Clarifying a student investigation I was saddened...

Clarifying a student investigation

I was saddened to read Orange Coast College President Gene

Farrell’s comments in the article “OCC paper takes on student

government,” Saturday).

As the current editor of the Coast Report, I would like to clarify

a couple of points.

First, the paper did not make any inquiries or allegations about

Brown Act violations for monetary reasons. If Farrell asked fellow

administrators at the school, including Kate Mueller, he would find

that the paper was inquiring into the nature of the meetings prior to

the budget being made public. The paper had even contacted lawyers

with questions about the meetings before it knew how much money it

would receive.

For public knowledge, the funding the Coast Report receives from

the Associated Students does not fund the printing of the paper. The

advertising in the paper funds the printing. Rather, the funding is

for a journalism conference the students attend each semester -- a

learning experience. A decrease in funding does not hamper the

paper’s printing or ability to function.

Second, the Brown Act does not have an exemption for students to

learn. If the students want to be part of allocating real money, they

need to follow the laws, no matter how hard that may be.

I also believe the public should be wary of such behavior by

public officials. The Associated Students allocate nearly $1 million

of public funds. The public should not take this lightly.

All the paper is asking for is the law to be followed. I do not

believe that is too much to ask for.

MIKE BILLINGS

Editor of the Coast Report

Huntington Beach

Oh the silliness of the city mottos

Thanks Peter Buffa, for reminding us all how goofy city mottos are

(“Time to trade up motto,” Sunday).

Costa Mesa is not, nor was it ever, “The Hub of the Harbor.”

That’s Newport Beach, the whole universe knows that. So now we are

going to swap that motto for a new lie. Now we are “The City of the

Arts,” as if saying it makes it so, not unlike the fabulous Baghdad

Bob, the Iraqi misinformation czar. Laguna Beach is the “City of

Arts.” Always was, probably always will be. The whole universe knows

that.

Google tells me that a motto is a “short pithy saying or phrase.”

OK then, how about this for a motto for our town. Costa Mesa, “The

City That Has Everything*.” Then an asterisk, and in tiny print,

“Except a Beach.” (Thanks Newport, for always letting us use yours.)

GARY DRIES

Costa Mesa

Quite a find at OCC’s Fiesta Latina

Thanks to the photo and blurb that we spotted in your “Around

Town,” we attended a Friday morning performance of Orange Coast

College’s fourth annual Fiesta Latina.

We are relative strangers to the college and know nobody there.

What a delight. Everything about the performance was

extraordinarily good -- the dances, the dancers, the costumes, the

lighting effects and the commentary of artistic director Jose Costas.

We were so excited we felt we had to write this little report.

The performance was free, but as milady Annabelle said afterward,

“It was good enough to be worth a $50 ticket.”

Bravo to Costas and his very talented and enthusiastic ensemble.

The Robert Moore Theatre was crowded with lucky schoolchildren.

Apart from their teachers, the two of us were the only adults there.

Too bad. So many other seniors like us would have enjoyed it. Many

other grown-ups also, but of course they don’t have the wonderful

freedom to attend a 10 a.m. performance.

We’ll be there for the fifth annual edition next year. With many

others, we hope.

JOHN GUY LAPLANTE

Newport Beach