Mailbag: Bravo, Newport Beach Police Department

Re. “Pats on the back for police,” March 21:

Wow! I am blown away. I just attended the 42nd annual Police Appreciation Breakfast at the Island Hotel in Newport Center hosted by the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce.

What an inspiring morning. The house was packed — more than 500 people honoring the heroic actions, teamwork and dedication of the police officers, staff and volunteers who serve the city of Newport Beach. We live in a great city — beautiful environment, wonderful public facilities, interesting and ample community events, fiscally sustainable, little traffic — the list is endless.

But the attribute of our city that makes everything else possible is the safe and convivial environment created by the dedicated men and women of the Newport Beach Police Department. Today’s event was a well-deserved celebration of these men and women.

From the posting of colors by the Newport Beach Police Department Honor Guard to the poignant and uplifting remarks by Police Chief Jay R. Johnson, to the many awards for lifesaving, volunteerism and performance of duty beyond the call of employment, this event emphasized the good fortune each of us has to be residents and/or visitors to the great city of Newport Beach. Bravo, Newport Beach Police Department!

Robyn B. Grant

Newport Beach

*

Marathoner inspires

Re. Commentary: “I plan to run the L.A. Marathon at 70,” March 21:

I had to let you know how much I enjoyed reading Carrie Luger Slayback’s article about running. I am not a runner. I play tennis, but she just might have inspired me to try a little trot once a week. What she also did for me was to help me discipline myself to set goals. So now, at 85, I am serving and volleying — running up to the net — instead of staying back like a lump on a log waiting for the ball to come to me. Anyway, please more of Carrie. She’s fun to read.

Marilyn Gould

Newport Beach

*

H.B. bag ban

The residents of Huntington Beach do not need a nanny-state City Council to make economic decisions for them by banning plastic bags. If the little bags are far more expensive then alternatives, they will self-eliminate.

And the argument does not get any better with “...cost transparency loss due to waste disposal supply chain linkage loss between original bag consumer and final waste disposal...”

Costs are costs. The little plastic bags are not expensive to dispose of. If and when the day comes that landfill becomes too expensive and no recycling efforts are sufficiently cheap to compete with the futuristic hypothetically too-expensive landfill, then people will stop using them. At that time they will be too expensive.

Until then, let the people run their own “little plastic bag” lives as they please. Leave us alone.

John Briscoe

Huntington Beach