The outpouring of support continues for the Narbonne High School student who died Monday after getting caught in the surf Sunday evening in Manhattan Beach. In addition to the car wash going on today at Albertsons, two more fundraisers are happening tomorrow:

-The family is holding a car wash outside the Krispy Kreme shop at 1199 W. Artesia Blvd. in Gardena. It begins at 9 a.m.

-The Narbonne volleyball players have organized a fundraiser at the Quizno's at 2169A Pacific Coast Highway in Lomita from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Anyone who mentions the Lima fund when they order will have a portion of their bill re-directed to the family.

Readers, here's today's news:

Get your coffee served up by bikini-clad barristas at a Torrance java house. I just hope these ladies are careful with the steam.

Centinela Valley Union High School District leaders abruptly dismissed the district's assistant superintendent earlier this week.

An increased need has prompted Rolling Hills Covenant Church to launch a massive school supply drive.

Taste in San Pedro kicks off tonight with more than just food.

News columnist John Bogert weighs in on freeway tolls.

A fundraiser is scheduled for Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Albertsons, 2130 Pacific Coast Highway in Lomita to raise money for Dexter Lima's family. Dexter died Monday night after getting caught in big waves the evening before.

We've heard that a fundraiser for him on Tuesday night had a good turn-out.

There were a lot of people enjoying the day at the beach Sunday. One of them was in the water and saw Dexter, then tried to help save his life. He wrote:

Hi Denise,

 

I didn't know Dexter personally but I was in the water surfing by the pier when I saw him and his cousin calling for help.  I tried as hard as I could to get to him but when I was about 15 feet away he went under.  Me and another lifeguard immediately started diving to try and save him but the water was so murky we could only see a few feet in front of us when we opened our eyes under water.  The ocean current was extremely strong on Sunday and the rip tide Dexter and his cousin were caught in was unforgiving.  I stayed out there with the lifeguards as part of the search effort, repeatedly diving to find him, until we eventually found his body.  I met Dexter's family and many of his friends at Little Company of Mary hospital on Monday.  There was so much love and support in that hospital room and we all had so much hope for his survival.  It is rare to see the kind of support that family received for the loss of their son.  He must have been a really great kid.  I am really sorry for their loss and truly did everything I could to try and save him....

 

Respectfully,

 

Vinny

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger called the state Legislature "a bunch of kids" in an interview with Greta Van Susteren that aired on Fox News last night.

Susteren visited the former Mr. Universe in his Santa Monica office to talk about his recent cuts to the state budget, health care reform, the media, and his regret at not being eligible for the presidency. Here's the link, and here are some snippets from the governor:

"... They just were not willing to make the tough decisions and the last cuts that we needed to do in order to create a reserve, so I had to make the tough decisions ... It gets to be very tough, and you have many times sleepless nights awake because, you know, you're concerned about the cuts that you have to make.

"I think, in general, California always is more exaggerated about everything, you know, it is about the good things, but also about the bad things.

"We've got to go and create more -- you know, kind of sprinkle the responsibility of tax revenues all around so you don't rely on one thing because that makes it volatile and makes it vulnerable ... Rich people are not running around complaining that much. It's just A) that they leave the state, and B) it is volatile.

"I am not going to dwell on this one single thing that I can't do, which is to run for president. I'm not going to say, 'Oh isn't this terrible? Let me feel sorry for me. I can't run for president. No, because I love this country, and I take it exactly as a whole package." 

Rep. Maxine Waters is apparently a hottie on the hill.

The Hill has named the South Bay legislator, who represents the 35th Congressional District from Westchester to Gardena, as one of the 50 most beautiful bureaucrats.

Though no Vogue, the paper reports that Waters, known for stylish spectacles and hair-dos, also deftly rocks four-inch stilleto heels thanks to a regular exercise regimen:

"Her leg strength must come from years as a runner. But because of an injury, Waters has recently switched to swimming as her exercise of choice. Most of her cardio, though, surely comes from her first love in personal activities: antique shopping."

Waters -- who apparently collects antique perfume bottles, scales, furniture and ethnic dolls -- also knows the power of beauty rest and keeping hydrated.

"I bathe in moisturizer," she told the paper.

Readers, you know we're here for you:

Looks like the endangered El Segundo Blue Butterfly is on the mend at the South Bay's preservation site just west of Los Angeles International Airport. The flutterers are apparently mating like crazy this summer...

... and apparently so was at least one couple at last weekend's ocean-side free concert in Hermosa Beach, where huge crowds have prompted city officials to hire more security and make other changes to this weekend's show.

Owners of a long embattled Hermosa Beach commercial development hopes paid parking will help stave off foreclosure.

Is Hawthorne getting into the real estate flipping business? The city will buy out some businesses along Hawthorne Boulevard so it can package the properties with its old police station and sell at a profit.

An El Segundo 13-year-old girl is among the youngest skaters at this week's X-Games in Carson. Check out pictures of Allysha Bergado in action.

Manhattan Beach has sort of lost an ally in its municipal battle against plastic bag lovers.

The group of plastics manufacturers that earlier this year successfully sued the city over its ban on the carriers has settled a similar lawsuit with Palo Alto.

The Northern California city's prohibition of the synthetic carriers will stay in tact under a deal reached Tuesday with the Save the Plastic Bag Coalition, but the city must perform a full environmental review of the ban before it can be expanded to other retailers beyond grocery stores, the San Jose Mercury News reports:

(Coalition attorney Stephen) Joseph argued Palo Alto's ban was equally ill-considered. But he said Tuesday that he wasn't interested in fighting a lengthy court battle to overturn a rule that so far affects only the four local grocery stores that had not already given up plastic bags voluntarily.

"What concerned us was that Palo Alto was going to go and do more," Joseph said. "We said no way. The city eventually came around and said it will not do any more banning without doing an EIR first, and that's all we're asking."

Manhattan Beach is currently appealing a judge's February decision agreeing with the Coalition's assertion that the city should have completely studied the ban's possible environmental consequences before approving the prohibition about a year ago.

