RLn 10-1-20

Two Decades Later Another China Shipping Lawsuit Looms

By Paul Rosenberg, Senior Editor

Twenty years ago, the Port of Los Angeles tried to build the China Shipping Terminal without doing an environmental impact report as required by law. They were only halted when three local activists approached the Natural Resources Defense Council and secured their help in suing the port, forcing a settlement in 2003 for $63 million. But that settlement was not fully honored, which is why NRDC filed suit once again on Sept. 16, charging multiple violations of the California Environmental Quality Act. “This case is the most recent installment in a twentyyear battle,” NRDC wrote in its brief.

“The Port of LA’s continued disregard of public health as a consequence of their vast industrial growth is more than appalling,” said Janet Gunter, one of the three original local activists.

In an almost unprecedented move, the South Coast Air Quality Management District filed a similar suit the same day.

“This would be our third CEQA lawsuit that we’ve ever filed,” AQMD’s Principal Deputy District Counsel Veera Tyagi told Random Lengths News.

[See China Shipping, p. 10]

Nick Tonsich Sues RLn

Artist Karena Massengill: But Fails to Stop

Metro takes 550 Line from San Pedro p. 3

[See Tonsich, p. 4]

COVID-19 cases in the US as of Sept. 30, 2020: 7,433,579 • Deaths: 211,406 • Days to Election: 34 For local stats: www.randomlengthsnews.com

October 1 - 14, 2020

Beacon House launches 20 Chefs fundraiser p. 12

For Karena Massengill, do is the operative word. A professional artist who lives next to Sunken City in San Pedro, she is also an accomplished welder-fitter.

In the 1970s in Canada, she was employed in a campaign to recruit women into the ranks as working welders. For many that would be enough, but not for Massengill, who also taught for 24 years and works as an activist.

Massengill is intoxicating. She speaks in a flurry and in that same way, she described several of her recent works while also expressing her feelings on the state of the world.

[See Welding, p. 11]

Clean Air Engineering-Maritime founder Nick Tonsich’s ties to the port have been recurring issues ever since he left his post as president of the Los Angeles Harbor Commission. And ever since, Random Lengths News has covered his dealings. Senior Editor Paul Rosenberg’s latest story on Tonsich, Icarus Falls, was apparently the last straw because Tonsich filed a libel suit against Random Lengths News, on Aug. 11.

Then he filed a temporary restraining order, and later he filed a preliminary injunction motion to take down the Icarus Falls story and a 2016 referenced story, also

by Rosenberg, from this publication’s website. Judge Michael P. Vicencia in the Long Beach Superior Court denied both motions.

Of all the times this newspaper has covered Tonsich and his port dealings, not once did he submit a letter to the editor or make any request for a retraction based on the facts about this newspaper’s coverage. In 2016 he responded with a complaint letter to the Port of Los Angeles Harbor Commission that we reviewed and do

Remembering Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg p. 7

By Melina Paris, Editorial Assistant

By Terelle Jerricks, Managing Editor

Real News, Real People, Really Effective

Karena Massengill demonstrates welding in her home studio. Photo

by Raphael Richardson

Welding Ideas in Constant Motion

the Presses

1

2

October 1 - 14, 2020

Real News, Real People, Totally Relevant

Community Announcements:

Harbor Area Showcase Your Skills as an Instructor at LA County Parks

The Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation is looking for talented independent instructors to bring valuable expertise to the community and provide an opportunity for others to learn new skills, stay active and healthy and have a great time.

As an independent instructor, you set the fees, dates and times of your class — teaching on a weekly basis or as a one or two-day workshop.

You’ll have access to teaching at one of their recreation facilities throughout Los Angeles County. LA County Parks will help with marketing and promoting your class or workshop. They are recruiting now for the winter season, scheduled to begin Jan. 4, and are looking for a variety of classes for all ages, such as fine arts, dance, music and theater arts, STEAM classes, fitness or any fun, unique sessions you propose. The deadline is Oct. 9.

Details: www.parks.lacounty.gov/ becomeaninstructor

Promise Program Free College Tuition

Any high school graduate, first-time, full-time student can now receive the Promise Program’s tuition scholarship for two years—regardless of income, age, academic standing, or immigration status at any one of nine LA Community College District campuses. As a Los Angeles College Promise student, you will also receive: • Priority registration for classes • Your choice among hundreds of certificates and degree programs • Dedicated academic counseling support • Additional financial support to assist with transportation, books or food • A free laptop • Access to emergency aid funds • The option to obtain an Associate’s degree for transfer into the California State University system to complete a four-year bachelor’s degree.

Follow the initial steps outlined in this Welcome Kit to create an enrollment application in the California Community College system and select one of LACCD’s nine colleges: City; East; Harbor; Mission; Pierce; Southwest; TradeTechnical; Valley or West.

Details: www.laccd.edu/Documents/ LosAngelesCollegePromise/Students/2020/ LACCD

National Conference to Jail Killer Cops Webinar

[See Announcements, p. 4]

Changes to Metro Bus Service Approved

By Hunter Chase, Reporter

Changes to a variety of Metro bus lines that run through San Pedro were unanimously approved at the Sept. 18 meeting of the South Bay Cities Service Council, which is assigned with adjusting those transportation lines in the South Bay twice a year. The changes will be implemented between December 2020 and January 2021.

Joe Forgiarini, Metro’s senior director of service performance and analysis, said the area of most concern among San Pedro residents is the 205 Line, which goes north on the western side of San Pedro. It crosses over on an east and west alignment on 7th Street, finishing at the waterfront. Forgiarini said it does an unusual zigzag on 1st Street, 7th Street and 13th Street.

“It’s a really complicated and somewhat inefficient alignment,” Forgiarini said. “The NextGen proposal was to centralize the line on an easier to understand, more direct path on 7th Street, including access to the hospital in the area.”

The 550 Line will no longer serve San Pedro.

Instead, the council realigned the end of the 246 Line to serve North Gaffey Street.

“There’s significant retail in that area,” Forgiarini said. “Revising the 246 has the nice benefit of giving both Wilmington and San Pedro residents good connectivity into that significant retail area, rather than the 550 that only provided the San Pedro connection.”

The proposal includes rerouting the LA Dash in San Pedro to cover 1st Street and 13th Street, Forgiarini said.

Due to public feedback, the new plan will serve the far south of San Pedro, extending the 246 Line to Point Fermin, instead of a previous proposal that ended service at 22nd Street.

Other changes include the return of the 450 Line, which replaces the 950 Line. The 450 will run through Pacific Avenue, connecting to the Harbor Gateway Transit Center during offpeak periods and on evenings and weekends.

In addition, it will run to 7th and Metro in downtown Los Angeles every 10 minutes on weekdays during the peak periods of 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Off-peak service will be every 15 minutes.

Metro’s 550 at the Harbor Gateway Transit Center. Photo by Jonathan Riley.

The 950 operates as part of the Silver Line service, and in addition to going to downtown Los Angeles, it goes to El Monte and the I-10 Freeway. The 950 shares the same stops as the 910 Silver Line.

“There’s a major initiative at Metro to electrify the 910,” Forgiarini said. “One of the key operating challenges for us is to establish charging facilities at both the El Monte end of the line and somewhere in the South Bay cities.”

Metro can install charging facilities in Harbor Gateway on publicly owned land, Forgiarini said.

Metro’s plan is to use the 910 as a standalone bus between El Monte and Harbor Gateway, leaving the problem of what will replace the 950 in San Pedro. The original rejected proposal suggested changing the 910 Line, having it follow the 950’s route in San Pedro. Once on the freeway, it would directly go toward the Harbor Gateway Transit [See Metro, p. 4]

Real News, Real People, Really Effective

Since George Floyd’s murder May 25, more than 250 of all ethnicities have been murdered by police and many wounded, victims of police brutality; 1000 killed annually by United States police, over 300 of whom are African Americans.

Led by tens of thousands, organized massive actions are required to be victorious and to continue massive, peaceful and legal street protests until the people’s demands are met.

Time: 12 p.m. Oct. 10 Details: www.cubasinynjcoalition.org/jail-killercops-october-10-2020

Committed to Independent Journalism in the Greater LA/LB Harbor Area for More Than 40 Years

October 1 - 14, 2020

3

[Metro, from p. 3]

Metro Bus Changes Approved Center and connect to the 910 there. However, San Pedro residents strongly opposed this.

Forgiarini said San Pedro residents brought up several issues with this plan, including losing direct access to downtown Los Angeles with a one-seat (no transfer) ride. Others said the Harbor Freeway Station was an unpleasant place to transfer and objected to losing access to the Harbor Gateway Transit Center, which is a regional hub for transportation in South Bay cities.

“I’m concerned about the substitute line, 450,” said J.K. Drummonds, a member of the we are a ups access point available essentials: bandannas, packaged food, masks, blue can water

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public who was called into the Sept. 18 meeting.

“I hope it will not bypass the Harbor Gateway Transit Center; that’s where you transfer to everything.”

Because of complaints, Metro staff changed the 910 so that it still had access to 7th and Metro station in downtown Los Angeles during peak periods.

“However, we still have been receiving quite a bit of commentary,” Forgiarini said. “We believe people are looking for the more all-day one-seat ride, in fact, let me call it the all-week one-seat ride to downtown LA.” However, to allow people in San Pedro access to the 7th and Metro Station in downtown seven days a week, the council would need to put the 910 into service during evenings and night owl periods, Forgiarini said.

Szerlip said that one of the council’s biggest concerns with San Pedro is connecting the San Pedro peninsula with downtown Los Angeles.

“I’ve heard it in many of the comments, ‘we want a one-seat ride to downtown,’” Szerlip said.

“What does ‘downtown’ mean? Downtown Los Angeles is a big location.”

Szerlip pointed out that the 950 Line goes through downtown Los Angeles to El Monte; the 450 Line will truncate downtown Los Angeles since it only goes to 7th and Metro.

“Is 7th and Figueroa downtown?” Szerlip said. “Or is downtown going all the way to Union Station, where you’ve covered all of those downtown options that one might wish to have that single-seat ride to, that are currently being served by the 950?”

Some members of the public did not approve of the council’s changes. Brenda Lopez, a graphic designer for Random Lengths News who rides the bus from Inglewood to San Pedro, submitted a public comment saying that service from the 950 should be more frequent.

“The 950 is the only bus that connects the rest of LA to San Pedro,” Lopez said. “There are times I waited for the 950 for over an hour. But other than that, it is the only way to quickly get down here. The 246 makes so many stops it takes three times as long as the 950. The change would require me to take three buses instead of two, which means that’s three times I have to wait for buses that are not on similar schedules.”

Charles M. Deemer, a board member of the South Bay Cities Service Council, said that the proposed changes would make it more difficult to go to evening events in downtown Los Angeles because the 450 does not go to 7th and Metro after 7 p.m.

“How difficult would it be to have, let’s say, three late-evening buses … for events that will be finishing around 10 to 10:30 so they can have [a] direct bus ride all the way back from downtown, so to speak, to San Pedro?” Deemer said.

Deemer pointed out that if commuters miss the bus, they could have to wait 25 to 30 minutes in the cold.

Conan Cheung, senior executive officer of operations at Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, said this would be inefficient, as there would only be a few people per night.

“If we were going to implement that, we would have to be able to do this cost-neutrally,” Cheung said. “We would have to take out a fairly substantial amount of revenue that was somewhere else.”

Cheung said this would essentially be a special event service, a not regular ridership.

Deemer moved to have the 450 go to 7th and Metro more often, but the motion did not get a second.

Community Announcements:

Harbor Area

[Funding, from p. 4]

Conversations with L.A. Controller

Los Angeles Controller Ron Galperin will host his first “Conversations with the Controller,” a Zoom meeting with special guest, Capri Maddox, executive director of the newly-created Los Angeles Department of Civil and Human Rights. The conversation will focus on issues of equity in Los Angeles, including how existing health, housing and economic inequities have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and what the city is doing to address them.

Time: 5 p.m. Oct. 14 Details: https://tinyurl.com/y4ojyc2a

NWSP Neighborhood Council NPG Applications Now Open

The Northwest San Pedro Neighborhood Council announced grant applications are now being accepted for programs with an emphasis on COVID-19 assistance and relief. Applicants must be a 501 c-3 non-profit or a public school.

Applications must be received no later Oct. 30.

