Letters to the Editor
Opinion
Published: July 20, 2012
FLAIR Bee thanks
To the Editor:
On behalf of Blanchard Library’s FLAIR Literacy Program, I want to say “thank you” to everyone who volunteered to make our 22nd Annual Executive Spelling Bee a great success!
Thank you to the brave spellers from the following teams: Hollenback Family Dentistry – Kent Hollenback, DDS, Kelsey Hollenback and Dr. Catarina Castaneda; Kiwanis Club – Cindi Mathieu, Larry Cossid and Mario Garcia; Santa Paula Times – Peggy Kelly, Marianne Ratcliff and Suzi Skutley; Rotary Club – John Nichols, Nils Rueckert and Judy Triem; the masterful Master of Ceremonies Don Johnson; the punctilious Pronouncer Leslie Nichols; the “Busy” Bee Antonio Chavez; and to professional guitarist Barry Cooper.
Thank you to our generous donors: Fillmore & Western Railway Co., Skating Plus, In-N-Out Burgers, Tarcilla Mitchell, Marilyn Wolever, Scott Rushing, Juan Corona Jr., Beverly Haase, Elaine Hunt, Rose Chacon, Ed and Norma Geis, Anita Pulido, Mercer-Prieto VFW, Richard and Hilda Halpin, Scott Brown, Richard M. Yamamoto, The Habit Burger Grill, Mountain View Golf Course, Santa Paula Latino Town Hall, Legoland California, Danny’s Deli & Grill, Daniel O. Robles, Richard Abbott, Sheila Bryson, Garden Market, Raymond and Thea Seto, Gary Zapparelli, Bill Kendrick, Cynthia Mathieu, Maria and Francisco Ortiz, Eugene and Marie Marzec, Gretchen Frey, Edith Smith, Susan Johnson, Balbina Magana, Santa Paula Lions Club, Anita Tate, Carol Hardison, and Charles F. Stewart DDS.
Thank you to all the volunteers who provided bake sale items, set up before the Bee, sold Lucky Eggs, staffed stations during the Bee, and cleaned up afterward. Thank you to all those in the audience who stayed to cheer on the teams. Finally, a special thank you to Deborah Johnson, publisher of the Santa Paula Times, for her continual generosity in sponsoring our annual spelling bee fundraiser.
We at FLAIR are grateful to the community for helping us to continue to provide one-to-one adult tutoring, especially as we struggle in the face of economic challenges.
Kathryn Bornhauser
Literacy Services Coordinator
Labor Day Parade awards
To the Editor:
The Labor Day Parade Committee would like to publish again the winners for the 2011 Labor Day Parade. “Most Participation” – Brokaw Nursery, “Originality” – Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, “Best Overall use of the Theme” – Topa Topa Flywheelers, “Youth” – SPHS Marching Band and Flag Team, and “Most Animated” – Santa Paula Fitness.
This year we are happy to announce that the entry categories will be “Best Overall Use of the Theme”, “Most Participation”, and “Originality.”
The parade will be held Monday, September 3rd at 10 a.m. on Main Street in Santa Paula. The theme is “Honor the Labor Force.” The parade is for the entire community and everyone in the community is invited to participate in the parade, either by watching or being a parade entry.
We hope that everyone will join us. And, bring your friends.
Ron Merson, Chairman
Labor Day Parade Committee
One year later
To the Editor:
It’s hard to believe that it will be a year ago this Saturday, July 7, that we lost a cherished member of our family clan, a lady that brought us lots of love and compassion to our family, a lady that everyone talked to a lot about how things are, and a lady that everyone knew and asked her about the family also. And that lady’s name was Sylvia, a lady who was well known in the City of Santa Paula for many, many years, since the early late sixties, when her husband Joe was well known for his years as an educator for the Santa Paula Elementary School District and the first Hispanic City Councilman on the City Council for the City of Santa Paula when this family became well known here in Santa Paula. Even after Joe left the City Council and retired from the field of education, they continued to be active in the City of Santa Paula.
Well anyway, this lady passed on about a year ago and was a very good wonderful lady. Wherever she went, no matter if it was with her husband Joe or by herself, friends, or all of the above, they would always talk about the family, their family that is.
If they went out with friends, or if she saw a friend or friends at the grocery store or anywhere else, the most talked about person people would ask her about is her youngest one John. And when she and Joe were with friends, the most talked about person they would talk about in the family is John. And why? Because they would tell her and Joe about what a nice son you both have, and they would tell them how much they like him. And Sylvia would tell them, yes, he is a nice person, friendly, and how much people like him, and what an angel and a very sweet person he is, and all of the nice things they would tell Sylvia about her son John.
Well, like and as I said, it’s hard to believe that it will be a year ago this upcoming Saturday. And if you are wondering how he is doing right now, well he is doing fine. And okay, to dispute, at times he gets down and emotional and other things at times. And like everyone who loses a loved one, he goes through his good and his bad days as well as his ups and downs.
But he knows that’s part of life, and with the help of his family – sister and brother and other relatives – but most of all friends, now one year later he has gotten through it okay, going through the tougher times. But through it all he has come out okay and alright, and through it all also he is still the same old John that he has been – even after losing his mom Sylvia a year ago this upcoming Saturday – and will always be a Santa Paula boy forever and ever, even without a mom and dad.
