The Cummings family, which includes two children with special needs and an octogenarian aunt with dementia, lost everything when a fire gutted their home in the Walteria neighborhood of Torrance last month. The community has rallied around them, holding bake sales and setting up lemonade stands that have raised thousands of dollars for the family, which is leasing a home in Redondo Beach while their Torrance house is restored.

It'll be a long process -- expected to take about a year -- and your help is still needed. That's where a new blog, After the Cummings Fire, comes in.

The blog's first entry explains:

We created this blog as a central place to come to see what the Cummings family really needs. They will have the ability to update this list as they receive items, so we can really zero in on what will be most helpful to them.

An entry from the family itself follows: "We will miss ... Walteria. ... Our family is in awe with your generosity, kindness and support."

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1) Cabrillo Marine Aquarium: Marine exhibits, touch tanks and special events.
Hours: Tuesdays through Fridays noon to 5 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed Mondays, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Admission is a suggested a donation of $5 for adults, and $1 for children and seniors.
3720 Stephen M.White Drive, San Pedro. 310-548-7562.

2) South Coast Botanic Garden: 87 acres of land with a collection of plants from all over the world, classes, tours, walks and special shows.
Hours: Garden open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.
Admission is $7 for adults, $5 for seniors and students, $2.50 for children 5-12, and free for those under 5.
26300 Crenshaw Blvd., Palos Verdes Peninsula. 310-544-6815.

3) Madrona Marsh Preserve and Nature Center: Learn about the animal and plant species that benefit from the marsh at the Nature Center, then explore the marsh itself and see them in their natural habitat. Call for special nature walks and other events.
3201 Plaza del Amo, Torrance. 310-782-3989.

4) Point Vicente Interpretive Center: The 10,000-square-foot center features exhibits about the natural and cultural history of the Palos Verdes Peninsula, with an emphasis on the Pacific gray whale.
Hours: Daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Park grounds close at dusk.
No admission fee, but donations are appreciated.
31501 Palos Verdes Drive West, Rancho Palos Verdes. 310-377-5370.

5) Roundhouse Lab, Aquarium: Native and non-native marine life, including sharks, moray eels, lobsters and octopi, on display in tanks; educational programs for kindergarten through 12th-grade classes; outreach programs and birthday parties.
Hours: 3 p.m. to dusk Mondays through Fridays, 10 a.m. to dusk Saturdays and Sundays.
Free admission but donations are welcome.
End of Manhattan Beach Pier. 310-379-8117.

6) Western Museum of Flight: Focuses on the history of the aerospace industry in Southern California, with planes from all eras on display.
Hours: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays through Sundays.
General admission is $5, students $3.
3315 Airport Drive, Red Baron Hangar No. 3, Torrance. 310-326-9544.

7) Charles H. Wilson Park: Free Little Train Rides on the first Sunday of the month (except in July). The park also has a treehouse. The train rides are closest to the park's eastern Washington St. entrance.
Hours: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
2200 Crenshaw Blvd., Torrance.

8) Sea Aire Golf Course: Sea-Aire is a very short nine-hole, 27 par, pitch and putt golf course nestled in the Seaside Ranchos neighborhood of SouthTorrance. It's a low-stress, relatively low-cost place to learn the game. Club and ball rental available.
Hours: Mondays 3 p.m. until dusk, Tuesdays through Sundays 9 a.m. until dusk.
22780 Lupine Drive, Torrance. 310-543-4653.

9) Banning Residence Museum: Built in 1864, the restored, 23-room Greek revival mansion is the former home of Phineas Banning, who founded Wilmington in 1858. Call for information on guided tours and special events.
General admission is $5, $1 for children under 12.
401 E. M St., Wilmington. 310-548-7777.

10) L.A. Maritime Museum: Exhibits include vessels, models, paintings and memorabilia of maritime life. Hands-on exhibits include knot board and amateur radio room.
Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays, noon to 5 p.m. Sundays, closed Mondays
General admission $3 general, seniors and youths ages 7-18 $1, children 6 and under free.
Berth 84, foot of Sixth St., San Pedro. 310-548-7618.

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Yard sales are so 20th Century. If the economy has you down and you're looking for ways to be thrifty or to help out someone in need, you need to get online.

The Freecycle Network is a movement of like-minded people who give away things they don't need anymore to those who might be able to use it, rather than ship it off to the landfill.

The group's mission statement:

"Our mission is to build a worldwide gifting movement that reduces waste, saves precious resources & eases the burden on our landfills while enabling our members to benefit from the strength of a larger community."

To participate, contact the yahoo group you want to join. Membership is free. Then you can list items you want to get rid of or post a request for something you need. You'll also receive emails about items that are being offered. Everything posted must be free, legal, and appropriate for all ages. Recent postings in the Torrance group have offered up everything from new women's underwear to wrought iron patio furniture.

Freecycle groups in the South Bay:

• Carson


• Manhattan Beach


• Palos Verdes Peninsula


• Redondo Beach


• San Pedro


• Torrance

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Hot dogs are a staple of Fourth of July cookouts. No wonder July is National Hot Dog Month. In honor of the all-mighty wiener, the National Hot Dog & Sausage Council conducted a national poll confirming a strong link between hot dogs and sports -- especially baseball. The poll listed hot dogs as fans' favorite stadium fare. We're lucky to live close by to Dodger Stadium, which ranked fourth on a list of the best stadium frankfurters. A Dodger Dog and an order of the stadium's greasy, extra-strong garlic fries ... heavenly. Premium baseball eats.

The Roadium in Torrance is a South Bay hot spots for hot dogs. The open air market's dogs have a regional twist; they're topped with grilled onions and a whole jalapeño. The Roadium is open this Independence Day weekend, so you can come by and sample one of their dogs while browsing the vendors' goods.

If you're a Wienerschnitzel fan, you'll want to head over to the one at 900 W. Pacific Coast Highway in Wilmington. This is the very first Wienerschnitzel location. It's almost 50 years old and still kickin'. Mark your calendars for July 15, when the chain will be giving away free chili dogs and ice cream cones.

Prefer to cook up your own hot dog creations? The National Hot Dog & Sausage Council offers a miscellany of recipes, from Asian-inspired Hoisin Glazed Dogs to traditional beans and franks.

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You may not be knee-deep in marine algae like these Olympic workers clearing a Chinese sailing waterway this week, but who do you call when you notice the South Bay shoreline is looking just a bit, well, icky?

Heal the Bay, a nonprofit environmental organization dedicated to making Southern California coastal waters and watersheds safe, healthy and clean, has set up a hotline for South Bay residents and those in surrounding areas to report any pollution they think is adversely affecting the wonderful beaches, water or animal life.

While you may not be sailing in the Olympics, at least you can contribute to keeping our beaches world-class.

Heal the Bay hotline numbers for South Bay cities:

General info / Stormwater and Dumping / Sewage spills

Artesia 562-865-6262 562-865-6262 562-865-6262
El Segundo 310-524-2300 310-524-2742 310-524-2742
Gardena 310-217-9500 310-217-9568 310-217-9568
Hawthorne 310-970-7902 310-970-7955 310-970-7955
Hermosa Beach 310-318-0239 310-318-0214 310-318-0214
Inglewood 310-412-5301 310-412-5333 310-412-5333
Manhattan Beach 310-802-5000 310-802-5363 310-802-5363
Palos Verdes Estates 310-378-0383 310-378-0383 310-378-0383
Rancho Palos Verdes 310-377-0360 310-544-5252 310-544-5252
Redondo Beach 310-372-1171 310-318-0661 310-318-0686
Rolling Hills 310-377-1521 310-377-1521 310-377-1521
Rolling Hills Estates 310-377-1577 800-303-0003 888-253-2652

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RottenNeighbor.com is part online therapy, part trashy paperback novel. The year-old site singles out neighbors for offenses ranging from shoddy lawn upkeep ("They have garbage all through their yard") to alleged violence ("He has tried to run us down with his push lawnmower").

Users are invited to post advice on dealing with neighbors who fight and yell, who let their animals defecate on other people's property, who neglect their septic tanks -- even those who cook foul-smelling food.

Using Google Maps, the site zooms in on homes of the accused, represented by structures colored red (for the rotten) and green (for the good) that resemble plastic pieces of a Monopoly board game.

Type in Redondo Beach, for instance, and the site brings up a bird's-eye view of the city, a patchwork of trees and rooftops. Click on one of the houses to see comments from agitated residents, like the one complaining about a neighbor who says she can hear them use the microwave and toilets and even cough.

"Whenever we set foot in our apartment, she goes ballistic and starts cussing and stomping on our ceiling. She makes an extra effort when we have guests over to show them how crazy she is. My mom came to visit me one night around 8 p.m., and I was showing her my room, and sure enough, the neighbor stomped around and was yelling to protest my guest's visit. IT WAS MY MOM!! NOT SOME HOUSE PARTY!! I'm so embarrassed to even invite people over. That's not a home, it's a prison!"

A commenter chimes in: "I have the same neighbor above me. ... Everybody here is just waiting for them to be evicted anytime soon."

Most of the postings are anonymous, which is just fine with site co-founder Brant Walker, 27, who came up with the idea when he moved and noticed a rotten smell coming from his neighbor's door.

Walker, a Web site designer from San Diego, said the site averages several hundred thousand hits per day. He said it is a good resource for people moving to a new neighborhood because it offers a glimpse behind closed doors -- "things that a real estate agent won't tell you."

