(The Santa Ynez
Valley Journal invites you to make your voice heard on things that matter to
you! Please submit letters or news you’d like us to cover to: info@syvjournal.com, or you can fax a letter to
805-688-1694. Letters to the Valley Journal are the opinion of the writers and
not necessarily the opinion of the Publisher.
Although we welcome the opinions of all, it is the SYV Journal’s policy
not to publish personal attacks, and reserves the right to edit for length and
content).
Dear Ms. Crawford-Hall:
Your article
about rude drivers was much-needed and as bad as the gang problem is in
California, I think aggressive driving is more of a threat since it is so
pervasive.
I
commute six days per week from my home in Solvang to my job in Santa Barbara. I
take the 154 (NOT the “Chumash Highway”) and the 101 equally and I am astounded
by the consistency of stupid, rude, and dangerous behavior I see and almost
never do I see these people being pulled over. Just tonight on the 246 I was
about a half mile into the unlit area of 246 coming home and I saw a vehicles
lights coming from Buellton. By the time I got to the 45 mph zone this
person was zooming in behind me so I’m estimating they were doing about 50 mph
through Buellton and about 75 mph on 246. This has become de rigeur for this area and it makes me sad and angry because
when I came up here from Santa Barbara two years ago I foolishly thought I was
getting away from that behavior. For what it’s worth, the worst area here
seems to be when one is on the 246 approaching Santa Ynez,
and when I’m driving to S.B. the most aggressive drivers are those
driving Chevy pickups. (Oddly enough while as a rule the bigger the
vehicle the more aggressive the driver, my experience is that Hummer drivers are
much more law-abiding than most drivers)
The
only thing I would add to your article is that it’s not an issue of young
drivers (per the part about what parents teach their kids) but I see a LOT of
people older than me (I’m 46) speeding and tailgating.
It’s
nice to see something is being done about this, but much more needs to be done.
Bill Clausen
Solvang
Dear Editor,
I would like
to publicly thank the Chumash casino for its generous support of our local
students and schools. We now have a
brand new sports field at our high school.
In addition, the Chumash have provided funds for physical education
equipment, field trips, and music enhancement, as well as other programs for
our local elementary schools. As a parent and valley resident, I am grateful
and appreciative and offer my public thanks for supporting our schools.
Coleen Hefley
Santa Ynez
Dear Editor:
Alex Castro,
who allegedly killed his girlfriend’s dog, Copper, by bashing his head in with
a hammer, more than deserves to be sentenced under California’s “three strikes”
law if he is convicted. Already a twice-convicted felon, this man shows no
signs of self-control or compassion for either human or animal life.
There is a
plethora of evidence showing that people who abuse and kill animals often go on
to do the same things to humans, but Castro’s prior convictions for assault
with a deadly weapon and battery resulting in serious injury have already
demonstrated that his violence isn’t confined to animals.
When
analyzing violent crimes, experts know that it is the severity of the abuse,
not the species of the victim, that is of concern.
If he is
found guilty, this man needs to be locked up and given counseling as well as a
ban on contact with animals, for everyone’s protection.
Sincerely,
Eva Vieyra-McDaniel
Santa Monica
Dear Editor,
With
reference to the article by Barbara Kantrowitz in the
Oct. 15 issue of Newsweek titled “In All Their Glory,” I AM INCENSED!
Since Hillary
Clinton is the only woman running for president, I am not surprised, but I am
nonetheless incensed by the increasing LEFT-handed campaign by the media for
the benefit of this woman.
The photo
collage on the opening page is captioned, “REGAL ROLE MODELS: Clinton, Queen
Elizabeth I, Thatcher with (Indira)
Gandhi, Cleopatra and Catherine the Great.” In my view, there are many
competent women in America who have the intelligence, innate ability and
ethical and moral character to be president. Since Ms. Clinton is the only
woman candidate, the implication is clearly an endorsement. Role
model?
When the
Clintons occupied the White House, the ethical reputation of the highest
elected office in our land reached a new low. Can you remember a more
consistent pattern of ethical breach? Have all forgotten that the woman who
“stood by her man” was also instrumental in “misplaced” subpoenaed files? How
many of us deduced that Vince Foster’s suicide was an act of loyal despair at
the very least? The specter of influence-peddling and significant challenged campign contributions have been the grist of the political
mill for as long as many of us can remember. Have we ever known it in a more
blatant form than in a Clinton candidacy or administration?
Reckless poor
judgement, deficient moral standards, clear disregard
for the principles of the judicial bedrock of our legal system, and most
notably HONEST TESTIMONY UNDER OATH says it all. The pardon of known gangsters
and racketeers is testimony blatant enough for me!
All this
brings to mind my grandmother’s admonition, “Tell me who you go with and I’ll
tell you what you are.”
Paul R. Deals
Santa Ynez