LAWT 08-30-2012

W E E K E N D E R

L.A. Watts Times Vol. XXX, No. 1299

www.lawattstimes.com

Thursday, August 30, 2012

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Thursday, August 30, 2012

HOROSCOPES Aug. 30-Sept. 5 A

RIES ~ You’ve done a lot of things in life that no one has agreed with at the beginning. Finding agreement this week will be difficult, but it should not deter you from moving forward. Feeling sorry for your loneliness will discolor what you are doing. Be happy that you are alone. Soul Affirmation: I get joy from giving good things.

AURUS ~ Eternal optimist, eternity is now. Get in touch with your hopefulness and be a beacon to others. Try not to be taken in by promises made by others or promises you’ve made to yourself. Concerning your own affairs, avoid contemplating lofty subjects and seeking long ranged solutions. Soul Affirmation: Time is the greatest peacemaker of them all.

EMINI ~ Some say optimism is fantasy.

Suppose the good thing you’re optimistic about never comes. This week you’ll know that the joy of anticipating it is joy enough. Just the certainty of coming goodness is present goodness. The joy of tomorrow is available this week. Soul Affirmation: This week is the week the Lord has made. I rejoice in it.

ANCER ~ You might be looking into the buying or selling of a piece of property, and this week seems to be a favorable week for this type of negotiation. Be careful with the intricacies of the matter. Pay attention to details or it could cost you a great deal later. Soul Affirmation: I care deeply about the feelings of others.

EO ~ What a blessed week this will be.

Spend it meditating on all that God has given you. This week think hard about some form of worship. Curtis Mayfield wrote a song called “Who Do You Love?” Someone should write one called “How Do You Love?” For your love lesson, the second song would be the one you should sing. Soul Affirmation: New intuitions create new plans and a new cast of characters.

IRGO ~ Your self-discipline helps you to do more this week. People will be watching as you zip around with style and grace!

Broaden your cultural horizons by trying new

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foods and meeting new people. You’ll be pleasantly surprised! Soul Affirmation: I am patient with all that comes my way this week.

IBRA ~ The urge to chase off on a tangent may be strong this week. Take a few minutes to study the big picture and make sure any whims serve the bigger purpose. It’s a good week to do what needs to be done. Soul Affirmation: Luck is my best friend this week.

CORPIO ~ You’ll be full of good ideas this week, so make sure you write down the ones you don’t have time to put into action.

You’ll want to share your thoughts on a grand scale, and your mind will seem truly universal to you. Try to be patient with those who are staggered by your brilliance. Soul Affirmation: Light from my soul shines in many directions.

AGITTARIUS ~ This week let your gentle spirit shine through. Your rough and tumble side is not appropriate for the relationships that you’ll encounter. Someone will need your understanding and sympathy. Give it with sensitivity. Soul Affirmation: My life itself is my greatest creation.

APRICORN ~ You’re faced with a formidable task but when you defeat it, you’ll take big steps toward a goal. Weigh in and give it your best. Your energy is high. The task looks larger before you start. Compromise with a partner. The immediate future promises love.

Soul Affirmation: I enjoy the spirits of people whose spirits are akin to mine this week QUARIUS ~ Yield to the harmony that lies below the surface of any seeming disagreement. Serenity is more important than your sense of righteousness. Questioning the motives of others will make your mind too suspicious to benefit from the unclear way in which love will present itself this week. Soul Affirmation: Freedom of mind is the greatest gift for me this week.

ISCES ~ Always remember that loved ones make the world a wonderful habitat.

Otherwise it is an empty place and no amount of material gain can give it the excitement you want and deserve. Soul Affirmation: I let my luck work for me.

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CIRCULATION AUDITED BY CIRCULATION VERIFICATION COUNCIL

Rhythmic music played in the background as Nii-Quartelai Quartey emceed and Mayor James Butts again Congresswoman Karen Bass (D- welcomed the audience to his city.

CA-33) was the guest of honor at the The crowd mixed, mingled and second “Conversations” last Sunday enjoyed a buffet while they awaited in Inglewood’s Savoy nightclub, the start of the conversation with hosted by talk radio’s Starlett Quarles, who is host of ‘The Quarles. Those who have followed Dialogue’ on KTYM 1460 AM. As the conversation began, Bass spoke of her high school years; it was actually a peep into what made her the kind of social activist and legislator that she has become.

Responding to Quarles’ questions, Bass related how she interacted with Professor Angela Davis at UCLA while attending Hamilton High School – a kind of activist school that allowed students time off to protest the Viet Nam War. She went to Europe post high school and while visiting London was caught in the free Angela Davis fervor there that made her return here.

Then years later, as a community activist, Bass founded Community Coalition and from there she catapulted to the legislature.

AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli Her mentors and memoCongresswoman Karen Bass rable moments were significant benchmarks of her the career of the youthful congress- career. She mentioned (Councilwoman, know her accomplishments member) Rita Walters, (Mayor) Tom have been monumental. She was the Bradley, (Mayor) Antonio first Black woman in the nation to be Villaraigosa, (Supervisor) Mark the Speaker of a state assembly. And, Ridley-Thomas, and (Council presiin the short time she has been in dent) Herb Wesson. One of those Congress she has been given some memorable moments, as Bass related coveted assignments.

See KAREN BASS, page 4

BY YUSSUF J. SIMMONDS CO-MANAGING EDITOR

L.A. Watts Times Published Weekly – Updates

‘Conversations’ continue with Congresswoman Karen Bass

BlackFacts.com August 30, 1843 Blacks participate in a national political convention for the first time at Liberty Party Convention in Buffalo, NY. Samuel R. Ward led the convention in prayer; Henry Highland Garnet was a member of the nominating committee; and Charles R. Ray was one of the convention secretaries.

Thursday, August 30 , 2012

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Obama says he wants to preserve Medicare ASSOCIATED PRESS The Medicare program is about keeping promises to millions of seniors who have put in a lifetime of hard work, President Barack Obama said Saturday August 25 in his radio and Internet address and in a new campaign ad.

The president used his weekly address to discuss the surging campaign issue, saying his goal is to strengthen Medicare and preserve the program for future generations. He made no mention of Republican rival Mitt Romney in the address.

But the new 30-second television ad, says Romney, “would break that promise” and replace the current Medicare system with a voucher program that wouldn’t keep up with costs.

“Insurance companies could just keep raising rates,” the new ad says.

Under a plan proposed by Romney’s running mate, Rep. Paul Ryan, starting in 2023 Medicare would be radically changed. New retirees would get a fixed amount of government money to pick either private health insurance or a federal plan modeled on Medicare. Ryan says that would keep the program solvent.

The Obama administration says the change could cost retirees as much

1 year later, MLK Memorial inscription unchanged

BY BRETT ZONGKER ASSOCIATED PRESS

AP Photo/Susan Walsh

President Barack Obama puts his arm around daughter Malia as they head to Camp David, Friday, Aug. 24, 2012. as $6,400 a year.

Romney has accused Obama of cutting more than $700 billion from Medicare to pay for his health care law.

In the Republican’s weekly address, Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky said the nation is being hurt by “the looting of the Treasury and 20 years of deficit spending.”

A year after the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial opened to visitors on the National Mall, the group behind the monument is still working with the National Park Service to change an inscription quoting the civil rights leader and is planning to bring new programs to the site.

Critics, includAP Photo/Susan Walsh ing the poet Maya The Martin Luther King, Jr., Memorial is seen in Angelou, comWashington, Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012. plained last year that the inscription didn’t accurately reflect King’s words phrased. But the full quotation seems from a 1968 sermon about how he more modest. The U.S. Department would like to be remembered. It reads: of the Interior, which oversees the “I was a drum major for justice, peace park service, ordered in February that the memorial should display the full and righteousness.”

The phrase is inscribed without quote. quotation marks because it is paraSee MLK INSCRIPTION, page 4

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Thursday, August 30, 2012

MLK INSCRIPTION Continued from page 3 The full quotation reads: “Yes, if you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice.

Say that I was a drum major for peace. I was a drum major for righteousness.

And all of the other shallow things will not matter.� The new text will be slightly smaller than the current inscription.

Harry Johnson, president of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Foundation, told The Associated Press on Tuesday that the work to change the inscription will wait until after the height of the summer tourist season.

Then the $120 million memorial’s original sculptor and stone carver will return likely in September or October to change the words carved in the central “Stone of Hope.� “We’re trying for the least amount of disruption so that no harm is done to the stone,� Johnson said of the upcoming stone work. Previously, the memorial group fought the change saying an alteration would harm the design and cause a mismatch in the memorial’s granite color.

Now plans call for Chinese sculptor Lei Yixin to chip away stone from the current inscription, add new granite and then smooth the lines of the stone to help

Metro Briefs

hide the patch work. Then third-generation stone carver Nicholas Benson of Newport, R.I., will add the full quotation to the memorial.

Organizers plan to complete the work by King’s birthday in January, though it’s not yet clear how much the work will cost. Johnson said the memorial foundation will help the park service pay for the stone work.

Between 1.5 million and 2 million people have visited the memorial in its first year, Johnson said.

The memorial group also is announcing plans to continue supporting the monument honoring King by becoming a booster organization to help the park service fund programs and maintenance at the memorial site.

Plans call for adding a multimedia walking tour using mobile devices like iPads to allow visitors to hear King’s speeches as they read some of his historic words engraved in the monument.

A donor has already offered to provide the electronic equipment, and the memorial site is equipped with wireless Internet service, Johnson said. “Our plan is to just talk about the significance of the quotes and give more of a walking history of the memorial,� he said. “That was in the plan originally. So now it’s time to take that a step further.�

KAREN BASS Continued from page 2

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to the audience, was when she was able to get $84 million directed to foster care and one was when she was sworn in as Speaker of the Assembly.