Counterparts in Palo Alto were apparently aware of the suit when it began pursuing a ban this spring, but said their ban was different from Manhattan's because it was a portion of a comprehensive plan to encourage use of reusabale bags.

Readers, let's hit it:

Friends of Dexter Lima recalled Tuesday the 17-year-old Torrance boy who died Monday night after being swept into the ocean off Manhattan Beach this weekend as "full of life."

A pit bull mauled a 17-month-old boy in Redondo Beach on Tuesday when the toddler grabbed the family pet's tail.

A man died in a car accident Tuesday when he crashed his vehicle into a tree near the ExxonMobil refinery in Torrance, nearly splitting his vehicle in two and knocking out a road sign in the incident.

The recession is apparently causing more pet owners to give up their critters, putting a strain on area animal shelters and increasing euthanasia frequency.

A Wilmington man has been arrested in connection to a weekend stabbing outside a Hermosa Beach bar.

A former Carson High softball standout is headed to Long Beach State.

As the day goes on, we're learning more about the 17-year-old who died Monday night after getting swept by the ocean near the Manhattan Beach Pier on Sunday evening. Dexter Lima, of Torrance, who played junior varsity volleyball at Narbonne High School, was a well-liked, positive and happy kid.

Tonight, the girls' volleyball team had a fundraiser planned at Poquita Mas at 2625 Pacific Coast Highway. They decided to redirect proceeds from the event to Dexter's family to help with funeral and burial expenses. If you want to go, it's from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.. Mention Narbonne High School with your order.

We'll have an updated story later.

Family spokeswoman Gabriella Holt, a friend of Peter Gardiner's and fellow politico on the Hill, has released the following statement from the family of the councilman. Gardiner died Saturday night.

Dr. Peter C. Gardiner

Rancho Palos Verdes Councilman 

Father, Grandfather, Dear Friend

1941-2009 

Personal Statement from Peter Gardiner's Family

 

The family of Peter C. Gardiner regretfully announces that Peter passed away on the evening of Saturday, July 25, 2009 after a long and courageous battle with melanoma.  Peter loved life, his family and his community, and will be sorely missed.  Peter joins his wife Tanda Kynette Gardiner, who passed away on December 11, 1994.

 

The family is both proud of and grateful for Peter's eight years of public service on the Rancho Palos Verdes City Council and four years as trustee on the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District Board of Education.  Peter was also a man with a strong faith in God and was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, where over the years Peter served as Seminary Teacher, High Priest Group Leader, Sunday School President and Ward Missionary for the Crestridge Ward of the Church.

 

The family would like to take this opportunity to thank the many friends who offered their kindness and support during Peter's difficult battle.  Peter is survived by his son,  Christopher, daughter, Christine and son in law, Karl Schmitz, his brothers Thomas and Jeffrey, sister Christine Novak; and his grandchildren,  Benjamin, Aimee, Sean and Ellerbrook Schmitz. 

 

Funeral services for Peter will be on Saturday, August 1, 2009, details yet to be finalized.  In lieu of flowers, Peter had requested that donations be made to the Perpetual Education Fund of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  Those interested in making such a donation may make checks payable to:  Perpetual Education Fund, 50 East North Temple Street, Salt Lake City, UT 84150.

Here's what's happening:

It was a violent weekend in Los Angeles.

Local beaches are some of the most polluted in the region, and Port of Los Angeles efforts to remedy the problem have been slow-coming. Meanwhile, the port has plans to erect a $2.5 million public art project to honor local dockworkers.

Henry Hoskins, a Gardena bail bondsman and player in the "Lomita Black Widow" case, was found shot to death in his home.

The H1N1 virus, better known as swine flu, continues to spread around the area.

The country's best young sailors converged on San Pedro this weekend for a championship competition.

Brett Simpson won the U.S. Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach.

In an ongoing effort to limit prostitution at massage parlors, Torrance City Council imposed restrictions on the businesses.

Horse owners are upset about a planned housing development and golf course in Rolling Hills Estates.

Hermosa Beach's first "green expo" urged locals to be environmentally conscious.

Our business editor writes about his experience at an S&M dungeon.

And check out our photo gallery of Zac Sunderland's visit to San Pedro. Sunderland recently became the youngest person to sail around the world. 

A chunk of the Sunken City area of San Pedro collapsed today, sending a large cloud of dust into the air.

The landslide occurred about 1 p.m. beyond Point Fermin Park. No one was in the area and no one was hurt, Los Angeles County Lifeguard Maria Bird said.

Lifeguards cleared the tide pool area as a precaution and made a search in a boat to make sure no one was hurt.

"It did make a big dust cloud," Bird said.

The Sunken City area, fenced off with wrought-iron, was once home to a 6-acre community owned by Harbor Area developer George Peck.

In 1929, the community began sliding into the ocean south of Pacific Avenue and Shepard Street.

Some houses were moved, but remnants of the community remain.

The Daily Breeze made the news today with the announcement that Phillip Sanfield, its editor and interim publisher, has resigned to become director of media relations for the Port of Los Angeles. He will be greatly missed.

El Camino College kicked off a fundraising drive for student scholarships. Also at El Camino, a standout baseball player considers his professional options.

The state Legislature finally approved a budget deal, issuing in an era of cuts. Local mayors are not happy.

Among possible casualties of the state's budget crisis: significant fee hikes for parking, RV camping, water sport activities and other amenities at local beaches.

Check out our photo gallery of summer concerts on the Redondo Beach pier.

The latest information about the Hawthorne plane crash that killed three men reveals little.

Single drivers can soon merge into the Harbor Freeway carpool lane -- for a fee.

Los Angeles Councilwoman Janice Hahn said her Harbor Area district can expect service cuts if the state passes its budget as proposed.

"By balancing the budget on the backs of local governments, Los Angeles faces another $250 million deficit," Hahn said in a statement. "Our city's residents expect us to pave their streets, trim their trees, and keep their neighborhoods safe. With this proposed budget, we will be hard pressed to continue delivering these services."

Torrance Unified school board member Al Muratsuchi has decided this week not to run for next year's 53rd Assembly District race in order to spend more time with his family.

Muratsuchi announced his intention to campaign earlier this year.

