Manure is only one mess Newport needs...

Manure is only one mess Newport needs to clean up

I’m reading this article about the community and the to-do with

the horses’ manure in the Back Bay. Well, you know what? The city of

Newport has a bigger problem, such as the parking and trash around

the property of work at Fletcher Jones Motor Cars -- the No. 1

Mercedes dealer in the United States, I guess. People park all on

that street right across from the stoplight there, at the Jamboree

intersection. The mess on that street sometimes is incredible. It

looks like a spread-out dumpster.

Now, the problem being not only that they park there, but it seems

that they throw all their garbage on the ground and on that little

grass above.

I mean, I’ve seen people do this, and when I say something to

them, needless to say, they just walk away. Perhaps nothing is done

because Fletcher Jones is the biggest taxpayer in Newport Beach. But

I would like to know what gives these people to make a big filthy

mess.

And as far as the horse manure, let me tell you something: We have

more manure in politics than we will ever have from horses. These

horses were here a long time before Santa Ana Heights was

incorporated into Newport Beach. To my knowledge, I’ve never heard of

horse manure being a detriment in any shape, way or form to human

life, OK?

So I don’t know what that’s all about, but I think that the city

should have warned these people right up front, “Hey, your horses

can’t go to the bathroom anymore.”

TOM THOMPSON

Newport Beach

Fight for El Toro is a fight for county’s best interests

William Detoy’s effusion over the El Toro airport is

understandable, considering that Irvine’s plans for a “Great Park”

are on shaky (and contaminated) ground.

In the letter titled “Locals should relinquish grasp on El Toro”

on Friday, Detoy urges members of the Airport Working Group to give

up the fight for the needed El Toro airport.

He cites examples of conflicting statistics about future jobs and

income for Orange County. Most of the figures mentioned are based on

assumptions of future growth of the county with and without the El

Toro airport.

As with all projections about future economic activity, these

assumptions can vary. Usually, there is a range of conclusions that

arrive at predictable trends, not absolute figures.

Some facts are certain: without the operating El Toro airport,

Orange County will not create about 100,000 jobs. There will be a

substantial loss of income without the magnet of an operating airport

to attract business. Instead of the El Toro airport, large housing

tracts and shopping malls will be built, thus increasing surface

traffic.

The reason that members of the Airport Working Group continue to

work for opening the El Toro airport is that we know that the airport

is needed for the continuing propriety of Orange County.

SHIRLEY CONGER

Corona del Mar

Roaming cats are in danger, with or without wildlife

After reading the article “Residents want coyotes out,” about the

woman wanting to rid the Back Bay area of coyotes because her cat was

attacked; I’m not sure what disturbed me more: her wanting to rid the

Back Bay of coyotes or the fact that she lets her cat roam freely.

She stated that it was unreasonable to keep her cat indoors 24

hours per day, seven days per week. It is dangerous for any cat to

roam freely, with or without coyotes, and any responsible, loving cat

owner should restrict the cat’s outdoor roaming to an enclosed deck,

patio or yard. I am an animal lover and have two cats of my own that

I let outdoors in a safe enclosed deck, where I can keep a watchful

eye over them.

I think it is wonderful that we can be so close to wildlife here

in Newport Beach. All animals have rights, and although I feel for

her cat who was attacked, but luckily saved, I also feel for the

coyotes of whom we have encroached on so much of their territory.

The solution is certainly not to get rid of coyotes, but to learn

to be responsible with our pets and live in harmony with wildlife.

PAM KNUDSEN

Newport Beach