Email questions to: melanie.labrecque@ yahoo.com and include your phone number.

Details: www.nwsanpedro.org/NPG-Application

$5 Million Childcare Provider Grant Program

The Los Angeles County Development Authority is now accepting applications for the COVID-19 Child Care Provider Grant Program, a new program funded by the CARES Act. A total of 225 grants will be awarded to licensed childcare centers and family child care homes throughout the county.

Details: www.childcaregrant.lacda.org.

LA County Arts Grants Available

Art organizations are invited to apply for the Organizational Grant Program through the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture.

This funding is prioritized for organizations supporting free and low cost arts activities in their communities. The department is also offering Community Impact Arts Grants to nonprofit social justice organizations with programs that provide greater access to arts and culture for local residents.

Details: www.lacountyarts.org/funding

October 1 - 14, 2020

Real News, Real People, Totally Relevant

[Tonsich, from p. 1]

4

Tonsich Sues RLn

not believe included any evidence contradicting our reporting. After which Tonsich refused to speak with us.

A significant part of the recent article was based upon legal filings in the civil litigation between Pasha Stevedoring, Inc and Nicholas Tonsich wherein Pasha accuses Tonsich of fraud among a list of other causes of action. Fair and accurate reporting on judicial filings are legally protected as they become public records and the allegations in them a matter of transparency and open to public scrutiny not a matter of libel.

Tonsich who has a law degree should know this.

In addition to asking the courts to force this newspaper to immediately remove the two articles from its website, Tonsich asked that the newspaper take steps to ensure the Random Lengths News articles cannot be accessed through internet searches via any search engines — something nearly impossible to guarantee — and to issue a formal retraction of the Icarus Falls story. This is a very curious form of censorship to silence the press. We believe it lacks legal precedent.

Tonsich argued that Random Lengths News had libeled him, because he was no longer a public figure having left his position as president of the Board of Harbor Commissioner in 2005 and that he was just a private person and owner of two corporations doing business in the Port of

Los Angeles. Tonsich boldly claims that because he is no longer a public figure, he does not have to prove our publication acted with actual malice with our reporting. The Pasha lawsuit, though, is a very public law suit. Our position is that once a person becomes a public figure they can’t unilaterally stop being one just because they claim it, especially when he continues to remain highly influential in matters of public concern and retains prominence in the local community.

The judge twice acknowledged the possibility that Tonsich was a public figure in denying Tonsich’s requests for preliminary relief.

Random Lengths News’ lawyer, David Bosko, has raised several points for attack on Tonsich’s allegations. Among them that Tonsich has not demonstrated that Random Lengths News made any false statements; that the Icarus Falls article was privileged and subject to protection under California law; that Tonsich’s attack on the older article is time-barred; and that Tonsich must show actual malice to prevail and has not even alleged malice.

Publisher James Preston Allen rejects Tonsich’s allegations saying that they are baseless and that he stands behind the integrity of our reporting as factually accurate.

“Nick Tonsich is just trying to bully this newspaper and bury us with litigation,” Allen said. “I’ve never liked bullies and I’m not going to stand for someone like him trying to suppress the freedom of the press.”

Real News, Real People, Really Effective

October 1 - 14, 2020

5

Mail-In Voting: LA County Launches New Make a Plan to Vote Tool

LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles County RegistrarRecorder/County Clerk Dean C. Logan announced the county’s new Make a Plan to Vote tool, an easy-to-use website available in 12 languages that guides voters through an online user-friendly experience. While voters are making their plans, they are provided with critical election information and voting resources to ensure they are prepared and know their safe voting options in the Presidential General Election.

The Make a Plan to Vote tool will be available now through Election Day, Nov. 3.

Details: www.plan.lavote.net

LAUSD Schools Will Serve as Vote Centers in General Election

LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles County RegistrarRecorder/County Clerk Dean C. Logan announced Sept. 15, that schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District will serve as vote centers in the general election. Vote centers at these locations will be available to voters beginning Oct. 30 through Election Day, Nov. 3.

New Bridge to Open Oct. 5

LONG BEACH — The New Gerald Desmond Bridge Project is nearing completion and the new bridge is on course to open to traffic on Oct. 5.

The six-lane, cable-stayed bridge will provide a major new regional highway connector as well as improve cargo movement at one of the world’s largest port complexes.

Opening the new bridge will require an Oct. 2 through Oct. 4 traffic closure in order to switch over lanes to connect both ends of the nearly 2-mile-long structure to existing roadways that reach the 710 Freeway, downtown Long Beach and Terminal Island.

There will be a virtual opening ceremony to be telecast over YouTube and other social media channels, and available Oct. 2, at www. newgdbridge.com and www.polb.com Details: www.newgdbridge.comSept. 26

New Farmers Market Location

October 1 - 14, 2020

Real News, Real People, Totally Relevant

SAN PEDRO — The San Pedro Farmers Market has a new location in “Little Italy.” The Farmers Market will continue to be held every Friday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the future site of the Piazza Miramare located between Harbor Boulevard and Beacon Street on 6th Street next to the San Pedro Municipal Building. The new location allows for 6th Street to remain open on Fridays. Parking is available at the former Grinder property.

6

Trump Fears Ballots, Voters Fear Their Loss

By Paul Rosenberg, Senior Editor

Fears of voter suppression focused on mail-in ballots appear to have receded somewhat, even as generalized fears of electoral disruption — even outright theft — have grown.

“Get rid of the ballots,” Donald Trump said on Sept. 23. “[T]here won’t be a transfer [of power.]”

He was ranting against “unsolicited mailin ballots,” but nobody’s concentrating on that — and for two good reasons: First, because it’s overshadowed by the larger threat of Trump’s refusal to leave office, and second, because it just doesn’t make any sense.

Trump’s latest bogeyman, “unsolicited mailin ballots” is only found in nine states, only one of which — Nevada — is remotely possible for Trump to win. There, the Trump campaign sued to block a new law automatically mailing ballots to all registered voters. The federal court simply dismissed the case for lack of standing.

But solicited mail-in ballots clearly are a problem for Trump, as shown by SurveyMonkey data from June 8 through Sept. 21. Those who strongly disapprove of Trump were 74% likely to vote by mail versus 25% unlikely, while those who strongly approve were the reverse: 77% unlikely vs 23% likely.

Similarly, a just-released New York Times/ Siena poll of Pennsylvania found Joe Biden leading Trump 75 to 18% among voters who’ve requested an absentee ballot (about one in three) and trailing Trump by 8 points among those who haven’t. Biden leads by 9 points overall.

So, disrupting mail-in voting — increasing the number of votes that don’t get counted — is clearly a high priority for Trump. And it’s grown more difficult for Trump with a series of three federal court rulings ordering the U.S. Postal Service to halt changes implemented by GOP mega-donor Louis DeJoy that have delayed mail delivery nationwide.

In short, Trump’s war on mail-in ballots isn’t

United States Postmaster Louis DeJoy. His changes have delayed mail service nationwide, and could potentially affect mail-in ballots. File photo

focused on the nine states that actually have unsolicited ones, but on fueling false narratives and mass confusion in the general public, outrage in his base, and discouragement in his opposition, while providing cover for additional shenanigans in the states that will matter most — particularly the three Rust Belt states he narrowly and surprisingly won in 2016 — Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin.

But Trump trails in all three, by margins that seem too large for all his disruption to erase, especially as Democrats have shifted focus to a multi-option strategy: vote-by-mail, by dropbox, early in-person voting or voting on election day. One indication of success was the long lines of voters on the first day of early voting in Virginia on Sept. 18.

Using 538 and Real Clear Politics averages, Trump is trailing by 4.8 to 5% in Pennsylvania, by 5.2 to 7% in Michigan, and 6.9 to 7% in Wisconsin. He’s also trailing in four states he hadn’t counted on needing to worry about: Florida

San Pedro Honors RBG

Newsom Signs Executive Order in Response to COVID-19

SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gavin Newsom Sept.

24, signed an executive order to extend authorization for local governments to halt evictions for commercial renters impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic through March 31, 2021, and address a variety of issues in response to the pandemic.

To protect local health officers and other public health officials on the front lines of the fight against the virus, the order permits these individuals to participate in the secretary of state’s address-confidentiality program. The order also allows the Department of Managed Health Care to gather information to assess the impacts of the pandemic on health care providers and health care service plans.

Additionally, the order extends provisions allowing certain posting, filing and notice requirements under the California Environmental Quality Act to be fulfilled electronically.

Details: www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content

A display at a vigil for Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was held on Sept.

21. Upper right: Diane Middleton, Harbor Commissioner and president of the Harry Bridges Institute gave an impassioned speech. Lower right: Attendees at a vigil share in lighting a candle. The vigil was sponsored by the San Pedro Democratic Club at the Liberty Hill Plaza in San Pedro. Photos by Chris Villanueva.

by 1.3 to 1.8%, Ohio by 1.1 to 3%, Arizona by 3.4 to 3.7% and North Carolina by 0.8 to 1.3%.

Disruption of voting could more easily wipe out Biden’s leads in most of this second set of states.

Ohio is noteworthy, since it first reports early votes, which Biden will dominate, then Election Day votes, which will favor Trump. Trump is expected to lead at this point, and Ohio doesn’t report its mail-in ballots until 10 days later. So, if the election does come down to Ohio, expect the mother of all nail-biters.

But odds are that if Ohio is that close, Biden will have already won. It’s a very tall order to block 10% of Biden’s vote or more, which is what Trump would need to prevail in those three must-win states. So, let’s look at what’s happening in each of them. Republicans control the gerrymandered state legislatures in all three, so there’s been no legislative help in protecting voters or ballots during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In Pennsylvania, a key focus has been the [See Mail, p. 16]

In Memoriam

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg 1933 - 2020

LA County Supervisor Janice Hahn

and over again that sex-based discrimination harmed not just women, but men and families, and that reckoning with this inequality was required for our nation to live out its promise.

In moving our nation forward, she inspired millions among us, including so many women and girls, to reach higher, dream bigger and dissent more passionately. Though this loss is incalculable, her legacy will live on in the fairer, more just society that she bravely ushered in and that we must, to honor her, safeguard. Our thoughts and prayers are with her colleagues, her family and all Americans in mourning.

To say I am heartbroken over the passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is not enough. Justice Ginsburg was a brilliant legal mind and an extraordinary champion for women. She gave us everything she could and her death is devastating.

May she rest in peace.

Rep. Nanette Diaz Barragán (44th Dist.)

What a devastating loss to our nation. An inspiration and role model to me and so many others, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a fighter for women. She fought fiercely for everyone. We can never thank her enough for her service to our nation. She will be so missed.

We must fight hard to preserve the legacy of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a trailblazer for gender equality and fighter for voting rights.

Rep. Ted W. Lieu (33rd Dist.)

Rep. Alan Lowenthal

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a giant: a trailblazer in our legal system, a titan of fairness in the workplace, a champion of equality in our society, and a keeper of American ideals. Perhaps more remarkable than all the acclaim for her judicial rulings was the way young girls and women could see themselves, their hopes, their possibilities and their rights embodied in the figure of this indomitable force for justice.

What made her an icon was her empathy. What made her a hero was her fierce understanding of how

judicial decisions connect to people’s daily lives — and her unflinching belief in our Constitution as a living and breathing document, a sacred trust meant to be interpreted, refined, and strengthened by each generation.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg knew our country could always be better. But our union is surely more perfect because of her service and her judgment. May her memory be a blessing.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom Justice Ginsburg devoted her extraordinary life and intellect to making the words of our nation’s founding documents more true.

Throughout her historic legal career, her contributions as a jurist to the cause of equality for women and men were unmatched. Justice Ginsburg fought tirelessly for the rights of women at work, at school and in the life of our nation. She proved over

Diane Middleton President, Harry Bridges Institute

Although Ruth Bader Ginsburg began her career as an ACLU attorney fighting for women's rights, she was a symbol of fairness and enforcement of the rule of law for all workers. In her final years she became the embodiment of perseverance and strength soldiering on for years in the face of cancer and multiple medical problems. She was the fighting force in dissent of the hypocrisy and bias demonstrated by the Donald Trump administration and appointees at every level. RBG did not go quietly into the night.

We must follow her example and continue to RESIST and DISSENT !

October 1 - 14, 2020

Ruth Bader Ginsburg was more than an icon, or a tenacious champion of women’s rights — she was in every sense of the phrase an American hero.

