GAINS AND LOSSES

GAINS

BRIGHTENING THE WORLD

The next generation keeps getting brighter and brighter. This year’s crop

of Academic All-Stars are headed to places such as Harvard and Stanford

universities. They have summer plans to travel the world, or to stay at

home and work. They helped community organizations such as the Boys &

Girls Club and the Orange County Juvenile Peer Court. To the

salutatorians and valedictorians of the area’s local high schools --

public and private -- congratulations. You make us proud.

TRANSFERRING IN

Huntington Beach City School District officials said they will be able to

accommodate the 36 fifth-graders on the waiting list to be transferred to

Sowers Middle School, rather than Dwyer. Parents were concerned that

their children would not be able to stay with their peers after

graduating elementary school because of school boundaries. The district

is looking into resolving the problem, which mostly affects children in

the Landmark tract, between Yorktown and Adams avenues and Newland and

Magnolia streets.

AN ARTSY GROUP

The Huntington Beach Art League has been helping the community explore

the visual arts since 1962. The 200-member club has kept going through

bad times and good, growing with every passing year. Its members now

range in age from 10 to 90. “We’re still the best-kept secret in

Huntington Beach,” said Mildred Freeman, a 15-year member. Well, the

secret’s out now.

LOSSES

ON MANNERS

When Mayor Dave Garofalo walked out of the Huntington Beach City Council

meeting last week during public commentary directed at him, he betrayed

one of the most basic of public rights -- the right to be listened to by

our elected officials. Regardless of who’s right or wrong, walking out

was not OK. The public votes and pays, no matter how small a sum, for the

council to hear its grievances. You listening, Dave?