MB WEEKLY READER POLL:
OVER 70% FEEL “HELICOPTER PARENTING” IS A PROBLEM IN MANHATTAN BEACH
According to a recent poll of MB Weekly readers, 71% feel that “helicopter parenting” in Manhattan Beach is a problem. Helicopter parenting refers to an overprotective and very involved parenting style. Just like a helicopter hovers, so do these parents. They typically involve themselves in all aspects of their children’s lives, sometimes to the detriment of the kids. “If it weren’t so sad, it would be hilarious,” said one Mira Costa high school teacher. Some examples of helicopter parenting might include: Exerting control over an adult child’s life, such as by writing their graduate school applications or calling potential employers; Attempting to control a child’s friendships by deciding whom a child should befriend or when a child should end a friendship. Results showed that higher overall helicopter parenting scores were associated with stronger symptoms of anxiety and depression. According to that study, helicopter parenting “was also associated with poorer functioning in emotional functioning, decision making, and academic functioning.” “No wonder many young people today are so incapable and fragile,” said one former member of the Manhattan Beach School Board.
MB WEEKLY READER QUESTION:
Do you agree or disagree that “Helicopter Parenting” is a problem in Manhattan Beach. Send your thoughts to: MBWeekly@TimeWire.net
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH
CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATE
DAVID LESSER:
Q: Do you [feel as] safe in Manhattan Beach as you did a year ago?
A: No, my family and I do not feel as safe as a year ago. A brazen Downtown robbery, a string of scary residential burglaries, and an increase in property crimes over the past year have left my family on edge like many others. Our police department does a great job protecting our community in the face of rising crime and changing prosecution standards. But rancor on our City Council and an emphasis on socially divisive issues have limited their focus on public safety. Feeling safe includes more than just crime. The pandemic brought an increase in mental health issues for our youth and an ongoing threat to our elderly population. There has also been an increase in hate-filled vandalism in our City and an increased risk of a major earthquake with the discovery of new faults beneath us. These issues cry-out for broader leadership.
Q: If you were a schoolteacher, what grade would you give the work of our city manager over the last [two years]?
A: As a hypothetical schoolteacher, I would give our City Manager a grade of B+. He has led our City with a divided Council through extreme challenges over the past two years – a pandemic, economic uncertainty, and a spike in divisiveness. The number of decisions the City Manager got right is impressive under the circumstances and he is utterly devoted to our City. But there is always room for improvement. Two examples where work is in process: Making it easier for residents to engage with City Hall and improving City communications, particularly related to crime.
Q: Who do you think is your biggest single competitor in the race for City Council?
A: An incumbent naturally has an advantage.
Q: What is your favorite TV show of all time?
A: The original “Star Trek” series tackled timeless questions of life, love, war, peace, and human exploration through science fiction. Story lines with interplanetary conflicts, aliens, and transporters – it was cool.
Q: Do you believe the Manhattan Beach Police Department has an adequate number of officers currently to keep the community feeling safe?
A: The current times call for more police officers on our streets, additional tools to fight crime, and increased information for residents to protect their families, homes, and businesses. The Police Department believes it has sufficient resources after receiving authorization to hire additional officers above its budget allotment due to anticipated retirements. But I am concerned about coverage. I would review whether there is an adequate number of officers during the City’s upcoming mid-year budget process and move promptly if more are needed.
www.davidlesser4mb.com
MB Weekly Readers Choose Tapizon As Best Brazilian Restaurant In South Bay:
According to a recent poll of MB Weekly readers, Tapizon restaurant has been selected as the Best Brazilian Restaurant in the South Bay, 2022. According to the restaurant owners, the Tropi-Cali experience is where Brazilian & American flavors fuse in food and spirits.