It is simply too hard to grasp the loss our nation has suffered. Her life and her legacy have inspired

generations of Americans. And on her passing, we must rededicate ourselves to fighting for those ideals she believed in and fought for — the rights and protections of the person less well off, the outsider, the marginalized.

(47th Dist.)

“Real change, enduring change, happens one step at a time.”

First and foremost, the passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is a tremendous loss for our country. She was an extraordinary champion of equal rights and will be remembered as one of the great justices in modern American history.

That said, the right thing to do here is obvious, and that is to wait for whoever wins the presidential election to appoint the next Supreme Court justice.

Real News, Real People, Really Effective

Ruth Bader Ginsburg represented the best of America. With patriotism and passion, she never shied away from taking on the challenge of making our country a more just and equal place. As a civil rights icon, Ruth Bader Ginsburg carved out a new path for women in our country — demonstrating that everyone is entitled to justice and opportunity under the law. She was a legal pioneer that our country needed and she will be desperately missed. This is a devastating loss for our country but her memory, and her legacy, are a blessing.

Sen. Bernie Sanders

7

Welcome to Trumplandia, Where Nothing is as It Appears

By James Preston Allen, Publisher

To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead.

—Thomas Paine U.S. patriot, author of Common Sense, 1737 –1809

Real News, Real People, Totally Relevant

Four years ago, soon after Donald Trump was elected president, my friend John, a devout Republican, said to me “just give him a chance,” when I forecasted that Trump would be a disaster. Well, Trump has held the office for almost four years. Where are we now? I’m sure all of you have a friend like John — friendly, reasonably informed and educated — but when it came to Trump, he was arguably in denial and stuck down in the fake news rabbit hole.

John often sends me “news links” from One America News Network — a far right, pro-Donald Trump cable channel and actual fake news* site founded by Robert Herring Sr. in San Diego. It’s just one of at least 16 far right fake news organizations I’ve found when researching John’s wild Trump inspired gaslighting claims.

Most of these very questionable media platforms are thinly veiled attempts by wealthy hedge fund billionaire conservatives to influence or confuse the news, the public and control the national narrative.

Thus, we see headlines in our news feeds calling former Vice President Joe Biden a socialist, pro-antifa, supporter of BLM “terrorists.” We also see posta staing that Trump is a great lawand-order leader who did everything he could to stop the COVID-19 pandemic, save the biggest economic expansion in American history and “has done more for black people in this country than anyone.

The above is what passes for reality in Trumplandia and its adherents like John — a fictional place somewhere off the coast of Mar a Lago with franchises in every town across America. Why would Don-the-Con lie to us?

What Debate?

The first of three presidential debates, which took place Sept. 29, was anything but a debate. Fox News’ Chris Wallace was a disaster as a moderator. He failed to fulfill the minimum standard of a moderator.

Where’s the mute button I asked? Trump did what he is known to do. He bullied, accused, attacked, denied and obfuscated, while talking over his opponent. Biden by contrast was humble, polite to a fault and attempted

to reason with a man who has renounced reason. It was, as Thomas Paine once said, “like administering medicine to the dead.”

But the networks got their ratings, the public got frustrated and Trump once again confused the issues by gaslighting* the nation once again. Did you see how he responded to the question about how much he paid in taxes in 2016-17? He actually never got around to it and went back to his old excuse of “I’ll release my taxes soon.” If you believe that, then you also believe that there’ll be a vaccine available for wide use before Nov. 3.

If you thought this was an embarrassing “shit-show,” then you are a part of the majority who thought the same despite CNN’s instant polling giving Biden the debate win. Trump did accomplish what he intended from the start — he avoided losing the argument by keeping the issues and the audience confused.

That’s his intent. It is what he’s been doing for the past four years.

My friend John has adopted some of these same tactics that you’ll often find amongst Trump loyalists. First they change the subject and then attack you back if you corner them with an indisputable fact. Then they return to the original issue discussed using “alternative facts” supported by half-truths and right-wing media.

Take for instance the COVID-19 pandemic death count. Some 210,000 people have died since February of this year — an indisputable fact.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed that about 94% of the people who died had “underlying conditions.” That is also a fact. So, John deduces that only some 12,600 have actually died “from the virus” and thus the larger number is a hoax or at best a misconstruing of the data.

This is patently wrong and a distraction to why and how more than 210,000 Americans died in the first place. It is also a simplistic use of basic math to explain how the coroner’s office actually determines cause of death. If I end up arguing with him about how he is adding or subtracting dead people, I end up spending my time administering medicine to the dead as it goes nowhere.

What don’t you get about 210,000 dead

October 1 - 14, 2020

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

8

Assoc. Publisher/Production Coordinator Suzanne Matsumiya

“A newspaper is not just for reporting the news as it is, but to make people mad enough to do something about it.”

—Mark Twain Vol. XLI : No. 20

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.

Managing Editor Terelle Jerricks editor@randomlengthsnews.com Senior Editor Paul Rosenberg paul.rosenberg@ randomlengthsnews.com Internship Program Director Zamná Àvila

people, John? Why is it that you and Trump want to keep blaming the Chinese? Why is it that after you heard he knew how deadly the virus was that he continued to blatantly lie to the public?

These are the relevant questions we need to keep asking, not that we’ll get any straight answers.

But these are the questions that need repeating. * Definitions

Gaslighting refers to the act of undermining another person’s reality by denying facts, the environment around them, or their feelings.

Targets of gaslighting are manipulated into

turning against their cognition, their emotions, and who they fundamentally are as people.

Fake News are news stories that are false: the story itself is fabricated, with no verifiable facts, sources or quotes. Sometimes these stories may be propaganda that is intentionally designed to mislead the reader, or may be designed as “clickbait” written for economic incentives (the writer profits on the number of people who click on the story). In recent years, fake news stories have proliferated via social media, in part because they are so easily and quickly shared online.

We’ve Got Our Own Reasons to Elect Biden and He Isn’t One of Them

By Norman Solomon, Contributor Many people are now painfully aware that the United States is on the verge of falling under an iron fist of repressive rule, crushing basic democratic possibilities, if Donald Trump gets a second term as president. Yet, the Democratic Party nominee is weak, uninspiring, often inarticulate and apt to be distasteful or worse when he’s intelligible.

What are progressives to make of this truly dire situation? And, most importantly, what are we to do right now?

At this potentially cataclysmic moment, I haven’t seen better answers anywhere than on the new website NotHimUs.org, where a basic precept is laid out in big letters on the first screen: “We’ve got our own reasons to vote for Biden, and Joe ain’t one.”

The next words are from Cornel West: “A vote for Joe Biden is . . . a way of preserving the condition for the possibility of any kind of demo-

Columnists/Reporters Melina Paris Staff Reporter Hunter Chase Staff Reporter Send Calendar Items to: 14days@randomlengthsnews.com Photographers Arturo Garcia-Ayala, Terelle Jerricks, Raphael Richardson, Chris Villanueva Contributors Joseph Baroud, Mark Friedman, Greggory Moore, Norman Solomon Cartoonists Andy Singer, Jan Sorensen, Matt Wuerker

cratic practice in the United States.”

The Not Him, Us site goes on to ask a central question: “We wanted a political revolution.

Now what?” The answers begin by reframing the current realities to include not just clear and present dangers but also great possibilities: • “It might not feel like it right now, but our movements are starting to win. In the streets: one of the most massive uprisings in our nation’s history is unfolding, demanding racial justice and systemic change. And, in the halls of power: from Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Rashida Tlaib, to Jamaal Bowman and Cori Bush, more and more people’s champions are challenging a failed status quo — and winning.”

• “To continue to gain ground, we need to keep building our movements and elect more people’s candidates. But right now our forward trajectory depends on stopping Trump in [See Reasons, p. 9]

Design/Production Suzanne Matsumiya, Brenda Lopez

Address correspondence regarding news items and tips to Random Lengths News, P.O. Box 731, San Pedro, CA 90733-0731, or email: editor@randomlengthsnews.com.

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Annual subscription is $40 for 27 issues.

Back issues are available for $3/copy while supplies last.

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. Random Lengths News is a member of Standard Rates and Data Services and the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies. (ISN #0891-6627).

All contents Copyright 2020 Random Lengths News. All rights reserved.

RANDOMLetters Rest in Power, RBG

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg passed away today (Sept. 18). She hoped to be remembered as “‘someone who used whatever talent she had to do her work to the very best of her ability.”There is no doubt in my mind that a grateful nation will forever remember her that way.

A trailblazer in every sense of

the word, Justice Ginsburg knew no barrier too strong and no setback too great in her lifelong pursuit of equality. She waged her battle for justice as much through the pages of her fiery dissents as through the force of her majority opinions. As she often repeated, “Real change, enduring change, happens one step at a time.”

Today, as she takes her own

[Resons, from p. 8]

Reasons

his tracks. Our organizations, movements, and people’s candidates are engaged in an incredibly consequential contest for the future.”

• “We must defeat Trump soundly in November. It’s up to us. Plug into a voter engagement effort in a priority state.”

In response to the launch of #NotHimUs, former Bernie Sanders senior advisor and speechwriter David Sirota tweeted: “This is good. This is the right message. It’s honest. It doesn’t try to pretend Biden is awesome. It doesn’t insult voters’ intelligence. It doesn’t try to insult or vote shame people into voting to defeat Trump. It makes a positive case. Solid.”

The project director for Not Him, Us is Jonathan Smucker. The initiative draws on his 25 years as a grassroots organizer, mostly involving non-electoral social movements like Occupy Wall Street, which was heavily featured in his book, Hegemony How-To: A Roadmap for Radicals.

He was an active volunteer on the Bernie 2020 campaign, and some of his training curriculum was used in the campaign’s field program.

“The bad news is that the Democratic Party’s corporate-friendly old guard won the presidential primary,” he told me. “Now we have a nominee that millions of working-class people and young people are not at all enthusiastic about, and this enthusiasm gap could spell a second term for Trump.”

Meanwhile, Smucker went on, “the old guard is on its way out — if we do the work.

final step, we mourn losing Justice Ginsburg and celebrate her life. Our hearts are heavy, but they are full of gratitude for her immeasurable contributions to our nation’s long march toward justice. Our community, and all marginalized communities, have known no greater advocate for civil rights and social justice on the nation’s highest court. Her life’s work transformed the daily reality of LGBTQ+ people, and the diverse communities to which

A growing wave of people’s candidates, backed by growing popular movements, can frame the terms of debate and push Biden and Congress on key policies like a Green New Deal. But if Trump wins, we’ll all be playing defense for at least four more years.”

Playing defense in years ahead is the last thing progressives need. And Trump’s increasingly obvious intentions to steal the election should be energizing instead of paralyzing. The need is now crystal clear for progressives nationwide: Organize and volunteer to boost the Biden vote against Trump in the dozen swing states.

At this ominous crossroads, Not Him, Us offers vital clarity. There’s so much at stake — including social justice, human rights and this planet’s climate. Autumn 2020 is a time when people have the decisive opportunity to prevent the consolidation of illegitimate power by an authoritarian regime.

“We can do this on our own terms,” Not Him, Us points out. “We can lend a hand to people’s organizations that are not just working to defeat Trump, but also working to upend an unacceptable status quo, defeat an out-of-touch political establishment, take on the powerful forces arrayed against us, and win the future for the many, not the few.”

we belong, forever.In her final dissent, Justice Ginsburg warned of a Supreme Court willing to “cast totally aside” the countervailing rights and interests of women to advance a version of “religious freedom”the founders would not recognize.

May generations to come heed her warning and follow her example. May we secure the freedoms promised in our founding documents and finally achieve the moral imperative of our democracy: Equal Justice Under Law.Take today to mourn.

But tomorrow, let’s fight like hell to sustain her legacy and work.

Rick Chavez Zbur Executive Director Equality California

On the Value of a Free Press

“The security of the Nation is not at the ramparts alone. Security also lies in the value of our free institutions. A cantankerous press, an obstinate press, an ubiquitous press must be suffered by those in authority in order to preserve the even greater values of freedom of expression and the right of the people to know. . .These are troubled times. There is no greater safety valve for discontent and cynicism about the affairs of government than freedom of expression in any form.”

From the original order by US District Judge Gurfein denying the US government an injunction in the Pentagon Papers case. (Fun fact: it was Gurfein’s first week on

the job as a judge, having just been appointed by President Nixon.)

