Letters
KSAR political show wasn't as letter said
This is in response to Mr. Moran's letter on Nov. 15. Since Mr. Moran disagrees with my politics, he seems to see any behavior of mine as having sinister overtones. However, his facts are incorrect and his conclusions are misleading and personally insulting.
Two and a half weeks before the election, the new KSAR director, who was trying to put together a candidate's forum called me at the last minute. I said that at this late date it was especially difficult because I was taking the next two weeks off from campaigning to be out of town a lot. However, I gave a few times that I would be available for a debate. When those dates did not match others' free time, I thought the debate was not to be.
A few days later, I heard that my opponent Chuck Paige, had been interviewed for a half-hour by his supporter, Don Wolfe, on his program, then aired on KSAR. Stan Bogosian correctly complained to the KSAR director about equal access at this late date.
The director agreed to give us each equal time. We asked a supporter of ours and a West Valley Board member, Jeff Schwartz, to interview us. Neither Mr. Schwartz nor I directly talked to the KSAR director. We all just showed up at the studios and quickly did the interviews.
If KSAR needed to have a producer listed on each program, why didn't they just list one? We certainly would not have objected.
Why blame Mr. Bogosian, Mr. Schwartz, or me, for not balancing the equal air time issue fairly, in the first place, than for not following internal KSAR rules of listing credits or program heading?
I am not pleased that a member of KSAR board of directors would write a letter to the editor so full of misinformation and distortions. Mr. Moran should retract his statements and apologize.
Ann Waltonsmith
Saratoga Hills Road
Safe Rides program will help save lives
It's no secret, drinking goes on when you hit high school. In a perfect world, high school students would not even know what alcohol is. Unfortunately, no one can stop all students from drinking. We could put on all the programs in the world that prevent drinking, yet somehow, after a week, its effects fade.
I have realized that it is an empty battle to try to persuade students not to drink, but it's not hopeless to get them to stay away from the road when they do. Drunk driving is a serious issue that should be addressed. Every 15 minutes someone is injured or killed in a drunk driving accident.
Safe Rides is a program that Saratoga has adopted to get students safely home if they do not have a ride on the weekend nights. I am sure this issue concerns every town and school in our nation.
Critics will say that Safe Rides is promoting drinking and the students will take advantage of it. At the end of the day, people wake up and realize that saving one life is worth taking the risk that a few students may abuse it. Life is too precious; we have certainly felt that this past year. Our community should recognize that it happens and support any efforts to stop it.
Katie Avondet
Pierce Road
Defibrillator belongs at the Senior Center
The American Heart Association announced that 50,000 lives per year could be saved with an inexpensive, easy to use and readily available-now defibrillator.
My understanding is that it costs approximately $3,000. Through voice command it is simple to operate, free of liability, law suits and extremely portable.
They are successfully used at airports, on planes, federal offices, casinos, libraries and most importantly in senior centers everywhere.
As a senior, a former resident of Saratoga for 55 years, I've thought about our senior day care center, city offices and civic theater, where one defibrillator could serve many well.
I recently approached the Senior Center and received limited interest regarding the possibility of purchasing a defibrillator at that time.
Perhaps a small additional charge for use of the facilities could be raised so the excess could be applied towards the purchase of this piece of equipment. The investment would be very small and the use could benefit many if and when necessary.
The first few minutes are very critical and the key to saving lives. In many instances, 911 calls do not generate a fast enough response for this particular situation.
The recover rate, with its prompt use, is ten times more effective than all other methods.
I am unaware of any negatives concerning the defibrillator. Shouldn't we investigate the use of a comparatively inexpensive device that will continue to save many lives over the long term without further investment?
Douglas C. Rose
Campbell
Council was too hasty with rule
I was disgusted with the swiftness with which the city council adopted an absurd noise abatement ordinance at its recent meeting.
The intention was to somehow reduce construction noise during weekends, but the council limited construction instead, because "It's easier to enforce."
This reasoning reminds me of the old joke about the fellow who lost his car keys "over there," but searches for them "here" because the light is better!
The result, as one citizen testified, was that he is forbidden by the ordinance to install insulation in his garage on the weekend, despite the fact that it doesn't make any noise.
Councilman Evan Baker suggested that if it's that quiet, nobody would complain, so he could go ahead and install. Evidently, the councilman thinks that his ordinances apply only if you get caught.
Councilwoman Ann Waltonsmith said, "It ain't perfect, but it's the best we could do." I would suggest that if the council can't do better than that, it should humbly decide to pass no ordinance at all.
A noise ordinance, which bans construction, but fails to mention noise, is just dumb.
Ed Farrell
Kittridge Road
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Saratoga, California Since 1955
