NOTABLE QUOTABLES

“Many people think that if you’re blind, you’re retarded. That’s not

true. Our brains work -- they work very well. All we need is a chance, an

opportunity.”

-- Sharon Matson, 53, of Costa Mesa, on making her way as a legally

blind person in a seeing world. Matson is studying to become a

reservations agent with Marriott.

“I loved just looking out and seeing nothing but the ice and the water

and no asphalt and traffic lights.”

-- Marcia Cashion of Newport Beach, on visiting the North Pole this

summer.

“The most common misconception is that we’re all dead. It’s really sad

and unfortunate.”

-- Victoria Sebanz, a Los Angeles school teacher and descendant of the

Menominee and Lakota tribes, on the misinformation she has seen about

Native Americans. Sebanz attended the 33rd annual Pow Wow at the Orange

County Fairgrounds on Aug. 25.

“I did not know that when you drink and drive and kill someone, that

is not enough to convict you.”

-- Chris Potter, whose father Douglas Boniface was struck and killed

Sept. 23, on the frustration she feels because no charges have been filed

against driver Jason Tillery, even though he tested with a blood alcohol

level of .12 more than two hours after the incident. Police are still

looking for witnesses.

“Whether I represent Lake Forest and Irvine or Costa Mesa and Newport

Beach, my position on El Toro remains unchanged.”

-- Assemblyman John Campbell (R-Irvine), on whether proposed

redistricting, which would give Costa Mesa and Newport Beach to

Assemblyman Ken Maddox (R-Garden Grove), will change his El Toro views.

Campbell is against the idea of an airport at the former Marine base.

“How can we feel comfortable and pray in a church where our son is

looked at differently? It’s a convenience factor. It’s like saying ‘If

you’re easy to deal with, you are welcome here.”

-- Craig Candelaria, on why his family stopped attending Calvary

Church in Costa Mesa after volunteers asked him and his wife to take

their 6-year-old autistic son Craig out of a church-sponsored music class

because the volunteers could not handle him.

“But there are going to be a lot of people upset about the parade

change route.”

-- Dayna Petit, longtime Balboa Penninsula civic activist, on the

Newport Harbor Chamber of Commerce’s plans to shorten the Christmas Boat

Parade route and cut the event to five days, beginning with the 2002

parade.