May 2009 Archives

You'd think this guy was running for office:

Ted Lieu bill increases penalties on charter bus companies that violate safety standards.

Ted Lieu bill lets cops take guns from domestic violence scenes.

And last but not least, Ted Lieu bill cracks down on retailers who sell expired baby food:

Assemblymember Ted W. Lieu (D-Torrance) announced Assembly Bill 1512, which would outlaw the sale of expired baby formula, baby food and over-the-counter medicines, cleared the State Assembly today.

"Many retailers in California have been found selling expired products like baby formula and that's just unacceptable," said Assemblymember Lieu. "This legislation will protect the health and safety of consumers, especially infants and the elderly, from sales of these products beyond their expiration dates."

Also don't forget about the Ted Lieu bill on transgendered birth certificates.

The Los Angeles Lakers either will win tonight and secure a spot in the NBA Finals or must face the Denver Nuggets on Sunday for a decisive seventh game.

Whatever happens, a lot of dough has been riding on the series.

"We love the Lakers," said Adam Goldberg, owner of the Fresh Brothers pizza parlors in Manhattan Beach and Redondo Beach.

"We love the Nuggets," said Lisa Norgard, the owner of Abos Pizza in Highlands Ranch, a suburb of Denver.

The pizza mavens bet each other before the Western Conference Finals began that their favorite teams would win.

If Denver wins, Goldberg and his wife, Debbie, must pay $500 to the Douglas County School District.

Readers, here's your news, straight up:

Cash-strapped Los Angeles Unified School District has canceled most summer classes in hopes of saving $34 million.

Los Angeles International Airport police hauled away a woman Thursday who tried to give President Obama a letter and wouldn't leave the area near Air Force One. The self-proclaimed "Catholic priestess" wanted the president to denounce same-sex marriage.

We have more details on that off-duty Gardena police officer who shot and killed a would-be robber at a Norm's in Bellflower early Thursday.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has approved spending $5 million to continue studying a South Bay rail extension.

Remember that bar in Carson that got busted a few months ago for having illegal strippers? Well, police shut it down completely Thursday. Make sure you adjust your weekend plans accordingly.

Shorts: Los Angeles Fire Chief Douglas Barry, a South Bay native, resigned Thursday, and former YMCA director Helene Pizzini is San Pedro's new honorary mayor.

No surprise here: South Bay home prices continued to slide in April, new figures show.

Breeze biz writer Muhammed El-Hasan takes a spin at a new go-cart track in Gardena.

We have all the details on Thursday's L.A.City Section track and field finals. And here are the pictures.

State Sen. Jenny Oropeza today yesterday voted against confirming Doug Drummond to the state's parole board due to anti-gay remarks he made in 1993.

Oropeza and Drummond were serving together on the Long Beach City Council at the time. Drummond gave a speech at the Eagle Forum in which he said he supported Fidel Castro's quarantine of gays to counter the AIDS crisis, and said this:

"Do you want to know why I don't worry about gay activity? I'm gonna give you a clue. So far in San Francisco, over 10,000 have died. In Long Beach, over 1,000 have died."

Drummond apologized shortly after the remarks were disclosed, and supported the council motion to censure him. He has since sought to make amends by marching in gay rights parades, and he apologized again today to the Senate Rules Committee.

But that didn't cut it for Oropeza, who joined a 3-2 vote to reject Drummond's appointment to the parole board:

State Sen. Jenny Oropeza (D-Long Beach), who once served with Drummond on the City Council, questioned him at length, suggesting that his efforts at reconciliation with the gay community coincided with his unsuccessful campaigns for Long Beach mayor.

"You made a judgment as an elected official to defame a group of people," she told Drummond. "How would we feel if in some of these quotes, we took out 'homosexual' and inserted 'Mexican American' or 'African American' or 'Jew'? These are serious matters, sir, and they are ones you can't brush under the rug."

The parole board position pays $112,000 a year. Though the Rules Committee voted it down, the appointment does go to the full Senate for a floor vote.

Readers, let's get to it:

Hawthorne Police are investigating a customer-on-customer shooting Wednesday at a local fast food restaurant that's left one person injured.

An off-duty Gardena police officer shot and killed a suspected robber wielding a knife at a Bellflower restaurant early today.

A Redondo Beach man got his wedding photos stolen before he even left the reception. A man walked into the party and stole the photographer's camera.

We have more details on Rancho Palos Verdes' $8 million bailout, er, tax rebate to luxury resort Terranea.

A plan to move a historic San Pedro church to a Green Hills Cemetery in Rancho Palos Verdes seems to be falling apart thanks largely to Los Angeles city red tape.

News columnist John Bogert weighs in the Supreme Court's decision this week to uphold of Proposition 8.

San Pedro High's softball team took the title in a game Wednesday against Banning High. Make sure you check out pictures of the game.

Ever wondered about water towers shadowing some South Bay cities? Our history blog gives the low-down on some of these soaring structures.

El Segundo Mayor Kelly McDowell's State of the City speech Wednesday was chockablock with figures and statistics. Here's a look at some that didn't make it into today's story:

12,000 number of hours El Segundo library patrons spent on the Internet in 2008

250,000 number of books checked out at the El Segundo library last year

45,000 dollars spent on a camera system for Imperial Avenue to catch planes that make early turns over the city after taking off from Los Angeles International Airport

42 number of early turns reported to the Federal Aviation Administration

2.4 billion dollars in property tax value of the Chevron Refinery, which occupies a huge parcel near the corner of Rosecrans Avenue and El Segundo Boulevard

1,000 number of jobs that El Segundo gained in 2008

2,000 number of new jobs expected in 2009

Here goes, readers:

Rancho Palos Verdes city leaders agreed early today to provide the $8 million that developers of a luxury resort said they need to open up on time next week.

DaVita is bailing from El Segundo for cheaper pastures, the operator of kidney dialysis centers nationwide announced today.

Locals react to the state Supreme Court's decision Tuesday to uphold Proposition 8, the ballot measure that banned same-sex marriage.

Narbonne High School students Tuesday mourned the death of Dannie Farber Jr. as detectives worked to figure out why a gunman would kill the football standout as he ate at a Compton restaurant over the weekend.

Newman, a Boston Terrier and the last link to a Torrance family killed two years ago in a freak car crash, is now missing.

Assemblyman Ted Lieu is floating a bill that would allow transgender people to change the sex on their birth certificates.

Softball teams from Banning and San Pedro High Schools face off today for the L.A. City Section title.

Ted Lieu, D-Torrance, is a candidate for attorney general, so his positions on Prop. 8 are likely to be closely scrutinized by activists and primary voters. Here's what he said on Twitter today:

Very proud of my friend Justice Carlos Moreno for dissenting from the CA Supreme Court opinion on Prop 8 today.

Moreno was considered a long-shot candidate for the U.S. Supreme Court appointment that today went to Sonia Sotomayor. His blistering dissent today would certainly have complicated his confirmation battle:

The rule the majority crafts today not only allows same-sex couples to be stripped of the right to marry that this court recognized in the Marriage Cases, it places at risk the state constitutional rights of all disfavored minorities.

