Hermosa Friends makes friends with grants
by Elka Worner The Hermosa Friends Foundation distributed $10,000 in grants to local non-profits during its seventh anniversary celebration on Saturday, October. 7 at the home of Ryan Nowicki and Rosé Romero. “It was such a wonderful night,” Hermosa Beach resident Erin Phillips said. “Great food, great people and a great cause.” Nearly […]
Kiwanians honor Koenig, Feys; Menard named president
by Elka Worner The Kiwanis Club of Hermosa Beach celebrated its 97th Installation of the Officers Sunday, October 8, with incoming President Glenn Menard assuming the helm. Outgoing President Rick Koenig received the “Distinguished Kiwanian Award” for his 23 years as a club member, as well as a Proclamation from the city of Hermosa Beach. […]
INFRASTRUCTURE: Polliwog Park’s new playground is unveiled
by Elka Worner “This is so fun,” screeched the preschooler, gliding through the air on a new swing at the official unveiling of a long-awaited $3 million playground at Polliwog Park. “This is an exciting day for Manhattan Beach!” Manhattan Beach Mayor Richard Montgomery said at the Sept. 26 event. “This playground has been a […]
Annual Strand Alzheimer’s Walk underscores family financial costs
by Elka Worner Nearly 500 people carrying blue, purple, yellow and orange Promise Garden Flowers walked from the Hermosa Beach pier to the Manhattan Beach pier, and back Saturday morning, October 7, during the annual Beach Cities Walk to End Alzheimer’s. Blue Promise Garden Flowers were given to walkers with Alzheimer’s; purple flowers to walkers […]
The Elon Musk enigma: Noble? Nuts ? Or both
by Elka Worner Former Time magazine editor Walter Isaacson shadowed Elon Musk for two years in preparation for writing his newly released, 688-page biography, “Elon Musk.” Isaacson sat in on Musk’s meetings, conducted hundreds of interviews with colleagues, family, adversaries, and ex-wives, and poured over emails and texts. What he concluded, he told the Los […]
Historic home dedication also honors owner Majka
by Elka Worner For more than four decades, Marsha Majka has lovingly maintained her 1913 Craftsman home on the corner of Monterey Boulevard and Park Avenue in north Hermosa Beach. On Sunday neighbors, friends and community leaders gathered to celebrate Majka’s home as the city’s first residential historic landmark. “It’s such an honor,” she said. […]
Dancing through the decade benefits HB museum
story and photos by Elka Worner More than 200 people attended the 7th Annual Hermosa Beach Historical Museum Dancing Through the Decades Gala on Saturday, August 26, at St. Cross Church. Committee Chair Jake Courtney, who auctioned off historic photos, beach artwork, a Strand cruiser, and a surfboard, said the evening raised $60,000. “The gala […]
Huntley Castner’s inspired pop portraits
by Elka Worner Local artist Huntley Castner describes his paintings as “essentially folk art, only with modern day folk heroes.” “I only paint people I think highly of,” he said of his vibrant portraits. His exhibit at Culture Brewing Company in Manhattan Beach features legends from the world of politics, sports, and entertainment, the Dalai […]
Huntley Castner’s inspired pop portraits of the famous, and beach city friends
Local artist Huntley Castner describes his paintings as “essentially folk art, only with modern day folk heroes.” “I only paint people I think highly of,” he said of his vibrant portraits. His exhibit at Culture Brewing Company in Manhattan Beach features legends from the world of politics, sports and entertainment, the Dalai Lama, Amy Winehouse, […]
Council proposes compromise to meet State housing order
by Elka Worner The Hermosa Beach City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to reject a zoning change that would have allowed up to 66 new units on the St. Cross properties and agreed to allocate some of those units to the Mitsubishi site on Pacific Coast Highway. “This is a win,” said Realtor and Hermosa Beach […]
Hermosa Beach hair stylists mix love, business at their heart-covered salon
by Elka Worner and Blake Burrell When Hollywood hairstylist Brandon Martinez left behind the glitz and glamor of the red carpet for the laid-back beach lifestyle of Hermosa Beach, he wasn’t expecting to fall in love and open a salon. “I came down here just looking for a change because you can do hair anywhere,” […]
‘Stumbling Stones’ Documentarian Maclovia Martel aims camera on Amsterdam’s tragic past
by Elka Worner Palos Verdes resident Maclovia Martel credits her artist grandfather with inspiring her to attend art school and her dancer mother for inspiring her to become a documentary filmmaker. Martel’s grandfather was Paul-Jean Martel, a 20th Century Impressionist who exhibited in Paris with Henri Matisse and Mary Cassat before immigrating to the United […]
Housing mandate, resident opposition put staff in vice
Height increase in historic Cypress District doesn’t go down well by Elka Worner A city staff proposal to increase the building height limit in Hermosa Beach’s Cypress District from 35 feet to 45 feet was strongly opposed at the July 19 planning commission meeting, by both commissioners and residents. The Cypress District has historically been […]
DEVELOPMENT: Residents urge the council to nix St. Cross plan
by Elka Worner Residents opposed to a plan that could bring up to 50 new homes into their neighborhood have a month to find alternate sites for affordable housing in Hermosa Beach, the City Council said at its July 11 meeting. Under state law, the city must provide 558 affordable housing units by 2029. Potential […]
Manhattan Beach befriends Pickens, Mississippi
by Elka Worner and Blake Burrell The City of Manhattan Beach donated five police cars to a Mississippi town that had only one. “The people in my hometown are ecstatic. My police officers are ecstatic. We’re finally getting the things that we need,” said Paulette Moore, the mayor of Pickens, who attended Wednesday’s press conference […]
Neighbors oppose St. Cross property upzoning
by Elka Worner As many as 50 new residential units could be built by St. Cross Episcopal Church at its Monterey Boulevard location as a result of rezoning proposed by the Hermosa Beach Planning Commission at its Tuesday, June 20 meeting. At the meeting, the commission voted unanimously to rezone 15 church-owned parcels from low […]