August 2009 Archives

Readers, let's hit it:

The Rancho Palos Verdes fire is out, but blazes continue to rage in the rest of the region, including the massive Station wildfire, in which two firefighters died Sunday.

Scroll through pictures of the aftermath of the PV fire here and here.

Sheriff's deputies are looking for four men believed to be involved in the shooting of a man in Lawndale last night.

Loyola Marymount University opened its brand spanking new library Sunday. Check out pictures of the $63 million facility.

Old Torrance hosted its first ever block party Sunday.

A Long Beach man was first to paddle Sunday into Manhattan Beach in the 34th Catalina Classic Paddleboard Championship. Check out pictures of the event.

And some weekend stragglers...

Shell Oil Co. has discovered methane and benzene contamination beneath a south Carson housing tract.

Patrons of a popular San Pedro cigar shop are fasting for Ramadan in solidarity with the store's owner.

The election for the 51st Assembly seat is Tuesday.

Readers, this one goes out to you:

Firefighters continue to battle a blaze that's burned about 125 acres and damaged six homes in Rancho Palos Verdes. The fire is about 70 percent contained right now.

Check out pictures and our Breaking News blog for more

A U.S. marine from Gardena who served two tours in Iraq died last week from heat stroke suffered during a training exercise in Twentynine Palms. Lance Cpl. Adam Lynch leaves behind a wife and baby. See pictures of the funeral.

Tensions are still high in Carson weeks after a sheriff's deputy shot an unarmed man.

A woman who accused a Torrance police officer of sexual assault has received an $180,000 settlement from the city.

This week's At Work column checks in with a local kung fu artist.

An All-Star team from Torrance has moved into the Babe Ruth Series final.

Rep. Maxine Waters:

It was with great sorrow that I learned of the passing of Senator Kennedy. I offer my condolences to his family and friends, and also to his millions of admirers and supporters, and I will keep them all in my thoughts and prayers.

There was no one else like Senator Kennedy, and there never will be. The causes he championed during almost half of a century of public service are strong proof that he kept the interests of the most vulnerable Americans in his heart and in his mind, and he applied his pen to these causes, authoring and helping to pass some of our nation's most important pieces of legislation.

He got right to work upon entering the Senate in the early 1960's and was instrumental in the passage of the Civil Rights Act, the Voting Rights Act, and the Fair Housing Act - landmark laws that gave minorities a platform on which they could not only stand but from which they could hold their heads high and assert their political strength. Later in his career he helped establish the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, wrote the Americans with Disabilities Act and the bill to create the State Children's Health Insurance Program, and pushed legislation to raise the federal minimum wage.

As a California State Assemblywoman in 1980, I was impressed by Senator Kennedy's legislative record, his idealism, his concern for those in need, and because of his forward-thinking attitude about what our country could be, and therefore I decided to support him as he pursued the Democratic nomination for President of the United States.  I was a delegate at the Democratic Convention and I had the great of seconding his nomination.

When Senator Kennedy endorsed Barack Obama for President last year, he said '[Obama] is a fighter who cares passionately about the causes he believes in without demonizing those who hold a different view.' Those words could also have been used to describe Senator Kennedy. He was proud to champion liberal policies and passionate about the issues but always willing to listen to others respectfully and willing to negotiate to find common ground when needed.

My life was enriched by knowing and working with the 'Lion of the Senate'. Though deeply upset by his loss, I am comforted in part by knowing that his legacy will endure, and I will join with fellow progressives in carrying on his work, particularly fulfilling 'the cause of his lifetime' by passing meaningful health care reform.

My heart goes out to his wife Victoria, his children - including my colleague, Congressman Patrick Kennedy - his grandchildren, and the many other family members, friends, and supporters who are mourning his loss today.

Maria Elena Durazo, executive secretary-treasurer, Los Angeles County Federation of Labor:

Today, the over 800,000 workers of the Los Angeles Labor Movement mourn the passing of Senator Edward M. Kennedy.

The last time I met Senator Kennedy was during his visit to East Los Angeles College in February 2008, when we both were campaigning for President Obama-his mere presence told me that he was champion for working men and women.

No political leader of our time more selflessly defended over as many decades the civil and labor rights of minorities and all working people than Senator Ted Kennedy. Most recently, he co-authored the Employee Free Choice Act and actively fought for national healthcare reform.

