He’s did do like a dude does and fell prey to temptation.

The bare bottom line on Nathan Fletcher

Like many people, I was pretty heartbroken learning of our representative’s downfall. (“Where will the Nathan Fletcher money go?”, News Under the Radar, April 12, 2023) He unfortunately has pretty much sealed his fate, as far as his political career is concerned, and to me, that it’s just heartbreaking.

I had an opportunity to meet Mr. Fletcher at a gathering a couple years back, and being that I am a very intuitive and discerning person, right away I could tell this guy was a cut above.

Yes, he’s a man, and maybe he is a little lecherous but what man is not? I mean come on…I could go on A-Z with the positive adjectives, but bare bottom line is, he’s extremely good looking for one, and B., he’s very intelligent, he is kind, and he’s approachable and he feels genuine.

When I engaged him, I was like, “Yeah the guy’s got a lot on the ball.”

I’m not much as far as politics go…you know, apolitical most ways, but when I met him I was so impressed, pleased, just graced and so happy and so behind him, more than any other political figure I have ever encountered, clear up to the chief of staff. I mean seriously…this guy seems like he genuinely cares to go to bat for people & step up to the plate.

I started paying attention to his career and his position, and in many areas was so on target, relevant as heck, and rather avant-garde in a lot of ways…as in, it’s befuddling to me because they seem so commonsensical…like of course…I mean why wouldn’t you want to be on his platform? Because he’s genuine he’s got a lot of heart and he put a lot of thought into his actions and his motives.

I just really, really want to stand behind this guy. I want to give him the benefit of the doubt, and if he can’t be a representative, I want to usher in a new position just for him and let him be the ambassador for mental health, just in the whole county. He could make great advances for us. I mean, he’s already got a nice foothold and as somebody who is plagued with a very serious mental illness most of my entire life, due to being a victim of a very violent protracted and sustained crime, I have suffered in a great way. But he’s like a light; he gave me faith and gave me a little bit of hope and he helped me feel like maybe I could rise above the horrible stigma around mental illness. He was breaking good ground, For Goodness’ Sake, and I just want to say that, and I stand behind him. And I say let’s give him that benefit: that he’s just a man after all. But what a man.

I feel heartbroken for him and for his wife as they seem like such a beautiful, family, you know, and some men, I mean, he is just a total package.

He’s did do like a dude does, and fell prey to temptation, but I feel he’s just too good of an asset just to toss out with the bath water.

Mental health attitudes need an overhaul and a good reboot. I say we create for him a position, brand new, as head of mental health awareness and advocacy in the whole county.

I know this is kind of out there, but that’s just my viewpoint and thanks for listening. Oh and feel free to add that I’m a bit of a rambler.

• Dana Venzor
• Mission Bay Park

30 years of documenting dates

I discovered sidewalk dates when I came to San Diego in April 1993. (“Why La Jolla and Pt. Loma areas lack sidewalks and Burlingame exults in them”, Cover Story, April 26, 2023) Ever since then I look for them in my daily walks, and document them with pictures. The oldest I found was at 1910 State Street in Little Italy. It was dated 7-1876 by J.F. Over Contractor. Previous street names also can be found in concrete, either in the sidewalk itself or on the sidewalk curb.

• Russel Ray
• Winter Gardens