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Hermosa Beach News for 2006

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Top Stories on This Webpage: Starting July 27, 2006

Judge dismisses murder charges in M.B. case - A judge dismissed murder charges against the man accused of killing a woman who cleaned houses in Manhattan Beach.  On July 20, Torrance Superior Court Judge Cary H. Nishimoto dismissed the case against 27-year-old Herbert Orlando Gonzales, who was charged with murder, residential burglary and residential robbery in connection with the death of 40-year-old Libia Cabrera.  On April 11, 2005, Cabrera's body had been bound and gagged and then set on fire inside the second-story unit of a residence in the 100 block of 28th Street where she had been working. Her body was found after firefighters doused the blaze. The home's occupant was at work.  Gonzales' attorney, Joe Shemaria, called the investigation by Los Angeles County Sheriff's homicide detectives Katherine Gallagher and Sgt. Randy Seymour as “overzealous” and accused the pair of “gross misconduct.”

 

HB Parents alarmed over class size reduction - Some parents unhappy with the Hermosa Beach School District Budget Committee have circulated a two-page unsigned document to various community members via e-mail. The paper, titled “Concerned about Kindergarten Class Size Reduction?” includes a point-by-point rebuttal to prior Budget Committee recommendations will be heard by the School Board at its next meeting on June 28.  “We're upset that they want to fund an assistant principal instead of funding four class-size reductions,” said Karen Mah, a Hermosa Beach parent.  While she does not currently have a child attending kindergarten in Hermosa Beach, she does feel it is important for other residents to know about the potential decision of the School Board to approve the budget committee's recommendations, and to appear at the meeting next week.

 

ASSAULT WITH A DEADLY WEAPON AT MB EDUCATION FOND. WINE AUCTION. On June 10 at about 9:30 p.m. at the Manhattan Beach Education Foundation Wine Auction, which was held at the Manhattan Beach Country Club, the victim noticed another party attendee pouring himself a glass of wine from a bottle on his table. When he told the victim that the wine he was drinking was his, the man reportedly said sorry and put the glass on the table. Then the man who had taken the wine told the victim that the glass used to hold the wine was his. The victim said something about not knowing what to do about that. The suspect than took a folding chair and hit the victim with it, causing the victim to fall to the floor. The suspect was removed almost instantly by witnesses and security guards.

 

MB STRONG ARM ROBBERY. On June 11 at about 4:16 a.m., the victim, a Starbucks employee, was sitting on the cement bench in front of Starbucks on Manhattan Beach Boulevard listening to his iPod and waiting for his manager to arrive when he noticed a beat-up car parked on Highland Avenue, south of Center Place. Two male suspects, who were in the car, walked across the street, approached the victim and yanked his iPod away. The victim, who was scared, ran across the street toward The Kettle restaurant, leaving behind his backpack. The suspects ran back to the parked car and drove away. The victim reported that a third suspect, a driver, was waiting in the car.

 

Fallout over sign theft spills into council meeting - Embers left over from Measure A's defeat at the polls sputtered anew this week as a City Council pressured by public outcry over a school official filmed tearing down campaign posters yanked his longstanding service contract with Hermosa and put it out for public bid.  In a testy council meeting Tuesday night colored by salvos of uncivil discourse from residents and elected officials alike, School Board member Lance Widman faced a second round of fallout after being nabbed snatching political opponents' placards from a fence and a pole off Prospect Avenue. Widman did not attend the meeting.  “He's pulling down signs. He's a little bit unbalanced,” said Earl Keegan, brother of Councilman Michael Keegan.

 

Court sides with Union Cattle in case with city - A Superior Court judge has sided with the owner of the Union Cattle Company, brushing aside arguments from Hermosa officials that the city legitimately denied a variance to the eatery's proprietor.  Not so, the court ruled. Even, so Cattle Company owner Jed Sanford was less than gleeful.  “My objective was not to spend a lot of money suing the city but at the end of the day, there's a line you have to draw because of your principles. They pushed across that line.”

 

Hermosa voters reject Measure ‘A' - Concerns over lax money management by school officials and spending priorities moved Hermosa voters to reject a $13.1 million bond touted as essential to finish increasingly costly and controversial renovations at the city's public schools.  The barest of majorities of Hermosa voters dispatched the hotly contested Measure “A” to defeat, 50 percent to 49.9 percent. Of 3,245 ballots cast, opponents of Measure “A” received 1,625 votes while its backers tallied 1,620.  In Election Day's other main local event, the son of an astronaut bested an educator and a public relations consultant to fill the vacant seat on the City Council.

 

Board member taped swiping rival sign - School Board member and Measure “A” advocate Lance Widman emerged as the gray-haired poster boy for serial sign-ripping this week after being filmed removing political opponents' placards, tucking them under his arm and walking home.  Widman's sign removal effort so incensed activists opposed to the bond initiative at least one of them called police and filed a criminal complaint. The School Board member could be charged with petty theft, a misdemeanor offense.  “I had a feeling it was him - the opposition has not been very nice,” said Jackie Tagliaferro, a member of the No on “A” campaign and the photographer who taped Widman in the act. “I wanted to confirm it for myself - and then he just ripped the signs off.”  Angered by dozens of similar incidents, Tagliaferro staked out the sign locations, sitting in her car, camera in hand, watching and waiting. The No campaign had taped the signs to the fence next to the small park off Prospect Avenue and Gentry Street about 7 p.m. Monday.
 

In their own words: The four City Council candidates state their cases - On Tuesday, Hermosa Beach voters will take time out of their day to select one of four candidates running for one open seat on the Hermosa Beach City Council.  The current council members voted to hold a special election to fill the seat that has been vacant since November when Howard Fishman announced that he was giving up his seat that he won as a political newcomer to the five-member elected body.   Candidates “Kit” Bobko, Janice Brittain, Jeff Duclos and Jeff Maxwell recently spoke with The Beach Reporter newspaper on several issues that affect the city and what they will address as their biggest priorities if elected to office.

 

Candidates offer solutions for ‘entertainment sector' - The four Hermosa Beach City Council candidates running in the June 6 election squared off last Thursday in the first of several forums slated this month leading up to the race. The candidates addressed a number of issues including problems concerning the downtown area.  The candidates - Kit Bobko, Janice Brittain, Jeff Duclos and Jeff Maxwell - answered a series of questions during the forum, which took place at Sangria restaurant, sponsored by the Hermosa Beach Chamber of Commerce and moderated by one of its board members, Ron Newman, owner of the Sharkeez franchise.

 

West L.A. man attacked over the weekend - According to his account reported to police, a West Los Angeles man was stabbed several times by another man in Hermosa Beach while walking to his girlfriend's house in south Redondo Beach early Saturday morning.  The victim, Jon Crush, said he was walking to the residence from the pier plaza around 2:30 a.m. when a man walked up from behind him and demanded his wallet.  Crush said the man pulled his jacket over his head and stabbed him on the side near the rib cage. He said he fought with the man until he fled the scene without any of Crush's property.

HBPD receives a call of a man with a gun, wearing a T-Shirt with a Skull-and-Crossbones design, in the area of Park Avenue and Monterey Boulevard.

 

What Is Your Opinion?  Is Crime In Hermosa Beach Becoming More Dangerous?

Assault With a Deadly Weapon: 2:06 a.m. April 9, 00 block of Pier Avenue.  Police arrested one man on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon for allegedly hitting and kicking the victim, who was taken to a hospital for treatment.  A second man, who may also have hit the victim, left with a third man.

 

 Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach Crime Close-Up.  Years 1998 to 2004 Crime Stat Comparison   http://www.hbneighborhood.org/1%20HB%20CrimeNews%202006%201.htm

 

HERMOSA BEACH, Calif. (CBS) Hermosa Beach police are warning women to avoid walking alone from Pier Plaza nightspots following two attempted assaults possibly committed by the same man who attacked a woman last year.  Detectives told the Daily Breeze that they believe the man -- dubbed the "Late Night Attacker" -- was trying to rape a woman when he grabbed her as she walked on Monterey Avenue in the south end of the city early Sunday.  The victim was walking alone at 2:15 a.m. on a well-lighted sidewalk when a muscular man confronted her. The woman was able to escape by kneeing him in the groin, police said.  On July 8 about 3:30 a.m., a woman was walking home from the downtown area in a dimly lighted alley near 10th Street and Monterey Avenue when a man tried to force her into a car, the Daily Breeze reported.  That woman also managed to escape. 

