Trivia Question❓

When Torrance officially incorporated as a city in 1921, approximately how many people lived here?

                                 A. 800          C. 5,500
                                 B. 1,800       D. 12,000

Torrance Missile Startup Soars to a $13 Billion Valuation

A Torrance defense startup has joined the ranks of America’s highest-valued private technology companies. Castelion raised $1 billion to accelerate production of its Blackbeard hypersonic missile and develop longer-range strike and defensive systems. The financing values the four-year-old company at $13 billion as U.S. demand for advanced weapons continues rising.

Quote of the Day

“The secret of getting ahead is getting started.”
— Mark Twain

Look Up Thursday Night — Torrance Gets a Partial Lunar Eclipse

Torrance skywatchers have a rare reason to look up Thursday night. A partial lunar eclipse will be visible locally as the moon rises, with the eclipse reaching maximum at about 9:12 p.m. The event lasts into early Friday morning, giving residents several hours to catch one of summer’s most striking celestial sights.

Coldplay’s Biggest Hits Are Coming to Wilson Park

Coldplay fans can enjoy the band’s biggest hits without leaving Torrance this Saturday. Coldplay USA takes the Wilson Park Amphitheatre stage as part of Torrance Summer Nights, bringing a free evening of live music outdoors. The family-friendly tribute concert runs from 5 to 6:30 p.m., with lawn chairs and blankets welcome.

Torrance Takes a Ride Through Japanese American Car Culture

South Bay car culture gets the spotlight Saturday at a free Torrance Public Library program featuring cultural scholar and CSU Long Beach professor Dr. Oliver Wang. Cruising J-Town explores more than a century of Japanese American automotive history, from hot rods and street racers to gardeners’ trucks, identity and community.

Torrance Hosts Its First Deaf Plus Awareness Resource Fair

Harbor Regional Center is hosting its first Deaf Plus Awareness Resource Fair in Torrance this Saturday. The free community event will bring together self-advocates, families, professionals and service organizations ahead of Deaf Awareness Month, with resources and information available from noon to 3 p.m. at the center’s Hawthorne Boulevard location.

A New Torrance Food Program Is Helping Neighbors Who Need It Most

A new community food program is quietly taking root in Torrance. Family Promise of the South Bay and First Christian Church have launched Torrance Table, providing monthly food distributions for unhoused residents, newly housed families and lower-income households. The program focuses on practical foods that are easy to prepare, store and carry.

Two El Camino Students Earn National Collision-Repair Scholarships

Two El Camino College students are getting a financial boost as they prepare for careers in collision repair. Brandon French and Chayse Johnson were each selected for $1,000 scholarships funded by CSN Collision through the Collision Repair Education Foundation, recognizing students pursuing the skilled technicians increasingly needed throughout the automotive industry.

Torrance Blood Donors Can Help During an Ongoing Shortage

Torrance residents looking for a simple way to help others have an especially important opportunity this week. The American Red Cross says an ongoing blood shortage continues to threaten the supply hospitals rely on for emergencies and routine care, with donation appointments available throughout the week at its Crenshaw Boulevard Torrance center.

Wilson Park Is Hiding a 2,500-Square-Foot Tree House

Most Torrance residents know Wilson Park, but many may have walked right past one of its most unusual attractions. The Annenberg Tree House is a 2,500-square-foot wooden structure designed for children and adults of all physical abilities—and it holds the distinction of being California’s first universally accessible tree house in a public space.

Take a Few Swings at Torrance’s Old-School Batting Cages

Hidden at the edge of Wilson Park is a wonderfully old-school Torrance experience. Torrance Batting Cages offers baseball, fast-pitch softball and slow-pitch machines, along with pitching tunnels and turf fields. The family behind the operation has been running South Bay batting cages since 1978, making this much more than another modern sports facility.

There’s a 40-Foot Climbing Wall Hiding on Hawthorne Boulevard

Behind an ordinary Hawthorne Boulevard storefront is one of Torrance’s biggest indoor adventures. Class 5 offers 26,000 square feet of climbing terrain, including a 40-foot lead wall, rope climbing, bouldering and a speed wall. Beginners are welcome too, making this a surprising option for residents looking to try something completely different close to home.

Why Is Old Torrance Turned at an Angle?

