Archive for the ‘Manhattan Beach’ Category

Kids helping kids

Rather than playing hopscotch and tether ball, fifth graders at Pennekamp Elementary have been spending their recess time planning and organizing the 14th Annual Richstone Feast.

Started by Pennekamp fifth grade teacher Mike Warner in 1996, the event raises money for the Richstone Family Center, an organization committed to preventing domestic violence. Each year’s fifth grade class is responsible for advertising the event, selling event and raffle tickets, decorating, and serving food the day of the feast.

“I personally like helping the community and others,” fifth grader Allie King said. “It makes me feel good because others don’t have as nice of things as we do and we can help them.”

Two dinners will be served at the March 18 feast fundraiser at 5:15 p.m. and 6:45 p.m. Tickets cost $5 for attendees fifth grade and under and $7 for those in sixth grade through adult. Burgers will be provided by Tomboys and raffle prizes will be awarded.

“We do a lot in Manhattan Beach to raise money for ourselves, but probably not enough for our students to have an opportunities to give to other children,” said Pennekamp teacher Donna Barney, who has helped Warner plan the event for years. “This is an opportunity to se the other side of life

Businesses interested in donating raffle prizes and other contributions should contact Sue Hefner at (310) 374-0533.

For more information, visit pkpta.org.

Pier Walk

The Richstone Family Center will host its 23rd Annual Pier-to-Pier Walkathon April 24, beginning and ending at the Manhattan Beach pier. Women, men and children of all ages participate in the event, which attracted 1,300 participants last year who raised more than $121,000 for the organization.

Founded in 1973, the center is dedicated to preventing and treating child abuse and preventing violence in schools, families and communities.  

Those interested in taking a few steps to help prevent child abuse can register for $25 before and $30 on the day of the event.

For more information, visit www.richstonewakl.org or contact Allison Tanaka at (310) 970-1921 x137.

Facilities at AdventurePlex, including the rock wall, challenge the minds and bodies of kids in a structured environment. Photo courtesy of Beach Cities Health District

Best Kid’s Party (tie): AdventurePlex

Parents can sit back and relax while AdventurePlex takes care of their child’s birthday party, from sending out invitations to loading the car with gifts to mailing thank you notes — and everything in between. “All you have to do is show up.”

“We are a one-stop shop,” assistant manager Cindy Jarvis said. “We cater the party in-house and take care of the whole thing. And our customer service is above and beyond.”

The birthday child and friends enjoy a private themed party in the Adventure Room play structure with a personal host to keep the party rolling. An array of mazes, tunnels, outdoor rock climbing walls, complex ropes courses, an indoor gymnasium and spacious fitness room guarantees party-goers to have fun while getting fit. Parents have the option to customize their child’s party with magicians, theme characters, hula lessons, scavenger hunts, karaoke, sports, and inflatable obstacle course.

The structured environment makes for the most creative and safe experiences for kids in the South Bay to enjoy on their birthdays and every day.

My Gym employees (left to right) Andi Klun, Emily Gilany, Mike Weil and Alex Henao rumble and tumble with kids and parents for birthday parties and every day fun.

Best Kids Party: My Gym

Throwing a kid’s birthday party at My Gym is so popular among our readers that parents book reservations four to six months in advance.

With locations in Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach and Torrance, the children’s fitness center tailors parties specifically to each child based on his/her age and needs. Music, dance, relays, games, special rides, gymnastics, and sports are incorporated into each themed party. Birthday goers enjoy private use of My Gym’s facilities and energetic employees run the whole show, from set-up to break-down and everything in between. 

“Nowhere else can you make the birthday child feels as good as then they come in for our parties,” said Alex Henao, director of the Manhattan Beach location. “The teachers bring excitement and energy and make them feel special.”

Birthday or no birthday, My Gym is also available for regular play every day for children aged six through 13. Programs are designed for kids to gain strength, balance, coordination, agility and flexibility, while developing social skills, confidence and self-esteem.

AdventurPlex: 1701 Marine Ave., MB. (310) 546-7708 www.adventureplex.org

My Gym: 1836 North Sepulveda Blvd., MB. (310) 796-1300.

1214 Beryl Street, RB. (310) 318-2288

3511 Pacific Coast Hwy., Torr, (310) 530-7200. www.my-gym.com  

Runner-up: Kid’s Concept 22844 Hawthorne Blvd., Torr. (310) 465-0075 www.kidconceptsusa.com

 Best Kids’ Boutique: Sol Baby

Our readers love to dress their babies up in the same cool, unique, funky fashions in which they dress themselves. Sol Baby offers trendy clothes for small peeps, or “babies with soul.”