Readers, ease into your short work week with the best of the Breeze today:

The California Supreme Court today upheld Proposition 8, the ballot measure that banned same-sex marriages, but will allow the unions of the 18,000 or so couples who married last year to remain valid.

Rancho Palos Verdes city leaders tonight will decide whether to give a luxury resort the cash developers say they need to open up next month. Executives behind Terranea want $8 million.

Thousands gathered Monday to observe Memorial Day at an annual ceremony at Green Hills cemetery in Rancho Palos Verdes. Check out pictures.

Police are looking for suspects in the weekend slaying of a Narbonne High football standout. See Dannie Farber Jr. at his finest on the field.

El Segundo teen Shahan Khan could very well be the next Bill Gates.

One Torrance woman is relieved to learn she is likely not at fault for her two sons' autism diagnosis after participating in a study that has indicated that environmental factors do not contribute to the disease.

South Bay health organizations are bracing themselves for more funding cuts in the fallout of the state ballot propositions' failure last week.

Fort MacArthur in San Pedro got its own dog cemetery for military pups that lost their lives for their country. Check out pictures of the dedication ceremony.

Former Torrance resident Philip Wilmot, a World War II pilot who bombed Japan, is featured in a documentary.

Another day, another Jane Harman controversy.

At her appearance at the AIPAC policy conference earlier this month, Harman said this:

"The Persian population in Iran is not a majority, it is a plurality. There are many different, diverse, and disagreeing populations inside Iran and an obvious strategy, which I believe is a very good strategy, is to work to separate those populations."

The National Iranian American Council, among others, took exception to this. So Harman has issued a clarification:

I was not and am not calling for the creation of ethnic tensions or separation in Iran -- nothing would be less productive. Although my comments on Iran were taken out of context, I regret any concern they might have caused. My point was that the diversity of views in Iran should be better understood in order for the United States to formulate the best strategy for persuading the Iranian government not to pursue nuclear weapons development.

The video of Harman's original remarks is after the jump, so you can see the full context and decide for yourself whether she said anything that ought to be controversial.

This week, Reps. Maxine Waters and Laura Richardson are joining with actress Mia Farrow in a fast to bring awareness to genocide in Darfur.

About a dozen members of the Congressional Black Caucus are taking turns doing a one-day fast. Richardson did hers on Tuesday. It's not clear when Waters will take part, but her spokesman says it may be next week. Says Waters:

Mia Farrow has demonstrated true dedication to this cause by making a personal sacrifice, and I will be honored to join her and do my part.

Waters' representative says the Congress members do actually go a full 24-hour period without eating anything, but they do drink water.

The New York Times has a profile of Vinnie Marino, the "Yoga King" of Los Angeles. His roster of celebrity clients includes Heather Graham, Jeremy Piven, Robert Downey, Jr., and South Bay Rep. Jane Harman:

Then he cranked up "Misty Mountain Hop" by Led Zeppelin and led the students through a warm-up of sun salutations. Soon he had them stretching into a difficult split pose.

"Didn't you see the torture memos this week?" called out Jane Harman, a 63-year-old devoted student in the front row, who also happens to be the United States Representative for the South Bay region of Los Angeles County.

The teacher responded, "That's why I'm doing this."

Bah-dum-bum.

This was Chris Matthews' first question to Rep. Dana Rohrabacher on "Hardball":

Congressman Rohrabacher, are you a Luddite, a troglodyte?

Rohrabacher's response:

I would place myself in the - in the position of being someone who's willing to speak the truth while the rest of the - while the rest of the people are being fed a bunch of baloney.

The full video:

Get it while the news is hot, South Bay:

Now that the propositions failed, local cities brace for the possibility that the state may seize 8 percent of property taxes, and school districts prepare for additional cuts.

More victims of the Redondo Beach gas station ATM scam are coming forward to police, who have released a photograph of a man they believe may be involved in the fraud ring.

The South Bay's coastline scored relatively well on this year's Heal the Bay Beach Report Card.

Leaving a sponge inside a patient after surgery earned Harbor-UCLA Medical Center a $25,000 fine from the State Department of Public Health, marking the fourth time the Torrance-area hospital earned such a fine since 2007.

Definitely asking for it: "I kinda want to get shot," a domestic violence suspect told Hermosa Beach police before he began resisting arrest and got zapped by a Taser gun.

News columnist John Bogert reflects on a fallen colleague.

El Segundo-based Northrop-Grumman has won two new government contracts valued together at $80 million.

After more than 50 years on the job, legendary El Segundo High baseball coach John Stevenson is still on his best game.

The Carson council voted 5-0 to go with option #2:

Readers, lap it up:

Voters rejected all but one of the state ballot measures Tuesday. Now what?

South Bay resident Carmen Trutanich is the new Los Angeles city attorney.

More than 1,000 customers at an Arco gas station in Redondo Beach were bilked out of $200,000 after someone stole ATM card and pin numbers. The owner of the station at Pacific Coast Highway and Prospect suspects an employee, who suddenly disappeared.

A Torrance resident is presumed as one of the victims in Monday's plane crash off Long Beach.

Preservation advocates are frustrated by Los Angeles Unified's apparent reneging of plans to relocate some of the historic structures at Fort MacArthur, where a new high school is set to be built in San Pedro. 

For the ninth year in a row, El Segundo-based DirecTV has ranked nationwide No. 1 in customer service compared to competitors.

Holly Stevens, catcher for San Pedro High's softball team, is calling the pitches --and it's working, much to her coach's surprise.

Services for Daily Breeze education reporter Vu Nguyen are scheduled for 10 a.m. Monday.

The service will begin at 10 a.m. at St. Callistus Church, 12921 Lewis St. in Garden Grove.

An 11 a.m. procession will follow to the cremation site.

Nguyen, 34, died Friday when he was removed from life support systems at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Harbor City. He suffered cardiac arrest while playing soccer with friends May 10.

Pedrans rejoice, as Carmen Trutanich appears to be on his way to the city attorney's office. With 67% of the vote in, Trutanich has pushed his lead over Jack Weiss to 55-45.

Meanwhile, Judy Chu looks like the next Congresswoman from the San Gabriel Valley. She's beating Gil Cedillo 33-24, with more than 85% reporting.

In other news, the New York Times has an interesting profile of local L.A. Justice Carlos Moreno, who is a long shot on the short list for the U.S. Supreme Court.

Aside from 1F, the only proposition that is passing anywhere in the whole state is 1B. That's the one that would have restored $9 billion in education funding, as long as 1A also passed.

Prop 1B is passing in just three Bay Area counties: Alameda, San Francisco and Santa Clara. And that's it. It's failing everywhere else, and all the others -- except 1F -- are failing absolutely everywhere.

Everyone hates these things, but Democrats seem to hate them a little less than Republicans.

Secretary of State Debra Bowen, who used to represent the South Bay in the Legislature, has been Twittering her election day experiences.

She seems to have adapted to the form, alternating public service announcements about how to find your polling place with more personal stuff like this:

Road trip! car full off to a remote taco truck with quite the (great) reputation 

Taco Truck FAIL! it's not in its usual location. Yelp confirms we're in the right place ... now what?

