Letters: Full story | Boosting Fremont | Not extraordinary | Strained grid | Farewell Fosse

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Tell the whole story
of development

On Oct. 13, your newspaper published an article describing the merits and advantages of a new housing complex being constructed in downtown Oakland (“Downtown housing tower in the works,” Page B1). I wanted to bring to your attention that this article obscures the actual truth that these new developments are bringing to the local community.

The Bay Area is one of the most expensive places to live. Homelessness is rampant and locals are moving out of main areas like Oakland and Berkeley. Currently, only 7% of new housing is allocated as low-income housing.

Housing developments like the one in Oakland only serve the rich and affluent as they push the local communities out. Local media outlets should not publish articles describing the benefits of these developments without addressing their negative effects.

Abhilash Thapa
Richmond

Fremont deserves
quality city officials

Fremont holds such a big name for itself being a large contributor to Silicon Valley. But maintaining that name also means that it is important to employ people who will represent the city with a good understanding of the community and can give Fremont a better name.

The recent news on the Fremont city manager and his reported domestic violence case does not support those values (“Ex-city manager arrested before departure,” Page B1, Oct. 10). As a resident of Fremont, it disappoints me to know the unmet potential this city has. Though the case was dismissed I believe that this is a good chance to look for new opportunities through new people. Imagine Fremont without any problems and only focused on the development of the city. That’s where we should be.

While we wait to appoint a new city manager it is important that this crucial process is handled as carefully and quickly as possible to guarantee the progression of the city.

Mateo Castillo
Fremont

Full lives are expected,
not extraordinary

You recently published two pieces about disability: “Little person finds big fulfillment in job at Pittsburg vet clinic” (Page B3, Sept. 12) and “Down syndrome not denying East Bay woman a rich, full life.” (Page B3, Oct. 10)

As a psychologist and polio survivor who researches and writes about disability I would implore you to stop publishing these kinds of stories, which I believe are a great disservice to people with disabilities. They fall into a category I call “another plucky, little disabled person story.” They are about how a person can have a “normal” life despite disability, and contribute to the notion that those with disabilities generally do not have such lives.

If it is noteworthy that a person with a disability has a job or a full life, it is not because of the disability per se but because of the pervasive stigma and prejudice those with disabilities encounter. Please stop perpetuating the idea that having jobs or living full lives makes us extraordinary.

Rhoda Olkin
Walnut Creek

Increasing solar costs
will further strain grid

Re. “Hydropower decline adds strain to electricity grids,” Page A3, Oct. 11:

Here we are again folks; the battle of David vs. Goliath. The small independent rooftop solar homeowner vs. the giant utility power companies.

More than 2,000 California schools, 1,000 farms, 300 apartment buildings and over a million homes are solar-powered, producing nearly 13 billion kilowatt-hours of clean energy yearly while avoiding 5 million metric tons of CO2.

Now PG&E and other utilities are lobbying the California Public Utilities Commission to make consumer solar twice as expensive as it is today, first by charging consumers as much as $91 a month just for having solar panels and then by slashing the credit consumers receive for surplus solar electricity sent back to the grid by 77%.

We’re doing this to save the planet from a climate crisis, not to be penalized for trying to do the right thing. Please help by calling Gov. Gavin Newsom or signing petitions at the Save California Solar website.

Jacqueline Wise
Fremont

In seasons of change
A’s Fosse a constant

The hardest part about being an A’s fan is the change.

Everyone knows the story: The A’s develop young stars only to see them reach their prime and leave for richer clubs. The list of stars who have come and gone is long: Mark McGwire, Jose Canseco, both Hendersons (Ricky and Dave), Dave Stewart, Jason Giambi, Tim Hudson, Mark Mulder, Barry Zito, Marcus Semien – and so on.

The one constant all these years has been Ray Fosse. And now he, too, is gone. But his soft, cheerful voice will live on in the hearts and minds of A’s fans everywhere. Always.

We love you, Ray. Thanks for narrating the A’s story all these years. You will be missed.

Will Cooper
Walnut Creek