Station’s ownership in the eye of the...

Station’s ownership in

the eye of the beholder

Your editorial on the KOCE transaction, “At long last, a new

owner,” may contain a legal correctness but for those who have

followed the station’s operation from the mid-1970s to present day,

it is obvious who held claim to the station.

It was most certainly the KOCE-TV Foundation that ensured -- by

its generous contributions -- the station’s year-to-year operation.

If the question of ownership should reach the lawsuit stage, I would

assume that the foundation’s previous funding record would play a

significant role in justifying the right of the foundation to own and

operate KOCE-TV.

It is also interesting that, as a historical fact, the award of a

Public Broadcasting Station to Coast Community College District was

made on the assumption that, joined with the new college Coastline,

the community would possess a distance education system that would

eventually pay its own way.

That this kind of educational delivery system did not reach the

fruition sought and does not in any way prove that many of the goals

were not achieved. As an example, Coast district telecourses are

distributed and sold to educational units all over the world.

LEFTERIS LAVRAKAS

Costa Mesa

Judge’s indictment of star’s wife unmerited

As usual, we enjoyed Judge Robert Gardner’s article Tuesday,

“Crime Vacations on Balboa Island,” but I did think you were a little

dismissive of Kay Spreckels Gable.

It was early in the 1960s, after Clark Gable’s death and after the

birth of their son, that I first met Spreckels Gable. She came to

Upland and was the guest speaker at the San Antonio Community

Hospital Auxiliary luncheon. She donated her speaker’s stipend to our

Chapel Fund. After her heart attack, she again came to the hospital

and this time gave her stipend to the then new Cardiac Care Unit.

On both occasions, I found Spreckels Gable to be a warm, caring

and compassionate woman. I wonder what ever happened to their son.

She must have done something right since, to my knowledge, his name

has never appeared in any headlines.

MARY ANNE ROBINSON

Balboa Island

Scouts and veterans have not ‘sold out’

In Robert Walchi’s “Letter to the Editor” on March 23, he receives

a grade of F, for failing to know what he is talking about.

First of all, as a member of the Sons of the American Legion, I

have firsthand knowledge that the American Legion Post 291 is not

being “sold out” by the city, as Walchi claims. If Walchi spent even

five minutes doing some homework -- with a single call to the city,

the legion post or to the developer -- he would have learned that the

American Legion Post 291 has already been presented with a binding

letter from the developer of the Marinapark Resort and Community Plan

that pledges a minimum of $500,000 to the post for the purpose of

remodeling and improving the existing facility. The letter asks for

nothing in return.

In addition, last year the city granted the American Legion a

50-year lease extension. I would ask Walchi: Is the city selling out

the veterans? Or is Walchi and the Greenlight leadership selling out

the veterans by blocking the resort and community plan from being

voted on by residents next November?

With this same five-minute call, Walchi would have also learned

the city is not “selling out the Scouts.” The Marinapark Resort and

Community Plan includes a new and improved Girl Scout House and

community center on the existing site.

These facilities will be built and fully paid for by the

developer. In fact, the developer is planning to spend close to $3

million in community improvements that include the veterans, Scouts

and new public tennis courts. The new community center, to be located

on the site, will be used by the city of Newport Beach Community

Services Department for programs for kids, adults and seniors.

Is this what Walchi calls selling out veterans and Scouts?

Walchi states “rich people who can pay $1,000 per night for a room

don’t take vacations on the Newport peninsula.” Again, he is

misinformed. People pay millions of dollars for their waterfront

homes on the peninsula. In addition, people pay $10,000, and more,

per week for waterfront summer vacation rentals on the peninsula.

Further, America’s most respected hotel consulting firm has completed

a market study for the Marinapark Resort and it determined the resort

will be highly successful.

I am offended by Walchi’s claim that the city is “selling out

veterans and the Scouts.” In reality, when he joins with Greenlight

leaders to oppose the Marinapark Resort and Community Plan, he will

be opposing against new facilities for veterans and Girl Scouts.

STEPHEN R. SUTHERLAND

Newport Beach

* STEPHEN R. SUTHERLAND is a partner in the Marinapark Resort and

Community Plan.