The kid’s clothing boutique offers clothing for girls and boys aged zero to six, including tops, footwear, hats, bibs and leg wear. Rock ‘n’ roll tees and onesies are a big hit with their tiny clientele.

“I feel like the store embodies this town,” owner Gina Rothwell said. “It’s as edgy, funky, and unique as the people who live here.”

In 2006, Rothwell opened the shop with the philosophy of selling clothing that reflects a love of life and nature, peace on earth, music, and sun. She features small, up-and-coming designers to bring hard-to-come-by fashions to tots in the South Bay.

Sol Baby: 124 Pier Ave., HB. (310) 318-3960. www.sol-baby.com

Runner-up: Bella Beach, 227 Manhattan Beach Blvd., MB. (310) 529-5645. www.bellabeachkids.com

Regaining its 2007 title as Best Park, Hermosa’s Valley Park has something for everyone, including Shakespeare By The Sea in July. Photo by Randy Angel

Best Park: Valley Park

Valley Park is a popular family gathering place, featuring clean restrooms, multiple drinking fountains, six barbecue pits, athletic fields and numerous tables and benches. The facility contains an amphitheater for live performances, including Shakespeare By The Sea’s performance of Julius Caesar on Wednesday, July 21 and Twelfth Night on Thursday, July 22.

“Valley Park is an obvious favorite because it has something for everyone,” Hermosa Mayor Michael DiVirgilio said. “Kids young and old love the playgrounds; dog lovers, soccer players and football players use the field; there are great basketball facilities; and the picnic tables and fire pit are favorite places for birthdays and weekend celebrations. It’s also been a great place for numerous South Bay children to learn to ride bikes, scooter, and skateboard on the extensive and well-maintained sidewalks. I’m proud that such a gem exists within our community.”

Valley Park: Valley Drive and Gould Avenue at 27th Street, Hermosa Beach. 310-318-0280

Runner-up: Polliwog Park corner of Redondo Avenue and Manhattan Beach Boulevard in Manhattan Beach. 310-802-5410

Hammerhead’s enthusiastic staff is what makes her camp successful, says co-founder Jamie Bateman.

 

Beach camp: Hammerhead Beach Camp

Jamie Bateman tells job applicants Hammerhead Beach camp, “If you’re not the cheerleader type, this isn’t the camp for you.” The enthusiasm she expects of her camp counselors is communicated to the kids, ages four to 13 who have made the camp a beach tradition for the past 14 years. Many of the counselors are Mira Costa High students. The camp offers water activities including Boogie boarding, and body surfing, sand games, and arts and crafts.  For kids interested in developing their water skills the camp offers a workout and swim Guard Prep program modeled after the Junior Lifeguard program. No swim test is required to attend the camp. But water safety is insured by counselors who form a horse shoe-shaped cordon around the campers in the water. The camp meets weekdays at 6th Street in Manhattan Beach. Morning, afternoon and all day sessions run from June 28 through August. 27.

Hammerhead Beach Camp: (310) 676-7503. www.hammerheadbeachcamp.com

Gina Rothwell shows a facility for wordplay at Sol Baby Boutique. Photo by Brent Broza (Brozaphoto.com)

The Tedesco family (left to right): Jack, Julia, John, and Jacob. Photo courtesy of the Tedesco family

by Andrea Ruse

She was raised as a military brat who moved around a lot, making few close friends during the early years of her life. When she moved to Manhattan Beach in the 1970s, she was anything but a part of the “in” crowd. Even the other moms pushing baby carriages around wouldn’t let her in their clique.

So Julia Tedesco formed her own cliques — ones to which everyone was invited to be a part — that centered around her talents and passions: art, history, and community.

She volunteered to teach art classes at local schools, inspiring thousands of kids to paint, sculpt and be creative.

When the city became increasingly attractive to developers, she joined the Manhattan Beach Historical Society to help preserve the community’s character and ended up helping save one of the city’s most prized treasures — the pier.

When she saw opportunities for improving her community, she took on leadership roles in local organizations and fought to keep traditions that make up the fabric of the city.

“No one in this community has done so much for so many people, and her time was limited,” said her son Jacob Tedesco. “She was completely selfless, but no matter how busy she was, what problems she was trying to fix, or which person’s life that she was trying to make better, she never missed one of mine or my brother’s little league games or didn’t have time to make dinner.”

Tedesco died Monday after a nearly six-month battle with leukemia, well-known by a community that originally wanted nothing to do with an outsider. She was 58.

