MAILBAG: Schiff never got around to the tab

Consider that each of the five possible tunnel routes have earthquake fault and/or Super Fund toxic waste issues. Neighbors of the tunnel portal, where all the southbound traffic would emerge from a steep grade, and those near whatever exhaust vents would be needed to release all the vehicle fumes produced, must be heard. They are unlikely to passively allow the disruption of their lives during construction, nor the permanent presence of those who don’t wish to pay the toll and exit into the same area now suffering with the ill-placed termination of the 710 Freeway.

After being heartened to hear Zarian agree with Raggio’s waste-to-energy ideas to turn Scholl Canyon Landfill into a money-maker for the city during the early part of the program, it was particularly sad to discover the pair had no similarly sustainable vision for regional transportation.

I support Councilwoman Laura Friedman’s suggestion that freight, especially containerized cargo from the ports of Long Beach and San Pedro, belongs on rail, unless for local delivery, and that people should be offered more mass public transportation options.

Completion of the Gold Line to San Bernardino would be a lot more useful and much faster than any tunnel could be built.

The editorial in the Aug. 1 edition of the Glendale News-Press is another unfortunate example of “old” media missing the point. It’s hardly early in the game — this freeway, and now toll road, has been discussed for more than 50 years. The only new wrinkle is the buy-in by those financial, tunnel-boring machine manufacturers, and construction firms who wish to profit from the project.

While I applaud the News-Press’ embrace of the Internet with its recently added online poll and blogs, I urge you to bring the content into this century too.

SHARON WEISMAN

La Crescenta

Fake turf saves cash, but lacks taste

I don’t like the fake grass! To me it looks plastic, shiny when the sun beams on it, unnaturally green and tacky. I understand the importance of water conservation and putting in real grass is probably not the answer, but there are more attractive alternatives such as native and drought-tolerant plants. Rocks are great landscaping material too.

After reading a letter from Rex Shields (“What does council have against turf?,” Aug. 13) I feel obliged to express my support of the City Council in being wary of artificial turf replacing lawns that may be seen from the street.

Shields stated that he owned three rental homes in Los Angeles County and would possibly replace those front lawns with fake grass if it were legal.

Because there are a number of rental homes in Montrose, I am concerned some landlords might be more inclined to save money by putting in the cheapest fake grass they could find, regardless of how tacky it looked.

They don’t have to see it every day, so what would it matter?

I have heard there is some “natural-looking” artificial turf on the market that might blend in well with our environment, but that is not the case at the newly-built Montrose home at the heart of the discussion.

As a homeowner who lives up the street from this house and enjoys walking around the neighborhood, I hope that fake-looking, fake grass will not spring up turning our “Mayberry” into a “Toon Town.”

JANE STOCKLY

Montrose