Late to hear of columnist news, fan...

Late to hear of columnist news,

fan has same melancholy reaction

My wife and I were away for a month. Upon our return, I obtained

copies of the Pilot we had missed. While reading the Aug. 10 paper

(“Judge rules column adjourned”), I noted with great disappointment

the discontinuation of Bob Gardner’s column.

I enjoyed his column far more than all the other columns combined.

I looked forward to the Tuesday edition of the Daily Pilot for that

reason.

I have resided here in Newport only a little more than 46 years,

so I do not have the knowledge of incidents as the judge does. Nor do

I believe an author with his knowledge and ability to relate can be

found.

Is it possible to republish his columns on a weekly basis,

beginning with the first one published? There is no question your

readers would enjoy it greatly.

MEL RICHLEY

Newport Beach

Word choice from local developer doesn’t sit well with group

member

I take exception to the words that Steve Sutherland used to

describe the group Stop Polluting our Newport in the Pilot story,

“Newport group sues over hot hotel plans,” Sept. 9.

Doesn’t Sutherland live in Newport Beach? Maybe he is unaware that

Stop Polluting Our Newport stood up to the county’s plan for John

Wayne Airport and won the most stringent airport restrictions in the

country.

The group also called attention to deteriorating water quality in

Newport Bay and got the city to require grease traps in restaurants,

thus preventing many sewage spills. And the list goes on. We all

benefit from Stop Polluting our Newport actions. Sutherland has it

wrong. The group isn’t “anti-everything.” It’s pro-Newport Beach and

anti-Marinapark hotel.

ELAINE LINIHOFF

Balboa

Church belongs to congregation, not the Diocese of Los Angeles

Regarding St. James Church’s break from the Episcopal diocese, I

definitely believe it should because it is the parish that has paid

for the property and paid for the church.

It belongs rightfully to the church, and because its diocese

decided to go in a different direction than what it believes in, I do

not believe the church belongs to the diocese. The church belongs to

the church and to the people who go there.

I do not attend that church, nor have I ever been there. I just

feel very firmly that this church should retain its property, because

the diocese is the one that changed its rules. After all these years

-- and this church has been in existence for 55 years -- it has been

under the rule of the diocese with these agreed upon rules.

Now, the diocese should not have rule. The diocese changed, so I

truly believe the property should revert to the church, the church

members who have supported it for all these years and not let the

diocese keep it.

VIRJEAN E. OLSEN

Costa Mesa