Hermosa Beach News

H.B. couple busted for pot operation

By Chris Yang

While responding to a domestic disturbance report, Hermosa Beach police officers stumbled upon a sophisticated marijuana-growing operation earlier this week that resulted in the arrest of two individuals and the seizure of 25 marijuana plants.

Justin Mark Albergate, 29, and Sara Joy Frank, 29, both of Hermosa Beach, were taken into custody shortly after police officers received a call on the afternoon of Aug. 22 alerting them to a possible case of domestic violence.

Officers Don Jones and Bill Charles arrived at 41 Fifth St. to assess the situation. After coming into contact with Frank (who was alone at the time), Officers Jones and Charles entered the residence “because of the allegation of domestic violence” and quickly discovered a room specifically maintained for cultivating marijuana. The statement went on to indicate that the room's walls were “lined with foil,” “grow lights had been installed” and there was a “sophisticated carbon filter ventilation system in place.”

Frank was immediately arrested by the officers at the scene and charged with cultivation of marijuana.  After conducting a search of the area, Albergate was found and taken into custody by Sgt. Lance Heard and Detective Lance McColgan. Albergate was charged with cultivation of marijuana and a violation of parole.

A press officer with the Hermosa Beach Police Department provided more details about the bust in a follow-up phone call. While no estimate was given on the value of the seized plants, Sgt. Paul Wolcott explained how the contraband would be used as evidence. “Essentially what we do is take samples from them for evidentiary purposes, and then they're eventually destroyed,” said Wolcott.

Albergate was not allowed to post bail because of the allegation involving his violation of parole. Frank's bail was set at $30,000.

Hermosa Beach News

Fire Department frustrated by delays in Sharkeez investigation

By Chris Yang

In recent weeks, officials with the Hermosa Beach Fire Department have become increasingly frustrated at the lack of progress with the investigation into a fire that burned down one of the city's most popular bars, Aloha Sharkeez.

In a conversation earlier this week, the department's lead investigator, Capt. James Crawford, blamed bureaucratic delays within the city's Building Department for leaving arson investigators with little to show for their efforts.

“Well, the fire investigation has not been completed because of the holdup in the Building Department,” said Crawford. “It's all been held up.”

Shortly after the May 9 fire, investigators with the South Bay Arson Team entered the burned wreckage to begin an investigation, but officials soon halted their work due to the existence of asbestos-laden debris and the questionable nature of the structure's stability. One official with the Fire Department was quoted in the Daily Breeze as blaming the delay on “asbestos in a 400-square-foot acoustical ceiling in the area where the fire possibly originated.” In July, another spokesperson with the Fire Department told The Beach Reporter that investigators were “waiting for an asbestos report from the Building Department.”

But as of Monday, asbestos no longer appears to be an issue with the Fire Department. “Asbestos was not a major issue,” said Crawford. “Our concerns are mostly with the structure's stability. The investigation was not able to go any further until removal of (the) heavy equipment, and that has been put on hold.”

Regardless of the actual contents of the building hindering the investigation, the Fire Department has been waiting for weeks to have the debris removed and the site deemed suitable for the return of its arson investigators. But because the city has yet to inform the bar's owners, Greg and Ron Newman, how much of the site is salvageable, the owners have been reluctant to proceed with the demolition process, hoping to coordinate the department's investigation, the asbestos abatement and debris removal all at one time.

In a July 21 report, a senior building inspector with Hermosa Beach told the Daily Breeze that city officials were “calculating how much of the structure is intact,” so the Newmans would have a better idea of what could be rebuilt. The inspector also stated that if the city finds “half the original structure is intact,” the owners can rebuild the property “as it was” before May 9. The review process is based on photographs and building plans, which were submitted to the city in July.

But three weeks into the process, the matter has languished in the Building Department, leaving both the owners of the property and the Fire Department's investigators in the dark.

“I'm kind of in the dark about how this whole process works,” said Newman. “I don't know why everyone thought we were supposed to do the demolition.” Newman also conceded that an architect is currently working on plans for what will replace the charred wreckage. He added that no officials with the Fire Department had contacted him in recent weeks regarding the incident.

When reached by phone, officials with the Building Department referred all questions to the director of Community Development, Sol Blumenfeld. Blumenfeld did not respond by press time after several attempts were made to reach him by phone.