John Bravo
Santa Paula
Take pride
To the Editor:
Take a look up what do you see? Again you will take pride as the S.P. has been repainted and cleaned. Over many years different groups have taken time to keep it the way it is today. From Santa Paula High School seniors have helped.
For the last few years the Santa Paula Associates Insectary crew has worked in the heat and dirt to bring it to the shape it is in. Thank you for your volunteer time and hard work.
I know that everybody is aware that I love the community of Santa Paula and I appreciate everything about it.
To go along with that the entries and exits are beautiful and inviting. We have so much to take pride in.
Janet Grant
Santa Paula
Pet responsibility
To the Editor:
Who was the barbarian who tied “Orlando” to a pole at 5 a.m.? First of all, I thought dog fighting was illegal! What kind of a person does this and do they really live in Santa Paula? I would advise them to just leave this city. If he or she is found, they should be tied to a pole with a barbed wire chain around their necks.
On another note, I see many animals running wild in the side streets of Santa Paula. Why? We have leash laws and these poor dogs should not be left to run amuck at will. Anyone who buys a dog or adopts one should understand that the commitment is about 15 years of love and care, which should include not letting them run loose in the streets where they could be killed by a car or truck. I am hoping that our animal shelter will be teaching responsibility when they allow an adoption of a cat or dog. This is the only way to solve these problems for the betterment of our trusting, loving furry best friends.
Carol Boatner
Santa Paula
A friend’s passing
To the Editor:
I lost a good friend and a super neighbor on July 4th. Ed Beach was a very special person, as you know from the outpouring of love and concern for the family in his passing.
When my wife and I bought the old Wilson, Stroh and Wilson Architects office and started to remodel it into a home, Ed was always curious as to what we were doing. He would come by and think things were going well and even offer up some good ideas for us.
We attended many parties at the Beach home and even performed a few times with a singing group. He was always a great host at these events.
Ed and I both had our bypass surgeries close to each other and would compare healing times and how quick we were able to resume a pretty normal life.
It was painful to watch the slow decline in his health as he would slowly make his way out to the mailbox, sometime alone or with Barbara by his side.
He asked me what I was going to do when he saw that I had put my home on the market. He told me that I should look forward and do what I thought was best for me. That was our last conversation, and I will dearly miss the man that was Ed Beach.
Jim Garfield
Santa Paula
Tony Strickland for bipartisanship
To the Editor:
Speaking with many of my friends and neighbors in Ventura County, the general consensus seems to be that the today’s politics has become much too entangled in the grinding drudgery of strict party politics. With today’s bitter political climate unfolding at both the national and local levels, it is refreshing to know that there are still a few candidates who are focused on their vision for our country, rather than partisan gamesmanship. Tony Strickland has been endorsed by California’s only independent Assemblyman, an endorsement which speaks volumes about the bipartisan manner in which he conducts himself in Sacramento and insight into how he will conduct himself in Washington. Tony knows what needs to be done and can get it done as well. By and large, he embodies an invigorating break from the entangling hyper-partisanship that is plaguing modern politics.
While other candidates merely discuss the necessity of bipartisanship in order to get things done, Tony Strickland has a proven record and background, which enables him to succeed, which is why I look forward to him representing my community in congress.
Augustine Santa Rosa
Fillmore
Chicago needs Obama now!
To the Editor:
The death rate of blacks in Chicago, at this time, is higher than the death rate of all our military forces in Afghanistan.
Obama thought that Afghanistan was the priority at one time but he is needed here in America! This is Obama’s hometown, his election headquarters and his old stomping grounds, his community organization days, his area of expertise with Acorn. Encourage him to consider changing his priorities and save his own people in Chicago. They need him now!
American voters can help Obama on November the sixth to retire and focus his full attention to helping his people in his hometown. I do not think anyone is more capable than he is to save Chicago! America needs an experienced businessman to get us out of our deep economic hole now!
He has found that his community organization skills did not prepare him for running the largest industrialized nation in the world, but I am convinced he could really help his people in Chicago.
David Kaiser
Santa Paula
A vote for Tony
To the Editor:
I was at a meet and greet hosted by Councilman Eduardo Gonzalez at El Pescador. Since it was a great opportunity to talk to Tony Strickland, I decided to go. As soon as I entered through the door, I saw Councilman Eduardo Gonzalez wave at me as if we had been good friends for a while. The room had about forty people mingling and talking to Tony. I went up to Tony and we started talking about cutting spending in Washington. He seemed to be open-minded and liked the insight of what the people wanted from Washington. I can say that Tony Strickland is here to represent his constituents at whatever position he holds.
It was a pleasure talking to him. Afterwards Tony spoke about why he is running for Congress and how he wants to leave Ventura County and the United States in a better state for future generations. The whole event was a great experience overall and it showed me that Tony Strickland is committed to uniting out community and country. That is why I will be giving Tony Strickland my full support this November.
Ernesto Ambrocio
Newbury Park
Thanks
To the Editor:
Too often we are quick to criticize the City and others for the condition of our streets, and other things, too. Thank you, thank you, thank you for repaving 6th Street, Bradley, Olive Street (and maybe others); they look (and feel) great.
Roland Rogers
Santa Paula
|
