T
[See Clickbait, p. 7]
Illustration by Anson Stevens-Bollen
By Terelle Jerricks, Managing Editor
Reform, Rebuild, Restore:
Villanueva’s Campaign for Sheriff By Lyn Jensen, Carson Reporter Alex Villanueva, who’s hoping to become Los Angeles County’s next sheriff come the Nov. 6 election, has a history of whistleblowing within the sheriff’s department, including uncovering promotions linked to campaign contributions. Despite his own high test scores and decades of experience, he says he was denied promotion hundreds of times while Lee Baca was sheriff. Even after Baca resigned in disgrace
over a jail-corruption scandal, and Jim McDonnell was voted sheriff in 2014, Villanueva was still “blocked and blackballed,” he says. Now retired from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department after 32 years, Villanueva says, “There’s one job he [McDonnell] forgot to block me out of — his job.” If Villanueva does take McDonnell’s job, it will be the first time since 1914 an incumbent Los Angeles
sheriff has been voted out of office. Villanueva would be the first Spanishspeaking sheriff since 1890 and the first Democrat to hold the non-partisan office since 1880. He says he’s running for sheriff now because, “I saw a progressively deteriorating department with a succession of sheriffs who were failing to do their job, and that leads us up to the current sheriff.” [See Villanueva, p. 4]
October 18 - 31, 2018
Coming Into Being Coincides with Gathering of Elders p. 13
S E V L E S R OU OFF CLICKBAIT NEWS
Port unveils another chapter in its China Shipping saga p. 2 RLn’s midterm ballot endorsements p. 5 INK: Stories on Skin on view at MoLAA p. 11 Dia de los Muertos/First Thursday p. 12
WEANING
Real News, Real People, Really Effective
he American news diet is filled with the real and the absurd, challenging the ability of everyday Americans’ to filter out “fake news.” The regular feces throwing monkey show that is the Donald Trump administration is responsible for this. Headlines frequently draw concern over whether the president’s mental health can handle reality and whether the president’s handlers can keep the president from shooting himself in the foot. Our news feeds are filled with talking heads screaming at each other in bold type: YOU’RE NOT A VICTIM! While online news clips of Trump-backing union workers admitting Republican tax cuts only benefited their asshole bosses become a viral meme. The associate director of Project Censored, Andy Lee Roth, warns, however, not to confuse Trump’ politics as the source of the social problems afflicting our communities and republic. “Displaying brazen disregard for the First Amendment, Donald Trump has routinely demonized the press as ‘the enemy of the people,’” Roth stressed. “It must be noted that many of the stories featured in this year’s book cannot be fully understood simply by focusing on either Trump’s dizzying contempt for the truth or the plots and intrigues of his administration. From reporting on a global decline in the rule of law to the root causes of the opioid crisis, and military expropriation of public lands, among other stories, we hope Censored 2019 alerts the public to social problems whose roots run deeper than Trump’s politics.” Like Project Censored director Mickey Huff and Nolan Higdon, the authors of the Junk Food news chapter this past year, professor Susan Rahman and student intern Isabelle Snow, referenced Neil Postman’s Amusing Ourselves to Death to frame this year’s junk food news chapter, Blurred Lines and Clickbait. Postman said a particular medium can only sustain a certain level of ideas. Since the advent of television Americans receive a great deal of their information through television news, sitcoms and dramas. But, notwithstanding fictional examples like Orphan Black, The Wire and The Handmaid’s Tale, this form can’t articulate complex ideas the way print can. Shortcomings of television
LA County Sheriff candidate Alex Villanueva. Photo by Terelle Jerricks.
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Community Announcements:
Harbor Area L.A. Controller, Council Launch Clothing Drive to Empower Women
LOS ANGELES — L.A. Controller Ron Galperin and the Los Angeles City Council today launched the Women’s Professional Clothing Drive. Now until Oct. 26, the city will be collecting thousands of pairs of dresses, shoes, accessories and other lightly worn items to benefit nonprofit organizations Dress for Success and Girls Today Women Tomorrow. A list of 23 locations throughout Los Angeles where people can donate. Girls Today Women Tomorrow prepares young women for higher education and career success through educational enrichment activities and mentoring. Dress for Success offers a range of programs that focus on financial literacy, leadership and civic participation free of charge. Details: bit.ly/laclothing.
Notice for Harbor Community Benefit Foundation Board Meeting Schedule Change
The updated schedule for 2018 can be viewed on the HCBF Board Meeting page. Meetings are open to the general public. If you’d like to participate, please fill out a speaker card at the meeting. Public comments are limited to three minutes. Parking is available on the street or the designated parking lot for the building. Time: 10 a.m. Oct.21 Details: www.hcbf.org Venue: 302 W. 5th St., Suite #200 San Pedro
Harbor LA Community Plans Update
October 18 - 31, 2018
Real News, Real People, Totally Relevant
Learn about the Harbor LA Community Plans and tell us about the opportunities and constraints you see and your vision for your community. Light refreshments will be provided Time: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Oct. 20 Details: (213) 340-4950; harborlaplans@gmail.com [See Announcements, p. 4]
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FREE For New Patients
EXAM & X-RAY
Limited time offer. Not to be combined with any other offers, insurance or discounts.
Committed to Independent Journalism in the Greater LA/LB Harbor Area for More Than 30 Years
Port Unveils Another Chapter In Its China Shipping Disaster Series By Paul Rosenberg, Senior Editor
On Sept. 28, the Port of Los Angeles released a new proposal, known as a “recirculated draft supplemental environmental impact report (SEIR),” to compensate for extensive past mitigation failures at the China Shipping Terminal. The mitigation failures spanned a wide range of areas — from vessel speed reductions to liquefied natural gas trucks to yard equipment to new road construction never undertaken. These mitigation failures came to light in 2015 when the port leaked initial information about them to the Los Angeles Times in response to inquiries begun by Random Lengths News. The ultimate cause of the mitigation was the lack of an enforcement mechanism in the landmark 2003 China Shipping settlement agreement, according to Janet Gunter, one of the original plaintiffs. “This was noticed when the settlement agreement was drafted,” Gunter told Random Lengths. “The two original [NRDC] attorneys that represented the suit, Julie Masters and Gail Ruderman-Feuer assured us that they would be monitoring the situation themselves to guarantee that the mitigation measures were met.” However, both left the Natural Resources District Council
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soon afterwards, “And there were no directives within the agreement that mandated follow up or monitoring. So, there is a lesson to be learned from that. That lesson is one that the homeowners were already very well aware of,” Gunter said, “The port cannot be trusted.” Last year, two years after the mitigation failure was exposed, the port eventually responded with a SEIR focused narrowly on the failed mitigation measures, but that report was so fundamentally flawed that the port withdrew it, rather than proceed from draft stage to final report. “It had a number of mistakes, including using the wrong CEQA baseline, which is ground zero for analysis, and they did not give us enough data to be able to determine the excess [harmful] emissions our clients were exposed to.” NRDC senior attorney David Pettit told Random Lengths. Now they’re ready to try again, but it still seems woefully inadequate. “There’s quite likely to be litigation over this because the port is still not willing to commit to anything beyond the Clean Air Action Plan in terms of cleaning up the drayage fleet at China Shipping.”
The mitigation measure, AQ-20 “LNG Trucks” originally called for a 50 percent compliance level in 2012, rising to 70 percent in 2014 and 100 percent in 2018. But compliance was just 10 percent in 2012, and fell to 6 percent in 2014 “lower than the port-wide average of 10 percent,” according to the EIR. “There are LNG trucks in the market, so it’s not like you’re asking for a levitation system or something, that doesn’t exist,” Pettit said. “You can go to Volvo right now today and say ‘I’d like 100 LNG trucks.’ And they’d say, ‘Sure, what color do you want?’ But the port doesn’t want to do that, and that’s one of the reasons we’re here today.” Beyond that, the underlying problems are so fundamental that local activists, like Richard Havenick, argue the State Lands Commission ought to step in to ensure competent stewardship of the public lands for which it’s ultimately responsible. Havenick was a long-time member of the Port Community Advisory Committee, which had no enforcement power, but provided some oversight, before the port disbanded it in 2011.
Custom Wood Screen Doors & Storm Doors Arch top and round top doors, built-in dog doors and wood security screen doors High quality, hand-crafted of solid wood. Wide selection of styles to choose from, made-to-order
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We’re your independent community pharmacy! GIVE US A CALL
310-833-3535
1294 W. 6th St., Ste. 100, San Pedro Across from Little Company of Mary Hospital
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Fax 310-833-9124
HOURS: Mon-Fri 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Sat. 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
[See China Shipping, p. 19]
Window Screens
New • Re-screening • Repairs Custom shapes & sizes
Tattoos are Permanent —
It’s the Business that Changes Benjamin Garcia, RLn Reporter
The Museum of Latin American Art exhibit, INK: Stories on Skin, has been on display since August, and will continue through February 2019. The aim of the exhibit is to reveal the histories of the Los Angeles Harbor, i.e. the city of Long Beach, the Pike Amusement Park, the U.S. Navy, and Los Angeles Chicano culture through tattoo art. Random Lengths News interviewed two San Pedro tattoo artists to explore their perspectives on this rich legacy and how the tattoo business has changed over time.
Tattoo community transcends racial tensions
Jimmy Carranza at San Pedro’s Sunken City Tattoo. Photo by Benjamin Garcia
today than ever before. He points to the depth and reach of talent on display in INK. “The homie Big 5, owner of Union Electric Tattoo in Gardena, did a piece and my buddy Vero helped out doing some of the paintings. I’m very educated on the artists featured there and they all kicked ass.” San Pedro’s Sunken City Tattoo, 601 W. 6th St., San Pedro
Tattoos go mainstream, tattooist get personal
The owner of San Pedro’s Golden Heritage Tattoo, Gabriel Gonzalez, also recalls joining the ranks of tattoo artists when tattoo art was still taboo and closely associated with bikers, gangsters and others who just wanted to stand out. He points to recent data from the Pew Research Center to suggest that things are changing. According to Pew estimates 36 percent of people 18 to 25 years old now has at least one tattoo. Tattoos, however, are at least as prevalent among the preceding generation, Generation X, at 40 percent. These days, the San Pedro Bay area is where people go to get tattoos as fashion [See Tattooists, p. 17]
Shooting on Pacific Ave.
Real News, Real People, Really Effective
Jimmy Carranza at San Pedro’s Sunken City Tattoo is one of those artists RLn interviewed. The Sunken City proprietor noted that due to the wealth and diversity of artistic traditions in the tattoo art community, the sharing of art and ideas is common. Carranza was introduced to tattoo art from his home boys in East L.A. back in the 1970s. Though he has never been to prison, Carranza is most familiar with Chicano tattoo art that comes out the incarceration system. “I kinda grew up with it,” Carranza said, “Seeing older guys doing it.” Carranza used his self-taught experiences to break into the professional world by opening up his first shop in Long Beach. He notes that before the 1980s, tattoo art was largely the province of white biker gangs in the area. “Any other shop that came around was a threat,” Carranza recalls. Adding that if you were within 50 miles of another shop, the rival shops would bust your shop’s windows and superglue your door locks to shut you down. “At that time, I was the only Chicano doing it,” recalled Carranza, “They destroyed the whole shop [...] but I came back. That was [happening] here in Pedro, too!” “Back then it was the racial [tensions that divided the tattoo world].” Carranza said these tensions are mostly gone. Latinx artists are more present in the industry
October 18 - 31, 2018
One man was injured after being shot in the arm on in San Pedro on Pacific Avenue between 12th and 13th streets, at around 7:20 p.m. on Oct. 13. LAPD officers reported to reports of a shooting with a man down at 13th St. and Pacific Ave., and found a man with a gunshot wound to the arm hiding behind a food truck. The man was transported in stable condition. A window at the location of the shooting, a furniture store, was shot out. The suspects were described as two male Hispanics in a vehicle. Photo by Raphael Richardson.