Crawford suspects financial concerns surrounding the demolition process have become an issue. “Who's going to foot the bill?” said Crawford. “I think Mr. Newman is waiting to hear from the city.” He added, “There's never been a case like this. I've been here 20 years. It's a little frustrating.”

In certain circumstances, investigators with the Fire Department are able to pursue obtaining a search warrant to continue their work. The request must be routed through a court and typically occurs when an owner has denied the Fire Department entrance to his or her property. Crawford stated this particular investigation has not yet taken that turn. “We're trying to move forward in a cooperative manner,” he said.

At least one owner of a neighboring establishment was not overly concerned with the property's slow reconstruction. “As far as we know, we're in limbo looking at it,” said Patrick Malloy's owner Fred Hahn. “We take things day to day here.”

Hermosa Beach News

Man crashes car into Marina following evasion

By Drew Holland

A man drove a blue sport utility vehicle through a railing and into the Redondo Beach Marina last Friday after evading police.

Police fished the driver out of the water and took him to a hospital for a psychiatric evaluation, according to Sgt. Paul Wolcott of the Hermosa Beach Police Department.

Police first spotted the man driving west on Herondo Street at 7:20 a.m. A traffic officer noticed that one of the vehicle's front tires had blown out, and tried to pull the driver over.

The driver failed to stop, turned left onto Harbor Drive, then right onto Yacht Club Way.

“He wasn't going fast at all,” said Wolcott.

The driver continued on the road that runs parallel to the break wall.

“Then he makes a sudden left-hand turn, crashing through the guard rail and driving into the water,” Wolcott said

The driver swam out of the partially submerged vehicle and was taken into custody at about 7:30 a.m.

Police called a large tow truck to hoist the vehicle out of the water.

“I can tell you this, the car is trashed,” Wolcott said.

Wolcott said the event was straightforward, but unusual.

“This is not something that happens on a regular basis.”

Hermosa Beach News

HB Council won't give any more to schools

By Chris Yang

The council denied a request by local resident Kristine Keegan to place an issue on the agenda. Keegan lobbied the council to help the Hermosa Beach School District by donating funds to avert any potential cuts in school programs. Councilman Sam Edgerton described any donation to the district as “robbing Paul to pay Peter, because it's all public funds.” He added, “We already pay for crossing guards, it's about $60,000 a year; that does come out of (the) general fund.”

In addition, Edgerton pointed to an after-school center at South Park (used by the district rent-free) and the Wave, a transit service funded by the city that takes children from Hermosa View to South Park. “You look at those three things, they add up. So the city is already paying a significant sum to the school.” He concluded by stating, “I don't think it should be agendized. I don't think it comes at a good time either because I think this is more to do about Measure ‘J' than with anything else.”

New police chief - At the beginning of the Aug. 8 City Council meeting, City Manager Steve Burrell introduced the city's new police chief to the council. “We welcome him to the community,” said Burrell. Greg Savelli thanked the council for his appointment and for trusting him to ensure the public's safety.

Movie in the Parks - Friends of the Parks President Laura Raymond invited the Council and the public to attend a screening of “Wallace and Gromit” at Valley Park later this month. “We're hoping that friends, neighbors, residents, families will come out and support the event and have a good time,” said Raymond. The event is scheduled for Aug. 26 at 5 p.m. “If it was like ‘Shark Tales' last year, that thing was hilarious,” said Mayor Pete Tucker. “Maybe next year we can get ‘Barnyard' down there.”

Pier Avenue restriping - Local resident Eleanor Lynn asked for clarification from the council about Pier Avenue's current configuration. “Last week when I came down Pier Avenue in the early evening, bicyclists and skateboarders were using the new lane,” said Lynn. “We're just asking for trouble if this is the way it's going to be.” Public Works Director Rick Morgan stated that a public hearing would be held about the matter “a few weeks after Labor Day.”

Bus promotions - At the request of resident Patty Egerer, the council agreed to revisit the issue of promoters busing in people to patronize local establishments. “They just come in like waves, but it's a negative impact on the city,” said Edgerton. “It's really not, you know, what I think a beach town is about.” He then addressed City Attorney Mike Jenkins, stating, “It's so out of hand. I'm getting overrun by some of these yahoos from, like, the valley. Find us the damn exemption so we don't have promoters running downtown.”