Senator Kennedy also authored the comprehensive immigration reform bill for all immigrant workers with Senator McCain and was a leading author of the AgJobs immigration reform measure for farm workers.

From the 1960s on, Senator Kennedy and his late brother, Senator Robert Kennedy, never judged our struggles or tried to tell us what we should do or how we should do it. When they supported our cause, all they wanted to know was what were the problems and what we needed for them to do. That's how the Kennedy brothers earned the affection and respect of Latinos and other poor working people.

Rep. Laura Richardson:

Senator Kennedy was a giant: one with great skills not surpassed by humility and tremendous personal and political resilience.  If there was ever an ambassador for the American people to the halls of legislative power, it was Senator Ted Kennedy.

Over a lifetime of service, Senator Kennedy's work, his commitment to everyday Americans and his unique political prowess produced a wealth of accomplishments that ranged from expanding children's healthcare to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and beyond, which are evident in neighborhood living rooms all across this country.

I first met Senator Kennedy (and his two dogs, Sunny and Splash) when I visited Washington as a member of the California State Assembly in April 2007.  After listening carefully about my district and our challenges, we ended the meeting with Sunny giving me his seal of approval by a kiss of support.

Later, when I was elected to Congress in September 2007, Senator Kennedy sent me a copy of the book Women in Congress 1917-2006, wished me well, and offered his assistance.  I was fortunate again to share a few moments with him in April of 2008 when Pope Benedict visited Washington, DC in the new stadium.  We talked about my family's origins from back east, my nephew being named after him and then we closed by worshipping and experiencing the historic moment together.

Senator Ted Kennedy has touched millions of lives throughout his historic career as a public servant and our country is a far better place today because of him.  My thoughts and prayers are with his devoted wife Vicki, his son and my colleague Patrick and the entire Kennedy family.

Here's a round-up of local lawmakers' remembrances of Sen. Ted Kennedy.

Councilwoman Janice Hahn:

Ted Kennedy was a true champion for those that needed it most, especially the working men and women throughout the nation. 

The Kennedys are, without a doubt, this country's greatest public servants; and Ted Kennedy served with great compassion and courage for fifty years.

His legacy will live on as we continue his lifelong goal of working to ensure that every American has access to quality, affordable health care.

Rep. Jane Harman:

I met a young, handsome Ted Kennedy in Los Angeles at the 1960 Democratic Convention.  I was a student at Smith College in Massachusetts in 1962 when he was elected to fill John Kennedy's Senate seat.  I doubt anyone saw his incredible talent then-surely I didn't. 

But then I was lucky enough to work in the Senate as counsel to California Senator John Tunney, and to learn from Ted Kennedy and his incredible staff during his extraordinary service on the Senate Judiciary Committee in the 1970s, where his leadership on civil rights and voting rights showed a Watergate-wounded country a way forward.  And over the years-especially after he married our Washington DC neighbor Vicki Reggie Raclan-we became friends.

For one who loves public policy, more good policy bears his stamp than any other Member of Congress.  His courage fighting a terminal illness this past year was an inspiration.  Our country needs to pause-as we surely did when his brothers died-and to contemplate that this Kennedy probably leaves the greatest legacy of them all.

L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa:

Ted Kennedy was more than a Senator, he was an American legend. Born into one of our country's most prominent families, Ted did not rest on his laurels, but instead forged his own political path.

As the 'liberal lion' of the Senate, he kept vigilant watch over the legislative body he so passionately served, as both a defender of social justice and a deal-maker who reached across the aisle to work with conservative colleagues.

He was the original change agent and we mourn his passing.

My thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Vicki, his children, grandchildren, and all his family during this difficult time.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger:

He was known to the world as the Lion of the Senate, a champion of social justice, and a political icon. Most importantly, he was the rock of our family: a loving husband, father, brother and uncle.

I have personally benefited and grown from his experience and advice, and I know countless others have as well. Teddy taught us all that public service isn't a hobby or even an occupation, but a way of life and his legacy will live on.

Attorney General Jerry Brown:

All through the years, Ted Kennedy has been a voice for the voiceless, fighting injustice and championing compassion and equality. America has lost a wonderful human being.