@CarolElaine What is a Korean BBQ taco truck???

I guess everybody gets a little punchy waiting for the polls to close. I'd expect it to be all business from here on out, though:

I have officially closed the polls. #caelect09

With 25% of the vote counted statewide, all of the propositions except 1F are losing badly.

In the L.A. city attorney's race, with 12% of the vote in, Carmen Trutanich is beating Jack Weiss roughly 52-48.

The U.S. Geological Survey says that today's 4.1-magnitude earthquake, centered near Hawthorne, was indeed an aftershock of Sunday night's quake.
"It's really close to where Sunday's occurred," says Morgan Page, a research geophysicist at the USGS. "It's a pretty small earthquake. This will have aftershocks of its own."
At Rosy's Bakery and Cuban Cafe in Hawthorne, Dina Hernandez, wife of the owner, said she was pricing cakes when the earthquake hit. She ran out to the dining area to check on the customers.
"We felt it but not even our cups fell. We had a couple customers eating. They stood up, went to the door and panicked for a little bit. It happened so fast."
At times like this, you can tell which facilities local police and fire departments are most worried about. In Manhattan Beach, Battalion Chief Ken Shuck says they checked Northrop Grumman and the mall, and everything's fine.
"We had no 911 calls, and didn't come across anything," Shuck said. "It's kind of scary, but it's a good opportunity for everybody to practice putting their plans into place."
At Raytheon in El Segundo, we hear the elevators in the parking garage are out.

Sunday's epicenter is on the left, today's is on the lower right. They're less than a mile apart. That's the Century (105) freeway on the bottom.

The USGS reports that the earthquake moments ago was a 4.1 on the Richter scale. Looks like the epicenter is about where the 4.7-magnitude quake was on Sunday night.

No reports yet of damage.

UPDATE #1: "Some people felt it, some people didn't," says Lt. Kent Wegener of the Lennox Sheriff's Station. "It wasn't as strong as the one the other day."

No damage either in Torrance, Hawthorne, Hermosa, Manhattan, El Segundo.

Google Maps indicates the epicenter is about five blocks south and three blocks east of the epicenter of Sunday's quake.

UPDATE #2: Janice Hahn Twittered it:

Wow. Just felt that earthquake! Was that an aftershock of Sundays?

UPDATE #3: No problems at LAX.

Just talked with Shannon Murphy of Speaker Karen Bass's office.

She said the speaker and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger were indeed scheduled to attend the 7:30 service at New Philadelphia AME on Sunday morning. But they realized on Saturday that they had to be at another service in L.A. at 8:15, and there was no way to do both. Murphy characterized it as a "scheduling mistake."

Bass called Pastor Sherman Gordon on Saturday to apologize, and has promised to make it up to him by attending services there sometime in the next few weeks.

This one goes out to you, readers:

Have you voted yet? If not, make sure you check the Daily Breeze's picks for the propositions and Los Angeles city attorney.

One Rancho Palos Verdes resident is on a mission to get the speed limit on a portion of the Vicncent Thomas Bridge raised. Charles Anton, who has made bumper stickers and posted You Tube videos after being hit with hundreds of dollars in speeding tickets, says 45-mph on that chunk of road is dangerous and simply unrealistic.

Scientists agree that Sunday's quake could have been much worse, and safety officials said it was the perfect reminder to get ready for the Big One. Breeze news columnist John Bogert weighs in on quake preparation too.

The chief of the Inglewood Police Department backs her officers, agreeing the man they shot and killed this weekend was indeed armed with a handgun.

A Redondo Beach husband and wife team helps businesses navigate their Web design and marketing efforts.

Baseball teams from Palos Verdes High School and Torrance High have earned top spots in the CIF Southern Section playoffs.

In order to step up its marketing efforts, the city of Carson is thinking about implementing a hip, new logo. This is the old logo, which dates from the 1980s:Blah.

The staff has come up with two potential replacements. The first, which was designed by in-house staffers, is described as "forward-looking" but still "traditional," and "simple but classy":



Wait a minute, which one is from the 1980s? That one looks stodgier than the original. Zzz.

Here's the second logo, which is considered the more "contemporary" and "vibrant" option, and which was designed by outside consultants:

When my story on our colleague Vu Nguyen appeared Friday, it received more than 70 user comments, all positive. In addition, I received these e-mails. Vu, our education reporter, was still on life support when they were written. He died Friday night at age 34.

What a brave family. My heart goes out to them. My son went to school with Vu in Springfield and they became good friends. I met Vu at their graduation and was very impressed by the young man's love for journalism and an upbeat attitude. Our sympathies to his young wife and family. Thank you for writing this, my son is away in India and this has helped him gain strength at this trying time. May God bless the family and give them courage. Their memories are precious!

Rashmi Mehrotra

Hello. I'm one of Vu's friends from his time in Illinois. Wanted to let you know that your story on him was extremely well done, and I can only imagine how difficult it was to do, given the sad circumstances.

Despite this tragedy, I had to smile when I read the part in your story about how he was running around like an airplane. You really captured his spirit and joyfulness.

Thank you.

Adriana Colindres

Thank you for doing the very nice, but terribly sad, story on Vu.

He was an intern here at our paper about five years ago and was immensely liked. There's a pall that's come over all of us who knew him and appreciated his wonderful humor. I can only imagine what it must be like in your newsroom.

If anyone sets up a scholarship in his name or does something similar, could you let me know? I'll share any of that information with my co-workers.
 
Thank you,

Jane Gargas, reporter

Hawthorne's Civil Service Commission will hold a special meeting at 5 p.m. tonight to finalize its decision to uphold disciplinary actions against two police officers who it believes excessively beat a suspect during a 2006 arrest.

The commission's decision was covered in a Saturday article: Changed votes in Hawthorne police abuse case cause stir. 

Tonight's meeting is private except for a public comment section at the start of the meeting.  Members of the Hawthorne Police Officers Association are planning to tell the commission they are upset that two of its members changed their votes against one officer. The officers' attorney Corey Glave has already said he plans to take the case to Los Angeles Superior Court.

The commission voted on April 20 to overturn the discipline imposed by police Chief Michael Heffner on officer Tony Robles, but not to alter the punishment against officer Rex Vian.  Then, when the commission met on Wednesday to finalize that vote with a legal resolution, two members changed their positions to also uphold Heffner's decision to suspend without pay Robles and Vian for 30 days. The two officers initiated the hearings about a year and a half ago when they appealed Heffner's punishments.

The commission is scheduled to vote on a new legal resolution tonight, in council chambers at City Hall, 4455 W. 126th St., supporting the discipline against both officers.

Vian and Robles arrested Omar Hill Jr. after he led police on a dangerous vehicle pursuit when they responded to a motel where he had allegedly beaten his common-law wife on April 30, 2006. A video of the arrest shows Vian grappling with Hill to handcuff him, and then Robles kicking Hill in the head and torso while the suspect was on the ground. 