“One of her legacies is that there are 5,000, maybe 10,000, works of art created by people she taught,” said Jack Tedesco, Julia’s husband of 32 years. “Some are hanging on walls somewhere. Others are in a frame or tucked between the pages of a book. Some are in galleries. Many of her students are still making art from what they learned from her.”

Manhattan Beach artist Julia Tedesco lost her 6-month battle with leukemia Monday. Photo courtesy of the Tedesco family

Tedesco was born in 1951 in Lincoln, Nebraska. Her father was in the U.S. Air Force. She moved often during her childhood between Japan, Hawaii, and San Bernardino, attending five high schools before graduating from Warren High in Downey in 1969.

As a child, she became interested in art and began painting in oils, watercolors and pastels. She attended California State University Fullerton, earning her B.A. in Art History in 1973, and moved to Manhattan Beach in 1975.

During high school, she met her future husband and the two reconnected at a friend’s wedding a few years after graduating.

“She was a bridesmaid and I was a groomsman,” Jack said. “We were assigned to each other to walk down the aisle together.”

The two walked down the aisle together again a few years later when they married in 1978 and became assigned to each other for the rest of their lives, building a home in Manhattan Beach and raising two sons — John and Jacob.

“We spent every day and every night together,” Jack said. “We raised our kids together. We did everything together. We did that every day for 32 years and it was always perfect. Always.”

Tedesco was a stay-at-home mom who became deeply entrenched in the community through her art. Her work has been featured on murals around town and at numerous exhibitions — most recently “Lost Visions” at the Manhattan Beach Creative Arts Center in September. In addition to the classes she taught at schools, such as Grand View Elementary, she offered art camps out of her garage. At one point, 900 students attended her camps annually.

“Her whole philosophy was that each student be able to bring home at least one framable piece of art they made in class,” Jack said.

Tedesco served as the moderator at the Manhattan Beach Community Church, president of the Manhattan Beach Badminton Club, and president of the Manhattan Beach Historical Society. She ran unsuccessfully for City Council in 2004.

In 1985, as president of the Historical Society, she and  vice president Keith Robinson founded Pier Pressure, an organization whose mission was to save the pier. The City Council had threatened to tear the pier down after a man was injured walking underneath it. Tedesco raised $10,000 and rallied the community to save the landmark. In the end, Pier Pressure was the driving force behind not only saving but restoring the pier.

A small plaque sits at the bottom of the pier flagpole dedicated to the efforts of Tedesco and Robinson.

“She was passionate about stuff,” Robinson said. “She was always asking herself ‘What can I do?’ She always had a sense of humor, was always laughing. But she could get angry about stuff, like the shortsightedness of other people. Think about the pier lighting, the open house, parades and all that we have down at the pier. Those things probably wouldn’t be here without Pier Pressure, which Julia spearheaded.”

Manhattan Beach Historical Society members Keith Robinson (left) and Julia Tedesco don their Pier Pressure shirts while trying to save the pier. Photo courtesy of Keith Robinson

“That’s Julia’s pier,” Jack said. “She pretty much saved it.”

Tedesco’s greatest pride as Historical Society president was saving a red beach cottage
on 15th St. built in 1904, according to Robinson. When the homeowners planned to demo the dated house, Tedesco coordinated with the city to have it moved to Polliwog Park, where it now serves as headquarters for the organization.

“Six years we worked together on that,” Robinson said.

Last year, Tedesco authored a children’s book entitled The Legend of Sand Dune Park, a semi-fictional story about Manhattan Beach’s famed park.

In September, Tedesco was diagnosed with leukemia. She underwent several rounds of chemotherapy treatment and a stem cell transplant in recent months.

“For two months, she was in remission and was healthy,” Jack said. “But we knew with the mutation she had, it was probably going to come back. We spent our last anniversary, which was in February, in the hospital.”

Even during illness, Tedesco was still making plans.

“The last time I talked to her she was excited about the city’s 2012 Centennial celebration and was trying to talk me into being on the committee with her to help plan it,” Robinson said.

Tedesco is survived by her husband Jack, 59, and two sons John, 28, and Jacob, 31.

Memorial services will be held at 2 p.m. Mar. 27 at Manhattan Beach Community Church at 303 South Peck Ave.

Jack plans to respect her final wishes.

“What she really wanted was for us to throw a party. And that’s exactly what we’re going to do.” ER

Lido di Manhattan Ristorante owner Lisa Hemmat with world-renowned Chef Gordon Ramsay during the filming of tonight’s episode of Kitchen Nightmares. Photo courtesy of Lido di Manhattan Ristorante

by Andrea Ruse

When celebrity Chef Gordon Ramsay of Fox Television’s “Kitchen Nightmares” visited Lido di Manhattan Ristorante last June, he did the thing he does next best to cooking.

