Mailbag: Give teachers better seats at board meetings

Thirty-five years ago, I wrote a letter to the Newport-Mesa Unified School District Board of Education arguing that the teachers' organization should have an equal place on the board dais during meetings.

Commentary: Common Core math program needs far more study

Re. "Apodaca: Common Core may add up to math skills boost we need," (May 12): Patrice Apodaca's enthusiasm for the new Common Core math program, based on her belief that it will improve students' math...

Editorial: We all pay for each other's mistakes

There's been a good deal of commotion about a pair of teenage Costa Mesa hikers who went missing in South County after Easter. Though the hikers were rescued after a five-day search, and drugs were allegedly found in one of their cars, the truly unfortunate part of this story is that a rescue worker...

Mailbag: Fire-ring smoke makes it hard to breathe

As a resident of Huntington Street, I live with the smoke and soot caused by the incessant daily beach fires.

Commentary: Supes are dismissive of Grand Jury reports

On June 30, 1982, in a letter to the Board of Supervisors , the '81-'82 Orange County Grand Jury referred to the "clanging chains" of that "bureaucracy" in reference to a broken promise made to this jury by the board concerning their lack of response to all Grand Jury final reports within a 60-day...

Commentary: With runner's diary, marathoner takes road less traveled

Jake's coaching helped our friend, Jill, clock a personal best at the OC Half Marathon.

Editorial: Thank you, Detective Delgadillo

Few events hurt a community more than the death of a sworn police officer. Costa Mesa, which lost 32-year veteran Mike Delgadillo last week to an off-duty car crash, is no exception. Gone is a trusted sentry, a father, a friend. How can those sworn to protect us all perish in flash?

Editorial: Do not arm school teachers

In the weeks following the tragic school shooting in Connecticut and the arrest of a man who allegedly fired 50 rounds into the air at Fashion Island the next day, the Daily Pilot's Forum page has featured multiple letters and comments about guns and school safety. Some folks have called on...

Editorial: Boycott would hit unintended targets

Like everybody, we love a parade. And like everybody in the media, we love a protest.

Editorial: Increase to dock fees is reasonable

There's been a good deal of discourse over Newport Beach's recently approved marina fee increase. Plenty of small business owners say their operations faced an unreasonable increase in the "dock tax." We agree that some of the levies may have been too high when first proposed, and it would have been...

Editorial: Navarro looks like the right choice

The Newport-Mesa Unified School District appears to have made a sound choice in hiring Fred Navarro as its new superintendent. Navarro's resume reflects valuable experience working with under- and high-achieving schools; that type of range should suit him nicely as the leader of a district that...

Editorial: Honor the fallen in the civil rights war too

On Memorial Day, we will again honor Americans who died in service to their country. Many of these men and women were, of course, gay, serving under that shameful compromise known as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," and in deeper secrecy before that.