Wildlife is a part of living in...

Wildlife is a part of living in a developing county

I sympathize with Park Newport resident Claire Friend, concerning

her experience with the coyote, in which her cat was attacked. All of

us who live in the houses on Eastbluff are quite aware of the

neighborhood coyote. He comes into our backyards, and in the streets

often. All of us have lost, or heard about someone losing, a pet.

Recently, a neighbor had their small dog snatched from their back

patio.

But it is unreasonable to expect the city to dispose of coyotes.

First, many do not live in the Back Bay but travel 20 miles in one

night, hunting. Most live on the land around UC Irvine and beyond. As

long as the development of the land around us continues, we will have

to live with the wild animals that have had their hunting grounds and

prey disappear.

All we can do is make sure our small and older animals are indoors

at night and in an area during the day where coyotes cannot get to

them. These wild animals also jump fences and squeeze into small

areas, so putting our animals inside would be the safest.

MARILEE STOCKMAN

Newport Beach

Our jobs can be filled without foreign help

To weigh in on our President’s plan to get the Hispanic vote by

opening our borders to lawbreakers; I am deeply disappointed in our

President on this one. And I have sent him an e-mail telling him so.

Seems like I’ve been saying this a lot lately, but I am a 22-year

veteran from World War II to Vietnam. Like most WWII vets, I’ve kept

my silence about my service for years, as it was a job to defend an

protect our country. But, this past year, I have felt the need to

speak out more.

I don’t care what excuses they use, these people break the law

when they come over our borders illegally. I get tired of hearing

that if we didn’t have the illegals our state and our country would

go belly up. I get sick of hearing that our economy would be in the

cellar without them.

When I was in the Navy, I met a lass in Scotland. Later she came

to the States and we wedded. To bring her parents over here, legally,

I to go through months and mountains of paperwork. I had to show the

State Department that I had a job, housing and financial

responsibility for them. After 14 years, we divorced and I came to

California -- which is another story.

I was an experienced building engineer but the best I could do was

a janitorial job at $2.25 an hour. There were jobs, but the illegals

had them and were getting paid $5 to $7 an hour. If they hired me,

they would have had to pay benefits. They hire the illegals because

they don’t have to pay them benefits. Most employers pay them under

the table.

They don’t need benefits anyway because they get everything free.

I have never been on welfare, unemployment compensation or taken any

kind of charity. I give.

I’m a 22-year veteran and am losing my home of 26 years in El Nido

Mobile Home Park but I don’t hear anyone worrying about me or my

neighbors. I’m 75 years old and I, like other legal residents, can do

any job that any illegal can do, and I don’t break the law. Thank you

Mr. President, you have lost my respect.

DICK MATHERLY

Costa Mesa