Letters to the Editor 2-16-23
Bad optics
Dear ER:
How could the city let such a successful program as the Hermosa Surf Camp be eliminated (“Hermosa Surf Camp to lose its place in the sand, may force closure, director Vince Ray says,” ER Feb. 9, 2023). Over 12,000 local students have learned to surf here, and the city is worried about the look of the storage container, and that the Coastal Commission “could” require it to be moved. The only people who know that it’s there are the students and instructors. It could not be in a better location. Purchase a new container, grandfather the whole program in, and support a well established teaching program for many decades to come.
John Bush
Manhattan Beach
Play fair
Dear ER:
The way I read the article it sounds like the Hermosa Surf Camp has been able to use city land for free for years (“Hermosa Surf Camp to lose its place in the sand, may force closure, director Vince Ray says,” ER Feb. 9, 2023). As Hermosa Beach Community Resources Manager Lisa Nichols stated, it hasn’t been fair to the other business owners who have programs with the city. Also, the city is responsible for that shipping container. If anyone is hurt, let’s say climbing on the structure, the city is liable. The surf camp is being treated just like every other company that does business with the city.
Barbara Barr Ellman
FB comment
Editor’s note: Ellman is a member of the Parks and Rec Advisory Committee
Why?
Dear ER:
Come on guys (“Hermosa Surf Camp to lose its place in the sand, may force closure, director Vince Ray says,” ER Feb. 9, 2023). Why? The Hermosa Surf Camp has provided equipment for kids to learn to surf, to do something that is healthy, and takes a lot of their time (time not spent hanging out on the streets). Everything about this is positive and you want to take it away. Why?
KL Swift
FB comment
Heart and soul
Dear ER:
I have no words for how sad this is and what a loss it would be for the children of the beach cities (“Hermosa Surf Camp to lose its place in the sand, may force closure, director Vince Ray says,” ER Feb. 9, 2023). Shame on the Hermosa Beach City Council for not respecting the heart and soul of the community you are entrusted to represent. I would suggest fixing what is broken and leaving the programs that have benefited local children for decades alone.
Samantha Gibson
Redondo Beach
Lost Spot
Dear ER:
We loved The Spot and frequented it at least once a week, even more so after COVID when we heard they were having difficulties (“The Spot vegetarian restaurant in Hermosa Beach closes after four decades,” ER Feb 9, 2023). I thought things had gotten better. It seemed crazy busy when we were there lately. It’s sad that we didn’t get to say goodbye to those who worked there, whom we had come to know quite well. Bye Heath, Beto and Marisa! You guys are the best. The Spot closing is a sad loss for the South Bay community. My husband and I will miss them greatly.
Kathy Miller-Fujimoto
Hermosa Beach
The Beatles’ Spot
Dear ER:
As a matter of fact, Paul McCartney did eat at The Spot, as I met him there many many years ago (“The Spot vegetarian restaurant in Hermosa Beach closes after four decades,” ER Feb 9, 2023). Likely he would be in the South Bay because the mother-in-law of his friend and past bandmate George Harrison lived in Hawthorne, where George’s wife Olivia grew up, and attended high school. George and Paul both came to Los Angeles often to record. There are conflicting accounts about whether Harrison passed away in a Los Angeles home leased by Paul McCartney, or at his mother-in-law’s modest home in Hawthorne.
Steve Endom
ERNews comment
Home cooking
Dear ER:
I moved to South Hermosa in 1979 (“The Spot vegetarian restaurant in Hermosa Beach closes after four decades,” ER Feb 9, 2023). The Spot was open then. The original owners split-up. The husband left the country. The wife, and her infant daughter Hanna moved in with my wife, my infant son Adrian, and me. She brought her huge microwave to our kitchen. At some point it became too difficult for Hanna, and her mother to make it here, and they moved back to the midwest. My son Ian worked at The Spot while in high school and would pick up shifts while he was in college and even after college. So sad to lose The Spot.
Fred Nichols
Hermosa Beach
The Spot of romance
Dear ER:
I remember when Maurice and Tonya Beaudet bought the Spot in 1981. I was hoping the food would remain the same and it did. My favorite restaurant and I just loved The Spot. Great food, people, friendships, time capsule, customer service etc. On September 12, 1997 I went on my first date with my current husband to The Spot. On September 12, 1998 he asked me to marry him, on one knee at our favorite tablet. The staff took pictures. We will miss The Spot for sure.
Judy and Dennis Goldberg
ERNews comment
Safety chief
Dear ER:
The residents of Manhattan Beach should be grateful that MBPD Chief Rachel Johnson is the right chief, at the right time. With rising crime, Chief Johnson demonstrated bold leadership, strategic planning and the will to do what needed to be done. Our city council was persuaded by her crime prevention and crime fighting plan on the addition of seven new police officer positions, and three support positions. Yes, that’s 10 new MBPD positions with the authority for five over-hire positions. MBPD will soon be staffed to address today, and tomorrow’s crime challenges and to deter crime before it occurs. Public Safety clearly is the number one priority in Manhattan Beach.
Mark Burton
Manhattan Beach
Transparent secrecy
Dear ER:
The Beach Cities Health District’s press releases on transparency claim it’s very transparent. At the same time, BCHD’s press releases on the private PMB developed/owned/operated Healthy Living Campus project state “the public will be able to access the plan when it is submitted to the City.” Is that transparency? The only transparency in BCHD’s statement is that BCHD plans to deny access to the project by the public. BCHD needs to share the Healthy Living Campus design immediately or fold the project. Hiding the project from the taxpayer-owners is not an option.Visit your neighbors at StopBCHD.com for more information.
