A fix for the gas station fight?

A fix for the gas station fight?

Re “A shameful argument in gas station fight” (Editorials, Nov. 2): Here’s an idea. Raley’s is talking about building a store without a gas station on the vacant lot formerly occupied by Capital Nursery on Freeport Boulevard. How about Raley’s and Safeway swap plans?

Safeway can build its store and gas station on the Capital Nursey site, and Raley’s can build its store – minus gas station – in Curtis Park. Then Petrovich can promise there will be 400 jobs designated for Oak Park.

Don’t accept the unacceptable

Re “We’ve come to accept the unacceptable” (Editorials, Nov. 1): I support the efforts of Congresswoman Doris Matsui, a leader in advancing mental health care as exemplified by her co-authorship of the Excellence in Mental Health Act of 2014.

Genny, the homeless woman who died in Sacramento, would have benefited from it had it been available when she was more willing to receive help.

This program would expand under new federal legislation, the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act.

The Bee and others should focus on the parts of this bill that have bipartisan support and not on policies that are divisive within the mental health community.

What next in Syria?

Re “White House to send special forces into Syria” (Page 1A, Oct. 31) When President Obama said that he would place no U.S. boots back on the ground in Iraq, I think almost everyone in America, except the president, knew this wasn’t true. He eventually put American soldiers back in Iraq.

Well, now the same thing has happened in Syria, but the situation has changed there. Russia is bombing any forces that try to defeat the Syrian president.

So the obvious concern now is, what will the United States do when/if Russian bombs kill an American soldier?

Porn condom mandate is bad law

Re “Condoms-in-porn measure qualifies for next year’s California ballot” (Page 6A, Nov. 5): California, popular wisdom declares, leads the nation in trends. Not this time.

The prevention of disease and promotion of safe sex are worthy causes, but requiring condoms in porn is bad law.

Perhaps promoters of the measure are cynically hoping to draw more conservatives to the polls with this plan. That’s a real possibility. Condoms in porn is not.

School rules for smartphones

Re “Student’s 3-day penalty lifted, say parents” (Page 3A, Nov. 3): Gov. Brown signed the California Electronic Communications Privacy Act (SB 178) to update state law on smartphones. Mobile devices form a big part of every student’s life and should be addressed in school policy.

Most high schools allow smartphones during lunch, so it is hard to understand what grounds Tiana Johnson was suspended under. Rules regarding the Internet and smartphones at public schools must be clarified in order to address the gray area that currently exists.

This story was originally published November 5, 2015 at 10:00 PM with the headline "A fix for the gas station fight?."