Build homeless shelter before civic center
In regard to Vista’s $40 million civic center project (“Sixdesign firms competing for Vista civic center project,” Feb. 4),would it not be more appropriate to fund a homeless sheltersomewhere in the city (at a fraction of the cost of this project)before a construction project of this magnitude is evercontemplated? Is there any reason to believe that this civic centerproject will benefit the lives of people in the city of Vista?
Nobody can argue that Vista has a problem with homelessness, butthis is the first I’ve heard about the severe need for a civiccenter plaguing the city. Finally, we all benefit from knowing thatthe neediest are being cared for, and the creation of a homelessshelter would make for a much more inspiring news story thancompeting design firms.
Jared Laethem
Vista
Recycling center abuse
I took my bag of 20 to 30 bottles and cans to the recyclingcenter to use the machines before shopping. The man in front of mehad about 10 giant trash bags filled with bottles and cans. I askedthe attendant how long he would be, and was told he’d be at leastthree hours. In fact before finishing, his friend arrived withanother five bags.
Why not have the attendant weigh it and be gone in 10 minutes?He explained the machines pay for materials that have no Californiaredemption value; they can get money for what would be trash orcurbside pickup. They pay no taxes [for] what I’m sure is over$200.
Abusing what is meant as a convenience to the people living hereis rude, and someone should straighten this out. Theft is theft,and taking advantage of the state of California’s attempt to cleanup the environment is wrong.
Doug Tickner
San Marcos
Keep Poway clean and safe
In the latest edition of the News Chieftain, Feb. 8, thefront-page story was titled, “Violent crime on the rise in Poway,the report shows.” I read through it and got to the trafficviolation part in the article about speeding/accidents.
I would like to see more radar in neighborhoods where we seepeople fly down residential areas well over 25 mph. People need torealize that some streets do not have sidewalks and kids or othersmay happen to wander too much into the road. Also, just peoplebacking out of their driveways. There should be no excuse forspeeding down residential areas.
Also, the letter from Deputy Mayor Boyack, “Realtors willing toremove signs,” brings up another point: the yard/garage sale, “mypet is lost,” etc., signs. Why is it that people can go out and putup these signs everywhere and not … take them back down promptly?Is it laziness and/or they don’t care about their neighborhood? Itmay just well be the me-me syndrome.
And don’t get me started on shopping carts or the increase ingraffiti. Let’s keep Poway clean and a safe, great place tolive.
Howard Brenner Jr.
Poway
Are groups for justice for all?
The Coalition for Justice and El Grupo have come together todemand an investigation, over and over again, of recent shootingsinvolving the Sheriff’s Department (“Attorney general asked toinvestigate officer-involved shootings,” Feb. 8). These cases havealready been investigated and adjudicated.
Being just a country boy myself, may I ask these good folks ifthe Coalition for Justice and El Grupo mean justice for everyone,or just for those they pick and choose to represent? Are thesheriffs included and entitled for justice under their banner? MayI respectfully advise these good folks that they do a littleinvestigating themselves as to the facts of these shootings andmaybe they will find justification for them. Maybe they subscribeto the old adage, “don’t confuse me with the truth,” because wedon’t want to hear it.
Find a new cause to give your attention to because there aresure enough of them around that need your attention. How aboutchampioning a constitutional amendment not to grant citizenship tochildren born of illegals, for one?
Phil Epstein
Oceanside
Redesign shopping center
I am wondering if anyone considered solving the Hall property’sfuture traffic problems with a redesign of the very unappealingshopping center that backs onto it from Santa Fe Drive (“Challengeslikely for Encinitas park plan,” Feb. 4).
The whole center needs a face-lift or remodel or something. TheRite Aid, for example, could be moved across the parking lot sothat it backs onto the southbound freeway onramp, and the entranceto the parking lot could be extended straight through to the Hallproperty. Then the existing intersection could serve a dualpurpose, and there’s already a signal there.
Of course, whoever runs the center would have to make asignificant investment in the project, but it is going to happensooner or later. We may as well encourage it to be done in a waythat integrates better with everything in the area.
Josh Johnson
Encinitas
Goals set by the city of Encinitas
Roundabouts won’t fix the problem of traffic congestion(“Traffic top issue in Hall property report,” Jan. 24). Yes, theEIR for the combined development projects, including the trafficcirculation element for the entire city, should be consideredbefore putting in any more roundabouts, and before allowing anymore regional sports complexes, with hardscapes, or any morehigh-density development. The radius is too small on Santa Fe andon Leucadia Boulevard.
