Cleaning up our beaches; a mother’s fight to educate her son who’s in prison; L.A.’s hottest day ever

Clean living

Re “One woman’s beach crusade,” Sept. 25, and “Making the coast clear,” Sept. 26

Heartfelt thanks to all the good citizens such as Sara Bayles who contribute to their neighborhoods and environment by picking up trash.

I do my part by keeping my curb swept (although I am amazed at the amount of trash littering the streets where I live). However, it’s nowhere near the efforts that participants of events like Coastal Cleanup Day make.

It’s too bad people don’t have the self-respect, pride and decency not to litter in the first place.

Mary Motheral

Upland

I give Bayles a ton of credit for the work she does. If not for your article, many of us wouldn’t even know she exists.

I find it disturbing, however, that underneath your article is a picture of countless photographers waiting for a snapshot of Lindsay Lohan getting out of jail. Really?

There are times I wonder as a society where we went wrong and when we are going to focus more on people doing positive work.

Dale J. Polichetti

Lakewood

Thank you very much for this article, yet another sad commentary that we are so unconscious with regard to our own backyards or, in this case, our beloved — or over-loved — coastline.

I never set one bare foot on the beach; it’s filthy. This could be prevented with a little education and a lot of awareness: What you pack in, you pack out.

Lisa Maria Walton

Los Angeles

Whether such trash floats in from the sea or is left by beachgoers, it originates when someone commits the basic uncivil act of dropping it for others to deal with.

It is important to respond to such small acts with more than a sigh and a cleanup program. As state coffers echo emptily, we should be deputizing people to ticket the litterers, enforcing existing laws, collecting cash and reaffirming the notion of behaving well for the benefit of all.

Peter Yates

Culver City

I always experience such mixed emotions when hearing about cleanup events like this one, as they are both extremely inspiring and so horribly sad.

The fact that on only one day we can collect 50 tons of trash is just devastating.

Every year it becomes more and more apparent that we need to hold ourselves accountable for all of our actions that affect this Earth, however small.

Nevertheless, the mere fact that thousands of individuals can come together for the greater good of our planet and create change is truly amazing.

Kelly Anderson

North Hollywood

Many lessons from this battle

Re “Mother battles system for son,” Column One, Sept. 28

I stopped caring when I read about the violent crimes committed by the son, Michael.

I really, really stopped caring when I read that Michael was a father to a 5- and 3-year-old.

I have four children. When a teacher suggested additional academic testing and help in elementary school, my son did not turn to a gang or crime or fathering children. When a daughter had a mental health crisis in middle and high school years, affecting her performance and peer relationships, she did not turn to gangs, crime or childbirth.

I can’t make myself feel sympathy or empathy. It all just feels irresponsible.

Andi Edwards

Sherman Oaks

Though I applaud Yamileth Fuentes for her hard fight to win a proper education for her son while he’s behind bars, I am left to ponder where her dutiful mothering was while her 15-year-old gangbanging son was procreating —not once but twice.

Lauren Sheridan

La Crescenta

Thank you for the heartwarming story of this brave mother’s fight for her gang member son. Any update on the trauma experienced by the ever so briefly mentioned family he terrorized?

Marilynn Loveless

Redlands

Thanks for your fine front-page story on the untiring efforts by mother and Metro bus driver Fuentes to ensure that her learning-disabled son be provided with challenging educational instruction while incarcerated.

It sounds like her support is helping the young man use his time in the corrections system to develop his skills, so that he can be the father he wants to be after serving his time.

We need more advocates like Fuentes to try to make the prison system accountable for rehabilitation. Maybe our next governor will hire such a proactive parent of a prisoner to serve on an oversight board of our state correctional system.

It is only when prisoners are given constructive opportunities, and when families of prisoners can be made to feel part of the rehabilitation process, that we may finally end the revolving-door system of hopeless imprisonment in our state.

Sally Stein

Los Angeles

Though Fuentes’ efforts to get her son an education are commendable, it is ridiculous to think the state government should provide specialized education according to inmates’ learning levels and needs.

The state education system cannot afford its own teachers and aides, so why should those who commit crimes get more attention?

Education in prison is a privilege, not a right, and the taxpayers should not have to keep paying.

Though second chances are understandable, this type of specialized education goes far beyond what the state can and should afford.

Brittany Hersh

Azusa

It was hot; so are they

Re “L.A.’s hottest day ever,” Sept. 28

Why, in this long article, was there no mention of global warming?

When are we going to take climate change seriously and end our dependence on dirty fossil fuels and transition to cleaner, sustainable energy?

Grace Tiessen

Pasadena

With any luck, Sen. James M. Inhofe (R-Okla.) was in downtown L.A. when the temperature reached 113.

Last February, after a record-breaking snowstorm in Washington, D.C., the senator’s family mocked Al Gore by building an igloo near the Capitol and posting signs that said “Al Gore’s New Home” Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) tweeted, “It’s going to keep snowing in D.C. until Al Gore cries ‘uncle.’ ”

Gore is an easy target because he’s taken a position that’s difficult to prove. But he’s also done research. Legislators should follow suit. It’s easy pointing at a regional phenomenon as proof of bias, but with record floods and fires in Pakistan and Russia, L.A.’s hottest day since record-keeping began in 1877 and, indeed, the destructive storm that caused such fun-poking in the first place, maybe it’s time they reconsidered what Al’s actually saying.

Tony Motzenbacker

Los Angeles

Is our city so poorly managed that we couldn’t afford to keep water in the public pools on the hottest day on record? We were shocked to see our local pool drained of water. Even if it had been a little cooler, there would still be people wanting to get some sun and socialize with friends and family. Was it just poor planning, a lack of funds, or just a bad decision to drain the pools?

Joshua Meindertsma

Los Angeles

Cheers for Clarence Otis

Re “How I made it: Clarence Otis Jr.” Business, Sept. 27

Thank you so much for spotlighting Clarence Otis Jr. It was refreshing to read about a fellow Angeleno persevering through difficult situations and becoming a stand-up leader.

I laud him for his leadership style, his ability to be self-aware and to listen versus being heard.

I would hope many other corporations learn from these types of leaders. Employees want to be listened to and appreciated and not just be a cog in a wheel or a name on a pink slip.

I too grew up in Southern California, raised by parents very similar to Otis’ — my folks grew up in East L.A. and came from humble Mexican roots. Our Sunday drives were the same; we would meander through affluent neighborhoods, admiring the mansions and their grand landscapes.

I appreciate that my dad and mom also showed us that there were many possibilities outside of our circumstances.

Mickee Collins

South Pasadena