Recently in Los Angeles County Category

On Tuesday morning, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors will take up the process of redrawing the lines dividing nearly 10 million residents into five districts. It's gonna be a showdown, with Latino political power at issue.

The composition of the little-known, but nonetheless uber-powerful, Board of Supervisors will be determined in the Los Angeles County redistricting process. This mighty group is limited to three consecutive four-year terms. The group is so powerful that it has been nicknamed the "five kings."

Every 10 years we count how many people live in legislative districts throughout the country, including the five supervisorial districts for the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors. Boundary lines are drawn based on the number and local and residents in those districts. This redistrict process occurs to ensure that residents in each district are fairly represented.  

The five-member, non-partisan county Board of Supervisors make up the county's governing body. Their decisions can have sweeping, significant repercussions for the residents of the County.

 With only five members and so many residents in the county, each member represents (almost) 2 million people. About 25 percent of the state's residents live in Los Angels County. Therefore, these five individuals wield enormous influence. Again, the way the boundary lines are drawn will help to determine who can be victorious in each of those five districts. 

First, the independent redistricting, which has just released its final maps for state and congressional legislative districts, sucked up much of the oxygen in the redistricting debate. 

The Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing about proposed boundary lines next week, and I expect politicos, policy wonks, and interested persons will then turn part of their attention to the County's redistricting process.

Second, who among us can even name all of the members of the Board of Supervisors? If we can't name them, and possibly don't know what they do, we're not going to be particularly enthralled by the process of drawing new boundary lines for them. 

I'm a big map nerd and a sometime political junkie, so I was drawn to reporting this story in today's paper about how redistricting might affect the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. It could have a huge impact on the South Bay.

*Updates web story to include quotes from Manhattan Beach Mayor Richard Montgomery.

Manhattan Beach has prevailed in its three-year legal battle against a coalition of plastic bag manufacturers fighting to get the city's ban on single-use plastic sacks overturned.

The state Supreme Court ruled today that the city was not required to prepare an environmental impact report before implementing the ban. The decision reverses a state appellate court ruling.

"Substantial evidence and common sense support the city's determination that its ordinance would have no significant environmental effect," wrote Justice Carol A. Corrigan in the unanimous ruling.

The decision by the seven-judge panel is a major victory for the eco-minded seaside community, and paves the way for the city's elected leaders to move forward with an outright ban on single-use plastic bags.

"We are ecstatic," Mayor Richard Montgomery said in a statement. "Environmental stewardship has long been an issue on the agendas of local governments, and in these difficult times the challenges are sharper."

In an interview shortly after the ruling was announced, Montgomery acknowledged the widespread support among local businesses, residents and other coastal communities for the city's legal fight to ban plastic bags.

"It's not just victory for us, it's a victory for cities who believe like we did that plastic bags are bad for our environment," Montgomery said, adding that Manhattan Beach will soon move forward with a ban on single-use plastic bags. "They chose the wrong city to

go after. It goes to show you that sometimes the good guys win."

Montgomery said the court's ruling was a victory on two levels.

"One, it proves our methodology was correct in determining that plastic bags do harm the environment. And two, it saves us and other cities from paying for full blown EIR," Montgomery said.

Manhattan Beach in early July 2008 became the first city in the South Bay to place a outright ban on single-use plastic sacks.

The Save the Plastic Bag Coalition sued Manhattan Beach following the decision, arguing the city violated the state Environmental Quality Act by not fully analyzing a ban's effects. The coalition includes several plastic bag manufacturers.

A Los Angeles Superior Court judge in February 2009 ruled in the coalition's favor, and the city appealed. After an appellate court upheld the ruling, the Manhattan Beach City Council petitioned the state Supreme Court.

Manhattan Beach city officials, including then-interim City Attorney Lee Dolley and Mayor Richard Montgomery, traveled to San Francisco on May 4 to defend the city's position.

Arguing the case for the city were Manhattan Beach-native Christian Marsh and James Moose. Both attorneys specialize in environmental law. The city also received assistance from attorneys from the League of California Cities, California State Association of Counties and Californians Against Waste.

The Save the Plastic Bag Coalition was represented in court by Stephen Joseph, a San Francisco-based attorney and spokesman for the nonprofit group. The coalition has filed legal objections to proposed plastic bag bans in Marin County, San Jose and Encinitas.

