Remove fire-prone plants from Novato medians
There's more to the story on Novato traffic island than Michele Spremich wrote in her Dec. 30 letter published in the Marin IJ.
Pacheco Valle has more than 1,000 residents with only one road in and out. The traffic island tended by Marcia Basalia, along with five more median islands, are being re-landscaped to reduce fire-prone vegetation in and alongside the road.
This is a planned improvement for neighborhood safety. Residents, including the Pacheco Valle Firewise Committee, have conferred with the Novato
Fire District to improve evacuation for our community. We worked with the Novato Public Works staff to develop a plant plan for traffic islands. As a member of the firewise committee, I can say we are grateful for the plant removal alongside the entrance.
Replanting and landscaping will be paid by neighborhood contributions with serious concern given to design, habitat, irrigation, plant selection and maintenance. Recommendations from Fire Safe Marin and other organizations were reviewed and screened to avoid attracting deer to the middle of the road, and to match low water requirements for the traffic island sites.
Basalia has put many hours into native plants in the middle of the traffic island. But she is by no means the only one who cares for native plants and wildlife. I believe that her concern for native California pollinators is in the wrong place. This is a good time to note that many native plants are flammable, especially with drought conditions.
Neighbors and Rotary volunteers, with the help of the Marin County Open Space District have already planted milkweed habitat for Monarch butterflies in the adjacent meadow. Residents have cultivated natives in their yards.
Improved evacuation and landscape design in our roadway combine ecological concerns with safety for our neighborhood.
— Kay White, Novato
I am writing in response to the Associated Press article recently published in the IJ regarding Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s presidential run (“Kennedy taps into voters who are looking for an alternative,” Dec. 26). While some may be drawn to his campaign because of their distrust of the media, government and corporations, nobody should ignore the incredible and factual accomplishments of Kennedy, which are the primary contributors to his burgeoning support.
Kennedy is first and foremost a public servant. His 40-year career as an environmental lawyer started in 1985 when he represented the NAACP and Hudson River fishermen. In 1999, he founded the Waterkeeper Alliance, an organization of more than 300 groups dedicated to protecting more than 2.5 million square miles of waterways. Time magazine named him “hero of the planet” for the work he did to restore the Hudson River.
Along with his environmental work, Kennedy is the author of more than a dozen books, four of which are New York Times bestsellers. Kennedy's career demonstrates experience, knowledge, compassion and diplomacy that is second to none.
This is the work that unites his supporters and the reason he has gained their trust. The tribal discussion around vaccines that many hastily point to is but a distraction from Kennedy's stance supporting safe vaccines.
The message of the RFK campaign is one of unity, peace, healing and honesty. Those who seek to portray him as a conspiracist subvert the truth about his candidacy.
They appear to disregard the essential qualities so many millions of Americans desperately desire in their next president.
— Mary Fraser, Mill Valley