Mailbag: Stepping Stone Players stepped up

Last weekend I had the great pleasure of seeing the Stepping Stone Players’ most recent production, “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.”

And it truly lived up to their logo of “Community Theater at its Best!” The acting, direction, music and overall production value were truly superb, and it was the best $18 I ever spent.

Seeing our Glendale youth on stage, in the orchestra and beyond the scenes is warming to the soul and made me feel that the Stepping Stone Players are the “real deal” and continue to be committed to their mission.

Frances Rothenberg

Glendale

State needs a new slate of representatives

I just read the article announcing the recent Assembly and Senate records of our state representatives Carol Liu, Anthony Portantino and Mike Gatto (“Political landscape: Local lawmakers offer handful among abundance of proposed bills, Sept. 22).

While I feel that some of the accomplishments are seemingly commendable, they appear more like merit badge work, misdirected energy and resources that are so woefully short of the required priority toward big-picture problems facing the state’s $19-billion budget shortfall and high unemployment rate.

Liu and Portantino have been in office for some time now and have not shown the ability to deal with a state in crisis. Gatto seems to be following their lead in busy work while avoiding any practical solutions to the state’s chronic deficit and unemployment.

As I have read lately, Gatto also seems to be more preoccupied with electoral issues than balancing our budget or creating jobs other than asking the federal government for funds to retain the teachers for California.

For all their earnest in other endeavors, they have failed the citizens of their districts by lacking the ability and wherewithal to address the states issues at this critical time. I, for one, feel swindled by their lack of insight and ill-timed efforts. For that, they should all go in November.

I for one will be voting for more virtuous candidates who can represent the interest of the constituents rather than call it their profession.

Greg Frederick

Glendale