Robert Dale

Congratulations to Supervisor Todd Spitzer and the entire Board of Supervisors for televising their meetings. More democracy is better than less. In a complex society, citizens need all the help they can get in the decision-making process. City councils, planning commissions and school boards should follow the supervisors' example. The information highway is a little closer in O.C. I hope the board will keep televising its meetings. ROBERT DALE La Habra

Congratulations to Supervisor Todd Spitzer and the entire Board of Supervisors for televising their meetings. More democracy is better than less. In a complex society, citizens need all the help they can get in the decision-making process. City councils, planning commissions and school boards should follow the supervisors' example. The information highway is a little closer in O.C. I hope the board will keep televising its meetings. ROBERT DALE La Habra

Re "Yearning for a Pristine Channel: A Fairy Tale Runs Through It," Opinion, Nov. 9: Should we listen to Ralph Shaffer and Walter Coombs, a historian and a social scientist, regarding the future of the L.A. River? Or, should we be asking creative civil engineers if our vision of providing flood control and creating a riparian habitat is feasible? Wouldn't a hydrology engineer and a landscape architect with a background in recreation be more appropriate? Creative solutions exist.

The city of La Habra needs to focus on improving its community identity. Although the recent murders are not directly related, The Times' reporters correctly identified the town's deteriorating social ecology as a concern ("4 Slayings in 3 Months Rock Quiet La Habra," March 31). Our City Council has correctly focused on improving La Habra's semirural identity. Beautification is a high priority again after years of neglect. Stopping the huge loss in property values after years of economic decline will require visionary planning.

The Whittier-Puente-Chino Hills Wildlife Corridor ("Preservationists Plot L.A.-Orange County Wilderness Corridor," Sept. 1) is a great plan. The visionary leaders working to organize the best of what is left of northern Orange County should be commended. The regional open space plan is supported by the state, three counties and Whittier, La Habra Heights, Diamond Bar and Brea. The recreational value of the plan is also important to the benefit of 4 million urban-weary residents. The cities of La Habra, Yorba Linda, Fullerton, Placentia and Anaheim should become financial supporters.

Hurrah for Supervisor Todd Spitzer ("Spitzer Shakes Up County With Aggressive Approach," Nov. 4). At least we have one voice for good decision making. Compared with the arrogant backslappers who previously ran county government, Spitzer is a breath of fresh air. I can't wait for a majority of reformers to join Spitzer on the board. Then we will go after real corruption and bad public policies that have plagued this pathetic county for too long. Many problems still exist, such as land-use influence peddling, procurement fraud, campaign finance reform, and poor public access to information and participation in the process.

The city of La Habra needs to focus on improving its community identity. Although the recent murders are not directly related, The Times' reporters correctly identified the town's deteriorating social ecology as a concern ("4 Slayings in 3 Months Rock Quiet La Habra," March 31). Our City Council has correctly focused on improving La Habra's semirural identity. Beautification is a high priority again after years of neglect. Stopping the huge loss in property values after years of economic decline will require visionary planning.

Robert Dale Young and his wife, Judith, jailed last month after their daughter, Deanna, told police her parents used drugs, pleaded innocent to possession of narcotics this morning and received permission to apply to a drug diversion program. If the Tustin couple successfully complete the program, charges will be dropped, under the agreement reached in Orange County's Central Municipal Court.

The city will hold a tree-planting ceremony Saturday in honor of this month's Arbor and Earth days. Mayor Steven C. Anderson will plant two queen palm trees, donated by the city's Old Settler's Historical Society, at 10 a.m. in front of the La Habra Branch Library, 221 E. La Habra Blvd. "We donated trees to the city especially in honor of these two days," said Robert Dale, who is running the society's project to plant 2000 new trees in La Habra this year.

A judge has approved a request to perform a second autopsy on the body of a woman allegedly killed by her husband during a Jet Ski trip earlier this year on San Pablo Bay. Judge Robert Dale placed strict limits on the new autopsy. Corbin Easterling, 35, who has pleaded innocent to charges of murder and spousal abuse, is being held without bail in Sonoma County Jail. Defense attorney Vincent Maher said the autopsy could show that his client didn't kill Jennifer Easterling, 35.

Re "Yearning for a Pristine Channel: A Fairy Tale Runs Through It," Opinion, Nov. 9: Should we listen to Ralph Shaffer and Walter Coombs, a historian and a social scientist, regarding the future of the L.A. River? Or, should we be asking creative civil engineers if our vision of providing flood control and creating a riparian habitat is feasible? Wouldn't a hydrology engineer and a landscape architect with a background in recreation be more appropriate? Creative solutions exist.

Hurrah for Supervisor Todd Spitzer ("Spitzer Shakes Up County With Aggressive Approach," Nov. 4). At least we have one voice for good decision making. Compared with the arrogant backslappers who previously ran county government, Spitzer is a breath of fresh air. I can't wait for a majority of reformers to join Spitzer on the board. Then we will go after real corruption and bad public policies that have plagued this pathetic county for too long. Many problems still exist, such as land-use influence peddling, procurement fraud, campaign finance reform, and poor public access to information and participation in the process.

The Whittier-Puente-Chino Hills Wildlife Corridor ("Preservationists Plot L.A.-Orange County Wilderness Corridor," Sept. 1) is a great plan. The visionary leaders working to organize the best of what is left of northern Orange County should be commended. The regional open space plan is supported by the state, three counties and Whittier, La Habra Heights, Diamond Bar and Brea. The recreational value of the plan is also important to the benefit of 4 million urban-weary residents. The cities of La Habra, Yorba Linda, Fullerton, Placentia and Anaheim should become financial supporters.

Two schoolmates of Polly Klaas described in frightening detail Tuesday how a bearded stranger with a knife abducted their friend from her Petaluma bedroom, turning a giggly sleep-over into a nightmare that ended two months later when Polly's body was found.

A 73-year-old motorcyclist died Saturday morning after he swerved to avoid a mattress that had fallen onto the Riverside Freeway, according to the California Highway Patrol. Robert Dale Norton of Murietta was riding his Honda motorcycle east near Coal Canyon Road in Orange County, when a mattress and box spring fell from a pickup in front of him and landed in his lane, a CHP officer said. Norton swerved to avoid the mattress, cut across four lanes of traffic and collided with an embankment.