Back together again
Dear ER:
As a leader of a spiritual community in Hermosa Beach, I have worked hard for the past 18 months to keep St. Cross apolitical in the debate on Hermosa Beach Measure O. What has struck me most deeply as a citizen and leader of St. Cross is wondering what will happen to us now that the vote is over. The debate over oil drilling has become so ugly, that we have often forgotten our common humanity, and believe — on both sides — that it is civil, allowable, and acceptable to disregard, insult, make slurs at, and be sarcastic to our neighbor because we disagree with them. The root of the word “sarcasm,” which has run rampant on social media, means to tear flesh. Is this really what we want to do to our fellow citizens, even in words?
My question to our community is how are we going to be “one” Hermosa after the election? How are we going to treat our neighbors as ourselves, not because religion commands it, but because it makes our community strong when we do? How are we going to see our neighbor as friend, ally, and companion in the city even when we disagree on oil, or a parcel tax, or funding schools? We, as citizens of Hermosa, like to pride ourselves on our strong city community, but strong community isn’t built on being right or making your point. Strong community is built on being able to allow a variety of opinions and options to exist as we respect the dignity of every human being.
What I am suggesting is not Pollyanna wishful thinking. Being in community and respecting one another with dignity is much harder work than disliking, disregarding, and avoiding those with whom you disagree. My hope, and dare I say my prayer is, that we can begin to look beyond this black and white way of thinking and come together as a community to address our common problems, because we are all One Hermosa.
Rev. Rachel Anne Nyback
Rector, St. Cross Episcopal Church
Hermosa Beach
Back together already
Dear ER:
Thank you to our extended family for your unimaginable support. From the hundreds who attended the candlelight vigil to the hundreds who have inundated us with love, support and prayers through phone calls, emails, texts, cards and letters. We hear you loud and clear. For the flowers, gifts, virtual hugs and messages deploring the act of violence, we can find no words more sincere than we love you back. Let this be an expression of our unending gratitude.
This event has given our family ample opportunity to practice what we preach. When God gives you a challenge you think: Why Me? But our daughter taught us a new response: Try Me. And you taught us one better: Try Us. The person(s) who did this rocked us but we are not broken.
The blast at our front door has been followed by an even larger blast of love. Our children are showing amazing resilience and we continue to stand proud thanks to you. Your support proves love is more powerful than hate. You have demonstrated when something like this happens to one of us, it happens to us all. We cannot possibly thank all the people who have gone above and beyond the call of duty, but a few names stand out: Denise Burnett, June Emerson, Toni Guinyard, Charlene Hamilton, Nikki Horgan, Karen Jordan, Rossana Libertucci, Pamela Marshall, Mike Matthews, Michelle Moeller, Kimberly Morasco, Peter Pham, Lauren Powell, Sash Ramaswami, Sheryl Ray, Reginald Short, Namasha Walls, Jennifer Williams, Monica Young, and Marla Zaslansky.
Special thanks to local and federal authorities for their dedication to solving the crime. We also thank city officials for supporting the vigil with a show of solidarity. Fundly.com has swelled to over $35,000 thanks to more than 300 love-filled individuals determined to find out who committed this cowardly act. We thank each and every contributor for each and every dollar. Someone knows who did this. Please come forward and claim your reward. Should the money go unclaimed, we would like to donate it to the Manhattan Beach Education Foundation because education is the cure for ignorance and hate.
Once again, thanks to all and God bless,
The Clinton Family
Manhattan Beach
School swap
Dear ER:
Addressing overcrowding in our schools and passing a new bond measure are top priorities for our community. Last Wednesday, the day after our community decided against big oil, I met with key school officials. I left the meeting feeling hopeful, as though progress was on the horizon to draft a school bond measure that our entire community could rally behind.
I have, however, had an idea that I first mentioned publicly last week. If there were an opportunity to swap the Community Center property for the North School property, would the community support this? The city would take over the North School property and build a small community center, a library or another small neighborhood facility while giving the Community Center back to its original owner – the School District — at time when they need a bigger site to house over 500 students. The city could also still be able to use the current Community Center during non-school hours. Many don’t realize that a large portion of Valley Park belongs to the School District, yet is used by our entire community without any compensation from the city to the District. What do you think about our city doing a property swap to house or build a school at the community center property site? Email me your thoughts at nbarragan@hermosabch.org.
Nanette Barragan
Hermosa Beach City Council
The schools’ turn
Dear ER:
Now that we do not have to worry about oil drilling in Hermosa Beach, we need to focus on our schools. Beautiful vistas are not the only draw for Hermosa Beach. Our fine schools draw people here, raise our housing values and contribute to the well being of the community. We must revisit a school bond issue or a parcel tax to ensure that our schools retain their high marks. We are more than willing to pay our fair share.
