Owls well that ends well after Hermosa Beach tree trimming
by Kevin Cody Two Hermosa Beach barn owls who became celebrities last December after local television stations reported their homes were threatened by city tree trimmers, are no longer in danger, despite their tree being trimmed Tuesday afternoon. The owls were flushed from the tree before the tree trimming began. One of the owls settled […]
Manhattan Beach Roundhouse Aquarium invites public to join King Tide study
by Grace Adams, Marissa Wu, Jeremy Prince Roundhouse Aquarium The 20-foot swells during the first two weeks of January breached the King Harbor breakwall, and tore up the yacht club parking. At high tide, the Redondo Beach and Manhattan Beach bike paths were flooded. But the January damage was mild compared to what it might […]
Most Hermosa Beach Strand cyclists speed. Barricades planned to make them walk at pierhead [Updated]
by Kevin Cody An average of 3,100 pedal and electric bikes a day were counted on the Hermosa Beach Strand during two Saturdays in December, and one in January. Consistent with the popular belief that cyclists don’t obey traffic laws, 84 percent exceeded The Strand’s 8 mph speed limit, and 86 percent ignored red lights, […]
Double decker proposed for Hermosa Beach pub parking lot
by Kevin Cody A new, multi level parking structure in downtown Hermosa Beach was proposed for discussion by newly elected Hermosa Beach City Council Member Rob Saemann at last week’s city council meeting. During his election campaign last year, the building contractor and former planning commissioner promised to solve Hermosa’s parking problem “once and for […]
Small is good at SB Boardriders/Dive N’ Surf contest at Torrance Beach
Kauffman, Mezza win
Redondo Breakwall surfers, photographed from the Hermosa Beach pier
Photos by Mike Balzer Photographer Mike Balzer planned to shoot surfers in Hermosa Beach Friday morning, Jan. 6. So he went to the Hermosa Pier. But instead of shooting Hermosa surfers, he shot surfers at the Redondo Beach Breakwall, three-quarters of a mile south of the Hermosa pier.
Redondo Breakwall favors the bold during big swell
Story and photos by Kevin Cody Chris Rodriquez watched the Redondo Breakwall for fewer than five minutes Friday morning before pulling on his wetsuit. Despite a six-foot high tide, waves were breaking just inside of the yellow sailboat racing buoy. The racing buoy is 25 yards off the end of the breakwall. Friday’s swell invited […]
Reunion at the El Segundo Jetty
Photos by Steve Gaffney (SteveGaffney.com) After last winter’s disappointing swells, the lineup at the El Segundo Jetty on Tuesday, Dec. 27 looked like along delayed, annual reunion. Among the crowd getting catching up onold times were Matt Pagan, Chad Parks, Shane Gallas, Fin Kintola, and Grayson Daley. Daley was the only one not worrying about […]
Redondo Breakwater welcomes classic Christmas swell
Photos by Mike Balzer The Redondo Breakwater requires a big north swell, low tide and an off shore wind to deliver its signature peaking wedge. All those factors came together on Tuesday, two days after Christmas
Year in Review 2022: Council puts brakes on greening of Hermosa Beach
by Kevin Cody During a party last month for Hermosa’s newly elected council members, a Strand resident complained to Police Chief Paul LeBaron that e-bikes riders speeding on The Strand aren’t being cited. “Not true,” another Strand resident who overheard the remark said. He complained he had recently been cited. E-bikes are perceived as both […]
Year in Review 2022: Hermosa Beach extends outdoor dining deck permits
by Kevin Cody In 2010, when Upper Pier Avene received a makeover, including a landscaped center meridian, a condition imposed by the city council was no sidewalk dining. The ban was a concession to residents who feared Upper Pier would become a noisy bar zone like Pier Plaza. COVID changed the sidewalk dining policy. In […]
Chargers Chanukah celebration delays rabbi’s arrival at Hermosa’s celebration
by Kevin Cody For the first time in the long history of the Chanukah celebration on Hermosa Pier Plaza, Jewish Community Center Rabbi Yossi Mintrz was late. He was at the Chargers-Tennessee football game at SoFi Stadium. But he had a good excuse. Chargers team owner Dean Spanos had invited Rabbi Mintz to light the […]
Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach hosts country’s biggest gift wrapping party
For the past 30 years “The Best Little Beach City,” as Hermosa Beach has declared itself, has partnered with Manhattan Beach in hosting the country’s biggest holiday gift wrapping party. In the weeks leading up to the party, thousands of unwrapped gifts are donated by Hermosa and Manhattan residents at their respective city halls, and […]
Cotton kilt built for swimming in Hermosa Beach
Retired Navy Seabee Michael Falk thought the weather was so warm in Hermosa Beach Tuesday afternoon, compared New York, where he lives, that he decided to go for a swim in the ocean. He wore his cotton utility kilt because his Seabee quilt is made of wool, and would have been too heavy, he said. […]
Santa drops in on surfers at Jack’s/SB Boardriders contest in Manhattan Beach
Photos by Steve Gaffney (SteveGaffney.com) by Kevin Cody Surfing Santa and his surfing Elf Jani dropped in on surfers at Jack’s Surf/South Bay Boardriders’ season opening contest on Saturday, Dec. 10 in El Porto. Santa made sure a storm lingering off shore stayed offshore until the sold out contest, with over 200 entries, ended in […]
Redondo Beach King Harbor boats ‘Share Your Imagination’ for the holidays
by Kevin Cody This year’s King Harbor Boat Parade theme was “Share Your Imagination,” which over two dozen brightly lit boats took to heart Saturday night. There were boats lit up with Santa Clauses and snowmen, and a Mexican desert with saguaro cacti and a mariachi band. The Sea Ray powerboat “El Coyote” carried a […]