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[Villanueva from p. 1]
Villanueva
October 18 - 31, 2018
Real News, Real People, Totally Relevant
Asked for details about his whistleblowing, he recounts being repeatedly denied promotion to lieutenant in favor of people with lower test scores, “They kept announcing lists of people that’d been promoted, and I wasn’t.” He uncovered evidence that the promotions matched campaign contribution reports for Baca and then-undersheriff Paul Tanaka, who was also eventually caught in the same jail-corruption scandal that ensnared Baca. Villanueva filed a discrimination and retaliation lawsuit and a civil service appeal and neither went anywhere, he says, adding, “2011, I think, they finally promoted me to lieutenant. I think because they thought we’ll toss him a bone to remove the lawsuit.” He was then “blocked and blackballed” from being promoted to captain. In the 2014 election when multiple candidates campaigned on reform platforms, Villanueva supported Robert Olmstead, who had his own history of whistleblowing and suffering alleged retaliation, during the years when Baca was sheriff. Despite McDonnell’s campaign promises of reform, Villanueva says that hasn’t happened, “He [McDonnell] had a chance at reforming and getting a new start, the entire organization and it turned out he made it a lot worse.” “I don’t want to walk away and leave the organization in the state it is right now,” Villanueva explains about his decision to run for sheriff, “So I made a simple plan that was to reform, and build up from the principles of community policing.” His campaign slogan is “Reform. Rebuild. Restore.” Villanueva says should he win, “First priority
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Villanueva’s third priority is to increase recruitment and retention, to address what is currently a deficit of about 15,000 deputies. He blames much of the current personnel shortage on McDonnell, “He fires first and asks questions later. In so doing he’s wracked with unlawful termination suits, just like he did in Candidate for LA County Sheriff, Alex Villanueva, at the Sept. 15 ACLU Long Beach [McDonnell candidates’ forum. Sheriff Jim McDonnell cancelled at the last minute. was chief of the Long Photo courtesy of Alex Villanueva campaign. Beach Police Department is, I’m going to clean house and get rid of all the before becoming county sheriff], on a much elements of corruption that are still embedded bigger scale.” “My challenge coming in as sheriff, one, I within the organization, get rid of people that were involved in the corruption. I want to get rid of the have to stop the bleeding of people leaving and pathways that allowed people to gain control of two, I have to rebuild our recruitment process. the organization. All the pathways that Tanaka Attract a higher caliber recruit and then I have used to get control of the organization, McDonnell to convince people, I want to bring people out of retirement,” he sums up, “to help me train a new wouldn’t even touch them.” For a model of community policing, he generation of leaders.” The sheriff’s office is non-partisan but provided as an example his seventeen years on patrol including two years cleaning out a housing this campaign season, when a Blue Wave of project of gangs and violent crime in East Los Democratic votes is predicted, party affiliation Angeles, “The measure of their success is not is having some effect. McDonnell is a lifelong how many people they arrested but how safe is Republican, even though his voter registration reads Decline to State. “His policies and his that community. That is a shift in philosophy.” “Community policing is an actual philosophy policies as an employer, a total disregard for that governs an entire organization and I intend organized labor, memorandums of understanding, to use it and I intend to use that role model that due process for his employees, he’s shown his was very successful in ’93 and I want to do it true Republican colors,” says Villanueva. Asked about ways partisan politics may affect in the entire county,” he says and adds, “We the county sheriff’s job, “You need go no further need to get that familiarity back … We’re going to reconfigure the entire organization around than that man right there,” Villanueva says, pointing to a picture of Donald Trump on the community policing.” cover of a copy of Random Lengths. “[Trump has] politicized immigration enforcement for starters. Guess who is at the front end of that? The sheriff. So whether people like it or not, there’s no such thing as a non-partisan office, at the county sheriff level, and this city election is going to prove that.” On the issue of immigration law, McDonnell sided with the Trump administration instead of California, Villanueva charges. The state passed SB 54, the “Sanctuary State” law in 2017 and Trump’s attorney general Jeff Sessions is fighting it. “March 8 of this year he [McDonnell] was in Sacramento with Jeff Sessions when Jeff Sessions announced a lawsuit against the state of California, for SB54,” Villanueva says, “instead of standing with shoulder to shoulder with Gov. Brown and attorney general Xavier Becerra.” The extent to which the sheriff cooperates with Immigration and Customs Enforcement is a major controversy which Villanueva plans to address. “Someone in the jail sees an ICE agent in uniform, all they know is, ‘Hey! ICE is here in the jail!” he suggests, so if transfer of custody is necessary, “We’ll do the transfer outside the view of the inmates.” Villanueva also pointed out how his campaign has opened up a divide in the Democratic Party. Dozens of Democratic office-holders including supervisor Janice Hahn and assemblyman Mike Gipson have endorsed McDonnell, although the Los Angeles County Democratic Party has a rule against Democrats endorsing non-Democrats. “As elected sheriff, you don’t, obviously you don’t lead the organization based on what people’s party affiliation is,” he says, “But the terms of your policies is an occasion of what your values are, your thoughts are, processes, and my values align with the Democratic party.”
Community Announcements:
Harbor Area
[Announcements from p. 2]
Venue: Gardena High School, Social Hall, 1301 W. 182 St., Los Angeles
Free Legal Services Fair
The Los Angeles Law Library Pro Bono Week Celebration, Oct. 22 through 27, provides services to those who need legal assistance but cannot afford traditional legal representation. Angelenos will find services and information provided by the law library and more than 40 other service agencies all in one location. The Public Services Fair on Saturday includes dozens of free programs such as assistance with filling out paperwork for asylum seekers and citizenship applicants and free consultations with volunteer attorneys. Free classes cover a broad range of topics including child custody, fair housing, how to find the right lawyer, income tax and dog bite law. Time: 9 a.m. Oct. 22 to 27 Cost: Free Details: (213) 785-2529; www.lalawlibrary.org Venue: LA Law Library, 301 W. 1st St., Los Angeles
Bilingual Job Fair
Meet with more than 20 employers for a variety of jobs. Strong English skills are not required. Time: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct 30 Cost: Free Details: https://tinyurl.com/ycnl78dn Venue: 4811 Airport Plaza Drive, Long Beach
New and Improved Vote by Mail Ballots Mailed
The Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/ County Clerk began mailing 2,373,103 new and improved Vote by Mail ballots for the November 6, General Election. The new Vote by Mail ballots are easier to read, easier to understand, easier to fill out and no postage is required. Get the FAQ’s at: www.lavote.net/home Request a Vote By Mail ballot at: https:// lavote.net/Apps or by filling out and returning the back side of the sample ballot booklet. There are 150 Vote By Mail Drop-Off locations open across the County for voters to securely drop off their ballot in-person. You can check here: www.lavote. net
Port Receives Grant for Energy Resiliency Project
The Port of Long Beach will build and demonstrate a $7.1 million “microgrid” to show the effectiveness of the new technology in providing a clean, reliable supply of electricity for critical operations at the nation’s second-busiest seaport. With the help of a $5 million grant from the California Energy Commission, the Port will install a solar carport, power storage systems and advanced controls at its security headquarters, the Joint Command and Control Center. As part of the project, the Port will compile and analyze 12 months of performance data, and make that information available to other California seaports. The goal of the California Energy Commission’s grant is to accelerate development of microgrids, which are seen as important tools for improving effectiveness of renewable energy. The project also includes a workforce development component that will offer training opportunities through Long Beach City College and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.
Derrick Cranes Installed and Ready to Go
The Gerald Desmond Bridge project recently posted a video of an orange “tripod” from one of the derrick cranes being lifted onto the pier table at the west tower. Now, all four cranes have been installed (two at each tower), including the crane boom. Soon, they will begin the process of building bridge segments in a balanced-cantilever approach. In the coming weeks, the derrick cranes will be used to move and place edge girders, floor beams and concrete panels to construct the first segments that extend from the pier tables. Details: www.newgdbridge.com
Progressive Midterm Ballot Endorsements City of Long Beach The U.S. Federal Offices Senate - Kevin De León
Kevin De León’s leadership in the State Senate has given us the most progressive legislation in living memory across a broad range of issues — climate change, immigrant rights, gun control and many more — earning him the endorsement of the California Democratic Party, based on the votes of intimately involved activists. He earns our endorsement as well.
Congress
33rd District—Ted Lieu 44th District—Nanette Barragan 47th District—Alan Lowenthal
California State Offices
Governor — Gavin Newsom Lt. Governor — Eleni Kounalakis Attorney General — Xavier Becerra Sec. of State — Alex Padilla State Treasurer — Fiona Ma Insurance Commissioner — Ricardo Lara State Controller — Betty Yee Yee gets the RLn community outreach endorsement for her work on the State Tidelands Commission Supt. of Public Instruction —Tony Thurmond Board of Equalization, Dist. # 3 — No Endorsement
State Assembly
64th District — Mike Gipson 66th District — Al Muratsuchi 70th District— Patrick O’Donnell
Los Angeles County
Assessor — Jeff Prang Sheriff — Alex Villanueva
Superior Court
Office # 14 — Veronica Sauceda Office # 16 — Patty Hunter Office # 113 — Javier Perez
City of Carson City Council ( 2 seats)
Jim Dear Louie Diaz (both endorsed by the San Pedro Dems Club) Division 1 — Harold Williams
City of Carson
Measure CA: Carson City Charter Should the city of Carson change from a general law city to a charter city? Endorsement: YES, it will create districts for voting and make the council more balanced and accountable
City of Los Angeles City Measures
Measure B: Los Angeles Public Bank Charter Amendment Should the Los Angeles City Charter be amended to allow the establishment of a public bank in the city of Los Angeles? Endorsement: YES
Measure DDD: Long Beach Independent Redistricting Commission A yes vote is in favor of amending the city charter to establish an independent citizens’ redistricting commission to draw district boundaries. Endorsement: YES Measure WW: Long Beach Emergency Contact Devices for Hotel Employees A yes vote is in favor of requiring hotels with more than 50 rooms to provide personal emergency contact devices for hotel workers, restrict cleaning duties by square footage, and establish penalties for failure to comply with the restrictions. Endorsement: YES
Prop 5: Redirects School Funding to Tax Breaks for Property Owners Over 55 Prop 5 proponents claim it would help homeowners over 55 who need to move but cannot afford to buy a new home because it will increase their property taxes. But Prop 5 also takes $1 billion a year away from schools, fire departments, police departments, and other essential services provided by local governments. Prop 5 is being pushed by the same real estate interests behind the disastrous Prop 13, which has crippled the state’s ability to raise taxes on corporations and the wealthy, while resulting in increased taxes on low-income families. Vote NO
Los Angeles County
Prop 6: Eliminates $5 Billion in Funding for Transportation and Prohibits Taxes on Gas and Vehicles Prop 6 takes $5 billion away from highway and road maintenance and public transportation programs by eliminating taxes on gas and vehicles recently passed by the legislature. It would also reduce incentives for more efficient and electric cars by lowering the cost of gasoline, at a time when California is facing the increasing impact of climate change. Vote No
Statewide Ballot Measures
Prop 7. Allows the Legislature to Eliminate Daylight Savings Time Changes Prop 7 would allow California’s legislature to eliminate the twice yearly switch between standard time and daylight savings time — if approved by a 2/3 vote and the federal government approves the change. Neutral
Measure W: Los Angeles County Flood Control District Parcel Tax On the ballot Should the county flood control district be authorized to enact a parcel tax—a kind of property tax based on units of property rather than assessed value—of $0.025 (2.5 cents) per square foot of land impermeable to water, such as buildings, driveways, and concrete. Endorsement: YES Prop 1: $4 Billion Bond to Build and Renovate Affordable Housing Prop 1 would put $4 billion towards creating affordable housing for veterans, farmworkers, seniors, people with disabilities and low-income Californians. It allows the state to sell $4 billion in bonds to fund affordable housing programs, which will be repaid over 35 years at a cost of about $170 million a year. Endorsement: YES Prop 2: $2 Billion Bond to Build and Renovate Housing for Homeless Californians Prop 2 would help people struggling with mental illness get off the streets and connect them with mental health and addiction treatment. $2 billion in bonds would be issued to fund housing for people dealing with mental illness and homelessness, and Prop 2 would allow the state to use existing mental health funding to repay the bonds. Endorsement: YES Prop 3: $8.8 Billion Bond to Fund Water and Environmental Projects California’s water crisis will continue to grow as the impacts of climate change increase. Prop 3 will address some of these impacts by funding
Prop. 8: Stops Dialysis Clinics from Overcharging Patients or Refusing to Treat People Based on How They Pay Large corporations are making big profits overcharging their patients for dialysis, while failing to invest in proper sanitation and care. Prop 8 would limit how much dialysis clinics can charge their patients. It would also prevent them from discriminating against people with Medi-Cal, Medicare, or Medicaid (the dialysis companies make much greater profits from patients with private insurance, and therefore have an incentive to discriminate). Endorsement: YES Prop 10: Allows Cities and Counties to Pass More Rent Control Laws to Address Housing Crisis Prop 10 would allow local communities to pass rent control laws that limit the amount landlords can increase the rent each year. Currently, state law significantly limits what local communities can do to control rent. Prop 10 would be a critical step in addressing the affordable housing crisis,
Prop 11: Eliminates Labor Laws that Give EMTs Meal and Rest Breaks Prop 11 is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. It is funded by a private ambulance company that aims to avoid paying penalties for meal and rest break violations. While purporting to be about protecting public safety, it actually strips first responders of their right to meal and rest breaks, which makes their jobs more grueling and makes us all less safe. The measure would allow private ambulance companies to require their employees to stay on call during meal and rest breaks, unlike other workers. The union representing ambulance workers agrees that it may be necessary to require ambulance workers to monitor communication during their breaks and to respond to emergency calls, but it opposes Prop 11. Vote NO Prop 12: Bans the Sale of Eggs and Meat from Animals Confined in Small Cages Prop 12 would establish minimum space requirements for confining hens, pigs, and calves raised for veal. It would also prohibit the sale of eggs and meat that do not meet these requirements. Proponents say it would improve cruel farming practices and help protect food safety, while providing farms with a phased-in approach until 2022. Progressive opponents say the while the initiative makes hens free of cages, the animals would still be in cramped spaces on factory farms, and that there is really no such thing as humane meat. Endorsement: YES
October 18 - 31, 2018
Measure EE: Los Angeles Unified School District Election Consolidation Charter Amendment Should the Los Angeles City Charter be amended to align LAUSD primary elections with state primary elections in March of even-numbered years? Endorsement: YES
Measure CCC: Long Beach Ethics Commission A yes vote is in favor of amending the city charter to provide for a seven-member ethics commission, to be appointed by the mayor, city auditor, and members of the commission with confirmation by the city council. Endorsement: YES
Prop 4: $1.5 Billion Bond to Build, Expand and Improve Children’s Hospitals California’s regional children’s hospitals treat children with serious diseases, regardless of their family’s ability to pay. Prop 4 would expand their capacity to save children’s lives. The $1.5 billion bond that funds this initiative would be repaid by the state at about $80 million per year over 35 years. Endorsement: YES
gentrification, and displacement. It would help keep renters in their homes and their communities, rather than being pushed out of their communities or becoming homeless. Endorsement: YES
Measure E: Los Angeles Primary Election Consolidation Charter Amendment On the ballot Should the Los Angeles City Charter be amended to align local primary election dates with the date of the state’s primary election date in March of even-numbered years? Endorsement: YES
Measure BBB: Long Beach Local Term Limits Charter Amendment A yes vote is in favor of amending the city charter to change the term limits for the offices of mayor and city council members from two terms with unlimited opportunities to run as a write-in candidate to a maximum of three terms within a lifetime. Endorsement: NO
water-related infrastructure and environmental projects with $8.8 billion in bonds, however, it was put on the ballot by corporate agriculture interests who will receive most of the benefits. It’s important to note that there is $750 million included to provide clean water to marginalized communities that desperately need it. Allies we trust are divided on Prop 3. Endorsement: YES
Real News, Real People, Really Effective
West Basin Municipal Water Dist.
