Letters to the Editor 02.23.23

Principal Principles

The disturbing chaos at Carmel Unified School District should not be a surprise to anyone (“Carmel Unified board president resigns amid a divided community and a scandal at Carmel High,” posted Feb. 16). Since Superintendent Ted Knight’s arrival two years ago, his style of leadership has been divisive, deflecting and destructive. Pair that with an inept school board, this most recent disaster surrounding an unsafe culture that supports sexual harassment was predictable and reflects the tip of the iceberg of the systemic failures that still need to be cleaned up within CUSD.

Since October 2021, the community has been asking: Is Carmel High School safe? Public safety includes transparency of emergency access plans. When the community tried to access this basic critical information, we were met with anger, roadblocks and public name-calling. Our kids and community deserve better. Time to clean house. Fran Dillard | Carmel

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It seems rather ironic that Superintendent Ted Knight is alluding to potential defamation of his own character, considering how information about Principal Jon Lyons is being handled by Knight. Whatever the findings of the investigations, the school district and Knight are losing credibility in the process.

Until the school district gets the right leaders in the administration, so much time, energy and money will be wasted at the expense of educating our students. Meica Bruno | Carmel Valley

Ships Ahoy

Vigorous, stand-up applause to Monterey City Manager Hans Uslar for protecting Monterey Bay by not renewing cruise ship services (“Fear of ecological disaster prompts Monterey City Council to end cruise ship services,” Feb. 9-15). Whether it be one big catastrophe or “death by a thousand cuts,” it’s just not worth having cruise ships here in our unique and precious Monterey Bay. Gail Bower | Monterey

Water Fall

Classic California American Water screwing us over again (“Despite the recent storms, water storage efforts on the Peninsula underperformed,” Feb. 16-22). They don’t have our long-term best interests at heart. I hope for everyone’s sake that the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District buyout is successful. Julian E. Torres | Marina

Thanks Cal Am… It’s a shame we don’t have a regulatory agency to hold malfeasant utility companies to account. Oh wait, we do. Or do we? Can’t tell, they’re irrelevant. Arno Featherstone | Seaside

Pork Barrel

Very sad. An excellent place to eat (“PigWizard to close, with Feb. 26 the last day of regular service according to its owner,” posted Feb. 16). Amber Kohler | via social media

I’m gonna miss that chorizo salami. Adam J. Lincoln | Monterey

Those pork rinds and that sauce! Leslie Abney Price | Salinas

Everyone wishes they supported them more now, huh. Good thing Starbucks and In-N-Out lines never let up…

I’m guilty too. Support your local businesses. Rick DeNoyer | via social media

Perfect Pitch

I want to thank you for the beautiful writing (“The new artistic director of Chamber Music Monterey Bay is fearless when it comes to music,” Feb. 16-22). It was tremendously meaningful and humbling to read the kind words about myself. And even more importantly, what you have written to represent the character of an artist – strength and integrity – is incredibly important to the artist community. Tien-Hsin Cindy Wu | Carmel Valley

Weather Report

I’ve often marveled at how accurate weather forecasts have gotten over the last couple of decades, even to the hour (“A team of National Weather Service meteorologists in Monterey predicts the weather for an 11-county region of 8 million people,” Feb. 16-22).

I recall many days when growing up in Miami that we regretted being miles from the shore on our boat, and found ourselves frantically outrunning an unexpected summer storm.

I guess those of us who remember those days of blaming the weather forecasters getting it wrong can add that to the growing list of things that make us seem ancient, like landlines, pay phones and Blockbuster Video… “OK, Boomer.” Esther Malkin | Monterey

No Vacancy

Yep, cater to the wealthy – who wants average blue-collar tourists anyway? (“Hoteliers agree to higher guest room fees in a race against other tourist destinations,” Feb. 9-15.) Chad Sutter | via social media

Both Sides

I started 35 years in the broadcast news business, from which I am retired. Your piece on Bill Barr did not surprise me because it accurately portrayed him as he is and what I have read about him and his reticence to speak with reporters (“Former Attorney General Bill Barr blames a culture of lying on the press,” Feb. 16-22). I read Barr’s book cover-to-cover in one sitting.

I agree that public trust of the so-called legacy media is at an all-time low. How does it feel to be rated lower than lawyers and used car salesmen? So, we journalists have a hard climb back to relevancy. Over the many years I covered city councils, school boards, street crime, fires and politics, I found that objectivity was hard, if not impossible to attain. I simply tried to be fair.

You were fair in your piece. You could have been snarky when describing Barr’s remarks, but you avoided alienating half of your potential readership by being fair. Could a return to believability actually be that simple? Lee Schell | King City

Correction

A story about a ceramic artist, Pam Murakami (“A long-time Hartnell ceramics teacher shows off her treasures spanning more than two decades,” Feb. 16-22), misstated her first name. It is Pam, not Pat.