MAILBAG - Oct. 12, 1999

Earlier this week, South County Assemblywoman Pat Bates and ETRPA’s

President and Mission Viejo Councilwoman Susan Withrow proposed tripling

the size of John Wayne Airport to handle the increased air traffic

demands of our county’s future.

I find this irresponsible and flat-out reprehensible, especially since it

would necessitate the “forfeiture” of considerable properties surrounding

John Wayne, including some in our city of Costa Mesa.

On Friday, myself, Councilwoman Heather Somers and other representatives

from several other cities affected by this outrageous proposal responded

to Bates’ comments. Some would say my tone was somewhat “militant.”

Well, militant it should be. There’s an old saying, “Let sleeping dogs

lie,” -- a saying that apparently Bates never learned.

South County has also espoused the theory that its Safe and Healthy

Communities initiative will protect John Wayne from expansion. I tell

you, this is a smoking gun -- a “fog” covering the real airport issue.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

Remember, this initiative was created for one and only one purpose: to

stop an airport at El Toro. Without a second commercial airport in Orange

County, expansion of John Wayne is inevitable. The same people who wrote

the initiative just stated support for expansion of John Wayne. When that

time comes, the initiative may be modified by a simple majority of

voters, or a completely new initiative strictly addressing John Wayne

could be voted on. What other alternative is there?

The first step in fighting this is to become informed. On Tuesday, Nov.

2, there will be an airport information meeting presented at the Costa

Mesa Neighborhood Community Center. I will be there and I urge all

interested Costa Mesa residents and business owners to attend if

possible. If unable to do so, know that I have also requested to have

this information and meeting videotaped and cablecast on Costa Mesa’s

cable Channel 74. Tune in. Dates and times will be forthcoming.

Next, let your representatives know that John Wayne cannot be allowed to

expand to shoulder South County’s increasing demands. Our city, county,

state and federal representatives all have a part in this, and we are

elected to represent you. Let South County know that forfeiture of our

properties and the tripling of flights over our homes will not be

tolerated. It is not an option, it is not a possible compromise, and we

will not allow it to come to fruition. I believe the time has come to let

our voices be heard.

GARY MONAHAN

Mayor, city of Costa Mesa

Vindicated teacher deserves our support

I was so very glad to hear from my mother that the lawsuit against Dennis

O’Hern was recently dropped (“Newport Harbor teacher feels ‘vindicated’

after suit dropped,” Oct. 6).

The charges were scandalous from the beginning, but to accuse such an

amazing role model and mentor for hundreds of high school students and

such a good friend to countless more, made the whole situation entirely

ridiculous.

O’Hern deserves our gratitude and our support, especially after all that

he has done and continues to do for his community.

KRISTINE HARRINGTON

Davidson, North Carolina

In defense of group homes

I am writing to you in defense of the group home issue in Costa Mesa and

the appeals by city council members.

Yellowstone was started as a recovery solution, a community service,

because we did not have a place to take women who wanted a sober and

drug-free life. This service is free of charge.

Women are introduced to a 12-step program and shown how to “do life”

rather than jail, a huge cost to all the taxpayers.

Honey Thames acted in good faith in applying for the conditional-use

permit for 14 sober women because it was the right thing to do. In fact,

Yellowstone drew no notice until its request for 14 beds. Ignorance and

fear shot forward from the neighbors almost as a reaction to an AIDS

epidemic in the 1980s. Fear is the problem in our community, simply

because many have not met their new neighbors. Those who have are glad.

Sobriety is the solution here, not the problem.

We congratulate Honey Thames on her help with the war on drugs. Our war

is here in Costa Mesa. Leaders who are serious about the war on drugs

must approve the solutions, rather than feeding and supporting the fear

of neighbors who do not know the difference.

The city council must act as a defense against this war, not a supplier

of ammunition for the neighbors to further wound Yellowstone. We start

here.

ROY WARD

Costa Mesa

Bankruptcy coverage crossed the line

Your unnecessary coverage of the sordid details concerning Jeffrey Conner

and his bankruptcy leads me to believe that the Pilot is grinding out an

old vendetta against Conner.

Do your readers really need to know the present condition of his only

car, or to read a misguided quote from a disgruntled creditor slamming

his character, demeanor or right to protect his privacy?

The bankruptcy court building is full of people who are owed money and

are willing to cast dispersions on their debtors. Why don’t you get a map

of where the building is, go there and fill your pages with the private,

dirty, little details of our financially unfortunate neighbors? There was

little newsworthy to report about this unfortunate incident, other than

the financial demise of the Newport Film Festival.

Your unwary pursuit of a citizen who obviously wants you to respect his

right to privacy is despicable and evidences what a dirty, little rag you

are. Shame on you.

The real news story was Conner’s commitment and sacrifice to a dream for

our community -- only this news angle obviously overshot your level of

intellectual capacity, or was lost somewhere under a disheveled desk or

grimy coffee cup in your newsroom.

GARY STARK

Newport Beach