Letters to the Editor: Protecting tide pools is critical but why not stop selling starfish and shells?

Re: “Despite warning signs, visitors caused undue harm to tide pools,” (June 25). Thank you for your recent article. It is very timely for summer.

I love our tide pools. Now my peeve: Laguna puts a lot of emphasis on those tide pools but closes its eyes to the shops in town that sell shells and starfish. They may not be from our beaches but it seems wrong to sell them when the city’s goal is to keep the habitat safe.

Linda Jahraus

Laguna Beach

Peotter doesn’t belong on Finance Committee

Re: “Council members shuffle the deck in Newport Finance Committee,” (June 28). Thanks to the Pilot for reporting City Council’s latest brilliant move.

What could be better than having “financial guru” Scott Peotter on the Finance Committee? His zany ideas include selling the City Hall property rather than collecting lease income for 90 years, reducing city business license fees and even selling the bunny sculptures that adorn the Civic Center green. From the public objections to that last move, it became clear that the bunnies were more popular than Councilman Peotter.

Craig B. Smith

Newport Beach

Mayor took proper stance on needle exchange

Re: “Commentary: Proposed needle exchange program is a poor fit for Costa Mesa neighborhood,” (June 18). In her Daily Pilot commentary, Mayor Sandra L. Genis eloquently articulated her opinion on a possible needle exchange program coming to Costa Mesa.

I agree with her stance. So do many in District 5. It is not a fit for Costa Mesa. Thanks to Mayor Genis for educating our city on this matter and sending out information so we could voice our opinions to the appropriate authorities. Without you we might have never known about this.

Rebecca Trahan

Costa Mesa

The writer is a candidate in City Council District 5.

Voting is the best way to protect immigrant rights

While I applaud Melissa Inouye’s Commentary (“Immigrant detention is a reminder to look at inhumanity throughout history,” June 18), there is a surer way to protest the current policies of the Trump administration regarding immigrants.

It is called voting. Ms. Inouye, from Costa Mesa, is represented by Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Costa Mesa), an ardent critic of illegal immigration. Rohrabacher is not only a Trump devotee but an admirer of Vladimir Putin, who has his own ideas about immigrants.

Until our government changes, demonstrations are just sound and fury. Rohrabacher is opposed by Democrat Harley Rouda in the 48th Congressional District. Rouda is entirely sympathetic to the plight of immigrants, as well as other issues affecting them, such as healthcare, the environment, equal opportunities and worker protections.

Only when we have branches of government capable of resisting assaults on justice and the rule of law will we be in a position to move forward and have our families be safe. I wish Ms. Inouye well, but urge her and her family, friends and neighbors to defeat Rohrabacher and elect Rouda to Congress.

Tim Geddes

Huntington Beach

Women should weigh in on justice pick

With all the talk swirling around Washington about which candidate President Trump will nominate to the Supreme Court next week, I ask: What’s the rush?

That is especially true when it comes to the court’s ultimate decision about Roe v. Wade, which you know is coming.

Between now and then, I would like to see a blue ribbon panel of women meet to offer what I hope would be a balanced opinion. Historically, mostly men have dominated the decisions relative to Roe v. Wade. Isn’t it about time business women, female healthcare experts and their legal sisters weigh in with one voice?

Denny Freidenrich

Laguna Beach

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