"As a new father and as a husband, on top of my responsibilities as Torrance School Board president and a state prosecutor, I have not been able to devote the time necessary to run a campaign that I can be proud of," said Muratsuchi, 44. "As much as I want to fight for change in Sacramento, my first responsibility is to my family."

Betsy Butler, a top fundraiser for Consumer Attorneys of California who has secured top nominations, is the frontrunner to replace Assemblyman Ted Lieu, even though the election has not yet begun. Manhattan Beach Councilman Mitch Ward and Jim Aldinger, a former Manhattan Beach city councilman who is also Butler's ex-boyfriend, also said they will seek the seat.

Earlier this year, Muratsuchi, who works as a deputy attorney general, was struggling to collect enough campaign donations to be viable in the race.

Here's the scoop:

Columnist John Bogert remembers Elin Brekke Vanderlip, the daughter-in-law of Frank A. Vanderlip, the man who assembled the syndicate that bought the Palos Verdes Peninsula in 1913.

A pair of robbers held up a Torrance couple, and demanded the male victim go back into his house to get more money.

Frustration with cuts in the state's budget plan is hitting home, and local politicians are gnashing their teeth.

Manny Ramirez bobblehead night was a hit!

A statewide effort to protect the coast with no-fishing zones angered Redondo Beach City Council members, who said it will devastate the local economy.

The economy is still faltering, but Boeing Co. is doing well thanks to its business with the military.

Remember to keep cool today... 

Assembly Speaker Karen Bass endorsed Gardena Councilman Steve Bradford in his campaign for the 51st District. Bradford is the frontrunner to succeed state Senator Curren Price.

Here's a tidbit from Bass's endorsement:

"I have known Steve Bradford for 20 years. He is connected to the community. He understands the struggles of working families. He has worked to protect jobs in his city and provide living wages for employees. Creating new jobs and aiding small businesses are among his top priorities, and that bodes well for his current constituents and those he seeks to represent in the 51st Assembly District."

To read more, check out this link: Bass endorses Bradford

Let's get down to business:

South Bay leaders react to the state's budget plan. I'll give you a hint: They're not too pleased.

Our business reporter (who is known for his cheery demeanor), Muhammed El-Hasan, writes that the latest economic forecast crystal ball shows dark skies ahead.

Lawndale isn't too happy about complying with the state's new law regulating massage parlors.

Torrance is turning off the water tap.

Yes, it's hot outside. Cool off with frozen desserts.

An El Segundo instructor became the first to win a national golf tournament.

 

 

 

Here's a taste of what's happening:

Our crime reporter, Larry Altman, discovered a link between a 1998 double murder and a slain real estate broker found in a vacant Westchester home over the weekend.

A San Pedro man who is on death row for murder says that his life should be spared because he is mentally retarded.

A Torrance brother and sister -- ages 8 and 12 -- will compete in the BMX world finals in Australia.

Hurrah! California legislators have agreed on a budget to close the state's $26 billion shortfall.

A Hawthorne job training agency will administer a $160 million county program to put 10,000 people to work in federally subsidized jobs by next year.

A Los Angeles port police cadet was honored for saving the life of an 18-year-old Rancho Palos Verdes boy. But the boy didn't show up for the ceremony.

Here's what's going on around the area:

Officials in Kashiwa, Japan cancelled its annual student exchange program with Torrance because of fear of the swine flu.

An "evil man" was sentenced to death for killing his mistress, who he believed was pregnant.

Cargo shipments through the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach continue to decline. And a new state mandated low-sulfur fuel is causing cargo ships headed into San Pedro Bay to stall out.

South Bay residents remember their contributions to the Apollo 11 mission.

Merchants in downtown San Pedro band together to find new ways to entice increasingly scarce customers.

A former Marine Staff Sergeant who was severly injured in an IED attack in Iraq was thanked by friends and strangers, who refurbished his classic Chevy Impala.

Noise, litter and parking woes are causing consternation at Sand Dune Park in Manhattan Beach.

Sean Rosenthal and Jake Gibb capture the first title of the year in the AVP Manhattan Beach Open. And check out our extensive online photo gallery of the event here.

 

 

A 52-foot yawl that was once home to Dennis Wilson of the Beach Boys was impounded in Marina del Rey today.

The wooden boat, named Emerald, had streaks of rust running down its hull since it has not been maintained for years.

Wilson, who grew up in Hawthorne and was in trouble with alcohol and cocaine at the time of his death, drowned Dec. 28,1983 while diving for gear he had tossed off his own boat, Harmony, which had been seized by the bank.

Now Emerald, once owned by Wilson friend Bill Oster, could be on its way to becoming
firewood.

For the past two weeks or more, the boat has been at what locals call the "impound
dock," the old gas dock off Fiji Way where boats seized by authorities are held until
disposed of.

The boat was towed because it had been parked too long at the guest dock, Deputy
Steve Wealer said today.

Visiting boaters are limited to a seven-day stay at the guest docks unless they get
authorization from marina officials.

The deputy said he had "no idea" who the current owner of the vessel was, but said if
the owner did not claim the boat and pay impound fees, the boat would be sold in a
lien sale.

The deputy didn't know the boat's history.

Wilson reportedly woke up on the morning of his death and began drinking vodka.

"Dennis was in a good mood, happy. We were plotting how to buy his boat back," Oster
told People magazine at the time.

Wilson went diving in 58-degree water dressed only in cutoff jeans and a face mask,
pulling up some chains, a steel box, a silver picture frame and other rusted pieces
he had junked from his own boat.

His friends originally thought he was hiding or goofing around when he failed to
reappear and began looking for him in local bars, but the body of the 39-year-old
musician was pulled from the water about 5:30 p.m.

The Beach Boy was buried at sea off the California coast on Jan. 4, 1984.

Inspired by Michael Jackson's funeral last week, Mayor Jim Dear ordered the U.S. flag flown at half staff outside Carson City Hall.

Dear has received numerous calls and e-mails about this, some of them hostile.

As we mentioned when we first reported this, Carson's city code allows the mayor to fly the flag at half staff when he deems it appropriate. But as several experts on flag protocol have pointed out, the U.S. Flag Code does not give mayors this power.

