NORTH COUNTY
Coming to defense of license checkpoints
Bill Flores in his community essay (“Politics of divisiveness at work,” Dialog, June 22) all but advocates a lawless society. His piece is less about improving Escondido and more about pushing his pro-illegal immigrant agenda.
Driving without a valid license is illegal. It has nothing to do with one's ethnic background.
Kudos to the police of Escondido for actually taking steps to improve our community and road safety. Their checkpoints have nothing to do with racial profiling or illegal searches. Their checkpoints have everything to do with making our community safe, regardless of whose feelings may be injured in the process.
Flores may want Escondido to become a politically correct wasteland of lawlessness but luckily for me, a taxpaying resident, there are still people who care about my community (Police Chief Jim Maher) and want the law-breakers stopped.
JOSH HAGQUIST
Escondido
To contend, as Bill Flores does, that “no evidence exists that Escondido driver's license checkpoints are working” seems like a bizarre analysis. To me, the accompanying chart clearly showed it is effective.
Simply think about human nature: Someone unlicensed, and therefore without insurance, gets into an accident. Aren't they much more likely to run? Of course! Getting unlicensed drivers off the roads in Escondido seems like an effective and efficient way to reduce hit-and-run incidents. Reducing the additional trauma experienced by the abandoned accident victim is an admirable goal.
I encourage the Escondido Police to continue this effective crime-reduction strategy.
KEN MYERS
Escondido
No problem escaping Valley Center fire
As a resident of east Valley Center, where the fire came within half a mile of my home, I want to respond to misstatements printed twice in the Union-Tribune, the latest from Dan Auld (Dialog, June 22).
I took three days off work to defend against the Poomacha fire. My wife took my son to the airport and returned. All avenues of escape were open and guarded by the sheriff. Anyone could leave; returning was another matter.
For Auld to state “thousands were trapped at a local high school because local roads were cut off” is just not true. We were well prepared.
I have been attending planning committee meetings and circulation subcommittee meetings, watching carefully as developers try to amend our two-acre lot size to multiple housing projects. The road project being proposed now has been slipped in by outside interests.
WILLIAM MACEY
Valley Center
EAST COUNTY
El Cajon's budget and dire predictions
I was appalled at the arrogant and threatening language used by El Cajon officials in the article June 21 concerning the budget problems and the proposed rise in the sales tax to 8.75 percent.
“The only alternative, city officials say, would be sweeping cuts – an additional 7 percent across the board – resulting in layoffs, longer response times from police and firefighters, dirtier parks and fewer recreational opportunities.”
Wow! And that's not all. El Cajon City Manager Kathi Henry said the public would definitely notice a decline in service if the sales tax is not increased. Whew, another threat.
So, let me get this straight. El Cajon will stop repairing streets, sidewalks, etc., and police and firefighters will slow their response times. Sounds like a great city, right?
I have some advice for the city. Reduce business license fees, put a measure on the ballot that lowers the sales tax, start laying the groundwork to encourage a healthy business environment so that more industries of all kinds will be encouraged to to make El Cajon their home. And finally, start to do something about these ridiculously lucrative city employee pension plans, which is the real reason why the city has a budget problem to begin with.
TYLER GREGG
El Cajon
Landmark candy shop faces closure
Many San Diegans probably don't even know about the Wisteria Candy Cottage in Boulevard, about 30 minutes east on Interstate 8, which has created the most amazing homemade chocolates for 87 years.
I have visited regularly since 1966 and have never found a better milk chocolate pecan turtle. (Some mornings my older brother would climb the flagpole to raise the flag for a free fudge ball.)
My husband loves the remarkable variety of extraordinary chocolate creations. Yet the other day, I received a notice that this family owned business will be closing July 30 due to lack of patronage. I'm not sure what can be done to save the Wisteria Candy Cottage, but I'd love to hear suggestions. In the meantime, do yourself a favor and visit before it is too late.
CYNTHIA McDANIEL
San Diego
SOUTH COUNTY
Sobriety checkpoints are a valid tool
Regarding “Curbing DUI” (Dialog, June 1):
The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of sobriety checkpoints in 1990, asserting that the state's interest in reducing the number of drunken drivers justified the minimal intrusion on individual privacy.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that DUI checkpoints are effective in deterring drunken driving and catching drunken drivers. Considering that approximately 17,000 people die every year in alcohol-related car crashes across the United States, I think it's a good thing for our community that Chula Vista Police Chief Rick Emerson uses every tool available to combat drunken driving, including checkpoints and saturation patrols.
LETICIA BELMONTEZ
Chula Vista
SAN DIEGO
Making the Open possible
There are a lot of kudos flying around the city since the U.S. Open and I'm sure everyone who has received them has deserved them but isn't it about time we thank the Evans/ Cherishore family for the magnificent job they did remodeling the Lodge at Torrey Pines? Lets face it, no remodeled Lodge at Torrey Pines, no U.S. Open.
DAVID and SUSAN TELLIARD
San Diego
