July 4 jobs well done
I hope you all had a wonderful holiday ” Park & Rec, police and lifeguards did their very best to make sure it was for all those who celebrated the Fourth at Kellogg Park! Thank you one and all for a job very well done!
It is now 5:49 a.m. and the south end of Kellogg Park has already been spit-shined! Staff ” and I mean lots of staff ” have been out there for some time already and everyone is moving double-time. Their leadership is definitely making lemonade out of lemons ” stretching every $$ as far as they can to provide a maximum of service with a minimum of staff and funding ” and they deserve huge kudos for a job very well done!
Brian Ahearn made sure his beach team gave good coverage to Kellogg Park and spoiled us by setting up a command post on the Fourth. Police presence does make a difference, and we thank you for ensuring a “safe” time for all!
The results speak volumes to the need for a park ranger ” they are really the ones who should be covering Kellogg Park on a regular basis to limit the necessity for police coverage. They are needed so badly in other parts of the city. We are noticing an increase in potential gang-related activities in the park and appreciate Brian’s efforts to “nip it in the bud” ” a real challenge with his limited staff and resources. We are fortunate to have an “alcohol-free” family park and beach and sincerely appreciate Brian’s efforts to keep it that way.
It goes without saying that the lifeguards did their usual exceptional job ” thank you!
City of San Diego Park & Rec, police and lifeguards clearly take great pride in their jobs every day of the year, but their service level July Fourth was exceptional and the results are “over the top!”
It was most impressive to see our city pull together to do such a great job ” the media even did their part!
I’m proud to be a San Diegan.
Mary Coakley, La Jolla

Divers should take a deep bow
I would like to thank all the divers and everyone who took the time out to come down and join in on our second beach cleanup of the year at the Children’s Pool and South Casa beach on Saturday, July 7.
We had a good turnout with a dozen volunteers cleaning the two beaches after the Fourth of July celebrations.
Our next beach cleanup is Saturday, Sept. 1, just before Labor Day.
David Pierce, San Diego

How much for the party?
As well behaved as it might have been, can an elected official please tell me the cost of security, to a near-bankrupt city, to host the beach booze party San Diego had on the Fourth of July?
Barrie Adsett, Mission Beach

Reconsider stance on Casa Beach
I am writing in regards to the safety and protection of the harbor seals at Casa Beach. It is a well-known fact that seals need seven to 10 hours of undisturbed peace on the beach every day in order to thrive and reproduce properly. Seals are naturally shy, and without proper protection, these amazing creatures will suffer because of human interaction. At the very least, the rope surrounding the seals’ area should stay up year round.
I am worried that our city council member, honorable Kevin Faulconer, claims to be concerned with seal health and safety, and yet does not support having Casa Beach be a seal sanctuary. I strongly urge Mr. Faulconer to reconsider his stance on Casa Beach.
Jennifer Sutliff, Ocean Beach

La Jolla pushes its problems south
Among the letters regarding the alcohol ban at the beach published in the July 5 La Jolla Village News was a concise and to-the-point letter from Cynthia Francisco (“Not just the stepchildren,” page 8). I would like to applaud her for her clear thinking. She proposed that the city should have a uniform policy at all city beaches and parks. I agree with her that the imposition of piecemeal zones banning drinking creates unfairness. Why should La Jolla enjoy an alcohol-free zone, thereby pushing its former problems to the beaches to the south?
Chief Landsdowne is concerned that banning alcohol at the beach will result in problems moving inland. However, if the policy is uniform at all developed city beaches and parks, then the problems should be dispersed evenly and fairly. (Perhaps Fiesta Island could have its own set of regulations since it remains undeveloped.) As Ms. Francisco pointed out, the citizens of San Diego might have a different attitude toward the alcohol issue if other areas of the city “would have to share the crime and other alcohol-related problems that come with excessive alcohol consumption.”
One proposal is to create an alcohol-free zone between Felspar Street and Reed Avenue. What is that all about? The area of the beach near Reed Street is typically the most densely populated area with large drinking parties. If drinking is banned there, the problems will just be moved further south. Any action that the city takes should include the fairness factor. I agree with Ms. Francisco, “What applies to one beach within the city limits should apply to all beaches equally.”
There are many citizens that would be pleased if the city would extend the same courtesy to all developed parks and beaches in San Diego that they extended to La Jolla. The beach is a treasure for all the citizens of San Diego to enjoy. Those who come to the beach from other communities should expect the same standards of behavior at the beach that they expect at their own community parks. Would you say that’s only fair?
Diane Wozniak, Mission Beach

Empty Bowls get filled for successful event
We wanted to let you know how much we appreciated the article by Kailee Bradstreet and photographs in the Village News pertaining to our Empty Bowls event on May 12 (“Scouts, artisans, eateries team to end hunger,” Village News, May 10, page 1). Some of the people came because of the article and photo.
Thank you for including it in your paper!
We estimate that about 300 people attended, many buying more than the one bowl in which to eat their soups. Guests and volunteers enjoyed the music by Mission Bay High School Jazz Band, and during the band’s break, music of Julio de la Huerta on the Spanish guitar.
Because of the coming together of community, potters, restaurants, bakeries, volunteer workers and guests we are able to donate $5,777 to T.A.C.O. (Third Avenue Charitable Organization) to help with their program to feed hungry people. Two weeks later, at a second Empty Bowls event for TACO, we raised an additional $1,530. This brings the total for our Empty Bowls 2007 for T.A.C.O. to $7,307. Thank you for your help. We heard many voices encouraging us to produce this event next year, and hope that you will help us again.
Again, many, many thanks for your help in this fund-raising event.
Lynn Render, Lynn Zimmer, Janice and Ron Calabrese
San Diego

Ha, whose best friend?
Some people live with the notion that man’s best friend is true. But this is absolutely a questionable matter. According to the San Diego Gas and Electric statistics, 4.7 million people get bitten by dogs in the United States annually. We can of course learn how many of this number are killed or permanently injured.
Additionally, the cost to all of us in terms of bucks is huge and these numbers are available for any person wishing to dig up the statistics. I have never considered a dog being a man’s best friend, because I have been their victim.
Frieda L. Levinsky, La Jolla