RL 01 11 18 issu

Swift of Ipswich returns home p. 2 Carson Council seeks way out of lawsuit p. 3 Dr. Mary Ann Pirozzi: Erasing the stigma of chiropractic care p. 4 Tom of Finland film review: Only Sissies Like Yellow p. 9

LA passes ordinance regulating cannabis, but the black market may continue to thrive Terelle Jerricks, Managing Editor

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[See Pot, p. 10] Graphic by Suzanne Matsumiya

Need a Photo for pauls story

Health Care Battles Loom in 2018

By Paul Rosenberg, Senior Editor

Susan Hayes, senior researcher at the Commonwealth Fund, Judith Solomon, vice president of Health Policy at the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, and Anthony Wright, executive director of Health Access California.

Hayes is the lead author of the Commonwealth Fund’s What’s At Stake report, which chronicles the gains under Obamacare. What’s At Stake explains that: Between 2013 and 2016, the uninsured rate for adults ages 19 to 64 declined in all states and the District of Columbia, and fell by at least 5 percentage points in 47 states. Among children, uninsured rates declined by at least 2 percentage points in 33 states.

But increased coverage was only part of the story, according to all three experts.

“We increased the kind of coverage they had by having standards for essential health benefits, in both the small groups and the individual health

January 11 - 24, 2018

The United States is the only advanced industrial nation that doesn’t provide healthcare for all, but under the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, the number of uninsured Americans younger than age 65 fell dramatically—by an estimated 17.8 million, from 2013 to 2016.

Then came Donald Trump.

While Republicans failed dramatically in their central effort to repeal Obamacare, their year-end tax cut threatened healthcare in two ways. First, it repealed the individual mandate, which the Congressional Budget Office projects will increase the number of the uninsured by 4 million in 2019 and 13 million in 2027. Second, it balloons future deficits by $1.4 trillion within 10 years, which Republicans will want to “balance” by cutting Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. Trump also used executive actions to further undermine Obamacare—raising rates and making enrollment more difficult.

The year ahead promises more of the same.

Random Lengths News reached out to some experts for insight and advice:

Real News, Real People, Really Effective

lthough the Los Angeles City Council adopted three ordinances to regulate and zone cannabis businesses in Los Angeles, it’s hard to imagine the impact of legal pot becoming significant enough to shrink the black market.

Existing medical marijuana dispensaries that are Proposition D-compliant will get first priority in licensing under Proposition M. Prop. D provides limited immunity to medical marijuana businesses that meet specified requirements by maintaining dispensary locations in Los Angeles to the number open before 2007 and raising taxes to $60 per $1,000 of gross receipts. Prop. M enacted the city council’s ordinance to regulate and tax marijuana in light of Prop. 64, which legalized recreational marijuana statewide after it was approved in November 2016.

Yet, after a cursory look at where legal cannabis marketplaces can be located across the county, it becomes immediately clear that there will be expansive retail pot deserts since other cities in Los Angeles County continue to be more restrictive of legal cannabis.

[See Health Care, p. 5]

1

Swift of Ipswich Returns

Reconstruction begins to make tall ship seaworthy for youth

Southern California’s Newest Marina has Full-Service Slips Available

The Shortest Run to Catalina

By Mark Friedman, LA Marine Institute Marine Science Educator It’s back! After an overnight trip aboard a self-confidence, and develop leadership and barge from San Diego, the Swift of Ipswich is cooperative skills that prepare them for a better back. The tall ship will join the Exy and the Irving life outcome. Other programs like the bilingual Johnson, operated by the Los Angeles Maritime Explore the Coast, are free monthly sails focusing on the Spanish-speaking community Institute, after its restoration.

The return of the ship is a continuation of to provide environmental education and inspire the institute fulfilling its mission: “To empower action to reduce ocean pollution and appreciation underserved and disadvantaged Los Angeles for marine ecosystems. Collateral beneficiaries and Orange County area youth to discover their logically include parents or guardians and the greater potential through extraordinary at sea community as a whole.

Former Swift Capt. Alice Robinson, who experiences.”

Previously owned by the actor James served as its captain from 1992 to 1999 and was Cagney and his brothers, the Swift of Ipswich affectionately known as Capt. Mom, was excited was wood constructed in 1938, designed by the to see its return.

“It is a delight to see our pretty lady, Swift famous naval architect Howard I. Chapelle and built by William Robinson in Ipswich, Mass. of Ipswich, back in San Pedro,” Robinson, a With Swift of Ipswich back in service, LAMI longtime resident of San Pedro said. “I am looking will serve several thousand additional students forward to putting her back in service to serve annually. The ship is a smaller than the Exy and our youth. She is great to sail with elementary Irving Johnson brigantines so it is easier for school, young people. I got my captains license younger children to handle and so the capacity to on the Swift and I shall return to her.”

SERVICES & AMENITIES

January 11 - 24, 2018

Real News, Real People, Totally Relevant

• 698 slips from 28’ to 130’ • Guest slips available • Ample courtesy parking • Water & electricity • Restrooms with showers • Ice machines & laundry • Pumpout — public and slip-in • 375 dry storage spaces up to 45’ with crane launching

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On Jan. 5, the restored Swift of Ipswich joined the the Exy and Irving Johnson brigantines at Berth 73. Photo

by Raphael Richardson

Providing clean facilities and protecting our waterways from pollution

specifically serve upper elementary school-aged children will be expanded.

Several years ago, LAMI took Swift of Ipswich out of service to replace its wooden deck. But substantial under deck issues were found and the restoration was more extensive and expensive than anticipated. Work continued to restore it until the recession, when funding was exhausted and the program suspended.

Moreover, U.S. Coast Guard regulations and safety best practices have significantly changed since 1938, resulting in significant design and structural changes required for Swift of Ipswich to be compliant.

The institute serves about 6,500 disadvantaged youth annually. Additionally, students receive rigorous hands-on experience to supplement instruction in biology, chemistry, physics, ecology, navigation, math, engineering and robotics. LAMI programs bring middle and high school students to sea for scientific inquiry, experiments and environmental education correlated to Next Generation Science Standards and Science Technology Engineering and Math protocols. Students in this challenging and new teamwork environment gain invaluable

Crew members also are excited.

“Bringing the Swift back is an investment in the future of ocean advocacy,” said Erin Kollar, a young crew member involved in daily sails, ship maintenance and educating youth.

“Having a platform of an incredible seafaring vessel, reconstructed by the community, is such an impactful way to connect with and inspire our students and adults to continue to explore and protect the ocean. I am proud to work here and be a part of this move. It is a beautiful opportunity for this community.”

Overseeing the reconstruction is Michael Patterson, shipwright and project manager.

“Swift is going into its final phase of refurbishing,” he said. “We hope to be working with youth and volunteers to complete the restoration over the next two years. We shall be putting in all new systems throughout and are looking for professional trades people to volunteer and come work with us to rapidly bring the ship back into service.”

Interested in putting your energy and skills into a worthwhile, community project? Call (310) 833-6055 or email info@lamitopsail.org.

Community Announcements:

Harbor Area Trail Watch Training Like to hike, ride your bike or horse? Want to help protect the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy Preserve, its habitat and wildlife while doing so? Become a trail watch volunteer and make a difference.

Participate in a two-day training. This program trains volunteers to hike the trails on their own schedule, greet members of the community and report back any issues. Volunteers are asked to visit the preserve four hours a month. This opportunity is for people 18 years old or older.

Time: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 20 and 27 Details: (310) 541-7613 ext. 215; www.pvplc. volunteerhub.com San Pedro Arts & Cultural District Stakeholder Meeting Plan to join the next meeting of the San Pedro Arts & Culture District. The group wants to come up with sustainable initiatives to connect assets, branding, outreach and next steps for art walks.

RSVP. Time: 6 p.m. Jan. 23 Details: llgrimes@ix.netcom.com Venue: National Watercolor Society, 915 S. Pacific Ave., San Pedro POLB Internships, Scholarships Applications are now open for the Summer High School Internship Program at the Port of Long Beach, as well as the Port’s college scholarships.

The program runs from June 25 through Aug. 16 and is open to high school juniors and seniors in the Long Beach Unified School District service area. The scholarships, open to LBUSD-area high school seniors pursuing careers in international trade, logistics and other port-related industries, range from $1,000 to $5,000, which will be disbursed over four years of college.

Applications for both programs are due

by March 1; no late applications will be accepted. Applicants must present their applications in person. Applications, eligibility information and detailed instructions for both programs are available on the port’s education portal website: academy.polb.com.

[See Announcements, p. 5]

Council Seeks Way Out of Lawsuit

Carson City Council’s vote allows members to hold two offices at once

By Lyn Jensen, Carson Reporter

Carson Mayor Albert Robles is due in Los Angeles Superior Court Jan. 25 for a case rooted in two issues — his refusal to resign from the other elected office he occupies with the Water Replenishment District of Southern California and questions about where he lives.

California law prohibits elected officials from holding two offices simultaneously, with one exception; the state approves of local government bodies crafting ordinances to work around that law.

So with Robles’ court date looming, the Carson City Council used its Dec. 19 meeting to provide Robles with a legal loophole. It passed an ordinance — and an urgency ordinance containing identical language — that allows council members to simultaneously as “elected or appointed officers” on sergeral other specific governing bodies, including the Water Replenishment District.

