Letters to the Editor

Jerry SchmidtSanta PaulaScholarship program a successTo the Editor:The Optimists’ Youth Scholarship Program was a great success and it is through the efforts of many people in OUR community who made it so. It would be impossible to thank everyone in this letter but I would like to note a few of the major supporters who made the program such a success.The Odd Fellows Lodge and Knights of Columbus furnished the facilities for our workshops and the final program at no cost. They are committed to being involved in our community and we appreciate their efforts.Dana Elcar and Sheryl Maniss worked with the contestants at workshops for six weeks before the final competition so that they would feel at ease when they stepped up to the podium. We saw improvements in all of the young ladies and we were better able to enjoy their thoughts and comments.Jack Lofstrom worked tirelessly to recruit sponsors and funding for the Scholarship Program. He is to be commended.The 12 judges were selected because of their commitment to making Santa Paula a better place. They gave their time generously and we appreciate their efforts. They were: Essay judges Gail Pidduck, Jo West, Lisa Darling and Dan Robles; Interview judges Carole Butler, Sandi Tovias, Clay Phelps and Bruce Dickenson; Oral Presentation judges Brian Yanez, Dr. Mike Tushla, Gabie Araiza-Reeves and Cynthia Dunbar.Thank you to everyone who attended the final event. You showed your support for the youth of Santa Paula. They appreciate and need your support.Five young ladies competed in the Optimists’ Youth Scholarship Program and, although only one received First place, they were all winners. They took a chance and they boldly stepped up to the challenge. They presented their thoughts and comments, and those of their peers, to the community. Many of those thoughts were refreshing, many were thought provoking, but best of all they were all from the heart. I hope that all of us took notes and we will act on those thoughts and comments. They were meant to help make our community a better place.I wish the contestants the very best in the future and I appreciate their efforts.On behalf of the Optimist Club I would like to thank everyone for their support of the 2000 Optimists’ Youth Scholarship Program.Ron Merson, Chairman2000 Optimists’ Youth Scholarship ProgramThanks to ShrinersTo the Editor:The Boys & Girls Club of Santa Clara Valley (dba Boys & Girls Club of Santa Paula and Fillmore-Piru Boys & Girls Club) would like to thank Martin W. Schreffler and Santa Clara Valley Shriners for 10 tickets to the 2000 Millennium Shrine Circus. The circus was held Saturday, April 29 at the Al Malaikah Shrine Auditorium at 665 W. Jefferson Blvd. in Los Angeles.Five tickets went to the Fillmore-Piru Club and five tickets to the Santa Paula Club.The Club, staff, families and children thank the Shriners for remembering the youth of these communities. A great time was had by all!Pat ZwagermanExecutive DirectorWhat’s right...To the Editor:Under the category of “What’s right with Santa Paula”: If you didn’t see the Santa Paula High School Annual Spring Concert on Wednesday, May 3, you missed witnessing the positive and bright side of our students who are the future leaders of our community.Mr. Lingo, director of the Isbell Band, and Mr. Roina, director of SPHS Band, are to be proud and also commended for an excellent musical performance bringing out the best in our students. They all made us feel proud about our community and it’s nice to have that atmosphere in view of all the negativism about our town.A huge thanks to our musical students - keep it up. Hopefully your positive spirit and attitudes will continue and serve as examples to our community leaders.Gene and Sally CaulfieldSanta PaulaSanta Paula dreamingTo the Editor:I awakened from the most horrible dream ever imagined possible. I then thought for a moment and realized it was a fictitious awful dream. Maybe.But then I thought that it could be real if one of the local City Council members along with some radical followers and the outside government followers trying to stymie the voting rights of the majority who want our voting rights left alone and let us citizens vote for those we want in office and hope that we chose well. And that those who represented us would not represent the wishes of only a certain few.I want to vote as I always have, and vote for “all” who I think will represent “all” of us here and what is best for our 4.6 square miles.And I would hope they would not invent ways to spend very foolishly on trivial lawsuits or “to do the city in” for lack of money for important projects. Am I right? You bet. And would not jab often about another’s nationality or religion or skin color, or carry