Foothills Sentry February 2020

Foothills Sentry February 2020 Page 11 JOHNSON MOTORCARS 29 Years of Specializing in the Service and Repair of Mercedes-Benz Gary Johnson 714-997-2567 982 N. Batavia # B13, Orange, CA 92867 gary@johnsonmotorcars.com Circulation … 43,400 • Published on the first Tuesday of each month and distributed to residences, businesses, libraries and civic centers. 714-532-4406 Fax: 714-532-6755 foothillssentry.com 1107 E. Chapman Ave., #207 Orange, CA 92866 ©Foothills Sentry 2020 Publisher/Editor Anita Bennyhoff 1969-2013 Editor Tina Richards editor@foothillssentry.com Sports Editor Cliff Robbins sportseditor@att.net Graphic Design Jackie Steward graphics@foothillssentry.com 714-588-1748 Advertising Sales Andie Mills advertising@foothillssentry.com 714-926-9299 Office Manager Kathy Eidson officemanager@foothillssentry.com Did you know? The California primary election has moved to March 3, 2020. To vote you can do any of these: Return the ballot by mail (No postage needed) Drop the ballot at an official ballot drop box. Drop the ballot at a Voting Center For complete information about Voting Centers: ocvote.com/votercenter. The information provided by, The Democratic Club of Orange. This election is important ✓ Voting centers will replace precinct voting. ✓ All registered voters will receive their ballots in the mail after, February 2, 2020. ✓ Be on the lookout for your ballot. ✓ Do not mistake it for junk mail! ✓ No party preference voters need to obtain a new ballot or re-register to be able to vote for a candidate in the presidential primary. Please remember to vote! advised me that he was associated with a Political Action Commit- tee that is frequently mobilized for school board meetings like this one. He emphasized that sup- porters will drive across the state to organize against local school board resistance to proposed charter schools. None of the OCCA supporters I spoke to actu- ally lived in OUSD, had students attending OUSD, or were even familiar with OUSD schools. Despite a scathing staff recom- mendation to deny the charter petition, it was disappointing to see four members of the board support it. They did so with no thought to try to negotiate to get a better outcome for our students and district. Based on what I saw, it sure seemed like OUSD teach- ers, parents, students and staff were metaphorically told they had no seat at the table, while OCCA literally gave us no seat at all. Tiger Cosmos Garden Grove (OUSD) Clear the area Dear Editor: In response to a letter in the January issue about the climate change protest (“Getting Warm- er”), noting the 50-year-old Villa Park dumpsite in East Orange and The Trails at Santiago Creek proj- ect, I may point out to you and your readers that neither have any impact on the environment. Recent readings at the Villa Park dumpsite over the last five years have been near zero, and The Trails at Santiago Creek will replace a gravel pit and the heavy machinery required to run it -- which generate diesel fumes and dust -- with 70 acres of greenery and open space that produce oxy- gen from carbon dioxide. Further, a much bigger con- tributor to greenhouse gases are emissions from livestock produc- tion systems (including intrinsic fermentation and animal waste) and biomass burning (including open fires, charcoal combustion, and firewood burning), of which Orange Park Acres is the largest contributor in this area. There is far more methane coming out of the stalls in OPA than there is from any other source in East Or- ange. You are concerned about the environment. Why not start there? Mark Moore The Reserve Pleased and thank you Dear Editor: I want to thank all of the mem- bers of the Orange Park Associa- tion who elected me to the Asso- ciation’s Board of Directors on Jan. 18. OPA is a community under- going change, as never before. Poorly-conceived real estate de- velopments, unrestricted group home growth and an increasingly dangerous fire season are serious challenges that need immedi- ate and direct attention. Dare I mention a city council, with three council people who live nearby, that just doesn’t get the unique- ness of our community. There are more challenges, and I will make every effort to hear your voices. You and I want a better Or- ange Park Association: one that is more inclusive and represents all members of OPA. The OPABoard must become more responsive to the pressures on the community. It must listen better to its mem- bers and non-members. This new board must have the desire and capacity to take on these matters. You and I want a better Orange Park Acres, and need a more pow- erful Association to get it. I can’t do it alone. With your opinions, advice and skills the As- sociation can make the changes that are needed. Thank you for allowing us to serve you. Peter Jacklin Orange Park Acres Play safe Dear Editor: I live in a home where the drive- way is short, a bit of a hill, rather steep, and I find my driveway to be a beacon for young people and children (skateboarders, bike rid- ers practicing tricks) and most disconcerting of all, adults letting their young children play there. I’ve actually had to put a sign on our garage door: “Danger, this is a driveway ” to little, or no, avail. We have a camera so I see that this is true, even with the sign. Does it seem that I am being petty? I believe people think I am, and some actually roll their eyes after reading the sign. They must not know that kids are hurt badly, or killed, every year due to drive- way rollover accidents involving children and vehicles. Don’t par- ents teach their kids to avoid play- ing in driveways? Driveways are not playgrounds and are meant to pass as carefully as one would cross a street. Please teach your kids to re- spect driveways. I personally know of people that have lost a child, or experienced the horror of hurting another’s child, be- cause they didn’t know that the child was playing in the driveway. Please, please, take this message to heart and know the dangers of thinking “this can never happen to me or my child” since it can hap- pen in your own driveway too. Mary Keough Orange Condo controversy Dear Editor: Like many of my Anaheim Hills neighbors, I’m disappointed that the Anaheim City Council overruled the voice of the resi- dents surrounding the Serrano Center by approving the devel- opment of 54 condominiums to replace a thriving commercial center. I’ve been public and outspoken in my opposition to this project – chiefly because of the potential loss of a vibrant commercial cen- ter beloved by the community. Because of my vocal and public opposition to the project – both during the election campaign and in front of the Planning Commis- sion -- California law required me to recuse myself at the coun- cil discussion. Even if I had been allowed to cast a “no” vote, the project would still have passed with the four “yes” votes from my col- leagues. This is an unintended consequence of district elections. Residents opposing a local proj- ect are finding it hard to get the support of a majority of council members because most of the council are not directly account- able to them. Going forward, we’ll be re- searching options to change the trajectory of this project, and I hope to share some positive news soon. State law does not require us to rezone our commercial space into residential to meet this need, as was done for the Serrano project. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at toneil@anaheim.net . Trevor O’Neil Anaheim City Council, District 6