TORRANCE, Calif., June 26, 2009 - The City of Torrance announces its new web address and domain name (URL) - www.TorranceCA.Gov/ as a step toward providing the community with clear, convenient and easy means of accessing City information.  Starting July 1, 2009, everyone can access the City of Torrance website through this new address. In addition, and all emails to City contacts will also use the new domain "Name@TorranceCA.Gov." read more (PDF)>>

TORRANCE, Calif., June 12, 2009 - The City of Torrance invites community members interested in becoming part of the 2010 Census Complete Count Committee to apply.  The 2010 Census Complete Count Committee is a volunteer committee established to increase awareness about the 2010 Census and motivate residents in the community to respond.  Its mission is to influence every member of the jurisdiction to complete the 2010 Census questionnaire in a timely and accurate manner.  Anyone who is interested in the importance of an accurate 2010 Census Count is welcome to apply.  Applicants need not be Torrance residents in order to be considered.  The deadline to apply is July 17, 2009.  Click here for the 2010 Census Complete Count Committee Application.

TORRANCE, Calif., May 28, 2009 - In 2012, the City of Torrance will celebrate its Centennial Anniversary!  The City of Torrance invites members of the community to apply to become a member of the Torrance Centennial Committee established by the City Council on May 19, 2009.  The Torrance Centennial Committee will be responsible for planning and recommending fun-filled and educational events and activities in celebration of the City's first 100 years, which is scheduled to begin on January 1, 2012, and will culminate on Sunday, October 21, 2012.  Individuals who have been involved with the Torrance community are welcome to apply.  Applicants need not be Torrance residents in order to be considered.  The deadline to apply is August 4, 2009.  Click here for the Torrance Centennial Committee Application.

TORRANCE, Calif., May 21, 2009 - On Thursday, May 21, 2009, Mayor Frank Scotto presented his 2009 State of the City Address at the Torrance Marriott.  Click HERE for a transcript of Mayor Scotto's 2009 State of the City Address, and click HERE for the video recording.  Mayor Scotto's recorded 2009 State of the City Address will begin cablecasting on Torrance CitiCABLE Channel 3, June 10th through July 7th at 10:00 a.m., 2:00 p.m., 8:00 p.m.; and July 8th through August 4th at 12:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m., 9:00 p.m.

To help keep our community informed of important issues, the City of Torrance launched a citywide Twitter account today.  Please "follow" us at http://twitter.com/TorranceCA to stay in touch.

The City of Torrance is exploring ways that members of the community may be able to communicate with the City.  Please take a brief survey that will help us determine other tools of communication that we may offer in the future.  Click HERE to take the survey.  Thank you.  Your participation is truly appreciated.

TORRANCE, Calif., March 26, 2009 - The City of Torrance has launched a preliminary webpage to serve as a location for distribution of information related to the upcoming Torrance Centennial celebrations.  Site visitors are encouraged to submit photos, film, or videos relevant to the history of Torrance in anticipation of the City's 100th anniversary celebration.

TORRANCE, Calif., February 18, 2009 - Los Angeles County Assessor Rick Auerbach has issued an alert regarding private companies that are mass-mailing Los Angeles County and the State with official looking letters that charge property owners an unreasonable fee to file a "Decline in Value Reassessment Application (Prop 8)".  These solicitation letters are formatted in a way that could mislead people to believe that they are from the County.  In addition, these letters can confuse homeowners into paying as much as $179 to file for a Prop. 8 Decline in Value Review when the assessor may be doing this already and/or the homeowner can easily file for free.  Click here for Assessor Auerbach's press release regarding these "scam" letters.  Click here to visit the Los Angeles County Assessor's website for more information.

TORRANCE, Calif., Jan. 21, 2009 - According to the most recent survey for 2008, the City of Torrance is the 4th safest city in Los Angeles County and the 23rd safest city in the United States with populations over 100,000.  As they have done since 1999, CQ Press has completed their annual report of the safest cities and metropolitan areas in the United States.  These rankings are calculated by using six basic crime categories: murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, and motor vehicle theft.  The rankings include all cities of at least 75,000 residents that reported crime data to the FBI in the categories noted.  In addition, it reports that the crime rate for Torrance is well below the national average.  In this study of 378 cities, the national average was weighted at 100.  The City of Torrance came in at 43.98, or 56 points below the national average.  Please click here for more information.

TORRANCE, Calif., Nov. 24, 2008 - On November 18, 2008, the Torrance City Council concurred with the United States Conference of Mayors' (USCM) Main Street Stimulus Plan.  This plan allows for local control of funds to stimulate the economy and bring jobs to the local community.  There are ten "Main Street Stimulus" programs that will immediately create jobs, improve infrastructure, and have lasting economic and environmental impacts.  In the first of a series of reports by the USCM that inventory each city's 'ready-to-go' infrastructure projects - projects that could be started and completed in calendar year 2009 if emergency federal funding were made available, 153 cities of all sizes in all regions of the country identified a total of 4,591 infrastructure projects costing a total of $24.4 billion that would create more than a quarter of a million jobs.  This initial report of city infrastructure projects validates the USCM's recommendations to Congress for direct emergency stimulus funds that cities can invest immediately in job creation, small business activity and lasting infrastructure improvements for Main Street America.  In light of the challenges of the current economic situation, the Torrance City Council supports this effort to help ensure that concerns of local communities are considered, and their security and stability undiminished.  The City of Torrance would like to encourage all Torrance businesses to support the Main Street Stimulus Plan and to share this information with other members of the community.  To view the plan, please go to http://www.usmayors.org/.