In response to the complaints, Dear has decided to amend Carson's ordinance to remove the mayor's authority to fly the flag at half staff. He expects the amendment to be debated at the council's first meeting in August.

The mayor will still have the power to lower the city flag. However, the Carson flag is at three-quarter staff in honor of soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, and will remain that way until they come home.

According to The Hill, Jane Harman is the lone Blue Dog on the Energy and Commerce Committee who supports the House Democrats' health care bill.

The committee's other seven Blue Dogs -- fiscally conservative Democrats who tend to represent swing districts -- are holding out for amendments. Their objections are that the bill won't do enough to reduce costs and that it is based on Medicare funding formulas that they say harm rural districts.

The Blue Dogs have also been skeptical about the "public option" provision in the past, but they seem not to be emphasizing that concern at the moment. Harman made a statement yesterday as the committee opened debate on the bill:

Neither a single-payer system nor an all-private market approach can achieve the results that competition among a robust public option and market-based plans will. We know what happens when insurance companies don't compete: The results range from complacency to price gouging.  A public option will help fix this, harnessing the power of the market to drive down premiums, encourage efficiency and quality, and keep bloated treatment regimens in check.  By one estimate, it could save the country $800 billion over the next decade.

Harman has been a Blue Dog since the early 90s, when she represented a much more conservative district. Her district has since been redrawn and is now more liberal -- to such an extent that she seems more worried about challenges from the left than from the right. No surprise, then, that she's broken with the Blue Dogs on health care and on energy.

Her full statement is after the jump.

Readers, this one goes out to you:

We have more details about the three men killed in a plane crash this week in Hawthorne.

Aerospace giant Boeing won a contract worth hundreds of millions of dollars to build four large satellites at its El Segundo facility -- good news because the company has been laying off employees because of a lack of orders.

Maybe Boeing's score will put a dent in California's whopping 11.6 percent unemployment rate?

News columnist John Bogert was there waiting when the youngest person to circumnavigate the globe returned Thursday to Marina del Rey.

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder gave some money Thursday to a battered woman's shelter in San Pedro.

South Bay mattress company Sit 'n' Sleep is killing its infamous "You're killing me Larry" marketing line. And the Larrys of the world thank you.

As reported earlier this week, Laura Richardson has joined a congressional women's softball team. Now, thanks to her office, we have documentary evidence.

The congressional team recently played against staffers from the RCCC and the DCCC. Here is Richardson, at first base, scooping out a low throw to record an out.





Yes, Carson, Compton and Long Beach: that is your congressional representative. Richardson's post-game commentary:

"I just tried to keep my eyes on the ball, make the catch and stretch as far as I could to touch the bag. I was never a cheerleader in school doing splits, so this was taking one for the team and to hear the crowd gasp and then scream... It was intense."

The congressional team lost 14-8.

Jerome Horton, a former South Bay lawmaker, has been appointed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to serve out Judy Chu's term on the state Board of Equalization.

During his 2006 campaign for the board, Horton, a Democrat, called himself "The Equalizer" in TV spots. The biggest controversy of the campaign involved the California Political Empowerment Committee, which sent out mailers accusing Chu of being soft on tobacco companies. But the committee itself had taken thousands of dollars in tobacco money. Chu defeated Horton 50-32.

Before that, Horton served six years as the Assemblyman for the 51st District, which includes Inglewood, Gardena, Lawndale and Hawthorne. He also served on the Inglewood City Council. Last year, he considered running for the state Senate seat now held by Rod Wright, but dropped out when labor groups backed Mervyn Dymally.

Chu was elected to Congress on Tuesday, opening up a spot on the board, which handles tax appeals. If confirmed by the Legislature, Horton will become the swing vote on a board that is now split 2-2 between liberal and conservative members. That's a comfortable spot for the former "Mod Squad" member, who relished abstaining on votes during his time in the Legislature:

"When you vote yes or no," said the Democrat from Inglewood, "it takes you out of the negotiations, and I don't ever want to be out of the game."

When lawmakers can't get the votes they need to pass their measures, they rush to court the undecided in hopes of changing an abstention to a "yes" on another round of voting. That gives the abstainer leverage to argue for changes in the bill.

"I'm Mr. 41," said Assemblyman Horton, referring to the last vote needed to pass most bills. "I'm always in the game."

In his announcement, Schwarzenegger credited Horton with "supporting tax policies that promote economic growth," suggesting he sees Horton as being more pro-business than Chu has been.

Though it's true that Horton, 52, has taken his share of corporate donations over the years, the L.A. County Federation of Labor endorsed both him and Chu in 2006. If confirmed, Horton will serve the rest of Chu's term -- which expires next year -- and can run for election to a full term as the incumbent.

At an event this afternoon to announce stimulus funding for a women's shelter in San Pedro, Attorney General Eric Holder was asked whether he would investigate the true culprits behind the 9/11 disaster.

Holder answered that the 9/11 Commission had done a pretty thorough investigation, which prompted another 9/11 truther to shout out that new information has come to light.

The original questioner said he had a packet of information to give the attorney general, but the group was blocked from entering the shelter and handing it to him.

Holder was on hand to announce $500,000 in funding for SHAWL House over the next three years. The shelter provides addiction recovery services to homeless and battered women, and is the first shelter in the country to be awarded funds under the domestic violence prevention portion of the stimulus bill.

More on that later.

Here's what's happening, readers:

A Manhattan Beach real estate agent was among the three men killed Wednesday in a Hawthorne airplane crash.

Coworkers said Rajesh "Rich" Vashdev was a nice, hardworking man with a wife and two young children. Scroll through some pictures of the crash site.

Local courthouses saw some frustrated folks looking to do business Wednesday when personnel were away on furlough.

Los Angeles City Councilwoman Janice Hahn is leading a proposal to tax medical marijuana sales.

The Port of Los Angeles Police Department showed off some fancy equipment Wednesday that was instrumental in two recent high-profile searches in the San Pedro Bay.

Emmy nominations came out this morning. Did your favorite show get any nods?

