Letters to the Editor

VFW thanks from a military family

To the VFW Post 3783 of Ramona:

We wanted to say “WOW” and an enormous “THANK YOU” for all that you did for our family this past Christmas. I was absolutely overwhelmed by the amount of gifts that were given to our children. Not only were there gifts, but food and a gift card for the grocery store!

I was amazed and ever so thankful of everything! The gifts brought and the food provided made our Christmas extra special and I will never forget how the VFW of Ramona helped us. Your kindness and generosity is a gift and we are thankful for it.

I hope your year is blessed and something makes you smile every day. Thank you again!

Rebekah Zingelewicz, On behalf of The Zingelewicz Family

Report vandals to sheriff

Someone in this community should be arrested and prosecuted for the wanton damage done to the automatic book check-in at the library.

The citizens of Ramona worked many years raising the funds required to meet the goal set by the county, in order for the beautiful building we now have to be built.

Now, to have an expensive piece of equipment destroyed by vandalism is despicable.

There are persons reading this letter who know the name or names of those responsible for this crime.

I call on them to report that information to the Sheriff at once.

We cannot allow this destruction to go unpunished, otherwise. Who knows what will be next?

R. Farber

. Ramona

Preserve and protect Ramona Grasslands

To all who appreciate our natural habitats with clean air and water:

The intent of the Ramona Grasslands Preserve is to preserve and protect the natural occurring wildlife and endangered species unique to Ramona and San Diego County.

The initial purchase of lands within the current preserve were made from willing developers who intended to build many housing units. The constraints of water and rare species on those lands made their decision possible.

The land was purchased because the Ramona planning group asked the community to support the Grassland Preserve. The people did.

The Nature Conservancy began to purchase these lands. The Nature Conservancy then sold the land to San Diego County for preservation, at I believe a reduced price. The habitat is extremely important to the county as well as at the national level. These lands fall under the Endangered Species Act and the North County Multiple Species Conservation Plan.

Not too many years ago a golden eagle pair nested in the majestic Iron Mountain area. They abandoned their nest because a person chose to hike and climb near their nesting area, illegally. Ramona still has golden eagle pairs.

Now some people are claiming an access trail in the most vulnerable areas of the Ramona Grassland Preserve. The trail is too close to a nest. The trail must be AT LEAST 4,000 feet from eagles’ nests. This proposed trail will very surely cause another pair of golden eagles to abandon their nest.

Some people believe that because their taxes dollars support the Grassland Preserve they have a right to trails. Some trails, yes. Remember we would not have this park if it were not for these golden eagles.

All San Diego County taxpayers pay for this preserve. As taxpayers we have a right to preserve these natural resources. It is a location rich in spiritual value to all who experience its quiet, serene settings.

It has a primary purpose: The protection of our rare species. Let’s all get educated. Let us find a way to get what we intend, not always exactly what we may want.

Vivian Osborn

, Ramona

Golden opportunity for Ramona to excel

Don’t we deplore vandalism? How wasteful. How cruel and thoughtless to the vandalized, unable to protect themselves.

Why is Ramona proposing vandalism?

The Nature Conservancy, with its world-wide resources, has designated our Ramona Grassland as a unique resource so important and valuable that they made it financially possible to preserve it. They have entrusted it to our care.

We tend to think of vandals as teens. Science now suggests that the teen brain does not yet have all of its synapses snapped into place, or some such. For them, danger is not a consideration — something about prehistoric people needing strong and stupidly brave individuals to kill the mammoths for meat.

But not all vandals are teens. Their willful vandalism is deplorable. Thoughtless vandalism is worse.

Can’t we treat our grassland as though it were some rich man’s property? Can’t we respect it for what it is and for what humanity needs?

The reason it is special, so unique and incredibly fragile is that it represents a kind of world that works; and it works with no help from people. There are many secrets that humanity is not yet equipped to uncover. We need to eagle our grassland to wait intact.

Surely this is more than saving golden eagles? Isn’t it a golden opportunity for Ramona to excel, to prove and preserve our unique place in the advance of civilization and its need for knowledge? Or perhaps this is asking too much. Perhaps that’s what civilization is, just thoughtless humanity, moving from planet to planet using them up as we go.

Edalee Orcutt Harwell

, Ramona