People read the Pilot, and then...

People read the Pilot, and then they volunteer

The well-written article in the Daily Pilot about the Susan G.

Komen Foundation here in our area was very informative and helpful. I

volunteer there weekly, and several inquires came in as a result,

thus providing help and information to women here in Orange County.

But you could have mentioned that among the many sponsors of the

Race for the Cure is the city of Newport Beach. The in-kind help of

the city’s police department and paramedics, as well as a team every

called “CNB4ROZ,” including many city staff members, is a wonderful

help to the Komen Foundation.

In surveys of the participants, there are many from other areas

who put as a reason for liking the race here in Newport Beach that

whole families come for the weekend to help set up for the race, but

in addition, mention that the shopping, beaches, restaurants and

hotels are a favorite destination.

This certainly would have pleased Rosalind Williams John, my late

daughter-in-law, who for a number of years was the director of the

Newport Beach Conference and Visitors Bureau and an active

participant in the race before she lost her brave battle with breast

cancer, and for whom the city of Newport Beach has named its annual

team.

JANIE ARNOLD

Costa Mesa

Boardwalk won’t protect plants from real problem

The Back Bay proposal would be another waste of public funds. Will

a boardwalk contain the coyotes, their cubs and other animals that

rightfully exist in the Back Bay, and keep them on the designated

paths?

My husband and I reside on University Drive, directly across from

the Newport Bay Nature Preserve. Several times we have witnessed

scenes of coyotes trampling through newly planted vegetation,

uprooting and chomping on the cactus and foraging through other

plants, animals and birds in their search for prey. These are the

real culprits. Justifiably, they are behaving “naturally” within

their own domain and so be it.

Don’t spend $8 million on a boardwalk. Instead, why not spend a

small portion of those funds on providing restrooms, picnic tables

and more trash containers for public use?

JOLYN WAYNE-YAMADA

Newport Beach

Keeping folks off Back Bay trails a good idea

Please add my opinion to the others. The ramps [on the Back Bay]

are a good idea because they are planned in order to protect the Back

Bay from erosion from foot traffic. I tend to like to leave it as is,

but feel that it is not enough to stop the damage that is occurring.

So I say yes to the ramps or bridges that are planned.

LYNN FRIEDMAN

Newport Beach

Limits to foot traffic would help the Back Bay

As much as we would like to be able to roam wherever we can, I

think the boardwalk is necessary because of all the different ruts

and things that are being caused out on the bay where we all just

walk where we want to. I think that it would be a great addition once

it’s built. We have been to places in other cities where they have

put these in and you are kept off of the actual ground, but you get

to view the whole area very well, and I think it would be an addition

to our area to have that boardwalk at the Back Bay.

LaRAE PARRY

Costa Mesa

Enough construction already along Back Bay

I absolutely am against the boardwalk project for the following

reasons:

1. We have put up with years of construction for the environmental

center and parking lot. Also all the trails that were done along with

the fences and viewing spots.

2. It has been wonderful to enjoy the Back Bay with these projects

finally completed, and I think all of us are more aware of the paths

that should be used, versus the paths that should not be used.

3. I have been going to the Back Bay for 15 years now, and while I

have always cherished it and treated it with care, I notice that now

many others are showing more care as well -- case in point, the

provision for dog refuse bags on the entrance by Galaxy has made a

huge difference.

4. There is construction going on now all along Irvine for sewage

pipes. I think all of the construction over the last five years has

done nothing to protect the wildlife. It’s time we left it alone and

let the wildlife have what little peace and quiet is possible around

here.

CHRIS DECK

Newport Beach

Courses, community program deserve support

It’s too bad [Orange Coast College] shut down the community

education performing arts program. Wouldn’t it be a good idea to

partially share the swap meet revenue and raise the price of the

tickets?

JACK TAYLOR

Newport Beach

OCC made right call focusing on students

OCC’s decision to move money to cover the for-credit classes is

the best call because that is their first obligation. Community

education is optional for many people, so the community can choose

other outlets, but the kids who are going to school have to move on.

LU BAKER

Newport Beach

Costa Mesa does need leadership to be strong

I was profoundly moved by the lucid article in the Forum on

Tuesday, written by Geoff West (“A start at seeing the real issues in

Costa Mesa”). He is so right that leadership is crucial to

progressing to a strong, healthy, diverse, successful city that we

are in the process of becoming.

Where was West at the election? I wish he had been on the ballot.

I would have voted for him.

ELEANOR KLEIN

Costa Mesa