But he admits the site was forced to add a "flag for removal" option after people complained that they were unfairly targeted as bad neighbors. If a post gets flagged a certain number of times, it is now removed.

Positive comments can also be found, such as the "new here but very nice" post from Torrance: "Young and fun, great to have them."

But red houses dominate, especially since Walker added a new feature: Posts showing the homes of registered sex offenders.

And there's more: Site co-founder Thomas Adams said RottenNeighbor.com is pitching ideas to major networks for a reality show based on the site.

"The goal would be to find a way to reconcile neighbors' differences," Adams said. "We're trying to showcase the beautiful side of what neighbors can be like when they help each other."

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Wanderlust seems to be infectious around these parts.

Remember Zac Sunderland? He's the 16-year-old Marina del Rey teen who set about exploring the world in his 36-foot fiberglass sailboat, Intrepid. He was also featured in the Daily Breeze, and more importantly, The Daily Link.

Sunderland's site has a biography, images and a blog that lists his global coordinates. Thus far, he has been very good in providing daily updates.

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Remember Josh Robbins? He's the Redondo Beach resident who set out to attend every Major League Baseball stadium, and to set a record by doing so -- in 27 days.

He was featured in the Daily Breeze on June 14, two days before he began his trip. Robbins is chronicling his adventure on his site, thirty27.com, which features a schedule and daily blog.

Robbins' odyssey began in Seattle, where the visiting Florida Marlins played the Mariners in interleague action. He has since seen 11 games, and the 12th is tonight in Cleveland, where the Indians play the San Francisco Giants.

He has been getting some media fame through his exploits, being interviewed by local media on his stops. Even the teams know about Robbins' adventure; he boasts that more than 20 of them even comped him free tickets.

Robbins is having a better time than the teams he visits for their home games. Out of the first 10 games on Robbins' itinerary, home teams have lost 7 times in games where he was in attendance.

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Should reports of salmonella contamination have you saying "hold the tomatoes" forever? The outbreak of Salmonella Saintpaul, an uncommon strain of the bacterium, has been responsible for more than 550 infectious cases reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention since April. As a result, the fruits have been pulled from markets and restaurants. Five weeks after the first reports of an outbreak, what are your tomato-eating options?

Some varieties of tomatoes are safe to eat, and some of the suspected red plum, red Roma and red round tomatoes were not grown in contaminated areas. The Associated Press offers some advice on safe tomato consumption:

• Avoid raw red plum, red Roma or red round tomatoes unless they were grown in specific states or countries that Food and Drug Administration has cleared of suspicion. The Food and Drug Administration has a salmonella updates page.
• Opt for grape tomatoes, cherry tomatoes and tomatoes sold with the vine still attached. They are unaffected.
• Choose tomatoes and other fresh produce without bruises or other damage.
• Keep uncut tomatoes at room temperature for the best flavor. Once sliced, tomatoes must be refrigerated promptly, to avoid bacterial growth.
• Wash fresh tomatoes under running water just before eating them.
• If you think you may have eaten a contaminated tomato, the CDC maintains a page on the salmonella outbreak where you can compare your symptoms and read about treatment options.

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Dining out has been made easier and more fun thanks to the web. Not only can databases make it easier to find restaurants, but interactivity allows us to share our experiences -- good and bad -- with fellow diners.

Listing/review sites are abundant, so the novelty has worn off and the quality of reviews by average Joes and Janes can be decidedly hit-and-miss.

For foodies, Eater LA strives to be the highly regarded sit-down restaurant in a world dominated by noisy fast-food dining sites.

Eater LA has its own community of reviewers, but it's a blog that writes and aggregates news about restaurants, chefs, critics and industry developments. The site is nicely polished, modeled on the template of sister sites Curbed LA for urban planning and Racked LA for shopping.

Our little corner of the world is modestly represented in the subcategories. So far, Eater has listings for the Del Reys, LAX, Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach and San Pedro. It will only be a matter of time before Eater readers and the internet as a whole discover Lawndale's restaurant scene.

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Dig around in the Torrance City Council's Web site and you're sure to find a bone.

Sniff around a little more and you'll find that the city runs an Animal Control Program clinic in conjunction with Plaza Del Amo Animal Hospital where you can get your dog or cat cheaply vaccinated or licensed. The clinic is Wednesday, June 18, from 7 to 8.30 p.m at the Torrance Police Department Animal Control facility at 2200 Jefferson Street, in the northeast corner of Wilson Park, next to the tennis courts.

A rabies shot costs $6; dog six-in-one (DHLPP) is $14; dog Bortadella is $11; and cat four-in-one (FVRCP) is $14. License prices are $40 for an unaltered dog and $20 for a spayed or neutered dog.

Pet owners need their pet's Certificate of Sterility for the spayed/neutered fee. Bring a separate check for vaccinations and licensing. Dogs should be on a leash while cats should be brought in secure carriers.

Maybe you've got a bone to pick with your neighbor's noisy, barking dog? You can file an online incident report.

For anything else doggy-related, including lost and found animals, trapped animals, deceased animals, feral cats or dog bites, you can contact the City of Torrance Animal Control Office at 310-618-3850, during regular business hours, Monday through Friday, 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM. At all other times, please contact the Torrance Police Department at 310-328-3456. You can also contact Animal Control via e-mail at AnimalControl@torrnet.com.

Additional links:
Los Angeles County Animal Control

Los Angeles County West Vector Control (West Nile virus or bee problems)

Department of Fish and Game (Trapping rules and regulations)

South Bay Center for Dispute Resolution
310-376-7007

Also check out everything pet-related at our South Bay Pets blog.

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Keep your kids' reading skills sharp this summer by helping them work their way through school-approved summer reading lists.

The Torrance library list includes books for all grade levels of Torrance Unified and specific lists for all four public high schools. It also has lists for some private schools including Bishop Montgomery and St. Catherine Labore.

According to The Beach Reporter, El Segundo High is trimming its summer reading list and choosing books that appeal more to the boys.

According to the report, the English department and the committee have opted to give students fewer choices, and are aiming for more students to be engaged and ready to discuss a common text the minute the bell rings in the 2008-09 school year. The committee explained to the board at the May 28 School Board meeting that their additions to the list were made with the intent of picking topics that would engage the male student, given that the male population is the least engaged with the current list of required reading.

El Segundo High's list

El Segundo Middle School's list

Other school lists from around the South Bay:
Manhattan Beach's lists

Redondo Beach's lists

Peninsula High School's list

Palos Verdes High's library lists

If your children are a little ahead or behind the class curve, you can find reading material specifically for their reading level if you know their STAR test scores. The California Department of Education has a reading list with levels based on the scores with detailed information of how to use the list.

And, if you're curious who pick's this stuff, here's an insider's look at how a summer reading list comes together.

RELATED POSTS:
Summer reading for adults
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It's been a while since we've done a roundup of blog posts written by South Bay residents, so some of these are from a couple of weeks ago, but they are still worth a link.

Easy Fiend blogger Denis Faye wrote a comic book with an artist he met at the comic shop he frequents in Manhattan Beach. It's called The Monocle and Jimmy Specs. Here's the synopsis from a new blog he set up to promote it:

The Monocle and Jimmy Specs is the story of an aloof crimefighter whose life takes a tragic turn when his prejudices prevent him from accepting the truth about his young sidekick. Inspired by the golden age of illustration and the pulp era of short fiction, The Monocle harkens back to a time when superheroes didn't wear spandex and life was much simpler -- or so they thought.

MaryRuth at Where's the Bubbler has found a little bit of the Midwest in the Sprouts grocery store in Torrance:

Usinger's is a old Milwaukee institution--started in 1880. The factory-store is something out of the Old World. On the walls inside the store are murals depicting the sausage-making elves. I actually toured the factory once. My sister's father-in-law worked there for many years, and when he retired, the company threw him a party and we all got to tour the plant. It was pretty interesting to see how it is done. And no...nothing scary either.

Manhattan Beach Confidential did an ode to a favorite walkstreet, complete with tons of photos that will make you daydream about living there:

Seventh Street in the South End is one of those fabled Manhattan Beach walkstreets. As much or more than others, this one is a kid's paradise.

7th is a flat stretch that goes all the way from Crest to Valley - no break at Ingleside. On a recent stroll we counted no fewer than 3 playhouses, 4 basketball hoops (of varying sizes) and a tetherball post in the walkstreet. It's a playground.

Westchester Parents blog posted an item about a series of exhibits exploring the history of Playa del Rey.

In a series of four exhibits portraying different time periods, Dukesherer will speak about about Playa del Rey (Beach of the King, in Spanish), Playa Vista and later Westchester. The first of four planned exhibits exhibits coincide with the launch of his book (pictured above) will run through March 2009. Each exhibit will consist of a collection of historical photos and memorabilia from various sources.

If you know of a South Bay blogger that we ought to know about, send us a note.

RELATED POSTS:
Girls' Guide to San Pedro
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Q&A with MaryRuth, a South Bay blogger and foodie
Meet Easy Fiend blogger Denis faye
Snail torture and secret MB streets

Posted by Daily Link at 9:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

What's it like to sail around the world by yourself -- at 16? Zac Sunderland is about to fulfill a dream and find out. He plans to set off from Burton Chace Park in Marina del Rey on June 14 in a quest to become the youngest solo sailor to circumnavigate the globe, and you can follow his journey at his Web site. You'll find more details on the course he's set for his 36-foot Islander boat, the Intrepid, along with a video and a photo gallery. His blog has links to even more photos and news video and print coverage of his preparations.