Quarles delved into holding elected officials accountable and Bass responded, “to be accountable is to be engaged; it’s a partnership.� She also explained that having President Obama in the White House is a source of inspiration but he too, is accountable because when “you’re picking a president, you’re not picking a messiah.�

Bass’ relationship with Obama goes back to when he was first running for president. She was one of the cochairs (with Attorney-general Kamala Harris) for his California campaign, and one of his staunchest supporters in Congress. Hence, she was able to convince him to come to the ‘hood (Roscoe’s) during one of his visits to Los Angeles.

When Quarles asked Bass about a typical day in Washington, D.C as the representative of the 33 rd District, Bass touched lightly on her personal activities and described what she actually did in Congress. She mentioned being on the Foreign Relations Committee and on the Budget Committee with Congressman/ vice presidential candidate, Paul Ryan, who also chairs that committee.

In the foreign relations arena, Bass was appointed to succeed her colleague, the late Donald Payne from New Jersey. She has made several trips to Africa in an effort to implement the President’s African policy of trying to make some of the countries agriculturally self-sustaining; and to promote trade with the countries who are able to maintain such a relationship.

She mentioned that Africa can hold the U.S. about three times; that it has about 54 countries and if the U.S. does not aggressively engage in trade and import/export with Africa, there are other countries in the world that are already moving in that direction including China, Russia and Brazil.

Former Oklahoma State player’s sentencing delayed

AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki

Alice Williams, second from left, the mother of Darrell Williams, his aunt, Mildred Williams, second from right, and his cousin, Tarina Williams, right, look on as the Rev. Jesse Jackson answers a question for the media in Stillwater, Okla., Friday, Aug. 24, 2012. Darrell Williams’ sentencing hearing was delayed by Judge Phillip Corley so he can consider a motion for a new trial. Williams, a former Oklahoma State basketball player was convicted of sexually assaulting two women at an off-campus party.

BY JEFF LATZKE ASSOCIATED PRESS Supporters of an Oklahoma State basketball player convicted of sexually assaulting two women at a party say he’s a victim of misidentification in a case with no physical evidence.

One of the women says she’s infuriated by the people who are “blindly� supporting Darrell Williams “without knowing the facts of what happened that night.�

Now a judge is considering whether to give him a new trial. Judge Phillip Corley delayed Williams’ sentencing on Friday August 24 so he can consider a defense motion claiming that new evidence had been found.

The defense motion says the new evidence could have impeached a witness and changed the outcome of the trial.

A jury found Williams guilty last month of sexual battery and two counts of rape by instrumentation, all felonies, and recommended one-year prison sentences for each of the rape counts. Williams was also acquitted of two additional counts of rape by instrumentation.

The judge’s decision last Friday was a glimmer of hope celebrated by his family and the Rev. Jesse Jackson, who came to Stillwater to speak on Williams’ behalf and draw attention to a case he believes to be flawed. “If there is another trial, it will be more transparent — more people watching it in the courtroom and from around the nation,� Jackson said outside the courthouse.

Williams’ attorneys have cast doubt on the case from the outset, arguing that there was no physical evidence, such as a rape kit or DNA, and neither of the accusers suffered any injuries or had their clothes damaged.

It’s not clear what new evidence defense attorneys have. Williams’ attorneys, Cheryl Ramsey and Willie

Baker, declined comment, and Jackson said the judge was keeping it under seal. Prosecutor Jill Tontz and Oklahoma State coach Travis Ford have both said they will not comment until after the sentencing.

Corley set a Sept. 14 hearing on the defense motion. In the meantime, Williams will remain in the Payne County Jail.

Williams enrolled at Oklahoma State in Stillwater — a town tucked away on the high prairie — after his brother was shot to death on Chicago’s South Side in 2009. His family hoped the move would keep him out of danger. Armed with big dreams and a knack for the game, Williams made the most of his time at OSU, leading the team in rebounding and averaging more than 7 points a game in 2010.

That all changed at an off-campus party after a home game in December 2010.

As Williams has been in jail awaiting sentencing, several websites and Facebook pages have popped up in support of him, along with an online petition urging the judge to suspend his sentence.

One of Williams’ accusers blasted some of his supporters who believe race played a role in his conviction or that she and the other victim had something to gain by coming forward. Williams is black, while his accusers and 11 of the 12 jurors are white. “That’s ignorance for people to say this is a race thing,� she said in an interview earlier this week. “It’s not about race; it’s about rape. He raped two girls.�

The AP typically does not identify victims of sexual assault.

Williams’ lawyers claim their client passed two lie-detector tests conducted by a State Bureau of Investigation examiner that were not admitted into evidence. They also contend the identification process — See WILLIAMS, page 13

Thursday, August 30, 2012

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New Orleans’ post-Katrina gentrification is touchy

BY CAIN BURDEAU | ASSOCIATED PRESS With Isaac bearing down on New Orleans, the city finds itself at a delicate moment in its rebuilding since Hurricane Katrina struck seven years ago.

Private and government investment is fueling the push to overhaul some of the city’s troubled but culturally rich neighborhoods near the French Quarter, where poor families are being replaced as wealthier ones move in. While the city’s in a boom and even gentrifying, some question whether it will wither the roots that grew the city’s distinctive identity.

“New Orleans is becoming a boutique city like San Francisco,” said Gary Clark, a politics professor at Dillard University. “You may see Black middle class moving in, but with gentrification there’s overwhelmingly White individuals of means who become the new urban pioneers.”

The number of Whites, although smaller than before Katrina, has grown as an overall percentage from 28 percent to 33 percent of the city’s population. The city has its first white mayor since the 1970s, while the City Council now has a majority of white members.

On the flip side, Blacks say there’s danger that their community will be diminished in a city that owes deep cultural and economic debts to its AfroCaribbean roots. Since the storm the African-American community has

shrunk by about 118,500 people, dropping from about 68 percent of the population to about 60 percent. “(Blacks) don’t see themselves as being a part of the recovery economy and getting real opportunity,” said Nolan V. Rollins, the Urban League of Greater New Orleans president.

It’s not clear what effect Isaac could have on the city. On Tuesday afternoon, the storm had become a Category 1 hurricane with winds of 75 mph.

This winter the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development plans to demolish the last of the New Dealera public housing still standing in New Orleans — the 850-unit Iberville complex. It was erected over the slums of what was for a time the nation’s only legal red-light district, Storyville.

The demolition is part of a $31 million HUD “choice neighborhoods” project, a concept pushed by the Obama administration across the nation. HUD hopes that by starting the process of gentrification, private investment will follow and the communities will become desirable places for all races and classes to live in.

Linda Couch, a public housing expert at the National Low-Income Housing Coalition, said the new approach “has the elements of success.”

Meanwhile, another $4 billion in private and government investment has been pouring into the historic neighborhoods of Iberville and Treme, the hearth of the city’s African-American culture.

The 1.4 square miles where much

of the redevelopment is occurring has long been known for gumbo, jazz, voodoo and civil rights pioneers.

Immigrants from around the world lived side by side with Blacks in Treme and Iberville, where Louis Armstrong once walked the streets and delivered coal as a boy.

But the entire area fell on hard times after the 1960s, as Whites moved to the suburbs and bad urban planning took its toll. By the time Katrina hit, it was struggling and looked like an urban desert of blight, drugs and abandonment in many areas.

The plan for redeveloping the area could include the removal of a noisy concrete interstate expressway that runs through Treme with the hope of restoring what was one of the city’s main streets for Black commerce.

Work is already underway to turn an unused rail corridor into a miles-long walking and bike path called the Lafitte Greenway, turning old schools into new charters and opening “freshfood” supermarkets.

Taking down the Iberville housing complex is crucial, planners say, to connect Treme with the downtown’s theater and business district on Canal Street.

“I think we can retain the soul of New Orleans and in fact enhance it by going through this process,” said David Gilmore, a HUD housing expert leading the planning effort.

Many residents see a chance to save neighborhoods that have fallen prey to

AP Photo/Gerald Herbert

Children run in a courtyard of the Iberville housing projects. drugs, poverty and blight.

“We’re happy if someone moves down the street into a blighted property,” said Jennifer Jones, the self-styled “queen of the second-line” and member of a Treme family of musicians. “No one’s angry about Whites moving in.

When we grew up, there was a lot of mixing going on,” Jones said.

But others are apprehensive.

“Maybe they’ve got their reason,” said Lionel Glenn, a 69-year-old retired laborer who ended up at Iberville after another project he was in was torn down after Katrina. “I’d like to stay, but I’ve got to move.”

A recent article in a Black See POST-KATRINA, page 12

It’s never too early.

Start reading to your kids on day one.

Even a trip to the grocery store is a chance to learn.

Read food labels, shopping lists, and store signs to your child.

It all helps.

First5California.com/parents

Doing the little things means everything.

/First5California

/First5CA

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Thursday, August 30, 2012

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We’re committed to help make a difference … one neighborhood at a time.

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Thursday, August 30, 2012

7

Congresswoman Laura Hollywood Park can’t commit Richardson Supports to racing in fall 2013 Re-Entry Services Program in Compton ASSOCIATED PRESS

Rep. Laura Richardson Says ‘Yes’ to Second Chances

Betfair Hollywood Park officials told the California Horse Racing Board that they can’t commit to racing next fall.

The board asked track officials to commit to staging its spring-summer meet from late April to mid-July 2013 and its fall meet in November and December 2013, but Hollywood Park President Jack Liebau says they can’t commit to the fall meet that far in advance.

