MBEF’s ‘Seeds of Knowledge’ keeps growing
by Mark McDermott The Seeds of Knowledge, an art installation on Metlox Plaza that recognizes lifetime contributors to the Manhattan Beach Education Foundation, added 13 new honorees at a ceremony in December. MBEF Endowment president Roger Spencer that the “extraordinary generosity” of the donors, each who have contributed at least $100,000. “It’s because of […]
CITY COUNCIL: Richard Montgomery was the “crisis mayor”
by Mark McDermott Over the course of three and a half decades, Richard Montgomery has become so ubiquitous within Manhattan Beach that he has become one of its fundamental elements — sand, sky, wave, pier, and Montgomery, also known as “the crisis mayor.” He will go down in local history as one of only five […]
MBUSD honors Greenberg, Graves, welcomes Dohner
by Mark McDermott Bruce Greenberg arrived on the Manhattan Beach Unified School District Board of Education through unusual circumstances. A former board member had abruptly resigned and two years remained in that term. A special election would have cost $879,000, so the board instead had candidates apply directly to them, in the high pressure environment […]
2024 Year in Review: A community in agreement and a changing of the guard
by Mark McDermott On the surface, 2024 was a relatively quiet year in Manhattan Beach. Even town politics were unusually pacific. This was particularly surprising because the lack of drama came in an otherwise loud election year. A few years ago, divisiveness was the word local leaders were using to decry what appeared to be […]
Manhattan City Council: Napolitano, Montgomery bow out, while Tarnay, Franklin, and Charelian step in
by Mark McDermott Steve Napolitano and Richard Montgomery said their farewells at City Council Tuesday night, while Steve Charelian and Nina Tarnay were sworn in as first-time council members. Reelected Councilperson Joe Franklin was also sworn in again. The departure of Napolitano and Montgomery marks the end of an era in Manhattan Beach city government. […]
Dolphins off the Palos Verdes coast are our Ambassadors of the Deep
Dolphins are increasingly present off the Palos Verdes coast, providing a closer glimpse of one of the ocean’s most mysterious, beckoning, and wildly social beings by Mark McDermott Dolphins have a way of changing the arc of a human life. Eric Martin remembers the exact moment his life with dolphins began. It was 9 o’clock […]
Manhattan Beach Police’s bomb dog, Rio, and bite-dog, Troy, keep the bad guys at bay
by Mark McDermott Imagine a scenario that goes something like this: thousands of people are gathered at the Manhattan Beach Pier for an event, and a lunatic, armed with explosives, has decided this would be the perfect place to make a violent statement. Our hero in this story isn’t who you might expect her to […]
SIGNING DAY: 15 Mira Costa athletes commit to play for colleges nationwide
by Mark McDermott Mira Costa High School has famously produced everything from cutting edge physicists to famous actors, musicians, and writers. But the school has one tradition that is perhaps most steadfast: year after year, Mustang athletes are among the most elite in the nation, and are sought after by major college sports programs. This […]
WASTE MANAGEMENT: Manhattan Beach City Council grants trash hauler a rate increase
by Mark McDermott If this was their last rodeo, Councilmembers Richard Montgomery and Steve Napolitano left the Manhattan Beach City Council much the way each had served over their collective nine terms, the last two serving together. Montgomery is known for his elephantine memory of most municipal business across the last two decades, and for […]
PUBLIC SAFETY: MBFD Chief Michael Lang is retiring
by Mark McDermott The City of Manhattan Beach announced this week that Fire Chief Michael Lang will be retiring. Lang, who has spent 32 years in the fire service, including the last four leading the Manhattan Beach Fire Department, will continue to serve until his successor is found. “It has been a privilege to serve […]
EDUCATION: Jen Dohner will join MBUSD school board
by Mark McDermott When Jen Dohner made the decision to run for the Manhattan Beach Unified School District’s Board of Education, she braced for a tough campaign. Two years ago, the school board race was contentious, with six candidates running for three seats. But a funny thing happened on the way to Election Day. Two […]
EDUCATION: Survey shows MBUSD students feel a sense of belonging to their schools
by Mark McDermott Students in the Manhattan Beach Unified School District are increasingly feeling a positive sense of belonging at their schools, according to a survey conducted in partnership with the Beach Cities Health District. The BCHD Tri District Survey is administered each spring and fall and includes MBUSD, Redondo Beach Unified, and the Hermosa […]
PRO SURFING: The continuing adventures of surfer Kai Kushner take him to Cerritos Beach, Mexico
by Mark McDermott Kai Kushner is only 18 years old but his legend as a surfer has been growing steadily for the better part of a decade. He was a ripping mop-haired micro-grom who stood out in the El Porto lineup while still in single digits. By 10, he already had a Ripcurl sponsorship. Kushner […]
EDUCATION: Mira Costa High School Stadium Way project nears completion
by Mark McDermott The Stadium Way project, a $4.6 million upgrade to the area adjacent to the Mira Costa High football stadium, is nearing completion, marking the very end of Measure EE school bond work that began seven years ago. The project includes a new entrance, modern lighting, accessible pathways and seating, new benches, an […]
LOCAL GOVERNMENT: Talyn Mirzakhanian is named Manhattan Beach City Manager
by Mark McDermott The Manhattan Beach City Council formally appointed Talyn Mirzakhanian as city manager at its November 6 meeting. Mirzakhanian has worked for the City of Manhattan Beach since 2020, first as a planning manager, then as community development director, and since August as acting city manager. The City Council conducted a nationwide search […]
ELECTION 2024: Steve Charelian will win City Council seat
by Mark McDermott As his campaign rolled to completion a few weeks ago, Steve Charelian’s campaign manager asked him how he was feeling about things. “Well, it’s still not final, but I gave it my best shot,” Charlian said. “You know, sometimes you win, sometimes you lose.” His campaign manager looked down at his tablet […]