Lockheed needs to clean up its legacy

In the article “Airport to raise parking fees” on Dec. 18, we strongly disagree with Lockheed Martin Corporation statements that it had nothing to do with live-fire training of its firefighters at Bob Hope Airport after 1963 (when the airport was still called Lockheed Air Terminal). Thousands of San Fernando Valley residents remember the thick black clouds of smoke near the west end of the airport when these training drills were conducted.

Lockheed Martin is shirking its obligation to the residents of the San Fernando Valley to clean up its pollution legacy. And even though Lockheed moved out of Burbank in the early 1990s, it is still punishing the people who live, work and travel here.

The Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority will vigorously fight this miscarriage of public policy, and hopes that the traveling public that is shouldering the burden of responding to Lockheed will understand why.

Dan Feger

Burbank

Editor’s note: Feger is executive director of Bob Hope Airport.

City sidelines missing sidewalks

This is in response to Jan Strong’s letter of Dec. 22, “Thanks for no sidewalk,” in which she is against sidewalks on Screenland Drive for the school kids that currently have to walk in the street or across people’s front yards on busy school mornings and afternoons to get to and from the front door of Luther Burbank Middle School.

She states in part, “It’s a rare day in City Hall when the people’s voices are heard.” That’s amazing, the City Council meetings are open to the public and there is a time set aside for public comments. Strong herself has spoken to the full council against sidewalks at the microphone.

And the full City Council has heard the peoples’ voices. Most, if not all of the council members have been out on Screenland Drive between Victory and Luther Middle School watching the cars race by and watching the kids going to and from school. They have had neighborhood meetings and have talked to a lot of the homeowners on Screenland Drive.

Mayor Anja Reinke, City Councilmen Jess Talamantes, David Gordon, Dave Golonski and especially Gary Bric have gone over and above what is required to study the missing sidewalks issue on Screenland Drive. There couldn’t have been a more open and detailed study by our council members. What the council members did the most was to listen to “the people’s voices.”

The only thing “rare” about our City Council is that they are open and accountable to the people of Burbank unlike the cities of Bell, Vernon, South Gate and others. The assumption that our City Council does not listen to the people of Burbank is not based on facts.

I am for sidewalks for the school kids, future generations of kids that will live on Screenland, the current handicapped person(s) on Screenland and for everyone that enjoys walking on a sunny day or a cool evening — not in the street, but on sidewalks.

I look forward to the day when we can walk down the sidewalks on Screenland Drive and the school kids won’t have to walk in the street.

Tim Elliott

Burbank