The racing board this month approved 2013 dates for Santa Anita, Betfair Hollywood Park and Del Mar, contingent on officials at the Inglewood track announcing whether

it will run in the fall by Jan. 1.

The track’s parent company, Bay Meadows Land Co., has said it wants to end racing at the site and develop the

property into residential and commercial use. Liebau told the board that the struggling economy has created unfavorable conditions for development.

Senator calls for fed probe into gas price spike Rep. Laura Richardson stands with Inglewood resident Patrick Jenkins, 34, an ex-inmate who served 12 years in a California prison and today is working as a courtesy clerk for Bestway Grocery store in Inglewood.

Rep. Laura Richardson (DCalifornia) is championing the opening of a special program in Compton to help ex-inmates successfully transition back into the community. The program, will provide employmentfocused services, occupational training that leads to industry recognized credentials in demand industries, mentoring and assistance, supportive services such as housing, substance abuse programs, and mental health.

One of Richardson’s goals is to make sure that the local churches in South Los Angeles, Watts, Compton, Carson and North Long Beach are an integral part of this new program.

“The reintegration of ex-offenders is a high priority for me because there is a huge need for these services,” said Richardson. “I am a big

believer in second chances and am proud to be a part of this effort.”

Richardson currently represents 58 percent of the newly created 44th Congressional District, making her the natural incumbent. First elected to Congress in 2007, she became the first person in United States history to serve at the local, state, and federal level in the span of less than one year. She is a member of International Association of Machinists, giving her the distinction of being the first Machinist elected to Congress.

The 44th Congressional District includes the cities of Carson, Compton, South Gate, Lynwood, and the communities of Watts, Wilmington, San Pedro, northern Long Beach, and Walnut Park.

Brown gets partial win in Calif. pension reforms

BY JUDY LIN ASSOCIATED PRESS Gov. Jerry Brown recently announced systemic reforms to California's badly underfunded public

pension system that he says will save taxpayers billions of dollars over time, but he also was unable to persuade his fellow Democrats to give him some of See PENSION REFORM, page 14

Gov. Jerry Brown

ASSOCIATED PRESS California Sen. Dianne Feinstein is calling for a federal investigation into gasoline price spikes that followed a fire at the Chevron Corp. oil refinery in Richmond.

In a letter sent on Tuesday August 28 to the Federal Trade Commission,

Feinstein said the Aug. 6 blaze that damaged the state’s third largest refinery did not affect gasoline supplies as some analysts forecast, yet prices still rose dramatically.

Feinstein said the price of gas in the state reached a high of $4.21, more than double the increase seen in aver-

age cost of a gallon of gas in the continental U.S. On Tuesday, the average price for a gallon of regular gasoline in California was $4.12, up from $3.86 on Aug. 7.

The senator said the spikes “appear to be unjustified by supply and demand fundamentals.”

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F E AT U R E

Thursday, August 30, 2012

L.A. Watts Times WEEKENDER

Get Ready For Football Star Power

L.A. Style

By Kenneth Miller | LAWT Contributing Writer

Although the city of Los Angeles has been without a National Football League team since the Raiders followed the Rams right out of town in 1995, L.A. born players will be most prominent and dominant this season in both the NFL and collegiate ranks.

More players born in Los Angeles will wear NFL uniforms than any other city, with an estimated 114 on rosters opening day. On the college circuit the top team in the nation is bowl eligible USC. While you are channel surfing throughout this football season, you are likely to see some of these local African American players shine in the colors of their team.

NNAMDI ASOMUGHA/EAGLES If the Raiders never turn their fortunes around he will not be the single reason, but when the late Al Davis allowed for this pure cover corner to leave via free agency you knew the old man had lost it.

Although he was born in Louisiana, he is Nigerian. He attended Bishop Montgomery, Leuzinger and Narbonne before signing with Cal Berkeley.

KENJON BARNER/OREGON If you want to know why Oregon didn’t even flinch when their most productive oơensive players from 2011 bolted to the pros, you need to look no further than the return of this senior power runner who hails from Lynwood.

He rushed for 123 carries on just 15 carries against USC last season while averaging 8 yards per carry.

JARED BELL/COLORADO Born in Pasadena. His dad, Richard Bell, was a wing back at Nebraska and was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1990 NFL draft, where he played for one season as a running back.

He is also related to former Major League Baseball star Darryl Strawberry who won four World Series titles with the New York Mets and New York Yankees and was an eight-time All-Star during his 17-year career. Young Jared is a defensive back for the Buơs and planning to make his own headlines this season.

JOSELIO HANSON/PHILADELPHIA EAGLES Bet you probably didn’t know the success of the ‘Dream Team’ would probably be riding on the trusted shoulders of an unheralded corner back from Inglewood who prepped at St Bernard.

Hanson didn’t even make the team in high school as a junior, but helped the Vikings excel as a senior. Despite not being recruited by the big boys, he went to El Camino College, was an undrafted rookie to make an impression with the 49ers before being cut and now has a twoyear deal with the Eagles. Hard work pays oơ.

Donald Penn played at Utah St. and Jose Hanson played at Texas Tech and El Camino Community College.

Here is why Oregon will scare the scarlet and gold out of USC.

His 15 career picks is not close to describing how valuable a player he is which is why the Eagles paid $60 mil to get him. If he does his thing Philly can live up to expectations.

MARQISE LEE/USC Matt Barkley could have been the second pick in the 2012 NFL draft, but decided to remain a Trojan probably because there are not better receivers in the NFL than he has on his team.

One of them is this elite high flyer that caught 73 passes for 1143 yards and 11 touchdowns, as a FRESHMAN! He also ran for another 285 on returns and another score.

This super sensational sophomore from Serra High School in Gardena already has NFL scouts drooling and agents lining up at his doorstep. A three-sport star at Serra where he was exceptional in football, basketball and world class in track is oơ the charts and reason for the Trojan horse to get in shape for this campaign.

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www.lawattstimes.com

Thursday, August 30, 2012

DESEAN JACKSON/ EAGLES DJ has always been a bonafide star from the moment he took flight playing for local powerhouse Long Beach Poly where he led the Jackrabbits to the CIF Southern Section title as a senior in 2004. He was an MVP in the Army Under Armour All American game the same year he got away to Cal, a mistake USC and UCLA never quite recovered from.

ROBERT WOODS/ USC The other tandem in that dynamic duo at USC that just would not allow for Barkley to leave for the riches of the NFL. Born in Gardena where he also attended Serra High School where he starred in football and played basketball. A year ahead of Lee and will probably leave with his quarterback to the NFL following what should be a banner season. Has 176 catches for more than 2,000 yards receiving in career at SC.

Even after starring at Cal and giving SC and the Bruins nightmares he lasted until the second round where he was nabbed by the Eagles and has been their go to wide out ever since.

He took last season oơ from the field, dismayed that he wasn’t rewarded with a sizeable contract that he subsequently got this year.

Born and raised in Los Angeles he has caught passes for more than 4,000 yards and scored 21 touchdowns during a brief three-year career. The sky is the limit for him and he knows it and with the cash in the bag, he has no more excuses to point at. A two-time Pro Bowler already he could be aimed towards Canton when its all said and done.

9

DELANIE WALKER /SAN FRANCISCO 49ers Another Los Angeles native flying under the radar in the Bay. A sixth round draft pick by the Niners in 2006, he played high school ball at Pomona High, went to Mr. San Antonio College and then Central Missouri. A tightend with a wide receivers speed, which makes for him a diƥcult cover in the West Coast oơense. A name to be reckoned with on the upstart 49ers.

STEVE SMITH/ PANTHERS Only one of 35 NFL players to achieve more than 10, 000 receiving yards with 59 touchdowns and six TD returns on kickoơs for the only team he has ever played for during an illustrious 11 year NFL career. A Los Angeles native who attended University High before going to Santa Monica College and earning a scholarship to the University of Utah, he is everything that DeSean Jackson wants to be. Durable and a fiery competitor who is a five time Pro Bowl selection. Undoubtedly the most accomplished football player on this list. Cam Newton threw to him 29 times for 1,394 yards and six touchdowns in ’11 and there is no reason not to expect more from the duo this season.

DEANTHONY THOMAS/ OREGON When Snoop Dogg gives you a nickname then you must be really something! The Black Mamba electrified crowds while at Crenshaw where he played three positions, running back defensive back and wide receiver in addition to returning kicks. Not to mention that he ran a blistering 20-second 200 meters for the Cougars track team. He could have been the reason the USC football program never recovered from probation if not for Lee and Woods, but Oregon is sure as heck happy he decided to come there.

DONALD PENN/TAMPA BAY BUCS Here is another St. Bernard Viking that went undrafted, but is currently starting oơensive line in the NFL. Further proof that if you are good enough the NFL will find you. He went to Utah State before the Minnesota Vikings signed him, made the Pro Bowl in 2010 and is now the primary protector of quarterback Josh Freeman.

As a true freshman for Oregon he amassed a staggering 2,235 all-purpose yards, while his season haul of 18 touchdowns reset the school record for number of touchdowns by a true freshman.

He turned in a stellar two touchdown, 314 all-purpose yard performances in the Rose Bowl that helped propel Oregon to a 45-38 victory over Wisconsin. In that game, his 91-yard touchdown run broke the previous Rose Bowl record for the longest run from scrimmage. His only other carry in that game resulted in a 64-yard score, giving him a 77.5-yard average for the mention.

The Heisman trophy is next!

HAYES PULLARD/USC This rugged albeit versatile linebacker who played on the same high school team with DeAnthony Thompson is a NFL prototype who runs well from sideline to side line and is a big play threat. He played on the oơensive backfield and on defense for Robert Garrett at Crenshaw and had 12 solo tackles against Oregon in 2011. Undoubtedly a major defensive anchor for the No. 1 ranked Trojans whose future is well beyond the collegiate ranks. Born and raised in Inglewood, he is just additional proof that with or without an NFL team, we got pros playing here!

