On June 6th, the City Council voted 3-to-2 to refuse $30 million in State funding and not begin immediate construction of the already-approved Veterans Memorial Park and Cemetery in the Great Park. Instead, the Council voted to negotiate a “swap” of the 125-acre Great Park Veterans Cemetery site to FivePoint Communities. Mayor Don Wagner and Councilmembers Christina Shea and Melissa Fox are expected to soon vote to give away our parkland to developer FivePoint, along with zoning approval for massive office, commercial and residential development.
Many hundreds of residents have signed a Veterans Cemetery petition, calling upon the Mayor and City Council to keep the City’s 3-year-old promise to build the Veterans Memorial Park and Cemetery in the Great Park, as originally planned. If you haven’t already done so, you may wish to take the opportunity right now to sign the Great Park Veterans Cemetery petition.
— FJL
Please take this opportunity to join your friends and neighbors in signing our Great Park Veterans Cemetery petition.
Add your name and comments in support of this important cause and ask your friends to sign, as well, at: www.irvinecommunitynewsandviews.org/VeteransCemeteryPetition
We ask the People of Irvine to join us — to sign our petition calling upon the Irvine City Council to honor our veterans and their families by keeping the sacred promise we made to build the Veterans Memorial Park and Cemetery in the Great Park, as planned.
Aaron M. DeGrood ▪ Abraham A Navarro ▪ Ada Zhu ▪ Adela G. López ▪ Agapito Soto ▪ Aggie L Piampiano ▪ Al Nault ▪ Alan Meyerson ▪ Albert Lee ▪ Alejandra Jimenez ▪ Alex Hassan ▪ Alex Uy ▪ Alexandra Melchi ▪ Alexia Perry ▪ Alfred McCarthy ▪ Alison Danesh ▪ Allen Fuller ▪ Althea Hoffman ▪ Alvin Wolf ▪ Alysia Wagner ▪ Amy Mullay ▪ Andrea Swanson ▪ Angela Godfrey ▪ Angeline Schroeder ▪ Annette Bork ▪ Annie Gronau ▪ AnnMarie G. Bundy ▪ Antoinette Thomas ▪ April Baldauf ▪ April Rulon ▪ Aris Papayoanou ▪ Arthur E Sager ▪ Arthur Strauss ▪ Ash Narayan ▪ Ashley Tarroja ▪ Audrea Huang ▪ Ausra Bagdonas ▪ Avram Grossman ▪ B Faure ▪ Barbara Banasiak ▪ Barbara Behrens ▪ Barbara Bohlig ▪ Barbara Goya ▪ Barbara Rivera ▪ Barbara Rush ▪ Barbara Shilling ▪ Barbara Siersma ▪ Barbara Sorenson ▪ Beiyun Ding ▪ Ben Gertsberg ▪ Benjamin Favis ▪ Benjamin Leos ▪ Berlyn Perry ▪ Bert Ramirez ▪ Bertrand Weidberg ▪ Beth Yamamuro ▪ Bethany Mendenhall ▪ Betty L. Long ▪ Beverly Holmes ▪ Bey Asada ▪ Bill Beacham ▪ Bill Weaver ▪ Blanca Gettys ▪ Bob Hatcher ▪ Bobi Rush ▪ Brenda Thompson ▪ Brian Baskin ▪ Brian Cruz ▪ Brian Jones ▪ Brieanna Dolmage ▪ Bronwynn Jones ▪ C Jeng ▪ Caleb Taylor ▪ Camtu Pham ▪ Capt Peter S. Porter (Ret.) ▪ Caragh McGrath ▪ Carl Hilliard ▪ Carl Mariz ▪ Carl Neuhausen ▪ Carlos Uy ▪ Carmela Dauenhauer ▪ Carol Burke ▪ Carol Jakl ▪ Carol Lapierre ▪ Carol Lechich-LeMar ▪ Carol Lindboe ▪ Carol Smith ▪ Carole Poissant ▪ Carolyn Banks ▪ Carolyn Watkins ▪ Caryn Chernin ▪ Catalina Villanueva ▪ Catherine Gresh ▪ Catherine Hwang ▪ Catherine Reynolds ▪ Cathy Chiang ▪ Cathy Clay ▪ Cathy Utgaard ▪ Chanmi Lee ▪ Charlene Bradley ▪ Charlene Sorensen ▪ Charles Cox ▪ Charles Kang ▪ Charlie Su ▪ Charlotte Goldstein ▪ Charmaine ▪ Cheri D Whitehead ▪ Cheryl Barrie ▪ Cheryl Bernstein ▪ Cheryl Glenane ▪ Cheryl Herbstman ▪ Cheryl Higley ▪ Cheryl Pecca ▪ Cheryl Smith ▪ Chi Lee ▪ Chris McLeod ▪ Christina Kelly ▪ Christina Sata ▪ Christine Alderson ▪ Christine Greene ▪ Christine Griftner ▪ Christine Vejsicky ▪ Christy LeMay ▪ Chuck Miller ▪ Cindy Davis ▪ Cindy Eddleman ▪ Cindy Feis ▪ Cindy Sumers ▪ Cindy Tatu ▪ Claire Hiller ▪ Clapierre ▪ Clarice Miyahira ▪ Clark Burlew ▪ Col. A. S. Marraccino (Ret) ▪ Col. Peter Fredericks, M.D. ▪ Cole Manoukian ▪ Colleen Maxson ▪ Connie Lee ▪ Cor Lageweg ▪ Corinne Kageyama ▪ Corliss Houston ▪ Craig Preston ▪ Cyndi Carroll ▪ Cynthia Wittner ▪ Dale Lawrence ▪ Dan Feis ▪ Dan Owen ▪ Dane Clark ▪ Daniel Samayoa ▪ Daniel Yau ▪ Danielle Folmar ▪ Dave Carlson ▪ Dave Kadonoff ▪ David A Bond ▪ David Atkinson ▪ David Chang ▪ David Day ▪ David Devlin ▪ David Erney ▪ David Hurd ▪ David M Day ▪ David Mauldin ▪ David Miller ▪ David Neal ▪ David Nunciato ▪ David Proctor ▪ Dawn Bennett ▪ Dawn Vermeulen ▪ Dawn Williams ▪ Debbie Halverson ▪ Debbie Podlas ▪ Deborah Dutr ▪ Deborah Dutra ▪ Debra Passo ▪ Debra Richardson ▪ Denielle Cerny ▪ Denise Canellos ▪ Denise Collins ▪ Dennis Anderson ▪ Dennis Calkins ▪ Dennis Deslatte ▪ Dennis J. Lowry ▪ Dennis Taylor ▪ Diana Duer ▪ Diane Balding ▪ Diane Daly ▪ Diane Deighton ▪ Diane Gale ▪ Diane Harvey ▪ Diane Shindler ▪ Dillon Scott ▪ Dominic Vallez ▪ Don Barrie ▪ Don Bayley ▪ Don Heckman ▪ Don Hinsvark ▪ Don Olisar ▪ Donald A. Berezin ▪ Donald Ambroson ▪ Donald Hanggie ▪ Donna Chappell ▪ Donna Krebs ▪ Donna Zazueta ▪ Dorothy A. Defino ▪ Doug Coglitore ▪ Dr. Frances Collato ▪ Dr. Michael D Cooper ▪ Duglas Wright ▪ E Vincent ▪ Ed & Louise McNew ▪ Ed Lamphier ▪ The Honorable Eddie Rose ▪ Edna Santiago ▪ Edward M Musto Jr ▪ Edward Uy ▪ Eileen Gregson ▪ Elaine Deslatte ▪ Elaine King, MD ▪ Eleanore S Nault ▪ Elinor Newman ▪ Elizabeth Julius ▪ Ellie Nault ▪ Elyse Corlett ▪ Emily Zaman ▪ Eric Beavers ▪ Eric Toguchi ▪ Erin Jones ▪ Ernestina Benson ▪ Eugene Kaplan ▪ Eugene Young ▪ Eva Sung ▪ Florence Cheng ▪ Frank McGill ▪ Frank Meyskens ▪ Frank O’Campo ▪ Fred Estrada ▪ Gabriele Rau ▪ Gail Lewis ▪ Gary Gregson ▪ Gary L. Peck ▪ Gary Parker ▪ Gary Skawin ▪ Gavin Oglesby ▪ George Kolarov ▪ George Baird ▪ George Tobin ▪ Georgia Fitzpatrick ▪ Gerald Julius ▪ Geraldine Torres ▪ Geraldine Torres ▪ Geri Thomson ▪ Gerry Martocci ▪ Getalyn M. Jennings-Santos ▪ Ginger Wallace ▪ Giovanna Luciano ▪ Giridhar Sithamraju ▪ Glenda Menges ▪ Gloria Bond ▪ Gordon Carlson ▪ Gustav Debats ▪ Guy Brown ▪ Hanh Nguyen ▪ Harriet Smith ▪ Harris Kershnar ▪ Harry Li ▪ Harvey Liss ▪ Heather Cole ▪ Heather Oglesby ▪ Heidi Wynne ▪ Helen de la Maza ▪ Helen Johnson ▪ Helen Polanchak ▪ Helen Rowe ▪ Helene Billera ▪ Henry Kass ▪ Hiromi Arai ▪ Horst Nehrenheim ▪ Hugo Reyes ▪ Hyeon Moore ▪ Ian Newman ▪ Ida Krecek ▪ Ilene Garman ▪ Ingrid Adkins ▪ Ira Lewis ▪ Irene Chung ▪ Irene Lo Khoff ▪ Irene Lockhoff ▪ Irene Rogers ▪ Irene Tarasi ▪ Iris McCammon ▪ Isabelle Therese Gween ▪ J A Nelson ▪ Jaci Woods ▪ Jack Bennett ▪ Jack D. Paris ▪ Jack Stewart ▪ Jack Tatham ▪ Jack Vander Bruggen ▪ Jack Zuo ▪ Jackie Borsuk ▪ Jackie Cheng ▪ Jackie Serna-Balch ▪ Jacqueline Monte ▪ Jacqueline Wolf ▪ James & Frances Antenore ▪ James Cowart ▪ James Eddleman ▪ James Jacobson ▪ James M Sparks ▪ James Thomas ▪ Jan Alston ▪ Jane Crooke ▪ Jane Serna ▪ Janel Bommaiah ▪ Janellen Smith ▪ Janet James ▪ Janet Kolarov ▪ Jani Nelson ▪ Jani Nelson ▪ Janice Bailey ▪ Jason Amador ▪ Jason Derry ▪ Jason Jazayeri ▪ Jason Ng ▪ Jean Anne Turner ▪ Jeannette Stokols ▪ Jeff Kreil ▪ Jeff Pyeatt ▪ Jeff Walstrom ▪ Jeff Woo ▪ Jeffra Bussmann ▪ Jeffrey Ho ▪ Jeffrey Young ▪ Jennifer Jocson ▪ Jennifer Schuler ▪ Jenny Chen ▪ Jeremy E Hsieh ▪ Jeremy Favis ▪ Jeremy Henry ▪ Jerri Uffelman ▪ Jerry Couchman ▪ Jerry Huang ▪ Jerry Walsh ▪ Jessica Lambrose ▪ Jessica Liu ▪ Jesus P. Cruz ▪ Jill Harper ▪ Jim & Jennfer Korb ▪ Jim Chung ▪ Jim Craig ▪ Jim Dale ▪ Jim Hiks ▪ Jim Swaniger ▪ Joan Veretennikoff ▪ Joanna Villanueva ▪ Joanne Farrell ▪ Joanne Heath ▪ Joanne Santiago ▪ Joanne Tatham ▪ Jodi Gimondo ▪ Joe C. Romero ▪ Joe McCarthy jr ▪ Joe Mistretta ▪ Joe Sambito ▪ Joe Todd ▪ Joel Smith ▪ Johanna Olafson ▪ John Adams ▪ John Barbod ▪ John Battey ▪ John Charney ▪ John Clinton ▪ John Croghan ▪ John Flanagan ▪ John M O’Connor ▪ John Mavros ▪ John Orange ▪ John Roll ▪ John Suchocki ▪ John W. Spiewak ▪ Johnny Wilson ▪ Jolene T Adcock ▪ Jon Brownell ▪ Jon Dickman ▪ Jonathan K Cohen ▪ Jonathan Ramer ▪ Jonathan Resnick ▪ JoNell B Rogers ▪ Jose Pineda ▪ Joseph