MAILBAG - Feb. 10, 2007

Checking the paper, the final score is …Sid Soffer 1, city hall 0.

GRANVILLE KIRKUP

Newport Beach

Farewell to a friend and a good man, Sid Soffer

To all good citizens of Newport Beach and Costa Mesa: A great man has died and must be honored accordingly (“He could fight city hall,” Jan. 31). This is not your average Newport billionaire or millionaire, or greedy, money-loving landowner out to destroy the heritage and memories of the years by demolition and rebuilding to sell. This was a man who truly cared. This was a man who gave a hoot about the past and its very relevant connection to the future.

He did not care whom you were as long as your moral and ethical compass was set straight. He loved the common, hardworking man who put in a fair day’s work for a fair day’s pay. He despised some of the lawmakers and council members whom he felt were fraudulent and deceiving and only out for self-notice. He used to say to me (about 1984) that “most council members couldn’t give a hoot about anything more than their own self-interest and will one day watch this city tear down and rebuild itself.” How true that has been, particularly in Newport Beach?

He was a man who cared that the treasures of today will still be around for the children of tomorrow. He was against anyone telling him what to do with his legally obtained property that he earned from the sweat off his brow, and he was always prepared to fight to the end for his convictions.

Thank God for people like Sid Soffer. He will be greatly missed. I am proud to call him my friend.

Mike Palitz

Newport Beach

Mike Palitz owns La Cave restaurant in Costa Mesa.

Bedtime reading leads to fantastical proposal.

I want to comment on Assemblyman Chuck DeVore’s proposed update of the existing law banning communists from state employment (“Bill deadline approaches,” The Political Landscape, Jan. 25). Evidently, he doesn’t want to get rid of that mid-last-century provision but instead update it to add “terrorists” to “communists,” thereby banning both from state employment.

According to DeVore’s website, he evidently likes to read the state statutes occasionally and in doing so found the anti-communist provision. Perhaps instead of reading thousands of pages of code to come up with new legislation, a look outside his office might identify some other problems — failing schools, overcrowded freeways, healthcare, global warming, lack of affordable housing, and immigration reform. And in the terrorism area, lack of port security and airport security, which is often more form than substance.

As to the idea itself, I didn’t realize that the madrassas in Pakistan and elsewhere are preparing young terrorists for their civil service exams to enter California state service. Is it the pension benefits they are after or civil service protection against termination of employment? I thought they generally terminated their own employment.

But if we really need this bill, perhaps we should go a bit further. For example, DeVore’s previous efforts to preserve Crystal Cove renters’ rights to the detriment of the public failed, but perhaps a bill would be in order to prevent terrorists from renting the cottages. Or if he continues his bedtime code reading, he will undoubtedly find other outdated statutes like one not repealed until 2000, which prohibited taking trout (dead or alive) into an area where trout season was over without filing an affidavit. That could be easily revived and terrorists could be added to trout — that’d stop them from traveling! Or a former law (not modified until the ‘70s) that prohibited the shooting of mammals from a moving vehicle except for whales. Terrorists could easily have been added to the whales. In fact, had that been done back then, perhaps we could have avoided the war on terrorism altogether.

It is sad to see a long line of great legislators from this area like Marian Bergeson, Denny Carpenter and Marilyn Brewer broken by the likes of DeVore.

ANDY ROSE

Newport Beach

Praying for former NFL star to beat cancer

Most people allow the circumstances of their lives to affect them, but Rich Saul stands out as a guy who uses those circumstances to have a positive effect on others, (“Man honored for courage in cancer fight,” Feb. 1). Whether experiencing incredible highs as a pro football star or horrendous lows as a repeat cancer victim, Rich has remained the same gregarious, generous, genuine soul we respect and admire.

His recent award from the American Cancer Society is well deserved. His effect on all who know him is legendary. Our prayer is that he will again be a winner in his newest challenge with leukemia.

BONNIE AND DAN O’NEIL

Newport Beach

Business of war is dealing in death

“Armor maker reports order of $113 million” (Feb. 1).

Your headline should have read “War makes for good business while young Americans die in Iraq.”

SYD LUCAS

Corona del Mar

Recent news brings racial profiling to mind

Do these latest figures on immigration issues affect my opinion? (Can you say, “racial profiling?”) Wow! We are safer in this city because the dangerous criminals — the jaywalker and the person who was riding his bike on the wrong side of Hamilton Avenue — have finally been arrested. Aren’t there other reasons for arrest? Have you detained the person who vandalized the top of the vacant Tower Records building with graffiti? What about the recent tagging on the local bus benches? (Why does “racial profiling” keep popping into my mind?)

ISABEL JAMES

Costa Mesa

Lost-cat story reminds of bygone days

I like having a daily paper that uses the front page to report a story about a lost cat returning home — with a picture! (“The cat’s back,” Jan. 11). It reminds me of the Hays Daily News in Hays, Kan., where I was brought up. My grandpa used to read me stories from it — mainly the ones he had written.

I have no idea how long the Hays Daily News has been around, but that was almost 80 years ago, and it was going strong then!

TREVA SULLIVAN

Costa Mesa

Would police really reduce safety services?

Am I interpreting this article correctly (“Mayor: Raise pay or reduce services,” Jan. 25)? If one wants a pay raise we tell the boss, “No pay raise? Well, then I’ll work less.”

The police spokesman, Evan Sailor said, “We’re very happy with the contract. We do believe it makes us extremely competitive with all the other agencies.”

Competitive? What does that mean? Is that what’s important that all the agencies be “competitive?” I thought the police departments were mainly involved in protecting us and enforcing the law. If they had not gotten their pay raise would we then have been at risk because they would have somehow reduced their services to we the people? But then I suppose it could be a bit upsetting and demoralizing that Huntington Beach’s top officers were receiving $183 more per month than Newport Beach’s top officers. But they now are the best paid officers in Orange County — congratulations! I’ll have to try that tactic with my boss — hope it works as well.

BEVERLY TAZELAAR

Newport Beach