To the Editor:
Once upon a time there was a farmer named John. He noticed the narrow bridge that connected Soledad to the Mission District was badly in need of an upgrade. After years from the 1960s forward, talking to each new county supervisor, the bridge was going to be replaced.
Unfortunately, as new construction started, John was ill with cancer. He could hear the pounding of new footings but passed away not ever crossing the new bridge. That was 2006.
In 2008, John was given the honor of the bridge he never saw being dedicated in his name. Due to the winds of politics, the names of other pioneers were added to the plaque from the Mission District. With more politics, there was fear someone had been left off.
Since John was a veteran from World War II and D Day, the cause to install the plaque was taken up by other veterans, Dapper Skinner, Craig Bianchi and Tom Vaughan. All to no avail with red tape from the county. And now they have also passed.
Fast forward to 2022 — 14 years have gone by since the dedication, 14 years that Monterey County supervisors and Planning Commission have not been able to adhere a simple plaque to a simple bridge. There have been many excuses; they lost the plaque, they found the plaque, etc.
The story has no happy ending, and no thanks to our government.
Rosemary Soares
Soledad
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