Measure AAA: Long Beach City Auditor Performance Audits A yes vote is in favor of (1) amending the city charter to allow the city auditor to conduct independent audits of city departments, boards, commissions, and offices, and (2) changing language in the city charter regarding the auditor’s access to reports and contracts. Endorsement: YES
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Gov. Brown Appoints Three Peninsula Attorneys to Superior Court Rene C. Gilbertson, 51, of Palos Verdes Peninsula, has been named to an interim appointment for a judgeship in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Gilbertson has been a principal deputy county counsel in the Los Angeles Office of County Counsel since 2008, where she has served in several positions since 1999. She was a staff attorney at the Children’s Law Center from 1996 to 1998. Gilbertson was a staff attorney and interim executive
APC since 2016. She was a shareholder at Parker Milliken APC from 2012 to 2015 and a partner at McGuire Woods LLP from 2006 to 2012. She was senior counsel at Van Etten, Suzumoto and Becket PC from 2003 to 2006, at Mitsubishi Motors America from 2002 to 2003 and at Kelley Drye and Warren director at the Alliance for from 2000 to 2002. Helton held several positions Children’s Rights from 1994 at Pillsbury from 1990 to 2000, including senior to 1996. She earned a Juris associate and associate. She earned a Juris Doctor Doctor degree from the Wake degree from the University of California, Hastings Forest University School of College of the Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Law and a Bachelor of Arts the University degree from Wake Forest of California, University. Gilbertson was Berkeley. She elected in June, 2018 to fill fills the vacancy the vacancy created by the created by the retirement of Judge Robert retirement of Higa. The Governor’s Judge Lloyd C. Rene C. Gilbertson appointment, effective Nov. Loomis. Helton is a Democrat. Timothy M. Sabina A. Helton Weiner, 49, of 1, 2018, allows her to assume the position Rancho Palos she was otherwise elected to begin in January, Verdes, has 2019. Gilbertson is a Democrat. been appointed Sabina A. Helton, 54, of Rancho Palos to a judgeship Verdes, has been appointed to a judgeship in the Los in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Angeles County Helton has been a shareholder at Buchalter Timothy M. Weiner Superior Court. Weiner has served as a commissioner at the Los Angeles County Superior Court since 2016 and as an adjunct professor at Southwestern Law School since 2003. He served as a deputy attorney general at the California Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General from 2001 to 2016. Weiner earned a Master of Laws degree from the Chapman University Dale E. Fowler School of Law, a Juris Doctor degree from Southwestern Law School and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Santa Cruz. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement QUICK RESPONSE “Officer, I will gladly give a statement of Judge Robert M. Martinez. TIME! as soon as I call my Attorney, Ted Weiner is a Democrat.
Real News, Real People, Totally Relevant
Don Marshall CPA, Inc.
“I’m not guilty.”
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October 18 - 31, 2018
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[Clickbait from p. 1]
Weaning Ourselves Off Clickbait News
Third Consecutive Month POLA Moves More than 800,000 TEUs
SAN PEDRO — The Port of Los Angeles processed 801,264 twenty-foot equivalent units or TEUs Sept. 2018, a 4.9 percent increase compared to Sept. 2017. It was the strongest September in the Port’s 111-year history. September 2018 imports increased 6.6 percent to 414,281 TEUs compared to the previous year. Exports increased 14.5 percent to 147,000 TEUs, while empty containers fell 2.7 percent to 239,983 TEUs. Combined, September overall volumes were 801,264 TEUs. Nine months into 2018, overall volumes have decreased 1.75 percent to 6.8 million TEUs compared to 2017 when the Port set an all-time cargo record.
Multi-Agency Launch of Mental Health Training Video Series
College of Marin Professor Susan Rahman and student Isabelle Snow wrote Blurred Lines and Clickbait with the editorial support of Marin College students: Tonatiuh Beltran, Tate Dobbins, Jacqueline Gibbons, Maria Granados, Christina Hamilton, Whitney Howard, Katie Wong, and Kyle Zucker.
Port of Long Beach Moves 8 Million TEUs
Long Beach — The Port of Long Beach closed out the 2018 fiscal year having handled 8,000,929 twenty-foot equivalent units, or TEUs during the previous 12 months, the most ever, representing a 10.7 percent increase over fiscal year 2017. The Port’s fiscal year is Oct. 1 to Sept. 30. September’s total volume was flat, with a slight decrease of 0.1 percent compared to September 2017. Imports decreased 2.5 percent to 357,301 TEUs compared to the previous year. Exports were down 3 percent to 121,561 TEUs, while empties increased 5.9 percent, to 222,343 TEUs.
POLB Joins World Ports Climate Action Program
The Port of Long Beach and six other international seaports recognized for advancing innovative environmental initiatives are combining forces to launch the “World Ports Climate Action Program.” Long Beach will join port authorities in Los Angeles; Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Hamburg, Germany; Barcelona, Spain; Antwerp, Belgium; and Vancouver, Canada in developing projects to address global warming and meet the goals outlined in the Paris Agreement, a United Nations-led effort to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
County Supervisors Take Stand for Southwest Airlines Workers
Under the leadership of Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn and Supervisor Hilda L. Solis, the Board of Supervisors, on Oct. 3, stood for workers rights and voted to send a letter to the [See News Briefs, p. 19]
October 18 - 31, 2018
Sex workers and human rights groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union, The National Center for Transgender Equality and Freedom Network USA have spoken out against the bill, claiming that it would force traffickers to go further underground, making it more difficult for the government to find them. What flew under the radar during this time was how FOSTA-SESTA will undermine Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996 — a 22-year old piece of law that protects Internet sites against legislation that may hold them accountable for their users’ content. But FOSTA-SESTA amended that provision so that victims of online trafficking could “legally pursue websites that facilitate trafficking . . . and [make] it easier for federal and state prosecutors and private citizens to go after platforms whose sites have been used by traffickers.” Website operators are now responsible for anything that users generate on their sites and are open to litigation. Impacting vital communication platforms that sex workers use to warn one another about dangerous clients, find emergency housing and assist in screening potential clients. Rahman and Snow report that following the passage of FOSTA-SESTA, Craigslist personal ads and Reddit subforums used by sex workers were expunged from the Internet in order to avoid future fallout. Pulling a vital safety net right out from under those who need it most, as well as concerns about free speech protections. Rahman and Snow conclude this chapter noting that the above three instances of junk food news trumping real news are but a small sampling of what media consumers are missing as they are deluged by entertainment disguised as real news.
Blurred Lines and Clickbait also takes aim at the lack of coverage of Frontline’s documentary about modern day slavery and human trafficking in the United States, which focused on a group of eight minors who were granted immigration status from Guatemala. The traffickers set up a system where fake sponsors for these minors posed for immigration officials at the border. The minors were then enslaved on a Trillium egg farm in Ohio to pay off the $15,000 fee their traffickers charged. When the workers refused to pay, the traffickers threatened physical violence against them and their families. What most households saw on their television screens and news feeds instead were segments about a 10-month-old bulldog puppy dying during a United Airlines flight. Rahman and Snow noted that the coverage followed the familiar pattern of directing attention to human interest stories that do not threaten corporate interests while shielding viewers from coverage of corporate wrongdoing. In a segment entitled, Sex, Lies and Shark Week, Rahman and Snow highlighted the attention and coverage adult film actress, Stormy Daniels received after revealing her alleged affair with Trump before he ran for office. From the perspective of corporate media, the scandal/ non-scandal has been a gift that’s kept on giving in a steady flow of stories about sex, money, politics, abuse of power, threatening goons, lies and cover-ups, lawsuits and countersuits … and possible federal crimes. The authors noted that the coverage related to the Daniels’ story also shined a light on two pieces of congressional legislation merged into one: Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act and Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act or FOSTASESTA. Combined, the bill was intended to protect victims of online trafficking by permitted authorities to hold websites used as platforms for solicitation liable to civil as well as federal prosecution “even if they were unaware of users promoting sex trafficking.”
The Long Beach Police Department in partnership with the Guidance Center, a nonprofit child and family mental health service provider, together with Los Angeles Police Department and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department announce the launch of the Roll Call Mental Health Training Video Series. The series of web-based training modules provide officers with tools to readily identify the signs of mental illness in the field and to safely and effectively de-escalate these encounters. Funded by a grant from The Ahmanson Foundation, the videos can be accessed on The Guidance Center’s website (www.tgclb.org/rollcall) at no cost to any interested law enforcement agency across the country. In addition to being shown at roll call in all Patrol Divisions, the LBPD will provide the training to new recruits in the Police Academy. LAPD will deliver the roll call training videos as part the Department’s standardized roll call training schedule, beginning January 2019.
Real News, Real People, Really Effective
dilute politics and religion. And “news of the day” becomes a packaged commodity. Postman argues that television de-emphasizes the quality of information to satisfy the far-reaching needs of entertainment. The result is that quality information becomes secondary to entertainment value. Postman’s analysis originated from a talk he gave in 1985 at the Frankfurt Book Fair, where he participated on a panel focused on George Orwell’s 1984 and the contemporary world. During this talk, Postman said that the contemporary world was better reflected by Aldous Huxley’s A Brave New World, whose public was oppressed by their addiction to amusement than by Orwell’s book whose people are oppressed by state control. Rahman and Snow go on to document the instances in which Trump’s every word, twitch and fart churns the news cycle and effectively bury real news of the havoc his administration is wrecking. And the kicker here is that the corporate media are hyper-aware of this phenomenon, to the point that they bemoan the plight in editorials while continuing to allow reality TV updates to displace real news. In the fall of 2017, No. 45’s feud with kneeling National Football League players distracted from the interior secretary’s announcement that 76.9 million acres of federal waters were sold in the largest lease sale to the oil and gas industry in U.S. history. In January 2018, it was No. 45’s comments about “shithole” countries during a private meeting among lawmakers to discuss a bipartisan deal that would protect Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals participants doing the distracting. Rahman and Snow observe that corporate media coverage of the comment generated 162 indecency complaints for the verbatim use of the word “shithole.” Conservative and liberal talking heads offered arguments and counter-arguments over whether the comment was racist, elitist, and/or just unkind profanity. What was missed in all of this hoopla was the purpose of the meeting in the first place, which was immigration reform and the [radical or inadequate?] solution that emerged: Republican Bob Goodlatte’s Securing America’s Future Act. A bill that would provide only contingent non-immigrant status and offers no pathway to legal permanent status or citizenship. In addition, the legislation would limit familybased immigration to spouses and minor children and would grant the government the right to use DNA verification. Throughout Blurred Lines and Clickbait, Rahman and Snow also take a hard look at social justice-related media coverage. Taking on the lack of exposure for research relating to racial disparities in women’s health and infant mortality, Rahman and Snow echo reports showing such disparities to be the result of racism rather than race. Case in point: from the fall of 2017 through Feb. 1, 2018 news consumers were treated to a steady diet of coverage of Kylie Jenner’s pregnancy and the birth of her daughter, Stormi Webster. The authors point out the striking fact that black women with advanced degrees and high-paying prestigious professions are more likely to lose infants than white women who haven’t graduated from high school. “Were it not for tennis star Serena Williams’s childbirth complications making headlines, this story might have all but faded into oblivion,” Rahman and Snow wrote.