10

Thursday, August 30, 2012

Jus Kick ‘N It|

By Kenneth Miller

[Editor’s note: Ken Miller is an award winning veteran journalist who spent 30 years writing for the L.A. Sentinel and has been a popular guest on local sports talk radio for several years. This is the first edition of his weekly sports column.]

Anyone who thought for just one moment that my perspective on life is boxed into sports just think again.

While I certainly want to offer a different perspective on the sports world, it is secondary at least for the

licans are sort of behaving like the crips and bloods, but they are not killing each other they just seem to be killing us slowly.

Each will stage their national conventions over the next two weeks, with the Reeps wrapping up this week in Tampa and the Dems next week in Charlotte.

I can’t help but notice that both parties play this political game of football much better than me, but I am always in tune to what side celebrities or athletes play their political hand.

I know that Hall of Fame Pittsburgh Steeler receiver Lynn Swann; a former Trojan is also a Reep,

style of reporters until he showed up on FOX bashing the president.

I do know that many NBA players are down with the Prez, such as LeBron James, and Oprah told us a long time ago Obama is ‘Brilliant.’

Boxing promoter Don King used to wear a George Bush button on his sequined jacket, but now says that he is a Republicrat, whatever the who that is.

Is it just me or does the Republican Party reflect a group of elitist whites, rarely a brother or sister in sight?

If Mitt Romney was a surgeon I

Michelle Obama congratulates Olympic gold medalist LeBron James.

as well as former SC athletic Director Mike Garrett.

Have you ever checked out Real Sports on HBO and saw this dude Bernard Goldberg? I once admired his

sure would not want him operating on me. The dude goes back and forth more than a windshield wiper and just has a sneaky look about him as if he’s hiding something. Maybe his taxes? I’m just sayin’.

The kid running mate Paul Ryan has a rather sinister look about him that spells doom for us if that cat is second in command.

Personally, I have debated what the hell I am, until I look at the Republican Party. There is no one in that party that quite resembles me or my ideas.

Bottom line my friends if you think this election is about the economy or political parties you are dead wrong.

It’s about the class of races, white against Black. Them white folk want President Obama out by any means necessary, and as much as they can ‘trust what Mitt will do,’ he does have a complexion they can relate to.

DON’T LET IT HAPPEN!

USC’s Robert Woods wants to make bigger plays Robert Woods

BY GREG BEACHAM ASSOCIATED PRESS

next few months when Americans will decide the fate of its first African American president, Barack Obama.

Both the Democrats and Repub-

business card bulletin board

Lynn Swann

Robert Woods’ goal for the upcoming season sounds fairly modest.

“Just trying to make more plays than I did last year,” he said.

Except that last season, the AllAmerican receiver made more plays for top-ranked Southern California than anybody in school or conference history. Woods made 111 catches, breaking Keyshawn Johnson’s records in just 12

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games — even without the benefit of a Pac-12 title game or a bowl game for the postseason-banned Trojans.

So just how can Woods top the most prolific season ever produced by a receiver at a school with decades of stellar offensive tradition? By improving the quality of his plays, not the quantity.

“If you check out some of the games, I had a big drop against Stanford,” Woods said.

“That was a big play right there. Some missed opportunities in the Cal game, the Washington game.

Those are the type of plays I need to make, and those are the plays I need to capitalize on.”

Woods clearly pays attention to details, even on plays that happened 10 months ago. Nothing has changed about his meticulous preparation and work ethic, which have pushed him above Provocative Public Issues Talk! with Earl Ofari Hutchinson

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AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File

receivers with greater physical gifts at USC. And though Woods has set a deceptively daunting goal for himself, he says he's close to fully healthy after rehabilitating an injured ankle throughout the offseason. USC limited Woods to one practice on many two-a-day sessions, attempting to keep him in the best shape possible for Saturday’s season opener against Hawaii at the Coliseum.

If Woods can stay healthy, the Trojans think there’s no limit to what he could accomplish as a junior.

“This is the best he has looked since last year or so,” USC coach Lane Kiffin said. “It’s good to see him push a little more, make five or six plays in a row.”

With 176 receptions in two seasons, Woods already is the sixth-leading receiver in USC’s rich history, even without ever playing in a postseason game. He’s also just 40 catches shy of Dwayne Jarrett’s school-record 216 catches, which means Woods easily could be the leading pass-catcher in USC history by the midway point of his junior season.

But after two years of youthful overachievement, Woods seems confident in his status as an upperclassman and a team leader. He’s among the core of young talent that never considered leaving USC during its two-year postseason ban, and he’s poised for the high expectations that come with the preseason No. 1 ranking.

“It’s the same,” Woods said of the Trojans’ preparations for a season with much higher expectations.

See USC WOODS, page 14

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Thursday, August 30, 2012

e v e n t LISTINGS

8-9 / 2012

L.A. Watts Times Calendar, Compiled by Brandon I. Brooks, Co-Managing Editor 8/30 U.S. REP. KAREN BASS TO ADDRESS HOUSING CRISIS IN TOWN HALL: U.S. Rep. Karen Bass will host a Mortgage Relief Town Hall and Resource Fair to inform residents of the 33rd Congressional District about the latest news from the Obama Administration’s housing and mortgage relief programs. WHEN: 6:30 p.m. WHERE: Culver City Senior Center 4095 Overland Avenue Culver City, CA 90232. RSVP: http://mortgagerelieftownhall.eventbrite.com or call (323) 965-1422.

GANG GIRL MOVIE SCREENING: Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, The Empowerment Congress and the Public Safety Committee invite you to a special screening of “GANG GIRL.” Join us for this captivating look into the growing epidemic of girls subscribing to gang culture, a frank discussion of what we can do as a community to stop Mark Ridley-Thomas the trend, and one woman’s quest to save her daughter from a life of destruction.

Executive Produced and Directed by Valerie Goodloe. WHEN: 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.

WHERE: RAVE CINEMAS BALDWIN HILLS 4020 MARLTON AVENUE LOS ANGELES, CA 90008. First come first served. For more information please call (213) 346-3246 or email publicsafetyandjustice@empowermentcongress.org. Admission is Free. RSVP is required.

CIRQUE DU SOLEIL CASTING TEAM TO HOLD AUDITIONS: Cirque du Soleil is seeking new talent for its current shows and upcoming creations and will be holding auditions in Los Angeles for circus performers (all floor and aerial disciplines) and open auditions for athletes (artistic, acrobatic and rhythmic gymnastics, diving, trampoline, tumbling, parkour, martial arts and other sports). WHEN: Auditions will run Thursday, Aug. 30 – Tuesday, Sept. 4. WHERE: Kinetic Theory 3604 Holdrege Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90016.

9/1 BARBARA MORRISON AT CATALINA BAR & GRILL: Barbara Morrison, the critically acclaimed and popular Jazz & Blues singer, will return to Catalina Bar & Grill for two shows during the Labor Day Weekend. WHEN: Saturday (9/1) at 8:30 p.m. and Sunday (9/2) at 7:30 p.m. WHERE: Catalina Bar & Grill 6725 West Sunset Boulevard (just east of North Highland Avenue) Los Angeles, CA 90028.

There is a $25 Cover Charge per person for the show on Saturday. There is a $20 Cover Charge per person for the show on Sunday.

Reservations for the shows and dinner can be made by Barbara Morrison calling Catalina Bar & Grill at 323-466-2210 or online at www.ticketweb.com. Dinner or a two-drink minimum is required, in addition to the purchase

of tickets for either show. Doors will open for dinner one and half hours prior to the show time on each evening. Valet Parking is available. For further information about the performance, please visit the website www.catalinajazzclub.com. For further information about Barbara Morrison, please visit the websites www.barbaramorrison.com and www.barbaramorrisonpac.com.

9/2 TARGET SUNDAYS

AT CAAM: Bash, Bash Calabash: The California African American Museum (CAAM) presents its Target Sundays at CAAM program Bash, Bash Calabash, a Caribbean themed event, this Labor Day weekend. Filled with elaborate Caribbean costumes, indigenous foods and a musical feast the program will include live performances in CAAM’s courtyard. WHEN: 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. WHERE: CAAM is located at 600 State Drive, Exposition Park, Los Angeles, CA 90037. This event is free and open to the public, for more information visit www.caamuseum.org. RSVP (213) 744-2024.

Parking is $10 per vehicle and available on 39th and Figueroa streets.

9/4 MCDONALDS BREAKFAST GIVEAWAY: To help students start the new school year off right, participating McDonald’s® restaurants in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties will offer one free full-size Fruit & Maple Oatmeal to students in kindergarten through eighth grade that come to a restaurant accompanied by an adult.

WHEN: 6 – 9 a.m.

Where: Participating McDonald’s restaurants in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties. Made with 100 percent natural whole grain oats, McDonald’s Fruit & Maple Oatmeal is freshly prepared and topped with about a half cup of real fruit including, fresh diced red and green apples, tangy dried cranberries, and two types of sweet plump raisins. At only 290 calories, it is rich in dietary fiber and Vitamin C, providing an excellent source of nutrients and offering warm smiles with every spoonful. For more information on the Fruit & Maple Oatmeal and McDonald’s “Commitments to Offer Improved Nutrition Choices”, visit www.McDonalds.com/changing.

9/5 50+ EXERCISE CLUB: Come out and join our fun no cost classes. Have fun while improving your strength, balance, stamina and overall quality of life. Our classes help older South Los Angeles men and women get in better shape. Our 50+ classes can also add variety to an already established routine. Everyone is invited to attend regardless of fitness level. There is something for everyone. Become your own best physician.

