Granite still a bad neighbor

The July 25 front page read "Granite responds to county push for smaller quarry" and one of the experts quoted in the article stated, "It allows them to show that they are being more of a good neighbor." This is a real smokescreen attempt on Granite's part. There is no way that it could be a good neighbor, even with its proposed improved project.

Granite's own environmental impact report concludes that the project will have negative impacts that cannot be mitigated below a level of significance on air quality, traffic, water supply and wildlife movement. For the county to approve the project with these negative impacts, it would need to adopt a "statement of overriding considerations" that the benefits outweigh the numerous problems.

Could it be that the quality of rocks available from that location are so much better than the rocks available in numerous other places? I think not.

Clif Hewlett

Temecula

Democrats left worrying about their jobs

When it comes to President Barack Obama's far-left-reaching programs, he has a real problem. It has to do with aspirations. Barack knows he's at the pinnacle of his political career; after eight years at the most, he's done. Congressmen remain indefinitely, provided they can be re-elected.

Sure, some of the far-lefties are always safe. Unlike Sarah Palin, Nancy Pelosi can see socialism up close at almost every voting booth in her district. She'll be fine.

Many Democrats have a different situation; they were elected, but by a narrow margin. As a result, they are nervously watching the opinion polls. If they toe Pelosi and Reid's party line, they risk the end of their terms in office. They have to decide: Will my reputation carry me through if I vote yes? Can I vote against the proposed massive-spending and/or job-killing legislation, hold on to some of my usual voter base and gain enough conservative voters to win the next election?

Tricky business. I just hope they see the ruination of our economic system staring them in the face, and vote all these bills right into the trash where they belong.

Kenneth Ebmeier

Pala

Granite quarry fact check

In the July 26 edition of The Californian, a 12-page paid advertising supplement by Granite Construction drew a correlation between increased costs for local projects and aggregate shortages. The piece incorrectly stated, "The Murrieta Library was forced to eliminate an entire room from the original blueprints because of escalating costs of construction materials."

The reference is to the Heritage Room, which the city did not have enough money to complete. In a great demonstration of civic pride, money was raised by private contributions and that room was completed at the same time as the rest of the library.

However, our funding issues had little, if anything, to do with the availability of aggregate in just Riverside County.

The escalation in construction costs stemmed from two causes -- Hurricane Katrina, and the Chinese government's push for urbanization and industrialization, which also included initial Chinese preparation of facilities for the Olympics. During that time, there was a worldwide shortage of construction materials due to the order book priorities that New Orleans and Beijing commanded.

Rick Gibbs

Councilman

Murrieta

Fight heat with proper lawn care

If your lawn care person or spouse understands and practices proper summer lawn care, keep him or her. You have a rare jewel. From bad experience and observation, I have noted that the majority of "mow, edge, blow and go" people leave their grass cut at a height of 2 to 2 1/2 inches year-round.

The result is that the summer sun quickly burns the grass and hardens the soil to the point that most of the sprinkler water ends up on the sidewalk. After spending $40 to aerate my lawn, the lawn care boss sent his helpers twice in my two-mowings-a-month schedule. The second time, despite being told to raise the cut to 3 1/2 inches, they scalped the lawn again.

Last week, I got to them on time, so communicated by example by raising the cut height to almost 4 inches. Five days later, I have a green lawn using half as much water. There is almost no runoff, as the higher grass catches the sprinkler water and lets it flow down to the soil.

John Arguimbau

French Valley

Fix energy bill; save Clean Air Act

According to a University of Massachusetts study, solar and wind create twice as many jobs as coal. More coal means fewer clean energy jobs.

We must fix the energy bill and save the Clean Air Act. The energy bill that passed the House of Representatives was weakened by industry lobbyists and repeals the part of the Clean Air Act that limits global warming pollution from power plants. This rollback will open the door for as many as 100 new coal plants and give a new lease on life for the oldest and dirtiest coal plants.

The time is now to pass strong clean-energy jobs legislation that will jump-start our economy and lay the groundwork for America to be competitive in the 21st century.

Mark Justice

Temecula