RLn 4 05 18 by Random Lengths News

By Terelle Jerricks, Managing Editor

The family of San Pedro High football legend Ronnie Barber Sr., including Ronnie Barber Jr, Ronnie Barber III and Vicky Auch-Barber. Photo by Terelle Jerricks

[See Remembering, p 2]

Eco-entrepreneurs and enviros gather at AltaSea’s Rising Tide Conference p. 3 Restoring America — A Post-Trump agenda p. 6

“It was a great big snow job.” That’s how Doug Epperhart—President of Coastal San Pedro Neighborhood Council—summed up his impression of the Port of Los Angeles’ March 20 waterfront development presentation at the Warner Grand Theater. “I told the person I was sitting next to, my God, don’t be surprised [if I] pass out from superlative overdose. Everything was awesome, everything was fantastic, everything was storied.” Others were more charitable. The presentation “showed that they are proceeding with the work,” former port attorney Pat Nave said simply, describing what he liked about the presentation.

“I am very happy that the port is making progress on this project, as it has been a very long time in the process,” said Darlene Zavalney, who sits on the board of the Northwest San Pedro Neighborhood Council, although she also had strong objections to how Ports O’ Call Village redevelopment was being planned. (Read her letter to the editor, p. 19.) But some were even more critical than Epperhart. “[It was] a sham in every sense of the word,” said Peter Warren, who chaired Coastal’s Port Committee for a decade. “It was not a public meeting under California law because it lacked comment time and the audience was there to be talked at. They had zero interest in learning what people thought.”

It’s nothing new. For almost 20 years, public demands, port promises and actual results have repeatedly ended up wildly at odds. It shouldn’t have been like this, according to John Papadakis, the driving force behind getting the original study done. “The Bridge to Breakwater Plan (in 2000) was originally funded by the State Coastal Conservancy, because its principles expressed two major public precepts by which all state seasides and ports must operate,” Papadakis said. They were: 1) That the public must have ‘primary access to the Waterline’ 2) That the waterline must go to the ‘highest and

April 5 - 18, 2018

Album/artist profile: David Ivar’s Sweet Thursday — Where past and present meet p. 11

By Paul Rosenberg, Senior Editor

Ain’t I a Woman? Forerunners of the #MeTooMovement p. 8

The Port Missed the Boat Community Members Respond to Port’s Waterfront Dog and Pony Show

Real News, Real People, Really Effective

Ronnie Barber, one of the greatest football players in the history of San Pedro High, died Jan. 26, 2018, at the age of 72. He will be inducted into the San Pedro Sportswalk to the Waterfront on Oct. 8, 2018. Barber graduated with the Class of 1963 after leading San Pedro to a three-way tie for first place in the Marine League. But individually, Barber’s most-decorated season came as a junior, when he was honored as City Player of the Year by the Helms Athletic Foundation after scoring 72 points on 12 touchdowns in a single season. As a single-wing tailback in Coach Bill Seixas’ offense — the team’s field general — Barber picked up 1,161 yards in total offense, gained 843 yards running and completed 50 percent of his passes for an additional 318 yards. Barber’s two-year statistics show him accounting for 2,508 yards in total offense and 31 touchdowns. Of this total, 1,819 yards were gained rushing, averaging 179

[See Community, p. 4]

Committed to Independent Journalism in the Greater LA/LB Harbor Area for More Than 30 Years [Remembering from p. 1]

Ronnie Barber Sr.

Remembering the Legend yards per game in total offense and a six-yard average per down. In Coach Seixas’ offense, Barber’s position was that of tailback. San Pedro author and player on Barber’s team, Leonard Olguin recalled a particular play in the defining 1962 victory over Banning High in his book, The Upset. Olguin described an offensive drive after intercepting a long ball from Banning: “The band started to play while Ronnie was running the team. Our guys out there looked like a great matador with Barber holding the giant red cape! Barber was in total control. Three yards! Five yards! Six yards! Pedro, first down…” Olguin described the next snap in which he faced a 6’5” 270 lb lineman to his 5’10”, 180 lbs.

“All I was thinking of was hitting the first red jersey I saw. I made my turn across the line scrimmage, and felt Barber’s hand on my back. There I saw the first red jersey, and it was No. 77, Jack O’Malley’s. Barber helped a little bit by pushing me into O’Malley… I gave him everything I had. It was like hitting a stone wall. But, O’Malley didn’t get Barber. I had made a good block for a great runner.” Pedro wasn’t supposed to beat Banning that year. But they did.

Ronnie Barber II

Ronald Barber, known as Bid Ron by his contemporaries after his son, Ronnie Barber Jr. (also known as “Lil Ron”) was born, traveled cross country to San Pedro from Columbus, Georgia at the age of 13

in 1958. When Barber arrived, he found he was often one of the tallest kids around. Lil Ron said that when his father got to San Pedro, he was bigger than almost everybody at 6 ft 1 and 200 lbs and was placed on the offensive line at the San Pedro Boys Club (the predecessor to the Los Angeles Harbor Boys and Girls Club). It should be noted that Barber in his senior year was listed as 6 ft 0 and 185 lbs and 5’11’ and 175 lbs in his junior year. At the time, Phil Trani was the director of the Boys Club and the club fielded a youth football team that played other area youth teams. “They gave him the ball once, it was all over. They made him a tailback,” Lil Ron said recounting the stories he’s heard his entire life

Real News, Real People, Totally Relevant

Ronnie Barber Sr. circa 1962. File photo

Impress your guests April 5 - 18, 2018

We set the scene, you set the date …

10% OFF CATERING SERVICES BOOKED IN APRIL 601 S. PALOS VERDES ST. SAN PEDRO, CA 90731

about his father. Big Ron never knew his dad and his mom abandoned him when he was five. As the story goes, she went out for milk one day and never returned. And Big Ron’s maternal grandmother was dead leaving his great-grandmother to raise him in Georgia until the age of 13, Lil Ron explained. “She instilled in him how to wash his own clothes and cook for himself,” Lil Ron said of the only woman Big Ron knew as a parent. Big Ron’s mother, it was later learned, followed a military man to Philadelphia. Big Ron didn’t see his mom again until he was 13 when she also moved to San Bernardino, California. “From what I know of my Dad, I think the discipline his great grandmother instilled in him and her raising him in the church… that Southern way… stuck with him,” Lil Ron said. It was more likely Big Ron’s coaches played an even larger role in building up the man he became — coaches like Trani at the Boys’ Club, Coach Seixas at San Pedro High School and Arizona State University’s Kush. Trani and Seixas are likely the mentors who developed his leadership ability on the field and playing the game, as Leonard Olguin says the game ought to be played: a level of professionalism that shunned the kind of showboating that demeaned teammates and opponents alike. Big Ron went to Arizona State on a scholarship and played for the legendary

Kush, the most successful football coach in Arizona State University history. Kush was known as the most physically demanding coaches in the game during his tenure. His football practices in the Arizona desert are still talked about today. One of his drills, which were designed to measure the amount of punishment a running back could take carrying the ball, consisted of having only a center, quarterback, and two running backs lineup on offense, with no other offensive lineman, and run running plays against the entire defense. Kush’s most famous motivational tool was a steep hill he dubbed “Mount Kush” near the Sun Devils’ practice facility in the hot Arizona desert. If a player especially needed discipline in Kush’s opinion, that player would have to run up and down that hill numerous times. Kush’s and a lot of other tactics football coaches would deploy to motivate, toughen up and instill discipline in their players seemed evident in Lil Ron’s perceptions of his father and his father’s child-rearing/coaching practices. “He was very disciplined, very focused and very giving. He cared about people,” Lil Ron explained. “But I think the thing I admired most about him is that if he hurt your feelings, it’s because he told you the truth. You always knew where you stood with Big Ron. He was never going to sugar coat anything. Everybody liked Big Ron. He was a very honest man. Another thing that stood out [See Barber, p. 10]

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

Rising Tide Conference at AltaSea By Mark Friedman, RLn contributor and LA Maritime Institute marine science educator A crowd of 125 innovators, entrepreneurs, environmental activists and marine biologists turned out for the first Rising Tide Conference at AltaSea’s City Dock No. 1 campus on March 28. The two-day conference included keynote speakers such as AltaSea’s new chief executive officer Tim McOsker and executive director Jenny Krusoe, as well as the co-founder of the nonprofit organization fighting plastic pollution 5Gyres, Marcus Eriksen. McOsker opened the conference by noting that “ 90 percent of the ocean is unexplored [and] AltaSea will expand our knowledge. San Pedro was the center of the tuna industry and in the future it will be the center of aquaculture and develop many jobs.” McOsker noted that the Southern California Marine Institute (SCMI), a collaborative of 23 universities, is moving to the AltaSea site to expand its research and highlighted other

Harbor Area Northwest SPNC Stakeholder Meeting

Northwest San Pedro Neighborhood Council will host its monthly board and stakeholder meeting. The agenda will be posted 72 hours prior to meeting. Time: 6 p.m. April 9 Details: www.nwsanpedro.org Venue: Peck Park Community Building, 560 N. Western Ave., San Pedro

Central SPNC Stakeholder Meeting

Coastal SPNC Stakeholder Meeting

Coastal San Pedro Neighborhood Council will host its monthly board and stakeholder meeting. The agenda will be posted 72 hours prior to meeting. Time: 6 p.m. April 16 Details: www.cspnc.org Venue: Cabrillo Marina Community Building, Cabrillo Plaza, Berth 28, Via Cabrillo Marina Way, San Pedro

Mapping Free Tax Prep Services In L.A.

“We took 20 different types and buried them in the ocean and same types in soil for two years. Cups, straws, bags. Wipes disappeared... not diapers,” Eriksen said. “Paper cup with

The Shortest Run to Catalina

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

Way M ar illo

a in

Providing clean facilities and protecting our waterways from pollution

Office open 7 days

Marina: (310) 514-4985 • Dry Storage: (310) 521-0200 cabrillowaymarina@westrec.com • www.CabrilloWay.com 2293 Miner St., San Pedro, CA 90731

April 5 - 18, 2018

LOS ANGELES — L.A. Controller Ron Galperin recently released a map detailing local resources to help Angelenos prepare for the April 17, filing deadline. The map is online at www.lacontroller.org/ freetaxprep in English and Spanish and displays 116 locations throughout the greater Los Angeles area at public libraries, IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance centers and Free Tax Prep L.A. sites at which anyone who needs help can locally find resources. The map is available for all Angelenos, but specifically aimed at those who may qualify for the State and Federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). Households with annual incomes of $54,000 or less may qualify for $9,000 in cash back through the EITC. According to the most recent data, California taxpayers are leaving more than $2 billion EITC dollars unclaimed annually. Details: www.lacontroller.org/freetaxprep

collaborations. “We have a new alliance with the Boys and Girls Clubs, whose membership is thousands, and the continued collaboration with Robert Ballard’s “Nautilus” research vessel,” McOsker said. McOsker reviewed the stages of development of the multiple components of AltaSea construction including the business, education and innovation centers, including the Catalina Sea Ranch, which has the first permit in federal waters for 1,000 acres to develop mussel production on floating “farms.” McOsker said that this is a model for businesses the blue tech incubators want to attract and have secured new grants for kelp research. Krusoe reinforced this view with the quip, “Building the blue economy, making the Golden State blue.” She noted that changing environmental conditions, like global climate change, the prevalence of marine plastic pollution and other factors have forced technology (new undersea robotics) to move rapidly and force humanity to look for solutions. “We want to inspire the next generation… Now is the time for everyone to contribute to the future, together. Let us do it now,” Krusoe said. Eriksen of 5Gyres, delivered a presentation on ocean plastic pollution that found plastic fibers and particles from the high atmosphere come down in rain and are found in arctic ice, within 1,200 species of marine organisms and in every area of the world’s ocean. They carry their own toxicity; PBAs that are integrated into organisms. Then we eat them and incorporate these toxins. A study of the Great Lakes in 2013 showed even more plastic per sampling than in the ocean and so many were microbeads. Through collaborative efforts by many organizations and social pressure, President Barack Obama signed a ban on microbead use. Referencing the top 20 polluting plastic items in the U.S. (www.5gyres.org) Eriksen addressed the question of bio-plastic products.