Zac, whose first home was on board a 55-foot Tradewind in Marina del Rey, where his father worked on boats, now lives in Thousand Oaks -- not that he'll be seeing home for a long. long time if everything goes well. And preparations for his voyage haven't been all smooth sailing. If you track his blog, you'll learn he had to postpone his departure two weeks because of engine problems. What other adventures and misadventures await him? Will he make his goal of returning to Marina del Rey before he turns 18? Keep reading his blog to find out.

RELATED POST:
Follow South Bay residents on their adventures via blogs

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We first crystallized this list in November, when plans to transform Seaside Lagoon in Redondo Beach into an ice skating rink were put on hold, and we now must report another revision.

The Skating Edge in Harbor City -- the most traditional rink in the South Bay and the one where Michelle Kwan got her start -- is temporarily closed. But there are still a couple of South Bay sites where you can practice your Salcows, Lutzes and triple toe loops:

• The Promenade on the Peninsula shopping center houses the Palos Verdes Ice Chalet on its first floor, making it a premier location to show off your moves to the assembled shoppers.

• If you time it right, you can also skate on the ice that the Los Angeles Kings practice on with a trip to El Segundo's Toyota Sports Center complex

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If graduation time has you reminiscing about your final days in high school, but you just can't seem to find that yearbook you stashed in the back of a closet, here are a couple of possible solutions to your nostalgic predicament.

You can buy old high school yearbooks at www.elementaryschoolyearbook.com, so, as their Web site says, you can "make fun of people just like in the old days." Recently among the inventory included a 1987 San Pedro High book for $100 and a 1975 book from Torrance's North High for $90.

If the yearbook you are looking for is not among the 2700 or so they have in stock, they'll hunt it down for you for a $4.95 fee that will be credited toward the cost of the yearbook.

If you want to look for it yourself, www.ourclassreunion.com/wantedlist.html, has a list of resources to help, including a list of links to yearbooks grouped by state that are offered for sale on eBay, and a tutorial explaining how to find yearbooks on the Web.

If, however, you are among those who value a little cash over those memories, you can also try selling your yearbook at www.ourclassreunion.com/wantedlist.html, where you'll find a list of public and private school, high school, military, alumni or college yearbooks wanted in the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and Canada. Scroll down the page and click on the state where you went to high school. For example, someone out there is searching for a long-lost 1986 Banning High yearbook.

Another option for local high school graduates looking for yearbooks is the Katy Geissert Civic Center Library in Torrance, which has the following yearbooks available for viewing: Bishop Montgomery (1968-1994); North High (1956-59, 1961-63, 1966-67, 1972-73, 1977-90, 1993); Hawthorne High (1991); South High (1960-62, 1965, 1967, 1969, 1976-88, 1990); Torrance High (1950, 1959, 1961-62, 1964-66, 1968-71, 1973-2001, 2003) and West High (1964-68, 1971-72, 1974-87, 1992).

And just how often do people look at their yearbooks? If our online graduation poll is any indication, not all that much: 56 percent said "rarely" and 12 percent said "never," while 11 percent said "frequently" and 13 percent said "at least once a year." Nine percent did not respond to the question.

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Looking for something to keep your kids busy this summer without breaking the bank? Check out some of these summer movie programs geared toward kids.

AMC Theaters runs $1 movies during its "Summer Movie Camp" every Wednesday at 10 a.m. The Southbay Galleria 16 in Redondo Beach and the Del Amo 18 are participating this year. Here's the schedule:

June 25: Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium
July 2: The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep
July 9: Alvin & The Chipmunks
July 16: Shrek The Third
July 23: Bee Movie
July 30: Surf's Up
August 6: TMNT

The Promenade Stadium 13 in Rolling Hills Estates participates in Regal Cinema's "Free Family Film Festival." Every Tuesday and Wednesday during the program, movies are free at 10 a.m. for kids and their parents. Here's the movie schedule:

06/17/2008-06/18/2008 Clifford's Really Big Movie (G) Alvin And The Chipmunks (PG)

06/24/2008-06/25/2008 Jonah: A Veggie Tale Movie (G)
The Martian Child (PG)

07/01/2008-07/02/2008 Adventure Of Elm In Grouchland (G)
Water Horse: Legend Of The Deep (PG)

07/08/2008-07/09/2008 Doogal (G)
Shrek The Third (PG)

07/15/2008-07/16/2008 Everyone's Hero (G)
Open Season (PG)
07/22/2008-07/23/2008 Carebears 2 (G)
Firehouse Dog (PG)

07/29/2008-07/30/2008 Pirates Who Don't Do Anything - Veggie Tales (G)
Monster House (PG)

08/05/2008-08/06/2008 Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium (G)
Bee Movie (PG)

08/12/2008-08/13/2008 Charlotte's Web (G)
Surf's Up (PG)

Pacific Theaters don't have a kids program, but they do have Monday Morning Mommy Movies at the El Segundo theater each week at 11 a.m. Here's the spiel:

Moms, Dads and Caregivers - here's your chance to see a first run adult-themed movie...with your baby! No one will mind if your baby cries, everyone will have a baby and all babies cry. So pack up your diaper bag and stroller, and we'll see you at the movies!

RELATED POSTS:
San Pedro's Shakespeare by the Sea
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Before El Segundo became a full-fledged city in 1917, it was part of "Rancho Sausal Redondo" (Ranch of the Round Clump of Willows), according to the city's Web site.
The nearly 25,000-acre rancho extended as far west of what is now Playa del Rey, as far east as Inglewood, and as far south as Redondo Beach. The land was planted in wheat and barley for cattle and sheep grazing.
In May 1911, Richard Hanna and four other men representing Standard Oil Co. visited an area near the seashore to analyze its potential as the company's next oil refinery. Hanna's wife, Virginia, dubbed this expanse "El Segundo", (Spanish for "the second one,") because the site was to be Standard Oil's second oil refinery in California (The Point Richmond refinery was already christened as "El Primero").
Standard Oil bought 840 acres of the land on June 11, and the refinery opened for business on November 27.

Posted by Daily Link at 11:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

With gasoline prices hitting $4 a gallon, it's probably a good year to plan short trips. Or just stay at home.

And if music is your thing, there are some free, inexpensive or moderately priced events within a two-hour drive.

Check out Redlands Bowl Summer Concert Series on Fridays and Saturdays. It's free and -- if traffic is with you -- just 90 minutes away. The concert has a small-town Americana feel to it although the music isn't just symphony pop. It's for the entire family and people stakeout sections of the park around the bowl for picnics before the concert begins.

Each week, there is different musical foray. Symphonies, string groups, Celtic and country bands, operas, dance groups and a performance of the Wizard of Oz.
The series starts June 29 with Lorna Luft -- Judy Garland's daughter will perform American music theater hits including some numbers from "Wicked." The season runs through Aug 22.

If Redlands is a little out of your gasoline budget, the South Bay as a host of concerts and fine art programs.

Get a taste of Torrance's Wild Wednesday concert series before the season starts on June 23. The noon concert series runs through Aug. 20, every other Wednesday, at the Torino Festival Plaza.

Redondo Beach's summer pier concerts begin July 4 with a performance by the Surfing Safari. After the Independence Day Friday concert there will be concerts on Thursdays and Saturdays through Aug. 30.

Manhattan Beach's Polliwog Park Concert series begins June 22. Starting with the Hyperion Outfall Serenaders and Thin Ice -- founded by former Manhattan Beach Mayor Russ Lender -- the summer line-up is a who's who of South Bay favorites. The season runs Sundays through Aug. 31. The schedule site also includes links to performers' Web sites.

Posted by Daily Link at 6:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

San Pedro's annual Shakespeare by the Sea opens June 12 in Point Fermin Park with "A Midsummer Night's Dream." It's billed as "an enchanting comedy where magical mayhem rules. Feisty fairies finagle a four square love affair in this fast, furious fantasy which proves 'the course of true love never did run smooth.'"

The Shakespeare by the Sea production is but one of 47 Shakespeare festivals and theaters in California. And that's just the beginning. There's the San Francisco Shakespeare in the Park, the Oklahoma City Shakespeare in the Park, the Louisville, Kentucky Shakespeare in Central Park, and New York's Shakespeare in Central Park. And then, of course, there's London's Royal Shakespeare Company, Germany's Shakespeare Festival in the Neuss Globe and Mexico's Baja Shakespeare Festival.

If you want to take a road trip to see a sampling of the Bard's work across the nation and the world, Shakespeare Fellowship offers what it calls "the most comprehensive and current list of Shakespeare festivals and theatres on the Web today."

Posted by Daily Link at 6:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Heal the Bay has a new initiative to raise awareness of water quality conditions. Ads went up on South Bay lifeguard stations to inform beachgoers to text their location and find out the Heal the Bay grade for the water. To receive text messages about South Bay beach water quality, send a text message to 23907 and type the following codes for these specific locations.
For Marina del Rey, Mothers' Beach, text mdrmothers
For Dockweiler State Beach at Ballona Creek, text ballona
For Manhattan Beach at 40th Street, text mb40
For Hermosa Beach Pier, text hermosapier
For Herondo Street storm drain, text herondo
For Redondo Beach at Avenue I drain, text avenuei
For Malaga Cove, Palos Verdes Estates, text malagad
For Palos Verdes Estates, text bluffcove
For Rancho Palos Verdes, text longpoint
For Cabrillo Beach's harborside at lifeguard tower. text cabrillo

More locations are available at the Heal the Bay website.

