About Town Redondo: City loses two employees, fatal crash, allcove anniversary
Two city employees die City hall lost two workers in the same weekend Oct. 28-29 as longtime I.T. manager Jesse Martinez died unexpectedly and Laurie Koike died of cancer. Redondo Beach had not lost an active city worker in more than 10 years. Martinez spent his entire career as an information systems specialist with the city. Mike Witzansky, city manager, said he doubted there was a single employee that Martinez had not helped at some point in his 18 years at city hall. “The I.T. department is still reeling,” Witzansky told the city council Nov. 7. The council adjourned that night in the memory of Martinez and Koike. Martinez was already on the job when Witzansky arrived in Redondo Beach in 2006. Koike, 60, who was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year, worked for the city for 12 years, mainly in waterfront and economic development, most recently as part of the effort to revamp Seaside Lagoon. She also worked for the Redondo Beach Police Department, and as an intern in the city manager’s office. She once served as the acting community services director and another time as acting waterfront and economic development director. Before that, Koike was the sales and operations…
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