South Bay, let's start the week of right:

Did you feel it? Did the Earth move? It sure did, but no major damage was reported after Sunday night's earthquake that hit near Inglewood.

Plans for an environmentally friendly BP power plant in Carson have quietly folded away, three years after Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger came to town touting the project.

Punishment for two Hawthorne police officers accused of using excessive force in a 2006 arrest of a domestic violence suspect were upheld by the city's Civil Service Commission last week -- a reversal from a previous decision.

 A new airline that caters to critters will launch flights this summer out of Hawthorne Municipal Airport.

Did you catch this weekend's Armed Forces Day Parade? If not, live vicariously through our extensive coverage and pictures.

Breeze staff writer Vu Nguyen died Friday night, after his family decided to take him off life support. Our newsroom sends condolences to his wife, family and friends.

And Vu would love this: Go Lakers!

Arnold Schwarzenegger and Karen Bass made a tour of black churches this morning to stump for the ballot propositions.

They were expected to make it to three services in the L.A. area: West Angeles Church of God in Christ, Second Baptist Church of Los Angeles, and First African Methodist Episcopal Church.

But they skipped a scheduled appearance at New Philadelphia AME near Carson. Not sure why -- maybe their alarm didn't go off.

The propositions are widely expected to fail, which would put the state $21 billion under water, as opposed to a mere $15 billion deficit if they pass.

The House wants eight more Boeing C-17s, at a cost of $2.2 billion, though the Pentagon doesn't see a need for them. The planes are assembled in Long Beach, but their parts are built all over, according to this map:

Perhaps this explains why the Boeing cargo plane seems to have such political juice. Sorry, Maine, Vermont and Montana!

The map comes courtesy of Congresswoman Laura Richardson, who had this to say about the House vote:

"Today, the 111th Congress demonstrated why our forefathers established three equal branches of government and allowed for the legislative body the ability to prioritize funding and adequate resources for those who protect and serve."

The Senate still has to agree, but it looks like Boeing workers don't have anything to worry about there.

Readers, it's Friday. Need I say more?

Saturday marks the 50th run of the Torrance Armed Forces Day Parade. And though patriotism has ebbed and flowed throughout the years, volunteer work is what's really powered the endeavor all this time.

A Hermosa Beach couple is chronicling the stories of World War II veterans to ensure their stories remain in tact. See some pictures of the subjects.

The Manhattan Beach Police Department paid tribute Thursday to the three officers killed in duty throughout the department's history. Check out some pictures of the ceremony.

Car Pros Chrysler Jeep in Carson is one of the 789 dealerships set to close nationwide as the automaker downsizes.

More bad economy news: El Segundo aerospace powerhouse Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems will lay off about 100 employees, executives announced Thursday.

And finally, Breeze education writer Vu Nguyen remains on life support and in a coma but is not expected to survive after going into cardiac arrest last weekend. Needless to say, the mood in our usually lively newsroom is somber in his absence. 

Vu covered most of our local school districts, and also contributed to the School Notebook blog. In addition to all that, he was the sweetest man, kind and thoughtful, with an amazing sense of humor. He loved his family, apologized when he swore and, best of all, loved a good newspaper story. We miss him deeply here, and wish his wife and family well.

Let's roll, readers:

Police have cracked a 30-year-old Torrance murder case in which a young woman was stabbed and strangled in her apartment. Police arrested her old boyfriend, now an Orange County engineer.

Manhattan Beach teachers, parents and students showed a homemade video Wednesday on the statewide "Day of the Teacher" to draw attention to the the 78 instructors in danger of losing their jobs.

Los Angeles city leaders Wednesday approved the first phase of a controversial jet fuel pipeline that would run from Wilmington to Carson.

A Gardena man was found guilty Wednesday of murdering his former girlfriend about a year ago.

The state Attorney General has filed a civil lawsuit against two brothers who allegedly rigged a property tax scam that ripped off homeowners in the South Bay and other parts of the state.

A stellar season has shot Loyola Marymount's Ryan Wheeler up to the major league draft ranking. The Torrance High grad plays first base.

Make sure you check out the Daily Breeze's guide to this weekend's Armed Forces Day parade in Torrance.

Carlos Moreno, a justice of the California Supreme Court, is reportedly on President Obama's short list for the U.S. Supreme Court.

Moreno is an L.A. native, and started his law career in the L.A. City Attorney's office. He was appointed to the California Supreme Court by Gov. Gray Davis in 2001, after serving three years as a federal judge. According to reports, he was recommended to Obama by Sen. Dianne Feinstein.

Obama has said he wants an empathetic judge, and Moreno seems to meet that qualification. He and his wife, Christine, have cared for their autistic niece for the past eight years. Here is Moreno, who chairs a Blue Ribbon Commission on Children in Foster Care, discussing that experience in 2006:

My own commitment to the issue of foster care is both professional and personal... For close to the past six years, my wife and I have been relative caregivers for our special needs 10-year-old niece. She was removed from her mother's home in New Jersey by the state children's services department.

Weighing just 33 pounds, she was suffering from neglect, dehydration, and malnutrition. When she was placed in a local hospital, she was belatedly diagnosed as autistic and developmentally delayed, completely lacking in life skills such as language, potty training and even something so basic as chewing food (at 5 years old she was still taking food from a baby bottle). Her mother had not sought services; in fact, owing to her own schizophrenia, she had diligently avoided any contact with social and medical services and relatives who could assist her. We took custody of our niece, because the only other option was... to institutionalize her for perhaps the rest of her life.

My wife and I have struggled over the past five years, dealing with children's services in New Jersey for assistance, but also relying upon local, L.A. County children's service providers -- medical, educational, occupational, behavioral -- to address the overwhelming problem of caring for an autistic child. Neither my wife nor I had any prior experience, of any significant note, with the healthcare system, much less any experience in dealing with autistic children. And I tell you, this has been perhaps the most difficult experience I've ever had in my entire life.

The couple had to hire a lawyer to fight the L.A. Unified School District over their daughter's educational program. Here's Moreno's wife, who is an artist and a college professor, speaking to the L.A. Daily Journal about that last year:

"We had to hire a lawyer to defend her educational rights," Chris Moreno said. "Los Angeles Unified held a secret Individualized Education Assessment meeting and changed her school and canceled all her services... They took care of it as a budget item. They never met her. They didn't know what her needs are.... She has myself and my husband as her advocates, and it's still so grueling a process."

Also under consideration, according to the AP, are Solicitor General Elena Kagan, Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and U.S. Appeals Court judges Sonia Sotomayor and Diane Pamela Wood.

Word comes that Assembly Speaker Karen Bass and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will both be speaking at the early service at New Philadelphia AME Church in Carson on Sunday.

They'll be stumping for Propositions 1A through 1F, the budget measures that look like they are doomed to fail in Tuesday's special election.

The service kicks off at 7:30 a.m.

The church is at 19100 Susana Road in Rancho Dominguez, which is on the northeast border of Carson.

Readers, without further ado:

South Bay high school campuses showed mixed dropout statistics for local districts and campuses, according to figures released Tuesday. See how your child's school measures up here.

