A California problem
Dear ER:
It’s all across the state, people are leaving California, enrollment is way down everywhere, and all districts are sending pink slips (“MBUSD deficit balloons, layoffs look,” ER February 26, 2026). COVID money is gone, ADA is going down down down, it’s a big problem, and finding a solution that pleases everyone is impossible.
Tracy Souder
ER Facebook comment
Lead by example
Dear ER:
Maybe the MBUSD superintendent can take a pay cut (“MBUSD deficit balloons, layoffs look,” ER February 26, 2026). Total Pay: $344,149 (Includes regular pay and other compensation). Obviously won’t solve the problems but it’s ridiculous to make that much during layoffs and budgetary issues.
Melinda Grotz
ER Facebook comment
Back to basics
Dear ER:
Perhaps if they actually taught our kids, instead of teaching social justice, parents would donate more. Never got another dime after the student walkout when Trump was elected. Two kids, seven years zero money when before I had met the full ask.
Kristen Walker Metropoulos
ER Facebook comment
Advantage Hermosa
Dear ER:
The other night I was sitting at The Brake, the shopping area at the end of the Whole Foods shopping center in El Segundo, thinking about how not long ago that very ground was an environmental mess tied to an old refinery. Now it’s alive, every storefront filled, businesses humming, people gathering without a second thought.
As I sat there, I was also scrolling through social media, reading thoughtful and passionate debates from Hermosa Beach residents who care deeply about our community, arguing over whether we have too many empty storefronts or not. And the thought struck me that sometimes when you zoom out, the picture becomes clearer.
El Segundo has built a reputation as one of the most business-friendly cities in the region. Manhattan Beach has brand power and the advantage of airport and inland access. The Hollywood Riviera benefits from geography, naturally drawing diners and shoppers from Torrance and the Palos Verdes Peninsula.
Hermosa Beach sits in the middle, smaller population, limited land, and a lingering perception about parking issues. In short, we don’t have the same built-in advantages as our neighbors.
What we do have is something harder to manufacture: people who genuinely love this town.
We also have leadership that understands the moment. A city manager motivated to grow revenue. A city council majority that approaches issues with logic and balance and not simply regulation for regulation’s sake. A Chamber of Commerce increasingly focused on business advocacy.
The downtown is the heartbeat of a city. It reflects the mindset of its residents. If we want Hermosa Beach to remain competitive, to attract and keep the coolest shops, the best restaurants, and experiences that draw people in…we have to be intentional! Creative! Strategic! Willing to incentivize where appropriate and streamline where possible!
This isn’t about winning an argument online about vacancy rates. It’s about deciding who we want to be. If we want a vibrant downtown, we have to prioritize economic development, not as a slogan, but as a shared civic goal. It begins with us, the residents and stakeholders signaling clearly that we value smart growth, thoughtful business policy, and a welcoming environment for entrepreneurs.
Hermosa has the heart. The question is whether we have the collective will to match it.
Ed Hart
Hermosa Beach
Marathon explanation
Dear ER:
Hermosa Beach Mayor Michael Detoy made comments when he accepted the Mayoral nomination at the February 24 City Council Meeting about the divisive and deleterious nature of anonymous social media posts. I agree some of the anonymous posts are disgusting and divisive.
But Mayor Detoy missed an important opportunity by failing to mention that the overarching goal is an informed community and a city staff and city council that are responsive to community needs and wants.
Take the official public notice on the Nike 1/2 Marathon as an example of poor public communication. Our new city manager hung his hat on government codes that restrict official public notices to a 15 to 20 word description in responding to complaints about the Nike 1/2 Marathon official public notice being inadequate. Our city manager maintains 15 to 20 word descriptions are fully adequate.
The truth is while the official public notice is limited by government codes there is nothing that prevents city staff from sending out a second, more detailed email-blast in advance of a public hearing covering the potential impacts to better inform public comment.
The potential impacts of the Nike events are huge:
- 500 parking spaces on Hermosa Ave lost almost certainly leading to major parking problems for west side residents.
- Grandstands, DJs, amplified sound, port o’ potties, temporary lighting, tents, and vehicle bollards in westside residential neighborhoods.
- Resident access to the beach and The Strand impacting the entire length of the city.
- A potential 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. event tear down in our neighborhoods.
The council will be approving or disapproving the Nike event without a clear understanding of how this will play out. Our city manager said “When something meets the legal requirement of being properly noticed, which [the Nike Event] was, then there’s no issue of whether it was “properly noticed.”
I hope Mayor Detoy will focus on ways to better inform the public and not become preoccupied with a small number of mean-spirited residents criticizing him and sowing division in our community.
Anthony Higgins
Hermosa Beach
Consider the source
Dear ER:
A group of citizens has found fault with nearly everything in the administration of Manhattan Beach. While they serve an important role in keeping the community informed — a cornerstone of our democracy — they consistently repeat the claim that no one is listening to them, including the City Council. They maintain a weekly platform through a self-proclaimed, clickbait-style newsletter that purports to be even-handed in its reporting and editorial content. I encourage readers to judge for themselves whether that claim holds true.
Before Chief Rachel Johnson had even formally presented her thoughtful, well-researched explanation of how her position — and the responsibilities of police leadership — have evolved dramatically in the 21st century, there was a rush to dismiss her approach. Thank you to Easy Reader for being the only outlet thus far to report her perspective, which reflected both experience and a clear understanding of the complexities of modern police administration.
We should support initiatives that make our community safer. In the long run, I believe that is precisely what Chief Johnson is working to achieve. Given the decrease in crime in Manhattan Beach since her arrival, it is reasonable to trust what has been working. While outside criticism plays an important role in ensuring accountability, it should also be carefully evaluated for potential political motivations and monetary gains, as in the case of the so-called balanced private newsletter.
Stewart Fournier
Manhattan Beach
Reverse status
Dear ER:
Serving quality food inside gas stations is becoming popular (“Mickey’s second location,” ER February 26, 2026). They’re like hidden gems.
There’s a great Mexican place in North Hollywood inside a gas station.
Howard Mationg
ER Facebook comment
Voting with their feet
Dear ER:
I drove by today (“Mickey’s second location,” ER February 26, 2026). The line was out the door and down the street. I’m very excited to have a Micky’s in my neighborhood.
Alexis Razevich
ER Facebook comment
Is it any wonder
Dear ER:
This new restaurant won’t have the same vibe as the Hermosa location (“Mickey’s second location,” ER February 26, 2026). Beach vibe is what makes Mickey’s so popular and loved. Not sure who suggested this new location to the family owners. Now, the city council — Zein Obagi, Brad Walker, and Scott Behrendt — refuses to revoke the license of a smoke shop just down the street that was caught selling illegal merchandise, is it any wonder Artesia Boulevard can’t seem to get its act together.
Steve Colin
Redondo Beach
