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Brad Waller Newsletter — May 10, 2026
📬 Brad Waller, District 1 Newsletter, May 11, 2026
Neighbors,
A quick thank you to everyone who turned out this past week. Three ribbon cuttings inside seven days. A Fire Department that opened both stations on Saturday. A Farmers Market on Green Lane that now feels like it has always been there. None of that happens because of a policy or a budget line. It happens because residents and business owners keep showing up for the small, in-person work that makes a city feel like one. Tuesday brings the second Council meeting of the month, with two items I expect a lot of you will want to weigh in on. Here is what is on my radar.
🏛️ City Council, Tuesday, May 12
🔹 LGBTQ-themed art sculpture at the North Branch Library (Item N.1). The Cultural Arts Commission is bringing its recommendation to include an LGBTQ-themed art sculpture in the Artesia Boulevard Strategic Art Plan, with the proposed site at the North Branch Library. Tuesday's item asks Council to give staff direction on the scope of that project.
→ 🎯 My take: I said back in December that I support this addition, and I still do. The City has been thoughtful about the Artesia corridor as a whole, and a piece that recognizes our LGBTQ neighbors fits a city that has always taken pride in welcoming everyone. I am looking forward to the Commission's full presentation, the public comment, and the conversation around scope.
🔹 Local control over our waterfront (Item N.2). The National Park Service has asked coastal cities for input as part of its Los Angeles Coastal Special Resources Study. Tuesday's draft resolution reaffirms the importance of local control over Redondo Beach's waterfront and coastal resources as that federal review moves forward.
→ ⚡ Why this matters: The pier, the harbor, the beach, and our coastal access shape this city's daily life and its economy. National studies are useful for raising regional questions, but the people who live with the decisions are the ones who should have the loudest voice in shaping them. A clear resolution from Council puts that on the record.
👉 Read the draft resolution (N.2)
🚨 Public Safety
🔹 Fire Service Day was the best kind of Saturday. Walking through the engines, watching the ladder demos, meeting the firefighters, and yes, grabbing a hot dog. Two stations open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., families everywhere, kids climbing on equipment they usually only see from the curb.
→ 🙏 A real thank you: to every member of the Redondo Beach Fire Department who opened their doors and walked residents through the training, the gear, and the teamwork that keeps Redondo safe. This is the kind of event that does what no flyer or policy memo can do. It lets families build real relationships with the people who answer the call on our hardest days.
🔹 Memorial Day at Veterans Park, Monday, May 25, 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. The hometown observance returns to the Veterans Memorial at Veterans Park by the Pier. This year's keynote is Captain Blaine Pitkin, Commander of Navy Munitions Command at Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach, joined by Lindsey Sin, USN veteran and Secretary of the California Department of Veterans Affairs. The Redondo Elks Lodge hosts the BBQ right after in their lot next to the park, complimentary for veterans, members of the military, and first responders, and a $5 plate for everyone else.
→ ⚡ Why this matters: Memorial Day is not about a long weekend, it is about the people who never came home. An hour at Veterans Park is one of the most meaningful ways to spend that morning.
👉 Learn more about the ceremony
🛠️ Infrastructure
🔹 Cal Water begins a water main upgrade in the Helberta and Irena area on Monday, May 18. Cal Water will install roughly 1,800 feet of new 6-inch water main along portions of S. Helberta Avenue, Avenue D, S. Irena Avenue, and the S. Prospect and S. Irena intersection. The upgrade improves water supply reliability for fire protection, which matters a lot in a coastal city with the kind of dense neighborhoods we have.
→ 📋 What to expect: Work runs Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., in phases, through July 31. Plan for temporary traffic control, posted no-parking areas, construction noise, and possible water service interruptions with advance notice from Cal Water. Streets, curbs, and gutters will be restored, with temporary asphalt placed before final paving.
→ 🎯 My take: I would rather we replace aging mains on a planned schedule than chase failures after the fact. Thanks in advance to neighbors in the affected blocks for the patience while this work gets done right.
