Denis Horn

Two recent articles in The Herald, both reported by James Herrera, are excellent news for those of us who use the remarkably convenient Monterey Regional Airport.

In one, groundbreaking ceremonies were held for an approximately $100 million replacement passenger terminal. The existing terminal building dates back to the 1950s.

In the other article, it was reported how Congressman Jimmy Panetta had pushed through over $5.4 million for the construction of that terminal, following his prior successful efforts to secure more than $64 million in federal funding for modernization of the airport.

As the airport board said goodbye to Mike La Pier, who just retired after nine years as executive director, we should also reflect upon those whose years of dedication in airport management and as members of the airport board have made this a comfortable place to fly into and out of.

One of those was Denis Horn, now 93 years old, who served for 16 years as the manager of the then-named Monterey Peninsula Airport before retiring in 2003. Horn steered the airport through many challenging years following federal deregulation of the commercial aviation industry.

Deregulation meant considerable flux for many years. Many longtime existing and renowned airlines disappeared; new ones came into existence. Numerous smaller airports had to scramble. Some lost considerable service. Others stopped operating at all.

But with Horn and the airport board at the forefront, our local airport maintained solid service. Horn had served 20 years in the Marine Corps and then 11 years as manager of operations and facilities at John Wayne Airport in Orange County before coming to Monterey, where under his leadership, the airport became easier for flyers and for those who dropped them off or picked them up.

I have flown into and out of hundreds of airports. I have never found one as accessible as Monterey’s.

— Lewis Leader, Carmel Valley

Leaving the nest

As I walk around town, I notice that the California Gulls nesting on rooftops are almost ready to fledge or fly from the nest. Gulls are very resourceful and have chosen rooftops for nesting because the shoreline has been taken over by humans. Unfortunately, when these birds fly off, some of them land in the street and don’t have the strength to lift off again. Every year I see a good number of them squished in the street! So, when you see these light grey puff balls on the road, please don’t assume they will fly away like most birds. Try honking your horn, slow down or do whatever you can to get them off the road without causing an accident, of course. Can you imagine, finally able to leave the nest and then never even having a chance at life!

— Nancy Ponedel Parsons, Pacific Grove

Gavin Newsom

I am fed up with Governor Gavin Newsom’s hypocritical circus. For years, he has strangled California with sky-high taxes, homeless encampments on every corner, and “criminal-justice reforms” that turned smash-and-grab thugs into overnight celebrities. While ordinary families were barricaded in their homes, Newsom waltzed into the French Laundry, sipping $350 wine and grinning for the cameras. That single decadent dinner said it all: rules for us, caviar for him.

Now — finally — when sheriffs and DAs start re-establishing law and order, the same liberal Democrats who cheered Newsom’s lawlessness clutch their pearls and shriek about “authoritarianism.” Spare me. Their panic isn’t about civil liberties; it’s about losing control of the narrative. They smear every tough-on-crime measure as “fascism,” pumping social media full of rumor and fear to keep Californians docile while our neighborhoods rot.

Enough. We don’t need another carefully staged press conference; we need streets safe for kids to ride bikes again. Newsom’s glossy promises have bankrupted trust in Sacramento. Californians should reject his champagne socialism and demand real leadership — leaders who eat humble pie instead of truffle-topped rib-eyes while the state burns.

— Brian Higgins, political director, Monterey County Republican Party