Sen. Curren Price:

Senator Ted Kennedy was a champion for civil rights, justice, educational opportunity and the right of all Americans to have access to health care. The African American community has lost a dear friend. We mourn the passing of a staunch ally who was always steadfast in his support of the American principals of equality; fighting hard to preserve these principals during his nearly 50-years of public service. Senator Ted Kennedy will be missed by all of us who have long valued his service and dedication to our nation.

Sen. Jenny Oropeza:

Our nation has lost a great leader. His tireless efforts on behalf of the poor, the disadvantaged, and immigrants have changed the lives of millions and made the American promise of a better life a reality for so many. His work has strengthened our nation and ensured its continued role as a beacon of hope for the world.

The public service of the Kennedy family sparked my imagination for what's possible to achieve for others and the nation and pointed the way to serve my community and our state. When I was discouraged about how slow the progress has been on issues I have fought for, such as health care, the environment, education and immigration, I could look to Senator Kennedy and be inspired by how he never gave up.

While the loss of Sen. Kennedy is a tragic loss to all of us, his life stands as an inspiration that should encourage everyone who cares about those less fortunate to redouble our efforts. To do less would dishonor the words Ted Kennedy spoke when he addressed the Democratic Convention in 1980 as he acknowledged that it would not be he who would lead the Democrats to victory in the 1980 to fight for our ideals. His memorable words, 'For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives and the dream shall never die' meant it was up to others to carry the torch. Let us pray without out him to lead us, we are up to the task.

Sen. Rod Wright:

Because of his work in health care, education, civil rights and so many other areas, of all of the Kennedy brothers, Senator Edward Kennedy's legislative legacy proved to be the most enduring.

Readers, without further ado:

Harbor-area police are investigating two shootings just blocks apart Monday night in San Pedro.

A judge has blocked construction of a Hermosa Beach house whose basement's unique construction is alleged by a neighbor to have damaged her house next door.

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa wants parents and community stakeholders to choose what kind of schools get built in thier neighborhoods -- a plan set for a Los Angeles Unified School District board vote today that the teachers union opposes.

Two women arrested for shoplifting cell phone accessories from a Hermosa Beach store could be linked to many other crimes in the South Bay.

Meanwhile, three men and a woman have been arrested on suspicion of involvement in four street robberies in Hawthorne.

News columnist John Bogert weighs in on the recession and school supplies.

Torrance's All-Star baseball team has advanced to the next round in in the Babe Ruth World Series.

Readers, let's get to the news:

A surprise donation to the South Coast Botanic Garden has caused a flap on the Hill. 

The Cash for Clunkers program has been a boon for car manufacturers and local new vehicle dealers, but others lower in the auto chain might have a different take on the federal stimulus program that ends today.

Speaking of it, we checked in with local dealers Sunday, the last weekend day of the program. Scroll through pictures too.

Cal State Dominguez Hills' ladies soccer team is shooting to replicate the success of their male counterparts.

Check out pictures of Hot Pedro Night's classic car cruise up Pacific Avenue.

A rise in complicated births -- likely attributed to obesity, later motherhood and more C-sections -- has prompted a local hospital to expand its neonatal intensive care unit for newborns.

Rep. Maxine Waters held her own town hall Saturday to discuss health care.

A terminally ill woman who served more than 25 years in prison for her role in killing an abusive, drug-dealing boyfriend could soon be released to her sisters in Carson, the governor announced last week.

Readers, here's your morning news:

Welcome baby Simantha: A robotic baby will help staffers at Torrance Memorial Medical Center practice their medical skills. Check out pictures of Simantha's baby shower Thursday.

The Los Angeles Police Department is still short is touted 10,000-officer level.

The Wiseburn School District has finally reached a long-running goal to open two charter schools. Da Vinci Science and Da Vinci Design held their first days of classes this week.

Little Lauren Sarene Key was thrown over a Palos Verdes cliff to her death nine years ago, an expert witness testified Thursday in the murder retrial of her father.

Plans for a new 24-hour convenience store have won approval in San Pedro, despite neighborhood protests over traffic and crime.

News columnist John Bogert brings his boy to traffic court.

Torrance optician Ernie Rounsefell thinks green eyes are the most attractive. Well, thank you, Ernie.

Tyrone Taylor is helping to bring Torrance's Babe Ruth All-Star team to victory.

