Petaluma Opinion

• A real welcome home

  Friday November 20, 2009 3:00 am

  Editor: I returned home from my second tour of duty in Vietnam 40 years ago this month. What I returned to was not at all pleasant. While I was angry, I refused to let it get the best of me and affect my military performance.

• The stench of asphalt

  Friday November 20, 2009 3:00 am

  Editor: In Don Bennett’s recent column about Petaluma’s restaurant history, “Town’s changing dining landscape,” he is very negative and tries to correlate patterns of change in restaurants, the decline, the replacement of old dining establishments, with the City Council majority’s concern about protecting downtown Petaluma.

• Protect native species

  Thursday November 19, 2009 3:00 am

  Editor: In Patricia Boyd’s letter of Thursday, Nov. 12, she professes to speak for the taxpayers of Petaluma. I am a taxpayer of Petaluma and Ms. Boyd does not speak for me.

• Donate to fireworks show

  Thursday November 19, 2009 3:00 am

  Editor: I am a member of the Petaluma Parks, Recreation, Music and Arts Commission, and I was informed a few months ago that next year’s Fourth of July event is in need of funding if it is to take place.

• Love and respect for veterans

  Wednesday November 18, 2009 3:28 pm

  Editor: As a member of the Marin Mounted Sheriff’s Posse, I was honored to carry four Pearl Harbor survivors in my green fringed-top surrey in Petalu-ma’s Veterans Day Parade last Wednesday.

• Right to due process

  Wednesday November 18, 2009 3:26 pm

  Editor: The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the right of due process of preborn persons in the 1884 property law case McArthur vs. Scott. The right to due process ensures that each person is given a fair opportunity to have his side of an issue heard in a court of law before he is deprived of “life, liberty or property,” as stated in the 14th Amendment.

• Vibrant downtown

  Wednesday November 18, 2009 7:27 am

  Editor: Regarding Manuel Mendes’ assertion that downtown is “great for visitors” but not the “citizens,” I would suggest that he familiarize himself with what downtown has to offer the residents of Petaluma (“Petaluma’s needs,” Letters, Friday).

• Big-box needed

  Monday November 16, 2009 11:02 am

  Editor: Manuel Mendes (“Petaluma’s needs,” Letters, Friday) wrote that Petaluma needs big-box stores and that we can have them and still maintain the small-town charm of our downtown, and I agree with him. Petaluma needs to start doing more to attract businesses rather than chasing them off.

• Petaluma's needs

  Friday November 13, 2009 7:37 am

  Editor: We need to take care of the people who live in Petaluma, not just the ones who visit. If I wanted to raise my family at a tourist destination, I would move to Disneyland.

• The change dilemma

  By TIMOTHY NONN

  Friday November 13, 2009 3:00 am

  

  Many liberals who helped elect President Obama are getting worried that he will fail to fulfill a host of campaign promises, especially health-care reform, if he sacrifices basic principles in favor of compromise with Republicans and moderate Democrats.

• Bullfrog eradication

  Friday November 13, 2009 3:00 am

  Editor: On the behalf of the taxpayers of Petaluma and two animal welfare and protection groups, PAW PAC and LEAP, that I represent, I asked a question during public comment on a City Council agenda item on Nov. 2 regarding the bullfrog eradication program at the last City Council meeting.

• Investigate ‘bribe’

  Friday November 13, 2009 3:00 am

  Editor: Merlone Geier Management’s offer to loan the city of Petaluma $1 million provided the council approve the development entitlements for their Deer Creek project by April 2 appears to be a bribe with three councilmen supporting the bribe.