Mediation is gonna pump your brain up, a study released today shows. Ommmm.

San Pedro's Eastview Little League grapples with what the league will do when their Knoll Hill permit expires in January 2011.

Container traffic at the Port of Los Angeles and Long Beach will drop by nearly 14 percent this year, the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp. forecasts.

Mira Costa High's lacrosse team lost the Los Angeles County tournament finals to Loyola in the second period of sudden death overtime Tuesday. Make sure you check out pictures of the game.

Learn how to make homemade tasty treats for your pups.

Arrr! The South Bay has about a dozen shipwrecks hiding beneath its waters. Check out our interactive map of their locations, but no information on any treasure.

Rep. Maxine Waters will be hosting two town hall meetings this Saturday, the 16th, to discuss the stimulus package.

10am to 12pm
Rowley Park Gymnasium
13220 S. Van Ness, Gardena

2pm to 4pm
Westchester Christian Church
8740 La Tijera Blvd., Westchester

This is your chance to ask her a question or give her some tea.

Jerry Jamgotchian is the wealthy owner of over 100 racehorses and a Hawthorne retail strip, and he is feared and loathed at City Hall for filing numerous aggressive lawsuits over the past two decades.

Apparently, city officials aren't the only ones frustrated by his litigiousness.

The former chairman of the California Horse Racing Board may have taken a key to Jamgotchian's 2007 Jaguar XJS after an April 24 CHRB meeting at Hollywood Park, the LA Times reports today.

Jamgotchian filed a complaint with the CHRB last week, asking that it "initiate an investigation into Richard Shapiro's recent 'keying/vandalism' of my vehicle," according to the Times.

The Inglewood Police Department will investigate the incident, which was allegedly caught on tape by Hollywood Park security video cameras.

Jamgotchian's latest suit against Hawthorne is now in the courts, after two lengthy City Council hearings over whether he could erect a billboard on his retail strip at 5117 El Segundo Blvd.

The Obama administration is calling for a halt in production of the Boeing C-17. The Pentagon says it already has more of the Long Beach-built cargo planes than it knows what to do with.

But Congress will have the final say on this, and Congress seems inclined to keep it going. Last week, the House Appropriations Committee voted to spend $2.2 billion on eight new planes. However, Flight Global, a British-based trade publication, notes that this is a decline from previous orders:

But the add-on also showed that support for the programme continues to dwindle. In the FY07 budget, Congress added funds to purchase 15 C-17s beyond the US Air Force's programme of record for 180. A year later, Congress added funds for only 10. That number continued to decline by two more this year.

Boeing hopes to make up the difference with international orders.

The House panel included the C-17 funding in the supplemental funding resolution for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. The Senate Appropriations Committee has yet to approve its version of the bill, so the number of planes on order is subject to change.

Readers, let's hit it!

A jury has again decided that two men killed their friend in a Rolling Hills ditch in 2001. Joe Nino and Miguel Torres' original conviction was overturned in 2007.

A Hermosa Beach woman has been fighting for more than a year to get out of her three-year contract with a Manhattan Beach gym whose employees she believes stole her credit card information.

Marcy Winograd is back, and again after Jane Harman's seat. See pictures of her announcement.

Labor Secretary Hilda Solis will be Cal State Dominguez Hills' commencement speaker later this month.

Torrance High's boys swim team has some real potential to make waves at Thursday's CIF Southern Section Division III preliminaries. Check out pictures of the team.

An El Segundo consulting group helps defense contractors wade through the intense paper work required by federal contracts.

The AP takes a look at the Gil Cedillo-Judy Chu rumble in the San Gabriel Valley. Stop me if you've heard this one:

Racial lines are being tested in a Southern California congressional race in which an Asian candidate is a leading contender in a district that has been a Hispanic stronghold for years.

If that sounds vaguely familiar, recall that we had a similar race here in the South Bay a couple years ago. In the 37th District, Jenny Oropeza tried to take a seat that had been historically African-American. (She lost to Laura Richardson.) The 32nd District race bears other resemblances to the Oropeza-Richardson contest: changing demographics, low turnout, a special election to fill a vacancy, a third candidate who threatens to split the vote, whites as a potential swing vote, etc.

Calitics has been following the Chu-Cedillo race, and has issued an unusual endorsement for "anybody but Cedillo." Apparently they think the Cedillo campaign has come to resemble Richardson's in a bad way:

In 2007, Calitics watched as Laura Richardson ran a nasty, race-baiting campaign in a special election in CA-37, emphasizing that the seat "should be held by someone from our community" and using what amounts to an identity politics wedge to carry her to victory.  We found that distasteful, and hoped that Democrats in future campaigns would not resort to such dirty politics.  When the race to replace Hilda Solis in CA-32 began, we thought the candidates, nominally progressive Democrats, would highlight their policy positions and positive attributes instead of using divisive tactics.  The major candidates, Board of Equalization member Judy Chu, State Sen. Gil Cedillo and former Obama transition official Emanuel Pleitez, all espoused generally progressive ideas throughout the campaign.  But then again, so did Richardson, and we do believe that, at some level, how you campaign does dictate how you govern. Therefore, we have been extremely disappointed in Gil Cedillo's divisive and often false attacks on his rivals.  He started his campaign talking about "our community" and "our people", clearly attempting to play upon a Latino/Asian divide inside the district, which has a larger Hispanic population.

If that's not clear enough, Joe Baca of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus puts it about as plainly as you can put it in that AP story:

"It's a Hispanic seat. We should not lose that seat."

Interestingly, Cedillo and Richardson hired the same campaign manager: Derek Humphrey.

For more on the 32nd District race, check out our sister blog at the San Gabriel Valley Tribune.

Gentle readers, let's ease into the work week with some rocking local news:

Suicides are up in the area, and some could be linked to the depressed economy.

Gardena resident D'Andre Lampkin is incongruously a tall-tale Tostmasters champ and a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Deputy.

Rancho Palos Verdes crime spree? A teenager was charged with breaking into a condominium there and stabbing the owner when he woke up, and another woman was the victim of a home invasion robbery by two men who pretended to deliver flowers.

A Redondo Beach woman, who is battling breast cancer at age 32, is starting a nonprofit geared at protecting fertility for young cancer patients -- an element of treatment that Alice Crisci believes is often forgotten by doctors. Watch Alice's battle against cancer.

A Palos Verdes Peninsula High School grad sent in her place a stripper to her class reunion, filmed the ensuing chaos and made a documentary.

More than 100 young expectant mothers gathered in Torrance for a massive baby shower Saturday. See pictures of the event here.

Yesterday, the CIA released a table of its briefings to Congress on enhanced interrogation techniques. Most of the heat of the story has been directed at Nancy Pelosi, because the memo seems to contradict her claim that she was never told that waterboarding was actually being used.

But the memo also mentions six briefings of South Bay Rep. Jane Harman. Her first briefing was on Feb. 5, 2003, shortly after she became the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee. She also had briefings on the topic on Sept. 4, 2003, July 13, 2004, Jan. 25, 2005, March 8, 2005, and Sept. 6, 2006. There was also a briefing for the full committee on Nov. 16, 2006.

