Truck stop disrupts existing residents, businesses
Regarding the new Love’s truck stop being built on Taft Highway: I think that Love’s is disrupting both residents and businesses along the highway. They have successfully installed truck turn lanes while blocking the residents from turning west, which we previously had the right to turn.
Currently, we have to head east half a mile to make a legal U-turn to head west to Highway 99, which is a stone’s throw distance away from us. But after construction is finished, we will have to head east, turn into the truck stop, and then head west. Talking to a couple of workers, they said that if traffic could turn west, that they would have to install traffic signals at high expense.
This truck stop is not more important to the city than the current residents and businesses. But apparently it is.
— Palmer Taggart, Bakersfield
NEWSOM IS NOT THE ANSWER
Do you remember Gov. Gray Davis? Way back when in California, when we were faced with a governor who completely lost touch with reality and made extremely poor choices, we decided to recall this governor and change the direction of the state.
Currently, Gavin Newsom has given us the same opportunity. Fiscal year 2023-24 had a massive surplus, fiscal year 2024-25 an even larger deficit. Businesses packing their bags and moving to Texas, Florida or anywhere out of California. Lifelong residents selling their homes in the “Golden State” and moving to anywhere else. These taxpaying businesses and residents replaced by illegal immigrants and the homeless.
Now Newsom and the Legislature decided to further wreck the economy and drive off small business by paying a $20 minimum wage for fast food workers, with the exception of his friends in the baked bread business.
I have lived in California since 1961. Even Jerry Brown knew how to manage a state budget and govern. Although I did not agree with his politics, I still respected his ability to manage a budget.
The time has come for California Democrats to accept the fact Gavin Newsom is not the answer. Next time the Bay Area liberals step out of their mansions after stepping over the homeless, they need to wake up to the fact this is not working.
— David DePaola, San Luis Obispo
BIDEN HAS INDEED FALLEN OUT OF FAVOR
In a recent letter to The Californian, the writer couldn’t understand why Joe Biden has fallen so far out of favor. After all, the stock market is up and unemployment down.
No mention was made of house payments doubling because his administration has raised interest rates to stem the runaway inflation during his term. Has the writer tried to buy groceries lately? The price of gas has doubled with his policies leaving us energy-dependent once again.
I’m not for forgiving anyone’s loan that they took out and their signature meant that they would pay back. Then there’s upward of 21 million illegal immigrants stressing our budget and environment. The crime rate has soared and there were no new military actions during the last administration.
Also there’s the fact that Joe Biden doesn’t seem to know where he is sometimes. Other than that, I guess he’s done a good job? — Steve Ledbetter, Bakersfield