Letters to the editor | Friday, Oct. 22, 2021: Get ready for Stanislaus DA race
Get ready for Stanislaus DA race
Stanislaus County is in need of a new district attorney in the June 2022 election. Because Birgit Fladagar will retire, there is a chance that prosecutors, former prosecutors, defense attorneys, and other attorneys will sign up to become candidates for district attorney.
There will be a debate in a few months, before the election. The moderator likely will present several topics to the candidates, including an overload of criminal cases, high crime rates, high turnover of attorneys and staff, transparency-accountability, police brutality cases, and how the candidates will be different from Fladagar if they get elected.
The candidates need not be Democrat or Republican; they must be independent and nonpartisan. Anyway, I’m looking forward to seeing and meeting the new candidates and I wish them good luck.
Jack Fahy, Modesto
Playing favorites in Turlock
The city of Turlock is putting in a new center divider on a section of Monte Vista Avenue. I’m sure it serves some positive purpose. Construction is on the northeastern part of the city. Meanwhile, there are numerous roads on Turlock’s west side badly in need of repair. On some of them, one needs to drive carefully to avoid vehicle damage.
The socioeconomic composition of the two areas of the city is quite different. Could that have anything to do with why more attention is given to the roads on one side of the city compared to the other?
Elton Nelson, Turlock
Solar column self-serving
Re “This change in net metering could doom California’s solar boom” (Page 8A, Oct. 13): I am a long-time supporter of clean energy. I believe we should all reduce, re-use, and recycle. We all need to reduce our carbon footprint. However, reading Alex Williams’ column on net metering rekindled my long-time belief that rooftop solar is a huge waste of money. Paying homeowners to put solar systems on their homes is very inefficient. These solar systems have numerous problems compared to similar utility-scale systems. Of course, Mr. Williams is trying to promote his business of installation.
Money spent could significantly better impact our carbon footprint in ways where all rate payers can reap the rewards. Rooftop solar installers and providers are the ones who benefit most from net metering. Wouldn’t it make more sense for a homeowner to take their “solar dollars” and invest in a highly efficient system such as a well-maintained and highly efficient off-site utility scale solar array? Or, would that limit our naïve and uninformed writers’ ability to make homeowners feel good about their wasteful expenditures? I suggest your editorial board do a thorough analysis using real data of how this community can best reduce its carbon footprint.
Peter Rodgers, Hughson
Love Modesto cheers seniors
Residents of the Casa de Modesto Retirement Center were most pleasantly surprised on Love Modesto Day. Groups from the Centenary Church and Downey High School delivered flowers to residents in the independent apartments. After long months of COVID isolation, it was a most pleasant surprise to open the door and find friendly faces and generous gifts of flowers.
Thank you, Love Modesto, for all the servant-hearts who worked together for the good of the community. You cheered our hearts and made our day special!
JoAnn Abbas, Modesto
Punish the real instigators
Ever read the Insurrection Act? Here’s part of it: “Whoever incites, sets foot on, assists, or engages in any rebellion or insurrection against the authority of the United States or the laws thereof, or gives aid or comfort thereto, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both; and shall be incapable of holding any office under the United States.”
I’m not an attorney but I know a stop sign when I see one. If these words mean half of what I think they mean, congressmen who worked in the last administration will spend more on lawyers.
It also exposes the influence of money on the justice system. Law enforcement is aggressively rounding up the petty criminals who stormed the Capitol in January, but with near algebraic symmetry, law enforcement is dragging its feet on going after persons with wealth who whipped up the rebels and are continuing to do so.
Cutting the rattles off of a diamondback doesn’t make anybody safer. Follow the money all the way to the billionaires who are funding the coup.
Jason Gale, Riverbank