Letters
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- Written by: Daniel Honeywell
I am writing to you because rather than being about public safety, the real effect is that it is more of a risk to public safety to turn the power off.
There was no wind from the time power went out to the time it came back on! And ... we still had another fire.
The day before power was shut off we experienced some of the worst winds in a while here in Clearlake Riviera and yet nothing from PG&E — power remained on.
Then … an announcement of a PSPS with three days with no power.
No power for many means:
(1) Little to no communication/internet in most cases or an overloaded cellular network (especially once the Cache fire occurred).
(2) Hundred or thousands of generators running creating a very real fire risk (and let’s hope the Cache fire is not related to this).
(3) Many being stuck with 90 degree heat or other unsafe scenarios like not being able to prepare or refrigerate food.
(4) All of the above is then compounded if there is then an actual fire like today and more so if you have to evacuate.
You could see on Windy.com what PG&E thought was going to happen. You could see Clearlake and Napa in calm blue, blocked from the north east system, then staying calm blue with last night's westerly winds.
What they thought could happen, which is why they moved it to Thursday, is that the two will meet and be turbulent instead of canceling each other over us. However, it is all a statistical model. Windy shows the more likely model only.
I cannot see how this is anyway a balanced, common sense decision about public safety. It is time for PG&E management to dig deeper and approach this with more common sense. We have the technology and can do this smart without impacting everyone’s lives this way.
Daniel Honeywell lives in Lake County, California.
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- Written by: Carolynn Jarrett
We received a phone call. We heard Sheriff Martin saying an important message followed, and then a woman’s robo-voice saying evacuations were ordered for zones … (numbers garbled).
We had no idea of our “zone number” and while we accept full responsibility for being ill-prepared, we were not alone. We received distressed calls from neighbors asking, “What’s our zone? Are we supposed to evacuate?”
I would like to suggest that the county, or the fire districts, or disaster preparedness, or somebody, mail out postcards telling residents what zone they live in. I would be more than happy to donate to a fund to pay for postage and printing. I would also like to suggest that maps indicating zones be posted in public places like city hall, the post office and the library. It does no good to have an evacuation system if residents are not aware of it.
I later talked to a friend who found out about her zone by looking online. But community leaders cannot assume that all citizens have access to, or even the wherewithal to be looking up their addresses on line to find their evacuation zone.
Our first responders, the firemen, police, helicopter and plane pilots and their crews all did an awesome job. They worked together as a precision team to combat a fierce enemy: a raging fire that destroyed property, sadly, people’s homes. But no lives were lost.
Those of us in the community need to get our act together as well, and be as prepared as we can be. But we need some help. Let’s start with the paper publishing the website where zones are listed and then consider a mail out. I’m all in to help with that.
Carolynn Jarrett lives in Clearlake, California.
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- Written by: Tom and Val Nixon
Under Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown and now Gov. Gavin Newsom, our economy has thrived. We went from the eighth largest economy in the world to the fifth.
We need our legitimately elected governor to continue to:
• Bring broadband to rural communities so small businesses and startups can compete and succeed.
• Support the California Comeback Plan to keep people housed and families out of poverty.
• Support fire suppression technology, modern equipment and the firefighters on the front lines.
• Streamline building regulations and encourage affordable housing.
• Humanely work towards solving the homeless crisis and not push the problems off on neighboring states and countries.
• Realize the value of immigrants to our workforce, educational system and our ability to compete in a multicultural world.
• Be the foremost leader in fighting climate change.
Vote no on this senseless recall that is wasting millions of dollars for a power grab from our legitimately elected governor.
Do not vote for any of the candidates who want to replace him! Just vote no.
Tom and Val Nixon live in Kelseyville.
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- Written by: Gillian Parrillo
California leads the nation on the most critical issues of our time, including climate change, voter protection, income equality, internet access for all, equal protection, access to preschool, universal health care, women’s reproductive rights, criminal justice reform and a livable minimum wage – just to name a few. The recent budget surplus ensures that we are well-positioned to make changes that will have significant impact.
Why would any voter who cares about these issues allow the Republicans to step in and shut down the progressive vision embodied by California and promote their regressive alternative? Let’s not allow a repeat of the last time we recalled a Democratic governor and ended up with a bankrupt state. Tax breaks for the rich could very quickly wipe out the surplus!
The leading Republican contender, according to the latest polls, is a right-wing radio show host. Among his off-the-wall beliefs:
• all pandemic mandates should be removed (we see how well that is working in the red states!);
• setting the minimum wage to zero;
• no parental leave after a birth in the family;
• ‘it’s debatable’ about how much people are to blame for climate change;
• the gender wage gap is a lie;
• Roe vs. Wade should go.
And the other 45 candidates are similarly unqualified.
I have lived all over the world and in many US states and I am by far the proudest to live in California — a state with hope, promise and a clear vision for a better future. I don’t want to wake up tomorrow and see all of that shattered because a slim minority engineered a recall election to allow a completely unqualified candidate to step into office.
You will receive your ballot in the mail in mid-August. Please immediately vote no on the recall and return it by mail, in a ballot drop box, or in person at your polling place on Election Day, Sept. 14.
We Californians are accomplishing such great things for our kids and our grandkids and generations to come. Your vote will assure our future stays strong.
Gillian Parrillo lives in north Lakeport.
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