Readers write in about mental health, saltwater intrusion and other readers.
Myth Buster
Re: “Misguided By Voices” (Cover, April 10): Thank you Ms. Perry for your thorough coverage in the Santa Cruz Weekly article on “Busting the Mental Illness Myths.” Articles such as yours are important because they explore how stigma impacts mental health consumers and hinders progress in educating people on mental health.
I applaud you for covering various areas in the mental health debate from recovery to advocacy to family members, politics and discrimination. More positive and enlightening coverage of this issue is definitely needed.
Please continue to do more reporting on mental health.
Helena Liber
Santa Cruz
Good Neighbors
I am dismayed by the letter to the editor regarding the Neary Lagoon co-op (Letters, May 1). It is no longer a co-op. It is low cost housing skillfully managed by Mercy Housing. The problems that once existed, no longer do. I live next-door. It is a well-managed and vibrant community. I am very glad to be the neighbor of the people who live at Neary Lagoon.
Geri Lieby
Santa Cruz
Intrusion Issue Can’t Wait
The problem of saltwater intrusion in Santa Cruz County, especially in Pajaro Valley, was identified over 50 years ago, yet the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors postponed a decision to declare a south county groundwater emergency in 2008.
Equally important, the decision has not been re-visited since then.
The southernmost Soquel watershed drains into the Santa Cruz south county of Pajaro Valley; it seems appropriate to expect a response from the County Board of Supervisors in regard to the south county groundwater emergency, especially since a Desal plant in Santa Cruz is under serious consideration.
The only member to cast a vote of dissention to table the decision five years ago was then chairwoman, Ellen Pirie. As reported in the Sentinel, she felt that declaring a groundwater emergency would, “put the community on notice that the problem is serious and needs to be resolved”.
I can strongly suggest no better time than the present to reopen the discussion.
During the time the decision was being tabled, strawberry producers in Watsonville were enjoying record-breaking seasons with an upward trajectory. It’s now many years later and the Capital Press just reported an “obliterating” record-breaking California season last year, the sixth record-breaking berry harvest in a row.
Agricultural land in Pajaro Valley has continued to expand despite the long-known water overdraft. For comparison, at the height of the apple boom the goal of one million trees was reached at 14K acres in the 1930s.
According to ScienceNotes from UCSC last year, land devoted to growing strawberries “ballooned from 27K acres in 2002 to 38K areas in 2012.”
We’ve heard it before, but it bears repeating: Agriculture in dry California is estimated to use more than 80% of available water. Big growers use a lot of water.
In the five years since the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors postponed a decision to declare a south county groundwater emergency, it appears to not only be ‘business as usual’, but a green light for expansion.
Perhaps it is time for a new decision that will “put the community on notice that the problem is serious and needs to be resolved.” If enough people write, the Board can be encouraged to reopen this unpleasant discussion.
Robyn Cooper
Aptos
