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Brad Waller Newsletter — July 26, 2026
📬 Brad Waller, District 1 Newsletter, July 27, 2026
Happy Monday, Redondo,
Nineteen minutes. That is Metro's estimate for a train ride from our end of the South Bay to LAX, no transfers required, once the K Line Extension to Torrance is built, and the City posted a detailed update on the project this past week. The physicist in me loves a good number, and that one has stayed with me all weekend.
There is plenty happening closer to home too. Tomorrow afternoon we cut the ribbon on Bill Brand Gateway Park, Wednesday evening the restaurants and artists of North Redondo take over Artesia Boulevard, and four city commissions have open seats waiting for residents ready to serve. Let's get into it.
🚇 Nineteen Minutes to LAX: The K Line Extension Is Moving
🔹 Metro's K Line Extension to Torrance has cleared its biggest hurdle. The City shared a project update this past week: Metro has certified the Final Environmental Impact Report and approved the Hawthorne Option route for the 4.5-mile extension connecting the Redondo Beach station on Marine Avenue to the Torrance Transit Center. The project includes two new elevated stations and is designed to put riders at LAX in roughly 19 minutes.
→ 📊 By the numbers: Metro projects 4.9 million annual trips, 1.7 million new riders, about 15,000 construction-related jobs, and an economic boost in the neighborhood of $16 billion over 20 years. Design work is underway now, construction is expected to begin around 2027, and service is slated to start in late 2036, pending full funding.
→ 🎯 My take: Every one of those trips is a car that is not idling on Hawthorne, Artesia, or PCH, and that is exactly the kind of environmental and economic win I want our city connected to. One practical note: starting this summer, you may notice crews along the approved route surveying land and analyzing soil conditions. That is normal early-stage engineering, and it is a sign this project is becoming real. I will keep following the design work and sharing what it means for Redondo Beach.
👉 Read the City's K Line update
👉 Explore Metro's project page
🌳 Tomorrow at 3:00: We Open Bill Brand Gateway Park
🔹 The ribbon cutting is Tuesday, July 28, at 3:00 p.m. Join us at the southwest corner of Herondo Street and Pacific Coast Highway to officially open the first new park our city has added in decades, named for the late Mayor Bill Brand, whose persistence made this land public in the first place. Street parking is available on Herondo Street, and comfortable walking shoes are a good idea. I plan to be there tomorrow, and I would love to see District 1 out in force for a moment this many years in the making.
👉 See the ribbon cutting details
🍽️ Wednesday Night: Dine Around ARTesia & ARTwalk
🔹 The EAST night is this Wednesday, July 29, from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. The North Redondo Beach Business Association's signature summer event pairs all-you-can-taste wristbands with local artists showing and selling their work along Artesia Boulevard. Wristbands are $40 for adults and $20 for kids ages 5 to 11, with kids under 5 free, and a $75 two-night option covers the WEST night on Thursday, August 20. Word is that tickets are moving fast, so do not wait until Wednesday afternoon.
→ 🎨 Watch art come to life: One highlight worth planning around is Shant Klebesadel, a Southern California artist whose career runs from Hollywood visual effects to watercolor and acrylic painting. You will find him creating live paintings at SpineSync on Artesia Boulevard during the WEST night, and watching a blank canvas become a finished piece is worth the trip all by itself.
→ 🎯 Why I love this event: When I talk about growing city revenue through economic development, it starts with evenings exactly like this one: full restaurants, busy sidewalks, and neighbors discovering businesses they will come back to in October and February. Grab a wristband, bring the family, and eat your way down the boulevard.
👉 Get your Dine Around wristbands
👉 Meet featured artist Shant Klebesadel (Instagram)
❤️ Community Spotlight: 25 Years of PS I Love You
🔹 A milestone that deserves a moment. Among the supporters of Dine Around ARTesia & ARTwalk is the PS I Love You Foundation, now celebrating 25 years of bringing hope, connection, and mentorship to children across Los Angeles County. Their annual Day at the Beach, Adopt a Child for One Day event returns September 19 in Manhattan Beach, and there is still time to sign up as a mentor. One day built around showing hundreds of kids that they are seen and valued is the kind of work that makes this whole region stronger, and I am grateful they call our community a partner.