He made owner Lisa Hemmat cry.

While filming an upcoming episode entitled “Young Girl Breaks Down,” airing tonight at 9 p.m. on Fox network, Hemmat said Ramsay steadily picked on her until she cracked.

“It was my worst moment at the lowest level of my whole life,” Hemmat, 29, said. “It was embarrassing. They kind of set you up for failure.”

Ramsay is a tough, no-nonsense, British chef best known for his food reality shows “Kitchen Nightmares,” “Hell’s Kitchen,” and “The F Word.” His brutal honesty with guests on his shows has made him the Simon Cowell of cooking reality TV.

In “Kitchen Nightmares,” Ramsay spends each a week with a different struggling restaurant in an attempt to improve it.

Hemmat’s idea to sign up for the show came from a friend who suggested she make over the restaurant she purchased in 2004.

“I bought an existing, but tired restaurant,” Hemmat said of the Manhattan Beach restaurant. “It came with a lot of good customers, but it didn’t reflect my personality. When my friend in the restaurant business told me to do a makeover, I told him I had no money. So unless he wanted to fund it, it wasn’t going to happen. He came back with casting sheets for the show.”

Hemmat had never seen the program, but after watching an episode decided she had nothing to lose.

“At first I thought it might be bad to be seen on a show like this,” Hemmat said. “But they spend a lot of money and make the restaurants look really good in the end.”

The show’s producers contacted Hemmat the day after she submitted her paperwork and set up a casting shoot that weekend. In June, Ramsay was brought in and filming began.

“They were definitely creating drama with everything,” Hemmat said. “We’re a mellow, cozy, easy-going place. But with all the cutting and splicing they do, they can almost make it seem like anything they want.”

Miscommunication with the kitchen, unsatisfactory dishes getting sent back and Ramsay treating her like she’s too young to run a business provide the fodder leading to Hemmat’s breakdown.

The first day, Ramsay panics customers over dust he finds in the servers’ station, asking them if they want food from a dusty kitchen, and he shuts the restaurant down.

“After the first day, I didn’t want to talk to him,” Hemmat said. “Then we had an hour-long conversation that actually felt like a real conversation. I realized he had some good points and wanted to really help the restaurant. He worked for the next three days making changes.”

Ramsay may have put Hemmat and her kitchen through hell, but the restaurant owner said she is pleased with the changes the chef made, including everything from a menu redo to revamping the decor.

“Now it reflects a young, hip vibe,” Hemmat said. Contemporary paintings of wine corks and abstract light fixtures replace the out-dated design scheme Hemmat inherited when she took over.

“It’s very wine-centric now,” Hemmat said. “He put in these lights made out of umbrellas with grape clusters on them. People love them or hate them. But everybody talks about them.”

Customers dine at the new and improved Lido di Manhattan Ristorante and Bar. Photo courtesy of Lido di Manhattan

Hemmat said customers have responded well to the changes and business has improved for the Italian-California style restaurant since Ramsay’s visit.

Ramsay also helped Hemmat improve relations with her kitchen staff.

“I’ve always been more of a front-of-the-house person in a restaurant,” Hemmat said. “Gordon got me back in the kitchen. I was afraid and intimidated to go back there before, but now the guys respect me more.”

The show’s sous chef Scott Leibfried stayed with the restaurant for a month after filming to help with the transition — not a typical gift to the show’s guests, according to Hemmat.

“I liked Gordon and what he did,” Hemmat said. “He was really proud of me and excited for me even though he put me through hell. He really does think I have potential. In the end, I’m definitely glad I did it.”

Lido di Manhattan Ristorante will host a viewing party of the episode tonight at 9 p.m., after their regularly scheduled Thursday wine tasting from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

For more information, visit www.lidodimanhattan.com. ER

Manhattan Beach police are looking for this unidentified forgery suspect pictured here on her fake driver’s license. Photo courtesy of MBPD.

by Andrea Ruse

Police are looking for a woman who allegedly stole money from a local bank using false identification.

According to authorities, the unidentified fraud suspect withdrew $700 at Chase Bank in Manhattan Beach on Sepulveda Blvd. on Dec. 29, 2009 using a counterfeit Ohio driver’s license and a social security card.

“This is a little more advanced than the usual forgery case with people signing bad checks,” Manhattan Beach Police Detective Michael Rosenberger said. “This was someone with a good counterfeit driver’s license. That takes a little more time. You have to invest more. She had to know where the victim’s account was and have her social security number.”

A woman in Riverside reported the money missing from her account to Riverside police, who contacted MBPD to investigate. The fake identification cards had the victim’s name and numbers, but the suspect was pictured on the license.

