forgot to say, all the food was home grown. Ventura County is still my real home. I was born on the El Tejon Ranch, my dad was a Sheriff and cowboy on 200,000 acres and that many cows (200,000).
Ken Zimmet
Santa Paula
