Letters to the Editor 9-14-17
Don’t trumpet Trump
Dear ER:
An enthusiastic “second” to Joe Ferrell’s letter criticizing the Matt Wuerker cartoon about Hurricane Harvey (“Kicking Harvey victims” ER Letters, Aug. 31, 2007). Easy Reader proclaims Hometown News for the Beach Cities, so do just that, and spare us the
“Trump Derangement Syndrome.” There’s enough evidence of it in plenty of other places.
Bob White
Manhattan Beach
Harvey wallbanger
Dear ER:
I was thrilled to see someone pointing out the rampant hypocrisy of a state that won’t allow local zoning laws (“Hurricane Harvey cartoon, by Matt Wuerker, ER Aug. 31, 2017). Because, by golly, they’re freedom-loving people and don’t need the gov-mint telling them what to do (“and wouldn’t it be great if we could secede from the rest of the backwards U.S.”). Only now they are calling out for everyone to help them, most importantly the federal government. Not enough of the media is pointing out the sickening irony of people who won’t plan for the future suddenly crying about how unfair life is. The Harvey disaster could have been mitigated with proper city planning and considerations for possible environmental catastrophes. But that would’ve infringed their freedoms. Yes, it’s horrific what has happened to so many innocent lives, but there are some large lessons here. Congratulations to Easy Reader for being one of the few willing to point out that the emperor isn’t wearing clothes.
Matthew Yagle
Redondo Beach
Prospect of Vista Del Mar
Dear ER:
Hermosa Beach is contemplating applying for a grant from the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) for a “transportation demonstration project on Prospect Ave.” Please, Hermosa Beach, no more studies. Leave Prospect Ave. alone. Prospect is a virtual ghost town for the majority of the day. The last thing we need is another Vista Del Mar project on Prospect. Concentrate your efforts on city projects that are not completed.
Kent Allen
Hermosa Beach
Pay to pollute
Dear ER:
Hey, hey, hey. Good job Hermosa Beach city council when you ordered no more plastic bags in the city. The only thing you accomplished, however, was to enable stores and markets to charge for the bags. We still use plastic bags, but now we pay for them. Brillant.
And we should re-elect you why?
Steve McElroy
Hermosa Beach
Lighten up
Dear ER:
I won’t approve you, it’s not personal, (or maybe I just hate you).
That is essentially what Redondo Beach District 5 Councilwoman Laura Emdee said after refusing to consider Jim Light, a highly qualified individual, for the Harbor Commission. It was embarrassing at the city council meeting when Emdee played pure developer politics. The same ones she seems to be so close with, and who will most likely be financing her reelection campaign. Light is more knowledgeable than both city staff and the city’s legal department when it comes to zoning and regulation of the harbor. Even though Light is on the harbor commission now, Emdee wouldn’t renew his position, and would rather it stay vacant. Instead of qualifications, she’s satisfied leaving two that are pro CenterCal, and another who continually refuses to even vote on critical issues.
Sadly this is no surprise. Emdee picked CenterCal lobbyists to serve on the important General Plan Action Committee. One of them, Phil Sanchez, received $9,308 from CenterCal’s failed No On C Campaign. Does anyone wonder how he will vote? Emdee is also okay with other GPAC members who in public stated they could speak on behalf of CenterCal.
It’s not personal. I just need to obey whoever wants to finance my campaign. It’s time for election reform in Redondo Beach. and a new District 5 councilmember.
Wayne Craig
Redondo Beach
It’s the sauce
Dear ER:
Sauce sandwich and carton of mac for15 cents in early ‘60s (“Six decades of meatballs and marinara sauce,” ER Aug. 31, 2017). Mickey’s Deli owners are one of the real class families in Hermosa Beach. They treated us kids like family. I met young Mickey a few weeks back. One of the nicest people I have had the pleasure to meet in years. Must be the sauce. The mac is still the best.
Chris Hoover
Facebook comment
Cross country craving
Dear ER:
After moving to L.A. from LA. my wife and I often were disappointed in what was offered in Los Angeles as “cajun” food. At one restaurant where I ordered jambalaya, I was asked if I wanted it served over steamed rice. The first time we (skeptically) went to Ragin’ Cajun, I told owner Steve Dominique that it was the shortest 2000-mile drive I’d ever made. We became regulars and were really disappointed when he had to close. My wife and I have since moved back to Louisiana but wish Steve and the Ragin’ Cajun the very best of luck in the new location.
Jimmy Lapham
Louisiana
Traffic starvation
Dear ER:
Playa Del Rey gridlock has been an issue since the late 1990s and the City of Los Angeles has refused to do anything about it (“Traffic jam: South Bay lobbying forces L.A. to take Vista Del Mar off its ‘road diet,” ER August 17, 2017). They finally do decide to do something about it and they make it 10 times worse, thinking it will deter people. It’s deterred no one because these same people still insist on trying to drive through, it creating a catastrophe. The city should block Vista Del Mar at Grand Avenue between 7 a.m. 9 a.m., Monday through Friday if they really want to create a dent in the gridlock problem.
Tyler Bates
Facebook comment
The next disaster
Dear ER:
Commissioning of the Norton Engineering Report was agreed upon by both the Torrance Refinery owners PBF and the South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) (“Hermosa council mulls response to state refinery bills,” ER March 16,2017).When the findings came back, PBF did not like the answer. Instead of using their money to repair the refinery and replace the volatile and deadly MHF (hydrofluoric acid) they would rather endanger hundreds of thousands of residents. Hermosa Beach and and surrounding communities need to own up to the fact that we are living with the potential for a Bhopal, India size disaster. South Bay city councils and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors need to call for a ban of MHF now.
Melanie Cohen
Facebook comment
Meow
Dear ER:
The Peter Zippi Memorial Fund wants to thank Jamie Janssen and the Hermosa Beach Chamber, Mike Bell, Eric and Greg from Bell Event Services and all the volunteers who worked so hard to make this year’s Labor Day Fiesta a success. We are based in Hermosa Beach and do adoptions at each Fiesta, helping dozens of homeless cats find homes.
The Fiesta is important not only for adoptions, but donations and attracting new volunteers. The most rewarding part of the Fiesta is talking to the many people who have adopted from us and share pictures of their cats and stories about how these cats have made their lives better. We all know how they made their cats’ lives better.
Leslie Neff
Hermosa Beach
Correction: Easy Reader misidentified the writer of a letter printed last week, titled “Kicking Harvey victims.” The letter writer was Joe Ferrell, not Tony Garcia. Easy Reader apologizes for the error.