Changes in Santa Paula

Re “Census 2000 Snapshots: Santa Paula,” March 31.

This is in response to Betty Hudson’s comment that Santa Paula is “getting to be a very dirty town.”

I am a native Santa Paulan, and I have seen many changes in this community. Hudson must not get past her front door or else she would see the many wonderful things that are happening around here.

For instance, our Blanchard Library offers tutoring for all ages and Internet connections to provide underprivileged students and adults with the opportunity to enhance their reading, writing and overall knowledge.

As for graffiti, we have a program called GAG (Groups Against Graffiti) that raises money to paint over graffiti throughout town. Most of the work is done by younger children and teenagers, and they are to be commended.

Our schools are also flourishing with a good portion of this year’s graduates going on to receive a higher education, whether at a community college, trade school or a four-year university.

Crime is an element of life that we will never escape but we can attempt to rise above it and to do something positive for the community as a whole.

ADRIANA PEREZ

Santa Paula

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Santa Paula has a bad enough reputation without printing the only negative comment of the six cities in Ventura County. Give us a break once in awhile!

There are quite a few of us who enjoy living in Santa Paula. We feel safe. We don’t mind the ethnic diversity. We raise happy, healthy children. We have friendly neighbors. We might not have the highest test scores but the schools are working on it.

Interviewing someone as unhappy as Betty Hudson did not do us any good.

REBECCA ACKERMAN

Santa Paula