EL SEGUNDO HERALD November 18, 2021 Page 3
Police Reports
Douglass
MORTUARY
“Our Family Serving Yours Since 1954”
B U R I A L - C R E M AT I O N - W O R L DW I D E T R A N S F E R
P E T M E M O R I A L P RO D U C T S
500 EAST IMPERIAL AVENUE
EL SEGUNDO, CALIFORNIA 90245
Te l e p h o n e ( 3 1 0 ) 6 4 0 - 9 3 2 5 • F a x ( 3 1 0 ) 6 4 0 - 0 7 7 8 • F D 6 5 8
Marc Najjar, a 10-year resident of EL
Segundo, and after a series of undefeated
games in the single category was able to
bring Gold at the Professional Pickleball
Tournament in Las Vegas on October 21. The
tournament had about 950 players participate
from around the world. Marc drove from El
Segundo at 4:00 am and played a series of
See Sports, page 6
18 matches, won the Gold and drove back
to El Segundo in the same day to champion
another local league tournament with his
team in El Segundo. While Pickleball is
gaining popularity allover the world, EL
Segundo, residents, are committed to take
the game to the next Level.
SB Swatik & Brandlin LLP
LAW
AT T O R N E Y S AT L AW
Lifetime El Segundo Resident
Living Trusts, Wills, Estate Planning
Probate and Trust Administration
310-540-6000
www.sbtrustlaw.com
*AV Rated (Highest) Martindale - Hubbell / **Certified Specialist Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law, State Bar of California, Board of Legal Specialization
Monday, November 8th
A burglary (residential) report was taken at
0756 hours from the 300 block of Concord
Street. Unknown suspect(s) stole the catalytic
converter from the victim’s vehicle, which was
parked in an attached carport.
A found property report was taken at 0951
hours from Kansas Street and Holly Avenue.
Found was a bicycle.
A grand theft report was taken at 1711 hours
from the 2100 block of East El Segundo Boulevard.
Unknown suspect(s) stole the catalytic
converter from the victim’s vehicle.
A grand theft report was taken at 1712 hours
from the 700 block of South Pacific Coast
Highway. The suspect stole over $3000.00
worth of merchandise.
Tuesday, Nov 9th
A shoplifting report was taken at 1133 hours
from the 2500 block of East El Segundo Boulevard.
Unknown suspect(s) stole miscellaneous
items from the business.
A grand theft report was taken at 1403 hours
from the 400 block of Richmond Street. Taken
was an iPad.
One male adult was arrested at 1902 hours
from the 700 block of South Pacific Coast
Highway for shoplifting and one LASD misdemeanor
warrant
An identity theft report was taken at 1929
hours from the 200 block of East Imperial
Avenue. Unknown suspect(s) attempted to
open several accounts in the victim’s name.
One male adult was arrested at 2146 hours
from the 800 block of South Douglas Street for
two LAPD felony warrants and for possession
of a controlled substance
One male adult was arrested at 0232 hours
from Franklin Avenue and Penn Street for
possession of a controlled substance.
Wednesday, November 10th
One male adult was arrested at 1738 hours
from the RBPD for one outstanding ESPD
misdemeanor warrant.
One male adult was arrested at 2333 hours
from Hughes Way and Imperial Highway for
misdemeanor DUI.
A traffic accident (no injuries) occurred at
2233 hours from Hughes Way and Imperial
Highway, vehicle versus pole.
One male adult was arrested at 0059 hours
from the 600 block of Vista Del Mar for driving
a stolen vehicle and for driving without
an ignition interlock device.
A petty theft report was taken at 0114 hours
from the 300 block of North Continental
Boulevard. The suspect stole a kids play mat
from the victim.
An online petty theft report was taken at
0420 hours from the 1400 block of East Imperial
Avenue. Unknown suspect(s) stole the
victim’s luggage.
Thursday, November 11th
An attempted vehicle theft report was taken
at 0559 hours from the 100 block of West Palm
Avenue. Unknown suspect(s) attempted to steal
the victim’s 2020 Kia sometime overnight.
A grand theft report was taken at 1038
hours from the 900 block of Hillcrest Street.
Unknown suspect(s) stole the catalytic converter
from the victim’s vehicle.
One male adult was arrested at 1012 hours
from the 600 block of Vista Del Mar for public
intoxication.
A non-injury hit and run traffic collision
report was taken at 1143 hours from the 1900
block of East Mariposa Avenue, vehicle versus
a parked vehicle.
A vehicle was reported stolen at 1323 hours
from the 1100 block of East Acacia Avenue.
Taken was a 2005 Chevrolet Astro.
A traffic collision (with injuries) occurred at
1511 hours on Main Street and Maple Avenue,
vehicle versus pedestrian.
A grand theft report was taken at 1648 hours
from the 300 block of West El Segundo Boulevard.
Unknown suspect(s) stole the catalytic
converter from the victim’s vehicle.
A stolen vehicle was recovered at 1719
hours from the 100 block of South Pacific
Coast Highway.
