Letter: Riverside County Supervisors should revisit the Paradise Valley plan

The Paradise Valley project

Paradise lost? Never.

Denied? Yes.

Racist? No.

Gentrified? No.

Will add housing to a housing strapped state? Yes.

Will add jobs? Yes.

Will add significant tax for Riverside County? Yes.

So why deny?

Some 15 years of work and money for permits and studies and the decision is to deny. Why string Paradise Valley along for 15 years? The message to developers, negative.

It’s time to revisit the vote on Glorious Land Co.’s Paradise Valley. It’s time for our supervisors to be leaders of our county and to provide for the needs of those in disadvantaged areas by bringing in housing and tax dollars, not discouraging efforts to do so.

For the east valley, bring Paradise Valley back and rationally work out the differences that remain. We are Americans, all; we are a team. Let's make it a win for all. Bring back Paradise Valley.

Margit F. Chiriaco-Rusche, Chiriaco Summit

Remake the malls

Instead of thinking in terms of losing our local malls, why not rethink the issue of losing business to internet sales by instead considering the possibilities of remodeling and refocusing our malls in a way that allows local and national businesses to adapt to the changing financial markets? 

In Broomfield, Colorado, for example, they have a huge, modern, community center and park that offers every available sports activity for people of any age. Why not re-create the Indio Fashion Mall as a community center/business center? 

I can’t imagine that our town will allow our mall to become an unoccupied, abandoned, ghost center. Let’s repurpose malls to include activities for young-and-old, like other cities in the United States.

Denice Santoyo, Indio 

Healthier school meals

Why don’t local schools offer students organic juice as a lunch option? 

Organic juice is a healthy option for students currently consuming sugary drinks that cause diabetes and a host of other health problems. Juices and smoothies are really tasty, and many studies have shown that students perform better when they are fueled with good nutrition. 

Adding juice bars at our local schools would be a big step toward improving the overall health of students. A juice option is a good opportunity for schools to partner with local businesses to benefit the health and well-being of student-athletes.

Per USDA regulations, providing a juice option as a “meat alternate” is both practical and prudent. Smoothies can be used for both breakfast and lunch in school menus, and also as an after-school snack.

If our local school districts are dedicated to teaching children well, those same districts should be equally concerned with giving students the best options available in terms of nutrition.  

Samantha Solis, Indio

Help homeless addicts

The Coachella Valley has a substantial problem with the homeless population. I have read in the news that there is also a problem with illegal drug use associated with the homeless. 

A free, nonprofit rehabilitation center in our valley might better support the homeless population. By building a rehabilitation center for individuals who don’t have the funds to pay for regular rehab, the amount of drug related deaths in the Coachella Valley should decrease, respectively, which will make our valley a safer place to live. 

Talon Duran, Indio

Music means money

Do you like rock music as much as I do? Then why not have more rock festivals in the Coachella Valley? 

It would be a great idea to have alternative music festival events.

In New Orleans, they host an annual festival called the “Voodoo Music + Arts Experience,” and that city also hosts the world-renowned Jazz and Heritage Festival. Exploring different musical genres in the valley including alternative, electronic and indie music would help put the Coachella Valley on the map as a music mecca.

The Voodoo Experience’s annual attendance is around 150,000 for three days, while the Coachella Fest annual attendance is around 594,000 for 6 days. So, having more musical festivals would be good for the local economy. 

Let’s keep growing the music scene and rock on!

Emily Quintero, Indio