Letters: Concord’s needs unaddressed | Ruinous project | Recall unjustified | ‘Big stick’ for vaccines | Mental health

Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor.

Naval site development
wrong focus for Concord

In moving ahead with its efforts toward the development of the Naval Weapons Station property in Concord (“3 possible developers for Concord site,” Page A1, Aug. 4), I think that our City Council is leaving most of us Concord residents in the dust.

I do not think that most in Concord see direct benefits from a huge development off Highway 4 that will add more than 10,000 new housing units. What the city of Concord needs is more subsidized affordable housing. There are several huge open parcels in downtown Concord right now that could be developed for affordable housing. But our City Council and staff prefer to spend their time, energy and treasure pushing development at the weapons station property.

It is a ruse to say that there will be affordable housing in the mix at this new development. That will never happen. Private developers have no interest in providing truly affordable housing.

George Fulmore
Concord

Save unspoiled parcel
from ruinous project

The last unspoiled parcel of Walnut Creek, Seven Hills Ranch, a 30-acre connection to the 1800s adjacent to Heather Farm Park, is threatened by Spieker Senior Development Partners, wanting to level those hills, remove 400 oxygen-returning trees, and erect several three- and four-story buildings, 52 single-story “cottage residences,” a large clubhouse, a recreation center, an 85,000-square-foot health care facility for eight dozen wealthy seniors requiring nursing care and 594 parking spaces. Four years of round-the-clock construction, 17,000 truckloads of earth rumbling down residential streets, leaving us with more light, noise and air pollution, despite the Bay Area’s latter already worse than New York City’s.

To think Walnut Creek’s logo is a tree. Cue Joni Mitchell’s “Big Yellow Taxi” — “they paved paradise, put up a parking lot.” Sign the petition, and call and email county Supervisors Karen Mitchoff and Candace Andersen.

Mike Scott
Walnut Creek

Parroting Trump claims
doesn’t justify recall

In reply to Chris Kniel’s response to the article “Push to recall Newsom growing” (“Recall support grows as state deteriorates,” Page A6, Aug. 4): Would you like ice with that Trump Kool-Aid you’re swilling?

Like all your fellow Trump minions you waste your breath spouting the old crime, immigration, homelessness and other fear-mongering junk that lost the election for your “savior.” Take it from this uber-liberal, Gov. Newsom is 10 times the leader Trump was.

Californians see what’s going on around the country in states beholden to the “big lie.” I can’t believe someone from Orinda could swallow it.

J.D. Blair
Walnut Creek

Take ‘big stick’ approach
to vaccination efforts

In consideration of the plight of trying to minimize the impact of COVID-19 and the delta strain, it is important to note that the only answer is vaccination. Those who refuse to vaccinate for any reason are only prolonging this pandemic.

To be sure, masking does work, but with all of us masking it does not get the unvaccinated vaccinated, and we would eventually be back to where we are now.

Incentivizing and cajoling are useless in getting the misinformed, uneducated, skeptical and just plain foolhardy vaccinated. Forced employer mandates and maybe even a taxpayer penalty would go a lot further to ending this mess.

Michael D. Scott
Walnut Creek

Mental health stigma
affects Asian Americans

Re. “California allocates $156 million to combat anti-Asian hate,” July 15:

As a medical student, a first-generation Chinese immigrant, and a mother of a half-Chinese child, I am glad to see that California is putting in efforts to address mental health issues for Asian Americans. However, it is important to recognize the existence of stigma within the Asian culture regarding seeking mental health care, which may make Asian families hesitant to use the mental health resources set up by this funding. So how do we build these mental health programs so that Asian Americans would want to utilize them?

Traditionally, Asian Americans are more likely to seek psychological support from peer networks. Hence, it might be helpful to build community health worker programs into existing Asian communities, churches and groups that people are already familiar with and trust. Surveys could also be sent out to understand what Asian community needs are for mental health care.

Xiaowei Malone
Richmond