Council rotation - Edgerton thanked Tucker for his service to the city, and noted that at the next council meeting (Sept. 12), he would be the new mayor of Hermosa Beach. Mayors serve on the council for nine months, after which the mayor pro tem rotates to the new position. Tucker will no longer conduct council meetings but will continue to serve as a regular member of the council.

Anti-graffiti ordinance - Councilman Kit Bobko requested the council to consider an anti-graffiti ordinance. “There are some real ingenious ordinances out there,” said Bobko. Possible penalties for violators include imposing civil liability on offenders' parents, or suspension of driving privileges. Currently, there is no local ordinance pertaining to graffiti vandalism.

Kiwanis clock - The council agreed with a staff report recommending that bids for the installation of a 15-foot-tall clock at the east end of Pier Plaza be redone. The clock was purchased by the city after the Kiwanis Club donated $13,000. “We got a free clock and it's costing us $100,000 to install it,” said Councilman Michael Keegan. Public Works Director Rick Morgan added, “Staff believed the bids were just too high, so we reached out to local contractors. We are going to tweak a few of the design aspects.” The council expects to hear the matter again at the second meeting in September.

In memoriam - The council voted unanimously to adjourn the meeting in honor of Bill Meistrell and David Schumacher, two of the South Bay's leading figures. Both died in recent weeks.

Hermosa Beach News

HB School District will not put bond on November ballot

By Chris Yang

After making significant efforts to consider the placement of a new bond measure on the November ballot, officials with the Hermosa Beach School District declined to proceed with the matter and instead left the issue open for further study.

Prior to the decision, trustees had called a special meeting on Aug. 2 to hear public comments and gauge voter interest in supporting a new bond measure. The meeting was followed later that week with the news that trustees would consider the matter at their next public meeting on Aug. 8. The meeting had originally been scheduled for Aug. 9, but was moved to the prior day on the advice of the School Board's attorneys.

“The lawyers say it'll take a full day to pull the county filing together, so they'd like to have the resolution by the 8th,” said board Trustee Greg Breen. “So we put the bond on the agenda, and moved the meeting to Tuesday so that we could give the lawyers time to pull (the) county filings together in case we decided to go forward with a bond.”

While leaving the School Board without funds it was hoping to receive, district officials sought to give the community more time to relieve some of the animosity created by the last bond measure.

“There was no motion that was made,” said Breen. “The direction to staff was to continue to look at all options for school expansion, and to come up with a list of priorities and a list of costs, and we continue to work with the community to meet the anticipated needs of the school.”

Breen added that while the board will not meet the deadline for the ballot this November, it reserves the right to hear the matter again in a future year.

All of these actions come directly on the heels of the defeat of another bond measure that was placed on the June ballot earlier this year. The measure was intended to raise $13.1 million to assist with facilities improvement across the entire district.

The board also received an update from its legal counsel on a lawsuit brought by the Committee for Responsible School Expansion. Oral arguments in the case are expected to be heard by an appellate court on the morning of Aug. 18. Prior to that time, the trial court hearing the matter sided with the School District and rejected the CRSE's claims. After construction at the Valley site began, the CRSE subsequently filed an appeal requesting an injunction to stop the work and forbid the use of Measure ‘J' funds on that particular project. A decision is expected from the appellate justices within 90 days of the oral arguments.

Hermosa Beach News

HB School Board to explore new bond

By Chris Yang

Despite the defeat of a $13.1 million bond measure on the June 6 ballot, officials with the Hermosa Beach School District are once again considering the placement of a new general obligation bond on a future ballot. If placed on the ballot this November, the move would mark the second time this year that district officials requested the approval of voters to finance improvements at the district's facilities through the creation of new long-term debt.

In a July 24 e-mail to The Beach Reporter, School Board member Greg Breen cited “the sense of the Board” and a “majority of voters” as the primary factors behind the board's decision to consider a new proposal.

“We're going back to square one,” said Breen. “The objective for the meeting is to find out what the community thinks is important.”

As with the district's last proposal, Measure “A,” a new bond would require the approval of at least 55 percent of the voters to pass. Breen envisioned funds from a new bond going toward the renovation of the district's North School site, which he described as “an old school that hasn't been used in 20 years.” Currently, the property is being leased by two organizations, the South Bay Adult School and Seasprites Inc. Both use a portion of the school in a manner consistent with the mission and goals of the School District, said Breen.