 

View the CBS-TV Channel 2 news story on the Pier Plaza Assaults . . . 

Women attacked in 3 incidents near Pier Plaza in Hermosa Beach - Police fear two late-night incidents in the vicinity of bars are the work of one man, who may have also committed a 2004 assault in the same area.  All three women were walking alone.  Police in Hermosa Beach issued a warning Thursday for women to avoid walking alone late at night from Pier Plaza bars following two attacks that might be related to a brutal assault last year.  Investigators speculate that the man -- dubbed the "Late Night Attacker" -- was attempting to rape his victim Sunday when he grabbed her as she walked on Monterey Avenue in the south end of the city.  "We don't know what the motivation for the attacks is," Sgt. Paul Wolcott said. "They haven't actually been completed but ... the intent of the attacker was for sexually assaulting the victim."



The Beach Reporter – July 27, 2006

Manhattan Beach News

Judge dismisses murder charges in M.B. case

A judge dismissed murder charges against the man accused of killing a woman who cleaned houses in Manhattan Beach.

On July 20, Torrance Superior Court Judge Cary H. Nishimoto dismissed the case against 27-year-old Herbert Orlando Gonzales, who was charged with murder, residential burglary and residential robbery in connection with the death of 40-year-old Libia Cabrera.

On April 11, 2005, Cabrera's body had been bound and gagged and then set on fire inside the second-story unit of a residence in the 100 block of 28th Street where she had been working. Her body was found after firefighters doused the blaze. The home's occupant was at work.

Gonzales' attorney, Joe Shemaria, called the investigation by Los Angeles County Sheriff's homicide detectives Katherine Gallagher and Sgt. Randy Seymour as “overzealous” and accused the pair of “gross misconduct.”

 

“He would have been released and the District Attorney would have never filed charges had the two investigating detectives not applied third-degree, psychological-manipulation interrogation methods and dirty tricks, which resulted in an innocent young Hispanic man having to stay in county jail for some 195 days,” stated Shemaria.

“My client has never been to Manhattan Beach,” said Shemaria, who added that his client was ill and scared when he had been arrested on Jan. 5 by detectives and that Gonzales was coerced into falsely admitting he was the man on a surveillance tape so that he could go home. “He had nothing to do with this horrible crime,” Shemaria said.

According to Shemaria, detectives accused Gonzales of being the man who was seen walking past the residence several times on surveillance camera footage. The camera was attached to a neighboring home.

“There is no way you can tell who is on that camera, the surveillance camera is not only really old, it does not record things with real-time movement. It's completely blurry,” said Shemaria.

 

During the course of the investigation, detectives took the surveillance camera footage to neighbors and asked if anybody knew who the man on the video might be. One neighbor said it looked like a relative of someone they knew. It was this observation that led detectives to Gonzales, said Shemaria.

According to Shemaria, Gonzales was scared and detectives had promised Gonzales that he could go home if he admitted to being the man caught on the tape.

“He had no idea that this was connected to a murder,” Shemaria said.

The judge dismissed the evidence collected by the detectives during the interrogation.

“The court's ruling strongly disapproved of the tactics employed by the sheriff's office and determined that my client's statements implicating him had been obtained involuntarily, hence making them unreliable and unusable in the court of law,” stated Shemaria.

Without the evidence, prosecutors opted not to proceed with the case, prompting Nishimoto to dismiss it, said Sandi Gibbons, the District Attorney's office public information officer.

“A courageous judge put an end to my client's nightmare caused by police incompetence and gross misconduct,” stated Shemaria.

Cabrera, who was originally from Colombia, lived in Lawndale and was the mother of two. She had been working as a housekeeper in Manhattan Beach for about 10 years.

In January, the Manhattan Beach City Council voted to raise a cash reward from $25,000 to $50,000 for any information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the murder of Cabrera.

- City News Service contributed to this story

 


The Beach Reporter – June 22, 2006

Hermosa Beach News

Parents alarmed over class size reduction

Some parents unhappy with the Hermosa Beach School District Budget Committee have circulated a two-page unsigned document to various community members via e-mail. The paper, titled “Concerned about Kindergarten Class Size Reduction?” includes a point-by-point rebuttal to prior Budget Committee recommendations will be heard by the School Board at its next meeting on June 28.

“We're upset that they want to fund an assistant principal instead of funding four class-size reductions,” said Karen Mah, a Hermosa Beach parent.

While she does not currently have a child attending kindergarten in Hermosa Beach, she does feel it is important for other residents to know about the potential decision of the School Board to approve the budget committee's recommendations, and to appear at the meeting next week.

 

According to the document, the Budget Committee has recommended that the first priority for reductions in next year's budget will be “Kindergarten Class Size Reduction.”

Other parents who also provided e-mails to The Beach Reporter expressed concern, but requested anonymity for fear of affecting their child's school experience.

In particular, several parents have stated that funds received in the School District's Excellence in Education fund are not being used in accordance with the wishes expressed by the Site Council Surveys that were an issue to parents. Some questioned the need to fund an assistant principal instead of four class-size reductions.

The paper then goes onto encourage local residents to “e-mail the School Board” with suggestions or to respond in person at the June 28 School Board meeting. The final option listed is to “give the Excellence in Education fund your donation and let the School Board decide what to fund.”

Mah had hoped not to create too much of a rift with the School Board by speaking out. “We do want to work with the administration and the School Board,” she said.

The document also included an e-mail address, HBKinderCSR@hotmail.com to receive correspondence from other residents about the issue.

 


The Beach Reporter – June 22, 2006

Hermosa Beach – Crime Watch

BURGLARY. Someone reportedly entered a residence on The Strand between noon on June 4 and 8:30 p.m. on June 8, and removed property from the location. The victim returned to find several items missing, including a computer, cash and jewelry totaling upward of $7,000. No forced entry was detected and during the victim's absence the suspects allegedly took time to prepare a meal. A dirty bowl of noodles was left in the kitchen sink.

 

VEHICLE BURGLARY. A vehicle was burglarized in the 1000 block of Bayview Drive between 6:30 p.m. June 7 and 7:15 a.m. June 8. The suspects removed a black leather briefcase from the victim's vehicle after the right front passenger window was left down. The victim initially reported the incident to the police as vandalism, but phoned again later to inform of the missing property.

 

PETTY THEFT. A man was videotaped replacing a $100 bill received from a store clerk with his own $10 bill at approximately 3:55 p.m. on June 18. The suspect asked a cashier in the 1100 block of Hermosa Avenue for a large bill. The cashier gave the suspect a new $100 bill in exchange for an equivalent amount of money in smaller denominations. Upon receiving the bill, the suspect allegedly handed the cashier back a $10 bill and also asked for his money. He then left with the $100 bill, leaving the $10 bill behind.

Manhattan Beach – Crime Watch

STOLEN LAPTOPS. On July 10 at about 11 p.m., the victims secured their residence in the 500 block of 21st Street and returned at about 2 a.m. on June 11. One of the victims noticed that her laptop was missing from the kitchen table, where it usually sits, but thought she must have moved it and did not remember. The victims went to sleep and in the morning, the second victim noticed his laptop was missing. Both victims could not find their computers and called authorities.

 

BURGLARY. On June 10 at about 9:30 p.m., the victim, an employee at The Kettle restaurant, parked his car in the parking structure near the restaurant before walking to work. He reported forgetting to lock his vehicle. On June 11 at about 3:15 a.m., another employee, who just got off work, returned to the restaurant and told him that he saw three young men rummaging through his vehicle. The two restaurant employees went to the parking garage. The suspects were no longer at the car, but the car had been ransacked. They soon noticed the three subjects and approached them. The suspects admitted taking several items from the car, and returned a pair of tennis shoes and a CD faceplate. When the victim returned to his car, he then noticed that his gold Bulova watch was missing along with about $5 in change.

