Hermosa Council okays $15,000 loan to Chamber for St. Patrick’s Parade
by Kevin Cody The Hermosa Beach City Council approved a $15,000 loan to the Hermosa Beach Chamber of Commerce to help fund the March 15 Saint Patrick’s Day Parade. The loan followed an hour long discussion at the Council’s Tuesday, January 28 meeting The parade has been a popular civic tradition since its founding in […]
Hermosa Beach residents express preference for new, trimmed down Civic Center
by Kevin Cody Near the end of a two hour PowerPoint presentation by Hermosa Beach Civic Center consultant Jeffrey Fullerton, Mayor Pro Tem Rob Saemann complained the presentation was too conceptional and lacking in specifics. The presentation in the Hermosa council chambers last Wednesday, January 22 was meant to elicit resident input on proposals for […]
Palisades, Eaton fires viewed from the South Bay
Slack key master Makana to go back, and forward in time at Slack Key Festival in Redondo Beach
by Laila Freeman Celebrated slack key guitarist Makana plans to do more than perform at the 18th Annual Southern California Slack Key Festival, on January 19 at 2 p.m at the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center. He will also teach the audience what’s behind the music. “Do the listeners know what the song means? Do […]
Redondo Breakwall reawakens in time for Big Wave Challenge
Photos by Mike Balzer by Kevin Cody On Sunday, December 29, just days after the South Bay Boardriders Club announced the opening of its 2024-25 Big Wave Challenge, a swell that promised to rival the swell that produced the 2023-24 Big Wave Challenge winners swept into the South Bay. Unfortunately, the swell peaked after dark […]
2024 Year in Review: Hermosa Beach council elections portend “change in direction”
by Kevin Cody Michael Keegan’s replacement of Justin Massey on the Hermosa Beach City Council, following the November 5 election, portends a change in the council’s direction. Massey advanced a progressive agenda with majority support from fellow council members Mike Detoy and Raymond Jackson. But Massey did not seek reelection to a third term in […]
Sandman, Sandwomen contest a generational Hermosa tradition
Video by Brad Jacobson “Sandy Claw’s” 5th and 6th Street Hermosa Beach neighbors represented two generations and two decades of competing in the Hermosa Beach Sandman contest. “Sand Santa Helix’s” builders came from Palos Verdes, North Carolina and New York. They were competing for the first time after having learned from the web site 23 […]
Hermosa for the Holidays a community affair
Photos by Kenny Ingle (KennyIngle.com) The Fourth Annual Hermosa for the Holidays celebration filled Hermosa’s downtown the weekend before Thanksgiving with families who couldn’t wait for Christmas. Throughout the weekend, the Mira Costa Choir sang carols while stores held a holidays sidewalk sale. The Hermosa Women’s Club sold holiday baked goods, The South Bay Boardriders’ […]
Hermosa Beach Civic Center Advisory Group named, begins work
by Kevin Cody The newly formed Hermosa Beach Civic Facilities Community Advisory Group held its first meeting Monday night. Formation of the 12-member Advisory Group was approved by the City Council in February. Its assignment is to study options for a new, or renovated Hermosa Civic Center, to include the City Hall, the Police Station […]
ADA law may require elevator in one-story former Becker Surf building in Hermosa Beach
by Kevin Cody Don English asked the Hermosa Beach Planning Commission, Monday night, August 18, to waive a city-imposed requirement he install solar panels, and an elevator at the 5,292 sq.ft. building his family owns at Pier Avenue and Monterrey Boulevard. The building has been vacant since longtime tenant Becker Surf closed two years ago. […]
RE10 Social House restaurant, King Harbor, Redondo Beach
R10 Social House is an unpretentious place for solid American bistro food by the ocean. It’s a bargain for the location and quality of the experience.
Incumbent Detoy, former incumbent Keegan win back Hermosa Beach council seats
by Kevin Cody Hermosa Beach voters selected two veteran council members to fill the two open council seats on Tuesday. Incumbent Michael Detoy was elected to a second consecutive term. Michael Keegan was elected to a third, though not consecutive, term. Keegan was elected to the council in 2001, but was denied a third term […]
Kerri Walsh-Jennings, Jim Menges, Phil Stutzel recall love of the game at CBVA Hall of Fame inductions
by Kevin Cody This year’s California Beach Volleyball Association Hall of Fame honorees covered the spectrum of players who make up what emcee Jim Arico calls “The Tribe.” At one end was Kerri Walsh-Jennings. Her three Olympic gold medals, four FIVB Beach World Championships and seven Manhattan Beach Open championships make her the undisputed Greatest […]
Video show gives voice to five Hermosa Beach Council Candidates, and concerned citizens
by Kevin Cody Hermosa Beach politics entered the video era last week with the social media release of interviews with the five Hermosa Beach city council candidates on the November 5 ballot. The show’s airing came one week after Hermosa politics entered the video cartoon era with the social media release of two political cartoons. […]
Hermosa Beach Treasurer’s race pits incumbent Siemensma against financial advisor Pedersen [UPDATED]
by Kevin Cody Hermosa Beach City Treasurer Karen Siemensma maintains a low political profile, though her position has greater financial power than any single councilmember. During the 2023-2024 fiscal year, Siemensma’s investment of the city’s $58.7 million portfolio generated $1.8 million in interest, making interest one of the city’s largest sources of revenue. Siemensma (formerly […]
Dueling cartoons battle in Hermosa Beach sales tax campaign [UPDATED]
by Kevin Cody Not since the guerilla war laser shows, and Russian propaganda-style posters of the divisive Measure O oil drilling campaign in 2015 has Hermosa Beach politics been as creative as it is for Measure HB. The .75% sales tax increase on the November 5 ballot was approved by a four to one vote […]