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Letters
Metlox flummox
Dear ER:
It has just been learned that during a recent exploratory core drilling at the Metlox site in support of the EIR research, remains of human bones were unearthed. The county coroner was immediately notified and his investigation determined that the bones were not of recent origin but in fact seemed quite old. In accordance with state law, a forensic anthropologist was dispatched from UCLA School of Archeology, who collected the remains for analysis.
It was subsequently determined by UCLA that the bones were those of a Caucasoid male who died approximately six thousand years ago. Although the university attempted to keep the find quiet, word of its existence leaked out to a local South Bay band of Chumash Indians, who immediately demanded the return and re-internment of their ancestor at the original location.
Subsequently the Indians have claimed the entire Metlox site as a sacred burial ground and petitioned for ownership in accordance with Title II of the Native American Antiquities Act. Their claim is being examined by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and city attorney, Johnny Wadd. If found valid, according to Bill Victor, attorney for the Indians, federal jurisdiction will supersede state and local laws enabling the Indians to sue for clear title to the property, thus rendering moot the results of the election of last June.
It has been learned that the Indians have already contacted the Tolkin Group regarding modification of the Metlox development plans in order to build a Las Vegas-style casino on their newly acquired tribal land, in accordance with voter-approved state Proposition 1A. The Indians have reassured concerned city representatives that the proposed casino will not exceed the 90,000 square-foot plan currently favored by many residents, and will bring approximately 500 new jobs to the city. The casino will not compete with existing local businesses and two stories of underground parking will be included to alleviate on-street parking.
The Manhattan Beach School District will also benefit by virtue of the 33 cents per-square-foot for construction tax on the casino. In addition, if the casino is approved, the Indians have agreed to underwrite the entire $27 million dollar bond for the repair and upgrade of Mira Costa High School in return for changing their mascot from "Mustangs" to "Warriors" in honor of the brave Indians who originally fought for and lost the land.
Our children will also benefit, according to Mark Eaglefeather, spokesperson for the Indians. The remains of their ancestor will be prominently displayed in a rotunda in the casino lobby along with other tribal artifacts which have been stored for some time in a personal storage locker in Hermosa Beach. As part of their educational experience, Eaglefeather believes that the children should always be reminded of the plight of Native Americans at the hands of their forebears.
Phil Reimert
Manhattan Beach
Nader in context
Dear ER:
Thanks for running the large photo on your cover of Ralph Nader’s recent South Bay appearance ("Corporate Prophet, ER Mar. 22, 2001).
The article on Nader’s speech at the Redondo Performing Arts Center last week put him back in the context of his lifelong efforts on behalf of the American public.
It makes so much more sense of Nader’s recent presidential campaign effort to remember him as the "David" who took on the corporate "Goliaths" in this country (for more than 40 years) than it is to shrink-wrap him as a "political spoiler," as so many drive-by reportings in the corporate media have done over the past year.
Context is more important than ever, especially as it has reached a near vanishing point while our national press and television news spend so much time hallucinating on the now.
I particularly liked how Nader reflected so much light on the origins of California’s recent energy fiasco. In stark, contrast to President ‘Curious George’ Bush, Nader had the facts and figures at his fingertips about the history of governmental short-sightedness and corporate opportunism that has led to the current lack of current in our powerlines.
As time passes more and more Americans will see that our Nation’s future has been hi-jacked by profiteers and regret the road not taken with the ‘corporate prophet’ who cared enough to consider our nation’s destiny in the full context of the common good.
Eric Vollmer
El Segundo
Park maintenance
Dear ER:
A year or so ago there was a public hearing regarding the sale of city property of a small piece of "open space" property at Ozone Court and 27th Street in Hermosa Beach. I had enjoyed it for the 50 years I have lived on 27th Street with just some natural ice plant there. I wrote the city saying I was opposed to the sale of the property. My concern was a safety issue. Development of the property would block the view of traffic in either direction when pulling out of Ozone Court.
Another neighbor, Greg Tylka, spoke at a public hearing on the matter. It was also his and his wife's idea to keep it open too, maybe adding some plants to the area there.
I know we weren't the only three with concerns.
Then poof!
Without another public hearing the ice plants and the other vegetation were removed and now some clown is parking cars there. This is totally wrong. This property belongs to all of us in Hermosa Beach, not one household.
What was once a nice, green open space now looks like a car lot. Some 4x4 high rise truck blocks the view of the traffic, and some old green Chevy bomb parks there too. Some grass began to grow and that has been recently removed. It has been leveled and possibly concrete is going to be poured.
I would like to see this area fenced off once again for open space the city always had been advocating throughout the city. Have the ice plant restored to this area so it will return to being a little open space all the residents and visitors can enjoy.
Ron Felsing
Hermosa Beach
Political bailout
Dear ER:Sacrificing political survival for the health of the California economy, Governor Gray Davis, his chief lieutenant South Bay Senator Debra Bowen, and the rest of the State Legislature have embarked on an inept electric supply strategy fraught with so much indebtedness as to threaten the solvency of California. To assure the reelection of Gray Davis, the political animals have blown through the state’s projected budget surplus and saddled the taxpayers with substantial future payments. The so-called 1996 Utility "Deregulation" law was nothing of the sort. It was a bailout to benefit the big utilities with artificially high rates at the onset, departing load costs to penalize co-generators, and labyrinth rules to prevent any competition from other electric energy suppliers.
