Editor:
Last Saturday's 17th annual concert, sponsored by the Lafayette Rotary Club, was a great success, thanks in large part to the outstanding performances by the Acalanes, Stanley, and Bentley school music programs, and the Rossmoor Big Band and Generations in Jazz. The money we raised, through donations and a raffle, help support the local school music programs and our own Rotary projects. Over the 17 years of concerts, tens of thousands of dollars have gone directly to the local school music programs. Lafayette has acquired an impressive reputation as a city known for the high quality of music provided for the public's enjoyment, and judging by last Saturday that reputation is well deserved. And a special thank you to the weather man who had the vision and generosity to find a perfect day sandwiched between bouts of rain. And we also want to thank the EBMUD and Lafayette Reservoir staff for their continued and much appreciated support. And finally, thank you to the generosity of Oakwood Athletic Club, Diablo Foods, Cortese Development, Coldwell Banker, Diablo Rapid Print, and the Lamorinda Weekly, and the many people who wrote checks. In these difficult economic times, and faced with a reduction of funds made available to the schools, the generosity of this community to open its pockets to support worthy causes is impressive and to be commended. Live music, performed by local musicians, raising money for a great cause, and in our beautiful reservoir on a perfect day...what could be better?
Dick Holt, Bob Shusta,and John Sherry
Lafayette
(Rotary co-chairs for the concert)
Editor:
Let me add my name to those who find your attempts at humor in the police reports to be offensive. Particularly the "Frequent Flyer" report (5/12/10) on the 53 year old woman found intoxicated in public. This woman needs help not laughter over her condition. Please reconsider how you write your police reports.
Margaret Govednik
Orinda
Editor:
As a former Journalism degree graduate and Law Enforcement employee for two departments, I enjoy reading the police logs.
For Mr. Stroffolino to state the added comments are "a disservice to our law enforcement personnel," is ridiculous. Unless you work in Law Enforcement or know someone who does, most people have no idea what Dispatchers, Community Service Officers/Aides, and Patrol Officers deal with on a daily basis. Adding a little humor is a welcome diversion from the mundane incidents and sometimes stressful shifts.
I am more dismayed many Lamorindans haven't grasped the repeated warnings in this paper to lock your doors, remove valuables from sight, etc. Hardly a week goes by without a notation about them. Staff has even written reminders within the Police Reports or separate articles. For most of these reports, this "someone's misfortune," is their own fault. I often heard excuses such as, "The car was parked in my driveway," "I was only gone for a minute" and "But this is a nice city."
Everyone knows departments are stretched thin these days. We can all help the police by not thinking it won't happen to me and allowing officers to concentrate on handling more serious crimes and become more proactive such as, patrolling neighborhoods, rather than reactive or responding to many of these avoidable calls!
Lisa DeMerritt
Lafayette
Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA