Letters to the Editor 6-29-17
Truer tree tale
Dear ER:
The tree hoaxer’s choice of redwoods to replace lost peppertrees provides its own irony (“Redondo Beach tale of trees and trolling,” ER June 22, 2017). While the roots for Sequoias spread extensively outward, they are relatively sensitive and shallow. These trees are also not environmentally conditioned for this area. Most struggle mightily to survive in Southern California due to the lack of moisture in the soil and atmosphere. When you spot a redwood in our neighborhoods, its appearance often is sickly, deformed and burnt. On the other hand, the root systems of Brazilian and California Pepper Trees aggressively seek any source of water. They are infamous for being invasive. Hoaxer GoblinsStoleMyHouse’s statement “I’m not [an] arborist…” is obvious. A more credible threat would been the opposite scenario: seeding Pepper Trees to replace a beloved redwood
R. Breden
Torrance
Hall of Fame humorist
Dear ER:
Thank you for the article on the passing of artist/philosopher/humorist Keith Robinson, and the kind tribute to his life’s work (Easy Reader 6/22/17). His hilarious (and often insightful) cartoons appealed to residents of all ages and perfectly chronicled the many facets of the South Bay lifestyle. When I read that he attended Mira Costa High School, I conducted a quick internet search and discovered that he was never inducted into their prestigious Hall of Fame. I hope this oversight can be rectified quickly, and that Robinson can get the posthumous honor he so richly deserves.
Brian Hittelman
Redondo Beach
Nils well that ends well
Dear ER:
The Redondo Beach City budget, as proposed, included $3 million in new additional revenues from current sources (“Chamber funds cut in $87.8 million budget,” ER June 22, 2017). There were about $1.4 million in savings. Proposed new and increased fees totaled around $1 million. The employee retirement savings fund was also emptied by over $1 million. There are $6 million in new pension obligations we need to deal with over the next five years, yet in last week’s council meeting we added more employees to the payroll.
By increasing parking permit fees (one council member motioned to double the residential parking pass), and spending the new and additional revenues faster than we are saving, short-term obligations for Fire and Police will be increasingly difficult to pay, long-term.
These are the issues that we need to discuss, not the contention on the dais. Not noted was that the Council meeting concluded at 1 a.m. with all of us shaking hands and thanking each other for the hard work and passion.
Nils Nehrenheim
Redondo Beach City Councilman
Redondo Beach
Traffic school
Dear ER:
Letter writer Jim McLeod is so right with his concern regarding traffic at Parras Middle School (“Parras burning, “ER June 22, 2017). To add to it, parents drop their kids off on the Prospect side of the school. It is so dangerous, as this is not a designated drop off area. Parents pulling over, darting in and out of lanes, cutting over two lanes at a time. As a parent, I don’t understand why they do it. When I called the school to voice my concern, the principal said he knows the traffic is dangerous, but the police department handles those concerns, not him. It’s only a matter of time before a kid gets hit.
Chevron Eaton
Redondo Beach
Keep Greenbelt green
Dear ER:
Dear ER: The Hermosa Beach Greenbelt is one of the few places where runners can run under trees, and dogs can walk in relative comfort (“Path on Hermosa Beach Greenbelt delayed for study,” ER June 22, 2017). I emphatically agree that people using wheelchairs need a place to enjoy nature, too. And yet, I really do not want to see the Greenbelt touched. Already pieces of it have been carved out for parking. Bushes and trees have been removed. Walkers and runners have an unwanted view of traffic on Valley and Ardmore. The Greenbelt looked better years ago, when it was not so landscaped. Please leave it alone. We need the shade and the birds and squirrels need homes. Focus on planting trees on Pier Ave. and Plaza instead?
Mary Gordon
Hermosa Beach
Greenbelt, with a little gray
Dear ER:
The Strand isn’t very “senior friendly,” with speeding bikes and skateboards (“Path on Hermosa Beach Greenbelt delayed for study,” ER June 22, 2017). So a pedestrian only, level path on the Greenbelt would be greatly appreciated by seniors in this town.
Kathy Baron
Hermosa Beach
Harbor on the rocks
Dear ER:
Another July 4th is almost here and once again the King Harbor restaurant once known as On the Rocks is closed. Not much of a surprise since nobody wanted a lease too short to make an investment worthwhile. While the other establishments in the harbor will pick up some of the slack, and CenterCal’s rent for the former On The Rocks to showcase its architectural model will add a bit more, Redondo Beach still stands to lose thousands of potential holiday dollars.
Ross Yosnow
Redondo Beach
Muddled remuddle
Dear ER:
Planning processes should always involve the citizens impacted (“City, activists prepare legal fight against lane closures,” ER June 22, 2017). It speaks poorly for the City of LA that residents of Playa Del Rey, El Segundo, and Manhattan Beach, who rely on Vista Del Mar to get to work every morning, were ignored when decisions for the remuddling of Vista Del Mar/Culver were made. Plus, it now looks like cyclists were never even considered, as originally suggested. Instead of dedicated bike lanes, there is now angle parking on the West Side of Vista Del Mar — hello? Considering all the parking spaces down on the beach, where was the EIR addressing the need for parking vs. the impact on cyclists, pollution, quality of life, and commute? Safety is important on Vista Del Mar, but this hasty action by the City of LA (saying this as someone whose grandfather, Ralph Dorsey, a Manhattan Beach resident, was the first traffic engineer of LA, and whose late father, Jack Macdonald, also a Manhattan Beach resident, was LA’s Chief of Construction Inspection in the 70’s), this is really beyond ham-handed on the part of LA. Maybe not even terrifically legal. But illegality aside, it you want to fix a problem, identify it, and let everyone impacted discuss the problem. That’s only common sense. Otherwise, you, City of LA, are the biggest problem. Don’t push through huge changes that harm people without letting everyone discuss the best solution.
Kathryn Macdonald Gray
Manhattan Beach
Surf diet
Dear ER:
Maybe the lane closures will discourage people from driving south to surf El Porto (“Residents block Vista Del Mar lane closures,” ER June 15, 2017). Just like traffic on the 405 keeps me from surfing Sunset and Malibu.
Craig Telljohn
Facebook comment
Blowback
While we are at it the city of Manhattan Beach should also remove parking and add lanes south of Rosecrans on Highland so traffic goes faster going into the city in the afternoon and doesn’t back up there, either (“Residents block Vista Del Mar lane closures,” ER June 15, 2017).
Cary Tomas Bellaflor
Facebook comment