Mailbag - April 24, 2001

Boat parade needs to continue its Lido course

Regarding “Changes may be afloat for boat parade” (April 12), we that

live on the south side of Lido Island hope and want the Newport Harbor

Christmas Boat Parade to continue coming through on that channel there

that goes along the south side of the island and makes a turn and then

goes back out to the main bay.

The reason for that is is there’s a great many residences along there.

Including us, there must be at least 300 or 400 people that watch it

there, or more. So please continue to run the boat parade on the south

side of Lido Island.

RAYMOND VINCENTI

Lido Island

New harbor columnist the right choice

Refreshing and enlightening to read the new harbor column that

actually is written by someone who knows and cares about the water.

Almost everyone in the harbor knows Mike Whitehead and the amount of

time he spends not only volunteering on many, many committees to help the

harbor and boaters, but he is one of the most experienced and

professional captains on the West Coast. Thank you, Daily Pilot.

JOLENE EDMUNDS

Costa Mesa

Restricting access will improve Little Corona

This is in regards to “Testing the waters” on April 18. There was a

time long ago when I could walk on the rocks in Little Corona and marvel

not only at the beauty of the area, but the abundance of marine life. I

support and thank those who wish to make it a better place than it is

today.

But difficult choices need to be made in regards to access. Yes, I

would like everyone to enjoy this beautiful part of Newport Beach, but it

is the tremendous amount of people trampling and taking the natural

habitat that must be addressed if we ever wish to restore, at least

partially, the beauty that was once Little Corona. Busloads of

schoolchildren running amok unsupervised, as well as tourists filling

their bags with the few shells and marine life that remain in the tide

pools, must be dealt with.

I believe the city should monitor and patrol the beach every day, all

day. I know some might find this a bit draconian, but does someone else

have a better idea?

PAUL JAMES BALDWIN

Newport Beach

Costa Mesa residents should take pride in city

Bravo to Byron de Arakal for his column on April 18, “Time is pecking

at two traditions.” What are we going to do about these great traditions

-- the Fish Fry and Newport Harbor Christmas Boat Parade?

Please, let’s hope that something is done in time to keep the Lions

Club Fish Fry event from frying. I have great memories of taking my

grandkids there and for one am really tired of what Costa Mesa residents

are having taken away from them. Where is our sense of community? Where

is our pride? And what happened to just plain fun?

CINDY BRENNEMAN

Costa Mesa

Reader unhappy with councilman’s charity comments

In the Daily Pilot on April 3 (“Share Our Selves to renovate its

facilities”), Costa Mesa Councilman Chris Steel’s comments about

charities not being helpful and bringing down areas by bringing in the

wrong crowd is definitely not right.

I think he needs to go check his trash and see if he recycles. I’m

going to go clean Wallace Street today and maybe people will go with me.

I will show everybody that there’s trash everywhere that needs to be

cleaned up, and Steel needs to bus his own table.

LAURA BREIDENBACH

Costa Mesa

Some applause not included in recent City Council story

First, I would like to thank the Daily Pilot for its continued

coverage of the Costa Mesa City Council meetings. It is because of this

coverage and my strong concerns regarding the expressed opinions of

Councilman Chris Steel at a recent meeting that I now attend these

meetings personally.

During a recent meeting’s public hearing, several community members

came to the podium to express support of the proposed block grant.

Thankfully, only one person, Martin Millard, had negative and derogatory

statements about the charities and the people they serve. The Pilot

reported that “some attendees applauded after Millard’s comments.”

Fortunately for our community, the applause was small. There was

greater applause for someone else, however. I know this because I am the

attendee who initiated the applause, and I did so during the speaker’s

presentation, in which he stated, in essence, “If I wanted to live around

people exactly like myself, I would have moved my family to Irvine.”

I was truly inspired by his comments and everyone’s thereafter. The

overwhelming support by volunteers, homeowners and business owners in our

community renewed my faith in Costa Mesa and its residents. I think the

Pilot article could have done a better job at showing the true spirit of

our community as expressed at the meeting. Thank you.

JACQUELINE KELLY

Costa Mesa

Newport Beach police officers doing a fine job

Recently, I witnessed a young man running down the street. He was

assaulting people as he ran down the street. It took five police officers

to stop him and hold him down. He later yelled to them that he was on

mushrooms.

As the officers were trying to calm him and keep him down while they

awaited a stretcher, he was out of control. They helped the paramedics

get him on the stretcher and I heard one officer say, “Is that a little

better buddy?” in a truly sympathetic way. I have to tell you, as the

mother of two older children, it touched my heart. Here this boy was

terrorizing the street, but the officer was truly sympathetic.

I am very happy to live in Newport with officers like that.

PATTY BRANDENBURGER

Newport Beach