Posted by Daily Link at 6:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Los Angeles-based and world-renowned architect Frank Gehry plans to move his office to El Segundo, so you might want to read up on him in case you happen to meet at the coffee shop.

Worldwide, his impossible-to-ignore work (even more amazing considering that he is well known for sticking to his budgets) has made him a "starchitect."

But he's been criticized for his buildings' functionless forms and possible environmental hazards (the metallic Walt Disney Concert Hall in downtown Los Angeles was reflecting and concentrating sunlight and heat onto the surrounding streets, creating glare and causing sunburns).

A resident of Santa Monica, Gehry's architectural fingerprints are visible all over the L.A. area, including the former Santa Monica Place (the site is currently being renovated), the Venice Beach House and the Loyola University Law School. The school will take you on a virtual tour of that gem.

Another of Gehry's most well-known (and cutest -- thanks to that floral pup outside) landmarks is the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain. And you don't have to shell out airfare to see that one, either. Take a guided virtual tour of the "emblematic" site.

Posted by Daily Link at 11:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

If you're stuck indoors but want to see a slice of the great outdoors, check out the panoramic views of San Pedro's Averill Park gazebo and pond, Cabrillo Beach Pier, Korean Bell of Friendship, Ports O' Call Village and White Point Park.

Posted by Daily Link at 6:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It's a great day in the South Bay and Harbor Area, and you're ready to get the family out of the house to work off some excess energy and have an impromptu picnic. You just can't bear the thought of going to the same old park you and the kids have been to a thousand times before, but how do you find a good spot without driving around and wasting gallons of precious gas? We're here to help with some of the Web sites that will clue you in on parks and recreation facilities in the area. Some just list what types of park facilities are available, but many offer photos to give you a clearer picture or provide maps to help you get there. Here are some of the most helpful sites we found. If we're missing something, let us know. Meanwhile, have fun and save some of that chicken and pie for us.

We'll start with a good example from Torrance. Go here for a map of sites and photos of most of the parks. A quick reference guide will tell you what kinds of facilities are available at each site.

Elsewhere, try these:

Carson: Most of the parks site is under construction, but you can find links for Carson swimming pools.
Hawthorne
Hermosa Beach
Rancho Palos Verdes
Redondo Beach
(look for the interactive parks map).
Los Angeles City (you can search by ZIP Code)
Los Angeles County (search by ZIP Code)
Manhattan Beach
Rolling Hills Estates (has some very basic information)
Rancho Palos Verdes

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When lifelong San Pedro resident Erika Sogliuzzo found a nail salon she loved, she wanted to tell the world about it. And so, a blog was born.

On SP Good and Bad, the 37-year-old mom of 2-year-old twins recommends the best shops, eats and services according to her inner circle of gal pals. So far, she's covered nail salons, eyebrow groomers of various sorts, gift shops and Mexican restaurants. This week's poll covers dry cleaners, so feel free to weigh in, if you think you've got the inside scoop on the best laundress in San Pedro.

Read on for a Q&A with Erika and links to her best stuff.

Continue reading "Girls' Guide to San Pedro" »

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If the Armed Forces Day activities in Torrance on Saturday have you in a military frame of mind, you can visit one of 19 military memorials in the South Bay to pay your respects to those who have served the country. Check our map of the memorials for details and directions.

Or read on for a text list.

Continue reading "South Bay military memorials" »

Posted by Daily Link at 6:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Did you feel a little shaky Wednesday morning?

Turns out a 2.6-magnitude quake hit off the coast of Manhattan and Hermosa Beach at 3:35 a.m., while a slightly weaker 1.8 temblor shook an area off Palos Verdes Point a few minutes later.

How do we know? We checked with the U.S. Geological Survey.

You can also find out more at this Caltech site, which includes links to statistics on recent earthquakes, maps, movies and community comments about ground shaking to which you, too, can contribute.

RELATED POSTS:
Scientists link laptops to detect earthquakes
Earthquake watch and tsunami warnings

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If you're not aware by now, Bike to Work Week is May 12 through May 16. If the two-wheeler has been sitting in the garage throughout this week, there's no excuse not to bring it out today: Bike to Work Day.

This morning is when bicyclists are feted for using human-powered propulsion and the most energy efficient mode of transportation on Earth. Of Two Minds blogger Charles Hugh Smith estimates that a bicyclist can get and MPG of 900 -- yes nine hundred.

Pit stops are set up this morning to give thanks and free swag to bicyclists. In the South Bay, pit stops will be at the Aviation and El Segundo/Nash Metro Green Line stations and at Torrance City Hall, at Torrance Boulevard and Madrona Avenue. All of Los Angeles County's pit stops are plotted out on a Google Map.

Another freebie bicyclists might consider: free transit rides. South Bay bus and rail carriers offering free rides today are Metro, Beach Cities Transit, Los Angeles Department of Transportation and Torrance Transit. Gardena Municipal Bus Lines is also offering free rides, but its buses cannot accommodate bicycles.

Posted by Daily Link at 4:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Century (105) Freeway provides a speedy link through southern Los Angeles County. It runs between LAX and Norwalk, and connects three freeways.

It also spawned one of the first major freeway revolts and a complicated legal battle that forced Caltrans to implement unprecedented legal remedies to the mostly low-income communities through where the 105 was built.

Photographer Jeff Gates provides a history lesson.

He shares photographs and essays of the drawn-out process of building Los Angeles County's last major freeway opening on his site, In Our Path. He began photographing the construction of the freeway in 1982, and interviewed residents in the path of the freeway who were displaced by freeway construction.

The Century Freeway, which was originally set to be completed by 1980, opened in 1993 after the state battled cities and residents in the courts. The freeway was ultimately built, but the state agreed to enter a consent decree that required replacing homes taken for the freeway, giving preferential hiring to nearby residents for construction, and integrating mass transit into the highway's design. The Metro Green Line, running in the freeway's median, opened in 1995.

The litigation brought on by construction of the freeway factored in slowing down highway expansion throughout the county.

Gates, a Los Angeles native now living on the East Coast, supplies images and writing on the construction of the freeway and Southern California's transition from the suburban boom started by the Pacific Electric streetcars and completed with the highway grid that largely replaced the traction.

Posted by Daily Link at 6:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

If you've been caught up in the cliche handwringing about young people who don't care about politics, 18-year-old Torrance resident Jeff R. Samano should put your mind at ease.

The LB State communications major has been spending his free time doing some political homework in advance of the June 3 Torrance city council elections, in the hopes of engaging Torrance residents with his blog, Torrance Election 2008.

Jeff's posts include lengthy reviews of election forums and campaign funding records.

His first post explains his point of view and tells which candidates he was pulling for when he began the blog. Curiously, three of his four faves have answered Q&A's on his site. Coincidence?

Read on for a Q&A with Jeff to find out how he got interested in civics, what he thinks is the biggest issue facing Torrance now and what he thinks every South Bay resident should know.

Continue reading "Blogger looks for 'more than sound bites' on Torrance election" »

Posted by Daily Link at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here are some links to help you do your homework for the upcoming June 3 election.

City of Torrance election page.

If you want to vote June 3 and you're not registered, you have until May 19 to make sure that you are.

LAVote.net has pollworker information.

Find your polling place.

Smartvoter.org has info on the council candidates and a list of the candidate forums (There's one tonight at 7 at the South High School Cafeteria, 4801 Pacific Coast Highway.)

You can also see footage of the first candidate forum every night until June 2 at 6:30 on TimeWarner Channel 28. Three-minute candidate statements air at 8:30 p.m.

Posted by Daily Link at 6:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

May is Older Americans Month, sponsored by the Department of Health and Human Services' Administration on Aging. When the celebration was established in 1963 by President John F. Kennedy, only 17 million living Americans had reached their 65th birthdays. Beginning in 2011, the first of 78 million baby boomers (people born between 1946 and 1964) will start transitioning into retirement, kicking off an expansion in the number of elderly people that will continue for decades. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, one out of every nine baby boomers will live to be at least age 90.

This year's theme is "Working Together for Strong, Healthy, and Supportive Communities." Celebrate older Americans in your community on Saturday, as the city of Torrance holds its ninth annual Senior Faire and Arts and Crafts Festival. The free event will feature arts and crafts, health screenings, food booths and more. It will be held at the Ken Miller Recreation Center, 3341 Torrance Blvd., from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Call 310-320-5918 for more information.

Posted by Daily Link at 6:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Well, it is.

Photography social networking site Flickr has the LA South Bay group. More than 200 amateur and professional photographers share the people and places they captured in Torrance, the Beach Cities and the Peninsula.

Anyone can join this group and share their own photos. The photos can even be "geotagged" by placing their location on an interactive map. The group also maintains a discussion board.

A free basic membership allows uploads of up to 100 megabytes. A paid pro account allows for unlimited uploads.

There are more than 4,000 photos in the group. A few hundred or thousand more wouldn't hurt.

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We gave you a primer on using public transportation in the South Bay on Tuesday. We introduced you to the services provided by Metro, Torrance and Gardena. These are the three services with the largest buses and the routes on the most important streets.

Meet the South Bay's other, smaller bus services. These systems use smaller buses or only offer service for rush-hour commuters.

First is Beach Cities Transit, the South Bay's youngest bus system. The fixed-route system emerged from a dial-a-ride service provided to the beach cities. The most fun is Route 109, which parallels the coast between El Segundo and Redondo Beach. Route 102 connects the Green Line with the South Bay Galleria and the Redondo Beach Pier. Route 104 connects Riviera Village with the Del Amo Fashion Center.