Real News, Real People, Really Effective

The Central San Pedro Neighborhood Council will host its monthly board and stakeholder meeting. The agenda will be posted 72 hours prior to meeting. Time: 6 p.m. April 10 Details: www.sanpedrocity.org Venue: Port of Los Angeles High School, 250 W. 5th St., San Pedro

Editor of Planet Experts, Pierce Nahigyan serves as moderator in the discussion on the challenges of sustainability with Jeux de Vagues founder Katherine Terrell and Mateo Neri of the company, 8hz at AltaSea’s Rising Tide Conference.

Community Announcements:

liner — paper gone in two years, liner not so much. Cornstarch utensils-did not degrade at all. “Bioplastics are not a functional alternative to plastics. “Going after single-product bans is not a solution. We need to bundle the top 20. Let’s go after brands most often found in the ocean and landfills.…McDonalds, Burger King, Subway.” Heal the Bay representative Sarah Sikich, gave a presentation on producing seafood on a sustainable basis for the restaurant industry. Others spoke of innovations to remove plastic from landfills or the ocean — from plastic eating worms to floating plastic catching devices. Others spoke of convincing businesses to support ocean-friendly legislation. Algalita Marine Research Foundation leader Katie Allen presented a panel of youth from local high schools and explained how plastic pollution on the beaches and in the ocean inspired them to get involved. Members of the San Pedro LA Maritime Institute Youth Crew presented their microplastics project at the conference. The first Rising Tides conference ended on a positive note with acknowledgement of scores of business innovations, public campaigns and protest actions to help end plastic pollution. The public can participate in AltaSea’s Make Earth Day Blue, April 21, 10 a.m., with a focus on robots and sharks, featuring Dr. Chris Lowe from Cal State University Long Beach and Dan Pondella, Southern California Marine Institute. RSVP at www.altasea.org

[Community from p. 1]

Community Reaction

April 5 - 18, 2018

Real News, Real People, Totally Relevant

best use of the true owner citizens’ “It is nearly 20 years since these principles totally united the entire community and the city,” he said. “Today, many years later, the Bridge to Breakwater remains only partially built. The plan has been chopped up for scrap, and buried.” Papadakis helped get everything started, but San Pedrans are notoriously contentious, and it took Herculean efforts to come up with plans that diverse factions could all agree upon — plus Wilmington residents as well. Key concerns have repeatedly included environmental sustainability, jobs, balancing downtown and waterfront development, and preserving history and heritage, But whenever consensus has been reached, the port has inevitably blown things up, starting with the first planning process conducted by Keith Gurney of RRM in 2001, who was unceremoniously dumped later that year. After that, the newly-formed neighborhood councils and the Port Community Advisory Committee played a major role in this planning process, with similar results: stunning the port with balanced community consensus proposals, which the port repeatedly rejected. Most memorably, the “Sustainable Waterfront Plan”— endorsed jointly by the Sierra Club and the Chamber of Commerce — was rejected by port staff in advance of the September 2009 environmental impact report, which has guided development ever since. “It’s been my experience with port people, all through the process, they never got the answers they wanted from the public,” said Epperhart, summing up. The port dissolved Community Advisory Committee in 2013, and the neighborhood councils have struggled to be heard since then, without the larger framework Community Advisory Committee provided. Meanwhile, the port has used the projects it has supported to create an echo-chamber alliance of support: Crafted, the Battleship Iowa, AltaSea, the San Pedro Chamber of Commerce etc. All these voices were marshalled at the March 20 meeting. But community voices? Not so much. Both Coastal and Central San Pedro neighborhood councils have passed resolutions objecting to the shutting down of Ports O’Call Restaurant, which many see as typifying a profoundly out-of-touch approach. Neither was allowed to be heard. June Smith, community co-chair of Community Advisory Committee when the port disbanded it in 2013, took a balanced of view of the meeting, recognizing both pros

Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka, Wayne Ratkovich of the Ratkovich Company along with representatives from design firms James Corner Field Operations and Rapt Studio. Photo by Raphael Richardson

and cons. Things she liked about the Ports O’ Call redevelopment included the interest in local businesses as possible lessees, the landscape architect’s spatial ideas, “the open space for big concerts, the park space and the children’s playground,” and “the promenade, of course,” On the minus side, she faulted the sterile “industrial look” and trite, generic name. “A ‘public market place’ is not distinctive and doesn’t reflect anything special about San Pedro,” she said. “There seems to be no central focal point except to ‘make money’ in the marketplace. If there is no historical context (aside from keeping a fish market) why should people come here to ‘do their shopping’?” she questioned. “Why not capitalize on what Ports O’Call advertising has already done and build on that concept?” she continued. “It could be renamed Ports O’Call Inbound, or some such slight change that would show something new but keeping the old recognition in place,” she suggested. “The premise is that Ports O’Call is a complete failure — except for the Fish Market?— and I don’t really think that is the case.” Finally, Smith noted, “The arts community wasn’t even given a breath of air.” Artist, curator and arts district resident Ron Linden had similar thoughts about continuity and development process. “Staging development projects is the solution to this situation. Build around successful existing businesses and relocate them to new quarters before scraping the old,” Linden said. “This would save the established, some rightly described as iconic, locations that are the linchpins of Ports O’Call Village, and save hundreds of viable

jobs,” he added. “It’s unconscionable to destroy existing jobs on the speculation that in three or more years down the road new opportunities will arise.” “This is urban renewal in its worst form, where businesses or residents who have supported the community for years get pushed out when things are about to turnaround economically,” Warren said. “That is a bankrupt system.” While much of the criticism focused on Ports O’Call redevelopment, the deeper problem, Epperhart noted, was “the death of consultation”…or even “simple communication,” he said. “It’s not even one way, let alone twoways.” As he described it, the port starts off with “a dog and pony show and everybody’s going to come and look at it these plans with Ferris wheels and glitzy lights and blah, blah, blah,” followed by… Nothing, for two years. Until “They come back with the real plan. Which is pretty minimal, because at some point, somebody has to figure out that oh yeah, this is going to have to make money to sustain.” “That’s been another part of the problem going all the way back,” Epperhart recalled. “The questions that got asked about economic viability over and over and over again were never answered by the port,” he said. “Supposedly they had studies. They would never even share them with people at PCAC.” The question of money has always been crucial, of course. But it only makes sense in terms of resources, goals, partnerships, and timeframes—the entire policy framework. For the port, that framework is one of a sideline to its main business—the only one it

really understands: moving containers and fossil fuels. But for the community, it’s something very different: a chance to rebalance the scales and put an end to being treated like a sacrifice zone. “We consume, pay for and absorb tens, perhaps hundreds of millions of dollars of the port’s externalized costs each year,” Warren said. “We pay them in the cost of health care, traffic, road impacts, car damage, soot pollution, reduced home values, etc. We have lost recreational and green space to the port. Thousands of acres.” An early homeowner concept envisioned a complete reversal of this situation: a “Griffith Park by the sea,” a completely non-profit, public investment that could — like Central Park — generate enormous long-term wealth in the surrounding community. But only small fragments of this vision have been carried forward. Economic necessity is the port’s rationale, but its conceptual framework is severely limited. “It is very important to create jobs, but this is a bankrupt process,” Warren went on to say. “Yes, the port creates jobs and some select few in the thousands, low tens of thousands, get wellpaid union work, but the vast majority of those paying the port’s bill for externalized costs are not in this group of beneficiaries. Instead, they pay, get no benefits and suffer.” We can have both a thriving port and a healthy community. That’s what community activists have been fighting for since at least the Riordan administration. From this perspective, the closing of Ports O’Call Restaurant — even temporarily — is painfully indicative of a much larger heedlessness to the worthiness of their lives. Does it really have to be this way? Or can the community, once again, come up with a better, richer, more inclusive solution? Does it make sense for Random Lengths to convene a true public meeting to explore this possibility, which the port refuses even to consider? Nave thought not. “It would only be disruptive and continue our city-wide practice of getting nothing done,” he said. But others disagreed. Former Port Engineer Vern Hall, who convened the first Community Advisory Committee-like body to deal with Cabrillo Marina development, was typical. “Great idea for Random Lengths to host a town hall focused on the former Ports O’Call situation,” Hall said, noting it “would provide the opportunity to hear from those immediately affected, as well as the long term impacts on downtown San Pedro and the entire community.” He, too, suggested partnering with “one or more of the neighborhood councils.”

Better than Chain Store Service

• FREE DELIVERY • SAME CO-PAY • PERSONAL SERVICE • NO WAIT •Specialty Medicines • Professional, Familiar Service • Free Delivery Service • ILWU, Medicare Part D and all major insurances accepted

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

www.PeninsulaRx.com

Fax 310-833-9124

HOURS: Mon-Fri 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Sat. 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Carson General Plan Update for Digital Age regards to housing, the future of affordable housing is at stake, including Carson’s many mobile home parks. Affordable housing including mobile homes are in danger of being displaced as the land value rises. All housing is being analyzed as to affordability. Mobile home parks are handled as commercial ventures, not residential ones. A general plan advisory committee, consisting of 18 appointed community members, has been working along with city staff and outside consultants. Committee members include council members Jawane Hilton and Cedric Hicks and former council members Gil Smith and Vera Dewitt. Hired outside consultants include the following firms that specialize in various aspects of urban planning: Dyatt & Batia, Fehr & Peers, Environmental Science Associates and HR&A Advisors. At a public workshop held March 4, members of the committee, hired consultants, city staff, and members of the public in attendance were divided into three small groups, and brainstormed over city maps. Some of the ideas floated included turning the Dominguez Channel into a commercial or recreational asset, and providing direct linkage between the Harbor Gateway Transit Center and the neighborhoods around California State University Dominguez Hills. There was also some discussion at the

Carson 2040 plan will address the need for affordable housing in the future.

meeting about how to make better use of the land around the university in the north, including transportation, housing, and commercial ventures. Another discussion topic concerned the improving the southern end of Carson, for which any plan must take into consideration the presence of the Tesoro refinery and the county sanitation district.