No plans tonight yet? Check out the Beach Shorts Film Fest in Hermosa Beach.

Word comes from the folks at South Bay Tea Party that there's going to be a protest outside Jane Harman's office in El Segundo at 4 p.m. tomorrow afternoon.

The protesters will be demanding a town hall meeting of some sort so they can discuss health care. Harman supports the public option, which is the key point of controversy in the health care debate thus far. She also sits on the Energy and Commerce Committee, which gives her an important role in shaping the reform legislation.

No word from Harman's office on local events during the August recess, though we are told there may be some sort of local appearance closer to Labor Day.

Stay tuned.

Last month, Maxine Waters was named by The Hill as one of the Capitol's 50 most beautiful people. Sadly, I was on vacation, so I didn't get to blog about that.

But now we have something almost as good: Washingtonian has a profile of "Belle," a 27-year-old Capitol Hill staffer who writes an anonymous blog about D.C. fashion. The writer asked her for her "top style mavens on the Hill":

"Dana Bash always looks great. And Congresswoman Jane Harman is an inspiration. I would love to raid her closet."

So would Porter Goss, but for different reasons.

As an added bonus, here's what Belle had to say about Waters showing up on the 50-most-beautiful list:

Rep. Waters is a very regal woman, but I don't know that she belongs at number five.  My guess?  They had a Congressman in the top ten, so they added a Congresswoman for balance.  Lastly, could someone please rescue her from that sharp looking necklace that is precariously close to slicing through her jugular, please?

I suspect that neither one could hold a candle to the late Juanita Millender-McDonald.

Readers, let's get this news party started:

Could a luxury Rancho Palos Verdes resort be headed for closure after only two months in business? One of its lenders has taken the first step in foreclosure proceedings by posting a notice of default on its $110 million loan. And the city has denied a request for extension on its tax rebate.

Hope its owners don't go to Carson for help: Officials there are now distancing themselves from a city program that pushed troubled foreclosure-facing homeowners to a firm with a history of complaints.

You know Los Angeles freeway traffic is bad when you can give birth before making the trip from Westchester to Irvine, like one local couple did this week. Check out pictures of sweet little Evan Glavan and his proud parents.

A Torrance police officer who waged a high-profile battle against cancer died this week, two days after his father succumbed to the same disease.

Watch a retired kindergarten teacher fly a string of 53 kites on Torrance's beach.

News columnist John Bogert reminisces about Woodstock.

The city of Torrance has loaned a car dealership $250,000 to help spur business along the Hawthorne commercial drag.

Cal State Dominguez Hills' mens soccer team is gearing up for this season.

Readers, let's get to it:

This is the creepiest story I've read in a long time: A Redondo Beach woman was attacked by a masked man wearing all black while she was in the shower.

Los Angeles Air Force Base honored more than 30 airmen recently back from year-long deployment in Iraq, Afghanistan, Qatar, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia on Tuesday. Check out pictures of the ceremony in El Segundo.
 
South Bay students overall performed well on the STAR exam, and more than half the state hit its testing goals, according to data released earlier this week. See how your kid's school did here.

County leaders have approved a deal to partner with the University of California to reopen Martin Luther King Jr.-Harbor Hospital.

Hermosa Beach has won a small victory in its ongoing legal battle with Macpherson Oil.

Two former Palos Verdes Peninsula baseball stars are reunited in Tennessee, where they are playing for the Kingsport Mets in the rookie-level Appalachian League.

A small Palos Verdes Estates family-based toy company is folding.

The news from the weekend is that the Obama administration seems to be backing away from the public option -- a government-run insurance program that would compete with private health insurers.

Blue Dogs in the House and conservative Democrats in the Senate have objected to the idea, and it looks like their objections are carrying the day at this point. But in order to pass a health care bill will need support from liberal members as well. So, will the Progressive Caucus vote for a bill without a public option?

Rep. Maxine Waters, D-L.A., says no:

"As I have said before, particularly in conjunction with my colleagues in the Congressional Progressive Caucus, I will not be able to support a health care reform bill that does not guarantee the creation of a public option that will provide an alternative for the 47 million uninsured Americans and millions more who face rising premiums, deductibles and co-pays."

Waters' full statement after the jump.

Readers, you know we're going to keep it real:

A Hermosa Beach muralist has launched a non-profit to bring art to underprivileged children worldwide.