At the meeting, City Attorney Bill Wynder said the action would “create a mechanism which will avoid the appearance of incompatibility of holding multiple offices in a manner recognized by law.”

Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey.

File photo

Carson Mayor and member of the Water Replenishment District Board Albert Robles. File photo

Court documents declared the Los Angeles County District Attorney wants to remove Robles from his water board seat arguing the “opportunity for conflict between the offices is formal and constitutional, as the jurisdictions overlap.”

“The district attorney wants to pursue this complaint against me because she happens to favor the oil industry,” said Robles during the meeting.

The district attorney’s complaint argues that precedent for removal is established.

“There are at least nine separate attorney general opinions, which have concluded that holding the offices of city councilman and water district simultaneously presents substantial questions of law,” said District Attorney Jackie Lacey.

Since his reelection to the mayorship of Carson and to the Water Replenishment board in 2016, Robles has only dug deeper into his stance

that the offices do not conflict and his intention to fight the district attorney’s lawsuit.

The district attorney’s case singles out the board’s decision to increase pump taxes on three groundwater monitoring wells in Carson as an area of potential conflict, along with Tesoro’s attempt to merge its Carson refinery with one in Wilmington. The water district could also develop capital improvement projects that need the council’s approval.

Before the council members voted, Wynder instructed them to draw slips of paper from a bowl to determine which member would abstain. He told them this was to avoid a conflict of interest by even the simple act of voting on the resolution.

Wynder’s concern stemmed from the fact that Robles draws two salaries from serving in two elected offices. He and his fellow council members were voting on the possibility that they all might be allowed to earn two or more salaries by serving in two or more elected offices.

For the vote on the urgency ordinance, Cedric Hicks abstained. For the second ordinance, Wynder advised the council to draw again, this time to determine which two council members would abstain.

Hicks and Jawane Hilton abstained from the second vote.

“The good news for Hicks is that his fingerprints aren’t anywhere on this,” Wynder quipped.

Several residents appeared at the meeting and spoke against the council’s action.

“This is tantamount to an admission of guilt,” commented Jan Schafer, a resident.

The next day Carson Connected, an online blog maintained by Carson resident Lori Noflin, asked, “Did Carson officials conspire to obstruct justice?”

[See Robles, p. 15]

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Calling Blood Donors The American Red Cross is issuing an urgent call

Committed to Independent Journalism in the Greater LA/LB Harbor Area for More Than 30 Years

January 11 - 24, 2018

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Erasing the Stigma of Chiropractic Care

By Joan Reis Nielsen, Contributing Writer

January 11 - 24, 2018

Real News, Real People, Totally Relevant

Chiropractic care was established in 1895 as an alternative form of medicine to bring pain relief to patients with musculoskeletal disorders, especially concerning the spine.

Since then, chiropractic practice has been on a rocky road to mainstream acceptance, even including a famous conspiracy to destroy it that culminated in 1987. But more on that later.

Meanwhile, let’s consider San Pedro’s

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modern chiropractor, Dr. Mary Ann Pirozzi.

With a bachelor of science in human physiology and a minor in chemistry from California State University Long Beach, she went on to graduate from Cleveland Chiropractic College in Los Angeles, in 1996. Her career choice was not unusual or alternative. She was raised with parents who often brought members of her family to chiropractors for treatment. “They were just another type of doctor, like the dentist or the medical doctor that we saw regularly,” she said.

Pirozzi had quite a unique experience early on in her career. “At 27 years old, I walked into the room to evaluate a new patient and I started performing the exam, asking him about his history. Even though I introduced myself as Dr. Pirozzi, after a few minutes he looked at me and said ‘So when is the doctor coming in?’ I reiterated the fact that I was the doctor, and even though he was a little taken aback, he agreed to continue on with his treatment and left pleasantly surprised. He became a consistent patient after that.”

Pirozzi even refrained from putting her first name on the sign outside her office because she wanted patients to come in and see her without prejudices or preconceptions about her capability.

“I have always felt that women have to do things better and aim higher to gain respect in the professional arena,” she said. “Thankfully, I am always up to the challenge.”

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Dr. Mary Ann Pirozzi. Photo by Joan Nielson

Pirozzi’s practice focuses on the entire family, ranging from 3 to 83 years old.

“I do have a slightly higher percentage of female patients, but I think that may be because women know that I will be able to uniquely relate to what they are going through and understand specific issues they may be experiencing, and they gravitate towards that,” Pirozzi said.

The chiropractic technique she uses is called “diversified” because it incorporates many different techniques. Most of the time it will incorporate an osseous adjustment, which is an actual realignment of the spine. But for elderly patients, or those who are not able to tolerate an osseous adjustment, she uses nonforce techniques like activator and trigger point therapy, along with soft tissue and therapeutic exercise. Her office also offers acupuncture, reflexology, hot stone and lymphatic massage and cranial sacral therapy. She has a state of the art Erchonia cold laser in her office that helps with pain, inflammation and various other conditions. She is also a certified Kinesio-Taping practitioner.

“In many cases, patients feel they just have to

live with their pain, but I can actually help them correct the cause of the problem and feel better overall, even increasing their mental clarity and energy level,” Pirozzi said.

People live with pain for many years without any options except for many medications as strong as opiates, injections or surgery.

“So many patients come into my office and getting treatment from me is their first chiropractic experience,” she said.

“I take that responsibility seriously and am always learning new techniques, acquiring new certifications and bringing in new technology to ensure they have a positive experience and improvement of their symptoms.”

“There is joy in seeing patients go back to playing with their grandkids again, getting them back to work so they can provide for their family or helping them with sports injuries, so that they all can get back to doing what they enjoy, pain-free,” she said.

Now back to that conspiracy.

In the Wilk vs. American Medical Association case, the AMA was convicted of conspiring to destroy the chiropractic profession entirely. After a legal battle that began in 1976, the AMA lost the final trial on Sept. 25, 1987.

At the time, trial Judge Susan Getzendanner issued her opinion that the AMA had violated Section 1 of the Sherman Act, and that it had engaged in an unlawful conspiracy in restraint of trade “to contain and eliminate the chiropractic profession.” “[The] AMA had entered into a long history of illegal behavior,” Getzendanner said. And she then issued a permanent injunction against the AMA. Although the AMA brought appeal after appeal, even the Supreme Court refused to hear one and upheld the judge’s decision.

“In July 2014, The Journal of the American Medical Association recommended chiropractic as the first means of defense in back pain treatment,” Pirozzi said. “I also believe that the current opiate epidemic opens the door for chiropractic, by offering pain management that is safe, effective and cost efficient. It provides patients with treatment that can get to the root of their pain, versus just masking it temporarily with prescription medications.”

[Health Care from p. 1]

Health Care Battles Loom in 2018

Graphic by Suzanne Matsumiya

Community Announcements:

Harbor Area [Announcements from p. 3]

for blood and platelet donors to help tackle a winter blood shortage. Severe winter weather has had a tremendous impact on blood donations already this year, with more than 150 blood drives forced to cancel causing over 5,500 blood and platelet donations to go uncollected. Donations are needed right now so that patients can continue to receive life saving treatments.

Eligible donors can find a blood or platelet donation opportunity and schedule an appointment to donate by visiting redcrossblood.org or calling (800) 733-2767. Donation appointments and completion of a RapidPass are encouraged to help speed up the donation process. RapidPass lets donors complete the pre-donation reading and answer the health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, by visiting redcrossblood. org/rapidpass.

Upcoming blood donation opportunities: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Jan. 12 through 14, and 19 through 21: American Red Cross Greater Long Beach Chapter, 3150 E. 29th St., Long Beach 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Jan. 14: St. Cornelius Catholic Church, 5500 Warlow Road, Long Beach 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Jan. 14: St Cyprians Catholic Church, 4714 Clark Ave., Long Beach 12 to 7:30 p.m. Jan. 15 and 17: American Red Cross Greater Long Beach Chapter, 3150 E. 29th St., Long Beach 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jan. 16 and 17: Long Beach Police Department Headquarters, 400 W. Broadway, Long Beach 12 to 7 p.m. Jan. 16, and 22 through 24: American Red Cross Greater Long Beach Chapter, 3150 E. 29th St., Long Beach 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Jan. 17: Long Beach Fire Department, 3205 Lakewood Blvd., Long Beach 2 to 8 p.m. Jan. 18: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 3701 Elm Ave., Long Beach 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Jan. 22: Linden Public Coffee House, 149 Linden Ave., Long Beach 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Jan. 26: Providence Little Company of Mary, 1300 W. 7th St., San Pedro 5

January 11 - 24, 2018

Cal to cover all income-eligible Californians regardless of immigration status. We can improve affordability assistance in Covered California, to get better sign-ups in a highcost-of-living state. We can continue to take steps to address the cost of care, like we did last year with prescription drug price transparency to require justifications for price hikes.”

With enough breathing room, other states could follow California’s example, Hayes said.

“One of the biggest steps that could be taken to strengthen the gains already achieved would be for the 19 states that have not yet expanded Medicaid to decide to do so,” Hayes said. “We found that lowincome adults fared better in terms of access in Medicaid expansion states than their counterparts in non-expansion states. For example, nine expansion states, including California, slashed their uninsured rate for low-income adults by more than 20 percentage points between 2013 and 2016….