James Wheaton Founder/Senior Counsel: First Amendment Project, Senior Lecturer, Adjunct Faculty Graduate School of Journalism: University of California Berkeley & Stanford University

A Foretelling

President [#45] Donald J. Trump will win the 2020 election Nov. 3, 2020.

Destiny and fate will be repeated.

Nothing and no one can stop it. The stars are lined up astrologically. It will be full of surprises like in 2016.

Please print the color photo of Joe Biden I’m sending you. I want to thank you James, for printing letters from the opposition recently.

So, roughly three days before the election in November, Biden may be unable to run because of his health. So as a Renaissance man, James, please print the photo of Biden for all to see.

P.S.” I am not a saint, I am just a human being!”

Dorota Starr San Pedro

Community Alert

Ports to Host CAAP Update Meeting online

The Port of Los Angeles and Port of Long Beach will update the public on progress toward the goals of the San Pedro Bay Ports Clean Air Action Plan during a videoconference meeting Oct. 14, via Zoom. To participate in the meeting.

The meeting agenda is available at www.cleanairactionplan.org/documents/ october-14-stakeholder-advisory-meeting-agenda.pdf.

Regular advisory meetings were called for as part of the CAAP Update approved by the Los Angeles and Long Beach Harbor Commissions in November 2017. Information about prior meetings can be found here, www.cleanairactionplan.org/about-the-plan/ stakeholder-advisory-group/ The ports will take public comments at the advisory meeting to receive input on CAAP implementation. The agenda will be posted on the CAAP website’s Stakeholder Advisory Group page at, www. cleanairactionplan.org/aboutthe-plan/stakeholder-advisory-group/ prior to the meeting.

Time: 10 a.m. 12 p.m. Oct. 14 Details: www.portla.zoom.us/ webinar/registeration

Norman Solomon is the national director of RootsAction.org and the author of many books including War Made Easy: How Presidents and Pundits Keep Spinning Us to Death. He was a Bernie Sanders delegate from California for the 2020 Democratic National Convention.

Real News, Real People, Really Effective

October 1 - 14, 2020

9

[China Shipping, from p. 1]

China Shipping

A view of the China Shipping terminal, File photo

serious problems at every stage in this process.

In addition to the lack of enforceability, it states, “Respondents further violated CEQA by failing to use a correct baseline; failing to provide an accurate project description; failing to fully analyze project impacts; failing to adequately respond to comments; and by failing to support findings with substantial evidence, among other issues.”

In contrast to this procedural checklist approach, NRDC’s suit involves four thematic claims or causes of action.

“The first claim is failure to define the proper baseline,” said Melissa Lin Perrella, senior director of Environmental Justice at NRDC. “If you set up the wrong baseline … you minimize the amount of harm from the proposed action.”

The baseline should account for the emissions reduction that was supposed to be achieved from those mitigation measures” that weren’t enforced, she explained.

Or, as NRDC noted in its 2017 comments: “the normal baseline would be the physical conditions existing at the time the environmental review for the original project commenced,” which was March 2001.

Instead, the suit notes: “the Port selected as its baseline the conditions as they existed in 2008.”

AQMD made similar arguments in its suit, concluding that: “By relying on a baseline for analysis that is not supported with substantial evidence in the record, the Respondents committed a prejudicial abuse of discretion for which the project approvals must be set aside.”

NRDC’s second cause of action is described as “failure to adequately disclose and analyze the terminal’s significant environmental effects.” It involves both a misleading description and an inadequate response.

“This is the cause of action where we highlight the port and city’s assumptions that the revised mitigation measure contained in the 2019 SEIR will be implemented starting in 2019,” Perrella explained.

Obviously, it’s 2020, and that hasn’t happened. But then there’s the enforceability issue Nakamura discussed, which was “equally troubling,” Perrella said.

With the faulty assumption they will be

October 1 - 14, 2020

Real News, Real People, Totally Relevant

The district is 43 years old and reviews hundreds of projects every year. During July of this year, 60 CEQA documents were received by AQMD and 30 comment letters were sent, according to a monthly report to AQMD’s board. So, the action taken is extremely rare and AQMD’s governing board’s knowledge of CEQA is second to none.

The suits came about because almost a dozen mitigation measures the port promised in the 2008 China Shipping EIR were never implemented — as the port revealed in 2015, when it began a second, supplemental EIR process. This revelation came after Random Lengths News publisher asked for an audit of the China Shipping mitigation funds. “[T]he new EIR includes more weakened and unenforceable measures and will lead to significantly more emissions,” AQMD noted in a press release announcing the suit.

Although they’re structured differently, “There’s quite a bit of overlap,” NRDC Senior Attorney Claire Woods told Random Lengths News.

Violations in common fall into three broad categories: misleading analysis, inadequate response, and flawed explanation/justification. One difference is that AQMD included a claim regarding failure to implement the mitigation measures in the 2008 EIR. NRDC did not include that because the 2004 settlement agreement “requires us to arbitrate certain claims before we can proceed in litigation,” Woods explained.

Of course, the clients are different as well.

But both, in different ways, represent the people being forced to breathe China Shipping’s poor air emissions.

Of all the issues raised, the lack of enforceability stands out as a fatal weakness, since even a perfect EIR is worthless if it can’t be enforced.

“Typically, for these terminal projects, enforceability will be incorporated into the lease,” said Susan Nakamura, AQMD assistant deputy executive officer. “What’s concerning is that no mitigation measures were ever incorporated into the lease.”

And, it’s been amended four times.

“In contrast, the TraPac project, which is another Port of LA project, did incorporate the mitigation measures into the lease,” she said.

AQMD consolidates all its objections into one cause of action, broken down into 10 specific points. “What we normally do is follow the framework of CEQA,” Tyagi said.

She explained that “CEQA is primarily an information disclosure statute,” so they begin with ensuring “air quality impacts are properly disclosed to the public, and decisionmakers,” and that they’re complete. Next comes identifying ways to “mitigate or reduce those impacts through mitigation measures or alternatives,” followed by public comment, suggesting “additional mitigation measures or alternatives,” and the agency’s response to the comments. Finally, “The last phase would be the approval of the project in spite of those impacts, and how do they handle that.” Their suit alleges

10

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enforced, “the revised project looks cleaner,” she added, resulting in “a misrepresentation of the project’s significant harm.”

As NRDC’s suit noted: “the record is replete with evidence that China Shipping will not agree to a lease amendment.”

And, because the SEIR relied on the unreasonable assumption to the contrary: “the City failed to adequately disclose and analyze the Terminal’s significant environmental effects.”

“That is quite problematic,” UCLA law professor Sean Hecht, an expert in CEQA, told Random Lengths News. “CEQA requires that mitigation measures be incorporated into the project approval, and not be deferred until a later point and not be speculative.”

“I generally think that the analysis I see in the complaints is correct,” Hecht said, while citing this issue is one of CEQA’s “basic principles. … the baseline argument NRDC is making is also really important.”

Hecht cautioned that he hadn’t read the full record the trial will depend on, but the prima facie arguments appeared strong.

When Random Lengths News reached out to the port to get their side from their legal counsel, the port declined. Instead, port spokesman Phillip Sanfield issued the following statement: “The Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Report has been approved by the Los Angeles Harbor Commission and certified by the Los Angeles City Council. More litigation means more delays in our efforts to usher in one of the cleanest non-automated container facilities in the world — one that clears the way to introduce cleaner equipment while preserving good-paying jobs. We look forward to presenting our case.”

Sanfield also provided the supporting documents the port took to the City Council in August, when the council approved the project. But those documents confirm the problem at hand. Specifically, the cover letter from POLA Executive Director Gene Seroka admitted that “China Shipping does not have mitigation measures written into Permit 999,” but promised that “POLA will require that the revised mitigation measures ... will be made part of the Fifth Amendment to Permit 999,” without explaining how or when that would be done — exactly what

Hecht warned against.

“We’re hearing from the city and the port, ‘Don’t worry, it’s going to happen,’ but we’ve heard that story for years and years,” Woods said. “They can’t keep telling that story without making true on the commitment. And, that’s what they did here.”

NRDC’s third cause of action is “failure to provide a complete and coherent explanation of conclusions.” “[It concerns] the lack of evidence to support the revisions that the port made to the dozen or so measures it didn’t fully implement from the 2008 EIR,” Perrella said.

The port can make such revisions under CEQA, but they have to be backed up with substantial evidence, she explained.

The port’s general arguments about the costs of cargo-handling equipment, for example, fall far short of what CEQA requires: a showing that the cost is so high it would make the project impracticable, she stated.

Similarly, AQMD argued that the port: “failed to adopt all feasible mitigation measures in violation of CEQA and failed to make findings, supported by substantial evidence, that said measures were infeasible.”

Finally, NRDC’s fourth cause of action is “a failure to require feasible mitigation measures to minimize significant environmental effects.”

CEQA exact language requires all feasible mitigations, but multiple measures seem to fall short.

“We think that the AMP [shoreside power] commitment that the port is making in the revised SEIR could be higher, based upon China Shipping’s own compliance in the past,” Perrella said. Past compliance has met or exceeded 99%, but the SEIR claims that only 95% compliance is feasible.

Relatedly, AQMD’s suit noted: “Petitioner and others commented that mitigation measures from the 2008 EIS/EIR were in fact still feasible, that additional feasible mitigation measures exist, including measures that had been successfully incorporated at other terminals within the Port of Los Angeles.”

“One of the measures that they had removed was a measure that required LNG trucks and there was no substantive measure for that,” Nakamura noted. “Definitely within that 40 years, you can incorporate at some level, if not toward the end of the 40 years, allzero or near-zero trucks. ... Not to do anything is a problem. So, that’s like one example.”

The suits have just been filed, so nothing’s been scheduled yet. The administrative record needs to be prepared, and a mandatory settlement meeting must be held. AQMD expects to go to trial within two years, but Woods hopes things move more quickly.

“Our immediate desire is to get relief in the community and for the people who live in and around the port,” she said. “Every day that this lawsuit goes on without ensuring adequate mitigation is a day where people who live in the area are burdened needlessly.”

[Welding, from p. 1]

A

Welding Ideas In Constant Motion

October 1 - 14, 2020

Artist Welder

Real News, Real People, Really Effective

live with motion and form, Massengill’s welding pieces contrast hard metals work but began to be frustrated with working on a small scale. Still, she was invited to with materials like glass, found objects, beads or the addition of surprising apprentice working on jewelry but soon realized that she wanted to “work bigger.” She color manifesting in striking creations. Her new mixed media pieces, Recovery took a sculpture class and discovered that was her niche. Massengill graduated from Tyler and Hope and Joy deal with recovery, aging and passage of time. Their spiral with a bachelor’s of fine art degree in 1975. shapes signify exuberant glee. Each is made of fabricated steel, African beads, wood, “In those days you were [either] a sculptor, a painter or a craftsman but I always metal and fractured mirrors — symbolic of reflective hopes. Shattered Lives connected worked 2- and 3-D together,” Massengill said. “I felt pressured but then when I learned to Black Lives Matter, a silver/blue based painting, depicts a shattered, yellow rear view about another artist, Nancy Graves, who did sculpture, painting and drawings, it freed me mirror, aviator lenses and underneath, a rising fist visually echoes itself in burnt hues to pursue my work in any way that I wanted to.” emerging from fire while bursts of animated pink hearts, one at wrist’s center, surround it.

This was only her start. In 1975 as a “landed immigrant” or permanent resident to “I’m concerned about what’s going on in the world,” Massengill said. “I’m trying to Canada she worked as a professional artist receiving grants, exhibiting her work and use that seriousness to be able to almost creating public art projects. It’s also exorcize myself. I feel so concerned where Massengill met her Australian for young people. I am encouraged husband, Graham. While training that there are so many young people and being paid by the government becoming activists.” as a welder-fitter at George Brown From Ukiah, Calif., she began art College, Massengill worked alongside classes at Mendocino Art Center as a convicted felons seeking a job on small child while her mother attended the pipeline. Welder-fitters fulfill a classes too. She didn’t think of being range of employment options from an artist. She was just always making aerospace and defense industries to things, walking to school looking for arts entertainment and recreation. things to pick up and put together in The skilled workers shape and join some kind of assemblage. pieces of steel, aluminum and other “It wasn’t until my senior year of materials using heat generated by high school that I had an epiphany lasers or torches. Massengill’s goal about wanting to be an artist,” was to be the female David Smith — Massengill said. “I started taking this an abstract expressionist, sculptor, crafts class, working with clay. They painter and pioneer of sculpting with let me stay however long I wanted to. welded metal.

It made me feel like, ‘this is what I wanted to do with my life.’”

Massengill attended Goddard Describing her process, College in Vermont, then California Massengill said she used the welderCollege of Arts and Crafts, becoming fitter experience to become a better involved in metal smithing and jewelry. Karena Massengill at work in her home studio. Massengill displays her artwork on her wall and shows a crafted sculptor. Upon finishing She moved on to Temple University, view of her silver metalsmith works on a small table. Photos by Raphael Richardson.

[See Artist, p. 14] Tyler School of Art pursuing metal

11

B

eacon House is recognized as one of the top 200 recovery programs in America and they throw some of the better fundraising parties in the Harbor Area, even without the wine. Anytime you can put together good food, interesting people and engaging stories, you can’t help but have a good time. But as with everything else we connect with fun, the pandemic took the Beacon House fundraising dinner parties, too.

In fact, Beacon House reported a $225,000 fundraising shortfall as a result of the pandemic.

To close the gap, Beacon House communication director and serial entrepreneur Mitchell Harmatz came up with the idea of selling and auctioning off the services of 20 chefs who will prepare a dining experience for top auction bidders.

The dining experience can take place in a curated space at the Beacon House or at Babouch Moroccan Restaurant, Think Prime, Campaignon Wine Bistro or at Big Nick’s Pizza.

The other option is in the private residence of the purchaser. The experience has the potential of looking something akin to UCLA’s 12 Strangers for Dinner, a gathering designed (in the case of Beacon House) to bring together the South Bay’s most famous chefs, supported by chefs who’ve been redeemed by way of Beacon House’s recovery programs and auction bidders/ purchasers from varied walks of life. Dinners such as these are intended to foster deeper connections and deeper relationships between people while raising money to further Beacon House’s mission.

Beacon House’s 20 Chefs boasts an embarrassment of culinary riches with the inclusion of the four-time James Beard award-

20 Chefs, 10 Strangers and One Helluva Dining Experience

By Terelle Jerricks, Managing Editor

winner Andrew Zimmern; Depot Restaurant’s Michael Shafer; Fuego at the Maya Hotel’s Victor Juarez; Pacific Standard Prime’s Christine Brown; Primal Alchemy Chef Paul Buchanan and Top Chef Season 1 contestant, Betty Fraser. A few others includes: • Gourmet 2 You’s Chef Peter Carpenter in Torrance • Hungry Bear’s Chef Jennie Trinh from Los

October 1 - 14, 2020

Real News, Real People, Totally Relevant

Left, Chef Michael Shafer, right, Chef Paul Buchanan and above, Chef Christine Brown.

All are co-chairs of the 20 Chefs Selection Committee.

12

Angeles. She specializes in Asian pan-Pacific cuisine.

• The executive chef at The Alexander in Indianapolis, Jeremy Martindale, who will be flown to Los Angeles. Martindale’s adeptness at integrating worldly sophistication with the best of local fare is what shot him to fame.

Shafer’s involvement and leadership is what gives Beacon House’s 20 Chefs its credibility.

Shafer is a culinary fundraising king. Before the pandemic, Shafer annually hosted the Halloween Ball and the SummerFest. Each event raises more than $100,000 a year. Shafer also donates time, money and his culinary skills to the Torrance Education Foundation, Palos Verdes Education Foundation, the Wellness Community, Little Company of Mary — For our Children, Boys and Girls Club and the Palos Verdes Art Center. Just this year, Shafer auctioned his personal cooking for $25,000, in which he prepared a private dining experience for the top auction bidder.

RLn publisher James Preston Allen filmed a Zoom interview with Shafer, Buchanan, Harmatz and Britta Wicher of MBF Productions, a company Beacon House teamed with to help pull off 20 Chefs.

During that interview, which can be viewed on our website and Youtube channel, we learned about some of the chefs and catering companies that will provide these unique culinary experiences.

When asked what they have planned for their dining experience, Shafer and Buchanan noted that outside of their regular motifs, they

won’t have that planned until they meet the clients. Buchanan, who focuses on locally sourced ingredients, what’s in season, to preserves such as jams and marmalades, note that they have to talk to the client and get a feel for what they are looking for while ensuring all dietary restrictions are known.

“It would be nice to talk to the person that purchased the dinner and get their ideas of anything they wanted,” Buchanan said. “It could be completely vegan menus, completely omnivore menus, vegetarian menus and everything in between.”

For Shafer March 2021 will mark 50 years as a chef. Shafer sees both perils and opportunity during the pandemic, especially if small businesses don’t get back to work. Shafer noted that Sizzler had just recently filed for bankruptcy.

While recognizing that Sizzler is not a small company, he did note that if a company like Sizzler couldn’t make it, what does it portend for the small business with even fewer resources to stay afloat?

Shafer explained that small intimate experiences such as the one described above could be the trend that saves the dining experience in a post-COVID world.

“We’re going to survive because I’m a survivor,” Shafer said, speaking of The Depot Restaurant.

“I’m the “glass-half-full” sort of guy. But [the pandemic] is going to change the way we do business forever. It’s going to change the landscape .... Especially if the business community doesn’t go back to work.”

In the meantime, serial entrepreneurs like Mitchell Harmatz and chefs like Michael Shafer, Paul Buchanan and Christine Brown are going to continue thinking on how to take philanthropy, the dining experience, the art of deepening social connections and good conversations over food to the next level as we see our way through a post-COVID world.

If you want to ensure Beacon House continues to fulfill its mission of helping men kick their addiction, rejoin their families and become active participants in their communities, visit www.thebeaconhouse.org/20chefs, purchase private dinners with a selected chef starting at $5,000.

The meal will be prepared and served at the buyer’s residence or at the chef’s restaurant with the location and date to be agreed upon by both parties. The number of guests is limited to 10 for the culinary team’s well-being.

The buying of the dinners ends Oct. 11.

Dining purchases can also be made via email at the 20chefs@beaconhouse.org.

Watch the RLn Chef Show: https://tinyurl. com/RLnChefShow.

Getting Art(ists) Out Into the World While Everyone’s Staying Home

By Greggory Moore, Columnist

The timing couldn’t have been worse for Alyssandra Nighswonger. After several months of planning and curating an immersive art experience to coincide with the release of Nighswonger Does Nilsson (as in Harry Nilsson, contents self-explanatory), the country slid into shutdown mode just days before the show’s scheduled date.

“There would have been paper art installations to transport the audience to the Land of Point!” she said (referencing Nilsson’s sixth album and its accompanying animated feature film). “There would have been projections! There would have been an album included with admission! I would have worn a colorful dress and played with a damn fine band featuring [Nilsson’s son] Zak on drums!”

In other words, it would have been typical of the kind thing Long Beach mainstay

BIG NICK’S PIZZA

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The Happy Diner #1 in Downtown San Pedro isn’t your average diner. The selections range from Italian- and Mexican-influenced entrées to American Continental.

Happy Diner chefs are always creating something new—take your pick of grilled salmon over pasta or tilapia and vegetables prepared any way you like.

Dine al fresco or call for takeout. Hours: Mon.-Wed. 6 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Thurs.-Sat. 6 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. and Sun. 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Happy Diner #1, 617 S. Centre St., San Pedro, 310-241-0917, www.happydinersp.com

HAPPY DINER #2

Built on the success of Happy Diner #1, Happy Diner #2 offers American favorites like omelets and burgers, fresh salads, plus

pasta and Mexican dishes are served. Order online for delivery or call for curbside pickup. Hours: Mon. - Sat. 6 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., Sun. 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Happy Diner #2, 1931 N. Gaffey St., San Pedro, 310-935-2933, www.happydinersp.com

HAPPY DELI

The Happy Deli is a small place with a big menu. Food is made-to-order using the freshest ingredients.

Breakfast burritos and breakfast sandwiches include a small coffee. For lunch or dinner select from fresh salads, wraps, buffalo wings, cold and hot sandwiches, burgers and dogs. Order online or call for takeout or delivery. Hours: Mon. - Sat. 6 am. to 8 p.m., Sun. 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Happy Deli, 530 S. Gaffey St., San Pedro, 424-364-0319, www.happydelisp.com

SAN PEDRO BREWING COMPANY

A micro brewery and American grill, SPBC features handcrafted award-winning ales and lagers served with creative pastas, BBQ, sandwiches, salads and burgers. Order your growlers, house drafts and cocktails to go (with food purchase)! Open daily 12 to 8 p.m. for al fresco dining, takeout and delivery through Grubhub, Postmates and Doordash. San Pedro Brewing Company, 331 W. 6th St., San Pedro, 310-831-5663, www.sanpedrobrewing.com

public policy vis-à-vis health and welfare is guided by science), over the past six months, Nighswonger, who in addition to putting on events has regularly gigged solo and with various bands, has been something of a fish [See Artists Out, p. 14]

TAXCO MEXICAN RESTAURANT

We are proud to serve our community for almost four decades with generous plates of traditional Mexican Call in your order for pickup or order online for delivery at Doordash.com. Hours: Tues.-Sat. 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sun. and Mon. 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Taxco Mexican Restaurant, 28152 S. Western Ave., San Pedro, 310-547-4554, www.taxcorestaurantpv.com

WEST COAST PHILLY’S

Welcome to West Coast P h i l l y ’ s Cheesesteak and Hoagies where authentic Philly cheesesteaks meet the waterfront in San Pedro. Along with serving the classic cheesesteak, West Coast Philly’s puts its unique twist on its cheesesteaks and hoagies. Also on the menu are subs, burgers, wings and salads. Order online or call for pickup in the rear parking lot or delivery via Postmates, Doordash and Grubhub. Hours: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. West Coast Philly’s, 1902 S. Pacific Ave., San Pedro, 424-264-5322, www.westcoastphillys.com

Support Independent Restaurants • Dining Guide online: www.randomlengthsnews.com/dining-guide

October 1 - 14, 2020

CONRAD’S MEXICAN GRILL

HAPPY DINER #1

for the Long Beach Folk Revival Festival and 10 years of hosting Viento y Agua’s weekly open mic, which she celebrated with (what else?) a 10-hour open mic.

Live entertainment has been in a holding pattern (at least in parts of the world where

Family owned and operated since 1965, Buono’s is famous for awardwinning brick oven baked pizza.

Buono’s also offers classic Italian dishes and sauces based on tried-and-true family recipes and hand-selected fresh ingredients. Takeout, delivery and patio dining.

Hours: Sun.-Thurs. 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Fri. and Sat. 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Buono’s Pizzeria, 222 W. 6th St., San Pedro, 310-547-0655, www.buonospizza.com

lunch and dinner. Now Conrad’s features Peruvian dishes, as well as an inventive Mexican vegetarian and vegan menu. Dine outdoors or order online for curbside pick up and delivery.

Hours: Mon.-Sat. 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. S. Conrad’s Mexican Grill, 376. W. 6th St., San Pedro • 424-264-5452, www.conradsmexicangrill.com

Anthony Pedroza’s version of The Kinks’ Strangers (from The Darjeeling Limited), with Pedroza tripled and costumed as all three of the Whitman brothers. File photo

Real News, Real People, Really Effective

Tradition, variety and fast delivery or takeout—you get it all at Big Nick’s Pizza.The selection of Italian specialties include hearty calzones, an array of pastas and amazing signature pizzas. We are taking all safety precautions to protect our diners and staff.

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram to stay updated on new developments. Call for fast delivery or to place a pick up order. Hours: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mon.-Thurs.; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fri.-Sun. Big Nicks’ Pizza, 1110 N. Gaffey St., San Pedro, 310-732-5800, www.bignickspizza.com

Nighswonger has put on over the years. In 2010, she produced a Vaudeville Folk Spectacular at the Art Theatre of Long Beach, which in addition to a variety of musical performances featured tap dancers, poetry, a cross-dressed, gossipy recitation of a short work by Russian absurdist writer, and “amazing feats of strength

by Strong Bear (you had to be there). Over the next decade came similarly eclectic experiences (what else to call them?). Illumatory Interlude at the Long Beach Museum of Art included fire dancers and a shadow-puppet version of Eugene Ionesco’s Rhinoceros. An album-release show at the Packard for an album by frequent collaborator Ellen Warkentine included two floors of themed art installations and moving human statuary.