TORRANCE, Calif., Oct. 14, 2008 - New audible pedestrian push buttons have been installed at the intersection of 231st Street and Arlington Avenue.  The equipment is programmed to emit a "cuckoo" walk sound for crossing in the north/south direction and to emit a "peep-peep" walk sound for crossing in the east/west direction in order to comply with the California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (CA MUTCD).  The CA MUTCD is a reference for determining the type and appropriate use of all traffic control devices to ensure consistency in types and applications.

When these audible pedestrian push buttons were first installed, the equipment was programmed to emit verbal "walk" and "don't walk" commands, instead of "beeps."   A few days after the initial programming, the sounds were reprogrammed to comply with the CA MUTCD guidelines.  At that time, residents and pedestrians were informed of the sound change.  The "beep" sounds are consistent with the audible pedestrian push buttons in operation at the Caltrans-maintained intersection of Hawthorne Boulevard and 230th Street, as well as other installations in the surrounding areas.  Contrary to the verbal commands given only in English, the "cuckoo" and "peep-peep" sounds  are universal and international sounds understood by people of all languages, presenting an important benefit to Torrance residents and visitors.

TORRANCE, Calif., Sept. 24, 2008 - On September 23, 2008, the City of Torrance officially launched the new Torrance Events Calendar on the Torrance citywide website.  The Torrance Events Calendar is a new service and tool to help improve the quality of life in the City of Torrance.  This comprehensive calendar will provide the community and worldwide visitors with a resource for Torrance-based meetings, events, and activities.  Presently, the Calendar is populated with City-hosted events, and all Torrance-based nonprofit groups and organizations are encouraged to submit information about their events for inclusion in the Calendar.  With the click of a mouse, the community can now discover everything that is happening in the City of Torrance.  Everyone is invited to visit the Torrance Events Calendar at www.torrnet.com/events, which is linked to the bottom of every page in the citywide website, under the heading Events Calendar, and also at the top of every page, listed inside the "Quick Links" drop down menu.  For Torrance-based nonprofit groups that are interested in submitting their events for inclusion in the Calendar, please click here for information on how to submit an event.  If you have any questions, please email the Calendar Administrator at TorranceCalendar@torrnet.com.

TORRANCE, Calif., Sept. 10, 2008 - During business hours on September 9, 2008, the Torrance Police Department's Animal Control received four phone calls regarding two coyotes being sighted in the area of Crest Road and Highcliff Road.  The animals were reportedly seen during the pre-dawn hours in the neighborhood. One caller reported that a cat had been attacked and killed.

Residents in that area need to be aware of these reports and are encouraged to keep children and pets in-doors during the early morning hours when these animals may be roaming.  Any sightings should be immediately reported to the Torrance Police Department's Animal Control Office at (310) 618-3850 between 7:30 am - 5:00 pm or, after hours, to the Police Department at (310) 328-3456.  In the event of an incident which may endanger public safety, the public is asked to call 911 immediately.

TORRANCE, Calif., Sept. 2, 2008 - With sadness and joyous memories, the City of Torrance announces the passing of former Councilwoman Gene Drevno on Monday, September 1, 2008 after battling cancer. Gene Drevno passed away surrounded by her nine children, grandchildren and close friends. She was 78 years old. read more (PDF)>>

American toy company Mattel is recalling millions of toys made in China that may pose dagners to children.  Recalled toys such as the Polly Pocket Sets, may contain either high levels of lead paint or may have tiny magents that can be swallowed.  Earlier, consumers were also warned of toxic lead found in Mattel's Fisher Price Brand Toys such as toys of feature characters from shows like "Dora the Explorer" and "Sesame Street." To check on specific recalled items, visit http://www.recalls.gov/.

The City of Torrance began registering oversized vehicles and trailers in January of 2007.  As of July 1, 2007 only registered oversized vehicles and/or trailers with activated daily paperless parking permits are allowed to be parked on public streets.  There are also provisions for residents who are hosting visitors traveling in an oversized vehicle or trailer.  The resident registration stickers are available at the Community Development Department (CDD), and  the daily paperless parking  permits can be pre-purchased at the CDD or the Torrance Police Department (TPD) when City hall is closed.  The daily paperless parking permits can be activated by calling the TPD at (310) 618-5636.

Please visit our updated website here for more information.  If you have any questions or need clarification about registration stickers or daily paperless parking permits, please feel free to contact the Transportation Planning Division of the Community Development Department at (310) 618-5990 or via email at cddtraffic@torrnet.com.  If you have questions about parking enforcement, please contact the Traffic Division of the Torrance Police Department at (310) 618-5557.