We should study the traffic reports before and after theconstruction of the Santa Fe roundabout before building moreroundabouts on Leucadia, getting the taxpayers to sponsor higherdensity, more complex development in Leucadia, as well as Cardiff,by constructing ineffective traffic-calming features.
The roundabouts are smoke and mirrors to allow uncheckedspending by the city and unchecked growth through overdevelopmentof precious resources that belong to us all. All this “unsmart”growth for the sake of speculation and high profit for a privilegedfew [comes] at the expense of our quality of life and the greatercommon good. Progress is not unchecked development by the city andby private developers fueled by desire for short-term profit andpolitical ambition.
Lynn Braun
Encinitas
Include forgotten minorities
According to a plethora of sources, the word “minority” is aperson who is: “secondary, second-class, trite, insignificant, notworth mentioning or less than half.” Given the broad scope of thedefinition, one would assume this would include elderly, disabled,ill and homeless. Yet, I’ve never heard these terms mentioned in aconference, seminar or conference on minority rights. Nor have Iread about these small, vulnerable groups in multiculturalbooks.
Isn’t it time we include the forgotten minorities in thiscountry? After all, these are segments of our society that deservethe most advocacy, help and accommodations. Ironically, when youinclude these individuals you represent gays, Hispanics, blacks,European-Americans, Asians, Filipinos, war veterans and a multitudeof other races, religions and national origins. Just a thought.
Kim Oakley
Valley Center
Build lives, not condos
I read the Feb. 4 article about the young man who wanted to turnhis life around and rejoin the mainstream (“North County manattempts to leave gang life behind”).
Instead of building more condos and such that nobody reallywants, I believe our City Council should set up a fund to pay thoseknowledgeable to help young people to stay out of gangs and givethem positive options to help them have productive lives. Thiswould also help all of our communities!
Carol Jo White
Escondido
Solana Beach Prop. A election
Solana Beach’s Proposition A (anti-mansionization ordinance) isa very expensive proposition indeed. Voters need to look at theformidable potential costs before casting a vote in the March 6election. I#’m voting no because I calculate that it is tooexpensive to the 1,200 properties affected and to the city andcounty – i.e., all Solana Beach taxpayers.
Let me rough out the numbers. In the area of the 1,200 affectedhomes, properties sold last year for an average of about $650 asquare foot, of which I estimate land value to be about $400 asquare foot buildable.
Prop. A would reduce buildable square footage as follows: a6,000-square-foot lot would equal 300 square feet of buildableland, and a 10,000-square-foot lot would equal 800 square feet.
At $400 a square foot, that translates to a value reduction of$120,000 and $320,000, respectively, as the potential loss topresent property owners.
Say, long term, the average reduction is 300 square feet perproperty – that’s 360,000 square feet potential loss of taxable newbuilt space. At $650/square foot, that#’s $234,000 of taxable valueresulting in tax loss to the county of $2.34M a year (per year!),including Solana Beach’s share of about $374,000 a year.
Sure, these are rough figures and arguable, but the costs arereal. Voters: Calculate these unmentioned costs before voting!
Robert Berke
Solana Beach
Up to Congress to put a stop to this war
Mr. Bush has repeatedly demonstrated the lack of synopticprocesses required to understand that there is no victory in Iraq,only wasted lives and resources. It falls to the Congress to assertsaid synoptic processes and put a stop to this madness.
Ralph Werner
Escondido
Shelter animals need you
I was saddened to read the Feb. 4 article on the North CountyHumane Society (“Humane Society still grappling with drugscandal”). There are many things that need to be done to make it afirst-class facility. The main problem is a lack of money. Also,there is a limited amount of employees and volunteers. Oceansideand Vista, don’t you care about the animals in your cities?
Please, please help. If you can only volunteer several hours orgive a couple of dollars, it could make a difference. The animalsneed you.
