Redondo Beach Year in Review 2022: Harbor, leadership, space reexamined
by Garth Meyer Local eye on beginning of time NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope spent the first weeks of 2022 flying and unfolding in space, without a hitch, after 19 years of design and construction at Northrop Grumman in Redondo Beach. Launching Christmas Day 2021, the spacecraft reached its orbit destination a month later at […]
Redondo Beach Police Department re-organizes non-sworn officer jobs
by Garth Meyer A new plan is in place for non-sworn Redondo Beach Police Department employees. The RBPD will take five existing, “civilian” positions and convert them to four new ones, to create more opportunity for advancement, and to aid in recruitment and retention. The city council approved the change last week. Redondo police will […]
Redondo Beach “concierge service” to streamline process for licenses, permits
by Garth Meyer Redondo Beach city hall has created a new “concierge program” to streamline the process for residents and business owners to work with the city. The plan, approved by the city council last week, assigns new employee Dave Charobee, a senior management analyst in the Waterfront and Economic Development Department, as the point […]
BeachLife’s Sanford, Quality’s Jones plan lifestyle restaurant
by Garth Meyer BeachLife co-founder Allen Sanford, and Quality Seafoods president Jeff Jones plan to open California Surf Club within the next two years in King Harbor. The Redondo City Council paved the way for the project at its Tuesday meeting when it agreed in principle to a 10-year lease of the former Ruby’s and […]
Raise, extension for Witzansky
by Garth Meyer Redondo Beach City Manager Mike Witzansky will get a $15,000 raise and a year added to his contract, the city council decided last week. Councilman Zein Obagi, Jr., said that the agreement for Witzansky’s first year in the job “was almost too good of a deal (for the city),” noting that the […]
Campus Clash: Healthy Living Campus draws flak in Redondo Beach
After five years of plans, modifications and opposition, the Beach Cities Health District’s proposed Healthy Living Campus approaches a decision point by Garth Meyer Last September, Beach Cities Health District CEO Tom Bakaly, and the district’s Community Services Director Melissa Andrizzi-Sobel, knocked on the doors of neighbors with blue and white StopBCHD signs […]
Archers raise money at “Shoot for a Cure”
Nearly 100 archers raised more than $6.500 for the American Cancer Society in the fourth annual “Shoot for a Cure” tournament, held December 2 through 4 at South Bay Archery, in Redondo Beach. The USA Archer-sanctioned event featured competitors ages 8 and over. “Everyone who participated is a winner because they support this cause that […]
Candidates file for March 2023 election
The list of candidates is set for the March 2023 city election. Filing by the Dec. 9 deadline were Redondo Beach residents running for two open city council seats, a school board seat, city treasurer and city clerk. In City Council District Three, Candace Nafissi and Paige Kaluderovic hope to succeed Christian Horvath, who completes […]
Employee of the year part of ‘250%’ jump in capital improvement projects
by Garth Meyer Redondo Beach has seen a 250 percent increase in capital improvement projects in the past six years, according to City Manager Mike Witzansky. The uptick is credited to Andy Winje, city engineer, along with a “bench” of small-task design consultants added three years ago. Before 2016, the city did eight to 10 […]
Postscript: State Supreme Court hears arguments on Brand, Nehrenheim legal fees question
by Garth Meyer The Supreme Court of California heard oral arguments Dec. 7 about whether Redondo Beach Mayor Bill Brand, City Councilman Nils Nehrenheim and others are entitled to legal fees from a 2019 lower court victory. The seven black-robed justices heard the case in an hour-long session in San Francisco. Attorney Betty Schumener spoke […]
Supt. Keller saluted in final Redondo school board meeting
by Garth Meyer The man in the Cole Haan shoes sat for his final school board meeting after 16 years as the superintendent for Redondo Beach Public Schools. A series of current and former colleagues and employees Tuesday night saluted Steven Keller’s work here, two weeks before his retirement. “You’ve always put kids first, and […]
About Town Redondo: Keller gets Key to City, Skate park construction, Harbor Saturday
Steven Keller receives Key to the City Retiring Redondo Unified School District Superintendent Steven Keller received the Key to the City from Mayor Pro-tem Nils Nehrenheim during Tuesday night’s city council meeting. Keller has served 16 years as the superintendent, the longest of any superintendent since 1963. He began at a time when the RBUSD […]
Playing with the boys, and girls: first annual Tito’s Turkey Bowl
Photos by Garth Meyer The first annual Tito’s Turkey Bowl was held Saturday, Nov. 9, at Seaside Lagoon. A total of 12 teams participated in 5-on-5 flag football, each game timed at 30 minutes. Winners were the Young Gravies, from Redondo Beach. Game rules required each team to have one female on the field at […]
Let it Snow, Redondo, and snow some more
Photos by Garth Meyer Following last year’s inaugural “Let it Snow, Redondo,” which drew over 3,500 people to Seaside Lagoon, Community Services Officer Shawn Freeman vowed, “Next year, we’ll bring in more snow.” Fortunately, Officer Freeman was good to his word because an even larger crowd attended the second annual “Let it Snow, Redondo” on […]
Vincent Park, street designs, Hotel Redondo steps marked by commemorative signs
by Garth Meyer The sixth and seventh Redondo Beach “Path of History” signs commemorating the design of Vincent Park, its surrounding streets, and Hotel Redonodo’s grand staircase to the beach, were placed Dec. 2. The installations started as a Leadership Redondo class project (2002). The sign at Vincent Park tells of how the small, oval […]
California Supreme Court hears arguments on Brand, Nehrenheim legal fees question
by Garth Meyer The Supreme Court of California heard oral arguments Wednesday in the case of whether Redondo Beach Mayor Bill Brand, City Councilman Nils Nehrenheim and others deserve to have their legal fees paid for after a 2019 lower court win. The seven black-robed justices listened, and asked questions, in an hour-long session. Attorney […]