April 1, 2010
See the light
Dear ER:
I don’t know Chris Miko personally, but my children do and for that I’m thankful (“Teacher gets NASA award and Pink slip,” ER Mar. 18, 2010).. He made a difference in their lives. He got my son off of dinosaurs and into space. My out of town friends still talk about the visit they made to Meadow’s Space Night and my daughter likes him so much she’s looking forward to fifth grade
I would like to share two quotes from James Michener, my space teacher, about the choices made by MBUSD.
“An age is called Dark not because the light fails to shine, but because people refuse to see it.” Let’s fight to keep Chris Miko at Meadows because “character consists of what you do on the third and fourth tries.”
Rob
Web site comment
He gets me
Dear ER:
Chris Miko was my son Anand’s teacher last year and I was hoping he would be my daughter’s teacher next year when she reached 5th grade (“Teacher gets NASA award and Pink slip,” ER Mar. 18, 2010). He is a very inspiring teacher and in the words of my son, “He gets me.” This is high praise and the reason we shared news of the NASA fellowship with him. Although I know Miko has a philosophical view on this whole situation, it does frustrate me that we can not retain such a quality individual who has more than proven his passion for his subject of science and inspiring kids to learn in a way that is relevant to their generation. This isn’t easy, I know being a teacher myself.
Kalpana
Web site comment
Quaking in our beach
Dear ER:
The “Earthquake Beach,” cover story (ER March 4, 2010) was comprehensive, informative and should be required reading for South Bay residents. Emergency resources are limited and based on reciprocity among the local communities. In the event of a catastrophic event, residents will be on their own until federal assistance and relief agencies arrive. While CERT, the Citizens Emergency Response Team, has trained approximately 240, with 198 on the active list, our densely populated area needs to learn emergency survival techniques to care for themselves, families and neighbors. Please continue your awareness campaign on the risks we face and the disaster preparedness we need to implement.
Roz Bliss
Manhattan Beach
Above the dune
Dear ER:
I live at the top of the 400 block of 32nd Street in Manhattan Beach, directly above the Sand Dune. My husband, my three children and I have resided here since 2002 and love the Sand Dune, our neighborhood and this community. We have lived through the Sand Dune controversy for as long as we’ve been on this street and have seen the problem become increasingly worse over the years.
When we first moved onto 32nd Street in 2002, the Dune was closed for a couple of weeks due to the same problems that have led to the current closure of the Dune (when use was no where near the number it reached in the summer months of 2009). Back then, we were proponents of having the Dune opened to exercise and general public use. Our tune changed over the years when the number of dune exercisers continued to climb exponentially, parking became increasingly more difficult, and the sand replenishment days went from 3 to 4 times a year to 6 to 7 times a year. Clearly, when we first moved onto 32nd Street, we had yet to understand the explosive problems that the volume of users would eventually cause.
I have attended a few of the City Council meetings addressing the Sand Dune issues and have shared my views regarding usage of the Dune, but again would like to voice my dismay over the poor condition and overuse of the Sand Dune.
I am surprised that the City has not commissioned a geological study of the Dune and the type of use it can sustain. Prior to the fencing in of the dune, my children would occasionally play on the Dune. While supervising them, I would often ponder to myself whether the face of the Dune was in imminent danger sliding. It appears to my layman eyes that the bedrock has seriously eroded (chunks of rocks have visibly given way) and unless we discontinue rigorously using the dune, there would be no dune for our children to use in the foreseeable future (not safely, anyhow). The most rigorous use of the dune are made by people who exercise on the dune. The repeated up and down walking of the masses (and here, I am talking about adults who are exercising) has caused significant erosion. At one of the City Council meetings, I recall local historian Jan Dennis showing us photos taken of the Dune since its “inception” ‘till present day. The pictures show that while the Dune was slowly eroding over the years, significant erosion did not take place until the Dune became a destination for mass exercise. Unfortunately, the Dune’s popularity has become its death sentence.
I understand that there is a lot of fervor from both sides of the debate and that this issue has become an emotional hotbed for many people. I urge the council to look to the condition of the Dune for your solution to the problem. While it is my personal opinion that the Dune cannot sustain itself if we continue to allow exercise on it, I concede I am not an expert. So, I urge the council to hire experts who can give you their scientific opinions on what type of use the Dune can sustain. From there, we can devise an informed solution. Until this study is completed and a workable solution devised, I urge the council to protect the Dune by re-opening it to passive use (e.g., children playing), but not allow exercise on it.
Nina Tarnay
Manhattan Beach
Dune the right thing
Dear ER:
I am a seven year Board Member of the Beach Cities Health District. Our mission is to enhance Community health through our numerous programs and services. As an elected official for a Public Health Organization, I feel compelled to speak up in support of CORE in their efforts to persuade the Manhattan Beach City Council to find a reasonable compromise and re-open Sand Dune Park. In my years at the Beach Cities Health District, we have invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in the Beach Cities on programs and services to promote health through physical activity. At the District we strive to empower residents to make healthy lifestyle decisions and we support local health and disease prevention through our partnerships with city governments, school districts and community groups.
