People and Events

When Michael (Little Elvis) Myers sings “Don’t Be Cruel” on Nov. 19, he may well have Hermosa Beach in mind. The city refused to go along with Redondo and Manhattan beaches in designating that date “Elvis Night” in honor of Myers’ appearance at a local benefit to fight drug abuse.

“I thought we were sending mixed signals to the kids,” explained Hermosa Beach Mayor Jim Rosenberger, referring to reports that the 42-year-old rock star’s death was caused in part by drug use. “We support the cause, the event’s fine, it’s just that the name’s inappropriate.”

Instead, Hermosa is proclaiming Nov. 19 Drug-Free Education Night.

Cheryl Hartzell, vice president of a citizens’ group battling drugs, said: “We’re not promoting Elvis’ life style. We’re trying to bring to people’s attention that had he not been involved in drugs, he might be here today to perform himself.”

Bob Johnson, a spokesman for Domino’s Pizza, which is co-sponsoring the Redondo High fund-raiser, wondered whether the issue might be academic.

“Who said Elvis died?” Johnson asked.

The pet fish population in one Brentwood neighborhood is dwindling since a blue heron started dropping in a couple of days ago.

“He got one of my koi,” reported Peg Gorham, “and he cleaned out my neighbor’s fish pond totally. She went out and stocked her pond with some feeders (tiny goldfish) and he ate those, too. I thanked her for feeding him.”

Gorham described the bird as “4 feet tall with a beak about a foot long.”

The heron isn’t the first bothersome critter to invade the otherwise sedate Westside. A while back, residents in West Los Angeles swore that a huge horned owl had attacked several cats, killing at least one. The owl was never apprehended.

Then, a blackbird that was apparently protecting its nest drew nationwide publicity by swooping out of a tree and pecking people in a Santa Monica business area. The bird seemed to prefer bald men.

To guard against the heron, Gorham has placed chicken-wire over her pond. The heron hasn’t been able to penetrate the barricade.

“He still comes and sits by the pond,” she noted.

The other day, the world’s largest chili kettle parked outside Farmer’s Market. On Friday, the world’s largest honey jar was unveiled in Hollywood. It will be trucked across the United States, serving as a receptacle for contributions for the homeless along the way.

It sounded like a nightmarish job for county animal control authorities. Sheriff’s deputies had been called to a gas station in La Puente where more than 50 creatures, some 5 feet tall, were being illegally peddled.

Fortunately, for the officers, the creatures were stuffed toys.

Two 14-year-old girls, who had been dropped off at the gas station by the owner of the menagerie, were apprehended for working without a license and without the permission of the gas station manager. The girls were released to their parents, but the animals’ owner couldn’t be found, so the toys had to be taken to jail.

And how do you transport 50 stuffed animals to the cooler?

In a jail van, of course.

“They filled it up,” said Sgt. Chuck Duncan of the Sheriff’s Department. “And when we put them in our evidence room, they filled that up too.”

But at least they were quiet, he said.