BECAUSE IT’S ANNOYING
Dear ER:
I thought that it was o.k. in Letters to the Editor to use features like ALL CAPS, italics, bold, exclamation points, etc. When used properly, they can really enhance a piece of writing, DON’T YOU THINK?!
Brian Hittelman
Redondo Beach
p.s. WAAAAHH!!!
[Editor’s response: ONLY IF YOU ARE THE EDITOR. All others are subject to the AP Stylebook.
P.S. No POSTSCRIPTS, either.]
Hennessey toasted
Dear ER:
Great article on Paul Hennessey and his key role in the transformation of downtown Hermosa Beach (“Hennessey’s at 40,” ER September 22, 2016). I remember my many meals at Taco Bill’s before Paul moved his operations into that location. In my eight years on the City Council in the 1970s, there were only two people who were businessmen of vision: Paul Hennessey and Mike Lacey, of Comedy and Magic Club. Hermosa Beach was indeed blessed by their presence and persistence.
Lance Widman
Hermosa Beach
CAVE mentality
Dear ER:
It is disingenuous for ROW (Rescue our Waterfront) to present their “CARE” initiative as an opportunity for citizens to vote on waterfront revitalization. In reality, it is asking whether or not the revitalization of Redondo’s pier will happen at all. As has been the case for almost 30 years, the same people (with a few new additions) claim to be the voice of residents. They are certainly the most verbose and outspoken. As a longtime resident, I became their target du jour through a volunteer position of educating residents about the specifics of the CenterCal Waterfront project. These CAVE (Citizens Against Virtually Everything) people have publicly stated that I am paid proponent (untrue); that someone should ‘take me out’; posted photos of my family, my home address and personal financial information online; falsely accused me of disrupting their meetings; and physically harassed me on numerous occasions. Extreme hubris has led them to believe they are the only residents who care and whose points of view matter. It is telling that regardless of the many year-round volunteer civic and charitable opportunities in Redondo Beach, CAVE people are absent.
To give the devil his due, ROW effectively uses lies, deceit, hyperbole and fear in their efforts to derail the current revitalization proposal. They have no alternate plan, money or developer in sight. In reality, their petition tells Redondo taxpayers to sign up for increased taxes to pay for the rehabilitation of existing structures sans improvements.
Arnette Travis
Redondo Beach
Costly Brand
Dear ER:
The Waterfront vote is the single most significant decision Redondo Beach has faced in years. However, as his constituents have come to expect, Redondo Beach Councilman Bill Brand is unable to perform his council duties without a bias so intense as to subject Redondo to yet another Brand/Jim Light lawsuit (“Redondo Beach politics: The ethics of Bill Brand’s recusal,” ER September 15, 2016). He has refused to make any decisions that benefit the Redondo majority versus the minority for the better part of his council career, whether it was development, power plants, car washes, or The Waterfront.
With his non-fact-based NIMBY reasoning, he has cost our fair city upwards of $2 million dollars in lawsuits. Isn’t anyone else done with being held hostage by this guy? I won’t even have a councilperson representing my district on the important Waterfront vote. Why didn’t Brand recuse himself years ago, once it became apparent he lacked the ability to act in the best interest of all of Redondo and not just himself and a few, loud embittered residents? We literally and figuratively can’t afford Brand as a City Councilperson, much less as mayor.
Erika Snow Robinson
Redondo Beach
Conflicting logic
Dear ER:
Former Redondo Beach councilman Steve Colin wrote, “District 1 Councilwoman, Martha Barbee, lives in her home on the Esplanade, just a very short walk from the Waterfront project area. She should disqualify herself from voting on the appeal/project” (“Follow the money,” Letters to the Editor, September 22, 2016).” So, because the District 1 Councilwoman resides in District 1 she should disqualify herself from voting on District 1 projects? One might argue that all council members who resides within walking distance of a project should disqualify themselves. Maybe we should have another city’s council vote on matter that concern Redondo Beach, seeing how there’s this inherent bias from residing in Redondo Beach and serving in office.
Anthony White
Website comment
Addlepated organizers
Dear ER:
Those who would rather see a decaying, dilapidated ‘70s style pier are trying to overturn the decision of a democratic vote and get a referendum on the ballot to undo what the democratically elected city council has had public hearings on and made a just decision on. These people who want Redondo to stay a third class beach city are undoing the will of the people and stifling a vibrant future for our beach community. The Waterfront has been decided. The people trying to undo this are the same set of folks who have damned us to looking at the AES site as it stands. These people are the addlepated who think if they don’t get their desired results they can just badger, pester, complain and waste resources until they what they want. Their views have been defeated and they just need to move on.
Rick Schmitz
Redondo Beach
A safe Prospect
Dear ER:
We need your help encouraging the City of Redondo Beach City Council to do some essential road redesign work on Prospect Avenue and make this speedway a safer place for pedestrians, runner, cyclists, commuters, children going to school and churchgoers (“City, BCHD look to make Prospect safer,” ER September 22, 2016). Become an ambassador for safer roads and join the BCHD “Safe Streets” for all Campaign by going to BCHD.org/streetsforall.
Jim Hannon
Website comment
Bad Prospect
Dear ER:
I have seen at least four accidents in front of my house within the past 15 years (“City, BCHD look to make Prospect safer,” ER September 22, 2016). So I can confirm the facts in this article and I agree with it.
Luz Rojas
Website comment
Monitor money
Dear ER:
It’s important for all of the South Bay to read this (“Refining the refinery,” ER September 22, 2016) and tell the AQMD we want a ban on hydrofluoric acid. Also, we need the fine money from Exxonmobil (not just the $2.77 million, but also the $20 million- plus in fines fines over the past 2 years) to go to fenceline monitors and public education on these issues and better public warning systems and disaster plans. Thank you for covering this story.
Katie Firestone Baad
Website comment
Refine it in Sacramento
Dear ER:
Thanks for tackling a complicated issue (“Refining the refinery,” ER September 22, 2016). It boils down to this: There is no room for hydrofluoric acid in refineries in California. It is deadly and there is a better option — sulfuric acid. The problem — the Torrance Refinery doesn’t want to spend the money to make the switch. They’d rather gamble with thousands of South Bay lives.
Add to that, the Air Quality Management District is far too political to govern in the best interest of the people it is meant to serve. Assemblyman David Hadley gives lip service to the move away from hydrofluoric acid, but failed to support a bill introduced against it. His opponent, Al Muratsuchi has put forward a concrete plan to make the switch. Hope all the South Bay voters take a very purposeful look at this serious issue.
Website comment
Teresa Sullivan
Unhealthy equation
Dear ER:
Your article Refining the refinery, proves once again that dollars are being made a priority over the health of people (“Refining the refinery,” ER September 22, 2016). The cost of Healthcare is never factored into the equation. Elected officials seem to come up with the same boilerplate answers any time a real change is sought by the people: “ It was a badly worded piece of legislation.” Bad for whom, that is the question. Residents of Redondo Beach, should get behind making the change, as the wind often blows in our direction.
Philip de Wolff
Resident Redondo Beach