Speaking of show biz, our History blog examines old South Bay theaters.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has appointed nightclub entrepreneur Sam Nazarian to the Board of Airport Commissioners. If nothing else, Nazarian's experience should help him understand how to cater to the airport's VIP passengers.

Then again, this 2005 New Yorker profile raises some questions about his deliberative process:

"The whole purpose of the party was to sell this painting"--he pointed to the purple canvas. "I had had a couple drinks, and was a little drunk, and I go, 'So what's going on?' and the art dealer said, 'I'm trying to sell this painting.' I had just bought this house, and I kind of like it, it's amazing. 'Well, I don't like the frame,' I told the guy. The artist designed the frame." Nazarian chuckled heartily and lit a cigarette. "'Can we change the frame?' I asked him. He's like, 'No.'" More laughing. "Long story short, I made a deal with the guy right there on the spot. He seemed a little stressed, showing people this painting. So I was, like, 'If you were to sell this painting, you'd have a good time?' The whole time I'm completely drunk, keep in mind. He goes, 'Yeah.' I go, 'Well, how much do you want for it?' 'We're asking two-twenty.' I go, 'I'll give you one-eighty. Right now. Done.'

"So the next morning I wake up and my controller called me from the office and said, 'Sam, did you buy a painting last night?' I'm like, 'No.' I had no recollection of it at all at first, literally, whatsoever." He guffawed and said hastily, "And luckily I did really well, because now it's worth a lot more."

All's well that ends well.

Attorney General Eric Holder is in town, and he'll be heading down to San Pedro tomorrow to present a $150,000 per year for three years stimulus check to SHAWL House, a battered women's shelter substance abuse recovery center battered woman's shelter that also provides substance abuse treatment.

He's also going to head up to Nickerson Gardens and meet with members of the Watts Gang Task Force to discuss gang prevention strategies tomorrow night.

Readers, the day's offerings:

A woman was killed in a car crash and a man shot to death in two separate Wilmington incidents this morning.

A restored wetland habitat in Carson will open to the public Thursday, after nearly 15 years of efforts. Scroll through our pictures for a sneak peek.

San Pedro High's new principal left her last school with a bit of controversy.

The California Coastal Commission's recent approval of Redondo Beach's harbor rezoning efforts paves the way for a new hotel on the pier.

South Bay renters are scoring in the economic downturn, as rents fell again in the second quarter.

Per the OC Register, there is a surge of optimism in Sacramento:

Senate Leader Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, and Assembly Speaker Karen Bass, D-Los Angeles, just walked into Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's office to continue negotiations on the budget and said that a deal is "very close" - so close that it could be come tonight or tomorrow.

"Today's the day," Bass said.

False dawn?

Meet Los Angeles Laker Derek Fisher in El Segundo on Tuesday, when he will stop by the Best Buy at 740 S. Sepulveda Blvd. from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

The athlete will greet fans and sign copies of the Lakers' 2008-09 NBA champions DVD, which goes on sale Tuesday for about $25.

Earlier in the day from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Fisher's teammates Jordan Farmar and Luke Walton will be at the Wal-Mart in Long Beach. The address is 7250 W. Carson Blvd.

Now, we all knew Hermosa Beach was a meat market. But apparently it's a Grade-A Kobe beef market. With caviar garnish. Devoured off gold-plated forks by really attractive single people.

In their annual assessment of the best places to live in America, the editors of Money magazine has named the tiny beach city among the top places to find rich single people in the country.

This prestigious title -- which casts the city's budget concerns in a new light -- was apparently bestowed on Hermosa based on calculations that about 47 percent of residents are unmarried and its median family income is about $138,000 a year.

Check out this video in which Hermosa folks -- including the mayor -- wax about what makes Hermosa such a great place to find a well-heeled date.



But a word of warning to those trying to marry rich in Hermosa Beach: Pundits warn that though it's easy to find a date in town, keeping a relationship isn't quite as simple.

Antonio Villaraigosa, last week:

"Michael Jackson's music touched millions of fans across the globe," Mayor Villaraigosa said. "Donations will help the City of Angels provide the extraordinary public safety resources required to give Michael the safe, orderly and respectful memorial he deserves."

Antonio Villaraigosa, today:

The mayor, who had been on vacation in South Africa during the event, said he disagreed with his staff's decision to put up a website requesting public donations to help cover the city's cost.

"I thought it was ridiculous," the mayor told reporters during a visit to Los Angeles Trade-Technical College.

Will those who donated get their money back?

Rep. Laura Richardson is a well known jock, having played basketball in school and with her colleagues during her time in Sacramento. Since going to Washington, she has coached a Congressional basketball team and taken a serious interest in golf.

But now she is a three-sport threat.

According to Politico, which seems to be the paper of record for Congressional sports teams, Richardson is playing first base for the new Congressional women's softball team:

About 15 women have been practicing at 7 a.m. every morning for the past month.

"We have a number of really good athletes. We were all surprised by how much athletic ability there is in the women's caucus," Wasserman Schultz says. 

The Congressional men have their own baseball team, but apparently seemed disinclined to let the women play.

Readers, here's your Monday morning news:

A group of Rancho Palos Verdes homeowners are trying to get their homes designated as historic properties because they were designed by noted black architect Paul R. Williams in the late 1950s.

By the way, Williams also helped design Los Angeles International Airport's iconic Theme Building, the rehabilitation efforts of which won't be finished until autumn, though scaffolding aroudnd the landmark should start coming down soon.

Looks like a political love triangle is forming between the 53rd Assembly district, former Manhattan Beach City Councilman Jim Aldinger and lobbyist Betsy Butler. The pair are both running for the seat, years after dating and settling a dispute over furniture in court.

Toyota is helping South Bay teens be better drivers. (And we all thank the car giant.)

And some stragglers from the weekend:

A plan is in the works to revitalize Old Torrance, as empty storefronts continue to litter an area that struggled even in the best of economic times.

We have some more details on the unemployed, middle-aged Torrance gentleman accused of shooting out more than 200 South Bay storefront windows this year.

Can we see some ID, ma'am? Torrance resident Armande Molle turned 105 this weekend. Check out pictures of the rockin' birthday party.