H. Kahee ▪ Joy Roderick ▪ Joyce Kassouf ▪ Joyce Krall ▪ Joye Roderick ▪ Judith Gass ▪ Judy Grechko ▪ Judy Reina ▪ Judy Rodriguez ▪ Julia Hume ▪ Julie Altenbernd ▪ Julie Gaines ▪ June Rizzo ▪ Kandi Winslow ▪ Karen Bruno ▪ Karen Caballero ▪ Karen E. Nelson ▪ Karen Koch ▪ Karen Pennella ▪ Karen R Speros ▪ Karen Stouffer ▪ Karen Umphrey ▪ Karim Salimi ▪ Karla Hagerty ▪ Karlene Lewis ▪ Katerina Martin ▪ Katherine Simmons ▪ Kathleen Inman ▪ Kathleen Mcgaughan ▪ Kathleen Standart ▪ Kathleen Watanabe ▪ Kathy & Dennis Calkins ▪ Kathy Binder ▪ Kathy Corbett ▪ Kathy Gerakos ▪ Kathy Mericle ▪ Kathy Zummo ▪ Katie Gould ▪ Katya Chan ▪ Kay Sheetz ▪ Kay Warren ▪ Kelly Dang ▪ Kelvin Catlin ▪ Ken Clay ▪ Ken McEwan ▪ Ken Vermeulen ▪ Ken Wyant ▪ Kenneth E Smith ▪ Kevin Barber ▪ Kristen Raskulinecz ▪ Kristen Zeigler ▪ Lana Scott ▪ Lance Nord ▪ Lara Hernandez ▪ Larina Lee ▪ Larry Agran ▪ Larry Bales ▪ Larry Harris ▪ Larry L. Petersen ▪ Larry Plon ▪ Larry Varnado ▪ Laura Barwick ▪ Laura Lyn Cabar ▪ Lauren Klein ▪ Laurie Jacobson ▪ Laurie Librojo ▪ Laurie Nada ▪ Lawrence Plon ▪ Lawrence Tapangco ▪ Leah Ray Jordan ▪ Lee A Murphy ▪ Lee Heh ▪ Leila Belkora ▪ Leo Dombrowski ▪ Lesleigh Little ▪ Lester Zwart ▪ Leticia Cruz ▪ Linda Ablitz ▪ Linda Gregson ▪ Linda Halopoff ▪ Linda Lewis ▪ Linda Scholle ▪ Linda Shepard ▪ Lindsay Kruse ▪ Lisa Clark ▪ Lisa Hilbert ▪ Lisa Levine Perkins ▪ Lisa Lin ▪ Lisa London ▪ Lisa Veretennikoff Abele ▪ Livi Kerszenbaum ▪ Liz Norman ▪ Lois Carlson ▪ Lois Powers ▪ Lori Knebusch ▪ Lori Werstein ▪ Lori Werstein ▪ Lorida Kovacs ▪ Lorna Bacon ▪ Lorne Cheeseman ▪ Louis Baskin ▪ Louise Kaplan Beckerman ▪ Lt. Col. Roger Kuo ▪ Lucille Auchmoody ▪ Lucy Tran ▪ Luette Forrest ▪ Lyle Brakob ▪ Lynne foote ▪ Lynne Ruedy ▪ M Kay DeRight ▪ M Rock ▪ M. Pamela Skawin ▪ Magda Elzarki ▪ Mandi Pratt ▪ Manuela Lenz ▪ M. Williams ▪ Margaret Koopowitz ▪ Margaret Manaster ▪ Maria Baur ▪ Maria de la Maza ▪ Maria Young ▪ Marie Rodgers ▪ Marilyn Forsten ▪ Marilyn Lavarias ▪ Marilyn Parker ▪ Marilyn Tan ▪ Marilyn Vassos ▪ Marilyn Wilson ▪ Marilynn Neuhausen ▪ Marion Del Campo ▪ Mark Strohman ▪ Mark Tabbert ▪ Marla Hester ▪ Marleen Gillespie ▪ Marsha Sklar ▪ Marshall Goldman ▪ Martha Colburn ▪ Martin Wachi ▪ Martin Williams ▪ Mary Jo Donofrio ▪ Mary L. Davis ▪ Mary Pradzinski ▪ Maryellen Musgrave ▪ Maureen DeSilva ▪ Maxwell Hill ▪ Megan Doherty ▪ Melanie Ley ▪ Melinda Hatton ▪ Melissa Andrews ▪ Melissa Pirayoff ▪ Melissa Roeder ▪ Melissa Sokol ▪ Meredith Rattay ▪ Michael Hoffmann ▪ Michael Lewis ▪ Michael McLane ▪ Michael Paul ▪ Michael Rotcher ▪ Michael Shimada ▪ Michele K. Burnside ▪ Michelle Nagy ▪ Milind Patil ▪ Mindy Chanan ▪ Miran Zaman ▪ Monica Bonno ▪ Monique Mathot ▪ Monte Taylor ▪ Montel Newhouse ▪ Ms. Torres ▪ Mubina Gaffar ▪ Myrna Johnson ▪ Nancy Manion ▪ Nancy McGrath ▪ Nathan Hiller ▪ Nathan J Stewart ▪ Nichelle Rogacki ▪ Nicole Sullivan ▪ Niklus Cesena ▪ Nora Moses ▪ Norma Ballenger ▪ Norman Stout ▪ Nour Alhashimi Rizvi ▪ Olivia Parham ▪ P Kathleen Calkins ▪ Pam Reagor ▪ Pat Kennedy ▪ Pat Wheeler ▪ Pat Wilhoit ▪ Patrice Vaglica ▪ Patricia Ewers ▪ Patricia Hans ▪ Patricia Kappen ▪ Patricia Keil ▪ Patricia Leung ▪ Patricia Linehan ▪ Patricia Michaud ▪ Patricia Miller ▪ Patricia Weinstock ▪ Patricia Williams ▪ Patrick Keane ▪ Patrick Maez ▪ Patrick Y Caswell ▪ Patsy Vaglica ▪ Paul & Dolly Kaplan ▪ Paul Beltz ▪ Paul Wright ▪ Pavel Tomov ▪ Payam Larijani ▪ Pedro Chavez ▪ Peggy Evans ▪ Peggy Heitzenrader ▪ Penny Pawley ▪ Per Franck ▪ Pete Villanueva ▪ Peter Johnson ▪ Philippe Tusler ▪ Phyllis Gilmore ▪ Prindaj Nejad ▪ R D Porch ▪ R. Dennis Porch ▪ Rachel Max ▪ Rajesh Joshi ▪ Ralph W. Farrington ▪ Rama Sithamraju ▪ Randal Parker ▪ Randy Aparicio ▪ Rayna Kerr ▪ Rebekah Polanchak ▪ Renae Murray ▪ Rex Smith ▪ Richard & Paula Quinn ▪ Richard A Smith ▪ Richard A. & Melissa C. Hill ▪ Richard Emmons ▪ Richard McDonough ▪ Richard Monte ▪ Richard Murphy ▪ Richard Noyes ▪ Richard Sarlitt ▪ Richard Smith ▪ Richard Steffan ▪ Rick Cermak ▪ Riley Newman ▪ Rita Asroui ▪ Rob Rowan ▪ Robert & Nora Kawalec ▪ Robert Bertucci ▪ Robert Gaido ▪ Robert Grimm ▪ Robert Johnson ▪ Robert Michael Murrow ▪ Robert Munoz ▪ Robert R. Davis ▪ Robert Sklar ▪ Robert T. Torres ▪ Robert Tricerri ▪ Roberta Muhleman ▪ Roberta Smith ▪ Robin Elliott ▪ Robin Williams ▪ Robyn Sarkhosh ▪ Rochelle Harriger ▪ Rogelio Camero ▪ Roger Butow ▪ Roger Taylor ▪ Ron larriva ▪ Ron Pirucki ▪ Ron Salampessy ▪ Ronald Davis ▪ Ronald Wingard ▪ Rosanne Dunn-Spiewak ▪ Rose Gramme ▪ Rosemary Torralba ▪ Roxana Torres ▪ Roy M. Fujitani, MD, FACS ▪ Rozmarie Strauss ▪ Ruiz Family ▪ Russ Penniman ▪ Ruth Greenberg ▪ Ryan Chadwick ▪ S Morrissey ▪ S. Robert Radus ▪ S/Sgt. Jerry Couchman ▪ Sally J. Key ▪ Sally Murray ▪ Sally Sloane ▪ Salvatore Vaglica ▪ Sam Batalon ▪ Sam Naghshineh ▪ Samuel Nichols ▪ Sandra B. Cullum ▪ Sandra Burnett ▪ Sandra H Klein ▪ Sandra Harrison ▪ Sandy Rushing ▪ Sanh Truong ▪ Sara Liu ▪ Sarina Sherwin ▪ Sarita Sidhu ▪ Scott Smith ▪ Sean Cagle ▪ Shadi Zemoudeh ▪ Shady Shaaban ▪ Shana Benton ▪ Sharlene Alch ▪ Sharon Burke ▪ Sharon Calicdan ▪ Sharon Hadley ▪ Sharon Toji ▪ Sharon Toranto ▪ Sharon Weidberg ▪ Sharron Entrikin Hanggie ▪ Sheila Dickindon ▪ Sheila Nyberg ▪ Shelley Bivens ▪ Shelly Shirley ▪ Sherry M ▪ Sheryl Cohen ▪ Simone Nguyen ▪ Solange Montoya ▪ Soojie Kuroda ▪ Soudabeh Roshanzaer ▪ Stacy Jacoby ▪ Stephanie Davis ▪ Stephanie Proffitt ▪ Stephen Beever ▪ Steve Ammon ▪ Steven Harlow ▪ Sue Crull ▪ Sunny Wang ▪ Susan Ambrozich ▪ Susan Barrie ▪ Susan DeGennaro ▪ Susan Esch ▪ Susan Finn ▪ Susan Galasso ▪ Susan Grosfeld ▪ Susan Kim ▪ Susan Leys ▪ Susan Morrissey ▪ Susan O’Brien ▪ Susan Sayre ▪ Susan Schott ▪ Susan Steele ▪ Susan Wang ▪ Susie Barrie ▪ Suzanne Seidel ▪ Suzette Hallbick ▪ Symone Sass ▪ Tami Durant ▪ Tara Deiley ▪ Tausha Kutil ▪ Teresita Vanderdys ▪ Teri Wielenga ▪ Terri Stapinski ▪ Terri Warstler Trent ▪ Terry Keef ▪ Terry Martinez ▪ Terry Mcgaughan ▪ Terry Rocheleau ▪ Thai Nguyen ▪ Theresa Maisen ▪ Tim Alexander ▪ Timothy Hoffmann ▪ Timothy Walker ▪ Tod Loomis ▪ Todd Lohr ▪ Tom Bathurst ▪ Tom L Casey ▪ Tom Lillig ▪ Tom Setka ▪ Tom Wong ▪ Toni Dwyer ▪ Tony Hwang ▪ Trang Dinh ▪ Trudy Papson ▪ Tuyet Tran ▪ Valerie Gilb ▪ Vanessa Byrne ▪ Vera LeBlanc ▪ Verna McCarthy ▪ Vic Mosconi ▪ Vicki Carlson ▪ Vicki Thompson ▪ Vicky ibarra ▪ Victoria Longmore ▪ Vince Chong ▪ Vince Pham ▪ Vince Victor ▪ Vincent Galasso ▪ Virginia Chang ▪ Virginia Harvey ▪ Virginia Hilton ▪ Virginia L. Peck ▪ Virginia Teodoro ▪ Wai Chiu ▪ Walter Straub ▪ Wayne Hall ▪ Wendell Frank ▪ Wendy Barton ▪ Wendy Fears ▪ Weston Blaine ▪ William Aulenbach ▪ William Kent McLain ▪ William M Norman ▪ William Mayhew ▪ William Stewart ▪ William J Thompson ▪ Willy Jardine ▪ Wong ▪ Yan Liu ▪ Yunong Gan ▪ Zoe Williams [This is a partial listing.]
Comments, Notes and Letters
Here are a few of the hundreds of comments and letters received regarding the Veterans Cemetery. In the weeks ahead, we will publish as many as space permits.
- The Great Park is on land that was at the heart of the former El Toro Marine Corps Base. Of course, it is supposed to include the Veterans Cemetery! We do not need more houses, more traffic, more cars.
— Sandy Rushing - I served the Army Medical Corps for over 20 years, caring for soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines. These brave patriots deserve to be laid to rest on the hallowed land within the Great Park and not somewhere between two noisy freeways! Anyone who thinks otherwise has obviously never served his or her country militarily (including Mayor Wagner) and should seriously feel some shame if they, in fact, have any feelings at all. What a disgraceful and cowardly stance by Mayor Wagner and Councilmembers Christina Shea and Melissa Fox!
