About Town
Eatery hours
State officials have sided with the owners of Il Boccaccio on the Pier Plaza, allowing the restaurant to remain open past the midnight cutoff city officials proposed.
The police chief, backed by the City Council, asked the Alcoholic Beverage Control agency to impose a midnight closure on the transfer of a liquor license from longtime owner Joe Venezia to the new owners, Ron and Greg Newman, who also operate Sharkeez restaurant across the Plaza. The Newmans had sought city permission for a 1:30 a.m. closure.
City officials can appeal the ABC decision if they choose. They have said they sought the midnight closure to hold the line against additional alcohol-serving in the downtown area, which has drawn criticism from some residents for rowdiness and excessive noise.
Police sting
City police detectives conducted a sting operation involving marked currency and arrested three housecleaners in the theft of thousands of dollars from a Hermosa resident.
The housecleaners, three women from Lawndale, advertised their services in a flyer and were hired to clean a Hermosa woman’s home several weeks ago. Afterward several thousand dollars were missing from the home, police said.
Detectives placed marked currency in the home and on Wednesday, April 7 the women came back to clean again. They were arrested as they exited the home with the marked currency in their possession, police said.
Police urged other residents who might have been victimized to call Detective Jon Sibbald at 310-318-0341.
Police promotion
Police Chief Greg Savelli introduced his newly promoted lieutenant, Garth Gaines, a 22-year veteran of the department who will head up the Operations Division.
“All the guys in the black and whites and parking enforcement will report to him,” Savelli said.
The chief joked that Gaines also handles “a challenge” at home – he and his wife have two teenage boys.
Gaines said he grew up in Torrance, and came to the beach regularly as a kid.
“Hermosa Beach was my second home,” he said.
Kids run
The Hermosa Beach Education Foundation presents the HB5000 kids 5K run (or walk) Sunday, April 18 beginning on the Pier Plaza. Proceeds help to fund key programs of the city schools. for more see hbef.com.
Mural meeting
The Hermosa Beach Murals Project all-committee will meet at the Mermaid Restaurant on the Pier Plaza 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, April 19. ER