MAILBAG: Perfectly happy with health care
We’re getting closer to a vote on health-care reform in the House of Representatives, and we will get a chance to see if our congressman, Adam Schiff, will keep his word.
Like President Obama, Schiff has pledged that if we like our current health-care plan, we can keep it. I appreciate both Obama’s and Schiff’s position because my health-care plan is Medicare Advantage. The current House bill will gut Medicare Advantage. I am confident that Schiff is a man of his word and will vote “no” this week.
LYNN MCGINNIS
Glendale
Resident isn’t getting fair shake
As a neighbor of Escott Norton, I want to express my outrage over his treatment by Glendale Water & Power (“High water mark,” Oct. 30).
My home is about 100 feet away from his, and on an average day I pass his property at least twice in either my car or by walking. Like all of my neighbors, we have been extremely interested in his construction project and delighted that he has taken so much care to build with consideration with both architecture and environment in mind.
From the first shovel to the last ounce of paint, he has been sensitive to both his neighbors and to the natural surroundings. One moment of discussion with Escott would assure you that he is not the kind of man to be wasteful of valuable resources, and his property is as “green” as one would expect from a man with his sensitivities.
So, all of us who have observed his process from the beginning and who have come to know both him and his family are left to believe one of several scenarios. One, that somehow on a street with a slope that assures that even one gallon of water would run several hundred feet downhill and be noticeable, Escott for some unknown reason would, in the stealth of night, turn on his hose and release an amount of water that could fill my one-fifth-of-an-acre property two stories deep, and nobody would be any the wiser.
And two, that somehow, a mistake or malfunction of man or materials indicated an excess of usage that was incorrect.
It would seem reasonable that any thinking person, while investigating this anomaly, would not only check the equipment, but would ask a few people, who might have seen a hundred swimming pools of water coming down the street, or if anything floated away.
From my viewpoint, the evidence presented by the meter is more than countered by the complete lack of evidence of any intentional or accidental excess water usage. This being the case, even an 8-year-old would know that the tie goes to the runner. And in this case the runner is Escott Norton.
The utility folks should just file this issue under “mystery” and back off pursuing this matter any further.
PAUL MCKERNAN
Glendale
Stay on top of the area’s water issues
The election for the Crescenta Valley Water District Board of Directors has certainly raised the public awareness of the water crisis our district is facing and its impact on all of us.
Residents from all areas of our valley expressed concern on water cost and availability. But they also provided ideas and support for helping to alleviate the water situation.
The candidates have presented their approaches for solving the water issues through newspaper articles, community forums, e-mails, phone calls, door-to-door, websites, Facebook and Twitter. The important overarching message is we must continue to push for reducing our water usage and include recycling in our future.
A relatively simple recycling approach, which has been mentioned several times in the past, is to obtain an agreement with the city of Glendale to connect into their existing recycled water line on Verdugo Road for watering the Foothill (210) Freeway landscape. This action will result in less potable water being used and thereby reduce our import of the more expensive water from Foothill Municipal Water District.
Regardless of who the district leaders will be, it is very important that you and other residents who care about the future of our valley and its water get involved with water district issues. Many important challenges lie ahead for the Crescenta Valley Water District. Their decisions will affect our valley’s water supply and wastewater disposal. Attend their meetings.
Hopefully you will remember to exercise your vote Tuesday.
KERRY ERICKSON
La Crescenta
EDITOR’S NOTE: Erickson is a candidate for the Crescenta Valley Water District Board of Directors.
Plans for 710 would affect Glendale
I have lived in Glendale off and on for 70 years and have seen many freeways built around and next to me. Only a few were built wide enough for today’s traffic.
Now, after a $6-million 710 Freeway study, it appears that the Glendale (2) Freeway could be used to take care of all the 710 Freeway extension problem (“Draft report gives new look at 710,” Oct. 30). To hell with what happens to all those people who use the 2 Freeway now.
Najarian was correct when he said the 710 traffic would bring controversial traffic impacts to the heart of Glendale. I have read that many city officials have pledged to fight the extension.
A rail line from the ports of L.A. is the only way to keep all of our freeways safer and have the traffic they were built for.
The Ventura (134) Freeway is not large enough for morning and afternoon traffic. Truck accidents on our freeways have got to stop.
ROLAND MCGHIE
Glendale