The Lawndale Beat is a two-route bus system connecting Lawndale with the Green Line and the South Bay Galleria. The residential route runs along Firmona, Osage and Prairie avenues. The express route runs along Hawthorne Boulevard.

Even the cities on The Hill have a bus service: the Palos Verdes Peninsula Transit Authority. There are six routes, designated by color: green, gold, orange, blue, silver and white. The routes are tailored to senior citizens and school children, so the service coverage is very limited.

Finally, we arrive at the commuter bus options. The Los Angeles Department of Transportation runs the rush-hour Commuter Express services from the Beach Cities and the Peninsula and Harbor areas to downtown Los Angeles. A smaller commuter service, the Municipal Area Express, operates within the South Bay to take workers to and from the aerospace jobs in and around El Segundo.

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With gas prices skyrocketing and traffic jams escalating, car owners have more reasons than ever for leaving the driving to the professionals at Metro South Bay.

The local link of the regional Metro offers general transit information on fares, passes and timetables. The Green Line runs in the median of the Century (105) Freeway and El Segundo to Norwalk. Several Metro buses use the Harbor Transitway to connect the South Bay to downtown Los Angeles or West Hollywood. Information for people with special needs includes tips for such diverse riders as disabled travelers and bicycle riders hoping to travel on Metro for portions of their routes.

Multi-language pocket guides and even a "Go Metro" shopping guide are available.

A trip-planning service may be used to plot a regional transit trip from departure point to destination. A special feature on "real-time traffic" also offers information on vanpool options and other car-free ways to deal with that irritating commute.

The South Bay's local bus service is supplemented by Torrance Transit and Gardena Municipal Bus Lines. These carriers run local bus services on major roads and express bus service to downtown Los Angeles.

Posted by Daily Link at 6:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

"Your opinion counts," the Carson Web site says, so let them hear it.

If you have an idea for the city's budget, you don't have to wait your turn at a council meeting to lay it on them. The city's Web site includes a link to e-mail officials your budget idea.

Posted by Daily Link at 7:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Did you know that a well-intended scattering of seeds or breadcrumbs may not be the best things for our flying friends? With the 12th International Migratory Bird Day falling on the second Saturday in May, the City of Hermosa Beach, which sees more than its share of migrating birds, points out on its Web site a list of interesting facts that may ruffle a few feathers among ornithologists, but should ensure a safer spring migratory passage for birds including terns, hawks, cranes, warblers and sparrows:

1) Southern California provides an abundant, natural, year-round food supply for birds to survive without supplementation. If humans don't feed the birds, they will not starve; they will forage for food in other places, thus dispersing their environmental impact over a wider area.

2) When supplementary food is readily available year-round the natural cycles of migration (which are largely determined by seasonal food supplies) may also be disrupted. If birds become dependent on an artificial food source, young birds may not be taught how to forage for natural foods and so risk starvation.

3) Feeding birds can lead to the spread of infectious diseases that can be fatal to certain species of birds. Veterinarians say that without easy access to bird feeders and bird baths, infected animals will die and not infect other healthy birds in the process. Bird feeders also present potential risks to birds, such as window collisions and predators.

4) Feeding birds can attract unwanted guests, like rats.

So what's a bird-lover to do? The answer: Plant native plants that provide food, cover, nesting sites or a combination of resources. Native plants provide food at different times of the year to birds in the form of seeds, fruit or as invertebrate host sites. To access a comprehensive, regionally referenced database of plants that are particularly valuable to specific birds and other beneficial organisms, visit the Audubon Society's Posted by Daily Link at 6:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Aesthetic is back up and running with its new design. I stopped checking for so long that I missed its comeback on April 11. This week, it's got a new nickname for San Pedro, and an old, slightly mixed-up view of theboundaries of the South Bay.

Westchester Parents blog on the latest machinations of the iDivision battle. Looks like two elementary schools are out.

Cap'n Bob is outraged at Time Magazine's Earth Day cover and calls for a decirculation drive and a boycott of Time-Warner cable. Go see why.

Fran at RedondoWriter did an interesting photo journal of the world around her on Earth Day.

Easy Fiend posts a blast from the past: Ansurfing.

Verna & Bob were the victims of vandals.

RELATED POSTS:
Meet L.A. Farm Girl
Last week's roundup

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Somehow, this city girl caught a farming bug that has become her life's passion. Torrance native Judi Gerber's love of local agriculture has sprouted two blogs where she writes about the virtues of growing your own produce and organic farming and lists a treasure trove of resources for the South Bay gardener.

On L.A. Farm Girl, she lists local farms and farmers markets, and writes about the local agriculture industry.

On The Giving Gardener, Judi is trying to establish a network of local backyard gardeners who would share their extra bounty with charity groups. But she also has a very complete list of South Bay gardening events, local gardens and clubs, educational resources and garden catalogs and nurseries.

As if that weren't enough resource material to keep a gardening fiend going, she answered our questions about the best source in the South Bay to get supplies and plants, and gave her opinion on what we should be growing and what to do with all the tomatoes we're about to be overrun with. And she even told us how to get fresh milk delivered to the door, just like in the good old days.

Here's her bio:

Judi Gerber is an agriculture and garden writer who is a Torrance native. She regularly writes about California farming and organic gardening for various publications including California Tour and Travel, California Farmer, and Organic Producer magazines, and the West's agriculture weekly, Capital Press. She has a monthly garden column that appears in the Palos Verdes Peninsula News and is the author of the upcoming book Farming in Torrance and the South Bay by Arcadia Publishing to be published in September 2008.

She received a bachelor's degree from UC Santa Cruz, and a Master's Of Public Administration from Cal. State Long Beach, and is a University of California Master Gardener and has a certificate in Horticultural Therapy. She has been actively involved as a volunteer at the Torrance Farmers' Market, leads a Senior Gardening Program at the Bartlett Senior Center, and is currently a Library Commissioner for the City of Torrance.

Continue reading "LA farm girl dishes on where to get the best produce in the South Bay" »

Posted by Daily Link at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Not sure what the movers and shakers of Hawthorne look like?
Or maybe you're looking for photos from the Hawthorne Holiday Parade or Halloween carnival?
Then the Hawthorne Photo Page is just where you want to go.
The city posts photos from its events online. So, if you want to make sure grandma has a photo of little Johnnie in his Scouting uniform or his Halloween costume or if you want to be sure you know exactly what Mayor Larry Guidi looks like, check out this site.
You can drag the thumbnails into a photo program and make copies of the images.
The thumbnail pictures are fuzzy, but when you click on them you'll get a very large, if occasionally slow to load, image.
The Hawthorne Web site, also offers historical photos from the pioneer era of Hawthorne's history.

Posted by Daily Link at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Torrance residents heading out on vacation may want to swing by the City of Torrance Web site first, where they can request that police keep an extra eye on things while they're away.

Besides the usual contact information, the vacation security check form asks such things as whether you plan to leave lights on, who is authorized to be there while you are gone (gardeners, maids, pool people, etc.), and whether cars will be parked in the driveway.

The police department makes no guarantee that vacation checks will be done daily, and it does not assume any liability for loss or damage to your property during your vacation if you do fill out the form.

While at the site, safety-conscious residents might also want to check out other entries on the Crimes, Trends & Prevention page, including one on why there is a rash of catalytic converter thefts and steps you can take to reduce the chances yours will be stolen, another on how to tell if a solicitor is genuine or a possible thief casing your house, and suggestions for preventing identity theft.

Posted by Daily Link at 11:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Four children die each day as a result of child abuse, and Richstone Family Center, a Hawthorne nonprofit that offers programs throughout the South Bay, wants to help.

Spend an hour on Saturday, April 26th making a difference by participating in the 21st Annual Richstone Pier-to-Pier Walkathon . The event begins at the Manhattan Beach Pier, and participants will walk to the Redondo Beach Pier and back. (Don't worry, it's only 3.4 miles).

After the event is done, there are awards and entertainment, and along with your $25 donation, you'll receive a free T-shirt. Here is the form to fill out if you want to participate, or if you aren't a big walker, you can simply make a donation.

Posted by Daily Link at 6:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

How well do you know your South Bay city? Torrance, Manhattan Beach, Rancho Palos Verdes, Lawndale and their neighbors have varying resources and ambience. Probably few residents know that much of that springs from their diverse histories, going back to the days of the Ranchos.

The Web site for the South Bay Cities Council of Governments, www.southbaycities.org, offers a historical summary beginning in 1858, the date of the founding of Wilmington.

A resource of the area's council of governments, the site also provides information on local planning and regional issues, industry clusters and unincorporated areas, as well as local Chambers of Commerce and points of interest. It also offers South Bay Watch newsletter, last updated April 14.

Posted by Daily Link at 12:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

MB Confidential doesn't like the new banners in Manhattan Beach designed to promote the dignified new name of the "El Porto" area:

Second, the logo features a surfer. That's very kind, but that surfer is also the epitome of "El Porto," the name they're wiping out. This new business district of "North Manhattan Beach" is all about spas and sushi and handbags and Bora Bora and the (upcoming) North Manhattan Lounge. You didn't need to rename El Porto to invoke its surf-spot heritage - in fact, it's kind of rude and ironic to do so.

Cap'n Bob posted a photo of a vintage military plane seen flying over the South Bay Friday. His wikipedia research says the planes are popular with private collectors now.

(Military planes remind me to add a note that we're hard at work planning this year's Armed Forces Day Parade special section. If anyone out there has any great ideas about what they would like to see in it, drop me a note.)

