Hermosa Beach News

Alcohol approved at Pavilion restaurant

By Chris Yang

On the question of whether Hermosa Beach should allow any new establishments to serve alcohol, the views of the city's Planning Commission were quite clear after its meeting Tuesday night: one more can't hurt. It voted unanimously to grant the owner of the Hermosa Pavilion a conditional use permit to sell alcohol on the premises.

Prior to the meeting, the building's owner, Gene Shook, submitted an application to the city as part of his proposal to create the “StillWater Contemporary American Bistro,” an 8,000-square-foot “organic” restaurant catering to an “upscale” crowd. At the commission's previous meeting, the restaurant designer hired by Shook estimated that the project would cost between $3 million to $4 million.

To win approval of the project, Shook conducted an intensive lobbying campaign within the community that included mailing invitations to every resident and business owner within the city of Hermosa Beach to an open house. According to Shook, several hundred people attended the event, with only one person voicing a negative opinion about the project.

As expected, many residents appeared at the Planning Commission meeting to oppose the city granting a liquor license to another business. Many argued that Hermosa Beach already exceeds the suggested limit of establishments serving alcohol within the area.

Not surprisingly, Shook did not agree. “If you're an upscale restaurant like a Fleming's, which this will be a ‘Fleming's Plus,' is a simple way to describe it ... it makes no sense to build it without the component of full-alcohol,” said Shook. “If I don't have the full-alcohol, it just doesn't pencil out.”

One resident asked the commission to postpone the decision due to the absence of Commissioner Ron Pizer. In the Planning Commission's previous meeting, Pizer had leaned against supporting the project. Several motions were offered at that meeting before the matter was continued to the Aug. 15 meeting.

Several amendments were made to the resolution before it was adopted, including allowing only one entrance to the restaurant (on the building's interior). Other amendments on the permit included prohibiting the use of plasma televisions, outdoor dining and cover charges. Several commissioners agreed that the larger issues affecting the city were traffic and parking. Before voting to approve the permit, Commissioner Langley Kersonboom added that his commission was not the appropriate forum to address the city's larger problems. “We don't have any control on traffic and that's not really our job. That's why, I guess, the Public Works Commission was made up. That's their job. I'm not shuffling it off to them,” said Kersonboom. “They have some kind of control on whether to make it one-way, a parking district, whatever it is, or ... to do something but I really think this (restaurant) is going to be an asset to the city.”

Hermosa Beach – Crime Watch 

HARASSING PHONE CALLS. A victim living in the 1200 block of Corona Street allegedly received two harassing phone calls between Monday July 10 and Thursday Aug. 10. The victim owns a medical referral service business. He recently terminated an employee, after which he allegedly began receiving the threatening calls. The first caller allegedly identified himself as a friend of this employee and stated “You owe us eighty large and we will be paying you a visit.” Later, the victim received another call in which the caller reportedly stated, “I have two guys in Hermosa Beach that will come slit your throat!” After the victim replied, “And?” the caller continued, stating, “How about I start with your neighbor?”

PETTY THEFT. A cell phone was reportedly stolen from a car on Sunday, Aug. 13, at 5:30 p.m. The incident allegedly occurred in the 1300 block of Manhattan Avenue. The victim left his car for a short period of time to make a delivery. He returned to find a Nokia i860 cell phone missing.

VEHICLE BURGLARY. Unknown suspects allegedly removed glasses, CDs, and a stereo's face plate between 10:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 9, and 6:30 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 10. The victim was unsure if the car was locked.

THEFT. An aluminum hydraulic jack was allegedly stolen from a construction site in the 2000 block of PCH. The hydraulic jack was estimated to be worth $2,000 and was a rental from Trench Shoring Inc. The incident allegedly occurred between 4 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 9, and 8:30 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 10.

BATTERY. A woman was reportedly the victim of an assault on Tuesday, Aug. 8, at 12:15 p.m. The victim was walking her dog near the 1600 block of The Strand when another individual jogging southbound allegedly stated, “You bimbo, get your (expletive) dog off the beach!” After ignoring the comments, the individual allegedly ran by again and said, “I told you to get your dog off the beach!” He then reportedly grabbed her by the shirt (near the neck) and started to pull her off the sand. Another individual reportedly managed to separate the two.

Manhattan Beach – Crime Watch

SLASHED TIRES. Sometime between July 30 at about 7 p.m. and July 31 at about 8 a.m., the tire of a car parked in the 900 block of Marine Avenue was slashed.  In a separate incident, sometime on July 28 at about 11 p.m. and July 29 at about 6:30 a.m., two tires of a car parked in the 900 block of Ninth Street were slashed. According to the police report, the victim's neighbors have had their tires slashed on six different occasions in the last six months.

