May 20, 2010

Expensive dining view
Dear ER:
Wow, $450,000 for rooftop dining (“New RB High cafeteria to get rooftop deck,” E.R. May 13, 2010)? Nice perk. Redondo Schoolboard trustees Arlene Staich and Jane Diehl are right. One quick jump, or fall off the top will add to the school’s price tag, alright. Did they run out of room inside? How long will it take for the $300,000 in solar panels to pay for themselves? 10 years? 20 Years? Or should they wait until the technology is better?
Scott
Web comment

Fountain of money
Dear ER:
Money well spent (“New RB High cafeteria to get rooftop deck,” E.R. May 13, 2010)? Like the water fountain on the corner of 190th & PCH. Millions of dollars. Will the students appreciate the roof top deck as much as the board?
Mike
Web comment

It’s Hermosa
Dear ER:
The Hermosa Beach City Council’s recent refusal to appeal the Liquor License for Sharkeez’s new location just goes to show that some things never change in Hermosa: the City Council is controlled by the bar owners.
Ethan Adler
Hermosa Beach

Enough, Hermosa
Dear ER:
The sale of our restaurant, Il Boccaccio, has been in limbo since Police Chief Savelli first protested the transfer of our liquor license. One could better appreciate the intent of the Chief’s protest and limitations requested therein, were it not for the absence of protests from him against other transfers — probably an oversight. Aside from the fact that efforts thwarting the transfer of our license have delayed for two years, the sale of our restaurant (the personal toll of which no one reading this letter would voluntarily desire), on further study it is evident how biased, discriminating and unfounded this protest continues to be. The “concerned residents” (and presumably City Councilmembers who press on, on their behalf) are so totally misdirecting their otherwise worthy crusade. Existing law and CUP’s already give the city the ability to modify establishments’ conditions in the presence of a violation. Councilmembers have publicly expressed apprehension over going against the Chief’s protest, which demonstrates what’s really at issue here.
Read the facts outlined in the ABC’s ruling on this case. Their decision is objective and fair. Councilmembers Tucker and Fishman should be applauded for their courage in taking their “unpopular” but realistic stances on this (and their lack of political posturing, something their colleagues so nervously exhibit).
The residents and City should be grateful to the Newmans [purchasers of the restaurant] for having tolerated the flagrant prejudice and nonsensical hoops that they’ve had to jump through in order to continue to do business in Hermosa Beach. I, for one, have had enough.
Joe Venezia
Il Boccaccio

Happy in Hermosa
Dear ER:
I applaud the Hermosa council members Peter Tucker and Howard Fishman for their vote to uphold the Il Boccaccio’s hours of operations, which seem consistent with the current license and recent ABC ruling. We need to focus on the future and not on some of the problems Pier is currently experiencing with its popularity. I lived in Manhattan Beach for 20 years during their issues with the college bar party scene. I met my wife there 16 years ago at a fun, happy, late night party establishment. Those days eventually slowed down because most of those fun partiers grew up and made the South Bay their permanent home. I see these same people living in this community, owning houses, raising families, giving to charity, owning business and yes going out at night. My understanding is that this new restaurant will be an upscale restaurant. The Newman’s are true restaurateurs (with locations around Southern California) and not fly by night club promoters, so I am looking forward to dining in my home town rather than going to the North as we often do. Be patient and let the city evolve and Hermosa will be rewarded with fine eateries, stores, and yes aging party goers.
Kevin and Nina Sutton
Hermosa Beach

The right call
Dear ER:
Hermosa’s city council did a good job by not wasting money on the Il Boccaccio ABC appeal.
In January 2008, we bought Il Boccaccio on the Pier Plaza, and asked that ABC to transfer the liquor license to us. The City asked the ABC to reduce Il Boccaccio’s closing time from 1:30 a.m. to midnight. Two reasons were given; it was the City’s intent to impose midnight closing on all alcohol license transfers, and Il Boccaccio had voluntarily been closing before midnight so allowing us to stay open to 1:30 a.m. would have the effect of adding a late night liquor license.
In January 2010, the City sought to prove its contentions in the ABC hearing. Police Chief Savelli testified as the City’s witness. The ABC denied the midnight closing requested because the city failed to prove it was justified. We did not win on a technicality. We won on the evidence.
The city admitted it allowed four other liquor license transfers downtown with 1:30 am and 2:00 a.m. closing times in the two years since we filed to transfer Il Boccaccio’s license. As to the claim that Il Boccaccio was always closed by midnight, Chief Greg Savelli admitted that the city had sent two notices of violations because Il Boccaccio was open after its 1:30 am closing time allowed under the City Use Permit.
To appeal this decision, the city would have spent several thousands of dollars on attorney fees. Appeals challenging the facts rarely succeed. That would have been a waste of money.
Ron and Greg Newman
Hermosa Beach