Arguments from both sides lasted about two hours. Manhattan Beach launched its own environmental study before the July 2008 City Council decision to outlaw plastic bags. During the May hearing, Joseph referred to the study as "whitewash."

In November, two months after California lawmakers rejected a bill that would have banned plastic bags statewide, single-use plastic bags were outlawed in unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County by the Board of Supervisors.

The county's ban went into affect for larger supermarkets and pharmacies this month and will extend to smaller retailers in January 2012.

If two is company and three is a crowd, what is seven candidates for the 28^th State Senate District packing a large (and largely empty) debate hall Wednesday at Cal State University Long Beach?

At the very least, call it difficult to summarize a two-hour debate on substantive issues with anything that isn't divided by a lot of bullet points, as can be seen in The Daily Breeze's write-up of the mishmash ahead of the Feb. 15 special election to replace Sen. Jenny Oropeza, who died Oct. 20.

But this is the beauty of next-day blogging. It affords a second shot, and a more flexible forum.

The tone of the League of Women Voters-sponsored event was tame - at least compared to the bloodsport of presidential and gubernatorial debates - but it was not without its moments, such as when former Assemblyman Ted Lieu was asked about the receipt of $420,000 for his campaign from "PACs and lobbyists."

Lieu, a Democrat, answered deftly, pointing out that he supported the California Clean Money and Fair Elections Act, which would have established full public financing of the state's elections.

"I wish it was in place," said Lieu.

"The only money I do not take are from oil companies and tobacco," he added. "It's the way we run our system, it's all disclosed."

Records from Secretary of State Deborah Bowen - herself the former 28^th District senator - show that Lieu has two committees related to running for the district.

One, Ted Lieu for State Senate 2011, has $29,320 cash on hand as of Jan. 6. The other is named Ted Lieu for State Senate 2014, indicating that the former Torrance city councilman plans on running in three years. That fund has $327,344 as of Jan. 6.

The only other candidate filing a disclosure report is Bob Valentine, a Republican, who has raised $3,000 for the race and has $1,300 cash on hand as of Jan. 20.

After Lieu faced his grilling, the candidates were asked generally about unlimited funding in elections.

Opinion split roughly along ideological lines, with Republicans James Thompson and Martha Flores-Gibson speaking about the role of the U.S. Constitution and free speech in allowing corporations to spend freely in elections. Jeffrey Fortini, also a Republican, urged better access for all candidates regardless of funding.

Non-party candidate Mark Lipman and Democrat Kevin McGurk lashed out at the U.S. Supreme Court's 2010 decision rejecting corporate spending limits in elections. Lieu also disagreed with the high court's interpretation, though not as stridently.

As opponents of the decision did then, they took issue with the idea that a corporation is a person.

The word "corporation" is nowhere in the Constitution, McGurk said. "Clearly, when one steps back, it's a perversion of the American political system."

McGurk had a lot to say when it came to reforming California's justice system.

Among his suggestions was suspending California's death penalty - which hasn't put anyone to death in so long, a convict has requested death row sentences for the improved lodgings - in order to save $1 billion over five years.

"I've got more where that came from," McGurk said.

Indeed, not only did McGurk have a lot more, but all the candidates had more than could be said within the confines of traditional media.

Approximately 30 people attended the debate, and that's probably counting people associated with the campaigns and at least a few who were writing about the event.

There was 465,278 registered voters in the 28^th Senate District in November. How many will head to the polls next month?

One expert predicted 9 to 14 percent voter turnout.

The debate was interesting for its contrast - the American political process at work, with seven candidates trying to make their case to a public that, by the attendance, didn't seem interested.

In an eyebrow-raising moment, Lieu even gave out his cell phone number to illustrate his accessibility to the public.

It should be noted that Coffee Party member Michael Chamness of Venice was unable to attend due to a work conflict. There are eight candidates running for the 28th District senate seat.

The last word goes to Lipman, who closed his night by quoting Gore Vidal.

"'Politics' is made up of two words, 'poli,' which is Greek for 'many,' and 'tics,' which are blood-sucking insects."

