Letters To The Editor

So many of us knew what a dangerous, corrupt, and unintelligent resident landed in the White House, a puppet of Russia and Putin. The facts around the 2016 election have dribbled out slowly via the press, silenced by Fox News and right-wing entities, right-wing politicians, and a racist base. Ignoring our nation’s intelligence investigations to […]

Every community faces the challenges of unmet needs–not enough money to go around for basic public services, let alone taking care of underserved residents in virtually every sector of our community. This includes our veterans–women and men who served our country honorably and well–for whom it’s challenging to find jobs despite the training and discipline […]

Oil brings in revenue for Santa Barbara County. This has been a selling point when new drilling permits are sought. But oil operations cost us more than they generate. Some direct costs include fire department enforcement of violations, unreimbursed disaster response, staff time for the treasurer-tax collector to get oil companies to pay millions of […]

Now that there is a vacancy in the Supreme Court of the United States, Americans and U.S. senators should be reminded that there is still a nomination for the Supreme Court that was never appropriately dealt with. Now is the time for Americans and senators to stand behind the nomination of Merrick Garland to be […]

Congratulations to the Friends of the Santa Maria Public Library for 10 years of dedicated service to the people of the Santa Maria Valley through their operation of the Library Shop at the Santa Maria Public Library. I especially thank the 40 volunteers and shop manager, Nancy Marriott, who staff the shop and work to […]

I read with interest City Librarian Mary Housel’s comments in the “Library Shop to close after tiff with library” article (July 5). I have been a librarian for 31 years, as well as currently serving on the Friends Board, and have never encountered a city librarian who felt they needed to evict a group that […]

For the past three or four years my next door neighbors have thrown a very large Fourth of July party, and every year they have ignited illegal fireworks.  The fireworks shows have run continuously for three to four hours. Last year we called the “Santa Maria Fireworks Hotline,” and were informed that no police would […]

Thanks to Michael Smith for his no-nonsense column on the horror story that is Donald Trump (“Trump’s not a Republican,” June 28). Whether or not America survives this administration, there is no doubt historians will not look kindly on his term in office. However, Mr. Smith’s article does not support its title, “Trump’s not a […]

Michael Smith may not think President Trump is a Republican (“Trump’s not a Republican,” June 28), but most Republicans are not Republicans–. For some time now there hasn’t been a cat whisker’s difference between Democrats and Republicans. Other than puffing out their chests in indignation, the agenda of social justice and globalization marches on as […]

Compliments on your article (“Embrace the change,” June 28). I’m no “canary,” but I claim to be a “cockatiel.” I am a dyed-in-the-wool progressive, though. At my age and present ability, I am pretty much just a petition signer and help out at the Democratic Club of Santa Maria Valley office, but I appreciate it […]

So impressive to see the real truth regarding the city of Santa Maria (“Embrace the change,” June 28). Approximately 600 new homes starting in the low $500,000 bracket are being built at Rice Ranch, Orcutt Hill, Bradley. What happened to affordable housing? Not to mention the impact on our infrastructure: water, gas, electricity, roads and […]

President Theodore Roosevelt’s thoughts in 1907 on being an American should be our motto for all newcomers today, as follows: “In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone […]