Maintaining what we have

Editor: I read with interest the recent article in the News-Sentinel about the consensus approval of the new tract of homes to go in near Harney Lane and Lower Sacramento roads.

I would like to applaud and reinforce the points being made by Councilwoman JoAnne Mounce about the approval of residential growth without the known supporting (financial) structure to support those new residences.

I happen to be involved in one of the very good Lodi venues that exists here, the three softball complexes located at Stockton and Lawrence streets. Just last weekend there was a senior softball tournament being held here at the complexes which bring into town hundreds of ballplayers and often their spouses for the weekend who wine and dine and patronize local lodgings. Thus, a lot of outside money is spent here locally because of these softball tournaments which are presently scheduled twice a year.

Related to all this is my ongoing irritation about the complete lack of interest — and many feeble excuses — about the large scoreboards that exist at all three of these ball diamonds. None of these three scoreboards are functional. A complete travesty to me and how it represents our community to the outside world. Why make the expenditure for initial placement of the three scoreboards if there is an unwillingness to make the decisions to support the scoreboards after initial installation?

The local recreational softball league(s) pay thousands of dollars yearly to be able to utilize the various softball diamonds, and we are not allowed to do any upgrades or repairs on our own time and money as those items apparently are limited to paid staff of the Parks and Recreation Department. I realize that local funding for everything the local interest groups seem to want or need is a management challenge, but, it makes no economic sense to make the big expenditure and then not be willing to keep the item(s) functioning. JIM LOCKE Lodi

A reminder to yield to oncoming traffic

Editor: I am writing this as a reminder that yielding to oncoming traffic means, “A 3-sided Yield sign indicates that you must slow down and be ready to stop, if necessary, to let any vehicle, bicyclist, or pedestrian pass before you proceed.” A quote from page 30 of the 2018 California Driver Handbook.

This has weighed on my mind for some time. Every day as I attempt to get on Highway 99 northbound from Turner Road/Frontage I “yield” to oncoming traffic getting off of Highway 99, as well as oncoming traffic from Cherokee Lane, and I have seen many near collisions as no one seems to care to yield to these two oncoming traffic outlets.

I was yielding to a truck getting off of Highway 99 and a silver Chevy sedan honked at me as though I was doing something wrong. If you are not familiar with the concept of yielding or understand a yield sign, please read the Driver Handbook as this seems to be an ongoing problem; a dangerous problem that could result in a tragic accident. LISA KAUFFROATH Lodi

Eroding freedom

Editor: President Trump has a long enemies list — are you on it? Jeff Bezos has now shot up to No. 2, right behind Robert Mueller who is investigating Trump for potential collusion. Recently Trump unleashed a Twitter attack against Bezos and his company, Amazon, and threatened to use the federal government to punish Bezos. This man who would be our president is sick.

Trump, aides say, is “obsessed” with Amazon and Bezos, largely because Bezos owns the Washington Post which has covered the Trump administration aggressively. Trump's blatant use of state power to punish specific TV networks, newspapers and private companies has no precedent — except in autocracies like Russia, Turkey, and Venezuela, where it was the first step in the erosion of freedom.

That couldn't happen here, of course. Trump's own Republican Party wouldn't stand for it. Ha! What rock have you been hiding under? RON LOWE Nevada City

Letters invited

The Lodi News-Sentinel welcomes opinions from its readers. Letters must be signed and include the writer’s address and phone number for internal verification purposes. All letters are subject to editing. Letters from local readers dealing with local issues are given priority. Letters from outside the local area are published at the editor’s discretion. Letters longer than 350 words will be cut to fit or returned to their writers. There is a holding period of 30 days between publication of letters by the same person unless no other letters are queued. Send letters to P.O. Box 1360, Lodi, CA 952411360; or email to letters@lodinews .com.