Candy Math
I’m sure I won’t be the only one responding to your item in Currents (October 2014) suggesting we substitute natural confections for the usual bulk bags from Safeway. It is beyond embarrassing, from a magazine where, five pages earlier, there is an editorial espousing the need for affordable housing in Marin. How do you reconcile that need with the suggestion that families spend between $26.40 and $358 on trick-or-treaters? My figures are based on a possibly low estimate of 40 visitors. How about instead making a donation to a needy family that has no housing at all and skip the candy entirely? Are our children’s teeth really any better off crunching down on these politically correct candies? To me it seems like candy is candy, but I’ll let the many Marin dentists who don’t need affordable housing weigh in on that one. LAURA BACHMAN, SAN ANSELMO
Good Job
Hello, people of Marin Magazine. I would like to compliment you on your latest issue — it was just great. There was a ton of wonderful local information, events, restaurants and fabulous places to visit, and all right here in our backyard. Thank you very much. BILLIE GOING, VIA EMAIL
Public Debate
As a public school teacher, I approach your private school feature each year (“Going Private,” September 2014) with apprehension, like a driver who sees signs of an accident ahead. “I wonder how bad it will be?” I ask myself. I hope for the best but know from experience there will be damage. This year I see in the headline the words “four families who decided to opt out” of our public schools. Why make this a zero-sum game where “going private” must be a putdown of public education? Why do you quote families’ stories of negative experiences with public schools? When you feature a restaurant, you don’t quote diners’ complaints about comparable restaurants. When you feature a family who bought a home in Mill Valley, you don’t quote their complaints about Tiburon. As you say, “Marin is known for its excellent public schools.” But your individual stories in both subtle and overt ways build the impression that public schools put standardized testing before authentic learning, do not attend to social-emotional development and do not accommodate special individual needs. Why not leave it at “our public schools are excellent” and feature the wonderful private schools? No one needs to be put down to promote any of the amazing educational opportunities available to the families of Marin. TRISH MANWARING, SAN RAFAEL
Dispensary Dispute
I am glad that someone is finally speaking up about the elephant sitting in the room (“Up in Smoke,” October 2014) regarding medical marijuana. However, I think the Corte Madera councilman should visit a licensed dispensary before making the statements that were quoted in the article. I am confident that if the dispensary is operating within state guidelines (Prop. 215), he would certainly realize that his comments are misguided. Making medical cannabis available does not legitimize it for young people — the medically documented fact is that it helps patients. As far as it being more accessible, I can tell you firsthand, being a medical cannabis cardholder, that a dispensary operates with extremely tight security, much tighter than that of any liquor store or pharmacy. It’s people like the councilman who are continuing to spread the fear about dispensaries and forcing Marin cannabis patients to travel up to two hours to get natural medicines. Anyway, thanks again for the article. BEAU KELLY, VIA EMAIL
Cover Kudos
Good morning. I love reading my magazine as soon as it arrives. This issue (September 2014) cover was absolutely beautiful. I hope that model was local. Marin has so many beautiful women. She resembles Jennifer Lawrence. A real beauty. HELEN HAYES, KENTFIELD
We Get Letters
Thank you very much for having included, in your August Letters section, the insightful letter from Michael Mooney. Mooney points out the crucial omission, in your July 2014 “Shell Games” article, of the fact that the Lunny family bought the Drakes Bay lease knowing it would expire in 2012. I, too, wondered about that omission. As an S.F. native and lifelong Mill Valley resident (except for undergrad years in Palo Alto), I enjoy your well-researched and balanced reporting on timely issues. I really appreciate your having printed two letters, from Mooney and another reader, mentioning that omission. Thank you. ARIA YOW, VIA EMAIL
Vaccine Choice
I raised three sons, now ages 22, 24 and 26. I agreed to my first child getting the initial injection of the multiple vaccination series and immediately stopped. The two younger kids were not immunized. I decided after extensive research and discussion and based on intuition that vaccinations were not in my children’s best interest. I chose not to tamper with their undeveloped immune systems. I have received considerable judgment from my family, my peers and doctors for this decision; however, it was indeed the best decision I ever made. In the face of several instances of whooping cough at their school they remained healthy. Some vaccinated children were not so fortunate. It is our birthright to do what we want with our bodies — not the right of the American Medical Association. KERRY KEEGAN, VIA EMAIL
Number Fun
We featured the many styles of house numbers seen around Marin (Details, “By the Numbers”) in our September issue and asked you to send pictures of some of your own. Here’s one from Ron Yeo of San Rafael.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Your comments may be edited for clarity and brevity. Send letters to Marin Magazine, One Harbor Drive, Suite 208, Sausalito, CA 94965, or email us at [email protected]. Please include the town where you live and a daytime phone number.
