Serve LAUSD district residents first
I would like to offer a different opinion regarding the letter published in last week’s edition about the interdistrict transfer change in the Los Alamitos Unified School District.
While I sympathize with Ms. Lockridge’s frustration about the new enrollment policy at Weaver, I adamantly believe that residents within the district’s boundaries should always receive priority when it comes to school choice. Most families, including my own, moved to this area primarily because of the outstanding reputation of Los Alamitos Unified. We pay high property taxes to ensure that our children will be able to attend the schools in our neighborhood. As a former teacher in this district, I am well aware that inter-district transfers are an integral part of both our schools and community. However, as a parent and resident, I certainly hope the school district will guarantee that children living within its boundaries will have first choice when it comes to attending the school they desire.
Erryn Bacher
Rossmoor
Foolish to plant ficus trees
I just read in the March 15 Sun News about the plan to plant some 25 ficus trees on Main Street. Ficus trees have been known and shown to be a bad idea—haven’t we known this for the last 30-plus years?
That our City Council would be so negligent in this matter is beyond belief.
It has to be negligence, because all one needs to do is Google “advisability of ficus trees on city streets” and you’re shown the destruction they bring about. This decision makes the council and whoever advised in the matter look so inept. Where will they all be in 25-30 years when the sidewalks are buckling?
There are so many better choices.
Kathy Drissel
Seal Beach
Save the ficus trees on Main Street
Who would want to kill the magnificent canopy of ficus trees on Main?
There has been a rumor around town that the trees are a hazard because of their root system and should be destroyed.
After many years of studying these trees in all areas of Southern California, Jim Caviola explained during our last council meeting on how to keep the roots of the ficus from entering the foundation of anyone’s business or making cracks in the sidewalk as they did in 1993.
The open pavers that have been installed around each tree allow water to soak in, thus preventing the roots from rising to the surface, breaking through the concrete to search for moisture.
This was not done when they were first planted in 1955. Now the roots will go deeper into the ground and bypass the sidewalks and foundations.
The explanation from Jim made perfect sense to me when he described how to trim the roots without harm to the tree that have gone out of control.
Roots are going to be pruned where they haven’t been before. These trees withstand the wind. Insurance might be lowered with this plan. Not only do people come to visit Seal Beach, people come to visit the trees. Shady trees keep Main St. cool in the summer. What a wonderful canopy they make.
After two public hearings, with the vote of the City Council, the trees have been saved and there are plans to replace non-ficus on Main Street with ficus to make our famous street uniform. Flower planters at the crosswalks are also planned. We have come a long way since I first moved to Seal Beach in 1953 and watched the city plant the little 4-foot ficus trees on Main Street that grew into a stunning vision.
Libby Appelgate
Seal Beach
Ficus planting irresponsible
Our city has the responsibility to keep the public safe when they are walking down Main Street. I was shocked to hear that the City Council approved planting ficus trees on Main Street. The choice makes the city public works director look incompetent and the city council needs to do their homework.
Thank you to Michael Levitt for trying to warn the city council of the root problem.
It is not just about the cost of maintenance. Ficus trees on Main Street are a dangerous liability for the city. The roots become exposed a foot above the ground and can be seen for 10 feet in every direction. They cannot be planted safely between sidewalks and a street.
There is a reason why liability hazards have been removed from public places, like tall slides, teeter totters, and merry-go-rounds from the parks and schools. Too many accidents have happened.
But we don’t take the elderly and shove them down a slide. Elderly people can fall break a hip and die a few weeks later, if their body is not strong enough to recover.
I know two middle-aged people who fell on the sidewalk, hit their head and had brain injuries as a result, needing physical therapy, but never fully recovered. My niece lost both front teeth tripping over a crack in the sidewalk while she was running, at only 17. Ficus tree roots cannot be kept under control by just sanding a sidewalk.
If you look at the sidewalk on Valley View just north of Lampson in Garden Grove, it looks like a roller coaster ride with ficus all along it. The ficus is a beautiful tree, but it cannot be planted near a sidewalk. It is neglect if we let this plan continue.
Rheo McColl
Seal Beach
Rossmoorgate wrong about dogs in county parks
Your guest columnist, Joyce Bloom, in her Rossmoorgate column in your Thursday, March 15, 2012 Sun Newspaper, wrote:
“Likewise, it is unlawful to be in public parks with your dog. Orange County’s ordinance also pertains to Rush and Rossmoor Parks. The Rossmoor Community Services District in its infinite wisdom has posted signed that allow dogs within the park provided they are leashed.
The RCSD’s posted signs are in conflict with the OCCO.
The RCSD board should remedy the mistake and adhere to the OCCO.”
Nothing could be further from the truth. The RCSD board has not made a mistake and dogs on leashes are absolutely allowed in Rossmoor parks. The actual language of the OCCO is set forth below:
“Orange County Codified Ordinances
“Section 4-1-46. – No person having the charge of any dog, except a blind, deaf or disabled person with his or her guide dog, signal dog or service dog, or a person training a guide, signal or service dog, shall permit said dog to be under any circumstances within public school property, the county park known as Upper Newport Bay, any public beach, or any building owned or occupied by the County, including any space in buildings partially occupied by the County.”As the person that has run the Rossmoor Dog Parade for now nine years (this year’s Dog Parade will be on Sunday, May 6, at 2 p.m.), I have a personal interest in correcting Ms. Bloom’s false statements. You will note that the only county park that prohibits dogs on leashes is Upper Newport Bay.
Eric Christensen
Rossmoor