Suspect caught on Chase Bank’s security cameras. Photo courtesy of MBPD.

“She walked in, presented the driver’s license and social security card to a newer employee, saying she didn’t know her account number,” Rosenberger said. “It seemed legitimate, so he processed the request and she left.”

Ten minutes later, the suspect returned to the same bank to withdraw more money, and was greeted by a more tenured employee, according to police. The suspect immediately left the bank when the employee took the identification cards to a back office to examine them.

Authorities later learned that the woman had unsuccessfully tried to withdraw cash from Chase Bank in Norwalk a couple hours before using the same identification.

The suspect is described by police to be in her twenties or thirties, between 5 ft. 11 in. and 6 ft. tall, 165 lbs., with green eyes and blonde, shoulder length hair.

She is wanted by the MBPD for forgery.

Anyone with information regarding this or similar incidents should contact Detective Mike Rosenberger at (310) 802-5127. ER

by Andrea Ruse

The City Council Tuesday night voted to change speed limits throughout the city, mostly in residential areas.

The speed limits along seven streets — including segments of Ardmore, Highland, Marine, and Pacific avenues, Manhattan Beach Boulevard. and 2nd Street — will be increased by five miles per hour. Speed limits on portions of Manhattan Ave. and Valley Dr. will be reduced by five miles per hour.

“This is not local control,” Mayor Pro Tem Richard Montgomery said. “This is your friend in Sacramento. It’s not the city trying to unjustly raise revenues.”

In a 4-1 decision, the council chose to alter the speed limits based on a traffic survey conducted last year. The study was required by California’s Speed Trap Law, which states that cities using police radars for traffic enforcement must update posted limits every five to 10 years.

“If people want to contest a ticket, the case can be dismissed if the speed limit is not posted correctly according to state guidelines,” city traffic engineer Erik Zandvliet said. “The guideline is to establish the speed limit at which most of the drivers are driving.”

According to state law, limits must be set based on the speed at which 85 percent of motorists are driving at or below during traffic surveys. Speed limits are set to the nearest five mph increment of that speed.

Resident Esther Besbris said motorists already speed unsafely through her neighborhood near 2nd St. and that increasing the speed limit from 25 to 30 mph will make it worse.

“You’ll make it easier for people to go faster,” Besbris said. “When they see higher speed limits, they do accelerate.”

Council members expressed concern over increasing speed limits on some residential streets, including Marine Avenue and 2nd Street.

“We have our hands tied by Sacramento,” Mayor Pro Tem Richard Montgomery said. “We want the right to address our own concerns in our own city. As unfavorable as we look on Sacramento’s decision, if we don’t comply, then you take away our enforcement process.”

The city has the option to reduce speed limits up to 5 mph on streets they show to have special conditions not readily apparent to motorists.

The new speed limits will be effective in April.

Zandvliet noted traffic studies show that motorists will drive at the speed they think is safe, regardless of posted speed limits.

“Drivers drive at the speed they feel is reasonable,” he said. “The purpose of a speed limit is to make either more or fewer violators. Drivers will drive the same unless the street physically looks different.”

Zandvliet suggested the addition of bike lanes, speed bumps, and switchbacks as ways to reduce speeds.

“People drive per condition and less to the speed limit,” Councilmember Nick Tell said. “So really if we want to change habits, we have to change the conditions. We welcome anyone that wants to talk about that.” ER

Stand up for schools

MBUSD teachers, administrators and parents will hold a Stand Up for Schools rally today as part of a statewide day of action by the California Teachers Association.

Due to unprecedented state budget cuts, the district is forced to shave at least $4 million from its budget in June and has begun the difficult task of looking at which programs will be axed next school year.

“The March 4 day of action by teachers and other public workers is helping to heighten the awareness of the havoc $17 billion in cuts over two years is wreaking on students and schools,” said Rachel Thomas, president of the Manhattan Beach Unified Teacher’s Association. “Our class sizes are soaring…and thousands of educators face more pink slips on March 15. Quality public schools build strong communities and we have joined together to say our children deserve better. Investing in public education is the best investment we can make in their future.”

Two rallies will take place today at 7:15 a.m. and 2:45 p.m. at Mira Costa High School at the corner of Peck Ave. and Artesia Blvd.

For more information, visit www.standupforschools.org

Person of the Month

Before becoming president of the Rotary Club of Manhattan Beach, Jan Rhees wore many hats. She started her career in real estate and moved onto entertainment marketing in music and film. She built an impressive clientele, including Clint Eastwood, Reba McEntire, Lyle Lovett and the Grammy Awards. In the nineties, she produced a feature film.

