Programming change may be in order for...

Programming change may

be in order for KOCE

After reading about the many enthusiastic supporters who came out

on Wednesday to stand up for KOCE, I decided to click on channel 50

to see what vital community service the station is serving.

At 9 a.m. on Thursday, I found Suzie Ormand expounding her

investment gospel. At 9 p.m., there was Tennessee Ernie Ford (isn’t

he dead?) singing about that old-time religion.

If that’s what passes for programming on Orange County’s public

television station (besides the vaunted but boring Real Orange

nightly newscast), any change has got to be an improvement.

BARBARA DE GROOT

Corona del Mar

Parents are part of

the educational process

Steve Smith, as usual, is right on the money (“Parents can help

where state money cannot,” Saturday). As a retired high school

teacher presently training future teachers at Cal State Fullerton, I

put my hands together for him and clap.

So often, when calling homes to express concern about a failing or

misbehaving high schooler, I would hear the television set blaring in

the background. Also, more often than not, the parents weren’t even

home. Sad, sad, sad.

Some specifics for parents: Talk with your kids every day about

school. Read with them or encourage them to read for fun and discuss

what they read. Turn off the television sets during the week. (My

husband rigged ours with a lock and key and, believe me, that set

stayed off all week long.)

Be affectionate with your kids and express interest in their

school progress and their development as individuals. Supervise

homework, making sure that the kids have a place to work and that

assignments are completed.

Encourage play outdoors and good nutrition. Encourage your kids to

write, such as cards or letters or even a diary.

Provide learning experiences outside of school -- parks, museums,

libraries, zoos, historical sites and board games are all great.

Communicate that education is important and encourage your kids

when they do well.

Promote good discipline. Kids don’t know intuitively how to

behave; parents must teach them.

FLO MARTIN

Costa Mesa

Let’s create an ad hoc committee

of common sense on the Westside

In response to Sunday’s “Readers Respond” column, it appears we

have a new committee: Chuck Cassity, Douglas Templin and Robert

Dickson’s voices rang true to this neighbor. I would like to nominate

Cassity as honorary common-sense mayor of the Westside, but Costa

Mesa Mayor Gary Monahan, you still have a voice here, too. In

response to property advocate Ila Johnson’s column, I’m a property

rights advocate, too, and she and the city can keep their mitts off

all of it.

We live just outside the proposed redevelopment area, and I find

those businesses affordable and convenient. There is no denying there

are blighted properties, but the majority of the business offers much

to the community in the form of jobs and revenue. The only thing 600

high-end homes would bring would be more traffic and pedigreed

barking dogs.

As far as improving the Westside, 19th Street is looking better

every day; Placentia will also improve later this year. Property on

the Westside is selling like hotcakes, and who knows what awaits the

19th Street shopping center. Never mind that the city does not seem

to have the money; if the residents in the area really wanted it,

some developer would have already done it. So let market freedom

ring, it will happen with time, patience and insight.

I just hope there are more “Chucks” than “Ilas” out there.

KATHI NELSON

Costa Mesa

What to do with that $30 million

for Santa Ana Heights

In response to the question about how Santa Ana Heights

redevelopment funds should be spent.

There is apparently a surplus of $30 million in redevelopment

funds designated for the Santa Ana Heights redevelopment area.

Of utmost importance is for the city of Newport Beach to secure

those funds from the county and to designate the funds responsibly in

a manner that benefits the community. This determination can only be

accomplished through a thorough outreach program to the community;

asking all the residents within the redevelopment area what is

important to them and what additions to the community they see as

improving their quality of life.

A specific “visioning process” for Santa Ana Heights should be

established based on the majority rule.

Projects I see as creating the greatest benefits to the community

would be:

1. Cleaning up areas of blight. Securing a full-time Code

Enforcement officer to identify blight.

2. Beautification of Santa Ana Height’s community perimeters.

Landscaping and sidewalk improvements on all major community

perimeters such as Bristol Street, Santa Ana Avenue, Mesa Drive,

Orchard Drive, Birch Street, Cypress Street and Irvine Avenue.

3. Incorporating recreation trail improvements within the

perimeter improvements plan. Constructing the Santa Ana Heights trail

(Delhi Channel) that connects the Santa Ana Country Club to the Upper

Newport Bay trails. Constructing a recreational trail from the pocket

park at the end of Orchard Drive to connect to the Upper Newport Bay

trails via a simple bridge over the Delhi Channel. Completing the

movement of utilities underground on Cypress Street and constructing

a trail on the southwest side of Mesa Drive.

4. Maintaining the unique equestrian character of Santa Ana

Heights by incorporating split-rail fencing along all recreational

trails as a unifying theme, similar to what is seen in Laguna Niguel.

5. Rezoning the properties on Kline Drive backing to the Newport

Beach Golf Course, allowing nearly a dozen houses to become

equestrian estate homes with direct access to the Santa Ana Heights

trail.

6. Redesignating Santa Ana Heights “Newport Bay Ridge” and

redesignating the Santa Ana Country Club “Newport Bay Ridge Country

Club.” Incorporating distinct monument signage at all community

perimeter entrances, creating a high-class, unique community feel.

Landscaping the John Wayne Airport slope on Bristol Street with the

same Newport Bay Ridge landscape theme.

7. Incorporating sound walls along Bristol Street. All noise

generated by Bristol Street and the ever-growing toll road encroach

into the lower elevation residential communities.

8. A fire station.

9. Paving Old Kline Drive.

10. Condemnation of blighted property.

11. A community center.

RUSSELL NIEWIAROWSKI

Santa Ana Heights