Border Moguls

I was reading your Neighborhood News article, “Border Bounty: Federal government settles border land lawsuit with county and state,” concerning Border Field State Park. That land that they’re disputing — in 1984 I was working as a park aide and I witnessed the park officials acting as real estate agents. They were making reports that Herman Smart, who owned that ranch, had an eyesore on his property because he had a tractor sitting there, and a couple of old cars. They were cutting the barbed-wire fence and letting his cattle through. They basically railroaded the poor man out of his property. I witnessed all of this.

My concern is that it’s a conflict of interest for a state park official to act as a real estate agent or land mogul, land-grabbing in the interest of California state parks and railroading the public out of their property, and then making these multimillion-dollar land deals with the government.

Carmen
via voicemail

Uniting the Country

Regarding Ron Harris’s letter (December 13) on Don Bauder’s November 21 article, “Hispanic Vote Calls the Shots in San Diego,” City Lights. He writes, “The Republicans have become old and boring, and most people are aware of their true intentions.” Well, unfortunately most people are deceived and they think Democrats are wonderful.

Look at Clinton. He took so much stuff from the White House that they had to actually bring in moving vans. Obama promises to unite the country, yet he invites Black Panthers in the White House. How is that uniting the country? You want excitement? You’ll get it when the dollar drops out because he’s printing up too much money and it becomes worthless. And then people start starving to death. You’ll get plenty of excitement there.

Name Withheld
via voicemail

Molding Minds

Fantastic piece by attorney Joan Jackson (“Still Fat,” December 6 cover story). As an African-American female who has fought the battle of the bulge half of my adult life, it brought tears to my eyes how cruel people can be to their fellow men and women. Losing weight has become one of the most difficult battles I have ever fought.

As a 41-year veteran of the classroom, I was infuriated by the racism, insensitivity, and negativity of the teachers she wrote about. This Ms. Hooten, Ms. Lundquist, and the administration at Pershing Junior High School are hopefully no longer in the business of supposedly molding young minds. I realize there are prejudiced, bigoted, and right-wing teachers in my business, but when you read the toll it has taken on students of color, it makes one sick.

Mrs. Peggy M. Spates-Johnson
Valencia Park

Defending Belching Beaver

Re: “My Beer Radar — ¡Dos!”

May writers such as Brandon Hernandez realize that when critiquing establishments, one should strive to remain within one’s profession. The gentleman’s critical opinion of the name of Belching Beaver Brewery is not at all true. They enjoy a rapidly growing following with the general public and industry insiders — myself humbly included in the latter.

Timothy Clacton
via email

A Universal Bay?

RE: “Bay Dreams,” November 29 cover story

San Diego Bay can’t be everything to everyone. It’s already mostly committed to the U.S. Navy and commercial interests. Furthermore, there are just too many governmental entities asking for a piece of the pie. In my opinion, the Port District has essentially done no meaningful coordination of these interests and done no worthwhile planning.

A Manchester-style plan for downtown’s waterfront — a football stadium, sports arena, and park where the Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal now sits — do not belong along the bay. If the bay “quacks like a duck,” I’m sure you know the rest.

Why do so many persons want to remake the bay everything for everybody? A universal bay? I doubt it.

How about cries to “do something”? I don’t like to be a defeatist and rain on your parade but, in my opinion, it’s too late. Look at what the Port has permitted to happen over the past years. There is a wall of large buildings around the edge of the bay and more to come, at least on the San Diego side. A great opportunity to make something of the bay edge has been ignored by land developers, investors, greedy builders, and the stupid Port District. It’s gone; it’s too late, folks. And a stadium, sports arena, and park (big or little)? Where? Access? More walling off the bay? These very large users of large pieces of land and generators of traffic jams, not to mention many other issues, should be located where there is sufficient space and relatively easy access. Not downtown.

It’s a joke to start planning now! You missed your opportunity, San Diego. Perhaps Chula Vista and the other cities around the bay can do better. Let’s hope so.

When the U-T starts planning for the bay we’re all in trouble. Doug Manchester has nothing else on his mind other than to develop the bay line and make direct or indirect money. That’s his track record. Don’t be fooled by his interest to do something big for San Diego. How about doing something big for Papa Doug?

As far as the “unsightly industrial property” is concerned, I say leave it and let the normal process of change take place. Let’s call it “evolution planning.” Probably just as good as people mucking around with maps and such. There is some truth in the opinion that the bay should be for marine use, especially when one looks into the future. The edge of the bay may not change in the next 50 years, but if it does, it couldn’t be much worse than what’s happened so far. An interesting approach, keep it a working waterfront!

As for the Navy property, Papa Doug has had a long-term strong connection to that property and the U.S. Navy. He’s got plans, just like he had plans when he bought the U-T and North County Times. Beware San Diegans, I say.

There is too much greed in this city and in the power structure. And the shame of it all is that once a building is built, it’s probably there for at least a hundred years or more. Architect Moran has some interesting ideas, but it’s too late and it won’t happen. There is the power structure and then there is everyone else. Who has the upper hand? If this land is so valuable then why aren’t the decision-makers setting it aside for future generations?

Every few years one or more people bring up things that could be done to enhance the waterfront of the bay. Max Schmidt did it 40 years ago. He railed against walling off the bay. Did it do any good? No. I guess there was too much money to be made. Take a great environmental opportunity, the bay, and screw everything up just to make money.

As for Rob Quigley and the library, I made up my mind long ago that a main downtown library didn’t make sense. Sure, it’s a great monument to our political leaders. Most people who live outside Centre City will not commute to use it. So, does it make sense to spend a huge amount of money on a main library? Or should that money have been used in smaller, outlying, community-based libraries? Of course, that’s not Rob’s problem. He moves on making a commission and having his name bandied about in architectural publications. Good on you, Rob. Rob says, “If the Port reneges on the commitment to go forward with our [winning design], the city will never touch the water.” I think this says it all: the Port is in control. The governing body, in this case the Port District, is in a quandary. It doesn’t know what to do. So, it will probably look to Manchester and others who might make a buck, and that’s the direction that will be taken.

Al Mercer
via email