CONCEALED WEAPON. On July 30 at about 1:30 a.m., a police officer traveling southbound in the 500 block of Sepulveda Boulevard in a marked patrol car spotted a silver Cadillac driving in front of him. The suspect vehicle continued through an intersection, despite the light having turned red. The officer then followed the car and pulled it over to conduct a return traffic violation. When the driver handed over his identification, a records check indicated that he was on probation for a marijuana offense. The officer asked the driver to step out of the car, which he did, and then he asked the suspect if he had any contraband in the car. The suspect hesitated and then said no. Another officer arrived on the scene to help with a search of the vehicle. Along with the driver, there were two female passengers and a male passenger in the suspect car. The police officer asked the suspect driver again if he had any hidden drugs or illegal contraband in the car; the suspect then admitted to having a gun in the glove compartment. Handcuffs were then put on the suspect driver and a search of the vehicle conducted. A loaded semi-automatic weapon was found. No drugs were found. The suspect was arrested; the passengers, who said they knew nothing about the gun, were not arrested. A records check indicated that the Los Angeles Police Department reported the gun found by Manhattan Beach Police officers in the car was reported stolen.

SCHOOL BURGLARIZED. On Aug. 11, the property manager of a building in the 1700 block of Laurel Avenue where a school is located reported that the building had been broken into, and several offices and rooms had been ransacked. Several computers were stolen along with other office supplies.

UNWANTED HOUSE GUESTS. A woman house sitting for a family on vacation left the residence in the 1500 block of Eighth Street at about 1 p.m. and returned to the house on Aug. 13 at about 8 p.m. She reported that unknown people had been in the house. When she arrived back at the house she noticed that the front door was closed but open and she knows that she locked the front when she left. She did report that a second-level balcony door was left open. When she entered the house and began walking through it, she noticed that there were empty beer cans throughout the living room and it appeared in disarray, even though she said that she left the house very neat. When she went into the master bedroom, she noticed that the bathtub was half full with dirty water and she found a message on a napkin written in pink ink that said several things, including thanks for letting us party in this house. It was signed, “Love everybody.” Nothing seemed to be missing. The police spoke via telephone with members of the family. The parents, who have a teenage son, believe it could be people they know and want to press charges. The police dusted and found fingerprints.

Redondo Beach – Crime Watch

DISTURBANCE. Police arrested a man for allegedly being under the influence of drugs and obstructing police in the performance of their duties in the 800 block of El Redondo Aug. 8 at about 11:45 p.m. Officers had received several calls about a subject running through yards. Officers arrived at the scene and contacted the man, who refused to stop. Police captured the man, but only after he ran through more yards and across a rooftop.

BRANDISHING A FIREARM. Police searched for two men who reportedly brandished a handgun at two women sitting on a bench in the 400 block of South Pacific Coast Highway Aug. 9 at about 10:40 p.m. The women reported that two men drove by slowly and “gawked” at them. When one of the women told the occupants to “keep going,” the driver backed up and pointed a handgun at them. The victims retreated into a nearby bar and told a policeman who happened to be inside conducting a business check. Officers were unable to locate the suspects.

SHOOTINGS. Police have opened an investigation into two separate BB gun shootings. The first occurred at Blossom Lane and Voorhees Avenue Aug. 10 at about 2 a.m. Two men were jogging when a vehicle approached and one of the occupants fired a BB gun at them. Minutes later, a second victim called to report a similar incident. There were no physical injuries in either incident.

ROBBERY. Two men reportedly robbed a group of people at gunpoint, stealing a cell phone, watch, money and bank cards from them in the 2500 block of Nelson Avenue Aug. 12 at 4:20 a.m.

We Get Letters

Enjoyed the CERT class

After eight weeks of Thursday night lectures, this past Saturday at Redondo Beach Fire Station No. 2 proved to be the grand finale in CERT training. CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) training is designed to prepare you to help yourself, your family and your neighbors in the event of a catastrophic disaster. Because emergency services personnel will not be able to help everyone immediately, you can make a difference by using training to save lives and protect property. Teams and safety is the central thread throughout the entire course. We have a fond viewpoint on the remarkable training and endurance needed to perform the firefighter and paramedic profession.

After our class was taught disaster preparedness, fire suppression, CPR/first aid, and search and rescue, we took it to the streets. For four hours, we applied all that we learned in class and did a mock drill of an 8.0 earthquake aftermath. Most important was not to panic, communicate in teams and know what your limitations are.

Taking this course gives the chance to squash the anxiety associated with the unknown, the what-if scenario that can happen in Southern California should the “big one” shake. We encourage people to embrace this program. You just never know what you can accomplish once you take that first step forward. We are very proud of our accomplishment and every person associated with CERT for their continued efforts to educate the public.

