Release of water flows a reckless, revengeful act

I am grateful for Sen. Alex Padilla’s measured but clearly angered letter to Pete Hegseth questioning who ordered the Army Corps of Engineers to release flood-threatening water flows out of Lake Kaweah and Success Lake in Northern California on Jan. 31. Trump claimed he wanted to help Southern California with its already contained fires, so Padilla asked what plans were in place to get the water from the arid Tulare Lake, where it is ending up, into the Los Angeles aqueduct 200 miles away. He also asked what type of notification and how much advanced notice was given to irrigation districts and public safety personnel to prepare for these increased flows since they presented threats to life and property downstream.

This was a reckless act motivated only by Trump’s need for revenge on the state whose majority didn’t vote for him and which adopts numerous measures to mitigate against global warming, which he may call a hoax but threatens to cost all of us extraordinary losses in countless ways.

— Lynda Marin, Santa Cruz

Climate change, not lack of water cause of LA fires

Often times, it seems to me, important messages are misread. I read Darwin’s “On the Origin of Species” a while back and noted that though “survival” of those more fit for their environment was part of it, the more important message was the need for diversity in any environment to sustain life.

In responding to the wildfires in the Los Angeles area, the president misread the true causes. He noted that there’s water in various parts of California, none of which would’ve done anything about the fires. Instead a drought gripping the state and high powered winds, up to 70 miles per hour and more, both the result of climate change were the main reasons for that disaster.

Instead of working on climate change programs to improve the future for all Americans, he uses his victimhood to misread reality.

— Mike Melville, Santa Cruz

Praises the support from county and organizations

Kudos to our county, specifically the Board of Supervisors, the Office of Education, and Cabrillo College, for taking measures to protect and support all our residents against Trump’s draconian executive orders that would harm immigrants and the LGBTQ+ community.

— Dena Taylor, Santa Cruz

Media should be skeptical of corporate statements

On the morning of Jan. 17, during the Moss Landing battery fire, the Sentinel sent out an email to subscribers saying the shelter in place was lifted and it was safe to resume normal activities unless you had underlying health issues. Pleased there was nothing to worry about I stepped outside and was greeted by a bitter stinging of my eyes and a day after that a metallic taste coated my tongue. That taste won’t go away.

Our media needs to be much more skeptical of statements by government and corporate officials.

— Keith McHenry, Santa Cruz

Why trees ‘we already have’ must be saved

An agenda item on a recent Commission on the Environment Meeting, was “Increase the urban tree canopy.” Why not instead protect and keep the trees we already have? Why is the city of Santa Cruz instead cutting down so many of our beautiful heritage trees, despite the supposed heritage tree “protections” in our city ordinances?

I feel heartbroken knowing that two beautiful and healthy liquid amber trees will very soon be cut down to make way for an unneeded/unwanted new library, despite feasible plans presented to save the trees.

Their beautiful foliage has brought me joy and serenity while shopping at the farmers market, also providing a beacon of happiness from many blocks away.

Trees this size also breathe in huge amounts of CO2, and gift back equal amounts of oxygen for us to breathe. Isn’t this what our community planners supposedly want?

I’m wondering if those who allowed this to happen will be present when these trees are killed? Will they also bring their children and grandchildren with them to explain why they made this heartless decision?

— Satya Orion, Soquel