MAILBAG: Many thanks to city’s firefighters

My wife and I would like to thank all Glendale Water & Power and Fire Department personnel for saving our house yesterday. The incident happened while the utility workers were replacing and installing copper wires on the poles in the neighborhood. A series of events took place that resulted in my home’s wiring to burn and start a fire.

The special hero of saving our house is someone from Glendale Water & Power (we did not get his name) who braved the smoke in the basement and discovered that the gas line was on fire along with the wooden sub-floor. He ran out of the house and asked my wife to show him where the gas shut-off valve was. He was able to shut off the gas using a tool I keep next to the meter.

The Fire Department told my wife that the house would have exploded in less than four minutes if the gas was not shut off.

The houses next door would have also gone up in flames because of the surrounding trees.

The firefighters were very cautious to avoid water damage and we are very appreciative.

Glendale Water & Power officials (more than 40) were very concerned, caring, and we very much appreciate that.

It is very important to recognize those who go beyond their normal duties to do extraordinary things. I would like you to relay this message to the utility worker who risked his life to save my wife and daughter, other Glendale Water & Power employees and our house. The City Council should also recognize him as well.

KHALED SOLIMAN

Glendale

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Americana causing a parking problem

As a new resident of Glendale, I moved to an apartment two blocks from the Americana at Brand thinking I would enjoy the amenities this has brought to the area — the shopping, the dining, the “casual living.” But I have discovered that the reality of the Americana is that its vendors don’t pay for employees to park in their very large garage, so they have en masse turned to my street for this.

Every night when work lets out, there are many parking places available on my street, should I arrive home at 1 a.m. After repeated phone calls to management of the Americana and the offending restaurants, no one has taken any action in the last month about the problem except to inform me that I should undertake getting my own street permitted parking.

Well, I have taken action, and I would like the public to know that if you live near the Americana, look for those wait staff and busboys and salespeople who park on your street and wonder to yourself why you are searching for parking by your own home.

These people should be parking in a large garage built for them to park in, but because this costs the employees money, they will now and forever take up space in your neighborhood.

Thank you, Caruso Affiliated, for caring about your friendly neighbors!

JESSICA CREED

Glendale

Revised water targets are unfair

I have been a resident of Glendale for 13 years and have always practiced strict water conservation. I recently received a newsletter from Glendale Water & Power informing me that, due to water shortages, we would all be given water usage targets based on our 2006 usage.

Firstly, I currently follow all of the suggested guidelines for saving water, going further than they suggest in many cases, and secondly, I am now married and thus the water usage in my household has increased by one person since 2006.

There is no way my household can reduce its water usage to that of 2006, when I was a single, low-usage customer, so I will be penalized for my marriage! Also, I see many houses with pools, sprinklers watering the sidewalk, and who knows what water wastage inside their homes.

I fully understand the shortage of water, and believe we should all do what we can to conserve it, but Glendale Water & Power should not punish those who already save water while allowing those who waste it much more leniency. And as for the increase in my household size, well, to be penalized for that is absurd!

The only response I received from Glendale Water & Power when I questioned this was to be told of a council meeting which will be discussing these issues. It will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Glendale City Hall and is open to the public. I strongly suggest the attendance of all residents who will be unfairly affected by the proposed water restrictions.

BAMBI HALE

Glendale