As Rotary Club president, she has been involved in numerous community outreach programs, including the donation of picture dictionaries to students in underserved areas, scholarships for Mira Costa students, and the Meals on Wheels food program.

At Tuesday’s City Council meeting, Mayor Mitch Ward named her Manhattan Beach’s March Person of the month.

“She’s done so much for the community, giving back at the Joslyn Center, doing upgrades there and basically doing a fantastic job for the citizens of Manhattan Beach,” he said.

Rhees said she was humbled to be included in the company of others who have been named the city’s Person of the Month, including MBFD Captain Dave Schenbaum and MBPD Det. Sgt. Brian Brown, who both made daring pier rescues in recent months.

“I accept this award and dedicate it to strengthening the bond between the Rotary Club of Manhattan Beach, our community and our city government.”

Manhattan Beach Fire Chief Scott Ferguson will occupy his desk at the city station for another month before heading to the Santa Monica Fire Department. Photo courtesy of MBFD

Manhattan Beach Fire Department Chief Scott Ferguson has announced he will be leaving next month to take over as chief of the Santa Monica Fire Department.

Ferguson submitted his resignation on Friday after serving little over two years as the city’s fire chief. He and Mayor Mitch Ward both described his departure as an amicable parting.

“We hate to see Scott leave,” Mayor Mitch Ward said. “He has been here for a relatively short time. But he’s improved on some areas in a department already full of highly professional men and women. We are disappointed that we extended quite a bit of time and money to scout out people to lead the department and would’ve liked him to stay in the area longer. But I understand him wanting to move to a much larger department.”

Ferguson was selected from 67 applicants. In Santa Monica, he will lead 109 firefighters spread out over four stations, a significant jump from the 30-man force housed in two stations he currently oversees. His support staff — currently made up of one full-time administrator — will consist of roughly 25 administrative personnel. He will fill the vacancy left by retired former SMFD Chief Jim Hone.

“Chief Scott Ferguson is a fast rising star in the fire profession,” Santa Monica city manager Rod Gould said. “His references and all who interviewed him are most impressed with his skill, energy, leadership and integrity. Scott will be the right person to lead the department.”

Santa Monica’s larger population — roughly 85,000 to Manhattan Beach’s 33,000 — and diverse demographic also appealed to Ferguson.

“The city of Manhattan Beach and the fire department here have been great,” Ferguson said. “But in comparing, Santa Monica is closer to the type of organization I was raised in and that I’ve known since I was a young firefighter.”

The decision was difficult and bittersweet, Ferguson said, recognizing that “fire fighter culture doesn’t accept two-year chiefs.”

“I’m happy to be going to Santa Monica,” Ferguson said. “And I’m very excited. But you can’t just invest two years and walk away without caring. My style has always been to invest in people, whether fire fighters, city staff, or the community. Any time you tear at that fabric, it makes it difficult to leave.”

Ferguson, 48, said that the position with SMFD will provide him and his family with opportunities he fears may be unachievable in his current position.

“Before we came here, my wife Maria left a good career with hopes of eventually getting a job out here,” Ferguson said. “Two years later, she still doesn’t have one. At our ages, we want to sink roots somewhere and buy a home. As hard as we’ve tried out here, we’ve personally struggled to make ends meet.”

Ferguson was hired as MBFD’s chief in Jan. 2008 at a starting salary of $160,000. He said that since meeting education incentives, his salary has grown to roughly $177,000. SMFD will start the fire chief off with a base salary of $198,000 plus management incentives that could total upwards of $200,000.

In December, Ferguson applied for the SMFD opening, which he was initially ambivalent about pursuing. He said he did not apply elsewhere. He also said he disclosed his resume submission to former city manager Geoff Dolan, who resigned later that month from his post after 15 years with the city.

“The City Council treated me good,” Ferguson said. “So did the community and the city manager. [Dolan]’s leaving did not mean I was leaving. Maria and I did a lot of soul searching about this. Geoff leaving caused us to look at how viable another opportunity in Santa Monica would be.”

Ferguson served five years as Support Services Chief for the Peoria Fire Department in Arizona before being hired by the MBFD. He was one of 50 applicants who made it through the three-month selection process to replace former MBFD Chief Dennis Groat, who retired after 14 years with the city.

“I was sold on working for this city the minute I saw the quality of the people working here,” Ferguson said in a 2008 interview with the Easy Reader. “I think a successful chief’s job is sometimes to be a conduit between the goals of the firemen and the goals of the community and City Council.”