Vote count methodology
Dear ER:
Facts don’t lie (“Harbor Lights,” E.R. May 13, 2010). It seems detractors of election result are often quick to clarify that all of the registered voters didn’t actually vote (funny, this is never the case when the vote swings the other direction). These critics choose to discredit an outcome simply on low turnout or the large number of voters who didn’t show up on election day. Strange, these critics stop short of suggesting those absent may have just been disinterested, too busy, uninformed, or just too lazy to show up at the poles or send in their absentee ballot. If this article was meant to highlight the unfortunate fact of poor local election turnout, I absolutely agree with the writer. It’s truly sad to consider that people don’t exercise their right to participate at all levels of government. However, if this was an article discounting the outcome of an election, the results speak for themselves. The votes of all those (involved) folks who thought this was important have been counted. The results are clear. Measure DD won by a margin of 18 percent, or 4,271 votes (a true landslide in election terms). I’ll have to disagree with the writer; based on our democratic system, just as Councilman Steve Aspel speaks for all of the people of District 1, Councilman Bill Brand speaks for all of the people of District 2, and both, along with their fellow councilmen and mayor, represent the citizens of the City of Redondo Beach.
Alex Bannerman
Redondo Beach

Revisionist count
Dear ER:
Harry Munns’ recent bashing of Redondo Councilman Bill Brand (“Harbor Lights,” E.R. May 13, 2010) conveniently twists events he cites and leaves out others. Munns seems to conclude that most Redondo residents actually want the overdevelopment proposed in Heart of the City and allowed by the harbor up zoning.
During the two Heart of the City referendums, the Council knew they would lose any referendum vote. Multiple city surveys demonstrate that top concerns of Redondo residents include overdevelopment and traffic. Munns forgets the city’s non-binding vote on the future of the power plant site. The park vision overwhelmingly defeated condo/mixed-use development. Despite a deceitful council-sponsored, counter-measure, and being outspent 10 to one by “Save Redondo,” largely funded by the California Association of Realtors, Measure DD received more votes than any elected city official or issue in Redondo history. Brand won his election against three pro-development candidates without a runoff election. In light of all the history, Munns seems to be in denial.
Measure DD got more than twice the votes as Mayor Gin, citywide. It got twice the votes of Councilman Steve Aspel in District 1. DD got three times the votes of councilmen Steve Diels and Pat Aust in their districts. And DD got over five times the votes of Councilman Matt Kilroy in District 5. Measure DD is more representative of the will of Redondo voters than any of our current elected officials.
Munns would have us measure the will of those who did not bother to vote – well, at least when he disagrees with the result.
Alexander Starr
Redondo Beach

The CORE truth
Dear ER:
I marvel at some who say they want to “open” the sand dune and “free the dune” for exercise. It is those same people who want to take a public park and now make it a caged workout facility for a select few, to the exclusion of all others – environmental consequence be damned. That, friends, is closing the park to the rest of us, so that a select few can have their preferred workout usage. Bill Hory has done a fine job of twisting that CORE truth. CORE ( Citizens for Outdoor Exercise and Recreation) wants to grab a public park and turn it into an exclusive man-made amusement ride for a select few. And many rally to CORE’s call, persuaded by logic that runs no deeper than “exercise is good.” To them I say, we neighbors don’t want to close this public park – you do. What is needed is a change in usage of the park, away from the viral exercise usage, so that all can use the park equally, without reservation and fee. In a word, it must be re-purposed – just as the city understood and ordered in January. Perhaps something will turn that light back on, and the city will again realize that its public parks can aspire to something greater than conversion to another private workout facility.
Mark Kemple
Manhattan Beach