DESIGNS • Custom Printing • Union Printing • Graphic & Logo Design • Email Marketing

1302 S. Pacific Ave., San Pedro (310) 519-1442 info@graphictouchdesigns.com

QUICK RESPONSE Worry-Free Tax & TIME! Accounting Service Personalized Service you deserve.

Save Time. Save Money. Save Stress.

COMPLETE PLUMBING SERVICE RESIDENTIAL/COMMERCIAL

831-3138

(310)

Se Habla Español

Lic. #748434

Palma Mattera Mejia, EA

870 W. 9th St., Ste. 100A, San Pedro

310.221.0034

www.justrelaxtax.com

Even the best players can get dealt a bad hand…

323-529-3660 Criminal & DUI Defense

• Lockouts • Service, repair & installation of locks, safes and electronic security products

Residential • Commercial • Autos

464 W. 7th St., San Pedro www.SanPedroLock.com

• Waterproofing Services • Decking Services • Exterior Painting Services Over 20 years experience

10-year warranty on materials 5-year warranty on labor

westsidecompany.net

(310) 994-4626 (844) 838-5599

April 5 - 18, 2018

The best bet for your defense Call us today!

WE DO IT ALL!

Don Hammond Law

100% Customer Satisfaction

Real News, Real People, Really Effective

By Lyn Jensen, Carson Reporter Carson’s existing general plan was adopted in 2004, but now needs to be updated, in accordance with state law, to set the city’s goals and priorities for the next 20 years. Public involvement is a key component of the general plan update, which is progressing through four phases over two years. Named “Carson 2040” with the intention to project urban planning until the year 2040, the first phase began about a year ago with meetings, interviews, an online questionnaire, and two public workshops. The process is now entering its third phase, when a third public workshop is expected and a draft general plan will be prepared and reviewed. In conjunction with the general plan update, the city will also prepare an environmental impact report to identify and mitigate any adverse environmental impacts resulting from implementation of the plan. Like the plan update, the environmental impact report is a public process. Public participation has been made convenient via the website www. carson2040.com/ where information about the update is presented in a one-stop format. Here may be found meeting notices, pertinent documents and reports, a timeline for completion, contact information, and answers to frequently asked questions. On the website, a general plan is defined as the city’s “primary guide for development, housing, transportation, environmental quality, public services, and parks and open spaces.” California law mandates that each city and county adopt a “comprehensive, long-term general plan.” The purpose is to plan for important community issues such as growth, housing needs, and environmental protection. A general plan is used to project future demand for services including utilities, transportation, open space, and emergency response. A city’s general plan serves as the legal underpinning for land use decisions. State-mandated elements include the following: land use, circulation (transportation), housing, conservation, open space, noise, and public safety. In a graphic demonstration of Carson’s land use element, an online “Existing Conditions Report Executive Summary” includes a city map showing some land parcels shaded in purple. These are places where the land’s value has outstripped the current land use, so part of the update focuses on targeting these parcels for development or redevelopment. When projecting land use in

Restoring America— Rep. Barragán Calls Out Secretary Zinke Regarding False Testimony

WASHINGTON, D.C. ― Amid ethics concerns on taxpayer-funded travel habits, Rep. Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-Calif.) sent a letter to Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke to seek clarification on comments he made during his testimony before the Committee on Natural Resources in March. Barragán and Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) sent Zinke a letter on Oct. 5, 2017, requesting information about his taxpayer-funded travel. In his testimony, Zinke falsely claimed that he had already responded to the letter. Zinke did hold up a letter during the hearing, claiming that it was sent to “the ranking member” and chairman Rob Bishop (R- Utah) on Oct. 31, 2017. But that letter was not a response to the letter from Barragán and Beyer and was never sent to any Democrat. Barragán and Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) reiterated their call for Zinke to apologize for misleading the committee, Barragán and the American people. “The secretary owes the public and this committee an apology for his misleading testimony, but more than that he owes us the truth about his questionable spending of taxpayer dollars. This is an opportunity for Secretary Zinke to clear up any confusion about his statements and provide the American people with documentation showing that their tax dollars are being spent wisely,” Barragán said.

Port of Los Angeles High School Awarded California Department of Education Grant

April 5 - 18, 2018

Real News, Real People, Totally Relevant

SAN PEDRO ― The Port of Los Angeles High School was awarded the highly competitive Specialized Secondary Programs (SSP) grant over more than a dozen California schools. The California Department of Education has funded 200 programs since 1985. California high schools can use the grant funds for programs which provide students with new, innovative learning opportunities in a specialized content area. The state legislature intends for programs to benefit the state economy by having SSP schools located in close proximity to related industries. POLAHS will receive $35,000 for curriculum planning, and $100,000 for implementation of a new Career Technical Education Video Production pathway over the next fiscal year. The state is expected to release an additional $110,000 in the years following, which will bring the grant total to $245,000.

Long Beach Traffic Fatality

LONG BEACH ― On the evening of March 26, Long Beach police officers responded to a call to the Outer Traffic Circle and Los Coyotes Diagonal on an injury traffic collision resulting in the death of a male adult. Upon the officers arrival Long Beach fire Department was on the scene giving aid to the driver of a Honda Accord. The preliminary investigation found that a 63-year-old male Signal Hill resident drove the Honda eastbound on the Outer Traffic Circle. It’s unknown why he failed to stop, before colliding into the rear of a 2009 Nissan Altima that was stopped in the eastbound left turn lane of the Outer Traffic Circle at Los Coyotes Diagonal. The Nissan was driven by a 32-yearold female resident of Long Beach. The male driver’s identity is being withheld pending notification of family. He was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. The investigation remains ongoing. The female driver was uninjured. Anyone who may have witnessed this collision is asked to contact L.B.P.D Collision Investigation Detective David Lauro at (562) 570-7355. [See News Briefs, p. 7]

A Post-Trump Agenda By Paul Rosenberg, Senior Editor

It’s beginning to sink in that Democrats are likely to regain the House in November, and Trump’s base-only governing strategy is unlikely to win re-election two years after that. So ideas are beginning to surface about what Democrats should do if they regain power in 2020. In his 2009 book, The Progressive Revolution: How the Best in America Came to Be, Democratic strategist Mike Lux argued that progressives have fundamentally reshaped America in a series of relatively brief “big change moments,” lasting only a few years each, in which the vast majority of significant new laws and constitutional amendments have been passed. We had a taste of what that could be like with Barack Obama’s election, but an excess of caution, a fruitless search for consensus with Republicans and insufficient issue organizing in advance all limited the scope of what was achieved, particularly in the face of the unexpected financial crises. The best way to avoid falling short once again is to prepare in advance. Some actions should be no-brainers: immigration reform, gun control and climate change all cry out for swift action, and command broad enough popular support to act quickly, within a few months… except for the Senate filibuster, which could block action on any or all of them. Which is why abolishing the filibuster should be a top priority, along with other democratizing reforms, such as reauthorizing the Voting Rights Act. Beyond that, as explained in the 2016 book Asymmetric Politics: Ideological Republicans and Group Interest Democrats, by David Hopkins and Matt Grossman, Democrats have a long-standing problem of how to satisfy multiple constituencies. There should be a premium on policies that benefit their diverse urban base and rural swing voters who are crucial in supplying Senate majorities and were a key part of New Deal coalition. Broadly beneficial economic policies play a key role in this regard—such as a $15/hour minimum wage, a national job guarantee, and a $4,000 child allowance. In addition, the concept of a “just transition” to a post-carbon future, supporting workers and communities in fossil fuel-producing areas, is vital to ensuring that future arrives in time, and its fruits are shared by all. There are many more things that will need to be done, but getting a few big things right early on will help set the stage for much more to follow. Here, then, is a brief overview of some big ideas worth considering:

Democratization: Abolish the filibuster. The lack of U.S. climate change action alone in 2009/10 is reason enough to get rid of the filibuster. A larger stimulus, a public option, card check unionization, the list of other lost opportunities is filled with major Democratic goals. It would be foolhardy to go through all of that all over again. And if we do, it would be foolhardy to expect voters to keep coming out, just to elect Democrats to do nothing noticeable to improve their lives. Of course that will make it easier for Republicans to do evil in the future. That puts a premium on passing legislation that really

Author and Democratic strategist Mike Lux believes progressives reshape the American system in relatively brief, but significant ways.

makes a difference in people’s lives. And on the next two reforms.

Statehood for D.C. and Puerto Rico: The Trump administration’s colossal failure to respond to the devastation of Puerto Rico by Hurricane Maria sharply underscores Puerto Rico’s need for statehood, and the representation in Washington that comes with it—especially in the Senate. And both would give Democrats more strength in the Senate, making a wide range of other progressive changes more possible. Renew, strengthen and expand the Voting Rights Act: Under GOP control, Congress has refused to act after the Supreme Court effectively gutted the Voting Rights Act’s preventative “preclearance” powers by throwing out the maps used to identify covered areas. Democrats should respond by strengthening the VRA—adding an explicit federal right to vote for all citizens and legal residents, including prisoners and ex-cons— and applying pre-clearance universally, with a broader mandate than protecting minority voting rights: ensuring easy, universal access for all. To facilitate this process, best practice templates should be created for plans to follow.

Expand the Supreme Court to 11 Seats: The court’s size has long been set, not by law, but by an informal norm. But there are more important norms to consider, as Harvard Law professor Mark Tushnet has argued: “The rationale is not (on the surface) to ‘seize control of the judiciary’…. The Democratic proposal for changing the small-c constitutional norm about the Court’s size would be an offer of a new norm – ‘You can’t steal a Supreme Court seat and expect to get away with it.’ Seems like a good new norm to me.”

Economics: Conservative economic policy turns on the perverse notion that the poor have too much money and the rich have too little. This supports tax cuts for the rich on the one hand and fiscal austerity on the other, so the tax cuts are never blamed for the massive deficits they create, and the broadly shared benefits from social spending aren’t considered, much less counted. Progressives need policies that argue the opposite, and do so in appealing, easily graspable ways. Here are four key examples. A $15/Hour Minimum Wage: The federal minimum wage today lags far behind inflation compared to its 1968 peak, and even farther behind the growth in productivity. A $15/hour minimum wage would help set that

right. The Fight for Fifteen has been one of the most successful grassroots movements of the decade. Where it has been implemented—even partially—it has demonstrated that a much higher minimum wage is not the catastrophic job-killer that anti-labor ideologues have made it out to be, but instead helps raise the floor for everyone. While a dramatic overnight increase would be needlessly disruptive, a staged increase—such as California’s, which goes up each year, reaching $15 in 2022—gives businesses plenty of time to develop plans about how to accommodate. This is the model Democrats should adopt for a national minimum wage hike, which should be a cornerstone for a broader package of labor law reforms, including much stronger wage theft enforcement which especially targets low-wage workers, as well the next major proposal.

