Ueberroth needs to throw support to senator...

Ueberroth needs to throw support to senator

Your question is: “What role should Peter Ueberroth now try to

play in the recall?”

Ueberroth is a very astute businessman and an extraordinarily

competent organizer and problem solver. His smarts are evident by his

withdrawal from a situation he didn’t have time to develop. Only two

people in this race have the knowledge and substantive judgment to

solve the overwhelming fiscal dilemma facing California -- Peter

Ueberroth and state Sen. Tom McClintock.

It is my opinion the greatest service to the recall process would

be for Ueberroth to give his full support to McClintock. By so doing

there may be enough time to generate the necessary voter support.

Without the merging of these two competent men there is little doubt

in my mind that the Democrats will retain their dominance in

California and the people of California will be worse off than before

the recall process.

ROGER M. SANDERS

Newport Beach

Land grab on Swan Drive is much like picking pockets

I’m calling this morning regarding the land grab on Swan Drive.

There is no way the city should allow this. Are they going to offer

the same deal to shoplifters, pickpockets, etc. in the city? A thief

is a thief. A deal like this will only encourage others who live next

to a park to do the same. Stop it now.

JOYCE DOOD

Costa Mesa

The park belongs to the public, period, end of story

I’m calling with a comment on Sandy Genis’ commentary on Tuesday,

“Law breakers should not be rewarded.” I totally agree with that

article. I’m sure those people knew where their property line was and

should not have went out on public property because that belongs to

everybody.

I backup to a right away by the golf course I would never think of

encroaching out there because it’s not my property. So I am opposed

to this city considering letting these people have that property.

They need to be made to take down whatever they have on the property

and gave back to their originally property line. And the city should

no way reimburse them for anything that they have to take down. That

is not their property; the property belongs to everyone.

GERRY PETERSON

Costa Mesa

Where was the permit for all the park work?

I have been trying to find out how the people on Swan Drive built

fence, planters all kinds of things. Didn’t they get a permit and if

they didn’t it should be torn down. It’s just a comment. I called

everyone at City Hall and could not get an answer and I thought

someone on your staff could do better than I.

ARDY HURST

Costa Mesa

Castaways Park an opportunity not to miss

Thanks to you for the generous Daily Pilot space that has been

devoted to Castaways Park and specifically to the revegetation of the

central meadow swale issue. I agree with the recent comments

submitted by Jan Vandersloot and Dennis Baker, both of whom I know to

be well informed and good thinkers. After considerable research, and

in the interest of brevity, here are my recommendations:

I urge the Newport Beach City Council to:

1) Do whatever is required to be eligible to receive the grant

money. To reject the grants at this late date is fiscally

irresponsible and a breach of faith.

2) Approve Option #1 to plant the central meadow swale with native

grasses and wild flowers and so let us enjoy this wonderful park and

glorious view site.

LOUISE S. GREELEY

Newport Beach

Parents are the solution to this problem

Richard Brunette, in his Community Commentary published Sept. 4,

“Winning should not be everything,” hit the nail right on the head.

Across the country, in many venues, adults are ruining the sports

experience for the children.

Yes, it is important for children to learn the lessons of

competition and to develop the skills necessary to play games well.

Far more important, however, are the life lessons to be learned on

the field of play, whether it is soccer, baseball, football,

volleyball, swimming, or whatever sport has been chosen. Those

lessons -- honesty, tenacity, courage, strategy, teamwork, respect

for your opponent and doing your very best, win or lose -- get lost

in the screaming tirades visible on many playing fields in this

country. You see it at every level, so insidious has this behavior

become in our society.

I agree with Brunette that our children will learn from their

experiences in sport. The question is, which lessons do we want them

to come away with? Most youth sports coaches are also parents of

participants. Do they want their children to remember them screaming

epithets at an opposing coach or offering a firm handshake and

sincere congratulations for a job well done at the end of a

competition? Do the parents in the bleachers want their sons and

daughters to remember them as raving lunatics? I suspect not.

The solution begins with the parents -- the kids just want to have

fun.

GEOFF WEST

Costa Mesa