Mailbag: Newport-Mesa school board should have term limits

For years I have wondered why there are no term limits for board members of our school district? Wouldn’t it benefit our students, teachers and administrators to have fresh input every four to eight years from new community members?

Being a board member is not a job, let alone career, as some seem to have made it. I realize it is a commitment involving much time and little pay, but health benefits are also provided. I believe the idea of term limits should be considered.

Virginia Stockus

Costa Mesa

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Remember Clean Harbor Day?

When I moved in August I removed my Clean Harbor Day boat pennant from my garage wall and sadly packed it away with my other Balboa Island flags. I was reminded of Clean Harbor Day when I read that there was an organized event to clean Newport’s beaches.

Clean Harbor Day was started by Bill Hamilton, original owner of the Cannery restaurant. Clean Harbor Day was a true event with a steering committee that met at The Cannery for lunch many times in preparation.

There were area coordinators for the volunteers and the boats. There were sponsors who donated money for the bright orange bags used in cleaning the beach, the pennants and much more. There was a fantastic free lunch for all the volunteers at the end of the day at the Cannery. It was fun, and it had a purpose in educating us all to protect our valuable asset.

When Bill sold the Cannery, Clean Harbor Day moved to the museum on the Reuben E. Lee, and then it disappeared. It is heartwarming to see that we again have a local ground swell to take care of our beaches and our bay.

Carolyn Carr

Newport Beach

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Let’s control the coyote population

In my small community, three cats were killed by coyotes within two weeks. I will tell you not one owner reported the killing.

The only remedy for the coyote problem — besides keeping cats indoors and dogs leashed closely — is trap-neuter-return or setting up feeding spots with sterilization medicine in the food. There’s also sterilization injections without using surgical neutering.

Over time, the coyote population will decrease, and for now, they will cut back hunting easy prey in our neighborhoods with these feed stations set up. Overdevelopment has cut their natural prey source. Coyotes have scaled a 12-foot wall, making our walled-in dogs and cats targets for their food. They have no fear of humans and hunt our neighborhoods during the day as well as after dark.

Lynn Copeland

Huntington Beach