Letters to the editor, May 13, 2010
by Keith Robinson
Gift card confusion
Dear ER:
Please allow me to clarify a few points on which Doug Christensen was mistaken (“Real teacher appreciation, ” ER Letters, May 6, 2010). Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week is a function of the PTA, and as such has nothing to do with the RB Teachers Association or RB Education Foundation. No teacher or staff member at our school is “asking for gift cards.” They have far too much class. Like most beach cities schools, the PTA at Jefferson Elementary runs an on-going fundraiser by selling gift cards, a portion of which goes back to the school. Many parents want to acknowledge teacher and staff Appreciation Week by giving a token gift, but they don’t know how much to spend or what the recipient wants. So the PTA asks each faculty and staff member to tell us their top three preferred gift cards. The PTA publishes this list in our weekly newsletter prior to Appreciation Week. Parents appreciate the suggestions, teachers and staff members get a gift they can actually use and the PTA benefits from the sale. Everyone wins.
Christensen is understandably frustrated by the financial status of the California public schools and the layoff notices given to teachers and staff. I am certain that any teacher or staff member would sincerely appreciate a donation made in his or her name to RBEF. But make no mistake, the Jefferson PTA works with RBEF to help fill budget gaps in our school without direction from RBTA. We are acutely aware of the fact that in this economy, in this community, those who can donate to RBEF do so, separate from and above giving a little something personal to that special teacher or staff member who makes a difference in their children’s lives every day.
Tracy Mintz
VP, Communications
Jefferson Elementary Redondo Beach
Leaf blower ban
Dear ER:
It’s time for a ban on leaf blowers in Redondo Beach for the simple reason that they are bad for our health. These machines generate unacceptable amounts of air and noise pollution while doing little more than blowing debris, including dust, herbicides, pesticides, fungi, allergens, and animal waste into the air, city streets, and gutters. These pollutants pose a significant health threat to gardeners and residents.
Over 20 California cities, including Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach, have banned or severely restricted the use of leaf blowers, with no adverse impacts. I urge all concerned Redondo Beach residents to voice their opinion on this issue to their district Council Member.
David Waldner
Redondo Beach
Cell phone to motorcyclist
Dear ER:
On Wednesday April 28 at approximately 3 p.m. I was heading home on my motorcycle, westbound on Marine Avenue in Manhattan Beach. As I was crossing Sepulveda, half way through the intersection, a gal in a little, dark blue sport-ute, traveling south on Sepulveda was preparing to turn right on Marine. Talking on her phone, she pulled right out in to the path of my bike. While my sphincter tightened, I applied as much brake as I dared without dropping the two-wheeler or T-boning her car and learning to fly. Unable to completely stop, I sailed around her on the left.
Which brings me to the point of this letter. If someone reading this witnessed the incident described above that took place on Wednesday, April 28 at approximately 3 p.m. on Marine Avenue between Sepulveda Blvd. and Walnut Avenue, would you kindly phone me (310) 263-1185 and tell me what you saw.
Name withheld by request
Texas size problem
Dear ER:
On May 3, the campaign representing big Texas oil companies, Valero and Tesoro announced they have submitted enough signatures to put a deceptive proposition on the November 2010 ballot that would kill California’s clean energy and air pollution control standards, established by AB 32, the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006.
Californians must be wary of a proposition supported by oil that would further permit polluting of our air and kill clean energy jobs.
According to the California Air Resources Board, killing efforts to reduce air pollution will lead to drastic increases in premature deaths, asthma attacks and emergency trips to the hospital, as a result of breathing dirty air.
Pollutant filled air also disproportionately affects people of color and low income communities. Five of the smoggiest cities are also the locations with the highest densities of people of color and low-income residents, according to Minding the Climate Gap, a PERE publication.
These Texas oil companies don’t get it. They want to kill all investment in clean energy technology and job creation at a time when our economy needs it the most. Jobs advancing renewable energy like solar and wind have grown nearly 10 times as fast as the statewide average. Not to mention, the increase cost to all at the gas pump if we allow this energy proposition to pass. According to a recent UC Berkeley study these added costs will hurt our economy by more than $80 billion and cost over a half million jobs by 2020.
Californians must stand up against this deceptive proposition and refuse to permit Texas oil companies to buy our votes. Reducing air pollution and advancing clean energy technology and jobs is good for our planet and our economy.
Sean Kelly
Hermosa Beach
Sponsorship job
Dear ER:
Do these supposed 60,000 people not generate additional sales tax, hotel tax, parking ticket tax (City says party is over for 6-Man Volleyball tournament,” ER May 5, 2010)? How do the local costume shops do? Grocery stores? Beauticians? Gyms? Babysitters? Where are those numbers figured in?
Only eight arrests with 60,000 people? Sounds like a homerun to me. And let’s please not go after the sponsors. A volleyball player finding a sponsor is like a normal person finding a job. Let’s not take away jobs while we’re trying to mess up one of the finest events that exist.
David
Web comment
What’s music got to do with it?
Dear ER:
I have been to six-man the last 8 years (City says party is over for 6-Man Volleyball tournament,” ER May 5, 2010). There were not 60,000 people there last year, it was about 12,000 tops. This is a fun, annual event and if you need to limit the amount of drinking then check bags etc at entry but do not make the players pay for the City letting this get out of hand by turning a blind eye. And what does the music have to do with it? What a joke.
Jo Kingsely
Web comment
Budget solution
Dear ER:
This is a simple act of extortion (City says party is over for 6-Man Volleyball tournament,” ER May 5, 2010). These bureacratic entities can’t find a way to stay on a budget, so they have to fleece money out of us somehow.
David
Web comment
West side to North End
Dear ER:
Thanks to your review of North End Bar and Grill (“Over the top at the North End, ER Oct. 8, 2010), we have a new favorite place worth driving from West Los Angeles too. What a treat this bar and food really are. Fun and delicious. Thanks for turning us onto it.
Leanne Coronel
By email