Cronyism politics
Dear ER:
The issue here isn’t Steve Napolitano’s familiarity with the South Bay or his resume (“Former Manhattan Beach Councilmember Napolitano named Hermosa’s Interim City Manager,” ER May 29, 2025). It’s the complete lack of process behind his appointment as Hermosa Beach’s interim city manager, a decision made without so much as an interview. When was the last time any employer, let alone a city, handed over the keys to City Hall and a $240,000 taxpayer-funded salary without conducting even a basic vetting process? No public notice, no recruitment, no candidate screening, no interview. That is not urgency. That is cronyism.
Every member of city staff was recruited, vetted, and interviewed, only to watch their new boss be handed his job without meeting any of those same expectations. What message does that send about fairness, standards, or respect for the professional hiring process? If Napolitano was the right person and the best person to serve as interim city manager, he should have welcomed an open process and demanded the same level of scrutiny every other city employee is held to. Leadership begins with integrity, not shortcuts. He would never have tolerated this when he served on Manhattan Beach City Council.
Interim or not, this is a critical executive role. The public deserved transparency and professionalism, not a backroom buddy deal. Cities routinely appoint interim managers with strong qualifications after at least some form of public facing due diligence. That is how trust is built. That is what accountability looks like.
There is not a single responsible employer who would consider this an acceptable way to do business. Public office should be held to a higher standard, not a lower one. Instead, we have normalized an approach that is not just unheard of, it is unacceptable. We can appreciate someone’s background and still demand better governance. Hermosa Beach deserves a process rooted in fairness and integrity, not favoritism. This rushed appointment raises serious concerns about trust and accountability going forward. How can he, or the City Council who appointed him, be trusted to uphold either?
Raymond Jackson
City Councilmember
Hermosa Beach
Solid ICE reporting
Dear ER:
While the emotional stories of individuals caught in the immigration system make for compelling reading, the broader impact of unchecked illegal immigration on the local working class is continually overlooked. In the Beach Cities, it’s easy to feel good about being “welcoming” when many affluent residents rely on undocumented labor to clean their homes, tend their gardens, and care for their children. It’s a comfortable arrangement—moral outrage by day, and off-the-books help by night. But for working-class legal residents, especially Latino citizens and immigrants who came here the right way, this system creates very different realities.
Gangs, drug trafficking, and wage suppression are not abstract policy concerns—they are lived experiences in the less glamorous parts of LA County. Why doesn’t Easy Reader report on the struggling Latino families who have to live in neighborhoods impacted by illegal criminal activity? Or the legal immigrants waiting patiently in line who watch as our laws are ignored with impunity?
A balanced view would acknowledge that ICE isn’t hunting down babysitters in Manhattan Beach—it’s trying to remove individuals who are violating immigration laws, many with criminal records. No one wants cruelty, but many of us do want fairness, accountability, and safe neighborhoods. It’s time to stop pretending this is a simple story of victims and villains.
Dwight David
Redondo Beach
Waste pool
Dear ER:
A pool is a total waste of money. (“Hermosa pool proponents hope to make a splash,” ER June 19, 2025). What’s wrong with the big pool known as the Pacific Ocean? Also, there is no problem in getting swim lessons and no need to go to Torrance. Swim lessons are available at the Bay Clubs in Redondo Beach and Manhattan Beach.
Zac Cohen
ER News Comment
Pool lessons
Dear ER:
I’ve been teaching swimming for over 35 years and still do. (“Hermosa pool proponents hope to make a splash,” ER June 19, 2025). You cannot teach kids and adults to swim the right way in the ocean. Those with fear of putting their face in the water need an experienced instructor in a pool setting. Once an individual learns to swim in a pool then the ocean is great for playing, but still not for learning to swim correctly. It is great for fun and body surfing. Not everyone likes to swim miles in the ocean like us life time swimmers do.
Bonnie Spivey
Redondo Beach
Pool fun
Dear ER:
This is truly wonderful. (“Hermosa pool proponents hope to make a splash,” ER June 19, 2025). For years, I have faced challenges finding swim lessons for my kids. As a single mother, driving to Torrance or Hawthorne is not an option for me, and I’ve consistently found myself on the waitlist for lessons at Begg Pool. It’s disheartening to think about how much my children could benefit from swim lessons, especially since I’ve longed for a Hermosa public pool at the lawn bowling location. I genuinely admire the creativity behind the proposed solutions and believe they could make a real difference for families like mine.
Stacey Montgomery
ER News Comment