 

ASSAULT WITH A DEADLY WEAPON AT WINE AUCTION. On June 10 at about 9:30 p.m. at the Manhattan Beach Education Foundation Wine Auction, which was held at the Manhattan Beach Country Club, the victim noticed another party attendee pouring himself a glass of wine from a bottle on his table. When he told the victim that the wine he was drinking was his, the man reportedly said sorry and put the glass on the table. Then the man who had taken the wine told the victim that the glass used to hold the wine was his. The victim said something about not knowing what to do about that. The suspect than took a folding chair and hit the victim with it, causing the victim to fall to the floor. The suspect was removed almost instantly by witnesses and security guards.

 

MB STRONG ARM ROBBERY. On June 11 at about 4:16 a.m., the victim, a Starbucks employee, was sitting on the cement bench in front of Starbucks on Manhattan Beach Boulevard listening to his iPod and waiting for his manager to arrive when he noticed a beat-up car parked on Highland Avenue, south of Center Place. Two male suspects, who were in the car, walked across the street, approached the victim and yanked his iPod away. The victim, who was scared, ran across the street toward The Kettle restaurant, leaving behind his backpack. The suspects ran back to the parked car and drove away. The victim reported that a third suspect, a driver, was waiting in the car.

 

ROBINSON SCHOOL. On June 3 at about 8:17 a.m., the police were called to Robinson Elementary School in the 80 block of Morningside Drive to view surveillance camera footage. On the video, three suspects, two males and one female ranging in age from about 15 to 18, were seen on the video walking around various areas on campus near the cafeteria and staff lounge. They were observed taking helium balloons down and inhaling the helium, writing on various surfaces. Police reported seeing graffiti on windows and doors. The footage was circulated at the schools in order to identify the suspects

 


The Beach Reporter – June 15, 2006

Hermosa Beach News

Fallout over sign theft spills into council meeting

Embers left over from Measure A's defeat at the polls sputtered anew this week as a City Council pressured by public outcry over a school official filmed tearing down campaign posters yanked his longstanding service contract with Hermosa and put it out for public bid.

In a testy council meeting Tuesday night colored by salvos of uncivil discourse from residents and elected officials alike, School Board member Lance Widman faced a second round of fallout after being nabbed snatching political opponents' placards from a fence and a pole off Prospect Avenue. Widman did not attend the meeting.

“He's pulling down signs. He's a little bit unbalanced,” said Earl Keegan, brother of Councilman Michael Keegan.

 

Widman, a 61-year-old former City Council member, a college professor and director of mediation services for a handful of South Bay communities, first faced a legal probe after resident Jackie Tagliaferro filed a complaint with the Hermosa Beach Police Department.

This week, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office reviewed the allegations although Tuesday night City Attorney Michael Jenkins said Widman would not be charged.

Tagliaferro, an outspoken opponent of Measure “A,” trapped Widman last week when she waited in her car, camera in hand, to film in case anyone ripped down their political signs. Widman more than obliged, at one point flashing a grin at Tagliaferro as the film rolled.

Residents since blasted Widman's brazen behavior and his unyielding defense of his conduct. A small parade of residents, mostly aligned with the No on “A” campaign, expressed outrage, disbelief and embarrassment to the council that an elected official engaged in guerilla tactics.

Numerous other Hermosa dwellers dispatched a flurry of e-mail missives to the council following last week's election. Most demanded that the council decline to renew Widman's mediation services contract with the city.

“Although I am sure he (Widman) has done some of the ‘mediation' job descriptions correctly, I feel that after seeing his face in the paper stealing Š signs and boasting about it, he has damaged any credibility he may have had to being an unbiased mediator,” Dennis Jarvis, Hermosa native and owner of Spyder Surfboards, wrote the council.

Even so, an unbowed Councilman Sam Edgerton, an attorney, aggressively sought to defend Widman, charging that the angry residents amounted to a cabal driven by political sour grapes. The longtime local politician insisted that if nothing “criminal” occurred, Widman should be off the hook.

The other council members sought to distance themselves from the array of hot tempers.

Edgerton, however, pressed on. He called on Jenkins to back up his view.

“Removal of the signs would not constitute a crime,” Jenkins told Edgerton.

At one point, Edgerton insisted Widman's critics verged on being “sanctimonious.”

“Before we get too sanctimonious, we ought to think about what happened (about the facts),” Edgerton said. “Because he was the flag carrier for Measure ‘A,' he's the target.”

Yet his fervent support for the School Board member apparently extended only so far. When it came to the tally, the longtime councilman shifted gears - and voted to ship Widman's contract with the city out to bid for the first time in more than a decade.

Councilman J.R. Reviczky was the sole member who called to have the contract sent out for bid. The council used a voice vote to record their support for the slap against Widman.

“There's plenty of blame to go around on both sides of this election,” said Reviczky. “It's not a bad idea to put the thing out for bid. It's time to move forward.”

Widman said Wednesday that he's fine with the city's decision to send the contract out for bid, but is bothered that attacks on him personally and professionally are politically motivated.

“It is not unusual that city services for private contractors go out to bid. It does not disturb me,” he said. “What disturbs me are the well-orchestrated political passions that have been directed at me and my personal professionalism that are outside of the political arena.”

 


The Beach Reporter – June 15, 2006

Hermosa Beach – Crime Watch

VANDALISM. Two drunken young adults scratched the rear fender of a Harley Davidson motorcycle with a bicycle at Hermosa Avenue and 26th Street June 11 at about 7 p.m., according to the owner of the motorcycle. The owner was on the patio of a nearby restaurant and saw the two people exit a bar. They walked across the street and unlocked a bicycle, then put a 4-inch scratch in the Harley with it. The two people left before police arrived.

 


The Beach Reporter – June 15, 2006

Hermosa Beach News

Court sides with Union Cattle in case with city

A Superior Court judge has sided with the owner of the Union Cattle Company, brushing aside arguments from Hermosa officials that the city legitimately denied a variance to the eatery's proprietor.

Not so, the court ruled. Even, so Cattle Company owner Jed Sanford was less than gleeful.

“My objective was not to spend a lot of money suing the city but at the end of the day, there's a line you have to draw because of your principles. They pushed across that line.”

 

At the end of last month, the court rejected the city's contention that it could in effect erase the City Council's vote when it granted the provision, which would have allowed the restaurant to comply retrospectively with the law.

The court agreed with Sanford that a second vote that rescinded the variance was improper as was a last-ditch effort by the council to legitimize its stance, Sanford said. At issue was what amounted to a vote switch by Councilman Michael Keegan.

In his first vote, Keegan backed the restaurant. However, in a second tally he declined to affirm the earlier vote.

The law requires the council to vote twice to pass most measures - the first time to approve it, the second, to carry it out.

The city then sought to memorialize Keegan's second vote by calling a third hearing on the matter. Sanford sued.

Sanford sought the variance as part of obtaining an after-the-fact building permit for a patio and a tent used during the few rainy days for an eating-area cover.

The patios were constructed in 2002. Last year, Sanford was notified that the patio covers allegedly violated the allowable height zone. The judge handed down his decision May 26.

Ironically, Sanford removed the tent and lowered the eatery's height before the court ruled.

 


The Beach Reporter – June 15, 2006

Hermosa Beach News

Letters To The Editor - We Get Letters

Editor's note: Last week, we asked our readers about the election results.

Thanks from candidate

 

When I committed to running in the special election for Hermosa Beach City Council, the fund-raising tank was empty and I had no more savings to start it again. To have a chance to win, I would have to rely on the help of others to get my message out.

Many people in our community did just that - they stood up to help. It's why I'm so incredibly proud of the campaign we ran. Together we created an old-fashioned grass-roots effort, run the way a small-town campaign should be run, based on real, tangible things that would move the community forward and a sincere commitment to carry them out.

I also thank the many associations that supported my campaign including the Hermosa Beach firefighters, police officers, teachers, city employees and the Beach Cities Democratic Club. Your support inspired and sustained me.

I congratulate Kit Bobko on his victory. During his campaign, he often spoke of being a uniting force on City Council, of working to move members from division to consensus. I think he's the guy to get the job done, and I offer him my support and thanks.

To the people who greeted me at their doorstep, shared with me their hopes and concerns for our city, and gave me their vote, I cannot thank you enough. The experience of getting to know you has changed my life in so many ways and I am both a better person and citizen for it.