The share of low-income adults going without health care because of costs declined by more than seven points, on average, in the states that expanded Medicaid, compared to three points in states that did not.”

California did slightly better than average, with an eight point decline.

“States can also follow California’s lead in outreach and enrollment efforts for both marketplace and Medicaid managed care plans to ensure their residents get the coverage they are entitled to under federal law,” Hayes said.

While the number and variety of threats can be overwhelming, the bottom line for Californians is relatively simple.

“If we can prevent wholesale ACA repeal or major Medicaid cuts and caps, California has the will and the wherewithal to hold consumers harmless from the administrative attacks of the Trump administration,” Wright explained.

from additional executive actions. Solomon called attention to the first such example, announced on Jan. 4: new rules allowing small businesses and trade groups to form associations to buy health care that “don’t have to cover all of the benefits,” she listed above.

“Their plan is to allow short-term plans that are not subject to the market reforms rules,” she said. “We’re beginning to see — via these executive orders and possibly continued efforts on the legislative side — moves to erode the comprehensiveness of coverage that we gained.”

Legislative threats are less certain, but more ominous.

“We are most concerned about another run at ACA repeal, or efforts to cut and cap Medicaid and/or Medicare, as proposed in the federal budget outline,” Wright said. “The ACA repeal proposals not just would have set us back the five years of progress but by 50 years by ending the key commitments of Medicaid.”

“There’s still that looming threat,” Solomon agreed.

“We are preparing for the mother of all Medicaid and Medicare battles in this new year,” Wright said. “The GOP Congressional leadership has been clear that they plan to pay for the tax giveaway to the wealthy and corporations by seeking cuts to Medicare and Medicaid — at a massive scale…. Their budget resolution outlined $1.5 trillion in cuts to Medicaid.”

If the resistance to Trump’s agenda nationwide can block such drastic action, there’s a real chance California’s healthcare could improve.

“Congressional action repealing the ACA, block-granting Medicaid, or anything like that would be catastrophic, costing California tens of billions of dollars a year,” Wright warned.

“The previous proposals were the equivalent of all the money that California spends on higher education, prisons and parks—combined….

It would be very, very hard to backfill. The save and salvage operation would still leave millions uninsured, benefits slashed and provider payments cut…. California can use our progress as a platform to take additional steps to universal coverage…. We can continue to expand Medi-

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insurance market, as well as eliminating annual and lifetime benefit caps, preventing people from being barred based on pre-existing conditions, not charging women more than men, and all those market reforms are still in place,” Solomon said.

However, they’re under attack.

“This historic reduction in uninsured rates was accompanied by widespread reductions in people saying they could not get care because of the cost … and in improvements in people at risk for poor health outcomes getting access to the care they need,” Hayes said.

In California, the percentage of adults who didn’t see a doctor because of costs dropped from 16 percent to 11 percent.

“This 5-percentage point reduction meant that an estimated 1.1 million fewer people in California skipped needed care because of costs in 2016 compared to 2013,” she said.

The ACA marketplace played some role, but Medicaid expansion has been central to that success, she explained.

“States that accepted federal funds to expand their Medicaid program under the ACA, as California did, saw the greatest gains in access,” she said.

“California had the biggest reduction of our uninsured rate of all 50 states,” Wright noted.

“We went from about 7 million uninsured to less than 3 million — with millions now in coverage under the Medicaid expansion and another over a million getting subsidies to better afford individual coverage in Covered California.”

This past year, the Trump administration tried to cripple Obamacare enrollment by cutting the time available to sign up for coverage in half and slashing money spent on outreach by 90 percent, from $100 million to $10 million. But almost 9 million people still signed up — a decline of just 400,000.

California was a leader in fighting back against this, by passing a law maintaining its existing 90-day annual open enrollment period for future years, and by expanding the money spent on outreach, enrollment and marketing. As a state-operated exchange, Covered California has its own revenue sources. It boosted spending by around 10 percent to $111 million.

The Trump administration also cut off making cost-sharing reduction payments to insurers, which help lower out-of-pocket healthcare costs for roughly 6 million low- and moderate-income earners. Far from saving money, an Urban Institute analysis found it would cost the federal government $7.2 billion in 2018, as a result.

“The loss of the [cost-sharing reduction]s has made the premiums go up, the [loss of the individual] mandate will make the premiums go up, so anybody who is not eligible for a subsidy is going to have a hard time,” Solomon pointed out. “The subsidies go up with the prices, so the people who are eligible for subsidies can still buy something.”

But it makes the whole system more costly, and leaves many people out.

“Something to relieve those folks who are buying in the individual market and not eligible for subsidies could be helpful,” she said. “I just don’t see the will right now to focus on that.”

The more complicated it gets, the more ways there are for people to lose.

This year, the most imminent threat comes

Two Perspectives, One Community

Curbed LA, Ports O’ Call and the last remaining waterfront to be gentrified

By James Preston Allen, Publisher

Real News, Real People, Totally Relevant

The hipster real estate blog Curbed LA recently announced that San Pedro had fulfilled its destiny by winning the 2017 Curbed Cup. According to the Curbed LA, the Curbed Cup is a celebration of neighborhood pride and that this Harbor Area neighborhood “knocked out Burbank to claim the title of Neighborhood of the Year.”

I chuckled at the announcement.

It is not as if these “contests” hold any real weight, like the Oscars or the Golden Globes or anything.

At best, they’re just gimmicks to draw audiences into a phony competition. But a competition for what purpose? To find the town with the most passionate hometown pride? Passion and pride in all things Pedro is not something we are in short supply of, obviously.

As much as our blue-blood San Pedro citizens like to complain about being the forgotten part of Los Angeles, we definitely are proud to be the biggest little town in the entire city.

One local complainer responded to the Curbed Cup by writing, “Here, here! Congrats to one of the Southland’s scrappiest little hoods.

May you continue to produce good bands, good beer and good property values.”

The San Pedro Harbor Area remains one of the most affordable areas in the entire city even as rents have increased 30 to 50 percent in the past 10 years.

Yet the premise of gentrification, which Curbed LA is actually promoting, is a long sought-after goal by those who own property here and the dreaded consequences of development to long time residents who have and will be displaced. Basically, gentrification is making this last affordable seaside town unaffordable for many who call San Pedro home.

The conflict over the development of Ports O’ Call Village is a prime example of the double-edged sword that is gentrification.

On the one hand, we have the long promised completion of the Waterfront Promenade.

It was started under Mayor Jim Hahn and heavily pushed by John Papadakis, former owner of the Greek eatery of the same name, as the cure-all for the neglect of the city and

the Port of Los Angeles.

“San Pedro is still a very rough and tough, scarcely developed, locals-only waterfront,” Papadakis said. “[It is] a historic California seaside, void of commercial economic opportunity, the only one of its kind in the State… a seaside slum.”

Well it’s not exactly the “only one of its kind.” Take a look at the West Oakland neighborhood just beyond Jack London Square. But we get the point that the POLA’s 20-year delay in finishing the promenade has missed at least two development cycles that would have greatly benefited San Pedro’s economy. Yet, the “locals-only” allegation flies in the face of what can be seen on any given weekend with the out-of-town traffic coming into Ports O’ Call.

There are a multitude of visitors to our waterfront. They have made the San Pedro Fish Market one of the biggest independent restaurants in the nation and the signature Ports O’ Call Restaurant a success for generations, serving tens of thousands. The port estimates that the Fish Market serves about 1.1 million visitors per year. But these “visitors” may just not be the demographic “diversity” that some people are looking to attract.

So, in the effort to remake this historic, if not antiquated waterfront great again, the Port of Los Angeles has spent the past decade cooking up plans. First with a series of public presentations, then with the 2009 environmental impact report and then with a request for proposals, which resulted in the development team Jerico and Ratkovich being chosen and given an unheard of 75-year lease. That lease option was signed this past March and yet the Jerico-Ratkovich team have yet taken possession, or as of this date, publicly revealed the plans or announced the funding source for the proposed $100 million development.

What has leaked out about the “new” plans has shocked many people who have followed this long drawn out process and who now accuse the POLA and the developers of betrayal of the public trust.

What has changed since the first public presentations and the 2009 EIR hearings is that

January 11 - 24, 2018

Publisher/Executive Editor James Preston Allen james@randomlengthsnews.com

6

Assoc. Publisher/Production Coordinator Suzanne Matsumiya Managing Editor

“A newspaper is not just for reporting the news as it Terelle Jerricks is, but to make people mad enough to do someeditor@randomlengthsnews.com thing about it.”

—Mark Twain Senior Editor Vol. XXXIX : No. 1 Published every two weeks for the Harbor Area communities of San Pedro, RPV, Lomita, Harbor City, Wilmington, Carson and Long Beach. Distributed at over 350 locations throughout the Harbor Area.

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all of Ports O’ Call village is now scheduled to be demolished first, before anything new is built, displacing some 20 businesses (employing some 250 workers) that were promised a place in the new village. This would leave the golden promise of waterfront development vacant for up to two years or more. This could drive most of those Ports O’ Call businesses out of town or out of business, leaving the San Pedro Fish Market as the lone destination.

