Board should reconsider BESS decision
The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors failed their duty to protect the safety of first responders and the general public on June 30 with their decision to not move forward with codifying a battery energy storage system (BESS) ordinance. They also failed to uphold the will of the voters to protect our County’s precious farmland, as is mandated under Measure J.
The Draft BESS Ordinance does not even contain elements approved by the Board on Jan. 13 to require a 3:1 ag/land conservation to mitigate loss of land at the 90 Minto Road Seahawk BESS project, and ensure the County can prevent “bad actors” from operating flammable, explosive projects adjacent to working-class residential subdivisions.
The Board chose not to complete the BESS Ordinance as promised that would be publicly reviewed by the Planning Commission and Agricultural Policy Advisory Commission, claiming no funding to complete environmental review, when the action to approve the ordinance itself is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act. This fact is established by the City of Vacaville and other jurisdictions.
The California Energy Commission is now reviewing the Seahawk BESS project for possible permitting. The Commission will look to the County’s Ordinance for guidance on their decision-making. The Board of Supervisors could have required non-flammable battery technology and prohibited conversion of farmland for an industrial BESS use, but chose not to do so.
Our Supervisors caved in to the persistent demand of the CEO to shove it through and focus on getting big bucks from the developer instead.
Contact your Supervisor and insist that the Board reverse course.
Becky Steinbruner
Aptos
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A Hand Up
Welfare was a novel idea at helping needy people. In many cases this led to making the people dependent on the government for long periods of time, sometimes permanently.
Workfare proposed in Florida by Jeb Bush provided help for the needy by providing jobs for those who were willing to work. It was stopped in the courts for violating people’s rights. I never understood that.
Perhaps we need to look at helping the needy in a different way. What if we provided assistance in a way that was a hand up with the aim of putting people back on their own feet and a contributing member of society, and not dependent on the government?
This would not work for everyone, such as those who are not physically capable, or with special needs. But it could affect many and reduce the welfare rolls that we have now and the financial burden on the government and the taxpayer.
Bill Beecher
Aptos
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Support for Watsonville Hospital critical
I recently had a friend say that he would not go to Watsonville Community Hospital. I had just mentioned I had been there for some examinations and was a little delayed for meeting with him and other friends. It was then that he made that remark.
I asked him: WHY? Give me your reason: WHY? He did not answer me, nor did he want to answer me for some reason, which I will never know. He did mention that I was “touchy” because I was a former employee, which was true. But, more than that, I am a staunch supporter of our Community Hospital which is Watonville’s own.
The former For-Profit owner purchased a fully operational hospital and went about dismantling it for their own profit, with no consideration of the community at large. We were left with no better than a large clinic after all of our special services were eliminated.
The stain that they left behind has left its mark; Doctors and patients had the opinion that why would we go to a hospital that is equipped with sub-standard equipment and technology.
But, that is no longer true; the hospital has made recent purchases that have brought the hospital up to standards and continues to pursue specialists to further the services which the hospital wants and has the ability to offer to the residents of Watsonville.
Do not let the propaganda coming from those that would have the hospital fail. It can better serve our community NOW.
It has taken time, and more time is needed to rebuild what was destroyed. Be patient and be loyal. Tell your physician you want to support your local hospital. If the service you receive is not excellent, file a grievance, speak to a supervisor; or let me know I will step up and speak for you.
I am the harshest critic the hospital has had over the last few years, WHY? because I know we can and must be better in every phase of the health services that the hospital can and does provide.
I am truly easy to find in Watsonville.
Fred Castillo
Watsonville
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Pajaronian made wrong choice for front page photo
I was disappointed to see The Pajaronian’s July 10 article celebrating America’s 250th anniversary led with a photograph of a Mixteca devil mask from Oaxaca’s Danza de los Diablos tradition.
While this folk custom holds deep cultural significance for Mixtec communities, it is an odd and inappropriate choice for the headline image of our nation’s semi-quincentennial. America’s milestone deserves imagery that evokes the Declaration of Independence, the Revolutionary spirit, Old Glory, or symbols of our shared national heritage—not a demonic figure from another country’s regional fiesta.
The article itself appears to contain little to nothing patriotic: no mention of founding principles, American resilience, or unifying national achievements. Instead of fostering pride in our country’s extraordinary 250-year experiment in liberty, the presentation feels like a cultural substitution that sidelines the very identity we should be commemorating.
Local diversity enriches Watsonville, but newspapers should not obscure America’s story when marking a rare national birthday. Readers deserve better.
Mike Lelieur
Pleasure Point