Kelly Kovac-Reedy, Hermosa Beach Neighborhood Watch Coordinators

Board asking for input

The Hermosa School Board had placed a bond measure, Measure “A,” on the ballot in the election two months ago. That measure was approved by a majority of voters but failed to pass since it did not receive the requisite 55 percent of votes. Because it is the sense of the board and a majority of voters that improvements to school facilities would be beneficial, the board will be revisiting the facilities needs of the Hermosa schools and the placement of a bond on the November 2006 ballot. The objective of the exercise will be to review facilities options and to identify and prioritize projects.

We ask that any interested parties e-mail comments to facilities@hbcsd.org, and/or participate in a public meeting to be held the evening of Aug. 2 at 7:30 p.m. in the City Council chambers at 1315 Valley Drive. The board welcomes your thoughts and comments on this important issue.

Greg Breen, Member, Hermosa Beach City School Board

Time to redirect energy

It should be pointed out that Jim Hausle, Jackie Tagliaferro's husband, was a member of the Citizen's Oversight Committee which reviewed and acknowledged that Measure “J” construction expenditures were not misspent. He knows and yet remains silent that the gym was designed as the integral core structure of the new construction at Valley School. To the dismay of “No on ‘A'” the gym will be completed along with a library and two science classrooms. The three other classrooms that were removed from the current construction plans are appendages, not separate, independent structures. They knew that the gym could not be discarded without abandoning the entire project.

I'm amazed to read that Kristine Keegan is, “Thankful for everyone from ‘No on “A”' who cared enough to try and make a difference.” She's grateful to them for delaying construction with nefarious lawsuits resulting in an escalation of construction costs. She's grateful that the School District had to spend in excess of $100,000 from the general fund (classroom money) for legal fees defending their lawsuits and she's grateful that they succeeded in denying our schoolchildren and teachers essential classroom facilities. So, “No on ‘A',” remember you advocated building classrooms. Why don't you now spend your energy on building them and educating children versus continuing to praise your self-serving, misguided, “Not-in-My-Neighborhood” campaign to stop construction of a gym?

Dick McCurdy, Hermosa Beach

Hermosa Beach News

HB City Council wrap

By Chris Yang

New police chief - Interim Police Chief David Barr invited the City Council and public to an event that will see his successor sworn into office. Hermosa Beach's new police chief, Greg Savelli, will be sworn in at a ceremony held in front of the police station on Saturday, Aug. 5. The event is scheduled to begin at 8 a.m., and will be followed by a reception with refreshments.

New police officer - Barr also introduced the newest member of the Police Department to the council and community. Josh Droze, 26, was born and raised in Huntington Beach. He is a U.S. Army veteran with service in Germany and Iraq. Barr added, “We believe Josh is an excellent addition to our police department, and will eventually become a true asset to our community.” Droze currently resides in Redondo Beach. 

Restaurant appeal continued - The issue of whether to allow a Pier Avenue restaurant to extend its operating hours from midnight to 2 a.m. drew more than 30 people to the meeting, but the decision was put off until Sept. 26 after the applicant asked the council to continue the matter. The applicant, Mediterraneo Restaurant, made the request hoping to have the issue be heard by all five members of the council (Councilman Sam Edgerton was not present at the meeting).

The newest member of the council, Kit Bobko, issued a veiled critique of Edgerton for his absence. “It will be my policy that, I think all these issues that come up that significantly impact someone's interests - be it financial, personal, property - deserve a full impartial hearing by a full five-member council,” said Bobko. “Five people are elected to this governing body, five people should make this decision.” Part of the agreement to continue the matter included the caveat that Mediterraneo will cover the cost of re-noticing the matter, at a cost of $379. Councilman Michael Keegan was the lone vote opposing the continuance.

Hermosa Beach News

H.B. voters strike down supplemental assessment

By Chris Yang

Hermosa Beach property owners voted down a proposal to create a supplemental maintenance district, making any future decision by the City Council a moot point.

An employee with the Hermosa Beach City Clerk's office confirmed the results by phone on July 26. Of 2,867 ballots received, approximately 52 percent voted against the district while 48 percent voted for the project, said Deputy City Clerk Jackie Drasco.

The votes were weighted according to the potential assessment assigned to a parcel, ensuring that “property owners who pay a greater share of the assessment have a greater say in determining the outcome.” Votes from property owners voting against the measure had a weighted value of $35,756, while those in favor equaled $33,749.

The results were originally intended to be formally announced at the next city council meeting Aug. 8, but employees with the city clerk's office made the results public once the counting of ballots was completed.

The city had hired Harris & Associates, an Irvine-based consulting firm to conduct the election. Proposition 218 requires that any potential increase in property assessments are approved by a majority vote of property owners. Because a majority of votes opposed the district, the measure fails and no decision by the City Council is required.

Hermosa Beach News

Officials review their beach driving policies

By Chris Yang

Mindful of past lawsuits and the recent death of a sunbather in Ventura County, the county of Los Angeles Lifeguard Division recently revisited its policy regarding the use of its vehicles on local beaches. The policy review was enacted despite local officials having no direct involvement with the accident at Oxnard's Mandalay State Beach, and focused mainly on decreasing the amount of beach driving done by county lifeguards.