Local residents Miyo Prassas and Jackie Hausle were both opposed to Measure “A,” and addressed Breen's use of the North School site in a June 2 article in The Beach Reporter. They argued against incurring new costs to renovate the facility in preparation for moving students to the site.

“Reopening the North School with only a small student body coupled with the need for ongoing fixed costs for staff and administrative personnel would place a financial burden on the district,” said Prassas and Hausle.

According to Breen, if the district moves forward with its decision to place a new bond measure on the ballot this fall, the board would need to submit the finished resolution to the county registrar's office by Aug. 10.

“If there's sentiment to move forward, we'd have a meeting (Aug. 8) to craft the resolution and vote on it,” said Breen. “It'd have to be a board resolution, so we'd have to have a board meeting to do so.”

Just how much weight the board will give to public comments heard at the special meeting remains yet to be seen. Breen added that funds raised from a new bond measure would not be used to pay for expenditures related to litigation, and implied that any new debt would not be carried by the School District.

“We don't really carry the debt,” said Breen. “The bond is a general obligation bond, which means it is debt owed by the Hermosa Beach community that will be repaid out of property taxes.” He added, “Šthe new bond measure would allow us to complete projects that were intended to be part of Measure ‘J' but which were cut because of construction cost increases. Most of the cost increases arise from the delays in completing projects, delays which were exacerbated by the litigation.”

As of Wednesday, the School Board was yet to issue any specific numbers with respect to the potential size of a new bond, or the added impact of such a proposal to local residents' property taxes.

Local resident Jackie Tagliaferro, an opponent of the district's previous proposal, offered some guidance to the School Board in the instance it proceeds with a new bond measure. “If it's similar to the one they previously tried to pass, the voters will not vote for it,” said Tagliaferro. “They need to make classrooms a priority.” She added, “Right now, the people don't have any faith in them.”

According to the investment research Web site Morningstar.com, general obligation bonds are “backed by the full faith and credibility of the municipality,” and are “prized for their relative safety as investments.” They are typically associated with public projects that do not create a source of revenue, like roads or schools.

Hermosa Beach – Crime Watch

DEADLY WEAPON ASSAULT. Someone riding a bike on The Strand was allegedly shot with a pellet from an Airsoft pellet gun July 12 at 5:08 p.m. The victim was riding with his friend northbound in the 200 block of The Strand when his friend realized someone standing in the vicinity had shot something at the victim. The suspect did not know the victim, who was not injured by the incident.

VEHICLE BURGLARY. A vehicle parked in the garage of an apartment complex in the 400 block of Herondo Street was allegedly burglarized on July 12, at an unspecified time. A cell phone, sunglasses, and yoga bag worth approximately $100 were reportedly stolen from the vehicle.

VEHICLE BURGLARY. Several items were reportedly stolen from a vehicle parked in the 1700 block of Monterey Boulevard between 7 p.m. July 14 and 10 a.m. July 15. The victim's California Drivers' License, a handicap placard and the vehicle's stereo were reportedly stolen.

VANDALISM. Someone reportedly smashed a victim's car windshield between 9:50 and 11:15 p.m. on Saturday, July 15. The vehicle was parked in the lower parking lot located at 702 Pier Ave.

BATTERY. On Sunday, July 16, at 12:46 a.m., several individuals were involved in an incident at a Pier Plaza establishment that led the citation of two people for misdemeanor battery. As a woman danced with two of her friends in the establishment, a man approached them on the dance floor and asked the woman to dance. After she refused, words were exchanged between the two parties. Each party claims to be the victim of an assault.

Hermosa Beach News

Officials propose $25 million budget

By Dave Eisenstadt

Hermosa Beach city officials propose to spend almost $25 million during the next year on salaries, renovations and a host of projects with well more than one-fourth of the budget slated for the Police Department, an increase of about 11 percent.

Officials released their budget blueprint earlier this month. The compendium represents the monetary wishes and expectations of the city employees and their leaders. By law, the Hermosa Beach City Council is required to adopt an annual budget by June 30.

According to the budget blueprint, officials propose to spend $24.7 million to run and improve the city. Officials are asking taxpayers to foot an increase of $1.2 million from last year, an increase of 5.3 percent.

In terms of percentage increase, officials plan to bestow the largest on salaries and other administrative costs related to the Public Works Department. Officials have asked for $713,145 for that, an increase of some $72,000 or 11.25 percent.