During Ferguson’s tenure, he helped modernize MBFD’s management by further implementing strategic plans based on a staffing study developed to refocus and prioritize the department.

“Chief Ferguson brought tools for us to put together in laying out a deep roadmap going into the future,” MBFD Battalion Chief Frank Chiella said. “The overall plan was a joint effort among all personnel, but he left a legacy for us that will be on-going.”

“A lot of us are bummed to see him go,” MBFD firefighter Rudy Mejia said. “But we have a strong foundation and the morale among the guys is still pretty high.”

Ferguson’s last day with MBFD will be March 19.

Ward said that he and the city manager will meet this week to begin discussing filling the fire chief position. The city has yet to decide whether to hire an interim chief or have MBFD battalion chiefs fill in until a permanent chief is hired.

Ward estimated the process to find a new chief could take up to six months.

“We have a very capable staff and we will be fine,” Ward said. “We will consider all aspects, both internally and externally, during the hiring process. Some battalion chiefs may step up. Nothing has been determined yet.” ER

(Left to right) Patricia Gibson, Linda McLoughlin Figel, and Margot Farris, owners of Pages: a Bookstore, are pictured here with an antique typewriter on display in their downtown book shop, which opens next month. Photo by Andrea Ruse

by Andrea Ruse

Once upon a time, in a land of corporate chain bookstores, three moms decided to open a small, independent book shop in the heart of Manhattan Beach.

They set out to cut through the two-story, espresso-vending, discount-driven nature of the big box stores, and return to a way of book selling that they believed had gotten lost.

Hour-long conversations with the friendly bookseller behind the counter. Personalized recommendations about the latest non-fiction. Detailed discussions about novels Oprah has yet to add to her renowned book club. And, of course, a neighborhood children’s story hour.

These are the community touches that residents Patricia Gibson, Linda McLoughlin Figel and Margot Farris felt were lacking from the Barnes and Nobles of the world.

“People have started to miss the little book stores,” Farris said.

The three moms imagined a small book shop where neighbors would gather to discuss their favorite authors, spread ideas and pique each others’ curiosities.

“We wanted it to be a meeting place for people from the whole neighborhood,” Farris said.

For Gibson, the dream of owning a book shop has been a long time coming.

“Since I was 12 years old, I’ve wanted a book store,” Gibson said. “I was the type of kid that would’ve slept on the sidewalk in front of the bookstore for the new Harry Potter book. I’m not that crazy anymore.”

When Gibson, Figel and Farris open Pages: a Bookstore early next month, the self-dubbed “three committed bibliophiles” know that the fairy tale is only about to begin and a happy ending is not guaranteed.

Times are especially tough for book sellers. Last month, Borders Group announced the closure of 200 stores and the elimination of 1,500 jobs.

“Everybody thinks it’s crazy,” Farris said. “We’re bucking the trend. When a lot of stores are closing, we’re opening. But it’s a unique time. The publishing industry has changed and anything could happen right now.”

Manhattan Beach has not had an independent bookstore since Hungry Mind bookstore closed several years ago.

“There was definitely a void when it closed,” Figel said.

The three women have forged friendships through their kids’ sports, discussions about Larry McMurtry’s Lonesome Dove and Tracy Kidder’s Mountains Beyond Mountains, and dreams of co-owning a book shop.

One of Figel’s most treasured gifts — a coffee mug from Gibson that reads “What would Atticus do?” — is a tribute to the hero of her favorite book, Harper Lee‘s To Kill a Mockingbird.

Gibson and Figel, who met through their husbands, have talked casually about opening a book shop throughout their nearly 20-year friendship. Figel formerly worked in finance and Gibson in television production before both left to raise children.

The pair became serious about their bookstore venture in 2005, attending book-selling workshops as far away as Florida.

“I bought a book on book-selling from the American Booksellers Association and mentioned it to Linda,” Gibson said. “She lit my fire.”

However, their enthusiasm began to wane last year as people warned against the dangers of entering into such a precarious industry. When mutual friend and fellow book lover Farris signed on as the third owner last year, she reignited the fire. In December, the trio leased a 2,000 square-foot building on the east side of Manhattan Avenue, a block south of the pier, and added a few coats of turquoise paint.

“The biggest challenge has been making the economics work,” Figel said. “Volume-driven stores can discount their books. We’ve struggled for a year trying to make it work.”

The owners share a basic philosophy. The choice of books they will carry and recommend to customers will be driven by a careful selection process.

“Hand selling is the idea of walking into a book store and getting personal advice on good books to read,” Figel said. “It’s a lost art in larger bookstores, where people are just there to steer you in the right direction.”

Gibson recalls learning about new authors and books directly as a result of personalized suggestions from independent book sellers.

