Letters to the Editor: JWA flight path changes impacting Dover Shores like never before

Since mid-October, every plane departing John Wayne Airport seems to be flying directly over my home, at a lower altitude than ever before. The altitude is not much different from the height over the 73 Freeway. I have lived here since 1988 and have never had to experience the noise level I am being subjected to now.

The airplanes used to climb higher on take-off, level off at a higher altitude and then power on their engines over the ocean. Pilots advised passengers of this procedure. This has not been done on any of the last four flights I have taken out of JWA.

Flight paths have been moved west over Dover Shores instead of over the Back Bay, as previously. I live five miles from the airport and yet am experiencing the noise and pollution felt at the end of the runway.

All I ask is some consideration for this Dover Shores community, which is now enduring increased noise and pollution that should be shared by all the surrounding communities, as has historically been the case.

Susan H. White

Newport Beach

Go back to a traditional school schedule

Summer off for schoolkids should be a constitutional right. When I become king of the world I will remove all speed bumps, synchronize all the stoplights and declare before God, and all citizens, that summer begins on Memorial Day and ends on Labor Day. And Christmas season begins after Thanksgiving!

Matthew Smith

Laguna Beach

Recalling Scott Peotter could save city money

Scott Peotter is soon to be recalled by the residents of Newport Beach. Rather than offer any defense for his irresponsible behavior and ideas on the city council, Peotter and the puppet masters behind him offer only the argument that the recall would result in a cost estimated by the county to be $272,885 to $303,385. How does this cost compare with some of Peotter’s other ideas?

• $273,000: The cost of a special election for the Museum House, which Peotter advocated rather than simply to rescind project approvals.
• $480,000. The amount of road improvement funds Peotter proposed to turn down in order to make a point about the gas tax increase.
• $500,000. The amount of the fee cut given to mooring holders.
• $300,000. The cost of the politically motivated audit of City Hall, which has never been actually completed and was settled with no finding of any wrongdoing.

When Peotter says we cannot afford the recall, I say we cannot afford not to recall him.

Lynn Swain

Newport Beach

Better regulation needed at gun shows

If we can put a man on the moon, we can have restrictions at gun shows. At a gun show, the unlicensed sellers who can sell on the spot and are not subject to background checks (and are the problem) should all have to register with a central booth at the show, a government booth run by the state. This would be a law incumbent on the show organizers and thus the show and any seller participating in the show. The show organizers can take steps to enforce this with each stall, which are registered anyway, or lose their show license, and sellers (at the stalls) get a fine and prison time. The central booth then acts as a clearinghouse and does the background check. This takes the burden off the untrained/unlicensed sellers at the stalls.

Jerry Fair

Huntington Beach

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