Keeping track of our national symbol We’ve...

Keeping track of our national symbol

We’ve been following the bald eagle story. We walk everyday from

our home around the islands. This morning at about 8:30 a.m., we were

on the northern tip of the little island, and I could see on the

southern tip of the big island what I thought it was a bald eagle

sitting on top of a sailboat mast. We crossed the bridge, and sure

enough it was, and we watched him for awhile, before he took off and

flew.

I want people to know of his whereabouts because I’m wondering if

he’s heading back to Catalina Island, as I’ve not seen him on that

part of the harbor. So, he was right at the entrance, if you will, of

the Grand Canal -- the southern part of the big island -- and he sat

on the sailboat mast for some time and then he flew across the harbor

over to the peninsula side but didn’t light anywhere.

I was wondering if, perhaps, he was starting to head back to

Catalina. I wanted to let people know, in case they are tracking his

whereabouts.

KATE EASTMAN

Corona del Mar

A change in name but still the same

A couple weeks ago, when I attended an open house conducted by the

Orange County Transportation Authority, in which it presented

potential scenarios to improve transportation in central Orange

County -- including extending the Orange (57) Freeway down the Santa

Ana River to Pacific Coast Highway, among other things -- I came away

reeling at all the options presented.

I also came away feeling I was being given strong mixed signals

about the ill-advised light-rail project known as CenterLine. At one

point I asked a transportation authority representative how

CenterLine figured in the mix of alternatives they were presented. I

was told that CenterLine was included in each one on the assumption

that it would be moving forward. Of course, that news disappointed

me.

Then, a little later, another authority representative, when asked

the same question, leaned over and whispered to me, “CenterLine is

dead!” Of course, that perked me right up, since I think CenterLine

is a huge waste of valuable taxpayer dollars that could be used for

many other transportation solutions -- those that will actually meet

the demands of this growing county.

Then, Monday, a little blurb in a local newspaper caught my eye.

It said that, because CenterLine carries with it such controversy, it

would likely be a major impediment to the soon-to-be-proposed

extension of the 1/2-cent sales tax instituted by Measure M. Since

the powers that be at the transportation authority apparently want

that extension and CenterLine, too -- it’s like having their cake and

eating it, too -- they’ve come up with a novel solution. The report

says they are simply going to change the name of the project.

Brilliant! Despite what their representative told me, they don’t

really intend to kill CenterLine, they just plan to put it into the

witness protection program under an assumed name.

There you have it, ladies and gentlemen. With an eraser and a logo

change, those astute minds at the transportation authority are going

to solve all the CenterLine problems. This, of course, is a perfect

example of why the toll roads are in such dire financial condition.

It may also be a reason the authority’s board of directors was

recently expanded to 18 members -- to be able to spread the blame.

So, dear neighbors, don’t let them fool you. When the time comes

to make your voice heard, be sure you remember this little attempt to

pull the wool over your eyes. CenterLine is a bad idea, no matter how

hard they try to camouflage it and no matter what they call it.

GEOFF WEST

Costa Mesa

No reason to fear

in Costa Mesa

The hand wringing and fears expressed during the previous election

by the Pilot now seem to have been misplaced, although there have

been no comments by the Pilot as to the council’s new agenda.

Why?

At this month’s Redevelopment Agency meeting our new conservative

mayor Allan Mansoor -- after approving $3.2 million in pay raises --

voted to increase charitable spending on the Westside by a whopping

25%.

Why was the Pilot so concerned that the new council would not

support the charitable works begun years earlier. After all, they all

declared their intent to help the Westside. What better way than

sending our dollars to support these operations that surround the

Triangle Square area.

This increased spending was approved without a single question.

The Redevelopment Agency voted to accept the spending no matter how

it was to be used. I ask you again, Pilot, what was your concern

about the new council? In its first meeting, they voted to exceed the

wildest dreams of previous councils.

MIKE BERRY

Costa Mesa

Pretty solution for

parking problem

This is in regard to the parking problem we have here in Newport

Beach.

I believe we should take the idea of the Triangle Square center

and use the property at the foot of the Newport Pier, where parking

already exists, and build a garage-type structure of, say, three to

four floors. Landscape it with planters, plant some flowers on the

roof and have picnic tables and chairs, so visitors can have a lovely

view of the harbor and the ocean.

PATRICIA THOMAS

Newport Beach