EDUCATION: MBUSD parcel tax heads to ballot
by Mark McDermott The Manhattan Beach Unified School District Board of Education moved unanimously last week to propose a ballot measure that would extend the $225 parcel tax approved by voters in 2018. That parcel tax, called Measure MB, generates $2.5 million annually and expires next June. The new parcel tax, as yet not officially […]
A Christmas lift: Susan Brooks, the Kiwanis Club, and a very special gathering
by Mark McDermott Many holiday gatherings will take place on the Palos Verdes Peninsula in the next two months. Most will be warmed by the spirit of togetherness that animates this time of year. Many will include fine wine, beautiful music, and exquisite food. Some will be dedicated to larger causes. But on the afternoon […]
INFRASTRUCTURE: Stormwater fee hike is set for election
by Mark McDermott Property owners in Manhattan Beach will vote on whether to increase the stormwater fees they pay from $19 annually to an average of $129 after City Council Tuesday night scheduled a mail-in ballot election to take place between late November and January 17. The council took the action somewhat reluctantly. The fee […]
EDUCATION: MBUSD test scores remain in upper echelon
by Mark McDermott The Manhattan Beach Unified School District’s performance in standardized tests remained drastically higher than most districts in California and Los Angeles County, according to comparative data released by the California Department of Education last month. But MBUSD lost some ground to the other comparable, top school districts. At its November 1 meeting, […]
CITY COUNCIL: City bolsters prosecution to pursue nuisance crimes
by Mark McDermott The Manhattan Beach City Council, thwarted by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office in its hopes of prosecuting non-violent crimes the DA no longer pursues, finally found a way to address at least some of those crimes. On Tuesday night, the Council unanimously voted to add prosecutorial capacity to pursue some […]
MB About Town: Veterans day, Begg Pool, MB Pier Lighting and Open House
Veterans Day ceremony The City of Manhattan Beach’s 26th Annual Veteran’s Day ceremony takes place at Veteran’s Parkway, at Valley and Ardmore, 11 a.m. on Saturday. The event features opening music provided by the Manhattan Beach Middle School Choir, presentations by members of Boy Scout Troop 849, and a keynote address delivered by Chief Master […]
PUBLIC SAFETY: Crime steeply declines in Manhattan Beach
by Mark McDermott Crime has drastically declined across the board locally in the last year, including nearly identical 44 percent decreases in both property and violent crimes, according to data compiled by the Manhattan Beach Police Department. MBPD Chief Rachel Johnson presented the data to the council last month. She credited proactive police work and […]
MB Police Beat: Robbery investigation
Manhattan Beach Police Department detectives are still investigating the robbery of Prestige Jewelers that occurred on October 9. In cooperation with the Gardena Police Department, one suspect was arrested shortly after the incident. Police are seeking the public’s help in identifying the other suspects. Mayor Richard Montgomery praised the swift work that resulted in an […]
BRUCE’S BEACH: A hundred years later, the Prioleau family returns to Manhattan Beach
by Mark McDermott and Elka Worner Ancestors loom larger in some families than in others. A bus pulled up to Bruce’s Beach Park two Saturday mornings ago, and 38 people disembarked, including 23 descendents, representing four generations, of a family that once lived on this land. In a very real sense, George and Ethel Prioleau […]
EDUCATION: Superintendent apologizes over handling of antisemitic incidents
by Mark McDermott Manhattan Beach Unified School District Superintendent John Bowes issued an apology Tuesday for the district’s handling of incidents in which a middle school student verbally attacked four Jewish students with strongly antisemitic language. The incidents, and their aftermath, led leaders of the local Jewish community to question if the Manhattan Beach Unified […]
Suing Brando
Attorney Tim O’Connor recalls suing the then down-on-his-luck actor, and offering some unsolicited advice about women by Brian Moore When an Oscar-winning actor strides into a Redondo Beach law firm to give a deposition, the atmosphere around the workplace tends to intensify. Ties are straightened, makeup is adjusted. “It was a big thing in […]
A Diamond on the Hill: Morgan’s Jewelers’ Marshall Varon calls it a day
by Mark McDermott Marshall Varon loved and respected his father, but he had absolutely no intention of following him into the family business. Morgan and Helen Varon founded Morgan’s Jewelry in 1946. Morgan was newly returned from World War II, where he served in the Air Force in England. He’d grown up in Seattle, and […]
Manhattan Beach Police Officer Chad Swanson remembered as “Everyday hero of extraordinary courage”
by Mark McDermott A procession wound its way through Manhattan Beach Wednesday morning as the community silently lined the streets. MBFD firefighters, along with comrades from surrounding agencies, stood in full salute in front of their engines. Students from American Martyrs stood somberly with signs conveying love for the family of fallen MBPD Officer Chad […]
Birth of the Blue Zones: How Dan Buettner created a movement
by Mark McDermott Dan Buettner is a National Geographic Explorer, a vocation for which both wonder and wander are inherent. But he came of age at a time when the geographic wonders of the world had been thoroughly documented. So early in his career, Buettner wandered in ways nobody had before, making his mark as […]
RETURN OF THE HOTDOGGER: Longboard surf contest comes to Manhattan Beach
by Mark McDermott “Let the young hot-dogger have his fun in the shorebreak. A mature man will never remain a hot-dogger.” From “Hot-Dogging vs Classic Surfing,” SURFER, Sept. 1966, by Sam Reid, as preserved in the Encyclopedia of Surfing. “Most surfers agree that there are two predominant styles in surfing. The stylist concentrates on exactness […]
COMMUNITY: The Hometown Fair, a homegrown festival, dedicates the Dietz Stage
by Mark McDeormott A festival is defined as a day, or days, of celebration. And while the Manhattan Beach Hometown Fair has always been known less for its Lollapalooza-alikeness, and more for its feeling of civic goodness, with Girl Scouts, craft booths, parades, and dozens of local philanthropies raising funds for good causes, there has […]