The French know how to keep track...

The French know how to keep track of shopping carts

There is no problem in Italy or France and maybe other European

countries with abandoned shopping carts, and there wouldn’t be here

if the markets would use the same cart system.

It’s sort of like the airports have. In order to get a cart, you

have to put coins in a device that all the carts are attached to, and

when you take the cart back, you get your coins back. If someone

doesn’t want their coins back, there are plenty of people who would

be happy to take the cart back and get the money. The markets should

find out about this system. The big chain super market Carrefour in

France uses this system, and you don’t see any shopping carts laying

around over there.

PEGGY MAROTTA

Balboa Island

Diamonds are not the resident’s best friend

How is the public interest being served when the public isn’t

being considered? What special interests are benefiting at the

expense of the people of Costa Mesa?

Understanding that city staff at the Sept. 10 meeting, about

TeWinkle Park, couldn’t or wouldn’t respond to the question regarding

where this urgency for “state of the art” softball diamonds

originated, it would seem imperative that an answer be provided

before this issue goes any further.

MAUREEN DIDOMENICO

Costa Mesa

Voice of community being muffled by city

What kind of City Council says they listen to the public, then

turns around and passes a major decision to tear out 30 mature trees

without even notifying the public?

Then sets up a meeting in regard to the appealed decision, which

has more than 50 neighbors attend to voice their disapproval, and

then still consider moving forward with the earlier plan.

What is wrong with this picture? Do you or don’t you take into

consideration the voice of the community?

I am sorry to be so abrupt, however, this really upsets me.

JESI PEARCE

Costa Mesa

More stones yet to be turned at El Toro Marine base

There is a question about the closed El Toro Marine base that

needs to be answered. Why is the Navy department staying with the

city of Irvine in planning for the sale of this valuable property to

developers when there is a better alternative available to them?

The Navy can release the base to the Department of Transportation,

which in turn can lease the base to Los Angeles World Airports for

operation as an international airport. Secretary of Transportation

Norman Mineta has written that he “favors the reuse of military

airfields for civilian aviation to provide additional system capacity

... and that this facility would be a valuable aviation asset in the

Southern California area.”

This federal action (transferring the base to the Department of

Transportation) will overrule Measure W. The position of the Navy

rests on a very weak foundation: Measure W. The city of Irvine plans

to annex the El Toro base and, if that occurs, Measure W no longer

will be in effect.

The Navy Department can dispose of El Toro and realize a profit by

allowing Los Angeles World Airports to operate it as an airport.

Within the next decade, Southern California will have a shortfall in

airport capacity approaching 20%.

We need El Toro.

Furthermore, Irvine’s promise to build a “Great Park” seems less

feasible every day. There are three lawsuits about inadequate

environmental impact reports on this use. The base property may be

too contaminated for a park and may cost too much for clean-up.

Increased traffic from new housing development there may further

erode the “profit” motive for the Navy. The “Great Park” has become a

quagmire.

This decision, to sell the property to developers, is not in the

best interests of the Navy, of the Federal Aviation Administration

Authority nor of the Southern California region. I believe that there

is still time for the Navy to rescind its decision and allow the

Department of Transportation to open the El Toro airport. Why not?

SHIRLEY A. CONGER

Corona del Mar

Protestors do not speak for the entire Latino community

As parishioners of St. Joachim, we regret that a small portion of

the Latino community decided to stage this protest against pastor Joe

Robillard and other members of the community -- even calling some

racist. It is particularly distressing that a number of the

participants on Sept. 14 were children, who were made to march,

holding signs alongside the adult protesters.

The article mentions that Robillard has not agreed to meet with

any members of the Latino community. He has not only met with them,

he has met with them on several different dates.

Robillard seeks unity and has been working with the rest of the

community toward that end. This evidence is represented by the fact

that over 80% of the parish stand behind him.

Each and every one of these allegations is not only false but an

outright lie. As part of this Latino community, we have observed this

irresponsible behavior in recent years.

This is a small, vocal minority, seeking revenge for not getting

their way. This is a horrible reflection on our community and the

Latino community in general, which is not represented by this group.

Many of us have pleaded with the other Latinos to not take these

cruel actions. Unfortunately, I don’t think anything will ever

satisfy them -- even after Robillard has made numerous, persistent

efforts to honor the spiritual and corporal needs of the Latino

community.

Earlier this year, the Diocese of Orange County cut back on at

least 20 positions. Each parish was encouraged to do what it could to

continue to provide ministry to the people without cutting programs.

Because St. Joachim had been operating in the red, Robillard

sought to remedy the situation while meeting the needs of the new

demographics. This meant addressing the needs of the youth that were

“in between” both languages and getting the church back into an

economically stable standpoint. Those objectives have been met.

The alleged use of the name “pigs” occurred at another parish

earlier in his ministry when he was still making mistakes while

learning Spanish. The people there were gracious and forgiving at his

attempt to learn their language. In fact, some even found it

humorous.

We pray that these attacking individuals seek, and find in their

faith, that the allegations against Robillard are false, unfair and

unjust. The community of St. Joachim stands behind him.

MIRTHA GONZALEZ

Costa Mesa