This Week's Top News in the South Bay

Redondo Beach

Bob Meistrell, Body Glove Co-Founder, Dies: Bob Meistrell, the co-founder of wetsuit manufacturer Body Glove, died early Sunday morning, according to a note from Body Glove President Russ Lesser. Meistrell was 84. Meistrell died of a heart attack while aboard the Disappearance, which was traveling back from Catalina Island as part of the Rock 2 Rock paddleboard competition.

Explosions Rock South Redondo: A pair of explosions rocked South Redondo Beach on Thursday evening, causing a power outage and scattering concrete debris into the street. According to authorities at the scene, two transformers—one on the east side of the street and one on the west side—blew on Catalina Avenue between Diamond and Carnelian streets at about 7:30 p.m.

CEC May Consider AES Application to Repower in July: AES Southland, the company that owns the AES Redondo Beach Generating Station on North Harbor Drive, expects the California Energy Commission to determine at its July 10 meeting whether it has enough data to proceed with AES' application to build a new power plant in Redondo Beach

Fire Guts Garage in North Redondo Beach: A fire gutted a garage, damaged the attached house and scorched an adjacent home in the 1900 block of Speyer Lane on Monday night, according to Redondo Beach Fire Chief Robert Metzger.

Redondo Man Shot at in Dorner Manhunt Sues Torrance Police: A Redondo Beach surfer who was fired on by police during the manhunt for ex-LAPD officer Christopher Dorner is suing the officers who fired at him, according to court papers obtained Tuesday.

Hermosa Beach

Man Allegedly Tries to Strangle Woman on PCH: A Castaic man on a "pub crawl" was arrested Saturday around 6 p.m. and charged with assault,  according to a Facebook post on the Hermosa Beach Police page. Witnesses say the attack was "completely unprovoked," and started when Jimenez slapped the victim on her rear end and then began to attack the woman, according to police.

Runaway Delivery Truck Barely Misses Apartment Building: A delivery driver saved this truck from crashing into an Hermosa Beach apartment building Tuesday after the truck's emergency brake apparently failed while parked on a hill.

Patrick 'Kit' Bobko to Seek City Council Re-Election: Current Mayor Patrick "Kit" Bobko will seek re-election to the Hermosa Beach City Council, he told Patch. Three council seats are up for grabs in the November election. Current Councilman Jeff Duclos and former Hermosa Beach Police Chief Greg Savelli are also running.

Three Hermosa Restaurants Score Low in County Food Facility Rating: American Junkie, Cafe Boogaloo and Pedone's Pizza score the lowest in the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health - Food Facility Rating, according to their online data.

Manhattan Beach

Judge Upholds Firing of Manhattan Beach Police Officer: A California Superior Court judge sided Wednesday with the City of Manhattan Beach in its decision to terminate former police officer Eric Eccles for his involvement in an off-duty vehicle collision in January 2010. Eccles was terminated in March 2011 by then Chief of Police Rod Uyeda after the matter was investigated by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

Unpaid Parking Ticket? You Could Get the Boot: The city of Manhattan Beach has two new revenue-producing tools: automatic license plate readers. Purchased in February, the two readers allow community services officers to identify vehicles that have five or more outstanding tickets, qualifying them to have a boot put on.

Fun, Philanthropy Reign Supreme at School Fundraiser: Food, fun, fashion, philanthropy and, of course, wine filled the air Saturday at the Manhattan Beach Education Foundation's annual gala fundraiser Manhattan Wine Auction.

Palos Verdes

West Nile Virus Found in Palos Verdes: More than a half-dozen dead crows on and around the Palos Verdes Peninsula tested positive for West Nile virus this week, the cities of Rancho Palos Verdes and Rolling Hills Estates announced Thursday. Three American crows in the Dapplegray Lanes area of Rolling Hills Estates, one in Rancho Palos Verdes and five in Lomita tested positive for the virus, which is spread by mosquitoes.

Volunteer Trail Watch Aims to Educate Trail Users: After walking on one of many trails within the Palos Verdes Nature Preserve last October, Barbara Ailor couldn’t help but weep when she returned home. A friend had suggested she check out this specific trail because of the poor condition it was in, and after seeing it, Ailor knew something had to be done.

Rancho Palos Verdes to Hold Municipal Elections in November: Residents of Rancho Palos Verdes will cast their votes for two members of the City Council on Nov. 5. Neither Councilmen Bryan Campbell nor Anthony Misetich is termed out. Campbell has publicly announced his intention to seek re-election, and Misetich's campaign website indicates that he, too, will seek re-election.