7
A Time for Reform and Resistance
Janice Hahn, L.A. County Sheriff’s race and the 2018 election By James Preston Allen, Publisher
It was kind of curious that Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn delivered her second State of the County speech at the World Cruise terminal just a month before the midterm congressional elections. The San Pedro Chamber of Commerce sponsored event took place on Oct. 10. It’s not as if she’s running to get reelected this season, but is there ever a time a sitting elected politician isn’t running for office? What is curious is that this Port of Los Angeles-owned facility is the only place in San Pedro where you can pack more than 500 wellconnected business executives and city government types into one room and charge them too much for a rubber chicken luncheon. That this event is held as a fundraiser for the San Pedro Chamber is no surprise since the Chamber of Commerce president, Elise Swanson, worked for Hahn during Hahn’s time on city council and congress. Tim McOsker, the chairman of the Chamber’s board, served as chief of staff for former Los Angeles mayor and Janice Hahn’s brother, Jim Hahn. Connections go a long way in politics. Hahn proceeded to tell those gathered that: The State of the County is strong! Last week we passed a $32.8 billion balanced budget that invests in everything from our workforce, to our libraries, to affordable housing, to our infrastructure, to modernizing our election system.
Real News, Real People, Totally Relevant
This budget, and the political power that comes with it, are the main reasons why those in attendance came to hear what might otherwise be considered a less than surprising speech by someone not running for reelection this year. The takeaway from the Daily Breeze ‘s reporting on the event, that last bastion of conservative media in the 4th District, was: “Hahn calls on communities to do more to solve the homeless crisis.” Missing from their reporting were her points on mental health urgent care, mobile home rent control, the update on the San Pedro Courthouse development and Ms. Hahn becoming the chair of the LA County Board of Supervisors in December. All minor points when you are trying to inflame the ire of the pitchforks and torches folks I presume. That Hahn is now going to be setting the
agenda for the most powerful local government entity in California for the next year seems to be no small deal and those wanting to get their motions put to the fore should stand up and take notice. There is considerably more that LA County could do with a budget that is larger than some states in this nation, but the solution to the homeless crisis at this point isn’t really about money, it’s about political will to actually act on solutions. Both the county and the city of Los Angeles seem lacking in skill-set to confront the underlying causes and the effects of the crisis. They are hamstrung on legalities, and they fear the vox populi screaming over social media about “vagrants.” On the November’s ballot, there is Prop. 10, a measure that would change the state’s rent control law so that local governments can enact laws to address the housing crisis in California — one of the leading causes of homelessness. I’m urging voters to vote YES on it. You can see our other ballot endorsements on page 5 of this issue that include one surprising candidate endorsement for LA County Sheriff —Alex Villanueva. Villanueva is one of those curious law enforcement officers who places justice above enforcement, a man who sacrificed career advancement inside of the LA County Sheriff’s Department by becoming a whistleblower on management and the department’s corruption that surfaced under the administration of former Sheriff Lee Baca and Undersheriff Paul Tanaka. This earns him high rankings in my mind. The last thing we want from our law enforcement officers is to have them break the very laws they are paid to enforce. And it is high time to clean house in the LA County Sheriff’s Department. Alex Villanueva may be the best chance we have to do this before the next scandal surfaces in this department. However, scandals abound in the GOPheld White House and congress. So much so that they have become their own form of dysfunctional infotainment. The real news cycle is almost better than watching Saturday Night Live satire of the actual events. Except that the actual impact of the sheer stupidity and arrogant greed at the national level is so horrific as to almost be unbelievable. Think about Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s testimony about beer drinking
October 18 - 31, 2018
Publisher/Executive Editor James Preston Allen james@randomlengthsnews.com
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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. XXXIX : No. 21 Published every two weeks for the Harbor Area communities of San Pedro, RPV, Lomita, Harbor City, Wilmington, Carson and Long Beach. Distributed at over 350 locations throughout the Harbor Area.
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during the Senate confirmation hearings, or any day the Trumpster just makes things up and posts them on Twitter. These are the times that challenge the soul of our republic and if you are confused by the
deluge of competing ads over propositions and congressional candidates in the coming election, you are not alone. Just don’t disengage out of disgust over the Reality TV Oval Office show — GO OUT AND VOTE LIKE YOU MEAN IT!
Why Advertise in a Newspaper? To support independent journalism and beat back marketing propaganda, for starters By Jason Pramas, DigBoston
Many people have taken to loudly bemoaning the supposedly sudden arrival of “fake news” since the 2016 presidential election… while becoming belatedly aware of the accompanying slow decline of print newspapers that are— whatever else one might say about them—the beating heart of American journalism. Every other kind of news media owes its existence to these “dead tree” publications. Traditional radio and TV news outlets, and every form of digital news operation on the internet, are all possible because print newspapers—most commercial, some nonprofit—have been fielding thousands of reporters in hundreds of cities for decades. Doing the kind of deep ground-level reporting that makes all the hot (and more often shallow) takes on other media possible. Advertising has been the main source of income for commercial print newspapers since the mid-19th century, and the advent of webbased online advertising blew a vast hole in that revenue stream. Precipitating, in no small part, the downward spiral in their fortunes over the
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last quarter century. One result of newspapers shrinking and all too often ceasing to exist has been what one might call the rise of the marketers. With fewer and fewer full-time reporters doing their jobs, marketing firms have leapt to the fore. Offering a flood of “free” content to every conceivable type of news operation. Ceaselessly expanding the empire of the original fake news in the process. A fake news that, make no mistake, has existed for as long as there has been news. Because rich and powerful institutions have always hired marketers or their equivalents. And marketers—in thrall to whichever institution hires them—are paid to lie to the public. They are, therefore, the polar opposites of (most) journalists, especially journalists at an independent newspaper like this one. As a journalist-owned, journalist-run newspaper, we send reporters out into the communities we cover every week in search of information that’s as close to whatever truth [See Newspapers, p. 9]
Random Lengths News editorial office is located at 1300 S. Pacific Ave., San Pedro, CA 90731. 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. Send Letters to the Editor to james@randomlengthsnews.com. To be considered for publication, letters must be signed with address and phone number (for verification purposes) and be about 250 words. For advertising inquiries or to submit advertising copy, email: rlnsales@randomlengthsnews.com. Annual subscription is $36 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 2018 Random Lengths News. All rights reserved.
Community Alerts
Public Comment Meeting Re Fixing POLA’s China Shipping Mitigation Failures The Port of Los Angeles will hold a public comment meeting on Oct. 25, to receive threeminute oral comments on the recirculated draft supplemental environmental impact report (draft SEIR) for the China Shipping Container Terminal Project [Berths 97-109] in San Pedro. (See story, “Port Unveils Another Chapter in Its China Shipping Disaster Series,” p. 2) The recirculated draft SEIR is a complete recirculation of the draft SEIR released on June 16, 2017, with significant added material, including the evaluation of the operation of the terminal from 2008 to 2014 under the set of mitigation measures approved in the certified 2008 final environmental impact report (FEIR). The analysis examines whether potentially new significant environmental impacts or substantially more severe impacts would occur in the areas of air quality, greenhouse gases, and ground transportation. The port will accept written comments through Nov. 16. The document is available for public review at the following locations: • Port of Los Angeles website at portoflosangeles.org • Port of Los Angeles Environmental Management Division, 222 W. 6th Street, Suite 900, San Pedro • L.A. Public Library, San Pedro Branch, 931 South Gaffey Street, San Pedro • L.A. Public Library, Wilmington Branch, 1300 North Avalon, Wilmington Time: 6 PM, October 25 Venue: POLA Headquarters, 425 S. Palos Verdes St., San Pedro
RANDOMLetters St. Oscar Arnulfo Romero
Pious Latin Americans can always find a good joke to identify an actual problem. The Holy Trinity? Oh yes, that is the oligarchy, the military and the church. And history demonstrates this problem in the behavior of many church leaders. In his early years as bishop and then archbishop, St. Oscar Arnulfo Romero might have been seen as typical. But something happened. He said, “Me converti.” (I have been converted). And what caused his conversion? He identified with the poor, the oppressed and the excluded. The murder of his friends in the clergy contributed to his conversion as well. He became [Newspapers from p. 8]
Newspapers
may be happening as it can be. We then do our damnedest to faithfully report what we observe to our audience. So, we can say with certainty that no human organization is good all of the time. Least of all the big corporations that run our society. But big corporations are the very institutions that spend the most money on paying marketers to spew propaganda at every level of news media. And increasingly, understaffed and underfunded news outlets take even this worst of free marketing copy — this disinformation, this fake news — and run it. Day in and day out. The public, for their part, can be forgiven for having trouble discerning reasonably honest
a voice for the voiceless. As such he was perceived as a traitor to the oligarchy and the military. He had no support from his fellow bishops. In February, 1980 Archbishop Romero wrote a letter to President Carter demanding that the U.S. stop military, economic and diplomatic intervention. In his sermon of March 23, 1980 he called upon the military to disobey: “In the name of this suffering people whose laments rise to heaven each day more tumultuous, I beg you, I ask you, I order you in the name of God: stop the oppression.” The next day, while celebrating Mass he was shot and killed by a death squad linked to U.S. policy. Aside from being a martyr in his faith, Archbishop Romero demonstrated the politics of liberation. Those on the side of
oligarchy and power tried to stop his veneration in the Church. The “sensus fidelium” (sense of the faithful) won out. He was called a saint by the people of Latin America long before his institutional canonization by the Church. Pope Francis finds himself in much the same kind of ecclesiastical tension. He took the name Francis in honor of St. Francis of Assisi. As we read the life of St. Francis we will see that he had a very tense relationship with the hierarchy. He met with Islamic leadership in the midst of a bloody crusade. He proved that dialogue is far more effective than the aggressive wars of the Church. Aggressive war remains as the greatest evil. It is composed of murder, torture, rape and lies. All polities must outlaw the curse of war and jail its perpetrators who continue to walk free in their
quest for power and money. Blase Bonpane, Ph.D. Director, Office of the Americas, Los Angeles
reporting from unreasonably dishonest marketing copy. There’s nothing new about that either. Some people are critical about any news they encounter. Some are not. But marketing has gotten so sophisticated and so pernicious that even the wary have trouble telling the difference between journalism and propaganda. At most weekly newspapers, our audience doesn’t have to worry about that quandary. We exist to report the news in the public interest. In our own way, and with our own unique broadly left-leaning voice, to be sure. But we take our job very seriously, and we work very hard week in and week out to do it to the best of our collective ability. Given that, if you know nothing else about us, know this: We do not run the
propaganda that paid marketers fill our email inboxes with 24/7. Like this morning’s stupid, stupid example entitled “Wondering about a sponsored post.” That is, “wondering if you all are brainless enough to run this marketing copy for free and pretend it’s a real article by an independent journalist.” To which my colleague Chris Faraone gave our standard mocking reply, “$2,000 a post”— a price we know no marketer will ever pay. However, we’re a free
newspaper. As such, even more than those bigs that have a number of different ways to make money, we rely almost completely on advertising to keep publishing. We offer advertisers a lot for their money, even in today’s viciously competitive media market. Our ads are obviously cheaper than larger publications. More importantly, though, they reach people who read, who support music and the arts, who are tastemakers, and who… patronize our advertisers.
ILWU Endorsements?
I rarely question the ILWU’s endorsements. In 2016 they endorsed Bernie Sanders right out of the chute. This time, however, I question four of them: Lou Correa and Juan Vargas running for Congress in the 46th and 51st Congressional Districts respectively. Harken back to early-2012. There was tremendous optimism that SB 810, a single-payer healthcare bill that made it to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s desk twice, would be signed by Jerry Brown. But it didn’t even make it to Brown’s desk. Why? Because six Democrats sabotaged it in committee. Correa voted against
it, Vargas abstained. Alex Padilla, Secretary of State. Padilla was one of the “Infamous Six,” abstaining from that vote on SB 810. Anthony Rendon, Speaker of the State Assembly, seeking reelection in the 63rd AD. Have Correa and Vargas given any indication they will sign on to Bernie Sanders’ single-payer bill? Has Rendon recently dropped hints that he will soon let SB 562 continue through the political process? In Rendon’s case he has a very capable opponent in Maria Estrada. Some have compared Estrada to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in New York and she is an unapologetic supporter of Medicare-for-All. Why are you letting these guys off so easy? Steve Varalyay Torrance [See Letters, p. 10]
Because of that fact, our existing advertisers love us. And we love them back. Rather than spend advertising dollars on marketers who straight-out lie to people and harm our struggling democracy rather than help it. Jason Pramas is executive editor and associate publisher of DigBoston. Folks interested in advertising with RLN can email our sales staff at rlnsales@randomlengthsnews. com.