On their other blog, Verna and Bob found some Europeanlike architecture in Wilmington and took some photos.

Speaking of photos, MaryRuth at Where's the Bubbler has photographic evidence of the gash left on her hubby's head by a tree that got in the way of squirrel hunting.

And finally, Easy Fiend's disgusting quest for a good haircut in the South Bay:

Ives continued eating his sandwich as he started cutting, but that just added to the fun. Then he choked and barfed up some of the sandwich into his hand. He excused himself and went into the back room.

After a beat, he came back out. Presumably, he'd washed his hands. He went back to babbling about his extensive collection of Rolling Stones tour jackets. "Keith likes the jackets designed with lots of inside pockets because -- HAAAARK!!"

He barfed again. This time, the milk came up. Lots of it. Fortunately, he caught most of it with his hands. He went to the back again. I thought about doing a runner, but at this point he had shaved half my head and I'm just vain enough to be bothered by running down the street like that. He came back, mumbling something about a turkey bone stuck in his throat and washed his hands in the sink in front of me.

I'm not sure if you caught that, but that means he probably didn't even have a sink in the back, so he had been touching my head all that time with barfy hands. I was pretty grossed out, but I toughed it out anyway because again with the vanity. That night, I bought a trimmer on Amazon for $20 and notified Sandie of her new spousal duty.

RELATED POSTS:
Q&A with Easy Fiend blogger Denis Faye
Q&A with MaryRuth at Where's the Bubbler?
Q&A with Cap'n Bob

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Want more information about what Los Angeles City Councilwoman Janice Hahn is doing these days? Hahn, who represents the Harbor Area, including San Pedro, Wilmington and the Harbor Gateway, blogs from her city-based site at http://janicehahn.net/

She posts news about Harbor Area news ranging from gang violence to Port of Los Angeles news to politics. From recent posts:

Politics: "I am so honored to be a delegate for the woman who will be our country's first female President! Last Sunday I attended a caucus where Hillary Clinton supporters in CD 36 gathered to select four delegates (one is an alternate) to attend the convention in Denver and vote for Hillary to be our nominee."

Gangs: "The only way we will ever win the war on gangs if by finally providing our young people with real alternatives to joining gangs. I look forward to hearing everybody's thoughts!"

A worthwhile site for those interested in the Harbor Area. But she needs to ease off the exclamation points.

Posted by Daily Link at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Global positioning technology has come a long way. Prices have come way down and the technology has become more versatile than a high-tech replacement for the Thomas Guide.

Zoombak is marketing itself as a GPS device to help track lost pets. The $200 unit weighs less than 3 ounces and can be attached to a dog's or cat's collar, and the canine or feline can be tracked on the web, via Zoombak's customer service line or through text messaging on a cell phone.

Zoombak also has a unit available for GPS's most customary use, vehicle navigation and tracking. The $250 unit can be fixed inside a vehicle and portable, and can be used to track a vehicle's location and notify subscribers when it enters or leaves a user-defined "safety zone." The GPS device is promoted as a great way for parents to monitor teenagers' driving habits.

The low price and interface has attracted the attention of Martha Stewart and techno-geek sites such as Engadget and Slashdot. Early adopters have taken advantage of the compact size and cost to track other valuables besides pets and cars: An art collector places Zoombaks on expensive pieces, and a pharmaceutical uses the devices to track inventory.

Zoombak is not without its flaws. The $200-$250 price tag is for the physical unit; customers must still pay a monthly service fee to maintain coverage. Real-time cell phone tracking is not yet available. Also, the GPS technology is not yet advanced enough to receive a strong signal while indoors. This is less of a concern for vehicles, but the gadget might not work if a dog or cat happens to be inside a building.

Still, Zoombak would be a useful gadget to have for your lovable four-legged friend. Plus, the cellular-based coverage for the service shows signals to be robust throughout all but the mountainous areas of Southern California. And for other helpful products, information or pet-related chatter, visit the Daily Breeze's South Bay Pets blog and South Bay Pet Talk, which appears online and in the Breeze print edition every Tuesday.

Posted by Daily Link at 6:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Talk about eco-friendly. The Santa Monica Pier's amusement park is recycling its Ferris wheel by putting it up for auction on eBay.
Opening bid starts at $50,000, which would be a steal, considering it originally cost $800,000, according to a promotional flier. Of course, the buyer will also have to spring for a base to support the thing, which will run about $135,000 from the manucaturer. And then there are shipping costs to consider for the 122,000-pound wheel. But Santa Monica to Hermosa is less than 20 miles, so how expensive could that be?

Last we checked, there were no bids, but Ferris wheel shoppers have until April 25 to make their move. Half of the winning bid will be donated to Special Olympics Southern California.

Here are some fun facts from City News Service:

• The Pacific Wheel, which originally cost $800,000, was installed at the pier’s Pacific Park amusement park in 1996. It was upgraded two years later to become the world’s first solar-powered Ferris wheel.


• Standing 90 feet tall and carrying riders 130 feet above the ocean, the wheel has had more than 3 million rides over the past 12 years, park officials said.


• People who have never ridden the wheel have likely seen it. According to Pacific Park, the Pacific Wheel has been in 105 photo shoots, 71 television commercials, 69 television shows, 28 feature films and 13 music videos.


• At night, the wheel is illuminated by 5,392 light bulbs.


• The wheel will be replaced with a $1.5 million, more contemporary Ferris wheel next month. Installation is expected to begin May 5, with a grand- opening ceremony set for May 22.

If a full-size Ferris wheel is a little out of your price range, ebay also has a Fisher-Price version, complete with 24 critters to ride it. Opening bid: 1 cent.

Posted by Daily Link at 4:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

For the rare chance to see the Erythrina lysistemon, also known as the Common Coral Tree, in bloom, head to the South Coast Botanic Garden, on the Palos Verdes Peninsula. The group’s Web site gives more information about the decorative tree, such as the fact that the trees used be planted on the graves of Zulu chiefs because of the spectacular color of its flowers. You can also find out information about the garden’s location, membership program and special events.

Posted by Daily Link at 6:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

For last-minute income-tax filers: Two Postal Service locations will collect mail for postmarking until midnight tonight. Those locations are the Long Beach Processing Center at 2300 Redondo Ave., Long Beach, and the Airport Station Los Angeles Post Office at 9029 Airport Blvd., Los Angeles, near Los Angeles International Airport. For frequently asked questions regarding mailing your return, a postage calculator and a tax checklist, go here. Or, to find the post office nearest you, check out the USPS locator.

Posted by Daily Link at 6:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

As April is School Library Media Month, and Monday kicks off National Library Week, here are seven tips and events to help you share the week’s theme: “Join the circle of knowledge @ your library.”

1) Actess Julie Andrews is honorary chair and patron of this year’s event. Public service videos by the “Sound of Music” songstress can help you climb every mountain that stands in your way.

2) Redondo Beach Main Library at 303 North Pacific Coast Hwy celebrates National Library Week all week with a series of events that includes Musical Monday at 10:30 a.m., a talk on the environment and global warning by Linda Groff of the Political Science and Economics Department, Cal State Dominguez Hills, Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., and Rudy’s Radical Magical Science Show at 3:30 p.m. Thursday.

3) National Library Workers Day is honored every Tuesday of Library Week. It’s a day for library staff, users, administrators and Friends groups to recognize the valuable contributions made by all library workers. Drop in today and give your thanks to the hard-working, dedicated staff at your local library.

4) North Torrance branch library at 3604 West Artesia Boulevard Wednesday hosts guide dog puppies being raised to become Guide Dogs. You can also find out how your family can be volunteer “puppy raisers,” too, at 4 p.m. Wednesday.

2) Henderson Branch of the City of Torrance Libraries at 4805 Emerald St will celebrate National Library Week Thursday at 4 p.m. with the Library Fairy, who will perform stories from rich, diverse cultures and corners of the world. The children will get a chance to perform in the Story Theater with crazy and fun costumes.

6) Join the campaign for your local library at the National Library Association.

7) First sponsored in 1958, National Library Week is a national observance sponsored by the American Library Association (ALA) and libraries across the country each April. It is a time to celebrate the contributions of our nation's libraries and librarians and to promote library use and support.

RELATED POST:
South Bay book groups

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I discovered Easy Fiend through our courts reporter, Denise Nix. While checking back links to Denise's blog, I found one from the site. And so, I read it and I laughed. But not so much in a "funny ha-ha" way as a "funny, I-can't-believe-he-told-that," way. This guy has no internal filter.

The next day, I asked Denise about the blog. Turns out it's written by her friend Denis Faye, whom she met while her son was in preschool with his daughter. I asked her if she thought we should include him in our hub of South Bay blogs.

"I think he'd probably love that," Denise said. "But, um, have you read the stuff in the archives? He uses some language. And some of it made me blush." This is coming from a woman whose editors cringe when she covers a particularly heinous case because she writes with such lurid detail that very few people will want to read the stories with their morning lattes.

So I said, "Yeah, I wouldn't put it in the family paper, but this is a blog. That's what blogs are for."

So here you go, an introduction to Denis Faye and his blog full of writerly angst, South Bay oddballs and '80s coming of age stories. And kids, if you're not old enough to go to a PG-13 movie, you're not old enough to read his blog.

