Public spaces: Santa Cruz losing its downtown soul

Two articles in the May 29 Sentinel informed readers of two very different futures of downtown Santa Cruz and downtown Watsonville in terms of public space.

Watsonville has found the will and the funding to make improvements to its centrally located public plaza, with mature trees, a space for community events, and a place to gather and socialize.

In contrast, downtown Santa Cruz is losing the space long occupied by the weekly farmers market. It’s a pity that the city made no effort to visualize what could have transformed that parking lot into a civic plaza, along with an expanded market.

I hope our elected officials and city planners (and librarians) will come watch as the trees are destroyed. While there are some half-baked proposals for future public spaces (such as the Spruce Street “plaza” near the new Warriors stadium), they are not likely to have the soul of what is being lost.

— Judi Grunstra, Santa Cruz

Dismantling arguments of ‘rail-at-any-cost’ brigade

The more we learn about planning for a train (with an adjacent trail) the harder it is to understand how a determined group of folks calling themselves Friends of the Rail and Trail (FORT) have only doubled-down on their support for rail-at-any-cost.

Estimated cost increases from $40.7 million (all construction) in 2015 to $980 million (for bridges alone) today? “It’s not that much money — transportation is expensive.” Withdrawal of the likelihood of federal construction funds? “It’ll be a legacy for our grandchildren.” 100-plus year old railroad tracks and ties that are already useless now? “If we take out the tracks, there’ll never be a train.”

Rail corridor too narrow for promised train-with-trail? “On-street bike lanes might actually be better.” Mobile home dwellers dispossessed of their residences due to the lack of oversight of previous — and present — rail owners? “Too bad for them.”

Anyone who points out these discrepancies between what’s equitable, affordable and feasible in our lifetimes? “Obstructionists!” “Anti-transit!”

— Nadene Thorne, Santa Cruz

The high cost of Trump’s battle with universities

As Trump suppresses “science,” which is really what the battle with universities is all about, I’m reminded of what the “church” did in the 1200s to suppress science, which led to the Dark Ages.

The battle over science is different from his battle over Palestine protesters.

Of all the outrageous actions the Orange Monster is doing, what he is doing to scientific research at universities will have long-lasting consequences.

Scientific research is not something that can be paused then resumed. It’s linear and must be restarted. Young scientists, seeing others losing their grants midway in a Ph.D. program will not come here.

Those doing scientific research will do so in Europe and Asia, leading to medical and scientific discoveries, which will be developed where they are researched. We’ll have no choice but to buy from “overseas,” leading to another trade imbalance at a minimum.

We’re losing a generation of young scientific minds and may never recover.

— Lee Brokaw, Santa Cruz

Consequences for radical non-citizen students

A response to: “Pomp and dire circumstances at Columbia’s graduation,” (Sentinel Opinion, May 23): Non citizen “activists” who have not complied with the conditions that their residing here depend upon are subject to deportation. This does not require that they be charged with a crime.

Animosity toward the West’s historic peoples and cultures and advocacy for radical left-wing politics is not without consequence for noncitizens.

An example of this animosity is CUAD at Columbia, which stated that it is “fighting for the total eradication of Western civilization.” (https://x.com/EYakoby/status/1899286102533366157).

As part of its stated mission to eradicate Western civilization, CUAD has dangerously undermined Columbia’s educational mission. Noncitizens who participate in such activity have violated the terms of their student visas and are subject to deportation. They pose an obvious threat to our country that we would be insane to continue to tolerate.

— Julia Lutch, Davis