MAILBAG - Oct. 14, 1999

I am commenting on the “Second Thoughts” column that ran Monday Oct. 11

(“Headlines that won’t go away”). You felt that the story “Charred cat

found in oven” was a possible stomach-churner not worthy of printing --

well, guess again. Everyone without exception was talking about it --

from my plumber, hairdresser to my kids and their friends.

Being a part of one of the most civilized, compassionate societies called

Newport-Mesa, of course whenever someone attacks the weaker species, we

as a community are enraged and want to know and take action.

We do as a community want society at large to know -- our children, pets,

elderly and handicapped are special, important and welcome here and we

are going to make every attempt to protect them.

More stories like the one about the poor kitty’s fate further educate us

that there are “sick” people who are either in need of mental help or

education in our community.

If there is anyone else out there who finds pleasure in tormenting or

harming any being weaker than themselves, beware because you’ll be

treated like a “sex offender” if your neighbors find out about you!

KRISTY NEUBO

Newport Beach

Despite its gruesome nature, the story on the cat being cooked is news,

and worthy of publication. While it is commendable that Tony Dodero had

reservations about publishing the story, it would have been stranger to

have the story on the Los Angeles-area newscasts on Monday evening, and

yet see no mention of it in our local paper the next day.

GREG BRITTEN

Costa Mesa

Annexation is No. 1 issue in Santa Ana Heights

Tell people you live in Santa Ana Heights and they’ll think twice and

still not be able to picture your location. Santa Ana Heights is the

obscure, once-rural community of unincorporated county that stretches

from the Santa Ana Country Club to the bluffs of the Upper Newport Back

Bay. Most importantly, Santa Ana Heights is a pivotal point in the

airport issue.

Santa Ana Heights happens to be the closest residential community to John

Wayne Airport, and as such, shoulders the highest levels of negative

impacts emulating from commercial and general aviation activity. If an

airport at El Toro is not built, I can be guaranteed more negative

impacts and more deterioration of my quality of life.

Residents of Santa Ana Heights never asked for the commercialization of

the general aviation Orange County airport, yet are being forced to

shoulder its impacts.

Today, we have a choice in determining Santa Ana Heights’ future. At a

recent Santa Ana Heights Project Advisory Committee meeting, Newport

Beach Deputy City Manager David Kiff gave residents a presentation on

Santa Ana Heights annexation into the city of Newport Beach. Committee

chairman Roger Summers response was: “What are we going to get,

Dave?”Summers may speak for the majority of his committee members, but

most certainly does not speak for the majority of Santa Ana Heights

residents. The majority of residents I know and speak with are 100% for

annexation into Newport Beach and will fight hard to do so.The single

most important factor facing Santa Ana Heights is the annexation by

Newport Beach. Most residents can see the obvious benefits of joining the

city of Newport Beach, such as higher property values and guaranteed

support from Newport Beach in blocking John Wayne Airport expansion, to

keep our community alive.

To actively participate in the reshaping of Santa Ana Heights in a

positive way, attend your local committee meetings. The next one is Dec.

7. To find out more about Newport Beach’s annexation proposal, contact

David Kiff and request a copy of the Santa Ana Heights annexation issues.

Or log on to the Web site at o7 www.city.newport--beach.ca.us.f7

RUSSELL NIEWIAROWSKI

Santa Ana Heights

Costa Mesa readers agree with mayor

Gary Monahan is right on about not expanding John Wayne Airport beyond

its present size and flight-time restrictions. The hundreds of thousands

of dollars that Newport Beach has spent on pushing to get an airport in

South County might better be spent on making sure that John Wayne Airport

is not expanded. No one needs more noise and pollution from John Wayne,

as well as El Toro, over our beautiful Orange County. We should have our

elected representatives, Chris Cox (R-Newport Beach) and Dana Rohrabacher

(R-Huntington Beach), pushing the federal government to put an

international airport in the Camp Pendleton area. That way it could serve

San Diego and Orange counties. Costa Mesa, Newport Beach and South County

should unite in pushing the aforementioned plan.

DAVID V. SCHWEITZER

Costa Mesa

Thank you, Mayor Monahan, for your “no nonsense” letter in Tuesday’s

Pilot. It is time that Costa Mesa realizes that the impact is just as

great here as it is in Newport Beach -- especially for us Eastsiders --

if an El Toro airport is not realized. I agree with you 100% that the

time has come to let our voices be heard.

PATTY HEALEY

Costa Mesa

Do we really need another arts center?

Let me see if I have got this straight. We have a committee of

non-elected people who have now decided the city should own this

$12-million vision (“Public or private, that is the question,” Oct. 2).

Jim Wood says the meeting space is needed for homeowner associations to

have a place to meet. What a joke. Does Wood know how difficult it is to

get homeowners to turn out, even for an annual meeting? Besides, there

are facilities already available for this type of thing -- the library

meeting room, OASIS Senior Center, two large clubhouse meeting rooms in

Harbor View Homes -- that can be rented for a nominal fee. With regard to

the need for an art gallery, we have display space in city hall, the

library and we have an art museum in our city that needs our support.

Wood is quoted as saying that the proposed facility would be beyond the

beaches and shopping, and everyone will want to gather there.

Come on Wood, let’s be realistic. Lacking in all of this rhetoric is the

mention of a needs assessment, which I believe should be commissioned by

our city council (if they deem consideration of this project

appropriate). The needs assessment should first determine if there is

really a need for what is being proposed; and second, if there is a need,

how would it fit into the priorities of city expenditures.

Let’s remember that no matter how much in private funds might be raised

for this project, it would be dependent on city-owned land, and forever

operating costs undoubtedly picked up by the city. Let’s do first things

first, and get an appropriate needs assessment. At the same time, let’s

support the important cultural projects already in the works.

JACK REEVES

Newport Beach