Letters to the Editor 11-4-2021
Faceless mouth
Dear ER:
My compliments to reporter Mark McDermott for his comprehensive article of the culture war erupting at the Manhattan Beach School District (“Critical Race Theory issue leads to attack on Manhattan Beach School Board.,” ER Oct. 21, 2021). Second, while I realize some people are angry about what the school board is doing, how cowardly of We The People to hide anonymously while directly attacking volunteers who are on the school board trying to make the best decisions they can. I’m glad to see that 50 people arrived at the last school board meeting to support the board. Do those 50 represent the majority of parents in the district? Are We The People more than three or four angry residents who live in Texas? I can’t tell from my vantage point, but ask the school board to listen to valid criticism and disregard the rest of the angry vitriol.
Steve Izant
Hermosa Beach
Burning memory
Dear ER:
Wow, it has been 35 years (“Original, Hermosa Beach El Gringo overtaken by rising rents, ER Oct. 28, 2021). They sure go by fast. I built El Gringo in 1986 for the property owner Gus Garcia and the brand new El Gringo founding owners Brian and his wife Francis, after The Denim Duck restaurant closed due to a fire in the salon , which also destroyed three small residential units that were part of the original building
Rick Koenig
Hermosa Beach
A joy to watch
Dear ER
Bill Graw and his mom Annette sold me my first home in Manhattan in 1993 (“Original, Hermosa Beach El Gringo overtaken by rising rents, ER Oct. 28, 2021). So when Bill opened his first El Gringo I couldn’t wait to see how successful he would be. This article tells a story I couldn’t imagine back then. I have enjoyed seeing his employee’s progress over the years and envy the admiration everyone has for Bill.
Stewart Fournier
ERNews comment
Econ 101
Dear ER:
What it sounds like to me is that El Gringo’s landlord decided the opportunity to get more rent money from a different tenant was worth more than all the intangible community value described so well in this article (“Original, Hermosa Beach El Gringo overtaken by rising rents, ER Oct. 28, 2021). Bill Graw sounds like too good of a guy to badmouth the landlord, whom I notice is not named in this otherwise extremely detailed and informative piece. But “overtaken by rising rents” and “priced out” really means that the landlord decided what was most important to them. And it wasn’t El Gringo
Carrie King Trimmer
ERNews comment
Less is more
Dear ER:
Love El gringos. My kids love it too. Just lost Scions. Thank goodness we have the Gringo in Manhattan Beach. We have enough upscale restaurants. We need more family affordable, kid friendly places with great food. But what a success story
Bob Clarke
ERNews comment
Homeless in Hermosa
Dear ER:
After the Hermosa Beach City Council finishes congratulating itself on increasing the penalty for dogs off leashes, maybe they can focus on the growing, aggressive, homeless migration problem. We should all have our dogs on leashes. But if Mayor Jason Massey has “seen dogs off lease at a higher clip” then I am sure he has observed the “higher clip” of emboldened camping/trespassing/loitering vagrants. Like the one at Second and The Strand beach restrooms for over four months now, with three broken umbrellas looking like Circus Circus. Two others have joined him recently and why not.Like he told my wife and me, “Nothing you can do about it.” There are about 35 local residents forming a group to find a solution like other surrounding cities. The City Council and City Attorney have three choices: “Lead, follow or get out of the way.” It would be best with their engagement. This has to be addressed now for the safety and well being of our community. I know several people who will not run or walk The Strand, or streets after sunset due to this issue.
Brian Hilgers
Hermosa Beach
Park the tables
Dear ER:
The picture of the newly opened outdoor tables at the Vista restaurant is a testament to many volunteers who worked to defeat the oversized Hermosa Strand and Hotel Development Project (Post pandemic dining, traffic, to be reviewed by Hermosa Beach city staff”). We successfully used the environmental (EIR) process to protect public ocean views and public alleys.Well before the pandemic, the Vista restaurant obtained permits for open dining to replace the parking lot. Don’t be confused reading the caption with the photograph: “Under regulations adopted during the pandemic, restaurants such as the newly opened Vista…are allowed to use private parking for outdoor dining.” This parking configuration is permanent and here to stay. Hopefully we will continue to preserve Hermosa Beach’s small town character.
