Mailbag - Sept. 11, 2001

There is no need for more sports parks

I am in favor of sports in school areas, but I am not in favor of

expanding the school grounds to the point of bursting and having them run

seven days a week (“Playing ball not always easy anymore,” Aug. 30).

I have watched California Elementary and TeWinkle Middle schools

develop over the past 30 years into a full sports complex. I have also

observed other schools and park areas in the Costa Mesa area never

develop at all.

Like I said, I like to see people enjoy themselves but not at the

expense of the folks living around the area. I don’t think that’s NIMBY;

it is just the truth. When we have a championship series at TeWinkle,

your best bet is to leave the area for the weekend or be trapped in a

parking jungle.

Now they are talking more lights in the school area to have more

people participate in the activities. We don’t need any more. We have

plenty as it is. Please use your heads and consider all the people

involved in your planning.

CHARLES J. CAPRONI

Costa Mesa

Study doesn’t seem to have any worth

At the invitation of the environmental consulting firm conducting the

Newport Bay health risk study, I attended the first Health Advisory

Committee meeting held on May 17, 1999, in Oakland. I expressed my

concerns that the proposed design of the firm’s health effects study was

fatally flawed and would not stand up to scientific scrutiny. Several

nationally known scientists provided similar concerns.

The major flaw of the study is the reliance on the number of coliphage

organisms -- viruses that infect bacteria but not humans -- to calculate

illness rates of swimmers. To my knowledge, there is no scientific

evidence that the rate of swimmer illness can be predicted by measuring

the number of coliphage particles present in marine waters such as

Newport Bay. In my opinion, this study is not scientifically defensible.

After reviewing the firm’s draft report, I regret that I cannot draw

any meaningful conclusions from the study regarding the safety of

swimming in Newport Bay. I agree with the National Resources Defense

Council that the study is a “complete waste of time and resources” (“New

water-quality standards awash in criticism,” Aug. 30).

JOHN F. SKINNER

Newport Beach

Junior lifeguards are a community asset

I am the grandmother of four girls who just completed the junior

lifeguard program in Newport Beach (“Junior lifeguards return from

national championships,” Aug. 14).

I want the world to know what an incredible program this is and how

blessed we are to have this unbelievable experience available in our

community.

I went to the graduation ceremony at the Balboa Pier, and I was part

of at least 2,000 to 3,000 families with their blankets, coolers and

dinner supporting 1,100 junior lifeguards.

These young people learn discipline, responsibility, teamwork,

friendship and camaraderie in a two-month period. We should all be so

proud to have this wonderful program in our community.

Thank you to all the lifeguards and their support system.

JOAN H. SAMMIS

Newport Beach

Cat stories just aren’t breaking news

With two “major breaking” cat stories in one week (“Pets in peril,”

Friday) and (“Animal saver hindered by debt,” Thursday), plus Sunday’s

photo of the week, the Pilot has reached a new low in covering relevant

local news.

TOM STEFL

Corona del Mar