Jeff Duclos, Hermosa Beach


Offensive viewpoint

The Hermosa Beach city election has passed, and the one vacant seat has been filled. Prior to the election, I read the following article from The Beach Reporter on June 2, and noted input from the four candidates.

While I found pros and cons on all issues, for all candidates, I found one comment from a now-unsuccessful candidate that was inappropriate, and clearly not representative of this bright and articulate community.

Unsuccessful candidate Jeff Duclos was asked the question, “Do you support Measure ‘A'? Why or why not?”

Duclos replied in part, “The pillars of a community are our schools, churches, police and firefighters.” Is Duclos not aware that all residents in Hermosa Beach, and in fact, all residents in the United States, are not Christians who attend churches?

Our city more than likely has residents who have beliefs in Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Chinese tradition religions, Baha'i, Shinto, Scientology and Sikhism, just to name a few. There are also local residents who are atheists.

The fact that Duclos stated that one of the three pillars of the community is inclusive of churches can be viewed offensive to all religious groups.

Kathy Keane, Hermosa Beach


Sour grapes

To us, honesty, integrity and a sense of fair play are the most important qualifications a judge needs to have; and Lynn Olson certainly possesses those. Sour grapes by her opponent and other local pundits say a lot about their lack of integrity and character.

Olson had the guts and fortitude to pursue a dream, and offer a fresh approach to the bench. She should be commended, not ridiculed. Her overwhelming victory is an indictment to our judicial system and tells a great deal about the lack of faith our people have in the incumbent candidate.

Hooray for Olson and thank you to the United States for allowing the people to decide.

Sally and Larry Levine, Manhattan Beach


A terrible example

The Iraq War is still going on and the Hermosa Beach Measure “A” war hopefully is over. The people have spoken and that's that. The tons of letters that have been written were not in vain, but we need the Hermosa Beach School Board to be accountable for its actions. We all make mistakes, and there have been a lot during this process for the bond measures and Proposition “J.” I think a lot of good has come out of this, and we need to sometimes let go of our egos and just take care of business. We don't need childish remarks like “selfish liars” or the board members acting like children who didn't get their medication that day and took just “No” signs away with unjustified reasons.

This has been a terrible example for the children to see adults who act like children. I hope the Hermosa community will be very observant and watch what the School Board does from now on. We just want what we paid for, classrooms and a refurbished school first, and then we can discuss the future. Remember, education is the future.

Bernie Friedman, Hermosa Beach
 

Spare time

Are you kidding me that there is actually a Hermosa Beach parent who has the time during a weekday to sit on a street corner and wait, with video camera in hand, for someone to take down a campaign sign on public property? I need to know Jackie Tagliaferro's secret. I, too, am a Hermosa Beach parent, and if I had time to spare and felt the need to videotape criminals in action I would probably choose to focus my efforts on real criminals, such as child predators, not people like Lance Widman. Sure, Widman is passionate about what he believes in, but he is also one of the hardest working, most generous residents this community and our schools will ever have. At least now I know whom I can call on the next time those darned children in the neighborhood decide to graffiti with chalk on the sidewalk in front of my house. I feel safer already.

Danielle Leavy-Andrews, Hermosa Beach


Unhappy with tactics

Like other registered voters, I received a flood of political mailers, including some misleading voter guides, in the weeks leading up to the election. Experience told me I would probably get at least one more mailer on the Monday before Election Day. There were two. One had JFK on the cover and was from a group called the John F. Kennedy Alliance. None of the local Democrats whom I spoke to knew anything about this so-called alliance. I was not surprised when I was told that both mailers were the handiwork of political consultant Fred Huebscher.

When Huebscher ran for the Hermosa City Council, one of his mailers featured male models in police uniforms to suggest that he had the support of the local police. I don't know why he didn't use the entire Democratic trinity of FDR, Truman and JFK in his alliance mailing. Maybe his memory doesn't go back that far.

I met and spoke with Kennedy when he was running for president. America went through a terrible period of national mourning after he was assassinated. I will always wonder what might have been if Lee Harvey Oswald had not pulled that trigger. For all those reasons, I find it despicable that Huebscher anonymously used JFK as a shill in his political skullduggery. Invoking Nixon, another practitioner of dirty tricks, would have been more appropriate.

Those who employed Huebscher and his tactics to get what they wanted will ultimately have to deal with their consciences.

Victor Silva, Hermosa Beach


Another missing sign

Now that the current battle is over, I would like to ask if anyone knows the whereabouts of a certain sign that went missing from my Model “T” that was parked appropriately outside the 100-foot limit on Valley at the Elks polling location June 6. In essence, the sign stated, “If Prop ‘A' passes, my home is bulldozed.”

Also, thank you voters, and thank you for future votes against the likes of Measure “A.”

There will be no questions asked, Lance.

Phyllis Horner, Hermosa Beach


Pier Avenue experiment a bad idea

As a resident of Hermosa Beach in an apartment adjacent to Pier Avenue, I must ask who thought turning Pier into a two-lane road was a good idea? As if traffic wasn't congested enough along this stretch on weekends and during city events, getting home at night has now turned into a 10-minute trip from Sepulveda to Manhattan Avenue. Two lanes of traffic merging into one in the stretch from Ardmore to Valley is absolutely a joke.

Was this decision thought out at all? Does this city planner even live in Hermosa? I shudder to think about how difficult it is going to be for residents to get around town this weekend during the AVP tournament. Please tell me this is a temporary idea that will go the way of Classic Coke.

Karen Carbone, Hermosa Beach


Proud of her students

These days we hear so much negativity about our children. A common complaint is that today's youth appear to be preoccupied with their MySpace account and their electronic toys. My teaching experience this year has shown me that our children are indeed concerned with others. I teach seventh- and eighth-grade science at Richardson Middle School in Torrance. After viewing a PBS program on world health, my students and I decided to raise money for UNICEF. To my astonishment, my five classes of approximately 170 students raised more than $800 in a little more than two weeks. I am so proud of my students for showing so much compassion for those less fortunate than they. It gives me hope that our future will be secure led by these children.

Mandy Malpede, Hermosa Beach

 


The Beach Reporter – June 8, 2006

Hermosa Beach News

Hermosa voters reject Measure ‘A'

Concerns over lax money management by school officials and spending priorities moved Hermosa voters to reject a $13.1 million bond touted as essential to finish increasingly costly and controversial renovations at the city's public schools.

The barest of majorities of Hermosa voters dispatched the hotly contested Measure “A” to defeat, 50 percent to 49.9 percent. Of 3,245 ballots cast, opponents of Measure “A” received 1,625 votes while its backers tallied 1,620.

In Election Day's other main local event, the son of an astronaut bested an educator and a public relations consultant to fill the vacant seat on the City Council.

 

 

Patrick “Kit” Bobko won the seat with 41 percent of the balloting, or 1,287 votes. Jeff Duclos finished second with 36 percent, a tally of 1,145 votes.

Educator Janice Brittain received 439 votes or 14 percent. Jeff Maxwell completed the field, netting 293 votes or 9 percent.

Even the slim victory by the Measure “A” opponents dealt a sharp setback to the city's education establishment, which was in lock step behind the multimillion-dollar bond proposal.

Despite the clutch of votes that separated victory from defeat, Measure “A” fell far short of the required 55 percent of the vote to pass.

Measure “A” detractors applauded the vote and claimed vindication.

“This is fantastic,” said Jackie Tagliaferro, who campaigned against Measure “A.” “The public has spoken.”

The School Board and Superintendent Sharon McClain campaigned aggressively for the measure for months, contending the money was necessary to finish improvements at Hermosa View, Hermosa Valley and North schools. The sweeping renovations included gym construction, computers for libraries, science equipment, and some classroom and building repairs.

Opponents argued the $13 million measure amounted to a stalking horse for a controversial gym at Hermosa Valley and would divert money unnecessarily for much-needed classrooms.

Measure “A” followed by four years a $13.6 million bond that has not been enough to cover the construction costs of the gym at Valley School. Measure “A” would have extended the terms of the earlier issue by four years.

The price tag for the gym building climbed in recent months to some $11 million. As costs increased, a project that was to include the gym and six classrooms was cut back to a gym and two classrooms.

