MAILBAG - Oct. 13, 2006

Poeschl did the right thing

The scope of our “world-renowned art colony” may have more layers than any painting that was ever deemed great. That process to oversee the making of any serious “work of art” shall grow without bias or control while cultivating every offshoot, sprout or composition.

We serve our community ferociously in small groups of interested parties, never to miss the chance to direct the income generated by artists into more opportune situations and to ultimately put it back into where it came from. This process is helped along time and time again by none other than [Cultural Arts Manager] Siân Poeschl and several others, for the good of the artist and also our small, yet powerful, community.

I honor with great respect the decision Poeschl has made to accept the fundamental truths of unity, demonstrating her leadership qualities as an effective creator. Declining an opportunity for yet another position of power confirms she is a woman of heart and mind who has only the greatest of expectations for the future of our artist colony.

Thank you, Sian Poeschl.

KAREN PETTY

Laguna Beach

Innuendo doesn’t serve political process

It came somewhat as a surprise that the Laguna Beach Coastline Pilot should print a cleverly disguised hit piece about Village Laguna in its “Sounding Off” column while at the same time running a puff feature about a Republican candidate running for city council. Usually a news organization’s bias is not that overt.

One would hope the paper will give equal complimentary news space to the other candidates as well. Even those who enjoy broad-based support by several civic and neighborhood associations, including Village Laguna, against which the author has directed his pointed comments.

Village Laguna is a grass-roots organization that has worked for the good of this city since 1972. Although the writer at first couches his innuendos with faint praise, he goes on to insinuate that Village Laguna is somehow connected with events of disconnected times long gone for which he has so kindly made the connection for us, all in an effort to slime an organization dedicated to the community’s public interest. That is the key here — the voting public of Laguna Beach has an interest, and Village Laguna works diligently to protect that interest, despite some anti-populist views to the contrary.

He makes assertions accusing this nonprofit citizens’ organization of being responsible for everything from deciding house colors to the ’93 fire to granny flats.

Notwithstanding the fact that our city has a long history and it is the voting public — not Village Laguna, not the letter writer, nor those with an old political ax to grind, but the people of Laguna — who placed in office those council members who best reflected their common interests at the time. Yes, “those issues are all behind us,” as he so coyly states, but it doesn’t mean they can’t be dredged up one more time when one needs a little dirt to throw.

He sums up by referring to the Republican-controlled government which “hasn’t yielded the promised nirvana” and then states his support for the alternate candidate who also x happens to be Republican. That’s OK, because no matter how abysmal the record we have had to endure for the last several years on a national level, we now have the opportunity, through “diversity,” to endure on a local level.

As a registered Republican, quite frankly, I’ve had enough. It does not take the campaign tactics of Karl Rove to express an endorsement for one’s candidate of choice. It demeans the political process to ignore the complex issues that face our city by attacking civic-minded organizations with innuendo and half-truths, and by extension, the candidates they support.

CINDALEE PENNEY HALL

Laguna Beach

Senior center critics should back off

This town needs a senior center badly. Some of us have worked very hard to make this happen. Now, suddenly, out of the blue, come a few people who haven’t been involved but are trying to torpedo our project. I say, back off! Let those of us who know the needs of our older citizens and meet with them on a daily basis go forward with our plans.

Years ago, when we first started collecting funds and conducting our needs assessments, I had older people come up and hand me small amounts of money, which was all they could afford.

They understood it was going toward the building fund for their senior center. I’m sorry to say that some of them have passed away. How many more won’t live long enough to see their dreams come true?

There are details about our building plans that I haven’t been completely sold on either, but there has to come a time when you say, “This is it. It’s time to build.” We don’t want to be shoved into any old nook or cranny that is available, like we are now. We want the new center we’ve worked and planned for, and that has been promised to us.

SKIPPER LYNN

Laguna Beach

City deserves lawsuit over labor center

It is about time Laguna Beach got sued for having that illegal alien day labor hiring site. City Manager Ken Frank states, “We can’t bury our heads in the sand and say these people aren’t here. I’m happy to have another solution. But we don’t want them hanging around in our residential areas and causing problems.” Rather than having the courage to stand up to the ACLU, MALDEF, LULAC and all the other open border loonies, Laguna Beach chose to pander to them.

No one asked Mr. Frank to pretend day laborers do not exist. On the contrary, we expect our elected officials and the people they hire to aggressively tackle problems, not place them off where they can fester and grow far worse.

Mr. Frank claims “the federal government does not have the capacity or the will to handle this local problem.” What has the city of Laguna Beach done to get the federal government’s help to eradicate this problem? How many letters on the subject have been written to the fed? Has the city asked for the immigration screening training that Congress authorized to be available to local police departments? Has the city turned over any of the illegal aliens to the Department of Homeland Security?

On the local level, why has the police department not been told to cite and arrest employers who are hiring illegal aliens in violation of federal law? They have a duty to do that.

Laguna Beach must not fight this lawsuit. They must just admit that it is improper — no, illegal — to expend public funds to aid and abet illegal aliens in procuring employment. They must shut down that illegal site and do everything in their power to chase illegal aliens out of town.

LARRY CULBERTSON

San Juan Capistrano

City should move to limit liquor outlets night spots

I am not given to drinking in bars. I prefer my glass of wine at home. But on the few occasions that I return home late, after 10 or 11 p.m. on the weekends, I am surprised by the night activity in town.

Driving along Pacific Coast Highway, one is confronted with many folks having a good time, carousing on the street in and out of the bars. There are now more than 100 drinking establishments in Laguna Beach, and there is continuous pressure on the city to extend the bar and live entertainment hours (in some of them).

Every month there are numerous alcohol-related incidents, from bar-brawls to street intoxication, from DUIs to neighborhood disturbances.

Laguna Beach has become a magnet for young people, and this summer the daytime and evening crowds proved to be a tremendous burden on the Laguna Beach police force regarding drinking and driving altercations.

I am especially concerned about the increased number of these establishments over the last few years that encroach into our residential neighborhoods. At closing time their patrons noisily spill into our residential streets, causing loud and sometimes violent disturbances.

It has been relatively easy to obtain a liquor license in Laguna Beach, and applications are rarely denied. Every city sets its own limit on the number of licenses issued — the existing licenses in Laguna Beach are more than double the set allowance.

The papers and the Pennysaver are now full of ads for “happy hour” with discounted drink prices, encouraging people to drink way too much in a short period of time. This is not the high-class night life we were told would come to Laguna if we allowed more liquor outlets.

One of the candidates running for City Council is the operator/owner of a downtown bar. Do we want an owner of a downtown bar influencing future decisions on whether to have more drinking establishments or longer drinking and entertainment hours?

I hope voters will carefully consider this issue in the upcoming elections, and will vote for candidates who will aim to limit liquor licenses in the future and seriously question renewing a license to an establishment with a troublesome police record.

Let’s keep Laguna safe and peaceful.

CHARLOTTE MASARIK

Laguna Beach