A marine biology research complex could be coming to San Pedro's waterfront.

Residents in one Hawthorne area are working to establish a Neighborhood Watch program with the help of the Police Department's newly established community affairs office.
 
There's still little progress on the efforts to move a historic San Pedro church to Green Hills Memorial Park in Rancho Palos Verdes.

And some weekend stragglers...

Most folks who remember Woodstock probably weren't there. But not so for two Palos Verdes Peninsula residents.

A Rancho Palos Verdes couple is fighting to keep their beloved Vietnamese pot-bellied pig but at least one city leaders wants to ban barnyard animals in the buccolic, so-called equestrian community. Check out pictures of the critter.

Cal State Dominguez Hills staffers got their first taste of furlough Friday, with second helping coming this week.

The 24-year-old long distance swimmer made the trek in about nine hours.

Readers, let's end your work week with some juicy local news:

A 13-year-old Carson boy died when he accidentally shot himself while playing with a gun Thursday.

A Westchester man believed to have made threats against the White House locked himself in his car for more than nine hours Thursday outside the Federal Building in West Los Angeles. The stand-off snarled traffic and forced evacuations of neighboring buildings.

Mourners Thursday gathered in San Pedro to remember the Sandovals, the family of four killed in a fiery car crash along with a young niece last week while en route to Legoland. Here are some photos of the emotional services.

A Redondo Beach man was sentenced to three years in military prison Thursday after going AWOL from the Air Force and lying about it, a military judge ruled in a rare court-martial proceeding at Los Angeles Air Force Base in El Segundo.

Lawndale's Environmental Charter School hosted a conference Thursday for educators statewide to learn more about "green" curriculum models.

Torrance resident Akihiko Noro is on a roll as the head chef at a Redondo Beach culinary mainstay's new sushi bar. Check out some pictures here.

No, we're not talking about the November municipal election. The list of seven candidates who are vying for two council seats was finalized Wednesday.

This afternoon, Rancho Palos Verdes released the list of 10 candidates who are up for interviews to hold down a seat on the City Council. One of the 10, if the council in fact decides to appoint someone, will take the seat of Peter Gardiner, who died last month.

The list includes many who have been active in local politics, spanning the city's 35-year history.

The lucky 10 are, in order of their interview appointment:

• Peggi Collins, an attorney and community volunteer
  
• Ken Dyda, former RPV mayor and city founder
  
• Kevin Biggers, a 2008 state Senate candidate and former Hesperia councilman
  
• Melvin Hughes, a former RPV mayor
  
• Frank Lyon, former chairman of the Planning Commission and storm drain oversight committee
  
• Barbara Dye, former executive director of the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy
• Robert Lyon, an attorney and husband of former Mayor Marilyn Lyon
  
• Charles Barcicki (Sorry ... I can't find anything out about Charles)
  
• Bill Gerstner, Planning Commissioner
• Jon Cartwright, president of the Council of Homeowners Associations, former planning commissioner

Before you send an irate email to me, please note that the descriptions I've provided are my own and are only intended to give a sense of who the interviewee is. The descriptions aren' t meant to encompass the person's entire being. That said, if anything is *wrong*, please email me.

The council will interview the candidates at 5 p.m. Aug. 18. Later in evening, the council will weigh who to appoint, or whether to appoint anyone at all.

There are two big items on the agenda that night -- Marymount and Terranea. It will be a long evening, but that might just give the applicants a taste of what they're in for.

Temporary lock-down of Manhattan Beach's popular Sand Dune park might finally give neighbors a reprieve from the noise and traffic stemming from the facility, but apparently residents still had to endure one last day of clogged streets and din.

City folks said multiple television news crews following today's Breeze story about the closure began interviewing park goers just after 5 a.m. this morning, irritating residents who appealed to the crews to take their trucks and leave, and called City Hall to complain.

Residents in the leafy neighborhood around Sand Dune Park will get a little peace and quiet beginning Friday -- well, sort of.

Noisy trucks will work throughout the day to replenish the park's sand, and then a fence will go up around 3 p.m. to close off the park for at least two weeks, city officials said.

Because Ye Olde School of Journalism teaches us that the best way to report a news story is to leave the office and pound the pavement, I decided that my third article in less than a month about the problems at Sand Dune Park in Manhattan Beach would require some sweat.

