Letters to the Editor

Open Letter By Aquilino Gonell, former U.S. Capitol Police Sergeant.

On January 6, 2021, I almost died defending the Capitol from insurrectionists inspired by Donald Trump’s false claims that the 2020 election was stolen.

After fighting with multiple rioters, I suffered career-ending (physical, mental, and moral) injuries and was trampled in a tunnel holding the police line and defending my colleagues and your elected leader regardless of their political views or party. I defended Marjorie Taylor Greene just as much as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. And Nancy Pelosi just as much as Kevin McCarthy.

I did the best I could, but they just kept coming…

I fought for our democracy that day, and I am still fighting for it today.

That includes doing everything I can to make sure Donald Trump — the man who calls the January 6 insurrectionists who nearly took my life “patriots” and literally salutes them, is never elected president again.

So today, I am asking you to do something important to make sure that never happens.

Donald Trump failed on January 6, but it wasn’t for lack of trying. We can’t let him return to the White House.

Thank you for reading,

Aquilino Gonell

Washington D.C.

Money Sink Hole

In 2008, California taxpayers agreed to spend $9 billion on a High Speed Rail project.

The system would run from San Francisco to Los Angeles, cost $33 billion in total, and be operational by 2020. 

Sixteen years of delay and mismanagement later, new estimates project it will cost $105 billion+ and the first phase of the rail won’t even be finished until 2029…

The H.S.R. is a waste of money, because the infrastructure requires billions of dollars to build and maintain.  Our State and nation will not be able to afford to maintain the system and we already have rail transport.

The real need is to improve existing roads and bridges and find ways to relieve congestion, improve safety and have better access to jobs.

John Winkler

San Pedro