Letters for June 27, 2019

Re: “Release date” by Graham Womack (News, June 13):

The article referenced the prosecution of former Placer County Sheriff’s Deputy Robert Madden and former Correctional Officer Jeffrey Villanueva for assaulting inmates. It suggested that we filed charges after the video was “published widely.”

That is not accurate. At our request, Sheriff Devon Bell did not release the video until the case had concluded. On June 1, 2018, both defendants pleaded guilty to felony counts of assault, and on Oct. 9, both were sentenced. One of the videos was released to the media on March 28. That was the first time any of the videos were released, and only one has been released. This is why the suggestion that our office charged the former deputy and correctional officer after public release of the video evidence is not accurate.

Jeff Wilson, chief assistant district attorney

Placer County / via email

Bloom off the rose

Re: “Gag order” by Debbie Arrington (Garden, June 6):

Regarding the Old City Cemetery rose garden, I recently took a visitor to see it and was devastated to see what’s happened there. During the past 15-plus years, the garden had become a gorgeous work of public art just as beneficial to our city as any sculpture, mural or fountain. After all, the garden has been internationally recognized and cost taxpayers next to nothing, as opposed to our Jeff Koons sculpture at Golden 1 Center.

When I was at the garden, one trellis arch remained, but the majority of the plots look as desiccated and forlorn as they did 20 years ago when I moved here. At that time, I thought it was a shame no one was maintaining the many rose bushes and head stones in the plots.

In my opinion, the public servants who have taken it upon themselves to destroy the cemetery rose garden should be fired.

Anne Cunningham

Sacramento / via email

Not really green

Compact fluorescent light bulbs are considered green because they use 75% less electricity than incandescent bulbs. But accidents happen and broken CFLs create a “hazmat” zone in your home because each bulb contains as much as 4 milligrams of mercury, 2,000 time more than what is allowed in drinking water.

How to properly clean up a broken bulb: Remove people and pets from the home and air out the room for 5-10 minutes, but don’t use heating or cooling. Do not vacuum (which further spreads mercury powder and vapor). Instead, sweep up glass shards, pick up tiny fragments with tape and put into an airtight container labeled “Contains Mercury.” Do not put into the trash, but ask your local landfill when they accept hazardous materials. Or avoid this toxic scenario—don’t buy CFLs!

Lauren Ayers

Guinda / via email

Cutting-edge cannabis

Re: “Craft cannabis” by Ken Magri (Capital Cannabis, June 20):

Great article that helped me understand more about the differentiation of product and what is going on at the cutting edge of the industry.

David Marquis

Gold River / via email