This Week's Top News in the South Bay

Here is a look at some of the top stories this week in the Beach Cities and on the Palos Verdes Peninsula as reported by Patch:

Redondo Beach

Man in Bubble Attempts Run to Catalina Island: Iranian-born runner Reza Baluchi is attempting to be the first person in history to run from the mainland to Catalina Island and back inside a specially modified inflatable "Zorb" ball.

Second Lawsuit Filed in Galleria Stabbing: A lawsuit has been filed on behalf of the second of two teens stabbed in December at the South Bay Galleria. The suit seeks unspecified damages on behalf of the plaintiff, who is identified in the complaint as Emeline V. She was stabbed multiple times, the suit states.

'Doc' Mishler Rides Horse Through Redondo Beach: Motorists in Redondo Beach got quite a shock midday Monday as a cowboy rode one horse and led two others down Pacific Coast Highway. The man, identified through photos as "Doc" T. Lawrence Mishler, is a "long ride" cowboy trekking cross-country to raise awareness for starving children.

Ground Broken for North Redondo Hotels: The Redondo Beach City Council tossed shovelfuls of loose dirt to signify the groundbreaking of two new hotels in North Redondo Beach on Tuesday. The hotels are expected it open in spring 2014 on the roughly 5-acre land formerly occupied by the Malibu Castle miniature golf course next to the 405 Freeway.

Manhattan Beach

Police Looking for Alleged Convenience Store Robber: Police are asking for help identifying a man who robbed the 7-Eleven at 1221 Artesia Blvd. on March 30 at about 1:21 a.m. Inside the 7-Eleven, the suspect shoved the store clerk several times while demanding cash, police said, then fled with cash.

City Loses Power for Second Night in a Row: For the second night in a row, Southern California Edison customers on and near Rosecrans Ave. between Sepulveda and Aviation boulevards experienced a power outage Wednesday. About 251 customers went dark around 7:08 p.m., Edison said.

• Related: Parts of MB Darkened By Power Outage

City Exploring Smoking Ban in Public Places: The possible expansion of Manhattan Beach's outdoor smoking ban will be the subject of a Town Hall meeting Monday at 6:30 p.m. in City Council Chambers, 1400 Highland Ave. As part of its commitment to the Healthways Blue Zones Vitality City initiative, City Council has been asked to consider an expansion of the existing ordinance to create a tobacco-free policy for all public places.

: One of Manhattan Beach's more famous moms has made headlines again, moving this time from receiving accolades for her beach volleyball prowess to giving birth to her and husband Casey Jennings' first daughter, Scout Margery Jennings.

Hermosa Beach

:  The driver of a vehicle believed involved in a vehicle burglary in Hermosa Beach Thursday morning led police on a three-city chase when he refused to pull over for a traffic stop in the city, said Sgt. Robert Higgins of the Hermosa Beach Police Department. With speeds reaching 90 miles per hour and a suspect who drove through red lights, stop signs and on the wrong side of the road.

Hermosa Pier Closes for Repairs: The Hermosa Beach Pier closed for 40 days beginning Monday. City officials expect the landmark to re-open on May 17, after repairs have been made. Workers will replace six deteriorating concrete piles and damaged concrete deck panel.

Metallic Balloons Spark Hermosa Power Outage: A Mylar balloon caused a power outage that initially impacted 971 Southern California Edison customers Saturday around 1:56 p.m., said David Song, SCE spokesman. In the last several years, SCE has experienced close to 2,000 power outages caused by balloons. In 2012, there were 583 balloon-related outages.

Palos Verdes

City Approves Drug Sniffing Dogs at PV High: The Palos Verdes Estates City Council approved Tuesday night a memorandum of understanding between the city and the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District implementing a drug-sniffing dog program at Palos Verdes High School.

'Voyager' Boat Finds Orcas Off Rocky Point:  A pod of seven orcas was spotted off the South Bay coastline on Thursday afternoon, according to observers. The Redondo Beach-based Voyager whale-watching boat was the first to spot the orcas—commonly known as killer whales—swimming about three miles off Rocky Point on the Palos Verdes Peninsula.

Crash Snarls Traffic Near Point Vicente: An accident on Palos Verdes Drive West next to the Point Vicente Interpretive Centert tied up traffic Monday evening, according to a news alert from the city of Rancho Palos Verdes.