Time to turn to other problems
Regents Bridge: democracy in action. What a great lesson in democracy!
It was true drama, with all the excellent pro/con speeches witnessed not just by the several hundred adults in attendance, but also by the many children in the audience.
And then the moving summarizing speech by Scott Peters followed by a convincing 6-2 vote in favor of the bridge. Some folks were appalled, others elated. That’s democracy.
Now we can direct our energies toward solving other long-neglected problems in U.C.
We can start by improving the appearance of our community.Other San Diego communities have trees and flowers in the boulevards (note that Balboa Avenue in Clairemont is undergoing extensive beautification).
Our community boulevards are barren. We need to plant trees in the Governor Drive median.
Trees should be planted in the Regents Road and Genesee Avenue medians north of Highway 52. These roads should look like Genesee Avenue north of Governor, with its 39 pine trees planted in the median.
We need trees and shrubs planted along the Rose Canyon railroad tracks to soften the noise and visual impact of the 55 daily trains and the soon-to-be 100-plus trolleys per day.
So the rest of San Diego looks upon us as the endless wranglers of University City!
Let us change their (and our) perception of us and end the wrangling. The votes have been cast. We can now beautify this community visually, verbally and socially.
Gene Worscheck, University City

If you wreck it, all of us lose
I was very sad to hear the news that our City Council voted to build a bridge and road through a great canyon ” Rose Canyon.
Recently, I went walking through Rose Canyon with my family and friends, and really enjoyed myself. It was really fun.
I wrote to the Mayor and Councilman Scott Peters, and all of the other Council members and asked them all to not let a bridge be built through this wonderful canyon.
While on my hike, I saw lizards, butterflies, red-tailed hawks, chipmunks, coyote melons, a beehive, a stream, many types of birds, and a huge amount of different plants and flowers.
If there was a bridge built through this trail, there would be too much noise from the road to enjoy the outdoor area. Also, animals would either move away from the area or be threatened since their habitat is going to be in danger.
We don’t have a lot of other places to go hiking that are close by. There is Torrey Pines trails, and San Clemente trail, but Rose Canyon is unique. You just don’t see the same animals and plants on those other trails that you do when walking through Rose Canyon.
We learn new things about animals, plants and our environment just by taking hikes! It is like a classroom outdoors. Now it seems like this classroom in Rose Canyon is being taken away.
I understand that some people felt the bridge and new road would help traffic and some other things. But, for some reason, it seems like they could have solved the problem another way.
There is only one Rose Canyon. If you wreck it, all of us lose out on something beautiful.
Tayler Necoechea, age 8
Bird Rock Elementary School, La Jolla

Totally absurd, dangerous & a disgrace
I am not a smoker.
I don’t approve of smoking in my house, restaurants, buses, theatres or other indoor places.
But, I cannot fathom the hysteria against smoking on the beaches.
It is a disgrace to expect lifeguards to monitor smoking violations. It is totally absurd and dangerous, and I think illegal to add this burden to lifeguards’ life-saving responsibilities.
Is this an attempt by the San Diego City Council to prove to us that they are really on the job? Shame on them!
Tanja Winter, La Jolla

The power not to buy
The Union-Tribune carried a story on Aug. 2 about how the Chinese government killed 50,000 dogs after three people died of rabies.
The five-day slaughter spared only military guard dogs and police canine units. Dogs being walked were seized from their owners and beaten to death on the spot.
It will not be easy, but I commit to never buying another product that says “made in China” and I invite you to do the same.
It will be difficult because almost everything you pick up in the United States is made in China.
We have the power not to buy and I for one am going to exercise it.
Trish Hausman, San Diego