Clearly, in light of the past and now seemingly forgotten promises made by both the developers (which were recorded) and the port, there will be more harm than benefit to the local economy.

This is due to their incompetence, surreptitious negotiations or intentional malice towards certain businesses (possibly all three). At best, this approach of ignoring the past commitments to a “phased development plan” with relocation options is just sheer stupidity. At worst it might be considered criminal negligence.

The smaller tenants at the village have sued over their evictions and lost in court, but are considering further legal actions while attempting to negotiate relocation fees. The fate of the historic Ports O’ Call Restaurant, contrary to certain other news reports and rumors, is still pending negotiations between the port, JericoRatkovich and possibly Mayor Eric Garcetti.

The restaurant is continuing to book events into the end of 2018 and does not plan on closing anytime soon. However, it is doubtful that the community support for the signature restaurant will simply dry up and go away or that the owners of Ports O’ Call Restaurant will fold up their tent and go away without a fight. At this point, the lawyers have advised everyone not to speak on the record about any of it and this has left the community and patrons angry and reliant upon

Columnists/Reporters Lyn Jensen Reporter Christian Guzman Reporter Richard Foss Restaurant

Reviewer Andrea Serna Arts Writer Melina Paris Culture Writer

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rumors and silence from the port.

Even the San Pedro Chamber of Commerce, whose mission it is to promote business and increase job opportunities has remained silent on the issue. The chamber has not been receiving any substantial reports from any of their board members, who are either representatives of the port or Jerico. As of Jan. 9, Augie Bezmalinovich, the port’s community mouthpiece, said that it was “in litigation” and thusly, could not comment when asked directly about the status of Ports O’ Call restaurant. Yet, neither the port, the developers or Ports O’ Call Restaurant as of this date have filed any legal action. He said this while he was sitting next to one of the Jerico Development partners in the recent Chamber Economic Development meeting.

In the end, San Pedro may be proud of the Curbed Cup award, but what we’ve gotten is kicked-to-the-curb by LA on our great waterfront promenade redevelopment. This development they are working on may not retain its history or its vibrant independent locally owned businesses.

Like I’ve said before, when gentrification comes to Pedro, people aren’t going to like it no matter how good it looks on paper.

And of course, none of this addresses the growing population of homeless people, who from their vantage point, just above the bluff on Beacon Street, can see all of this earth being moved around. They are sensing some impending doom as Councilman Joe Buscaino has no comprehensive plan to either deal with this crisis nor save the jobs of 250 workers who may just find themselves gentrified-out of their homes and living on the award-winning streets of Pedroville.

Random Lengths News editorial office is located at 1300 S. Pacific Ave., San Pedro, CA 90731, (310) 519-1016. Address correspondence regarding news items and news tips only to Random Lengths News, P.O. Box 731, San Pedro, CA 90733-0731, or email to editor @randomlengthsnews.com.

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Random Lengths News presents issues from an alternative perspective. We welcome articles and opinions from all people in the Harbor Area. While we may not agree with the opinions of contributing writers, we respect and support their 1st Amendment right to express those opinions. Random Lengths News is a member of Standard Rates and Data Reporting Services and the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies. (ISN #0891-6627). All contents Copyright 2018 Random Lengths News. All rights reserved.

Carson Will Not Bamboozled Again

By Carson Mayor Albert Robles

(RLn, Dec. 21, 2017) I understand James … and agree — great viewpoint article.

Most often, the government is what it takes to get things rolling. First money has been put in — and that really matters.

We’ll see — that is — if I live long enough.

Your other article by the way, about the current Waging the War of Words, was very good, as well as timely. I reposted that article on my Facebook page and another site civ.works, as well.

Hope it helps.

Keep it up and Merry Christmas too…

Richard Pawlowski Depoe Bay, Ore.

our organization.

Joselyn Wilkinson Director of Education Grand Vision Foundation San Pedro

Taking Back the House and Our Country in 2018

Thanks to your ongoing help, I am honored to be able serve in Congress. Now as I run for reelection, I must ask for your help once again.

Administration are determined to dismantle every progressive piece of the federal government they can.

In doing so, they want to silence people like me.

But I refuse to be silenced. I refuse to give up fighting.

I will continue to fight for our environment. I will continue to speak out about the danger of climate change. I will defend our public lands from being sold off to corporate America.

They simply don’t want a champion for issues that will preserve our democracy and move America forward.

[See Letters p. 15]

Richard, The point is that I remain supportive of the project but slightly skeptical of the private funding approach and the hype of new buzz words like “blue tech” and “waterfront innovation district.”

Thank you, James Preston Allen, Publisher

The Internet is a Utility

The recent Federal Communications Commission vote to dismantle net neutrality should reenergize our resolve for a free and open internet.

The market for internet service providers operates in much the same was as telephone or electric utilities—namely it is a natural monopoly. Just as there are not multiple electric companies vying to provide your home with power, most residences only have one broadband option.

The solution to monopoly utilities is public ownership, as exemplified in Chattanooga, Tenn. Municipal broadband in California could provide cheaper internet alternatives with the benefit of having local control and public oversight.

Councilman Joe Buscaino should become an open advocate for Los Angeles to develop a municipal broadband alternative to the Spectrums and Time Warner Cables of the world—nobody is happy with their service or prices and it’s about to get worse. The corporate monopolies have too much power; let’s advocate for municipal broadband and break the monopolies at the state and local level.

Derek R. Jordan San Pedro

RE: Meet the Music

(RLn, Dec. 21, 2017) Thank you for the detailed and thoughtful article about Grand Vision’s Meet the Music program.

Liz Schindler Johnson Grand Vision Foundation San Pedro We appreciate all the care you put into this thorough article, and the great spotlight on

January 11 - 24, 2018

elements will be undertaken for exclusively educational purposes. This proposed massive for-profit project obviously must be extensively reviewed for its impacts on the city.

This past August, I wrote three letters to the university asking that it consult with Carson to determine which institution is best situated to undertake the environmental review for this massive development. Sadly, my letters were ignored by the chancellor. Next, we asked the city attorney’s office to reach out to the university’s lawyers.

Those letters were also rejected.

In short, the California State University system has expressed no interest in consulting with Carson — and very disrespectfully and selfishly started the environmental review process over our objections.

When our efforts at fostering a “partnership” proved futile, we reached out to the California Office of Planning and Research.

This office has the legal authority to resolve which public agency should undertake the environmental review process when parties cannot agree among themselves.

What’s the big deal? Unless proper measures are taken now, this massive development will have a dramatic impact on Carson’s traffic, existing utilities, the aesthetics of our community and, in particular, the quality of life in the residential communities that surround it.

This has forced us to go to court. And as a result of a settlement conference, lawyers for Office of Planning and Research offered to rescind the university’s position as lead agency for the vitally important environmental review process.

We again invite the chancellor of the CSU system to meet with us to talk about who should perform the environmental review process. The CSU system obviously desires to have that role so as to selfishly move its development forward as quickly as possible. As CSUDH tries to run roughshod over Carson again, failing to address the impacts of its massive development on our community, it expects us to let them proceed based merely on its “promise that as partners” they will look out for Carson’s best interests.

Carson will not be bamboozled by CSUDH again.

Re: AltaSea’s Future Defies History

The Orange County Republicans have recruited a candidate to run against me. But if they think they are going to silence me, and distract me from my laserfocus on taking back the House next year—they are dead wrong.

They are worried about the ground Democrats are gaining in Orange County- day by day- voter by voter. The numbers don’t lie. And they should be worried. Because I – along with many, many others — are motivated like never before to help flip every one of the targeted seats in Orange County.

The stakes couldn’t be higher. The GOP and the Trump

Real News, Real People, Really Effective

Periodically, I attend Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce morning business meetings — affectionately known as “Pancakes & Politics” — where prominent local, county and state officials address the business community. California State University Chancellor Timothy P. White was the speaker at the most recent meeting.

During his speech, White lauded the “partnerships” the various Cal State campuses have with their host cities.

But I became upset as he continued speaking because such a “partnership” does not currently exist between my own city and Cal State University at Dominguez Hills.

Carson is tired of the broken promises of “partnership” and disrespect from the California State University system – both present and past.

CSUDH disrespect to Carson was best exemplified during construction of the stadium complex now known as The StubHub Center. The Cal State University ran roughshod over Carson, ignoring the concerns of city officials and failing to adequately address any impacts of this for-profit stadium on our community.

Fact: Today Carson gets absolutely no revenue from the stadium — no parking fee, no ticket tax, no city host fee, nothing, zilch, nada, not so much as $1, from any event, not even the wildly profitable NFL Chargers games. In other words, Carson was bamboozled into bearing 100 percent of the inconvenience and burdens of the stadium complex, with zero percent of the financial rewards.

This brings me to my point. The CSUDH campus is now embarking on a massive Master Plan development, which includes (1) about 2,000 market-rate residential units (i.e., not student housing or not faculty housing and, unlike all other housing developments in Southern California, no affordable housing component to reduce our homelessness), (2) almost 100,000 square feet of retail/commercial space (i.e., not science labs or classrooms) and (3) a private business park that will be more than 30 acres (i.e., 100 percent for-profit focused on making money instead of academic pursuits).

