OK, to all of the liberal environmentalists who are making all of the farmers’ lives miserable (Nancy Pelosi), this is for you.

A person puts on a hazardous material suit, then goes and sprays some apples. Some chemicals go into the air, compromising breathing. Some chemicals go into the ground. Water can be polluted.

Where Walmart is really needed is along the Highway 99 corridor along with other commercial entities. Bakersfield, Madera, Merced and Tulare have travel centers — shopping centers right off the highway. Fresno could really use a Walmart or Target on Highway 99 that brings tax money with tourists and those needing a break from driving.

In 2008, 89,876 cats and dogs were taken in by local animal shelters. More than 65% of these animals were euthanized — 35% were purebred and owned less than a year. The Bee is full of ads for puppies, backyard breeders advertise on the Internet list as easily as advertising a garage sale.

This country’s founders bestowed upon its citizens many processes of democracy one of which being the initiative. Today, in all but eight states, we can express our legal desires by use of a petition, thereby bypassing legislators’ input, disapproval or alteration of the public’s expressed wishes. Until now. The legislators are reaching out to meddle with this right.

Did we all miss something when we heard President Obama take the presidential oath? According to Bill Regonini, we did [letter June 25].

The word “politician” is derived from the word “politics,” which is derived from the Greek word “poli” which means “many,” and “tics,” which means “blood-sucking parasites.” Any questions?

This morning’s front page [June 26] was about the water issue. As I sit here, I am watching the water that has been on since 12:15 a.m., running down the road from the sprinklers in the median at Shields, between Fowler and Clovis avenues. I called the emergency line at 6:20 a.m. (water now running six hours). Now at 11:30 a.m., the water is still running! If it was my water running like that, I would get a big fat water ticket. Where is Fresno saving water?

In response to Elaine McCullough [letter June 29], I must say the following about health care: Europeans do not pay less than Americans. They pay 20% to 40% in taxes, regardless of their incomes or illnesses, forcing healthy individuals to pay for the unhealthy ones.

Let’s try to look at the new digital television “problem” from an optimistic viewpoint. I, too, have experienced the “problem” of not being able to watch a show without either losing quality in the picture or losing the channel all together. However, I think I will use this opportunity of bad quality TV to do something I haven’t done in quite awhile — that is, hit the off button on my remote.

On June 25, three-time Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Thomas Friedman graced Fresno with a brilliant lecture on how our great country can “get its groove back.” What Friedman means by “groove” is America’s ability throughout history to lead the world in innovation and science.

In this day of budget cuts, layoffs, furloughs and other cost-cutting measures, District Attorney Elizabeth Egan’s office is going to spend time and money prosecuting a vehicle “keying” incident” involving an estranged couple?

It is not that it will be an eyesore — it will be. It is not that it brings unnecessary distractions to the visitor’s experience — it does.

I would like to thank the Fresno community for the opportunity to create a positive and hopefully long-lasting impact on the lives of the children in Central Unified School District. During four years, we have worked side by side engendering hope in one another for a brighter future. How fast four years have gone by.

It’s truly pathetic when people [letters June 29] say I’m “extorting” and “bribing” our city to use a public venue [story June 26] that benefits the city, and the offer is public as well.

This may seem like a frivolous subject, but is there a graveyard for wire hangers? I know we can’t send them to Joan Crawford’s grave, and most people prefer the plastic type, but they are procreating in my closet.

Why are all these people breaking the law and talking on the phone while driving? I bought an expensive contraption to follow the rules so I can communicate while driving and observe the law. I find it unfair that these people are getting away with it.

Re the June 28 article pertaining to changes in The Bee’s format: We support whatever measures are needed to ensure the paper’s existence. Newspapers represent a way of life that is very important to many of us. I think that if you polled your readership, most would support additional price hikes if necessary.

I am responding to your editorial on state finances June 23. Especially in these times, it’s most important that we don’t cut needed education funding in order to graduate good citizen workers.

Your story “Geothermal work fuels quakes” June 29 reminded me of the first earthquake I ever experienced.

This Independence Day marks 43 years since the landmark Freedom of Information Act became federal law. Recently the League of Women Voters of Fresno participated in a national effort by the U.S. League of Women Voters to determine whether local agencies acknowledge the right of the public to readily access government records upon request, and thus to hold government accountable.

It was good news when our new mayor, backed by the City Council, said “no” to cage fighting at Woodward Park.

I was moved by Oscar Williams’ Valley Voices column June 29 regarding his lack of paternal identity due to his late father’s unwillingness to connect with him during his lifetime.

It must have been a rogue deputy who filed felony charges against the wife of a Fresno policeman over a two-inch paint scratch [story June 26]. She was a legal owner of the pickup she damaged and offered $1,000 for repairs, which seems more than fair.

The public option of health insurance would save our economy billions of dollars and make American business more competitive internationally. We need to improve patient outcomes and reduce costs, and by all measures a public plan will do just that.

