South Bay Echo for March 11
Green Gaiter Bandit from Torrance, Kite Festival and hot dogs, Torrance mixed use project, Redondo crime stats, and more political backlash at LA City Hall
Hello friends… Welcome to the 26th edition of South Bay Echo, your source of local hometown news with a real estate angle.
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Green Gaiter Bandit is from Torrance
For those following the curious case of a bank robber fond of wearing a green gaiter face mask, authorities caught up to the brazen criminal late last month in Palos Verdes Estates. Turns out the 55-year-old was from Torrance, according to the Daily Breeze.
Police stopped Christopher Paul Daniels, dubbed the Green Gaiter Bandit after a spate of holdups at banks in LA and Orange counties, driving the same car that was reportedly used as a getaway vehicle… Not the smartest move in retrospect.
They charged him with bank robberies or attempted robberies at five banks in Orange County, but Daniels is suspected of being involved in 19 bank robberies or attempted robberies all total from October 2021 to January 2022.
Hot dog eating contest at Festival of the Kite
If flying a kite doesn’t excite you enough, the Festival of the Kite this Sunday at the Redondo Beach Pier includes a hot dog eating contest at 3:30 at Craig’s Hot Dog On A Stick. The longstanding kite festival runs from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on the south side of the pier Sunday March 13.
St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Saturday
The beloved St. Patrick’s Day Parade returns to Hermosa Beach Saturday March 12 after being shuttered for two years because of the pandemic. Star attractions such as the Budweiser Clydesdales will return, while new to the festival will be more family friendly events and Irish culture sessions. The parade starts at 11 a.m. from Hermosa City Hall and runs down Pier Avenue and south along Hermosa Avenue.
Old Torrance mixed-use project almost finished
A mixed-use project in Old Torrance that was opposed by local residents in 2018 is nearing completion, according to Urbanize Los Angeles. The 39-unit apartment building with ground-floor retail space is located at 1954 Carson St. between Gramercy and Andreo avenues. Before it was approved, a 44-unit mixed-use project on Cabrillo Avenue was the city’s largest in nearly 20 years. These dwarf in size, however, to the planned 200-unit apartment complex near the Del Amo mall.
Redondo Beach aggravated assaults on rise
Similar to other parts of the nation, Redondo Beach saw a sharp increase in Part 1 crimes such as rape, robbery, aggravated assault and burglary, according to a recent report to the Redondo Beach City Council.
From 2016 to 2019, Part 1 crimes declined by 24%, though by the end of 2020 they rose by 4%, and then in 2021 crimes increased by 17% from the year before. Of particular concern were aggravated assaults, which increased 68% in 2021. Redondo Police officers experienced 53 assaults in 2021 and 52 in 2020 where the department had been averaging about 30 per year.
Buscaino accused of misspending as Garcetti takes heat
Last week the Los Angeles Times reported that LA City Councilman and mayoral candidate Joe Buscaino spent tens of thousands of dollars from his officeholder account on family trips to Hawaii, Italy and elsewhere.
While the Times acknowledges the spending is allowed under city ethics rules, it’s nonetheless an unfortunate story for a candidate who I personally feel has the best approach to solving the city’s issues right now when it comes to homelessness and city policing. Buscaino’s lack of any response to the story says that he’s hoping it will just go away. Not a bad strategy, but not a great look either.
Meanwhile, LA Mayor Eric Garcetti is taking flack from Republican Senator Chuck Grassley, who apparently launched an investigation into Garcetti’s mishandling of a sexual abuse allegation in his office. Grassley wants to hold up Garcetti’s Senate confirmation as ambassador to India. This might unfortunately also delay Garcetti’s much-anticipated departure from Los Angeles politics.
All for now… Thanks for reading
St. Paddy's day parade. Is this a private fight or can anyone join? Come one, come all, the more the merrier. Everyone's Irish on St. Paddy's day. Just wear green to avoid being pinched. Enjoy. There will be no claim of cultural appropriation.☘️☘️☘️
Help me out here. Buscaino's family vacations are paid from his officeholder account. Does that mean the taxpayer is footing the bill?