Besides, with the city set Friday to close the park for at least two weeks to perform maintenance and teach rude park visitors a lesson, I figured this could be my last chance for a while to scale the hill.

Here's my experience by the numbers:

10 -- time Wednesday morning that I arrived at the park
3 -- blocks away I had to park
50 -- estimate of people at the park
1 -- motorcycle police officer watching the scene
1 -- abandoned sock I spotted at the park
100 -- height in feet of the dune
150 -- beats per minute of my heart about a third of the way up, according to my heart rate monitor
163 -- peak heart rate during the climb
25 -- calories burned on way up

Readers, here's what's happening out there today:

Today is your last chance for a while to stare down the intimidating dune at Manhattan Beach's Sand Dune Park. The city will close the facility for at least two weeks beginning tomorrow because of excessive use and rude behavior by park visitors.

A Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputy shot a parolee in Carson seven times this weekend, and residents are angry.

The city of Hawthorne will pony up $340,000 to settle a claim that police use excessive force on a suspect nearly two years ago. The claimant alleges officers fractured his neck, hog-tied and beat him.

The city of Palos Verdes Estates was within its rights to force a Halloween-happy resident to remove elaborate holiday decorations that spilled onto public right of way, a judge has ruled.

See the complete list of candidates for South Bay cities and agencies in the Nov. 3 election.

Show us your love and become a fan of the Daily Breeze on Facebook. And while we're talking online social networking sites, why don't you follow us on Twitter? Here's a list of Breeze peeps and South Bay folk alike who are tweeting their comings and goings.

3...2....1... News off!

Parking could get half easier in Manhattan Beach if an upcoming experiment with high-tech meters is successful.

An elderly Lawndale woman was killed in a hit-and-run crash Sunday in Los Angeles that police believe was caused by street racers.

Manhattan Beach landmark restaurant Old Venice is back in business after three years of turmoil. Check out pictures of the eatery.

South Bay beach goers got an aerial ad of a different message Saturday, when a plane dragged a banner over Hermosa Beach telling an NBA great to stop chasing married gals.

Check out photos of Camp Escapades, a three-week Torrance camp for special-needs children.

A Torrance youth baseball team is headed to the Babe Ruth World Series.

Knit Sewing Club USA of Torrance teaches members to make their own clothes.

Readers, let's hit it:

Family of the man fatally shot by Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputies this weekend in Carson question officials' accounts that an unarmed Ezequiel "Tito" Jacobo tried to grab a deputy's gun.

Meantime, two people were injured in a Carson drive-by shooting Sunday night, and two others were shot at a party in Hawthorne early this morning.

Torrance could be getting Southern California's third hydrogen refueling station.

One of the six clergy nominated for two bishop posts in the Episcopal Church is a Hawthorne priest.

A year later, the widow of a Wilmington man gunned down still wants answers.

If you bought a lottery ticket in Torrance recently, you'd better find it and check your numbers.

After years of delayed construction work, the iconic Cockatoo Hotel has been replaced with three chain hotels, though the former Mafia hangout's historic sign remains in place as a nod to the site's lineage.

Fear not if you couldn't it over to the AVP in Hermosa Beach this weekend: Read our coverage here and peruse our pictures here, here and here, and it's like you were there in person.

And some weekend stragglers...

Just in time for prep football season, construction is near complete on synthetic playing fields at all four Torrance high schools.

Yet another election season is starting as dozens of hopeful filed papers Friday to compete in November races, and some cities and agencies have extended the filing period to Wednesday.

A longtime Rancho Palos Verdes landowner wants to hold parties and weddings at a large coastal parcel he owns, but the city says No dice. Jim York, who bought and sold the Marineland property to create a luxury resort, pleads his case Tuesday to city planners.

Toberman Neighborhood Center in San Pedro will hold a car wash all day Saturday to raise funds to help with burial costs for the Sandoval family.

The family was on their way to Legoland Tuesday morning when their 2001 Chevrolet Tracker tumbled from an embakment on the I-5 in Mission Viejo and burst into flames, killing everyone inside: parents Juan Antonio and Belinda; their two daughters, Navelli, 12, and Natalie, 4; and 6-year-old niece Andrea Flores.