on a meeting for much extra time after everything is cut and dried. Common sense can work wonders.Can you imagine the monies spent ($$$$$) in the last few years very foolishly that could have been used to upgrade our police and fire departments and with laws to wipe out crime and graffiti scum? Voters and good citizens don’t forget.Ken ZimmetSanta PaulaP.S. To our City Council. When you vote on the proposed highway name change keep it as it is, “The Korean Veterans Highway.” A natural looking memorial at a designated place for the dam break victims and history would be more appropriate.P.S. again. As a member of the SCRV Railroad Society in Fillmore I would like to say that Jim Garfield is a good choice to represent the Santa Clara River Valley for the history and tourist attraction, etc.DetourTo the Editor:This past Tuesday morning I was serving coffee to our customers at The Whistle Stop Café. We were very busy with maybe 20 people sitting at tables, when all of a sudden cars stopped driving down 10th Street. Main Street went quiet and when all these folks eventually left our store, no one came in to see us.I walked outside and saw signs reading “ROAD CLOSED TO THROUGH TRAFFIC.” I looked north toward 10th and Santa Barbara. There were more signs up there at Santa Barbara Street except they read “DETOUR.” All the cars were turning off 10th Street at Santa Barbara Street, away from the downtown. I called the City of Santa Paula. The receptionist (who was very nice) transferred me to “Public Works,” where I was put through to that dreaded place VOICE MAIL. “Forget this,” I said and hung up. I called a councilman. He said “Call Peter Cosentini and let me know how it goes.”I called back to the city offices. “Mr. Cosentini is not available,” said his secretary. (Is he ever? I wondered.) I left my name and phone number and hung up.By then an hour had passed. NO answers, NO communication, NO CUSTOMERS. I was fuming.I started calling my other elected representatives. About an hour went by. Mr. Cosentini called back. I asked him why none of the businesses had been notified about this construction project. He said they had delivered a letter to residents on 10th Street and he read me the letter, as if to placate me. The city is replacing a water line on 10th Street at Harvard Blvd. The letter stated that the time frame for all of this was 30 days.“Well I might as well shut my doors for good, if you think I can make it for 30 days with no customers,” I said, my voice quivering. I hung up and started calling other business people, to see if they were experiencing the same loss of customers I was. The merchants on Main Street and I marched down to City Hall (at least a dozen of us).By now four hours had gone by. We went to the Public Works office first. I asked to speak to the person in charge of this project. “WE want some answers!” we said. So they sent out “Good ole Norm” (the guy who smiles as he tells you what is best for our city and believes you don’t know a thing about it).Norm Wilkinson told us that the project would only last for “five days, six at the most,” he said. “We can’t take the ‘detour’ signs down because Cal Trans has rules about how to direct traffic” (10th Street is Hwy. 150, owned by the State of California, whoever that is?). “If the signs are not modified by tomorrow we will be back with more merchants,” we said. So Wednesday morning, 9 a.m., the signs were there again. The other merchants and I started to call each other.“Let’s call KADY and KVEN.” “No one here will help us, surely someone out there will.” Then something changed. ONE lone guy walked in. Raul Gaitan is a public works inspector. He didn’t know about our conversation with Norm. He ASKED what we wanted. I told him we wanted our customers to know they can still get down to Main Street to get their coffee and baked goods, Mexican food, leather goods or hair appointment.Finally someone listened. The signs that read “ROAD CLOSED TO THROUGH TRAFFIC” were moved to Ventura Street (which is where they should have gone to begin with).He is trying to get some signs that read “Closed to truck traffic,” since that’s who the detour at Santa Barbara is directed at. And he stated that construction would last for about three weeks. He should know. He is in charge of this particular project. But our customers are here today, Wednesday. GOD BLESS THEM! They found us again.Through this ordeal, I am reminded once again to question how much of a voice I have in local government and how responsive they are to me and my problems. As a business owner, I am working to improve this town, as are some of the other business owners. As a resident I participate in the political process. Sadly, I can’t help but wonder why sometimes.Patty HarrisonSanta Paula