Young Hermosa Beach author Katie Lenahan publishes her First Mystery Novel
by Laura Garber Upon awaking from a nightmare last year, Hermosa Valley Middle School student Katie Lenahan, quickly wrote down her suspenseful visions. Those notes became the outline for “Mystery of the Black Hole,” a 96-page novel that begins with a rumor about a boy-with-no-name lost in a mysterious black hole beneath his middle school’s […]
Pet Project’s album makes you “question marriage”
by Laura Garber It’s hard to pin down the modern soundtrack of the South Bay; a mix of smacked volleyballs, crashing whitewash and the electric whir of teenagers weaving by on e-bikes. But Pet Project, a group formed from South Bay staples Feed the Kitty and Pet the Dog, has managed to bottle that distinct […]
ICE raid protesters march from Manhattan to Hermosa pier
by Laura Garber “I can’t believe I had to skip a boozy brunch to say ‘don’t kidnap people,’” a protester’s bright pink sign declared. It was the kind of sign one might expect to see at a protest in an affluent city. The protester was among several hundred people who marched from the Manhattan Beach […]
Three decades of serious fun at Smackfest coed tourney
by Laura Garber “It’s Halloween, plus volleyball, plus drinking,” Redondo Beach resident Alex Waxenbaum said in describing the 30th annual Smackfest Beach Volleyball tournament, held last Saturday at the Hermosa Beach pier. The tournament was presented by Smack Sportswear and Michelob Ultra, and featured over 170 coed teams. According to Bill Sigler, the event’s organizer […]
Leadership Hermosa Beach Graduating Class Launches 12 new ‘Little Libraries’
by Laura Garber […]
Holly J. Mitchell links Juneteenth with ICE raids
by Laura Garber Black joy, remembrance and praise sparked the Second Annual Juneteenth celebration at Bruce’s Beach Park in Manhattan Beach. Over 200 people, some coming as far as North Carolina, gathered for the federal holiday commemorating the Confederacy’s arrival in Galveston, Texas, when they shared the news of emancipation to the remaining enslaved Texans. […]
Hermosa’s balanced budget faces future headwinds
by Laura Garber When newly appointed Hermosa Beach Interim City Manager Steve Napolitano appeared at his first Council meeting on June 10th, he told the council, “Given this is my eighth day on the job I can’t take any credit for [the work], but will be happy to take the blame, as needed.” In the […]
Hermosa pool proponents hope to make a splash
by Laura Garber Pool advocates, led by Tara McNamara Stabile, and Marci Palla hope to enlist the Hermosa Beach City Council’s support at the Council’s Tuesday, June 24 meeting. At that meeting, the Council is scheduled to review the recently completed 2025 Parks and Recreation Master Plan, a blueprint for the city for the next […]
RUNdezvous: Hermosa Run Club combines friendship with fitness
by Laura Garber Every Wednesday evening in Hermosa Beach, a rhythmic pulse echoes along The Strand. It’s not the ocean, but the sound of over 100 runners hitting their stride. They’re part of the Hermosa Run Club, one of LA’s liveliest fitness communities. Over 250 people (and a few dogs) ran with HRC for […]
Top ranked, novice surfers share waves in Queen of the Bay
Photos by Steve Gaffney (SteveGaffney.com) by Laura Garber Cash Hoover, and Teagan Meza, two of the top, young female surfers in the country, were the top finishers in the second annual Queen of the Bay contest, hosted by the South Bay Boardriders Club on Saturday, May 31, in El Porto. Hoover, 15, won the Girls […]
Hermosa Council relaxes restrictions on events at businesses
by Laura Garber The Hermosa Council, on a 4 to 1 vote, eased the special event permit application process, which business owners had called outdated and overly-restrictive. The changes reduce restrictions on amplified sound, event hours and allows more special events per month. Councilmember Dean Francois cast the opposing vote because he opposed the new […]