What a fantastic turn out for the City's Halloween Frolic and other  community events leading into the Thanksgiving and holiday season. The City has a lot of festive celebrations and activities planned, including the annual holiday tree lighting on December 2 and the new Festival of Holidays on December 3. The El Segundo Chamber of Commerce's holiday parade also returns this year on December 12!

El Segundo's profile as a leader in the Southern California economy continues to shine bright with our recent nomination as a finalist for the 2021 Most Business-Friendly City in LA County award from the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation. Winners will be announced November 10^th at SoFi Stadium.

The Los Angeles Chargers chose El Segundo for its new headquarters and training facility. City staff worked hard over the past several months with representatives from Continental Development Corp., Mar Ventures, Inc., and the Los Angeles Chargers on the project development application.  This proposed project is scheduled to be considered by Planning Commission via a public hearing on November 18, 2021.  City Council will review the Planning Commission’s recommendations through a separate public hearing on December 7, 2021, with a second reading anticipated to take place on December 21, 2021.

- Scott Mitnick, El Segundo City Manager 

The Los Angeles Chargers announced they have selected El Segundo as the site of its new headquarters and state-of-the-art training facility. Read the full press release here. 

The new facility is expected to be completed in Spring 2024 and is located at the intersection of El Segundo Boulevard and Nash Street, on a 14-acre site in El Segundo, just seven miles from SoFi Stadium, where the team plays its home games.

The Chargers will join the Los Angeles Lakers and the LA Kings, both headquartered in El Segundo. This makes El Segundo the only city in America to host the front offices and practice facilities of major league professional football, basketball, and hockey teams. Los Angeles Lakers CEO and Co-Owner Jeanie Buss and LA Kings President and Hockey Hall of Famer, Luc Robitaille, welcomed the Chargers in a press release.

The Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation recently announced that El Segundo was named as a finalist for the 2021 Most Business-Friendly City in LA County award.

The winning cities of the Most Business-Friendly City (MBFC) competition will be announced at the 26^th Annual Eddy Awards held at SoFi Stadium on November 10, 2021. The Eddy Awards recognize leadership in economic development in business and government throughout LA County.

Why is El Segundo one of the most business-friendly cities in LA County? According to LAEDC, the nominated cities were selected for extraordinary business attraction, retention and expansion, as well as business recovery efforts during COVID-19.

Get to know our new Fire Chief Deena Lee in this special segment from El Segundo Media. 

Deena Lee became the City's fire chief,  on November 2, 2021, following the retirement of Fire Chief Chris Donovan.  Chief Lee is a twenty-year fire service veteran and is the South Bay region’s first female fire chief.  She is the only female fire chief in the broader Ventura/Los Angeles/Orange tri-county coastal area. 

“Drive, hard work, and dedication to helping people has led me to the position of fire chief,” shares Deena Lee. "I follow an 'if you see it, you can be it' philosophy. I want to empower and inspire girls and women to pursue leadership positions."   To learn more about Chief Lee, read the city's full press release here.

After 81 years, the historic Urho Saari Swim Stadium, better known as the Plunge, is in the process of a much-needed renovation.  The project includes modernizing the entire facility and upgrading the mechanical and filtration systems. The Plunge opened in 1940 and was built by the Work Projects Administration (WPA).  

Conceptual design for the renovation is complete. Take a look at the beautiful renderings here. The design artfully maintains the building’s historic character, particularly the iconic Art Deco façade, while renovating the interior to meet current building and accessibility standards. The project is moving into the engineering design phase and fundraising efforts are underway.

The renovation is scheduled to be completed by Spring 2025, and the Plunge will remain closed for the duration of the project. Additional information and updates will be shared on the City's website, social media, and future news bulletins.

The City of El Segundo Aquatics Department is now offering a new adaptive swim program called Swim with Me at the El Segundo Wiseburn Aquatics Center. The new program provides 1-on-1 lessons for kids with special needs. The program focuses on children's abilities, not disabilities and all sessions include sensory integration which are built into the lesson. Lessons are offered Saturday mornings. For more information and to register visit esrec.org. 

The holiday season is a busy time of the year and Community Services is excited to share with you all the upcoming events and activities for November and December. Opportunities for all ages include programs for Park Vista residents, the new Dial-A-Ride with Lyft program, the return of Santa's Mailbox, opportunity to join the Teen Advisory Committee, holiday cheer and celebration events including the Annual Tree Lighting and the new Festival of Holidays, and much more! Learn more here.

The City Council is currently accepting applications for positions on the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee.

There are two partial term positions available, and the deadline to submit an application is November 12, 2021 at 5:00 p.m. If you are interested in applying, you can submit an application by clicking here.  

For additional information or questions regarding Committees, Commissions and Boards, you can visit the city's webpage, or contact the City Council Office at 310-524-2302.

Getting around El Segundo is now easier than ever. El Segundo’s new Dial-a-Ride program offers residents aged 55 and older or those with disabilities free, door-to-door transportation to in-town destinations. Rides are available on-demand and can also be scheduled up to seven days in advance.  Read all the details here and watch an informational and tutorial video here. If you have any questions or need help please contact the Joslyn Center at 310-524-2705.