Lawmakers should focus on state problems

So, with all of California’s problems, Assemblyman Anthony Portantino and other lawmakers have introduced legislation to “push the federal government” to recognize the Armenian Genocide (“State lawmakers take up Armenian Genocide,” Jan. 30)?

Don’t get me wrong, the genocide was historical and tragic beyond words, and the federal government should stop the semantics and call it what it was.

But is this really what we elected our state lawmakers for? To tell Congress what to do? Especially when California has already recognized the Armenian Genocide dozens of times?

Portantino and his colleagues would be much better off rolling up their sleeves and working on our state’s many problems. Their job is not to focus on foreign affairs, but California’s economy and budget.

Excuse me for pointing out the obvious: this latest effort comes across as political pandering on foreign policy, by people with no productive ideas on how to improve our state.

Jason Michaels

Burbank

Real trees will return for Christmas next year

What a great surprise to receive your Dec. 18 editorial on “Step up for tree seller.”

I received the original copy of the editorial with the front page story — plus many more copies from our wonderful customers. Thank you, your paper, Gretchen Meier and all the real-tree faithful who continue to buy fresh Christmas trees at Casella’s.

It was a real tough season, losing more than $6,000 in equipment (we did recover our truck), fighting the ice storms to get trees off the farm, trucking delays and being sick. We made it by selling trees wholesale and having a great crew who virtually took care of 95% of the operation.

We are sorry and apologize to our customers who did not get a Casella tree before we closed on Dec. 16.

Again, thank you for the editorial and we will be back in Burbank again in 2011 — hoping to return to Burbank High School.

Gary Casella

Tiburon, Calif.

Editor’s note: Casella is the owner of Casella’s Custom-cut Christmas Trees.

Kudos for Sunday edition, except one letter

I like the new newspaper on Sunday. What a pleasant surprise.

More pages, more color, more fun! The front page looks terrific. I like everything except the ridiculous anti-gun letter in forum section. That was a waste of good soy-based black ink.

Other than that, keep up the good work.

Tim Elliott

Burbank