Could have gotten the word out earlier...

Could have gotten the word out earlier

I commend the youth who decided to help clean up the parks in

Costa Mesa after the Fourth of July (“Cleaning returns early,”

Tuesday).

But in regard to Gary Spencer’s Community Commentary (“Where was

the help?”) in Thursday’s Pilot, although the organizers of the

cleanup were well-intentioned, their efforts to organize were

last-minute, rather haphazard, and many of us in charge of the

Newport Harbor High School stands were never contacted to help, or

the contact came less than 24 hours prior to their effort.

As the booster president of Newport Harbor High School Baseball

and the liaison to the city for our joint fireworks stand (with

Newport Harbor High School Roller Hockey), I was never given the

chance to help in their efforts because no phone call came.

I can assure Mr. Spencer and his son that all of us at our high

school would have gladly been part of the cleanup if only given

enough time or just been given a courtesy call regarding the

wonderful idea at the start of the weekend. We do care deeply about

the city and are very appreciative of our opportunity to raise money

with the fireworks stand. Newport Harbor High has more than 1,000

Costa Mesa students it educates and supports, so these stands are

critical to the financial health of the boosters. They had a great

idea. It just would have been nice to allow all of us the opportunity

to participate before we were “trashed” in the newspaper.

LIZ PARKER

Costa Mesa

A concurring opinion on airport traffic

I concur with Pilot readers William Kearns, Rex Ricks and Donald

Nyre in their responses Wednesday to the Pilot question of what the

alternative to an expanded John Wayne Airport should be (“Finding a

place to land more traffic”).

John Wayne Airport traffic is expanding at an enormous rate. And

just for your information, Laguna Beach residents have complained.

Anaheim Hills residents have also chimed in about John Wayne Airport.

RACHEL PEREZ-HAMILTON

Costa Mesa