In response to Norm Cassen’s letter, “Don’t dump on Pine Cove,” in the July 4 [issue of the Town Crier], I have to ask the question: What’s your beef with Pete Capparelli?

Mr. Cassen has a list of letters singling out Mr. Capparelli. Did he kill your dog or date your wife?

I’ve known Pete for 20 years and I have to say if there is anyone in town more civic minded than Pete, I’ve yet to meet them. Pete has been on more boards and headed up more fundraising events than anyone in Idyllwild. He even acted in three plays I directed for the HELP Center. Acting is generous word for what he did.

All of these endeavors, he performed non-gratis. So here is a guy, Norm Cassen, who does little or nothing, criticizing a guy, Pete Capparelli, who has put in hundreds if not thousands of hours of volunteer time for this community and we, who are the beneficiaries of his time and hard work, aren’t going to cry “foul”?

I call foul. I call a massive Zeppelin-sized technical foul on Mr. Cassen.

I also call on Mr Cassen to put in more time building our community and less time disparaging those, who for many years, have made the wonderful place it is.

The local paper should not be a forum for personal attacks and slanderous accusations. We have Facebook for that.

There are those who do and those who criticize those who do. Pete Capparelli is a doer and a straight up guy, so Mr Cassen, do us all a favor and take your beef elsewhere. Pete Capparelli always gives 100 percent, even when we don’t need it.

Conor O’Farrell
Idyllwild