To reiterate, none of these

RANDOMLetters

7

Plan; or

[Pot from p. 1]

Pot Desert

The retail cannabis locations allowed in Los Angeles under the new ordinances include: • Commercial Manufacturing in the Glencoe/ Maxella Zone: a three-by-two-block area in the Venice, Del Rey, Palms communities; it is an area that’s set to be filled with mixed use residential housing rather than commercial manufacturing.

• Central City West Specific Plan Zone in the northwest part of downtown Los Angeles amidst mixed-use residential neighborhood; or • Warner Center Specific Plan Zone in Woodland Hills, or

• Los Angeles Sports and Entertainment District Specific Plan Zone: which include the Staples Center bordered by Olympic and Pico Boulevards and Cherry St and Figueroa, or • Playa Vista Specific Plan Zone: an area bordered by Jefferson and the Ballona Creek Channel; or

• Paramount Pictures Specific Plan Zone: A campus revamp surrounding the last Hollywood studio. This includes the Lemon Grove, South Bronson, Windsor, Camerford, Waring , and Gregory lots under the Paramount Pictures Specific Plan; or • USC Specific Plan Zone: USC Specific Plan Zone within Subarea 3 under the USC Specific Plan; or

• Jordan Downs Urban Village Specific Plan Zone: Commercial Manufacturing Zone under the Jordan Downs Urban Village Specific

• Cornfield-Arroyo Seco Specific Plan Zone, an area east of Griffith Park and the Los Angeles River.

Aside from these designations, a retail shop can be located outside a 700-foot radius of schools, public parks, public libraries, alcoholism or drug abuse treatment facilities, daycare centers and permanent supportive housing. Retail shops must also be outside a 700-foot radius of any other retailer or microbusiness commercial cannabis activity with on-site retail sales, which is licensed by the state of California and licensed by the city to engage in the commercial cannabis activity defined in this section.

These 10 planned zones form a green belt across the northern part of the city, with the exception of Jordan Downs Urban Village Plan, which is one of the southernmost locations where retail pot dispensaries will be able to open.

All license applicants in Los Angeles now need to pay attention to “Undue Concentration,” which means that the premises of a cannabis business have to be situated according to a specified ratio of license to population based on U.S. data and updated by each decennial census.

For retailers, that ratio would be one license per 10,000 residents; for micro businesses, one license per 7,500; for manufacturers, one license per 7,500 residents; and for cultivation the ratio is 1 square foot of cultivated area for every 350 square feet of land zoned M1, M2, M3, MR1.

Existing medical marijuana dispensaries won’t be subject to the Undue Concentration analysis. A micro-business involved in on­ site retail counts towards the Undue Concentration License and limits applicants to retailer licenses, and a micro-business involved in cultivation counts towards the undue concentration limits applied to the cultivation licenses types.

Businesses in a geographical area of Undue

Concentration have to file with the city clerk, on a form provided by the Department of Cannabis Regulation, a request that the city council find that approval of the license application would serve public convenience or necessity, supported by evidence in the record. If the city council does not act on a request within 90 days, it will be deemed to support public convenience.

According to the city controller’s office, there were 191 marijuana businesses that were eligible to apply for a special 2017 Business Tax Registration Certificate and 756 marijuana businesses that held a business tax registration certificate in 2016. The city attorney’s office had filed 563 criminal cases against marijuana businesses.

Courtesy of the Los Angeles City Controller’s office

patients have chosen their new plans and networks now,

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how do they find you?

Cannabis Regulation Gets Cut

By Matt Garland, Guest Columnist

Random Lengths

Health & Fitness Guide Publishes Jan. 25, 2018 Deadline Jan. 19

January 11 - 24, 2018

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On Jan. 5, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions rescinded a 2013 operating guideline for state-sanctioned marijuana businesses to avoid federal prosecution. The Cole memorandum, drafted by Deputy Attorney General James M. Cole during the Barack Obama administration, was rescinded a few days after California became the latest state to license, tax and regulate commercial marijuana on Jan. 1.

The timing of these two developments in marijuana policy are not independent of one another. As California goes, so goes the nation.

Sessions’ action is a last ditch effort to revive the war on drugs amidst a growing awareness of its utter failure.

The priorities outlined in both state and municipal marijuana regulations are an echo of the now defunct Cole memo. Issues of community safety, youth safeguards and dissolution of the illicit market have been highlighted as benchmarks of success in any

Attorney General Jeff Session declared war on legal cannabis. File photo

regulatory framework.

California, and importantly, Los Angeles city and county governments, have also given [See Regulations, p. 15]

Only Sissies Like Yellow Tom of Finland Explores the Influence of the Man Behind the Leather

By Zamná Ávila, Assistant Editor

Among many gay men, Tom of Finland is a well-known name. When I learned there was a movie about his life, I wasn’t interested in seeing it. I prejudged the film because of my opinions against fostering unattainable fantasies that produce negative self-image issues in men.

However, the film gave me a different perspective of the man and his drawings.

Although the gay community is still concerned about how it is perceived – masculine, feminine — by the wider culture, gay men have more individual latitude in their self expression than ever before.

Tom of Finland, a biopic film about artist Touko Laaksonen who shaped fantasies of muscle-bound men through his drawings, takes viewers on a journey through time, when gay men were considered mentally ill, weak and effeminate. It’s important to remember that until recently, partaking in homosexual activities was a crime in most countries.

The constant struggle to live out their realities and embrace their image is exemplified best in an impactful scene from the film. After escaping a police raid on a party they attended, Touko, played by Pekka Strang, and his partner, Nipa, played by Lauri Tilkanen, engage in a conversation about an ideal future.

“I’d like us to have an apartment together,” Nipa tells Touko. “Big windows with light-yellow curtains.”

“Only sissies like yellow,” Touko responds.

“I’d like the curtains to be open when we dance with friends,” Nipa continued.

“I want you to hold my hand in broad daylight. I want the curtains to be open.”

“Nice idea, but totally unrealistic,” Touko countered.

Nipa encourages Touko to make those dreams real by selling his work internationally, where he took on the nom de plume, Tom of Finland.

In the course of four decades, Touko produced about 3,500 illustrations, mostly of beefcake men wearing tight leather or denim clothes. A gay subgroup arose that impacted self-expression and pop culture.

Music bands such as Queen and the Village People took cues from [See Sissies, p. 13]

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January 11 - 24, 2018

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N

January 11 - 24, 2018

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ews about the closing of Ports O’Call Village has hogged the headlines. Yet, when it comes to local dining, a lot of other things have been going on in the Harbor Area. It’s worth taking a moment to review major events in 2017 and what new changes are in the works.

The first big opening of 2017 was Jackson’s Place on 7th Street in downtown San Pedro, the area’s first Cajun eatery. The modern dining room quickly became an evening hotspot with live music and a happening wine bar. Lunch and dinner business seems to be doing well, too. The restaurant just expanded the menu and brought in Chef Scott Persson; more changes are likely as he settles in. Jackson’s Place is at 335 W. 7th St. in San Pedro. Details: (424) 477-5220 Elsewhere in town, the long-awaited Pappy’s opened to mixed reviews. However, it seems to have stabilized after a change in the service concept. The original pay-at-the-counter pattern was not popular, but table service by an energetic young staff improved the experience.

The restaurant is still a work in progress and a full liquor license is pending. That will help Pappy’s compete with other establishments in the area. Pappy’s is at 301 W. 6th St. in San Pedro. Details: (424) 224-5444) Around the corner, one of the more promising openings of 2016 fizzled. Punto Cubano got good reviews from the small Cuban community but lasted only a few days past its first year, closing suddenly in December, presumably because of a rent increase. As of this writing, there’s no word about what will replace Punto’s in the space previously occupied by the very popular Mishi’s Strudel shop. It’s a desirable slot with an extensively remodeled

10

Dine By the Harbor:

Looking Forward, Looking Back

By Richard Foss, Cuisine and Culture Writer

Humberto Raygoza is the owner of The Chori Man. File photo

Greg Morena at Pappy’s Seafood. File photo

kitchen, so it presumably won’t be vacant long.

There were a few openings on Western Avenue, mostly fast food places. The most noteworthy was Pokeio, specializing in Hawaiian-style tuna and salmon bowls.

Marinated raw seafood with different vegetable toppings seems to have hit a savory spot in the

American palate. Pokeio is thriving despite competition. Pokeio is at 1385 W. Park Western Ave. in San Pedro. Details: (310) 400-7052 There is also action in some odd corners.

Despite its eccentric hours — only four days a week — The Chori Man’s homemade sausage in burritos, tacos and quesadillas have been pulling a crowd to a side street. This place is proof that if you have a good enough idea people will find you wherever you are. Other entrepreneurs must be inspired by its success. The Chori Man is at 2309 Alma St. in San Pedro. Details: (424) 287-2414 The other culinary business that opened locally doesn’t have much of a dine-in clientele.

