I don’t know how anyone can feel good about the Highway 37 solutions (“Talks on Highway 37’s future underway as sea-level threat looms,” Aug. 2). From environmental, cost or traffic-delay perspectives, none of the possible changes are happy answers. Maybe some innovation is called for.
There are three ways to go west from Vallejo or east from Marin and Sonoma counties — highways 80, 580 or 37 (which connects to highways 29, 12 and 116). The most optimal solution for these roads is to dynamically balance the traffic on all of them simultaneously.
No individual can do that on their own, but maybe some algorithm, run on Caltrans computers, with the answers displayed on electronic road signs, could direct east-west drivers to the fastest route, depending on where they are at that moment.
Maybe we could also have dynamic speed limits that maximize traffic flow, which would also be digitally displayed. Maybe these could interact with digital systems in vehicles — like Apple’s CarPlay, which seems to be increasingly installed in newer cars.
Amazon, FedEx, Uber and nearly every fleet operator dynamically manages routing for its vehicles on existing roadways. Shouldn’t Caltrans do the same for California citizens?
Once a system like that is in place, then it may be time to spend money on building the causeway.
— Chet Seligman, Point Reyes Station
I’m writing in support of Larry Bragman’s reelection to the Marin Municipal Water District Board of Directors in November. As one of his constituents, I have always respected Bragman’s willingness to speak truth to power. Sadly, this is rare among many elected officials today. I also respect his broad understanding of how climate disruption affects all of Marin’s ecosystem — from people, to wildlife, to coho salmon and to the thousands of acres of open land MMWD manages.
Many can and will speak to Bragman’s accomplishments on the board. I wish to speak to his character. As Indigenous peoples have always known, water is life. The decisions we make regarding how we respect this precious resource going forward will get harder, not easier.
More than ever, we need vision, wisdom and a principled voice on the MMWD board. This is what Bragman represents, and this is why I will be voting for him this fall.
— Nancy Binzen, Woodacre
As longtime residents of Larkspur (before recently moving to San Rafael), we salute Dan Hillmer for his contributions as he steps down from the Larkspur City Council in December (“Larkspur City Council veteran declines to seek reelection,” Aug. 18).
Hillmer has served for three decades, the longest tenure of any sitting council member in the county. Aside from his work on the City Council, he has volunteered for challenging and important posts in the county, including service on boards for Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit, the Transportation Authority of Marin and the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission.
Throughout his tenure, he has displayed respect for citizens and tolerance for a diversity of views, endless patience and restraint, as well as a great sense of humor. Everyone in the county — not just Larkspur residents — are in his debt.
One of the things we value about Marin is the good local government. That starts with city council members and people like Hillmer. Thank you, Dan, for your governance and your passion for civic leadership.
— Nelson Lee and Lia Rudnick Lee, San Rafael
I’ve long been under the impression that Blackie’s Pasture is supposed to be used only for “passive” recreation. I believe that the word “passive” has been used to bat back any and all ideas — like a volleyball court, skateboard structure or my long ago idea (now given up) of a community garden near the overflow parking lot. That idea was lost when a former town manager informed me, in all seriousness, that some people who had plots in another community garden had failed to keep them tidy.
The treatment ponds have a long history of welcoming wintering birds. Before they cut down all of the foliage that created good habitat, many different species of ducks spent time there. There were mundane species, such as mallards, but occasionally I’d see one of my favorite winter birds, a male hooded merganser. I believe the birds enjoyed the privacy of the ponds — until there was no privacy and they failed to appear ever again.
I also used to see canvasback ducks in the bay adjacent to the ponds — but I haven’t seen them in a decade or more.
A swimming pool was suggested for that site — not such a great idea given the very few days of weather suitable for swimming in anything but a heated indoor pool. Now we have the idea of a volleyball court (“Tiburon to seek master plan for McKegney Green, ponds,” Aug. 20). I can imagine the neighbors on Stewart Drive will rise up in righteous wrath about the potential noise.
It seems to me that there’s little to stir people up about wintering ducks, so maybe that could pass muster. Creating habitat is usually considered a good idea and it’s pretty passive, best I can tell — though ducks do occasionally quack a bit..
— Diane Lynch, Tiburon
By now, many of us have directly or indirectly experienced the devastating impact of Alzheimer’s disease. In my five years running the Right at Home Marin home care agency, I witnessed the stress and havoc it created for those living with the disease as well as their caregivers.
In my role as an Alzheimer’s Association ambassador for California’s second congressional district, I would like to share some data. It is estimated that about 7,000 people have Alzheimer’s in Marin County alone and more 6 million people in the U.S. are living with the disease. These numbers are projected to more than double by 2050.
Surprisingly, prior to the introduction of the National Alzheimer’s Project Act (NAPA) in 2011 and the Alzheimer’s Accountability Act in 2015, there was literally no plan at the federal level to address this looming public health crisis. Since then, so much has been accomplished, including a seven-fold increase in Alzheimer’s and dementia research funding.
Following a $289 million increase signed into law in March 2022, annual federal funding for Alzheimer’s research is now more than $3.5 billion.
Both laws are set to expire in 2025. This would be a disastrous development that could unwind years of progress toward a world without Alzheimer’s disease.
I’m asking all readers to join me in urging Rep. Jared Huffman to join 34 of his colleagues in the House of Representatives in cosponsoring the bipartisan NAPA Reauthorization Act and the Alzheimer’s Accountability and Investment Act. Passing the bills will build upon the past decade of progress and help bend the curve of Alzheimer’s disease.
To get involved in the fight against Alzheimer’s, join me at the Marin-Sonoma Walk to End Alzheimer’s on Oct. 8 in Rohnert Park. Come say hi at the advocacy table.
— Ariana Myers, Novato
The recently approved Inflation Reduction Act will be anything but that. Anyone with any knowledge of finance or economics knows that, in a recession, you don’t increase spending and taxes. Unfortunately, Congress chose to do it anyway.
The problem is that we have elected officials who have little, if any, education and experience in this domain.
Sadly, I don’t think any part of this will reduce inflation or put a dent in climate change.
— James Petray, Novato
