Letters to the Argus-Courier editor, May 20, 2022

Save our wildlife corridors

EDITOR: I'm working on a Wildlife Corridors and Crossing mapping series in Sonoma and Marin Counties. The project is a three-part series. Part 1, Petaluma Valley, is complete. We have six documented corridors in our Petaluma Valley. Several crossing areas over Highway 101 also will benefit from being modified to facilitate movement and prevent wildlife death.

This project spans 20 years of direct observations and reported living and deceased wildlife sightings. Have you observed wildlife movement patterns through your neighborhood? Or, do you no longer see wildlife, but you do see many houses or developments covering over what was once open and green space? I'd love to hear from you. Please reach out by email, susankirks@sbcglobal.net, or call or text the 24/7 wildlife info line, 707-241-5548.

So many of us in Petaluma care deeply for our open and green spaces, habitat, and birds and wildlife - and we want to ensure a voice is given to protect and conserve habitat, open space and wildlife movement. Speaking up and advocating contributes to quality of life for all of us, current and future residents and our wildlife.

Part 2 of the mapping project, in process, is Sonoma County coast and movement inland. Part 3 maps Marin County coastal and inland movement. The full series will reflect Petaluma's very relevant location for wildlife movement in Sonoma and Marin Counties.

The Wildlife Corridors and Crossings mapping project is one of over 100 projects recently published by Together Bay Area, the regional open space coalition, in response to Governor Newsom's 30x30 initiative to save 30% of California's lands and waters by 2030. TBA's annual conference took place on Wednesday, May 18, at the Craneway Pavilion in Richmond. To learn more, visit the website: togetherbayarea.org.

Susan Kirks

Petaluma

Voting for Blake

EDITOR: The Argus-Courier's decision to not endorse either candidate in the District 2 election is surprising to me. I haven't seen Supervisor David Rabbitt doing a lot to act for the people of Petaluma lately, and his list of accomplishments on local boards seem to benefit the South Bay more than even Marin, let alone Sonoma County.

Indeed, the Argus-Courier captured this perfectly by describing Rabbitt as having focused on the rest of the county rather than his own district. It's clear from Blake Hooper's impressive list of local endorsements, including every mayor in the district, that Supervisor Rabbitt's focus has drifted too far beyond the town where he lives and the people he directly represents.

He claims "working towards housing affordability" in his recent ads, but you'd think after 11 years, his record of 11 years of growing unaffordability would speak for itself.

It is the job of the entire board to focus on the entire County, but in chasing money and recognition from people beyond his district, Supervisor Rabbitt has let the people of Petaluma, Cotati, and Rohnert Park down. Most of the elected officials in his district agree.

It's time for change. I'm voting for Blake.

Christopher Neugebauer

Petaluma

Not a Burns fan

EDITOR: I, for one, am really tired and irritated by the fact that John Burns is given a spot every other week in the Argus to voice his opinion on various topics, often regarding the current city council. Taking into account the results of the last election, the paper should find a more relevant commentator to reflect the current political nexus of Petaluma’s population, not the rear-view mirror, “good old boy” coalition that he represents.

He is given free range to spread distorted or outright misinformation about our current mayor and city council members who he doesn’t happen to agree with. It would be much more enlightening, balanced and fair if other people could often occupy that space with different points of view on a variety of subjects including our current city council.

Lusanna Woods

Petaluma

Tennenbaum for Sheriff

EDITOR: If you were part of the 65% of Sonoma County voters who voted for Measure P, which expanded the oversight authority and independence of the Independent Office of Law Enforcement Review and Outreach (IOLERO) to investigate sheriff-related issues, Carl Tennenbaum is your candidate for Sonoma County Sheriff. Carl Tennenbaum was involved with Measure P from the beginning. The other two candidates haven’t even endorsed it.

Carl Tennenbaum is a member of the National Association for Community Oversight of Law Enforcement (NACOLE) and of the Law Enforcement Action Partnership (LEAP). Both organizations advocate criminal justice reforms with meaningful community input.

Carl Tennenbaum has the leadership experience required to lead the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Department. Tennenbaum held significant leadership positions in the San Francisco Police Department, which has over 2,000 officers. Tennenbaum was administrative assistant to the chief of police of San Francisco, commanding officer of the Public Housing Community Outreach Team as a liaison with the San Francisco Housing Authority, and sergeant in charge of the Central District street-crimes unit. He has critical street knowledge gained from interacting one-on-one with diverse communities in San Francisco.

Carl Tennenbaum is by far the best choice for Sonoma County Sheriff. Vote Tennenbaum.

Carol Crabill

Petaluma