B.U.L.K. Beef Jerky is misleadingly named,

since they sell much more than beef – other critters that are made into jerky and sausage include elk, emu, kangaroo, shark and even python. It’s easily the strangest niche market local business to open in recent memory. Some people stop in just to gawk before being tempted into a purchase. B.U.L.K. Beef Jerky is at 1931 Gaffey St. in San Pedro. Details: (424) 5363050 Wilmington was fairly quiet but had one noteworthy new entrant, Smoky Doky BBQ. This is the first barbecue specialist in this area since Porky’s closed in 2016. It has a small counter and most orders are to go. You’re not here for ambiance. You’re here for smoky, peppery meat with the traditional sides. They often sell out. Smoky Doky BBQ is at 223 W. Anaheim St. in Wilmington. Details: (424) 3640588 Carson also had several small openings and one big one: Restaurant 917 at the Porsche

[continued on p. 11]

Pedro Brewing Co’s James Brown. Remodeling is visibly progressing, and the tasting room should open by mid- to late summer. A kitchen may follow, but at the beginning they’ll be using San Pedro Brewing Co’s kitchen for events.

There’s also action on 6th Street near Pappy’s, where an establishment called Cabrillo Bakery & Café will open in the former Starbucks. An Italian restaurant may open soon, but that isn’t yet confirmed. The synergies of these openings could change the downtown scene dramatically and bring more customers to all the businesses, which would be a welcome development.

0Know of any restaurant openings, new culinary business or watering holes? Drop a tip at editor@randomlengthsnews.com.

The interior of Jackson’s Place. File photo

Experience Center. The cars that whiz by on the track may be German, but the food is California creative. The view of the test track is far from the only attraction. Restaurant 917 is at 19800 S. Main St. in Carson. Details: (770) 290-7917.

Other restaurants around the area changed in less drastic ways. J. Trani’s remodeled its dining room to focus on the history both of the family business and the city. It’s an attractive new look.

There’s a changing of the guard at Babouch as founding owner Kamal Keroles announced the sale of the restaurant and his retirement. The new owner, Trina Mendoza, intends to expand the menu but will keep serving the old favorites.

Rafaello’s announced that it will move to a new location on 7th Street (the former DiOrio’s and Caliente Cantina), but the permit and remodeling process will take at least nine or 10 months. This move will put them in the middle of the San Pedro dining and art district and directly across from the owners’ other property, Michael’s Banquet Room. It will remain open on Pacific Avenue until then. Any closure will be brief.

The intensity of the downtown San Pedro dining scene will kick up a few notches in 2018 with the opening of Port Town Brewing in the old Liberty Auditorium on 7th Street, by San Belly dancer entertains at Babouch. File photo

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JAN 11 - 24 • 2018 ENTERTAINMENT Jan. 13

Baker Brothers Big Band Baker Brothers Big Band will be playing your favorite big, dynamic, screamin’ and swingin’ numbers.

Time: 8 p.m. Jan. 13 Cost: $20 Details: https:// alvasshowroom.com/events/ Venue: Alvas Showroom, 1417 W. 8th St., San Pedro

Jan. 19

Seatbelt + Chum!

Wiff the surf with Seatbelt’s rockabilly and Chum, SoCal’s Killerest Surf Band.

Time: 9 p.m. Jan. 19 Cost: Free Details: https://tinyurl.com/ Seatbelt-Chum Venue: Godmothers Saloon, 302 W. 7th St., San Pedro It’s Comedy Tonight Comedian Jeff Keller headlines with Carlisle Forrester and Jake Gallo as the opening acts. This is an excellent opportunity to attend a front run comedy show locally with food wine and funny.

Time: 7 to 10 p.m. Jan. 19 Cost: $4.80 Details: https://tinyurl.com/ SanPedro-Comedy Venue: Community Art Machine, 446 W. 6th St., San Pedro

January 11 - 24, 2018

Real News, Real People, Totally Relevant

Jan. 20

12

Tribute to Nirvana, Amy Winehouse Kick back as seasoned tribute bands such as Nirvanish and The Winehouse Experience perform pitch-perfect renditions of Smells Like Teen Spirit and Back to Black.

Time: 9 p.m., Jan. 20 Cost: $10 Details: www.goldstar.com Venue: Gaslamp, 6251 E. Pacific Coast Highway, Long Beach Christina Montes-Mateo Classical Crossroads’ The Interludes concert series presents Beverly Hills National Auditions winner, harpist Cristina MontesMateo. Cristina Montes Mateo is recognized throughout the world as one of the leading harpists of her generation.

Time: 3 p.m. Jan. 20 Cost: Free Details: (310) 316-5574; w w w. p a l o s v e r d e s . c o m / ClassicalCrossroads/ TheInterludes.htm Venue: First Lutheran Church & School, 2900 W. Carson St., Torrance

Jan. 26

Hot House Hot House will be setting the house on fire at Harold’s Bar in San Pedro. Richard Manzanaer who plays the

guitar and vocals, Chris Couchios who plays drums and vocals, Rocco Presutti who plays bass vocals and Ike Parnell who plays keys and vocals will have you doing the Ameri-gumbo.

Time: 9 to 12 p.m. Jan. 26 Cost: Free Details: (310) 832-5503 Venue: Harold’s Place, 1908 S. Pacific Ave., San Pedro

Little Fish Theatre — Pick of the Vine

THEATER Jan. 12

Pick of the Vine: Season 16 at Little Fish Theatre An exciting night of entertainment awaits you in these 7 to 15 minute short plays hand-picked from authors across the country. The 2018 selections include: Wishes

by Mark Harvey Levine; The Train

by Irene L. Pynn and The Last Word by JC Cifranic Time: 8 p.m. Fri-Sat, 2 p.m. Sun, Jan. 12-Feb. 17 Cost: $23 to $27 Details: www.facebook.com/ TheLittleFishTheatre Venue: Little Fish Theatre, 777 S. Centre St., San Pedro

Jan. 13

Black Coffee In 1930, Agatha Christie wrote Black Coffee as a play featuring her master sleuth Hercule Poirot.

In this seldom seen and intricately crafted mystery, Christie weaves scientific discoveries, international espionage, and unimaginable murder together to give the audience a night of unraveling the knots of danger and suspense.

Time: 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 2 p.m. Sundays Jan. 13 through Feb. 10 Cost: $14 to $24 Details: (562) 494-1014; www. lbplayhouse.org Venue: Long Beach Playhouse, 5021 E. Anaheim St., Long Beach

Jan. 14

January Musical Without a Name This funny and unexpected musical weaves together the stories of four New Yorkers searching for love, purpose, happiness and cabs. This musical is for anyone who’s ever struggled to appreciate simple things in a complex place.

Time: 8 p.m. Jan. 12 and 13, and 2 p.m. Jan. 14 Cost: $15 to $24 Details: www.TaketheStageLB. com Venue: Long Beach Playhouse, 5021 E. Anaheim St., Long Beach

ARTS

Jan. 13

Above, Below and Away Jon Ng’s work maintains a bridge between classical stilllife and figurative painting and contemporary art. One feels the strong presence of a 600-year tradition in the midst of a 21st century visual experience. Ng paints a certain reality yet evokes a sense of solitude, displacement and transformation. His work is as simple and beautiful as it is rife with

An exciting night of entertainment awaits you in these 7-15 minute short plays hand-picked by Little Fish Theatre from authors across the country. Pick of the Vine runs Jan. 12 through Feb. 17. For details: www.littlefishtheatre.org. human and earthly complexities.

Through Feb. 3.

Time: 1 to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays Details: (562) 400-0544 www.michaelstearsstudio.com Venue: Michael Stearns Studio 347, 347 W. 7th St., San Pedro.

Unfiltered Photo Exhibition A fan favorite reception will be hosted for the exhibit, which runs through Jan. 28.

Time: 7 to 9 p.m. Jan. 13 Cost: Free Details: http://bit.ly/ UNFILTEREDFanFavorite Venue: MADE by Millworks, 240 Pine Ave., Long Beach

Jan. 27

Randi Matushevitz and Huss Hardan Closing Reception/ Artist Talk The final day for Urban Dilemmas, the incredible large scale mixed media paintings from Randi Matushevitz and Color of Money photographs by Huss Hardan.

Talk starts promptly at 4pm Time: 3 to 5 p.m., Jan. 27 Details: www.huzgalleries.com; www.randimatushevitz.com Venue: Huz Galleries, 341 W 7th St, San Pedro

Art Continuing

LA Photographers Two Los Angeles-based photographers, Ray Carofano and Anita Bunn will show photographic series, each artist expressing a complex emotion using simple subject matter. Bunn’s work is focused on tops of trees and the sky in Los Angeles. Carofano’s focus is on the isolated remains of the Mojave Desert, a documentary of the time ravaged dwellings, skeletal remains of once viable communities.

Time: Through Feb. 3 Cost: Free Details: www.southbay contemporary.org Venue: South Bay Contemporary, SoLA Gallery, 3718 W. Slauson Ave., Los Angeles Moon Over San Pedro Ann Weber’s large biomorphic

sculptures have been described as bizarre characters from a story, hanging on the wall or sitting in the middle of the gallery like strange and evocative outcroppings of nature or outer space.

