This letter is addressed to The Malibu Times Publisher Arnold G. York.
You owe my father and the Niles family an apology. Your publishing of my father’s email in your paper was reckless and irresponsible. Your actions have agitated an already grieving community. You simply could have picked up the phone and given us a call for the other side of the story: You chose not to. I thank God my parents, Ed and Kay, are out of town and did not have to experience the aftermath.
To our community: Our family is sorry for you loss and pain. You have been manipulated by a business owner and newspaper man who both have difficulty with the truth.
To those who choose to send very hateful mail, please stop. My father did not “kick the restaurants out.” Why, after 37 years, would he do so? My family is not after “more money,” the septic system is not “flowing into the ocean,” the building is not “divided illegally” and, most heartbreaking was the claim “don’t you have enough fire rebuild work, stop being so greedy.” My response to that person: We have enough on our plate rebuilding my home, my brother’s home and my nephew’s father’s home.
Thank you to the many who wrote to ask about our side of the story; I hope our letter helped you understand that we can not discuss our private business matters in public.
To our many friends: Thank you for your love support and concern for my family.
Lisa Niles-Gutierrez