Now, the state seeks to float $10 billion in bonds for long-term contracts for a commodity that is in short supply, just to keep the consumers voting for Gray. It’s hard to imagine anything more short-sighted, selfish and stupid. Of course, all electric rates will sharply rise after the election.
The only solution to this mess is to let retail rates float to reflect to true cost of electricity, thereby encouraging conservation, and eliminate the departing load costs, stranded costs and other needless regulation that now discourages generation.
Robert Benz
Hermosa Beach
Art appreciated
Dear ER:My family and I had the pleasure of attending the inaugural reception and art exhibit celebrating the opening of the Manhattan Heights Art Center. It is indeed a credit to the vision of the city council, city manager and staff, and to the community that a facility for the education, appreciation and promoting of the arts now exists in Manhattan Beach. The current show featuring work of both prominent California artist and emerging artists is an impressive beginning for this new center. Thanks to the creativity and hard work of Homeira Goldstein, CEO of Arts Manhattan and the show’s curator, many of the artists attended the receptions. Homeira is a treasure of the Manhattan Beach community.
Art elevates our spirit and rounds out our lives. Congratulations City of Manhattan Beach.
Francine Tolkin Cooper
Tolkin Group
Bizarre politics
Dear ER:My participation in the Manhattan Beach 2001-A measure was an interesting exercise, the second most bizarre aspect of which was Russ Lesser’s incredible post-election statement inferentially characterizing the 15 percent who voted for the measure as unintelligent (The first, most bizarre was Surfrider’s and Heal the Bay’s frantic disassociations from the measure. Frankly, I was quite happy with 15 percent, what with the exceedingly clumsy way in which the MBCCC ran its campaign. My disappointment was with the always poor voter turnout — I keep hoping to see an actual instance of this democracy stuff the electorate is always puffing itself up about but never participates in. I congratulate the 18 percent who did turn out, whether they approved of the measure of not.
If I may, let me voice what, to me, was the true unknown virtue of the measure: it attempted to return to property owners their rights. That is, it would have led to far greater discretion of the public to restrain corporate profiteers and polluters in their publicly held "backyard." I’ve found that very few citizens understand they literally own the beach; they think it’s the city’s property (they are only the people’s steward). It’s a point of law no one recognizes, especially not the city council. Small wonder then that an ex-mayor still considers himself its king.
Marc S. Tucker
Manhattan Beach
Last of the beats
Dear ER: So what's the deal with poor old John A. Jackson (Shadow Government, ER Mar. 15, 2001)? Did the Clinton-Gore-Jackson implosion finally drive him over the edge, or is he just on drugs or something? In recent weeks his column has gotten so incoherent, that it has turned into virtual free association. Could he actually have become the last surviving Beat Poet?
If you are worried about this disturbing new direction, you could always resurrect some of the golden oldies from his McMartin witch hunt days. (Sort of like a drunk Maxine Waters meets The Simpsons from Hell...) Or perhaps you could re-run his classic "Ode to Socialism." There's a whole new generation of "Inquiring Minds" out there that really do want to know. "Harder than climbing mountains. Riskier. Essential as air."
David M. Hershey
Hermosa Beach
Responsible response
Dear ER:
I’m always amazed when people whine about their successes. Case in point, John Jackson’s latest drivel (ER March 8, 2001, "Fellow targets"). After 40 some years of liberal intervention from "journalists" like Jackson, politicians and attorneys, America has descended to it’s current moral state.
The quiet acceptance by Jackson and others, of someone’s desire to commit cold-blooded murder, lies at the root of our current national malady. They think the answer is to remove the instrumentality. That is most emphatically not the answer. The answer lies in restoring the morality, family and social structure that Jackson and the other liberals try so hard to destroy. There are moral absolutes; situational ethics is a fraud. Each person has the responsibility for his or her actions. Demons, devils or whatever, if they exist, only have power if we abdicate our responsibility for our lives. Paid public employees are no substitute for loving parents. Children are a responsibility, not a fashion accessory.
From road rage, to murder, to MTV — the have it your way, me first, bad attitudes are the result of the lack of training and socialization. This lack of training is the direct result of the destruction of established norms of behavior by such groups like ACLU. Public employees, from teachers to cops, are faced with the problem of trying to do their jobs in a constantly shifting moral and legal climate. Their natural response is to do as little as possible. On the other hand, every school child knows that to achieve fame, all they have to do is commit or threaten to commit some horrific crime and the media will make them into rock stars. (And after all, rock stars and Bill Clinton, are very famous and important people.)
The proof of my point is very simple. There is the "gun free" paradise, Jackson so fondly desires. It lies on the other side of the Atlantic. It has the socialized medicine and the ever-increasing taxes so dear to the liberal heart. I’ll be glad to pay Jackson’s one way ticket. He’ll like Britain. He’ll like everything except the crime rate, much higher than ours. Then maybe the space he occupies in the Easy Reader can be used for something that improves the lives of the members of the community.
Gene H. Dreher
Hermosa Beach