“We've already been worried about this,” said Terry Harvey, a captain with the lifeguard's training division. “We have revised our policies to minimize driving on the beach. We've done many other things.”

Harvey stated that lifeguard vehicles are equipped with “go forward” and “back up” alarms - devices that emit a noise to alert people of the vehicle's presence. Harvey added that county lifeguards do not need to drive along the beach as frequently as they did before because of a new county Web site: www.watchthewater.org  The site incorporates cameras from more than 20 beaches to allow lifeguards to monitor areas without actually conducting a beach patrol. “That's a way to eliminate driving,” said Harvey.

According to the lifeguard division's Web site, new hires are enrolled in an 80-hour training academy that teaches “the basic principles of lifeguarding.” Permanent employees of the division must also become certified in a “core curriculum,” which lists “emergency vehicle driving” as one of its requirements. Lifeguards are instructed to “avoid right turns at all costs,” and are limited to 15 mph while driving on the beach.

Night patrols are limited to 5 mph, said Harvey. With respect to the scenario in Oxnard (which saw a police sport utility vehicle run over a woman lying beneath a sand berm), lifeguards are instructed to ascend and descend sand berms at an obtuse angle. Harvey did not specify whether this policy would have averted the tragedy in Ventura County. While driving along bike paths, lifeguards are required to have spotters, someone to guide the vehicle as it crosses the path. Harvey also stated that the division has increased the use of personal watercrafts, thereby decreasing the need for lifeguards to patrol with their trucks.

In addition to county lifeguards, the Beaches and Harbors Department also operates a fleet of trucks that performs a sizable amount of beach driving. According to the department's chief of maintenance operations, Wayne Schumacher, his fleet of trucks and tractors work across the entire county, from Nicholas Canyon Beach in the north to Cabrillo Beach in the south. The only beaches not included in Schumacher's purview are those located within the city of Santa Monica.

“They will drive on the beach throughout the day, doing one thing or another,” said Schumacher. “Cleaning restrooms, clearing fire pits, relocating lifeguard towers, repairing lifeguard towers.”

To avoid crowds, the Beaches and Harbors' fleet generally begins working at 5 a.m. and normally finishes before noon. “Typically, all vehicles are off the beach by 11 a.m.,” said Schumacher.

As with county lifeguards, Beaches and Harbors employees must adhere to strict guidelines while driving on the beach. Beaches and Harbors maintains a five-page written policy titled “Beach Driving and Vehicle Operation,” which encompasses all aspects of operating a vehicle on county beaches. When parked, orange cones must be placed around the vehicle at a distance of 5 feet “to force the driver to walk around the vehicle before operating it.” Beaches and Harbors' vehicles are limited to 10 mph while driving on the beach or in a parking lot, and 5 mph while on bicycle paths. Schumacher's fleet also includes devices that emit noise while driving in reverse.

One provision of the Beaches and Harbors' written policy also relates to the recent accident in Oxnard. Section 3.1.5.3 is titled “man-made and natural sand berms,” and states: “When ascending or descending a natural berm, do not drive straight up or down the berm. Instead, the driver should position the vehicle at a 45-degree angle, ensuring that the uphill portion of the berm is on the driver's side.”

Within the confines of Hermosa Beach, residents can also expect to see vehicles from several departments driving along the beach. Public Works Director Rick Morgan acknowledged that the city allows two of its vehicles to drive on the sand. “We only have the Public Works maintenance superintendent's pickup truck and also the Public Works tractor have access to drive on the sand,” said Morgan. He did not provide specific conditions that would prompt city employees to drive along Hermosa Beach, or a copy of the policy regarding these situations.

In addition to the Public Works Department, Hermosa's police officers are also allowed to drive along the beach. Unlike county agencies, the Police Department does not maintain a specific written policy with respect to beach driving. “We do use vehicles on the beach,” said Lt. Lance Jaakola. “Generally, the officers are required to give due regard to the public.” He added that with no set speed limit for beach driving, a vehicle's speed was at the driver's discretion. “They are required to drive no faster then conditions allow.”

Over the past decade, accidents similar to the one in Oxnard have occurred at county beaches. In 1998, the county paid $580,000 to settle a lawsuit brought by the parents of a 2-year-old boy who was killed after he was struck by a county lifeguard truck in Santa Monica. In 2002, a man was hit by a lifeguard truck while lying in the El Porto area of Manhattan Beach. In 2003, a woman was run over by a county lifeguard truck as she lay on the sand in Hermosa Beach. The woman, an El Camino College instructor, eventually dropped a lawsuit after the county agreed to compensate her $100,000.