WHEN: 9:30 a.m. for Body, Mind, Spirit Dance Movement class. A very fun low impact movement class geared for those who love music. No dance experience needed. Also, on Saturday September 8th at 8:45am let’s meet for beginning Yoga. Bring your own mat or you may use one of ours. Both classes are facilitated by professional experienced teachers who understand senior needs. WHERE: Classes are held at Enterprise Park (Central and El Segundo) 13055 Clovis Ave. LA 90061. For more details or directions call Pat 323 422-4060. Bring a friend!

You’ll come for the fun but stay for the benefits.

9/6 COMMUNITY MEETING: With all the news concerning the second closing of the I-405 through the Sepulveda Pass September 29 and 30, it would be easy to overlook that the range of closures will be the same as last year.

Northbound lanes will be closed from the I-10 to US 101. Southbound lanes will be closed from US 101 to the Getty Center ramps. A community meeting offers the opportunity to ask questions of representatives of the Unified Command, the group of agencies managing public safety and emergency services during the weekend I-405 freeway closure, on September 29 and 30. WHEN: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. WHERE: Skirball Cultural Center Ahmanson Hall 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90049.

Free parking will be available in the north garage on the Skirball campus and the east garage on the east side of Sepulveda Bl.

WHERE: Located in Central Park, located at 7111 Talbert Avenue, Huntington Beach, CA 92648.

The events main stage will feature some of today’s hottest performers in Angie Stone, Peabo Bryson, Najee, The Tony Rich Angie Stone Project, Walter Beasley and Anthony David. The festival takes place down the hill from the Huntington Beach Library in an incredible setting filled with lots of shady trees, a beautiful lake behind the stage and many desirable spots to pick from. Every year music lovers come together for a great time, great shows and great food. WHEN: Music will start at 11:15 a.m. and continue until 9 p.m. For Tickets go to www.bbjazz.com or call (714) 377-7574.

9/8

TO MAKE A CALENDAR SUBMISSION: Include event name, date(s),

BBJAZZ FESTIVAL 10TH ANNIVERSARY:

time, location, contact/RSVP information and admission price, if any. Use BRIEF paragraph format (no lists, line breaks, or all caps). All calendar submissions are space-permitting and may be edited for brevity. Send submissions, along with any images, to brandon@lasentinel.net with the subject heading “LAWT Community Events.” Please include text in the body of your email, not in an attachment.

Enjoy a fabulous Vendor Village with great choices of food, merchandise and it is topped with a live R&B/Funk band PINOT performing between the main shows. Don’t forget to sign up at the Farmers & Merchants Bank booth for a chance to win a Balcony Suite for a week on the Smooth Jazz Cruise next January 2013.

12

Thursday, August 30, 2012

Curiosity beams new will.i.am song from Mars

Mary J. Blige as Betty Shabazz, Angela Bassett as Coretta Scott King in Lifetime Film SPECIAL TO THE NNPA FROM THE ST. LOUIS AMERICAN

ASSOCIATED PRESS the equator of Mars, and played back — a journey of some 700 million miles.

The musician, who promotes science and mathematics education, was among more than a dozen celebrities who were invited to JPL to watch Curiosity’s landing earlier this month. Others included Wil Wheaton, Seth Green and Morgan Freeman.

In 2008, NASA beamed the Beatles’ “Across the Universe” into the cosmos to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the song.

Will.i.am has premiered his new single — from Mars.

The NASA rover Curiosity beamed to Earth his new song “Reach for the Stars” on Tuesday August 28 in the first music broadcast from another planet, to the delight of students who gathered at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory to listen.

The song had been uploaded to the rover, which landed near

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Angela Bassett has been cast as Coretta Scott King and Mary J. Blige will star as Betty Shabazz in the upcoming Lifetime original movie “Betty and Coretta.”

The telepic, announced as “Parallel Lives” at the May upfronts, tells the dual stories of Coretta Scott King and Dr. Betty Shabazz as they carry on as single mothers following the assassinations of their husbands, Martin Luther King Angela Jr. and Malcolm X. Bassett Veteran actress Ruby

AP Photo/Nick Ut

Will.I.Am, with Black Eyed Peas, sings at Nasa’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory Tuesday Aug. 28, 2012, in Pasadena, Calif.

LL Cool J burglary suspect pleads not guilty ASSOCIATED PRESS The man accused of breaking into LL Cool J’s home has pleaded not guilty to a felony burglary charge.

Jonathan E. Kirby appeared in a Los Angeles courtroom this week and entered the plea.

Kirby was arrested after the actorrapper subdued him in his home early Aug. 22, breaking the 56-year-old’s jaw, nose and ribs in the process. He was later charged with felony residential burglary and faces 38 years to life in prison if convicted due to his lengthy criminal history.

LL Cool J, whose real name is James Todd Smith, and his family were unharmed during the break-in, and nothing was apparently taken from their home. He stars in the CBS series “NCIS: Los Angeles.”

A district attorney’s spokeswoman says Kirby’s bail was set at $1.1 million.

POST-KATRINA Continued from page 5 community newspaper, The New Orleans Tribune, blared: “They’re here” in referring to Whites looking to buy up inner-city property. The headline read: “Gentrification: The New Segregation.”

Unlike the other redevelopments after Katrina, HUD promises to find housing for all the 440 families at Iberville within about 1 mile of the project.

After Katrina, most of the city’s projects were torn down quickly and families were dispersed across the nation. Advocates charged that policy forced poor families out of New Orleans. Public housing units were cut

Mary J. Blige

Dee will appear onscreen as a historical witness to narrate the duo’s story as someone familiar with the events of both their lives.

“Betty and Coretta” remains a working title for the project.

Bassett earned an NAACP Image Award for her turn as Shabazz in the 1992 feature “Malcolm X.” Production on “Betty and Coretta” begins in September; an airdate has not yet been determined.

Information from The Hollywood Reporter and Eurweb.com contributed to this report.

Careless smoking cause of Tyler Perry studio fire ASSOCIATED PRESS Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, file

LL Cool J in half at those complexes.

“What has happened is exactly what many people predicted would happen,” said Lance Hill, who runs the Southern Institute for Education and Research, a race relations center at Tulane University. “Blacks have ended up in apartments ringing the city.”

Mayor Mitch Landrieu says there is no reason to fear the redevelopment.

“We’re building it back better than it ever was before and the way it always should have been.”

In Treme, there are about 200 more white households than before Katrina, Census data shows. Newcomers and old-timers have clashed, even at times over the noise from the impromptu second-lines, the cherished musical

parades, which routinely break out.

Also, longtime residents worry about the closing of neighborhood bars.

“They are looking for a French Quarter look-a-alike but with a bedroom community feel,” said Al Jackson, a Treme resident and historian.

One newcomer is David Williams, a 49-year-old school administrator. He bought an historic home that for now he rents out. The last batch he rented to was a group of young people with Americorps.

Once their son leaves home, he and his wife have talked about moving into the city and living in the house they’ve bought.

“In 10 years (this neighborhood) is going to look like Treme does a block away from the French Quarter,” he said.

Investigators have determined that a fire at filmmaker Tyler Perry’s Atlanta studios was caused by careless smoking.

Capt. Marian McDaniel is with the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department. McDaniel said that no criminal charges were pending.

The fire broke out Monday morning on the roof of a building undergoing repairs. It took firefighters about an hour to get the fire under control. The structural integrity of the building was not compromised.

This was the second blaze in recent months at the filming com- Tyler Perry plex. On May 1, more than 100 firefighters battled a blaze that ripped was not determined because the through a simulated streetscape at the intensity of that fire consumed any studios, sending flames about six sto- evidence that could be used to deterries into the sky. The cause of that fire mine its origin.

Thursday, August 30, 2012

13

Robin Roberts to Rapper Beanie Sigel faces weapon charges in Pa. start medical leave next week ASSOCIATED PRESS

Rapper Beanie Sigel was arrested Wednesday August 29 on weapon and drug violations during a traffic stop, just two weeks before he is scheduled to report to prison for failing to file taxes, state police said.

The 38-year-old rapper, whose real name is Dwight Grant, was a passenger in a car pulled over on Interstate 95 in Tinicum Township, just south of his hometown of Philadelphia.

Police said they found a gun in the car’s console. Both Sigel and driver Gerald Andrews are felons banned from having such weapons, according to troopers.

Andrews was also carrying several prescription bottles and a small amount of marijuana, police said. Sigel had more than $4,600 in cash, plus prescription pills and a bottle of codeine syrup, according to troopers.

Court records indicate Sigel and Andrews both face drug and gun charges and were unable to post bail. Sigel’s lawyer declined to comment immediately, saying he had not yet reviewed the case. It was not clear if Andrews had an attorney.

Sigel’s latest album, called “This Time,” was released on Tuesday by Ruffhouse Records.

Chris Schwartz, the label’s chief executive, AP Photo/Joseph Kaczmarek said in a statement that the company is disap- Beanie Sigel pointed in Sigel’s arrest. But he added that the rapper has displayed “the utmost professionalism in all of the initiatives related to the promotion of his new release.”

“Beanie has obviously been struggling with some personal issues, and we continue to support him now and throughout his impending incarceration,” Schwartz said.

Sigel is scheduled to begin a two-year prison sentence on Sept. 12 for failing to pay federal taxes. Prosecutors said he owes more than $700,000 for the tax years 1999 through 2005.

AP Photo/ABC, Donna Svennevik

ABC co-host Robin Roberts during a broadcast of “Good Morning America,” in New York. On Monday’s edition of the ABC News wakeup program, Roberts made official the start date for what's being called her “extended medical leave.”

