It’s time for real airport authorities Well,...

It’s time for real airport authorities

Well, it’s about time some authority with clout and future vision

of Orange County’s future airport needs stepped in and took control.

Up until now, South County -- led by Irvine’s Larry Agran with his

deception and his slick dishonest advertisements -- spread lies and

convinced South County that for their own private gain that they

should have no responsibility in their back yard for the future air

transportation needs of Orange County.

Like the Grinch, Agran and his plan have stolen the future

development of the county from the rest of us and the generations to

follow. With the huge existing built-in buffer zone, South County

would experience only minor intrusion and discomfort compared to what

now exists at John Wayne Airport with its dangerous single 5,700-foot

runway.

Fortunately, the regional authority will see the folly in this and

will be able to do something about it for the safety of us all. Many

an airplane has had to go back to its point of origin because of

potential mechanical failure and the pilot preferred not to risk a

landing at John Wayne. Rep. Chris Cox, who has been of no help on El

Toro and was the first to announce the Navy sale after the Measure W

votes were counted, is obviously in the pocket of the developers and

is expecting his piece of the pie. Meanwhile, he throws bones to his

home base, Newport Beach, in the form of much-needed Back Bay

dredging project, etc. hoping that we will forget where he stood on

the big one.

Over time, the development of the revenue-generated airport will

yield far more income than the $800 million the Navy hopes to get

from the land sale, most of which they will have to spend on

pollution clean up.

We can’t forget that 21 North County cities voted no on Measure W

while only 12 in the south voted yes. After two previous elections

favoring the airport, the north just did a bad job of getting out the

vote. Let’s hope we will have another chance to do the right thing.

DEREK NIBLO

Newport Beach

Corona del Mar deserves to be shared

This is for Steve Smith. I just read his article and I am in total

agreement that we should have Newport Beach City Councilman Dick

Nichols resign.

I feel very fortunate to be able to live in Corona del Mar, and it

gives me great joy to listen to the happy children walking down the

street after they have parked on the street, to walk down the beach.

And to be awakened in the morning on the Fourth of July by giggling

children because they are parking on the streets to get down to the

beach and stake out their place. It seems to me that those of us who

can be here full time should want to share their wonderful place with

people from all over Orange County who want to come down to the beach

and spend time here.

SUE COTY

Corona del Mar

Short and to the point, governor

Regarding the question: How likely is it that Newport Beach City

Councilman Dick Nichols will be recalled:

About the same as Lloyd Ikerd becoming the next governor of

California.

RON and ANNA WINSHIP

Newport Beach