A Universal Job Guarantee: America is the richest nation in human history, but its wealth is highly concentrated in the hands of a few, while enormous public needs go unmet: infrastructure, healthcare, education, environmental protection, etc. Unemployment has dropped steadily but slowly since the Great Recession, but millions remain outside the job market, wages lag far behind what they should be, and almost everyone’s job is insecure. A universal job guarantee—federally funded, but locally administered to meet prioritized public needs—would change all that, and more. A job isn’t just a source of income, it’s part of one’s identity. A job guarantee means everyone belongs in America—from inner-city youth, whose unemployment rates sometimes top 50 percent to rural residents watching their communities slowly die as their youth move away in droves. It helps those out of work by giving them a job. But it also helps those already employed. When workers compete over a scarce supply of jobs, they have no power, but when employers must [See Agenda, p. 7]

[Agenda from p. 6]

Agenda

compete over an inadequate supply of workers, the shoe is on the other foot. Even the lowestpaid workers can demand higher wages, more benefits, and better working conditions, if they know they can always get another job. On a macro-economic level, it will mean less severe recessions, which in turn means greater long-term growth. Instead of millions being thrown out of work, drastically reducing demand, dragging the economy down with them, they would simply be shifting to other sorts of public sector jobs, with lower pay, perhaps, but still contributing to the economy both as workers and consumers. Preventing mass joblessness will be far cheaper—not to mention far more humane— than spending years struggling to reverse it.

A $4,000 Child Allowance: Since 1970, US child poverty has averaged 20 percent, far more than in other developed countries, with a cost of $500 billion annually, due to lowering productivity (and income), increasing crime rates and raising health expenditures. A $4,000 child allowance would cut child poverty to 14.8 percent — more in line with other countries — at a cost of $160 billion, for a net savings of $340 billion. America lacks a range of other family-friendly policies other countries take for granted, most notably paid family and sick leave, universal pre-K and daycare. Democrats should support all of these as a comprehensive federal pro-family agenda, but the child allowance plays a unique role by clearly demonstrating the logic of a progressive economic approach. A Just Transition to a Post-Carbon Future: Climate change is an existential threat to human civilization as we know it. An estimated $50 billion annually in new public investment

Tony Mazzocchi, the visionary labor leader of the Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers International Union, played a leading role in the creation of OSHA. File photo

is needed for a successful federal climate stabilization program, and just one percent of that—$500 million per year—would be sufficient to provide income, retraining, and relocation support for workers who will lose their jobs in the process as well as transition programs for the broader fossil fuel–dependent communities. The “just transition” concept was pioneered by visionary labor leader Tony Mazzocchi, of the Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers International Union, who played a leading role in the creation of OSHA. Well before climate change emerged as a threat, Mazzocchi argued that society as whole should provide a just transition for workers and communities involved in industries whose toxic downsides have long been ignored or denied. The logic and justice involved are straightforward: all of society has benefited from them in the past, and thus owes them assistance in finding new productive livelihoods in the future. Summing Up: Collectively, the above lay out a progressive economic approach that materially benefits the

vast majority of the American people—and helps to begin reorienting how people think about economic policy more generally. It’s not offered in place of more specific urgent concerns of core Demographic constituencies, such as immigration reform, gun control, climate change, criminal justice and policing reform, etc. Nor is it meant to neglect the need for increased taxes on the rich and corporations (such as a stock trading transaction tax) or the need for renewed antitrust and other corporate regulation. I do not include those both for matters of space, and because they’re already more widely circulated and discussed, but they definitely warrant inclusion as well. This is merely a starting point for others to join. But there is one more thing to address: Foreign policy. In that realm, there has been so much done wrong for so long, with one layer of folly laid on top of another, that it’s exceedingly difficult to begin laying out what a popular alternative might look like. But we can at least begin by reasserting what was originally a conservative response to the Vietnam War: the so-called “Powell Doctrine” (originally the “Weinberger Doctrine”) governing when the US should commit troops to military actions: only when vital national interests are involved, with clearly defined and achievable political and military objectives, a “reasonable assurance” of public support, and only as a last resort. Had the Powell Doctrine been taken seriously by Colin Powell himself after 9/11, we would have never invaded Afghanistan, much less Iraq. Instead, we would have pursued a criminal justice approach toward the terrorists responsible, and the world today would look dramatically different, dramatically more peaceful than the world we live in now. That seems like an excellent foundation on which we could start to build.

[News Briefs, from p. 6]

As Tariffs Emerge, Asia-U.S. Trade Predicted to Grow Seven Percent

The Port of Long Beach’s 14th annual Pulse of the Ports Peak Season Forecast occurred March 28. The event brought together a panel of shipping and trade experts to offer their perspectives on industry trends and how they affect the San Pedro Bay port complex. About 500 people gathered at the Long Beach Convention Center for Pulse of the Ports. Panelist and Drewry Maritime Research Senior Quantitative Economist Mario Moreno predicted Asia-U.S. trade will grow 6.8 percent in 2018, the fastest pace in more than six years. He also estimated the overall U.S. economy will expand 2.8 percent. According to Moreno, while President Donald Trump and China have proposed higher tariffs, an all-out trade war between China and the United States appears unlikely. A webcast of Pulse of the Port is available, with the panelists’ presentations, at www.polb.com/ pulseports.

Infrastructure Grant Workshop In April

The Port of Long Beach will release applications in May for water quality projects under the Community Infrastructure Program. The Port will hold a pre-solicitation workshop on April 25 to prepare potential applicants for this request for proposals. The workshop will describe how to build a strong proposal, key evaluation criteria to be used by staff and the Community Grant Advisory Committee during review and other tips. A presentation for water quality project applicants will be held at 10 a.m. in the Boardroom of the Port’s Interim Administrative Offices, 4801 Airport Plaza Dr., Long Beach. The workshop will be recorded and a link will be available online at www. polb.com/grants.

Real News, Real People, Really Effective April 5 - 18, 2018

The American Crisis of the Infowars By James Preston Allen, Publisher

“To argue with a man who has renounced the use and authority of reason, and whose philosophy consists in holding humanity in contempt, is like administering medicine to the dead, or endeavoring to convert an atheist by scripture.”

— Thomas Paine, The American Crisis, 1776

Real News, Real People, Totally Relevant

The (ultra-right wing) Conservative Caucus is out drumming up patriotic support for the coming conflict over Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s Russian investigation — an investigation that by all appearances will catch Trump in an increasing tangle of lies and deceit. If it comes to any conclusion before the midterm elections, it might just cause an implosion that will shake the very foundations of our government and the economy, or maybe not. My guess is that when his actual taxes are eventually investigated it will be exposed that the president is neither as rich nor as smart as he keeps telling everyone. In the meantime, blind followers have their marching orders and it’s beginning to show. Besides screaming that “the liberals are coming for your guns” and the liberal media and universities are trampling “free speech,” the following is The Conservative Caucus’ to-do list to stopping the “coup” against Trump, including: • Recruit up to 2 million patriots for Trump using e-mail, postal mail, the internet, and videos; • Flood the Republican-controlled congress with a tidal wave of petitions; • Create an information war room to push back on fake news reports about the Trump Administration; • Produce and air TV, radio, print and internet ads that are pro-President Trump and antiimpeachment, anti-Deep State, and anti-coup; • Build a campaign war chest of $10 million that the TCC can draw on each time the liberals and the establishment forces launch a phony new Trump scandal. Curiously, these talking points are the same ones being parroted by Fox News and the Sinclair Broadcast Group. These are the offensive actions of a narcissist who will never admit to being guilty of anything. These are not the actions of an innocent man. First, the “liberal media” accusation — some 90 percent of the media in this country are controlled by a handful of corporations. Only a few could be accused of “being liberal.” Fox News and SBG are in hundreds of markets and are clearly partisan and proud

of their very conservative bias. Trump and his Fox friends’ attack on the news media has only resulted in fewer news media outlets to defend what they consider to be mainstream, which from my perspective is often bereft of anything more left of center than a car chase or the weather lady in a tight dress. However, when truly threatened by Sinclair’s heavy-handed propaganda — forcing all of its affiliates to read scripted political attacks — several TV news stations in Los Angeles and elsewhere stood up to call it out. I was actually shocked that the normally banal chatty news teams and their editors broadcast something of critical importance. Maybe, just maybe, this fake news attack will produce some backbone in the otherwise feckless newsrooms of America — the ones who are suppose to be the defenders of the First Amendment, the purveyors of truth. Yet, what we are now witnessing is the power of the press being used in a disinformation campaign by embattled right wing partisans to undermine American confidence in the veracity of the news distributed by establishment corporate media. I have my own criticisms of the corporate media, but being too liberal isn’t one of them. They are mostly siren chasers, caring more about the next car chase or homicide than they are about investigating truly important news stories. The news as we know it today has drifted far afield from when Walter Cronkite reported on the Vietnam War and concluded that it was a lost cause. Now we are confronted daily with talking heads who only read the news and opinionaters who have never seen a battlefield or reported on a crime scene. On the far right of the spectrum, the opinionaters are nothing more than political partisans implanted in news rooms acting like shock-jocks on talk radio. They are only there to provoke and insinuate, not to expose and reveal. I’m afraid it’s only going to get worse as the Mueller investigation uncovers the unseemly truth about Trump, the Russians, the 2016 election and money laundering. There’s going to be a right wing backlash Publisher/Executive Editor James Preston Allen james@randomlengthsnews.com

April 5 - 18, 2018

Assoc. Publisher/Production Coordinator Suzanne Matsumiya

Managing Editor

“A newspaper is not just for reporting the news as it Terelle Jerricks is, but to make people mad enough to do someeditor@randomlengthsnews.com thing about it.” —Mark Twain Senior Editor Vol. XXXIX : No. 7 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.

Paul Rosenberg

against revealing the facts about Trump and we are already beginning to see it being played out in Orange County with their uprising over immigrant sanctuary status in California and the plight of the homeless. These people are scared and have been whipped up into frenzy with disinformation and propaganda by the same “news” media bringing you the “liberal fake news” message. The failure of the press now — as is often the case — is the failure to place current events into historical context. What we are offered instead is a cacophony of visual excitement with a few seconds of narrative, a crying relative or a shocked neighbor, and the police saying the obvious about a dead victim. This kind of infotainment is now being converted into a form of information warfare where everything is opinion and nothing is fact, where the outrageous lies of a few extremists are balanced against the proven facts so the evidence of global warming goes unheard and the data showing white people commit more crimes, yet more people of color are locked up in prisons is ignored. Or how about the biggest lie that recently came out of the NRA: banning military assault rifles will mean that the liberals are taking away all of your guns. This and much more is circulating out there on the internet and social media and now the uber-right media is shaping public opinion against common sense and reason. It is a war of words using some very basic psychological warfare techniques that have been employed by our own government abroad to manifest confusion and create the conditions for regime change. And as much as Putin and Trump deny it, it’s being used as a weapon right here at home.

Columnists/Reporters Lyn Jensen Reporter Christian Guzman Reporter Richard Foss Restaurant Reviewer Andrea Serna Arts Writer Melina Paris Culture Writer

Cartoonists Ann Cleaves, Andy Singer, Matt Wuerker

Send Calendar Items to: 14days@randomlengthsnews.com

Advertising Representative Justin Shahian Sales1@randomlengthsnews.com

Photographers Jessie Drezner, Terelle Jerricks, Raphael Richardson, Casey Warren Contributors Sara Corcoran, Greggory Moore, Mark Friedman, Karani Johnson

Design/Production Suzanne Matsumiya, Brenda Lopez

Edtorial Intern Alexia Williams Display advertising (310) 519-1442 Classifieds (310) 519-1016 Fax: (310) 832-1000 www.randomlengthsnews.com

Ain’t I a Woman?