The gym has drawn more than controversy. A citizens group filed a lawsuit to halt construction, which remains in the courts.

Polls closed at 8 p.m., ending a voting day in Hermosa similar to the rest of the state. Most residents stayed away from the polls.

It “just seems like a very slow election day,” said Eileen Shea, spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder Office.

Officials expected the turnout to hit about 38 percent statewide, and about the same in Hermosa and other South Bay communities, she said.

Measure “A” would have established a tax rate of $21 per $100,000 of assessed property value. Had it passed, it would have increased the average tax bill some $5 per $100,000 of assessed value.

 


The Beach Reporter – June 8, 2006

Hermosa Beach News

Board member taped swiping rival sign

School Board member and Measure “A” advocate Lance Widman emerged as the gray-haired poster boy for serial sign-ripping this week after being filmed removing political opponents' placards, tucking them under his arm and walking home.

Widman's sign removal effort so incensed activists opposed to the bond initiative at least one of them called police and filed a criminal complaint. The School Board member could be charged with petty theft, a misdemeanor offense.

“I had a feeling it was him - the opposition has not been very nice,” said Jackie Tagliaferro, a member of the No on “A” campaign and the photographer who taped Widman in the act. “I wanted to confirm it for myself - and then he just ripped the signs off.”

Angered by dozens of similar incidents, Tagliaferro staked out the sign locations, sitting in her car, camera in hand, watching and waiting. The No campaign had taped the signs to the fence next to the small park off Prospect Avenue and Gentry Street about 7 p.m. Monday.

Widman, as if by script, snuck and soon struck. Tagliaferro let the film run.

“I feel bad I had to stoop to that level,” she said. “I just got fed up with their tactics.”

Tagliaferro's videotape shows a T-shirt and shorts-wearing Widman yanking a pair of neon green “Vote No on Measure A” posters, one off a fence and the other from a pole. The film shows the one-time City Council member folding the placards with the lettering facing in so they couldn't be identified as political posters.

In the next frames, the School Board member senses someone behind, turns around for a second or two but keeps on walking. Just as he arrives at his home's front door, Widman turns a second time, flashes a grin and taunts by waving a greeting.

“The child within me just loves this intensity,” said Widman. “I took down a third later that night.”

Widman contended no violation occurred. The signs were affixed improperly - and illegally - to public property, he said. Tagliaferro didn't dispute that, noting that signs regularly are stuck to those locations.

“This is part of the (political) juices flowing in the heat of battle,” said Widman. “I felt the signs were very obtrusive.”

It turns out that Widman's concerns had a lot to do with politics and almost nothing to do with placard locations. Stuck to the fence after Widman's handiwork: three political signs each backing a City Council candidate.

“I freely admit that I took down only the No (on ‘A') signs,” Widman said. “The signs for City Council didn't interest me.”

The absence of the two signs, however, held at least some interest for the Police Department.

Police Detective Lance Heard visited Widman at his home Tuesday, requesting that the signs in question be taken to the police station. Widman complied - and Heard promptly delivered them to Tagliaferro at her home.

Despite their dash of humor, Widman's guerilla political tactics triggered more dismay than chuckles, especially among the No on ‘A' campaign and some activists.

Former City Councilman Gary Brutsch blasted Widman's political sniping as conduct unbecoming an elected official.

“This is old hat for him,” he said. “Any public official should be above reproach.”

Old hat indeed.

Torrance officials back in the 1970s nabbed Widman tearing down the signs of political opponents in that city.

Widman remains unrepentant.

“It's genetic with me. Show me a sign and I'll pull it down.”

 


The Beach Reporter – June 8, 2006

Hermosa Beach – Crime Watch

STOLEN WALLET. Someone reportedly stole a wallet from a pair of pants on the beach June 4 at 6 a.m.

 

VANDALISM. Someone reportedly scratched a parked car sometime between June 2 and June 5. The victim believes a neighbor did it. The victim said the neighbor constantly parks illegally on the street and gave the victim a dirty look after the victim called the police to report the illegal parking.

 

SHOOTING. Someone reportedly shot a moving car with a possible pellet gun as the car drove south on Prospect at Seventh Street May 30 at 2:30 p.m. The windshield was damaged.

 

STOLEN BIKE. Someone reportedly stole a bike after the owner leaned it against the wall outside a pier restaurant May 28 at 8:30 p.m. The owner tried to catch the thief on foot but the thief pedaled away north on The Strand and escaped.

 

BURGLARY. Someone reportedly stole a laptop computer, planner and pink beach bag from a car parked at a Manhattan Avenue apartment complex between 11:15 p.m. May 24 and 7 a.m. May 25. The responding officer found no evidence of forced entry. 

 


The Beach Reporter – June 2, 2006

Hermosa Beach News

In their own words: The four City Council candidates state their cases

On Tuesday, Hermosa Beach voters will take time out of their day to select one of four candidates running for one open seat on the Hermosa Beach City Council.

The current council members voted to hold a special election to fill the seat that has been vacant since November when Howard Fishman announced that he was giving up his seat that he won as a political newcomer to the five-member elected body.

Candidates “Kit” Bobko, Janice Brittain, Jeff Duclos and Jeff Maxwell recently spoke with The Beach Reporter newspaper on several issues that affect the city and what they will address as their biggest priorities if elected to office.

 

Bobko, Duclos and Maxwell all ran in the November election that also saw the re-election of Michael Keegan and J.R. Reviczky.

‘Kit' Bobko - Bobko, in his mid-30s, graduated from the United States Air Force Academy in 1991. After an honorable discharge from active duty, Bobko earned a law degree from George Washington University and a master's degree from the University of South Carolina in philosophy. He is a municipal lawyer with the firm Richards, Watson and Gershon.

The Beach Reporter: Do you support Measure “A”? Why or why not?

As a matter of policy, I'm concerned with the City Council taking official positions on issues that are the School Board's exclusive responsibility. Hermosans have chosen a School Board to make these decisions and manage projects just like this. The City Council can and should support our schools by looking for synergies and economies of scale with maintenance, etc. But as your City Councilman, I will respect the voters' decisions in electing members of the School Board, and the voters who elect them. Personally, I will vote for Proposition “A” because I think the CEQA lawsuit and run-up in construction costs over the last few years really put a bite in the original plan, and this “new” bond money is necessary to complete the project to the standards we want for our community.

If elected to the council, what will be your top three priorities that you hope to accomplish while in office?

(1) Optimistic leadership: As your City Councilman, I believe that it is important to approach each challenge with a sense that they are opportunities to make Hermosa Beach a better place to live, work and play. I sincerely believe there are no obstacles too big and no problems too difficult for us to overcome. I will always look to our city's well-being as my first and only priority. All too often, decisions on our City Council are personality-driven instead of being grounded in sound public policy. I am a creative, independent thinker who is beholden to no one. I will bring badly needed fresh perspectives and leadership to the council.

(2) Improve public safety: I am committed to upgrading and modernizing our city's contingency plans and increasing disaster preparedness in Hermosa Beach. I will work with our neighbor cities to ensure we have a comprehensive and coordinated plan for responding to natural and man-made disasters in the beach cities. I will work to leverage our current Wi-Fi system to include wireless security cameras linked to our police station. We should also begin the development of a “reverse 9-1-1” system that calls every home within minutes to warn of impending emergencies and pass on vital information. Because public safety is such a priority, I believe in close oversight of the selection of a new police chief, to include public participation in the selection process. We need strong capable leadership in our Police Department, and I will advocate a professional and community-oriented leader to lead our department into the next decade.

(3) Improve and repair our city's infrastructure: A common refrain among the folks I meet when I'm out walking around town is: “When is the city going to pave my street?” Although there's nothing sexy about streets and sewers, they're the kinds of nuts-and-bolts things we expect our city government to pay close attention to. Yet, in many instances both are badly outdated and worn in our city. In my first 100 days as your City Councilman, I will review the city's “Pavement Management Study” and sit down with our director of Public Works to see that we increase the amount of street repavement and reconstruction in our city. We need to stop wasteful spending and focus our resources on getting our streets to reflect the beautiful homes that line them.

With the departure of the BMW dealership and now Albertsons grocery store, how would you propose to maintain or increase revenues for future budgets?

