Day care expansion not safe
In a recent article (“Chabad preschool launches online petition to support expansion plans,” Sept. 6), Rabbi Gedalia Potash complained that neighbors had stymied the expansion with “baseless” objections. He is very much mistaken.
Well over 100 people, from neighbors to parents to retirees, Jews and non-Jews, came together to support the appeal because of one obvious fact: The 3700 block of Cesar Chavez Street — a heavily trafficked, narrow, two-lane stretch that connects with four-lane roads at Dolores, Guerrero and the boulevard portion of Cesar Chavez — is far too dangerous to support an expansion of the existing license for 14 children to a preschool for 42 children.
According to SFMTA data, this block is more than 16 times as dangerous as other blocks where the Planning Commission has recently approved child-care facilities, and many times more dangerous than even the adjacent blocks of Cesar Chavez.
Also, day-care facilities operated by Gan Noe have accumulated over a dozen “Type A” violations, the most serious type of violations, according to a state licensing agency. Objections to the expansion are not “baseless.” They are supported by government reports.
Richard Rochman | San Francisco
Citizens Concerned about Cesar Chavez Street
Editor’s note: On Sept. 17, San Francisco Supervisor Scott Wiener presented a proposed settlement, after which the appeal was formally withdrawn. No details of the settlement were available by press time.
Sky is not falling
Neal Wohlmuth’s letter (Sept. 13) is another one of those doom prophecies that did not materialize over the last 65 years and I doubt if it ever will.
We heard this warning many times, especially prior to the push to signing the Oslo accords in 1993, and Camp David negotiations in 2000. These doomsayers prophesized the end of the Jewish state is coming due to the dreaded demographic time bomb.
Every decade since 1950 and on, the cry “the sky is falling” warned of the “Arabs becoming the majority population in Israel within the next 30 years.” Well, Dr. Michael Cooper and Mr. Wohlmuth, both your prophecies are as wrong as those of past false prophets.
J. readers will be wiser to consult reliable sources, such as the Jerusalem Post’s report on Israel demography in the following link: www.goo.gl/G3bJ0j.
Sam Liron | Foster City
Canine philanthropy
It was wonderful to see Marcia Goldman and her dog’s work being recognized (“Lovable little Lola takes on big job as therapy dog,” Sept. 13). It seems philanthropy extends to her canine companions, too.
I just got my English Golden Retriever certified with Therapy Dogs International and would love to hear about places that welcome therapy dogs and how to get involved.
Bravo to Marcia Goldman and to Lola. It’s amazing what a positive difference a sweet dog’s visit can make.
Elisse Gabriel | Berkeley
Can your pet be a therapy dog?
I enjoyed the article about Lola the therapy dog. My dog Molly and I have been a therapy dog team on the Peninsula for a number of years. We visit three hospitals and two assisted-living facilities each week, and we also do “Pawsitive Reading” each month at our local Foster City library.
Should any of the readers like to get involved in seeing if they and their dog could become a pet therapy team, they are welcome to contact me.
Larry Moskovitz | Foster City
California director, Share-A-Pet
www.shareapet.org