Oceanside fights crime

Great picture of two police officers carting off a lawbreaking skateboarder ("Skateboarders protest citations near O'side beach," June 22)! Be sure to tell the Oceanside tourist center to let those tourist families know to leave the skateboards at home or their children will be meeting the OPD in a very unfriendly way.

We should post that picture on the Oceanside Web site with the caption, "Bring a skateboard to our town and, if you don't know where and when you can skate, the OPD is waiting for you."

As for having extra officers on hand, how about using them to catch the car thieves that stake out our beach area, and if you have ever tried to report a crime such as a car being stolen, just hope it doesn't happen on the weekend because you will have to wait until Monday.

GORDON STONE

Oceanside

Community Forum from a true lefty

It appears to be sore loser, whine time in the June 12 letters section: Dawn Charlton, Ron Ranson, Rebecca Jamerson and Terry L. Anderson's June 11 Community Forum, "The 50th District's Hall of Shame." Terry's first "shame" - nonvoters - was right on and bipartisan, but from there on went downhill, or should I say, veered to the left.

Terry scorns Bilbray's experience and background, praises Busby's, which is as a school board member. Now that really qualifies her to clean up Washington, D.C.! Shame on the media that support left-wing rhetoric and thank God for the few right-wing talkshow hosts for fair and balanced reporting.

As for voters falling hook, line and sinker, which bait do you fall for, Busby's or Bilbray's? Last but not least, just what does Terry know about Warren Harding? Probably just about as much as Hillary knows about Herbert Hoover - big zip. Nice Community Forum, but a true lefty.

JUNIOUS MONTGOMERY

Carlsbad

Bilbray votes himself a raise

It is truly astounding, and the very height of chutzpah, that one of Congressman Bilbray's first acts as our new representative was voting to give himself a 2 percent pay raise. That's money from the taxes that we, his constituents, are paying back home. Who says he deserves this? This guy - who got the boot from his former South Bay constituents, subsequently becoming another Washington lobbyist - must think he's died and gone to heaven! Back in the saddle. A professional politician. Yeah.

Shame on y'all who voted for this guy. You're most likely the same ones who kept Cunningham in office all these years. How cynical you are. Or gullible.

I submit that Bilbray's pay increase should only come from the pockets of those who voted him in. Can we see a show of hands, please?

STEPHEN EDWARD KEYES

Encinitas

Patriotism is like a virus

I continue to see the "God bless America" and "Proud to be an American" bumper stickers on many vehicles during my travels through San Diego. They appear mostly on massive SUVs or Hummers (vehicles that are practically larger than a studio apartment in Del Mar or Cardiff). Patriotism to me is like a virus. It is dangerous. It lurks in the corners of paranoid minds.

It breeds excessive pride and hatred. I am an earthling, as my friend Tom would say. I am a citizen of the world. And if I were a patriotic type, I certainly would not be proud of the U.S. of A. right now. We are ruled by a dangerously arrogant, incompetent and corrupt administration. Bush, Cheney, Condi and Rummy are destroying this country, and I am not proud.

And if I were going to ask God to bless anyone, I would ask him or her to bless the Earth.

MICHELE ARNESEN

Solana Beach

Count your Independence Day blessings

Strategy for post-al-Zarqawi era is another damnable lie. For starters, al-Zarqawi wasn't found. He was given up, no longer valued by al-Qaida. Zarqawi was as brutal to Iraqis as are we. Iraqis are glad to see him go! Eighty percent say it's time for us to go.

Congress voted $21 billion emergency foreign aid and humanitarian goals. Israel received $2.3 billion for military assistance and $120 million for economic assistance - why? However, programs to reward countries moving toward democracy or fighting terrorism were stripped from the bill - you know why.

Bush-Cheney disingenuously say they too want out of Iraq. Congress voted $94.5 billion emergency spending for Iraq. The will of Congress was thwarted. A provision that no money would be spent for permanent basing was deleted, staffers blamed - yeah.

Bush-Cheney-Rumsfeld-Rice continue the drumbeat for military action against Iran, regardless of displaying diplomatic overtures. It's deja vu Iraq - prove you don't have something. Where are the 537 elected, mostly spineless representatives, the ones whose interest of the nation is not foremost in their mind? We should count our blessings.

WILLIAM DREU

Vista

Faith-based credit union helps little guy

I am supporting this faith-based credit union ("Faith-based credit union gets help," June 22) because the rich are getting richer - you know the rest.

I know helping the small guy get a little footing in this world is good for all of us as a community. Loans help build us up as we work hard to pay them, and it gives a sense of ownership, which is something that gets passed down to the children, the hard work and values. This is just one way to help families and, in return, it builds the community too.

The loans are small and provide an alternative to such unsavory arrangements as high-interest loans, pawn shops and payday loans that can lead to credit problems.

