Majority responsible for dogs in public You...

Majority responsible for dogs in public

You must be joking! I understand that there are intermittent

owners or stray dogs that get out and whose owners do not pick up

after them, but the majority of dog owners do pick up after their

dogs and other dogs that sometimes leave a mess, and other people’s

children.

Open spaces available to dogs and their owners are already

limited, i.e. beaches. Restricting these parks restricts those of us

who also pay taxes and want to exercise our dogs in the park.

Parents could use an occasional pet incident as an opportunity to

teach their children pet etiquette and proper behavior as future pet

owners and non-pet owners. It is important for children to learn to

co-exist with animals, even if they do leave a mess on occasion.

Personal responsibility is once again the issue. Regulating all

pet owners out of public facilities is not an appropriate solution.

LYNN CAPOUYA

President

Landscape Architects

Lang Park should remain open to dogs

I need to add to the quote in your article “Parks may be closed to

dogs,” (Coastline Pilot, Feb. 7).

I do support the closing of the Village Green Park to dogs upon

the opening of the refurbished Village Green parking in June of 2003.

However, concerning Lang Park, I would like to see more effort made

to share it with families and their pets.

I did offer some ideas and help from the Pet Responsibility

Committee and hope that the Recreation Committee will consider some

of these solutions.

GEN MCMENOMY

Laguna Beach

President, Pet Responsibility Committee Inc.

Dogs are a nuisance in Laguna’s parks

I am responding to the article titled “Parks may be closed to

dogs” (Coastline Pilot, Feb. 7).

The answer is an emphatic yes! And the problem is not restricted

to Lang and Village Green parks. The beaches as well as the city’s

other parks have been taken over by unleashed dogs, the accompanying

feces and smug dog owners.

And caution be to those who point out the “dogs must be leashed at

all times” signs. You are destined to be harassed by the dog owner.

If my experiences are the norm one may also expect the dog owner to

try and convince you that the police “gave me their blessing to

unleash my dog in the park.”

If anyone would like to see the feces lined trails, dozens of dogs

off leash and the many ignored leash signs, head up to Alta

Laguna/West Ridge or Moulton Meadows Parks. You might be amazed at

just how pervasive the problem is. Oh, be careful to not be struck by

a tennis ball hurled from a launcher. The latest trend in dog

exercise is to use a ball launcher and send one’s dog as far away as

one can throw. You will not convince me that the dog owner collects

feces from brush and grass areas 30 or 40 yards off the path.

So much for all the money spent on preserving Laguna’s open spaces

for clean family enjoyment. The dog owners have decided for all

Lagunatics that the city is better served as a dog park than a bird

and wildlife sanctuary.

FRANK MEAD

Coto de Caza

Feeling defeated about water issues

Why was the showing so poor for the council meeting on clean water

issues?

Who is listening?

PENNY ELIA

Laguna Beach

The poorly attended Laguna Beach City Council meeting of Feb. 4

with at least five different water-related topics, points out the

apathetic (or is pathetic) state of citizen involvement.

What’s more, there is an alarming attendance attrition rate taking

place across the board regarding environmental issues and projects in

general. Being chairman of the most confrontational environmental

organization in South County these past four years, here are my

thoughts:

First: It’s unseemly, if not downright humiliating, for enviros

with known expertise to be limited to three minutes of fame at the

podium. Unless, of course, one of the council likes you or wants to

ingratiate themselves politically. Only then do you have unlimited

time. This is further exacerbated by the physical reality: That is,

the public is in fact literally looked down upon from above, standing

bent over a pedestal, in a supplicant posture before our warlords.

Making matters worse, the public is denied interactive dialogue --

basically put in whiner’s mode, and unable to cross examine or rebut

council or staff comments. After giving testimony the council or

staff have the last word and we are often rebuked as ungrounded,

complaining nuisances.

Second: I sent an extensive broadcast of e-mails to my usual

allies and friends regarding this particular night. Most common

comments: “Why bother, they’re not listening anyway? In one ear and

out the other, they swallow the city manager and staff’s spin,

without fixing anything. They’ve already made up their minds how

they’ll vote before they walk in.” Unfortunately, I concur. There is

a great deal of verbiage, that is lip service paid, but almost ZERO

product. For example, hiring more employees is touted as a solution.

That is not necessarily true because a lot rides on their skills.

Throwing more bodies at a problem, as we learned in Vietnam, doesn’t

automatically equal success.

Third: Another pitiful attempt is the flier or mailer. Usually

thrown in the trash, lessened by the fact that Americans don’t read,

especially mass produced, drab stuffers.

So fools like myself, sceptical and cynical veterans that we are,

attend shrunken meetings. Perhaps everyone is at home, thinking that

they can delegate their accountability or responsibility via a yearly

donation to Surfrider or some other advocacy group. Maybe they’re

just plain burned out, mistake “talk for walk,” or they can’t fathom

the idea that government doesn’t always protect the health, safety

and welfare of it’s citizenry. Yet isn’t it this same structure and

players who ran this eco-ship aground over and over previously in

Laguna Beach?

In conclusion, it is a categorical that the attendance has been,

with the exceptions of Clean Water Now! and Surfrider, inverse to the

oral commitments made by other so-called environmental guardians,

supposed stewards of ecology. Their mission statements are refuted by

their non-participation. They know who they are and the meeting

minutes are proof. To them I say: “Thanks. Thanks for nothing.”