The formation of sexual harassment law by black women By Karani Johnson

Before Times Up, before #MeToo, and almost 20 years before Anita Hill, black women filed the first sexual harassment cases in our nation’s courts. They won, set precedent and giving us the very first laws that criminalized sexual harassment. Before these cases, judges considered sexual harassment a personal matter. They feared the lawsuits that might flood the courts if it were deemed a violation that affected women as a group. After these cases, the courts recognized sexual harassment as genderbased discrimination that reinforced women’s subordination as a group, which was prohibited by the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Dianne Rennay Williams was the first successful case in history, which made quidpro-quo sexual harassment a crime in 1976. Williams was a 24 year-old information specialist for the District of Columbia’s Justice Department when her harassment began in 1972. Her supervisor, also black, promised career advancement in exchange for sex. He also requested she wear her dresses shorter, sent her love notes, and accused her of having sex with other men in the office. When [See Woman, 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 Alert POLA Releases Draft EIR for Shell Marine Oil Terminal

Propaganda from POLA

(Re: RLn March 22 issue on waterfront development) Thanks for telling truth to power. That wasn’t a meeting, it was a propaganda show from the port, designed to have the community sit still and keep quiet. It is just as if the waterfront were owned by a private company instead of held in trust for the public. The Harbor Commissioners were not seeking public input about the waterfront plans. If the port leadership wanted to HEAR comment, they would have sent one more commissioner to the meeting, making it an official meeting of the board and requiring public comment under state law for public meetings. Instead, the port leadership

made sure there were just two commissioners there and the public got a onesided presentation, where the port gave us the latest update on what it wants to do and what it will be doing, without seeking public reaction or comment. It is another case of city government and the port being disinterested in what the residents of San Pedro want to see on their waterfront. Peter Warren San Pedro

Dog and Pony Show

It would be hard to match by any stalwart showman or prescient politician the Port of Los Angeles’ dog and pony (flying fish and sea lion?) show March 20 at the Warner Grand Theatre with prolific propaganda that was less about the so called San Pedro waterfront

development than aggrandizement for various groups that really have nothing do with the main channel per se. What was revealed by the ingratiating representatives, who apparently all receive funding from POLA, and continuing lack of historical consideration and sensitivity to local community was revolting. There isn’t enough Dramamine to ameliorate the nauseating feeling after listening to the very well rehearsed presentation. The vox populi might still prevail if the marchers and picketers continue to speak and evoke some compassion and respect by not giving up. Remember “Beacon Street;” then again, Beacon Street

was destroyed by similar myopic mentality and lamented ever since. The “loaded” questions that were summarily condensed did not address relevant issues, such as: • Is there really any funding for the building proposed? • What will be the cost for tenants to lease? • Why is POLA evicting Ports O’Call Restaurant and retaining San Pedro Fish Market when, in fact, POLA will no longer be the lessor once they turn over the property for the long term? • Why do they keep quoting the $25 million revenue that the former brings in that’s not germane to their interest, or is it? The rationale by the developer that the Ports O’Call name needed

to be changed is another specious claim. Ports O’Call will forever be the “brand” that resonates around the world no matter how much these “newcomers” attempt to eradicate it. If they were truly bold and innovative they would figure out how to build on that strong image, not destroy it. There’s the challenge they should consider. Stephanie Mardesich San Pedro

Summertime Bummertime

San Pedro has been on an alltime California seaside BUMMER for many, many years! Yet, the terrible descent has reached deeply [See Letters, p. 19]

[Woman, from p. 8]

Woman

o6 MONTHS/13 ISSUES $20 o1 YEAR/27 ISSUES $36 Subscription

See Above Rates

#of Subscriptions

$ Donation

= $ TOTAL

Your Name Address City Form of payment:

State Check (payable to Random Lengths)

Accnt #

ZIP

Ph.# M/C

Exp Date

Visa

AmEx CVC

Signature Return this form to Random Lengths, P.O. Box 731, San Pedro, CA 90733

April 5 - 18, 2018

Karani Johnson is the author of the award winning play The Trial Of One Short-sighted Black Woman vs Mammy Louise and Safreeta Mae. She is also a former television writer and a victim of sexual harassment.

DON’T MISS AN ISSUE! SUBSCRIBE TODAY

she rejected his advances, he found fault with her work, publicly humiliated her, refused to inform her of matters pertinent to her job and then fired her. Williams understood procedure because her job was to provide mediation services against racial discrimination, so she immediately filed a complaint with an EEO officer. It was denied on the grounds she was no longer an employee. At trial, the government portrayed Williams as a loose and immoral woman. Her harasser claimed he fired her for poor job performance. The lower courts upheld this claim. Her case climbed up and down the judicial ladder for almost 9 years, in what she described as a degrading and emotionally-draining experience. Finally, a federal district court judge found the only poor job performance to be related to the environment her supervisor had created. He then ruled in her favor, proving quid-proquo sexual harassment was sex/gender based discrimination, covered under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The decision sent shock throughout the country. Paulette Barnes, a payroll clerk at the US Environmental Protection Agency, followed in 1977. Her supervisors, at the agency’s Equal Opportunity Division, abolished her job after a daunting campaign of humiliation that included belittling her publicly, stripping away her duties until they simply abolished her job completely. Initially, her complaint to the Civil Service Commission was rejected. The commission ruled that Barnes was not penalized because she was a female, but because she rejected her supervisor’s advances. In 1974, a lower court judge agreed and dismissed her case, stating that requests for sex, from her supervisor, did not violate the law. In 1977, the federal appellate court ruled that she was asked for sex because she was a woman, and the resulting retaliation was sexual harassment and a crime. Her case proved that retaliation is sexual harassment and is illegal under Title VII of the Civil Acts. In 1981, Sandra Bundy prevailed in a case that revolved around a hostile work environment at the District of Columbia Department of Corrections. Although she earned several promotions, she did so while harassed by multiple male supervisors beginning in 1972. The District Court originally ruled that her rights had not been violated, citing sexual harassment as simply “standard operating procedure at the DCDC.” Upon appeal the prestigious D.C. Circuit Court reversed that decision, and made history as the first federal appeals court to declare a “Hostile Work Environment” to be discrimination even if one is not fired. To read Karani Johnson’s entire article, visit www. randomlengthsnews.com

Real News, Real People, Really Effective

SAN PEDRO— The Port of Los Angeles has prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the marine oil terminal located at Berths 167-169 in Wilmington, operated by Shell Oil Company. Shell has a long-term lease with the Port for operation of the terminal through 2023, which would be superseded by a new 30-year lease. The proposed project is needed to comply with Marine Oil Terminal Engineering and Maintenance Standards (MOTEMS) — building standards that apply to all marine oil terminals in California. The Draft EIR includes discussion of the proposed project’s environmental impacts and identifies mitigation measures to reduce these impacts as required under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). In 2016, the Port released an Initial Study/Notice of Preparation (IS/NOP) to prepare the Draft EIR. The Draft EIR includes all of the comments received during the IS/ NOP public comment period. The 45-day public comment and review period for the Draft EIR is from March 27 to May 10, 2018. During this time, the Port will accept written comments and hold a public meeting on April 11, 6 p.m., at the Port of Los Angeles Administration Building, located at 425 S. Palos Verdes Street in San Pedro, to present its findings and provide opportunity for public comment. A copy of the document is available for public review at the following locations: • www.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 • L.A. Public Library, Central Branch, 630 West 5th Street, Los Angeles Comments on the Draft EIR must be submitted in writing by the end of the 45-day public review period and must be postmarked by May 10, 2018. Please submit written comments to: Port of Los Angeles Chris Cannon, Director of Environmental Management P.O. Box 151, San Pedro, CA 90733-0151 ceqacomments@portla.org Comments sent via email should include the project title in the subject line and body of the email in letter format. Questions about this notice or project should be directed to the Port of Los Angeles Environmental Management Division at (310) 732-3675. For more information, visit portoflosangeles.org.

RANDOMLetters

[Barber from p. 2]

Barber

April 5 - 18, 2018

Real News, Real People, Totally Relevant

for me is that he stand up for himself.” Lil Ron described his father as not taking an active role in his child-rearing until he started playing football. When Lil Ron started showing aptitude at the quarterback position, Big Ron studied the position with almost fanatical obsession. He began instructing, conditioning and training Lil Ron into a high quality quarterback. When Lil Ron made it to high school, Big Ron pulled his son out of San Pedro High and enrolled him in Banning, believing it had a stronger program at the time than his alma mater. If Lil Ron fumbled the ball in the game, he was made to run, switching the ball to either hand for five miles or more after the game.

Big Ron met Lil Ron’s mother, Victoria Auch, when he was at Arizona State University. Most San Pedrans who’ve had a meal at the Pacific Diner probably would know her as Vicky the waitress and would have been served by her at some point in time or another over the past 40 years. What most wouldn’t know about her is that she was an Olympian who competed with and against some of the greats of her era. Vicky competed in tennis and track and field. She competed in the Olympic trials for the 1960 Olympic games against the barrierbreaking Wilma Rudolph. She placed 10th in the shot put finals