Robin Roberts says Friday will be her last day co-anchoring “Good Morning America” for a while.

On Monday’s edition of the ABC News wakeup program, Roberts made official the start date for what’s being called her “extended medical leave.”

Roberts told viewers in July that she has MDS, a blood and bone marrow disease once known as preleukemia.

She says she will be hospitalized next week to prepare for the bone marrow transplant that will take place about 10 days after that.

But looking further ahead, Roberts noted she is luckier than many workers who become ill. She says her bosses have been generous in giving her the needed time off, and her job is waiting for her when she’s well enough to return. She described herself as “very blessed.”

WILLIAMS Continued from page 4 which involved the women picking Williams out of an Oklahoma State team photograph at the police station — was improper.

Jackson and members of Williams’ family, including his mother, were allowed to visit with him in jail after the hearing.

“I was glad to see my son. He had that big smile like he always did,” Williams’ mother, Alice Williams, said. “It was a good day.”

Jackson said Williams enrolled in

classes at Oklahoma State last Friday.

School spokesman Gary Shutt confirmed that Williams was signing up for classes and said he would have to work with a faculty member to arrange how he would do his coursework while he’s incarcerated.

A pre-sentencing report filed in court showed that Williams had a 2.7 grade-point average after the spring semester and had completed 88 credit hours. Jackson said Williams intends to graduate in December.

14

Thursday, August 30, 2012

Voith Hydro Inc. is seeking Sub-bids from qualified Minority Business Enterprise, Women Business Enterprise, and Other Business Enterprise vendors in the following areas: (1) Steel Casting, Forging & Machining Services, (2) Lubricating Oil Suppliers, (3) Hardware Suppliers, (4) Bearing Rebabbitting Services, (5) NDE Inspection Services, (6) Site Facilities Services, (7) Painting, (8) Trucking Services.

Project Name: UMC Gorge Power Plants Generator & Turbine Reliability Improvement (RFP90066) Owner: City of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power Proposal due date and time: Monday, September 10, 2012, 02:00 p.m. PST For a copy of the plans and specifications and/or information on our policy concerning assistance to subcontractors in obtaining bonds, lines of credit, and/or insurance, please contact our office.

To inquire about sub opportunities, please contact us no later than September 3, 2012.

Voith Hydro Inc Contact: Christopher Barrios de León, Supplier Diversity Coordinator 760 East Berlin Road York, PA 17404 P: 626-818-0954 F: 626-316-7103

BIDDERS WANTED SPECIFICATION NO. 2663 REAR BERTHS 136-139 TERMINAL BUILDINGS AND MAIN GATE Asbestos Abatement Contractors, Building Interiors, Cabinetry/Millwork, Concrete Cutter, Concrete Finisher, Concrete Supplier, Demolition of Building, Dirt and Soil Supplier, Doors and Frames, Earthwork/Excavation, Electrical, Elevator Installation, Fencing, Fire Extinguishers, Fireproofing, Fire Protection System & Services, Flooring, Framing, Glass/ Glazing Installation/Cutting, Glass/Glazing Supplier, Landscaping Work, Lighting, Masonry, Mechanical/Plumbing Supplier, Mechanical/Plumber Contractor, Metal/Steel Fabrication, Painting, Paving, Plaster, PreCast Concrete, Roofing, Security Systems, Sign-maker Exterior, Sign-maker Interior, Solar Energy Equipment & Installation, Storm Drains/Sewers, Striping Contractor, Tile Contractor, Trucking, Truck Scales, Video and Monitoring Equipment, Waterproofing, Welding, Windows and Storefronts In accordance with Resolution Nos. 117229 and 11-7232 approved by the Board of Harbor Commissioners December 1, 2011, only prequalified contractors may submit bids for this Project. The Prequalified Final List for Prime Contractor Applicants are AKG Construction, Inc.; Bernards Bros., Inc.; KPRS Construction Services, Inc.; Mailcraft, Inc.; PCL Construction Services, Inc.; Perera Construction and Design, Inc.; Pinner Construction Co., Inc.; S.J. Amoroso Construction Co., Inc.; Sinanian Development, Inc.; Swinerton Builders; Tilden-Coil Constructors, Inc.; Webcor Construction, LP; and W.E. O’Neil Construction Co. of California.

Also, only prequalified specialty work subcontractors may perform building electrical, building mechanical-HVAC, and pile installation. The prequalified subcontractors for each specialty work area are as follows: a. Prequalified Building Electrical Specialty Work subcontractors are Anderson and Howard Electric, Inc.; Comet Electric, Inc.; CSI Electrical Contractors, Inc.; Cupertino Electric, Inc.; KDC Inc., dba Dynalectric; Morrow Meadows Corp.; Neubauer Electric, Inc.; Rosendin Electric, Inc.; and Steiny and Company, Inc. b. Prequalified Building MechanicalHVAC Specialty Work subcontractors are ACCO Engineered System; A.O. Reed & Co.; Circulating Air, Inc.; Control Air Conditioning Corp.; Couts Heating and Cooling, Inc.; Mechanical Technology Systems, Inc.; S3H Mechanical; and University Mechanical. c. Prequalified Pile Installation Specialty Work subcontractors are Foundation Pile, Inc. and Stroer and Graff, Inc. ENG. EST.: $55,000,000 - $65,000,000 PRE-BID DATE: SEPTEMBER 5, 2012, 9:00 A.M. BID DATE: SEPTEMBER 27, 2012 , 2:45 P.M. FEE: $0.00 Class A OR B California Contractor’s License for work is required at time of award.

CITY OF LOS ANGELES HARBOR DEPARTMENT (310) 732-3522 FAX: (310) 831-5389 CNS#2369860

USC WOODS Continued from page 10 “Last season, we didn’t have the ranking, but we still had a lot to prove, just to prove that we still are SC and on the top,” he added. “Now, we are on the top, but we still have to prove that we’re the top team every week. It’s a constant battle. Nothing really changes.”

That consistency is just one reason Woods and Marqise Lee are among the top receiving duos in the nation. The former high school teammates’ rivalry is strictly friendly, even after Kiffin said Lee had the potential to be the greatest receiver in USC history last season.

“We’re a very close group,” Lee said. “We’re always together for the most part, always going places together, even walking each other to class.

There’s no bad feelings. We’re all working toward the same goal.”

Woods and Lee were the fourth tandem of 1,000-yard receivers in school history last year, while Matt Barkley set the conference record with 39 touchdown passes with an offense that scored at least 30 points in each of its final 10 games.

Woods is considered the technician of the receiving corps, while Lee is

CITY OF LOS ANGELES thought to be the most gifted athlete, as evidenced by his weekly production of jaw-dropping highlights in practice.

Woods is a low-key, humble star in interviews — yet his Twitter handle is still (at)HeismanWoods.

Woods doesn’t shy away from those labels, seeing them as a compliment to his work — yet he also produces one-handed, diving fireworks on a regular basis. Woods’ work ethic reminds new Trojans receivers coach Tee Martin of Jerry Rice.

But Woods isn’t getting caught up in outside expectations. He’ll stick to his own goals and the Trojans’ week-toweek process of improvement, even while his fans await his next superlative achievement.

“We definitely don’t listen to any of the hype,” Woods said. “The hype is always going to be there. If you get in the game and you make a big play, that's when you get hyped. It’s always going to be around. You keep the hype around, but if you just make your plays, the hype will come with it.

We’re not even really allowed to talk about it.”

$50,000 REWARD NOTICE The City of Los Angeles offers a reward payable at the discretion of the City Council to one or more persons in the sum or sums up to an aggregate maximum total sum of $50,000 for information leading to the identification and apprehension of the person or persons responsible for the act of murder against, CRAIG ALEXANDER SYKES, in the City of Los Angeles. On Thursday, December 16, 2010, at approximately 9:00 p.m., Craig Alexander Sykes was shot while standing in the street talking to a woman, who was inside of her car in front of 6407 South Arlington Avenue. A Black male approached Mr. Sykes with a gun and began firing at him. An ambulance responded to the scene and transported Mr. Sykes to a hospital where he died from his injuries. Detectives are continuing to investigate the murder but have not identified a suspect or a motive

at this time. Detectives hope that a monetary reward compels members of the public to provide more information. The person or persons responsible for this crime represent an ongoing threat to the safety of the people of Los Angeles. Unless withdrawn or paid by City Council action, this offer of reward shall terminate on, and have no effect after, FEBRUARY 24, 2013.

The provisions of payment and all other considerations shall be governed by Chapter 12 of Division 19 of the LAAC Code, as amended by Ordinance Nos. 158157 and 166666. This offer shall be given upon the condition that all claimants provide continued cooperation within the criminal justice system relative to this case and is not available to public officers or employees of the City, their families, persons in law enforcement or persons whose misconduct prompted this reward. If you have any information regarding this case, please call the Los Angeles Police Department at 1-877-LAWFULL, 24 hours.

C. F. No. 12-0010-s35 8/30/12 CNS-2368171# WATTS TIMES $50,000 REWARD NOTICE The City of Los Angeles offers a reward payable at the discretion of the City Council to one or more persons in the sum or sums up to an aggregate maximum total sum of $50,000 for information leading to the identification and apprehension of the person or persons responsible for the act of murder against, KRISTY ANN ROBY, in the City of Los Angeles. On Friday, April 29, 2011, at approximately 12:15 a.m., victim Kristy Ann Roby and another man were sitting in a vehicle on West 57th Street and South Wilton Place. The suspects, who were seen driving a dark colored vehicle, drove past the victim’s vehicle, made a U-turn, and returned to the victim’s location. Ms. Roby suffered significant injuries. The Los Angeles Fire Department ambulance responded and transported Ms. Roby to California Hospital where she died from her injuries. Detectives are continuing to investigate the murder, but have not identified a suspect or motive at this time. Detectives hope that a monetary reward compels members of the public to provide more information. The person or persons responsible for this crime represent an ongoing threat to the safety of the people of Los Angeles.

