Letters to the Editor 11-5-15

Nailed in the valley
Editor: Are you a contractor, or have a construction project going in the Alexander Valley? Are you missing a box of nails with blue washers? Well, we found them for you. They dropped out of your truck on Alexander Valley Road, just a little before the campground. If you would like them, please come and take them out of our tires. This happened on Nov. 2, some time between 8 and 11 a.m. I am sure there are a lot of others who would be willing to have them taken out of their tires too. We swept them off the road and the edges, notified the county, and hopefully they can come out to finish the job.
Sharon Rotlisberger, Healdsburg
Bad idea
Editor: Proposed traffic circle at Healdsburg Avenue and Mill Street. Bad idea. Want proof? Visit Fernley, Nevada (population 19,000) traffic circles at rush hour. The back ups are far worse than what we have now. In addition, the diameter of the circles is not large enough and the big rig trailers travel over the aprons or sidewalks.
Ted Salkin, Healdsburg
Moral obligation
Editor: Everyone is talking about the lack of affordable housing, why we don’t have enough and how to provide more. I’d like to suggest some ideas. This is a situation which requires aggressive leadership from our city officials. In recent years, we have reached a tipping point regarding tourism. Twenty years ago, we needed to start almost from scratch to encourage tourism; now Healdsburg is a well-known tourist destination. I certainly don’t oppose tourism, but we need to not only stabilize it, but retain the character of Healdsburg that we all know and love.
One of the effects of tourism is the increased demand for service sector jobs. While these jobs serve the needs of the tourism industry, they do not provide adequate pay for those workers to be able to afford to live in town. This puts additional pressure on our available affordable housing stock. I believe we have a moral obligation to help provide safe, affordable housing for our community.
Each year the city provides the Healdsburg Chamber of Commerce over $500,000 to help promote and encourage tourism. Perhaps this money would better serve the needs of all the community if it were to be diverted to strategies to help housing affordability, such as land banking or public/private partnerships with developers. This would incentivize the type of housing we most need. The question should not be: tourism or affordable housing? With proper planning and leadership, we can have both.
Jim Winston, Healdsburg Citizens for Responsible Growth
Support Raven Players
Editor: I want to acknowledge the comments Steven David Martin, the artistic director of the Raven Players, recently made expressing his disappointment and frustration that the Raven Players get so little recognition in our local media relative to many of Sonoma County’s other community theaters. Having been involved with the Raven Players since its inception and having had the good fortune to have been part of many outstanding Raven Players productions over the years, I share Mr. Martin’s feelings.
For almost 15 years now, the Raven Players has offered an annual season of hilarious comedies, thought provoking dramas and exhilarating musicals made possible by many talented and dedicated volunteers who have devoted countless hours of their time to make this happen. And it is indeed discouraging at times that those efforts often seem to go unnoticed.
But of even greater concern to me is that the Raven Players is able to continue its important role in our community. Although the Raven Players has benefited from the generous donations of many local benefactors and built a loyal following of season ticket holders, like most nonprofit community theater companies, it struggles financially every year to keep the doors open and fulfill its mission of bringing high quality live theater to our community.
The Raven Players wishes nothing more than to entertain its audiences; to make them laugh, make them cry, to engage them emotionally and intellectually and provide a haven where, for a short time, we can forget our troubles and share our commonality.
I want to enthusiastically endorse their efforts and encourage more members of our community, young and old alike, to support them and continue to provide them this opportunity by treating yourselves to a memorable evening or afternoon at the Raven, enjoying and participating in the uniquely wonderful experience that live theater and our exceptional theater company offers.
Tim Shippey, Healdsburg
Look left
Editor: Imagine my happiness when our wonderful Memorial Bridge opened last Wednesday. Living on Kennedy Lane meant this whole year we’ve had to drive that loop past McDonald’s to get on 101 south through a light that most times took two cars, maybe three at a time.
But, imagine my dismay when the addition of a fourth stop sign at the end of the bridge on Healdsburg Avenue became virtually invisible. Our first time at the intersection was met with three cars in a row simply not even looking to their left to Kennedy Lane and passing right on through. Just today, I went on a bike ride and was almost hit by a driver who drove an entire car length past the limit line (I actually stopped at my stop sign, even on a bike). She seemed genuinely perplexed, which is alarming.
Now, I understand that stops signs aren’t that popular with drivers in town. In fact, they seem more like suggestions than, you know, laws. The “California Stop” has made way for the “California Roll.” If the Healdsburg Police Department ever wanted to make their months’ quota of traffic tickets they could do it in one day sitting at the corner of Matheson and University alone.
But, I digress. I really hope that people pay just a little more attention when at the stop sign on Memorial Bridge. You may not be used to it being there but it’s still there. So, for your own safety, and the safety of others, please look left.
Erik Anderson, Healdsburg
Compassionate care
Editor: They don’t make docs like him anymore. I vacationed in Healdsburg with family a few weeks ago. During my visit, I experienced a terrible toothache. It was Saturday. We called around for a dentists. None were in office. We left messages. One doc called back and suggested I go to hospital emergency.
Then, an unexpected returned call. Dr. Will Brogdon immediately responded to my call for help. Within an hour, he opened his office, brought in his assistant and saw me. He examined me thoroughly, took x-rays, wrote out prescriptions, gave needed medical advice and told me to call again if necessary before I left Healdsburg. His fee was more than reasonable and his compassion extraordinary. He is truly a doctor that we need more of. My family and I were able to continue our vacationing without further incident.
Noah Kline
Somers Point, New Jersey
Fluoride concerns
Editor: It doesn’t matter whether you are for water fluoridation or not. If the fluoridating chemical used by Healdsburg Water Department does not have safety studies for ingestion, the practice should end immediately.
In 2014, uninformed dentists and their professional organizations bombarded Healdsburg mailboxes with glossy brochures filled with undocumented assertions that water fluoridation is safe and effective. Among the claims is a 25 percent decrease in tooth decay. When asked for the scientific documents backing this, we received none.
We find out that this decades-old myth has been repeated so many times it became a belief system. However, after 62 years of fluoridating Healdsburg’s water, the county health department finally did the first ever Healdsburg oral health survey last year. This small survey of third graders and kindergartners in fluoridated Healdsburg compared to unfluoridated Sonoma County showed no statistically significant difference in tooth decay.
This is consistent with the largest government survey ever done; in 1986-1987, the U.S. National Institute of Dental Research did a comparison survey of 39,207 school children across the United States in fluoridated vs. unfluoridated cities and the finding was no statistically significant difference in tooth decay rates. Fluoridation of the water is not effective.
We are asking for proof that ingesting industrial grade fluoride is safe. Times have changed. Those concerned residents who have asked for the scientific proof of safety are no longer considered fringe. They are educated parents, doctors, dentists and anyone concerned about health. That is why we are calling for a moratorium on fluoridating Healdsburg’s water until written verification from the manufacturer is provided to the public.
Jeannie Rudd, Healdsburg