Doesn’t appreciate being saluted

[Regarding the battle over the Morton Bay Fig tree, the new property owners] have given us, the local community, the proverbial one finger salute!

This action by the new owner shows nothing but bad faith, in my opinion, by yet another development company.

Clearly they were in search of a written statement from any agency giving permission to cut it down. Once received, they implemented a “distract and confuse” tactic to deceive anyone who was involved with the process. While the new owners may have the letter of law on their side (a clause that no new development is planned), okay, for today. We can only speculate they will seek a demolition permit for the building in 2011. This is nothing more than a carefully planned timeline of events.

While the building and tree has a few issues, I ask, doesn’t every property?

Issues are also known as character, or charm. Character and charm is what brought me to live here in Crescenta Valley and also keeps me here. There are plenty of places that have neither.

Everyone: Please take a good look around. What keeps you living here in CV?

David Meyers

La Crescenta

She has a lot to say

I was one of the community members out on the sidewalk in front of our now butchered landmark Morton Bay Fig Tree. I thought of several things I’d like to say to some of the players in this travesty.

To the owners of New Star Realty I’d like to say: Your business is no longer wanted here. It was brave of you to come out and face the crowd, and smile and promise you won’t cut anymore. But I don’t believe you. You say you didn’t know the tree was valued by the community, but you were told. You just didn’t care. You had already promised the Town Council that you would not cut the Morton Bay Fig tree. It was a lie! Your company has lost all credibility in this community. As far as I am concerned, you should pack up and move out. Your company is not welcome here. Don’t damage this community any further. Don’t create an unnecessary ethnic rift. Just leave.

To County Regional Planning who told these people it was okay to cut this tree down I say: How could you skew the new Community Standards District for the Foothill Corridor of La Crescenta so badly!? The CSD took years to develop — it was designed to protect precisely this historic tree and property and those like it! This never should have happened! The County guy who okayed this project without even a warning that the community would be upset should be fired. There needs to be much more communication between the Town Council and the County Supervisor’s office. How can this be efficiently achieved?

To the Town Council, I simply say: Be more vigilant! You were voted into office to work with the community, to protect our valley, to be the eyes and ears of potential changes, and be the bridge between the County and the community. We don’t have many treasures left. Are they all going to disappear before you figure out how to communicate effectively with the County? Be pro-active, not re-active! This was the first time I considered that it might be better to be annexed to Glendale than stay unincorporated — at least they have laws to protect historic properties.

And to our community I say: Thank you for coming together! A valiant effort was made on Saturday. United we can make a difference and preserve the flavor of this community we love.

Pam Lawler

La Crescenta

Urges neighbors to beware

The reason for this communication is to inform everyone of the problem of stolen mail right here in our valley. On Halloween night, we mailed a couple of letters in the drop box in front of the La Crescenta post office. As it was late and dark, I chose the drop box as opposed to my usual routine of placing mail inside the post office. The two letters never were received. As one of them contained a check, I checked with the bank to see if it had cleared. The original check for $50.00 had been altered (bleached) and cashed for $597.00. The bank was notified, cooperated quickly and the money was reimbursed, which we appreciated. However, everyone should be aware that the outside drop boxes for mail are vulnerable. While the loss was recovered, it took much time and effort to close the account, order new checks, reroute direct deposits and payments, etc.

Be vigilant.

Carole Brown

La Crescenta

What would you like for Christmas?

What would you like for Christmas? When that question was asked of me recently, for a moment I was stunned. I have a suit of clothes, a few pairs of shoes and plenty of shirts, ties and socks. I don’t need any material things – but still the question persisted. What would I like for Christmas?

Then these thoughts came to my mind:

I would like for all the wars to be ended and for all the soldiers to come home. I would like to see peace in all the universe. I would like to see the whole world intent not on self-destruction, but on God’s instruction.

I would like to see all the people in our community and in all our country living, as well as pledging, allegiance to our flag and to our constitution – and living their lives as responsible citizens. I would like to see all our people demonstrate complete loyalty to the people they serve and with whom they work.

I believe that working together we can solve the many problems that confront us in our country today.

Finally, I would like to extend to all of you and your families my warmest feelings of brotherhood as we celebrate the holidays. I believe that the spirit of this season will never die as long as mankind’s need of God stays alive … and that must ever be.

Merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous New Year.

Vito Cannella

Montrose

  letters to the editor, Viewpoints