Location wrong for proposed winery

Editor: In response to the recent article, “Potential Acampo winery sparks concerns from locals.” We would like to clarify that the enormous industrial winery complex that E& J Gallo is proposing to build has its entry and exit on tiny little Dustin Road, about a quarter mile north of the Acampo/Dustin corner.

This humongous facility will have a huge negative impact on the property and quality of life of the community of rural residences and farms for miles on all four sides and the roads leading to it. We have many concerns far more serious than the light pollution.

We have welcomed small wineries in our area and large wineries in the correct locations, but this is like “having an elephant in your living room.” It is too huge for the location proposed. It is beyond “large.” it is huge, and would forever negatively change the ambiance of “Lodi Wine Country” tourism and the image of Lodi with such an enormous industrial facility right along the wine trail Lodi has worked so hard to promote.

Gallo has been an excellent neighbor as a grape grower on these parcels of land. We urge them to continue using that land as vineyards and find an alternative site more befitting the size and scope of their proposed project that would not impact so many homeowners and farmers.

When we look out our windows on Dustin Road, we see tranquil, healthy vineyards with residences sprinkled in all directions. We occasionally see farm machinery slowly moving down our roads. In the proposed landscape the vineyards would be gone and instead there would be acres of tall tanks and 62 acres of buildings, parking lots (for 400-plus), warehouses, catwalks, waste ponds, waste water fields, and hundreds of cars and trucks clogging Highway 99 and the roads to and from neighboring residences and Houston School day in and day out.

Please find the proper location for this project, not in the middle of the heart of Lodi’s vineyards and rural residences. JILL MARTEL Acampo

You lose my support if you don’t respect flag

Editor: I have been a Raider fan as long as I can remember. There are bumper stickers on my car, a shield in my back window, custom license plates and many other things that are Raider oriented.

On my front door of my home was a shield that said: “Stop Raider Fans Only.” More than anything else I look forward to going to the games in Oakland. Some of the most fun I have had in my life were at the Raider games win or lose. On Sunday, Sept. 24, that all changed.

All my Raider jackets, coats, hats, pants, shirts, shoes, jerseys, gloves, socks, rings, sunglasses, etc., never to be seen again.

Thank you Colin Kaepernick for saving me and my family thousands of dollars. When the NFL allows owners and players to inject politics in a game where people pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to watch players that make millions of dollars to play that game it’s time to rethink your own priorities.

God, family, country first. Football is way down the food chain for me. So although they have the right to disrespect our flag, our country, our military, our police, and even our president, it doesn’t make it right.

So in response I will exercise my right and stand with God and the majority of Americans that honor our flag and country. Our veterans that have fought and died so some owners and some players that can make millions of dollars to play a game can disrespect the greatest country in the world. And shame on most of the media and anyone else that has given false testimony against the president of the United States calling him a racist for simply standing up for our flag, our country, veterans, police, the United States of America, and most of all God. Now excuse me as I have a Raider tattoo to remove. BRUCE PFEIFLE Lodi

Protests are about racial injustice

Editor: President Trump to athletes: Stay in your place, as he plays to his white Republican base. Hey Donald, athletes are just kneeling during the anthem to point out the racial injustice that exists in America. Surely you and your white supporters understand this pattern as it plays out.

Athletes are standing up to racial slurs, threats and hatred that is being hurled at them by white folks. That’s what athletes are protesting Donald.

And what about all the white folks who love their sports every weekend? Are you going to kneel down and demand an end to racism? Fat chance! RON LOWE Nevada City