"Our organization likes to help out anybody who passes away here in San Pedro," said Angel Mandac, a gang intervention worker with Toberman. "This time was a little more touching since one of the family members comes here to Toberman. And we all have kids, so we wanted to do a little extra. Everybody's pitching in."

There will be a barbecue and food as well at the event expected to last from 8 a.m. to about 4 p.m. at Toberman, 131 N. Grand Ave. (at Santa Cruz), San Pedro. Motorists can have their cars washed for a donation.

Local companies that have pitched in so far include Kragen Auto, Vons supermarket, Pep Boys, Jolly Burrito and Maria's Restaurant.

For information, call Toberman at 310-832-1145.

Readers, here's what's happening today:

A Torrance Police Department substation has closed at the Del Amo Fashion Center, leaving no uniformed officers staffing the sprawling mall for the first time in about 20 years.

The Los Angeles Maritime Museum is working to raise about $30,000 that will cover maintenance costs for the 65-year-old Angeles Gate tugboat after the city pulled funding because of budget problems. See pictures of the San Pedro landmark.
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A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of a former Hawthorne resident currently on trial in the United Arab Emirates.

Check out pictures of new basketball backboards at the Torrance-South Bay YMCA, courtesy of the Lakers Foundation and local Rotary Clubs.

The Peninsula Symphony's new conductor started off with dreams of being a mathematician.

Via Politico, paper of record for Congressional sports, comes word that South Bay Rep. Dana Rohrabacher has invited super-liberal Rep. Barney Frank to go surfing.

Frank is not a surfer, but his partner, Jim Ready, is.

"We have them set up at surfers hotel," Rohrabacher tells Politico, adding that Frank "will probably have to lie on the beach like a whale while the rest of us are in the water."

No word on where or when exactly, so keep your eyes peeled out there on the waves.

Seemingly endless meetings, non-stop collegial ribbing and the title "council member" -- what's not to like? If you're a resident and registered voter in Rancho Palos Verdes, now is your time to shine (as long as you're not already running for office.)

Those who are interested in serving out the remainder of the term of former Councilman Peter Gardiner, who died last month after a battle with cancer, are encouraged to apply quickly. Applications are due by 4 p.m. Aug. 13.

That gives you a week to think up some good reasons why you should serve on the council. All the information you need to submit an application is after the jump or here.

Readers, here's your morning news:

A San Pedro couple were headed to Legoland with their two daughters and a niece when their SUV suddenly toppled over and fire, killing everyone inside Tuesday. Dedicated church members, Juan Antonio and Belinda Sandoval leave behind a large family in the harbor area.

Carson mayor Jim Dear no longer has the authority to lower the U.S. flag outside City hall to half-staff, his council colleagues decided Tuesday after his recent decision to lower the banner after Michael Jackson's death angered some residents.

Torrance city leaders have tightened up rules governing massage parlors in town.

Backers behind Terranea, the luxury Rancho Palos Verdes resort, want to delay payment of legal fees incurred by the city when staffers worked to arrange a deal that would give the  development the tax break it needed to open in June.

A Torrance youth baseball team has a chance at the World Series.

Bratton is out at Los Angeles Police Department.

The Daily Breeze has a new publisher.

Dexter Lima's volleyball coach at Narbonne High School just called to let us know that Dexter's funeral is scheduled for tomorrow (Thursday), at 11 a.m. at Green Hills Mortuary in San Pedro on Western Avenue.

LAPD Chief William Bratton is retiring to head his own security firm. Councilwoman Janice Hahn issued the following statement:

"My brother, Mayor Hahn, hired Chief Bratton almost seven years ago, and he immediately rolled up his sleeves and got to work; improving morale, reforming the department, reducing crime, and bringing back community policing.  He's truly put the shine back on the badge. Mission accomplished."

Readers, let's get this news party started:

So long, Wild Goose? The owner of the notorious Del Aire strip club looking to replace the establishment with a condo complex.

Check out some pictures of the club. Go ahead, we won't judge.

Torrance Police are investigating the death of a woman who was found dead in an apartment Monday.

A Manhattan Beach woman was assaulted and nearly raped by a man who helped her home from a nightclub, a witness testified in court Tuesday.

Here's one way to cool off during the thick of summer: Sports columnist Tom Hoffarth tries his hand at curling.