A hot, grilled thank you to...

A hot, grilled thank you

to the Commodores

Last Thursday night, the Commodores Club of the Newport Beach

Chamber of Commerce donated a portable firefighter’s barbecue grill

to the Newport Beach Fire Department in appreciation for their

dedication to the Newport Beach community. The funds for this effort

were from the community. Amounts ranged from $10 to $1,000 from

individuals, companies and community groups. No government funds were

used.

Manned by the firefighters, the 7-foot by 15-foot, tandem axel

grill will be used throughout the community for pancake breakfasts

and barbecues. It also will be available in an emergency to feed the

community in a crisis.

Overwhelmed by the donation, Chief Tim Riley said that this has

done so much for the moral of the men and woman of the fire

department. It shows that the community really cares.

Thanks go the Councilman Steve Bromberg for his constant support;

Rep. Chris Cox for the flag that flew over the Capitol on Sept. 11,

2002; the city of Newport Beach for its flag; impact graphics for

signs; Firestone for the donation of tires; Mag Masters, for wheel

polishing; Nikki’s Flags; Commodore Paul Salata for advancing funds

to make this project a reality; and the staff of the chamber.

My personal thanks go to those who dug into their pockets and

donated the funds and, of course, to the Commodores who totally

supported this project and guided it to its successful conclusion. It

also shows that the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce truly gives

back to the community.

LLOYD IKERD

Member, Commodores Club

Wendy Leece is deserving

of better press, and a vote

Daily Pilot columnist Joseph N. Bell is a strong liberal Democrat.

Newport-Mesa Unified School Board Trustee Wendy Leece is a strong

conservative Republican. Therefore, Bell’s recent “hit piece” on her

was not a surprise (“Election menu gives voters a clear choice,” Oct.

10). It also was not fair.

Bell often uses his column to promote viewpoints tainted with

extreme liberal leanings, but he crosses the line and abuses the

privileges of his profession by promoting his choice of candidate

while cleverly maligning the other.

I will vote for Leece because she is not a “rubber stamp” school

board member. Her years as a school trustee has proved she does her

homework on issues that are before the board, she carefully considers

each parent’s concern and Leece represents a conservative school

philosophy that was once prevalent in our nation’s history at a time

American’s educational successes were the envy of the world.

I hope voters agree that Leece is the more qualified for the

position.

JANICE LONG

Newport Beach

Voting help on school board election from Steve Smith

I’m inserting a copy of Steve Smith’s article, “4 questions for

school board candidates,” (Oct. 12) in my sample ballot for the Nov.

5 general election. Smith has assembled a number of “important

subjects ... from the trenches which” I shall consider before

arriving at a final vote.

May I suggest your voter/readers do the same?

LEFTERIS LAVRAKAS

Costa Mesa