Community Corner

This Week's Top News in the South Bay

A look at what made headlines in the South Bay of Los Angeles during the week of Oct. 20-26.

Here is a look at what made headlines this week in Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach and Palos Verdes.

Hermosa Beach

City Hopes Code Enforcement Will Help Prevent Bar Incidents: In an effort to curtail recent bar-related incidents, the Hermosa Beach City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved an additional $20,000 in overtime pay for city firefighters and staff to focus on code compliance during the city's busy weekend periods.

Hermosa Beach Pumpkin Patch Outlasts Them All: For the past 31 years, Debbie and Jeff's Pumpkin Patch has been a regular sight every October at the corner of Pacific Coast Highway and 21st Street in Hermosa Beach. In an era where pumpkin patches in Los Angeles have morphed into small carnival attractions complete with pony rides and bounce houses to stay in business, owners Debbie Perry and husband Jeff have kept close to their original mission of simply peddling pumpkins for Halloween.

Find out what's happening in Manhattan Beachwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

World's Beach Tennis Elite Compete in Hermosa Beach This Weekend: The International Beach Tennis Championships, which will pit the world's top-ranked players against each other for one of the largest prizes in beach tennis, will be held on the Hermosa Beach Strand Friday through Sunday.

Manhattan Beach

: With state budgets being slashed and two propositions on the upcoming November ballot that could drastically affect education spending, organizers said Sunday's annual Skechers Pier-to-Pier Friendship Walk is as important as ever. Now in its fourth year, the friendship walk has raised a collective $1.2 million for South Bay school districts as well as special needs programs for the Friendship Circle organization.

Find out what's happening in Manhattan Beachwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Manhattan Beach Man Creates Halloween Light Show in Front Yard: For most, carved pumpkins and a smattering of fake spider webs on the front porch are enough to decorate a house for Halloween. For Manhattan Beach resident Steve Zipperman though, hay bales and plastic skeletons are child's play.

MBUSD to Test New Teacher Evaluation Standards: The Manhattan Beach Unified School District and the Manhattan Beach Unified Teachers Association announced this week that they have agreed to test a new teacher evaluation process based on newly adopted teaching standards.

: Pitfire Artisan Pizza will open in downtown Manhattan Beach in December where Pomodoro Cucina Italiana restaurant once operated. The pizza company runs restaurants in North Hollywood, downtown Los Angeles, Westwood, Mar Vista and West Hollywood. Its new location will open at 401 Manhattan Beach Blvd., the company announced.

Redondo Beach

Group to Appeal Rock & Brews Permit Denial: With a 4-3 vote, the Torrance Planning Commission on Wednesday denied an application to modify the conditional use permit and a precise plan of development for a proposed Rock & Brews where Oliver's sits on the corner of Pacific Coast Highway and Palos Verdes Boulevard.

High Court Won't Hear Murder Case: The California Supreme Court refused Wednesday to hear the case against a man convicted of the 1984 murder of his supervisor at a restaurant at Los Angeles International Airport. The state's highest court denied a defense petition seeking review of the case against Henry Earl Duncan, who was convicted of the Nov. 13, 1984, stabbing death of Josephine Eileen DeBaun of Redondo Beach.

Man to Face 19 Charges Related to Dilapidated House: A South Redondo Beach property owner is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday on charges relating to a half-built and dilapidated house on North Paulina Avenue, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Palos Verdes

Officials: Watch for Lobster Poachers: The recreational and commercial lobster season, which opened at the end of September and runs through mid-March, gives anglers the opportunity to catch their own tasty crustaceans; however, it also brings poachers looking to make a quick buck.

Palos Verdes Crime: Punched in the Face: Last week's police blotter included a report of a man punching someone in the face, a stolen pistol, a fight between minors at a soccer game and arrests on drug charges.


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