LETTERS from Gazette Readers - April 2020

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Census 2020

How about informing folks that the census will not be available for 72 years from 2020 so their information is protected? That’s the law that has been ineffective and the 1940s is the last census that has been released to the public. Christie Trapp

Senior Hours in Grocery Stores

This is a good thing these stores are doing. I would also like to ask people to be respectful of the employees and customers at the grocery stores. Please honor the social distancing in and outside the stores and to remain calm. My son in law works at one of the above stores and when he has unlocked the doors he has been rushed and slammed into. Not necessary or safe. Shannon Oliver

Please see our GUIDE for Seniors in the back pages of this issue and ONLINE @ sonomacountygazette.com. And let us know if we are missing anything We can update the online edition at any time. ~Vesta

Iolero Ordinance

We need this ordinance! Public attention may be sidetracked at the moment but let’s not allow corona to divert us from demanding the rights and protections we need and deserve - this applies equally to climate regulation and police oversight. For me, placing the focus on something positive that we can do - particularly at the local level - alleviates fear. So, may I suggest two things to do today: write to your supervisor and then get out into nature for a while. Happy St. Paddy’s! Kathleen Finigan

Sebastopol Documentary Film Festival

Gazette is Wonderful

After living in Sonoma County for 18 years, we just discovered the Gazette. We love it so much already. How it escaped our attention until now I do not know. Thank you so much for publishing this very worthwhile community newspaper. Eve Goldberg & Linda Evans, Santa Rosa

I really appreciate your informative and unbiased reporting. Just have to tell you in this age of slanted news that the Gazette is a breath of fresh and fact-filled air. Thank you for being an important part of this community. Kudos. Darcie McNally

VOTE!

I’m a big-time fan and admirer of Bernie Sanders and have been for 30+ years. I believe in the same political and social values he espouses, and I’ve actively engaged in promoting those progressive ideals. But I say to Bernie supporters who promote not voting in the election if Sanders doesn’t win the Primary or not voting for Biden if he does … it is foolish, selfish and even worse, dangerous.

The danger is Trump, as Bernie has repeatedly said; no need for a litany of examples. Any Bernie bro or sister knows it well. And that being the undeniable case, the overriding objective of this election is to get rid of Trump. That’s it.

Those of us that see this clearly must focus on ridding the country of the worst, by leagues, President in U.S. history. If one had to find the polar opposite of Lincoln it’s that current bizarre, and in my view dangerous, person.

So, the focus must be the ouster of Trump. If, through the Primaries, Democrats agree on Biden, political ego must be put aside and for the sake of our country and keeping a democratic form of government. Sad to say it’s come to that and we must actintelligently. Will Shonbrun, Boyes Springs

Santa Rosa cell phone towers

When will the Santa Rosa city council come up with an ordinance for cell phone towers? Heck, it's not even that much work to cook up an ordinance, just use/modify the ordinances from Mill Valley, or San Anselmo, or Santa Cruz, etc. Those cities now have some control over where cell towers are placed, and how close to vulnerable populations they can be.

I don't think it's any secret that kids nervous systems are not fully developed till their 20's, so why would you want to place a tower right next to a school? How about neighborhoods in general?

I wouldn't want to be the homeowner who wakes up to an antenna on the pole outside their house, which I've heard slashes an average of 10% off the value of that house. That's a pretty penny in these parts.

I suppose the progress show must go on, but why not limit new towers/antennas to commercial/industrial areas? We need setbacks from schools and neighborhoods. Can it be that hard to craft/copy an ordinance before this town is overrun with tech that has questionable long term biological effects found in thousands of studies?

I sincerely hope 2020 is the year we own the airwaves instead of the airwaves owning us.

Tom Thedoor

Protectors of the Sonoma Coast.

One solution, as mentioned is to close the public beaches. In addition to the reasons stated previously, please…

• Consider the volunteer first responders_ they, too, need personal protective equipment, and will be called upon to service the sudden influx of large groups of people frequenting the Sonoma Coast beaches. The first responders will be asked to provide medical assistance, water rescues, traffic control, helicopter landing assistance, etc. If the coastal visitors took their walks close to home, they would have a quick trip to the emergency room if they needed assistance. At the coast, their injury or medical need will require many volunteers to leave the safety of their homes and address the emergency of the visitors from inland.