Real News, Real People, Really Effective October 18 - 31, 2018
9
RANDOMLetters [Letters from p. 9]
Safe Parking at Temple Beth El
October 18 - 31, 2018
Real News, Real People, Totally Relevant
I would like to commend Temple Beth El on their commitment to the homeless by offering a few parking spaces for the Safe Parking LA program. I am saddened that so many people are voicing negative feelings about the location. It is usually out of ignorance that people respond this way because they don’t understand the details of how the program works. It is especially important that homeless women who have to sleep in their vehicles are provided a safe place to park at night. I hope through outreach and education we can make those voicing such negatives responses understand that this is a crucial component towards solving the problems of our homeless neighbors. A special thank you to the leadership at Temple Beth El for stepping up to be part of the solution. Kristina Smith, San Pedro
10
Uncle Joe at the PBID Meeting
Councilman Joe Buscaino showed up at the PBID [Property Owners Business Improvement District] meeting Oct. 3 to give a short campaign speech and tout his Little Italy plan for San Pedro. It sounds like his master plan now includes the revamping of Pepper Tree Plaza. “To put it to better use.” Uncle Joe asked for a letter of support from the board, which they voted to draft without a single board member asking a single question or any discussion … (As usual, the relationship between Council District 15 and the PBID continues to be, you adequately lubricate my anus and I will generously lubricate yours). There were two issues raised by a member of the community that attended the meeting: 1. Will there be a RFP (request for proposal) from the city for the redevelopment of the plaza? Buscaino avoided answering this question both times it was asked. He did state that he
currently has someone working on the design aspect of the project. 2. The issue of the pepper trees remaining in the plaza was also raised. Joey used his talent for evasiveness to avoid a direct answer to this question, but he implied the pepper trees would need to go, saying, “If they are not protected, we could do two for one replanting.” Bruce Ecker, San Pedro Dear Mr. Ecker, Like other issues the Councilman has initiated without much consultation with the community, like the Homeless Navigation Center and the Bridge Home location on Beacon Street, his Little Italy proposal has had little public input, no consultation with the Central Neighborhood Council and is done in a completely ahistorical context. Thank you for reporting this to the community as it would otherwise have gone unreported as few citizens regularly pay attention to the workings of the PBID. James Preston Allen, Publisher
Hurricane Michael Hammers Home New Global Warming Warning But new Nobel economists provide ray of hope By Paul Rosenberg, Senior Editor
Humanity has only a dozen years to limit be similarly stark. Hundreds of millions fewer catastrophic climate change, according to a new people — concentrated in poor countries — UN report, “Global Warming of 1.5ºC,” issued would be at risk of climate-related poverty, on Oct. 7. Underscoring the message, three and 10 million more people would be forced days later, Hurricane Michael made landfall to move due to rising sea levels by 2100—a near Mexico Beach, Florida, the third-strongest number that would increase substantially hurricane ever to hit the U.S. mainland. It left in future centuries. It would also make a path of destruction that looked like a miles- a substantial difference in the impact of wide tornado, leaving 18 dead and more than $8 extreme weather events—storms, heatwaves billion in property damage, plus as many as 17 and droughts. F-22s damaged or destroyed that were stationed at Tyndall Air Force Base, about 10 percent of the total fleet. Michael seemingly came out of nowhere. It only became a tropical depression the day the United Nation’s report was released. It Winners of the Nobel Prize in Economics, William Nordhaus and Paul Romer. File photo gained hurricane status the next day, and But between “This is the largest clarion bell was projected to hit the report’s release Florida as a Category from the science community and I and Michael’s 2 hurricane as people hope it mobilizes people and dents devastating landfall went to bed the day came a ray of after that. But the next the mood of complacency. It’s a line hope. On Oct. 8, day it struck landfall in the sand and what it says to our the Nobel Prize in with Category 4 winds species is that this is the moment Economics was — just two miles per awarded to William hour shy of Category and we must act now.” Nordhaus and Paul 5. It was the second Romer, both for Category 4 hurricane of the year, following three work expanding beyond conventional market Category 5 hurricanes last year. economics. Nordhaus pioneered the field Both Michael’s suddenness and intensity of environmental economics, and has spent were symbolic of the larger global threat unveiled most of four decades pushing governments in the UN report, which warned that “Limiting to address climate change, preferably via a global warming to 1.5ºC would require rapid, far- carbon tax. reaching and unprecedented changes in all aspects “The policies are lagging very, very far of society,” according to the press release. “With — miles, miles, miles behind the science and clear benefits to people and natural ecosystems, what needs to be done,” he said, after learning limiting global warming to 1.5ºC compared to he’d won the prize. “It’s hard to be optimistic. 2ºC could go hand in hand with ensuring a more And we’re actually going backward in the sustainable and equitable society.” United States with the disastrous policies of “This is the largest clarion bell from the the Trump administration.” science community and I hope it mobilizes But his co-winner, Paul Romer, whose people and dents the mood of complacency,” said work focuses on the role of government in Debra Roberts, a co-chair of the working group fostering growth and innovation, struck a on impacts. “It’s a line in the sand and what it more hopeful chord. says to our species is that this is the moment and “One problem today is that people think we must act now.” protecting the environment will be so costly “Every extra bit of warming matters, and so hard that they want to ignore the especially since warming of 1.5ºC or higher problem and pretend it doesn’t exist,” Romer increases the risk associated with long-lasting said in a post-announcement press conference. or irreversible changes, such as the loss of But that doesn’t have to be. “Humans are some ecosystems,” said Hans-Otto Pörtner, the capable of amazing accomplishments if we working group’s other co-chair. set our minds to it,” he said. The half-degree difference could prevent “Once we start to try to reduce carbon the complete eradication of coral reefs and ease emissions, we’ll be surprised that it wasn’t pressure on the Arctic, which would be free of as hard as we anticipated,” Romer told the sea ice in summer once per century with global Guardian, a view supported by the recent rapid warming of 1.5°C, compared to at least once per progress in renewable energy generation. decade with 2°C. It would cut in half the risk of “The danger with very alarming destroying about ecosystems on about 13 percent forecasts,” he warned, “is that it will make of the world’s land. The human impacts would people feel apathetic and hopeless.”
INK: Stories on Skin
Skin Deep and Lovingly Displayed in Ink at the Museum of Latin American Art By Leslie Belt, Contributing Writer
[See Stories, p. 16]
October 18 - 31, 2018
INK: Stories on Skin features the work and lives of more than 50 tattoo artists, as well as the countless people, places and situations that have touched and been touched by them. Shedding light on the integral role that tattoo art has played in shaping the historical and cultural fabric of Southern California, INK bares naked the depth of despair and dignity etched across the torso and backs of Latinx Angelenos for generations. It is through this lens of time that INK reveals the relentless resilience of the artform, its originators and devotees. Discrimination, disassociation, isolation, reinvention. Pachuco, Pachuca, Cholo, Chola, Hipster, Activist. “[INK is about]... the innovations, the creative and symbolic contributions, made by this means of expression.” The exhibit’s curator, Carlos Ortega, adds, “The role that Mexican Americans
As our body’s largest organ, our skin is the de facto mood ring of our soul. This fact is currently on brilliant display in INK: Stories on Skin at the Museum of Latin American Art in Long Beach. On its surface, INK is a unique retrospective of Los Angeles’ Chicano tattoo traditions, innovations and social evolution as a cultural legacy to the world. But like skin itself, INK has many layers. “If there is anything valuable for every human being or community, it is the opportunity to see themselves reflected through their cultural contributions; objects that contain their history and identity,” MoLAA’s CEO Dr. Lourdes Ramos said, summing up the likely ultimate impact of INK: Stories on Skin. “These contributions present the richness and tradition of tattoo art as well as constitute an essential aspect of the collective soul.”
Real News, Real People, Really Effective
More than 50 of Los Angeles ‘ top tattoo artists contributed the work featured on INK’s Live Tattoo Performance gallery walls. Photo courtesy of MoLAA.
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Brought to you by the artists and restaurants of the Downtown San Pedro Waterfront Arts District
Studio Gallery 345
DRAWINGS AND PAINTINGS
Michael Stearns Studio@The Loft SIZE MATTERS
Pat Woolley, Ports O’Call, watercolor
Studio 345 presents drawings by Pat Woolley and mixed media work and paintings by Gloria D Lee. Open 5 to 9 p.m. on First Thursday and by appointment. Studio 345, 345 W. 7th St., San Pedro. Details: (310) 545-0832 or (310) 374-8055; artsail@roadrunner.com or www.patwoolleyart.com. Size Matters presents an overview of Craig Antrim’s large format oil on canvas works. Antrim explores techniques and color, integrating his love of symbols and shapes in abstract combinations. Much of his work is influenced by his understanding of philosophy, Jungian psychology, Joseph Campbell and art history. Opens First Thursday, Nov. 1, 6 to 9 p.m. An artist’s reception will be held on Nov. 3, 4 to 7 p.m.
October 18 - 31, 2018
Real News, Real People, Totally Relevant
Michael Stearns Studio @ The Loft, 401 S. Mesa St., San Pedro. Details: (562) 400-0544.
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RLn BRINGS YOU DEDICATED COVERAGE OF THE ARTS IN THE HARBOR AREA. FOR
Philippine Expressions Bookshop JOSE ANTONIO VARGAS
Come and join us on for an evening of inspiring conversations and interesting company — Book talk and Q&A with Jose Antonio Vargas, author of Dear America: Notes of An Undocumented Citizen. Vargas is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, Emmynominated filmmaker, and a leading voice for the human rights of immigrants. He is the founder and CEO of DEFINE AMERICA, the nation’s leading non-profit media and culture organization that fights injustice and anti-immigrant hate through the power of storytelling. Moderated by Anthony C. Ocampo, PhD. RSVP by Nov. 7. Time: Nov. 10 from 5 to 8 p.m. Open Thursday and Friday: 3 to 6 p.m. Open on First Thursday 3 to 8 p.m., Third Saturdays Artwalk, 2 to 6 p.m. Cost: $35 includes an autographed copy of book plus reception Details: (310) 514-9139; www. philippinebookshop.com Venue: Philippine Expression Bookshop, 479 W. 6th St., Suite 105, San Pedro
The search for self, the search for one’s own identity is the ubiquitous quest of humanity. Nearly everyone, at some point in their life has been told to “just be yourself.” But what does that mean? How does a Native American adoptee, searching for identity, while living in the spaces between European and Indigenous roots, find the answer to that question? This question of identity — asked so often — suggests that there could actually be a plausible answer. Laurie Steelink has spent a lifetime chasing down the answer to the great universal question. The result of this search (so far) is presented in an exhibition Angels Gate Cultural Center called Coming Into Being; Gathering the Elder in Me, opening Oct. 13. The show is a type of anthropological presentation that combines photographs, paintings, drawings, and video, ephemera, artworks and photographs from with ephemers, her family’s collection. When you feel like an outsider your search for identity takes on a greater sense of uncertainty. “It was a difficult time being raised in Arizona in terms of identity and being comfortable with who I was,” Steelink said. “When I was a teenager wanting to assimilate, the culture was not welcoming. It wasn’t until I was a young adult that I wanted to identify more with my Native American ancestry.” On the incongruous date of Thanksgiving 1960, Steelink was born to a young woman who was a member of Arizona’s Akimel O’otham Tribe. Steelink was given up for adoption by her birth mother. At six-months old, she became the child of Jean and Cornelius Steelink, Euro-Americans, and staunch liberals who came from a long line of revolutionaries, Wobblies, civil rights activists, scientists and artists. The Steelinks had little doubt of who they were. The patriarch of Laurie’s adopted family, grandfather Nicolaas Steelink, was a Dutch American labor activist, ardent atheist and an anarchist. During his time as a member of the Industrial Workers of the World, he was convicted of criminal syndicalism (essentially a charge for union organizing), and sentenced in
An Artist Finds What Was Lost
Coming Into Being By Andrea Serna, Arts and Culture Writer
Installation view of Coming Into Being: Gathering the Elder in Me at Angels Gate Cultural Center Gallery. Photo by Tim Maxeiner.
