Paid parking would destroy village charm
It would be highly detrimental to La Jolla if the Community Parking District imposes paid parking in the village of La Jolla.
There are already plenty of paid parking garages and paid parking lots in the village. People obviously prefer to first find an unpaid spot on the street. When this fails, then they use the paid parking.
There is no need to make the on-street spots fee-ridden. That would only deter both residents and tourists from spending time in the village. This would be catastrophic for the unique boutique retailers, who already have a hard enough time trying to survive with the high rents in La Jolla and with all the extra costs imposed by government regulation.
An invalid argument by those who are for paid parking is that most of the money that the government takes from us would be returned for maintenance in La Jolla. This would be yet another tax. Our tax dollars, that the government already takes, are supposed to be used for such maintenance. If they aren’t, there is no reason to believe that giving the government more taxes will result in anything different.
The history of the San Diego city government proves they are not financially responsible. We should not give them more tax money at the sacrifice of the village of La Jolla.
Ҭ
Annaliese Cassarino, La Jolla

Restaurateurs promote paid parking
As a business owner, I support paid on-street parking and community-based parking management solutions in the Village of La Jolla. It has worked in other communities and it’s time that we did something that reinvests dollars right back in to our community with new trash cans, better lighting, and more parking for our customers with a parking garage or acquiring more new parking spaces.
Paid on-street parking works in other cities and even in other San Diego neighborhoods. It’s time we did something about our parking problems now.
Bill Berkley, Owner, Jack’s La Jolla
I support paid on street parking and community based parking management solutions in the Village of La Jolla. It has worked in other communities and it’s time that we did something that reinvests dollars right back in to our community with new trash cans, better lighting, and more parking for our customers with a parking garage or acquiring new more parking spaces.
Paid on street parking works in other cities and even in other San Diego neighborhoods. It’s time we did something about our parking problems now.
Patrick J. Walsh, Regional General Manager
The Brigantine Family of Restaurants (Azul)

Either participant or spectator cruelty
Thank you for your article spotlighting the plight of the elephants in the upcoming Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus (“Ringling Circus visit puts spotlight on elephants,” Village News, Aug. 2, page 3).
I could not help thinking about the indictment of Michael Vick when I read about the elephants. The cruelty that is propagated by man towards animals is unconscionable, and immoral.
It is naive to believe what Ms. Aria is promoting just to sell tickets. Common sense dictates that we do not find elephants standing on their head or hind legs in the wild. Common sense dictates that tigers do not willingly jump through hoops of fire. The methods used to instill fear and discipline are unimaginable.
These endangered species belong in the wild or perhaps, after a lifetime in a traveling circus, at a sanctuary. Truth be told, they probably could no longer survive in the wild.
Until we are educated to treat animals, wild or domestic, with kindness and compassion, we are all guilty of either spectator or participant cruelty.
All of us can help the animals by simply not attending a circus. Cirque de Soleil is the most profitable circus in history, yet no animal except those on two legs is found in their tent.
Lynn Bruser, La Jolla

In chains they live ” in chains they die
Elephants are highly intelligent animals who live in close family units within large herds. Strong bonds exist between family members and there is a lifetime attachment between mother and daughters. In the wild, while roaming free, elephants walk 20-25 miles a day seeking and selecting food and water where they can drink, bathe, play, swim and socialize.
Captured baby elephants sold to circuses are brutally uprooted from their family and homeland. Chained and beaten, the ruthless process of breaking their spirit begins. They are then doomed to live the remainder of their lives as shackled prisoners, victims of human greed.
Unchained to “perform” or for staged public viewing, these pachyderms are again chained by two or more legs and confined to a spot no larger than an automobile. I have watched elephants for hours pulling, gnawing and straining in hopeless frustration.
In viewing the unloading of elephants from a Ringling Bros. circus train in San Diego, the animals appeared exhausted. They were abruptly and callously unloaded and looked like empty shells devoid of life, their noble spirit long broken from many years of misuse and abuse. They would squeal mournful, eerie cries of distress and appeared dehydrated, some frothing at the mouth, trunks frantically sniffing for water ” though none was given.
One elephant had what appeared to be a tumor-like protrusion on her right side. Some had open wounds. Their feet were in deplorable condition, toes crusted with feces and the cuticle badly in need of treatment. Handlers used bull hooks repeatedly to forcefully reprimand the elephants who were simply trying to quickly do what was required of them.
The inadequate USDA regulations do not really protect the animals. The reason is clear: the circus community helped set those minimal regulations.
The neurotic behaviors exhibited by elephants are telltale signs of unceasing stress. Elephants are denied every basic normal expression of life; even their natural impulse to walk is thwarted by crippling chains. How many more elephants must be driven mad to amuse an uninformed public, all under the guise of “education and entertainment”?
As the animal welfare community continues this educational campaign about circus animal life, we are encouraged by signs of change. Knowledgeable circus employees have whispered to us on the side, “Keep it up, it’s working.”
Truth is on our side. And we pray that soon these animals will be released to live in a natural environment where they can swim, play, eat, drink and sleep without restraint ” where for the first time in their lives they can freely walk without chains.
Florence L. Lambert, La Jolla
” Florence Lambert is the founder of the Elephant Alliance.

Start with little things
I’m writing in response to Sandy Lippe’s article, “What does UC want to be?” (Village News Triangle Talk, Aug. 2, page 9.)
I was born in University City where I lived for six years before moving to La Mesa. Upon buying a condo in 2005, I returned to U.C. with much anticipation.
For I remembered walking along the train tracks (leaving pennies for the trains to roll over) before U.C. High was built. In fact, I remember a petition being circulated trying to stop the building of the high school!
I remembered walking down Genesee from Curie Elementary and being stopped by a police officer who feared for my safety on that “busy” street (way back in 1975!).
I also remembered jumping off the high dive at Swanson Pool and feeling pretty proud of myself. Good memories as a curious and adventurous child!
Returning to U.C. at 35 years old, things seemed pretty much as they were in the early 1970s. One thing that’s changed, however, was my desire to improve my community.
I’m not sure if I have answers to Sandy Lippe’s questions about our community being unable to sustain a newspaper, a garden or a July 4 UC celebration.
All I know is the more I venture out and pick up trash on Lakewood, Via Lapiz, and Governor, the better I feel about our neighborhood. I know my efforts are worth it…a woman stopped me as she was driving by and said, “That’s a really great idea, picking up trash on your daily walk. I should start doing that.”
We can do little things around our neighborhood. If you can’t make a big commitment for heavy-duty jobs around U.C., just pick up some trash along the way. You’ll feel good about yourself and add a little bit of pride to our community.
Thank you!

Sue DeVol, University City