CITY HALL ROUNDUP : Fight for Assembly turns rough: They’re already slinging . . . cough drops?

CAMPAIGN PITCH: The first salvo in Torrance City Councilman Dan Walker’s campaign for the state Assembly was launched this week. It turned out to be a cough drop.

The shot was fired after Walker told council colleagues Tuesday that he will forgo another term to run in a new Assembly district that would be created under a plan unveiled by the state Supreme Court this week.

Republican Councilman Bill Applegate responded by teasing Walker: “Are you running as a Republican or a Democrat?� He was referring to Walker’s 1984 switch from the Democratic party to the GOP.

A grinning Walker reacted by hurling a throat lozenge the length of the council dais. Though Applegate offers a substantial target, the medicinal mint sailed wide of its mark.

Airborne objects are not new to South Bay politics. Just last month at a Redondo Beach City Council meeting, a screaming City Clerk John L. Oliver hurled two electronic timing devices toward Mayor Brad Parton during a heated budget discussion.

But for now at least, Torrance leaders are starting small.

“We don’t have the same decorum as those people,� Applegate said later. “Just don’t compare us to Redondo Beach.�

MARATHON MAN: With five years of the often-raucous, small-town politics of Rancho Palos Verdes under his belt, Planning Director Bob Benard is sailing toward another municipal storm: He’s leaving next year to take a similar postion with the new city of Malibu.

Both cities have struggled recently over coastal development issues, often triggering nasty political infighting among the elected leaders. But Benard, a long-distance runner who helped organize the Palos Verdes Marathon for more than a decade, said it’s not a case of fleeing one hot spot for the next.

“Malibu is a spectacular place,� he said. “Who wouldn’t be thrilled going to an area like that? You just don’t get many planning opportunities like that.�

You also don’t get many jogging opportunities when you’re commuting from Manhattan Beach to Malibu each day. But Benard said he has no plans to run to work, even though he admits it would be a beautiful way to get in his 40-plus miles a week.

“My main planning goal will be to continue to provide public access to the coast,� he said. “But as far as running to work, it’s probably a little far. Maybe I’ll bike it on occasion.�

POST-MORTEM: The Redondo Beach Police Department became one of the first agencies in the county last week to agree to a new set of rules on viewing autopsies at the county coroner’s office.

Attending autopsies is a routine part of the job for homicide detectives in search of clues. A 1987 autopsy, however, turned into controversy when a Long Beach detective was splashed in the face with blood from a corpse infected with the virus that causes acquired immune deficiency syndrome.

The officer, Ronald Pavek, sued the coroner’s office for negligence even though he tested negative for the AIDS virus. In a ruling last year, Pavek won $250,000 for himself and $67,500 for his wife.

Now, as the county tries to overturn the jury award, officials have imposed new rules requiring all officers attending autopsies to hold the county harmless and agree to wear protective clothing.

County officials say they have heard of no resistance to the new rules. But if any of the 88 law enforcement agencies across the county refuse to adopt them by Jan. 1, the coroner’s office will simply bar their officers from watching post-mortems.

“They want officers to wear shoe covers and masks and take other precautions,� Redondo Beach Police Capt. Ray Graham said. “We certainly don’t have a problem with that.�

ON DONNER, BLITZEN AND MINIVAN: Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. And this year, there will also be snow in the South Bay.

In keeping with the Los Angeles holiday tradition of plastic reindeer and shopping mall Santa Clauses, the SuperShuttle fleet will bring snow to Los Angeles International Airport this season.

The ground transportation fleet will deliver 10 tons of snow to its LAX headquarters this weekend as part of an employee celebration for the firm’s 1,000 workers. Shuttle fleet officials say the snow will be used for sledding and sliding and, presumably, a snowball or two.

In case you were wondering, Santa Claus will also be on hand. He is scheduled to appear shortly before noon today--assuming, of course, that his flight arrives on time.

LAST WEEK’S HIGHLIGHTS

Rancho Palos Verdes: Facing a $2.4-million budget deficit, the City Council on Tuesday directed staff members to begin preparing the necessary documents for an April tax election. At the next council meeting, Dec. 17, the council will begin discussing the type and amount of tax to be placed on the ballot.

Manhattan Beach: In a letter released last week, the City Council requested that the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office investigate whether former City Manager David Thompson acted alone when he arranged a controversial $139,000 annual pension upon retirement, more than his $89,000 salary.

Redondo Beach: The City Council authorized City Manager William E. Kirchhoff to determine whether the Redondo Beach Elementary School District wants to work together to enhance Alta Vista School for use as a community center during evenings and weekends. Such a venture would make unnecessary the city’s plans to build a controversial community center in Alta Vista Park.

THIS WEEK’S HIGHLIGHTS

Carson: The city’s Redevelopment Agency holds a special meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the council chambers to hear residents’ comments concerning a proposed $8.5-million loan to Carson Mall Partners ownership group. The loan would partially finance a sweeping redesign of Carson Mall and is the key requirement toward securing home furnishings giant Ikea as a new anchor store.

OTHER COUNCIL MEETINGS THIS WEEK

Carson: 6 p.m. Tuesday, 701 E. Carson St.; (310) 830-7600. Televised at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday on Channel 26 (Continental Cablevision) and repeated the following Wednesday.

Gardena: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, 1700 W. 162nd St., Gardena; (310) 217-9565. Televised live on Channel 22 (Paragon) and repeated 7 p.m. on the two following Sundays.

Hawthorne: 7 p.m. Monday, 4455 W. 126th St., Hawthorne; (310) 970-7902. Televised on Channel 22 (Paragon) at 7 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday and 6 p.m. Saturday.

Hermosa Beach: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, 1315 Valley Drive, Hermosa Beach; (310) 318-0239. Televised live on Channel 3 (Multivision).

Inglewood: 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, 1 Manchester Blvd., Inglewood; (310) 412-5280. No cable telecast. Los Angeles: 10 a.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday at 200 N. Spring St., Los Angeles. In San Pedro, (310) 548-7637; in Wilmington, (310) 548-7586; in Harbor City/Harbor Gateway, (310) 548-7664; in Westchester, (310) 641-4717. Televised live on Channel 35; meetings repeated individually at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday and collectively on Sunday starting at 10 a.m.

Palos Verdes Estates: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, 340 Palos Verdes Drive West, Palos Verdes Estates; (310) 378-0383. No cable telecast.

Rolling Hills Estates: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, 4045 Palos Verdes Drive North, Rolling Hills Estates; (310) 377-1577. Televised live on Channel 3 (Dimension).

Torrance: 7 p.m. Tuesday, 3031 Torrance Blvd., Torrance; (310) 618-5880. Televised live on Channel 22 (Paragon), and replayed at 10 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, and at 10 a.m., 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.