South Bay

Setting off a new round of political musical chairs, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has set Sept. 1 as the date for a special election to fill a Los Angeles-area Assembly seat. The vacancy in the 51st Assembly District, which includes Lawndale, Gardena, Inglewood, Hawthorne and parts of Los Angeles, was created with the election last month of Curren Price Jr., a Democrat, to the state Senate seat formerly held by Mark Ridley-Thomas. If no one wins a majority, there will be a Nov. 3 runoff among the top vote-getters from each party.

Palazzo del Mare (Palace of the Sea) in Hermosa Beach is about as close to an authentic Italian villa as owner Kirk Sannella could create 6,300 miles from the mother country. The technology entrepreneur, who also has remodeled and built homes purchased by sports and TV celebrities, achieved that look through Manhattan Beach-based architect Louie Tomaro's handiwork. The home features commissioned murals and ceiling frescoes, the latter of which are antiqued.

"DO YOU want that decanted?" the sommelier asks. Yes, please. Minutes later she's back, bearing a crystal decanter that, I swear, looks like a glass saxophone. It's that big. She sets it down in the middle of the table and when she later pours the wine, we watch, fascinated, as ruby Pinot speeds down the slender spout and lands with the grace of an Olympic diver in the precise middle of the glass. It's a charming bit of theater at Brix@1601, a new wine-centric restaurant in Hermosa Beach.

Kojak has his lollipop. Agent Cooper has his cherry pie. Chief Wiggum has his pink doughnut. They make piquant character details, but these iconic foodstuffs hardly mirror the cravings of Los Angeles law enforcement officers. Amid the culinary smorgasbord of L.A., the equally diverse police officer palate runs the gamut from savory to sweet, spanning nearly every cuisine and culture. Who knows better than a cop the ins and outs of a neighborhood?

Is the MTA going to build a rail line to nowhere? That's what some critics are asking after transportation officials unveiled long-awaited plans for a light-rail system that would run through Southwest L.A. and to the South Bay. The proposed $1-billion line would start on Crenshaw Boulevard at Exposition Boulevard and end at the 105 Freeway in El Segundo.

When architect Robert Nebolon started sketching out ideas for his sister's tear-down and rebuild in south Hermosa Beach, he felt pretty confident that his design would meet the needs of her family -- despite the challenging 30-by-50-foot lot they had to work with. But he was also a little anxious about doing a good job because he knew their four siblings and other relatives and friends would be watching. "I didn't want to screw up in front of the whole family," said Nebolon, 48.

Torrance police have arrested four young men believed to be responsible for as many as 30 burglaries during a months-long spate of crimes in the South Bay, authorities said Thursday. Several South Bay police departments are coordinating to determine the extent of the alleged crimes, which authorities said included several thefts of musical instruments from churches in Manhattan Beach.

A wounded sea gull clung to life Wednesday at a San Pedro bird rescue center, the sole survivor among five gulls found last week in Manhattan Beach after being shot by an unknown assailant. The bird suffered a broken bone in one wing, where X-rays found two pellets, apparently from a shotgun or BB gun, said Cyndie Kam of the International Bird Rescue and Research Center, where the bird is being treated. The five, all with wing injuries, were brought to the center between Nov. 13 and Nov. 15.

CHULA VISTA, Calif. -- A 10-mile, privately owned toll road aimed at easing congestion around the U.S.-Mexico border is being celebrated this weekend, with officials in San Diego County touting it as evidence they are taking a different path when it comes to battling traffic. The South Bay Expressway, which opens to the public Monday, roughly parallels Interstate 5 about 15 miles east, running from the suburb of Bonita to the Otay Mesa border crossing.