Editor, Ceres Courier,

Ceres is a beautiful name.  Elma J. Carter named our city in 1871 and we should honor and respect the identity she established for this city.

Our city was named after the Roman goddess of agriculture.  Ceres and her daughter Persephone preside over agriculture, are responsible for spring, and symbolize everything green on Earth.  Ceres is a green city brimming with beautiful small outdoor parks and is nestled within the region that is the fifth largest supplier of agriculture in the world.  For this reason, it appears the region was aptly named and blessed by the gods — Ceres in particular.

Currently, Ceres is sitting on $4 million of ARPA funds which beckon excitement for expansion or additions to Ceres—which may ultimately threaten the small agricultural feel to our city. In keeping with Elma’s vision and identity for this region, a growing number of us would like to reiterate our request to build a living-roof facility that can triple down as a rooftop park, indoor sports facility, and shelter for the homeless or underprivileged during extreme weather.

If the city will not be building such facility, then we ask the following: Since Ceres be drinking river water soon, we ask that the remaining ARPA funds be used to clean up and develop our river for the enjoyment of citizens. Make the river’s cleanliness synonymous with our water’s cleanliness. Make it accessible to people/pets and as Roman’s say, make it “fit for Ceres”, in other words, worthy of a goddess!

Alvaro Franco,

Ceres

LETTERS POLICY: Letters will be considered for publication but must be signed and include an address and phone number. Letters should be 250 words or less and be void of libel. Send to The Ceres Courier, 138 S. Center Street, Turlock CA 95380 or emailed to jeffb@cerescourier.com.