MAILBAG: Alternative site for new Trader Joe’s

I read with considerable interest your Sept. 19 article “Trader Joe’s seeks Montrose location,” and would like to give my opinion.

For someone who works in Montrose (and who has spent many years living in Montrose), a Trader Joe’s in Montrose would definitely make my life easier. The location in La Crescenta has been an accident waiting to happen with the parking situation, and for years many of us have been asking the employees with hope-filled eyes, “When are you moving to a better location?”

Finally, it seems, Trader Joe’s is ready to take action. So selfishly, yes, let’s get that store moved in and before Christmas if you can! But is that really the best location?

I’ve always considered Trader Joe’s a pioneering company, thinking outside the box (or available parking lot) to hold true to its amazing vision and positive example. Accordingly, I hope Trader Joe’s will continue its tradition and consider selecting one of the wonderful locations in Sunland-Tujunga. If any of your readers haven’t noticed, it isn’t the same Sunland-Tujunga. As a resident of Shadow Hills, I see steady progress, and exciting things happening in this little-known (and often unfairly judged) community. It’s an exciting, passionate mix of cultures, incomes, interests and ideas, and it’s on the cusp of discovering its true and worthy identity.

A Montrose location is an easy “win-win” for Trader Joe’s, but it would place it that much closer to its La Cañada location. Who then, is the better for that? Conversely, a Trader Joe’s location in Sunland-Tujunga would help all of us living in the communities of Sun Valley, Shadow Hills, Sunland, Tujunga and La Crescenta.

I’ll just bet the rent would be less expensive, and the store would create jobs for a very willing work force. That vacant parking lot in Montrose could become a park — a much needed green space for all the families living in the area, and a regular treat for the children of all ages who frequent the library across the street.

Come on, Trader Joe’s, you’re the Leader of Green, a road taken long before it became popular. Take the higher ground. Do the research, and continue to be the pioneering company you’ve always been. Go west, young man . . .

CLAIRE MCLIAM

Montrose

Where was reader during Bush years?

Debi Devens is obviously very passionate regarding her newfound political activism. I didn’t think she could possibly top her oration of last summer, but with all the cracks of thunder and lightning, dynamite kegs igniting and volcanoes erupting, this was, if nothing else, one of the loudest letters I’ve ever read.

She ponders why Democrats “have ears and yet do not hear?” Personally, mine are still ringing. Alas, once again Devens offers patriotic platitudes and “revolutionary” bromides in lieu of any substantive argument or attempts at persuasion.

The tactic is effective in a Lee Greenwood song, but not very helpful in the health-care debate, which has been co-opted by a noisy minority who still insist that the United States has the best health-care system in the world (it does not) and who regard calling the president a liar in a joint session of Congress a heroic act of defiance (it is not).

This is what we know: Every candidate in the last presidential election, including John McCain and the Hockey Mom, was united on one topic — that the current health-care system was bankrupting businesses and families and was in dire need of overhaul. The devil, of course, is in the details and no attempt to untie this Gordian knot is going to be deemed watertight and satisfactory to every citizen of this country or their corporate handlers.

I’m sorry. It’s simply one more pressing national problem that has been allowed to fester and become unmanageably complicated after decades of political mud wrestling, institutional bribery and generational obviation, ignorance and laziness.

Here’s a thought for those of you running around with your hair on fire — there is no health-care bill yet. Relax. Several versions are winding their way through the constipated bowels of Congress being mangled, diminished and made over like Joan Rivers’ face. It’s what they do.

Why don’t we all just see what the first act is like before we start throwing tomatoes?

Getting Democrats together on anything is like herding cats, and the GOP is apparently going to spend the next four years holding its collective breath until they turn blue while continuing to show up at the Comedy Store on open mic night.

Don’t fret, our “system” of government is perfectly safe and operating as usual. But I must say, I certainly wish we’d had someone as concerned and active as Devens during the previous eight years of governmental lunacy.

I guess the thunder just wasn’t loud enough.

GARY DURRETT

Glendale