Unless withdrawn or paid by City Council action, this offer of reward shall terminate on, and have no effect after, FEBRUARY 24, 2013.

The provisions of payment and all other considerations shall be governed by Chapter 12 of Division 19 of the LAAC Code, as amended by Ordinance Nos. 158157 and 166666. This offer shall be given upon the condition that all claimants provide continued cooperation within the criminal justice system relative to this case and is not available to public officers or employees of the City, their families, persons in law enforcement or persons whose misconduct prompted this reward. If you have any information regarding this case, please call the Los Angeles Police Department at 1-877-LAWFULL, 24 hours.

C. F. No. 12-0010-s34 8/30/12 CNS-2368170# WATTS TIMES $50,000 REWARD NOTICE The City of Los Angeles offers a reward payable at the discretion of the City Council to one or more persons in the sum or sums up to an aggregate maximum total sum of $50,000 for information leading to the identification and apprehension of the person or persons responsible for the Hit-andRun death of, JIMMIE THOMAS, in the City of Los Angeles. On Monday, June 18, 2012, 78-year old Jimmie Thomas was crossing Western Avenue near 55th Street when he was struck by a motorist traveling south on Western Avenue. The motorist failed to stop and provide identification or render aid to Mr. Thomas. He was transported to a local hospital where he later died from his traumatic injuries. Witnesses were not able to obtain the license plate number of the hit-and-run vehicle. To date, detectives have been unable to identify the motorist responsible for the death of Jimmie Thomas.

Detectives hope that a monetary reward may motivate witnesses to come forward and identify the responsible motorist. The person or persons responsible for this crime represent an ongoing threat to the safety of the people of Los Angeles.

Unless withdrawn or paid by City Council action, this offer of reward shall terminate on, and have no effect after, FEBRUARY 23, 2013.

The provisions of payment and all other considerations shall be governed by Chapter 12 of Division 19 of the LAAC Code, as amended by Ordinance Nos. 158157 and 166666. This offer shall be given upon the condition that all claimants provide continued cooperation within the criminal justice system relative to this case and is not available to public officers or employees of the City, their families, persons in law enforcement or persons whose misconduct prompted this reward. If you have any information regarding this case, please call the Los Angeles Police Department at 1-877-LAWFULL, 24 hours.

C. F. No. 12-0010-s33 8/30/12 CNS-2366635# WATTS TIMES

GOVERNMENT

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP #7567) WORKERS’ COMPENSATION THIRD PARTY CLAIMS ADMINISTRATION The Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles invites proposals from qualified Third Party Administrators to administer the Authority’s SelfInsured Workers’ Compensation Program. A copy of the RFP may be obtained beginning August 20, 2012 at http://www.hacla.org/ps/ or call 2525405. Proposals will be accepted until 2:00 P.M.,

by September 21, 2012 at the Authority’s General Services Dept., 2600 Wilshire Blvd., 4th floor, Los Angeles, CA 90057.

8/23, 8/30/12 CNS-2363999# WATTS TIMES

LEGAL NOTICES NOTICE OF HEARING ON PETITION FOR ORDER MODIFYING STANDING AS A NEWSPAPER OF GENERAL CIRCULATION FOR ALL CITIES LOCATED IN THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES Case No. BS137631 Petition and [Order filed concurrently herewith] Date: 9-7-12 Time: 1:30 p.m Dept. 90A SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES - CENTRAL DISTRICT In re matter of the Petition of Danny J. Bakewell, Sr., Executive Publisher & Executive Editor, to modify the standing of the L.A. WATTS TIMES WEEKENDER as a newspaper of general circulation ascertained and established.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on Sept. 7, 2012, at 1:30 p.m. or as soon thereafter as the matter may be heard in Department 90A of the Los Angeles Superior Court - Central District, located at 111 North Hill Street, Los Angeles, California 90012, the L.A. WATTS TIMES WEEKENDER, by and through, Danny J. Bakewell, Sr., Executive Publisher & Executive Editor, will and hereby does petition the Court for an order adjudging the L.A. Watts Times Weekender a newspaper of general circulation for all cities located in the County of Los Angeles.

Notice is given pursuant to California Government Code section 6062.

Specifically, the L.A. Watts Times Weekender seeks to be adjudged a newspaper of general circulation for the following cities within the County of Los Angeles: Agoura Hills, Alhambra, Arcadia, Artesia, Avalon, Azusa, Baldwin Park, Bell Gardens, Bellflower, Beverly Hills, Bradbury, Burbank, Calabasas, Carson, Cerritos, Claremont, Commerce, Compton, Covina, Cudahy, Culver City, Diamond Bar, Downey, Duarte, El Monte, El Segundo, Gardena, Glendale, Glendora, Hawaiian Gardens, Hawthorne, Hermosa Beach, Hidden Hills, Huntington Park, Industry, Inglewood, Irwindale, La Cañada Flintridge, La Habra Heights, La Mirada, La Puente, La Verne, Lakewood, Lancaster, Lawndale, Lomita, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Lynwood, Malibu, Manhattan Beach, Maywood, Monrovia, Montebello, Monterey Park, Norwalk, Palmdale, Palos Verdes Estates, Paramount, Pasadena, Pico Rivera, Pomona, Rancho Palos Verdes, Redondo Beach, Rolling Hills, Rolling Hills Estates, Rosemead, San Dimas, San Fernando, San Gabriel, San Marino, Santa Clarita, Santa Fe Springs, Santa Monica, Sierra Madre, Signal Hill, South El Monte, South Gate, South Pasadena, Temple City, Torrance, Vernon, Walnut, West Covina, West Hollywood, Westlake Village, and Whittier.

The L.A. Watts Times Weekender was previously adjudged a newspaper of general circulation for the city of Los Angeles on 11/28/1994.

The Petition will be based on the moving papers, the records in the file, and on such evidence as may be presented at the hearing of the motion.

Dated: June 28, 2012 Respectfully submitted, IVIE McNEILL & WYATT By: Robert H. McNeil, Jr., Esq. Marie B. Maurice, Esq. Attorneys for Petitioner, L.A. WATTS TIMES WEEKENDER Robert H. McNeil, Jr., Esq. (#86411) Marie B. Maurice, Esq. (#258069) IVIE, McNEILL & WYATT A Professional Law Corporation 444 S. Flower Street, Suite 1800 Los Angeles, California 90071 (213) 489-0028/ (213) 489-0552 Fax E-mail: rmcneill@imwlaw.com mmaurice@imwlaw.com Attorneys for Petitioner L.A. WATTS TIMES WEEKENDER 8/23, 8/30/12 CNS-2368414# WATTS TIMES

To place a Classified Ad Call (323) 299-3800

PENSION REFORM Continued from page 7 the fundamental changes he had sought.

The reform deal does not include putting new government workers in a hybrid system that includes a 401(k)style plan, greater independence for the board that oversees the state’s main pension fund or a reduction in retiree health care costs, which are skyrocketing.

Pension reform supporters say the

proposal won’t make much of a dent in the state’s pension problem but labor leaders were angered by what they saw as a violation of collecting bargaining rights.

“We are fighting back and we’re struggling, and in this case it appears like we’re losing,” said Dave Low, chairman of Californians for Retirement Security, a labor coalition

representing more than 1.5 million public employees and retirees.

Nevertheless, Brown hailed the deal as a landmark achievement and said it will make pension benefits for public employees lower than they were during his first term in office, in 1975.

“These reforms make fundamental changes that rein in costs and help to See PENSION REFORM, page 15

Thursday, August 30, 2012

PENSION REFORM Continued from page 14 ensure that our public retirement system is sustainable for the long term,” the governor said in a statement.

“These reforms require sacrifice from public employees and represent a significant step forward.”

Pension reform has been an undercurrent throughout the entire legislative session this year, in part because the state's two main pension funds, the largest in the nation, are so badly underfunded — by at least $150 billion.

But the governor also had a lot at stake: He has promised reforms since rolling out a 12-point plan last October and is trying to persuade voters that he is fiscally responsible at a time when he is asking them to increase the sales and income taxes in November.

Although pension payments account for a fraction of state spending, the cost has been growing in recent years.

Republicans note that the state’s main pension system cost $370 million in 2001, but the cost went up to $1.7 billion in 2011, nearly the amount the state spends to fund the 23-campus California State University system.

Brown’s original plan was projected to save $4 billion to $11 billion over 30 years. On Tuesday, the governor said the changes, if enacted by the Legislature, would save $30 billion, although the time period for that savings was not clear.

The changes that will save the most money apply primarily to new workers, rather than existing ones, so the greatest financial benefit to the state will be decades in the future.

“We’ve lived beyond our means.

The chickens are coming home to roost,” Brown said during a news conference in Los Angeles, referring to the difficulty of negotiating pension reforms with the Legislature’s Democratic majority and the public employee labor unions that fund their campaigns.

The reforms include a cap on annual pension payments for new employees at $110,100 for most workers and $132,120 for employees not covered by Social Security, such as teachers and some public safety workers.

They also require new employees to contribute at least half of their pension costs and sets a similar target for current workers, although that will be subject to collective bargaining.

Reflecting longer life spans, the reform plan also raises minimum retirement ages for new employees. A civil service worker will now have to work until age 67, rather than 55, to receive full benefits. For public safety workers, that goes from age 50 to 57 and the maximum benefit formula is reduced.

