Leave Lindbergh Alone
This airport situation has become like a broken record. I will vote to keep Lindbergh Field to remain in the same exact spot. Just leave well enough alone.
Number one, somebody was not using their head by allowing this Corky McMillin to right away begin to use the Navy Training Center (NTC) to build dwellings. This land could have been used to enlarge the runway for our airport. Or it could have encouraged the Marines to move next door where the Navy left and utilize that land for another landing strip.
Not only that, but the situation concerning the houses McMillin was allowed to build has contributed to the wall-to-wall traffic in the Midway, Sports Arena and Rosecrans areas. That’s another problem that has been created by having to second guess what to do to correct this traffic problem.
Now these people that supposedly use their heads have not come to any sensible conclusions. Lindbergh Field is an ideal, perfect location already.
Pauline O’Malley, Point Loma

Miramar Fraught With Logistical Problems
There is a problem with using Miramar as our primary airport; the existing runway’s centerline, extended two times the runway’s length, passes through the north edge of Soledad Park, then continues over the center of La Jolla Country Club, and over and in line with Genter Street.
Military aircraft have enough power where they now turn north and avoid following this extended centerline; commercial aircraft do not have that excess power. It is unlikely that commercial aircraft will pass the peak of Mount Soledad at a height that substantially decreases noise from their engines at full throttle during take-off. During Santa Ana conditions, a landing glide path will also pass low enough to induce headaches.
Now the consultants propose two parallel runways south of the existing one that will bracket State 52 and cross Clairemont, with the northern runway’s extended centerline passing above the intersection of La Jolla Scenic South and Soledad Mountain Road, following Gravilla Street out to sea. The proposed southern runway’s centerline is just north of Balboa Avenue, but this runway does not have the elevation to traverse that the other two do.
This is obvious Nimbyism, but the difference from long-suffering Point Loma’s relatively flat terrain is the significant heights atop Mount Soledad. If you doubt the geography, visit the war memorial, eyeball the alignments and notice just how high you are. Yes, we may have to remove the cross, and maybe some antennas, but for an entirely different reason than the litigation.
Zack Hayman, La Jolla

Enforce Existing Dog Leash Laws For Safety
I took my 18-month-old toddler to Kate Sessions Park on April 18 to let him run around on the expansive grassy hills in the late afternoon. We were at the bottom of the hill and I had my back to the top as I watched my son running in front of me. A couple having a picnic nearby yelled, “Watch out!” and when I turned around a pit bull was charging down the hill directly at my son. I grabbed him and held him up as high as I could as the dog bared his teeth and barked at us. The dog’s owner was over 100 yards away. (It goes without saying the dog was not on a leash.) The dog then took off after another pit bull that was running free. The two dogs began to fight with each other as the owners cheered them on.
This same afternoon there were other children in the park as well. I consider myself and my son so lucky someone yelled out a warning. This could have ended tragically. I have since visited the park and noticed mastiffs and pit bulls not on leashes. When I informed Animal Control, I was told there is really nothing they can and/or will do about this. (There are signs posted that all dogs must be on a leash at all times.)
I did not intend to make dangerous dogs roaming free at Kate Sessions Park my cause, but it is important enough to me as a parent to make this a priority ” especially when all it involves is enforcing the existing law.
What I propose is a preventative and proactive approach:
1. Have San Diego Animal Control visit the park consistently to ticket any and all owners who do not have their dogs on a leash.
2. In addition to the signs that instruct dog owners to have their dogs on a leash, there should also be a sign with a hotline to report dog owners who are not adhering to the law.
I was so lucky that my toddler and I were not victims of an unprovoked attack by a pit bull at a public park. What if the next child and parents aren’t as lucky? It’s a scary thought ” especially since much could be done to prevent it.
Lee Silber, Mission Beach

Misunderstood Opossums Deserve Better
Now that spring has officially “sprung” and baby animals are being born in our backyards, we need to be cautious when dealing with the wildlife that surrounds us.
Because constantly developing neighborhoods and businesses are taking over previously untouched land, wild animals are forced to live in closer proximity with humans. With few alternatives available, they have no choice but to enter our homes, parks, and even downtown areas in search of food and shelter. Among these animals are the commonly misunderstood opossum, who wants nothing more than to raise her family in peace.
When you see opossums, give them their space. Opossums are very private, and any sudden movement could startle them, causing a baby to fall off of his mother’s back. If you leave them alone, they will leave your yard and find a safer place to forage for food. Keep your animals and opossums safe by keeping your animals inside at night. Dogs and cats and other companion animals can be injured if they encounter wild animals, but they might prey on opossums, as well.
Always remember to drive slowly at night and give wildlife a “brake.” If you find an injured opossum, raccoon or other animal, contact your local wildlife rehabilitator or call your local shelter immediately. To find more information, including a list of wildlife rehabilitators near you, visit www.HelpingWildlife.com.
Katrelya Angus, Sierra Madre, CA

New World For Seals
This may come as news to the small contingent still intent on driving seals off of the beach in La Jolla, but the world has changed in the last 75 years since the City of San Diego took over responsibility for the beach at Children’s Pool. The loss of wildlife habitat, alarming rise in greenhouse gases, proliferation of industrial chemicals in our environment, and general degradation of the Earth’s ecosystems since 1931 pose a very real threat to the quality of life, and even survival, of future generations. Farsighted and compassionate leaders who want the best for our children understand that we must take quick and decisive action to avert environmental catastrophe.
Children’s Pool is the best opportunity for us to begin taking this direction at the local level. Allowing the seals use of 200 feet of shoreline, out of 73 miles available for human use, is a first step in teaching the vital lesson of respect for natural ecosystems. I’m frequently at Children’s Pool as a volunteer, and have never seen a child express a desire to chase seals off of this tiny pocket of sand so they can swim there. On the contrary, the universal reactions of children to the opportunity to view the seals are delight, smiles, joy and excitement. Children understand they can swim in a pool or on any other beach, and love the La Jolla seals. Pro seals equals pro children.
Laws need to adapt to keep up with changing needs and evolving thinking. Remember that in the span of human history, not long ago slavery, child labor, and voting rights reserved for white males were all perfectly legal. San Diego City Council and the City Attorney are to be applauded for responding appropriately to current conditions, instead of remaining frozen in 1931 needs and mindsets.
Janice Stanger, Pacific Beach