Jersey No. 23

Big Ron’s San Pedro Pirate teammates, from Tony Rodich to Leonard Olguin, describe Barber as a great teammate, a great running back, a great leader, or maybe even a good friend. But the word that seems a better description of his relationships is “aloofness.” Few would make the mistake of calling him a “hugger,” or a pal you could call up to share a laugh over a funny joke. He was like this with family and friends. “He was very discipline oriented,” Lil Ron said. “He was Ronnie Barber Jr., Ronnie Barber Sr., and Ronnie Barber III. Photo courtesy of the tough… He just didn’t play. I Barber family. was scared of him for the most but didn’t qualify in the javelin or the discus. “At part… He had a sort of ‘it’s my way or the the time you were only allowed to compete in one highway,’ sort of attitude. I knew he loved me.” Ronald Barber Sr. could have been qualifier,” Vicky said. Vicky noted that Earlene Brown changed that inducted into the San Pedro Sportswalk to the Waterfront a long time ago. in the 1964 Olympics. “I remember when they wanted to induct “[Earlene Brown] she was member of the Tigerbells Roller Derby team. They called her the him,” Lil Ron recounted. “He asked them, ‘What took you so long?’ 747.” At the time, Big Ron’s No. 23 jersey When Vicky became pregnant with Lil Ron and Big Ron’s grades made it impossible for him number was retired by the San Pedro High to stay at Arizona State, Big Ron told her he was School Booster Club. Big Ron believed racism was the reason going home to San Pedro, and she went with him. he wasn’t honored sooner. Lil Ron recounted Big Ron’s last shot at the pros was when Coach going to a San Pedro High School football Paul Brown from the Cincinnati Bengals called. “My dad sat out for about three years, but he game in 1995 and seeing that the jersey No. stayed in shape,” Lil Ron said. “Paul Brown from 23 was still being used. Lil Ron called the the Cincinnati Bengals called and asked my father Daily Breeze and confirmed that the number was indeed retired and shared with him the to try out. They knew about his talent.” Brown was an executive in the All-America news article confirming it. Coach Walsh, the Football Conference (AAFC) and National coach of the Pirates at the time, said he didn’t Football League (NFL). Brown co-founded and know. Lil Ron believed the Boosters knew. They took No. 23 off the field. Big Ron was the first coach for the Cleveland Browns, a team named after him. He even played a role in considered filing a lawsuit over the matter, but founding the Cincinnati Bengals. It should also never went through with it. Ronald Barber III played in 2003 and be noted that Brown played a significant role in 2004 as a running back. The No. 23 jersey integrating the AAFC and the NFL. Big Ron tried out as a wide receiver instead was taken out of retirement for him. “Which of a running back, his natural position. Lil Ron is only right,” Lil Ron said. “He was supposed explained that his father was one of the last to be to have it.” Olguin, familiar with the controversy, said cut. Lil Ron said this was one of his father’s regrets the misunderstanding was resolved at Coach in life. Seixas’ funeral in 2013. “Ronnie Sr. had a bitter taste in his mouth, a chip on his shoulder because they retired his number. He believed Coach Walsh had something to do with it but he didn’t.” Ronnie Sr.’s my-way-or-the-highway outlook had its consequences. For a short time, it drove his son and his wife away. “When I was 18, I couldn’t wait to go. When I went to UCLA, I stayed in the dorms but he made me drive home every single day, just to make sure I was doing my work.” This level of discipline ultimately backfired. “I started to get upset. It caused me to rebel.” Not long after entering UCLA, Lil Ron found himself on academic probation. “I went to stay with a friend in Ventura, but I never went back to school.” Big Ron eventually tracked his son down and expressed regret and told him if he wanted to go to junior college or go to a different school, he had his blessing. That was when their relationship as father and son turned a corner. In many respects, little came easily to Big Ron. The stories that form the basis of his legend make it seem that all the success was a foregone conclusion. But for Big Ron, the man, it was trial and error every step of the way.

A Sense of

Pl ac e th

rough Past and Present By Melina Paris, Music Columnist

[See David Ivar, p. 16]

Real News, Real People, Really Effective

San Pedro artist David Ivar of the band, Herman Dune will soon release an indie-folk album called, Sweet Thursday, entirely recorded in two days here in town at Ivar’s Santa Cruz Studio. This is all clear enough but may become puzzling as the multiple expressions of David Ivar are revealed. David Ivar is a singer, performer and songwriter who has performed under the names Yaya, David Ivar, and Black Yaya. He has been recording since 1999, releasing records and touring the world. David Ivar is also a visual artist of ink, watercolors, oil, pencils, collage and sculpture. He has shown his work around the world since 2006. Sweet Thursday’s title comes from the third volume of the Cannery Row trilogy by John Steinbeck. Its nine tracks are set for a May 17 release. Random Lengths News spoke to Ivar about his new record, his affinity for San Pedro and The Grapes of Wrath author. “Steinbeck is important to me, and even more so since I moved to San Pedro,” Ivar said. “Grapes of Wrath was a shock to me, not only for the sheer beauty of the writing, the fabulous descriptions of California, and the mix of sweet eroticism and spirituality, but also because the characters of Sweet Thursday are full of human emotion, and none of them is greed.” Ivar continued on about Steinbeck and California: “People of the hills above Cannery Row don’t care about careers, money, having more things than their neighbors, but want to drink wine, watch the sun rise and make love. “Living in big cities like Paris and Los Angeles, where life is centered around gathering enough dough to survive, can really make you forget the real joys of existence, and Sweet Thursday is one of these books that are here to remind you what they are (including reading Steinbeck).” “The similarities with the harbor neighborhood of San Pedro where I live and the Monterey of Cannery Row, as in Steinbeck’s books, because now

April 5 - 18, 2018

David Ivar from the band Herman Dune near his studio on Santa Cruz St. in San Pedro. Photo by Pierre Auroux.

If You Don’t Ask, You Don’t Know:

Secret Menu Specialties at Neil’s By Richard Foss, Dining and Cuisine Writer

My friends make fun of me because I usually don’t know what I’m going to order at a restaurant until our server is standing there with a notepad. I have heard many variations of, “You’d think that as much as you dine out, you’d be decisive by now.” But I shrug it off every time. No matter how much I read the menu, I rarely know how a place operates until I talk to the server. This isn’t just because servers probably know the daily specials, what the kitchen does best, or what the

cooks are out of. If I’m lucky, servers also tell me about the secret items that make dining at their restaurant really worthwhile. I’ll give you an example. My friend, John, bugged me for years to visit Neil’s Pasta and Seafood Grill in San Pedro. But I never made the time. The menu on the website looked generic; nothing made it stand out from the other Italian places in the area. Ultimately, it was John, himself, who got me to Neil’s Pasta and Seafood

Real News, Real People, Totally Relevant

Bucatini Amatriciana, a dish of pasta tossed with guanciale (peppery smoked pork) in tomato-based sauce is served with green beans and roasted potato. Photo by Richard Foss. Left, Neil’s dining room.

20% OFF

YOUR ENTIRE BILL w/RLn coupon, not valid w/other offers. Excludes alcohol. Exp. 4/30/18

Free Appetizer WITH 2 ENTRÉES

April 5 - 18, 2018

w/RLn coupon, not valid w other offers. Exp. 4/30/18

Grill. Curious about what he saw in the place, I finally joined him there. When it came time to order, Neil himself came out of the kitchen. I asked him where in Italy he grew up. He answered Ischia, an island off the coast of Naples, so I asked him to bring things that were typical of that cuisine. Neil grinned, asked if I had any food restrictions, then headed into the kitchen and went to work. I had no idea what was going to come out, but I was sure it was going to be the best thing he could cook. We waited while enjoying some good bread that was served with a mix of mascarpone cheese and marinara; I found the combination slightly odd but kept nibbling. The first thing to arrive was a rabbit salad that isn’t on the menu, but apparently is often available. The roasted meat had been shredded and tossed with potatoes, arugula, tomato, and onion in a zesty herb dressing. It was delicious. Later, I looked up the cuisine of Ischia and found that my rabbit salad is one of the island’s signature dishes. Ischia instantly jumped several notches higher on my list of tourist destinations. Soup is included with dinner, and we chose lobster bisque and minestrone. Both were less robust than typical Southern Italian dishes. As it turns out, this is characteristic Ischian spicing, which is appropriate for a region specializing in seafood with modestly accented natural flavors. An example of this arrived next, a plate of scallops with orange segments in a Grand Marnier cream sauce. The touch of liqueur [See Secret, p. 13]

[Secret from p. 12]

Secret Menu

added depth to a sauce that otherwise might have crossed the line into blandness, and it was a sound pairing with the seafood. Green beans and roasted potato rounded out the plate. It was a substantial meal. That light touch didn’t work as well with bucatini Amatriciana because that dish of pasta tossed with guanciale (peppery smoked pork) in tomato-based sauce is usually spiked with a substantial dash of chili. It originated in the Lazio region near Rome, and the version served here is probably the islander’s local interpretation. The traditional version is thicker and contains more of the melted pork fat, which may be unhealthy by modern standards but punches it with flavor. It was an interesting

BIG NICK’S PIZZA

Tradition, variety and fast delivery—you get it all at Big Nick’s Pizza. The best selection of Italian specialties include hearty calzones, an array of pastas and our amazing selection of signature pizzas. We offer a wide selection of appetizers, salads, beer and wine. Call for fast delivery. Hours: 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sun.-Thurs.; 10 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Fri.-Sat. Big Nicks’ Pizza, 1110 N. Gaffey St., San Pedro • (310) 732-5800 • www. bignickspizzasp.com

BRITE SPOT MEXICAN RESTAURANT

BUONO’S AUTHENTIC PIZZERIA

THE CHORI-MAN

SAN PEDRO BREWING COMPANY

HAPPY DINER AND HAPPY DELI

The Happy Diner isn’t your average diner. It’s the idea of fresh creative dishes in two San Pedro locations, and now a third—the Happy Deli. The selections range from Italian and Mexican influenced entrées to American Continental. Happy Diner chefs are always creating something new—take your pick of grilled salmon over pasta or tilapia and vegetables prepared any way you like. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner: Happy Diner #1, 617 S. Centre St., San Pedro • (310) 241-0917 • Happy Diner #2, 1931 N. Gaffey St., San Pedro • (310) 935-2933 • Open for breakfast and lunch: Happy Deli, 530 S. Gaffey St., San Pedro (424) 364-0319

JACKSON’S PLACE

Jackson’s Place is the area’s newest Cajun eatery featuring Louisiana classics such as gumbo, jambalaya, po’boy sandwiches and grits. Menu additions include potato andouille croquettes, entrée salads, fresh seafood dishes and more. Live music five nights a week, Wine Wednesdays (half-off bottles after 6 p.m.), happy hour and a First Thursday after party makes Jackson’s Place an evening hotspot. During remodeling, open for dinner only Tues. - Sun. Jackson’s Place, 335 W. 7th St., San Pedro • (424) 477-5220

A micro brewery and American grill, SPBC features handcrafted awardwinning ales and lagers served with creative pastas, BBQ, sandwiches, salads and burgers. A full bar with made-from-scratch margaritas and a martini menu all add fun to the warm and friendly atmosphere. Live music. Open from 11:30 a.m., daily. San Pedro Brewing Company, 331 W. 6th St., San Pedro • (310) 831-5663 • www. sanpedrobrewing.com

SONNY’S BISTRO AND THINK CAFE

Sonny and Carly Ramirez are the husband and wife team behind Sonny’s Bistro and Think Café. Their hands-on attention to detail makes the restaurants successful, in both quality and service. Sonny’s Bistro’s lunch and dinner menus feature locally-sourced and hand-selected meats, seafood and seasonal vegetables. Try the $10 lunch menu served Mon.-Fri. Think Café serves breakfast in addition to lunch and dinner with egg dishes, omelettes and griddle cakes. Both restaurants have a selection of fine wines and beers. Sonny’s Bistro, 1420 W. 25th St., San Pedro. Hours: Mon.-Fri. 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sat. and Sun. from 4 p.m. • (310) 548-4797. Think Cafe, 302 W. 5th St., San Pedro. Hours: Mon.-Sat., 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sun. 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. • (310) 519-3662.

Waterfront Dining

PORTS O’ CALL RESTAURANT

Since 1961 this landmark restaurant has extended a hearty welcome to visitors from around the globe. Delight in an aweinspiring view of the LA Harbor while enjoying fresh California cuisine and varietals. Relax in the bar or patio for the best happy hour on the waterfront. With each purchase of the award-winning Sunday Champagne Brunch, receive the first Spirit Cruises harbor cruise of the day free. Open 7 days, lunch and dinner. Free parking.

