Letters to the Editor 3-13-14

Possibilities ahead
Editor: In small towns, I realize that we often spend more time finding the negative in our tiny schools than positive, but I wanted to take a moment to extend thanks to the many teachers, coaches, and mentors to students in our community who do make a huge difference.
I graduated from Healdsburg in 2008, and I wanted to take a moment to share thanks to all the people in Healdsburg who made such an impact on my life.  I’m not sure how often you hear from graduates a few years out, but I wanted to  to describe the path my life has taken since graduation, and offer many thanks to the people of Healdsburg who made it possible.
Fearfully, I left small Healdsburg to attend Cornell University in New York after graduation from Healdsburg in 2008. I moved across the country to pursue my dream of becoming a doctor someday. At Cornell, I realized that without the strong foundation I had at Healdsburg, I would have quickly drowned.  Not to say that I didn’t fumble some, but I could still hear the encouragement to find a voice from my English teachers, to get back to the basics of the atom from my science teachers, to show all your work from my math teachers, and to not be afraid to unleash new prowess from my athletic coaches. I was reminded to find joy amidst difficult science, and to look at things in the perspective of history. My time working for Healdsburg Wrestling even led to an opportunity to work with the Olympic Wrestling team. I also realized the importance of agriculture in my life — that both 4-H and FFA shaped many of the life skills I carry through in every area of my life.  All these voices in my head from Healdsburg made survival possible at Cornell.
Deciding on a slightly different future, I opted to go to nurse practitioner school rather than medical school because I realized at the core of my personality, I’ve always been more of a nurse. This journey took me to Duke University, where I am officially a licensed practitioner, and I am working in the Neurosurgery Intensive Care Unit at Duke Hospital in North Carolina. This fall, I have the opportunity to pursue my doctorate based on research recognition from staff, and I could not be more thrilled for the opportunity to practice at a higher level and contribute to research in my field. I say all this not in praise of my work; rather, in thanks of the many people who I once saw all day every day and now years have passed since I’ve been able to pay a visit. I wanted to say thank you, and whether I’ve had you as an instructor or not, I wanted to remind the teachers, coaches, and mentors of Healdsburg that your job is the most important job in the world. You literally have the ability to influence someone like me from a small-town to dream bigger. I am grateful that because of all of you, I am living my dream every single day. I get to be the person who sees people awaken from a coma, find a cure for epilepsy, and I get to watch 16-year-olds in terrifying motor vehicle crashes learn to walk again. I’m in love with my job and proud of what I’ve been able to accomplish. Most of all, I’m grateful to all of you, and I just wanted to remind you that in every one of your classrooms, on every playing field, and at every Healdsburg Fair, there is a student waiting to be turned on to the possibilities ahead, and you are the agents to do it. See you back in Healdsburg sometime! Thank you so much.
Alexandra Cook
Duke University Hospital
Neuro ICU
Polio and green hair
Editor: Polio, that illness that terrified all families in the 1950s, until Jonas Salk announced at the University of Michigan that his vaccine was affective, only exists in humans, and, like smallpox, can be made to disappear from the world. In 1985 there were more than 350,000 cases of paralytic polio in the world. It was then that Rotary decided to work on the eradication of this crippling disease. And they have been very successful, as there were only about 400 cases in the world last year. Forget those numbers for a moment.  What does that mean for the individual child that does not get paralyzed from polio?  Amazing!
Working with WHO, UNICEF, and the Bill Gates Foundation, Rotary has raised money over the years to combat this illness.  And what the local Rotary Club has done is raise money every year for this cause. Their method is unique: they ask their friends to pay them if they will paint their hair green, this year on March 17, St. Patrick’s Day.
So please participate in this endeavor to eradicate polio from our world. Whatever you donate to have your Rotary friend paint his/her hair green is tax deductible, and matched two-to-one by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Imagine the difference you have made if you prevent one child from being paralyzed from polio. Amazing, and I think of that every day.
If you are not somehow contacted by a Rotarian and asked to pay for him/her to paint their hair green, mail your tax deductible check (with note for polio eradication) to Rotary International, PO Box 671, Healdsburg.
The child you have helped in Pakistan may not be able to personally thank you, but you have made his life immeasurably better!  I thank you for the difference you have made for that young person.
Dave Anderson, MD
Healdsburg
Here we go again
Editor: Seriously?
Here we go again. It appears the two self proclaimed saviors of Healdsburg, Warren Watkins and Jim Winston are back. They once again are attempting to claim they represent the citizens of Healdsburg where in fact they are a small group that likes to generate fear and accuse the City of not knowing how to manage its growth, resources and future. I in fact think Healdsburg is a pretty damn nice place to live and it’s the result of many Healdsburg citizens that volunteered their time and expertise over many years that created this beautiful thriving city, not these two. I assume what Healdsburg has become is the reason these two chose to move here, now they want to close the door behind them and not allow any reasonable change to occur.
Healdsburg Citizens For Sustainable Solutions does not represent me nor do I feel the majority of citizens of Healdsburg. It’s time for the majority to be heard and stand up against these two and their deceptions. If you receive their survey in the mail tell them to shove it but also let your voice be heard through your City Council. That’s where it matters.