A defrauding an innkeeper report was taken
at 2351 hours from the 2000 block of East El
See Police Reports, page 4
Cross Country Teams
Advance to CIF Finals
and Previewing Basketball
By Gregg McMullin
The El Segundo high school cross country
program continues its hold on success.
Since head coach Marcos Bolanos has been
in charge, the girls have advanced to seven
consecutive CIF Finals and four consecutive
state qualifiers going into this weekend’s CIF
Finals. On the boys’ side, the Eagles have
appeared in three of the past five CIF Finals
and are looking to return to the state meet.
This season the Lady Eagles won the
Woodbridge Invitational, the Central Park
Invitational, placed second at the Riverside
Invitational, and was the fastest Division 4
team at the Fastback Invitational.
Led by seniors Ami Jacobson, Tyler Matlosz,
and Erin Rifkin, the Eagles fought through
adversity (illnesses and injuries) to get ranked
in the top 10. With Matlosz’s experience and
leadership, she has helped her team progressively
get faster in each race. Rounding out
the Eagles’ top seven are standout sophomore
Ileana Montenegro, freshman sensation Yuvia
Bernauer, multi-sport star Katy Durand and
returning junior Makaela Fujimoto.
The Eagle’s ranking allowed them to
move through the league as an automatic
CIF prelim qualifier. The Eagles are so deep
they competed with alternates to secure a
CIF Finals berth. Senior Alicia Alvarez,
junior Angela Schoenbaum, and sophomore
Kate Elward helped guide their team to a
third-place qualifying spot for their seventh
consecutive CIF-SS Finals. With a strong
showing in the finals on Saturday, the Eagles
hope to qualify for their fifth consecutive
California State championship held in Fresno
on November 27.
On the boys’ side, they won the Riverside
Invitational and are currently ranked sixth,
automatically qualifying them for the CIF
Prelims. Led by junior standout Luca Romero,
the Eagles moved through CIF-SS Prelims
to advance to their sixth consecutive CIF-SS
Finals. The Eagles demonstrated their deep
roster with freshman Malachi Tank and senior
Ben Guzman in the preliminary race. They
helped the Eagles get through to finals as
two alternates. Seniors Ryu Iguchi and Nasai
Rivas and juniors Owen Frank, Luke Harrell,
Mohammad Imataaz, and Jackson Chartier
round out the top seven who will be running
at the finals on Saturday. The Eagles hope to
secure their third CIF State Championship
meet appearance in the past five years.
The team has worked extremely hard to
maneuver to another CIF Finals. Coach
Bolanos said, “They continue to impress me
with their hard work, dedication, and supportive
spirit. With so many changes due to
Covid restrictions, it was nice to get back to
a normal season. The kids have achieved so
much and are already champions in my book.”
Sports Shorts
Gold Brought to El Segundo
Team Pickleball: Nick Hess, Marc Najjar, Stacey Diehl and Gena Mattison
– Provided by Marc Najjar •
El Segundo Firefighter Calls
Out ‘Brown Out’ of Fire Engine;
Holiday Activities, Christmas
Eve Dinner Back For 2021
By Liz Spear
With the holidays approaching, the El Segundo
City Council turned its attention at its
regularly scheduled meeting Tuesday night to
Candy Cane Lane and the reemergence, post
the cancellations brought on by COVID-19 last
year, of signature holiday events, activities, and
programs as well as the addition of a new one
called “Festival of Holidays.” The Council also
addressed the purchase of a new Ford F-550
dump truck, moving from a two-way to a new
four-way stop sign system at Hillcrest Street
and West Pine Avenue, a proposed new Recreation
Park Needs Assessment and Master Plan,
funding LA Metro law enforcement services in
the city, a mandatory organic waste disposal
program, and other agenda items.
During the public comment portion of the
meeting, residents and community members
brought up a diversity of topics, including the
growing coyote population and its impacts, a
new scoreboard installation for Brett Field,
and creating public spaces in the city specifically
designed for teenage girls. El Segundo
resident and city firefighter Jeff Gurney spoke
at length, calling out the Council’s decision to
not use fire engine #32 through June 30, 2022,
as a way to save money, saying doing so was
compromising service to the community.
At its meeting on November 3, Council
voted 3-2 (Mayor Pro Tem Chris Pimentel and
council member Scot Nicol cast the dissenting
votes) to do the following to eliminate $1 million
from the fire department budget: Suspend
the use of fire engine #32 through June 30,
2022; Leave vacant one Battalion Chief position
and hire one temporary Special Projects
Administrator through June 30, 2022; Fill the
frozen Fire Marshal position after planned
retirement of a Battalion Chief; Maintain one
frozen firefighter/paramedic position through
June 30, 2022; Maintain one frozen Fire
Prevention Specialist through June 30, 2022;
Continue to work with the cities of Redondo
Beach and Manhattan Beach to establish a
tri-cities Battalion Chief position as part of
the ongoing “Shared Fire Services” review;
See City Council, page 11