Restaurateur-commissioned study questions Redondo Beach boat launch plans
by Garth Meyer Chris Bredeson is a co-owner of Captain Kidd’s and the new Riviera Mexican Cantina, just across the parking lot from each other in the section of the Redondo waterfront known as Mole D. This is where the city has proposed building a long-sought boat launch. Last month, city councilmembers approved the hiring […]
About Town: 33 Redondo Beach police officers hired, Coastal Cleanup, Bond forums
City hiring: 177 employees in past year, 33 sworn police officers Diane Strickfaden, Redondo Beach Human Resources Director, reports that, in the past year, 5,362 job applications were processed in the city, with 177 new employees hired. The city has a turnover rate of 12%, she said during a Sept. 10 strategic planning session. “In the […]
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 […]
BeachLife Nights to debut in October
By Garth Meyer BeachLife Festival organizers have announced BeachLife Nights, taking place Oct. 18-19 at Seaside Lagoon, a reggae-adjacent and barbecue event featuring Michael Franti, Spearhead and The English Beat, among six other acts. Chef Curtis Stone of West Hollywood’s Gwen restaurant and butcher shop will host a barbecue-tasting behind the main stage each night […]
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 […]
ELECTION 2024: Redondo Beach city charter vote: allow school board pay or not?
by Garth Meyer Since 2005, Redondo Beach Unified School District board members have been receiving a stipend of $250 per month, even though the Redondo Beach City Charter states that boardmembers will serve “without compensation.” Measure SD would remove the prohibition against compensation from the city charter and allow the board, if it chooses, to […]
ELECTION 2024: Redondo Beach seeks $93 million for two new fire stations, police station
by Garth Meyer Redondo Beach voters will decide on Nov. 5 whether to approve a $93 million bond for two new fire stations, a new police station and refurbishment of the police annex. The annex – next to Redondo Union High School auditorium – is “office space,” as described by Police Chief Joe Hoffman to […]
ELECTION 2024: Redondo Unified seeks $278 million for facilities
by Garth Meyer A $278 million Redondo Unified School District facilities bond will go before voters Nov. 5. The school board voted in July to move ahead after months of study, including six special meetings. The bond’s main elements are $60 – $70 million to tear down the two-room “bingo building” at the high school, in […]
About Town Redondo: Pier vacancy interest, Muratsuchi book bill
City reports “lots of interest” in two Pier vacancies Greg Kapovich, Redondo Beach waterfront and economic development director, reports that the about-to-close Craig’s Hot Dog On a Stick should give way to a new tenant on the Pier. “Hey, not to worry, I don’t expect it to be vacant for long,” said Kapovich, describing what […]
Redondo Beach City Council: no ordinance needed for vacant properties
by Garth Meyer The Redondo Beach city council discussed vacant properties Aug. 20, part of a process for whether to add an ordinance on the subject to the city’s laws. Quality of Life Prosecutor Joy Ford laid out the current status. She told of the city’s watch list – for properties that get multiple reports […]
New York nonfiction with a twist from Palos Verdes man Matt Sterling
by Garth Meyer Matt Sterling worked at LINTAS advertising in New York City, its offices inside the One Dag Hammarskjold Plaza building, near the United Nations; named for its second secretary general. Sterling was a young assistant media planner, trying to make it in the city, one of 200 people in his department. On the […]
Redondo Beach City Council formalizes exception to street sweeping rules
The Redondo Beach city council voted 5-0 Tuesday night to adjust its municipal code to formally allow residents to re-park their cars during street sweeping hours after the sweeper and the city’s enforcement car has gone by. The amendment was proposed by Police Chief Joe Hoffman after he studied the issue, following the police department’s […]
Redondo Beach boat launch could mean teardown of restaurant
by Garth Meyer The Redondo Beach city council’s 5-0 vote Aug. 20 to choose a contractor to design a long-sought boat launch in King Harbor may require at least a partial teardown of the former Samba building, now Riviera Mexican Cantina. First, studies are to be conducted, regarding traffic, circulation, parking and demand for the […]
Redondo Pier Hot Dog on a Stick to close after 62 years
by Garth Meyer “Is the owner around?” “No, no,” came the answer on the phone. “He’s on his yacht in the Bahamas.” “Is he going to be back for the closing?” “Let me look, no, it doesn’t look like he’s going to be back.” “Is there a way to get a hold of him?” “If […]
Redondo chooses contractor for potential boat launch
by Garth Meyer In the latest chapter of a story begun in 1959, the Redondo Beach city council voted 5-0 to choose a contractor to design a boat launch in King Harbor, the city’s contribution not to exceed $650,000. Dave Sharobee, city senior management analyst, who drafted the request for proposals, set the stage at […]
Gallup: Residents spend $182 million less on healthcare
by Garth Meyer A Gallup poll commissioned by Beach Cities Health District shows that residents of Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach and Redondo Beach are estimated to spend $182 million less on annual healthcare costs because of lower rates of obesity, diabetes and smoking, compared to nationwide. The three cities’ residents spend an estimated $95 million […]