There’s also been a host of facilitatory and behind-the-scenes work, including social media

13

[Artist, from p. 11]

Artist Welds Ideas

OCT 1 - 14 • 2020 MUSIC Oct 17

Chris Stills Grand Annex livestream evenings of music and wine pair top tier musicians with wines and wine tastings led by local chef and sommelier, Mona Harrington.Tickets are available with or without a wine. Bring a taste of France into your own home with select wines and the music of rocker Chris Stills.

Stills, who was raised in Paris, is the son of Stephen Stills and French singer Veronique Sanson. Invitations will be sent at 5:30 p.m. on the day of the show.

Time: 7 p.m. Oct. 17 Cost: $30 to $120 Details: www.grandvision/ ChrisStills Venue: Online

THEATER

Complete Works: Table Top Shakespeare: At Home Explore the dynamic force of narrative in relation to William Shakespeare’s comedies, tragedies and histories.

What follows are absurd and strangely compelling lo-fi, home made puppetry shows. These Shakespearean plays come to life vividly — just in miniature.

RSVP. Through Nov. 15 Cost: Free Details: https://adobe. ly/3hV42q9

DANCE

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San Pedro Festival of the Arts This is a free virtual family event featuring dance exclusively in its many forms.

Time: Through Oct. 4.

Cost: Free Details: www.vimeo.com/ showcase/sanpedroartsfest, www.triartSP.com

Oct 1 The Quest Heidi Duckler Dance creates place-based performances that transform non-traditional spaces and engage diverse communities, in the belief that the arts can change our vision of the world and of ourselves.

All events are COVID-19 safe and either drive-up or walk-up 6 feet apart. Masks are required.

RSVP. Cost: $35 to $400 Details: https://heididuckler. org/event/35th-anniversarycelebration-the-quest

FILM

RBG In tribute to Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s life and unparalleled legacy, South Bay Film Society has joined with Magnolia Pictures in their re-release of the documentary RBG for virtual cinema.

Cost: $6.99 Details: www.southbayfilm society.com

COMMUNITY Oct 3

Virtual Oktoberfest Peninsula Friends of the Library invites you to immerse yourself in a fun evening with delicious food and virtual entertainment — all in your home via Zoom!

A bag of treats will be delivered and a link for entertainment will be sent.

Date: Oct. 3

Oct 2 Online Discovery Lecture Join the next Discovery Lecture online. Dr. Nina Bednarsek will discuss how climate change is impacting the most vulnerable ocean species and the state.

Reserve a ticket on Eventbrite for the Zoom link.

Time: 7 p.m. Oct.2 Cost: Free Details: www.eventbrite. com/e/free-discovery-lecturetickets

Oct 11

Hollywood Goes Underground The Art Deco Society of Los Angeles “digs up the dirt” on Hollywood’s history — and several of its scandals — through a walking tour of the 121-year-old Hollywood Forever Cemetery. Guided walking tours will depart (rain or shine) from the parking lot behind the Cathedral Mausoleum every 20 minutes. Tours are approximately 2 1/2- to 3-hours. Tours will conducted in accordance with the current Covid-19 safety mandates, masks are required.

Time: 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Oct. 11 Cost: $20 Venue: Hollywood Forever Cemetery, 6000 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles Details: www.artdecosocietyoflosangeles.com/ hollywood-goes-underground

[Artists Out, from p. 13]

Getting the Artists Out

out of water. What does a local musician cum impresario do during the time of COVID-19?

Well, you do something. From April 30 and Aug. 27 Nighswonger put together weekly open mics via Zoom, and from May 2 to Aug. 8 she collaborated with We Love LB to bring local music to neighborhoods (because if the mountain will not come to Muhammad…) via trolley.

“Each time we would go to a sponsored neighborhood, and the trolley would slowly drive up and down every street with the musician on the back playing for people who would come out into their front yards,” she says. “Social-distancefriendly entertainment at its finest. I was the musician a few times, but I really liked getting other musicians connected, too.

It felt really good to get some artists paid gigs when shows dried up. […] It’s not just about accomplishing my own goals: there’s also this question of how to give space for other people and other artists. The open mic was only half about being a performance space; it was also about creating a safe 14 space to share feelings, experiences, and

October 1 - 14, 2020

Details: www.pvldfriends.org/ oktoberfest

struggles—and to encourage artists to keep going.”

This past month, Nighswonger tried her hand at live streaming with A Very Wes Anderson Birthday Stream, using her birthday (not Anderson’s) as an excuse to solicit from the area music community video recordings in one way or another tied to Anderson’s oeuvre, which features a songbook reaching from Hank Williams to Elliott Smith. Submissions ranged from the straightforward to silly (The Royal Tenenbaums tent scene “acted” by a dog and cat) to inspired. Highlights in the last category included Freddie Dilsdale’s The Ballad of Davy Crockett (featured in Moonrise Kingdom) seemingly recorded with a cheap cassette player and with lyrics rendered kid-style in crayon (both touches cleverly apropos of the film) and Fellow Robot’s Anthony Pedroza’s version of The Kinks’ Strangers (from The Darjeeling Limited), with Pedroza tripled and costumed as all three of the Whitman brothers in what serves as an effective DIY promotional video for the film.

A Very Wes Anderson Birthday Stream — https://tinyurl.com/Wes-Anderson-Birthday

The concept is the same but she said some training, they were to go to work on the pipeline people respond to the element; it’s more tactile, in Canada bringing crude oil down into the tangible, three dimensional and some people United States. respond more to the paintings. Massengill “I had to be better than the men to get especially enjoys when people buy the pair and respect,” she said. “These guys respected me she’ll give a discount because she likes them because I could out weld all of them. I could do flat, vertical, horizontal or overhead. I could spit being together. nails. You just have to be tough to keep up with them. They were not liberated for sure. I felt no different than anyone else working to learn a skill that required much perseverance and While working on large-scale public art endurance.” projects as a welder fitter, Massengill attended Massengill explained that much of it is University of Toronto earning a bachelor’s in just plain practice and going through a lot of art education and industrial technology. She material. married in Canada, moved to Long Beach, “I have always worked two dimensionally then in 1993 she graduated with a master of at the same time as my sculpting and this also fine arts in sculpture from California State allowed me to paint with the different metals University Fullerton. She went on to work as a on my sculpted surfaces,” Massengill said. department chair of visual and digital arts and “The power I feel while worked with underserved welding is a passion I students at Long Beach’s find difficult to explain Cabrillo High School. other than the risk and She taught in many challenges of building capacities including three statements, some dimensional art drawing of them humorous, and painting, digital art heartfelt and abstract is and imaging and teaching Opening Oct. 1, El Camino College will present, workshops for artists with thrilling.

Black Lives Matter. Artists respond to the killing “It’s so very disabilities. From there exciting for me as I am of George Floyd and Black Lives Matter. she was recruited as an in my helmet, it’s dark, Details: www.elcamino.edu. adjunct professor at Los and the fire is in front You can also see Massengilll’s contribution to Angeles Harbor College, Angels Gate Cultural Center’s soundpedro. of me,” she said. “I teaching graphic design to Details: www.soundpedro.org/soundpedro2020 calibrate the best way underserved adults who schizophonia. to combine at times had either been released dissimilar metals and And Creative Practices group exhibition will from incarceration or had thicknesses. Today, with open at South Los Angeles Contemporary on dropped out of school and Nov. 14 11 a.m. my welding on top of were trying to get their Details: www.solacontemporary.org my drawings, it’s even lives together. She retired more thrilling. The in 2014 after 24 years but controlled destruction noted art is her first love. as I use a water bottle to stop the burning, I Massengill and her husband are very know is going to lead to another canvas for me active — writing postcards to voters, they are to paint another interpretation for my concepts.” involved in the local chapter of Indivisible and Her work is being appreciated for its they attended the Sept. 21 San Pedro vigil for uniqueness and creativity. Welding enables her Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. to express in her own voice while addressing “We want to do what we can and we hope universal life concerns and passages. it awakens people and gets out the vote,” she “In a way this encourages other people to said. “Today I’ve been involved in the BLM bring their own experiences while viewing the movement and climate change,” Massengill work and at the best of times, pause for selfsaid. “Going to Africa [in 2017] and seeing reflection,” she said people who are the least responsible for climate She noted the four positions mentioned change and are suffering the most from it broke previously in which a welder-fitter worked my heart. We were in Kenya and then Tanzania. to achieve were skills that help her to create I had such an affinity for the indigenous people, sculptures today. the Kikuyu, the Masai and the Samburu. They “What I do now is different, Massengill can’t even do their traditional lifestyle. The said. “I always liked drawing, painting and animals are so majestic. We wanted to be there murals but now I’ve found what I really like is to see the mass migrations but because the to come up with a concept, work on a drawing water dried up the migrations shifted. And now on high quality watercolor paper, then I use it as the safaris aren’t happening because people a template on my welding table. I start bending aren’t travelling which has led to the poachers steel and figuring out however I’m going to returning. It had a tremendous impact on me.” make it and what the concept is and then I weld On Massengill’s website, you can see works it on top of the paper.” inspired by her time in Africa representing Her paintings bear the burn holes where wildlife and nature. You can also see her work she welded it. Afterward she has something to at Rosie’s Dog Beach in Long Beach where paint. She described the painting and the welded she won a competition to create artwork for the sculpture as different generations. leash-free area by the ocean in Belmont Shore.

Only half joking, Massengill says “I’m a “I love doing my work and it’s wonderful pyromaniac, but I have it under control. Because when I have an exhibition,” Massengill said.

I do love fire. I love welding. It’s exciting and “It’s really separate. I’m lucky I have a display challenging. It’s also engineering. There is a lot area but it’s not the same. When it’s in the of figuring out that is mentally challenging. It’s gallery, it takes on a life of its own. I just do my so exciting when I’m working on the paper and work and it keeps me healthy and whole.” it starts to catch fire.”

Details: www.karenamassengill.com

Art of Teaching and Activism

Karena Massengill Current Exhibitions

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October 1 - 14, 2020

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15

[Mail, from p. 6]

Vote by Mail

requirement to mail your ballot inside a secrecy envelope — the result of a GOP victory in the Pennsylvania Supreme Court on Sept. 17, stoking fears that tens of thousands of votes could be thrown out. But Democrats won something in that decision, too: it allowed county election boards to have drop boxes to collect ballots and extended the deadline to count mail-in ballots postmarked on Election Day but received after.

“It’s very concerning because we can see 30,000 to 40,000 ballots that can very likely be thrown out, just in Philadelphia,” Philadelphia City Commissioner Lisa Deeley told BuzzFeed News.

But that same story went on to note: “The ruling has inspired partisan nonprofits to organize.”

One organization cited, the Philadelphiabased Committee of Seventy, could reach a halfmillion voters with its voter outreach campaign, WeVote, according to its president, David Thornburgh.

Wisconsin is even more chaotic — but with a 2% larger polling average in favor of Biden.

In April, Wisconsin had a 1.8%rejection rate for absentee ballots, which could be even worse due to late-arriving ballots in November. Usually, Wisconsin absentee ballots are counted only if clerks have them by Election Day. But, on Sept.

21, U.S. District Judge William Conley ruled they should be counted if postmarked by Election Day, and received within six days — by Nov. 9.

According to the Milwaukee JournalSentinel: “Conley provided the extension because of the coronavirus pandemic, a surge in

mail voting and recent problems with delivering mail on time.” However, six days later the U.S. Court of Appeals put Conley’s order on hold, which can only be lifted if a higher court takes further action.

The state election agency is doing what it can, despite GOP legislative refusal to make the process more efficient in the face of COVID19. It has sent absentee voting guidelines and applications to 2.6 million registered voters and implemented intelligent mail barcodes to track ballot envelopes through the postal system.

Witness requirements were a major problem in April, which jurisdictions like Milwaukee and Madison dealt with using a “drive-up drop off” system, having election inspectors collect and witness absentee ballots outside polling places without voters leaving their cars.

Madison has gone even further for the general election, with its “Democracy in the Parks” program, kicked off last Saturday, at more than 200 locations, where poll workers helped people register to vote or request absentee ballots, served as witnesses for those who with absentee ballots, and collected them once completed.