In response to “Stand for the oppressed” by cheerleader of the Israel-first crowd Stuart Weil [letter June 27], the Islamic Cultural Center of Fresno has indeed taken a stand against the recent acts of violence and oppression by the Iranian government.

Memories of Vacation Bible School were inspired by Susan Turner’s letter June 28.

In his letter June 27, Charles Lockhart misses the point completely. He writes “… if all the people complaining about motorcycle noise had a dollar for every time the sound of a motorcycle ‘disrupted their daily activity,’ they couldn’t buy a cup of coffee.”

I have an idea what to do with the west side of the Valley. Since environmentalists and the liberal Legislature want to put fish before man, let’s turn the west side into a national monument.

Re “Board wants Calif. autos to be cooler” [story June 26]: Has the Air Board gone completely mad? They are mandating sun-reflecting glass in all cars by 2014.

Superman, we need your help. Stop running around looking for a phone booth, you won’t find one, and besides, the secret is out, we know about Clark Kent.

Prior to retirement, I had good private insurance, which my employer provided as part of my overall pay package. Once I retired, however, I was forced to take Medi-Care as my primary insurance, while my insurance was dropped into a secondary position.

In regard to the letter [June 25] about parents at Bullard High School unhappy with the failing law magnet program because of allowing students outside the attendance area into the program couldn’t be further from the truth. The problem with the law magnet program has to do with standards. We need to retain only students interested in law and who maintain their grades to a “magnet” standard.

I would like to commend The Bee for a job well done on the Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett coverage. He was a musical icon with problems. She was my son’s teenage crush, and that poster hung on his bedroom wall. I took my daughter to a Jackson Five concert when she was 9. We still talk about what a good time we had.

“Right-to-life” activist Roberta Genini’s recent letter (“Blood on our hands” June 26) uses historical examples to disassociate the movement she supports from George Tiller’s murder.

Cheers to Bill McEwen for pointing out the hypocrisy of San Francisco regarding Hetch Hetchy [column June 25].

“Value is adjusted … not by any accurate measure, but by the higgling and bargaining of the market, according to that sort of rough equality which, though not exact, is sufficient for carrying on the business of common life.” — Adam Smith The drought has brought many shrill voices to the public forum. Some cry for west-side farmers, left cropless. Some cry for farmworkers, left jobless. Some cry for their lawns. Some decry the meddling of “environmentalists” in state water politics.

Congratulations to Assembly Member Juan Arambula for changing his registration from Democrat to independent (“decline to state”). He joins me and a growing number of voters who register as independents, being unable to identify with either the Republic or Democratic parties.

Sometimes small pleasures are the best pleasures. I was cycling home recently on the Alluvial Avenue bicycle lane when I encountered a red light at Maple. Since there were no cars going my way, I prepared to schlep my bike over to the signal pole and punch the walk button. Then — voila! — the light turned green. Offering up a little prayer of thanks to the gods of traffic engineering, I peddled happily on my way.

On June 20, I attended a reception for artist Kathy Gillis at the Circle Gallery in Madera for the first of the series, “Focus on Art.” Ms. Gillis was showing water colors and oils of landscapes and still life, as well as one marvelous abstract. The rest of the gallery had fiber art, oils and water colors, pastels, pottery and sculpture by various local artists, as well as outstanding photography and one display case of hand-made jewelry.

According to U.S. statistics, women are less likely to have extramarital affairs. Some of the reasons are obvious: Women are the main caregivers for family, therefore have “more to lose” through the courts; women make less sustainable income and risk financial ruin; women seem to take marriage vows more seriously; or just maybe women have not had the public “eye” upon them as long.

I don’t think an overhaul of the health care system in the U.S. as proposed by our president is completely necessary. A “true” assigned risk plan could be solved like those in the auto and home insurance markets.

Our government has totally lost touch with the people. The state Legislature and governor are now threatening to close the state parks.

I often drive by the newly "under construction" Todd Beamer Park and continue to see considerable vandalism and graffiti. The good citizens in the Copper Hills neighborhood need to step up and take measures to catch these perpetrators who obviously have total disregard for the law.

As long as there are attempts to clean up Granite Park's problems, this is the perfect time to get rid of the hammer and sickle emblem atop the Red steak house. The hammer and sickle represents the worst of the worst in world history.

Letter writer Berl Jay Hubbell [June 24] falls into the trap of many individuals who have opinions on California's water crisis, but not the facts.

I am so glad to see one politician, Assembly Member Juan Arambula, with the good sense to leave both the corrupt Democratic and Republican parties to register as an independent.

Much of the coverage of the Gov. Mark Sanford affair has billed his admission of an extra-marital relationship as "shocking" and "startling." If only it were so. I am now utterly incapable of being shocked by such; disappointed, yes. Startled or shocked, no.

Once again, Assemblyman Juan Arambula has demonstrated true leadership in refusing to sacrifice his core beliefs in the game of politics.