Dean Francois
Hermosa Beach
La La Land remembered
Dear ER:
I want to thank EasyReader for covering the installment of the “La La Land Day” plaque at Schumacher Plaza, and especially for reporting the efforts of so many good people in our community who helped make it happen (“La La Land’s plaque recovered,” ER Oct 21, 2021). Two additional names need to be mentioned, and they are Hermosa Beach Public Works Commissioner Andrea Giancoli, who engaged Leadership Hermosa to step up and provide the plaque in the first place, and the extremely talented Diana Mausser of Native Tile & Ceramics, who designed and created this very beautiful commemoration that is now available for all to see on the pierhead wall. I urge everyone in our Beach Cities community to stop by the Hermosa Beach Pier and take a look!
Dency Nelson
Hermosa Beach
Dog compromise
Dear ER:
Hermosa’s decision to impose tighter restrictions on dogs and dog owners is an injustice to a variety of the town’s citizens. Rather than imposing a one-size-fits-all penalty, look for ways to include both irresponsible dog owners and the much larger segment of responsible ones. Here’s one: designate an off-leash time in Valley Park when there is limited foot traffic, say 6:45 to 7:45 a.m., a few days a week, with police or a member of Volunteers in Policing supervising. With controlled off leash time, dogs are better companions, the owners are happier citizens, and what an advantage for the police. Rather than being a Grinch, the officer would be a much appreciated playground supervisor. If this solution doesn’t work, find one that does. Look for ways to celebrate the multiplicity of lives in the city rather than limiting it.
Jim Parkman
Hermosa Beach
Dogged homeless issue
Dear ER:
After the Hermosa Beach City Council finishes congratulating itself on increasing the penalty for dogs off leashes, maybe they can focus on the growing, aggressive, homeless migration problem. We should all have our dogs on leashes. But if Mayor Jason Massey has “seen dogs off lease at a higher clip” then I am sure he has observed the “higher clip” of emboldened camping/trespassing/loitering vagrants. Like the one at Second and The Strand beach restrooms for over four months now, with three broken umbrellas looking like Circus Circus. Two others have joined him recently and why not.Like he told my wife and me, “Nothing you can do about it.” There are about 35 local residents forming a group to find a solution like other surrounding cities. The City Council and City Attorney have three choices: “Lead, follow or get out of the way.” It would be best with their engagement. This has to be addressed now for the safety and well being of our community. I know several people who will not run or walk The Strand, or streets after sunset due to this issue.
Brian Hilgers
Hermosa Beach
Why hate crimes
Dear ER:
We should all be upset about the vandalism at American Martyrs. It could have been adolescent vandalism, or a hate crime. Councilperson Suzanne Hadley should not be surprised about hate in Manhattan Beach. We are not immune to the increasing number of hate crimes against churches, synagogues, mosques, Blacks, Asians, Muslims, and Jews. This has been fomented by the reign of hate mongering from the prior, national administration in the form of name calling, disparaging comments, deflections, and misinformation, in order to stir up supporters. Didn’t Dave Hadley try to ride into State office on the coattails of the GOP haters?
Mike Friedman
Manhattan Beach
Save single family homes
Dear ER:
State representatives in Sacramento have attempted for years to eliminate lots zoned for single-family homes, and they’ve finally succeeded. Governor Gavin Newsom signed off on SBs 9 and 10, allowing the building of multiple homes where before only one was allowed. There’s no requirement for parking spaces, or consideration of infrastructure, such as power, water and schools, or open space for trees whose canopies naturally fight overheating. In already built-out neighborhoods, the result of these bills spells disaster. Local Assemblyman Al Muratsuchi and State Senator Ben Allen rightly voted against these bills. Why other state legislators voted for them is perhaps explained by their loyalty to unions and builders. It’s a farce to think these bills would actually help with the affordable housing issue, and not ruin neighborhoods.
Fortunately, there is hope. The future of our local neighborhoods depends on an initiative penned by local representatives. Redondo Beach Mayor Bill Brand, Yorba Linda Mayor Peggy Huang, and Councilmember for the city of Brentwood, Jovita Mendoza, wrote it to take back local control. Please go to StopSacramento.org to see how to help fight this senseless state overreach. Be one of the one million signatures needed to get the measure on the Nov. 2022 ballot.
Lara Duke
Redondo Beach