Who’s beach is it?
Dear ER:
What we need is more Orcas (“Saving Sea Lions,” ER April 9, 2015). I learned to fish on the Redondo pier in the early ‘60s and was a deadhead (unpaid deckhand) on the City of Redondo.There were an estimated 25,000 sea lions in California. Now there are over 300,000. I was at the paddleout for “Big Wave” Dave a few weeks ago and was going to walk out on the Topaz Jetty when a lifeguard told me I couldn’t because there was a sea lion on the jetty. Whose jetty is it, anyway? I was living on Kauai in 2000 when the entire Poipu Beach and all its businesses were closed down to protect a single monk seal put and its mom. La Jolla, Coronado Island, San Clemente Island and Cortez Bank are overrun by sea lions. In San Francisco they’ve taken over the wharf where the nice restaurants are. The same is going to happen in the Beach Cities. You won’t be able to play volleyball on the beach. I’m moving to Florida.
Redondo Ray
Redondo Beach
It’s volleyball’s beach
Dear ER:
I want to express my support for the proposal for 20 additional beach volleyball courts in Hermosa Beach. We are a community that should take pride in hosting what is the most vibrant, diverse, teeming and talented volleyball community in the country. It is a world-class athletic community and we must do what is necessary to allow it to thrive. Hermosa Beach is the host to a myriad of beach volleyball competitions. This is great for both the sport and the city. However, supporting the sport cannot stop there. We must also provide the resources necessary for athletes to enjoy, practice, and refine skills in the sport. If we want to continue to host competitions in years to come, we need to foster today’s athletes. Unfortunately, the current number of volleyball courts allow us to only fully nurture practice and informal enjoyment of the sport or a plethora of competitions — not both. We need more courts to allow enough space for both vital aspects of the sport. For these reasons, I hope the city will approve the addition of all 20 volleyball courts in Hermosa Beach.
Christopher Waite-Jones
Hermosa Beach
Let sleeping cats lie
Dear ER:
I want to thank you for publishing “Neighbors feud over cat’s death” (ER April 9, 2015.) I am the owner of Leo whose life ended tragically. But my kitty Leo did not die in vain. As Easy Reader reported, the once feuding neighbors — myself and Deborah Countess — have come to know each other. This truly unforeseen, happy ending to this story occurred because of the
humanity of Deborah Countess. Countess and I have gone from perceived enemies to more than peaceful neighbors because she came to me after a several days days and gently reached out, offering to comfort me in my grief. Her graciousness shocked me because I had misjudged her as cold and uncaring. I have never been happier to be so wrong. Easy Reader stated incorrectly, that “Hopkins was left hanging with a $1900 vet bill.” In fact, the cost of the vet’s bill was reimbursed to me by Countess. She found it in her heart to offer me triple what I had to pay the animal hospital, which I accepted. She also demonstrated tremendous, genuine compassion which I am sure was not easy. There is a beginning of a real friendship here and I want the record straight for your readers, our friends and neighbors. I want to thank my other good neighbors, Heather Ludwick and Wyndam Messinger, for their kindness and support. You really helped me get through this. It is my hope that this story shows that neighbors can find a way to make the best of a sometimes awkward or tragic situation. Following Deborah’s example
Linda Hopkins
Redondo Beach
Back room(s) politics
Dear ER:
Surprise, another 200 room Redondo hotel project was kept under wraps until after the Measure B vote. This is exactly what is wrong with piecemeal land planning. How can residents ever gauge the true traffic impacts under an ever expanding waterfront density plan? Who knows what else has yet to be disclosed. It needs to be made clear that people who voted against Measure B are not anti-anything. They are actually more progressive than those supporting the on-going failure of piecemeal land planning. For true consensus to ever form all the cards need to be put on the table in plain view. If you were running this, is that not how you would go about it? We need to finish a complete master plan for the entire area and then have a complete understanding of the cumulative impacts. Then, and only then, we can finally go about agreeing on something and actually start working together to implement it. There is a clear distinction between the two District 3 candidates. Only Candace Nafissi has proven she understand the importance of a real master plan. Her opponent supported the piecemeal failure of Measure B and was totally out of touch with the fact that a $4,000 campaign contribution was related to a behind the scenes push for a yet another 200 room hotel project. Redondo residents can stop the game playing and make some real progress on cleaning up our waterfront by supporting Candace for District #3.
Gary Ohst
Redondo Beach
Campaign and learn
Dear ER:
I proudly serve as Redondo City Council candidate Christian Horvath’s Campaign Committee Treasurer, sign all his financial disclosure reports, and face liability imposed by the California Fair Political Practices Commission for errors or omissions.
Our opponent’s attempt to fabricate a scandal where none exists requires me to clarify the facts regarding a donation that came under our scrutiny, prompting us to return the contribution.
We accepted a $4,000 donation offered without strings and promptly reported it to City Hall. Upon learning about concerns related to the donor, we issued a press release explaining our decision to return the funds and did so.
Our opponent’s innuendo campaign does a disservice to the constituents by trying to create an illusion of impropriety where none exists. The only deceitfulness in this campaign has been the attempts of candidate Candice Nafissi and her proponents to distribute false information and accusations about Horvath.
We will never accept donations that obligate us to anyone. From this experience we have learned that large donors need more diligent vetting. Our actions speak louder than baseless accusations.
John Gran
Redondo Beach
Changing of the tide
Dear ER:
Redondo District 3 candidate Christian Horvath now can’t backpedal fast enough. Four weeks ago, when Horvath’s campaign finances were first reported, it took only seconds to do a simple search of Horvath’s largest contributor, local developer Mohamad Pournamdari and immediately learn of a Hawthorne councilman having been convicted of felony corruption as a direct result of his close association with Pournamdari.
We now know Horvath’s original claim of Pournamdari being a “stranger” was, at best, a gross misrepresentation. When pressed, Horvath admitted to visiting Pournamdari’s home and soliciting the huge donation from him. Horvath either already knew of Pournamdari’s criminal association and didn’t care, or wasn’t smart enough to do a simple search of his benefactor’s background Either way, Horvath has proven that he is unworthy of the public trust, let alone elected office. The elected and appointed officials who continue to support Horvath carry guilt by association.
Thankfully, the political tide is finally beginning to show signs of turning for the better in Redondo Beach, as measured by the failure of Measure B and rapidly growing resistance to the CenterCal plan to overdevelop the waterfront and significantly limit access to our regional harbor. To continue on this crucial path of improved community decision making, it’s critical that Redondo District 3 voters elect Candace Allen Nafissi on May 12.
Gerry O’Connor
Manhattan Beach
Front line smears
Dear ER:
I want to express my concern about the Redondo Beach City council Election. I see tactics being used that do not belong in local (or any) election Rather than a full and open discussion of the issues facing Redondo voters, the focus seems to be a smear attack on the ethics of one candidate. I know Christian Horvath well and I know that he is an honorable and deeply ethical man, who as a resident of the third district ran, not because he is a career politician, but because Redondo Beach is his home, where he is raising his family.
Laura Dotson
Redondo Beach
