Letters to the Editor 10-27-16

Not “Cannabis Country”
Editor: In response to your article glorifying marijuana in “Cannabis Country” one paragraph stood out: Quote from a council member who knows “families who cultivate small gardens in and around town, sell their crops discreetly and use the cash to send kids to college.”
This is illegal. They are not using this for medicinal purposes as approved by law but for monetary gain. Most likely they are not reporting this on their income taxes. Not only that but they are putting other people in danger, the ones they sell their crop to. Let me educate you on the possible health effects of marijuana usage.
Short Term: enhanced sensory perception and euphoria followed by drowsiness / relaxation; slowed reaction time; problems with balance and coordination; increased heart rate and appetite; problems with learning and memory; hallucinations; anxiety; panic attacks; psychosis.
Long Term: Mental health problems, chronic cough, frequent respiratory infections.
Other health-related issues: possible loss of IQ points when repeated use begins in adolescence.
In combination with alcohol: increased heart rate, blood pressure, further slowing of mental processing and reaction time.
Withdrawal Symptoms: Irritability, trouble sleeping, decreased appetite, anxiety.
So what stands out is the loss of IQ points when repeated use begins in adolescence. So to those familes who sell discreetly and use the cash to send their kids to college – shame on you. You are putting the children, teens and adults you are selling to in danger and maybe preventing them from getting a good education. You don’t know how these people will react to smoking marijuana. Everyone is different in life. We all react differently to chemicals, drugs, medications, etc that are put into our bodies.
Do the research before you make up your mind on the marijuana issue. Look up the statistics and trends in prevalence of marijuana / hashish usage in school children. The public should know.
I agree marijuana has its usage in the treatment of many medical conditions such as treatment of nausea and vomiting in chemotherapy, glaucoma, epilepsy, cancer pain, multiple sclerosis and skin conditions when used topically. But the city council better think very carefully about what they are approving in so called “Cannabis Country.”
I thought we lived in “Wine Country.” Do I want my city or county to be know as “Cannabis Country?” No. The city council better coordinate with the police department because we know we have a drinking and driving problem, but now you will have a smoking and driving problem. How are the police going to monitor this situation? Better start carrying a marijuana drug testing kit in your police vehicles. The liability for the city will skyrocket if you don’t regulate this ASAP.
Fred Besio
Cloverdale
An agent of change
Editor: Many are calling for change as we face the 2016 election in Cloverdale. I would like to remind both new and longterm residents of a few of the accomplishments of MaryAnn Brigham, a true agent of change whose hard work and tenacity have been bringing changes to our town for many years. The Cloverdale Performing Arts Center was MaryAnn’s vision. It was she who spearheaded the development of this jewel of a theater which all of us can be proud of. Clark Street Park was known as Needle Park before MaryAnn headed up the team that took it on and turned it into what is now a safe place for families and children. MaryAnn worked tirelessly on our lovely River Park, giving Cloverdalians access to the Russian River, which we didn’t have before. Her work and vision were fundamental to the building of our multi-purpose senior center, which provides so many seniors with classes, programs and a sense of community. Our downtown boulevard was a controversial project when it was undertaken but MaryAnn never gave up on it, and now it is a beautiful home to shops, galleries, cafés, restaurants and the plaza, the perfect venue for Friday Night Live.
And she has more positive changes underway. These include a Health and Human Services office in Cloverdale, a pedestrian walkway across the river at First Street, and of immediate importance, an informed and comprehensive approach to making cannabis laws work for Cloverdale. MaryAnn Brigham has been and will continue to be a highly effective agent of change for our town. A lot of wonderful things that make Cloverdale such a nice place to live are here because of her.
Dobie Edmunds
Cloverdale
Putting students first
Editor: The Cloverdale community is unique and wonderful. The children, families and educators deserve the best possible school board in order to make the decisions that will influence the most successful student learning. School board members who serve for the right reasons and put students first are what is needed.
Preston Addison is an amazing parent, terrific former teacher, successful businessman and school/community volunteer. He possesses the heart, brain and courage to serve Cloverdale Unified School District in a manner similar to exemplary board members that I have worked with over the 40 years I spent in the Cloverdale schools, including Howard Hare, Dick Johnson, Gene Lile and Joanne Argyres.
I started out in Cloverdale Unified as a volunteer, became an aide, loved teaching, became a principal, and finally spent my last 10 years as superintendent of the school district. During that time I served many students, families, and staff. Cloverdale kids are the best and families all want what is best for them. It was an honor being in Cloverdale. Although it was hard to leave, I am blessed to be close to my six grandkids and to have found another educational job that I love – it was the right choice for me.
I believe that your community should trust your teachers. Seeing CUSD teachers support the team of Addison, Peters and Higginbotham has proven to me that they are the right choice to be your new school board members. The energy, vision, caring and experience they will bring will help the students of Cloverdale soar to their bright futures.
Claudia Frandsen, Former CUSD Superintendent
Calabasas
Who is the vindictive one?
Editor: I am no longer a resident in Cloverdale so have no say in the upcoming election. I have followed the comments regarding the city council candidates and must say I am appalled by comments from the police chief. I understand he often posts as a private citizen and is allowed to do so. He comments that one candidate is running for vindictive reasons and then names seven of the eight and said the process of elimination will tell you who the eighth candidate is. To me he seems to be the vindictive person and by not naming the eighth candidate he is naming the person which seems libelous. I believe a person in his position should possess integrity and morals, both of which he has not shown. He is certainly somebody that would not get my vote, no matter what position he were to pursue.
