TONY DODERO -- Second Thoughts

There are some issues that either never go away or just keep recycling.

And the Daily Pilot coverage of these past couple of weeks is proof of

that.

As one of my editors put it, it’s “the headlines that won’t go away.”

Here are a few examples:

* The proposed (for many years now) Santa Ana Heights annexation.

* The proposed (for many, many years now) plan to move those folks out of

the cottages on the beach at Crystal Cove and open it up to the public.

* The looming plans (for even more years now) to lift the passenger cap

at John Wayne Airport.

* Discussions about the fate (for even more years) of the old Balboa

Island Fire Station.

* The scramble (for quite a few years now,) to find enough money to

renovate the old Balboa Theater.

* And finally, the hope (for admittedly not as many years) of turning the

old Costa Mesa High School farm site into a youth sports complex.

I’m just wondering, as I’m sure many longtime Daily Pilot readers are, if

these issues will ever be resolved.

But rest assured, we’ll find new angles to write about them.

*

This week in the Daily Pilot newsroom, the biggest discussion of whether

a story should have seen the light of day dealt with a gruesome subject.

A woman, who police say is in need of a mental evaluation, apparently

decided to cook her pet cat. We heard about the incident from neighbors

who complained about the smell from the roasted kitty.

My belief was the story, while admittedly weird, didn’t really need to be

published and probably would turn a few reader’s stomachs.

But among my editor colleagues, I found my opinion was in the minority.

So being the democratic sort, I agreed to let the story run.

It wasn’t until I saw the screaming headline “Charred cat found in oven”

on page 3 of Tuesday’s Pilot that I really wished I had exercised veto

power.

To be fair, I haven’t heard any complaints from readers. But let me know

what you think. Should that story have run?

*

Many of you will be happy to know that we have hired a full-time reporter

to cover the El Toro issue.

Susan McCormack, who holds a master’s degree in journalism from the

University of Columbia, is busy learning all she can about the airport

issues and the many controversies surrounding it. She also will be

covering environmental and political issues.

Funny thing though. We created a separate beat devoted to El Toro because

readers had been clamoring for it. But at least one reader, who called

our Readers Hotline, had this to say:

“I am really beginning to get sick and tired of reading every day about

the El Toro airport ... Can we try to cut back a little bit? ... I really

would appreciate it.”

I’m afraid that’s not possible (see above, “headlines that won’t go

away.”)

*

Finally, I wanted to thank all of you who have either written or called

to congratulate me on my new job. It’s fun hearing from you all again,

and I look forward to lots of good stories.

* TONY DODERO is the editor of the Daily Pilot. Comments or suggestions

for Second Thoughts can be Mailed: 330 W. Bay St. Costa Mesa, CA 92627.

E-mailed: [email protected] or [email protected] Faxed: (949)

646-4170. Phone: (949) 574-4258.