The memo states that on July 13, 2004,

EITs were discussed, including a specific mention of waterboarding as one of the EITs. Discussion of CIA currently seeking reaffirmation from DOJ on use of EITs as well as renewed policy approval from principals to continue using EITs.

Recall that shortly after her first briefing on the program, Harman sent a letter to the CIA expressing some reservations. In that letter, she was particularly worried that the techniques had not been approved by the White House:

In particular, I would like to know whether the most senior levels of the White House have determined that these practices are consistent with the principles and policies of the United States. Have enhanced techniques been authorized and approved by the President?

Now we know that in July 2004, her briefers made sure she knew that they had.

Harman's concern was that Congress was not given enough of a role in setting interrogation policy. In February 2005, she suggested a legislative compromise that would have permitted "coercive" techniques in order to stop a plot to kill Americans. Some critics, and even some supporters, have described the concept as "torture warrants."

Asked by the New York Times if it would be possible to distinguish between torture and coercive interrogation, Harman said, "We have to try."

"If you're serious about trying to get information in advance of an attack, interrogation has to be one of the main tools," she said. "It has to be made to work. I'm OK with it not being pretty." 

That idea went nowhere.

It's always interesting to see how the national media views the South Bay.

USA Today's Second Homes column this weekend turns its attention to the robust real estate offerings of the South Bay, focusing particularly on the possibilities for additional dwellings in the beach cities and Palos Verdes Peninsula:

Redondo is a regional destination for its seafood eateries, Hermosa is
known for its nightlife and bar scene, and posh Manhattan Beach skews
older. One development here, Manhattan Village, is a top choice for
second-home owners, including many professional athletes.

                                                    (snip)

On the southern coast, Palos Verdes is much more rural, with extensive
equestrian facilities and high-quality golf courses. The highest-profile
development in the entire region is the 102-acre Terranea in Rancho Palos
Verdes, a new luxury resort and spa offering villas and casitas from $2.25
million to more than $5 million.

Poor Torrance: The so-called balanced city, the article states, is the most affordable second-home option in the South Bay, but has the fewest owners because of its large "industrial base."

Marcy Winograd is back for a rematch against Jane Harman in the 36th district. She'll make it official at a kick-off press conference on Monday. This is from her press release:

"I am challenging Jane Harman because the 36th district deserves a representative who stands for integrity, commitment, and leadership," says Winograd. "Jane Harman got caught with her hand in the cookie jar -- trading favors with a foreign lobby group in order to advance her own political agenda. That's not leadership; that's corruption," says Winograd, adding, "Harman's apparent willingness to campaign for warrantless wiretapping in order to avoid an FBI investigation reflects a disregard for the Constitution and Americans' right to privacy."

Winograd got 38 percent of the vote against Harman in 2006. Looks like she plans to put the AIPAC business front and center this time around. This is, as she put it in a recent Huffington Post column, "a landmine."

Readers, let's roll into the weekend with the best of the Breeze:

Remember that swine flu case in Rancho Palos Verdes? Um never mind. Turns out that the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health made a mistake, and the case was only "probable."

A new study reveals that taking too many pills can actually impede health.

Pat Boone was in Torrance yesterday, speaking at a National Day of Prayer service. He wore a powder blue suit and sang, "Well, lots of time has passed now, and some people can't relate, they don't like public worship and they misuse `church and state.' We all owe our creator - our liberty, our life."  Check out pictures.

Budget problems prompted Manhattan Beach to cancel its annual Police and Fire Open House, but plenty of other South Bay cities have festivities planned Saturday.

Two brothers help South Bay residents navigate the land of eBay, selling things ranging from purses to a Shaolin munk bucket.

Today is the Bay League Finals for boys track and field, and the two hurdlers from Mira Costa and Redondo Union High are the ones to watch.

Two poker players sued a handful of local casinos, including the Hustler, for allegedly not letting them qualify for a "no purchase necessary" jackpot unless they paid table fees.

Poker players Dennis Chae and Jeff Kim contend that the Bicycle Club, Commerce, Hustler, Hollywood Park and Hawaiian Gardens casinos wouldn't let them qualify for a jackpot unless they paid the customary $1-per-hand fee.

The table fees are the only way California's card clubs make revenue. Unlike Nevada casinos, card clubs can't participate in the gambling. Instead, players gamble against bankers, and the table fee is like a rent payment to use the casino facilities.

But, in a 2005 advisory, then-Attorney General Bill Lockyer cautioned card clubs that the promotions violated state law unless players are allowed to win the jackpots without paying the fee.

The "bad-beat jackpots" are consolation prizes the card clubs offer losing players who hold strong hands.

Chae and Kim's May 1 lawsuit says that the casinos used false advertising and unfair competition, and asks for millions of dollars in damages and an injunction ending the jackpots.

Politico is out with a story on the electoral implications of the Jane Harman wiretapping. Like others, they don't think Harman is in serious political jeopardy. Fine. But part of the reason is that they don't think her constituents are paying any attention:

Part of the problem for Harman's liberal challengers is that while the wiretapping case is receiving plenty of attention in Washington, the story has been far less scintillating for constituents in Harman's beach-dotted Southern California district, explained Phil Trounstine, who has worked as a Democratic strategist and pollster in the state.

"To most California voters, this is pretty exotic, Beltway kind of stuff," said Trounstine.

Did you hear that, South Bay? The inside-the-Beltway crowd thinks you are a bunch of semi-literate provincials. Are you gonna take that? Then, the kicker:

"In Southern California, politics is not terribly important to most people," said Darry Sragow, a California-based Democratic strategist.

Prove 'em wrong, commenters!  OK, I can see that you folks are un-baitable.

Here's Manny Ramirez's statement on his positive drug test:

"Recently I saw a physician for a personal health issue. He gave me a medication, not a steroid, which he thought was okay to give me. Unfortunately, the medication was banned under our drug policy. Under the policy that mistake is now my responsibility. I have been advised not to say anything more for now."

For context, let's compare Manny's response to the various excuses offered by athletes over the years when they've been accused of using banned substances. This is from a 2005 list compiled by Slate:

"When [my trainer Greg Anderson] said it was flaxseed oil, I just said, 'Whatever.' ... I had no doubt what he was giving me, because we were friends."
--San Francisco Giants outfielder Barry Bonds, Dec. 4, 2003, testifying to the BALCO grand jury (via San Francisco Chronicle)

"I was very surprised, because I didn't know I was taking anything on the ban list. ... It's my mistake for not knowing what's on the ban list. ... [From now on, you] won't even see me eat a PowerBar." --Seattle Mariners minor leaguer Ryan Christianson (Seattle Times, April 5, 2005)

"Of course I can't be 100% certain that anybody [spiked my drink] but I can't see any other way. ... You can't lock [drinks] away every time you take a vault, so it's possible."
--Pole-vaulter Janine Whitlock, July 19, 2002, after testing positive for steroids at the Commonwealth Games

