PHOTOS OF GUNS DON’T KILL PEOPLE, BUT GUNS DO KILL PEOPLE

I’m writing in regard to the photo on page 29 of the April 20-26, 2006 issue, part of the A&E Calendar. The photo shows three men, one with a pistol, one with a double-barrel shotgun, and the third with a rifle, aiming the firearms toward the reader.

This image isn’t OK with me. It was probably intended to be tongue-in-cheek, but it’s not humorous nor artful nor entertaining to me. —Andy Bell | Pebble Beach

ALL POLITICS IS POLITICAL

I noticed on some letters to the editor you have added comments after people’s names to further show where they are coming from. In the April 20, you included a letter from Patrice Parks of Salinas [“Don’t Pave the Salinas Valley”]. Ms. Parks is the precinct field work coordinator for [Board of Supervisors Candidate] Jyl Lutes. —Brian Higgins | Monterey

The writer represents the Campaign to Re-Elect Lou Calcagno.

DOUBLE PARKING DOUBLE STANDARD—AND DOGS

Drive through the business district in Carmel and you will see delivery trucks double-parked on almost every street. In 10 years I’ve never witnessed them being ticketed. However, a few weeks ago, a car that was briefly double-parked near the library with it’s flashers on was quickly ticketed.

Barely a week goes by in the police log without someone being cited because their dog was loose in Carmel. While giving a report at the police department a few months ago, I saw a young man carry Councilman Bethel’s collarless dog into the station. They didn’t have a leash or collar at the station so I gave them both. I overheard the watch commander decide that the Councilman should be warned instead of cited.

The poorly prepared Carmel Police Department has a creatively contradictory style of enforcement when it comes to double-parking and dogs.

PS:  When I saw the car near the library being ticketed, I remembered the flap about someone who accused Carmel parking enforcement of eating their young. I told the young woman about it as she got into her Mercedes. She smiled broadly while the parking enforcement officer shot me a look that was truly priceless. —Kelita Smith | Carmel Valley

PARKING SIGN ORDINANCE NEEDED

Just wanted to inform you of a public-parking experience after driving to water therapy at the Monterey Sports Center. I had a spinal fusion earlier this year due to a workers comp injury. On the morning of April 12, I pulled into Monterey Public Parking Lot #14, corner of Bonafacio Place and Adams Street, adjacent to Jacks Park. Not noticing any parking sign as I pulled into the parking space, I parked, got out of my car, locked it, and proceeded to do my water therapy. After my one-hour session, I came back to my car, which had a ticket. As I glanced up, I saw that my half of the parking lot had at least five or six parking tickets. In the background, a parking officer was giving out more tickets.

I approached the Monterey parking officer indicating that I did not see a sign that this is a paying parking lot. She smiled rather friendly and pointed, “Well, there’s a big blue PAY HERE sign right there.”

From my parked vehicle, and only when I turned around in the opposite direction of Monterey Sport Center, did I notice that big blue sign. So, I left with a $20 parking ticket.

At this point, I turned around down the street in the driving path my vehicle took to see just how I could have missed this big blue PAY HERE sign. Result: I did not miss it, because the one-sided sign is not faced to those coming into the parking lot, but rather to those exiting. I invite you to take a drive to the parking lot and validate these findings.

I am not opposed to paying for tickets when I know I am in the wrong. In this case, I feel the City needs to know Monterey Parking Lot #14, in my opinion, is a classic case of “bait.” The fines collected from Monterey Parking Lot #14 on the morning of April 12 could pay for a duplicate sign; the sign that should be placed as one enters the parking lot. Besides, who drives backwards? —John Corrigan Russo | Marina