www.tapizon.com
MB WEEKLY – LENS:
Rob, from the MB Farmers’ Market. He works at the Korean Food Booth. –Photo courtesy of Lee Phillips
Frank Chiella
City Council Candidate
“The most concerning issue in this election to me is the need for candidates to take a stand on increasing the number of police on our streets. I believe now is the time to be proactive. For the past 4 years, our current city council has authorized 29 Police Officers in the Patrol Division and 5 Police Officers in the Traffic Division. I would immediately urge the city council to amend the current budget to authorize 35 officers in the Patrol Division and 6 officers in the Traffic Division. Savings by overtime reductions and minor cuts in other departments along with using city reserves can pay for these needed increases to put more police on our streets now, before crime increases further in our city.” —- Frank Chiella, Candidate for City Council
www.votefrank4mb.com
MB WEEKLY:
“Once A Week, But Never Weakly”
Join thousands of your neighbors in Manhattan Beach and surrounding South Bay communities.
Sign up for free at: www.MBWeekly.net
MB WEEKLY – LENS:
Robinson Elementary held their first Bike Safety Assembly for their students. The assembly was part of “Ride Safe, Ride Ready,” Manhattan Beach’s Bike Safety and Awareness campaign, and was a collaboration between the PTA, Manhattan Beach Unified School District (MBUSD), the Manhattan Beach Police Department, City Council, and high school students, Justin Newman, Alex Chun, Lara Meyer and Luca & Kai O’Neill.
MB WEEKLY:
The Faces of Manhattan Beach
Meet Stella
“YES OR NO” INTERVIEW
Have you ever had a crush on a teacher?
–YES, TWICE, ACTUALLY.
If you were invited to go to Mars, would you go?
–NO
Do you consider yourself a controversial person?
–NO
Have you ever broken someone’s property and not told them?
–NO
Have you ever played a game of strip poker?
–NO
Do you have any regrets?
–YES, MANY.
Would you travel the world solo?
–YES
Do you think men and women are equal?
–NO
Have you ever flirted with someone you didn’t like for attention?
–NO
To be featured in “The Faces of Manhattan Beach,” send your photograph to: MBWeekly@TimeWire.net
MB WEEKLY – LENS:
MBPD Officer Presgraves just moved over to our Traffic Bureau as a Traffic Officer. You’ll see him out in the city doing traffic enforcement and investigating traffic collisions.
MB WEEKLY:
Reader Questions To
MB Mayor Steve Napolitano
Q: I believe the position rotates from one city council member to the next, but I don’t know the frequency of the rotation for the Mayor. —- Steve B., Manhattan Beach
A: Hi Steve, the mayor is selected by Council. Our long-held tradition is that each Councilmember gets a turn as mayor during their 4 year term, which basically equals a 9 1/2 month term as mayor for each Councilmember. The order of rotation is based on who received the most votes, then the second most and so on, and as staggered just as the elections are. Every two years we have a city council election for either two seats or three seats. Joe, Richard and I were elected in November 2020, and as the one with the most votes, I’m first in the rotation after Suzanne and Hildy, who were elected in 2019 (they were the last two councilmembers elected in odd years – state law now requires that our local elections align with state and national elections to improve turnout). I’ll be followed by Richard and then Joe, and the winners of the current election will then follow in the mayoral rotation after the three of us, based on who gets the most votes this election. Hope that makes sense!
Q: I am concerned about the Homeless lurking on our streets during the day-half dressed, walking around with no pants, and hanging out for children and families to see. What are you doing about them? And crime? —- Emily P.
