LETTERS SHE'S RESENTFUL OF COUNTY ACTS.

While I am glad to see the county has a surplus, the news makes it difficult not to resent this past year. It is hard for me to look at my husband's layoff and demotion by Los Angeles County without feeling robbed. The county Parks and Recreation Department cried financial hardship and said that it was going to close Castaic Lake.

After a year of one layoff notice after another, they finally eliminated the lifeguards at Castaic Lake and laid off four permanent lifeguards, until a drowning occurred, and then they came up with the funds to put the lifeguards back and restore the ``permanent'' lifeguards who were laid off.

A few months later, your paper reported the department had $3 million stashed away in different accounts. It should also be noted that during the so-called financial crisis no administrative, maintenance or clerical staff were targeted for reduction. The only employees thought to be unnecessary were those directly involved with protecting the safety of the public.

I am grateful that my husband has been reinstated but upset that he and others are being treated like probationary employees and not allowed to take any time off for a year. My husband has worked for the county since 1982.

Sharon Hatch

San Dimas

Excelencia event was big success

On behalf of the Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce Hispanic Business Committee, I would like to thank all who made our first Excelencia Awards Gala a rousing success. Our event was a sellout and the primary beneficiary will be our scholarship fund for local Hispanic students. The Excelencia Awards event was held Sept. 10 to honor Hispanic business and community leaders who have supported our vibrant Hispanic community and who have largely gone unrecognized before this event.

Our committee is composed of a group of very talented, committed, hard-working individuals with a passion for making positive contributions within our own community and we are committed toward empowering business professionals by serving as a resource for growth through education, networking, and mentoring. Our mission is: ``To aggressively represent and promote Hispanic business in the Santa Clarita Valley through leadership, advocacy, and member services.'' The Excelencia Awards is one of the ways to highlight and recognize individuals who have made a difference.

Berta Gonzalez-Harper

Committee chairwoman

Leash-law ticket wasn't deserved

Regarding your Sept. 29 article about Richard Rioux Park and the dog owners, I am the only one who has been cited for letting my dogs off their leashes. According to your article many dog owners have received warnings, but no citations, that is until me. I am still in shock over the whole ordeal.

I had absolutely no idea why the police car was sitting outside the gated area in the park. Not one time did it cross my mind that the officer was looking for leash violators. I walked through the gates past the police car to the middle of the park and let my two pugs, Max and Gigi, off their leashes to run in the gated area. I noticed the picture in your article there is a sign located to the left of the entrance, not next to the gated area with the leash law code. It would be helpful if there was a sign posted on the gated park area stating this same law.

Obviously, many of the dog owners frequenting the park were aware of the controversy because they had been warned or have organized petitions. The person with absolutely no clue and has not been frequently breaking the leash law gets the citation last Monday.

Keri Hovis

Stevenson Ranch 

Abandoned baby report praised

Thank you so very much for the wonderfully informative piece Sept. 27 on the safely surrendered baby at county Fire Station 123. This is the best article I've read to date on this topic. You did your homework and captured the entire concept of the program.

Many people in Los Angeles County government worked hard to support Supervisor Don Knabe's vision. I served on the task force and continue to work to get this critical message out to everyone across the county. You communicated it perfectly. Kudos to you!

Kristina Hajjar

Director of communications 

Los Angeles County Fire Department