Tell us more!

I read Christopher Dinno's "Debunking De-Watering" response to my letter (Letters, June 27) and I am in responding in kind.

[Regarding water issues surrounding the Green Music Center construction at Sonoma State University], the permit was not drawn for the shallow "de-watering" wells until after we had gone to the Water Quality Control Board and issued a complaint. A hearing was held and an after-the-fact permit was issued.

I did not make a claim that "no permits were issued," only that the work was started before the permit was issued. And perhaps if the permit process had been done correctly, there would have been a denial of the permit based on the usual things that would be contained in an EIR.

Ms. Grossi's 500-foot-deep well had its casing collapse at the stated 210 feet.

There is much more about the acquisition of the Green Music Center's land.

Paul D. Stutrud, Rohnert Park

Le beurre chaud

I read your review of The Bistro in Petaluma (First Bite, July 25). I ate there 19 years ago and and again in 2007. Both times the chef used salted butter for cooking. Very un-French and a no-no in chef circles. I mentioned this both times to the owner, and he was very curt with me. I will never return.

Pat Goddard, Petaluma

Failure and folly

Now is the time to begin finding candidates to replace California legislators, not extend term limits ("Pushing the Limits," Aug. 1). Our state senators and assemblymembers failed to gather sufficient support to enact a timely budget. Their failure had a domino effect on all of California's counties, cities and districts, delaying many budgets. Hardships were created for individuals awaiting payments.

These legislators failed to accomplish any competitive re-districting. These legislators failed to adopt or maintain a governmental agency as the single-payer of all Californan's medical and dental bills. These legislators failed to adopt meaningful corporation reforms. These legislators failed to make eco-fuel available for their eco-friendly government vehicles.

We need to find and elect replacements who also just say no to campaign donations from lobbyists political action committees and unrestrained corporation CEOs.

John Bauer, Martinez

Conspiracy theory

Does anyone else find it strange that traffic camera video of the Minneapolis bridge collapse was made available within hours, yet the traffic-cam videos of the plane striking or flying toward the Pentagon have not been made available for six years?

Willie Davis, Johnstown, Penn.

Back to Us

Our Biophilia! issue (June 20) was such a pleasure to put together and was so nicely received by you lovely folks that, hey, we got an actual idea.

Now that green is the new black and we're all kinda thinking a little tiny bit about not entirely wrecking the planet, it seems like a good time to introduce a new regular feature that highlights the still burgeoning (yeah, 30 years later) environmental movement.

We've cleverly titled it the Green Zone--one idea pretty much exhausts us; two is a veritable burden--and it debuts this week by writer Gianna de Persiis Vona. The Green Zone will highlight North Bay people, businesses and organizations that are doing right by the planet. Send notice of all eco-fabulousness to [email protected], and Gianna will consider its shout-out potential.

In other news, our Ask Sydney column officially retires this week. Not to apply guilt like extra frosting on a 12-layer cake, but Sydney just didn't get enough letters. We loved Sydney and are sorry to see her go; there are few other places in print where sex and parenting frolicked together so openly.

And in a final flourish, it thrills us to announce that Gabe Meline joins us on staff this week as music editor, taking the dearly missed Brett Ascarelli's in-house writing gig. Change, as the rumor goes, remains the only constant. Good fun!

The Ed., Entirely Clad in Bamboo

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