Priggish over a pig
I watched last night’s Seal Beach city council meeting with some bemusement. When did outlawing pigs as pets (versus “hogs” raised for food) become a big issue in Seal Beach? There was no discussion by the council regarding a rather odd issue on the agenda, which leads me to believe the discussion may have occurred behind closed doors without benefit of community input.
The only person to speak on the issue was Seth Eaker, but he stated he was speaking on behalf of someone else. He asked the staff to display the photo of the pig in question and based on its size, Mr. Eaker stated it was clearly not a pet, but animal husbandry.
I don’t understand how a photo of a pig standing in a driveway next to a car “clearly” showed it to be animal husbandry. It obviously would have been bacon a long time ago. I didn’t see a pen full of little piglets being raised.
To my knowledge, this may be the only pet pig in Seal Beach. So what makes this pig such an urgent problem?
I did some quick research on pigs as pets that clearly reviewed the pros and cons. They can get quite large, but are still considered pets. I quote from the website, about.com: “ … it must be noted that pigs have several desirable qualities. They are intelligent, readily trained, affectionate, curious, playful, clean, generally quiet, odor free, and usually non-allergenic. Many owners consider their pigs an integral part of the family and involve them in all their activities.”
The potential downside included, “Pigs are also unrelenting in their quest for food—and can learn to open the fridge, cupboards, pantry—wherever food may be lurking.
They can become demanding, begging for food, and even getting aggressive with kids that have food. Pigs also ‘root,’ or dig/explore with their snouts—and in doing so may overturn items in the house, including wastebaskets, and can disrupt the landscaping.”
In other words, most of the pros and cons are very similar to domestic dogs, including the size.
So why did we need to rush this new law through—did the whole neighborhood contact their councilperson to demand action against this horrible beast?
Or was it one person represented by Seth who has a personal issue with it or the family that owns it and could this have been resolved in other ways?
I have no idea because there was no rationale presented in the staff report and no discussion by council. Will we now have some family’s beloved pet euthanized because of a hasty decision and lack of due diligence?
Ironically, just the day before this decision, there was an article in the L.A. Times about the city of Sierra Madre doing the exact same thing. The entire community came out in defense of the pig on social media and local radio – the council rescinded its decision.
Apparently city staff and the council learned nothing from the recent beach bench fiasco that also had the community up in arms. I would urge the pig’s owners and any supporters to voice their discontent loudly. If the pig is in fact a problem, let’s find a humane way to deal with it.
Cathy Goldberg
Seal Beach
Take the Sun on Vacation
I want to congratulate Laurie Cline and Bob Wilder of Los Alamitos climbing Jungfrau.
After a day of training and trekking they finally made it to the top of Europe’s highest peak called Jungfrau. Located in the Bernese Alps in Switzerland. Jungfrau is 13,642-feet or 4,158 meters high.
I have to correct it on the point: Jungfrau is one of the highest points in Switzerland.
The highest point is Dom.
I am retired and moved almost two years ago from Germany to Belmont Shore.
Hello Bob and Laurie, I like to hike and climb, too. Maybe we can meet each other.
Heinz Weber
Belmont Shore
Rossmoor Predator Management Team closes
We have decided to discontinue the Rossmoor Predator Management Team in it’s entirety. This includes the newsletter, website and dog squad. For the past four years, we have had the privilege of helping return lost dogs with our dog squads, providing coyote information, statistics and seeking resolution to coyotes attacks. We truly have enjoyed responding to your telephone calls and emails. Therefore, we wish to thank the following:
Founding Members: Shirley Bailey, Jim and Patty Alexander, Christa Chavez and Ron Singer.
Over the past four years we have been assisted by the following county officials:
John Moorlach, Rick Francis, O.C. Public Work Dept. Ignacio Ochoa, Victor Valdovinos, Don McPeck, Guy Batterton, Eileen Depuy, O.C. Human Relations: Rusty Kennedy & the entire staff, O.C. Animal Care: Ryan Drabek and Staff, Los Alamitos City Council: Troy Edgar, Gerry Mejia, former City Manager Jeffrey Stewart.A Special Thanks to our back-up, Candice Stacy, All Dog Squaders, especially Patty Alexander and Rachel Demarco. With this last newsletter, we have kept our promise of maintaining your privacy by deleting all of our email listings.
Dave and Rebecca Lara
Rossmoor
Two-Tier Tuition Bill
At a packed hearing of the Long Beach City College Board of Trustees held Tuesday, Oct. 22, board members, despite overwhelming opposition voiced by full- and part-time faculty, staff and students, voted unanimously to implement the controversial pilot program that stems from Assembly Bill AB-955, more commonly known as the Two-Tier Tuition Bill. Of six colleges selected to be part of the pilot program, only Long Beach City College Administration has chosen to participate at this time. College employees in attendance at the meeting were particularly outraged that their voices throughout the process had not even been considered.
The pilot, which offers high demand classes in the winter and summer intersessions at a newly designated rate of $225 per unit, as opposed to the current state fee of $46 per unit, would significantly hit the equal access of the mission of community colleges. Teachers and students suggest that this program opens the door to a move towards privatization, and to an unequal opportunity for those who can pay more, and for those who cannot.
Gregory Slaughter, a candidate for the 5th District, Long Beach Community College District Board of Trustees race and endorsed by the Long Beach City College Political Action Coalition, spoke out against the bill which has been touted as assisting veterans, stated: “This pilot program is not a benefit to the veterans; it is raising the cost of the classes for them and passing the costs onto the tax payer.” For more information, please contact the Long Beach City College Political Action Coalition at lbccpac@gmail.com
Thomas Hamilton, President of Classified Staff
Janét Hund, Political Action Committee Chair, Full Time Faculty
Karen Roberts, President of Part time Faculty
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