Reaching out

We All Shop There

Re: City Lights: “Scripps Ranch to Walmart: Put it in Mira Mesa,” March 20

Oh, Jenny. So funny you are. Silly girl, don’t you know that every single neighborhood in America has tried to fight a Walmart in their community for the very same reasons you say you don’t want it in yours? You don’t think other people’s neighborhoods have “canyons, trees, little libraries, things like that”? Wow, lady.

Those other communities also did not want big box stores in their community, but they had to accept it. They, too, thought their communities were too cute for a Walmart, and that it would ruin the feel of their homes and the area.

For Jenny to say it should go “across the freeway” is just passing her problem along to another community. Jenny admits, “We all shop at Walmart.” Well, why is she supporting the store?!

If her attitude would be to fight against all Walmarts — each and every Walmart —then maybe she has a voice. But to show with her actions that it is okay to destroy other communities but not her own — well I very much want to shake some sense into her. She should have fought against all such stores in all areas of California, not just hers.

My own hometown, for one, was so beautiful, with mom-and-pop stores and a Mayberry-type lifestyle. Walmart came in and within 5-10 years, all the mom and pops are gone. All the small boutiques and five-and-dime stores? Gone.

Where was Jenny Marshall to fight it in my neighborhood?

The beautiful vistas and views that are ruined by the huge stores are another point to mention. Jenny says, “I wouldn’t want to come home and drive by the Walmart.”

Got news for you, Jenny.Not one single community in all the pretty suburbs of America wanted a Walmart in their town. You people in Scripps Ranch are not any more special or any more exempt from it than anyone else. No one wants a Walmart in their community.

Yet, just like you stated, with blind hypocrisy, “We all shop there.” Well Jenny, if you did not shop there to begin with you would now not have this in your own backyard. I hope every low lot in the county comes to your neighborhood for a Walmart discount!

• J. Reese, Pacific Beach

Find Another Target

As an educator, I find the article “SeaWorld Announces Shift from Orcas to Sharks” (SD on the QT) very disturbing as it leads to many misconceptions in my science classroom. Although your writer, Walter Mencken, is making up the story, the entire premise of such a story is ridiculous and only furthers America’s fears about sharks, and the belief that captive (aquarium-bred) animals can make a successful reintroduction into the wild.

If your news outlet wishes to attack SeaWorld, find another target other than an animal that is even more feared than orcas (or what the media likes to call them — killer whales).

Sharks are probably the most misunderstood animals of the global ocean; their ecological role is vital in keeping healthy fish populations free from disease. It is truly a sad state of affairs to make a pun out of the rare times sharks have been recognized to have attacked humans; you only further perpetuate the public misconception that sharks always attack.

• Tara Howell, University City

Homeless Pride

Comments on the new extensions for keeping the tent homeless shelters open need to be addressed.

First, San Diego is under court order to have them and could, in the future, be forced to open them all year.

Second, the million dollars gets paid back to the City in donations, grants, subsidies, and other money.

Third, the cost is so high because 40 security guards are required and massive insurance is required, in addition to the Spoils System, which indicates that governments may have things done at a huge price, and see to it that the work is done by their relatives. This has long been our system of government, like it or not.

The shelters serve our military veterans, who do not all fit in the veterans tent, and who paid a high price for their service, some losing arms, legs, or their sanity. It allows them to be semi-indoors, saving the government a billion dollars a month over paying rent for 2 million veterans.

San Diego will continue to be America’s Homeless City because of the weather, military, and border, and, well, would you prefer Chicago?

Alternatives to the tents are to have everybody on the sidewalk or in jails at a cost of $150 per person per day, in motel rooms at $30 per night and up, or the real solution of having jobs available that pay enough money to pay your own rent.

As for leaving San Diego, the homeless refuse to even leave their own neighborhood where their derelict hotel was torn down, much less leaving the city entirely.

Support homeless pride. Just say no to overpriced real estate.

• Dr. John Kitchin, Publisher, San Diego Homeless News

Clarification

Re: Blurt: “Back-Door Deal,” February 20.

We received a letter on March 19 from Mr. Berkson’s law firm stating the following facts:

1. Although our client Howard Berkson did at one time have an interest in India Street Venture, LLC, he transferred his entire interest in that entity in 2010, and has not had any ownership interest in the entity since that time. The information Ken provided from 2009 is not relevant to the time period at issue in the article.

2. You must keep in mind that India Street Venture, LLC filed bankruptcy. Anthology, the tenant at the premises owned by India Street Venture, LLC, did not file for bankruptcy, and the conclusion of the India Street Venture, LLC bankruptcy did not affect the rights or interests of Anthology.