ROGER VON BUTOW

Clean Water Now! founder and chair

Laguna Beach

So, the Laguna Greenbelt and State Parks Foundation both refuse to

take El Morro’s money.

Given the nearly $6 million budget crisis our schools are facing,

I’ll bet Supt. Daem would love to have several million next year!

JIM FARTHING

Laguna Beach

In response to anti-

demonstration letter

I would like to respond to the questions of Eugene Leo

(“Demonstrators display ignorance,” Coastline Pilot, Jan. 31) as a

resident of Laguna Beach who indeed protests this upcoming war

adventure.

How many died on Sept. 11? We all know the tragic answer to this

question. The question only serves to change the debate. Iraq has

nothing to do with Sept. 11 notwithstanding the Herculean effort to

connect Iraq instead of finding Osama.

Colin Powell’s remarks: There is no proof and he will have to make

up the case. The CIA, Pentagon and various intelligence organizations

have been unable to come up with anything more than a “bad attitude

of non-cooperation.” Jeopardizing our military men and women? There

are about one million military people around the glob ready to lay

down their lives. Before their blood is spent, do we not owe a duty

to learn the truth and question all? Our government does not have a

good track record in truth when it has come to war. For those who do

not question all there is to question and learn all there is to

learn, there will be the blood of those men and women on their hands

as well as that of the innocent civilians.

Willing to protect our freedom and sovereignty? Who his

threatening the sovereignty? Our freedoms are being eroded daily by

the Bush war regime. Iraq, to this day, has not threatened the United

States. The crimes we predict Saddam may someday be capable of

committing have already been committed in spades by the United

States. Leo needs a history lesson beginning with the CIA coup which

leads to the Baath party up to the arming of Saddam and the

restoration for normal relations by Bush the elder a full year after

the Kurds met their tragic deaths.

What commitment if we are invaded ... ? Once again he changes the

debate by questioning the patriotism of the protesters among whom are

veterans. Please, do not change the debate ... we have a war to stop.

What does the peace sign mean ... ? Duh!

Why not more horn blowing? Any more horn blowing and we would need

a concert permit! The Laguna Beach police officers offered water,

folks made cookies to hand out and the support is gratifying. These

are brave and caring people out there in growing numbers each

Saturday. Many have never protested before and it is tough moving

against a perceived mainstream opinion which has been carefully

crafted from the beginning of this madness. We all have better things

to do on a Saturday morning, but we have nothing more important to do

MICHELE REYNOLDS

Laguna Beach

‘Celebrate America’ was a night of joy

“Celebrate America” filled the Artists Theatre in Laguna on Sunday

afternoon with the sounds of patriotic and American music performed

by the Laguna Community Concert Band directed by Bill Nicholls with

guest performing artists.

Visitors arriving at the concert early were treated to courtyard

music provided by “Swing Set,” a specialty jazz minute delay to allow

standing room only visitors to find a few remaining seats, the

program opened with American Legion Post 222 presenting the colors,

the band playing the Star Spangled Banner, and emcee Bob Henry

welcoming the crowd.

Lona Ingwerson narrated the “Lincoln Portrait” comprised of many

of Lincoln’s famous words, accompanied by the band’s playing Aaron

Copland’s powerful music directed by assistant director Ed Peterson.

Then the program lightened up with Laguna’s Roxanna Ward singing

to “Big Band Bash” and bringing down the house. Two famous marches in

the first half were “American Patrol” and “Americans We.”

The second half of the show opened with the woman’s barbershop

group Hooked on Harmony directed by arts commissioner Pat Kollenda.

The sequin bedazzled ladies sang three numbers, “Battle Hymn of the

Republic,” “Armed Forces Medley” and festive, diction-challenging

“Rhythm of Life.”

The crowd responded enthusiastically to their singing and Pat’s

repartee with the audience. Roxanna again soloed with the band’s

“Salute to Duke Ellington and Roxanna, Pat and Lisa Morrice sang

“Buttons and Bow” in a Bob Hope medley with Lisa Morrice soloing on

“Thanks for the Memories.” Hooked on Harmony ended the show singing

with the band on “From Sea to Shining Sea” with the audience joining

for the last verse of “America the Beautiful.”

Bob Henry entertained between numbers with true-life stories of

his many years in show business telling tales of evenings with “The

Duke,” Count Basie, Bob Hope, Spike Jones and others. Bob is the

consummate entertainer, warming up the audience with instructions on

applause and laughter truly enjoying his interaction with the crowd.

The band enjoyed his working with them so much that they made him an

honorary member of the Laguna Community Concert Band and gave him a

hat with their logo.

Celebrate America was a free concert funded by the Business

Improvement District of Laguna Beach -- a cultural arts funding tax.

Comments of “Thank you, thank you,” were heard and “Please make this

an annual event!”

Special thanks to city angel Sande St. John, house manager and

refreshments coordinator.

CAROL REYNOLDS

Laguna Beach

The Coastline Pilot is eager to run your letters. If your letter

does not appear it may be due to space restrictions and will likely

appear next week. If you would like to submit a letter, write to us

at P.O. Box 248 Laguna Beach CA 92652, fax us at 494-8979 or send

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