Letters to the Editor November 19, 2009

My mother passed away a few days ago. She was my best friend. I will miss her.

My wish for all of you, instead of this constant bickering that you have in the newspaper, is for all of you to call your mother tonight. Because you never know. For you who have already lost your mother, I’m sorry. I know how you feel.

Turn down the volume in your thumping automobile

At what point is automobile music too loud? I would say a person with a rattling, over-amplified boom box that you can hear a block or two away coming and going is just too loud.

That thumping should be faded out.

Some people travel all day, just to come home to a town like Crescent City to get away from that. I’m asking, please, for some opinions on this matter, good or bad.

Westfall does not appreciate sewer plant enables growth

Most people do not read the legal notices in The Daily Triplicate. Why? I believe more people should.

I want to thank Art Reeve, the county’s engineer, for the Del Norte County-Community Development Department, the Engineering Division, for realizing that the county needs to fix more of its infiltration problems in the county’s Service Area No. 1 sewer system. The county over the years has done a lot of work to solve its infiltration problems.

My city’s answer to its infiltration problem was to build a new wastewater treatment plant because it looked into the cost rationale of building our treatment plant or fixing our sewer line. We are building our new plant so it can take more inflow into the plant. My friend Art over the years has worked hard to solve the county inflow problems.

People need to realize that there is 5,280 feet in a mile. Over the years, Art has taken small steps to fix the problem areas in the county’s sewer lines. But one of our City Council members does not realize this. Also, she needs to look into federal case law dealing with contract law and stop being so hard-headed.

Donna Westfall has become a one-issue person. She is not looking into a lot of the real issues facing my small town. There are many. Donna does not realize that the work that the county is doing now and in the past means more hookups for the county and the city. My mayor needs to explain this to Donna one more time. Also, it’s time for Kelly to stop talking about how much time I spend speaking my mind at the City Council meetings and focus on the real issues for the coming years. Maybe as mayor, she needs to focus on the real issues facing my small town, “Come Back Town USA.”

Kelly, maybe we should sit down and talk over lunch. I can pay for your lunch on my next payday. I have a long list for you. As a community, we have many issues that should be brought to my council before my city comes on hard times because of Donna’s actions. I could enlighten you and the rest of the council. Maybe then I would stop running after windmills and be more positive and stop talking so much and be less of a pain in the neck at the City Council meetings.

Judge made biased statements and incorrect accusations

In the interests of seeking accurate reporting, I am responding belatedly to a July 25 story (“Bizarre twists in gun-at-airport trial”) regarding the prosecution of Sean Gray for carrying a concealed weapon.

Lawyers cannot respond to the accuracy of articles during trial. The DA was not consulted about the accuracy of the judge’s statements. The paper stated I dropped a laptop, was scolded by the judge for bringing a gun into the courtroom and pointing it at the jury.

The latter two accusations were incorrect. The laptop was packed in a very slippery case twice its size. I did not know the case was already open with its top facing down when I pulled it out of the backpack. When it was taken out there was no chance to stop it from dropping to the floor. I owned many laptops and never dropped one like that. We will never know if it was packed like that on purpose or was a mistake on my part because we do not know who packed it and how for trial.

The judge accused me of bringing a loaded firearm into the courtroom and claimed I pointed it at the jury. This was part of a litany of biased statements he made against our case. I asked him two times before trial how to handle the issue of the gun after consulting the bailiff. The judge avoided the issue, then acted surprised at trial when I took the unloaded pistol out of the box. There was no bullet in the chamber.

None of the five jurors I debriefed thought I pointed it at anyone. It was not loaded. They asked why I allowed a biased judge to preside on the case. I told them I tried to disqualify him and the motion was denied. I hesitate greatly to be critical of a judge whom I obviously respect very much. But two of his incorrect comments were very damaging to my reputation in the public domain.

Sometime judges make mistakes, too, and should be careful and humble about what they say from the bench. I prosecuted that case using the highest professional standards.

‘Poop stations’ should be in parks frequented by dogs

Of all the things I never thought I’d read in the local paper are the recent opinion letters defending dogs’ feces in public places!

Surely these defenders clean up after their dogs in their homes and yards? Why would they think it OK to leave it in our parks and public places? I suggest we learn from our neighbors in Oregon and place “poop stations” in parks popular with dog walkers. These stations politely inform dog owners to clean up after their animal and provide a trash receptacle with plastic bags for them to do so.

Of course it would still require dog owners to use them, but I would hope the Crescent City poop defenders are just a disgruntled minority.