LETTERS

Correction: In our recent article, “In the name of freedom,” Dec. 24, Cana Projects was named as a plaintiff in the lawsuit challenging the Checkerboard Roundup. Cana Projects is not a party to this lawsuit. 

The article also inferred that Cana Projects was involved with the rescue of the horses featured in the article. It was not. Cana Projects was only involved with the publication of the book, Galloping to Freedom. Our apologies for any inconvenience.

TPP will weaken food safety

Many of us are rightly concerned about the safety of food that arrives from foreign countries. Inspection of imported food is already weak. The Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) would weaken food inspection even more, putting our health at risk.

The TPP contains new language that would allow challenges to U.S. border inspection procedures. Do we want foreign companies reviewing and challenging the U.S. regulatory process? Risk assessment would also be weaker under TPP, favoring trade over food safety.

And even worse, the TPP would encourage the use of private certification of food safety, either third-party certification or possibly self-certification, rather than independent government oversight. Private certification provides financial incentive to certify the food as safe. Several U.S. food safety outbreaks have occurred at facilities that received private certifications. The companies behind the 2009 peanut butter salmonella outbreak, the 2010 egg salmonella outbreak, and the 2011 cantaloupe listeria outbreak all received outstanding ratings from their third-party certifier.

Who do YOU want certifying the safety of your food?

The TPP can only be voted up or down; no changes are allowed. Please contact Rep. Jared Polis (303-484-9596) and Sen. Michael Bennet (303-455-7600), urging them to vote no on the TPP.

Nancy Sullo/Boulder

Crisis Center move

I want to thank Boulder Weekly for letting our community know about the proposed move of the Crisis Center by Mental Health Center Partners to Airport and Valmont Road. I don’t think the community is aware of the impact that this will have on a very fragile and vulnerable population. Located for many years along the Broadway corridor with excellent bus service, it is easily accessible from the Homeless Shelter, Bridge House, Warner House and the downtown bus center. I was not convinced by Ann Noonan’s arguments that the integrated services will make up for the scarcity and difficulty of public transportation — for if you cannot access the services, how can they benefit you? I find it very disheartening that it will triple the distance for clients from the downtown bus station.

It seems to me they are making this move before they have adequately addressed this critical issue.

Ellen Stark, former Emergency Psychiatric Service worker/Boulder

Register Dem for Bernie

To help Bernie Sanders win the Democratic Party nomination, Colorado residents must be registered Democrat by January 1. Colorado has a closed caucus system — not a primary election. You must be registered Democrat by January 1 to participate in your local caucus on March 1.

You can register or change your registration details such as party affiliation and address atgovotecolorado.com.

If you have a Colorado driver’s license, you can do this online in about a minute. If you do NOT have a Colorado ID, you can download a form to fill out and submit to your County Clerk.

Additionally, by January 28, the address on your voter registration must be in the precinct of your local caucus.

If you support Bernie, but dislike the Democratic Party, you can change your registration again on March 2. Feel the Bern!

Sandy Lemberg/Fort Collins