More than 10,800 ballots were collected in all.

But mail delays could easily disenfranchise an equal or greater number in November. The early vote doesn’t begin until Oct. 20.

Michigan faces a tsunami of mail-in ballots.

In the August primary, 1.6 million out of 2.5 million voted absentee. In November, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson’s office is predicting 3 million absentee ballots, of which almost 2.4 million have already been requested. To handle this massive influx, Michigan Election Clerks, a bipartisan association, asked for legislation allowing a seven-day pre-processing period before Election Day. Instead, the Republican-

are already being sent out, and Detroit has already set up 30 dropboxes for quick returns.

“We made sure that every district in Detroit is well-represented with a dropbox and a voting center,” Detroit City Clerk Janice Winfrey said, according to The Detroit News. “We did not just seek the high voter turnout areas, but we also did the low voter turnout areas.”

United States Postal Service drop off ballot box. File photo There are similar stories in the other dominated legislature passed a bill allowing just battleground states mentioned — Georgia, North 10 hours. Benson called it a “step in the right Carolina, Ohio, etc. Beyond that, in Texas, direction” that “does not go nearly far enough.” the Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton To work around such limitations, Detroit has repeatedly tried to block Harris County Mayor Mike Duggan has announced that he will (including Houston) from simply sending votebasically be shutting down city government for by-mail instructions to every registered voter! two days in order to place all city employees at He’s lost repeatedly in both state and federal the city clerk’s disposal to handle the flood of court but has not exhausted his appeals. That’s ballots. But it remains to be seen how many other typical of how Republicans, following Trump’s jurisdictions will also step up — as well as how lead, are simultaneously spreading fears of many ballots will be thrown out. chaos, and refusing to do anything constructive.

Currently, clerks must accept any ballots Meanwhile, Democrats are doing all they can to postmarked no later than the day before the help people vote safely, smoothly and securely. election, and received 14 days after it, according Vote-by-mail — once dominated by to a court ruling that Republicans are trying Republicans — is a critical component of this to overturn on appeal. Like Conley’s ruling in effort. But the real story is about preserving Wisconsin, they stand a good chance of success, options and providing voters with everything they so the number of votes that will go uncounted is need. anybody’s guess. But, requested absentee ballots

LABOR Notes

School and Campus Workers Say:

Not Until It’s Safe

October 1 - 14, 2020

Real News, Real People, Totally Relevant

Compiled by Mark Friedman, Reporter

16

North Carolina Nurses Opt For First Union

In a mail-in ballot election, 70% of the registered nurses at Mission Hospital’s flagship facility in Asheville, N.C., voted to join National Nurses United. It’s the biggest hospital union victory in the South since 1975 and the firstever election win for a union at a private sector hospital in North Carolina. The union will represent 1,800 registered nurses at the hospital.

The successful union drive pitted workers against the intimidation tactics of the Hospital Corporation of America Healthcare, the nation’s largest hospital corporation with 184 hospitals in the United States and the United Kingdom.

In February 2019, HCA paid $1.5 billion for Mission and six other nonprofit hospitals in western North Carolina. The union currently represents about 10,000 nurses at 19 HCA facilities across the country. The union drive at Mission is the union’s largest campaign ever undertaken in North Carolina. In the wake of the takeover by the multinational corporation, nurses saw patient care standards and working conditions quickly deteriorate. Four nurses initiated the union drive in May 2019 over cuts in staff, poor communication, and lack of access to basic supplies and personal protective equipment. “I am one of the older people on the unit,” said Kelley Tyler, a trauma care nurse.

“A lot of the nurses at Mission are younger and new. They were taking it as this is how the job is supposed to work and this is how nursing

is.”She said unionizing would enable nurses to get back to their professional duties, instead of scrambling to put out fires all day.

Chicago Health Care Workers Strike for Safe Staffing, $15 Minimum, PPE

On Sept. 11, a Cook County judge filed a partial injunction against nearly 5,500 health care workers preparing to strike the University of Illinois at Chicago’s hospital, clinics and other campus divisions. The judge cited a “clear and present danger” to patients, reducing the number of union members who could participate in the strike. However, the nurses struck anyway. But to members of the Illinois Nurses Association and Service Employees Local 73, the “clear and present dangers” at UIC are unsafe staffing levels, lack of protective equipment and poverty wages, especially in the coronavirus pandemic. “One of our primary issues is just chronic, chronic, chronic understaffing,” said Alicia Uwumarogie, a physical therapist in UIC’s outpatient care center and a member of the Local 73 bargaining committee.

“We don’t have the staff to meet the needs of our patients.” Local 73 is also demanding a $15 minimum wage at UIC facilities in and outside of Chicago, guarantees for personal protective equipment, and protection from discrimination and from using immigration status as a disciplinary tool. Both unions are also demanding full access to personal protective equipment, after the deaths of members from COVID-19.

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ACROSS

DOWN

1 Pale imitation 2 Passionate fan 3 Fine specimens 4 Teensy invader 5 Salad with bacon and egg 6 Waltz violinist Andre with PBS specials 7 “Colors” rapper 8 Profoundness 9 Oscar winner for playing Cyrano de Bergerac in 1950 10 Basic travel path 11 Closet-organizing device 12 Dance in “The Rocky Horror

Picture Show” 16 $100 bills, slangily 18 It has a bed and a floor 22 Period of importance 24 Garbage bag brand 29 Pac-12 athlete 30 Long ride to the dance 31 Laundry piles 33 Kindling-making tools 34 Paris’s Rue de la ___ 35 Barber’s cut 37 No longer worried 38 Villainous sort 39 Name of anonymity 40 Melville sailor Billy 41 Litter 44 Lined up 45 British singer-songwriter Chris 47 Defensive specialist in volleyball 48 Cyclops feature 49 Did some videoconferencing, maybe 52 Passing remarks?

54 Hold up 56 Operatic solo 57 “Shepherd Moons” Grammy winner 58 Online crafts marketplace 59 Christopher Robin’s “silly old bear” 63 Ending for pepper

October 1 - 14, 2020

1 “Groovy” relative 4 Bitter-tasting 9 With celerity 13 Citrus beverage suffix 14 “Awesomesauce” 15 Set of principles 17 Censored hearty meat entree?

19 Clue options 20 Heavy metal’s Motley ___ 21 Censored mugful for Harry Potter?

23 Prepare for a sale, maybe 25 Domain of a bunch of Ottos, for short 26 Tango requirement?

27 Hundreds of wks.

28 Brief calm 32 Biblical peak 34 Outdoor eating areas 36 They precede Xennials 37 Poker player’s censored post-hand challenge?

41 Protagonist of Netflix’s “Never Have I Ever” (or a Hindu goddess) 42 Detestable 43 Medicine show bottleful 46 Went 9-Across 47 Start of many California city names

50 “The Family Circus” cartoonist Keane 51 Classical opening 53 Potable, so to speak 55 Clearly inflamed, but censored?

60 Toe the line 61 Soap that’s evidently 0.56% impure 62 Unable to escape censorship?

64 Receive at the door 65 Boxer Fury 66 Pastrami sandwich bread 67 Filmdom’s suave bloodsucker, for short 68 Introduce yourself 69 Brit. reference work

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[continued on p. 18]

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Don Marshall, MBA, CPA

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08/20/20, 09/03/20, 09/17/20, 10/01/20

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No. 2020112419 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: 110 VIP MOBILE DETAILING, 1135 N. CABRILLO AVENUE, SAN PEDRO, CA 90731. County of LOS ANGELES. Registered owner(s):STEVE V. GUEVARA, 1135 N. CABRILLO AVE. SAN PEDRO, CA 90731. This business is conducted by an Individual . The registrant(s) started doing business on 01/2018. I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions code that the registrant knows to be false is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000)).

S/ sTEVE V. GUEVARA, Owner This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Los Angeles County on 07/27/2020. NO-

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Don Marshall CPA, Inc.

The animals at the Harbor Animal Shelter have ongoing need for used blankets, comforters, pet beds.* Drop off at Harbor Animal Shelter 957 N. Gaffey St.,San Pedro • 888-452-7381, x 143

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 expires 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.Effective Jan. 1, 2014, the fictitious business name statement must be accompanied by Affidavit of Identity form. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a Fictitious Business Names in violation of the rights of another under Federal, state, or common law (See Section 14111 et seq. Business and Professions code).

Original Filing

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FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No. 2020107263 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: JOSEPHINE TUBEROS TAX SERVICE, 28631 S. WESTERN AVE, SUITE 105 A, SAN PEDRO, CA 90731. County of LOS ANGELES. Registered owner(s): JOSEPHINE TUBEROSI, 2025 UPLAND STREET, SAN PEDRO, CA 90275. This business is conducted by an Individual The registrant(s) started doing business on 01/1981. I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions code that the registrant knows to be false is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000)).

S/ JOSEPHINE TUBEROSI, Owner . This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Los Angeles County on 07/17/2020.

For answers go to: www.randomlengthsnews.com

JOBS

LEGAL & DBA FILINGS

17

LEGAL NOTICES & DBA FILINGS [from p. 17] TICE-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 expires 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.Effective Jan. 1, 2014, the fictitious business name statement must be accompanied by Affidavit of Identity form. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a Fictitious Business Names in violation of the rights of another under Federal, state, or common law (See Section 14111 et seq. Business and Professions code).

Original Filing 08/20/20, 09/03/20, 09/17/20, 10/01/20

Real News, Real People, Totally Relevant

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No. 2020112421 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: ARABELLA’S, 350 W. 5TH STREET #212, AVENUE, SAN PEDRO, CA 90731. County of LOS ANGELES. Registered owner(s):STEVE V. GUEVARA, 1135 N. CABRILLO AVE. SAN PEDRO, CA 90731. This business is conducted by an Individual. The registrant(s) started doing business on 01/2018. I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions code that the registrant knows to be false is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000)). S/ VALERIE MONIQUE SANCHEZ-BUENO, Owner . This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Los Angeles County on 07/27/2020.

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 expires 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.Effective Jan. 1, 2014, the fictitious business name statement must be accompanied by Affidavit of Identity form. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a Fictitious Business Names in violation of the rights of another under Federal, state, or common law (See Section 14111 et seq. Business and Professions code).

Original Filing

October 1 - 14, 2020

08/20/20, 09/03/20, 09/17/20, 10/01/20

18

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No. 2020118391 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: KENIA Z. FLORALS, 729 WEST BASIN STREET, SAN PEDRO, CA 90731.

County of LOS ANGELES. Registered owner(s):KENIA RIVERA, 729 WEST BASIN STREET, SAN PEDRO, CA 90731. This business is conducted by an Individual.

The registrant(s) started doing business on N/A. I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions code that the registrant knows to be false is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000)). S/ KENIA RIVERA, Owner. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Los Angeles County on 08/05/2020. 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 expires 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.Effective Jan. 1, 2014, the fictitious business name statement must be accompanied

by Affidavit of Identity form. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a Fictitious Business Names in violation of the rights of another under Federal, state, or common law (See Section 14111 et seq. Business and Professions code).

Original Filing 08/20/20, 09/03/20, 09/17/20, 10/01/20

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No. 2020117742 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: ALL CARPET CARE RESTORATION SERVICES, 1840 S GAFFEY STREET #414, SAN PEDRO, CA 90731. County of LOS ANGELES. Registered owner(s):MARTIN MADRIGAL, 24517 MARINE AVE, CARSON, CA 90745. This business is conducted by an Individual The registrant(s) started doing business on 01/2000. I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions code that the registrant knows to be false is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000)). S/ MARTIN MADRIGAL, Owner. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Los Angeles County on 08/04/2020. 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 expires 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.Effective Jan. 1, 2014, the fictitious business name statement must be accompanied

by Affidavit of Identity form. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a Fictitious Business Names in violation of the rights of another under Federal, state, or common law (See Section 14111 et seq. Business and Professions code).

Original Filing 08/20/20, 09/03/20, 09/17/20, 10/01/20

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No. 2020119322 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: SV HARD-

WOOD FLOORING, 3420 Barbara St., SAN PEDRO, CA 90731. County of LOS ANGELES. Registered owner(s): SHAUN VICKERS, 420 Barbara St., SAN PEDRO, CA 90731 This business is conducted by an Individual. The registrant(s) started doing business on 06/2017. I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions code that the registrant knows to be false is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000)). S/ SHAUN VICKERS, Owner . This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Los Angeles County on 08/06/2020. 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 expires 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.Effective Jan. 1, 2014, the fictitious business name statement must be accompanied

by Affidavit of Identity form.