HB City Council wrap

By Chris Yang

New councilman - In what Mayor Pete Tucker described as “a big event,” the fifth member of the Hermosa Beach City Council, Patrick “Kit” Bobko, was sworn at the beginning of the council's July 11 meeting. Upon reciting the oath of office, Bobko received a certificate from the city, which he then presented to his mother who was seated in the audience. Bobko's opening remarks included advice given to him from others that he should “be brief.” He also thanked many of his supporters.

Donations - The council approved a $10,000 donation from Upstage Right Productions for the city's Centennial Concert Series. Another donation of $3,744 was accepted by the City Council to be used in the Community Resources program for the 2006-07 fiscal year.

Pedestrian ordinance  The council strengthened the city's power to protect its citizens by adding several new clauses to a pedestrian protection ordinance. The changes mandate the introduction of a 6-foot-high chain link fence prior to the onset of any construction or demolition occurring at a site. In addition, a “Pedestrian Protection Plan” must be approved by the city prior to the issuance of any demolition or building permits.

Workers' Compensation - The council approved a resolution authorizing the city manager to negotiate and execute a three-year contract with the firm Southern California Risk Management Associates. The contract, worth approximately $117,928, was put out to bid by city officials in anticipation of the recent expiration of a contract with the city's existing third-party administrator, Hazelrigg Risk Management. The new contract is set to commence Aug. 1 and includes an option for extending it an additional two years.  According to a staff report describing the new contract, Hazelrigg Risk Management agreed to serve as the third-party administrator on a month-to-month basis until the city's Request for Proposals process is completed.

MTA requirements - The council adopted a resolution finding the city to be in conformance with the Congestion Management Program, and approved a Local Development Report. The annual certification is required by the Metropolitan Transit Authority, which acts as the Congestion Management Program Agency for the county of Los Angeles.

Hermosa Beach – Crime Watch

VANDALISM. The owner of a 1989 White Acura Legend reportedly had his/her front windshield smashed in after 11 p.m. on July 4. The incident allegedly occurred near the intersection of Ardmore and Pier avenues.

THEFT. Someone's backpack was reportedly stolen while she was swimming between 1 and 1:50 p.m. on July 5. The victim left her backpack on the beach near the 800 block of the Strand. When she returned at 1:50 p.m., it was gone.

THEFT. A 3G custom bike worth $600 was taken from a rack between 9 and 11 p.m. on June 30. The incident allegedly occurred near the 1200 block of The Strand.

FRAUD. Someone reportedly made fraudulent charges to the victim's bank account between June 29 and July 7. The victim reported charges of $946.72 appearing on his account that were not authorized. He was also charged overdraft fees of $154. The charges were all made in Ft. Meyers and Lehigh Acres, both in Florida.

Hermosa Beach News

A Model Home: H.B. man goes solar

By Chris Yang

Though he refers to himself as a “lay environmentalist,” Dency Nelson's adherence to the ideals of the conservation movement have recently brought him recognition for incorporating these values into the construction of his home.

In June, Nelson opened his home to the public as part of a “Solar Homes Tour,” an event intended to spark the interest of others within the community to consider implementing similar improvements. The event was sponsored by the South Bay Energy Savings Center, a taxpayer-funded entity engaged in advocating and educating the public about energy efficiency. Nelson's home, as one of the most efficient in the entire South Bay, was one of four showcased in the tour.

Nelson first purchased the property where he and his family currently reside in 1983. In 1988, he embarked on the creation of a new four-story dwelling that utilizes a “passive solar design,” trapping heat during the winter and dissipating it during the summer. As a result, Nelson's home is devoid of any mechanical forms of heating or cooling. Then, in what he describes as a “real big step,” Nelson added to his home's unique design by installing a 1.8-kilowatt photovoltaic system. In doing so, he became one of the area's first grid-tied, net-metered residents. The system itself consisted of 18 solar panels and an inverter (a device used to convert DC current to AC current). In the summer of 2001, Nelson installed an additional nine panels to his home, increasing the system's output to approximately 2.7 kilowatts. As it stands now, his home's current configuration produces approximately 60 percent of the energy his family uses, and has resulted in a sizable reduction in his family's monthly energy bill.

Nelson is a participant in California's net-metering program, a process by which homes engaged in renewable energy production are able to “bank” their surplus energy and use it at a different time than it is produced. According to the U.S. Department of Energy's Web site, net metering “enables customers to use their own generation to offset their consumption over a billing period by allowing their electric meters to turn backward when they generate electricity in excess of their demand.” Under this scenario, the traditional roles of producer and consumer are reversed, as Newman sells any excess energy produced at his residence back to the utility company, which becomes the buyer.

Cost - In 1998, California offered to subsidize property owners willing to invest in renewable energy production. It was this financial incentive that aided Nelson's decision to move forward with his photovoltaic system. Under an initiative known as the “New Solar Homes Partnership,” the California Energy Commission currently reimburses property owners that install photovoltaic systems to the tune of $2.60 per watt. Under this current rate schedule, if installed today, Nelson's 2.7-kilowatt system would qualify him to receive a rebate check of approximately $7,020 from the state of California.

