Mailbag: Send complaints to chief, not officers

I feel you should re-think the part of your editorial concerning the confrontation of public safety workers (“Editorial: A matter of public record,” Oct. 17). Everyone has the right to question the activities of these workers, but it should be done in the right format.

Had I pulled over to question a police action and said how stupid that activity was, the back of a patrol car is where I would have ended up. If I had called or e-mailed the police chief, my complaint would have been handled in a civilized manner.

My main point is one shouldn’t interfere in safety employee operations.

Jack Perkins

Costa Mesa

If quoted correctly in the Daily Pilot article on the school board election, 30-year incumbent Judy Franco said that “now’s not the time to elect somebody new to the school board…”(“School board elections building up,” Oct. 5). Does she actually believe that she is the only resident of Trustee Area 5 qualified for a seat on the school board? What incredible hubris!

The background of the school board concept reflects our historical commitment to a “grass-roots” democracy. A seat on the school board is not meant to be a career, but rather to encourage citizen participation in our governance. Just as the court system does not want career jurors, that same principle applies to local school board members.

Judy Franco should be commended for her service to Newport-Mesa, but she should be told by the voters in November that “enough is enough.”

Dennis Evans

Newport Beach

I am in the fifth grade at Sonora Elementary School. My teacher’s name is Ms. Farnsworth, and we have read three stories in our textbook about “Nature’s Fury.” I learned about volcanoes, hurricanes, thunderstorms and earthquakes. I am writing to you about how “Nature’s Fury” could affect Costa Mesa. I know that we don’t have any volcanoes or hurricanes in Costa Mesa, but we do have to worry about thunderstorms and earthquakes.

When an earthquake happens, everyone should think of these survival tips: Stay calm; be aware of your surroundings; look around for broken glass, fires, live electric wires and people with possible injuries; if an earthquake happens, get under something sturdy to protect yourself; if at home, get under your table or stand in a doorway; if at school, kids should get under their desks; stay away from large furniture or bookcases that can fall over and hurt people; have a first aid kit, water, food, pet supplies, a flashlight with extra batteries, a portable radio with extra batteries, a fully charged cell phone, emergency contact phone list, any necessary medications (for people and animals), contact lens solutions/cleansing solutions, and toilet paper.

It is also very important that families of Costa Mesa establish a family plan that includes an emergency meeting place.

Please consider putting this in the Daily Pilot, so the people of Costa Mesa and Newport Beach can use this information.

Tabby Zuniga

Costa Mesa