Letters to the Editor

Community Hospital

And the beat goes on… I am furious, but not surprised, to learn that our beloved Community Hospital is basically being turned into an all-purpose misery-for-profit center.

But what else would I expect from the city that closed a hospital during a pandemic, leaving half of the city without medical services, and then literally gave the taxpayer-owned hospital to pet favorite developer John Molina, who has now leased it to a rehab and homeless services company?

And now the city is blessing us with a meeting to inform us citizens of what has already transpired – after the deals are done. This city cares nothing for the well-being, needs or desires of its citizens and taxpayers, but only for the deep pockets of a favored developer.

According to her latest “3rd District Update” email, City Councilor Kristina Duggan will also begin holding “town hall” meetings. For what? To show how supposedly transparent she is? Why were there no “town hall” meetings informing us citizens and neighbors about these Community Hospital transactions before the decisions were made?

This is simply another episode in the time-honored tradition of the City of Long Beach doing business in the dark and then holding intentionally after-the-fact “informational meetings” for the citizens whose neighborhood and quality of life have already been negatively impacted: first by the hospital closure itself, then by the following feeble attempts at addressing the homeless crisis – such as providing a temporary shelter without working plumbing, among other issues – and now, this. And, of course, all of it without citizen input.

Sadly, Community Hospital has become the shining example and latest victim of the City of Long Beach’s sleazy back room dealings at the expense of its taxpaying citizens. Disgusting.

Merry Colvin

Venice Film Festival

Great [Dec. 29] article. I really enjoyed it. I think your article elevates the Beachcomber as to diversity of content and interest. Who else even knows or thinks about the Venice Film Festival let alone writes about it.

Your article takes the readers to the greater world outside of Long Beach and hopefully sparks their curiosity about it and the arts.

Janie Coffman