A: Hi Emily, we have a very robust program to address those experiencing homelessness in Manhattan Beach and we’ve been able to greatly reduce our homeless numbers the last couple of years since we started our outreach. Among other things, we’ve received a grant from the County that we share with our fellow cities of Hermosa and Redondo, with whom we share resources, including a homeless outreach navigator to get folks into housing and services. We’ve also appointed a City staff member as our homeless liaison to oversee all our efforts. A large number of police are now trained in how to deal with the homeless, especially those experiencing addiction or mental health issues. The City has gone above and beyond in paying for an additional full time homeless outreach person on top of the shared outreach person who serves all three beach cities, and at our last meeting we increased the number of beds set aside for use by the unsheltered in Manhattan Beach from two to five. We’ve also adopted an anti-camping ordinance to incentivize the use of services and housing and we have a robust partnership with MBSAFE, a local nonprofit established to help get our homeless off the streets and into housing and services. This is just a short summary of all we’ve been doing and we’ve seen real results, lowering our homeless count from over 40 a couple of years ago to less than 10 today. We will continue to work to get that number down even further, as it does fluctuate on any given day. For more information on all we’re doing regarding homelessness, please click here. If anyone is breaking the law, whether homeless or not, we ask that all residents do what our Police Chief encourages everyone to do on a daily basis – “If you see something, say something.” Public safety and well being are the City Council’s top priority and as a result of the recent uptick in crime, the Police Department by way of Council’s direction have increased patrols around town and especially in our commercial areas, but we’ll never be able to have a cop everywhere or wherever crime takes place. Our community is made safer by all our efforts and if you call our Police Department, they’ll be there in minutes. Additionally, we’re looking to hire more officers all the time. Unfortunately, that’s been harder to do the last couple of years and it’s a nationwide problem. If you know anyone who wants to be a police officer, please send them our way, we have a number of incentives that make working in Manhattan Beach very attractive and we’d love to talk to them. Thanks!
Send Your Questions To
The Mayor Of Manhattan Beach
The Mayor of Manhattan Beach, Steve Napolitano, has generously agreed to write an “Ask the Mayor” monthly column exclusively for MB Weekly. Please send your questions to: MBWeekly@TimeWire.net
MB WEEKLY – LENS:
New chef at Urban Plates in Manhattan Beach.
MB WEEKLY:
The Faces of Manhattan Beach
Meet Russ Lesser
Former MB Mayor
Diven Surf
Have you shot a gun at some point in your life?
–YES. I was in the army and we do that.
Have you ever broken a bone in the past?
–YES. I dislocated a shoulder skiing and broke a thumb skiing. Hmmm. That seems like a trend.
Have you ever gotten locked out of your own house?
–NO
Have you ever gotten so lonely that you started talking to yourself?
–Not because I was lonely, but because I was the only one who wanted to listen to me.
Have you ever had an imaginary friend?
–That is a definite NO
Have you ever been to Paris?
–YES, it is a great city. I watched all the Pink Panther films before I went so I could communicate better.
www.divensurf.com
MB WEEKLY – LENS:
The Mira Costa girls’ volleyball team celebrates its five-set win over Redondo Union.
WHO READS MB WEEKLY?
Former two-term MB Mayor and Councilmember Wayne Powell.
Sign up for free: www.MBWeekly.net
MB WEEKLY – COMMENTARY:
By Amy Howorth
City Council Candidate
I am disappointed that there is an official committee to oppose a candidate; the ad itself isn’t the problem. I’m not sure the ad will have much impact. I have nothing to do with this Committee. I’m running on my record. I’m sure it would be upsetting to me if someone had formed a formal committee to oppose me.
www.amyhoworthcitycouncil.com
URBAN PLATES:
Our Roasted Barramundi Sea Bass is so satisfying and always sustainable.
www.urbanplates.com
MB WEEKLY – CARTOON:
“I could’ve sworn that I buried last year’s Halloween candy in Manhattan Beach.”
MB WEEKLY – READER QUESTION:
HOW IS INFLATION IMPACTING YOUR LIFE?
Please share your reply with thousands of your neighbors in Manhattan Beach and surrounding South Bay communities.