TAXCO MEXICAN RESTAURANT

We are proud to serve our community for almost three d e c a d e s . Generous plates of traditional Mexican fare are the draw at this homey, family-friendly restaurant. For a limited time: Combos #1-12—buy one, get the second for half off (of equal or lesser value.) Offer expires 4/25/18. Catering for every occasion, beer, wine and margaritas to your taste. Tony and Vini Moreno welcome you. Open Sun. and Mon. 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Tues.-Sat., 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Taxco Mexican Restaurant, 29050 S. Western Ave., Rancho Palos Verdes • (310) 5474554, www.taxcorestaurantpv.com

Ports O’Call Waterfront Dining, 1199 Nagoya Way, LA Harbor, Berth 76, San Pedro • (310) 833-3553 • www. portsocalldining.com

SPIRIT CRUISES

An instant party— complete with all you need to relax and enjoy while the majesty of the harbor slips by. Dinner cruise features a 3-course meal, full bar, unlimited cocktails and starlight dancing—the ultimate excursion for any occasion. Free parking. Spirit Cruises, 1199 Nagoya Way, LA Harbor - Berth 77, San Pedro • (310) 548-8080, (562) 495-5884, www.spiritmarine.com

April 5 - 18, 2018

Fourth-generation artisanal chorizo and meats. Purchase chorizo by the pound or try our burritos and tacos! Menu specials change weekly. Open Thurs., 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Fri. - Sun., 8 a.m.

to 8 p.m. For catering email: info@thechoriman.com for catering and special orders. The Chori-Man, 2309 S. Alma St., San Pedro • (424) 287-2414

A San Pedro landmark for over 44 years, famous for exceptional awardwinning pizza baked in brick ovens. Buono’s also offers classic Italian dishes and sauces based on tried-and-true family recipes and hand-selected ingredients that are prepared fresh. Dine-in, take-out and catering. There are two locations in Long Beach. Hours: Sun.-Thurs. 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Fri. and Sat. 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Buono’s Pizzeria, 1432 S. Gaffey St., San Pedro • (310) 5470655 • www.buonospizza.com

cuisine. I’ll keep asking about secrets and specials everywhere too, just in case it works this well again. Neil’s Pasta & Seafood Grill is at 383 W. 5th St., San Pedro. Open midweek 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 to 8:30 p.m., Sat. 5 to 9 p.m., closed Sun. Wine and beer served, wheelchair access, adjacent parking lot. Menu at neilspastaseafood.com, (310) 548-3495.

Real News, Real People, Really Effective

No matter when your day begins, you can always get a hearty breakfast at a great price at Brite Spot. Breakfast is served all day long. We serve freshly prepared, authentic Mexican food. We offer all the family favorites, from tacos to tamales, from caldo to chile, fresh seafood and much more. Brite Spot Mexican Restaurant is your late-night spot for when you want a night out on the town. Hours: 7 a.m. to midnight, daily. Brite Spot, 615 S. Pacific Ave., San Pedro • (310)833-2599 • www. britespotsanpedro.com

variation, but I prefer the original. We finished with a very good tiramisu and glasses of limoncello, the tart liqueur that is another specialty of the coast. Dinner for two with three glasses of wine ran $127, on the high side for the area but worth it for an unusual experience. Now that I know the secret of negotiating the menu with Neil himself, I’m likely to stop in to try more of the island-style

Welcome to the Neighborhood:

PacFAB Museum

Get the latest Restaurant Reviews, Dining & Food News delivered to your in box every other week

April 5 - 18, 2018

Real News, Real People, Totally Relevant

Reach an additional 2,000 Diners Advertise on RLn’s dining E-Blast

the profession of bartending and expanding An unusual new museum has just consumer knowledge of mixology. Founded opened its doors in San Pedro. The by craft cocktail pioneer Dale DeGroff and nonprofit Pacific Food & Beverage Museum, a group of eminent cocktail authorities out also known as PacFAB, has a permanent of New Orleans, this new museum is led space for its collection in San Pedro, led by by Dobard and will provide educational President Philip Dobard PacFAB has been offering culinary talks, mixology seminars, and curated dinners to the residents of Southern California since the summer of 2013. Now, PacFAB, including The Museum of the American Cocktail, has a permanent home of its own. Director Tracey Mitchell said PacFAB will showcase the work of those who have shaped, and continue to shape, our nation’s cuisine — PacFAB president, Philip Dobard. File photo. from California and resources to professionals and enthusiasts in the American west, to the Pacific Rim and the fine art of crafting the cocktail through beyond, examining the past, present, and seminars and programs conducted by experts future of food and drink. from locations across the country and globe. The Museum of the American Cocktail, Details: www.natfab.org/pacific-food-andalso known as MOTAC, is a non-profit beverage museum dedicated to raising awareness and Venue: 731 S. Pacific Ave., San Pedro respect for the American cocktail, advancing

018

8•2 1 5 l i r p a Live Entertainment April 6

The Power of Women 2 Celebrate “The Power of Women 2” through the photos of Viviana Camacho from the Los Angeles Women’s March 2018. Live music from Bearcoon and a tap takeover with Drake’s Brewing. Ten percent of the draft beer sales go to the non-profit Artful Thinking and The LA Pink Dragons. Time: 6 to 10 p.m. April 6 Cost: Free Details: www.facebook.com/ thesociallistlb/ Venue: The Social List, 2105 E. 4th St., Long Beach MOLAA Jazz Festival and Spring Celebration Get inspired by the rich culture and wide mix of jazz styles as the Museum of Latin American Art celebrates spring. This festival includes local ensembles, interactive activities and gallery tours. Food and drinks available for purchase. Time: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 8 Cost: Free Details: www.molaa.org Venue: MOLAA, 628 Alamitos Ave., Long Beach

April 12

Angelo Pagan y son candela Find the stairs leading you underground to a live speakeasy for a Latin-inspired evening full of music by Angelo Pagan y son candela, salsa dancing and drink specials all night. Time: 8 p.m., April 12 Cost: $15 to $20 Details: www.longbeachharvelles. com Venue: Harvelle’s Downtown Long Beach, 201 E. Broadway, Long Beach

April 14

Hugh Von Kleist Trio Every Sunday evening, Hugh Von Kleist Trio, piano, sax, bass and drums Time: 9 to 12 p.m. Sundays Cost: Free Details: Facebook, Hugh Von Kleist Music Venue: Harold’s Place, 1908 S. Pacific Ave., San Pedro

April Peter and The Starcatcher In this highly imaginative and theatrical origin story, we discover how a mysterious trunk filled with a mysterious substance known as starstuff is about to shape the destinies of all who encounter it. Time: Fri-Sat 8 p.m., Sun 2 p.m., April 7-May 5 Cost: $10 to $27 Details: www.lbplayhouse.org Venue: Long Beach Playhouse, 5021 E. Anaheim St., Long Beach

April 14

Hugh Von Kleist Duo Jazz guitar and sax Time: 6 to 9 p.m. April 6 to 20 Cost: Free Details: www.blowingold.com Venue: Doubletree Hotel, 28th Street Bar and Grill, 2800 Via Cabrillo Marina, San Pedro

Petra and the Wolf A new work for young audiences inspired from the Prokofiev classic Peter and the Wolf, with captivating large-scale puppetry by Glass Half Full Theatre and a new instrumental score written and performed live by the band Mother Falcon Time: 2 p.m., April 14 Cost: $10 to $20 Details: www.torrancearts.org (310) 781-7171 Venue: James Armstrong Theater, 3330 Civic Center Dr., Torrance

Theater

Film

April 6

Quartet In this funny and poignant play, Cecily, Reggie and Wilf live in a home for retired opera singers, where, each year, they take part in a concert to celebrate Verdi’s birthday. Time: 8 p.m. April 6 and 7, 2 p.m. April 8 Cost: $23 to $27 Details: www.littlefishtheatre.org Venue: Little Fish Theatre, 777 S. Centre St., San Pedro Candide Hosted by Cal State Long Beach Bob Cole Conservatory Choral, Vocal and Opera Studies Time: 8 p.m. April 6, 12 p.m. and 8 p.m. April 7, 2 p.m. April 8 Cost: $25 Details: http://web.csulb.edu/ colleges/cota/theatre/ Venue: CSULB University Theater, 1250 Bellflower Blvd., Long Beach Nice Work If You Can Get It Written by two-time Tony Awardwinner Joe DiPietro (Memphis) and based on material by Guy Bolton and P.G. Wodehouse, The New York Times called Nice Work If You Can Get It, “George and Ira Gershwin’s hilarious screwball musical comedy. Time: 8 p.m. and 1 and 2 p.m. weekend matinees, April 6 to 22 Cost: Tickets start at $20 Details: www.musical.org, Venue: Carpenter Performing Arts Center, 6200 E. Atherton, Long Beach, (562) 856-1999 ext. 4 In the Next Room In the Next Room (or the vibrator play), by playwright, Sarah Ruhl’s is a comedy set in the 1880s about sex, intimacy, equality, and the use of a new instrument to treat female “hysteria.” Time: April 6, 7, 13, and 14 at 8 p.m., and April 15 at 2 p.m Cost: $15 to $10 Details: Intended for a mature audience. Tickets www.csudh.edu/ theatre/tickets. (310) 243-3589.

April 15

Pacific Coast International Short Film Festival IV Torrance Cultural Arts Foundation presents the fourth annual International Short Film Festival, where the audience selects the “Best of the Fest.” See the work of the best and brightest young filmmakers from around the world. Time: 7 p.m. April 15 Cost: Free Details: Tickets www.torrancearts. org, (310) 781-7171 Venue: James Armstrong Theater, 3330 Civic Center Dr., Torrance

Art

April 5 Novel Concepts Regina Argentina’s compelling show represents a new body of narrative paintings illustrating three graphic novels she created. The intention is to illustrate these film noir style dystopian stories with paintings that stand on their own. The pieces represent moments and sometimes overlapping images of novel highlights. Time: 6 p.m. April 5 Cost: Free / suggested donation Details: www.engagedaging.org (562) 436-0700 Venue: Pac Arts Gallery, 303 S. Pacific Ave., San Pedro Transitions — 7 Korean Artists Group show of distinguished Korean artists exploring the changes and shifts around us all. Acrylic, oil, mixed media revealing a glimpse of the ephemeral. Show runs through April 28. Reception for the artist April 7, 12 to 6 p.m. Time: 2 to 6 p.m. April 5 Cost: Free Details: www.DekorGallery.com Venue: Dekor Gallery, 445 W. 6th St., San Pedro Treasures from the Voyage of Dreams Sculptures and assemblages by

Angels Gate Cultural Center is home to one of the largest studio artists programs in Southern California. The artists represent a diverse body of disciplines, including ceramics, printmaking, painting, photography, writing and music. Two new exhibitions in the galleries will be open. Enjoy an afternoon of art, food, music and fun, where all ages will find something to celebrate. Learn about classes and programs AGCC offers. Time: 12 to 4 p.m. April 7 Cost: Free Details: www.angelsgateart.org Venue: Angels Gate Cultural Center, 3601 Gaffey St., San Pedro

James Preston Allen on view at Gallery 741. Opening reception on April 5, First Thursday. Time: 6 p.m. April 5 Cost: Free Venue: Gallery 741, 520 W. 8th St., San Pedro Details: (310) 351-0070

