Cambrian letters to the editor, Feb. 1, 2018

Pines, redwoods still need water

If you have trees in your yard and you want to keep them please consider watering them especially the Monterey pines.

During any dry spell, they need the equivalent of 0.5 to 1 inch of rain at least once a month, more if you can.

The feeding roots are mostly in the drip line of the canopy of the tree and extend even further for the pines and redwoods.

Be on the lookout for dog flu

Dear Cambria dog lovers,

There is a major outbreak of canine influenza virus (“dog flu”), with more than 108 confirmed cases in the South Bay Area since Jan. 1 and at least three positive cases in Monterey since last weekend. There are currently no confirmed or suspected cases in Cambria. However, since Cambria is a destination point for dog-loving travelers, we want you to be informed, should the outbreak spread to our village.

CIV is highly contagious and spreads between dogs via direct contact (aerosolized droplets from sneezes or coughs) and indirectly via contaminated surfaces, such as shared bowls and our clothing. Symptoms include lethargy, fever, and coughing. While many dogs show mild symptoms, approximately 10 to 20 percent of dogs will develop pneumonia.

Dogs are considered at-risk if they have direct or indirect social contact with other dogs at the park or beach, doggie day care, or boarding/grooming facilities. For at-risk dogs, immunization with the dual-strain CIV vaccine is the most effective prevention. The vaccine is not 100 percent preventive, but it will minimize the chances of your dog contracting the virus, and should your vaccinated dog contract the virus, the symptoms are typically milder.

Dogs being vaccinated for the first time need two vaccines (two weeks apart) and thereafter annual boosters. Ideally, the vaccines should be given at least two weeks prior to exposure.

CIV does not pose a threat to people or cats.

Forum on Faith meets Tuesdays

At a time of divisiveness and rancor, the Cambria Dinner Fellowship presents Forum on Faith, a series that will explore our religious, cultural and faith diversity.

Forum on Faith, open to all and free of charge, will meet Tuesday evenings at 5:45 at the Cambria Dinner Fellowship, 2700 Eton Road in Cambria at St. Paul’s Church.

The series will include presentations from Gurcharan Dhillon on Sikhism,

The Rev. Naomi Nakatomi on Buddhism, Father Silvivu Stanculescu of St. Andrew Greek Orthodox Church, Rabbi Linda Bertenthal of Beth David Jewish Congregation.

Forum on Faith will continue through February. The purpose of the Forum on Faith is to provide understanding and the building of relationships. The motto of the Cambria Dinner Fellowship is “There is a place at the table for everyone.”

Previously the Cambria Dinner Fellowship sponsored the successful multi-week series “Islam on the Central Coast.”

The Cambria Dinner Fellowship is supported by the Safe Harbor Presbyterian Church of Cambria, Estero Bay United Methodist Church of Morro Bay and Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church of Cambria.

The Cambria Dinner Fellowship features a potluck dinner at each gathering. All are welcome.

CCC requirements hurt San Simeon

At the Coastal Commission meeting Feb. 7 in Cambria, the commission will vote on a report requiring San Simeon to move its Waste Water Treatment Plant away from the coastline or get a neighboring community like Cambria to process its waste. Commissioners also want a $1 million-plus pedestrian/bike bridge built over a creek along with other many costly studies and actions over the next 20 years. It is not clear how we can afford all of this or have the people to do it.

Further, our community has just embarked on a multiyear, multimillion-dollar fire-protection improvement program. The program is planned to add water storage facilities and larger pipes for increased fire flow and to provide basic fire protection. Many of us are concerned that the cost of a bridge over a creek along with all the other tasks will prevent us from completing the fire-protection program or will substantially delay it. With the Coastal Commission’s ruling and associated encumbrances, our Community may also not qualify for needed long term loans. This will leave our Community at considerable risk.

The final report is online, and more information should be available at the San Simeon district office. Please join us at the upcoming San Simeon Board Meeting on Feb. 14. We need to get the Coastal Commission to make some changes to the plan. If we have enough voices, I am hopeful the commission will listen.

This story was originally published January 31, 2018 at 9:33 AM with the headline "Cambrian letters to the editor, Feb. 1, 2018."