Thu, Jul 2, 2009

NBA finalists

by Paul Teetor

It was a week before the 1992 NBA season when Phoenix Suns Coach Paul Westphal cut veteran power forward Kurt Rambis, who was near end of his 14-year pro career.
“It was one of the saddest days of my life,” Westphal said last week. “Cutting a player so late in the preseason is always hard but I knew and respected Kurt for all that he had already accomplished with the Lakers.”
This month the two Manhattan Beach ballers-for-life crossed paths professionally again when they emerged as finalists for the Sacramento Kings head coaching job.
But this time Rambis made the call and Westphal made the move.
Behind the straightforward press release, the King’s selection of Westphal was a complex story of an NBA front office using different tactics for similar men with two very different careers contending for the same plum job.
No matter what you may think of Sacramento or the Kings  > more...

Beach Cities Sports

Redondo alumni surf contest to be held in Hermosa Beach
The Redondo Sea Hawks Surf Team will hold its second annual Alumni Surf Contest at 7 a.m. Saturday at the Hermosa Pier.
The event, which is not exclusive to the alumni and open to the public, will feature a Spyder Surfboard Raffle competition within five divisions 1950/1960’s, 1970’s, 1980’s, 1990’s and 2000’s.
For more information, contact Stacie Rees at 424-247-9627 or stacierees90278@yahoo.com.

Volleyball tryouts
Beach Cities Volleyball is holding tryouts for its Boys 17/18, 15/16, 13/14 and 12 & Under Boys teams at 5:30 p.m. Sunday at Rolling Hills Prep Gym, 1780A Oa  > more...


Harbor Lights

Wellfleet Harbor is 2,500 miles east of King Harbor, on a little peninsula of sand called Cape Cod. The harbor measures 2 to 3 miles across at its widest. A spit of land called Great Island defines the western boundary. It’s open to the south.
The part with the marina backs up to the center of town. Wellfleet’s marina has an access road that juts right out into the harbor — no locked gate, security or paid parking. Drive out, park and jump on the boat. There’s a little more to it.
King Harbor was created by building the breakwater out in front of what was essentially a beach and carving out a little bit of the Pacific for boats and other fun uses. They don’t do that on Cape Cod. When the weather in that part of the world gets bad, it gets real bad. Think The Perfect Storm. Most > more...

Letters

Calling all veterans
Dear ER:
As veterans, we are generally accustomed to being independent, self-sufficient, responsible citizens willing to volunteer for many good causes, but often times we feel uneasy asking for help. However, this is one of those times when we need as many helping hands as we can muster to get behind an effort we feel will benefit our community.
The Redondo Beach Veterans Memorial Task Force was organized following the approval of a conceptual design by the City Council of Redondo Beach, to develop a park memorial honoring the service of our country’s veterans. The Task Force is a community-based volunteer organization consisting of local veterans and citizens. The mission of the Task Force is to place in perpetuity a memorial honoring all past, present and futur > more...


Hermosa Beach About Town

Moving on up
Hermosa Beach City Councilman Michael DiVirgilio has been named district director for Congresswoman Jane Harman (D-Venice).
“The job > more...

Manhattan Beach About Town

Farewell
Mira Costa High School’s orchestra director Christopher Schwabe was honored on June 16 as he retires after seven years with the district. > more...

Redondo Beach About Town

Village Festival
The Riviera Village Summer Festival, which takes place Saturday and Sunday at the corner of Catalina and Avenue I, has a revamped k > more...

Easy Week

As I write this, I’m finishing up a box of Rice Chex, but that blonde cutie Sara Haze is finishing up a new album, and that’s the difference between a has-been and a contender. Should have stuck with the Wheaties, I keep telling myself.
At age 19, Haze is already in the spotlight. Last year, Music Connection magazine listed her among their Top 100 Unsigned Bands and Artists. She played the Popkomm Fest in Berlin and sang for a stone-faced Gene Simmons in a hotel lobby when she attended the 2009 Canadian Music Week (“I actually got to have brunch with him at his house a few weeks later.”). She’s had music placements in TV and film, and judging from a few of the songs that’ll appear on her next record Sara Haze has nowhere to go but up. We spoke long distance, Torrance to Redond > more...



Peninsula People


Coming soon...