“I'd say the same system today would probably be, out-of-pocket, under $10,000, and the payback would be less then 10 years,” said Nelson. “Again, especially if you employ a couple of the other things that I then did and learned about.”

Other steps

Nelson acknowledged that people might be intimidated by the financial impact of simultaneously purchasing a photovoltaic system and an electric vehicle as he did. He encouraged others to take steps to reduce their energy footprints regardless of their financial situation.

According to Nelson, something as simple as replacing the light bulbs in one's home would be a great place to start. After replacing every incandescent light bulb in his home with compact fluorescent and/or LEDs (light emitting diodes), he was able to achieve a sizable reduction in his electric bill. “One hundred kWh per month, my electric bill dropped, just by switching out 30 light bulbs,” said Nelson. “That's significant. These are the baby steps that should be taken first before you try to generate more electricity.”

Ultimately, Nelson achieved a reduction in his electricity bill from $125 to $50 per month. While this decrease may seem miniscule in comparison with his total investment of $17,000, Nelson points to his use of an electric vehicle as a major factor in his decision-making process. In doing so, he has almost completely transferred his family's consumption requirements to much cleaner sources of energy, and has almost completely insulated himself from the negative impacts of any increases in the price of oil. For Nelson, that is reason enough.

Hermosa Beach News

Police continue to defend against lawsuits

By Chris Yang

Officers from the Hermosa Beach Police Department appeared in federal court recently to defend the department against a lawsuit brought by 23-year-old Kenneth Agner. Agner was arrested three years ago in Hermosa Beach while celebrating the Fourth of July.

According to a July 6 article in the Daily Breeze, “Agner and a friend were taken into custody that day on allegations that they were harassing women on the beach and for public intoxication.”

City Attorney Mike Jenkins characterized the incident in an article that appeared in The Beach Reporter last year. “The men were arrested after engaging in what amounted to a brawl with four police officers,” said Jenkins. “In the course of their pretrial proceedings in criminal court that went against them, they filed a complaint with the Police Department alleging that the officers had engaged in abusive authority and excessive force.”

The department subsequently conducted an internal investigation (required by law) upon receiving the complaint. The investigation eventually exonerated the Police Department and concluded that officers involved in the incident should not be disciplined for their behavior.

Sgt. Raul Saldana defended his involvement with the arrests in a story that ran in the Daily Breeze last year. “Pepper spray is the most benign way of handling a situation like that,” said Saldana. “There were hundreds of people gathering around us and (Agner) was starting to incite a riot. My job was to get him into the car and get him out of there before the situation got out of hand.”

Over the past two years, the department has had to deal with 12 civil suits, most of which allege the excessive use of force, false arrest or violations of civil rights. The city has spent more than $500,000 to defend against these suits. All of which prompted recent public statements from the interim police chief David Barr at a June 26 community forum. “Be very careful about the use of force. I won't tolerate the excessive use of force,” said Barr.

If Agner prevails, the city may take another sizable hit to its $24 million budget.

Hermosa Beach News

Suspect at large after attempted sexual assault

By Chris Yang

A resident of Hermosa Beach recently reported that she was the victim of an attempted sexual assault. The report spurred the Hermosa Beach Police Department to place additional officers on patrol throughout the city. The incident allegedly occurred on the evening of Sunday, June 25, between Hermosa and Myrtle avenues.

The suspect remains at large.

Local residents first learned of the incident from Lt. Tom Bohlin, who appeared alongside interim police chief David Barr, at a June 26 community forum.

“We had an attempted sexual assault at the north end of Hermosa Avenue,” said Bohlin. “It just happened (June 25). We're not sure if she can ID him.” According to Bohlin, the victim was walking home after spending time at a local bar when the incident occurred.

Detective Robert Higgins was recently assigned to the case and provided more information to The Beach Reporter in a subsequent phone conversation.

“He came up from behind her, and started rubbing up against her,” said Higgins. “She just screamed, and they ran in opposite directions. She did not fight back.”

As a result of the incident, Higgins explained, “We're going to put extra officers on patrol.” When asked if any similar types of incidents had occurred in recent history, he replied, “No, not with this MO.”

According to a subsequent report in the Daily Breeze, the suspect was described as a male Latino weighing roughly 220 pounds with an approximate height of 5 feet 9 inches.  

Hermosa Beach – Crime Watch

HOME INVASION/ASSAULT WITH A DEADLY WEAPON. Two suspects reportedly entered an apartment at gunpoint on June 27 at 9:45 p.m. The incident allegedly occurred in the 1600 block of Ardmore Avenue. Someone noticed two individuals standing near his friend as he opened the door to the apartment. After the victim asked who they were, both individuals allegedly brandished pistols and forced their way inside. One victim was allegedly pistol-whipped in his left eye during the invasion. One suspect then demanded money while pointing a gun at the victim's head. A second suspect then separated the victim from his friends, forcing him to wait on the balcony of the apartment. When the suspect looked away, the victim jumped to the first floor and fled. The suspects, fearing capture, fled the building.

