THANKS, FROGGY!

RE LOGGING issue at Los Gatos Creek watershed ("Froggers and Loggers," News&Views, Dec. 13): Thanks so much for publishing that very informative article on a very important issue: to log or not to log. I am a longtime resident in the area in question and am strongly against this logging proposal. I believe with all the reading I've done that this logging proposal should be permanently rejected, as there are so many grounds against it. It's all about money, and the San Jose Water Co. should just do its job in providing the best water quality for the Santa Clara County Community, and not get into logging a watershed that has been protected for 100 years. Thanks to the red-legged frog for helping humans in more ways than one.

Loretta Swanson, Los Gatos

WATCH FOR HEARING

RE San Jose Water logging proposal: I greatly appreciate your article. You mentioned many of the key elements which the public should be aware of, especially water quality and the impact of the spraying for weed control. I live in the Santa Cruz mountains and have been working hard to defeat this proposal, but it has been very hard to get articles in local newspapers until the past two weeks. The public hearing is to be scheduled soon, but the date and location are still not known. I would really like you to follow the developments and run a story to give the time and place so we can get a very good turnout for the only public hearing that will happen before the California Department of Forestry makes its final decision. Once the decision is in place, it will be in effect forever so the hearing is extremely important.

Joan Moore, Los Gatos

NO MORE MONKEY BUSINESS

WHAT a joy it is to read that three chimpanzees used by a Hollywood animal trainer are to be relinquished to a sanctuary [as a result of a recent lawsuit filed by the Animal Legal Defense Fund]. They'll finally know what it is to live without fear. In order to be trained to perform in ads, movies and television shows, chimpanzees are removed from their mothers at birth, a profoundly traumatic event for both. The stress of separation can leave lifetime emotional scars and impede normal development. Eyewitnesses at facilities that train (i.e., break) great apes have reported seeing baby chimpanzees and orangutans severely beaten with fists, rocks and broom handles. Beatings are routine to ensure that the animals remain fearful and obedient. Once they reach eight years of age, these animals are too strong to be controlled. As a result, older animals are often discarded at shabby roadside zoos where they may live in squalor for decades. Chimps may live to be 50 to 60 years old.

Animals do not belong on the set.

Jennifer O'Connor, PETA Campaign writer, Norfolk, Va.

NOISE ANNOYS

RE "Tangled Webb" (Cover Story, Dec. 20): What a great article! The statement "Media noise is the new censorship" could not be closer to the truth.

Ron Keffer, San Jose

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