KIM WOO

Vista

A broken Marine filled with emotion

Every morning I sit at my desk with my morning coffee and quickly scan the daily news on the Internet. I was on MSNBC reading the article about the Marines being charged with murder (which I have mixed feelings about) and noticed links to other related articles.

The headline, "A broken Marine" caught my eye. When I opened the article and began reading I was filled with emotion. The writer took me inside the interview.

I felt like I was sitting there listening and watching the lance corporal while he told his story. I just wanted to say that this article reminded me, and I hope reminded other readers, that the military personnel out there are victims, too.

Both Iraq and the U.S. have victims - we're all victims, for whatever intentions our president has, the mayhem, the lives taken, everything and everyone affected by this whole situation, I pray that the end result is more positive than negative.

TINA HARMON

Oceanside

Congrats to the NCT

Congratulations to all of the staff of the North County Times for winning so many awards at the June 22 journalism awards banquet ("NC Times earns journalism awards"). It made me proud of all of you.

Sorry Adam Kaye and the editor in chief weren't there. However, it was a proud moment for this Cardiff-by-the-Sea resident to see our local newspaper take on the Union-Tribune. Good job, guys.

LORRI GREENE

Cardiff-by-the-Sea

Grad night a job well done

I want to thank the Carlsbad High Grad Night Committee and its chairperson, Nicole Pappas, for an great time last Thursday night. As parent of a future CHS graduate, I took the opportunity to play casino dealer to some of the 400 brightest kids I ever met.

At a new off-campus site in Sorrento Valley, the Grad Night volunteers (including CUSD board trustees, Nicole Pappas and Kelli Moores) keep the graduates fed, shuffling, disco dancing, rope climbing and laughing through three shows into the wee hours.

As a coach, I had fun seeing many former T-ball and Pop Warner players. But I'm glad the parents rested easy knowing the grads had a safe place to celebrate.

Job well done to Ms. Pappas and all the CHS Grad Night Committee.

RANDALL BENSON

Carlsbad

Election defies common sense

The June 6 election was disappointing for Oceanside. The defeat of Proposition F leaves the future of Tri-City in limbo. If it had passed it would only have cost me $64 a year in property tax. That would guarantee me an uncrowded and close-by hospital with the best equipment and doctors. Local property values would be protected. If we are 15 miles away from the hospital no one will want to live here.

Those in Carlsbad who voted against Prop. F because they use Scripps in Encinitas will now likely encounter many people from Oceanside in their emergency room.

Proposition 82 would have been free to most: What did 99.5 percent of us have to lose by voting yes? California's high dropout rate, crime rate and test scores would improve if every 4-year-old could attend a good preschool free. If it was applied to grades K-12 it might not pass either, and would it help if spread across 13 years of schooling instead of one?

Have you been to a library lately? Dozens of students and adults use the computers. Teachers now expect reports to be researched and keyed by computer.

Cost per person for Proposition 81 would have been about $1.30 a year according to the Legislative Analyst's figures. How much did you pay for that canister of butane for your gas barbecue?

ELAINE BARTON

Oceanside

Avoid no-knock situation

I am sure that, according to the Supreme Court ruling, a police officer cannot just bust into a house without knocking - they still have to have a warrant and probable cause.

Moreover, when there is good evidence at hand, the guilty person should not be set free just because a police officer made a mistake. In addition the police officer(s) must stand ready to be responsible for their mistakes and answer according to the law or rules of the job.

This is called fine-tuning the law and actually puts the officer(s) in an awkward position. It would behoove all police officers to avoid a no-knock situation.

RAMSEY MARCUS TUELL

San Marcos

Pilot program for senior transportation

Our thanks to the San Marcos City Council for the unanimous approval of the senior On the Move program. This is a program for seniors who cannot drive and, because of poor health, are not able to access public transportation.

Although this program is restricted to residents with under $50,000 a year income, we trust it is the first step of a pilot program to determine the need in our community. The taxi voucher is still in effect for (door-to-door) medical appointments.

We would welcome volunteer drivers, reimbursed for mileage and insured under the city's umbrella policy. Neighbors helping neighbors makes our community a happy place in which to live, work and shop.

Quoting from the current AARP bulletin on Building Livable Communities: "If people have no means of transportation, they're prisoners in their own homes." Let's make it easier for them to remain independent and take part in civic and social life. Let's make San Marcos a great place in which to live. Thank you to the Community Services director, Bill Schramm and Georganne Woodward, supervisor of the Senior Center, and especially Jim Desmond, councilman, for your work in developing this program.

Plans are to start this summer. Call the Senior Center (760) 744-5535 if you need a ride.

RUTH MOSKOWITZ

San Marcos Health

Care Advisory Council of Palomar Pomerado Health

Why do we pay highest for gas?