1920 to two years in San Quentin prison. Her adopted grandmother was a Russian immigrant fleeing the revolution and a committed humanist. She later became one of the earliest women to graduate from the University of Southern California School of Pharmacy. Her adopted mother and father met and fell in love on a picket line protesting the atom bomb. Her parents were founders of the Arizona chapter of the ACLU, when no chapters existed in the state. Both parents were pacifists with academic careers, who devoted their lives to humanitarian causes. Raised in Tucson under such fortunate circumstances Steelink was blessed with a family structure that clearly provided a direction in her life, if not the answer to her question of identity. Steelink was always aware of her Native American ancestry, and coming of age in a mixed-race family, in an academic, middle
class environment, left her grappling with these issues that she’s finally beginning to resolve. At the age of forty, Steelink located and met her birth mother and Akimel O’otham relatives, and has become an active member of Southern California’s indigenous community Through this search she was able to find the answer that most adoptees carry throughout their lives. Why was I given up for adoption? Her birth mother lived in poverty and struggled
to survive on the reservation. Upon meeting her birth family, she discovered that their lives had been brutal and harsh. Her romanticized fantasy of Native American life was lost, but gave her a deep gratitude for the good fortune of being brought into the Steelink family. She went on to get a bachelor’s of fine arts from the San Francisco Art Institute and a master’s degree in fine arts from Rutgers University. She served as director of Track 16 Gallery in Santa Monica and eventually moved to San Pedro. This is where the story began to come together. Pushed out of Santa Monica by astronomical rents, Steelink came to San Pedro and founded Cornelius Projects, a home for art, music and poetry. She met punk rock and jazz musician Joe Baiza, who reconnected her with the revolutionary message of the outsider. She met street racers and low riders, and invited them to tell their stories at Cornelius Projects. She met a whole community of San Pedro artists and organized exhibitions in her gallery recounting the history of art and music in her new hometown. She also met people who began to ask her about her Native American roots and spoke to her about something called the Gathering of Elders up on the hill at Angels Gate. Then came Standing Rock. In 2016, the entire nation, and much of the world, was caught up in the dramatic struggle to stop the Dakota Access Pipeline which crosses tribal lands in North Dakota. At this time, Steelink had begun to meet local Native Americans and she was approached by tribal activist George Funmaker of Red Earth Defense, to use her gallery space to host a fundraiser for Standing Rock after the original planned [See Being, p. 17]
2018 National Watercolor Society
International Open Exhibition
Real News, Real People, Really Effective
Debra Edgerton, Arizona
Awards and Artists Opening Octoer 20 Hours: Thurs-Fri. 10am-2pm, Sat-Sun 12pm-4pm First Thursdays 6pm-9pm Closed Thanksgiving
915 S. Pacific Ave., San Pedro, CA 90731 • www.nationalwatercolorsociety.org
October 18 - 31, 2018
October 4 - December 16, 2018
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M
any years ago I was on the stage crew for one of the worst productions of West Side Story ever to stagger in front of an audience. The leading man sang beautifully but delivered his lines like a newscaster, his love interest couldn’t hit the high notes but made up for it with volume, and the dance numbers were about as organized as a real street fight rather than a stylized version of one. The stage crew watched the mayhem in a state of drunken sadness and, as crew often does, made up parodies of all the songs. The only one that sticks in my head was one that one of the crew made up about his hometown, sung to the tune of Maria. It began, Lomita, I just saw a town called Lomita. And only now I see, how boring a small town can be... That was pretty hilarious to us, and 40 years ago it was even pretty accurate. Fast forward to now, and Lomita is actually an interesting town, particularly if you like Asian restaurants. There are good Korean, Thai, regional Chinese and Japanese standouts, as well as one delightful anomaly that offers upscale Korean-inflected fusion items from all over the globe. Their hours are odd too — they are open only for breakfast and lunch and not on Sundays, which means they’re closed during the times most people want to try adventurous food. This strategy is explained by the fact that the restaurant operation is an offshoot of a catering kitchen, and is partly a way that event planners can try before they buy. That’s also why the restaurant is named Bites and Bashes, which otherwise sounds like an injury report rather
Cross Cultural
Bites and Bashes By Richard Foss, Cuisine and Culture Writer
Bites and Bashes owner Crystal Coser with a plate of Moroccan-style chicken with olives sprinkled with edible flowers. Photo by Richard Foss.
October 18 - 31, 2018
Real News, Real People, Totally Relevant
than a cafe. My first visit was with the chef of an upscale restaurant group, with whom I occasionally try particularly promising new restaurants. He studied the eclectic menu and said, “These people are all over the place, but in an interesting way.” He was right, in that even though the menu was fairly short there were consistent ideas about how to creatively interpret Mediterranean, Korean and American traditions. Some of these sparked questions:
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Would chicken cacciatore with penne be improved by adding fennel sausage? What would a Philly cheesesteak taste like if made with Korean bulgogi beef, and why had nobody tried it before? And why is this pasta with cheese and tomato called telephono style, when no actual telephones were used in the recipe? We didn’t learn the answer to all of these questions, but in multiple visits I managed to sample a fair percentage of the menu. The only salad we tried was the pleasantly eccentric version of an Asian chicken salad, which mixed the romaine and bird bits with watermelon radish, wonton crisps, almonds, julienned carrots and green onions in a lively sesame vinaigrette. I’m used to “Chinese” chicken salads with a sweet dressing that overwhelms other ingredients, but the sesame nuttiness of this one brought out flavors in the greens and tied everything together. I started with low expectations and wondered why the chef had ordered it, but it was a novel version of a standard item. On that same visit, we tried their version of a falafel sandwich, which was a burgerlike patty served with beet aioli, lettuce and pickled carrots on a French roll. The flavor combination was great, like a falafel crossed with a Vietnamese banh mi sandwich, but they missed one important detail — part of the joy of eating falafel is the texture, that wonderful crunch with a fragrant, moist interior and you just can’t get that with a big patty. If this had been several small ones, it would have been Arabic-Southeast Asian fusion nirvana, but it was a near miss. It came with some good mild Korean-style pickled vegetables and we spent an extra three bucks for “crack fries” on the side. Topping crisp fries with chili aioli, parmesan and scallions was a good idea and I was glad the portion wasn’t larger, because I would have kept eating them until they were gone no matter how many were there. On other visits I tried that Korean-style cheesesteak and the Moroccan-style chicken, accompanying one with matcha lemonade and the other with (and I shudder to type this) a Fruity Pebbles® latte. I didn’t truly expect to
[See Bites, p. 17]
Oct 18 - 31 • 2018 ENTERTAINMENT
THEATER
The Paul Gormley Trio Bassist Paul Gormley brings his trio to The Whale & Ale. Featuring Roger Neumann on tenor sax and Riner Scivally on guitar. Time: 7 to 9 p.m. Oct. 19 Cost: Free Details: (310) 832-0363 Venue: The Whale & Ale, 327 W. 7th St., San Pedro
Assassins Stephen Sondheim’s musical Assassins opens with an eerie carnival calliope playing Hail to the Chief. Instead of a patriotic welcome it’s a carnival shooting gallery that offers a shocking invitation to the assembled crowd. Time: 8 p.m. Friday, and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday, through Nov. 17. Cost: $14 to $20 Details: (562) 494-1014; www.lbplayhouse.org Venue: Long Beach Playhouse, 5021 E. Anaheim St., Long Beach
Ted Twine: Metaforms The idea behind this series presents brush-drawn forms that suggest the figurative in the most oblique way. Exhibition runs through Nov. 30. Time: 11a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday and by appointment Cost: Free Details: (310) 233-4411, (310) 600-4873 Venue: Los Angeles Harbor College Fine Arts Gallery, 1111 Figueroa Place, Wilmington
A Splintered Soul It’s 1947 in San Francisco, home to a group of resettled Holocaust survivors from Poland whose very existence depended on blurring the lines between right and wrong. How can these splintered souls adapt to a new life in a new land, where all the rules have changed? Time: 8 p.m. Oct 18 through Nov. 4 Wednesday through Saturday and 2 p.m. Sundays Cost: $25 to $49 Details: (562) 436-4610; www.internationalcitytheatr.org Venue: International City Theatre, 330 E. Seaside Way, Long Beach
Contemporary Filipino and Filipino American Textiles The exhibit features works by Filipino American contemporary artists whose works have conceptually, spiritually or formally inspired by textiles as a starting point of inquiry. Christine Morla will conduct an Art Talk during the Third Saturday Art Walk on Oct. 20 at 3 to 4pm. The exhibit runs through Nov. 11. Time: 3 to 6 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, or by appointment Cost: Free Details: (310) 514-9139; www.pintadosgallery.com Venue: Pinta*Dos Philippine Art Gallery, 479 W. 6th St., Suite 107, San Pedro
Oct 19
Oct 20
We Banjo 3 One of the best live acts to come out of Ireland in recent years, multi-award winning We Banjo 3 combine super group credentials with a command of the emotive power of fiddle, guitar, mandolin and banjo. Time: 8 to 11 p.m. Oct. 20 Cost: $21 to $28 Details: https://tinyurl.com/ www-elcaminotickets-university Venue: El Camino College, 16007 Crenshaw Blvd., Torrance Millan Music Competition 2018 A competition where you will hear some of the most talented musicians in the South Bay. Time: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Oct. 20 Cost: Free Details: (310) 781-7150 Venue: Ken Miller Recreational Auditorium, 3341 Torrance Blvd., Torrance
Oct 23
Fellow Robot Fellow Robot is a Southern California-based indie group, and the brainchild of singer, songwriter Anthony Pedroza. Pedroza is joined by Michael James Adams and Jon Zell, as well as many talented Long Beach musicians. Time: 7 p.m. Oct. 23 Cost: Free Details: (562) 433-4996 Venue: Fingerprints, 420 E. 4th St., Long Beach
Oct 27
Oct 20
The Holy Ghost and Other Terrifying Tales In this session, find out the church’s take on all the familiar Halloween tales of ghosts and goblins Time: 2 and 8 p.m. Oct. 20 Cost: $25 to $35 Details: www.torranceculturalart. org Venue: James Armstrong Theatre, 3330 Civic Center Drive, Torrance
Oct 26
Sarah Jane Scouten With flavors of Lucinda Williams, Nanci Griffith and Iris DeMent and a wealth of early country music, multi-award nominee Scouten’s repertoire is faithful to a longstanding folk tradition. Time: 7:30 p.m. Oct 26, 27 Cost: $33 to $50 Details: (310)781-7171; www.torrancearts.org Venue: George Nakano Theatre, 3330 Civic Center Drive, Torrance
Oct 27
Murky Realms Murky Realms presents the work of Cynthia K. Evans and Peter Zokosky. Both draw from historic traditions. Time: 6 to 9 p.m. Oct. 20 Cost: Free Details: www.eventbrite.com/e/ murky-realms-tickets Venue: The Collaborative, 421 W. Broadway, Long Beach POE, 2nd Annual Join the artists reception and POE-try readings for an exhibition of works inspired by the works of Edgar Allan Poe. POE-try readings at 7 p.m. Time: 5 to 9 p.m. Oct. 20 Cost: Free Details: (562) 225-8535; www.galleryazul.com Venue: Gallery Azul, 520 W. 8th St., San Pedro National Watercolor Society The National Watercolor Society presents the 2018 98th International Open Exhibition with masterworks from around the globe. Opening reception and awards ceremony presenting the works of the Royal Scottish Society of Painters in Watercolour. Time: 2:30 to 6 p.m. Oct.20 Cost: Free Details: (310) 831-1099. Venue: NWS Gallery, 915 S. Pacific Ave., San Pedro
Oct 27 Mitchell Gaudet: Shooting Gallery Palos Verdes Art Center presents Shooting Gallery, new works in cast glass and metal by Mitchell Gaudet that comment on gun violence. Gaudet’s new exhibit uses the visual seduction of glass to comment on a gruesome
13th Annual Dia de Los Muertos Art Exhibit Celebrate and honor the ancestors. Time: 6 to 9 p.m. Nov 1 Cost: Free Details: (562) 225-8535; www.galleryazul.com Venue: Gallery Azul, 520 W. 8th St., San Pedro
FILM
Oct 19
A Frankenstein Double Feature The Port of Long Beach will get into the Halloween spirit to host a free double-feature Frankenstein Movie Night with screening of Young Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein. Seating is firstcome, first-served beginning at 5 p.m. Time: 6:30 p.m Oct 19 Cost: Free Details: www.polb.com/franken steinnight. Venue: Sunnyside Cemetery. 1095 E. Willow St., Long Beach
Oct 21
Follies Stephen Sondheim’s legendary musical is staged for the first time at the National Theatre and broadcast live to cinemas. There’s a party on stage of the Weismann Theatre. Tomorrow the iconic building will be demolished. Thirty years after their final performance, the Follies girls gather to have a few drinks, sing a few songs and lie about themselves. Time: 2 p.m. Oct 21 Cost: $17.50 Details: (310) 781-7171; www.torrancearts.org Venue: James Armstrong Theatre, 3330 Civic Center Drive, Torrance
Oct 26