The Atlantic's Marc Ambinder got his hands on a review copy of a new book on the 2008 presidential campaign by Dan Balz and Haynes Johnson of the Washington Post. The book discloses that on Oct. 4, John McCain's campaign adviser sent Sarah Palin and her staff the following e-mail:

Governor and Team: rick [Davis], Steve [Schmidt] and I suggest the following attack from the new york times. If you are comfortable, please deliver the attack as written. Please do not make any changes to the below without approval from steve or myself because precision is crucial in our ability to introduce this.

"This is not a man who sees American as you and I do -- as the greatest force for good in the world. This is someone who sees America as imperfect enough to pal around with terrorists who targeted their own country."

Where was Palin on Oct. 4?

Carson, California.

At an afternoon rally at the Home Depot Center, Palin said the following:

"Our opponent is someone who sees America as imperfect enough to pal around with terrorists who targeted their own country."

Looks like she nailed it perfectly. She also said the same line earlier in the day at a rally in Colorado.

The line was heavily criticized. This e-mail would seem to put to rest the question of whether Palin was acting on direction from the McCain campaign or "going rogue."

The Michael Jackson memorial, and its estimated $1.4 million cost, seem to have split the L.A. City Council into two different factions: the who-authorized-this camp and the it-was-worth-it camp.

Put Janice Hahn down as an it-was-worth-it. Today Hahn made a motion to conduct a study of the economic benefits of having the Jackson memorial in Los Angeles:

Given the City's current financial constraints, it is critical that the City conduct a thorough analysis of the total costs and benefits of this event, weighing direct City costs against the estimated economic benefits to the City from increased revenues from Airport revenues, the City's Transient Occupancy Tax on hotels, Parking Users' tax on lots, Business Tax revenues from increased local sales at businesses and restaurants, and other related City revenues (taxicab, convention center, citations, etc.). To help complete this study, the city should request assistance from outside economic and financial experts to ensure a thorough and complete analysis.

Jack Kyser gave a rough estimate of $4 million in increased revenue for local businesses, but presumably the city's cut of that would be substantially less.

Readers, here's your morning news:

Darn kids -- oh, wait. Police believe a 44-year-old unemployed Torrance man is responsible for the recent rash of shootings of glass windows. Gary Finmark told his 78-year-old mom he drove around shooting out windows with an air rifle because he was bored.

Looks like Carson has a mall war on its hands: The new owners of the SouthBay Pavilion are thinking about adding a movie theater to the center, which would compete with the theater slated for Boulevards at South Bay, proposed to open in town in 2012.

Los Angeles County real estate values dropped for the first time in 13 years, but the South Bay saw mostly positive growth in assessments, according to an annual tax assessor's report released Thursday.

Some San Pedro residents are hoping to find a place in town to play horseshoes, a sport apparently undergoing a bit of a renaissance.

The raging obesity epidemic cost the county about $12 million in 2006 in health care costs and lost production, a report from the California Center for Public Health Advocacy reveals.

Check out pictures of Thursday's labor rally at the Toyota facility in Torrance.

Biz writer Muhammed El-Hasan paid $4.25 for a spot of tea at a new Wilmington brew house.

Readers, here's your morning news:

Buying ammunition in Carson will require a thumbprint, name and address under terms of an ordinance approved earlier this week that affects just two stores in town.

Los Angeles Police Department officers patrolling the Michael Jackson memorial Tuesday ate $50,000 worth of boxed lunches from a high-end store 80 miles away. Subway sandwiches for the 3,500 cops would have cost $17,000, an outraged city controller calculated.

Police have linked a prison inmate through scientific evidence to robbery and sexual assault at a Gardena ice cream shop from the blood he allegedly dripped at the crime scene.

Installing solar permits in the South Bay could easier and cheaper as Los Angeles County and some individual cities start dropping permit fees.

A noontime women's soccer game brought a decidedly more feminine crowd Wednesday to Carson's Home Depot Center. Check out pictures of the Los Angeles Sol game, billed as Kids Day, drawing more than 30 groups of soccer moms and youth teams to the stadium.

Give El Segundo's Northrop Grumman a pat on the back for helping develop an astronaut escape system that NASA tested Wednesday and called a "complete success."

Angela Park, a Torrance High grad and Ladies Professional Golf Association standout has another shot at the U.S. Women's Open.

Kamala Harris announced today that she raised $1.2 million in the first half of 2009 in her race for attorney general.

The San Francisco district attorney is running in a crowded field that includes Torrance Assemblyman Ted Lieu. After the last filing deadline six months ago, Lieu boasted that he had topped the field in cash-on-hand.

At that point, Harris had just gotten started and had just $117,000 in her account, compared to $350,000 for Lieu. Also running for the Democratic nomination are Assemblymen Pedro Nava and Alberto Torrico, former Assemblyman Joe Canciamilla, Facebook executive Chris Kelly, and former Los Angeles City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo.

No word from Lieu or the others yet on their January-to-June totals, but the bar has been set.

The L.A. mayor's office has announced that so far they have received $17,000 in contributions to help pay for the Michael Jackson memorial yesterday. However, with the city's costs estimated at $3.8 million $1.4 million, that still leaves them just a bit short.

Don't stop till you give enough, Jackson fans!

Part of the problem thus far is that the city's servers were apparently not set up to handle web traffic from literally HUNDREDS of contributors:

After collecting more than $17,000 from hundreds of donors in support of the Michael Jackson Memorial Tuesday morning, the City's Information Technology Agency could not handle the high volume of traffic or adequately respond to frequent and prolonged server crashes. Consequently, the City was unable to receive contributions for several hours Tuesday afternoon. The server also failed for at least 12 consecutive hours Tuesday evening, from 8:00 PM (PST) through 8:00 AM (PST) the next day, and periodically throughout Wednesday morning.

Epic Michael Jackson fail.

Readers, let's get this party started:

A recap on all of yesterday's Michael Jackson festivities as well as some pictures, and our own news columnist John Bogert hung with the fans as well.

Torrance could be getting its very own indoor soccer facility with seven fields inside a 73,000-square foot former shipping facility.