I always loath to discuss “increasing city revenues” because whenever government talks about revenue it usually leads to some new tax or fee on residents! We are taxed more than enough, and I will not propose new or higher taxes on Hermosans.

I think we should look for ways to capitalize on the fact that we have 60,000 cars driving past Hermosa Beach businesses every day along PCH and a bevy of great hotels that are just a stone's throw from LAX, and increase these two sources of revenue. I will encourage considered and well-conceived projects like the one being planned for the former BMW site. This new mixed-use project will bring revenues in excess of $500,000 to our city. Likewise, I'll lead the way in meeting with Hope Chapel to find ways to develop their parcels at the recently closed Albertsons into hotel/retail/office uses that will be beneficial to the city, Hope Chapel, and the Hermosa Beach residents. With proper planning, we could create a substantial revenue stream (sales tax, bed tax, increased property taxes from redevelopment) from this parcel.

What do you feel is the biggest challenge facing the city today and how do you propose tackling it?

The Macpherson Oil case, (along with a multitude of other pending cases,) looms over our city like a black cloud. The plaintiff in Macpherson Oil has claimed damages against the city in the range of $500 million, and some have suggested that this lawsuit is the death knell for our city. Additionally, the city just settled a case with a former club owner in town for $1.1 million, and individuals have filed at least two other suits with similar claims against our Police Department and city. Every dollar we spend to settle a lawsuit (or use to pay attorneys' fees!) is one less dollar we have to spend on other things like our parks, streets and schools. By consuming the city's resources, these lawsuits affect each and every one of us. As a municipal lawyer who litigates on behalf of cities and local governments all over California, I have a unique perspective on the current spate of lawsuits pending against the city. I bring a professional's eye to the claims leveled against us, and can provide valuable insight to the advice our city receives from its trial counsel. My experience allows me to ask the questions and evaluate issues in a way others cannot. I am proud to bring the years of experience I have working on complex issues for other cities home and put it to work for Hermosa Beach.

Janice Brittain - Brittain graduated from Hastings College with a bachelor's degree in liberal arts and later earned a master's degree in theater arts from UCLA. Brittain also has an administrative credential from Loyola Marymount University. She is a volunteer with the Hermosa Beach Historical Society and has served as a poll worker for county elections. Brittain, a retiree, worked 40 years in public education in Los Angeles and served as a principal for the last 20 years in adult and career education for the Los Angeles Unified School District. Brittain has lived in the South Bay since 1969.

Do you support Measure “A”? Why or why not?

I am not responding to this question. This is under the leadership of the School Board, not the City Council. I do encourage everyone to read this measure thoroughly before voting.

If elected to the council, what will be your top three priorities that you hope to accomplish while in office?

Focus on environmental issues that threaten our beaches, greenbelt and parks. Strengthen the lines of communication between council and community, and bring a fresh voice of reason. Strengthen the partnership with local business and community. Support technical enhancement and state of the art communication that makes sense for the city.

With the departure of the BMW dealership and now Albertsons grocery store, how would you propose to maintain or increase revenues for future budgets?

I would support the new business developments that are in process. Consult with our businesses that are successful, and find out what is working and why.

What do you feel is the biggest challenge facing the city today and how do you propose tackling it?

I feel that it is communication between the neighborhood and City Hall, and listening to what people have to say. I would ask staff for information before creating new policies when there may be current ones that need to be shared. This could lead to resolving issues such as the property merger and city maintenance.

Jeff Duclos - Duclos, a member of the first class of Leadership Hermosa, moved to Hermosa Beach 26 years ago. He has taken an active role in protecting the local beach as a volunteer with the Surfrider Foundation for 17 years, sitting on its board of directors for two terms and heading the local chapter for six years. He is a communications specialist and established a home-based business in 1998. He earned a bachelor's degree in science from San Diego State University and a master's in fine arts from UCLA.

Do you support Measure ‘A'? Why or why not?

I am supporting it, though I can understand why some voters will not. Emotions run high with this issue and there is much misinformation out there passing as fact, but ultimately we cannot allow a dispute in our city to weaken our schools. The pillars of a community are our schools, churches, police and firefighters. We must keep them strong. Our children and teachers deserve the best classrooms and facilities possible and, to me, this bond measure is reasonable. Upgrading our school buildings makes good business sense for the city. To do otherwise is sure to bring a decline in economic growth and property value. I especially like the fact that money will be going to retrofit North School. My daughter went to this school. It was one of the finest schools in the South Bay, neighboring the area's finest park. We will need this facility some day.

If elected to the council, what will be your top three priorities that you hope to accomplish while in office?

An important issue for me emerged while walking precincts during my campaign in November. I would see parents standing vigil on their streets, while their children played, guarding against speeding cars trying to cut through their neighborhood. I saw frustrated homeowners on Prospect, unable to back out of their driveways. Traffic congestion is escalating in our community and we have no plan to deal with this serious problem. As council member, I will move to develop a clearly articulated, comprehensive Neighborhood Traffic Management Program for the entire city of Hermosa Beach and for the establishment of greater local neighborhood control of our streets. Such a plan will not be the panacea, but we need to stop the pattern of seeing remedies for one street becoming the problems of another.

Secondly, as a citizen, I have demonstrated my commitment to protecting our Greenbelt and our world-class beach. I will be an even stronger advocate as a council member. Meeting mandated minimum environmental standards will not be enough. While the negative impact of urban runoff is escalating, no long-range plan exists to deal with the problem. I will push for the establishment of more aggressive storm water initiatives to protect our community health and our beach. I will work to establish a dedicated beach protection fund within the city's General Fund, so contingency money will always be available to protect and enhance our beach. I will also work to secure funds from the Clean Beach Initiative and other state, federal and private programs to fund these improvements.

Finally, the most important indicator of the strength of a city is its level of security and its infrastructure. With the exception of the downtown plaza, the city has invested little into building and beautifying our community. We have a fire station with serious structural issues, a call to add more personnel per shift and no written plan to address either issue. Our city does not have a full-time fire marshal. These safety concerns need to be addressed. We need to look for innovative solutions to city problems, because that's where the funding is.

With the departure of the BMW dealership and now Albertsons grocery store, how would you propose to maintain or increase revenues for future budgets?

I have faith that the people of faith who operate Hope Chapel will redesign their property in a way that includes commercial use. They have indicated as much and there's no reason to doubt their statements. The city is also close to a workable solution with the BMW property. Overall, the more livable we make our city, the more attractive it becomes as a business environment. A clean and healthy city presents business opportunities.

What do you feel is the biggest challenge facing the city today and how do you propose tackling it?

We are a small city with a small tax base. We need to make our city's small size an economic advantage. In 2002, out of all the cities in Santa Monica Bay, Hermosa Beach was selected as the site for oceanic fiber-optic cable undergrounding. Because of our small size, we have less bureaucracy and a capacity to mount new programs more quickly than our larger neighboring cities. We need to press this economic advantage, actively seek out forward-thinking companies, and bring them and their projects to Hermosa Beach. We need new thinking and an infusion of new energy in city government, and that's what I bring.

Jeff Maxwell - Maxwell, in his early 40s, attended Long Beach State University and while in college 21 years ago, established Palos Verdes Limousine. For the past 18 years, Maxwell has worked with the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Do you support Measure “A”? Why or why not?

Yes, I do support Measure “A.” I truly believe our children are our most important asset. We as a community are responsible for giving our children every advantage and access to the quality education they deserve. Our children are our future leaders and will be making decisions that will affect us some day. Let's show them how much we care.

If elected to the council, what will be your top three priorities that you hope to accomplish while in office?

Protecting our neighborhoods by keeping our city safe from crime and illicit drugs. Accountability, city officials need to be held accountable for their actions. Ensuring Hermosa Beach has a well-trained and well-equipped fire department and firefighters.

With the departure of the BMW dealership and now Albertsons grocery store, how would you propose to maintain or increase revenues for future budgets?

Hermosa Beach is a flourishing city and the right type of business would do very well here. I would court a store like Trader Joe's or Bristol Farms to fill the Albertsons space. A special incentive package to another dealership would fill the BMW site and the tax loss from the sale of higher ticket items.

What do you feel is the biggest challenge facing the city today and how do you propose tackling it?