Here's the bio he sent me:

Denis Faye is a screenwriter and journalist who has lived in Redondo Beach for 5 years with his wife and daughter. He has written for The New York Times, Outside, Wired, Mens Journal, LA Times, Surfer, Los Angeles Magazine, Communication Arts, Written By and the WGA Web site. His script High Midnight is currently optioned to Treasure Entertainment with Mary Lambert attached to direct. A dual citizen of France and the United States, he received a Bachelors Degree in Film Studies from UCSB. He's an avid surfer and comic book fan.

Read on for the Q&A, in which Denis reveals he's not John Cusack.

Continue reading "Redondo Beach screenwriter blogs on the absurdity of life around here" »

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Susan at Random Madness in Torrance doles out a blog-lashing, as only a mom could do, to taggers responsible for graffiti near Hull Middle School.

Thirdly, to the parents of these kids: If you don't want to spend your end of days languishing in the Nursing Home of the Damned, I suggest you start supervising your kids, or they'll end up in jail, unable to support you in your old age.

She updates that the graffiti was gone within an hour of her posting. Torrance vows on its city Web site to remove graffiti within 24 hours of being notified at no cost to the property owner. Call the graffiti hotline at 310-781-7149.

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Cap'n Bob photographs and writes about the science of cloud formations he saw Wednesday afternoon before the rain came rolling in.

Driving home this afternoon, I saw this cloud formation. It's an 'atmospheric wave' which is formed by the atmosphere rising and falling like ripples in a pond.

RELATED POSTS:
Last week in the blogs
Where's the Bubbler is a "comfort blog"
Q&A with Cap'n Bob & the Damsel
A place for Westchester Parents

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According to the Daily Breeze's gardening columnist, Meredith Grenier, the South Coast Botanic Garden is at its peak this month. Check out their website to see what's blooming and what is going on in the garden community. You can also take a virtual tour on the Web site.

If you have a green thumb, now is a good time to start seedlings so you'll have plenty of fresh veggies and pretty flowers throughout the summer. Visit the Garden Guide for tips on getting things going.

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Torrance resident MaryRuth writes what you might call a "comfort blog." She's lived in the South Bay for nearly 30 years, and though she says she's picked up a bit of California cynicism, her posts are cheerful and charming. She planned it that way. "From the beginning I wanted this to be a fun blog. No rants or meanness," MaryRuth writes.

In her blog Where's the Bubbler, MaryRuth looks at South Bay life from her Midwesterners' perspective. The Wisconsin native's blog is a mix of local loves, like malasadas at the Torrance farmer's market and nostalgia for the "motherland," as she calls it, with posts about the plight of candy raisins and Brett Favre.

Many of her posts deal with her love of food. In fact, her dream is to open a "comfort food" restaurant, which seems approproriate for the personality of her blog.

Read on for a Q&A with the latest South Bay blogger added to our blogroll.

Continue reading "Q&A with a South Bay blogger and foodie" »

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Susan at Random Madness in Torrance has been blogging about pests plaguing her Torrance property lately. This week, she detailed her twisted de-snailing methods and how they went awry with a science project:

There may be something wrong with me, but I can't resist a little mollusk vs Michelin.

Last year, we gave up snailing. My son had raised a couple dozen snails for a science project. He gave them the best, most tender greens, and a really nice terrarium. They were so happy, they created several hundred little snails. Caring for them as we did, we felt responsible for them, kind of like parents. And good parents don't throw their children under speeding vehicles. We released them into the wilds of our yard, and my eleven year old son was a tearful empty nester.

This year, all bets are off. We are going to embrace our killer instincts and throw the great grandchildren into traffic.

MBWatcher at MBConfidential conducted a poll to find the least-known street in the city. The winner (or loser?) is Francisco Street.

It's with good reason. For one, Francisco is a border street, more or less, at the far south end near Hermosa. For another, there are only 6 homes with a Francisco St. address, so odds are you haven't visited anyone there. We also don't see any sales on the short block since 2001.

Verna at Verna & Bob's Digital Diary lamented the neglect of San Pedro's art deco architecture.

Westchester Dad at Westchester Parents writes a note of thanks to Trader Joe's for donating food to the Playa Vista fire station after this week's explosion that killed Firefighter Brent Lovrien.

RedondoWriter shares artists' interpretations of Malaga Cove arches at her blog Sacred Ordinary.

Do you read or write a South Bay blog that we ought to know about? Send us the link.

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L.A.'s Metro Green Line has been derided as the train that goes “from nowhere to nowhere,” as it does not connect to either Los Angeles International Airport or the system's own Metrolink station in Norwalk. On Wednesday, it was announced that state Sen. Jenny Oropeza, D-Long Beach, will introduce a bill to create a Metro Green Line Construction Authority, which would oversee extension of the line to LAX. Assemblyman Ted Lieu, D-Torrance, introduced a similar bill last year, but it was deemed too costly.

Why not connect public transportation to the airport? A stop was included in the Metro Green Line's original plan, but was dropped amid outcry from airport officials, residents of nearby cities and owners of parking lots surrounding the airport.

For facts, figures, maps, history and more about the Green Line, visit http://www.westworld.com/~elson/larail/green.html

Want to get involved? The Transit Coalition is an all-volunteer grass-roots group that advocates a balance of bus, subway, commuter rail, light rail, bike, airport access, goods movement, physically challenged access and automobile transportation for the L.A. region. Their goals for the Green Line, including a map of the system that would connect the area in an idea world, are at: http://www.thetransitcoalition.us/GreenLine.htm The group also offers a free e-mail newsletter to keep you up to date on all things public transit.

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Despite its kitschy name, Cap'n Bob & the Damsel is a no-nonsense blog written by a South Bay couple about their life and perspectives. Full of fine photography of flowers and firearms, the site has posts about politics, science and the South Bay scene.

The bloggers, a Navy veteran who works locally as an aerospace engineer and his shutterbug wife, describe themselves in their bios as patriotic, politically active news junkies who post as a conservative counterpoint to mainstream media. Their homepage features a 9-11 Tribute that has been viewed more than 37 million times.

The duo also writes a second, more personal, South Bay-centric blog. On it, you'll find many more photos, including this one of an Easter Lily. It also has a list of the Damsel's favorite recipes, including Savory Sweet Potatoes, that sounds like it might be good with Easter ham. For his part, Cap'n Bob has has posted a "Universal Triangle Solutions Solver." The couple also posts a lot of local videos including a B-17 Bomber at Zamperini Field and a helicopter flight to Catalina Island.

We've added the sites to our blogroll.

Read on for a Q&A with Cap'n Bob about his blogging habits, thoughts on the South Bay and where he got the blog name.

Continue reading "Local bloggers on South Bay's beauty and national politics" »

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Terry Peterson of Lomita gets his outdoor kicks riding and bouncing around on a unicycle specially designed for extreme mountain biking.

He first caught the attention of the Daily Breeze two years ago, when we wrote a cover story about him for our features section.

These days you can catch the 52-year-old Peterson on YouTube, where he has posted numerous unicycling videos under the name “UniGeezer.” (Some include footage of him as “UniKid.”)

A piano technician by trade, Peterson has put together a compilation of the videos he has made during the past two years.

The final piece of the compilation shows him jumping and clearing a set of stairs with eight steps.

See all of Peterson’s videos on YouTube.

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If one fertile female rabbit is left at the county's Alondra Park within a year's time there could be a colony of 3,500 rabbits.
This is just one of the fun facts you can find here. The Web site is run by Linda Baley from Redondo Beach, who created the rabbit adoption and information site.
The rabbits that she offers for adoption are neutered and healthy. This makes them better pets if you just have to get a bunny for Easter.
Baley's site also stresses that like all pets getting a rabbit is a commitment and shouldn't be taken lightly. Because abandoning rabbits in public parks isn't fair to them or good for the environment.

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Torrance Library's book group schedules

Barnes & Noble book group schedule

Find book groups by theme or location with BookClub Meetup.

If discussing books in a group is too much face time for you, try a virtual version with these links at BookSpot.

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According to the U.S. Census bureau, 4.6% of people in L.A. County claim Irish ancestry. That's about half a million of us. So, there's no shortage of Irish things to do in the South Bay this weekend.

PARTY LIKE THE IRISH
HERMOSA BEACH: Unleash your inner leprechaun at the 14th annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade beginning at 11 a.m. Saturday at Pier Avenue and Valley Drive, and wending its way westbound to Hermosa Avenue. Musical entertainment for the free event will be provided by the Wrath of McGrath Band, playing at noon. Call 310-318-0280 or go to www.stpatricksday.org, where you can also see
photos of 2007’s parade.

REDONDO BEACH: This year’s St. Patrick’s Day 5K Run/Community Walk and Little Leprechaun Dash for the Gold relocates from Torrance to Riviera Village on Sunday. A benefit for Redondo Union High School’s grad night program, the race starts and ends at the Village Runner, 1811-A Catalina Ave. Late registration opens at 6:30 a.m., the 5K run/walk begins at 8 a.m., the kids’ dash at 9:30 a.m. Entry fee for adults is $30, $20 for children. The top three male and female runners win cash prizes and the three fastest finishes in each age division will receive medals. For more information, call 310-375-2626 or go to www.villagerunnerracing.com.

SAN PEDRO: The St. Patrick’s Day celebrations at San Pedro Brewing Company includes The Hollywood Stones, a ’70s-era Rolling Stones tribute band, plays Saturday at 10 p.m. Hear Irish music, including Uilleann pipes (Irish bagpipes) Sunday and Monday. Corned beef, green beer and Irish car bombs will be served all weekend at the restaurant and award-winning microbrewery. Cover is $3 tonight, $10 Saturday at 331 W. Sixth St. For information, call 310-831-5663 or go to www.sanpedrobrewing.com.