Time: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursdays, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays through Sundays, through Feb. 4 Cost: $6 to $7 Details: lbma.org Venue: Long Beach Museum of Art, 2300 E. Ocean Blvd., Long Beach

FILM

Jan. 14

Wild & Scenic Film Festival Since 1983, the Wild & Scenic Film Festival has partnered with hosts to jointly raise awareness of preservation issues. This year, the Palos Verdes Land Conservancy presents 13 adventurous and inspiring short films about nature, that will screen in two locations on two different Sundays.

Time: 4 p.m. Jan. 14 and 28 Cost: $10 to $15 Details: (310) 541-7613 www.pvplc.org Venue: Warner Grand Theatre, 478 W. 6th St., San Pedro and Hermosa Beach Community Theater, 710 Pier Ave., Hermosa Beach

COMMUNITY Jan. 12

MLK Day Celebration Come join us at this special tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. There will be music, dance, poetry and history. All ages are welcome.

Time: 6 p.m., Jan. 12 Cost: Free Details: (310) 835-0212 x1467 Venue: Carson Community Center Main Hall, 801 E. Carson St. Carson Aquarium Family Overnight Grab your sleeping bags and coziest pajamas for an overnight adventure, exploring the Aquarium’s many exhibits. Space is limited Time: 5 a.m. Jan. 12 to 7 a.m.

Jan. 13 Cost: $90 Details: (562) 590-3100;

aquariumofthepacific.org Venue: Aquarium of the Pacific, 100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach

Jan. 13

MLK Jr. Peace & Unity Parade Join the LGBTQ Center of Long Beach on Jan. 13 at the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Peace and Unity Parade with this year’s theme, “Standing on the Shoulders of Giants.” March with The Center family and the Long Beach community as we remember the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. .

Time: 9:30 a.m.to 1:30 p.m. Jan. 13 Cost: Free Venue: Martin Luther King Jr Ave, Long Beach West End Catalina Kelp Dives Three dives exploring the reefs and kelp forests of Catalina island’s wild west end. Start boarding at 6 a.m., enjoying a full hot breakfast while the crew is keeping an eye out for dolphins and Gray whales. Between dives enjoy snacks, hot lunch and cruise home in the afternoon.

Time: 7 a.m to 5:30 p.m., Jan. 13 Cost: $125 Details: http://catalinaexplorer. com/ Venue: Catalina Explorer, 141 E 22nd St, San Pedro Tidepool Walk Join educators as they explore the shore. Attend an informative slide show in the John M. Olguin Auditorium, then come along on a naturalist-led ramble on the rocks to see animals in their natural habitat. Outdoor clothing and sneakers advised. Young children must be accompanied by adults.

Time: 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m., Jan. 13 Cost: Free Details: http://www. cabrillomarineaquarium.org/ Venue: Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, 3720 Stephen M White Dr, San Pedro

Jan. 20

Seals & Sea Lions — How To Handle Intrusion Marine Mammal Care Center LA and NOAA invite you to a discussion on how to safely

and humanely handle marine mammal encounters on boats and docks. The discussion will be led by Justin Viezbicke, California Stranding Network Coordinator for the National Marine Fisheries Service. He’ll discuss the options that are available to boat owners who encounter aggressive animals and those that are protected by the marine Mammal Protection Act. This is the first in a series of Seal Savvy seminars.

Time: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Jan. 20 Venue: Marine Mammal Care Center Los Angeles, 3601 S Gaffey St, San Pedro

Jan 21

Press Play — Party at Cherry Park This is a community-based event promoted by AshleyDominique Green of Good Giving Events Jose Joe Recendiz of E562productions and Sonic Sieng of Sonic’s BBQ Co. Gather in the park for a day of love, peace, play time and networking.

Time: 1 to 4 p.m. Jan. 21 Cost: Free Venue: Bixby Park, 130 Cherry Ave, Long Beach The Future of Transportation in L.A. Join the League of Women Voters of LA to hear about the future of transportation in LA with Denny Zane, the Executive Director of Move LA.Move LA’s mission is to build a broad constituency that will advocate for the development of a comprehensive, diverse, robust, clean and financially sound public transportation system for Los Angeles County. Denny was instrumental in Measures R and M which were voter approved transportation growth initiatives.

Time: 1:30 to 3 p.m. Jan. 21 Cost: Free Venue: Central Library, Mark Taper Auditorium, 630 W. 5th Street, Los Angeles

Jan. 26

2018 Walk for Kids Kick-Off Celebration Gladstone’s Long Beach is helping to kick-off the 7th Annual Long Beach Walk for Kids. RSVP to join. Learn more about the 5K walk benefiting the Long Beach Ronald McDonald House. You will hear how you can help us sustain the needs of families with seriously ill children undergoing treatment at a nearby medical facility.

Time: 9 a.m. Jan. 26 Details: (562) 285-4308, www. rmhcsc.org/longbeach Venue: Gladstone’s Long Beach

[Sissies from p. 9]

Sissies

that influence, where men in uniform expressed

S Random Happening

Third Annual Bob Marley Festival Jan. 27 Reggae legend Bob Marley died almost 40 years ago, but devotees will celebrate his life at the third annual Marley Festival Jan. 27, at the Gaslamp in Long Beach.

While reggae’s lyrics often offer elements of social and political commentary — depending on the artist — at its core, reggae is dance music.

The lineup for this year’s festival line includes the legendary Don Carlos, a founding member of Black Uhuru, who will be performing in this show with Soul Syndicate, which was once considered a top reggae session band in Jamaica.

Black Uhuru and the Soul Syndicate (formerly known as the Rhythm Riders) emerged out of Jamaica in the early 1970s, just as the genre was starting to catch on internationally.

The Orange County-based band, Common Sense, is probably best known for forcing the rapper to change his name to Common. Active since 1987, the band has a significant following and has released several albums under its own

label, Common Sense Records.

Special guests Simbala, Jah Faith & the Royal Lineage Band, and the Ocean Natives will also perform and DJ Gregory G will spin music throughout the night. This event is all ages.

Parking is $10 after 6 p.m.

Time: 5 p.m., Jan. 27 Cost: $30 Details: www.GaslampLongBeach.com Venue: Gaslamp, 6251 E. Pacific Coast Highway, Long Beach

California African American Museum Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Tributes

Dream Catchers 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Use quotes by Martin Luther King Jr. combined with your own to create dream catchers that imagine a better future.

Peace Garden Inspired by the beautiful, two-toned grandiflora rose named in honor of Coretta Scott King, contribute to a community peace garden installation.

Marking the Movement Make a unique bookmark of MLK’s words and image using collage techniques. Complete the workshop by joining the Readers to Leaders Circle, where you can read to the group or enjoy hearing uplifting stories read aloud by others.

Reading: The Mountaintop 3 to 4:30 p.m.

The celebration concludes with a reading from The Mountaintop, written by American playwright Katori Hall and read by actors Larry Powell and Dominique Morrisseau. This critically acclaimed play is a fictional depiction of Martin Luther King Jr.’s last night on earth, set in room 306 of the Lorraine Motel on the eve of his assassination in 1968. Language may not be suitable for all audiences.

Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jan. 15 Cost: Free Details: https://caamuseum.org Venue: California African American Museum, 600 State Drive, Los Angeles

Join us on for our monthly meeting on

Monday, Jan. 22, 7 p.m.

Officer elections and endorsements for Long Beach City Council races Ports O’Call Restaurant 1200 Nagoya Way, Berth 77, San Pedro For details: (310) 367-7186

January 11 - 24, 2018

Women of the Civil Rights Movement 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Often overlooked throughout history, countless women have played pivotal roles in the Civil Rights Movement. This panel explores the roles of these women and the challenges they faced in the fight for racial equality. Panelists include Meta Golding, the actress who depicts Rosa Parks in the upcoming film Behind the Movement (February 2018); former Los Angeles Councilwoman Jan

Perry, and writer and activist Rebecca Walker.

Martin Luther King Jr.’s Speeches 1 to 3 p.m.

Listen to a marathon reading of Martin Luther King Jr. speeches by USC School of Law Professor Jody Amour, Liberty Hill Foundation program manager for strategic initiatives Justin Andrews; Cal State University Los Angeles Africana Studies professor Funmilola Fagbamila, and writer Matthew J. Miller.

King Study 10 to 11 a.m.

Listen to a recording of King’s 1964 Nobel Prize acceptance speech then stay for a group discussion about how his words relate to our lives today.

themselves with homo-eroticism.

In seamless flashbacks and flashforwards, Touko’s life is recounted from when he was in Finland’s army. Finland was an ally of Nazi Germany.

Yet the film also reminds viewers that gay men were just as a likely to be forced into gas chambers as Jews. Following Touko’s arrest in Berlin, a German soldier told him, “You know, we used to put scum like you into concentration camps and gassed them to death.”

Touko, in his pubic comments, had always repudiated Nazism, especially when critics slammed him for his works that seemed to glorify men in Nazi uniforms.

However, Touko didn’t set out to be an artist whose work opened doors. He didn’t draw these images to galvanize anyone, at least not initially. Filmmaker Dome Karukoski portrays Touko as Pekka Strang as Touko Laaksonen in the biopic film, Tom of Finland. File photo selfish, and maybe even predatory. This deems important. was probably best illustrated when it appeared “Make sure everyone knows we exist,” Nipa that Touko’s sister, Kaija (played by Jessica Grabowksy) was interested in Nipa. Nipa at first tells Touko before he dies. “Promise.”

