Letters to the Editor Feb. 18 to 24

Missing factor

M y heart and head tell me after reading Valerie Bentz’ Viewpoint article (Feb. 11, ‘Fiscal, environmental cost too high’) that she fears change, and is being greedy in wanting to keep all of Cambria to herself and not allow others to enjoy what she enjoys, a home in Cambria.

Where her thinking is off is that she never considers in her math the cost of property loss suffered by those who cannot get meters on their lots as long as locals refuse to allow the water supply to be increased. She also presents her case based on the false premise that existing locals would pay the whole bill. When you look at the whole picture, building the desalination plant becomes less costly than doing nothing.

You’re going to have to deal with it sooner or later. We won’t wait forever.

Deryl Robinson, Huntington Beach, president

United Lot Owners of Cambria

H20-saving proposals

I’m impressed by the suggestions Valerie Bentz made for water conservation to avoid building a desalination plant in Cambria. May I suggest a few more?

1. My low-flow shower takes at least five minutes to wash shampoo out of my hair. That is worrisome. The Egyptian ladies shaved their heads and wore a wig. If all Cambria ladies did the same, we could save a lot of water.

2. Even the low-flow toilets use more water than necessary as they sometimes require two flushes. We could accomplish two goals by eliminating toilets altogether and going back to the chair with a pot and have “night-soil” collectors come by daily. That way, we could provide natural, not chemical, fertilizer for the farmers and jobs for the unemployed.

3. We could save enormous amounts of water by reverting to the frontier practice of a weekly bath in a tub in which the entire family bathe seriatim in the same water.

4. Most effectively, we could simply cut off all water delivery via pipes. Cambrians have access to the Santa Rosa Creek from which we could carry the water we really need. In that case, there would be little water wasted and we wouldn’t even have to pay to “conduct water audits by a professional.”

5. Cambria should offer an annual award for the most useful water-saving ideas. No doubt there would be many useful suggestions.

Pamela C. Thompson Cambria

Help local businesses

These are tough times for Cambria businesses. Fewer visitors to Cambria are sign of tough economic times throughout the world. Local businesses depend not only on our local residents, but residents from the San Joaquin Valley as well as other states and countries.

For many, fewer visitors mean fewer opportunities for sales. Basic business is built on supply and demand; I believe that Cambria’s current supply is much greater than the demand for it.

During these times, some incomes will be so low businesses will fail. Failed businesses create empty store fronts, loss of jobs and additional harm to our community’s economic base.

Landlords and property owners are looking for returns on their investment by having units occupied with tenants that are able to pay fair rents; tenants are looking for reasonably priced units in the best location for their business; and employees are looking for year-round, full-time jobs that pay their bills and leave something extra for fun and a secure future.

Unfortunately, many landlords, tenants, and employees feel they are not receiving what they need to survive here in Cambria. They need your help.

It’s during these times locals should be supporting local businesses, and —yes — it may cost a bit more to eat and shop in Cambria. It’s a cost of not having big box stores and chain restaurants throughout town. Local businesses cannot compete with the buying power of the big box and chains.

In the 21 years that we have owned our business, we have been told that what visitors like most about Cambria is its

charm, friendly people, and unique shops. It’s up to each business operator that they keep their business looking charming, ensuring they and their staff are always friendly with all those they come in contact with, and their business remains unique.

As Cambria recovers, the strong and unique tores with a friendly staff will prevail. It won’t be easy, it won’t be cheap, but Cambria’s business district will survive with everyone’s help and the willingness to work with one another.

Thomas Beal Caren’s Corner

Angels around us

I always knew Cambria was a town full of wonderful people, but now I have witnessed it first hand on a personal level. There really are no words to describe how I feel regarding all the outpouring of love we have felt from so many. This is a big heartfelt thank-you to everyone for all your support and prayers for my husband, Dan McDonald, and our family.

I want you to know it makes a huge difference and is very much appreciated. I am so grateful to all of you. From our friends Carolyn and Mike O’Sullivan and Shari and Glen Baldwin, who were by my side from the time of Dan’s bicycle accident on Dec. 5, to each and every one of you (I wish I could name you all, but there are just too many), thank you for all your meals, cards, phone calls, e-mails, fundraisers, visits to see Dan and generalized acts of kindness.

I want you all to know that you have made a very difficult journey a lot easier to take. I have always liked the saying Cambria Pines-by-the- Sea, but my new saying for our town is Cambria the Community-that-Cares.

As far as I am concerned, you have all been angels in our lives. Dan continues to progress daily and, with everyone’s prayers, we will be back. I can’t wait until our return to this jewel of a community. With gratitude and love,

Linda McDonald Cambria

Help adds up

Thank you, Lions Club members, for giving us the money to have math club at Santa Lucia Middle School this year. We just went to Cal Poly on Saturday for “Math Counts,” a whole-day math competition, and it was really fun. We’re so glad that Ms. Zenk does Math Club with us after school on Wednesdays, and we hope it keeps on going!”

Connor Chisler, Dominic Clark, Sam Light and Cameron McGurrin Santa Lucia Middle School students

Another chapter

The Friends of the Cambria Library would like to extend a warm “thank-you” to all who participated in the set-up, running of and take-down of the last book sale on Feb. 5 and 6.

After 19 years of book sales, we are still at it. Lots of good things have come out of these events, and they could not have been so successful without the community’s help.

We strive to serve Cambria with a bigger and better library in the near future. Please continue to help us achieve our goal (for details, call 927-4336 or go to cambriafol.org).

Teri Lord Cambria