Cheer coach was also a great mentor...

Cheer coach was also a great mentor

We are writing in response to the termination of former Huntington

Beach High School cheerleading coach Sarah Ettinger. We have had the

greatest pleasure in working with her as a youth leader for Hope

Chapel Huntington Beach One Purpose Junior High Youth Group.

She was one of the greatest youth leaders we have ever had and we

miss her dearly. She decided to leave our group when coaching became

her passion and we are very proud of her. Her mom, Becky, continues

to lead with us, as well as her son Brad. The family is not only

highly respected in our church and within our youth group, but dear

to our own family.

High school girls need the kind of mentoring that Sarah Ettinger

can offer. She is an amazing young lady and has so much to offer our

impressionable youth. This world would be better off if there were

more role models and leaders like her. Please hear our voice.

SCOTT AND DANIELLE BARBER

Huntington Beach

School district should not waive algebra

I just feel like I had to pass algebra. I’m 35 right now, but I

had to do it. I failed it in ninth grade and we took it in a summer

course and got a C. I don’t know if I’m better for it now because I’m

still weak in math, but I had to do it, so they should have to do it.

ANJEANETTE MCBADE

Fountain Valley

Main Street should be closed to traffic

Absolutely, Main Street should be closed between Olive Avenue and

Pacific Coast Highway. The sidewalks are too narrow and crowded and

the exhaust fumes overpower the smell of the ocean. It’s also very

noisy, with cars and motorcycles revving their engines. I love

Downtown but don’t go there often except to walk on the pier. We have

a huge drawing card, with the beach and pier. Why ruin it by not

having a pedestrian-friendly Downtown? I don’t know why anyone would

want to drive there anyway; you have to wait forever for straggling

pedestrians to cross the street.

MICHELE BURGESS

Huntington Beach

Connie Brockway will be sorely missed

City Clerk Connie Brockway’s retirement is well deserved. She has

upheld a wonderful tradition of service and impartiality in the City

Clerk’s office for more years than most can remember. Her integrity

is impeccable. To reward her outstanding service, a council majority

consisting of Jill Hardy, Debbie Cook, Connie Boardman, and Pam

Houchen rejected her recommendation for an interim replacement. This

speaks volumes for a contrast in class. Thanks to Cathy Green, Dave

Sullivan and Gil Coerper for supporting Connie’s recommendation.

The office is elective and will be filled this November. Why not

fill it now with a qualified person who knows the office and the

city? Who will be brought in to get a leg up on the election? This is

plain old petty politics by petty people.

Chalk this one up to the old saying, “No good deed goes

unpunished.” Brockway probably should feel lucky that they didn’t

shoot her at sunrise, with paint balls.

Farewell and God speed Brockway, you have done a great job in the

last untarnished office in the city.

CHUCK OSTERLUND

Huntington Beach

Arrogant Daystar is an unwelcome suitor

Daystar is like the unwanted suitor who has money and arrogance,

and can’t understand why the object of his affections isn’t attracted

by either. KOCE-TV doesn’t love you, Daystar, and never will. Get

over it!

You’re not wanted around these parts, pardner.

Prey on someone else!

TIM GEDDES

Huntington Beach

Selling to religious not such a bad idea

I would like to challenge John Boag and Maureen Shrubsole of

Huntington Beach on their accusations against religious organizations

(“Daystar getting KOCE would be bad” April 22) as expressed

concerning the KOCE sale.

Boag accuses televangelists of reaping huge profits while paying

no taxes. That may be the case, but if so, where’s your data? Can you

tell me where you get this information?

What would be so harmful if KOCE were sold to any organization

that could make it financially solvent? Last time I heard, they

weren’t doing so well financially and it seems that the sale is

currently hinged upon financing that, at the time of the last

publication, was not confirmed. We are lucky to live in the U.S.

where we have freedom of choice. This means that if you don’t gain

any benefit from televangelists, you can change the channel. No one

is here to force you to watch them and the last time I checked there

were a few other channels that are not religiously affiliated in any

way.

Shrubsole makes it sound like religious groups are taking over the

world of television and yet I believe that the majority of stations

available today are not religious in nature. She seems to allude that

the religious right has gotten our country into illegal, immoral and

insane activities including the invasion of Iraq and destruction of

“an ancient civilization.” Have we forgotten so quickly what happened

on Sept. 11, 2001 and those who claimed responsibility and then aided

the people who enacted such terror? Was that the terrible, religious,

right-wing fanatics?

I, for one, don’t believe KOCE belongs to me and furthermore, if

it can’t support itself, I prefer that my tax dollars don’t get spent

on it. With three children and a home for which I am trying to pay, I

wouldn’t mind if the government took off a few burdens. I’ll never

understand how the Shrubsoles or Boags of this world can blame all

the country’s problems on people who strive to impart values, morals

and ethics.

I’m personally involved with a few “religious groups.” All are

nonprofit organizations, which by the way is a requirement from the

government for these entities. Yes, they are regulated like any other

business. The first is a group that turns nearly 95 cents out of

every dollar into blankets, medical supplies and programs to help the

children they are trying to reach. Are they the horrible money

mongers to which you allude? Perhaps you mean the terrible churches,

like the one I attend that is reaching out to provide after-school

tutoring to children from Eastside Costa Mesa (for free), that is

helping to build homes in Tijuana with Habitat for Humanity for

people who don’t have homes (for free), that is sending their “big

business” revenues to poor people in Behar, India to help educate

women who have never been allowed to read (for free).

