Northrop Grumman hands off Space Norway/U.S. military satellite operation

by Garth Meyer Northrop Grumman Redondo Beach announced Dec. 3 that it has handed over operations for a Space Norway Arctic Satellite Broadband Mission (ASBM) and finished activating U.S. Space Force payloads carried aboard two satellites. The mission launched from Vandenberg Space Force base (Santa Barbara County) in August. The satellites host payloads for the […]

Redondo Beach honors three police officers at retirement

by Garth Meyer Three retiring Redondo Beach Police officers were honored by Mayor Jim Light Tuesday night, Dec. 3, representing more than 70 years of combined local law enforcement. Lt. Michael Snakenborg started as an RBPD cadet in 1993, then was hired as an officer two years later. Across his career, he worked in patrol, […]

Baywatch Community Calendar 12-5-24

Spotlight: Thursday, December 5 – Sunday, December 8 Holiday Festival, Torrance Memorial Holiday Festival is a holiday tradition at Torrance Memorial and a true cornerstone in fundraising efforts. This signature event is vital in helping Torrance achieve high quality medical services for all residents of the South Bay. Fashion Show, Festival Gala Dinner, West Parking […]

Redondo Beach Rotary Club marks 100th anniversary

by Garth Meyer In 1948, the Rotary Club of Redondo Beach employed a family of guinea pigs to ensure attendance.  Its members divided into teams, and each week the person on the designated team with the lowest attendance record was given custody of the animals.  A report soon followed that the guinea pigs had a […]

Baywatch Community Calendar 11/14/24

Spotlight: Friday, November 15 Warren Miller, Hermosa Museum Join the Hermosa Beach Museum for the opening of a new exhibit, No Boundaries: The Life and Work of Warren Miller. This exhibit will feature photographs, art, mementos and stories from the life of Warren Miller, famed ski film maker who started his film company on Pier […]

Redondo Beach election results: all city measures passing, except BCHD bond

by Garth Meyer Early election returns indicate the city of Redondo Beach will be getting a new police station and two new fire stations after voters approved Measure FP by a 71% margin Nov. 5. A major school facilities bond also passed and voters turned back a Beach Cities Health District bond, which would have […]

Redondo Beach achieves “Functional Zero” for homelessness, first in county

by Garth Meyer “Functional Zero” means the amount of homeless people placed in housing (interim or permanent) is higher than the number who become homeless in a six-month period. The South Bay Cities Council of Governments deemed last week that Redondo Beach has reached the mark. It is the first city in Los Angeles County […]

Knob Hill Classic volleyball tournament builds in fourth edition

by Garth Meyer The fourth Knob Hill Classic volleyball tournament was held Oct. 12 on Redondo Beach, a project by local weekend players Freddie Harb and Jeno Sario.  This year was a 20-team format with two divisions and nine sponsors. “2024 was the culmination,” Harb said. “The best vibe, the best tournament we’ve had and […]

Redondo city council nears call on F.A.R. for BCHD campus

by Garth Meyer F.A.R. was again front and center Tuesday night as the Redondo Beach city council took more testimony on Floor Area Ratio; what should be allowed for developable space at the 11-acre Beach Cities Health District campus, site of the former South Bay Hospital.  The night concluded with a council vote for staff […]

Letters to the Editor 10-17-24

Bottomless pockets Dear ER: Redondo Beach Measure FP sounds all fine and dandy. But can we upgrade our police and fire facilities without gouging property owners with another property tax levy? With an estimated assessment of $28.32 per $100,000 of valuation, that’s an extra $509.76 on property value at $1.5 million. I just got my […]

2050 land use update arrives at Redondo Beach city council

by Garth Meyer The Redondo Beach city council held the first of three public hearings on the General Plan Update Tuesday night, a seven years in the making revamp of the city’s “constitution.” Tuesday focused on land use, much of it about one particular piece of land, the Beach Cities Health District Campus, for which […]

Mike Cook, Redondo Beach I.T., wi-fi projects proliferate

by Garth Meyer Mike Cook, Redondo Beach I.T. director, gave a report during city strategic planning last week. Wi-Fi was put into the community building at Wilderness Park, he said. “We’ve replaced every printer in the city, every copier, every iPad,” Cook added.  He was hired for the city’s head I.T. job in May 2023 […]

Redondo Beach City Council closes in on rules for retail cannabis

by Garth Meyer In the eighth hour of the Redondo Beach city council meeting Tuesday night, the council concluded a discussion about how to license two cannabis stores, charting progress for what rules are used to evaluate applicants — company benchmarks, site distance from youth centers, tax rate, and which city entity hears appeals. What […]