• Consider the State Parks staff who will be exposed to the coronavirus from the crowds of people at the beaches. The public bathrooms will require more sanitizing and more supplies of paper products. Please do not encourage the safety of the Parks staff be jeopardized.

• Consider the small grocery stores along the coast that supply the local residents with food. The large number of tourists will deplete these supplies and then they have the luxury to return home and visit their large supply of grocery stores. There will be an imbalance created when tourists prefer to walk the beaches.

• Consider the supply of the coastal gas stations will be taxed, both gas and their small grocery items. Also, the spread of the virus will increase as each visitor touches the gas pump nozzles.

• The list goes on….. Please consider another concern. If the county closes the public beaches (and they should consider this), the public will still want to come to the beaches and will climb down cliffs to access the beaches. This creates a new set of problems for first responders. The coastal area is fragile and it is hazardous if one climbs down steep paths. The highway patrol and sheriff’s office should consider patrolling highway one and not allow people to leave their vehicles and park along the highway for longer than ten minutes.

The Board of Supervisors must open their eyes to the needs of the coastal residents. Please know that the coastal residents must travel 45 minutes to get food, medicine and see their doctors. They do not have many hospitals or grocery stores within a few minutes from their homes. Imagine if an announcement on the radio said that the best place to walk and hang out is on the street of each of the Board of Supervisors. What if people were told that the Supervisors were giving gift certificates at their front door for all who knocked. Perhaps that will give each of you an idea of what happens when you face an imbalance in your neighborhood that is not set up to deal with it.

This is not a “Not in my backyard” statement. It is using common sense during a crisis. Please know that the order to stay at home does not suggest you can drive 20 – 30 minutes and create an imbalance and threat to another area that is obeying the law and is staying at home. I am a former volunteer EMT and firefighter, and I know of the many types of emergencies that our coastal area faces during normal times. We are not experiencing normal times.

Please do not stress our volunteers and our limited resources unnecessarily. Please think before you make announcements. We are truly all in this together.

Respectfully Yours and Please Be Well, Sharon Chang

PEACE PRESS Due to the COVID-19 outbreak we have suspended the printing and distributing of the Peace Press . . . . . for now.

We'll be back to normal as soon as safely possible. Until then we are publishing on line only.

You can see the April/May issue as of April 1 (we hope) by going to pjcsoco.org/peace-press.html or better yet, sign up for the e-calendar and get the Peace Press and more by going to pjcsoco.org/e-newsletter-sign-up.html. We will be back on the streets soon. yours in peace though justice -

~ Rebel

Empty racks.

In early February and again in March your rack at Lucky's Center on Lakeville at Caulfield was unstocked.

On March 5 the rack at the U.S.Post Office on Sebastopol Rd and Lombardi Ct, unstocked.

I especially look forward to the March issue with the Gardener's Guide and will continue to seek it at other locations. But, what is going on here? Have the new owners merged distribution with their other publications?

As a 40 year resident of Sonoma County I watched you grow the Gazette into the kind of grass roots all inclusive publication that reflects the regional culture. Bravo! As a geezer myself I quite understand your decision at age 70 to sell and retire. But I must confess I was deeply saddened because I have no faith in the intentions of the buyer.

The newspaper business used to be predicated on "all the news that's fit to print" and "afflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted". Now, it seems, every owner has an agenda, news is slanted and news inconsistent is not reported. In other words: PROPAGANDA. I have the feeling I will shed more than a few tears over what The Gazette will become and the loss of what it was.

Successful enterprises are usually driven by the relentless pursuit of a vision and striving for excellence. Unfortunately, when the reins are handed over to corporate buy outs, the vision and the striving devolve.

More than I intended to write. Thank you for the good work you have done. I wish you a peaceful and healthy retirement. I call myself "a messenger immortal" because I have been slain so many times in the "kill the messenger game" I have achieved immortality and I take comfort knowing that when I pass there will be another to take my place.

Albert Bruin, Petaluma

By now you have probably picked up a copy of the MARCH edition of the Gazette. It was distributed Wednesday the 4th and Thursday the 5th. If you either go online - or look at the red box on the left top of page 4, you will see our distribution dates. We PRINT on a Tuesday and DELIVER on a Wednesday and Thursday. It takes two days for our crew to cover the entire county.

