Drone show

I am writing to express my concern over what appears to be an inconsistent and unfair application of drone show regulations in the Monterey area. Last year, the Monterey Motorsports Festival, held at the Monterey Fairgrounds, was forced to cancel its much-anticipated drone light show due to concerns from the Monterey Regional Airport about the event’s proximity to the airport and potential interference with air traffic. This decision was a significant disappointment to festival attendees and organizers, who had taken all necessary precautions and obtained relevant permissions to ensure a safe event.

However, this year, the Pasadera community was permitted to host a drone show as part of the Lamborghini event, despite being in the same general flight path near the airport. This inconsistency raises serious questions about the fairness and transparency of the approval process for such events in our region. Both events were within the same vicinity and should have been subject to the same scrutiny and regulations.

The Monterey Motorsports Festival is an important event that not only entertains thousands but also supports local charities and businesses. The forced cancellation of their drone show not only dampened the spirit of the event but also potentially impacted its success and financial outcomes. It is disheartening to see that similar concerns were not applied equally to other events in the same area, leading to a sense of favoritism and unfair treatment.

I urge local authorities and the Monterey Peninsula Airport to review their decision-making processes and ensure that all events are treated with the same level of scrutiny and fairness. Transparency in these decisions is crucial to maintaining public trust and ensuring that all community events have a fair opportunity to succeed.

— Paolo Manca, Founder/CEO, Monterey Motorsports Festival

Cost of living

As a federal retiree under the Federal Employees Retirement System, I am writing to bring light to fair cost-of-living adjustments.

Currently, there is a significant disparity in cost-of-living adjustments between retirees under FERS and those under the Civil Service Retirement System, resulting in unfair differences in retirement benefits.

The cost of living affects all retirees equally, yet FERS retirees receive smaller COLAs compared to our CSRS counterparts.

This inequity undermines our financial security and erodes the value of the benefits we earned through years of dedicated public service.

The Equal COLA Act will correct this imbalance by providing the same COLA to all federal retirees, ensuring we can maintain our purchasing power and live with dignity.

As inflation and living costs continue to rise, it is more important than ever to ensure that all retirees receive fair and equitable adjustments to their benefits.

This legislation is a necessary step toward correcting an unfair system and honoring the service of those who dedicated their careers to the federal government.

— Forney Lundy, Salinas

The sea lions

Yesterday my friend and I left Carmel. Not a very profound statement, but the weather was clear and I wanted to purchase salad oil from a place near the aquarium. Early afternoon found us driving easily toward Monterey.

The sky, a lovely cloud-speckled canopy, as we entered. I recalled the same feeling when, as a child, I sat in the front seat as my father drove the black Chrysler off to a special destination, be it the beach or a longer drive to my aunt and uncle’s farm in upstate New York.

With unexpected force, a sudden energy hit the car, and my friend turned right into place near Cannery Row, filled with sea lions, the sand hardly visible as it was covered with those sleek bodies, playfully jousting or lazily lolling while nuzzling their partners of the moment. At play or at rest, they knew their places of comfort, sometimes, as children might do, they poked each other.

Even the profound aroma of their presence did not mitigate the unexpected aura of pure joy.

Lately, I had been hiding under my coat of seeming protection, venturing only into the familiar, with a need for assumed safety. Yet there, that afternoon, safety abounded, not only for these visiting creatures but for myself.

The cares of the world lifted, as though drawn away by the sun’s unexpected pull, leaving me in a state of hope, which had been missing for a while.

And I saw myself, nearing nine decades on this planet, being given a reminder of the grace of the path I and those whom I encounter, still journey.

— Illia Thompson, Carmel