Letters to the Editor: Let’s work together on behalf of all Costa Mesa families in 2018

Since I was a little girl I dreamt of a stable home where I could raise a family. My dreams came true in Costa Mesa.

Our family home is our sanctuary, especially at Christmas. It’s a familiar place where our extended family and friends, young and old, gather to share memories, express our love for each other, enjoy a few meals together and take a break from it all.

As a girl, my family benefited from the safety net and support from others. I’ve experienced first-hand a family struggling financially, relying on friends, churches and organizations for meals, gifts and school supplies.

I know a life of hardship before Costa Mesa. It’s the generosity of service-oriented people, and the love of family that inspired me to keep following my dreams.

Thank you to the many volunteers in our community caring for those who are struggling and without the security of a place to call home.

Thank you for giving hope. Let’s work together on behalf of all Costa Mesa families in 2018. Let’s inspire and help make dreams come true.

Councilwoman Katrina Foley

Costa Mesa

Editor’s note: This piece first appeared in the councilwoman’s email newsletter.

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Apodaca wrote the year’s most important column

I just wanted to thank Patrice Apodaca for her wonderful column about civility (“Column: Christmastime civility would go a long way”). She hit the nail on the head about this world needing more kindness from everyone year-round. I truly believe a lot of our problems and issues would melt away if everyone practiced the Golden Rule.

I too fall short in the kindness department, but it is my goal every day to treat each person with respect and dignity. If I have failed you, I apologize and I will get better.

No, her column wasn’t about politics or pressing issues, but it was one of the most important written this year. Thank you, Patrice Apodaca, for taking the time to write about kindness and decency. You have made the world a better place, and I hope tons of people follow your advice. It would be great to have the Christmas spirit everywhere, all year long.

Mark Cohen

Huntington Beach

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Keely Smith’s death is a loss for songs with ‘heart’

The singers of today, of which there are many, don’t seem to have what some of the singers of the past had, which I call “heart.” One such singer of the past who sadly just took her final bow was Keely Smith.

As one of the great “torch singers,” for those familiar with that term, Smith had a way of letting go with her words and feelings of which few were capable.

Paired with Louis Prima in the ‘50s, they made some great music with “That Old Black Magic” as their musical legacy, with Smith singing well into her 70s. Sadly, at 89, Keely left us, but not before leaving behind years of good music and fond memories of the past.

Bill Spitalnick

Newport Beach

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