One question: Why does San Diego pay the highest price for a gallon of gasoline?

NELSON NORGELL

Escondido

Many mouths to feed in America

All I could think of when I saw the picture of the bunch of open-mouthed carp (The Back Page, June 20) expecting to be fed was the myriad of open-mouthed special-interest groups and welfare recipients who expect (better yet, demand) to be continually fed with a never-ending flow of taxpayers' dollars cavalierly doled out by irresponsible and incompetent bureaucrats.

Case in fact: The millions of dollars of FEMA money fed into Louisiana that ended up in the hands of non-deserving crooks, no questions asked. Sad!

MERRILL BROWN

Oceanside

Political correctness in a time of war

The political tug-of-war in the U.S. between conservatives, who want to keep our constitutional liberties, values and traditions, and liberals who want to change into a socialistic country controlled by the United Nations, is the real reason behind the hate rhetoric against President Bush and his policies.

The difference between these goals is that the conservative one is based on realism and historical success, whereas the liberal one is based on emotion and illogical reasoning that are not realistic in this troublesome world.

When political correctness against wiretapping and racial profiling prevents us from protecting ourselves and our families from fanatical terrorists, then it's time to use common sense and pass a law that an exception should be made in time of war to these restrictions. How can you successfully fight a bully with your hands tied behind your back? Wiretapping has exposed several dangerous terrorist plots to attack us already.

We can't afford to take such chances in time of war and let political correctness interfere with our ability to protect ourselves from those who are dedicated to destroying us.

MARCY YOUNG

Oceanside

No one was illegal until there was a law

I wish people like Mr. Paul Marx would do some research before making erroneous statements in his June 20 letter about Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty.

1. Ellis Island, 1892-1954, profiled 22 million legal immigrants legally, and medically inspected. What's wrong with that? All nations do so! 2. The Statue of Liberty was from the people of France and was dedicated Oct. 28, 1886. This was a joint venture, with the United States furnishing the land and foundation for the statue. The reason for this was to commemorate the centennial of the American Declaration of Independence.

3. Emma Lazaro's quote, "Give me your tired, your poor" - on the foundation, not the statue - pertains to legal European immigrants only!

Last but not least, Paul Marx, most people don't know anything about this information. All they have to do is look it up on their computer as I did. I do this on almost all letters to the North County Times. Most of the time I find that the letters don't have much fact, just an agenda.

No one is illegal until there is a law. We now have that law.

DON REICHERT

Escondido

People don't believe quarry will be benign

In Chris Bagley's article "Group says 70 Percent Oppose Quarry," June 24, about Ken Johnson, a 77-year-old Redhawk resident and his helpers who went door to door in his community obtaining 2,100 signatures on petitions opposing the quarry, a mine spokesperson suggests that somehow Mr. Johnson must have coerced people into signing.

Granite Construction's Gary Johnson, the project manager, said in the article that, "most of the residents had signed after hearing from committed opponents of the quarry." Those same residents have been receiving slick mailings from Granite, hearing their ads on radio and elsewhere about the marvels of having a quarry next door to Temecula/Murrieta and Rainbow, and still "people get it."

They do not want a quarry with 1,400 double truck trips a day congesting the freeway just south of Temecula and do not believe that their traffic will be reduced -- someplace else maybe, but not right here. They do not want particulate matter in their air from diesel truck emissions or from blasting and crushing of rock. They do not want the important scientific experiments at SDSU's Ecological Reserve damaged. These studies will help us deal with air quality problems, water concerns, fire dangers, earthquake dangers and the needs of our wildlife.

Grassroots groups do not have deep pockets like Granite, but we have passionate, committed people such as Ken Johnson who will spend months going door to door getting the real views of residents. Seventy percent against Liberty Quarry! Granite, take note.

BARBARA WILDER

Temecula

Keep religion out of schools

whatever happened to enforcing the constitution and the separation of church and state? doesn't anyone care anymore? is the religious right taking over? i do not believe that the schools should be having a class where they read the bible ("school district eyes bible class," june 18). keep religion out of the classroom!

BILL CHARLES

Murrieta

Don't experiment with quarry

Rick Kellogg (Letters, June 24) must be making all of those pro-quarry statements just to agitate and get a response from those opposed to the project. He won't be affected one way or the other, unless he is on the payroll of someone who will benefit.

He should stay out of the matter, and is a bit deranged in his thinking Granite should be allowed to build the quarry just to see if it will meet the standards after the fact, when it is too late to do anything about it. Far better to deny the permit prior to any experimentation.

NORVIN G. SNOOK

Temecula

Don't presume Marines are all guilty

We don't know the whole story (with the Marines charged with murder), so we should presume innocence until we do. I know these men aren't superhuman, but they aren't the wild-eyed Jack Nicholson types the movies sometimes make them out to be.