After the rest of the South Bay cities struggled to pass their own budgets, El Segundo starts hashing its spending plan and contending with a possible $5.9 million gap.

A Gardena man is one of 16 Los Angeles-area parents sentenced to jail recently for not paying child support.

Bob Fish, Mira Costa High's longtime and beloved athletic director, is moving on.

First-time homebuying is increasing in the South Bay.

A new Redondo Beach doughnut shop specializes in baked, healthier versions of the treats. Wonder what Homer Simpson would think? Check out pictures, too.

At the memorial service today, Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee talked about the resolution she is sponsoring to honor Michael Jackson as a "world humanitarian."

So how's that going?

"There's no appetite for this," one House Democrat told POLITICO. "We have too many other things to deal with right now."

Democratic aides said privately Tuesday that it's unlikely the House will pass Jackson-Lee's resolution, which includes a recitation of nearly every charitable contribution Jackson made in the last quarter-century.

Progress continues apace:

TO:                  Reporters

FROM:            Shannon Murphy

RE:                   A little record straightening after Aaron McLear's briefing this morning...

1) "Speaker is boycotting Big 5 meetings." Staying off buses in Montgomery to bring down Jim Crow is a boycott.  Missing a photo op to prop up Arnold Schwarzenegger is not.  As the Speaker has said, she will attend any and all Big 5 meetings that focus on solving the deficit immediately. 

(snip)

3) McLear on July 7: "Its really unclear a lot of what Bass is talking about." McLear on June 2 "It is our hope that Assemblywoman Evans can keep up." I guess when your arguments don't hold water you resort to insulting the intelligence of women lawmakers.

Seems like things are going swimmingly up there.

Remember Francisco Hernandez, the Lennox student who went through quite a few obstacles, including his mother's death, but made it to Harvard?

Well, he's at his sister's home in Arlington, Texas now, waiting to head to Cambridge, Mass. Apparently he and the family have gotten a puppy.

A number of you made donations to Francisco, and he was grateful to receive them. I hope he thanked you personally.

Meanwhile, he's started a blog. (If you look at it, be aware that the latest item gives away what happens in the Transformers sequel.)

The Everything and Anything Blog

Francisco's story from June 14 after the jump.

Carson Mayor Jim Dear ordered the U.S. flag at City Hall to be flown at half staff today in honor of Michael Jackson.

"Michael Jackson was a world-renowned icon and loved by many," Dear said. "He's an African-American success story as far as the business and entertainment world is concerned. I'm sure the people in Carson as well as everyone else is going to miss his entertainment skills."

In case you're wondering, yes, the mayor does have the power to order flags flown at half staff.

Additional note: The city flag is at three-quarter staff, as it has been for several years, in honor of the troops in Iraq. The flag is to remain that way until the troops come home.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who is in Africa, is asking fans of Michael Jackson to help defray the costs to the city of today's memorial.

"Michael Jackson's music touched millions of fans across the globe," Mayor Villaraigosa said. "Donations will help the City of Angels provide the extraordinary public safety resources required to give Michael the safe, orderly and respectful memorial he deserves."

This is costing the city something like $4 million. Also, the CHP probably spent quite a bit shutting down the freeways today.

Readers, you know I'll come through for you with the morning news:

Hey, under-a-rock dwellers, Michael Jackson died, and his massive memorial service is causing all sorts of commotion in downtown Los Angeles today.

El Segundo police busted 1970s television star Joyce DeWitt for allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol on July 4.

Inland South Bay teens have learned the hard way to keep their cell phones and iPods pocketed while walking on some local streets. Thefts of the pricey devices are up in lower income cities.

Thanks to fundraisers and local donations, Los Angeles County Harbor-UCLA Medical Center could finally get new high-tech ventilators that will keep critically ill patients alive.

Manhattan Beach restaurants, bars and hotels could get longer holiday hours tonight.

A Torrance firm is marketing a a hand sanitizer that lasts eight whole hours.

Fitch analysts have taken a look at California's budget situation and decided that now would be a good time to downgrade the state's debt rating:

The downgrade to 'BBB' is based on the state's continued inability to achieve timely agreement on budgetary and cash flow solutions to its severe fiscal crisis. Since no agreement was reached by the June 30, 2009 fiscal year (FY) end, the state's controller has now begun issuing registered warrants (IOUs) for certain non-priority payments to preserve cash, and the budget gap to be addressed has increased to $26.3 billion from $24.3 billion.

For comparison's sake, California's rating is lower than the ratings for Libya and Mexico, but higher than those for Kazakhstan, Peru and Namibia. So look on the bright side.

Moody's and Standard and Poor's have also threatened to downgrade their ratings.

Readers, let's get to it:

After an extensive search, rescue crews Sunday recovered the body of a diver near Malaga Cove.

A Hermosa Beach woman has developed a program that teaches children yoga for practical purposes, like calming down before bedtime. Check out pictures of the wee 'lil yogis.

How was your Fourth of July? Festivities seemed pretty calm in the South Bay this weekend, which included a 5k race in Redondo Beach.

Four local police officers and their dogs are training for the World Police and Fire Games -- basically the Olympics for cops. Make sure you check out the pictures, too.

And some stragglers from the weekend:

The waters off the Palos Verdes Peninsula have become a battleground between scientists, environmentalists and fishermen attempt to map out which areas of the coastline should be protected from fishing.

A Manhattan Beach man has a close connection to John Dillinger, the violent outlaw currently portrayed on screen by Johnny Depp.

The city of Carson is cracking down on sales of the culinary delicacy bacon-wrapped hot dogs sold outside the Home Depot center. The argue vendors don't follow health codes -- and also eat into concession sales at the facility.

Almost three years after burning to the ground and a year after the proprietor's death, a new Old Venice is rising again in downtown Manhattan Beach.

The L.A. Times today takes a closer look at the Maxine Waters Employment Preparation Center, which could lose a $1 million earmark because it's named for Maxine Waters.

Recall that last week Waters got into a fight with (and may have shoved) Rep. David Obey, the appropriations chairman, because Obey is cracking down on so-called "monuments to me." Obey angrily rejected Waters' pleas to allow funding for the job-training center, which is in Watts.

