MAILBAG - Jan. 4, 2007

Taggers should be stopped

I would support anti-tagger teams of two, one as a witness and the other as a shooter (“Writing on the wall for graffiti taggers” 12/21/06). The shooter would have night-visibility sights and a camera to record. For verification, any shooting would be proper. For the wishy-washy folks who think such a thought is insensitive and mean spirited, the guns could shoot non-lethal bullets that leave a very identifiable mark to support quick apprehension.

Tagging and other affronts on property and/or people leads to social destruction and higher crime. It should be stopped.

George W. Zeissner

Fountain Valley

Colby deserved better treatment

The Ocean View School District should be renamed “The Crisis View School District.” (“School leader placed on leave,” 12/14/06). Similar to individuals, some organizations cannot function unless in a state of crisis. This seems to be the history of the “children first” Ocean View School District.

Supt. Karen Colby deserved much, much more than how she was treated by the school board. At the least, how about just a little respect for over 30 years of dedication to the children, staff and community?

Shame on you, Ocean View School District Board of Trustees!

Cecile Maurice

Retired Ocean View School District teacher

Seal Beach

We need more answers by board

Even though the Ocean View School District board cannot divulge personnel information, teachers, parents and students deserve some kind of explanation.

The district is one of the best in the state, academic scores are high, many of the schools have received a Distinguished School Award, and it appears to be fiscally sound. What actually is the problem?

How can the new school board members have been there long enough to even make a decision? Can they be swayed so easily by the old members? They had been in office approximately 48 hours!

There certainly seems to be an agenda here. Is it for the good of the district and its students? Questions need to be asked and answers need to be given.

Elizabeth Ching

Former Ocean View School

District teacher and occasional

current substitute

Face reality, support the future now

Once more the NIMBYs are trying to sink a far-sighted project that will benefit all of Southern California by torpedoing the Poseidon effort to put Huntington Beach in front of any possible future water shortage in this area (“Surfrider to fight desalination plant ruling,” 11/30/06).

The Near East has numerous desalination plants in the Mediterranean Sea and the Arabian Gulf. They do nothing but provide drinking water for the thirsty nations of the area. The fish are still swimming and the surfers still surfing!

We have a group of people here who want the place to remain as it was when they arrived. Get real. Support the future now.

James Runyen

Huntington Beach