LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Don’t serve teens

The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence of Tulare County would like to thank the businesses that are participating in the “We Don’t Serve Teens” Campaign. The WDST campaign promotes education, responsibility and community involvement in order to reduce youth access to alcohol.

We sincerely thank the businesses that have been on board from the beginning of the WDST campaign (July 2010), approximately 200 businesses, most of them locally owned. To date, we have 643 businesses actively participating in the campaign. Participating businesses have posted decals within their establishment which read: “The Legal Drinking Age is 21: Thanks for not providing alcohol to teens” and/or “Please don’t provide alcohol to teens. It’s unsafe. It’s illegal. It’s irresponsible.”

We are also pleased to acknowledge several corporate businesses: 7-Eleven, WinCo, Rite Aid, Bravo Farms, Flyers, Holiday Inn and several Dollar General locations.

With great appreciation for your support, we “Thank You” for being part of the “We Don’t Serve Teens” Campaign. If you would like more information or would like to join the WDST campaign contact NCADD at (559) 688-2994.

Who we are

The terrorism in Charleston, South Carolina, last week has generated a sea of cries, pleas and statements from every corner of the country.

“This doesn’t represent who we are.”

“This is not a reflection of our nation.”

“This is not America.”

Really?

After countless iterations of mass shootings and similar acts of domestic terrorism over the last decade, sadly this does represent who we are.

Obama fact check

“This type of mass violence does not happen in other advanced countries (a reference to the shootings in South Carolina). So what about Sweden, Norway, France and others? All are countries that have been traumatized by “mass violence” by fanatics, racists and the mentally ill.

It would be in President Obama’s best interest to do a little research before he makes such a carte blanche statement about something he apparently has no knowledge of. I would recommend “Integrity 101.”

Wrong slant

On June 20, cartoonist Evany Zirul missed the boat by not recognizing that if it weren’t for the 24 ponding/basin parks that the Fresno Metropolitan Flood Control District provides, Fresno would be in even greater embarrassment for the number of parks it doesn’t provide.

In central Fresno, there is a large basin park on North Fresno Street, just north of Shields Avenue. On Gettysburg Avenue just east of North First Street, is a large baseball field park with picnic amenities. On Olive Avenue, just east of Chestnut Avenue, there is a well-maintained park with playground equipment adjacent to Easterby School.

In addition, there are two parks for persons with special needs: Oso de Oro Park located in northwest Fresno at 5555 N. Forkner Ave., between Barstow and Browning avenues; and Trolley Creek Park is in southeast Fresno on East Huntington Avenue, west of Willow Avenue.

There are two leash-free dog parks in Fresno. One is within Woodward Park, where people are often seen walking with their dogs, on leashes.

It has been recognized there is urgent need to upgrade and expand our Fresno city parks, so let’s be thankful for the recreation FMFCD parks provide.

Public open space

I really disliked the editorial cartoon about the Fresno Metropolitan Flood Control District’s policy of keeping people and dogs out of their ponding basins.

I don’t believe the district is at fault for keeping people out of the ponding basins. A ponding basin is what it is, a basin to catch runoff water — runoff water from the streets that contains hazardous materials. There are liability issues associated with people in the ponding basins.

About 20-plus years ago, I was at a Fresno City Council meeting. A representative of a large developer was requesting a waiver or modification for “public open space” for new developments. The representative was asking that the City Council use the ponding basins as “public open space” instead. The City Council granted the waiver. I wonder if developers are still getting this kind of waiver.

Less public open space means more money for developers. Public loses again. I would prefer to take my grandkids to a park to play than to a ponding basin to play.

Instead of making Fresno Metropolitan Flood Control District the bad guy, maybe we should look at the real culprits, the Fresno City Council and the developers.

Park wastes water

On June 25 I went for an early morning run around Woodward Park, and much to my irritation and surprise, the park was being overwatered once again.

There were several broken sprinklers, multiple street runoff areas and even a small lake in the middle of the road at one point. And this was not in just one area but throughout the park.

I have seen this for years but thought surely this year it would stop. Doesn’t the city employ people to control the irrigation? And shouldn’t the city that is now fining violators of watering rules have to follow its own restrictions?

Build dams

Why are we being asked to ration our water?

Yes, I agree there is a drought. We have had droughts before and survived by planning wisely. The farm crops are dying because of water rations to them. There are fines on the farmers who have trouble complying with the new rules. Our lawns and trees are dying.

The high-speed rail is going forth. Why? Did the powers that be ever think of how many millions of gallons of water will be used to pour concrete for the rail? How many gallons of water are needed for dust control to build the high-speed rail? Plus dust control after it is built.

There will need to be a green belt along the rails. No crops. No food. No green lawns and green trees just dry grass and dead trees. Jobs lost. With everything bone dry. A big fire disaster waiting.

All this for a couple of fish. A high-speed rail? The solution is not to ration water, but conserve water. Build those dams when the rains come.

What next?

We, in the name of “human greed,” have not taken care of available land in the San Joaquin Valley.

We have overfarmed the land, poisoned the aquifers with pesticides and sold valuable farmland to developers, which leads to overpopulation. In turn, that creates a need for more asphalt roads and freeways.

We desperately have tried to farm land contaminated with selenium and other toxic elements using water from the Delta and its delicate ecosystem.

My question is, once we destroy the Delta ecosystem, which will have extreme consequences, what will we destroy next?

I see another dust bowl. Ninth Circuit Judge Jay Bybee, a George W. Bush appointment, ruled, “These species of fish (delta smelt), wildlife and plants are of esthetic, ecological, educational, historical, recreational and scientific value to the nation and its peoples.”

This story was originally published July 3, 2015 at 7:54 PM with the headline "LETTERS TO THE EDITOR."