Letters to the Editor: Praise offered for firefighters and a Burbank City Council member; cyclist writes on bike pathways; voter’s league backs ‘Dreamers’
What disbelief and shock to see fire creeping over our Verdugo Mountains to Burbank Hills Estates!
Residents of over 30 years were notifying each other, especially the seniors, of the horrifying blaze.
There was immediate action of the fire department and police protection on the scene. Neighbors responded with food and refreshments as needed. Fire trucks remained overnight at the cul-de-sac home of good neighbor Ed Strang, who provided food and tended to their personal needs throughout the night protecting the homes on our street. Afterwards, signs were posted on backyard fences thanking the firemen for saving all the homes in our neighborhood.
Special thanks for the protection provided by our local Burbank police by blocking streets and enforcing ID requirements for entrance to our homes. We were blessed being protected by the best in uniform.
As a fire captain’s daughter, I have memories of our dad coming home smelling of smoke, and giving us a hug and kiss with a story to share, all in a day’s work. We are eternally grateful for the hard work and dedication of our fire and police departments for saving our precious homes and belongings.
Heidi and Les St. Royal
Burbank
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Newly elected Burbank City Councilwoman Sharon Springer is becoming a rising super star on the council. Unlike her predecessor, she gets along well with her colleagues on the panel; she does her homework and studies the issues facing Burbank; she keeps her constituents informed via Facebook and social media; she asks intelligent and well-reasoned questions; she truly cares for the people who live and work in Burbank, businesses in Burbank and even folks who pass through Burbank.
Our city is blessed to have her as a member of the council, and I look forward to exciting years ahead.
Tom Wollnik
Burbank
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Burbank is about to be connected to the Los Angles River bike path due to the coming completion of the Victory Boulevard overpass that connects Burbank and Glendale with Griffith Park over the 134 Freeway. In addition to creating bike lanes on the overpass, it adds a concrete bike lane underneath as well as ramps down from both sides that link the Los Angeles River bike path from downtown L.A. at the I-5 Freeway overpass for 10 continuous miles north to the Mariposa Street “bridge to everywhere” in Burbank.
Cyclists are required to give the right of way to horses on the Mariposa Bridge, as well as to walk or carry their bikes across. Local horseback riders attempted to encourage a ban of even the possession of a bicycle on the bridge; however in December 2015 City Atty. Amy Albano advised the Burbank City Council at its regular public meeting that such a ban would be unenforceable.
Doug Weiskopf
Burbank
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Immigration is a national issue with implications for our local communities. The Trump administration recently announced its intention to reverse the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy, leaving the fate of 800,000 immigrants in jeopardy. The League of Women Voters of Glendale/Burbank supports DACA and immigration reform that protects, not deports, the 800,000 young people who were brought to the United States as children. Using innocent young people as pawns to advance a legislative agenda is shameful and reinforces the administration’s reputation as a bully.
As a country of immigrants, we are made stronger by our diversity. Reversing the DACA policy undermines the trust and confidence in the fairness of our government institutions. The League of Women Voters is opposed to deportation of non-criminal undocumented immigrants and we urge Congress to pass a clean Dream Act to protect these young immigrants.
Mary L. Dickson
President, League of Women Voters of Glendale/Burbank