Letters + Opinion

Editor: Don’t be fooled by Wayne Pacelle’s letter against Barred Owl (BAOW) culling (Mailbox, Aug. 14). Although he frames his argument in terms of efficacy and fiscal impact, the organizations he represents endorse the “right” of individual animals to live regardless of the consequences. The BAOW, here due solely to anthropogenic landscape alteration, threatens not […]

Editor: It’s a good thing to want to protect spotted owls. It’s a bad thing to massacre North American barred owls to achieve the former objective. And it’s foolish to attempt this maneuver if the kill plan is futile. There were compelling reasons for 20 Republicans and 20 Democrats in Congress to sign letters to […]

Editor: I was immensely pleased to read Barry Evans’ recent article about Robert Sapolsky entitled “Free Will Redux.” Dr. Sapolsky is by far the best, most entertaining lecturer I’ve ever run across. All 25 of his wonderful, two-hour class lectures on how brains work are posted on Stanford’s website and his book Determined: A Science […]

Editor: It is well-known that peoples who make music together, whether it be in an orchestra, a choir, a dance or a parade, create social capital. Music is a profound medium which strengthens morale, and helps both in integrating and in distinguishing adjacent cultures, in a loving and joyous manner. Moreover, in the face of […]

Editor: Friends, neighbors and thinking Republicans, the shenanigans afoot in D.C. make it clear we in our rural locale must step up to cover the services we value. To that end, I have sent a check to KEET in an amount ten times my highest hourly wage or three times what I usually send them […]

Editor: Flipping through your Best in Show feature I began to wonder what it takes to be “best.” It would be interesting to see how many votes a particular “winner” received as well as the number of votes awarded to others (the less than best) in the same category. Anne Saplin, Eureka

Editor: At the conclusion of the final symphony concert of the 2024-25 season, Carol Jacobson performed a simple but profound gesture (“The Conductor,” July 17). She had just conducted a marvelous rendition of Beethoven’s 7th symphony and she returned now to the podium to face a rousing standing ovation. But before acknowledging the audience or the […]

Editor: Over the past decade, a strong partnership between the city council and a highly competent City Manager produced numerous projects that Blue Lake residents enjoy today. This success stemmed from a clear understanding of governance — councils respected staff roles and did not interfere in day-to-day operations. This collaboration led to progress, including plans […]

Editor: To build on Frances K. Ransley’s letter of July 17 (Mailbox), more than a third of the federal government’s income comes from the four most populous states. According to USA Facts, there are a total of 19 states that receive less than they pay for, if you wish to look at it that way. […]

Editor: There is something that Californians can do besides wring our hands about the passage of HR1, the “Big Ugly Bill” (“Huffman: Senate Budget Bill a ‘Betrayal,’” July 3). We are a “donor” state. In fact, California’s donation is by far the largest in the nation, providing about $83 billion more to the federal government […]