👉 Learn about becoming a mentor
🙋 Get Involved: Your City Commissions Have Open Seats
🔹 The City is accepting applications right now. There are immediate openings on Budget and Finance (2 seats), Cultural Arts (1), Public Amenities (2), and Public Works, Safety & Sustainability (2), plus seats opening October 1 on Budget and Finance, Harbor, Planning, Public Amenities, and Public Works, Safety & Sustainability. Applicants must be registered voters living in Redondo Beach.
→ ⚡ Why this matters: Long before I ever sat on the Council dais, appointed committee work is where I learned how this city actually runs, and many of the best recommendations we act on start at a commission table. If you have expertise, curiosity, or simply the willingness to show up prepared, we need you. Apply, or forward this to someone who would be great.
👉 Learn more about the open seats
🔹 Hearing directly from the people who want to serve. On Wednesday I spent part of the day at the Beach Cities Democrats Candidate Forum, listening to Paul Seo, Sara Deen, John Erickson, and Brian Goldsmith talk about why they are running and how they see the challenges ahead. Having stood on the candidate side of a forum myself, I can tell you there is no substitute for watching someone answer unscripted questions. However you lean, seeking out chances to hear candidates firsthand is one of the best civic habits you can build before 2026 ballots arrive.
👉 See my forum recap (Instagram)
🏃 Early Heads-Up: A Nike Half Marathon on October 24
🔹 A major race is coming to our coastline this fall. Nike will host a half marathon on October 24, 2026, starting and finishing in Redondo Beach and passing through portions of Torrance and Hermosa Beach. Planning is still in its early stages, but the race is expected to affect the Pier, the Harbor, Riviera Village, and adjacent coastal neighborhoods, which is to say, the heart of District 1.
→ 🎯 My commitment: Big events bring visitors and energy, and they also bring street closures and parking questions. You have my word that I will push for early, clear, and specific communication to residents as the route and traffic plans firm up. In the meantime, Nike has set up a dedicated community contact for questions, and the City will share updates as details become available.
👉 Read the City's race planning notice
👉 Visit the Nike After Dark Tour page
☀️ Out and About
🔹 Motown under the stars. This past weekend I made it to the Hollywood Bowl to hear two legends, Gladys Knight and Smokey Robinson, share one stage and remind everyone why those songs have carried us for decades. The night got even better when I caught up with retired Torrance Councilmember Tom Brewer. Great music, great conversation, and a warm summer night at the Bowl is a combination that never misses.
👉 See the Hollywood Bowl post (Instagram)
📅 Coming Up
🔹 The next Council meeting is in August. Our next regular City Council meeting is Tuesday, August 4, at 6:00 p.m., and the agenda will post to the Council calendar ahead of the meeting. As always, you can participate in person, by Zoom, through eComment, or by email.
🔹 The summer series keep rolling. Free concerts continue at Fisherman's Wharf on Thursdays and Saturdays from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. through August 29, and classic cars fill the Redondo Beach Marina for Cruzin' the Lagoon every Friday from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. through September 11. Pick an evening and let the waterfront do the rest.
👉 See the Summer of Music schedule
🥕 Weekly Markets
Farmers' Market by the Pier (Veterans Park), Thursdays, 8am to 1pm. 309 Esplanade.
Riviera Village Farmers Market, Sundays, 8:30am to 1pm. Triangle Lot, 1801 S. Elena Ave.
North Redondo Beach Farmers Market, Wednesdays, 2pm to 7pm. Green Lane at Artesia.
📱 Access Redondo
Spotted something around town that needs the City's attention? While the Access Redondo app finishes its rebuild, the City website is the place to file those requests, and it works smoothly from your phone. After a career spent shipping software, I can tell you the wait for a well-built relaunch is always worth it.
🏖️ Redondo Roundup
A rail line clearing its environmental review, a new park opening its gates tomorrow, a boulevard full of food and art on Wednesday, and commission seats waiting for residents willing to raise a hand. The thread running through all of it is participation, and this week hands you three easy ways to practice: show up at 3:00 tomorrow, grab a wristband for Wednesday, or send in a commission application before someone else claims your seat.
If anything in here sparked a question or something you want to share, hit reply. I read every message.