The general fund and officials' planned expenditures show a steady increase since 2004. That year, the general fund amounted to a bit more than $19 million.

Last year, the fund climbed to $23.4 million. If passed by council as is, this year's $24.7 million budget is up by $1.2 million - an increase of 5.3 percent.

Public safety - Police and Fire departments - will continue to eat up most of the city's money. Officials are seeking to spend 49 percent of the budget on public safety.

Capital renovations make up the next largest share. Officials are seeking to spend 18 percent of the budget there. Public works projects and salaries take up 16 percent of the requested funds.

The city's management and support budget is estimated to take up about 7 percent of the budget, community development about 5 percent, recreation less than 4 percent and legislative matters less than 3 percent.

City Council members, though part-time jobs, are asking for increases in overall budget and a host of benefits. The council is seeking to increase its budget from $194,600 this year to $202,562.

The bulk of the increase stems from benefit hikes. For instance, officials are seeking to increase employee benefits to $53,257 from $40,865 last year. A category called “other post employment benefits” is slated to increase from $985 to $1,297. Medicare benefits for members, however, are dropping slightly, from $1,024 last year to a proposed $999.

In terms of revenue, the property tax, as is usual, is expected to be the city's largest source of income. Officials expect to pull in 39 percent of the city's monies from residents in this manner.

Service charges and various fees make up the next largest source of revenue. They account for about 16 percent of the budget. Sales and other taxes make up the next biggest slice at about 15 percent. Federal, state and various government agencies contribute most of the rest.

Fines account for 6.5 percent of the city's expected revenue. The sales tax amounts to a bit more than 9 percent.

Hermosa Beach News

Hermosa Beach Police arrest suspects in identity theft ring

By Chris Yang

A group suspected of identity theft was taken into custody by Hermosa Beach Police recently after one of its members was arrested while attempting to cash a check using a counterfeit California Drivers License. The suspect, Gary Jason Young of Highland, Calif., was incarcerated after officials at a local bank noticed the discrepancy.

Information from Young's arrest subsequently led to the incarceration of five other individuals suspected of partaking in a multi-state fraud ring.

When reached for comment, Sgt. Paul Wolcott of the Hermosa Beach Police Department stated that all of the victims were notified and that most of the incidents occurred out of the area.  “Primarily, the identity theft occurred in Orange County,” said Wolcott. “I don't have a definitive number of victims, though,” he added.

According to the press release, after obtaining the identities of “numerous Southern California residents,” the suspects would then travel to Illinois to establish fictitious businesses and use the new records to open bank accounts. They would then allegedly deposit counterfeit checks and withdraw cash at a later time. All of the suspects were taken into custody at various locations across Southern California without incident and are awaiting extradition to Illinois.

During the course of the investigation, coordination occurred between several law-enforcement agencies, including the Anaheim Police Department, the U.S. Marshal's Service, the San Bernardino and L.A. County Sheriff's Department, and the city of Naperville's Police Department (Illinois).

All of the suspects were charged with multiple felonies, including but not limited to grand theft, forgery, identity theft in Illinois and California, burglary and possession of forged checks.

One suspect, Jennifer Lee Dubois-Fortenberry of Saugus, Calif., was additionally charged with possession of narcotics (113 doses of Ecstasy).

Bank accounts were opened with at least four major banking institutions: Chase, Charter One, MidAmerica Bank and Washington Mutual. If convicted, the suspects could face up to 36 years in state prison.

Hermosa Beach News

Restriping gets mostly thumbs down

By Dave Eisenstadt

The city's road test of an upper Pier Avenue with one less lane in each direction has conked out with scores of motorists yet received a bright green light from many businesses along the strip.

Last weekend's AVP Hermosa Open and an early summer rush of beachgoers attracted enough drivers - many seemingly unsure of how to proceed and find parking near the newly striped and narrower roadway. Congestion was such that Pier Avenue, Hermosa Avenue, the nearby numbered streets and the network of alleys had more than a passing resemblance to a huge grid of cars seemingly parked.

“I had numerous complaints when I was in the Post Office - some real choice comments,” said Mayor Peter Tucker. “We need to do something else, this isn't quite working.”

The mayor deadpanned that the redrawn street has a Devil's Triangle effect on some drivers.  “They inadvertently go into the mobile home park and never come out again,” Tucker said.

