Mailbag: Rodman wormed his way out of a more serious penalty

Re. “Ex-NBA star Dennis Rodman pleads guilty to misdemeanors in connection with freeway crash,” (Feb. 6): Is it just me, or is anyone else surprised that Dennis Rodman got off so lightly? The guy drove the wrong way on the freeway, caused an accident that could have killed someone, fled the scene, lied to the cops, and all he gets is probation, community service and some restitution. Give me a break.

Mike Buettell
Balboa Island

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Give Genis a do-over on vote

Re. “Council member’s mistake might oust newly appointed Costa Mesa planning commissioner,” (Feb. 17): Many times at City Council meetings a council member has pressed the no or yes switch by mistake, and a re-vote is taken. It makes sense to do it over so the actual intent of the City Council prevails over a technical mistake. That, in essence, is what Costa Mesa Mayor Pro Tem Sandy Genis is proposing the City Council do. She admitted to a mistake in marking her ballots, and she wants an opportunity to correct her mistake.

Compounding the error, two different ballots were distributed to council members. Three got one kind of ballot, while two got a different ballot, which omitted the name of one of the applicants. This meant that three members were voting on a different option from the other two.

Further, one of the persons appointed to the Planning Commission had not applied for that position until after all the interviews were completed. That name was omitted from two of the five ballots and was not made known to the public until the vote was taken, so that there was no opportunity for public comment on that candidate.

There is ample reason to set aside the vote that was taken and do it over properly. However, after Genis discovered and reported her error, the newly selected planning commissioners were nevertheless sworn in and held their first meeting. Unfortunately, hurt feelings and anger may predictably result, but compliance with law, policy and common sense dictate that the multiple errors in the appointment process must be corrected.

Eleanor and Tom Egan

Costa Mesa

Feral canines in our midst

Coyotes are here to stay and increasing in numbers.

Lynn Copeland
Huntington Beach

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Taxpayer’s shouldn’t be billed for Holder’s actions

Why are we, California taxpayers, paying for former Atty. Gen. Eric Holder to come up with strategies against President Trump? I get it. The left hates Trump. But is this seriously a good way to spend our taxpayer money? Trump is our president and not going anywhere, just because people don’t like him. Let’s just hope Hollywood, real estate and the Silicon Valley can continue to prop up California while it slides into bankruptcy.

Juli Hayden
Newport Beach

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Sickening Kent State comment causes concerns

Re. “Michigan GOP leader apologizes for tweeting: ‘Time for another Kent State’,” Detroit Free Press, (Feb. 6): I am old enough to remember all the protests about the Vietnam War during President Nixon’s tenure in office. This most certainly includes the day nine were injured and four innocent people killed by the National Guard at Kent State in 1970.

So imagine my reaction to the recent comments by Dan Adamini, a Michigan county Republican officer, when he tweeted, “Violent protesters who shut down free speech? Time for another Kent State perhaps. One bullet stops a lot of thuggery.”

Besides feeling sick to my stomach, I also felt angry. That’s because Adamini spoke without really understanding what happened at Kent State.

It’s up to each of us to listen to our better angels, no matter how upset we are about today’s demonstrations. Yes, the times have changed, but the feelings millions of us 60- and 70-somethings still have run deep.

Denny Freidenrich
Laguna Beach