Mailbag: Closed DMV has improved parking

I would like to thank the state of California for their refurbishing of the local Department of Motor Vehicles on Glenoaks Boulevard (“DMV closing for renovations,” Aug. 10).

For the past month I can’t begin to tell you how much nicer it has already been. With the DMV closed, those in the neighborhood can finally park on the street in front of their own property. I have called the city to see if there is anything that can be done, like having a handicap parking spot in front of my mother’s house so she can at least have a place to park without having to walk a block or two away from her house. I was told as long as she has a driveway, then she cannot have handicap parking in front of her property.

Then I asked about parking that would be by permit only, and I was told that I have to poll the neighborhood and get at least 75% of the neighbors to sign a petition for it. Well, right now, the state has stepped in and closed the DMV for remodeling, and the parking situation has been much improved.

If the state wants to spend money on the DMV, why not build a multi-level parking structure to help with the parking and save the neighbors from having people park and block their driveways, or throw their trash in the street in front of their houses, or look at us as if we owe them a place to park.

As far as I am concerned, they can keep the DMV closed.

Sylvia Lofftus

Glendale

Rant against the president was way off

The other day I thought I had a very unpleasant dream. It was about a bewildering letter on the Forum page, which ranted about a guy “planning on speaking to our children during school hours” on TV.

The writer continued: “Why is that the (guy’s) responsibility”? He “has no place in a classroom taking valuable teaching time away from students….This is a sad statement of where our school system is today….As a parent, do I keep my child home” during the speech since “indoctrinating our children is unacceptable.”

OK, it really wasn’t a bad dream at all — it was an actual printed letter, “Keep Obama speech out of the classroom,” Sept. 14. And the “guy” was President Obama.

This diatribe against our president totally defies my understanding of human rationality. It makes me sick to see this proliferating demonizing of the president (most notably on the Internet). We can vigorously argue about whether the president has done a good job responding to that terrible mess piled on his plate when he was inaugurated, but he is still our president, and he is, without question, trying his very best to solve the nearly insurmountable problems our country faces.

However one might feel about those efforts, he is still our president and should be congratulated for showing his concern by speaking to our students and encouraging their educational efforts.

Regardless of your political persuasion/obsession, rationality should not be left languishing in the gutter when thinking or writing about the president (or writing about anything, for that matter).

Robert Morrison

Glendale

The Bible speaks God’s word. Period.

Heaven is yours and mine if we accept and willingly follow God’s plan according to his word — the Bible.

It is not the Rev. Bryan Griem’s word, it is God’s word (“Reverend’s voice serves a purpose,” Sept. 10). No homosexuals in heaven (1 Cor. 6: 9-10). If you already smell the smoke, is God trying to tell you something?

Jesus is the bridge to heaven. Get on the bridge!

Rosemary De Pompa

La Crescenta