I am not saying it is impossible to crack under the stress of war. However, the prosecutor will have to demonstrate motive, won't he? Why would all eight men, without provocation, risk everything (wives, babies, and their own lives) and drag a middle-aged "semi-handicapped" Iraqi man out of his house in the middle of the night and shoot him in the face?

Now, let's look at the other possible motive. In some reports, the man's family came forward last month to request money from the U.S. government to settle for his death. Where does the truth lie? Let's wait and see.

Kristin Shaffer

Temecula

Granite has failed to live up to rules

In response to the letter written by Rick Kellogg (Letters, June 24) pleading for Granite Construction to have an opportunity to prove that it will comply with air quality regulations, I must inform him that they have had that opportunity and failed.

Please refer to the article "Air violations raise questions about quarry operator," published in The Californian in October 2005. I quote: "By late 2000, those Nevada commissioners appeared to have lost their patience with Granite. Three violations in June of that year triggered yet another fine, for $15,400, and provoked extensive debate at a meeting that August. One commissioner observed that Granite and a few other companies 'seem to be in here all the time' for violations."

It is common knowledge that it is less expensive for mining companies to pay for violations than to comply with agreed upon environmental regulations. It is also true that any and all fines that have been leveled against any mining companies in the United States have not been paid for over two years. It seems the government can't afford the cost of a postage stamp to send out the bills.

Another obvious reality is that the only way for Granite to prove itself to our local residents is to actually build the quarry. If it were built, we would all have to live with it, no matter what. I for one am not willing to take that risk to "see if they will comply."

ROBBIE ADKINS

Temecula

New Sun City board doing a good job

I have been a property owner in Sun City for eight years. The Civic Association has continuously increased dues and wasted money paying contractors and administrators without increasing the use or services of the association. The prior board of directors clearly conducted business in private, used their resources -- our money -- to hire consultants and almost sold association property to a developer without an open sale and bids on the property.

The new board of directors has acted swiftly, slashing the budget, getting rid of dead weight -- a very highly paid and ineffective administrator -- and reviewed and canceled contracts that needed to be canceled.

A recall is not the answer for this type of association. This board was elected properly; let them do what they are charged to do, manage the finances and assets of the association in a fiscally responsible manner and enforce the CC&Rs. We don't want a board that continually asks the residents for more money for less.

We don't want a board that employs friends and asks for personal favors. Less highly paid administrative managers and more workers might result in a better run association. And, last, let this board survey who in the community uses the facilities and determine if the dollars spent are appropriate. A recall will only waste more of our association money. Stop this tyranny now.

JOHN MCCALLEY

Sun City

Drop charges against Marines

I was four years in World War II in the Pacific. I went ashore on Tarawa. It only took four days for the 2nd Marines to take the island. I have never seen such bravery, love and devotion for our country. We will never lose our country as long as we have the United States Marines, all divisions.

Everyone knows we had a large coalition to start this war. Please dismiss all charges against these great men being held at Camp Pendleton on circumstances unknown. All people, please write to our president requesting dismissal of all charges against all whom are charged.

JAMES DIMITRIADIS

Murrieta

Web Comments:

Commuter rail eyed for I-15 corridor

Readers had this to say in response to an article Tuesday about a regional transportation agency exploring the idea of commuter rail service between Southwest Riverside County and inland San Diego County:

Cars killing us

Do it now: It couldn't happen soon enough. Get people out of their cars. It's killing us fat Americans.

Trains and crime

Jeff: These train ideas are fine except that the parking lots become shopping areas for car thieves and riffraff. Lots of crimes in these lots go unreported and the security is worthless. The trolley in some San Diego areas is called The Crime Train. Ridership is poor. Thank goodness for a shortness of funding.

Vote Democratic

Truth: If you want to improve transportation, vote Democratic in November.

Transit needed

Elizabeth: San Diego as it continues to increase in population (thanks to the developers all over the county) definitely needs mass transit help. The challenge as one reader said above is the security at these lots and security on the trains. Also, getting the word out to people to commute and I agree with the other reader, let's get out of the cars and walk a bit to the stations. I hope San Diego doesn't turn into Los Angeles.

Consider this

Cardiff homeowner: Consider also a commuter rail down the center of I-5.

Common sense

Move the Coaster to I5: Move the coaster and RR tracks to I5. Common sense move.

Get serious

LP: It's about time. This is way overdue for the residents of Temecula Valley and surrounding areas. The city planners should have been down this road years ago. What a bunch of unproductive and lazy administrators running those cities. Let's get serious during election time. Make sure your candidate goes above and beyond to make this happen, otherwise "they are OUT."

Democrats mean taxes

Bryan: If you want to (see) your taxes raised, vote Democrat.