Ceremony Held At Manhattan Beach 9/11 Memorial Draws 25-30 People

MANHATTAN BEACH, CA — A Manhattan Beach City Council candidate was among those who spoke at a 9/11 remembrance event organized Friday morning at the City of Manhattan Beach's public 9/11 Memorial at the corner of 15th Street and Valley Drive.

Candidate Joe Franklin sent a "Community Service Announcement" email Thursday afternoon to those on his candidate email list notifying them of the event. Franklin told Manhattan Beach Patch about 25-30 people showed up for the remembrance, organized by Judy Peng and Lee Phillips of Manhattan Beach. Franklin said the event was "mostly word-of-mouth notification."

The City of Manhattan Beach opted not to hold a public event gathering at the 9/11 Memorial due to COVID-19 restrictions and issued a Nixle Alert reading, "Due to State and County health orders restricting gatherings during COVID-19, the City of Manhattan Beach will not be holding a 9/11 remembrance ceremony this year. Despite the cancellation, the City continues to remember and honor the lives that were lost On September 11, 2001. The City looks forward to holding a special ceremony next year on the 20th anniversary of September 11."

Manhattan Beach Mayor Pro Tem Suzanne Hadley attended the observance as did residents Lucia La Rosa Ames, Greg Ames, Russ Lesser, Charlotte Lesser, Matt Simkins, Jaime Cutler and others. Manhattan Beach's Interim Fire Chief Wolfgang Knabe watched most of the ceremony.