Mailbag: City has double standards

In response to the Daily Pilot article (“Rosansky remodel complete,” March 11), it seems that Newport Beach Code Enforcement has two sets of standards: one for homeowners and another for commercial property owners.

From what I’ve read in the local newspapers, Newport Beach City Council members took the owners of a decrepit shopping center in Mariners Mile to court. A councilwoman said, “We are moving against the developer to eliminate this eyesore.”

And another story focused on an eyesore in West Newport. The city had a “code enforcement crack down” to clean up the property.

Why doesn’t the city use the same legal action against homeowners as they do against commercial property owners?

And why does the city allow some homeowners two, three or six years and counting to remodel, paint, landscape, etc.? Why is it OK for homeowners to maintain “eyesores” but not OK for commercial property owners? This is clearly a case of double standards.

Ray Niewiarowski

Newport Beach

Where is our ink?

It would seem that when a local high school culinary team places first in a state competition you’d have the entire article in the Daily Pilot, not on your website (“Young cooks win state,” March 12).

Shame on you. And newspapers wonder why they are a dying breed.

Who wants go to website to read an article? Not me. Let’s keep newspapers and books in print, not on electronic devices.

At least we get some exercise turning pages that way. Please try to do your part in the future.

Rhoda Friedman

Newport Beach

Editor’s note: An article about Newport Harbor High’s state competition-winning culinary team appeared in the Daily Pilot’s print edition March 12.

Bell needs to stop segueing to service

Enough! Enough!

It may only seem as if every one of Joseph N. Bell’s columns reminds us of his World War II service as a Navy pilot. Today was over the top with the revelation that his flight log has 1,741 hours of flight time (“The Bell Curve: Memories come flying back,” March 11). Gasp!

It’s one thing to mention World War II planes on exhibit. It’s another to segue again to his war record. A suggestion: Just add “WWII Navy Pilot” to his column’s heading.

Robert Campbell

Costa Mesa

Editor’s note: Campbell is a World War II veteran.