"I don't take steroids, period. I bought supplements. ... [I] made a mistake trusting the label." --Seattle Mariners minor leaguer Damian Moss, who "would not name the supplements or the manufacturer, saying he didn't want to get any companies in trouble" (Seattle Times, April 5, 2005)

"I know I did nothing incorrect. ... I take stuff I buy over the counter. Multivitamins, protein shakes, muscle relaxants. That kind of stuff ... I'm surprised because look at what kind of player I am. I'm a leadoff hitter. I never hit any home runs." --Then-Devil Rays outfielder Alex Sanchez, April 4, 2005

"[My coach] had given me this pill and I had taken it. He told me it was not a steroid and that it would just keep you 'up' so you wouldn't be so fatigued."
--Sprinter Calvin Harrison, after testing positive for the stimulant modafinil (Guardian, Oct. 27, 2003)

"I never intentionally put anything in my body which I thought was illegal. ... People think you sit around and stick needles in you, and it's not like that. Seventy percent of the stuff you get at [General Nutrition Center], you test positive for under the policy."
--Cleveland Indians minor leaguer Darnell McDonald (Buffalo News, May 23, 2005)

"She was bringing them from Lithuania for my mother-in-law."
--Cyclist Raimondas Rumsas, July 30, 2002, after his wife was found with EPO and testosterone in the trunk of her car

You say San Paydro; I say San Peedro. You like tomayto; I like, um, I also enjoy tomayto.

Let's call the whole thing off!

Well, maybe not. At least not in the South Bay anyway.

We quite often get questions here at the Daily Breeze about the proper pronunciation of everyone's favorite port town.

The resounding answer is that true locals, even those who speak Spanish, refer to the city affectionately as San Peedro. Or just plain Peedro. And any other pronunciation is a clear sign that you don't know the area.

So, I thought it was interesting that upon calling the brand new Los Angeles Police Department's Harbor Division station this morning, I noticed that the recording on the phone says the facility is located in San Paydro.

No word on whether officers there like tomaytoes or tomahtoes.

Readers, let's get to it:

About 40 students stayed home from their Rancho Palos Verdes elementary school Wednesday, after the South Bay's first swine flu case was reported.

South Bay police officers, including two El Segundo officers shot while on duty last year, will be honored today with medals of valor for their service at the annual luncheon sponsored by local Chambers of Commerce.

Rancho Palos Verdes city leaders are considering issuing tickets to people who feed peacocks or tamper with traps as ways to curb frequent complaints about the unwanted mascots' noise and other, um, stinkier qualities.

A Carson man was convicted Wednesday of two separate murders in Wilmington.

Surf legend George Freeth is headed back to Redondo Beach's pier, almost a year after his bronze bust was stolen. This time he'll be in plain sight of a police substation.

A North Torrance High School sprinter really gave her opponents a run for their money at Wednesday's Pioneer League finals.

BT Americas, the American arm of a British telecommunications company, has completed its massive solar project at its El Segundo facility. Its 2,862 solar panels produce up to 20 percent of its energy needs there.

Speaking of El Segundo, have you ever wondered how the city got its name? OK. Well, never mind. But you should still  check out our South Bay History blog.

Jorge Luis ''Antúnez'' Garcia Perez is a Cuban democracy activist, and he's not too pleased with Laura Richardson's recent visit to the island.

''When one is fighting for liberty and human rights within a totalitarian society like the one that exists in Cuba, it is hurtful and offensive that citizens of a free society who have access to uncensored information visit our island and lack the courage to inquire about the unjustly imprisoned political prisoners,'' wrote ''Antúnez,'' who began a hunger strike on Feb. 17 to protest the Cuban government's treatment of political prisoners.

Antúnez spent 17 years in prison in Cuba, and is now apparently under house arrest. His sister, Berta Antúnez, is in the U.S. and wants a meeting with Richardson and the other two Congressional Black Caucus members who met with Fidel Castro.

''There are brave men and women within Cuba that need to be heard,'' Berta Antúnez said in a news release. ``I hope that these members that traveled to Cuba to meet for hours with Castro will take a few minutes to listen to the pleas of the victims of Castro's repression.''

Readers, nothing cures a post- Cinco de Mayo hangover like cold, stark news:

Possibly the most bizarre story I've read in a while: Police say a Hawthorne motorist hit a pedestrian, dragged the injured woman into her car and sped away with her screaming inside, leading police on a high-speed chase that ended at her home, where two small children were left alone.

The latest on the Jane Harman wiretapping saga.

Rancho Palos Verdes is considering a short-term $8 million loan to help a fledgling luxury resort open in this dismal economy.

Daily Breeze graphic artist Paul Penzella and staff photographer Brad Graverson both won awards this week from the Associated Press for their respective work. We always knew we were good, but now we have proof.

Finally some good local economy news: A $75 million contract with a Swiss aerospace company will generate almost two dozen jobs for a Gardena company.

San Pedro's girls softball team stole the title Tuesday from Carson.  Check out pictures of what prep sports writer Tony Ciniglio called an "improbable victory."

The Carson City Council had a light agenda tonight, and in other hands the meeting might have been over before 9 p.m.

But that's not how they roll in Carson.

Faced with the threat of a short meeting, they spent 45 minutes talking about Lyndon LaRouche's "Homeowners and Bank Protection Act of 2007." The item was on the agenda at the request of Councilman Elito Santarina and Councilman Mike Gipson.

LaRouche is a crackpot of the highest order, and claims on his Web site that President Obama is being brainwashed by Nazi doctors. But he has a following, and his supporters have managed to get several cities across the country to support his foreclosure prevention bill, including Gardena, Compton and Lynwood, according to LaRouche PAC. The bill calls for a government takeover of all banks and a "freeze" on all mortgages (whatever that means) for a period of months or years.

To her everlasting credit, Councilwoman Julie Ruiz Raber raised several concerns about LaRouche and his organization, including the bit about the Nazi doctors. But Gipson and Santarina seemed pretty intent on passing something, and Mayor Jim Dear wanted to debate the LaRouche supporters for a while, so it went around and around.

Fighting back against the skeptics, Santarina asked "How well do you know the plan, in terms of his plan to solve the crisis?"

Ultimately, the council decided to come up with its own proposal, which may or may not include portions of the LaRouche plan. The motion passed 3-1, with Santarina opposed and Dear abstaining. (Santarina apparently wanted to hold out for the undiluted LaRouche language.)

So who will write the Carson Plan to save the U.S. economy? City staff. Have fun with that, folks.

It's now 11:15 and they just got done with the consent calendar.

There's been some speculation about Jane Harman taking some administration job, such as an ambassadorship.

The Times is all over Laura Richardson's lawn-mowing situation:

In August, the Sacramento Code Enforcement Department declared the Long Beach congresswoman's vacant, three-bedroom, 1 1/2 -bath house a "public nuisance." Now the city has posted a notice of violation, citing neighborhood complaints that the Democrat's lawn is out of control.

While the offense is a minor one, it hints at the ill feelings that have developed toward Richardson by her neighbors, who say she has little regard for their upper-middle-class neighborhood.

Without a picture, it's hard to say how serious this is. The last photo I saw showed the grass a little bit high, but not to the point where it was an eyesore.

