Plant fire

The fire at the Vistra Plant in Moss Landing threatened human life and property. Emergency responders closed Highway 1 and ordered local neighbors to evacuate.

This is not the first fire at Vistra. Clearly, the existing safety protocols are inadequate to protect the community from disaster including potential exposures to highly toxic chemicals and the contamination of precious local habitat including the Elkhorn Slough.

In the short term, I encourage the county Board of Supervisors and the state to to file complaints against Vistra for compensation for any and all taxpayer-funded costs related to this most recent incident.

Moving forward, while this technology can be valuable, protocols must be developed and enforced that prioritize public and environmental safety over the quest to maximize profits.

— State Sen. Bill Monning, retired, Carmel

Pesticides

A recent commentary titled “EPA must protect butterflies” leaves out one very important fact, protecting people too. The Fish and Wildlife Service identifies pesticide exposure as a threat to the monarch butterflies’ continued survival. Has anyone ever thought about what these pesticides are doing to humans? Our vegetables are sprayed with the same chemicals that are killing butterflies, other insects and birds. True, we are much larger and you may think that the small amount of chemicals in our bodies can’t have much effect. Well, think again because these chemicals accure in the body over time and can be responsible for many devastating diseases. Paraquat is a toxic chemical used as a pesticide to spray on tomatoes, cotton and various other crops. Exposure has been linked to the development of Parkinson’s disease. Many of the chemicals used in the fields in the U.S. are banned in European countries because they are so lethal. So why isn’t the EPA doing more to protect all living creatures including humans!

— Nancy Ponedel Parsons, Pacific Grove

Local books

Each and every Monday morning, I look forward to “taking in” Lisa Crawford Watson’s story featuring a local author’s life and work. Without exception, these stories have introduced readers to potentially valuable resources and offered enriching insights. It’s been wonderful as well to discover the wealth of talent in this region! What I appreciate most of all, however, is Crawford Watson’s unwavering ability to dig deeply into the heart of what the authors are seeking to convey … what drives them to write … and the core values undergirding their work. Beautifully crafted with empathy, compassion, lucidity, and care, her essays serve as sources of inspiration, hope, and light. During this time of uncertainty, hardship, and loss for so many, it feels important to highlight, appreciate, and celebrate such valuable contributions to the community. Many thanks to the Herald for affording us weekly access to this source of uplift, so urgently needed today.

— Josina Makau, professor emerita, CSUMB

— Editor’s note: Our Monday books’ feature now focuses once a month on local authors.

Community Colleges

Community colleges offer a program with free tuition! Ask if you qualify or just take a course of two. You will be five years older in five years whether you start college or not, and it may make a huge difference, so might as well start now.

Just a few college skills will help you get a job. You will know more, because you will read more, you will write better (a good cover letter for an application can put you in the interview pile vs. the reject pile- I know). You will improve your reading, writing, speaking and critical thinking skills.

If you enroll for a degree program, you do not have to know what you want to do yet (and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise). While earning credits, you can sample many fields to help you decide. That’s one reason you take a variety of classes in the beginning. You can take: English, a science (health), a second language, humanities, history, sports, art, dance, crafts, mechanics, computers. This helps you decide the fields you like. Hopefully you will find some you love. There is nothing better than loving your work (again, I know!).

College does make a difference! You will get a job, and you will get paid well. Now, it’s the time to register!

— Susan C. Morse, Carmel