The city's Public Works Department has received dozens of complaints and a trickle of praise over the newly configured street, which officials have called a “test” and an “experiment in progress.”

The city about a week ago painted a new set of white stripes on upper Pier Avenue from Bard Street west to Hermosa Avenue. The move to repattern the street is a prelude to a Pier Avenue remodel intended to shift traffic and launch a $2 million renovation to the roadway that is the main entry to downtown for residents and tourists alike.

“We're kinda stuck with the width of the street. We're going to let it run for the whole summer and try to reconfigure it a bit to see if we can make it work,” said Tucker.

While resident drivers have trumpeted their anger, those who depend on foot, automobile and bike traffic downtown applaud the move. It's a downshift heading toward a quainter and quieter small business district, said Jed Sanford, owner of the Union Cattle Company restaurant.

Like other proprietors along the strip, Sanford said the complaints likely have more to do with a change to driving habits and civic growing pains than traffic flowing like wet cement. Businesses along Pier Avenue generally praise the move, speculating that it will draw more and different types of commerce.

Sanford's eatery is popular, usually jammed on weekends and some 50 yards from the section of Pier Avenue in question. Traffic will lighten once motorists again are familiar with the route, he said.

“I think it's to be expected initially,” he said. “I like the feel of a smaller town walkway - in the long term, it might make Hermosa a more attractive community.”

A county sales tax for transportation renovations called Proposition “C” is expected to pay for the new upper Pier. The stretch of Pier Avenue that carries cars is slated for paving, sidewalks, lights and greenery.

Hermosa Beach News

HB City Council wrap

By Dave Eisenstadt

Hermosa went on record as the latest California community to ban smoking on the beach. The City Council approved the move unanimously. The move to forbid smoking of all forms on the sand and seashore began some years ago.  Recently Torrance joined the effort following Manhattan Beach and a host of other beach communities along the coast.
 

Walking men - The Beach Cities Health District cut the tension at this week's City Council meeting when it presented large blue coffee-styled mugs and nifty pedometers to the panel's members. Joanne Edgerton, wife of Councilman Sam Edgerton, presented the council with the gifts to memorialize their participation in a district effort to promote walking.  Mayor Peter Tucker was singled out as someone who'd walked many miles. Tucker said his efforts totaled some 138,000 steps, suggesting his new pedometer won't collect dust.

Rock classic - Billy Vera and the Beaters haven't quite made it to household-name status - unless the houses are filled with serious rock 'n' roll aficionados. The City Council added the veteran rocker to its Sunset Concert Series.  Vera has been around for decades, penning hits for the likes of one-time teen heartthrob Ricky Nelson, for whom he wrote “Mean Old World,” according to a city handout.

The group had a No. 1 single in 1987 with “At This Moment.”  Vera, however, also is one of the rare breed of rock musicians who's parlayed his knowledge into a second career as a historian of the genre and a third one as a bit-part actor. He had a role, for instance, in the film “The Doors.”  Vera has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Political debut - Councilman-elect Kit Bobko launched into his duties this week even before formally joining the governing body. Bobko had notebook and pen in hand at this week's council meeting, noting the proceedings when Mayor Pete Tucker summoned him to the podium to say a few words.  Sometimes, however, jaws snap shut even for the politically inclined.  “I am completely unprepared to speak,” Bobko told the council and crowd.  The officeholder in waiting kept his remarks to a polite thanks and a cautionary warning that his next turn would certainly result in “much longer” remarks.

Lawn bowling - The arcane sport that somehow gained serious footing in Hermosa in the last century is celebrating its 70th year.  Organized in 1936, the Hermosa Beach Lawnbowling Club has become one of the city's venerable links to its quainter past. The sturdy clubhouse off Valley Drive has stood since 1958.  As the council commemorated the anniversary, Mayor Pete Tucker sought to ramp up residents' enthusiasm for the sport.  “I further urge all citizens to give lawnbowling a try,” he said.

Hermosa Beach News

Bobko to take fifth seat on Hermosa council

By Dave Eisenstadt

The tightly contested battle for a City Council seat that pitted four candidates split into a two-way contest as ballots were counted late Tuesday with lawyer and astronaut's son Patrick “Kit” Bobko capturing the post over longtime Hermosa residents.

Bobko, perhaps the best campaigner of the group, won the vacant seat with 41 percent of the balloting, or 1,287 votes. Jeff Duclos, a public relations consultant, finished second with 36 percent, a tally of 1,145 votes.