Ron and Joan Arias
Hermosa Beach
Fogg cleared the air
Dear ER:
One of Hermosa’s greats, Charles Fogg, recently lost his battle with cancer. I learned about Charles when we began the fight against oil drilling nearly three years ago. Whether flying one of the original 50 Keep Hermosa Hermosa banners or donating money to our fledgling group, he always kept us on our toes. In the ‘90s he stood by his then wife Rosamond’s side while they battled to protect our town from drilling. I believe he was motivated by his appreciation for all things nature, especially the ocean, which he would refer to as a natural air filter for his lungs. He once wrote: “To stay sane against the threat to my property, health and sanity, I sometimes just have to look at kittens and realize that it doesn’t stink yet and kittens are soothing. Meow.” The fact that Charles didn’t get to see the finish line is heartbreaking. I only hope there is a heaven and he was looking down on us on March 3.
Simone Binder
Hermosa Beach
Smashing victory
Dear ER:
What a pleasure for yours truly to savor, albeit somewhat vicariously, Hermosa Beach’s continued victory (“Oh no,” ER March 5, 2015). One small point, though. Measure O’s margin of defeat is not, as reported, a Hermosa election record. That honor goes to the far less controversial, 1988 Measure J, involving the city acquisition of the Santa Fe Greenbelt for use as open space. It received support from 86 percent of voters, which was a Hermosa and a State of California record. After J passed, I remember thinking, “Who the heck are the 14 percent who wanted to see the Greenbelt rezoned and developed?”
Rosamond Fogg
Editor’s note: Fogg authored Measure J and was also a leading oil opponent in the 1995 Hermosa Beach oil election.
B wary
Dear ER:
Thanks to all Redondo Beach voters, those for and against Measure B. This latest exercise of our democratic process has once again succeeded in guiding our elected officials to do the will of the people. But to those who opposed the measure, I caution you to not pause very long to congratulate one another. The next massive, multi-use development proposed by outside interests with no personal stake in protecting and preserving our Beach Cities way of life is at the already treacherous corner of Pacific Coast Highway and Palos Verdes Drive (the former Bristol Farms site). This heavily traveled, often gridlocked intersection surely cannot withstand an additional 2600-plus cars per day, yet that is what Legado Corporation is proposing for our neighborhood. (32,000 sq. ft of commercial, four story, 180 unit apartments, including low income housing and the hotel). We are not opposed to landowners profiting from their investments. We just object to corporations with no ties to Redondo Beach coming to our City and trying to maximize their return on investment with no regard for the negative impact their mega developments will have on our neighborhood traffic, crime, density, police and fire department response and our schools. If you have an opinion about the proposed Legado Development, please attend the Planning Commission meeting on March 19 at 7 p.m. at the City Council Chambers.
Don and Julie Moore
Redondo Beach
Bowling for dollars
Dear Editor,
The profligate spending Hermosa Beach City Council is at it again. At the February 24 council meeting, the council approved spending $60,000 for lights for the lawn bowling facility. This is a facility with 48 members, meaning the city is spending $1,250 per member. At Tuesday’s council meeting the council was poised to give the city manager Tom Bakaly a seven percent bonus, costing taxpayers $12,950. And later this week the council is spending thousands to have a one day retreat at the Beach House. I don’t have a problem with lawn bowling or even adding the lights if the city’s coffers were overflowing money, but they’re not. The city cannot even afford to give raises to its employees (except the city manager), pay for repairing our aging sewer system, installing speed reduction devices on Prospect Avenue or redoing the sidewalks on 8th Street. What kind of message is the city council sending to its employees and residents? To my way of thinking the message is clear: if you have pull with the council or the city manager, the council will spend money, but it’s tough toenails when it comes to spending money for projects that benefit the average Joes of the community. I hope residents will keep in mind our Council’s fiscal irresponsibility when they go to the polls in November to elect two new councilmembers.
Fred Huebscher
Hermosa Beach
Glad to meet you
Dear ER:
Campaigning Redondo Beach Council District 3 was a unique and rewarding experience. I want to thank those that voted for me, my wonderful volunteers, and everyone that contributed to my campaign financially and through emotional support. The walking of the district allowed me to meet wonderful people with great life stories that I will never forget. Additionally, new friendships were made. Also, I want to thank my opponents for taking their time to campaign for the opportunity to serve the City of Redondo Beach. I encourage voters to go to the polls again in May to cast their votes in the District 4 runoff election. I wish Candace Nafissi and Christian Horvath the best in each of their campaigns.
Sandy Marchese
Redondo Beach
What would Socrates say
Dear ER
iPads were stolen from a Manhattan Beach middle school (“59 iPads stolen from Pacific Elementary, E.R. January 29, 2015). High School students in El Segundo are required to purchase insurance for their iPads. Since the time of Socrates, it has been apparent that the only thing required to study is a flat surface. There is no reason to provide kids with expensive electronics to study. Let’s remember that entitlements permeate society all the way to the upper class (or upper middle class, as they refer to themselves in Manhattan Beach).
Don Wahl
El Segundo
