Letters: Expanded Spare the Air Alerts deserve Bay Area support

Submit your letter to the editor via this form Read more Letters to the Editor Expanded Spare the Air Alerts deserve advocacy Re Bay Area Air District responds to concerns over Spare the Air Alert increase Oct The Bay Area Air District s decision to expand Spare the Air Alerts deserves endorsement Related Articles Letters Ending the truck ban on I- will only spread the pain Letters San Jose animal shelter still turning deaf ear to group Letters E-commerce demands smart business procedures to thrive Letters Democrats need a candidate not a careerist Letters Vote no on the unfair Proposition Each winter fine particle defilement reaches dangerous levels with residential wood burning responsible for up to of emissions This is a serious populace vitality threat Low-income families and communities of color already bear the greatest burden of polluted air suffering higher rates of asthma and heart syndrome The need for cleaner air is urgent and limiting wood burning is a reasonable science-based remedy Cleaner winter air means fewer emergency room visits and lives saved Residents have the option to certify eligible stoves as exempt or explore locality energy-assistance programs designed to help reduce the financial burden of home heating during Spare the Air alerts The Air District and local leaders must strengthen outreach and funding for low-income heating alternatives so that equity and clean air progress together Protecting group vitality requires shared responsibility Remi Hernandez San Jose Sunnyvale councilman should stick to his job Re Campaign linked to insulting message Page B Nov As a resident of Sunnyvale I d appreciate it if Richard Mehlinger would behave like the council member he is Why did he feel the need to reply to a generic campaign text by saying that Rishi Kumar wasn t fit to be a dog catcher Last year Mehlinger posted a link on a society forum to his voting recommendations for the voting He accused those opposed to two local ballot measures he co-authored as being a who s-who of what s left of the City s angry conservative NIMBY faction and that the opposition s arguments are bogus and play to rank xenophobia and paranoia Both measures failed one of them - If Mehlinger can t respect people who disagree with him or at least keep his mouth shut he has no business representing the city of Sunnyvale Doug Atkins Sunnyvale Tech titans commerce souls for their bottom line Re Building more than a ballroom Page A Nov The need to protect the company assets is just the tech titans cop-out for their over-the-top backing for Donald Trump I d like to ask Your company s valuation might skyrocket in the short run but what good does it do when your family employees customers and shareholders all live under an authoritarian regime where corruption runs rampant science is under attack cruelty is celebrated and truth no longer matters Florence Chan Los Altos Stable solutions best choice for S J homeless San Jose is a beautiful city and it s devastating to witness the growing homelessness emergency on our streets As a concerned lifelong resident I feel obligated to speak up Our city s homeless population has reached roughly bearing over of Santa Clara County s total This situation has ruinous effects on our society Unsheltered individuals lack stability straining vital society support such as robustness care and the criminal justice system This isn t to say it s their fault it s a call for better solutions We must advocate for those struggling I urge the City Council to prioritize policies that focus on growing temporary housing such as sheltersand to increase the supply of affordable realistic housing We must also expand homelessness prevention methods By focusing on stable effective solutions we can help the less fortunate get back on their feet and lead San Jose toward a better future Alberto Bautista San Jose Increase visibility of homeless materials Homelessness and drug abuse continue to be among the the bulk visible and disheartening issues in our communities While shelter and rehabilitation programs exist it is highly unlikely the average person will hear about these information We need stronger efforts such as advertisements society utility and expanded access to housing facilities and drug rehabilitation programs Too often a few individuals will go through these struggles unaware of available information and could benefit from the help of our communities to reintegrate into society and make a contribution As a area we could take approaches toward action such as posting information in population areas where homeless people are known to gather partnering with local organizationsand conversation and advocacy Investing in those in need will not only help our society but will also create unity By spreading awareness and improving access we can give more people a chance at a better life and a better path Alexia Ramos San Jose Dead man s life was testament to redemption Re Man who drove off Santa Cruz Wharf was registered sex offender Page B Oct The article on William Westerman detailed the crimes of his past but failed to capture the man he worked tirelessly to become As his sister I knew William lived a life of utility and quiet redemption over the last decade A devoted son he served as full-time caregiver for our father through his journey with dementia until his passing and then for our -year-old mother He was the Fixit Will who helped his neighbors He exposed solace in the ocean s beauty Focusing on the grisly details of decades-old crimes the article inflicted unnecessary pain and missed the crux of his story the possibility of transformation William after prison demonstrated that we are not solely defined by our worst actions but by our commitment to change His journey of making amends truly serves the constituents interest a lesson in hope and redemption Kenah Roberts Santa Cruz