“It feels good. I haven't had any bad victories,” said Bobko. “Jeff is such a well-known guy, I wouldn't have been surprised if the margin had been smaller.”

Educator Janice Brittain and executive Jeff Maxwell trailed Bobko and Duclos by a wide margin. Brittain received 439 votes or 14 percent while Maxwell netted 293 votes or 9 percent. The turnout for the elections was slimmer than usual even for midterm and local elections. Of Hermosa's almost 13,000 registered voters, fewer than 4,000 cast ballots Tuesday.

The election sent Hermosa voters to the polls for the second time in eight months. Howard Fishman won the council seat in the general election in November but stepped aside when his wife became ill.

When the council moved to appoint a successor, it deadlocked 2-2 over whether to name Duclos, the runner-up in November, to fill the empty seat.

The split revealed clear lines of support on the council: Councilman Sam Edgerton and Mayor Pete Tucker backed Duclos. Councilmen J.R. Reviczky and Michael Keegan dissented.

The unspoken message was that Bobko had strong support despite finishing behind Duclos in November. The stalemate forced Tuesday's special election.

Bobko, a lawyer, stressed that his legal expertise would benefit the city in resolving pressing court battles.

Janice Brittain, an educator, and limousine company owner Jeff Maxwell joined the contest, both candidates billing themselves as independent voices. Duclos, who works from home, also taught at UCLA. He is 61, and has lived in Hermosa for 27 years. Bobko, 36, is a municipal attorney and former Air Force captain. He is a six-year resident of Hermosa. Asked about his first steps as a councilman-elect, Bobko focused on immediate needs.

“The first thing I'm going to do is get some sleep,” he said.

Maxwell ran unsuccessfully in November. Brittain, a retired school administrator, was the contest's newcomer.

Hermosa Beach News

Three council candidates boycott forum

By Dave Eisenstadt

Three of the four candidates who battled for the City Council seat filled after Tuesday's voting touched off a pre-election day dustup when all but one skipped a televised political forum hours before it began.

The surprising move by a trio of political challengers - rejecting an election-eve appearance before voters - turned what was slated as a candidates' forum into a discussion between an office-seeker and the audience.

The Hermosa Beach Neighborhood Association organized the event, which was planned as the watchdog group's first political forum. Candidates Patrick “Kit” Bobko, who was declared the winner of Tuesday's election, Jeff Maxwell and Jeff Duclos told the association they would not attend via e-mails sent some six hours before the broadcast.

Janice Brittain, an education administrator, was the sole attendee.

Al Benson, head of the neighborhood association, said he was puzzled by the timing of the withdrawal - and that it wasn't one or two candidates skipping the event but three of four. Benson ran and lost for a council seat last November.

“They gave me six hours notice,” Benson said. “They have the right not to show up at the forum but if they really have problems, they could have given me a call.”

The neighborhood association is best known for its efforts to highlight what they see as problems resulting from a too-raucous lower Pier Avenue scene. The group contends crime, especially violent incidents, has shot up with the increasing popularity of the bar-laden strip.

The candidates, however, complained the event was less a political forum for those vying for office than a platform for the group.

Bobko said his schedule was just too packed on that day to attend the forum and downplayed the notion that the three candidates acted together to undercut the event.

“To be perfectly frank, that was not the case,” said Bobko. “As much fun as these forums are, I have other things to do and simply can't get to everything all the time.”

Bobko noted that he and the other candidates already participated in three similar forums. They were sponsored by the League of Women Voters, Leadership Hermosa and the Chamber of Commerce.

Still, Bobko, the two others who cancelled and Brittain briefly met the night before and discussed withdrawing from the forum. Bobko said the group discussed the matter but stressed that it was chitchat rather than guerilla political tactics.

“While it's clear we didn't show up, it wasn't a concerted effort,” Bobko said. “What we're talking about is someone taking personal offense.”

While Duclos declined to return telephone messages seeking comment, Brittain said weightier issues were at play.

“Bottom line, I gave my word and I live up to my word,” she said. “It's the integrity of it - as a council person you have to deal with all audiences.”

Brittain and others, however, said the group's material was freighted with its point of view and too detailed for the occasion.

“It was like a term paper,” she said.

Benson said the group misread his intent and short-shrifted pressing issues.