Hocus Pocus Halloween Battleship IOWA’s special free Halloween event that will feature a “Trick or Treat” time and a screening of the comedy Hocus Pocus. All guests in costume and those accompanying small children will be invited on board for free to trick or treat through a portion of the historic battleship. Time: 5 to 10 p.m. Oct 26 Cost: Free Details: www.pacificbatleship. com Venue: Battleship Iowa, 250 S. Harbor Blvd., Berth 87, San Pedro
Oct 29
Nosferatu One of the silent era’s most influential masterpieces, Nosferatu‘s eerie, gothic feel — and a chilling performance from Max Schreck as the vampire – set the template for the horror films that followed. Don’t miss this special rare screening featuring a live score by the Jack Curtis
COMMUNITY Oct 18
Smarter Senior Forum The forum can answer a variety of your questions about common consumer scams and identity theft, immigration fraud, environmental health issues, recognizing signs of physical, emotional and financial elder abuse. Time: 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Oct 18 Cost: Free Details: (213) 974-999; www.dcba.lacounty.gov Venue: Banning Recreation Center, 1331 N. Eubank Ave. Wilmington Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor Regarded as one of the most haunted places on Earth, the Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor is a thrill-seekers’ delight, blurring the lines of history and hysteria. This year, find yourself disoriented with an entirely new park footprint and maze designs, interactive alternate paths, and live entertainment. Time: 7 p.m. to 12 a.m. through Nov. 2 Cost: $20 and up Details: www.queenmary.com Venue: The Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor, 1126 Queens Highway, Long Beach Candidates Forum and Pros and Cons School Board candidates 6 p.m., Assembly candidates 7:30 p.m., TUSD Board candidates, 66th State Assembly District. Light refreshments provided. This Forum is being streamed live and recorded by Torrance Citicable 3 or go to the city website (www. TorranceCA.gov) to watch live or recording. Time: 6 to 8:30 p.m. Oct. 18 Cost: Free Details: www.torrance.ca.lwvnet. org Venue: George Nakano Theatre, Torrance Cultural Arts Center, 3330 Civic Center Dr., Torrance
Oct 19
Oktoberfest Alpine Village is the home of the oldest Oktoberfest celebration in Southern California. Traditional Bavarian fun is supplied by Oom Pah Pah party bands. The Oktoberfest runs through Oct. 27 Time: Fridays, 6 p.m. to 12 a.m., Saturdays, 5 p.m. to 12 a.m., Sundays, 1 to 6 p.m. Cost: $10 to $25 Details: (310)327-4384; www.alpinevillagecenter.com/ oktoberfest Venue: Alpine Village, 833 Torrance Blvd., Torrance Long Beach Zombie Fest Long Beach Zombie Fest scares up a hell of a good time in truly macabre fashion with an assortment of activities for the whole family to enjoy. The
infamous Zombie Walk in Long Beach will be taking place all three days, too. Time: 5 to 10 p.m. Oct 19, 5 to 12 a.m. Oct 20, 21 Cost: $5 to $13 Details: (562) 570-3100; www.LongBeachZombieFest. com Venue: Rainbow Lagoon Park, E. Shoreline Drive, Long Beach
Oct 20
Fall Diet & Daily Routine Ayurveda is ‘The Science of Life.’We will discuss the imbalances that the fall weather brings and how we can prepare ourselves for the dry windy weather and allergies. We will also learn to prepare for winter weather and the changes to come. Time: 2 to 4 p.m. Oct. 20 Cost: $15 Details: (714) 931-3320; www.vedacasa718@gmail. com Venue: Casa Ayurveda & Yoga, 718 Weymouth Ave., San Pedro Introduction to Printmaking Class Topics to be covered: monoprinting/monotype, Intaglio process (drypoint), collagraphy – includes intaglio and relief ways of printing and image transfer. Time: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 20 through Dec. 15 Cost: $250 Class fee plus $25 materials Details: www.angelsgateart. org Venue: Angels Gate Cultural Center, 3601 S. Gaffey St., San Pedro
Oct 20 Long Beach Poetry Book Fair Join the Long Beach Poetry Book Fair showcasing local authors and small press publishers from Long Beach and beyond. Time: 12 to 5 p.m. Oct 20 Cost: Free Details: (562) 584-6233; www.madebymillworks.com Venue: MADE by Millworks, 240 Pine Ave., Long Beach Ocean Trails Docent Guided Walk Join a guided tour led by the Los Serenos Docents. The hike will take place though the Coastal sage scrub habitat along the western bluff of Trump National Golf Course, and the tour will be of approximately 1 and 1/2 to 2 hours duration. Rain cancels the hike. Park in the public lot at the end of Trump National Drive located to the left of the club house. Time: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Oct 20 Cost: Free Details: 310-544-5375; www.losserenos.org Venue: Ocean Trails Reserve, Rancho Palos Verdes
[See Calendar, page 16]
October 18 - 31, 2018
CAP UCLA presents Josh Fox: The Truth Has Changed Ahead of the U.S. midterm elections, Oscar-nominated and Emmy-winning filmmaker and activist Josh Fox (Gasland) presents his new theater work in a filmed live solo performance based on his book of the same title that traces the arc of American politics from 9/11 to Trump. Special postshow discussions and events to follow the performance. Time: 8 p.m. Oct. 27 Cost: $29 to $59 Details: (310) 825-2101; www.cap.ucla.edu Venue: Freud Playhouse, UCLA, 245 Charles E. Young Dr. East, Los Angeles
Oct 20
Nov 1
Dubowsky Ensemble. Time: 7 to 8:10 p.m. Oct 29 Cost: $11.50 Details: (562) 438-5435; www.arttheatrelongbeach.org, http://72268.formovietickets. com:2235 Venue: Art Theatre Long Beach, 2025 E. 4th St., Long Beach
It’s a Dead Man’s Party Halloween Oingo Boingo and Danny Elfman tribute band, Dead Man’s Party returns to Gaslamp Long Beach for their 18th annual Halloween bash. Costumes welcome. Time: 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. Oct. 27 Cost: $30 Details: www.ticketweb.com/ events/org Venue: Gaslamp Long Beach, 6251 E. Pacific Coast Hwy., Long Beach
Oct 17
Oct 18
American phenomenon: school shootings. Time: 6 to 9 p.m. Oct. 27., through Nov. 25 Cost: Free Details: www.pvartcenter.org Venue: Palos Verdes Art Center, 5504 W. Crestridge Road, Rancho Palos Verdes
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Classical Crossroads The concert series presents mezzo-soprano Michelle Rice and soprano Camila Lima with pianist Drew Quiring. Time: 3 p.m Oct. 20 Cost: Free Details: (310) 316-5574; www.palosverdes.com/Classical Crossroads/TheInterludes.htm Venue: First Lutheran Church & School, 2900 W. Carson St., Torrance
Oct 13
ARTS
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[Stories from p. 11]
Stories on Skin
[from p. 15]
oct 18 - 31 • 2018 Oct 21
Open Mic Musicians, artists and poets are invited to come and enjoy a cup of coffee, conversation and a venue for their work. Time: 4 to 6 p.m. Oct 21 Cost: Free Details: (310) 918-3823 or (310) 519-0936 Venue: Angels Gate Cultural Center, building G, 3601 S. Gaffey St., San Pedro Occupy Long Beach Belmont Pier Beach Clean Up Enjoy the good feeling that you made a difference and possibly saved the life of a seabird or turtle Time: 12 to 1 p.m. Cost: Free Venue: Belmont Pier, Long Beach
Oct 22
League of Women Voters of Torrance Area Does my yes vote actually means no? Learn about the ballot measures for the Nov. 6 General Election. Balanced and neutral presentation of the 11 Statewide propositions and 1 County measure. Time: 6:30 p.m. Oct. 22 Cost: Free Details: www.lwv. torrancearea@um.att.com Venue:Katy Geissert Civic Center Library, Torrance Meeting Room, 3301 Torrance Blvd., Torrance
Real News, Real People, Totally Relevant
Oct 24
Long Beach Immigrant Rights Coalition Migra Watch Dispatcher Training Help community members when ICE shows up. Bilingual speakers needed. Time: 6 to 8 p.m. Oct 24 Cost: Free Details: RSVP: jsolorzano@ lbirc.org Venue: St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 525 E. 7th St., Long Beach Too Many People? The Sierra Club presents Dr. Donald R. Prothero who will address the issues associated with this runaway growth pattern in his presentation on Limits of Population Growth and the Scarcity of Resources. Time: 7 p.m. Oct 24 Cost: Free Details: (310) 383-5247 Venue: Palos Verdes Peninsula Public Library, 701 Silver Spur Road, Rolling Hills Estates
October 18 - 31, 2018
Oct 26
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Halloween Family Night This is a unique opportunity to explore the aquarium, make a craft, learn about animal blood types, investigate touch pool animals and venture into our famous Biofact Boneyard. Time: 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Oct 26 Cost: $17.95 Details: www.aquariumof pacific.org/events/info/
halloween_family_night/ Venue: Aquarium of the Pacific, 100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach
Oct 27
DCH: Harvest Festival Hunger Hero Harvest Festival is open to the entire community. The cost of entry is a bag of nonperishable food items per person, from our needs list, posted on the event page: www.facebook.com/ events/622632721464945. Time: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Oct 27 Cost: One bag of non-perishable foods Details: (310) 534-4040; www.communityschild.org Venue: 2909 Pacific Coast Hwy., Torrance Beach Clean Up Hosted by California State University Dominguez Hills ecology club Time: 8 to 11 a.m. Oct 27 Details: (310) 732-3566 Venue: Cabrillo Beach, San Pedro Bird Walk Stroll through the grounds of the historic rancho and watch both resident birds and seasonal migrants. Meet in the lower parking lot at 8 a.m. Rain cancels. Time: 8 to 9:30 a.m.Oct. 27 Cost: Free Details: www.rancholoscerritos. org Venue: Rancho Los Cerritos, 4600 N. Virginia Rd. Long Beach Baby Trump Takes Flight in Los Angeles — Save The Date Backbone Campaign and Backbone San Diego will be bringing Baby Trump to LA. Mark your calendars. More information to come. If you are are an organizer in LA, and are interested in helping us to organize this event, please contact Backbone San Diego Time: 2 to 4 p.m. Oct 27 Cost: Free Details: www.backbonecampaign. org Location: TBD Day of the Dead Family Festival Explore Día de los Muertos, a vibrant celebration of life and loved ones at MOLAA’s annual family festival. Learn more about this cultural tradition through art workshops and live performances. The event includes gallery tours, face painting, food and unique craft vendors. Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct 27 Cost: Free Details: (562) 437-1689; www.molaa.org Venue: Museum of Latin American Art, 628 Alamitos Ave. Long Beach Scary Stories We supply the stories and the sound effects but your imagination will provide the visuals as you gaze into the bonfire. Bring your camp chair, your picnic and your snuggle bunny. Time: 6:30 p.m. Oct. 27 Cost: $5 Details: www.facebook.com/ events/2235101653438112/ Venue: Angels Gate Cultural Center, 3601 S. Gaffey St., San Pedro. 23rd Annual Historical Cemetery Tour Presented by the History comes alive as the
Historical Society of Long Beach conducts an annual living history tour at the city’s two oldest cemeteries. The tour is appropriate for families and all ages. Time: 9 a.m. to 2:40 p.m. Oct. 27 Cost: $1 to $20 Details: www.hslb.org/ historical-cemetery-tour Venue: Sunnyside Cemetery 1095 E. Willow Street and Long Beach Municipal Cemetery, 1151 Willow St., Long Beach Beacon House Association Halloween Dance Come to the Battleship IOWA for the Beacon House annual Halloween dance. Kids 12 years and under are free. Time: 8 p.m. Oct 27 Cost: $8 Details: www.thebeaconhouse. org/events Venue: Battleship Iowa, 250 S. Harbor Blvd., Berth 87, San Pedro
Oct 28
Karaoke Octoberfest This promises to be an event to enjoy with family and friends. Beer tasting from local breweries. Child care will be provided. Time: 5:30 to 8 p.m. Cost: $10 to $20 Details: www.stpeterssanpedro. org Venue: St. Peter’s Episcopel Church, 1648 W. 9th St., San Pedro 7th Annual San Pedro Dia de Los Muertos Enjoy a festive live entertainment lineup including energetic and globally-inspired performances by two-time Grammy award winning performers, Mariachi Divas, and celebrated local headliners including Salt Petal and Kotolan. Time: 3 to 9 p.m. Oct 28 Cost: Free Details: www.sanpedroday ofthedead.com Venue: 390 W. 7th St., San Pedro Hell Motel Jim Sitterly performs his original story and sound effects. Sitterly is an award winning violinist who has performed with Paul McCartney and The Who. Time: 7 p.m. Oct 28 Cost: Free Details: (310) 832-2424 Venue: The Corner Store, 1118 W. 37th St., San Pedro
Oct 31
Halloqueen: A Very Center Halloween Party Join The LGBTQ Center Long Beach for a ghoulish, adultsonly outdoor Halloween party. Hosted at a secret historic mid-century modern home in Long Beach (address provided after RSVP). Wear your best Halloween costume for a chance to win a special prize. Time: 6 to 10 p.m. Oct 31 Cost: $25 Details: (562) 432-4445; www.centerlb.org/octoberparty Venue: The Center Long Beach, 2017 E. 4th St., Long Beach
played in the development of a unique Chicano tattoo style, the impact within the community and the splendor of innovation and continuity expressed by their creators.” In a stroke of curatorial genius, Ortega has provided visitors with the opportunity to experience this splendor first-hand in a section of the exhibit entitled Our Stories. [Spoiler alert: In an ongoing exploration of the meanings and significance of contemporary tattoos, INK’s curating team invited six individuals from a variety of communities to Installion view of INK: Stories on Skin at MoLAA participate in the exhibit by sharing their personal tattoo stories with personal and meaningful custom tattoo design. visitors. These stories of adversity address Over the course of the exhibit, these participants everything from domestic and gang violence, to will be individually live tattooed with their mental health and body image issues and more. custom design by their respective collaborating Using art selected from MOLAA’s collection tattoo artists. These live tattoo performances and through a collaboration with a worldcan be seen in real time in the museum. In renowned tattoo artist, each participant’s story addition, edited video of these events will be serves as the basis for his or her own profoundly posted on Instagram and YouTube.]
