MAILBAG - Aug. 21, 1999

WEIGHING RISKS, BENEFITS OF SOUTHCOAST PRESCHOOL WALL

In response to the wall at Southcoast Early Childhood Learning Center

(“Protective wall -- or safety hazard?” Aug. 19; “More than a wall,” Aug.

20). Building a wall that is illegal and also could possibly cause

another accident would be denigrating the memory of those two children.

Please don’t label it as a memorial. It is illegal. It is a possible

safety hazard.

Remove it.

GEORGE LAMPINE

Newport Beach

The Southcoast [Early Childhood Learning Center] killings was a

one-in-a-million crime. The wall they built is quite necessary, just for

the peace of mind of everyone involved with the preschool. However, how

would the wall builders feel if someone was injured or killed in an

accident caused by the wall? What if the injured person were a parent or

a child from a preschool -- a regrettable tragedy that might be prevented

if some changes are made to the wall now.

MIKE STEINER

Costa Mesa

I think it was just absolutely wonderful that someone put up that nice

wall to protect the children. I think it’s ludicrous that someone would

want to tear it down because part of it is on city property. That is just

ridiculous.

Every time I go by it, I thank the people who did it and the volunteers

who put it up. It should not be torn down.

PATRICIA MAYNE

Costa Mesa

PATIENTS HAD POSITIVE EXPERIENCE WITH CHIROPRACTOR

I read an article the other day about my chiropractor ... and I’ve had

nothing but really good experiences with him -- incredible healings

(“Police arrest Newport Beach chiropractor for sexual battery,” Aug. 13;

“Patients support chiropractor charged with sexual batter,” Aug.. 20).

I’ve been to a lot of chiropractors in the area, and by far he’s the best

chiropractor I have ever been to.

I really don’t know what’s going on with the whole thing -- all I know is

that I’ve had really good experiences at his place.DAN KALMAR

Newport Beach

We have lived in the same house for 35 years and have had a lot of

neighbors, as you might imagine. None could compare to Steve Lovell. His

willingness to use his skills to help people who are hurt or feel

discomfort puts him in a special category. When my son’s back went out,

Steve came home from his office and went down to his place and worked on

him for over two hours, enabling him to at least be mobile enough to go

to his regular medical doctor the next day. Never once did Steve suggest

that Tom come to his chiropractic office for treatment. He just wanted to

help a neighbor.

Steve grows his own fruit and vegetables and is always sharing his crop

with us. Whenever we go on a trip, we tell Steve and he keeps an eye on

things. This is important to us because my 4-H’er mother and her 4-H’er

sister also live here, and Steve knows our concern.

We’ve been neighbors for eight years, and I cannot remember ever hearing

him use any type of profanity, nor does he smoke or drink. Maybe this is

a trivial point, but his family has five cars, and never once has any of

them been parked in front of my house. That is proof of the considerate

person he is. We are very glad to have Steve as a neighbor and friend.

PAUL AND PEGGY CUOMO

Newport Beach

HARBOR DAY SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION HAS RAISED IRE OF NEIGHBORS

Newport Beach residents have lost again in another mistake by the

businesswoman city planning staff, the Planning Commission and City

Council -- dishonest and sneaky for sure, they have slipped it to us this

time.

We’re referring to the ugly block, four-star, industrially building that

has appeared suddenly almost overnight on the grounds of the private

[Harbor Day School], allegedly for use as a gymnasium (“A wall doesn’t

always make a good, well, you know ...” Aug. 18. Now all of us in Harbor

[View Hills] have to look at this monstrosity -- it’s almost in our

frontyards.

An industrially building adjacent to some of Newport’s highest

residential real estate? For shame -- it violates all sound planning

principles. God help us all.

The city manager and school officials claim nobody appeared at the city

government public hearing before the building was approved. The reason

for this is probably the notorious and still prevalent practice of the

city planning staff in failing to notify homeowners and homeowner

associations of what construction has planned in their city residential

areas. Nobody knew this was coming.

Looks like Martin Browder, a former vice president of The Irvine Co. who

lives across San Joaquin Hills road from this nightmare, needs some help

in his fight against the structure. Martin, you now know how it feels to

be on the other side.

The city planning staff, the Planning Commission and the City Council

should nod their heads in shame.

H. ROSS MILLER

Corona del Mar

‘EITHER KEEP THE DOOR OPEN OR KEEP THE DOOR CLOSED’

I was very discouraged in reading the Aug. 17 article “Immigration battle

gets personal for accountant,” which describes how the children of

illegal immigrants, who were not born in the U.S., are not allowed to

work or continue their education in college after successfully completing

high school in the U.S. While I admit to thinking simply, let’s have some

consistency here, are they legal in grade school and high school and then

suddenly they are not? Either keep the door open or keep the door closed

but it’s not right to open the door and invite them into school and then

slam the door in their faces.

JUDY BOLT

Costa Mesa

SAMOA PLACE REMODEL STILL TOUCHING NERVES OF RESIDENTS

I’m looking at this picture of this thing that Tracy Stevenson and Joseph

Warner put up -- it looks like a warehouse, a small warehouse (“Family

followed codes in building attic,” Aug. 12). Why anybody would want to

build something like that is beyond me.

I think the city owes them some money because they in error approved

their plans. But I think once they’re paid, they should use some of that

money to have their heads examined as to why they would want to construct

[something] like this.

LYNN MERES

Costa Mesa

This is regarding the house on Samoa Place. I just read the letter to the

editor from those people. The house is a monstrosity. It’s the ugliest

thing you’ve ever seen.

I grew up in the East, where they have attics. That’s not an attic --

that’s a third story. That’s a big joke. We shouldn’t have to put up with

it.

They say, “why should neighbors try to tell me how to run my life?” Why

do we have laws? Why do we have communities? Why do we have people who

have to live with other people in harmony.

Anyway, I think it’s horrible. I think it’s ugly, and I think the guy is

blowing smoke about the whole third floor thing.

ELL EN HOGAN

Costa Mesa