I feel very strongly that it is just a matter of time until the Macpherson oil lawsuit will either drain our city or bankrupt it. We have just hired a new law firm to go to trial on this case. The stakes are very high. Once in trial we have a 50-percent chance of winning. I propose taking another look at the situation and coming to an amicable agreement before it's too late.

 


The Beach Reporter – May 25, 2006

Hermosa Beach News

Candidates offer solutions for ‘entertainment sector'

The four Hermosa Beach City Council candidates running in the June 6 election squared off last Thursday in the first of several forums slated this month leading up to the race. The candidates addressed a number of issues including problems concerning the downtown area.

The candidates - Kit Bobko, Janice Brittain, Jeff Duclos and Jeff Maxwell - answered a series of questions during the forum, which took place at Sangria restaurant, sponsored by the Hermosa Beach Chamber of Commerce and moderated by one of its board members, Ron Newman, owner of the Sharkeez franchise.

The candidates took a few moments for formal introductions and then answered questions ranging from solutions to parking to their individual top priorities to the pier plaza's commercial district.

 

 

All of the candidates, with the exception of Brittain, participated in the November election, in which Michael Keegan, Howard Fishman and J.R. Reviczky emerged as the winners.

In January, the City Council voted unanimously to hold the special election to fill the seat won by Fishman who announced that he was giving up his seat due to family reasons.

Bobko, in his mid-30s, graduated from the United States Air Force Academy in 1991. After an honorable discharge from active duty, Bobko earned a law degree from George Washington University and a master's degree from the University of South Carolina in philosophy. He is a municipal lawyer with the firm Richards, Watson and Gershon.  “I do a lot of things with cities and local governments, and, in fact, I am very experienced on virtually all fronts of municipal government,” said Bobko. “Hermosa Beach is truly a great place to live and I am very proud to stand before you as a candidate.”

Brittain graduated from Hastings College with a bachelor's degree in liberal arts and later earned a master's degree in theater arts from UCLA. Brittain also has an administrative credential from Loyola Marymount University. She is a volunteer with the Hermosa Beach Historical Society and has served as a poll worker for county elections. Brittain, a retiree, worked 40 years in public education in Los Angeles, and served as a principal for the last 20 years in adult and career education for the Los Angeles Unified School District. Brittain has lived in the South Bay since 1969.  “What I bring with me as a candidate is my strong background,” said Brittain. “As a resident, I also own property and I was raised in a family business so I am very sensitive to the needs of the small, local business. I am coming in a nonpartisan, an independent voice to represent the people.”

Duclos, a member of the first class of Leadership Hermosa, moved to Hermosa Beach 26 years ago. He has taken an active role in protecting the local beach as a volunteer with the Surfrider Foundation for 17 years, sitting on its board of directors for two terms and heading the local chapter for six years. He is a communications specialist and established a home-based business in 1998. He earned a bachelor's degree in science from San Diego State University and a master's in fine arts from UCLA.  “I believe that all of us sitting up here today as candidates share certain concerns for the environment, advancing public health and safety,” said Duclos, “but I think there is a distinction that must be made. When I say these things, it's not just a pledge but a principle that I have practiced and put into action for years.”

Maxwell, in his early 40s, attended Long Beach State University and while in college 21 years ago, established Palos Verdes Limousine. For the past 18 years, Maxwell has worked with the Make-A-Wish Foundation.  “I am a father, a home owner, a business owner, I am running for City Council to ensure that our city officials are held accountable, you as citizens deserve that,” said Maxwell. “Our fire and police need to be backed up by the city, and funded and trained so that they are ready in the event of an emergency in the city.”

The council has continued to vote with only four members and will do so until a winner emerges in the June 6 election. The city is spending roughly $42,000 to hold the special election.

The November election saw 10 candidates. Bobko and Duclos ranked fifth and fourth, respectively, while Maxwell earned the seventh-ranked spot.  One question posed by Newman was in relation to the downtown, particularly the plaza, and stated the area has been a strong revenue source for the city in terms of sales tax and hotel tax, “However, police issues and negative newspaper publicity regarding pier plaza has hurt the downtown. If elected what would you do to protect the entertainment sector as an income source?”

Maxwell stated that the city needs pier plaza for the income and said that it is a central place for residents to gather.  “We need to work with our police and business owners to look for ways to control some of the perceived problems,” said Maxwell. “We also need to work with the media to get some positive outlook on Hermosa Beach and pier plaza through investing in some kind of program that advertises the good things that happen.”

Duclos said he has a personal stake in the plaza when he was hired by the city in 1996 to “inspire community pride” in support for business during the plaza's construction phase.  “Obviously we can't ignore that there has been bad publicity and that there are problems that need to be addressed but I also think we have to remember what it was like here 12 years ago, there were problems as well. I think we always have to address them, and ultimately move forward and continue to develop the area as a major attraction,” said Duclos. “We need to focus on the positive and developing those things that everybody in this community wants in terms of this area.”

Brittain also said that the plaza has received “ a lot of bad press” and said she is down on the plaza eating at the restaurants and attending events.  “You see families, you see dogs, you see every age down here, and everyone feels very comfortable and very safe,” she said. “We need to work on communication. What are we doing to not communicate the good things, why is the negative always taking the front row when there are so many strong positive things happening here?”

Bobko said as a general principle, local government should not be in the business of protecting the entertainment sector. Bobko gave several examples of how to encourage business citing Pasadena's new permit center.  “I think what we can do is encourage business and create a fertile business environment so that businesses come here and flourish,” said Bobko. “I want to make it easier for businesses to come to Hermosa to do business. I point to the city of Rancho Cucamonga that has a new online system in which people can schedule or change their permit timetables, cancel or schedule inspections, check the status of your plans. It saves the city money and that is just one example.”

 



The Daily Breeze – November 30, 2005

Hermosa police ask help in search for intruder

 

Masked person broke into a Hermosa Beach home last month but fled when a female resident fought him off.


Daily Breeze

Police Tuesday turned to the public for help in their efforts to find a masked intruder who broke into a Hermosa Beach home last month but fled when a female resident fought him off.

Investigators do not know if the man intended to burglarize the residence or sexually assault the woman, who was home with her children, Hermosa Beach police Detective Bob Higgins said.

The woman confronted the man in a hallway.  "She made such a fuss -- hitting, screaming, scratching," Higgins said.

The man broke in at 3:25 a.m. Oct. 29 through a possibly unlocked door at the woman's house in the 3500 block of Manhattan Avenue, the police report said.

The woman was home alone with her children.

The woman awakened to the sound of someone on an outdoor stairwell, a loud thump and the sound of a door or drawer sliding open upstairs. She shouted out to find out who was there, got out of bed and confronted the man in the hallway. He had a latex mask over his face.

The intruder grabbed her throat, applied pressure and told her to stay still. The victim fought back, scratching him, a police report said.

The victim's daughter and her friend locked the doors to their room and called 911, a police report said.

The man was described as more than 6 feet tall and dressed nicely.  He wore a long-sleeved, button-down shirt and possibly khaki pants.

The woman told police the man was in good shape and appeared athletic. He took nothing from the home and was unarmed.

Police are hoping somebody saw him run from the house.  "We are trying to see if anybody saw anything unusual the night it occurred," Higgins said.

Police did not immediately release information about the attack because of the ongoing investigation.  Anyone with information is asked to call Higgins at 310-318-0341.

Staff writer Stephanie Walton contributed to this article.

 


The Daily Breeze – July 29, 2005

Women attacked in 3 incidents near Pier Plaza in Hermosa Beach

 

Police in Hermosa Beach issued a warning Thursday for women to avoid walking alone late at night from Pier Plaza bars following two attacks that might be related to a brutal assault last year.

Police fear two late-night incidents in the vicinity of bars are the work of one man, who may have also committed a 2004 assault in the same area.  All three women were walking alone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The woman described the man as white, 6 feet 2 inches tall and 220 pounds with a stocky, muscular build and light-colored hair.  He was driving a gray or charcoal-colored four-door coupe, possibly a Cadillac or other large luxury car.  If you have any information, please contact the HBPD at 310-318-0332.


