Letters to the Editor: Foothill MWD urges ‘yes’ vote on California WaterFix; reader loses respect for his once-favorite Raiders
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California will be holding a board meeting on Oct. 10 to decide whether it is willing to fund its share of the California WaterFix. The WaterFix would modify the point of diversion of water so that residents in Southern California including the Foothill service area can receive reliable water supplies while protecting the environment.
Foothill urges the Metropolitan Board to vote yes in support of the California WaterFix as the lowest cost option in providing reliable supplies. The board will be deciding the future of Southern California and to some extent the rest of California. No entity represented at Metropolitan is an island. I live in Glendale but work in La Cañada. My husband lived in Glendale but worked in downtown Los Angeles. The wealth or lack of resources of one city impacts all others in Southern California. Thus, it is imperative that the directors at Metropolitan not think of themselves as representing only their own agency at the board but as a director of a regional entity protecting all areas that Metropolitan covers. Without reliable water supplies, more businesses will move out of the area and, as a result of increased unemployment, the size of disadvantaged communities will increase. We will see Southern California drop from being the sixth largest world economy and feel the associated impacts.
Supporting WaterFix does not mean that Metropolitan should ignore local supply development such as stormwater capture, groundwater recovery, recycled water and conservation. Those supplies must also continue to be developed to meet an increasing population and have a place in all agencies’ portfolios. However, by supporting the California WaterFix, the state will be able to continue maintaining a supply that is a cornerstone of Metropolitan’s reliability.
Nina Jazmadarian
General Manager, FMWD
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The tragedy in Las Vegas Sunday evening again highlighted the brave men and women who serve as first responders in the time of tragedy. Police and firefighters put their lives on the line to protect all of us, including NFL players and owners. The disgrace of our flag and national anthem by this group of ungrateful users and takers of everything that our country has provide them is disgusting to say the least.
When I was in the Glendale High School band in the early ’50s we took great pride in playing the national anthem prior to every football game at home or on the road. Our students were of all races and nationalities and the national anthem and saluting our great American flag brought great pride to all of us. I happened to be the son of German immigrants and had to endure the label of the “Nazi kid” during the war. Playing in the band was an honor appreciated by my whole family.
It hurts me deeply to witness the NFL players and owners dishonor our flag and national anthem. I wonder how many Oakland Raiders have donated to the victims of the Las Vegas tragedy? I was an ardent Raider fan from the day that John Madden was appointed as head coach, as John and I were in the same class at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo from 1957 to 1959. But no more, since the Raiders as a team dishonored our flag and national anthem. It makes my blood boil as a picture that always comes back to me is the D-Day invasion where thousands of young Americans gave their lives. Shame on the Raiders and all the NFL.
Albert Hofmann
Glendale