Showing posts with label Dredging. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dredging. Show all posts

Friday, November 20, 2009

Who will watch the store now that he is gone?

Dr. Jan Vandersloot.....was our personal hero! He
marched across difficult terrain, when going another
way may have been easier. He applied himself each
day with a renewed fervor.....a renewal of spirit
that was infectious. He wanted to make people aware
that San Diego and other places around our nation....
may not be doing the right thing. He asked us to attend
meetings with him. He stood tall when no one else would.
Dr. Jan's solitary presence, at not only City Council
Meetings, Country Boards and State Commissions told of
someone truly dedicated to a better world. Someone who
would show by example; rather than just shouting from the
roof tops or spouting off for an uninterested audience!

Some people in life that serve as role models are later
to be named for streets, parks, open space, buildings
and even sometimes with a bronze statue. What they have
accomplished could be of little consequence...perhaps
family or powerful friends fronted the cash for these
endeavors. So it would be easy to be cynical about the
process of being grateful to those that have served
without a desire to be remembered. What was in it for
them? "A better world!" comes to mind when the name of
Dr. Jan Vandersloot is mentioned!

Dr. Jan Vandersloot, marched ahead with facts, figures,
study and a targeted desire......to move things forward
and to save our "Quality of Life" for not only our
progeny but those that would survive the years with
memories of wonder and beauty that once existed before
"Redevelopment or Naked Progress" that would take our
community and make it into something that was without
beauty or at worst, simply unlivable.

Water quality, Open Space and the beauty of trees and
plants.......were protected by Dr. Jan and his warrior
mentality. He stood tall, he asked the tough questions
and he offered solutions. He did all this....without pay
or self-aggrandizing purpose. He did it, because he knew
that if no one did it....the worst could happen and most
likely leave us depleted in spirit and in the beauty of
our environment!

Dr. Jan Vandersloot should be remembered. Should be
honored by our City, our County and our State. His
passing on November 5th, 2009 came too early. The people
standing in line to replace his tireless energy are not
only too few - but without his amazing knowledge! We
need to honor his memory with a Park,a street or Open
Space..marked by his name!

Thank you Dr. Jan, but the Lord has taken you too early.
We needed you to stick around a lot longer. We needed
for you to bring that tireless energy back to the Dias,
time after time - to protect us!

To his family and friends, the citizens of Newport Beach,
Orange County and California...and even the patients of
his caring, healing Dermatology practice - God bless us
all. We will remember you Dr. Jan and do our best to
walk a tiny step or two in your shadow!
READ MORE - Who will watch the store now that he is gone?

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

The Dredge Mobile is coming to town!

How many years has it been now? Seems
like ever since Congressman Chris Cox left us
to go to the Securities and Exchange Commission
...Newport Beach has been without a voice for a
Dredge in the bay! We never knew what magic
that Chris was able to conjure up.....but for
all his many years serving the 48th District...
we always got our Dredge money..every year.

Then came Congressman Campbell. Another handsome
and seemingly together vestige of responsibility.
John said he was Conservative fiscally and socially.
John said he was going to continue the Chris Cox
tradition of the "highest and best use" for each
and everything. Well, for about five years things
have not lived up to expectations and have been
bleak. No Dredge money from the Federal Government.
Maybe it was just because John Campbell was just a
junior Congressman and had little clout. Maybe it
was because of his single minded desire not use
"carve outs", "ear marks" or "special projects"
Federal money for anything but basics. He had very
little trepidation giving BailOut money to US
Automakers however! Along with trillions to those
Investment Banks.....oh well. Who cares about a
Dredge...when you can have lunch with Bankers?

In any event, Campbell didn't quite get the idea of
how important "The Dredge Money" was to Newport Beach.
We needed new sand too. The Feds could always help
there too. But did they? Hey, it got so bad that we
had to bring in the bench players: Congressman Ed
Royce(who has plenty to do for the Fullerton area),
Loretta Sanchez(who has plenty to do for Garden Grove),
Ken Calvert and even Senator Diane Feinstein...too!

Good grief....Chris Cox must have been some sort of
Congressional Studly Doright to need that many players
to replace him....on Dredging.

Today, Assistant City Manager Dave Kiff announced
that the Feds had awarded the City of Newport Beach
...not the $13 million dollars they needed, but $17
million dollars so that we could even water test for
ocean and bay pollution occasionally. We officially
thank all concerned for their efforts...so that our
bay can have tidal flush, our docked yachts enough
water under them..not to go aground, removing the
excess sand bars which are navigational hazards and
keeping the Newport Harbor the vital waterway that
it must remain.

An election is coming next year for Congress in the
48th District. Debbie Cook of Huntington Beach may
run, Steve Young, the perennial candidate will run
and hopefully someone will challenge John Campbell
to raise the bar. Whoever is chosen must resolve
without equivocation...that Newport Beach will get
Dredge Money.....each and every year...we need it.
READ MORE - The Dredge Mobile is coming to town!