Learned Lumber in Hermosa Beach: 100 years of gratitude

Learned Lumber builds on a foundation of relationships stretching back 100 years by Kevin Cody Michael Learned began mulling over selling the family lumber yard he had run for four decades to his employees in the early 2000s. He and his brother Rick and sister Lynn were third generation owners. Learned Lumber was founded 100…

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Letters to the Editor 3-14-24

Forecast for failure Dear ER: The Manhattan Beach Unified School District is facing an $11.3 million deficit, and is blaming reductions in State revenue for this (“Measure MB tax election too close to call,” ER March 7, 2024). The district’s first interim budget report shows total revenue at $98 million. The state is projecting a…

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Olson returned to the bench

Hermosa Beach resident Lynn Olson was easily reelected to the Los Angeles County Superior Court bench during the Tuesday March 5 primary election. By receiving over 50 percent of the vote —  469,691, versus 232,121votes for challenger Rhonda Haymon — Olson avoided having to campaign in a run-off election in the November general election. Olson…

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Skechers Friendship Walk delivers when it’s needed

by Kevin Cody The first Skechers Pier to Pier Friendship Walk, in 2009, drew 1,700 participants and raised an impressive $220,000. Last October 29, the 15th Annual Skechers Pier to Pier Friendship walk drew a crowd estimated at 20,000, and raised $3.1  million. The walk from the Manhattan Beach Pier to the Hermosa Pier, and…

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What’s old at HB Museum is new again

Museum resurrects the spirit of the Insomniac by Kevin Cody Photos courtesy of Chris Miller, Hermosa Museum The grandparent generation and the grandkid generation were well represented, though few of the inbetween generation attended open mic at the Hermosa Beach Museum on Thursday, February 27. The evening was an homage to the Insomniac, a beatnik…

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Downtown dining decks get permanent seat in the streets

by Kevin Cody In-street dining decks in downtown Hermosa Beach were enshrined into the Hermosa Beach Municipal Code by a unanimous vote of the City Council at the Tuesday, February 27 meeting. Hermosa Environmental Programs Manager Doug Krauss told the council the new dining deck regulations are a “balance of safety, aesthetics, cost and practicality.”…

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Letters to the Editor 2-29-24

Jazz All Stars Dear ER: Wowza! Amaaazing. National recognition for the extraordinarily talented Mira Costa Jazz Band (“Mira Costa High Jazz Band wins National Jazz Festival,” ER February 22, 2024). Congratulations to each of the hard working and incredibly committed students, and, of course, to Band Director Joel Carlson in helping these aspiring musicians be…

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Letters to the Editor 2-22-24

Favorite daughter judge Dear ER: As I filled out my ballot for the March 5 primary election, I saw Hermosa resident Lynn Olson on the ballot for reelection to the Los Angeles County Superior Court. I know Olson to be dedicated, fair, and impartial, displaying the qualities of a good judicial officer. The Los Angeles…

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Surfer Walk of Fame plaques plagued by bronze thieves

by Kevin Cody Three bronze commemorative plaques are missing from the Hermosa Beach Pier Surfer Walk of Fame. Two were damaged and have been removed by the City Public Works Department, Public Works Director Joseph San Clemente said in an email from Hermosa public information officer Ryan Walker. The missing plaques commemorates Bob Hogan, a…

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Letters to the Editor 2-15-24

Profile in courage Dear ER: Redondo Beach will sorely miss our great Mayor Bill Brand. Despite his battle with stage IV lung cancer, Mayor Brand relentlessly pursued shutting down the AES power plant, revitalizing, and not supersizing our waterfront, fought for local land use control (rather than allow  corrupted, pro-developer state laws), keeping the Metro…

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Letters to the Editor 2-8-24

Talk about housing Dear ER: Hermosa Beach City Manager Suja Lowenthal, Community Development Director Carrie Tai, and the city council need to schedule a public forum on the Housing Element. In October 2023, our Housing Element was rejected by the state because there was an issue with public participation. I first heard about the Housing…

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Arnold Goldstein: The Shepherd of Shorewood Realtors

Arnold Goldstein sold seven homes in his first month as a Realtor, and a record 60 homes in his first year. But his greatest joy came from teaching other agents to be successful by Kevin Cody Chris Broadhurst was a senior at Mira Costa High School in 1975, when she joined the Shorewood Realty family…

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Letters to the Editor 2-1-24

Affordable housing help Dear ER If the Hermosa City Council wants to increase “affordable” housing, then eliminate “short-term rentals.”  Most of those properties are owned by out-of-state people. Follow the lead of Palm Springs and Hawaii by increasing restrictions on short-term rentals to the point of eliminating them. The residents of Hermosa would applaud such…

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Hermosa council spares Pedone’s Pizza late night takeout

by Kevin Cody Pedone’s Pizza narrowly averted loss of its after hours online takeout business at Tuesday night’s City Council meeting, which owner Michael Scibney contended would have resulted in a “slow death” to the five decade’s old, downtown institution. The council hearing on Pedone’s hours was convened because of “two after hour, alcohol related…

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