Readers, so, so much news today:

Three gunmen held up 30 customers at a Hawthorne insurance company Wednesday, and sprayed a couple and their infant with mace.

Meanwhile, Los Angeles Police say violent crime in the area has fallen to its lowest rate in 50 years.

Torrance and Gardena are among the 10 clusters of autism cases discovered by UC Davis researchers in the state.

Plans to create public access trails into the Ballona Wetlands are back on track after the state budget crisis last year delayed the project.

The Port of Los Angeles' 22nd Street Park finally opens Saturday, concluding years of debate in San Pedro with trails, picnic areas and meadows.

Mira Costa High's girls soccer players beat their Chadwick counterparts Wednesday. See pictures of the match.

Readers, so much news:

Seniors and preschoolers gathered together Wednesday for a multi-generational Hanukkah celebration at Temple Menorah in Redondo Beach.

County supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas is taking heat for his $700,000 office remodel plans.

The Toberman Neighborhood Center in San Pedro put on an early Christmas feast Wednesday.

Los Angeles city leaders have agreed to reimburse Los Angeles World Airports, the agency that operates LAX, $21.2 million for two payments deemed improper.

Redondo city leaders have delayed approval of a new commercial complex on Catalina Avenue, an area they've long sought to revitalize.

A Manhattan Beach woman is leading the charge for IndyMac depositors to recover their lost money.

Bring on prep soccer: Today we preview teams from Torrance's North and West high schools. Check out some pictures.

Santa Claus is still making his rounds throughout the South Bay.

Readers, what happened to November? Yikes. Here's your news:

Four men have been arrested in connection with a non-injury shootout with Lennox sheriff's deputies.

Today is World AIDS Day, and did you know that a leading group of researchers investigating antiviral medications to treat the illness are based right here in the South Bay?

Is it any surprise that South Bay students attending school in wealthier cities are more physically fit than their lower-income counterparts? El Segundo and Manhattan Beach students performed best in the state Department of Education's annual physical fitness assessment, the results of which were released Monday.

News columnist John Bogert weighs in on one of parents' worst nightmares: drunk teenagers at a house part hosted by good kids.

El Segundo city leaders are expected tonight to begin the process to farm out fire protection services to Los Angeles County.

Dave Galbraith is the man behind those beautifully painted house addresses popping up around South Bay curbs. His more popular choices include the Manhattan Beach pier, the Vincent Thomas Bridge, Catalina Island and the Angels Gate Lighthouse, but the Long Beach resident also does custom work.

Serra High's boys basketball team easily beat Gardena on Monday in the first round of the Redondo Pacific Shores Tournament. Check out pictures.

Readers, coming at ya:

A proposal to build a light rail line through the Crenshaw corridor that would also improve South Bay mass transit made it through a  Metropolitan Transportation Authority committee Wednesday.

Remember the owners of Hermosa Beach's Club Sushi who were on the lam for allegedly absconding with investors' cash? Turns out, they quietly turned themselves in at the Torrance courthouse last week.

El Segundo has finally approved revisions to its filming regulations this week.

Looks like Redondo Beach dog owners will face an uphill battle in getting the city to overturn a ban on pooches in city parks.

Our South Bay History blog recalls when residents at a Torrance apartment complex had a, um, swinging good time.

West High's Dan Henggeler says he's a bruiser on the football field. Check out pictures of the running back.

Readers, we have so much news this fine autumn morning:

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors enacted sweeping measures in hopes of curbing obesity and smoking, and cashing in on stimulus funds, but stopped at banning soda at county venues.

A psychiatrist told a Los Angeles County Superior Court that William Sadowski was insane when he killed an LAX police officer by dragging him with his own car about four years ago.

A relatively controversial statue unveiled in San Pedro but boxed away in storage ever since, has found a new home on the city's waterfront.

Poor Gardena and San Pedro high schools: The schools drew significantly less interest from charters or outside groups in running them under Los Angeles Unified School District's Public School Choice Plan than the other three dozen or so schools open under the pitch.

Check out these cute pictures of Special Olympics athletes playing at Mattel in El Segundo yesterday.

A South Bay-based firm won a $10 million contract with the European planemaker Airbus.

Mira Costa High's girl volleyball team lost again for the second time this season to Los Alamitos on Tuesday. See pictures.