Letters to the Editor: June 5, 2008

Sea mammals should stay

I have lived in La Jolla a long time. In the 1920s and ‘30s, and with my children in the ‘40s and ‘50s, we practically lived our summers on La Jolla’s beaches.

When our children were small we occasionally went to Children’s Pool where they could safely play. Walking the breakwater, looking down at the tide pools and colorful fish was like looking through a glass-bottom boat. Because of the rocks, swimming for adults was not practical. We went to other beaches.

Now the sea lions attract hundreds of people every day who can view them from ringside seats on three sides. The show is totally natural, with no feeding times or fees per view. It is unique along the mainland coast of Southern California, and watching the sea lions enriches the lives of thousands of people every day.

Some would like to restore the Children’s Pool to its original purpose. This would require getting rid of the sea lions and preventing their return. Such a project would be very expensive and perhaps impossible.

Ellen Browning Scripps showed much wisdom and generosity in endowing local institutions. I did not know her intimately, but I would venture to say that if she were alive today she would smile and recognize that the natural change of the beach to a home for sea lions is perfectly acceptable. Let nature take its course.

John S. Shelton

Geologist, photographer and teacher

La Jolla

Riford Center offers exercise programs for seniors

Thank you for your article about the Riford Center. Certainly the Center needs the financial support of La Jollans to continue providing a great service to the senior community of the area.

For almost 10 years I have being involved with the Center, participating mainly in the daily Martha Stumer’s exercise classes. At 71, I keep myself healthy, active and happy; Martha’s classes had a lot to do with my well being.

In your article, surprisingly, you forgot to mention her classes. It will be very valuable for us if you can mention these classes in your weekly paper, so the community would know and can take advantage of them. They are community college classes, so they are free. They are suited to seniors with different degrees of mobility.

We need to keep the enrolment high, to keep them going. As you know, exercising is one of the best things seniors can do for their health and total well being.

Thank you for anything you could do to forward this message to our community.

Nere Lartitegui, Ph.D.

La Jolla

Open letter to those who’ve served in the military

Whether you served or you are related to someone that served ... Today I am grateful for my freedoms. Freedom to pray as I see fit. Freedom to vote. Freedom to choose. Freedom to express my opinions. Freedom of speech. Freedom of vocation. Freedom of destiny. Free will.

Today I am grateful for you, my family, friends and associates. Today I am grateful for my wife Amy and her love. I am grateful that our granddaughter was born in America as an American. I write this, a tear in my eye, for those that I am most grateful, the men and women that served and sacrificed to for my freedoms. Most of you I do not know and you do not know me. Thank you for giving me the life that I have. Thank you for my freedom.

Terry Hall

La Jolla

Schools of distinction left out

While I commend your article “A School of Distinction,” it’s too bad that you only reported half the story. Two public elementary schools in La Jolla received the 2008 California Distinguished School award.

If the La Jolla Light is a true community newspaper, focusing on events and topics of interest to the entire community, you should have included information about Torrey Pines Elementary School, as well.

The real story is how the La Jolla community is working together, with the school district, to improve and strengthen its public schools. Parents, teachers and administrators at both Torrey Pines and LJ Elementary worked endless hours to win these rewards.

A local newspaper should report accurately and commend and recognize both schools.

Andrea Dahlberg

Torrey Pines Elementary School Parent

No ‘conflict’

(In response to a printed assetion that a “resident member” had resigned from the parking board due to a conflict.)

I was a director of the La Jolla Parking Board at the time the “resident member” resigned. I know that the member stayed on the Board as a director beyond the end of the term, as is allowed by the bylaws, because no one was elected as a replacement. This member agreed to stay a short time to complete work with the city attorney’s office concerning disclosure issues and then step down. The member did that and then stepped down.

At no time was there ever a suggestion or hint from him that the departure was as a result of any conflict. This member was the most competent and hardest working member of that Board for over two years.

Martin McGee

La Jolla