Letters to the editor | Monday, March 30, 2020: Potential dam failure in Del Puerto Canyon

Be transparent on Del Puerto Canyon

Hazardous dam flood inundation mapping was promised to our community on March 25 after requesting it since December. The draft EIR states that if the south dam were to break, the majority of Patterson would be catastrophically inundated, and this mapping would detail the potential destruction. Time is of the essence — within several months the partners will release the final EIR, after which there is minimal time for the public to have any voice.

Conveniently, due to COVID-19, the partners have stated that they will not keep their prior release date, and only provide the mapping at “a public forum where those interested can ask questions, and receive responses.” Therefore, Save Del Puerto Canyon, on behalf of thousands of Patterson residents, has requested that the previously scheduled mapping release date be upheld, providing the community time to review the information prior to the next meeting.

Representatives of the citizens who will be impacted by this project have a mandate to ensure that ethical processes are pursued. We call on Congressman Harder, the Board of Supervisors, and our City Council to follow through for constituents.

I’m not a Josh Harder fan

Re “Stanislaus County won’t enforce stay-home order” (Front Page, March 22): We truly are living in interesting times. Unexpected leadership arose from our sheriff as we struggle dealing with this virus. Thanks, Sheriff Jeff Dirkse.

I did have a great laugh this weekend when they showed a photo on the front page of Dirkse and Congressman Josh Harder. Harder’s hands were in his pockets and I wondered if the photo was specifically selected as a metaphor of his leadership. Thank goodness I received a flyer in the mail from him telling me to wash my hands. I had never heard that until now. Problem solved.

I think this emergency highlights how inexperience and youth aren’t always the way of the future. I was raised to respect my elders largely due to their experience. I am reasonably sure now that anybody who voted for Harder deeply regrets it. Let’s get past this partisan stuff and start voting for people who will actually help us during a crisis and not just be a shill for a particular political party. I am sure Harder is a nice guy but has done nothing for our community, no matter how people spin it.

Harder helps his people

A problem with our prescription insurance company: As a couple, we’d been with this company three years. In open enrollment, we called to change the plan to a less expensive one. No problem, they said. You’ll get your new cards in the mail, they said.

Yes, we did. Mine was correct, but my husband was signed up for a program costing nearly five times mine. In the ensuing weeks, my husband made six calls, each lasting nearly 30 minutes, repeating the problem, bumped from department to department. A grievance process needed, they said. You’ll know in two weeks, they said. The answer? Nothing we can do about it. Our knowledgeable insurance man gave it his best shot twice. Nope.

We recalled how Josh Harder had helped many veterans get what they were owed. A simple visit to his office in Modesto. A week later, like magic, we got a call from Medicare saying they were on it. A couple days later, fixed, with a refund! Josh Harder is an amazing representative who deserves to be held in high esteem for his commitment to his constituents.

How Howze is like Trump

At the great State debate someone asked candidate Ted Howze if he shared any similarities with Donald Trump. He claimed that he was more of a laid-back Californian.

There may be more of a similarity than he thinks. Aversion to a free press (barred from his top-secret Primary night party), border security (bigger and more cages for those dangerous immigrant children or their parents who are trying to take away those high-paying jobs in crop picking and dry walling). Also, given Trump’s Tweets and Howze being a large animal vet, they are both familiar with bull.

This story was originally published March 30, 2020 at 3:02 AM with the headline "Letters to the editor | Monday, March 30, 2020: Potential dam failure in Del Puerto Canyon."