With so much money and time spent to promote physical activity, it is astounding to me that anyone could ever consider closing a park that is so unique in its ability to inspire people to get out and exercise. The Sand Dune Park provides variety and mental stimulation, which are key in maintaining an effective fitness program. Don’t we want to get people off of their computers and video games? Anything that motivates people to exercise is a benefit to the whole community.
To quote Jeremy Bentham, an 18th Century English philosopher “It is the greatest good to the greatest number which is the measure of right and wrong.”
I respectfully request the Manhattan Beach City Council to do the right thing.
Joanne Edgerton
Beach Cities Health District Board Member
CORE workout
Dear ER,
The temporary closing of the Dune was a drastic measure that in hindsight seemed to have been necessary to wake the overwhelming majority of people who want to keep it open. It is human nature to be complacent until your liberties are taken away. I sympathize with the local homeowners regarding the over usage. However, I believe a compromise to get the usage back to circa 2000 or circa 1990 would be fair. With both sides amicably working together, this can be accomplished. The logistics are not rocket science. In these times where our country is bitterly divided on everything, it would be refreshing to see the opposite be true of the residents and our city council on this issue. It will take a few trials and iterations to get the usage ‘tuned’ to an acceptable level (to be determined), and the ideas and suggestions put forth by CORE appear to contain some good points from which to start.
Jeff Frederick
Manhattan Beach
Local Color
Dear ER:
Late into the night loud music blocks out all possible thought. In the distance someone screams and a glass shatters, followed by laughter. A police cruiser silently sits and observes. Drunkenly, a completely wasted man stumbles by, barely making it to the bushes before barfing, and the scent of weed is strong in the air. Nearby a decrepit hobo digs through the trash cans in his search for treasure, and the sound of pool balls cracking shoots through the air. A good looking guy calls for his girl, and off they go in a taxi. This is the party life of Hermosa Plaza.
Chance Weston
Hermosa Beach
Free health care
Dear Editor:
Last week, President Obama signed sweeping “health care” legislation that created a major rift over costs and other issues.
In 2009, we spent $2.5 trillion, or more than $8,000 per person, on medical care. That’s 17 percent of our GDP – more than any other country. And even these outrageous numbers don’t account for the economic toll of lost productivity, or the emotional toll of disease and death.
Ironically, these costs and the legislation have nothing to do with health care and everything to do with medical care, directed at alleviating chronic killer diseases that are largely self-inflicted through our flawed lifestyles. Actual health care is absolutely free. It involves exercise, rest, and abstinence from smoking, drugs, and meat and dairy products.
Yes, meat and dairy. According to the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics, nearly 1.4 million U.S. deaths annually, or 58 percent of the total, are caused by heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, and other chronic diseases, which have been linked conclusively with consumption of animal products.
We have no control over national medical care policy. But, each of us can exercise a great deal of control over our family’s health every time we visit our favorite supermarket.
Jack Matler
Hermosa Beach, CA 90254
No woman is an island
Dear ER
A dreadful, deadful, thing happened in Manhattan Beach not long ago, to us all. Helen Melon died. And from one coast to the other, Europe and beyond, the art world, and world of art — beauty, grace, temper and despair, spanning all forms and ways of life — from dance and show business to music to canvas and civility — we all lost a Helen. A woman who mattered.
A hellion and more in her heyday, even at 95 years she made us gayer with her laughter. Genteel and patient, she was strong and determined, her trim and slim frame filled to bursting with gifts of creativity that she shared with us all and showered upon her husband Syd for lifetimes-over. Helen will be, and is already, sorely missed.
The writer Gore Vidal once remarked that good taste is an opinion that agrees with your own. Perhaps so. Perhaps Helen.
Bev Morse
Redondo Beach
AVP Brown-out
Dear ER:
Incredibly, former Hermosa Council Member Robert “Burgie” Benz will be 60 years old in just 7 years, and yes, he actually was a two-term Hermosa council member. He’s obviously now got “Leisure World” senior life on his mind. (ER letters, March 18)
He is being presumptuous to believe there’s little booze consumed in Leisure World. But regarding the rest of his drivel, it’s not worth commenting on. Sorry. Seems when there’s booze in the equation his logic and degree in engineering fly right out the window.
A reminder to the community: Hermosa’s Parks Commission approval March 2, for an alcohol-sponsored AVP volleyball tournament, September 17-19, to be in addition to the already approved July “AVP Volleyball Open” on the beachfront, evidently violating California’s open-meeting law, the “Ralph M. Brown Act”. That’s nothing new in Hermosa Beach.
The commission is rehearing the application for this additional AVP volleyball event. In terms of impact on the city, it is essentially identical and will also have paid seating. And yes Burgie, it will help keep the bars downtown full, cabs busy, parking ticket writing active. This is the de facto Hermosa Beach business model that council after elected-council and their over-paid (for 1.3 square miles) city manager has fully vested our city, no matter the cost to the city’s treasury.
Participate in the rehearing by giving your support, concerns, or suggestions regarding this additional AVP tournament application, by attending Hermosa’s Parks Commission meeting at City Hall, Tuesday, April 6, at 7 p.m.
Howard Longacre
Hermosa Beach