The State of Two Ports

By Paul Rosenberg, Senior Editor

The twin ports of LA and Long Beach are similar in many ways: similar businesses, serving similar customers with similar services, with the same ILWU workforce (plus often misclassified truck drivers) with a shared aspiration to be seen as America’s leading green port.

lution from vessels and equipment at the twin ports.” She added: “Mario Cordero, executive director of the Port of Long Beach, mentioned environmental concerns as a major port focus in the very first minute of his address, which the press cited: ‘Long Beach port director stresses environmental strides in 2022 review’— Press Telegram.”

Josh Lowenthal 69th

Assembly

District Swearing In Celebration

Join Assembymember Lowenthal’s community swearing in ceremony, to take place on Saturday Feb.11 at his alma mater Long Beach Poly. The day is a celebration of communities coming together and recognizing the unique and collective needs of Long Beach, Carson, Signal Hill and Catalina Island.

Time: 11 a.m., Feb. 11

Details: https://a69.asmdc.org/events

Venue: Long Beach Polytechnic High School, Anniversary of Torrance Refinery Explosion

TRAA will be holding a special event to commemorate the 8th anniversary of the Torrance Refinery explosion that nearly caused a catastrophe. It will be held at Cal State Dominguez Hills Feb. 17. Scheduled speakers include Rep. Maxine Waters, Assemblyman Al Marasutchi, scientists and community activists.

Time: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Feb. 17

Cost: Free

Details: https://traa.website/2023/01/13/savethe-date-february-17th/

Venue: Cal State Dominguez Hills, 1000 E. Victoria St., Carson

NWSPNC Neighborhood Purpose Grant Applications

The Northwest San Pedro Neighborhood Council Neighborhood Purpose Grant applicants must be a 501c3 nonprofit or a public school. To meet the deadline, applications must be postmarked no later Feb. 17, (if mailed), and received no later than Feb. 23, (if emailed). The decisions will be announced at the NWSPNC board meeting on March 13.

The forms can be found online at:https:// tinyurl.com/npg-application-review. Submit the application and cover letter by email to Melanie. labrecque@yahoo.com or by mail to: Budget and Finance Committee, 638 S. Beacon Street, Box 688, San Pedro, CA 90731 Email questions to: melanie.labrecque@yahoo.com. Please include your phone number.

Community Forum To Discuss Fentanyl

Crisis

To raise awareness about fentanyl, the Beach Cities Partnership for Youth Coalition is hosting a free, in-person community forum on fentanyl at the Redondo Union High School auditorium. Speakers include; Dr. Moe Gelbart, executive director, Thelma McMillen Center at Torrance Memorial; Chief Paul LeBaron, Hermosa Beach Police Department, Sebastian Martin, director of recovery at New Life House; Shana Martinez, clinical manager, allcove Beach Cities.

Time: 5:30 to 7 p.m., Feb. 9

Details: Register at https://www.bchd.org/fentanyl

Venue: Redondo Union High School Auditorium, One Sea Hawk Way, Redondo Beach

Zone In: Community Services and Housing Long Beach

The City of Long Beach is updating zoning regulations along West Willow Street and Santa Fe Avenue in West Long Beach. Known as Zone In: WestLB, this rezoning effort aims to activate commercial corridors, accommodate housing needs, and incentivize essential retail and services identified by the West Long Beach community, including grocery stores, banks and pharmacies.

Time: 6 to 7:30 p.m., Feb. 9

Details: https://tinyurl.com/project-webpage

Yet, the pictures painted by the two ports’ executive directors at their respective “State of the Port” were strikingly different, capped off with the news that the Port of Long Beach will create an off-shore wind turbine assembly facility as part of a new initiative to achieve carbon neutrality “at the port and beyond.” The proposed 400 acre facility (the largest in the U.S.) for the assembly of offshore wind turbines taller than the Eiffel Tower “holds the key to meeting California’s goal of producing 25 gigawatts of offshore wind power by 2045,” according to an introductory video. This represents a major breakthrough, given previous concerns about port electrification depending on fossil fuel power generation.

Andrea Hricko, retired professor from USC, said “I see the two ports’ addresses as a way to gauge commitment to cleaning up the air pol-