Not the winner
I was mistakenly listed as the winner of the 5th-grade Knights of Columbus free throw contest. This is not true.
The real winner was Patrick Brennan.
I came in third place behind Brandon Yu. I loved seeing the picture in the paper. Thanks for printing the article but I can’t take credit for what I didn’t do.
Thanks,
Caden Vande Steeg
McGaugh Elementary
No Tram
In last week’s “Sun,” the article about leasing the pier restaurant indicated that part of the new lease would require bringing back the tram on the pier.
I strongly believe that this is a bad idea. First, fiscally, it would incur the immediate costs of providing a tram, followed by added upkeep for wear and tear to the pier, as well as the potential costs of defending liability and accident claims. (The latter was a reality last time there was a tram.)
Second, and more important, on a day-to-day basis, is the nuisance and inconvenience to all the locals and myriad of people who visit and walk out on the pier.
The tram runs down the middle of the pier impeding the path of all the walkers and joggers, and forces everyone to move to the sides and slow down.
Then, there is the cacophony of the clacking of the boards and the dinging of the bell which do not enhance the experience of enjoying the fresh air and sound of the ocean.
Seal Beach is so fortunate to have this unique attraction as part of our city. Many other cities are now closing off streets and blocks to provide a safe healthful walking experience for their citizens. We already have that!
Please contact your city council person and tell them that you don’t want a tram on the pier.
Their phone numbers and email addresses are on the SB website.
Judy Di Piazza
Seal Beach
Thanks for conservation
I would like to thank the (Los Alamitos) Parkewood President Susan Kaylor and HOA board for voting to shut off the pool heater for the winter. They tried to get volunteers to cover and uncover the heated pool daily so some residents could still swim. They were unable to reach this goal so the only other option was to shut off the heater.
We had done a pool study (daily water loss) and found we were losing about 681 gallons a day, and about 20,430 gallons a month due to evaporation at night. No matter what the day temperature is we were losing the water at night due to the temps getting down in the fifties and forties.
The water evaporates all night! It’s no different than running a water hose in the gutter it’s a waste. We did a survey in the area and found that most residents and apartment buildings cover or shut off their heaters in the winter months. Due to the drought we now have to conserve at home but some pool owners aren’t aware of the water wasted in their own back yard! Of course we are saving in energy costs but we are also saving a precious resource, water! We do have solar panels that help with electricity for about nine months out of the year. Drought or no drought we need to continue to implement conservation methods yearly.
Rick Paap
Los Alamitos
A whale tale
My wife Heather and I are a military family having recently relocated to Seal Beach.
Living on Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach, not a day goes by that we are not completely charmed and in awe by our new home town. This past Saturday morning I asked my wife Heather what she wanted to do for the day. She replied that she wanted to take our Grand Banks trawler out for the day and try to find a whale.
Neither of us had ever seen one in the wild before. Someone the day prior had told us they were spotted 10 miles off the coast, to the southwest of Seal Beach. We headed out just after lunch and travelled two hours to the southwest.
There were no shortages of dolphins and seals to be found. Just no whales. We decided to turn the boat around and head back to Sunset Aquatic Marina where we keep Trudy.
As we entered the buoy channel off Seal Beach, about 4 p.m. on Saturday, we were going very slow so that my wife could video the seals on the large outer buoys. We decided to turn around and make a second pass for more photos when my wife spotted something odd in the water.
It was a whale’s spout. Sure enough, just a couple hundred yards off the shore of Seal Beach, there is a 40-foot whale breaching and having a wonderful time playing in the afternoon sunshine. The idea that we now live here is just amazing.
We watched for a half hour as the whale jumped and played in the afternoon sun, eventually making its way to the south.
Maj. Gary Ross
11th Military Police Brigade
JFTB Los Alamitos
The opinions expressed in Letters to the Editor are not necessarily those of the Sun. The Sun welcomes Letters to the Editor. Letters should be 300 words maximum. Letters should be e-mailed, signed by the author and include the author’s address and phone number (the latter two are for verification, not publication). The Sun reserves the right to accept, edit, or reject letters for any reason. Unless otherwise indicated, all letters sent to the Sun are understood to be intended for publication. E-mail letters to: dennis@sunnews.org.
