Introducing: Comments of the Week

It’s a big thrill for Patch when readers engage with us, and the community, by commenting on stories on our site.

We’ve decided to launch a weekly roundup of the most interesting and opinionated comments we receive. This week began with reader responses to the upcoming St. Patrick's Day parade and a countywide phone scam.

Parading Hermosa's St. Patrick's Day

Patch looked at the history behind the annual parade and how the Chamber of Commerce now has stepped in to sponsor the event, which the city could no longer afford to produce. 

Hermosa residents left messages of appreciation for the chamber Tuesday in :

• I have been involved with the St. Patrick's Day parade for 13 years and announced the parade from the main stage for the last nine years. I hope everybody who reads this post takes the time to thank the Hermosa Beach Chamber of Commerce for stepping up and taking over the parade this year. You would be surprised at how much money and planning it takes to put it on. Without the Chamber we would have lost a wonderful event that caters to us locals as participants and spectators. — wrote president Rick Koenig
• Thank you Hermosa Beach Chamber of Commerce (and Jacqueline Howard for this article)! Be on the lookout at the parade for a massive grouping of bicycles, sponsored by our very own , which also includes bike entries by a number of other local organizations, including Leadership Hermosa Beach, The Old Bike Shop, Beach Cities Cycles, South Bay Bicycle Coalition, Beach Cities Cycling Club, SouthBay Wheelmen, Beach Cities Health District and others! — wrote  of Leadership Hermosa
• I've been a volunteer in the planning and photographing the annual Hermosa Beach St. Patrick's Day parade beginning with its second annual event in 1996. After 15 great years, I'm still proud to be involved with such an amazing community celebration. What makes me happiest is seeing the smiles of children and adults alike as they watch each entry pass by on Pier Avenue. Please come out and join us on March 12 and wear your green! — wrote 

Watch Out for Phone Scam

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department hitting the area. Jail inmates have been deceiving residents into automatically forwarding the victim's incoming calls to the scammer's phone number.

One Hermosa resident said Tuesday that she almost fell victim to the scam:

• With a brother who is in and out of jail all of the time, this scam caught me off guard and I accepted two collect calls in one night. Fortunately, we don't have any services other than local phone calls so automatic call forward didn't work. — wrote 

Coming up: Check Patch on Sundays for our weekly roundup of the latest Hermosa Beach headlines in Week in Review.