Mark Nelson
Redondo Beach
Schooling the candidate
Dear ER:
It is apparent from the answer provided by Redondo Beach District 3 candidate Paige Kaluderovic about the AES site that the candidate may not be aware of the background on the “AES park” situation. The situation goes back over 20 years to the Heart of the City. The Heart of the City was rescinded by the city due to a referendum by the residents. Then a community workshop on the vision for the AES site was conducted by the city. After months of community efforts, two visions materialized, Heart Park and The Village Plan. Measure J (Heart Park vs. The Village Plan), an advisory vote, was placed on the March 8, 2005 ballot, resulting in Heart Park as the electorate’s preference. Fast forward to the Redondo Beach Energy Project (RBEP) public hearing by the California Energy Commission in 2015, where the California Coastal Commission (CCC) mandated that AES restore, and perpetually maintain the wetland (Redondo salt lake plus two water pools) on the site before the CCC would approve the RBEP plan. Therefore, the “park” on the AES site is primarily the restored wetland. The restored wetland including the 100-foot buffer zone could be around 25 acres.
George Ikeda
Redondo Beach
Stop the carnival
Dear ER:
As a former Redondo Beach District 3 councilman, and a life-long resident of District 3, I am happy to see the upcoming March 7 change in the makeup of the Redondo Beach city council. Hopefully, no more divisiveness from members of the north end of town and their political grifters who supported CenterCal’s lawsuits against the Mayor and City, and the marijuana backed recall that consumed our city. It’s time the city settled down and shed its local reputation as a political carnival. Central Redondo’s District 3 representative will be able to stop this imagined political war of north versus south. I’ve known District 3 candidate Candace Nafissi for over 12 years, and I’ve seen her positive work for the City. She is not some political candidate who recently moved into the city at the urging of other politicians, and was put into the District 3 council race to continue the trouble that still seems to consume those politicians who will be gone after March 7. I am supporting Nafissi, and I am asking everyone in Central Redondo’s District 3 to put a new leader onto the council who will act in a diligent and professional manner.
Stevan Colin
Redondo Beach
Baby steps
Dear ER
My first chance to learn anything about Paige Kaluderovic was at the Beach Cities Democratic Club endorsement meeting last week. When I learned she was running after just moving here, I couldn’t imagine why anyone would ever do that. When confronted with questions about important events in the city she was like a deer in the headlights. I felt sorry for her. I wanted to tell her that if she truly wants to make a difference in the city, she should go to as many city council meetings as possible to learn what’s going on. Maybe volunteer for a commission in order to learn more about how the city operates, how the meetings are conducted, how to get items on the agenda, what the rules are under the Brown Act, how the budget is decided, where the funds come from. She needs to learn about those things she would be responsible for, like the intricacies of dealing with employee bargaining groups, paying for their insurance, compensation, things like that.
How could she know enough about anything to serve the people in District Three at this point in time?
Serving on the Council is rocket science. It’s really complicated.
Her candidacy makes no sense at this time
Barbara Epstein
Redondo Beach
New Paige for NRB
Dear ER:
In Paige Kaluderovic, we finally have a District 3 council candidate who not only lives in North Redondo, but truly cares about the housing element, and other issues that will directly impact District 3 (“Kaluderovic seeks District Three seat,” ER Feb. 9, 2023). For anyone who is still unsure, please take a few minutes to do a little research. See the truth behind her opponent Candace Nafissi, who favors South Redondo political decisions, like placing the majority of homes, and low income homes in North Redondo. Think about what thousands of homes will do to our traffic, roads, parking and schools.
Marti Navarro
Redondo Beach
Untrusting soul
Dear ER:
I have been an active observer of Redondo city politics and I have had a chance to watch Redondo’s political landscape over many years. I am concerned about how my district will be represented on this City Council during the next four years. I have many concerns about Candace Nafissi, but will mention just a couple. Nafissi is a founding member of Rescue Our Waterfront (ROW). The name sounds innocent enough, and I thought it was mostly just folks opposing the CenterCal project. However, in the past few years it has evolved into a political action group that is very active in negative social media campaigns targeting Redondo Beach residents who get in the way of their agenda. Its most recent effort involved the accusation against the current District 3 Council Member, Christian Horvath, regarding his residency. I was so proud of the District 3 residents who came out to speak for Horvath, who has done an outstanding job representing District 3 for the past eight years. It is very disturbing to me that Nafissi is involved with this group and now wants to sit on our City Council. We all know that North Redondo often gets ignored in council matters, I want someone who will fight for the interests of my district, and not just go along with the council majority. This is Nafissi’s third try for City Council. She doesn’t have any more experience on a city council than her opponent. To me, it’s a matter of integrity regarding who to trust to represent me on the city council. I don’t trust Candace Nafissi.
Vicky Oetzell
Redondo Beach
Sound manager
Dear ER:
As the chairman of the Budget and Finance Committee, Eugene Solomon has led the effort to save Redondo Beach $100 million, thus freeing us from a burden of deficits so that our money can be put to work for us by fixing our streets, hiring new public safety personnel and enhancing our quality of life. Now, Solomon wants to become our treasurer so that he can manage the city’s investments to produce even more revenue for us. He deserves that position. Because we elect our city treasurer, this means Redondo residents need to vote for him in the March 7 election to place him where he will do us so much good.
Bob Pinzler
Former Councilman District 4
Redondo Beach