Sue Bergdahl
volunteer
Carlsbad
Flag-wavers don’t want beliefs challenged
In response to Bob Pollard (Letters, Feb. 1): The problem withflag-wavers is that they are intellectually lazy and just havefaith that our lying government officials are doing the rightthing. Saddam Hussein had WMDs, but by 1994, the United Nations haddisarmed him. Pollard talks about Hussein violating U.N. sanctionsbut, of course, he doesn’t name them. The fact is that theso-called violations are just more Bush lies. …
Hussein gave the families of suicide bombers in Israel money,but it is an outright lie to say that Hussein was giving millionsto terrorists and letting them use Iraq for a base. … Although wedidn’t commit the atrocities that Hussein did in torturingprisoners, we did kill some and maim others for life. But theseflag-wavers want to give the impression that we did little morethan taunt them.
Hussein killed a lot of people, but I have no doubt that wekilled more, and although Alexandra Cloney (Letters, Feb. 1) triesto blame Hussein for the lack of food and medicine for the Iraqis,it was the U.S. that unilaterally blocked these items, which led tothe deaths of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis. I have foundDemocracy Now to be a very reliable source, but these flag-waversdon’t want their belief system challenged.
Chris Pulse
Vista
Sound solution is to remain freshwater
Agua Hedionda Lagoon in Carlsbad is again undergoing necessarydredging due to the normal inflow and accumulation of ocean sand(“Power plant starts Carlsbad sand-dredging effort,” Jan. 31).These deposits naturally occur when a lagoon is opened to the oceanand resulting tidal flow. …
One must ask who will pay for the dredging that will benecessary if the California Department of Fish and Game and theBuena Vista Lagoon Foundation succeed in converting Buena VistaLagoon from freshwater to saltwater. These two groups areattempting to convince the other lagoon owners and the public thatthis is the only viable alternative. … They have held severalpublic meetings to receive input. The overwhelming public responseis for the lagoon to remain freshwater.
The eastern basin is choked with cattails and the depth is soshallow that shore birds can be seen wading in the center of thelagoon. Dredging and cattail removal is necessary, whether fresh orsalt water prevails. However, leaving the lagoon as a freshwaterhabitat would require dredging only every 20 to 25 years. Dredgingat Agua Hedionda is as frequent as every two years. The fiscallysound solution does not involve saltwater conversion.
Allan Wanamaker
Carlsbad
Project will harm sensitive lagoonenvironment
On Feb. 14, at 6 p.m., the Oceanside City Council will considerthe appeal of the Planning Commission’s 6-1 denial of the proposedboardwalk/coastal lagoon hotel project on Coast Highway adjacent tothe Buena Vista Lagoon. … A three-story building with a nearbycafe/restaurant are proposed for the 3.8-acre site, which isdirectly across Coast Highway from the Audubon Nature Center.
The Planning Commission resolution denying the project found,among other shortcomings, “that the design is not sensitive to theadjacent lagoon or neighbors, is too bulky, blocks views andprovides too little parking.”
It is readily apparent that the project was designed solely tomaximize the number of rooms and commercial space. Instead oftaking advantage of the views afforded by the lagoon, the units arelocated in a massive three-story building facing Coast Highway. Ifit were not for the lagoon, this would be a neighborhood issue.Protecting the only freshwater lagoon in the county is of greatimportance. It is home to hundreds of species of birds and otherwildlife, which are viewed by our children and future generationsthat visit the Nature Center regularly.
Oceanside deserves better. Please help us protect the lagoonfrom this unimaginative proposal by attending the council meetingand registering your opinion.
Bruce and Susan Kopp
Oceanside
Where were the parents?
I’ve been stationed at Camp Pendleton and have lived inOceanside since 1956, off and on. I retired in 1975 and have livedhere since then, but I’ve never heard of the longtime joke aboutSamoans living in Oceanside (Letters, Jan. 31). Of course, I reallydon’t care about a cultural history lesson of a picture of any racethat lives here in Oceanside. Why do it on just my race? Let’s doit on all these gang-bangers, taggers, rapists, drunken drivers,etc.
No matter what crime or what race, where the hell are theparents? It’s not uncommon for grandparents, aunts and uncles,etc., to be raising family members. There are unfit parents andjailed parents all over. Why bring up the history of my race? Itisn’t just the race, it’s the whole society in the United States.Plus, if you try to discipline your children, you might get thrownin jail.
Richard Forton
Oceanside
Adopting a child is a personal decision
This is in response to the letter you published from Leon Smith(Letters, Feb. 5): … People decide to adopt children for a numberof reasons, and their decisions come about in a myriad of ways.Adopting a child is a personal and emotional decision; it is notlike buying a car where all you have to decide is … foreign ordomestic.
