Mailbag: Costa Mesa has forgotten its core strengths

Re. “Police: Politics harming recruitment,” (Aug. 9): Wow, this is reasonably upsetting, especially since Cost Mesa has so much potential to earn funds to pay for its employees and bring the community together at the same time.

Costa Mesa is one of the few cities that I know of that can utilize fairgrounds for hobby shows, concerts and a speedway to complement an already-popular swap meet.

It has plenty of parks for recreation. People can congregate at events such as the Lion’s Fish Fry.

Maybe it is time to utilize this space and get city employees involved creating events and functions to raise money and awareness of some key issues.

I grew up in Costa Mesa, and love the town. I remember manning fireworks stands, playing in fundraiser baseball games and working concert security for the Orange County Fair.

Some of my fondest memories are having Mr. and Mrs. Schaefer as head of Costa Mesa Little League and running the annual fish fry at “airplane park.” There was a time when this community was fairly self-sufficient, and the kids were just as involved in making things work as were the adults.

Maybe the new vision of Costa Mesa as a town that is only for the wealthy or the businessman is a good idea. I just don’t think it is a good plan for the older residents who made this town great.

I spent much of my youth in cities like Newport Beach and Huntington because they neighbored the town I grew up in. And I would not trade the feeling of community I received in Costa Mesa for either of those cities, which are known as wealthier areas.

Maybe one day I will come home and run that city and show them how we did it in the old days. No gimmicks, no selling of assets. Just good old-fashioned hard work.

Long live Estancia High!

Adam Mora

Sterling, Virginia

When will Rohrabacher represent us all?

I am one of Rep. Dana Rohrabacher’s constituents — although I do not feel like one because of his partiality to one group in U.S. Congressional District 48.

I also watched a video of his speech to the Tea Party at the Halecrest Park Swim and Tennis Club (“Rep. warns of China,” Aug. 10). His saying things like “big government is out to get you” and “Obamacare takes away your rights” appears to me to be for the express purpose of stirring up his audience and fomenting disorder.

I, too, am at a loss to explain how and why Rohrabacher (R-Costa Mesa) continues to be re-elected in this district. According to the Orange County Registrar of Voters, as of Aug. 12, 382,023 voters were registered in this district. Republicans represent 44% of them. What about the other 56%? Who is representing them?

At what point will Rohrabacher start representing all of his constituents in the U.S. Congressional District 48? Some have been waiting 25 years for this to happen.

Joan Lars

Fountain Valley