A standing ovation for Port Theatre plans...

A standing ovation for Port Theatre plans

I think Rick Aversano is going to do a wonderful job with the Port

Theatre. It sounds like the idea that he has in place is wonderful

and very useful to the community.

I want to thank him and tell him that we will all be happy to

patronize his beautifully new restored Port Theatre. Thank you very

much to Rick.

DEDE BRINK

Corona del Mar

Renovation of Port will be a delightful change

I was so excited to hear that the Port Theatre has been sold and

that the gentleman has wonderful ideas.

We were back in Florida a couple years ago and went to a darling

little renovated theater that served light meals before the movie,

and it was delightful, so I certainly hope that the people that live

around the theater will be open to having the rest of us in Corona

del Mar able to enjoy the Port Theatre again.

Yes, there will be some crowded conditions as far as parking goes,

but it is certainly well worth opening it back up again and having it

be a cultural spot in our community rather than an eyesore.

MARY LAVELLE

Corona del Mar

A startling change in Costa Mesa’s notion of fun

Does anyone else see the irony in closing down the only family

recreation in Costa Mesa, namely the Kona Lanes bowling alley and Ice

Capades skating rink and instead offering to us a 600- to

1,000-person nightclub in downtown Costa Mesa that, since it serves

liquor, will only be for adults, thus cutting out the last of the

children’s activities that we have had for so long?

SUSAN KENT

Costa Mesa

Nichols not one with ‘repulsive’ ideas

It is not often that I disagree with members of the Newport Beach

City Council and the Daily Pilot editorials, but I respectfully do so

now regarding comments made about the Newport Beach Public Library’s

Distinguished Speakers Lecture Series.

Newly elected Councilman Dick Nichols made an interesting and

quite logical comment during the council meeting. Rather than have

only liberal speakers at the lecture series, he suggested including

speakers and topics that represent conservative viewpoints, too. You

know, get a little diversity going rather than a monopoly on one

ideology.

For that, the poor man was chastised by Councilman Tod Ridgeway

and Mayor Steve Bromberg and the Daily Pilot. His comment was labeled

(are you sitting down for this one) “repulsive” by all three. The

Daily Pilot stated in an editorial that Nichols’ call for fairness in

speaker selection was “a totalitarian effort to limit speech and

debate.”

Hello, what am I missing here? It is not Nichols who wants to

limit speech and debate. He is the very one suggesting it is time to

present the public with a variety of diverse speakers rather than

continually invite ones who are all cut out of the same philosophical

cloth.

The word “repulsive” is an appropriate adjective for this issue,

but it is not Nichols’ common sense suggestion that should be labeled

as such.

ROBIN COUNTS

Newport Beach

Students could be endangered by bridge plan

I am a student from TeWinkle Middle School. These past months, I

have been hearing that the Orange County Transportation Agency is

thinking about making Gisler Street go over the Santa Ana River with

a bridge.

Gisler Street runs right next to my school, and it would be more

dangerous for all of the students at my school and at California

Elementary School if the county made it a through street over the

river. California has kindergarten through fifth grade. Some of these

kids walk to school, and it would be hard for them to cross streets

with cars zipping down Gisler.

I ride my bike to school every day. It is already very crowded

with cars driving kids to school.

That is why I don’t want to have Gisler be a through street.

SHANE LYONS

Costa Mesa

Smith rolls a strike with Mesa Verde Center column

I am calling in regards to Steve Smith’s column talking about

vision for the Mesa Verde Center and I thought all of his comments

were really right on (“Where’s the vision in Mesa Verde?” Saturday).

I was just going to call in and say “good job” in writing that,

and hopefully someone will read it and have some comments along with

[mine]. So good job.

JIM EDDY

Costa Mesa