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We need sound energy
policy, not posturing
In response to Jay Ashford‘s letter on Oct. 27 (“Column’s take on fossil fuels woefully outdated,” Page A8), he clearly doesn’t understand the energy supply matrix here in California.
What we don’t produce we import either by out-of-state natural gas pipeline or marine tankers for oil. His idea of keeping carbon in the ground as a problem-solving measure for climate change is incorrect. That policy doesn’t change demand, it just changes where the supply comes from, and it usually comes from a source that’s emitting far more carbon than the California option. Dig deeper for the facts, please. The stick-your-head-in-the-sand mentality actually increases climate change impacts as it simply pushes our supply needs to others with less regulatory oversight.
We need a transitional energy policy here in California as we move as quickly as possible to renewables. Unfortunately, we are getting political posturing, not policy wisdom.
Bob Nunn
Brentwood
In-N-Out shutdown is
unwarranted overreach
Contra Costa Health Department’s shutting down of In-N-Out is clearly government overreach (“In-N-Out shut down for ignoring rules,” Page B1, Oct. 27).
Why? Simply, we do not have enough COVID for such an extreme action. In fact, the Bay Area is preparing to loosen mask mandates, and I know from personal experience many other local restaurants didn’t look at my vaccination card and let me in anyway. This seems blatantly political, when we really need to go back to normal as soon as possible.
Last year, masks were enough, this year, mask alone gets shut down. This is crazy.
Sharon Bach
Lafayette
Rescind In-N-Out
COVID penalties
I was outraged after reading that In-N-Out Burger was fined $750 by Contra Costa County’s health department for failing to check if customers were completely vaccinated against COVID-19 (“In-N-Out fined for not checking vax statuses,” Page B1, Oct. 21).
This rule, in my opinion, is plainly an attempt to discriminate against individuals who do not follow a particular agenda. It is not the responsibility of In-N-Out Burger to inform the public about the need of vaccinations; rather, it is the responsibility of Contra Costa County’s health department.
I urge Anna Roth, director of Contra Costa Health Services, to rescind the penalty and repeal this draconian rule mandating restaurants to ask for proof of vaccination. People have the right to make their own personal decisions about whether or not to get vaccinated and they are entitled to make their own decisions about which businesses to patronize.
Michael Pan
San Jose
49ers leadership must
solve identity crisis
It’s as clear as the smirk on Dieter Kurtenbach’s face, the problem with the San Francisco 49ers is a severe identity crisis triggered by the team’s leadership.
Ever since the trade to draft Trey Lance made headlines and Jimmy Garoppolo was designated a loser Coach Kyle Shanahan and team leadership waffled and winked about who would be their quarterback. Weeks passed and the team continued to prepare under uncertainty. That uncertainty continues, but the team plays without knowing the outcome of the mind game. Everyone is comfortable laying everything in the lap of Garoppolo, a terrible assumption, and putting the future of the franchise on Lance, another bad assumption.
Eleven guys are on the field, responsibility for losses has to be shared. Getting out of this losing mindset lands squarely on the coaches and management. The players will respond if they know who they’re playing with.
J.D. Blair
Walnut Creek
Stop targeting unhoused
with hostile design
Hostile architecture and design continue to be a problem for all folks including our unhoused neighbors in Berkeley and surrounding areas. Benches with unnecessary armrests, spikes on exterior window ledges, and slanted or artfully sculpted benches that make sleeping uncomfortable or impossible are all examples of this.
It’s time we all bring attention to this most important issue and start asking our city council members, elected officials, local businesses and transit authorities to change how they engage with folks who need a little more space to sit comfortably on a bench, have accessibility or sensory concerns, or simply want to rest during the night and are unhoused.
These are our neighbors who deserve to be treated with dignity, not more barriers. Please join us in writing to your local elected officials to ask for change.
Jen Crompton, Ryan Macias and Sara Yoe
Berkeley
Source: www.mercurynews.com