Send (maximum 100 words) to: MBWeekly@TimeWire.net
MB – BULLETIN BOARD:
1. ** https://www.votenoonmb.com —- Dan Humbert, Manhattan Beach
2. ** Do you want woke radicals co-parenting your kids? I sure as hell don’t, which is why I plan to vote for “The Trifecta” for the school board in Manhattan Beach. —- Maureen G., Manhattan Beach parent
3. ** I love Fleming’s Steakhouse in El Segundo. The real deal. —- Howard P., Manhattan Beach
4. ** If your pet is due for vaccinations, please stop by the Manhattan Beach Police Department for our low-cost clinic. Please contact the El Segundo Animal Hospital at 310-606-8811 or the MBPD Animal Control line at 310-802-5160.
5. ** If more politicians in Manhattan Beach were thinking about the next generation instead of the next election, it might be better for the city we all love. —- Jill T., Manhattan Beach
6. ** “By using the waffle maker, you become one.” —- Brooke T., Manhattan Beach
7. ** “There’s nothing preventing you from using someone else’s voice when you think.” —- Bruce N., Manhattan Beach
8. ** “Seals are dog mermaids.” —- Brian C., Manhattan Beach
9. ** Finally, an honest car mechanic. South Bay Autohaus. I just moved to the area and am happy that I now have an excellent car partner for my BMW. —- Steve M., Manhattan Beach
10. ** Please be aware of your unattended pets and try to keep them inside, if possible. There have been two cat killings by coyotes in this area in the last 2 weeks. —- Audrey Ritterman
11. ** I am patient with stupidity but not with those who are proud of it. —- Trish H., Manhattan Beach
12. ** South Cord Management, the parent company of Catalyst Cannabis Co., has spent $309,188 on the campaign to recall District 4 Redondo Beach Councilman Zein Obagi, Jr. —- Bruce N., Manhattan Beach
13. ** A dear friend of mine passed away due to a hit and run by Lawndale high school Saturday, 27 at 11 pm on his bike, going to In-n-Out. The person drove off and didn’t care to stop to see if he was okay; due to that, he lost all brain activity and was pronounced dead yesterday. —- Chloe Santoyo, Hawthorne
14. ** Amy Howorth may live in Manhattan Beach, but she left her heart in San Francisco. Don’t vote “woke!” —- Heidi S., Manhattan Beach
15. ** Chill The Build! The answer to their question “Is It Safe To Build Next To A Refinery?” is NO, NOT AT ALL! The State passed legislation this week to ban housing projects within 3200 feet of an oil refinery because it is not safe! Common sense would tell you that, especially so for a housing project directly adjacent to a tank farm! —- Mark Burton
16. ** I was just at International Garden Center today in El Segundo and asked where their two enormous fat cats were – They were both killed by a coyote in July. —- Lindsay Pinkham, El Segundo
17. ** I hear comments from our city officials telling us that nothing can be done about Highrose, “our hands are tied.” Well, our voices as residents cannot be silenced. Don’t let developers come into our community and usurp our local zoning codes and ordinances. —- Frank Chiella, Manhattan Beach
18. ** It isn’t even a question of fighting the state. The regulations passed by CA do NOT require approving Highrose. The Planning Department has gone beyond its authority and approved much more than the state requirements. —- Dan Stern, Former Mayor, Manhattan Beach
19. ** The only Zen you find in Manhattan Beach is the Zen you bring there. —- Sandra Conway, Manhattan Beach
20. ** Free money! Without any understanding of basic economics, young people are celebrating and cheering it on. They believe student loan forgiveness is caring and compassionate. They are wrong. —- Brett I., Manhattan Beach
Comment / Hire / Share / Promote / Barter / Discuss
The MB Weekly Free Bulletin Board is your place to communicate for free with thousands of your neighbors in Manhattan Beach. Send your message (maximum 50 words) to: MBWeekly@TimeWire.net
MB Weekly Disclaimer: 1.) MB Weekly accepts no liability for the content of this email, or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided. MB Weekly is not associated with any commercial or political organization and is transmitted via the web for the sole benefit of its subscribers. 2.) Unfortunately, computer viruses can be transmitted via email. The recipient should check this mail and any attachments for the presence of viruses.