💼 Economic Development & Local Business
🔹 Three ribbon cuttings in one week. This past week put a real exclamation point on how much creative business activity is happening here right now.
→ 🌽 The North Redondo Beach Farmers Market got its formal Chamber ribbon-cutting on Wednesday at Green Lane. Three weeks in, and the market already feels like a habit. Fresh produce, local vendors, food, coffee, and a midweek gathering spot North Redondo has waited a long time to call its own. I grabbed my strawberries again this week.
→ 🎨 South Bay Artist Studio opened its Glass House expansion on Tuesday, adding eight new pottery wheels, dedicated fused and stained glass areas, and flexible event space for workshops, parties, and special events. Watching a local arts space grow instead of shrink is the kind of news I love.
→ 🥪 Graze Craze opened in King Harbor Plaza on Wednesday, just behind Eat Fantastic. Charcuterie boards and boxes built for gatherings, client thank-yous, family celebrations, and the moments that just need a little extra. Welcome to the Chamber and to the community.
→ 💡 What this means: Three ribbon cuttings in seven days do not just happen. They happen when small-business owners are willing to bet on this city. It is on the rest of us to show up, shop local, and keep that momentum going.
🗳️ On the Ballot
🔹 My pick for State Assembly: Scott Houston. Some of you have asked who I am supporting in the AD66 race, and the answer is Scott Houston. Scott is the one who created the hardscaping program that has helped protect thousands of homes from wildfire across our region, and that kind of practical, locally-tested leadership is what I want representing the South Bay in Sacramento.
→ 🎯 Why I am sharing this here: This is my personal endorsement, not the City's, and I do not take an endorsement lightly. But our State Assembly seat affects the housing law fights, the coastal questions, and the wildfire policy decisions that touch this city every year. You deserve to know where I stand. If you want to meet Scott, he has been doing Vine and Meet events around the district. Hit reply and I will share details.
📅 Coming Up
🔹 Household Hazardous Waste & Document Shredding, Saturday, May 30, 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Athens Services is hosting a free HHW collection and document shredding event for Redondo Beach residents at the Performing Arts Center parking lot (1935 Manhattan Beach Blvd). Bring proof of residency. Pack HHW in a sturdy box in your trunk, 15-gallon or 125-pound limit, do not mix items, and be prepared to leave containers behind. For shredding, remove plastic binders and clips, pack in a sturdy box, with a 5-box limit per trip.
🔹 America 250 Library Fundraiser, Saturday, May 30, 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. The Friends of the Redondo Beach Public Library are celebrating America's 250th birthday at the Main Library (303 N. PCH) with the Pennyroyal Players' "Salute to America in Song and Story," a silent auction, refreshments, and more. Pay what you can ($0 to $20+ suggested, $5 for Friends members), with all proceeds going to library programs. Free parking under the library.
🔹 Cruisin' the Lagoon returns, Fridays starting May 22, 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. The car cruise-in is back at the Redondo Beach Marina every Friday from May 22 through September 11. All makes and models welcome. No awards, no raffles, just great cars, great restaurants, and good company in one of the best marina settings in Southern California. Look for me with the yellow '67 Chevelle or the black '66 Corvette. Marina parking is $2 per hour or $6 flat for the three hours.
🥕 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
Do you have a problem or need to report an issue to the city? Use the Access Redondo App.
🏖️ Redondo Roundup
New businesses in our community, two stations open for Fire Service Day, two Council items worth showing up for on Tuesday, a water main upgrade starting next week in the Helberta and Irena area, an endorsement for the AD66 race I think you should know about, and Memorial Day waiting at the end of the month with the keynote we want. Two years ago, our family adopted Kobe from the shelter, and his Gotcha Day this past week was a small but good reminder that the best things in a neighborhood are usually the ones you do not plan for. See you Tuesday, or wherever the week takes us.
If anything in here sparked a question or something you want to share, hit reply. I read every message.
