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Homekey OK extends
hand to homeless
The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors lit a candle of hope (“2 sites approved for unhoused residents,” Page A1, Nov. 3).
I walk daily through our city of Mountain View, and daily I look into the eyes of a less fortunate human being who’s homeless.
My mind gets foggy thinking about the time I had depleted my bank account at the height of the pandemic. Not a single cent was left on the day I signed a job offer that allowed me to pay for rent and stay in Mountain View.
My mind falls into darkness thinking I could have been less lucky, and ended up in the street. Would I be mocked and ridiculed? Or would someone lend a hand?
The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors lit a candle of hope by deciding to move the housing project Homekey forward.
On behalf of Mountain View YIMBY, thank you for showing that in Santa Clara County, we lend a hand.
Pablo Hernandez
Mountain View
Remember to honor
what is truly important
As a former CEO and current senior executive, I’ve often reminded my teams — women and men — to never forget what’s truly important.
It’s why, as a husband and father of three children, I support the decision by Gov. Gavin Newsom to cancel his Glasgow trip and focus on his four children’s request to be with them for Halloween. Equally impressive, he seemed to choose a healthy, mind-clearing break from social media.
To every mom and dad who has been captured in our “go-go” Silicon Valley culture, let’s not lose sight of our need to reflect, refresh and renew with our families and friends.
Thanks, Gov. Newsom, for the important reminder. As a mentor once taught me; “we must be leaders at work, at home and in our communities.” And the best leaders do so by example – as the governor did by putting family first.
Carl Guardino
Monte Sereno
Lift up Latinas and
lift entire community
No community can truly consider themselves healthy until they uplift the health and wellness of those most in need. Latinas disproportionately felt the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic — through job loss, income loss, death and bearing the brunt of family caregiving responsibilities. Even for a community making 33 cents to White men’s $1 in Silicon Valley, our situation doesn’t define us nor does it dictate our future. We are creating businesses, buying homes and giving back — in most cases substantially more than our peers.
As we look toward a more equitable COVID-19 recovery we must focus on those central to their families’ and communities’ health — Latinas. When we uplift Latinas’ mental, financial, and physical health we uplift all communities. Throughout the Pandemic, Latina Coalition has been focused on community-driven programs, improving the health and well-being of those most disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.
Rebecca Gallardo
San Jose
Bonds doesn’t meet lofty
heights of Mays, Posey
Columnist Dieter Kurtenbach (“Giants’ legend calls it a career,” Page A1, Nov. 4) stated that three names sum up a place in Giants’ lore — Willie Mays, Barry Bonds and Buster Posey. I disagree that Barry Bonds deserves this honor.
Although very talented, he used performance-enhancing drugs to achieve his records. Neither Mays nor Posey did. Furthermore, he does not deserve to ever be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Rather, he and other athletes who have followed the same path to their glory should be inducted into the “Hall of Shame.” Let’s send the right message to our youth.
Edward Donati
Santa Clara
Abusive officers must
be held accountable
Re. “San Jose officer faces charges in road-rage case,” Page A1, Oct. 28:
I was disgusted to read about yet another officer accused of abusing their power as a member of law enforcement, harming the people they took an oath to protect.
Too long we have allowed police officers to abuse their power with little to no repercussions. A woman has been injured, reportedly by an off-duty officer, yet the officer in question was placed on paid leave.
A slap on the wrist and essentially a paid vacation will not suffice. The SJPD needs to stop allowing power abusers to hide behind their badges when it comes to facing what they’ve done. We’ve heard fake accountability for too long and demand action.
The standards for becoming an officer must be made more difficult with intensive psychological background checks to ensure officers are mentally fit to do their job. Doing so will prevent further situations of police brutality.
Natalie Amezcua
San Jose
Source: www.mercurynews.com