Debi Yeager
Santa Rosa
They step up
Editor: I would like to extend my thanks to Joaquin Espinosa and his lovely wife Audrey for all they do in our community, and especially for the speaker series presented by the Cloverdale Museum and Historical Society. Each program brings to life certain sections of our local and state history that are both educational and entertaining. It takes a lot of effort on many peoples’ part to put on these programs, and Joaquin and Audrey cheerfully step up each time and direct the action. Thank you Joaquin, Audrey, and our wonderful museum director, Elissa Morrash, for bringing such interesting and wonderful programs to our community. It is just another example of how great it is to live in our beautiful city.
Robert Redner
Cloverdale
Patriotic music
Editor: As a member of both the American Legion and the Healdsburg Community Band I wanted to let you know that the Legion is hosting two concerts this Fall. On Veteran’s Day (Nov. 11) the band will again participate in the Legion’s Veteran’s Day Observance. There will be patriotic music and music around America along with a short program. The evening starts at 7 p.m. at the Veteran’s Hall at First and Commercial Streets. The second musical event sponsored by the American Legion for our community, is a Holiday Concert at the Veteran’s Hall, 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 9.
In case you are unable to attend the holiday concert on Friday we will do it again at the Healdsburg Community Church on Sunday, Dec. 11 at 3 p.m. Hope you can come and enjoy time with your fellow Cloverdalians honoring veterans along with good music.
Donna Cambra
Cloverdale
For Addison
Editor: Preston Addison taught biology at Cloverdale High School and was one of the best teachers my children ever had. He now runs a successful building contractor business based in Cloverdale. His experience as a teacher and a businessman gives him a unique perspective of the problems facing students who are going out in the world to make a living. His wife is a teacher at the high school and this, along with his own time as a teacher, gives him an intimate knowledge of classroom and administrative problems that our schools deal with. His children attend Cloverdale schools and this keeps him up to date on student curriculum. His business knowledge provides him with skills needed to deal with the millions of dollars allotted to the Cloverdale school district. There isn’t a better candidate running for the school board and if you want a school system that produces top students who can compete in today’s job market, vocational or professional, please vote for Preston Addison.
Melissa Cox
Cloverdale
Shopping local
Editor: The Pavelka family enjoys shopping local and supporting the Cloverdale economy and small hometown businesses. We also appreciate our fellow Cloverdalians that find what they need at the local stores, restaurants, cleaners, movie theater, auto parts and repair facilities and use local labor such as painters, contractors and handy persons.
It is refreshing to see the faces of our friends, acquaintances and their families at the local store(s). As many of you have experienced, it takes 40 minutes to get a loaf of bread as we are approached by these same friends to catch-up. Often the discussion is about the family, local sports scores and maybe some Cloverdale updates as we see new businesses and families moving into our community.
As real estate professionals we are also a small and local business. Our income is derived from the sale of properties in the community in which we live and invest, Cloverdale. This is true for all the friendly and professional real estate agents throughout our community. We are often asked about the competition, the other real estate agents, or companies in Cloverdale. The fact is that there are plenty of home sales in our community that allow all of us to run our businesses. The true competition in the real estate community of Cloverdale are the agents and companies that are not local. Over 50 percent of the home sales in our community are from out of the area agents who usually do not spend their income/commissions in our community.
So, when you are looking for a professional or business, please look to those who support our community and shop local.
Ron Pavelka
Cloverdale
Supporting Measure M
Editor: Monsanto, Syngenta, Bayer, BASF, and duPont have arrived in Sonoma County to fight Measure M, a local Nov. 8 ballot measure that prohibits growing GMOs.
The opposition said they weren’t planning to spend money against Measure M. According to documents filed with the Sonoma County Clerk, these companies are funding a recently formed committee, “No on M- Sponsored and Opposed by farmers, ranchers, and agricultural technology companies” receiving over, $98,000 as of October 10. Contribution reports are online: http://bit.ly/2dw5DDX. Agro-chemical corporations wouldn’t be funding our opposition, if they didn’t have plans for Sonoma County. The fact is, more and more people want non-GMO food. Our local farms have a right to grow it without contamination. It’s that simple.
These companies make genetically engineered seeds and the herbicides designed to be used with them. When grown in open fields, GMO crops present a contamination threat to non-GMO farms miles away. As new GMO crops are released, local farmers will face a greater threat to their businesses. Eighty percent of Sonoma County dairies are organic, so their cows cannot eat contaminated grass.
Farmers are concerned: “My right to grow non-GMO shouldn’t be threatened by someone else’s business practices that are harmful to mine. Millions of dollars in lost export revenue has occurred from GMO contamination,” said Joey Smith of Let’s Go Farm. “Because people growing genetically engineered crops aren’t required to register, we don’t know how many genetically engineered crops are growing in Sonoma County. We don’t want GMO crops proliferating here. That’s why we’re taking action. Measure M is about being proactive, just like the GMO growing bans in five other CA counties.”
Chemical companies have spent money fighting similar battles in communities with ballot measures to prohibit growing GMO crops. In Jackson County, Oregon, chemical companies spent nearly $1 million in 2014 against Measure 15-119. The ban, however, was approved by more than 65 percent of the voters. Oregonian voters saw through the opposition’s deceptive information and rallied to support their GMO crop ban to protect family farms and their agricultural future. GMO crops and traditional crops can’t coexist.
The Yes on M Committee is supported by a broad list of endorsers, including: local farmers, dairy owners, farming organizations, vintners, business owners, newspapers, environmental organizations like the Sierra Club and Sonoma County Conservation Action; political groups like the local Democratic Party; former Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey; former State Senator Noreen Evans; former State Assemblywoman Mariko Yamada; local elected and community leaders throughout the County and numerous residents.
The text of Measure M, endorsements, and more is at gmofreesonomacounty.com.
Karen Hudson, Citizens for Healthy Farms and Families, Yes on M