Madrona Marsh Closed by Vector Control Torrance’s 42-acre vernal Madrona Marsh preserve was closed last Friday by Los Angeles County West Vector and Vector-Borne Disease Control District officials after they claimed that there might be a problem with the West Nile virus present in mosquito larvae. However, after a private meeting with City officials, it […]

Mockingbird at Ballona. Photo (c) 2010 Richard Beban Birdsong from My Patio Despair so easy. Hope so hard to bear.                                     –Thomas McGrath I’ve never heard this much song, trills pure as crystal bells, but not like bells: alive, small rushes of air from the tiny plush lungs of birds tucked in among […]

Andy Warhol once said, “In the future everybody will be world famous for fifteen minutes.” For the critters who live in the wetlands, the face time may be shorter, but we love them nonetheless. Why do we work here? Here are some of the reasons, captured on video, often with secret cams, by our friends […]

See You on the Ballona Bike Path The bicycle enthusiasts among us are delighted that the City of Los Angeles Department of Transportation has released (for public comment; everybody might not like EVERYTHING) the Los Angeles Bicycle Plan Update. This is back-from-the-drawing board after bicyclists had lots of negative comment on the first iteration. Let’s […]

Mae Murray, 1889-1965: “The Girl With The Bee-Stung Lips” D. J. “Duke” Dukesherer is a local writer and official historian of the Ballona Blog. He is the author of Beach of the King, The Early History of Playa Del Rey, Westchester, Playa Vista, CA, and ‘Round the Clump of Willows. At various times, particularly from […]