Mark Gleason
Healdsburg  
Roundabout letters
Editor: Having read the last four letters concerning our planned traffic roundabout, I would like to submit a modest suggestion to the Tribune.
The roundabout project is going to be with us a long, long time, let’s say conservatively five years, but probably a lot more. So, equally conservatively, I would say that the Tribune will receive some 156 complaint letters per year on the subject. Most of those letters will be inanely repetitive, reflect little or no understanding of the actual and current facts concerning the project (like the long one published last week), will take up valuable staff time that can best be spent elsewhere, and will kill a lot of beautiful trees.
So I suggest that the Tribune select someone among the inveterate jeremiad-writers, commission that person to compose the most comprehensive list possible of objections to the roundabout, publish that letter, and then cease from publishing any other complaints for a period of, say, six months. Six months, because the BRCL (boilerplate roundabout complaint letter) will probably have to be updated a tad. After all, we have been promised, down the road, “public education on the roundabout, including a traveling display, presentations at civic groups and a website.”
If felt advisable, the Tribune could insert a brief line every week on the letters page saying “If you have a complaint about the Roundabout, we’ve already published it; see the BRCL printed on (date).” This might encourage writers to submit letters on new subjects, and could have a very positive effect on the letters page.
If this experiment is successful, it could be extended to political candidate support letters as well, and in retrospect, it could have been useful for the Foss Creek Circle saga too.
Dave Henderson
Healdsburg
Speak up
Editor: At a recent City Council meeting, a friend spoke to a Council member, saying they were against the proposed roundabout. They were told the council needs to hear from those opposed to it, as they have only heard from those in favor of it. Now’s the time to speak up, people! 
We’re told roundabouts are successfully in use throughout the world. Do they allow every type of vehicle to use them? Like the semis, delivery trucks of every type, the varied farm vehicles, the buses, RVs, mini cars, limousines, thousands of bicycle riders on a charity ride and those who haven’t ridden since they were kids — and are shaky at best? How will the many pedestrians going to the shopping center and downtown businesses be accommodated? Have you seen the lines of traffic coming off the Central Healdsburg exit, when it backs up onto the freeway and how often it happens? Are we to believe the phone-obsessed driving talking/texters will miraculously amend their ways? Will drivers suddenly develop common courtesy and good sense? Can you imagine the traffic mess while it’s being built? 
Being a local, I can avoid the area easily if we are bullied into this roundabout. Not so for the tourists whose spending pays for vital services in our city.
Jo Peterson
Healdsburg
Supporting Foppiano
Editor: As a long time resident of Healdsburg, I am writing to show my support for Pete Foppiano’s candidacy in the upcoming 4th District Supervisor’s race. Pete is the only lifelong District Four resident and he has spent a great deal of time volunteering in our community, most notably through his work on the Healdsburg City Council, Sonoma County Transportation Authority and as a high school coach.
Pete’s track record of accomplishments in the district is unmatched by any candidate running for supervisor in District Four. From Larkfield to Cloverdale, you don’t have to look far to see the results of Pete’s good work. We need Pete’s leadership and practical approach on the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors. I hope you will join me in supporting Pete Foppiano for Supervisor.
Bob Marker
Healdsburg
Keep moving forward
Editor: I have been reading letters regarding the roundabout plans and as I live within a block of the five-way I feel obliged to throw my two cents worth into the conversation. I can tell you from personal experience that five streets coming together in one intersection is a disaster. I pass through it several times a day on foot, bike and vehicle. I can’t count the times I have sat at a red light in the only car present waiting for what seems like forever, thinking I would be half way to Windsor if only the roundabout was in place (admit it; you’ve been there too). I have witnessed three or four northbound vehicles drive through the intersection and end up on the railroad tracks in a cloud of dust (between Vine and Healdsburg Avenue) due to the confusing configuration. Heading south on Vine one can’t turn left on Mill, so drivers turn right through the shopping center parking lot to get onto Vine in order to make the maneuver. On foot, trying to get from the east side of Mill to Parish Café (for example) one has to cross 11 lanes of traffic, six islands, and along the way press three buttons and wait for the lights.  Think anyone does that? Getting through on a bike in any direction is challenging to say the least. I think we can all agree what we have now is not a good solution. We found out during the Central Healdsburg Study that a roundabout is uniquely suited for this odd 5- way intersection as it functions largely the same regardless of the number of streets feeding into it. We learned that the roundabout is the only intersection treatment that would improve traffic flow, reduce the wait time, while allowing Healdsburg Avenue south of the intersection to be reduced to two travel lanes and a turn lane with parking added to create a more pedestrian friendly street. We further heard that studies show roundabouts are safer and experience far fewer serious accidents and injuries. That is largely because traffic slows through the intersection and when it comes to collisions; speed kills. I hear people’s concern that a roundabout will be confusing and with all our visitors there will be dire consequences. I think this underestimates our ability to adapt. Roundabouts are becoming more and more common; we can handle it. I am speaking for myself (but I think reflecting the majority of the community) and my message to the City Council is: “Keep moving forward with the roundabout; the sooner the better!”
Alan B. Cohen
Healdsburg