For Irish eats, keep reading.

Continue reading "South Bay's Guide to St. Patrick's Day" »

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My daughter and I staked out the seascape near the Point Vicente Interpretive Center after a field trip with her preschool class on Wednesday. The volunteers who track the whale migration for the American Cetacean Society were abuzz with tales of what they saw the day before: A group of orcas heading for Redondo Beach. So we waited. And watched. And waited. But my disappointed 4-year-old pouted the whole way home because we didn't see a thing.

Turns out we should have stuck around a little longer. According to the ACS Daily Log, Wednesday was the first big day for spotting the whales' northbound return trip

Log notes for March 12:

Our first big northbound count day featured pulses of gray whales throughout the day. One whale milled nearshore for over thirty minutes. One whale BREACHED two times within 1/4 mile offshore. The three whales in our final sighting milled nearshore, and one lunged. We also saw common and bottlenose dolphin.

The log also tracks the totals for the season and has charts comparing this year to last year. Check here foroverview of the project.

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New on the Daily Link blog's permanent list of South Bay blogs is WestchesterParents. There, Westchester parents can get the information they need about the airport, schools, growth, traffic, water and more about the community. There's a feature to allow commenting and discussion of topics and an easy-to-navigate topics directory.
Recent posts are about LAX, the Entrada development, and links to local message boards.

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Wild about wildflowers?

The combination of winter rains and warm weather conspire for what may be Southern California’s most vibrant spring blooms in many years, according to an LA.Com story by Breeze staff writer Jim Farber.

Want to see them?

Try George F Canyon's nature trail on the Palos Verdes Peninsula.

If you want to re-create the wildflower experience in your own backyard, try this list of native plants of the Peninsula that are suitable for gardening.

If you want to get out of the South Bay, spring grasses, flowers and trees are sprouting on the Santa Monica Mountains. Annuals are in bloom at the Joshua Tree National Park in Twentynine Palms, near Palm Springs.

In Los Angeles County, the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve outside Lancaster is predicting an abundant blossom of the state flower, known by its scientific name as Eschscholzia californica.

For the specifics on visiting the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve, consult our Ask Us column from Feb. 12.

For links to other wildflower destinations in addition to Antelope Valley, visit the Theodore Payne Foundation for Wild Flowers and Native Plants. It includes links to more than 90 wildflower locations, an extensive catalog of native plants and the California Wildflower Hotline, which information about what's blooming where, updated weekly .

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Kite fliers take to the skies — well, at least the kites do, anyway — at the Redondo Beach pier Sunday. The pier hosts the 34th annual Festival of the Kite, a free event taking place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Kite-flying experts show off their stuff for prizes and audience delight. Kites are also on sale at Sunday’s event. Non-kite activities include a hot-dog-eating competition and music provided by a band from Bishop Montgomery High in Torrance.

Redondo Beach’s Sunshine Kite Company sponsors the festival.

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Settling on a meeting spot for a lunch of a business discussion can be difficult, especially if the person you are meeting is pushy.
With mezzoman, you can be sure that a meeting spot is truly in the middle. Just enter your address and the other person's and the kind of place you want to meet - a coffee shop, an Italian restaurant - even a bowling alley. The site shows you the midpoint between your locations, along with suggestions of a meeting place. It will even give you a link to the Google Maps page so you can get directions.

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You can make a donation to the families of Officer Randal Simmons, who was killed during a gunbattle Feb. 7, and his partner Officer James Veenstra, who was severely wounded, through the Los Angeles Police Federal Credit Union.

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If you're looking for a Redondo woman's commentary on writing, poetry, literature, family and spirituality, check out Fran's blog at http://redondowriter.typepad.com.

And, if you check it out today, you'll be able to see a wide variety of interesting pictures, including one of a sunset at the beach, some cute dogs and an adorable kid.

She also offers suggestions about what to do in the South Bay, which could prove helpful if you're looking for some local fun.

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As we've mentioned previously on this blog, Starbucks closed tonight to re-train its staff in the art of making espresso--something that I happen to be an expert in. Because I rarely enter the Breeze without a Starbucks cup in hand, I was enlisted to conduct a taste test before and after the Starbucks training and compare notes.

This afternoon I tried both a sugar-free vanilla non-fat latte, and a regular latte, and was relatively pleased with the drinks, although the first one could have used more syrup. I timed my break from work perfectly, and was excited to try the drinks again right after the mandatory training finished. However, unfortunately for my caffeine-addicted self, training was extended an hour, and wouldn't reopen until the crucially busy two hours before the Daily Breeze press deadline.

Because the baristas at my favorite Starbucks received an extra hour of espresso training, I now have even higher expectations for every future latte I consume.

Before work tomorrow, I plan on visiting Starbucks and ordering both drinks once again. We'll see if the four hours of training really made a difference. Stay tuned.

If you get a coffee drink before I do, send us a comment and tell us if you think the training did anything for you.

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Every Starbucks in the country will be shutting down tonight from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. for mandatory employee training. To read an explanation from Starubucks CEO and president Howard Schultz, click here.
In an effort to see if the espresso lesson will improve customer service and quality at Starbucks, we're going to send a Daily Breeze copy editor to a South Bay shop before and after the store closes down. Check back tonight to read her experience, or to offer your own.
If you're looking for a cup of joe during the three-hour window Starubucks will be closed, don't fret -- we have some suggestions of where to go in the South Bay.
Catalina Coffee Co. on North Catalina Ave. in Redondo Beach is walking distance from the beach and offers a diverse menu of food and beverages. There are comfy chairs to relax in and a friendly staff who will bring your order to you.
For a quick, drive-thru experience, head to Fox Hollow Coffee in Torrance. We especially recommend their sugar-free mocha because you can't tell the difference between that and the real thing. There is also a Breeze newspaper rack out front, so snag a copy if you need one.
If you're in Playa del Rey, there's only one coffee shop to try, and that's Tanner's Coffee on Culver Boulevard. Grab one of their fabulous teas or coffees, and enjoy the free wireless Internet, or take the drink to go and head to the beach -- it's only five minutes away. Check out a review of the shop here.
Another coffee place that offers free Wi-Fi for customers is Coffee Attic on Inglewood Avenue near Marine Avenue, right off the 405 Freeway. If you're looking for something to munch on, you can grab one of their freshly baked pastries, or there is an In-N-Out Burger right next door.
Coffee Cartel in Redondo offers free Wi-Fi, big comfy chairs and, on some nights, live music or open-mike poetry. As a bonus, there's a gelato place right next door. For reviews, click here.

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The U.S. Geological Survey released maps Wednesday showing that Burmese pythons, already present in Florida, could find hospitable climates throughout the southern and southwestern United States within the next 100 years. That's right -- 20-foot, 250-pound snakes slithering through the South Bay and Harbor Area.
USA Today reports:

"One of the USGS maps shows where the pythons could live today, an area that expands when scientists use global warming models for 2100.
'We were surprised by the map. It was bigger than we thought it was going to be,' says Gordon Rodda, a USGS zoologist and lead researcher on the project. 'They are moving northward; there’s no question.'
Burmese pythons were introduced to this country as part of the pet trade. The first specimens in the wild were discovered in the mid-1990s in the Florida
Everglades, released by owners who no longer wanted them, says Skip Snow, a wildlife biologist with the National Parks Service in the Everglades. By 2003, there was evidence that the snakes had established breeding colonies in the wild."

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A horseback riding program has been proposed for Hernandez Ranch in the Peck Park Canyon area of San Pedro. You can support the program by signing the online petition.

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This weekend has brought beach weather, but last weekend brought rain, which can wash runoff from streets and sidewalks into storm drains, creeks and rivers leading to the coast. Any advisories related to those storms should be lifted by now, but if you’d like to make sure the surf is safe, check with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. The site includes information on the water’s bacteria levels and allows you to check for any advisories or beach closures in Los Angeles County.

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Our sports guys and Web gal compiled a list of which high school football players have signed with colleges on National Signing Day. Updates will be coming all day.

Check the chart.

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Chances are that you've never seen a Blue Iguana. And it's not just because they don't live anywhere near the South Bay. The rare reptiles are also endangered -- In 2001 it was determined through a population survey that there were less than 25 Grand Cayman Blue Iguanas in the wild. The International Reptile Conservation Foundation is a nonprofit group that focuses on protecting these and other threatened species, and their habitats. Because of their efforts, more than 200 Blue Iguanas were released in 2004 and are thriving in two protected areas. For more information on how to get involved, or to learn more about endangered reptiles, view International Reptile Conservation Foundation's site.

Redondo Beach resident Desiree Wong blogs about her travels with IRCF, especially with the Blue Iguana program. She also has a lot of local wildlife photography on her site.

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You may have seen today's story about Hope Wine, the company that donates half of its sales to charities, and we wanted to point those interested in finding out more or buying a couple of bottles to the Web site. Cheers.

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Redondo Beach's 30th annual Super Bowl Sunday 10K/5K is this weekend. The event starts early with the races and lasts into the afternoon with the health and fitness expo. Get more details on the race route, registration and parking.

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You read about the controversial Manhattan Beach blogger, who gives his take on the local real estate market. Read his writing at Manhattan Beach Confidential.

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Are you on MySpace? How about your pet?

Two Marina del Rey residents have created PoochSmooch, a Web site where pet owners and their four-legged companions can meet and network. Check out the site and create a profile.

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