Mailbag - Sept. 25, 2001

Flags need and must be flown correctly

I just spoke to the manager at a drug store on 17th Street, where I’d

spoken to him weeks ago about taking down the American flag that he is

flying in disgraceful condition, which is against the federal law. He

started to hem and haw and said I was getting aggressive.

I told him I was going to do more than that. I was going to write

letters to the editor. Since I’m a Korean War veteran, I may get the

American Legion to say a few things about it too. He wasn’t even

concerned that he was flying a dirty, disheveled, torn flag. And now,

especially now, but at any time that is a disgrace and it’s against the

federal law.

I hope you’ll publish this and show that guy that he shouldn’t do

that.

CAPT. FRED R. BOCKMILLER SR.

Newport Beach

Donate Taste proceeds to disaster victims

I think it would be a great idea if all or some of the profits from

the Taste of Newport could be donated to the families of the firemen,

policemen and the emergency workers back in New York and in Washington. I

don’t think our city has done anything on this large a scale -- or

anything at all -- and thought it would be just a great idea. I think

everybody who’ll be going to the Taste of Newport would like to donate

their admission charges to the families of this shocking event.

JOE CLEARY

Balboa Peninsula

Not even a yellow light for Koll project

Wake up, Newport (“Group’s intent questioned by Greenlight crowd,”

Sept. 3). Looks like we are really going to have to put our thinking caps

on to decipher the real Greenlight message now that deceptive Koll has

its own “Greenlight Implementation Committee.” The real message is: Stick

to the general plan, especially in the John Wayne Airport area, where we

must deliver a no-expansion statement to the rest of Orange County. The

real Greenlight gives a red light to Koll’s proposed 250,000-square-foot,

10-story office tower. Hang on to your thinking caps and watch for those

hanging chads in November.

MARIANNE TOWERSEY

Newport Beach

What’s in a name? Not Costa Mesa

Recent magazine advertisements:

1. Beverly Hills, South Coast Plaza, Houston, Paris, Cannes, Monte

Carlo, etc.

2. Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Denver, South Coast Plaza, New York, etc.

3. Chicago, Honolulu, Palm Beach, Scottsdale, Seattle, South Coast

Plaza, etc.

My question is: Where is Costa Mesa? My answer is: Let us rename our

city to South Coast or, even better, to Costa Del Sur. Sounds ritzy,

doesn’t it? Like living on the Riviera. Maybe the residents of Santa Ana

Heights would even like to be in our new city. Even the Westside would

gain prestige.

WILLIAM POLDER

Costa Mesa

Keep your cats inside and away from coyotes

I’m very sorry for the loss of Miss Bradley’s kitten, but this is

nothing new (“When wildlife and suburbia clash,” Sept. 17. Coyotes have roamed Newport Beach for years. Why people allow their cats out is beyond

me. They are healthier and happier indoors and live much longer lives.

Please don’t allow your pets to roam and die such a horrible death. Be a

responsible pet owner.

PATRICIA EGLIT

Newport Beach

El Morro should pay to renovate Crystal Cove

I’m responding to the question on increasing the rents over at those

El Morro trailers to pay for the Crystal Cove (“Campbell: El Morro rent

could pay for cove cottages,” Sept. 2). I agree with that. I think that

that’s a smart way to do that. I’m concerned that those will never be

renovated, and it sounds like it’s very expensive.

So I like what John Campbell is suggesting and think that that is not

only good as an environmentalist, but it’s good as sort of a taxpayer so

it gets done at Crystal Cove. And then we’ll let those people pay for it.

I think that’s a great solution.

KEN ARTZ

Newport Beach

Code enforcement should leave resident alone

I think Dave Morley should be able to live in his house the way it is

(“Resident trying to save his bedroom,” Sept. 4). It’s ridiculous. That’s

the way the house was bought, the way it is now. I definitely think the

man should be left alone to live in the place the way it is.

RUTH M. ZAHN

Costa Mesa

Shorten the days but not the route

I think that shortening the Christmas Boat Parade two days is probably

not a problem (“Changes afloat for boat parade,” Sept. 1). But I do

believe that shortening of the route is not necessary. Once the boats get

out -- and I’ve done it in my boat for many years -- the fact that you’ve

shortened a lot doesn’t make much difference. I think that there are a

lot of people on the shoreline all along the present parade route that

enjoy the parade. So I don’t think shortening two days is any problem,

but I do think that shortening the route would be a problem.

ED STEEN

Newport Beach