Her argument is that while other politicians may use these earmarks for political advantage, that is not the case here. The center was named for Waters when she was a state legislator, and in her view it is urgently needed to combat poverty and unemployment in Watts.

All of which leads one to wonder: if it's that important, and if Obey seems unlikely to budge, then why not change the name? It could go back to being the Watts Skills Center -- which is what it was called from 1966 to 1989, when it was renamed for Waters -- or it could be renamed for someone else.

Well, they've thought of that:

After Mike Doyle (D-Pa.) drew criticism for steering federal money to the Doyle Center for Manufacturing Technology, he asked that his name be dropped from it.

But Waters said that even if her name was removed from the vocational center, there was no guarantee it would receive federal money.

She added, "It would cost money to change the name."

True enough, but think about how it would look. Waters might get more credit for removing her name from the building than she gets for having it up there.

Usually the only pressure Jane Harman gets in her district comes from the left. Sure, she got a bunch of calls urging her to oppose the bank bailout bill, but most of the time, if somebody is picketing outside her office it's because of the Iraq war or surveillance -- or maybe the Armenian genocide.

The organizers of the South Bay Tax Day Tea Party are trying to correct the imbalance. Nathan Mintz recently met with Harman to encourage her fiscally conservative instincts, and filed this report:

We had a great meeting with Jane Harman who was cordial, gracious, and very interested in this growing grassroots TEA party movement that we are a part of.  She said she was impressed by the number of calls that she has gotten from our group.  She is a Blue Dog Democrat and one of our goals was to support her in all of her fiscally conservative positions and encourage her in future bills because we the people want to stop the staggering spending, balance the budget, and stop the bailouts.  And on the Health-care bill which has not hit the floor yet that we want a fiscally conservative solution that does not grow the power of the Federal Government in any way.  We also expressed our profound disappointment with the Cap and Trade vote.  More on all this later as I must get on a plane in a few minutes. 

They are planning a demonstration outside her office in opposition to the Obama health plan on July 17.

Today more attention is being drawn to Rod Wright's salary, thanks to L.A. Times columnist Sandy Banks. Never one to go along to get along, Wright has refused to join his colleagues in accepting a 5 percent pay cut.

Banks wonders if that doesn't convey a sense of arrogance, and quotes a Cal State professor who said that legislators live in a bubble.

But of course Wright is not insulated from fiscal realities. In fact, he has close contact with people who are sacrificing due to the budget crisis, namely his own staff.

Like all other Senate staffers who make more than $50,000 a year, Wright's staffers will be taking a mandatory furlough equivalent to a 5 percent cut. They have also seen their health benefits slashed.

Asked on Thursday whether that had created any tension around the office, given that he has opted not to give back any of his $116,000 salary, Wright said "no."

"I've not had any staff concerned about what I get paid," Wright said. "If somebody's concerned, I guess they'll go work someplace else."

Wright pointed out that unlike his staffers, he does not get a pension.

"Many of the people were working here when I came, and will be working here when term limits force me out," he said. "My staff is quite comfortable with what I do, and we work together as a unit."

Readers, here's your morning news:

We have more details on the arrest of two local men whom police and fire officials believe were making M-80s and selling out of a Torrance home illegal Chinese fireworks in enough quantities that could have leveled an entire neighborhood.

South Bay medical researchers and pain specialists react to the Food and Drug Administration's recommendation this week that Vicodin and other pain medications should be banned, and other over-the-counter drugs be watched more closely because of their effects on patients' liver.

The SouthBay Pavilion is in escrow with a company that says it plans to take the Carson mall "to the next level."

Carson city officials Tuesday approved a $67 million budget, balanced by cutting $1,500 out of its special events budget. It also restored City Council members' travel budget to a full $8,000 each, but slashed staff travel by $35,000.

Six years after the debate began, Rancho Palos Verdes has approved a program that could keep recreational vehicles off city streets.

The El Segundo flasher has struck again.

Carson High's longtime athletic director is retiring after 27 years.

Still no plans for the Fourth of July? See our list of local events.

South Bay, let's get this news party started:

Redondo Beach police Tuesday night raided a Torrance home apparently chockablock with several thousand tons of illegal fireworks.

Speaking of which, why don't you check out our list of safe and legal ways South Bay cities are celebrating the Fourth of July this weekend?

A 24-year-old man fell to his death Tuesday night off Point Fermin cliffs in San Pedro.

An 88-year-old Westchester man this week will retire from Northrop Grumman after working their 68 years. How's that for follow-through? Check out pictures of Jerry Huben's rocking retirement party.

Los Angeles-area tourist attractions are seeing more local patronage now that residents are sticking closer to home during the recession. (Do I get extra points for not using the term "staycation?")

The financially troubled state today stops reimbursing medical clinics that offer services like dental, optometry and acupuncture to low-income patients. Also, no new children will be enrolled into the Healthy Familes program after July 17.

That gentleman who tried to trade a lost dog for sex this weekend now faces extortion charges. Seems like a whole lot of trouble for a date.

You know, after I post this blog, I'll Tweet it as well over. Check out this list to find other Breeze staffers and South Bay folks to follow on Twitter.

In his first inaugural address in 2005, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa asked his fellow Angelenos to "dream with me." He vowed to reduce crime and reform the education system, laying out an ambitious plan to take over the LAUSD. Four years later, crime is down. As for that other thing, don't ask.

Today Villaraigosa will take the oath for a second term, which we now know he intends to complete. Judging from an excerpt from his inaugural speech just released by the mayor's office, the next four years will be less about big dreams and more about big digs:

Angelenos, I offer this oath today. In the next four years, we are going to judge ourselves plain and simple - based on what we build. We intend to write our record in concrete rather than poetry, focused on deadlines over headlines. And you have this in writing, we are going to track our promises and put the results online.

In other words: build with me, Los Angeles.

Unlike the school takeover, that goal seems highly achievable thanks to federal stimulus funds. To take just the local examples: LAX and the Port of L.A. would both like stimulus funds for their big modernization plans.

UPDATE: Full text after the jump.