It’s always nice to scan the Political Watch column to see what’s new and news from Washington and Sacramento. Most of it is puff pieces meant to elevate the politician’s excellent job that he is doing. In particular Salud Carbajal. So I guess there’s nothing positive to trumpet about creating a small city on a decrepit military reservation built in 1941, and I believe little changed or improved since then. Because Carbjal hasn’t said a word about it. What is he thinking? Boom. There it is!
Camp Roberts’ infrastructure is primitive with mostly wooden structures. Our federal government is about to bring some 20,000 border-crossers to be housed for who knows how long and will need a support staff of who knows how big to supervise, feed, and provide shelter and medical care—and one would hope security to keep these individuals, some who may be in their early 20s, from wandering off into the surrounding community.
This influx of people, which could total 35,000, at a time of pandemic and drought should be a pretty significant event. While pot farms, the homeless crisis, and farmworker rights, plus the constant COVID-19 coverage, is considered important local news, I would think someone could, maybe should, ask our Washington representative to elaborate, and then get a little tough by asking the question, “Are you nuts?”
Jan Lipski
Vandenberg Village
This article appears in May 27 – Jun 3, 2021.
