Letters to the Editor 6-5-14

Our safety depends on it
Editor:   
Just a big hats off to Supervisor Mike McGuire and the instrumental agencies that are responsible for the early installation of the Asti Bridge, a move that prevented potentially catastrophic consequences by enabling fire fighters to respond expeditiously to the Old Crocker Inn barn fire last week. The blaze occurred within hours of the bridge’s opening and according to Cloverdale Battalion Chief Rick Blackmon, “engines were able to arrive 20 minutes faster by using that Asti summer bridge” thereby successfully containing the damage to just the building and a quarter acre of surrounding vegetation.
While historically the bridge has been a seasonal one ever since 1930, perhaps 2014 is the appropriate time to consider a permanent structure or at the very least extending both the installation and removal timeframes accordingly. As demonstrated, our safety depends on it, don’t you agree?
Michael and Renay Fanelli,
Asti
80 hours for nothing
Editor:   
I can’t find much sense in the claim by Robert C. Haugsten that, “Indeed they (corporations) would like it if the workers would work 80 hours a week for nothing. At the same time they want workers to be consumers at a higher and higher rate … .”  Surely capitalists aren’t that stupid, expecting to pay workers nothing while the same workers purchase more!
It would have been more useful for him to follow his first comment (“Indeed they [corporations] would like it if the workers would work 80 hours a week for nothing”) with the symmetrical follow-up: Similarly, workers want 80 hours of pay for staying home. Now there is something logical, sensible, and testable to talk about.
Wanting something doesn’t produce it. In a market economy people (corporate owners or workers) must negotiate voluntary agreements to get what they want. The end result is that both sides compromise, the capitalists paying a little less than they think the workers production is worth while the workers collect a little more than they think their labor is worth. If this wasn’t the case neither side would sign the deal. Isn’t that obvious? If what you bargain for is worth only what you give up, then why trade?
In a market economy capitalists and corporations have no real power. General Motors couldn’t make anyone buy their stock, buy their cars, or make anyone loan them money. Only the government can do that, and did. The solution to the collusion between capitalist and government is simple, make it illegal, as in unconstitutional. Otherwise, those in government will continue to look after their own affairs, which are to get elected, appointed, or hired with little chance of being fired, regardless of the consequences to the taxpayers and voters.
James R. Oglesby,
Santa Rosa
Taking my ‘thank you’ one step further
Editor:   
Last week the Willits News ran a letter to the editor that I had written to acknowledge their boys JV baseball team for the kindness and compassion that they had shown my son Austin who has Down syndrome and plays for the Cloverdale JV Baseball team.  Austin’s father posted the letter I wrote on his Facebook page and now as they say, it went viral.  While I am happy that Willits is getting the recognition they deserve for their awesome display of sportsmanship, I had no idea how many people outside of Willits would read this letter. Since it was intended for the people of Willits and I was planning to write a separate letter to the Cloverdale paper, I had not mentioned how grateful I am that Austin was invited by the Cloverdale coaches to join the team in the first place.  If it had not been for them, he would never have had this amazing experience.  Austin would walk to the field after school to watch the boys practice.  Then one day he said, “Mom, they let me take the field and hit ground balls to me.” Another day he said, “Mom, they let me bat today.” Then he came home with a packet of forms and said “Mom, you need to fill these out because they are going to let me play on the team.” He was so excited!  This is Austin’s senior year and although he has participated in Special Olympic teams, it was the first time he was given the opportunity to play on a school team. So his father and I are very greatful and appreciative that these coaches were willing to give him this experience. And it’s not just the coaches that I want to thank but the players as well. They are all so good to him, making him feel like one of the guys.  The team was even willing to donate their time on Saturday and come to Healdsburg to help with the Wonder League which is a baseball program for kids with disabilities organized by the Rotary Club of Healdsburg Sunrise in which Austin participates.
Now I need to take my “thank you” one step further. I want to thank and acknowledge the parents of the Cloverdale High School students for doing such a fine job in raising your children to be compassionate and caring towards the students in the Special Ed program. Austin joined Cloverdale High in January of his sophomore year. It’s hard for any student to start a new high school but it can be even more challenging for a child with a disability.  Well, Austin had nothing to worry about.  The students were so accepting of him that by his junior year, he won junior class prince during Homecoming. The student council is even honoring his request to speak at graduation.  Austin wanted to be able to thank the students, teachers and coaches in his own words.  
When you first learn that your child has a disability, you can’t help but worry about their future. You’re mind races through all the things that they won’t be able to do and all the challenges they will be faced with so even their smallest accomplishments become monumental moments. So thank you to all who have given Austin and his parents so many of those monumental moments.  It means the world to us!
Theresa Vail,
Cloverdale
Our safety depends on it
Editor:   
The Friends of the Cloverdale Library wish to thank the Art Committee and curators Nancy Burris and Sharon Kozel for organizing and presenting a beautiful exhibit of paintings and sculptures.
A special thank you to Kat Hinzman and Mary Larson for preparing delicious appetizers for the opening night reception.
Thank you to all the wonderful volunteers docents, Andrea Bergman, Jean Bennets, Jean Clark, Susan Clark, Yvonne Corzilius, Nancy Harris-Dalwin, Cynthia DeMartini, Diane DeVerte, Donna Ferguson, Brooke Green, Herdis Gudmund, Corrine Hensley, Barbara King, Betty Kroeze, Linda Lawrence, Dorothy Marder, Sheri McGinnis, Susan Ohari,  Sherian Pardini, Jan Postma, Nena Reiners, Nancy Rivas, Jan Screechfield, Barbara Sibio, Linda Silva, Jane Snibbe, Jo Stan, Gina Wagy, Mary Weber, and Marian Zagorites.
Many thanks to the Cloverdale Library staff for their kind support.
Penny Navone,
Cloverdale