Then again, maybe Boag and Shrubsole just haven’t taken the time

to look at the facts. Perhaps they just believe what people tell them

instead of researching things for themselves.

RUSSELL SNIDER

Huntington Beach

Proposition 50 funds should save Bolsa

Since the passage of Proposition 50 the Bolsa Chica has been

listed as being important to purchase and the current owners have

shown a willingness to sell. The last portion left on the Bolsa Chica

is the mesa which part and parcel of the Bolsa Chica wetlands and is

virtually the last coastal upland property left in Orange County.

Myself and many others feel the preservation of this remaining

portion is necessary to the success of the Bolsa Chica restoration

project. Many entities have been working for years to finish

purchasing this property in its entirety and now we are very close to

succeeding. Now is the time to use those Proposition 50 funds to

finalize this purchase and complete the restoration process, it is

imperative that the mesa be included.

SCOTT ATKINSON

Huntington Beach

Why not close Main Street to traffic

I haven’t heard enough about closing Main Street to really make a

fair assessment. However, having read the articles in the HB

Independent (“Promenade possibilities,” May 6; “Downtown will end up

stranded,” May 6) I am compelled to comment. I am a 19-year

Huntington Beach resident. Born in Bell, Calif., raised in Lakewood,

moved from Lakewood in 1985 to Huntington Beach. I’m here to stay. I

(we) live in vacation land! People come here to vacation -- we live

here!

The business owners balking at this idea have to be short-sighted.

Especially the restaurant venues! Main Street dining (Sugar Shack as

an example) could double by simply allowing more seating. The center

of the street could have tables (old surf boards) to facilitate

additional seating. These business owners apparently haven’t left

Main Street for awhile. To see what the Irvine spectrum has turned

into, to view the Gas Lamp District in San Diego (near the new ball

park). Huntington Beach is an automatic for the Promenade. Do these

business owners think this traffic is just going to dry up? I don’t

think so!

Obviously parking is an issue -- not overwhelming however. I ride

my bike every Sunday to Newport using the bike path. This ride takes

me passed the new Hyatt. The ocean side parking lot has never had

more than a handful of cars. Just thinking out loud here -- a short

“free” rickshaw ride away. Or some other unusual vehicle. Funded by

Huntington Beach small business owners.

Part of the point I am trying to make is thinking beyond 1964. So

far Main Street for these business owners has been “the location.”

They’ve all been successful because of the location. I am a

proponent, a champion of small business. However, today more than

ever before the “big box” is forcing small business to either be more

creative or out of business all together. In order to be a successful

small business you have to be creative, almost visionary. Especially

in view of imminent change. Huntington Beach is changing. If the new

Hyatt isn’t a huge flag waving that signal I don’t know what is! The

Promenade idea is an excellent catalyst to start these people

thinking about how they are going to perpetuate their livelihood,

their history! Unless of course retirement is what they’re looking

for.

Businesses live and die because of location. Main Street is a

gift! An awesome location that has tremendous potential. I couldn’t

agree more with Danette Goulet. I look forward to hearing “good

reasons” for not closing Main Street.

Thank you, for the opportunity to comment (seat of the pants as it

is.)

BOB BUMCROT

Huntington Beach

A few reasons to close Main Street

I have a couple of reasons why I would like to see Main Street

closed on the weekends or permanently. I’ve witnessed a lot of close

calls on those crosswalks -- the people are trying to cross and the

cars are getting backed up there, and they’re getting anxious to move

on and there’s a lot of close calls. Also, the fumes and stuff,

trying to sit outside the sidewalks of some of these restaurants and

you got these cars backed up with the fumes, it’s terrible.

Especially, of course, the holiday weekends and stuff like that. So

anyway, it would be a really good idea I think.

GLEN SANTA CRUZ

Huntington Beach

I have been trying to get the City Council for about 10 years to

close off the Main Street because it’s so noisy and motorcycles and

cars roaring up an down the street. I’m certainly in favor of it.

NORMA WINTEROWD

Huntington Beach

Ron Davis should step down

Yes, I do think that Ron Davis should resign. I think that this

kind of chicanery is not appropriate for a city official and somebody

who uses this kind of deception should not be in city politics.

JAN VANDERSLOOT

Newport Beach

The sports complex is a waste of money

Well, a couple of things come to mind when I think of the newly

opened sports complex. No. 1, the voters approved $1.5 million. And now it’s up to 18 million? I really think it’s a huge waste of money.

We need that money for infrastructure. You raise parking fees and

taxes and say “woe is me,” with the budget, and other than that

things just don’t get done. I think it’s a crime.

JAMES H. BRIDGES

Huntington Beach

When you look at the city as you drive around and you see the

weeds and everything that can’t be taken care of because we don’t

have enough money to pay the people to do that, and then hear about

being in debt and having an $18-million sports complex, am I happy

they opened the sports complex? No, I’m not. Because I think that

money could have been put to better use than to have seven baseball

fields, etc., etc.. I mean, I’m not trying to deny the youth of

Huntington Beach a chance to play ball somewhere, but I think this

has just become one of the biggest all-expense things that was not

necessary. I mean, there’s so many things that money could be used

for and it definitely has been put to a very poor use as far as I’m

concerned. I was opposed to the sports complex when they started.

PAT MCGRAW

Huntington Beach