This Week's Top News in the South Bay

Here is a look at some of the top stories this week in the Beach Cities and on the Palos Verdes peninsula as reported by Patch:

Redondo Beach

Council Unanimously Passes Anti-Power-Plant Resoultion: The Redondo Beach City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to oppose  the construction of a new power plant to replace the current AES Redondo Beach generating station on North Harbor Drive in South Redondo Beach.

Redondo Man Found Dead on Beach: A Redondo Beach man was found dead on the beach in Hermosa Beach on Tuesday around 6:45 p.m., according to police. The 79-year-old man, who was discovered near the shoreline by a citizen who notified a nearby lifeguard, had suffered visible head trauma and may have been on the rocks near the Redondo Breakwall, police said.

School Board Bids Adieu to Termed Out Members: Jane Diehl, Todd Loewenstein and Drew Gamet said goodbye to their positions on the Redondo Beach Unified School District Board of Education on March 26. All three had served the maximum two terms on the school board. They will be replaced by Michael Christensen, Brad Serkin and Brad Waller.

Gray Whale Season Drawing to a Close: Redondo Beach residents who are looking to get a glimpse of a gray whale in the South Bay don't have much time left—gray-whale watching season is peaking as the massive sea mammals wrap up their journey to Alaska.

Manhattan Beach

: A caregiver who looked a bit suspicious caused an all-out search for a possible burglar Monday night, said Sgt. Steve Kitsios of the Manhattan Beach Police Department.

Photos of Manhattan Beach Bank Robber Released: Police have released photos of the suspect wanted for robbing the U.S. Bank in Manhattan Village Friday afternoon, escaping with an undisclosed amount of cash. In one photo, a gun can be seen. The suspect has been described as a white male with a small build, about 5' 7" to 5' 8" and weighing around 160 lbs.

Celebrities Open Chez Soi Restaurant: Big names are "soft opening" a new restaurant in downtown Manhattan Beach tonight, according to website laeater.com. Chef Mark Gold of the recently shuttered closed Eva in Los Angeles will be behind the cuisine of Chez Soi, owned by French restaurateur Thierry Perez of Fraiche and L'Epicerie with partner/actor Ty Burrell, who plays Phil Dunphy in ABC's Modern Family.

Captain America Sequel Filming in Manhattan Beach: On Location Vacations is reporting that filming on the Captain America sequel is taking place on a closed set at Marvel Studios/Manhattan Beach Studios, 1600 Rosecrans Ave.

Hermosa Beach

Man Found Dead on Hermosa Beach: Police have confirmed that a Redondo Beach man was found dead on the beach in Hermosa Tuesday around 6:45 p.m. Hermosa Beach Police have said the 79-year-old man, who was discovered near the shoreline, had suffered visible head trauma and may have been on the rocks near the Redondo Breakwater.

: Hermosa Beach and Gardena police are investigating a kidnapping and rape that allegedly took place in the early hours of Sunday, March 17. The Hermosa police department received a call about the incident, which culminated with sexual assaults in Gardena, police said.

Ragin Cajun Returning to Pier Avenue: Ragin Cajun Café is returning to a brick-and-mortar location on Pier Avenue in Hermosa Beach, just down the street from where the restaurant originally stood for almost 20 years.

Hermosa Philanthropist Donates $2M to El Camino College: Hermosa Beach philanthropist Elizabeth Noble has given the El Camino College Foundation $2 million, the largest single gift in its 66-year history. The donation will fund the new Noble Endowed Chair for Business.

Palos Verdes

RPV May Reinstate Equestrian Committee: The Rancho Palos Verdes City Council may consider reinstating the city's equestrian committee this month, according to city officials. Members of the city council initially discussed reinstating the committee during the Jan. 15 study session at the suggestion of Councilman Anthony Misetich.

Norris Center Appoints New Managing Director: The Norris Center for the Performing Arts in Rolling Hills Estates has a new managing director, the organization announced Thursday in a news release. Robin Franko, a resident of Rolling Hills Estates, formally assumed the post on Monday. Previously, she served as the executive director of Temple Menorah in Redondo Beach.