INK: Stories on Skin Live
Here are the dates and times of upcoming live tattoo performances, as well as other events associated with this moving and insightful show. Note: All events to be held at the Museum of Latin American Art. Saturday, Oct. 20, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Live Tattoo Performance Guest artist: Nikko Hurtado Watch internationally acclaimed tattoo artist, Nikko Hurtado, give INK participant, Dylan a custom tattoo. Known as the go-to artist for color portraits, Nikko has been featured on LA Ink, Tattoo Wars, Tori & Dean, and Spike TV’s Ink Master. Saturday, Nov. 3, 2 to 4 p.m. Lecture, Chingonas: The Rise of a Chicana Pop Aesthetic In this round table discussion, MOLAA invites prominent Chicana influencers in the fields of art, popular culture, and activism to discuss the rise of a contemporary pop aesthetic that is rooted in Chicana/Latina traditions, rituals, and rites of passage. Saturday, Nov. 10, 2 to 4 p.m. Lecture, Tattoo Collectors in Modern Society What is the difference between a Collector and a person who has tattoos? In this round table discussion, MOLAA invites tattoo collectors and artists to share their views on the growing popularity of tattoo collecting. We will also discuss the unique relationship between tattoo artists as patrons and their clients turned artists, and address the novelty of these collector’s bodies becoming, in a sense, travelling exhibitions for a tattoo artist. Saturday, Nov. 10, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Live Tattoo Performance Guest artist: Kari Barba Catch internationally acclaimed tattoo artist and Long Beach local, Kari Barba give INK participant Virginia a custom tattoo. Considered a tattoo legend, as well as a pioneer for female tattooist, Barba has broken all barriers in what was once a men-only world. Saturday, Dec. 8, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Live Tattoo Performance Guest artist: Roxx Observe internationally acclaimed tattoo artist, Roxx as she gives INK participant Vania a custom tattoo, demonstrating the inimitable blackwork, mark making, dotwork and geometric tattoo style that are the culmination of a distinguished career spanning nearly three decades. Social Channels: https://www.facebook.com/MuseumofLatinAmericanArt https://twitter.com/molaa https://www.instagram.com/molaaart/
[Tattooists from p. 3]
Tattooists
accessories rather than as cultural statements sometimes echoing a criminal past. One hindrance to business is how tattoo art is in the midst of merging with technology for the purposes of marketing and design. Because of the role that social media now plays, it is necessary for most tattoo artists to be on it all
[Being from p. 13]
for this; Carranza simply said that everyone looks different; Gonzalez said that another difficulty is the sentimental value that could be associated, adding that he talks with people as he tattoos them for hours at a time. Sometimes customers ask for portraits of dead people. It’s always hard for him to hear people’s stories.
Being
location cancelled. She suddenly found herself, in her studio, surrounded by 60 indigenous activists joining an historical movement. The lost half of her identity had metaphorically found her. She hosted the successful fundraiser, supported by art donations from some of San Pedro’s most talented artists. The fundraiser featured presentations by indigenous water protectors and a film screening. Since that time, Steelink has been actively involved with newly returned Gathering of Elders. Steelink’s highly personal exhibition, Coming Into Being; Gathering the Elder in
Me, coincided with the 14th Many Winters Gathering of Elders, an indigenous cultural event that took place at Angels Gate earlier this month. It incorporated a second curatorial project Steelink organized, In a Good Way, which surveys previous Gatherings between 1992 and 2017. In a Good Way brings together photographs, printed matter and a new series of portraits of Southern California indigenous peoples by photographer Tom Gugler. Time: Exhibits run through Dec. 8 Cost: Free Details: www.angelsgateart.org/gallery/cominginto-being-gathering-the-elder-in-me Venue: Angels Gate Cultural Center, 3601 S. Gaffey St., San Pedro
14th Many Winters Gathering of Elders
San Pedro’s Golden Heritage Tattoo, Gabriel Gonzalez working on a tattoo. Photo by Benjamin Garcia
the time in order to find business. They cannot just wait for customers to come in — that doesn’t work in today’s market. This is not so much a worry for Carranza and Gonzalez, who have long established relationships with clientele and work strictly by appointment. For Carranza, tattooing has always been a time-intensive artform; but it is no longer something that “you just get off the walls now.” What he means by this is how people often come with a picture of a design on their phone and the artist has to emulate realism. Carranza and Gonzalez have in common the attitude that such portraits are one of the hardest things to do. Both cite technical reasons
Editor’s Note — In the Los Angeles/Long Beach Harbor Area, there are an estimated 40 tattoo parlors, some with a connection to the diverse history of the ports and sailors, and many that have become a part of the growing trend to self-illustration via the tattoo.
Bites and Bashes
October 18 - 31, 2018
anyway. Or perhaps you should and discover that the world is bigger than you had imagined.) The biggest surprise was the Moroccan chicken because the flavors were unerringly true to the original. The two grilled boneless thighs had been cooked with olives and a fragrant sauce of North African spices, pickled raisins and cipollini onions topped with frisee, tomato and edible flowers. It was served over saffron rice and the portion was a big enough that I took almost half home for the next day’s lunch. It is sitting in my refrigerator as I write this and I can hardly wait. The mother and daughter team behind Bites and Bashes have a quirky genius about flavors and presentations. I wish they were open later because I would like to bring friends who would find their current hours difficult. It’s my new favorite restaurant in Lomita, a town that has blossomed like one of the flowers that decorate so many dishes here. Bites and Bashes is at 25600 Narbonne Ave. Open daily except Sunday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Street parking only, some vegetarian and vegan items. Details: (310) 530-1030; www.bitesandbashes.com.
like the latte, but for scientific purposes, I had to give it a chance. It is a coffee drink for people who don’t like coffee, and I do. My server took one look at my face after I tasted it and offered to replace it with something else. The something elses here include salted caramel latte, lavender latte and matcha latte, but I decided I had done enough experimenting for the day. I might have had a cocktail, because they have a liquor license, but it was the middle of the day and I had a lot of driving to do. Their regular espresso is good, too. I enjoyed the matcha lemonade much more, though like anything made with matcha it looked like swamp water. The grassy flavor of the South American herb tea was unexpectedly good with lemonade, and it’s something I’d happily have again. As for the meals, the Korean cheesesteak was only slightly different than the standard version, but in a good way. The sesame, soy, garlic and delicate pepper in bulgogi beef is a step up from the standard grilled steak and it worked very nicely with the mild provolone cheese. (If you’re a cheesesteak purist you probably want mozzarella, but if that’s the case, you shouldn’t be ordering a cheesesteak here
The 14th Many Winters Gathering of Elders took place at Angels Gate Cultural from Oct. 11-14. The photos here taken on the third day of the four day event. Attendees learned about Native American struggles for cultural sustainability, self-determination and sovereignty for future generations. Photos by Benjamin Garcia
Real News, Real People, Really Effective
[Bites from p. 14]
“Plenty of people have said that I’m like a therapist,” Gonzalez remarked. He continued, “We talk, I cause you a little bit of pain, then you feel better.” Golden Heritage Tattoo, 1212 S. Gaffey St., San Pedro
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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: 10/04/18, 10/18/18,
10/1926. 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/. Adam Davidson, Secretary. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Los Angeles on Sept. 28, 2018. 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
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1 URL component 4 Writer Bombeck 8 Flat floaters 13 Longtime Jets QB who led the NFL in passer rating in 1985 15 “Ran” director Kurosawa 16 Put into a different envelope 17 Uncompromising 18 For each 19 Slowdowns 20 ___-days (heavy practices for football teams) 21 Letters on NYC subways 23 Woody Guthrie’s kid 24 2008 puzzle game for the Wii that relied heavily on multiplayer modes 29 Velvet finish 30 “Jackass” costar who had his own “Viva” spinoff on MTV 31 Droop 32 “No ___ way!” (selfcensorer’s exclamation) 33 Big figure 36 Night away from the usual work, maybe 40 Hotshot 41 “Things will be OK” 43 Charity calculation 45 Ex-NHL star Tikkanen
46 Magazine that sounds like a letter 47 Supporting bars 49 Congenitally attached, in biology 51 Coloraturas’ big moments 52 “Can’t eat another bite” 55 Norse goddess married to Balder 56 Many seniors, near the end? 57 Feline “burning bright” in a Blake poem 58 “Good for what ___ ya” 59 Jekyll creator’s monogram
DOWN
1 Hard-to-search Internet area “just below the surface” in that iceberg infographic 2 The slightest bit 3 Record player component 4 Perry Mason creator ___ Stanley Gardner 5 2016 Olympics city 6 “Au revoir, ___ amis” 7 Suffix after hex- or pent8 Seldom seen 9 AKC working dog 10 “Yeah, just my luck ...” 11 One step below the Majors 12 Elegy, perhaps 13 Surname of brothers Chris and Martin, hosts of “Zoboomafoo” and a self-titled “Wild” PBS Kids show
14 Discreet way to be included on an email, for short 19 Where the military goes 21 Harvard’s school color before crimson 22 Hesitant 25 Plant firmly (var.) 26 Artillery barrages 27 Spruces up 28 “Crazy Rich Asians” actor Jimmy O. and comedian Jenny, for two 33 “Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot” director 34 Cube origin? 35 Taking a close look 37 Precede, as at a concert 38 Pita filler 39 Snapchat features 42 Saxophonist’s supply 44 Gregg Allman’s brother 48 Peter I, e.g. 49 “Hole-in-the-wall” establishments? 50 Really liked 52 Strong pub option 53 Test for internal injuries, for short 54 Fa follower ©2018 Jonesin’ Crosswords (editor@jonesincrosswords.com) For answers go to: www.randomlengthsnews.com
[China Shipping from p. 2]
China Shipping
“The port had a couple of failures and we need to see that they’ve identified the causes of the failures and corrected them,” Havenick said. He identified two levels of operational failure and one problem of organizational structure First, “The procedures and work instructions at the working level did not actually document the actions required, to track mitigations and ensure that they were implemented,” Havenick said. “Second, they’ve got to have internal audits to make sure they’re doing what they’re supposed to be doing as a business system. And third, their environmental director needs to be raised to the position of their other functional heads, such as planning, engineering, so that they can operate at the level of management commensurate with the responsibilities required for such an agency where environmental issues are so far-reaching and so broad.” “We’re the state, and they’re managing assets for the state,” Havenick explained. “If the port operates the asset for the state, it seems like the State Lands Commission would want to know the answers to the questions I’m asking. It’s just two simple questions with two simple answers that are more foundational than the mitigations: What allowed this to happen? And what did you do to correct it?” he said. “There’s no mudslinging, no tomato throwing, it’s simply a matter of fact. If you’re going to operate the assets for the state, tell us what you did to correct your management failures.” The public has until Nov. 13 to respond in writing, and oral comments will be heard at a public comment meeting on Oct. 25 at POLA Headquarters in San Pedro.
[News Briefs from p. 7]
President of Southwest Airlines. The letter protests the airlines recent decision to end their contract with Gateway, a union contractor, and hire SAS Services Group, a non-union contractor with a history of frequent and rampant labor violations including wage theft. The County Board of Supervisors is calling on Southwest to insist that SAS keep the existing unionized workforce and recognize the worker’s collective bargaining agreement.
First West Nile Virus Death Reported in LA County
LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has confirmed the first death due to West Nile virus for the 2018 season in Los Angeles County. A total of 38 cases have been documented in LA County this year (excluding Long Beach and Pasadena as cases identified in those cities are reported by their local health departments). Public Health has documented persistently elevated numbers of West Nile Virus cases in LA County over the previous five years. Reduction of mosquito breeding sources and protection from mosquito bites are key to prevention. Decrease your risk of exposure: 1. Protect yourself with mosquito repellents. 2. Mosquito proof your home with tight-fitting screens to keep out mosquitoes. 3. Drain standing water. 4. Clean and maintain swimming pools, spas, and drain water from pool covers. Details: (800) 232-4636; www.publichealth. lacounty.gov/acd/VectorWestNile.htm
LA County Board of Supervisors Approve Funding For Home Care Worker Raise
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted to approve funding for a wage increase for
the county’s In-Home Supportive Services workers who provide care to low-income seniors and people with disabilities. The funding for the wage increase will have caregivers on a earning $15 an hour by 2020 and will keep workers $1 above the minimum wage thereafter. The motion was introduced by Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, coauthored by Supervisor Janice Hahn, and supported by supervisors Solis, Kuehl and Barger.
Federal Prosecutors Bring Child Pornography Cases in Ongoing Efforts to Combat Child Victimization
LOS ANGELES — On Oct 4, FBI agents arrested two defendants as part of a multi-agency sweep that led to eight defendants being taken into custody over the past 10 days. Several of the cases involved agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. The FBI-led sweep resulted in the arrest of six other defendants the week of Oct. 1. Each of those
defendants has entered not guilty pleas and are facing trials later this year. Those arrested on Sept. 26 and 27 pursuant to grand jury indictments are: Christopher Norman Strinden, 57, of Long Beach, who is charged with three counts of possession of child pornography. Nathan Pham, 27, of Long Beach, who is charged with both receipt and possession of child pornography. There have been developments recently in other child exploitation cases being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office. Those cases involve: Edward Anthony Contes, 36, of San Pedro, is scheduled to be tried on Jan. 29 on charges of traveling to Mexico for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with minor boys and attempted sex trafficking of two boys in the Los Angeles area. Daniel Patrick Diaz, 34, of Wilmington, was arrested in July pursuant to a six-count indictment that alleges the production, distribution, receipt and possession of child pornography.
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