The Sept. 25 article, “Santa Ynez Valley Youth Champion Adrian Garcia Always Willing to Pitch In,” made my day!
With the steady drumbeat of awful news surrounding us, it’s such a relief to hear about an outstanding young person.
Thanks to Adrian Garcia’s community, the Santa Ynez Valley Foundation and Noozhawk for shining a spotlight on this terrific young man, who’s happy helping others.
Russ Patrick
Montecito
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Regarding the Sept. 24 article, “Supervisors Advocate for Independent Investigators for In-Custody Deaths,” kudos to Assemblyman Gregg Hart, D-Santa Barbara, for authoring Assembly Bill 1108 requiring Santa Barbara and other counties with a joint sheriff-coroner to contract with an independent coroner or medical examiner or outside contractor.
This bill now awaits Gov. Gavin Newsom’s signature. By all means, we should send a message to Newsom expressing our support of this bill.
It is unconscionable that there have been several recent deaths at the Santa Barbara County Jail that could have been prevented.
Thanks also to the Civil Grand Jury for exposing this serious problem.
Susan Shields
Santa Barbara
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The Sept. 17 article, “ICE Reportedly Detains 4 People in Santa Barbara County,” shares comments by 805UndocuFund executive director Primitiva Hernandez from an Instagram post that supports nonenforcement of our country’s immigration laws.
Hernandez’s opinion clearly denigrated U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for the arrests of alleged illegal foreign nationals. She claimed that one of the detainees was brutalized but provided no more information, even when asked by Noozhawk’s reporter.
It is articles like this that continually seem to report unsubstantiated stories of illegal acts of ICE agents without the facts.
I would like to see Noozhawk report complete information when you have all the facts, not just conjecture! I and your reading public depend on you to get the facts right.
Roy Belluz
Lompoc
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We all are receiving sample ballots for the Nov. 4 special election for Proposition 50, the “Election Rigging Response Act.”
Prop. 50 is a hastily drafted state constitutional amendment that thrusts partisan politics into the electoral process, rigging future elections in favor of the party in power.
The Democratic Party already holds a supermajority of 75% in both chambers of the Legislature.
If passed, Prop. 50 “temporarily” overrides California’s Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission, a nonpartisan body, suspending the current congressional map through the midterm and presidential elections.
Gov. Gavin Newsom, who proposed the initiative, is using his office and personal campaign funds to further his own political ambition for the presidency.
With only weeks until the election, citizens will have minimal opportunity to examine Prop. 50’s language and its ramifications, an amendment that sets a dangerous precedent. That’s intentional.
Prop. 50 is a last-ditch attempt by Newsom to overwhelm Californians with blatant partisanship at the expense of democracy.
Read the ballot measure and VOTE NO on 50.
Celeste Barber
Santa Barbara
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Regarding the Sept. 26 news release about City of Goleta paving and street improvement projects, Bradford Drive and Winchester Canyon Road are in very poor shape.
How can I get someone from the city to look at this few block area and repair the cracks, gouges and potholes that have been damaging our cars?
Is there a fund that I can apply for from the city to pay for my additional car maintenance because of the poor road conditions?
It came to mind that I pay taxes for this and, since my calls to City of Goleta offices have gone unanswered, that I could get reimbursed by the city.
Bart Bader
Goleta
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Regarding Paul Aijian’s Sept. 24 commentary, “Santa Barbara Faithful to Carry Charlie Kirk’s Mandate Forward,” I unequivocally condemn all political violence. I believe in the First amendment and that all men are created equal.
Unfortunately, Charlie Kirk did not. He was a vocal advocate for the “Great Replacement Theory,” a white nationalist conspiracy that claims white populations are being intentionally replaced by nonwhite immigrants, engineered by a powerful elite.
He railed against the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which prohibited discrimination in public places and outlawed employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin. and also established the Employment Opportunity Commission to enforce it.
For good measure, Kirk was a climate change denier who also spoke out against gun control, the LGBTQ+ community, the DEI movement and abortion rights.
Throughout the memorial service, the spirit of Jesus Christ was summoned often. Kirk was apparently a religious man, but I can’t help wondering what Jesus would think of many of his positions, most of which were severely hurtful to one or more segments of our population.
Jon Greenleaf
Santa Barbara
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Why does Noozhawk persist in publishing Christian nationalist propaganda like Paul Aijian’s commentary about the Charlie Kirk rally?
Kirk was no saint. He was a fascist, racist, white nationalist who claimed that whites are being discriminated against by immigrants and other classes he disliked.
He also was a misogynist, hated the LGBTQ+ community, opposed reproductive rights and, ironically, promoted America’s gun culture.
The “Santa Barbara Faithful” who attended the Arizona rally may be fooled, but most Noozhawk readers are not. Noozhawk should remember that before publishing any more of these so-called commentaries.
R. Hamilton
Santa Barbara
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Prohibition, enacted by a constitutional amendment in the 1920s, was a great experiment. It demonstrated that legislation and enforcement were incapable of restraining most people’s powerful desire to chemically alter their consciousness.
I recall my late Uncle Paul bragging about bringing rum over the Saint Lawrence River from Canada. Even now, as Drug Enforcement Administration personnel are redirected to immigration activities, cocaine consumption is on the rise.
Portugal seems to be one of the few countries that has learned from this reality. It has decriminalized illegal substances and provides addict support such as free needles and rehabilitation programs. Crime and health care impacts have both dropped.
Nonetheless, the United States continues to evangelically pursue the demon of illegal substances. Upon taking a closer look, this policy can be considered a sham.
National statistics show that, last year, 77,000 people died from illegal drugs, a tragic number. Yet, with all the money and tactics to protect Americans, citizens still reach out eagerly for their high.
Compare that with the cost of legal substances. Last year, alcohol and tobacco combined for a death toll of 177,000 lives, more than double the street action.
This leads one to consider that the actions of the DEA and other political entities serve not to protect Americans but to give cover to the corporations that derive great monetary profits and life cost in this country.
To those of you who support illegal drug enforcement while pulling on a cigarette or consuming your favorite alcoholic drink, best first to look in the mirror.
Barry Marks
Buellton
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