Ever notice that the streets of Old Torrance seem slightly tilted compared with the rest of the city? That unusual angle dates back to Torrance’s original 1912 master plan. The renowned Olmsted Brothers deliberately rotated the town’s street grid, creating a carefully planned industrial community with views, transportation and even prevailing winds taken into consideration.

Mamma Ciao Brings a Fresh Italian Start to Airport Drive

A familiar Torrance restaurant space has a new Italian identity. Mamma Ciao is now serving pasta, pizza, arancini, chicken parmigiana and other Italian comfort-food favorites on Airport Drive. The restaurant emphasizes traditional flavors and a casual neighborhood feel, giving South Torrance diners another option for an easy pasta-and-pizza night close to home.

A New Cafe With a Bigger Mission Is Opening on Carson Street

A new Torrance cafe is getting ready for its official debut, and there’s more behind it than coffee and food. Terrabite Cafe by ICAN will celebrate its grand opening August 31 inside The Lundquist Institute on Carson Street. ICAN is a Torrance-based nonprofit focused on employment, life skills and opportunities for adults with developmental disabilities.

A New Pho Spot Is Winning Fans in North Torrance

North Torrance has a newer Vietnamese restaurant worth putting on the lunch list. Pho South Bay is serving steaming bowls of pho with options including oxtail, short rib and its loaded signature combination, plus bún bò Huế, vermicelli and rice plates. Early diners are especially enthusiastic about the restaurant’s clear, deeply flavored broth.

Torrance Is Set to Choose Its New District 4 Councilmember Tuesday

Torrance’s vacant District 4 City Council seat could be filled Tuesday night. The Council is scheduled to interview qualified applicants and appoint a replacement at its August 25 meeting. Whoever is selected will immediately join the seven-member Council and serve District 4 until the results of Torrance’s March 2028 municipal election are certified.

A Huge Warehouse Proposal Is Stirring Debate in Torrance

A major industrial project near Del Amo Boulevard and Prairie Avenue is emerging as a Torrance land-use battle to watch. Prologis is seeking approval for a nearly 400,000-square-foot warehouse development on roughly 31 acres. The proposal has drawn concerns about truck traffic, air quality and wildlife habitat, while its environmental review moves through the city process.

A 335-Home Community Is Proposed at Torrance Boulevard and Western

Another major housing proposal is moving into environmental review in Torrance. The Westoria Residential Project would bring 335 homes to 7.82 acres near Torrance Boulevard and Western Avenue, replacing three existing commercial and light-industrial buildings. Plans call for 98 townhomes plus a six-story, 237-unit apartment building with parking and shared recreational space.

A 272-Unit Apartment Project Could Soon Replace a Crenshaw Boulevard Office

Another large Torrance housing project may be approaching a visible turning point. Plans call for replacing the former county office property at 2325 Crenshaw Boulevard with 272 apartments. County documents anticipated demolition around August 2026, while earlier project plans show four residential buildings, affordable units, parking and extensive shared outdoor amenities for future residents.

I-110 Carson Street Ramp Closures Could Snarl Torrance Traffic This Week

Drivers using the 110 Freeway near Torrance should expect daytime ramp closures this week. Caltrans lane-closure data shows the southbound I-110 Carson Street off-ramp scheduled to close Tuesday and Wednesday for striping work, followed by closures affecting the Carson Street on-ramp Thursday. The work is planned during late-morning and afternoon hours.

Torrance Recreation Registration Opens to Everyone Tuesday

Torrance’s fall recreation registration reaches its next stage Tuesday. After giving city residents a one-week head start, the Community Services Department opens registration to non-residents on August 25. Families still considering popular classes, sports and programs may want to register soon, since available spaces can become more competitive once enrollment expands beyond Torrance residents.

Torrance’s SoFi Shuttle Runs Again Thursday

Football fans have another car-free option Thursday night. Torrance Transit’s special SoFi Stadium service returns August 27 for the Chargers–Rams preseason matchup. Buses leave the Mary K. Giordano Regional Transit Center beginning at 4 p.m., with the final pregame departure at 6:30 p.m. for the game’s scheduled 7 p.m. kickoff.

💡 Answer to Trivia Question:

Answer: B. 1,800

Torrance began as a privately held planned industrial community in 1912. By 1921, its population had grown to roughly 1,800 residents, who voted 355–11 in favor of incorporating Torrance as an official city.

Fun Fact: One of the new city government’s early actions was making it illegal to spit on the sidewalk.