My wife and I adopted a girl from China about six years agoafter attending a class given by an adoption agency affiliated withour church. … It is one of the best decisions we have ever made. …There are very few healthy infants available to adopt in thiscountry. To adopt an older child or a handicapped child takes avery special person, and it is not the right decision for manypeople. And even for those people who choose to adopt an olderchild, many of the children in the foster system are not eligiblefor adoption because the birth parents have not consented and theirparental rights have not been terminated by the state. …
Anyone who adopts does a wonderful thing, whether foreign ordomestic. Just because someone’s heart is moved to adopt from aforeign country doesn’t make them unpatriotic, and to be criticizedby others for doing so is intolerable.
Timothy Hansen
Oceanside
We must let species reproduce
I am greatly concerned that the Forest Service is reconsideringits proposal to temporarily close the breeding habitat of goldeneagles and prairie falcons to recreational activities. As amountain biker, backpacker and avid hiker, I was thrilled with thepossibility that these magnificent creatures would be given everypossible opportunity to reproduce. I grew up hearing my father tellstories of golden eagles he spotted from Laguna Mountain, toHorsethief Canyon, to Mission Gorge but, alas, I have yet to seeone. Simply put, they are exceedingly rare in San Diego County.…
In regard to the proposed closure, Kevin Worrall, a 51-year-oldSan Diego climbing advocate, was recently quoted in the NorthCounty Times as saying, “It really sunk in how much there is tolose” (“Forest closure targets golden eagles,” Jan. 22). I can onlyhope he was referring to losing our avian diversity and not to thetemporary loss of his recreation area. … We must remember that witheach species we push aside for our own priorities, our wild placeslose their natural value and become, not a wilderness, but alifeless playground. …
The health and vitality of our backcountry depend on our abilityto provide responsible stewardship. Let the birds have their spaceuntil May. The rocks and trails will be here next year; the birdsmay not.
Joseph Sutera
San Diego
Recalling the trauma of a pit bull attack
A pit bull attacked my little Yorkshire terrier, Sammy, one yearago today, as we were walking in Escondido, half a block from home.The pit bull was suddenly upon us, and I could see the bat that Ihad been carrying flying through the air as the tank of a dog camebetween Sammy and me and started moving my little dog down theblock, biting him as they went.
Thank God, an angel of a man, Frank Laguna, was driving by andheard, then saw, the chaos and came to our rescue, hitting the pitbull over the head with an orange cone, and kicking him with hissteel-toed workboots.
Sammy suffered a ripped ear, and there was a telltale tooth markon his little red collar where the pit bull had gone for his neck.But stitches, antibiotics and two visits to the vet helped himrecover.
Why should any pet, child or adult have to endure the trauma ofa pit bull attack? I would like to outlaw pit bulls. I hope andpray that if an attack ever happens near you, that someone likeFrank Laguna will be around.
Welda Lou Johnson
Escondido
Soldiers are not cops
An Army has one job, to dismantle (kill) the enemy. The job ofpolice officers (cops) is to maintain civilian order. For those ofyou who think we should keep our Army in Iraq, please reread thefirst sentence, then consider this: In a war if troops advancinginto a city come under heavy attack, what do you do? Myrecommendation, as an ex-Air Force officer, would be to withdraw,then use massive air power to saturation bomb the area.
If we are unwilling to do this because of civilian casualties orpolitics, then we are not at war, we are just playing war, so stopusing our soldiers and go hire some cops. If Iraq can’t maintainorder, then it is in a civil war that only its own citizens canresolve.
David Osterberg
Escondido
Save a tree, stop publishing newspapers
Climatic apocalypse looms nigh! Enough words. Now is the timefor action. As we enter the age of spontaneous combustion, I hopethe newsprint industry, and the North County Times in particular,will assume the lead to right generations of environmentalwrong.
Surely we can be honest enough to agree the newspaper is agluttonous dinosaur in today’s electronic era. The footprint on ourforests left by your industrial consumption of paper is alonereason to voluntarily shut down this industry. And we have longbeen aware of this media’s excessive use of our fossil resource. Asyou raze your buildings and restore valuable land to the ecosystem,we will all benefit. Please accept my advance appreciation.
In your Sunday edition, the esteemed professor [James] Lovelockadroitly points out there is nothing special about the human in ourplanet’s array of species. An inconvenient truth, every otherspecies on this glorious globe has found it beneficial not topublish newspapers. We should do no less.
