Letters to the Editor 05.04.23

Cop to It

All that nonsense for $8,000 and $8,000 to his lawyer (“Pacific Grove settles with former police officer at center of controversy,” posted April 24). Not exactly the big payout his defenders were predicting. Adam J. Lincoln | Monterey

Pacific Grove was correct in negotiating Gonzalez’s release. I don’t have issue with his views re: Black Lives Matter, but having decals on his truck representing the Three Percenters and Molon Labe is extremely troublesome for anyone charged with enforcing laws fair and equitably.

The Three Percenters are identified by the Anti-Defamation League as being associated with extremism, terrorism and bigotry and Molon Labe is an anti-government, pro-militia group. Members affiliated with both groups have been convicted in the Jan. 6 insurrection and are now making inroads in law enforcement and military. Robert Murray | Monterey

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I hope this hateful fool is not hired by another police department. Nancy McCullough | via social media

Raising the Rent

Solving a problem that does not exist. All of this will be passed on to the tenants (“Monterey City Council votes in favor of creating a rental registry and exploring rent stabilization,” posted April 25). Jeffery Olms | via social media

Renters are the silent majority in many Monterey County cities that are finally turning out to vote (“As state lawmakers rethink tenants’ rights, renters get organized,” April 27-May 3). We flipped the Monterey City Council to the most progressive and diverse in its history.

The year 2024 will lead to more of this, so all candidates beware when you say “support affordable housing” – you must specify that that includes more than just building more units.

Rents cannot continue to increase 10-percent annually, while wages go up a mere fraction. #RentersVote Esther Malkin | Monterey

Note: Malkin is a founder of Monterey County Renters United.

Disconnected

It’s not just internet that went out (“Why did the region’s internet go out on April 13 for nearly an entire day?” April 27-May 3). Comcast cable TV was out, too. So we were without TV all day. But we had internet, because we get that from AT&T. And that is why we will never bundle TV and internet services from a single company. James Toy | Monterey

Big Birds

Awww. Prayers that this flu passes by quickly and that all the condors are safe (“A new strain of bird flu appears to pose an existential threat to California condor flocks,” April 20-26). Caroline Jones-Mudd | via social media

Cheer Squad

Love supporting our local soccer team! (“Monterey Bay F.C. has the players, the stadium and the look. In year two, the question is whether the fans will follow,” April 27-May 3.) Chris Symons | via social media

Play earlier on the weekends – maybe there would be more people in the stands. Sergio Gomez | via email

Thanks, good article (“If you didn’t know – and there are plenty who still don’t – Monterey County has its very own pro soccer team, and they’re flying pretty high at the moment,” posted April 30). I’m one of the “I didn’t know we have a pro soccer team.” I’m thrilled about it and will start following them and go to games. Gerry Orton | Del Rey Oaks

Art Rising

What a wonderful addition to Sand City (“Sand City, known for its murals, will soon get a different kind of public art,” April 20-26). Nancy J. Sanders | via social media

Great addition to the city! Aaron Blair | via social media

Note: Blair is a former city manager of Sand City who coordinated the first we.Art Mural Festival.

In Style

It’s about time the fanny pack came back (“Two CSU Monterey Bay grads are making fanny packs fun and fashionable,” April 20-26). Emmett Booker | via social media

Who would have thought! Casey Gahan | via social media

Rules of Law

Americans are losing faith in our Supreme Court, and it’s easy to see why. The nine justices on the Supreme Court are the only federal judges not bound by a code of ethics. It’s up to the justices to self-police on ethical issues, and they want to keep it that way.

That’s why nothing happened when Clarence Thomas didn’t recuse himself from Jan. 6 cases that could have directly implicated his wife. That’s why nothing happened when America found out Samuel Alito more than likely leaked a decision about reproductive health care to anti-abortion activists. And that’s why nothing happened when it was revealed that Chief Justice Roberts’ wife has earned millions of dollars recruiting for law firms with business before the Supreme Court.

The highest court in the land should be held to the highest standard. Peggy Di Mauro | Seaside

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The Supreme Court is run amok, and it’s time to get it under control. Congress has the ability – and responsibility – to act as a check and restore faith in our judicial system. It’s time they take the first step and pass a code of ethics for the Supreme Court.

No one is above accountability, and that includes our justices on the Supreme Court. Cyndi Dorsey | Marina

CORRECTION

In reporting on a website that appears to be written by artificial intelligence, Squid misstated the odds that experts give to AI taking over humanity (“Squid Fry,” April 27-May 3). Those odds are 1-in-10, not the other way around.