Posts by Dan Blackburn
Hermosa Beach City Council approves traffic cameras on roads leading in, out of town
by Dan Blackburn Four busy Hermosa Beach intersections soon will be under the gaze of local police officers, following City Council unanimous approval Tuesday of purchase and installation of automated license plate readers at the sites. The intersections are Pier Avenue at Valley Drive; Hermosa Avenue at 14th Street; Gould Avenue at Pacific Coast Highway;…
Read MoreJeffery Woods’ suspect Joshua Dirnu bail not reduced
by Dan Blackburn Accused killer Joshua Dirnu will remain in jail as he awaits trial for the beating death of Hermosa Beach resident Jeffery Woods last year, a Superior Court judge decided Monday, refusing to lower the suspect’s $1 million bail. Dirnu also was denied a bid to move his case out of Los Angeles…
Read MoreDrunks not reliable, Hermosa Beach city commissioner says, for naming where they drank
by Dan Blackburn An ongoing effort by the Hermosa Beach Police Department to identify local bars responsible for sending drunks onto the streets has been “largely ineffective,” according to the city commissioner who suggested the practice. Since 2017, officers arresting individuals for driving under the influence or drunk in public would ask where the arrestee…
Read MoreFair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) offers Hany Fangary chance to correct filings, avoid fine
by Dan Blackburn Former Hermosa Beach City Council member Hany Fangary may be able to avoid or reduce the $24,000 penalty levied by the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) for alleged campaign fund violations, following a decision Wednesday by the state panel to delay action on the assessment. The commission voted to continue the matter…
Read MoreNo harm intended, but Fangary still fined $24,000 by the state’s Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC)
by Dan Blackburn A $24,000 fine has been levied against former Hermosa Beach City Council member Hany Fangary, his wife Dina Fangary, and two funding committees by the state’s Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC), ending a years-long investigation. The FPPC “did not find any evidence that (the Fangarys) intended to conceal, deceive, or mislead the…
Read MoreHermosa Beach City Council delays cannabis decision, pending survey results
by Dan Blackburn Hermosa Beach’s City Council decided to delay until May 10 a decision on the city’s response to a retail marijuana sales initiative until an ongoing community survey is completed. The survey, according to City Manager Suja Lowenthal, covers a variety of issues, one of which addresses the prevailing community view of allowing…
Read MoreHermosa Beach Planning Commission talks on updating the city’s zoning ordinance
by Dan Blackburn The Hermosa Beach Planning Commission held a special meeting last Wednesday to discuss a lengthy staff report on updating the city’s zoning ordinance. It was last updated in 2017. The commission will vote at a future date to send the proposal on to the city council for public hearings and possible implementation.…
Read MoreCourt appearance scheduled for suspect in Hermosa Beach resident Jeffery Roderick Woods’ death
by Dan Blackburn Joshua Edward Dirnu will appear in Torrance court April 14 at 8:30 a.m. in Dept. 8 for a second attempt at setting a preliminary hearing date on charges he beat and killed longtime Hermosa Beach resident Jeffery Roderick Woods in a July 8 incident caught on surveillance cameras. Dirnu, 23, has been…
Read MoreThe Hermosa Beach Cannabis Advisory group opposes cannabis sales, but if approved, wants tax
by Dan Blackburn The Hermosa Beach Cannabis Advisory Group expressed unanimous opposition to an initiative on the November ballot that asks to legalize retail cannabis sales in Hermosa Hermosa Beach. The initiative, proposed by resident Colton Chacker, if approved by voters, would require the city to allow two cannabis retail stores. Hermosa currently bans marijuiana…
Read MoreHermosa Beach Mayor Detoy plans Hermosa Beach Greenbelt ADA path demonstration
Hermosa Beach Mayor Mike Detoy will hold his monthly “conversation and clean-up” meeting with residents this Saturday, April 2, starting at 9 a.m. at the Valley Drive access to the Greenbelt. Detoy and Public Works Director Joe SanClemente plan to address compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). City officials have expressed interest in…
Read MoreSpoof spins the Hermosa Beach chief as victim of e-bike theft following St. Patrick’s Parade
by Dan Blackburn According to a story on the Hermosa Bee website, “Police Chief Paul LeBaron locked up his bike after the Hermosa Beach St. Patrick’s Day Parade to mingle with the people and local dignitaries. When he returned an hour later, his bike was stolen.” Lending credibility to the story was a photo, reprinted…
Read MoreHermosa Beach to get pot vote, Tesla patrol car
by Dan Blackburn An initiative petition authorizing retail sales of cannabis products in Hermosa Beach has qualified for the Nov. 8 election. The initiative, sponsored by resident Colton Chacker, collected more than the required 1,650 signatures, according to the Los Angeles County Registrar of Voters. The city council recently formed an advisory committee to study…
Read MoreSurfer Alex Gray and mental therapist Kevin Sousa Zoom in on pandemic issues
Professional surfer Alex Gray and mental health therapist Kevin Sousa will lead a Zoom discussion Thursday evening, March 24, about substance abuse and other mental health problems triggered by the pandemic. Sousa is the program director and an ocean therapy clinician with the Jimmy Miller Memorial Foundation. The event is co-hosted by the Jimmy Miller…
Read MoreLocal Schools threatened by litigation as pandemic fades
by Dan Blackburn Carmel attorney Tracy Henderson has initiated legal action on behalf of Hermosa Beach parent Victoria Cannon, South Bay Parents Push Back and Santa Monica Malibu Parents United against four Southern California school districts, and various other government officials. Several Hermosa Beach residents have alleged that Henerson has also threatened legal action against…
Read MoreThe Hermosa Beach Greenbelt – Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance raises path misues conerns
by Dan Blackburn Three alternatives for resurfacing the Hermosa Beach Greenbelt from Pier Avenue to 11th Street are under consideration by city officials, seeking to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Earlier this month, the Public Works Commission spent three hours discussing the alternatives, before unanimously agreeing to send the proposals to the…
Read MoreBait bikes hook bike thieves, In Hermosa sting operation
by Dan Blackburn Thieves targeting Hermosa Beach bike owners might want to bypass the next shiny, expensive-looking cycle they come across. Police Chief Paul LeBaron is warning it might be a felony in waiting. The department recently made two arrests of alleged thieves who fell for a sting operation initiated by officers. The targeted e-bike…
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