Cheesehead digs in
Dear ER:
I’m a So Cal expatriate now living is Wisconsin. Even from this distance, it’s apparent the Manhattan Beach city council is clearly fomenting the Six-Man controversy to create fear and then more fees. Sad day. I hope all VB players hit this hard. Tell mayor Tricky Dick that the sky (ball) is not falling. I have played in this tournament since 1979. I may reconsider spending my visitor tax money someplace else.
If Manhattan Beach ruins this, there will be a counter tournament somewhere
Randy Grebel
Web site comment

Stop the median madness
Dear ER:
Help Stop Hermosa’s raised, concrete-curbed, Pier Avenue Median Madness. Time is running out to kill the insane, unnecessary median. The median is an expensive, silly, and unneeded Pier Avenue amateur design mistake. The median is skinny — just 5-feet wide — and will destroy Pier Avenue’s beautiful historic openness, which dates back to 1900.
The raised concrete median will choke traffic and hinder the free movement of police, fire, and paramedic vehicles. The median will destroy Pier Avenue for its St. Patrick’s Day Parade and other parades and celebrations. The median will choke traffic flow, forcing additional cars, cabs and trucks onto 2nd, 8th, Monterey, Manhattan, and other residential streets.
Removing the unneeded median simplifies and speeds up the completion of the Pier Avenue upgrades and saves scarce city money.
Tell your Hermosa councilmen, commissioners, the Chamber of Commerce, police, fire, and the Public Works Department that you don’t want Pier Avenue’s historic openness destroyed with an unnecessary, raised-curb, emergency vehicles hindering, parade wrecking, expensive, narrow, ugly, raised-concrete-curbed median.
Time is running out to stop the median. Get involved. Help stop Pier Avenue’s median madness.
Howard Longacre
Hermosa Beach

Editorial stumble
Dear ER:
While I’m not a [Democratic Party assembly candidate] Betsy Butler supporter, I would appreciate it if Easy Reader would post an explanation of the anonymous attack ad printed at the top of page 5 in your May 13 issue. I thought that political ads were required to state who paid for them.
Bruce Hamilton
Web comment
Editor’s response: Publication of the attack flyer against Betsy Butler with last week’s “On Local Government” column was a mistake. The flyer was intended to accompany this week’s “On Local Government” column, which appears on page 7. Easy Reader apologizes for the error.

Fair trade
Dear ER:
The city should not intervene in a business transfers by imposing an early closing when the business has a 1:30 closing and the business has never violated its conditional use permit. Business owners’ rights must be protected too. Evidence showed Il Boccaccio had the fewest number of calls for city services of all licensed establishments on Pier Ave. Councilmembers Howard Fishman and Pete Tucker justly decided not to appeal the ABC decision.
If the license had been for a new business the Council could have voted for earlier closing hours. But that is not the case when an existing business license is transferred. Instead of giving into pressure from Jim Lissner, a vocal critic of downtown Hermosa Beach, they analyzed the true facts and voted to follow the same protocol that they did in the transfer of Café Boogaloo and Underground Pub. The city revenues are down in this economy and restaurants and bars are calmer than before the economic slowdown. The city should not be wasting money on legal fees for an ABC board appeal.
Andrea Jacobson
Web comment

Eye on safety
Dear ER:
Bob Pinzler’s article about antiterrorism, especially about the common citizen being watchful makes sense (“On Local Government,” E.R. May 13, 2010). I find this highly enlightening, placing the common person as a potential hero in the struggle for America’s defense against terrorists. The citizen now has a part, together with the police and the military, with the nation’s shield, protecting our neighborhoods and our loved ones. Pinzler however, points out the Achille’s heel in our nation’s security: that is the turf warfare among law enforcement groups. This is the inane idea of refusing to share vital information necessary to deter terrorists from carrying out their premeditated murderous acts. This turf mentality needs to go if everybody wants a secure America. It is time to look at terrorism from a three dimensional perspective– not from a flat perspective.
Max Martinez-Schaller
Redondo Beach