The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a Fictitious Business Names in violation of the rights of another under Federal, state, or common law (See Section 14111 et seq. Business and Professions code).

Original Filing

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, Bids for the following Work: ON-CALL MARINE CONCRETE REPAIR SERVICES at PORT OF LONG BEACH LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA AS DESCRIBED IN SPECIFICATION NO. HD-S3062 Bid Deadline:

10/15/20, 10/29/20

DBAs $ 140

Filing & Publishing

310-519-1442

NIB -3 Pre-Bid Meeting and Site Visit. There will not be a pre-bid meeting or site visit for this project. The City makes no guarantee that existing construction and site conditions matches construction depicted on record reference documents. It shall be the Bidder’s responsibility to identify existing conditions.

Note that downloading all avail-

Prior to 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 10, 2020.

Bids shall be submitted electronically via the Port of Long Beach PlanetBids (PB) System prior to 2:00 p.m.

Bid Opening:

Electronic Bid (eBid) results shall be viewable online in the PB System immediately after the Bid Deadline.

Contract Documents Available:

Download Contract Documents from the Port of Long Beach PB System Vendor Portal: www.polb.com/sbe Click on the POLB Vendor Portal 1. Register and Log In 2. Click “Bid Opportunities” 3. Double-click on respective bid Project Title 4. Click on Document/Attachments tab 5. Double-Click on Title of Electronic Attachment 6. Click “Download Now” 7. Repeat for each attachment

09/03/20, 09/17/20, 10/01/20, 10/15/20

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No. 202128710 The following person is doing business as: BIGEYE VIRTUAL, 905 Friendship Park Drive, San Pedro, CA 90732, Los Angeles County. Registered owners: Ryan Alan White, 905 Friendship Park Drive, San Pedro, CA 90732. This Business is conducted by an Individual. The date registrant started to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above: 07/2020. 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/.

Ryan Alan White,owner.

This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Los Angeles on 08/25/20. 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: 09/17/20, 10/01/20,

Questions must be submitted electronically through the PB System. Emails, phone calls, and faxes will not be accepted.

Questions submitted to City staff will not be addressed and Bidder will be directed to the PB System.

For assistance in downloading these documents please contact Port of Long Beach Plans and Specs Desk at 562-283-7353.

Pre-Bid Meeting:

None.

Project Contact Person:

Joseph Gunaranjan joseph.gunaranjan@polb.com

Please refer to the Port of Long Beach PB System for the most current information.

NIB -1 Contract Documents.

Contract Documents may be downloaded, at no cost, from the Port of Long Beach PB System Vendor Portal website. Bidders must first register as a vendor on the Port of Long Beach PB System website in order to view and download the Contract Documents, to be added to the prospective bidders list, and to receive addendum notifications when issued.

For the link to the Port of Long Beach PB System and for information on this Project and other upcoming Port projects, you may view the Port website at www. polb.com/business/businessopportunities.

Copies of all Port insurance endorsement forms, SBE/VSBE Program forms, Harbor Development Permit Applications and other Port forms are available at www.polb.com/business/permits.

NIB-2 Pre-Bid Questions. All questions, including requests for interpretation or correction, or comments regarding the Contract Documents, must be submitted no later than November 3, 2020, at 5 p.m.

Questions received after the pre-Bid question deadline will not be accepted.

able documents can be used to satisfy a portion of a Bidder’s good faith efforts to meet the SBE/VSBE participation goals listed below.

NIB -4 Summary Description of the Work. The Work required by this Contract includes, but is not limited to, the following: On an on-call basis, perform inspections of and repairs to marine concrete structures including, but not limited to, deck tops, deck front faces and side faces, deck undersides, cutoff walls, quay walls, piles, and pile caps. Repair work may include furnishing and driving prestressed concrete piles. For further information, refer to Section 01 11 00, Summary of Work in the Technical Specifications.

NIB -5 Contract Time and Liquidated Damages. The Contractor shall achieve Affidavit of Final Completion of the Project within two (2) years as provided in Paragraph SC - 6.1 of the Special Conditions, from a date specified in a written “Notice to Proceed” issued by the City and subject to adjustment as provided in Section 8.2 of the General Conditions. FAILURE OF THE CONTRACTOR TO COMPLETE THE WORK WITHIN THE CONTRACT TIME AND OTHER MILESTONES

SET FORTH IN THE SPECIAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING THE ENGINEER’S APPROVAL OF AFFIDAVIT OF FINAL COMPLETION, WILL RESULT IN ASSESSMENT OF LIQUIDATED DAMAGES IN THE AMOUNTS ESTABLISHED IN THE SPECIAL CONDITIONS. NIB -6 Contractor’s License.

The Bidder shall hold a current and valid Class “A”, California Contractor’s License to construct this project.

NIB -7 Contractor Performed Work. The Contractor shall perform, with its own employees, Contract Work amounting to at least 30% of the Contract Price, except that any designated “Specialty Items” may be performed by subcontract. 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 on the Schedule of Bid Items.

The bid price of any materials or equipment rental costs from vendors who are solely furnishing materials or rental equipment and are not performing Work as a licensed subcontractor on this project shall also be deducted from the Contract Price before computing the amount required to be performed by the Contractor with its own employees.

NIB -8 SBE/VSBE. This project is subject to the Port of Long Beach (POLB) Small Business Enterprises (SBE)/ Very Small Business Enterprises (VSBE) Program.

The combined SBE/VSBE participation goal for this Project is twenty-seven percent (27%) of total bid value. The combined SBE/VSBE participation goal shall include a minimum five percent (5%) of total bid value as VSBE. POLB expects all Bidders to achieve the combined SBE/ VSBE participation goal. Award of the Contract will be conditioned on the Bidder submitting an SBE-2C Commitment Plan demonstrating the Bidder’s intent to meet the combined SBE/VSBE participation goal.

If the Bidder’s Commitment Plan does not demonstrate intent to meet the combined goal, the Bidder shall demonstrate that it made an adequate good faith effort to do so, as specified in the Instructions to Bidders. The Port’s SBE Program staff is available to provide information on the program requirements, including SBE certification assistance. Please contact the SBE Office at (562) 283-7598 or sbeprogram@polb.com. You may also view the Port’s SBE program requirements at www. polb.com/sbe.

NIB -9 Prevailing Wage Requirements per Department of Industrial Relations.

This Project is a public work Contract as defined in Labor Code Section 1720. The Contractor receiving award of the Contract and Subcontractors of any tier shall pay not less than the prevailing wage rates to all workers employed in execution of the Contract. The Director of Industrial Relations of the State of California has determined the general prevailing rates of

wages in the locality in which the Work is to be performed. The rate schedules are available on the internet at http://www.dir. ca.gov/dlsr/DPreWageDetermination.htm and on file at the City, available upon request.

Bidders are directed to Article 15 of the General Conditions for requirements concerning payment of prevailing wages, payroll records, hours of work and employment of apprentices.

This Project is subject to compliance monitoring and enforcement by the Department of Industrial Relations. No Contractor or Subcontractor may be listed on a bid proposal for a public works project unless registered with the Department of Industrial Relations pursuant to Labor Code Section 1725.5 (with limited exceptions from this requirement for bid purposes only under Labor Code Section 1771.1(a)). No Contractor or Subcontractor may be awarded a contract for public work on a public works project unless registered with the Department of Industrial Relations pursuant to Labor Code Section 1725.5.

Contractors and Subcontractors must furnish electronic Certified Payroll Records (CPRs) to the Labor Commissioner’s Office, and in addition, hardcopies or electronic copies shall be furnished to the Port of Long Beach.

NIB -10 Project Labor Agreement. This project is not covered by a PLA. NIB -11 Tr a d e N a m e s 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 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, no later than fourteen (14) calendar days after City’s issuance of Notice to Proceed (NTP).

Authorization of a substitution is solely within the discretion of the City.

NIB -12 NOT USED. NIB -13 B i d S e c u r i t y, 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 -14 Conditional Award of Contract and Reservation

[continued on p. 19]

Virginia Field Bruno

wilderness, just as her father and mother did. She hiked with her family through Yosemite and the Sierras throughout her life, experiencing California’s glorious beauty, diversity and the importance of protecting nature’s treasures.

Her life was devoted to supporting organizations that preserved California’s most treasured forests, streams and ocean life.

She graduated from University of California Berkeley and received advanced degrees in zoology, ecology and library science from the University of Michigan and Immaculate Heart College. She taught science in a Wilmington middle school where she met her fellow teacher and future husband, Gordon Bruno. The two eventually settled in the Los Angeles neighborhood near Griffith Park and reared their family of five sons.

While raising a family in Los Angeles, she enriched her family’s life with extensive international and domestic travel and also volunteered at her sons’ schools, Cub and Boy Scouts and the PTA. She kept engaged in life in so many aspects, ever curious about the

July 26, 1926 - Aug. 12, 2020

Virginia Field Bruno died peacefully from COVID-19 related complications Aug. 12, at age 94 in Santa Rosa, Calif. Virginia Bruno was born in Long Beach in the summer of 1926 to Oliver and Ruby (Hale) Field. She grew up with her two older brothers on the Palos Verdes Peninsula where open fields and hills were

commonplace. Horse stables were a common feature for homes; offshore, the majestic Catalina Island was home to bountiful abalone and fish.

Virginia’s love of the outdoors began with a childhood that included raising and training horses, collecting a menagerie of different animals, exploring and appreciating California’s

LEGAL NOTICES [from p. 18]

a Contract, whichever occurs first.

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 -16 Substitution of Securities. Substitution of Securities for retainage is permitted in accordance with Section 22300 of the Public Contract Code.

NIB -15 Period of Bid Irrevocability. Bids shall remain open and valid and Bidder’s Bonds and other acceptable Bid Security shall be guaranteed and valid for ninety (90) calendar days after the Bid Deadline or until the Executive Director executes

NIB -17 Iran Contracting Act of 2010. In accordance with Public Contract Code sections 2200-2208, every person who submits a bid or proposal for entering into or renewing contracts with the City for goods or services estimated at $1,000,000 or more are required to complete, sign, and submit the “Iran Contracting Act of 2010 Compliance Affidavit.”

Issued at Long Beach, California, this 14th day of September, 2020.

Mario Cordero, Executive Director of the Harbor Department, City of Long Beach, California Note: For project updates after Bid Opening, please contact plans. specs@polb.com.

world; she was a steady reader of books all the way into her 90s. Her curiosity drove her to explore titles on a wide variety of topics, spanning nature, science, history and politics.

After moving to

Sebastopol, Calif. in the 1980s, she continued her interests in travel and assisting the education of her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She loved her chocolate cake, ice cream, lattes, prime rib and swimming and was known to hide chocolate bars from one set of caregivers for special moments. Virginia attended her Christian Science Society church in Sebastopol where a group of devoted friends would drive her to services until

the Perseids meteor shower, Virginia Bruno died quietly in her sleep, surrounded by a team of wonderful caregivers. She will be forever in our hearts for all that she shared and gave to her family and community.

Virginia is survived by her five sons, Louis (Mary), Kim (Wendy), Ned (Kate), Lee (Gael) and Alan (Lynne); twelve grandchildren: Anthony, Ryan, John, Jordan, Ben (Bex), Gabriel (Shannon), Zachary, Geof, Michael, Ethan, Anna, Sarah and one great grandchild, Sophia. In tribute to her life, her family suggests donations to those causes and organizations that were important to her, including the Natural Resources Defense Council, Save the Redwoods League, Southern Poverty Law Center, and Inter-Church Food Pantry of Sebastopol.

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late in her life. Her beloved friend and caretaker provided support and care as her needs increased. Virginia was a longtime supporter of the food pantry in Sebastopol and was a steadfast proponent for helping restore and maintain the habitat for the Coho salmon that made their way through her property every spring.

A family member described her best by saying, “her wry, selfdeprecating wit, her avid curiosity about everything in the world, her dedication to family far and near and also, her willingness to pitch in and do just about anything. It’s cliché to say it, but they really broke the mold with her.” On Aug. 12, the brightest day of

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October 1 - 14, 2020

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