It’s possible the rack at Roseland Post Office was not stocked YET when you came by because Tim has that route and he also delivers the Community Voice, which comes out on Thursdays. That’s a very long day for him so he tends to get racks filled at night. Lucky’s on Lakeville was stocked Thursday the 5th - that's Phil’s route, and this month he started with the coast and then did Petaluma on Thursday instead if his usual Wednesday. That actually works for Petaluma since a few of his stops aren’t open on Wednesday.

We LOVE empty racks at the end of a cycle. It means people are READING the Gazette. If all goes well, by the third week of any month, our racks are as empty as they can be.

And I LOVE that you are a loyal reader. SMI's intent is to carry on what I have accomplished. They would not have purchased it if they thought they couldn’t do that. Yes, it will continue to be written by people in the community, so finding my successor will be very dependent upon someone who knows the community well enough to inspire people to write. SMI is making progress and there will be a transition as we overlap enough to make this successful.

Out mutual intent is to carry on and keep the spirit and content of the Gazette alive and well moving into the future. It’s true that our editorial is more BUILDING community than tearing apart the flaws we can always find. We leave that to others. But we do like people to be aware of what they need to be getting involved with to make this community thrive. Thanks for caring enough to write to me!!!!~ Vesta

Vacation Rentals during Coronavirus

It was brought to my attention that Supervisor Lynda Hopkins recently posted on her Facebook post below that "vacation rentals for tourism is a violation of local and state shelter-in-place orders. I repeat: vacation rentals ARE NOT deemed and essential business. They ARE NOT exempt from local and state orders. They must close."

Several asked about the difference between vacation rentals and hotels .. "she said that hotels are only allowed to remain open to host homeless, those needing to be quarantined, or emergency personnel" …which seems to be the parameters for hosted rentals and vacation rentals also.

Interesting how she tags on "the lower Russian River and Coast were overwhelmed by visitors today, many from out of the area." Ours son was out on the coast today with his uncle with a metal detector, and I was at Home Depot today and people were buying plants and appliances and gardening tools - I've never seen it as busy expect for Black Friday. I also was at Howarth Park yesterday walking around, and it was as full as ever. Are these people all "visitors"?

Bet you most are locals enjoying the outdoors so they can avoid being indoors.

~ Sonoma County Coalition of Hosts

Take Care of Nature Too


In this time of reflection, it can be good to think of what nature goes through all the time and how it affects humans directly.

Pollinators such as butterflies, native bees, honeybees, and hundreds of other insects and birds are responsible for pollinating one third of all the food that we humans eat. Without them spreading pollen from plant to plant, our vegetables and fruits cannot grow. Yet we persist in clearing land, creating agricultural monocultures, using pesticides, wiping out native plants that we think are not pretty. Pollinators must have natural habitats to survive and they have decreased dramatically because of what we humans do.

It is easy to plant wildflowers or flowering perennial plants for the nectar that insects need. They go well with garden vegetables. Everyone can do this. Plant, and they will come. Just having a few pots of flowering plants on a deck or patio helps. And every bit helps. No pesticides and use organic soil, naturally.

Friedman’s is open (stand in line to enter as of now) and Fox Farm is a good healthy brand of soil, amendments, and fertilizers. Pass by the ones with chemicals.

If you are interested in a pollinator plant list, check on the computer for Xerces Society, resources, pollinator conservation, click on California on the map, then Pollinator Plants: California under Plant Lists. It is a great list with photos of the plants. Happy planting!

~ Bonnie Brown Sonoma

I TAKE ISSUES WITH YOUR TISSUES!

I've seen them and by them I mean it's not just one person, one instance nor one location...it's happening all over town as if it's it's own pandemic.

Morons who don't dare get closer than five feet from a garbage can who simply toss their mucus laden tissues somewhere in the direction (or same county) of the proper receptacle. You aren't being smart, you aren't being clever you are simply being lazy so KNOCK IT OFF as someone (Me moist likely!) else is going to have to pick it up for you!

I think I've seen enough of this behavior with people and their dog poop bags who simply set them atop as if divine intervention is going to make them disappear C'MON PEOPLE you are smarter than this! Sadly we only act when we feel our wallets getting hit, I truly am looking forward to the day (if it ever happens) when such instances reap heavy heavy fines!

Maestro Marcos Emiliano Zapatero