MAILBAG - Feb. 19, 2000

What a relief to hear that the Irvine Co. has withdrawn its request for a

general plan amendment for a major expansion of Newport Center (“Newport

Center first Greenlight casualty?” Jan. 28). That development would have

added thousands of trips per day to the already near-gridlock traffic in

that part of the city. If this reversal occurred, as the Irvine Co. says,

because of the Greenlight traffic control initiative qualifying for the

ballot, than it has achieved its first victory for the people of Newport

Beach.

The Irvine Co.’s proposed development consisted in large part of office

buildings. Office buildings produce no net revenue for city coffers, but

they do produce significant local traffic. When the overriding quality of

life issue for residential neighbors is traffic, the only impetus pushing

the development of office buildings are the profits of the developer.

Donald Bren has negatively influenced our quality of life enough already.

The retreat of the Irvine Co. is the best thing that could happen to our

roads and our residents.

BOB CAUSTIN

Newport Beach

School rankings do not always tell whole story

After reading this morning’s article (“School rankings are both bitter

and sweet,” Jan. 26), I feel compelled to offer the observation that this

information could have been reported in a more responsible fashion.

Relaying only a portion of the Academic Performance Index (API) does not

present an accurate or true picture of the achievements of Newport-Mesa

schools.

Your failure to report the decile rating comparing each school with

schools of similar ethnicity, socioeconomic conditions and mobility

omitted a very important component of the story.

This rating shows that most schools in our district rated very high when

compared to similar schools statewide -- even schools whose API scores

were not in the higher ranges. This score really compares apples to

apples and demonstrates that schools in Newport-Mesa are all succeeding

in educating our very diverse populations.

Both Andersen and Whittier Schools (the highest and lowest scoring

elementary schools in the district according to their API ratings)

received a 10 ranking when compared to similar schools. These victories

are impressive and should be equally celebrated.

The Daily Pilot needs to fairly report and applaud the successes of all

schools based on their very different challenges and stop comparing

unlike schools and groups of students. We all face challenges, whether it

be making sure our students are receiving an education suited to their

needs or simply helping a new English-language learner have the courage

to speak in a language he is just beginning to understand, much less be

tested in.

In my 30 years of teaching, I have seen every type of student. The

objectives all teachers share are the same -- no matter in what school or

grade they teach. We are all striving to make children lifelong learners,

with positive self-esteem and a caring for their fellow man. It will be a

great day in education when these goals are not measured solely by

performances on state-mandated tests.

When all people can rejoice in the successes of our children, no matter

how small, we will truly have done our jobs.

MARY FERRYMAN

Costa Mesa

Reader wants to give Greenlight a chance

Steve Marble missed the ferry (“Greenlight: A slower version of same old

song,” Feb. 9). Allan Beek is steadfast and funny, not “quirky.” He has

no need to “atone for his dad’s sins” in building Balboa Island, as

Marble quips, though atonement might be needed if Allan wanted to double

the Island’s density.

If Marble would have called and talked with Allan, he might have written

a different story, one that might have thoughtfully framed the

“so-called” (as the Pilot likes to say in every story -- how about

“popularly named?”) Greenlight Initiative and Allan Beek by posing at

least one or two hypothetical questions: Balboa Island is already

bumper-to-bumper with traffic, as noted in the column, so should the city

allow eight- or 10-story high-rise condos and apartments to be built on

Balboa Island at some time in the future?

In the previous sentence, if you replace “Balboa Island” with just about

any other area of Newport Beach and remember that area traffic is close

to or over capacity for comfortable limits of traffic density at peak

hours, the need for thoughtful discussion of Greenlight might seem like a

good idea, even to Steve Marble.

There is no longer a mystery surrounding traffic congestion. It occurs

when vehicle trips per specific intersections at peak hours (or non-peak

if density runs amok) exceed the capacity of streets and signal lights to

allow traffic to move easily. Waiting for two or more signal light

changes to get through an intersection is not a divine accident, but a

series of choices we make. That’s the heart of the “so-called” Greenlight

issue -- who should we trust to make all these choices? Our nearly

gridlocked freeways are the result of past development choices.

Now to illustrate “quirky,” as in a sudden shift in thought. Let’s

compare Marble’s apparent disparagement of the notion of “slow growth”

regarding this tiny area called Newport Beach to our bodies ... We can

eat fast and expand until we can’t move at all. We can slowly get bigger

until we can’t move. We can get thinner or stay the same. Will we die if

we don’t get bigger? How big is big enough?

What we maybe should do is be willing to discuss these options with

intelligence, respect and humor. At least two of those are Allan Beek’s

saving graces, or atoning angels. We could use a little more of all three

in city halls and newspaper columns.

MARK DAVIDSON

Costa Mesa