Tom of Finland, co-produced by the Art seemed to welcome her attention, but Touko Theatre, QFilms and The Center Long Beach, pursued him and won Nipa over. They both will show at 11 a.m. Jan. 13 and 14, at the Art chose to live their truth at a time when many Theatre, 2025 E. 4th St., in Long Beach. For gay men camouflaged their sexuality through tickets visit www.arttheatrelongbeach.org/ourheterosexual marriage. films.

Touko’s former commanding officer, for example, was married and played with men on the side. When he was caught during the raid on his house party, he ended up in a mental institution, where he hoped he would be “cured.”

When AIDS seemed to ravage the world, Touko questioned his contribution to the epidemic. However, he quickly learned that he was in fact a lifeline to young gay men, who had to choose between a

Real News, Real People, Really Effective

In addition to the tributes honoring Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy in Carson and Long Beach (See the Calendar on Jan. 12 and Jan. 13), the California African American Museum is observing the holiday with a full array of programs and activities for all ages. Bring the children for artmaking activities and food, visit exhibitions, and listen to a marathon reading of King’s lesserknown speeches and sermons.

Here is a list of what to expect:

life in a closet, death or freedom.

“You make these different boys feel special — beautiful,” said Jack, a friend of his who died of AIDS. Touko’s work also helped break the stereotype that all gay men are effeminate, which is not to deny the contributions of less masculine men in the gay rights movement.

They, and transgender women, were at the forefront of the movement. Touko’s work allowed for the diversity in sexuality and the celebration of masculinity.

Tom of Finland is more than a history lesson about gay men who dressed up in leather and denim. It’s an invitation to continue fighting to express sexuality and love in whatever way one

13

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01/25/2018, 02/08/2018, 02/22/2018

Fictitious Business Name Statement File No. 2017360044 The following person is doing business as: W.C. Cleaners, 2138 S. Pacific Avenue, San Pedro, CA 90731,

[continued on p. 15]

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Original filing: 01/11/2018,

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Across

1 White of “Wheel” fame 6 Knock lightly 9 Prickly plants 14 Orchestra reeds 15 What tree rings indicate 16 Kind of committee 17 Headwear seen at a rodeo 19 Western capital that’s its state’s largest city 20 DuVernay who directed “Selma” 21 About 30.48 centimeters 22 Tenth grader, for short 23 Half of the Brady kids 25 “Home Again” star Witherspoon 27 Margarine containers 30 Laptop connection option 32 “Monsters, ___” (Pixar film) 34 Former UB40 lead singer Campbell 35 1969 Roberta Flack song with the lyric “The President, he’s got his war / Folks don’t know just what it’s for” 40 Cancel out 41 Sparks of “Queer As Folk” 42 Art store purchase 43 Corporate getaway of sorts 46 Suffix for social or graph 47 “___ and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!” 48 Solo on screen 49 Office fixture

51 2016 Key and Peele movie 54 Quick drive 58 Play it ___ 60 Rounded roof 62 Nest egg letters 63 Hang in folds 65 Political upheaval 67 Fashion magazine since 1892 68 Java vessel 69 Persona non ___ 70 Food regimens 71 Wanna-___ 72 Art store purchase

Down

1 Word knowledge, briefly 2 From the beginning, in Latin 3 “I don’t buy it” 4 Lincoln’s st.

5 Beginning from 6 Lake between two states 7 Quartz variety 8 Iguana, for some 9 ___ San Lucas 10 Take in or take on 11 Little barker 12 How-___ (instructional publications) 13 Swelling reducer 18 ___ Linda, Calif. (Nixon Library site) 22 E-mailed 24 Recap 26 Move like a crab 28 Fun time

29 “Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the ___” 31 Egg-breaking sound 33 Mongoose’s foe 35 $100 bill, slangily 36 Sticking to the party line, like political speeches 37 Take the rap?

38 Corn unit 39 Some birdhouse dwellers 40 Electroplating stuff 44 Apparel giant with a World Headquarters in Beaverton, Ore. 45 Kick drum sound 50 Demolished 52 Love so much 53 Grammatical things 55 Pockets in the bread aisle 56 Steamed 57 Birth-related 59 Bill listings 61 Just beat out 63 Streaming video predecessor 64 King, in Cannes 65 Little leopard 66 Time period split into periods

©2018 Jonesin’ Crosswords (editor@jonesincrosswords.com) For answers go to: www.randomlengthsnews.com

DBAs [from p. 14] Los Angeles County. Registered owners: Willie Cameron, 658 W. 22nd Street, #1, San Pedro, Ca 90731. Luz Cameron, 658 W. 22nd Street, #1, San Pedro, Ca 90731.

This Business is conducted by a married couple. The date registrant started to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above: 1996.

I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true information which he or she knows to be false is guilty of a crime.)

S/.Willie Cameron, Owner.

This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Los Angeles on Dec. 29, 2017.

Notice--In accordance with subdivision (a) of section 17920. A fictitious name statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the county clerk, except as provided in subdivision (b) of section 17920 where it expire 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner.

A new fictitious business name statement must be filed before the expiration. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see section 1411 ET SEQ., Business and Professions code).

Original filing: 01/11/2018, 01/25/2018,

02/08/2018, 02/22/2018

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RANDOMLetters [Letters from p. 7]

Issues like independent redistricting that would take the redrawing of Congressional district lines out of the hands of partisan politicians and return it to the people in the form of independent state commissions.

Issues like human rights both at home and abroad. The GOP and President Trump are determined to diminish American leadership throughout the world on human rights. We cannot cede this position to abusers like Russia and China. We must remain a beacon of [Regulations from p. 8]

Regulations

priority to social equity in marijuana regulations. Priority to the idea that the end of marijuana prohibition does not commence a transfer of the existing cottage industry to wealthy investors.

The municipal regulatory frameworks that have been created, or are still in the process, have thus far failed to address these concerns.

Any effort to create an adequate regulatory framework is doomed to failure under federal prohibitionist policy.

Until there is success in reforming federal drug policy, local politicians and bureaucrats are engaged in a wait-and-see strategy: forced to negotiate with prohibitionist-minded communities,

freedom — my Cambodian American and Vietnamese American constituents count on me being their champion.

There is so much to do. I need your help to win re-election AND we MUST take back the House.

Together we will take back the House and take back our country.

Rep. Alan Lowenthal Long Beach

RE: LGBTQ+ Community (Making it Visible)

(RLn, Aug. 31, 2017) I am a supporter of the LGBTQ+ community, so when I read the title I had

crafting restrictive regulations that will only exacerbate the problems of community safety and youth exposure that are of concern.

The solution to this dilemma is to eliminate the illicit market. The pathway to that end is to meet market demand with regulated, licensed businesses that are allowed to operate in our neighborhoods and provide consumer access.

The silver lining in Sessions’ recent action is the unprecedented bipartisan outcry. Support to end the war on drugs is at an all time high, with marijuana polling between 60 percent for adult use and 95 percent for medical use. It is time for our federal lawmakers to end the war on drugs. Prohibition has been a policy disaster. After 80 years, there is not a single drug free high school in the nation.

Our local government leaders have

to pick it. That and it was the only one that wasn’t about Trump or politics. When I first saw the title, I thought it would be some homophobic rant, but when I read it, I realized I was wrong. Kym Cunningham’s article was actually about a film festival that was showing films specifically about the LGBTQ+ community.

We have multiple things like cartoons and video games, such as Adventure Time, Gravity Falls, and Undertale, which have openly LGBTQ+ characters. Heck, in Steven Universe, Garnet is literally two gays in a trench coat and somehow Pearl still manages to be gayer than her! And even though we have cartoons, games, etc. are covered; movies are still lacking

LGBTQ+ characters.

While we have a few people representing the LGBTQ+ community, like Ellen DeGeneres, very few are shown in movies.

And even when the movies do show a LGBTQ+ character, they’re nearly always gay or lesbian, leaving OUT all other sexualities, such as bi, pan, ace, and demi, ignored. And when there is a homo character, they make it their only personality trait. Those characters should have depth, and not just be homo to please the masses.

Hanna Murusic San Pedro High School

created a framework for regulating marijuana that results in restricted access for consumers, thus leaving the illicit market an opportunity to

serve demand and continue to operate without the community stewardship ethic we deserve.

Graphic by Brenda Lopez

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The city’s new ordinances allow members of the city council to hold “elected or appointed” offices with the Water Replenishment District, the West Basin Municipal Water District, The Metropolitan Water District, the Compton and Los Angeles school boards, the Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control District, the county sanitation district, the South Coast Air Quality Management District and the Southern California Association of Governments.

Both ordinances required a second reading at the council’s Jan. 9 meeting.

Sergio Calderon, Robles’ colleague in the Water Replenishment District, has twice brushed with the district attorney for a similar issue. In 2008 and again in 2016, the district attorney sued Calderon for serving simultaneously on the water board and the Maywood City Council. Both times Calderon resigned from the council rather than give up his seat on the water board.

Don Marshall

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[Robles from p. 3]

In Random Lengths News

When you need help, think local.

Support the Independents.

15

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January 11 - 24, 2018

Real News, Real People, Totally Relevant