MAILBAG: Laguna incident similar to Walmart’s

The horrifying death of a Walmart employee in Long Island, N.Y., on Black Friday as eager shoppers stampeded into the store reminded me of a somewhat similar incident I saw earlier this year at the corner of Wesley Drive and Coast Highway.

In my car I had come to a red light where a large group of young people and three adults wearing lifeguard gear were beginning to cross the street on their way to the beach.

On the shore side of the highway was a disabled woman with a cane who was slowly, in a staggering gait, crossing as well, while the larger group barreled across, oblivious to the disabled woman. I sat in the car appalled as I saw the mass of people plow into the woman, knock her down, and casually rush down to the beach. With some difficulty she got up and made her way across the street.

Fortunately she wasn’t killed, but it was a very disturbing experience, I’m sure for both of us, and one I shall never forget.

I can only wonder what kind of culture breeds such damaging behavior that has no regard for others and can harm or kill as casually as we humans do.

Laguna Beach

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Tax extension could help in downturn

Thanks to the Quilter family and our City Council, especially Elizabeth Pearson, our new Senior Center will open Jan. 31 with the Lunch Bunch offering meals in a new dining room Feb. 2. The senior Current Events discussion group meets at 10 a.m. Tuesdays and Fridays, before the Lunch Bunch at 11:30 a.m. Recently they discussed Measure A, the half cent sales tax to help with the Bluebird Canyon slide. The state of California is broke. Our school system and city may face severe financial shortages. Our children should come first but we also face unknown problems with the city’s sewer system and commercial vacancies are at an all-time high. Extending Measure A to be used at the discretion of our new city council for our young peoples’ education and our city’s expenses, including promoting new business seemed like a good idea to most of the people in the current events group, but politically it probably will never happen. I think most Lagunatics would favor this idea and if it is not needed, the council could end it.

ROGER CARTER

Laguna Beach

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Why appoint non-council member?

The election is over and the new City Council was seated at the Dec. 3 meeting. If this first meeting is any indication, the harmony of the past year will continue.

I have just one question about the committee assignment for the hospital. The council voted to continue the same two representatives who have been working in this capacity “” Jane Egly and Cheryl Kinsman. I strongly approve of Cheryl’s continued involvement. After all, she has been involved with hospital issues for many years. However, wouldn’t it be more appropriate to have two elected officials representing the city’s interests, and add Cheryl, no longer on the council, as a third member of the committee?

DARRYLIN GIRVIN

Laguna Beach