“I'm disappointed that they had this little powwow on this issue and made a collective decision behind my back,” he said. “I'm worried about crime - and they don't want to answer those questions.”

Of the candidates involved, Brittain was the only one on Tuesday's ballot who did not run last November.

The seat opened when the election's winner, Howard Fishman, declined the post when his wife became ill.

In that contest, Councilman J.R. Reviczky triumphed with Duclos finishing fourth, Bobko fifth and Maxwell seventh among a field of 10 candidates vying for three council seats.

Hermosa Beach - Crime Watch

NARCOTICS TO A MINOR. A man was reportedly arrested in the 2500 block of Pacific Coast Highway after police discovered opened bottles of alcohol and what appeared to be cocaine in his possession which was allegedly given to a 17-year-old girl the evening of April 13. Police responded to a medical emergency and entered what is assumed to be a hotel room. The girl was standing at the foot of the bed and the suspect was standing next to her to try and keep her from falling over. Officers noticed that her pupils were dilated and a small amount of blood appeared around her lips. She appeared to be in a daze. The suspect told police that she had been drinking vodka and said she was a friend of his daughter's whom he was going to be taking home soon. He told police she was 17. He said he booked the room and allowed the girl to use it when he was away. The man also admitted to leaving open bottles of vodka and Southern Comfort in the room with her, and said she had lied to her parents about her whereabouts. Officers noticed that the man was sweating profusely and asked him if he was in possession of any narcotics to which he said that he had cocaine in his pocket. Police retrieved a small vial that contained white powder. Paramedics treated the girl who appeared to be suffering from a cocaine overdose.

Hermosa Beach News

West L.A. man attacked over the weekend (4/13)

By Whitney Youngs

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 he was walking south on Ardmore when the man approached him between Second Street and where Fourth Street would cross Ardmore. Crush said he heard the man and moved over to one side of the sidewalk to let him pass. 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.

After the incident, Crush said he then called his girlfriend who picked him up on Pacific Coast Highway to take him to the hospital. She in the meantime had called 9-1-1 and police responded.

“She pulled over to wave to police to tell them that I was stabbed and she was taking me to the hospital, and the police would not let us proceed,” Crush said. “They tried to get me to sit down in an uncomfortable position when I had a gash in my side.”

According to Press Information Officer Paul Wolcott, police were called to the scene and officers detained Crush there to determine the situation.

“Paramedics responded and attempted to treat the victim,” stated Wolcott. “The officer has an obligation to determine if a crime occurred, if the person he is contacting is a victim or a suspect. If he is a victim, where is the suspect? If he is a suspect, where is his victim? The officers have to make these determinations. The paramedics are obligated to treat once they are on scene. Apparently, the victim was very uncooperative.”

Crush said he sustained a cut on the left side of his body near his rib cage that required 11 stitches, a wound on his left hand that required seven stitches and a wound on his right elbow that also required seven stitches.

Crush, 33, said the police handled the situation in his opinion “very poorly” and is now in the process of filing a formal complaint.

“The officer actually threatened to arrest me if I did not get back into the ambulance because I wanted to go to the hospital right away,” said Crush. “Once I was in the back of the ambulance, my girlfriend didn't even have a chance to speak with me about the extent of my injuries because when she picked me up she was on the phone with 9-1-1. They wouldn't let her come and check on me, say anything to me and actually threatened to take her to jail if she persisted to make eye contact with me. I felt like no one was really interested in my wishes to obtain professional medical care at a hospital.”

According to Wolcott, Crush was intoxicated and did not cooperate with officers in their investigation.

“When the paramedics are trying to treat a patient, they need to concentrate on their work and should not have to deal with the distraction of someone attempting to interfere with the treatment of the victim,” added Wolcott. “He was transported to the hospital by the paramedics. Sometimes, due to the level of intoxication, people aren't able to make rational decisions.”

Crush has walked the route several times and knows others who walk the area at night.

“There are definitely people targeting such areas where it is dark and near the jogging path, not a real high-traffic area,” said Crush. “I will not walk again by myself. I hate to think that people aren't safe walking around Hermosa Beach at night.”

Wolcott said the police have seen no rise in stabbings or muggings; and also stated that officers do patrol such areas like Valley Drive, Ardmore Avenue and dark alleyways outside the downtown during the hours of 2 and 3 a.m.

Hermosa Beach – Crime watch