“There was a book that came out over a year ago called The Help, by Kathryn Stockett,” Gibson said. “It didn’t hit the best seller list until June, but we read it in March because a bookseller turned us onto it.”

The soon-to-be shopkeepers spent hours poring over book lists and settled on an inventory that includes fiction, non-fiction, children, young adult, cooking, travel, and coffee table books.

They believe that through hand selling, they will be able to bring attention to new and local writers who often get drowned out among the myriad books in larger stores. Manhattan Beach’s Grant Patrick, author of Lifestyles of Southern California, and Redondo Beach’s Jennie Nash, author of The Last Beach Bunglaow, are among the top of the list.

“The biggest rule of thumb in deciding what we will carry is whether or not we like it,” Figel said. “I think we each have a unique sense of taste for books that complements each other. Ultimately, our customers will be good sources of what we will carry too.”

There are no pages in Pages yet. Gibson, Figel and Farris are awaiting their first shipment while putting final pieces in place, including black shelves that will wrap around the store, outdoor dog bowls and bike racks, and furniture comfy enough for any teen to plop down in with the latest book from D.J. MacHale, Manhattan Beach author of the popular tweener series Pendragon.

The three owners plan to regularly hold author events and book signings, children’s story hours and open microphone nights for teens to share poetry and prose. They also hope that the homey shop will serve as headquarters for local book clubs.

“Maybe we’ll even have a travel book club,” Farris said. “Little ideas are constantly buzzing in our heads to bring into the store.”

On March 21 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Gibson, Figel and Farris will host Pages’ first author event, where New York Times bestselling author Kelly Corrigan will discuss her latest book, Lift, about raising children.

“We want people to come in and feel the energy of the community, exchange ideas and talk to other book lovers,” Farris said. “We hope to inspire people and turn them onto new, thought-provoking books.”

For more information, visit  www.pagesabookstore.com or call (310) 318-0900. ER

South Bay Wheelmen president Cary Alpert (left) presents club founder, Ted Ernst, with the Harris Robinson award. Photo by Steve Whitsitt

by Andrea Ruse

Bicyclist hall-of-famer Ted Ernst Jr. finally won the most prestigious award handed out by the club he founded 50 years ago — the South Bay Wheelmen’s Harris Robinson award.

At an anniversary celebration Sunday, club president Cary Alpert presented the former owner of Ted’s Manhattan Cycles with the award, which is named for two SBW cyclists who died in separate bicycle-vehicle accidents. It is given out annually to the club member who shows sincere commitment to the club and to the sport of cycling.

“They’re not supposed to give me any prizes anymore,” said a humble Ernst. “I did my thing a long time ago and I like for the more current people in the club to enjoy the awards. But I am honored. It is nice to be recognized.”

Ernst founded the bike club in 1960, shortly after opening his legendary bike shop on Sepulveda Blvd. At that time, few such clubs existed in L.A. County.

“It’s a tradition that a good bike shop has a bike club headquartered with it,” Ernst said. “There are not that many shops of that ability level.”

Since then, club membership has grown from 10 to roughly 150 people who train and compete in national and community races as well as ride together recreationally. The club also hosts two of its own outdoor racing series events.

A year after founding SBW, Ernst started the now widely recognized Chevron Manhattan Beach Grand Prix. It is second oldest one-day race in the country, drawing more than 900 racers and 8,000 spectators each year.

“Good people who make up the club have kept it going all of these years,” Alpert said. “These are people who really like to cycle and want to work for it enough so that other people want to join. Lots of it is Ted. It’s his baby and he doesn’t want to see the club become homeless. He works really hard and tirelessly for the club and all kinds of other things to do with cycling.”

Members Kurt Sato, Charles Watson, and Danny Heeley were all given “Ted Awards” on Sunday, special awards handed out by Ernst to club cyclists who win at least one national track championship during the year.

While the basics of bike riding have changed little in the last half century, Ernst has seen developments in his sport emerge throughout the South Bay.

“When I first came along, riding bikes around town and on The Strand was mostly recreational,” Ernst said. “As time has gone on, bike-riding has become more accepted as a serious sport. People are buying better bikes and going farther distances. The bike club I started gave cyclists a big push in the arm for the entire South Bay area.”

The club is now making preparations for the Chevron Manhattan Beach Grand Prix on June 27.

 “This year, we were happy to give the Harris Robinson award to Ted,” Alpert said. “When going over members to nominate, I realized Ted had never won it. It seemed like a no brainer that on the 50th anniversary of the club, the founder should win it.”

 For more information, visit www.sbwcycling.com. ER