Steve Piroutek
Escondido
Web Comments
Pendleton Marines among dead in helicoptercrash
Readers respond to our Feb. 9 story about at least two Marinesfrom Camp Pendleton, Sgt. Travis Pfister, 27, and Capt. Jennifer J.Harris, 28, being among the seven service members killed Wednesdayin a helicopter crash in Iraq.
On their hands
Patrick: “More blood on Bush’s hands and Cheyney’s. Likebiblical David they will learn that you needn’t pull the trigger tobe guilty of murder.”
Time for honors
To Patrick: “How dare you bring politics into this? Did Bush orCheney go over there and shoot down the helicopter himself? Treadlightly my friend, this is neither the time nor the place to besaying such blasphemy. Respect the office and the man who has beenelected. Save your personal views for another time. No one needs toread such blind hatred. To the families of the fallen Marines andsailors, I grieve for your losses and will continue to pray foryou. This hits very close to home. To the military, thank you foryour bravery and everything you do for our freedom and the freedomof others. God bless you! From an extremely proud daughter of a 46Crew Chief Marine.”
A good man
Donovan: “Having served with Travis with the purple foxes in2001 I would like to send my condolences to his wife Jessica andhis family and friends. He was a wonderful person, friend, brother,husband and Marine. Let us not forget the loved ones and friends wehave lost. God bless you, Travis. You will forever be missed.Semper Fi!”
Protest is patriotic
In a saner world: ” … these deaths would cause everyone to pausefor a while and ask why, and no one would scream ‘blasphemy.’People would honor the slain soldiers by removing their comrades inarms from the suicide mission they’re caught in, like sittingducks. In an aggressive and illegal profiteering war based on lies,driven further down the rabbit hole by utter incompetence whichnever should have happened in the first place, it should at thevery least have ended years ago. To those who think only theirflag-draped opinions count, read up on something called theconstitution and the first amendment.”
Rail bike trail stops just inside O’side
Readers respond to our Feb. 9 story about challenging terrain,environmental concerns and an already tight budget putting a stopfor plans to have a continuous bike trail run from Escondido toOceanside along the Sprinter rail line. The trail will now stopjust inside Oceanside city limits.
One solution
Floyd: “Allowing mo-peds on the bicycle trail will address manyof the ‘challenging terrain’ issues and if that change encouragessomeone to ride instead of drive it will address many of theenvironmental concerns as well.”
Self-made speed bumps
CycleMan: “The only ‘challenging terrain’ here is the creativityof the folks who are supposed to be implementing this bike trail.Stop making excuses and find a way to get it done! For example, whycan’t the ‘maintenance road’ also be the bike trail? Themaintenance trucks would only use it occasionally. Come on, stopthinking of reasons why you can’t do it and start thinking ofreasons why you can!”
Just the start
Freddy: “Those issues and challenges were known from thebeginning, but the looming profits were too much for thecontractors and other interested parties to openly address. Guesswhat? These current issues are only the beginning for more excuses.And still the railroad won’t adequately deliver on time.”
Close but not quite
Ron: “Can you say ‘cost over runs?’ ‘Just inside the city?’That’s like almost complete … oh, brother.”
Migrant camp vandalism investigationcontinues
Readers respond to our Feb. 9 story about San Diego policesaying they are investigating a possible link between anti-illegalimmigration activists and the Rancho Penasquitos vandalism incidentlast month in which clothing and other belongings were destroyed inmigrant camps.
Illegal is illegal
So two wrongs make it right: “These guys preach all aboutobeying laws, but apparently laws only apply to people they don’tlike. All law-breakers must be punished. Quit making excuses foryour Minutemen buddies.”
Selective prosecution
Where are the charges against the illegals?: “When will they becharged for breaking the laws of the land? When will thetrespassers be charged? When will the prostitutes be charged? Whenwill the pimps be charged? How about the illegal immigrants in thiscanyon camps guilty of ID theft, when will they be charged? Whowill be pay for the environmental damage done by them all? Thepro-illegal groups have an ear with Mr. Sifuentes – everybody knowshe’s not biased now, is he?”
Some call it Karma
Comes Around: “The vigilantes who are trying to intimidatehard-working poor people need to be caught prosecuted and put inprison. Hopefully they’ll have to share a cell with someone whowill challenge their ideology.”
Fascinating
Ron: “So, we have the time and money to investigate this, but notime or money to remove them? Interesting.”