ARMED ROBBERY/CARJACKING. A customer of a local supermarket was the recent victim of an alleged robbery and carjacking. The incident allegedly occurred in the 700 block of Pier Avenue on July 4 at 1:57 a.m. As the victim was about to enter his vehicle to leave the establishment, two individuals brandishing revolvers allegedly approached him. One suspect then pointed his gun at the victim's stomach and said, “I don't want to hurt you Š give me all of your money and your car keys.” A second suspect then physically moved the victim and stated, “Stand over here.” The two individuals then entered the victim's 2001 Jeep Cherokee and drove away. A third suspect driving a white van followed the victim's vehicle out of the parking lot. The victim's wallet, ATM card, cell phone and checkbook were all taken.

VEHICLE BURGLARY. An acoustic guitar was reportedly stolen from a vehicle parked near Second Street and Hermosa Avenue on June 30 at around 3 p.m. The victim allegedly returned to his 2006 Ford Fusion to find the windows rolled down halfway and several items missing. The victim reported that a Yamaha (Model No. L-1000) acoustic guitar worth $1,000 and his friend's Hermosa Beach parking permit were taken.

GRAFFITI. Unknown suspects using spray paint cans allegedly wrote “MB 90266,” “MB” and “F- COPS” between 8 p.m. on July 1 and 9 a.m. on July 2. The graffiti was discovered on the east wall of a building located on First Place.

MORE GRAFFITI. New graffiti was found on two windows and the front wall of a building in the 900 block of Hermosa Avenue. The incident allegedly occurred between 5:30 p.m. June 30 and 9 a.m. July 1. 

Hermosa Beach – Letters to the Editor

Thanks from Neighborhood Watch

Hermosa Beach Neighborhood Watch would like to thank the residents who came to the Community Chat - A Conversation with the Chief. A special thanks to Chris Cleary, general manager at the Coffee Bean for providing the refreshments. Interim Chief of Police David Barr was the truly genuine character that he is and answered every question that the audience asked. Lt. Tom Bohlin was present to give the chief support.

HBNW coordinators would like to recognize and appreciate the above-board job that we feel the HBFD and HBPD do on a daily basis to ensure the safety of their 19,000 residents. We are reminded that anything worth having is worth protecting. We need to keep in mind that we are truly fortunate to have our own police and fire personnel in town.

Every day has the potential for being better and to learn from the previous day. No one can change our past adversities, but we can all have a part in the future. Today, we as neighborhoods can organize ourselves to be strong, positive assets to our ever-changing community. We must recognize, before it is too late, that we do live in an amazing beach town with amazing people taking risks every day to ensure a better, safer and fun place to live and raise a family. Join HBNW, choose a block captain for your street and actively work through differences to make change happen.

Kelly Kovac-Reedy, Hermosa Beach

Against street lighting increase

I encourage Hermosa property owners to vote no on the supplemental property tax ballot they received.

This insidious additional tax will be adjusted upward every year by the average annual consumer price index of Los Angeles, Orange and Riverside counties. That means Hermosa property owners will pay $3.6 million in the first 15 years if the CPI averages 5 percent.

Don't be misled by the initial small amount the ballot indicates or be fooled into thinking your street lights will be turned off if you vote no on this tax.

Unlike residents of Manhattan Beach, Hermosa residents pay, among other taxes, the 6-percent Utility Users Tax on utility, phone and cable TV bills. That tax currently brings the city treasury $2.6 million a year and increases directly as utilities do. The UUT was originally for sewer repairs and a few minor items. Hermosa councils have since converted it to a general slush fund and it's been reaping a windfall as utility bills have gone up. It's used now for anything to compensate for the staggering public safety costs of preventing death and serious injury in Hermosa's downtown bar district.

Hermosa's council desires to tax property owners more so it can spend other of the people's money to intensify visitors to essentially nil city revenue-producing businesses downtown.

A no vote will instruct the council to better tax and minimize that which is drinking the city treasury dry rather than those already taxed too much.

Howard Longacre, Hermosa Beach

Interim Police Chief David Barr addresses community members during an open forum.

(photo by Chris Yang)

Hermosa Beach News

Interim police chief speaks to residents

By Chris Yang

The inner workings of the Hermosa Beach Police Department were on full display Monday night at an event sponsored by the Hermosa Beach Neighborhood Watch. The forum, titled “Conversations With the Chief,” was held at City Hall and allowed residents the opportunity to meet and speak with the interim police chief, David Barr.

