Illegal cannabis shops hurt local community

Re “Chula Vista’s illegal pot shops stay open amid coronavirus pandemic” (April 20): Our business is at the corner of Oxford Street and Third Avenue in Chula Vista near a series of illegal cannabis shops that have continued to operate in spite of the legal steps that have been taken by the city (hiring investigators and issuing citations).

Meanwhile, we are faced daily with cleanup of cartridges, canisters and trash (some of which must be handled as biohazards) in our parking lot — all items that are contaminated and dropped by the foot traffic that rushes away from the shops and looks for the first location to use.

Although I have reported to our private security, police and used the ACT online reporting tool, the pot patrons continue to foul our streets and lots. In the interest of the public health and safety during the pandemic, why aren’t these illegal shops shuttered? thank you would be to spend that money on personal protective equipment (PPE) and test kits. Perhaps the Pentagon has a bigger budget than it needs and that money would be better spent fighting the pandemic, or on the people economically challenged by this crisis.

U.S. Postal Service needs to be preserved

The U.S. Postal Service has delivered mail to every person’s address for many, many years, usually six days a week. It has done so despite wars, weather and viruses.

Now we have a situation with this virus that has created a problem: money. The present Republican Party has done nothing to assist the USPS. The Post Office could stop entirely.

I asked two of my senators in California to push Congress to create a funding measure and pass it now. We should all do the same. After all, we all need our mail.

in modeling biological systems.

Hopefully people don’t reinforce their biases based on inexpert opinions. It would be painful to watch leaders under pressure to make decisions based on anything but facts, data and expert opinion.

Of course I’m not an editor or a journalist, and I don’t own a newspaper, so maybe I’m not qualified to identify brilliant op-ed writers.

What happened to that ‘game-changer’ drug?

The Trump follies continue. A new study has just concluded that his highly touted miracle cure, hydroxychloroquine, not only has no benefits for coronavirus patients, but may actually cause a higher death rate for them. Remember his “what do you have to lose?” His Fox prime-time mentors continually hyped the unproven drug, but have been strangely silent about it for the past week.

In related news, his supporter, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, just blindsided that state’s cities by ordering them to allow the reopening of certain businesses, including bowling alleys and tattoo parlors. That is a complete contradiction of the reasonable federal guidelines for reopening businesses since Georgia has yet to even start 14 days’ of “flattening the curve.” While expressing disagreement, Trump lamely said maybe they would test the customers, this while states are still searching for those muchneeded components.

President’s latest idea may be his worst

Re “Don’t inject disinfectants, Lysol warns as Trump raises idea” (April 24): During the coronavirus pandemic, a lot of crazy ideas have emerged from the president of the United States: Emigration is bad for our country; build a useless wall; withdrawals from bilateral agreements because they treat us badly; tax cuts for the uber-rich will reduce the deficit and pay for themselves.

All of these have proved to be untrue and have harmed our country and its standing in the world. While the foregoing are bad, they pale in comparison to Trump’s latest crazy idea ... to inject disinfectant in the body to kill the coronavirus.

For those who actually believe every single word Trump says, I hope they don’t believe these words.

It’s too easy to play the ‘Trump hater’ card

Re “President continues to build on his success” (April 16): The writer characterizes any allusion to Trump’s ineptitude as “groundless.”

His evidence? “One needs only to look at [his presidency’s] accomplishments.” We “looked.” We saw. We’re appalled.

A same-day letter criticizing Steve Breen reveals the problem. Trump’s narcissistic paranoia manifests in his herd as an assumption everyone who does not worship him “hates” Trump. Bullying hubris projects onto others its own base motivations. Actually, many of us bypassed “hate” on the way to contempt.

Because we love America.

Trump’s unspecified “successes of the past few years” amount to consummate blame-shifting. He takes responsibility for nothing when he screws up, but readily claims credit for others’ accomplishments.

I care less about the arrogant little man than about the problems he creates and exacerbates every day.

Who is willing to gamble on pandemic?

Re “Mayor called reckless for urging Vegas to test reopening” (April 22): Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman said on Wednesday that she wants to open businesses in the city — including casinos. And those businesses that see outbreaks can just be closed again at a later date. Those who get the virus be damned, I suppose, in the name of the almighty dollar.

It looks like the mayor of Las Vegas believes that a certain number of casualties due to coronavirus is acceptable, as long as the casinos can keep operating. I would say to the mayor, and all of the casino owners and operators in Las Vegas, you first. When you open your casinos to the general public, you be the first ones at the tables, the first in line

at the buffets and in the front row for the Vegas shows.

Or is that too much of a gamble, even in Las Vegas?

There is a better way to organize distributions

Re “San Diego Food Bank expects large increase in demand, but is ready” (April 17): The very long lines of cars at food banks could easily be halved by alternating according to even or odd license plate numbers.

I recall this was successfully done during the oil embargo years go.

Thanks for enlightening story in dark times

Re “Carrying the torch from her porch” (April 20): This was the most uplifting story I’ve read in a long time.

Especially for people of faith who could not attend Easter services, opera singer Victoria Robertson’s inclusion of religious hymns was a true celebration for all who are lucky enough to be her neighbor.

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