Mailbag - May 9, 2002

Weekend swap meets are two too many for city

Thank you for considering those of us who reside in Costa Mesa and who

feel that not everyone wants or needs two swap meets 52 weekends a year

(“Swapping days,” April 28).

I greatly appreciate Councilwoman Libby Cowan for bringing it to our

attention that Orange County College has been violating the 1984

agreement with the city of Costa Mesa.

For those who do frequent swap meets, the users have the Orange County

Fairgrounds and also on Sundays at Orange Coast College. That is more

than enough. The change in policy, or recognition of the original

agreement, is long overdue.

In addition to the problem of increased traffic, should we not

consider the merchants that do pay considerable rents for housing the

merchandise that compete with the swap meets for business? Should we not

also consider South Coast Plaza and other mall owners that provide

beautification, jobs and revenue to Costa Mesa?

Residents that live in this area already have to contend with traffic

from the fairgrounds, two colleges, the high school and, up until now,

the traffic on both Saturdays and Sundays from two swap meets.

The swap meet merchants are lining the street as early as 5 a.m. on

both Saturday and Sunday.

Actually, I’ve seen the trucks and cars waiting long before that hour.

I have been a resident of Mesa del Mar since 1963 and had resigned myself

to the increased noise and traffic in our area due to increased student

enrollment at OCC, the Orange County Fairgrounds activities, Costa Mesa

High School and two swap meets. In addition to the increased traffic on

Fairview Road and Fair Drive, Baker Street has become a main thoroughfare

for people going to and from the freeways.

I really look forward to less traffic and noise during the weekends.

It is time for the inconvenienced and displaced merchants to consider

other areas to sell their products.

BEVERLY E. HUGHES

Costa Mesa

Reader spends too much time on El Morro

While enjoying the photo of the two nice ladies strolling on the beach

at El Morro, I couldn’t help but wonder why Ed Merrilees just doesn’t go

down there himself (Community Commentary, “Don’t postpone El Morro

campground any longer,” April 11). Instead of banging away at his

keyboard, he could be out there enjoying that fresh air, too. But he’d

rather spend time supporting an idea that evicts 300 families from their

homes to make way for 60 campsites -- directly adjacent to El Morro

Elementary School, no less.

Tax dollars are being spent for state rangers and lifeguards to patrol

this public beach. One can go right down there, today, and since it’s the

off-season, one can even park for free in the virtually empty parking

lot. (It’ll cost $3 in the summer.) One can meet friendly families who

have enjoyed this neighborhood for generations.

I strongly suggest that Merrilees reconsider his support of this

harebrained scheme. Go on down to El Morro and stroll the beach. The

fresh air will do some good.

CAMILLE HOWARTH

Newport Beach

Coach too critical of Olympic swimmer

This is in response to the MIA article on Aaron Peirsol (“Swimming:

Newport’s boys claim seven league titles,” May 4). I am very disappointed

in a high school coach who would choose to use the local newspaper to

voice his disapproval of one of his athletes.

First of all, do we need to educate Coach Jason Lynch that he has an

Olympic athlete who happens to still be a teenager? If Aaron chooses to

be involved in something that is just fun for a few days, then please can

we allow him at least that one small request. Aaron will be here to

compete in CIF and join his high school teammates.

The irony in this situation is that Aaron would not have been here to

participate in league finals. He was scheduled to be at Olympic Training

Camp, but even those coaches gave him a few says off to yes -- be a

teenager.

KAREN WU

Newport Beach

Strip mall weeded out good haunt

This is regarding “Face lift provides new lease on life” (May 2). I

agree, Hillgren Square’s metamorphosis into 17th Street Promenade gives

it a welcomed upscale look.

Wohl Investments Co., should have been more diplomatic in their

assessment of former tenants.

The truth is Consign Design was a designer’s haunt and a gathering

place for the locals, stopping by was, a serendipity. I for one will miss

it.

It is that way with the remaining wonderful little owner-run and

-managed shops that dot along 17th Street. It’s a friendly small town

feeling that is so rare. I hope other large investment companies don’t

move into 17th street with the same superior attitude, of “weeding out”

those shops they deem undesirable.

Oh yes, and by the way, a consignment shop is not a thrift store.

Thanks, I feel better now.

LIZ BROEDLOW

Newport Beach

Reporting lacked on state first lady’s appearance

“California first lady promotes abortion rights” (April 30).

I read the above-titled article, and was surprised that so little

journalistic analysis was done. The fact that the state’s first lady was

in town was news, as well as what she said, but the Daily Pilot did not

report the event objectively. Consider:

1. What does the phrase “the fight to make sex education clear and

accurate” mean? This sounds like something the reporter read in a

brochure and simply parrotted without objective analysis. Is this the

chastity fight? Printing one side’s rhetoric is not balanced journalism.

2. Is abortion really at stake in this election? Gov. Gray Davis is

trying to make it a campaign issue, but Supreme Court decisions at both

the state and federal level, as well as the California Constitution, have

settled this matter. It would have been helpful for you to have

addressed this in greater detail in your article.

3. I didn’t read that Planned Parenthood is the country’s largest

abortion provider, which would have cast Sharon Davis’ comment “People

truly opposed to abortion should be the biggest supporters of Planned

Parenthood,” in an entirely different light.

4. I didn’t see an opposing view from anyone. Was nobody available who

disagreed?

5. Categorizing the VIPs there as a “who’s who of influential locals”

is biased. The mayor of Costa Mesa and one city council member hardly

comprise a who’s who. No supervisors, no elected members of the state

Senate or Assembly, nobody from the city of Newport Beach -- in which the

event was held? The reporter is clearly biased in inflating the

importance of a bunch of also-rans and activists.

A great opportunity was missed to do some great reporting. If I were

the editor faced with this copy, I would have shortened it to:

“California first lady Sharon Davis, on a campaign swing through town,

touted her husband’s support for abortion at a Big Canyon fund-raiser

for Planned Parenthood.”

Ask the right questions and have the will to publish the truth. People

have died for the right to a free press; don’t squander it.

CHARLES D. LARSON, JR.

Newport Beach