The plan also ends some of the most egregious abuses of the pension system, including a practice known as “spiking” in which employees are given big raises during their last year of employment as a way to inflate their pensions.

Employees also will not be able to buy additional years of service — or “air time” — which allows them to get pension benefits they did not earn through working.

One politically popular provision, although it will apply to only a very small pool, will prevent government

15

NOTICE INVITING BIDS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City of Long Beach, California, acting by and through the City’s Board of Harbor Commissioners (“City”) will receive, before the Bid Deadline established below, sealed Bids for the following Work: NEW FIREBOATS FOR FIREBOAT STATIONS NOS. 15 AND 20 TO BE DELIVERED TO PORT OF LONG BEACH LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA AS DESCRIBED IN SPECIFICATION NO. HD-S2408 Bid Deadline:

Prior to 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, October 2, 2012 Bid packages will be time/date stamped on the 4th floor or in the Lobby and shall be submitted prior to 10 a.m.

Place for Submission of Bids: 1. By Delivery Any Calendar Day Before the Bid Deadline Harbor Department Administration Building 4th Floor, Plans and Specifications/Program Management Office 925 Harbor Plaza Long Beach, CA 90802 2. By Delivery on the Same Calendar Day as the Bid Deadline Harbor Department Administration Building Ground Floor Lobby 925 Harbor Plaza Long Beach, CA 90802 Bid Opening: As soon as practical after the Bid Deadline Harbor Department Administration Building 6th Floor Board Room 925 Harbor Plaza Long Beach, CA 90802 Contract Documents Available: Date/Time: Beginning Thursday August 30, 2012 Monday –Friday 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Location: Harbor Department Administration Building 4th Floor, Plans and Specifications 925 Harbor Plaza Long Beach, CA 90802 Mandatory Pre-Bid Date/Time: Wednesday, September 12, 2012 Meeting: 1:00 – 2:00 p.m.

Location: 6th Floor Board Room Project Contact Person: Ann Tobin P.E., tobin@polb.com

construction contracts. Although an SBE/VSBE participation goal was not assigned to this contract, the Port strongly encourages all bidders to include such participation wherever possible, by utilizing small and very small business subcontractors, vendors, and suppliers. The Port also strongly encourages SBE/VSBE firms to respond to this solicitation as prime contractors.

NIB -8 Prevailing Wage Rates and Employment of Apprentices. The Contractor receiving award of the Contract and Subcontractors of any tier shall pay not less than the prevailing wage rates for the locality in which the Work is to be performed to all workers employed in execution of the Contract. The governing prevailing rates of wages to be used are those set out by the State (or Province) in which the Shipbuilder is located, or, if no State rates exist, then those set out by the Federal government. In no case are wage rates to be less than Federal minimum wage rate. Bidders are directed to Article 15 of the General Conditions and Special Conditions SC – 21.1.5 for requirements concerning payment of prevailing wages, payroll records, hours of work and employment of apprentices.

NIB -9 Trade Names and Substitution of Equals. With the exception of any sole source determination that may be identified in this paragraph, Bidders wishing to obtain City’s authorization for substitution of equivalent material, product, or equipment, are required to submit a written request for an Or Equal Substitution as follows: (a) Bidders must complete the Major Equipment Substitution List included in the Bid Forms document, and return with the bid package. Bidders to indicate any proposed alternative manufacturer and model for each item on the list.

For each item on the Major Equipment Substitution List for which the Bidder has proposed an alternative, Bidder shall complete the form included in Appendix A together with data substantiating Bidder’s representation that the non-specified item is of equal quality to the item specified, and submit to the City seven (7) calendar days after Bid Opening.

Authorization of a substitution is solely within the discretion of the City. (b) For all other items in the Technical Specification for which a preferred manufacturer and model number are identified, followed by the phrase, “or equal”, Bidders wishing to obtain City’s authorization for substitution of equivalent material, product, or equipment, are required to submit a written request for an Or Equal Substitution using the form included in Appendix A together with data substantiating Bidder’s representation that the non-specified item is of equal quality to the item specified, and submit to the City thirty-five (35) calendar days after Notice to Proceed has been issued by the City.

Authorization of a substitution is solely within the discretion of the City. (c) Bidders shall note that the only acceptable manufacturers of the items specified in the following Technical Specification sections shall be the indicated manufacturer, pursuant to California Public Contract Code Section 3400(c)(2) and (c)(3). Any bid listing any other manufacturers will be deemed non-responsive.

NIB -1 Contract Documents. Copies of Contract Documents in DVD format may be obtained, at no cost, at the Plans and Specifications Office, 4th floor, Harbor Department Administration Building, 925 Harbor Plaza, Long Beach, CA 90802 during the hours of 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. To arrange to receive a DVD of the Contract Documents by courier at the expense of the Bidder, call (562) 283-7353.

For information on this Project and other upcoming Port projects, you may view the Port website at http://www.polb.com/economics/contractors/out_for_bid.asp.

Copies of all Port insurance endorsement forms, SBE/VSBE Program forms, Harbor Development Permit Applications and other Port forms are available at http://www.polb.com/economics/contractors/forms_permits/default.asp.

NIB -2 Mandatory Pre-Bid Meeting. The engineering staff of the City’s Harbor department will conduct a pre-bid meeting at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 12, 2012, in the Board Room, 6th floor, of the Harbor Department Administration Building.

Attendance is mandatory. Note that attendance at the pre-bid meeting can be used to satisfy a portion of a Bidder’s good faith efforts to meet the SBE/VSBE participation goals listed below. EACH BIDDER MUST ATTEND THE MANDATORY PRE-BID MEETING. FAILURE TO ATTEND THE MANDATORY PRE-BID MEETING SHALL DISQUALIFY YOUR BID. NIB -3 Summary Description of the Work. The Work required by this Contract includes, but is not limited to, the following: Construction, testing, and delivery of, and operating training for, two fireboats as described in the complete Specification and Drawing Package.

NIB -4 Contract Time and Liquidated Damages. The Work shall be completed within the schedule as provided in Paragraph SC - 6.1 of the Special Conditions. FAILURE OF THE CONTRACTOR TO COMPLETE THE WORK WITHIN THE CONTRACT TIME WILL RESULT IN ASSESSMENT OF LIQUIDATED DAMAGES IN THE AMOUNTS ESTABLISHED IN THE SPECIAL CONDITIONS. NIB -5 Contractor’s License. Each Bidder shall hold a business license issued by the State in which the Shipbuilder is located, and shall be registered with the California Secretary of State at the time of bid submittal: (http://www.sos.ca.gov/business/).

NIB -6 Contractor Performed Work. The Contractor shall perform, with its own employees, Contract Work amounting to at least 50% of the Contract Price, except that any designated “Specialty Items” may be performed by subcontract and the amount of any such “Specialty Items” so performed may be deducted from the Contract Price before computing the amount required to be performed by the Contractor with its own employees. “Specialty Items” will be identified by the City in the Schedule of Bid Items.

NIB-7 SBE/VSBE. The Port has established a Small Business Enterprises (SBE)/Very Small Business Enterprises (VSBE) Program to encourage small business participation on

workers from collecting pensions if they are convicted of a work-related felony.

“Those items may be worth addressing for other reasons, but they have little to do with rising retirement costs,” said David Crane, who served as economic adviser to former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and now pres-

ident of Govern for California, which advocates for government changes.

Crane said the proposal doesn’t address the current long-term unfunded liability of the state’s pension systems because it leaves benefits for current employees unchanged. Brown and legislative advisers have indicated that the courts have deemed retirement

NIB -10

NOT USED.

NIB -11 Bid Security, Signed Contract, Insurance and Bonds. Each Bid shall be accompanied by a satisfactory Bidder’s Bond or other acceptable Bid Security in an amount not less than ten percent (10%) of the Base Bid as a guarantee that the Bidder will, if Conditionally Awarded a Contract by the Board, within thirty (30) calendar days after the Contract is conditionally awarded to the Contractor by the City, execute and deliver such Contract to the Chief Harbor Engineer together with all required documents including insurance forms, a Payment Bond for one hundred percent (100%) of the Contract Price, and a Performance Bond for one hundred percent (100%) of the Contract Price. All Bonds shall be on forms provided by the City.

NIB -12 Conditional Award of Contract and Reservation of Rights. The Board, acting through the Executive Director, reserves the right at any time before the execution of the Contract by the City, to reject any or all Bids, and to waive any informality or irregularity.

The Conditional Award of the Contract, if any, will be to the responsible Bidder submitting the lowest responsive and responsible Bid. If the lowest responsive responsible Bidder fails to submit the required documents including insurance forms, bonds and signed Contract within thirty (30) calendar days after Conditional Award of Contract, the Board reserves the right to rescind the Conditional Award and Conditionally Award the Contract to the next lowest responsive and responsible Bidder.

NIB -13 Period of Bid Irrevocability. Bids shall remain open and valid and Bidder’s Bonds shall be guaranteed for ninety (90) calendar days after the Bid Deadline or until the Executive Director executes a Contract, whichever occurs first.

NIB -14 Substitution of Securities. Substitution of Securities for retainage is permitted in accordance with Section 22300 of the Public Contract Code.

Issued at Long Beach, California, this 16th day of July, 2012.

J. Christopher Lytle Executive Director of the Harbor Department, City of Long Beach, California

benefits guaranteed by contract and difficult to take away for current employees.

Some public employee unions were upset by the reforms, which must be acted upon by the Legislature by Friday.

“This is a one-size-fits-all approach that really does not work for

all the different bargaining units and situations,” said David Miller, president of the California Association of Professional Scientists, which represents scientists throughout state government.

He said guaranteed defined benefits are the best way to deliver a secure retirement for public employees.

16

Thursday, August 30, 2012