There’s a lot of junk going around...

There’s a lot of junk going around

Regarding your question, “Should junk food be removed from public

schools?” on Sept. 10: Answer: Why certainly! Just look around at all

those pudgy, piggly-wiggly school “kids” lumbering around the school

grounds; it’s sad!

Sure, there are some skinny-Minnie girls sashaying around with a

few hunky guys, but overall it sure looks like too many of the kids

in this generation are headed toward early heart attacks and

diabetes. Heck, I remember when we were kids (I do?) most of us

seemed too skinny, I took a look back in my 1962 school year book

just to be sure my mind wasn’t playing tricks on me. Sure enough,

most of us were really skinny. Does that mean we were healthy? Who

knows.

One thing for sure, the medical community is in overwhelming

agreement that “junk food” should not be offered on school grounds,

so what’s the problem getting it out of our schools? Why, money, of

course! Somebody, no, everybody connected with this gets paid, makes

money somehow, someway, whether it’s the school system or the

individual signing the agreements, they’re all making the bucks! OK,

maybe not in the form of “kickbacks,” as they were once called, now,

to be politically correct they’re labeled “perks.”

Get rid of soda machines, junk food, candy and snack machines now!

But wait! Why stop there? How about getting rid of junk students,

junk teachers, Junk politicians, junk music, junk cars, junk mail and

junk e-mails that are so overburdening to society in general?

Whew! See what I mean?

ROBBY SHAW

Burbank

Out with the old and in with the new

Out with the old and in with the new ... Burbank doesn’t need Bill

Wiggins back in the saddle again (“Former mayor in bid for seat,”

Sept. 10).

He’s proved that he’s not out to protect citizens’ concerns by his

actions on the airport commission. Why would any sensible citizen

want him back running the city’s affairs? We’ve had several former

council members that I would be proud to cast my vote for again, but

not Wiggins. Sorry, he’s proven, by his votes, that he’s the wrong

type of council member.

We need new blood -- people that want what’s best for the city and

its citizens, not for development, not for the studios, not for the

airport. Isn’t that, after all, what every elected official is

suppose to be working for? The citizens?

CATHERINE ADAMIC

Burbank

A vote for Chicken Cafe

After reading this article I cannot believe that the city council

of Burbank is seriously considering not to have a good restaurant

like the California Chicken Cafe come to our city (“Restaurant vote

reviewed,” Saturday). I see absolutely no conflict of interest here.

The City Council of Burbank is too concerned about petty nonissues

that it creates an unfriendly environment for businesses who want to

locate here.

I frequent the California Chicken Cafe in Encino by my work and I

have to say that this restaurant would make a great addition to the

eateries the city of Burbank has to offer.

ROBERT PERRY

Burbank

Cafe would help, not hinder community

California Chicken Cafe is one of the best eateries and

affordable, too (“Restaurant vote reviewed,” Saturday). I don’t care

what it takes to bring it to Burbank. I’m all for it.

I loved it on the Westside when I lived there and when I’m in

Northridge. I’m excited to see we may have our own location here. I

think the community could benefit from it so this controversy is just

a sideshow for something else going on in city politics. Yes, we want

to keep conflict of interest away from our government people, but

then again we want to promote what’s good for the community and not

punish those businesses and entrepreneurs creating jobs and a good

life for all of us residents.

JEFF DANIELS

Burbank

Trustee emphasizes finger pointing

In a recent letter in the Burbank Leader from Burbank School Board

Member Paul Krekorian (“District turning problem around,” Aug. 13),

he tries to shift the blame for the mismanagement of the district to

those who preceded him. More revelations show that the defects are

not an isolated event in some distant past. It is a deft but

ill-considered politician’s act.

For the past two years, I was on the site council for John

Burroughs High School. We on the council endured trying to deal with

the district’s machinations in trying to handle its finances. We

inspected the remodel of the high school and saw first hand the

various problems created by the choices made by the current school

board, including Krekorian. Sadly, his effort to blame others

undermines the efforts to correct the problems, and ignores his

responsibility for the choices he supported as a board member.

Finger-pointing is not the answer to problems but rather an effort

to roll up the sleeves to get at the issues is the better course. It

is the politician with a view to higher office that is found in

Krekorian’s comments. I worked with Krekorian on the Planning

Evaluation and Review Committee three years ago investigating the Bob

Hope Airport. Many of the same ills he exhibited there apparently

remain. He emphasizes finger pointing, focuses on the bad and, of

greater concern, says one thing in private while proclaiming

something very different in public.

Our children deserve better than the example of an adult who is

interest in laying fault rather than fixing problems. Our community

deserves better than one whose ambitions belie his obligation to

resolve problems. Our future deserves better representation than a

finger-pointing, dissembling politician.

MICHAEL BERGFELD

Burbank