Letters to the Editor 12-12-13

Loading zone
Editor: The downtown street beautification seems to be mostly a success. BUT the loading zone in front of the Raven was eliminated in the process, instantly creating impracticalities for production staff moving equipment and sets into the theater. Even worse, it creates a danger for all of the children who perform at the Raven. Watching the little ballerinas from the Healdsburg Ballet and the costumed children from H-Town’s Winnie-the-Pooh holiday show dash across the street in front of the theater scares me. And what about elderly and wheelchair-bound patrons? Where do the groups of visitors from nearby retirement homes disembark from the buses?
Let’s not wait until someone gets hit by a car before this error is rectified. I can’t do anything about posting the required loading zone sign(s), but I’m willing to donate the paint and my own labor to paint the curb and street markings. Just tell me who to talk to in order to make this happen right away.
Denny Drowty
Healdsburg
Raise the age
Editor: A suggestion was made to the City Council at its Dec. 2 meeting to raise the minimum age to purchase tobacco products within Healdsburg to 21. This is the same age at which alcohol can be purchased under the law.
Skeptics may argue that this is tilting at windmills, costing the affected businesses money, could lead to lawsuits, people can simply go outside the city limits or throw out other negative rejoinders..
In his presentation Dr. David Anderson shared several reasons for Healdsburg to do this: 136,000 Americans die annually of lung cancer. Needham, MA has this policy and the cancer rates among its inhabitants have gone down dramatically since they raised the minimum purchase age to 21.
The Healdsburg City Council needs to make this change for the health of its citizens.
Mike Fairchild
Healdsburg
Thank you
Editor: Again thank you for your generous support, so we could have a great dinner for our high school football team and their parents at the Villa Chanticleer on December 9th: Westec Tank Equipment, Knight’s Electric, Brandt’s Insurance, Fincher’s Auto Service, Fraternal Order of Eagles, Redwood Auto Body, Costeaux French Bakery, Watson Enterprises, Empire Boat and RV Storage, John and Jan Torres, Big John’s Market, Healdsburg Lumber, American Legion Post III, Mark’s Tireman.
Also a big thanks to our friends that helped us prepare and serve the dinner.
Frank and Carol Teuschler
Healdsburg
Open Ridge
Editor: Your story about the Healdsburg Ridge failed to answer the question that those of us who hike these trails daily want answered. Why is this suddenly an issue? I would love to hear this answered by the owner of the property.  I hike these trails every day along with other members of the community, some who have been hiking up here for over twenty years. Most of us use the trails at the top of Sunnyvale to connect to the Ridge Trail system and we do not litter or disturb any homeowners. Until we hear from the property owner, we will continue to hike, completely baffled as to what the problem could possibly be after all of these years.
Kevin West
Healdsburg