Opinion

A few weeks ago I was slightly overcharged for a few items purchased at the Porter’s Fifth Street Alpine store due to a misleading disconnect between the flyer ad and the shelf sale signs. The amount was insignificant but I pursued it, in the best spirit of Lovie Whitaker, with the store personnel and Porter’s headquarters office in Andrews, providing detail - the ad, receipt, etc.

The island Krakatoa split apart and nearly disappeared in 1883 when the volcano Krakatoa spewed 20 million tons of sulfur into the atmosphere. The pressure wave from the explosion that broke eardrums reached 310 decibels, was heard 2,000 miles away, and traveled around the world more than three times. Ash was propelled to a height of 50 miles. The Northern hemisphere’s summer temperatures the following year were down 0.4 degrees centigrade, and Los Angeles received 38 inches of rainfall. The effects on world climate lasted several years.

We would like to thank the community and visitors from all over the country for joining us for the 50th Fourth of July Celebration hosted by the Kiwanis Club of Alpine. We had a perfect evening after the rain.

Thank you for the chance to recognize the achievement of the City of Alpine and clarify the public narrative regarding its updated outdoor lighting ordinance. The previous 20-year-old ordinance was outdated because lighting technology changed dramatically, and we know that LEDs and blue light can cause serious problems if used improperly.

There are times and circumstances that warrant the firing of public officials, elected or appointed. The terminations of city managers Chuy Garcia, Bill Lewis, Karen Phillipi, and Jessica Garza were, in my opinion, appropriate exercises of council authority, and were executed with very extensive public discussion of the reasons for the action. In some instances public opinion was divided, and views were aired in large public meetings.