Liquor Store Owner Speaks Up

I read the March 3 South Bay edition and saw a picture of my store accompanied with an unfair article (“Harbor City Scores in Battle Against Liquor Stores”).

One of the pictures shows some kids standing in front of my store waiting for the bus. They don’t buy alcoholic beverages; we’ve never sold alcohol to minors. They’re just waiting for the bus. What is wrong with that? If they are waiting for the bus on a rainy or hot day, do they have to stand on the street?

Another picture supposedly shows and states, “Youths drink beverages.” Those are not youth drinkers, those are people from the company behind my store. If you want to confirm my explanation you can talk to them and see for yourself and find out how old they really are.

I don’t know why my store is a subject in the main story. Are there too many liquor stores? Are they trying to cut down the amount of liquor stores? If there are too many liquor stores, why pick mine? My liquor store has stood there for over 20 years.

SUNKYU OH

Silver Skates Liquor

Harbor City

Complaints About Crowded School

The South Bay section March 3 contained an article about overcrowded Wilmington Park School. A bathroom without toilets is used for testing and for teaching reading. A larger auditorium, repainting and window repairs are badly needed.

Two hundred parents asked Los Angeles School Board President John Greenwood for a new cafeteria which they have requested for 10 years. Greenwood said he didn’t think the school district had enough money to build a new cafeteria.

Meanwhile, at nearby Banning High School, for two weeks workers repainted walls and resodded grass. Art teachers decorated the school while substitutes covered their classes. This was done to prepare for a conference attended by Mayor Tom Bradley, high school principals, students and their advisers.

Wilmington Park children are being unjustly treated by a school system where the facade principle operates: It is not what one does, but how one looks that is important.

GEORGIA TATTU

Hermosa Beach

Politics and the Sample Ballot

I believe incumbent officeholders of Redondo Beach take advantage of the democratic process when they allow their names to be printed under arguments for or against various city propositions in the sample ballot.

In the sample ballot for the March 5 election, City Atty. Gordon Phillips’ name appeared 10 times, Mayor Barbara Doerr’s six times, City Clerk John Oliver’s eight times, and school board member Rebecca Sargent’s nine times in addition to the candidate listing.

If an incumbent truly wishes to write an argument, let it be signed simply the mayor, city clerk, city attorney, etc.

ROGER A. EVANS

Redondo Beach

Praise for Trustee

As a parent, I owe Trustee Armando Acosta a public thank you for his brave presentation at the South Bay Union High School District Board meeting March 6.

Mr. Acosta’s presentation showed a tremendous amount of hard work and dedication that other rubber stamp board members can’t approach.

Mr. Acosta’s willingness to bring school district problems to the light of day demonstrates his allegiance to the kids and parents rather than school district politics.

TOM KESSLER

Manhattan Beach