David Long, a 46-year-old insurance agent who is believed to be living in Gardena, was on a Top 10 list released today for deadbeat parents in Texas.

Long has failed to pay $32,370 in court-ordered support for his child, who lives in Mesquite, according to the Attorney General's office in Texas.

Janece Rolfe, spokeswoman for the attorney general's child support division told the Houston Chronicle that the office is seeking the public's help in finding these offenders.

"All of them are hiding, purposely eluding,"  Rolfe said.

Only three people on last year's Top 10 list have been found, she said.

All together, the deadbeats on this list owe $521,000 in back payments and interest.

The #1 spot on the list went to Jimmie McCullough, 49, who owes $133,866 for two of his children. McCullough can be identified by tattoos on his arm that read "Candy," "Mandy," and "Lisa".

Every person -- including two women -- on the list has skipped payments for at least six months and has had warrants issued for his or her arrest. 

Terranea is apparently in trouble. The long-planned mega-resort has almost finished construction on the former site of Marineland in Rancho Palos Verdes, and it set to open in late June.

At a special meeting tonight, resort officials will petition the City Council for a deal that would allow Terranea to receive an $8 million short-term loan from the city. The deal gives Los Angeles-based Terranea developer Lowe Enterprises less than they originally asked for, City Manager Carolyn Lehr said.

"The city is at a point where we have to weigh the situation," Lehr said. "Which is riskier? Coming forward and assisting or not assisting?"

Rancho Palos Verdes is expecting up to $8 million in revenue from Terranea -- and officials have long since started thinking about what kinds of projects and improvements they can fund with that money. At a time when the miserable economy is hitting hotels hard, all those municipal dreams are now in jeopardy.

The deal that is before the council would essentially give Lowe up to $8 million in revenue collected from the city's 10-percent transient occupancy tax over the first 27 months of resort operation. Lowe would have to pay back the loan by the end of 2013.

City staff are asking the council for direction on the matter, which would come back for a vote at a meeting later this month. (Staff report PDF.)

On the bright side for locals: The deal would  allow RPV residents discounts at Terranea -- 25 percent off room rates, 10 percent off spa and golf fees and 10 percent off food and drinks.

We'll have more Tuesday and Wednesday.

Talking Points Memo has video of Harman's remarks from yesterday's AIPAC conference:



And for those interested in what else was on the agenda yesterday, here she is talking about diplomacy with Iran:

Your awwww moment for the day: A mama and baby whale got very close to Manhattan Beach's shoreline late Friday afternoon.

Many thanks to reader Brian Engleman, who sent in a few pictures of the pair and the crowd that gathered to watch.

I'm embarrassed to admit that after years of living in the South Bay and reporting on beach happenings, I've never seen whales in our waters. Sad, huh?

Let's start your work week off on a high note:

Two distinct religions met to build ties Sunday when worshipers from a local synagogue and mosque gathered in Carson. Make sure you browse pictures of the event.

The Daily Breeze examines the tight grip one woman holds over Scottsdale, a community in Carson

El Segundo High School is ready for more close-ups, and has asked the city to extend the amount of time the lovely campus and act as a backdrop in your favorite television programs and films.

John Bogert doesn't want to see Barbie's new tramp stamp.

The analog-to-digital TV switch is nigh: Let us help you prepare.

Hey, I know the South Bay Pipeline is your favorite blog, but the Breeze has a plethora of other blog offerings for your information and enjoyment.

Jane Harman continues to act like she has nothing to hide, appearing today at the annual AIPAC policy conference in Washington.

Harman was greeted warmly, and gave a few remarks on her wiretapped phone call -- in which she is alleged to have promised to help two AIPAC defendants in exchange for lobbying support in her bid to become House Intelligence chair.

She reiterated her call for release of the transcript of the wiretapped call. She praised this editorial in the Wall Street Journal, which takes her side in the wiretapping saga and calls the AIPAC prosecution an "attempted criminalization of policy differences." She warned that the wiretapping could create a "chilling effect" on members of Congress who might want to talk with AIPAC or other lobbying groups about policy.

And she said this, about the notion that she supported the NSA's warrantless wiretapping program:

"I know about the Constitution, I believe in the Constitution, I believe in the Fourth Amendment and I have never ever supported warrantless wiretaps on Americans, nor would I."

Meet the Press, Feb. 12, 2006:

I support the program, I've never flinched from that.

UPDATE: Salon's Glenn Greenwald piles on.

When Rep. Laura Richardson visited Fidel Castro last month, we asked for a photo of her with the retired Cuban dictator. Instead, we got one of her with Raul, which was nice enough, but not quite what we were looking for.

Today we discover that Richardson has given the first look at her Fidel photo album to ABC News. Apparently these photos are as sensational as the ones of Angelina Jolie's baby, because ABC has built a whole story around the fact that Castro was wearing a US/Cuba flag pin.

As you can see, they've highlighted the pin, which is taken as a sign of thawing relations with the U.S. And here's another one of Richardson and the other members of the Congressional Black Caucus delegation speaking with Castro:


That's Rep. Bobby Rush on the left and Rep. Barbara Lee in the middle. Upon her return, Richardson was criticized for her effusive praise for the Castro brothers.

City officials have apparently taken to issuing press releases when there is no news to report: 

Readers, happy May Day -- whatever that means to you. Let's get to the news:

San Pedro leaders are miffed that the port town missed another tourism opportunity Thursday when a Princess Cruise ship stopped in Long Beach instead after the ship detoured from a trip to swine flu-ridden Mexico.

And more on the swine flu front, South Bay schools have found no cases but officials are keeping parents abreast of any changes just the same.

Sheriff's deputies arrested three people in connection to a Lennox shooting left one man dead and five people injured Wednesday, when someone opened fire into a crowd eating at a taco truck.

An an open-air market dealing in fresh produce is the newest amenity at the Del Amo Fashion Center in Torrance.

A Southern California Edison worker is in a hospital's burn unit and two others are recovering after an incident last week in Rancho Palos Verdes.

In this week's At Work feature, the Breeze chats with a Torrance architect.

Yesterday I noted that CQ's Jeff Stein has been curiously quiet about the theory that ex-CIA Director Porter Goss was behind the attempt to investigate his nemesis, Jane Harman, and possibly also had something to do with the leak of her wiretapped conversation.

Today, Stein has responded to that theory. He doesn't think much of it.

In particular, he seems disturbed that people are losing focus on Harman's cozy relationship with Israeli spies and are starting to concentrate instead on Goss' hostile relationship with Harman:

In other words, the question of what Israeli agents were up to in Washington has been smothered by an obsession with a Harman-Goss rivalry. 

Washington Post:

The U.S. government is abandoning espionage-law charges against two former lobbyists for a pro-Israel advocacy group, federal officials announced this morning.

Prosecutors said they will ask a judge to dismiss the case against Steven J. Rosen and Keith Weissman because a series of court decisions had made it unlikely they would win convictions. The two are former lobbyists for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC, an influential advocacy group.

This is the case that Jane Harman was recorded saying she would "waddle into."