Mark McDermott

2 months ago | easyreadernews.com | Mark McDermott

by Mark McDermott It was the shark that kept resurfacing, in search of a place to call home. And on Tuesday night, on the cusp of once again being turned away, the City Council finally agreed in a 3-2 vote to allow the shark to reside at the Civic Center parking lot. The saga of the great white shark, depicted on a proposed mural by artist Eric Snyder, began in August 2023 when it was among several public art works under consideration for placements throughout the city.

2 months ago | easyreadernews.com | Mark McDermott

by Mark McDermott Five years ago, the City of Manhattan Beach’s master plan for its parks identified a glaring need —  more places for dogs to play. The City Council added the priority to its own work plan:  “Expand areas for four-legged friends,” the plan said, identifying a few possible areas, including 6th and Aviation and Rowell Avenue at Voorhees.

2 months ago | easyreadernews.com | Mark McDermott

by Mark McDermott Pacific Palisades was still in flames when the calls started coming. Within days, some of the town’s young residents began arriving on Manhattan Beach Unified School District campuses. As the fires finally died out, more kept arriving, especially to Mira Costa High School, where on one day alone last week 56 new students arrived. Costa students could not help but see the almost otherworldly expressions on the faces of their suddenly new classmates, looks that said, “Where are we?

Jan 24, 2025 | easyreadernews.com | Mark McDermott

by Mark McDermott The first in a wave of new multi-family residential developments meant to address the California housing crisis have begun to arrive as preliminary proposals with the City of Manhattan Beach. Like most cities in California, the City was required by state law to adopt new zoning that allowed for additional residential developments to address the state’s housing crisis.

Jan 23, 2025 | easyreadernews.com | Mark McDermott

by Mark McDermott Two weeks ago on a Tuesday night, Ford Savela, his brother Chase, and another friend were on their way home from the gym when they decided to stop at the Taco Bell on Sepulveda. As they turned, a car came speeding southbound down the boulevard. The resulting collision cost Savela his life. He was 18. Police responded to the accident at 11:25 p.m. on January 7. Three people were transported to the hospital with injuries. Another of the young men was critically injured but survived.