Daily Breeze

Police in Hermosa Beach issued a warning Thursday for women to avoid walking alone late at night from Pier Plaza bars following two attacks that might be related to a brutal assault last year.

Investigators speculate that the man -- dubbed the "Late Night Attacker" -- was attempting to rape his victim Sunday when he grabbed her as she walked on Monterey Avenue in the south end of the city.

"We don't know what the motivation for the attacks is," Sgt. Paul Wolcott said. "They haven't actually been completed but ... the intent of the attacker was for sexually assaulting the victim."

The victim was walking alone at 2:15 a.m. on a well-lighted sidewalk when a muscular man confronted her. The woman kneed the man in the groin, allowing her to escape, police said.

The woman described the man as white and 5 feet 10 to 6 feet tall.

Police believe the attack is related to a July 8 incident when a man tried to drag a woman into his car.

According to detectives, the woman was walking home from the downtown area in a dimly lighted alley near 10th Street and Monterey at 3:30 a.m. when she was accosted. The man tried to drag her to a car, but she fought with him, using her keys as a weapon. She escaped and ran.

The woman described the man as white, 6 feet 2 inches tall and 220 pounds with a stocky, muscular build and light-colored hair. He was driving a gray or charcoal-colored four-door coupe, possibly a Cadillac or other large luxury car.

Detectives believe the two recent incidents are related to the March 8, 2004, attack on a woman who was dragged into a stairwell and beaten.

Police did not know if the man intended to sexually assault or rob her. Nothing was taken from her purse.

The woman was knocked unconscious in the attack, which occurred on 10th Street east of Bayview Drive. The man ran when a resident looked out a window.

Police said women should avoid walking in dimly lighted alleys or streets at night, and should not walk alone.

"We don't know if he is seeing females in the bars and waiting for them to come out and following them or if he just is cruising by and sees them and tries to grab them," Wolcott said.

Wolcott said victims should do all they can to avoid being forced into a car.

Police issued a computerized sketch of the man in the hope that someone might be able to identify him.

Some bar operators have become aware of the attacks and are making sure employees and customers are safe.

"We make sure we walk all of our employees here to their cars at the end of the night," said Chris Saufua, a manager at Patrick Molloy's. "If (customers) are regulars or drinking too much, we walk them to a cab. We don't let them walk out of here drunk."

 


KCBS-TV Channel 2 News at 5 PM -

Hermosa Beach Police Issue Warning To Women - Broadcast on 7/29/05 at 5pm.

 

Hermosa Beach Police detectives believe the two incidents may be linked to a March 8, 2004, attack on a woman who was dragged into a stairwell and beaten. 

View the CBS-TV Channel 2 news story on the Pier Plaza Assaults . . .  You need Windows Media Player in order get the audio/video of this CBS-TV  news story reported by Paul Dandridge.

HERMOSA BEACH, Calif. (CBS) Hermosa Beach police are warning women to avoid walking alone from Pier Plaza nightspots following two attempted assaults possibly committed by the same man who attacked a woman last year.  Detectives told the Daily Breeze that they believe the man -- dubbed the "Late Night Attacker" -- was trying to rape a woman when he grabbed her as she walked on Monterey Avenue in the south end of the city early Sunday.  The victim was walking alone at 2:15 a.m. on a well-lighted sidewalk when a muscular man confronted her. The woman was able to escape by kneeing him in the groin, police said.  On July 8 about 3:30 a.m., a woman was walking home from the downtown area in a dimly lighted alley near 10th Street and Monterey Avenue when a man tried to force her into a car, the Daily Breeze reported.  That woman also managed to escape.  If you have any information related to the incidents, please call Detective Robert Higgins at 310-318-0341.


 

The Beach Reporter - February 3, 2005

 

Hermosa Beach News

 

Annual police report cites 2004 crime stats (2/3)

 

By Whitney Youngs

 

According to Hermosa Beach's annual statistical report for 2004, major crime in most categories exhibited a downward direction compared to 2003, but just like in 2003, there was a continued upward trend in the category of the number of adults arrested. 

 

According to the report, of the major crimes reported - murder, rape, robbery, assault, burglary, theft and auto theft - the police documented 714 crimes in 2004 compared to 752 crimes reported in 2003.

 

"It's always been described to me over the years that our crime rate is somewhat flat and I think this year's report is still somewhat characteristic of that," said Hermosa Beach Police Chief Mike Lavin. "We are up in a few categories, we are down in a few others. There are no real significant changes."

 

Police reported no murders this year compared to one last year while sex crimes declined from 11 cases in 2003 to seven cases in 2004.

The murder reported in 2003 was that of Hermosa Beach resident Joel Bues, 25, who was killed in his car at the intersection of Pier Avenue and Pacific Coast Highway in March 2003 at approximately 12:45 a.m.

 

Bues was shot to death while driving his BMW, which he pulled up to a red light at the intersection in the outside left-hand turning lane. Police were never sure if the shooting was a random act of violence or if Bues knew the suspect.

 

According to the report, robbery rose slightly with 20 cases reported in 2004 compared to 13 in 2003.

 

Assaults increased by only three cases from 140 in 2003 to 143 in 2004. On the other hand, burglary reports declined by three cases from 143 in 2003 to 140 in 2004.

 

 

Theft, which includes grand and petty thefts, and auto theft also declined in 2004. In the area of theft, police reported 388 cases in 2003 compared to 359 in 2004; and in auto thefts, police had reported 80 in 2002 and 56 in 2003, which are both up from 2004's 45 reported cases. DUI reports also decreased from 285 in 2003 to 164 in 2004.

 

"I not sure exactly why we have seen a drop in DUIs," said Lavin. "We still participate with the South Bay DUI Task Force which deploys every month. In addition to that, we are still out there doing our own thing."

 

Police continued arresting more people this year with 1,388 adults arrested. The figure continues to grow each year, setting new records in more than a decade. Police arrested 1,315 adults in 2003, which had already constituted the highest number of arrests since 1991.

 

"I think the large number of arrests is a result of the activity downtown," added Lavin. "It brings us an awful lot of business.

 

I'm not sure if we are necessarily seeing larger crowds. My impression is that the size is very much the same over the years. What we are seeing is a very transient crowd - a lot of different people who are circulating through just in the different people we arrest. People who are in the area have heard about Hermosa Beach and want to come check it out."

 

Juvenile arrests in 2004 were reported at 20 compared to 28 in 2003.

 

Police once again reported no fatal traffic accidents in 2004, 2003 or 2002; and reported 60 injury traffic accidents in 2004 compared to 88 in 2003. In the downtown area, the Police Department has had to staff foot patrols in the downtown area virtually every night of the week, which is an indication that the area has become more active during the week as well as the weekends.

 

"It remains busy on the weekends, in particular, but even now during the week it's busy, busy enough where we would never staff foot patrols down there at night we are now staffing them about six nights of the week," explained Lavin.

 

"We almost have to maintain a presence down there to kind of keep things under rein. People get intoxicated and start fighting, and if we weren't down there to stop it, we would see our misdemeanor batteries escalating into felony assaults with deadly weapons.

 

Someone could even go to the point of killing someone else just because they are in a drunken stupor and they're doing something really stupid. So really one of the real basic missions of the officers down there is to try and stop those disturbances from getting out of hand."

 

The number of police calls for service decreased this year from 32,241 to 30,215 while the number of disturbance calls rose from 3,025 to 4,201. The number of parking citations also increased from 46,800 to 51,137.


Hermosa Beach Crime Statistics - 1998 to 2004

                                                                                                                      Criminal        Adult       Total Calls     Disturbance

           Burglary    Robbery      Assaults     DUI       Citations        Arrests     For Service    Calls            

1998 --     113            17                77          150           562               608           19,951            3,199

2004 --     140            20              143          164         1,419            1,388           30,215            4,201

 

Crime Categories That Have Shown an Increase from 1998 thru 2004

                                                                                                Criminal        Adult       Total Calls      Disturbance

             Burglary    Robbery    Assaults      DUI       Citations       Arrests     For Service     Calls               

                Up            Up             Up           Up           Up               Up             Up               Up

              23.9 %   17.6 %       85.7 %     9.3 %    152 %        128 %       51.4 %        31.3 %

 

Source: The Hermosa Beach Police Department Activity Reports

 



 

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