— Col. Peter Fredericks, M.D. - The Veterans Cemetery should be in the Great Park, as originally planned, to honor not only all veterans, but the ones who served at El Toro — and from Orange County. I am so disappointed in the Irvine Mayor and Council. I don’t say “my Mayor” and “my Council” because they do not represent me. They lost my respect when they had the “special Council meeting” to change what Irvine people had voiced and voted for — a Great Park Veterans Cemetery.
— Judy Rodriguez - As a veteran, I think that the Veterans Cemetery should be in the Great Park, as planned. It would be a much more desirable location than the area they plan to “swap” for it. As a member of the American Legion Post 133, I can report that other members of the American Legion — all veterans — feel the same.
— Robert R. Davis - The three Councilmembers who voted for the transfer of the Great Park Veterans Cemetery site to FivePoint appear to have acted as agents of the developer. They certainly did not act as representatives of the majority of Irvine citizens. This is confirmed, in my opinion, by Melissa Fox’s vote for the transfer, after campaigning on the promise to oppose the transfer. Fox should be removed from the Council, and the transfer should be overturned.
— Al Nault - The City of Irvine is disgracing itself by not honoring the original plan to build the Veterans Cemetery at the Great Park.
— Terri Warstler Trent - As a veteran, I want the Veterans Cemetery to be built on the already-approved 125 acres in the Great Park and not next to the I-5/I-405 El Toro Y interchange.
— Ralph W. Farrington - “Betrayal” is an inadequate word for the actions of Wagner, Shea and Fox. That’s how I feel as an “end-of-the-road” veteran! Doesn’t a Veterans Memorial Park and Cemetery on the Great Park site that is bought and paid for make more sense to Irvine than an indefinite vague promise of some future project of unspecified costs? The Great Park was born out of a pitched battle against greedy interests, not unlike what we’re confronted with again. Let’s not lose it all this time?
— George Baird - As a Marine who served in the Korean War era and ended my service at El Toro in 1956, I feel it only proper to allow service members who were stationed there to be interred there and not between freeways that only came into existence later.
— Jack Tatham - I am a veteran who served in the Vietnam War. We served our country in good faith, giving our lives to protect the Constitution of the United States. Don’t just thank us for our service; keep the promises made to us as well.
— Caleb Taylor - I am a Vietnam Veteran and was looking with great hope for a Veterans Cemetery at the Great Park. I have been an Irvine resident since 1979, and I am not happy with the backroom deals the Council people make. Shame on them!!
— Ronald Davis - Keep the Veterans Cemetery at the Great Park, where it should be. Don’t let the developers win. Shame on Melissa Fox for lying to get votes to become a Councilwoman. She lied and said she was for the Veterans Cemetery at the Great Park. What a traitor!
— Cindy Davis - We enjoy our freedom because of military servicemen and servicewomen. Their sacrifices are unending. They should not be shoved aside to a less desirable place in our City. I voted for the wrong people. They lied to me about their intentions. So much for the moneyed people of our community getting their own way.
— Lorna Bacon - The citizens of Irvine have made it clear that they want the Veterans Cemetery in the Great Park, as planned. It’s time for the elected leaders of Irvine to start representing and respecting the citizens of Irvine rather than the developers, such as FivePoint.
— Deborah Dutra - The actions of our City Council are disgusting!
— Beverly Holmes - The Veterans Cemetery belongs at the Great Park. We don’t need more houses and office buildings. The traffic we now have is terrible, and we do not need more. It is affecting the quality of life.
— John Battey - Mayor Donald Wagner should be ashamed. Before the Mayor encourages businesses to make money, shouldn’t the residents of Irvine be considered first? I do not want to see any more commercial and residential areas expanded near the Great Park.
— Albert Lee - A long tradition exists where cities all over the nation — indeed, all over the world — have set aside valuable public land to enrich the cultural and recreational experiences of their citizens and of visitors from other places. Irvine’s Great Park offers a rare opportunity to continue in that tradition by providing quality and meaningful experiences to all, including a well-placed Veterans Cemetery. For the City of Irvine to do anything less is more than a missed opportunity; it is a travesty not to be dismissed lightly. We citizens of Irvine owe it to our neighbors and to future generations to fight for creating an honorable legacy by insisting that the Great Park Veterans Cemetery be located on the most cherished land, not some throwaway piece of property located in the least desirable area.
—James and Frances Antenore
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