Barr, who began working in February, was chosen as interim chief after the resignation of Mike Lavin, the former head of the department. Barr went ahead with the event despite a June 23 story in the Daily Breeze which revealed that city leaders are “in the final stages” of deciding who will replace him. Barr, who is not a candidate for the position, addressed the issue later on in the evening. “If I was younger, I'd have applied to the position,” he said.

Despite all the speculation about his job, Barr's message remained consistent throughout the entire evening: The Police Department cannot solve all of the city's problems and the community needs to do its fair share. “Be vigilant,” he said.

When asked if more police are needed, Barr responded, “We can always use more police.”

Barr then stressed a department with only 39 sworn officers must choose how it uses its resources wisely. While it is common for the department to have four officers on duty during the week, that number increases during the weekend when incidents are more likely to occur.

Lt. Tom Bohlin, who answered some of the audience's more technical questions, joined Barr on stage. “Eighty percent of those arrested live outside of the area,” said Bohlin. “We're low on violent crime, but big on property crime.”

According to Barr, the Police Department has three vacancies to fill. “We have three vacancies. We're going to put two people in the police academy. It'll be months before they can go out on their own,” said Barr. In addition to the two officers in training, two officers are currently on injured-on-duty status, he said.

Barr also addressed the upcoming July 4 holiday. “We're calling in 10 sheriff's deputies. I'd like to promise you that nothing will happen this Fourth of July,” he said.

At one point, some of the department's past scandals surfaced after a woman raised the specter of ongoing FBI investigations. “In this town, the FBI is investigating (the department). Seventeen out of 39 officers are being investigated. I experienced it,” said the woman. She may have been referring to an inquiry conducted by the FBI that arose after two Hermosa Beach residents filed suit against the department for civil rights violations.

Barr's response? “Be very careful about the use of force. I won't tolerate the excessive use of force.” He then pointed to a 2002 U.S. Department of Justice study that stated only 8 percent of all complaints were found to be prosecutable. City leaders are expected to make a final decision on Barr's replacement within the next few weeks.
 

Hermosa Beach – Crime Watch

ATTEMPTED SEXUAL ASSAULT. A woman was allegedly accosted by a man around 10:30 p.m. on June 25. The incident allegedly occurred at the north end of Hermosa Avenue as the woman was walking home from a local establishment. The victim was allegedly speaking on her cell phone when the suspect approached her while exposing himself. The victim reportedly screamed, causing the suspect to run away.

BURGLARY. Someone reportedly entered an apartment on Hermosa Avenue between 6 p.m. June 20 and 4:30 p.m. June 22. The suspect allegedly entered the victim's unlocked bedroom and took keys belonging to the victim's motorcycle.

BURGLARY. Someone reportedly removed a bicycle from a garage that was left open in the 1000 block of 10th Street. The incident allegedly occurred on June 24 at approximately 5 p.m.

VEHICLE BURGLARY. An unknown suspect or suspects broke into a vehicle that was parked in the 600 block of Second Street sometime between 8 p.m. June 20 and 7 a.m. June 21. A Swiss Army briefcase was reportedly removed from the car.

BATTERY. A person attending a child's birthday party at 2:30 p.m. on June 17 was allegedly the victim of a battery by another person attending the party. The victim was allegedly hit with a bottle while sitting down at a table. He claims to have been attacked for no reason. The person accused of attacking the victim claims to have done so after the victim became belligerent and started throwing items at other partygoers.

PETTY THEFT. On June 25 between 5 and 6 p.m., a Motorola E118 cellular phone was stolen from a restaurant near the 1100 block of The Strand. An employee of the restaurant left the phone in the back of the establishment where personal items are normally kept. When she returned, the phone was gone.

Manhattan Beach – Crime Watch

CARJACKING. On June 5 at about 1 a.m. in the 1700 block of Voorhees Avenue, the victim parked her car on the street in front of her house. She went inside the house and then came back about five minutes later to unload her car. As she walked to her car, she was approached by a slow-moving black SUV. She thought someone was going to ask her for directions. Instead, a male suspect exited the front passenger door, ran toward her and yelled for her to give him her keys. She noticed that the suspect had a small gun in his hand. She gave the suspect her keys, saying that she feared for her life. He grabbed the keys, entered her car and drove away. The suspect was followed by the black SUV.

BURGLARY. On June 17 at about 10:35 p.m., the victim secured and locked the Mexican restaurant in the 1100 block of Artesia Boulevard and returned the next day at about 7:45 a.m. to discover that someone had thrown a brick through the glass of the front door. The victim noticed that several items were out of place, but nothing seemed to be missing. The victim left the cash register drawer open with nothing inside.

GRAFFITI. The victim, who lives in the 3500 block of Pine Avenue, reported that she had last seen her planter boxes clean and without graffiti on June 20 at about 9:30 p.m. The next morning at about 8 a.m., the victim observed graffiti markings along the sidewalk north of her property on several planter boxes. The markings and color of paint were similar to graffiti markings found along the greenbelt.