April 7

Marina del Pedro Marina del Pedro includes artwork from students at the Boys & Girls Club of the Los Angeles Harbor, historical material from the San Pedro Bay Historical Society archives and community submissions. This exhibit is supported by the Port of Los Angeles through the Port Community Investment Grant. The exhibition is curated by artist Tim Maxeiner, who thinks of Marina del Pedro as a community archive. Time: 12 to 4 p.m. April 7 Cost: Free Details: www.angelsgateart.org Venue: Angels Gate Cultural Center, 3601 Gaffey St., San Pedro

April 11

An Unfolding in Time Join in a discussion with Sally Yard on Robert Irwin’s lush landscape design of the Getty Center Central Garden and the unrealized Miami International Airport project featured in Robert Irwin: Site Determined. The exhibition closes April 15. Time: 7 p.m. April 11 Cost: Free Details: uam@csulb.edu (562) 985-5761 Venue: University Art Museum, CSULB, 1250 N. Bellflower Blvd., Long Beach

April14

Red Dawn The Cultural Alliance of Long Beach is pleased to present Red Dawn, a group exhibition curated by photographer and Long Beach City College instructor Neil Frances. The exhibit features the work of six contemporary LBCC students and alumni presenting a photo exhibit on what “resistance” means to them. The show runs through April 28. Time: 6 p.m. April 14 Cost: Free Details: Venue: 737 Pine Ave., Ste. B, Long Beach

Ongoing

Karen Koblitz: Cultural Diplomacy El Camino College Art Gallery presents the vibrant ceramic work of Karen Koblitz — artist, traveler and educator. Throughout her life she has studied and deepened her comprehension of foreign cultural fundamentals and artistic techniques. As a way of digesting her experiences, she incorporates elements of design as well as a sense of the historical underpinnings of the regions she explores. The show runs through April 26. Time: Monday, Tuesday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Wednesday, Thursday, 12 to 7:30 p.m. Cost: Free Details: www.elcamino.edu Venue: El Camino College Art Gallery, 16007 Crenshaw Blvd,. Torrance

Community April 7

Dramatic Results Street Art Festival and Fundraiser Dramatic Results is an awardwinning, non-profit agency that solves educational challenges through arts-integrated programs delivered directly in the classrooms of Title 1 schools throughout Long Beach. Time: 3 p.m. April 7 Cost: $25 Details: www.dramaticresults.org Venue: Dramatic Results Studio, 3310 Lime Ave., Signal Hill 5k Autism Awareness Walk/Run Come out by yourself or form a team of friends, family or co-workers and join the City of Carson raise awareness of autism. Time: 7 a.m. April 7 Cost: $15 includes t-shirt and medal Details: www.city-carson-autism5k. eventbrite.com, (310) 835-0212 Venue: Veterans Park, 22400 Moneta Ave., Carson Beach Cleanup Through Cabrillo Marine Aquarium Help keep the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium coastal park clean and eco-friendly. Come lend a hand. Time: 8 to 10 a.m. April 7 Cost: Free Details: (310) 548-7562 Venue: Meet at the steps in front of the John M. Olguin Auditorium, 3720 Stephen M. White Dr., San Pedro

April 14

Poetry Reading at Philippine Expressions Bookshop Vics Magsaysay, James Preston Allen, Felix Fojas and Giovanni Ortega will read selections from their works in honor of National Poetry Month. Time: 3 p.m. April 14 Details: (310) 514-9139 Venue: Philippine Expressions Bookshop, 479 W. 6th St., Ste# 105, San Pedro

April 14

Tidepool Wonders Explore some great low tides on the rocky shore with CMA staff and volunteers. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Non-slip shoes and outdoor clothing are recommended. Time: 1:30 to 3 p.m. April 14 and 2 to 3:30 p.m. April 15 Cost: Free Details: www.cabrillomarine aquarium.org, (310) 548-7562. Venue: Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, 3720 Stephen M. White Dr., San Pedro.

April 15

National Crime Victims’ Rights Week Pancake Breakfast This year’s theme is Expand the Circle: Reach All Victims. The theme focuses on the importance inclusiveness — recognizing the wide range of victims and sharing the strategies to deliver appropriate services and support to every victim of crime. Time: 8 a.m. April 15 Cost: Details: victimvoices@yahoo. com, (310) 738-4218 Venue: 603 University Dr. Carson, at University Dr. and Avalon Blvd.

April 17

Meet the Grunion CMA presents Meet the Grunion program. Prior to the predicted run, everyone will gather on the beach to await the grunion. Time: 8 p.m. April 17. Cost: $5 to $1 Details: www.cabrillomarine aquarium.org Venue: John M. Olguin Auditorium, 3720 Stephen M. White Drive, San Pedro

April 5 - 18, 2018

April 17

Momentum 2018 Palos Verdes Peninsula High School choreo Presents Momentum 2018 Time: 7 p.m. April 17 to 19 Cost: $13 Details: (310) 377-4888

Jazz Happy Hour Wednesdays Sylvia Rodriguez Trio, vocals, guitar and bass Time: 5:30 to 9 p.m. every Wednesday Cost: Free Details: www.sylviarodriguezmusic. com Venue: Blu Lounge, Crown Plaza Hotel, 601 Palos Verdes St., San Pedro

April 7

The Cult Legendary British rock band The Cult will headline the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach’s RockN-Roar Concert. The 2018 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach takes place April 13 to 15. Time: 6 p.m. April 14 Cost: Free to race ticket holders Details: (888) 827-7333. Venue: In front of the Long Beach Performing Arts Center, 300 E. Ocean Blvd., Long Beach

Ongoing

Angels Gate Cultural Center OPEN STUDIOS

Real News, Real People, Really Effective

April 13

Tribute to Ray Charles Pianist and vocalist, Joe McBride and saxophonist Kenny Blake bring their own styles to Ray Charles’ best songs. Time: 8 p.m. April 13 Cost: $25 to $35 Details: www.torranceart.org, (310) 781-7171 Venue: James Armstrong Theatre 3330 Civic Center Dr., Torrance

Venue: James Armstrong Theatre, 3330 Civic Center Dr., Torrance

Venue: California State University, Dominguez Hills University Theatre, 1000 E. Victoria St., Carson.

[David Ivar from p. 11]

David Ivar

Real News, Real People, Totally Relevant

it is more of a farce really. It really struck me, and I took it as a sign that I had found a home...” Born and raised in Paris, France, to a Swedish mother and Moroccan father, Ivar came to San Pedro in 2015. To his pleasant surprise he discovered a link to the union. Ivar’s grandfather, from a village in Northern Sweden, was the union representative of the International Steelworkers Union. Ivar was reminded of his grandfather when he learned about Joe Hill (1879 - 1915), the martyred SwedishAmerican labor activist and songwriter, who joined the Industrial Workers of the World in 1910 and served for several years as the secretary for the San Pedro local. Hill wrote the iconic songs, The Preacher and the Slave and Casey Jones — A Union Scab.” “When I moved here, literally four blocks from my house is a plaque to Joe Hill,” Ivar said. “My friends who are political got so excited when they saw the plaque. So I started reading about him... I started reading his lyrics and singing his songs. I found, especially when you move to a new town and when you have something that feels familiar, close to your heart, that it’s nice.” Ivar shot all nine of his videos for Sweet Thursday in San Pedro. Its sound blends folk and alt rock and even a little bit of soul. This French man has created a very American sound on Sweet Thursday. The album is written by Ivar who plays guitar and sings,

while Kyle McNeill plays bass and harmonizes and Lewis Pullman plays drums. Ivar lavishes high praise on his bandmates for the groove they set. “Nowadays, a lot of people use machines (for) the beat.” Ivar said. “When you don’t do that and you record everything together, it’s really nice to have a good groove coming from the rhythm section. The drummer and the bassist grew up together. They really have something.” The first track, Oh Sweet Thursday, blends folk by way of vocals and funk, through guitar stylings neatly packaged in a lighthearted rhythm-driven number. Several of Sweet Thursday’s songs reference local haunts as well as some just across the Vincent Thomas Bridge, which is also the title of their song, Vincent Thomas Blues. It opens with a fast rhythm-and-blues riff that leads into a blues refrain. Well, I never had a pistol, I never had a knife but I’ve got a killer woman and I trust her with my life. Love Cat Blues is reminiscent of Johnny Cash, a country ballad with a waltz tempo. It includes only Ivar on guitar with McNeill on upright bass and singing backup. The album was mostly recorded in single takes. Ivar said he loves recording this way. “You don’t have anything to do after you’ve recorded,” he said. “When you spend time in a studio, adding arrangements and stuff, you

April 5 - 18, 2018

GRAND

David Ivar feels at home on the waterfront of his adopted home. Photo by Pierre Auroux.

“When I moved here, work so much after recording the song, literally four blocks from per se, that you can’t even hear the song. my house is a plaque to When you work too Joe Hill. My friends who much on the song it’s hard to even listen to it are political got so excited anymore.” when they saw the plaque. Ivar will release one Sweet Thursday So I started reading about video each Thursday starting April 12. him... I started reading Every song will debut his lyrics and singing his on a different blog or website, which will songs.” have it exclusively —David Ivar for one week. One of the blogs called album information, such as Folk Radio is out of the the credits and feature artwork United Kingdom. Another by Ivar. one called Psychedelic Baby “These days when is by a blogger from Slovenia someone buys or listens to an who writes about the Beat album on the computer, they generation. Locally, Evelyn have nothing to hold on to [or] McDonnell will premiere a just to flip over and look at,” video on her blog, Populism, April 19. On April 12, Ivar will begin taking orders for the album, offering vinyl, cassettes and digital downloads. A card with a pin will come with the download and include VISION

PRESENTS

Dana Louise & the Glorious Birds Thursday, April 12

Doors 7:30 pm / Show 8 pm

From Fayetteville, AR, Dana Louise & the Glorious Birds take flight, bringing fresh Americana to the west, with band members from award-winning duo, Trout Fishing in America. Tickets & Info:

310.833.4813 | GrandVision.org

The Grand Annex | 434 W. 6th St., San Pedro

Ivar said. “For people who know they are not going to listen to a physical album, and that’s most people, this will come with a pin that I designed. It’s cool to have something even though most people tell me there is no need for it.” Ivar noted the vinyl will be very well made and crafted in Nashville, where he said they still make good sound for records. Ivar designed everything and took great care with details. The record will be made at United Records Pressing, which Ivar said has the most luxurious options because there is still a market in Nashville for reissues of country music or where people are collectors. “If someone makes the

effort, when everything is for free, to actually buy something because they care about it, I as an artist should care at least as much and make something out of it,” Ivar said. Ivar also created a fanzine he wrote and illustrated. It’s something he does with all of his albums but this one is much bigger, at 48 pages. He will also sell his original illustrations, art and watercolors for the album. But the most coveted items will be three oil paintings in which Ivar is dressed as he is on the album. Everything will be available for pre-sale through his website, April 12 to May 17, after which only the album will be available. And about those various names? Ivar came up with the name Herman Dune at age 12, when he read Frank Herbert’s famous science fiction book, Dune. Most people think it’s his name but his name, Ivar, is Swedish and actually pronounced, ‘E-var.’ Yaya came a little bit later. He used to host an open mic, folk music night in Paris and every night played records afterward. He would always open with the Lee Dorsey song, Yaya. So, people started calling him Yaya. With Black Yaya, Ivar changed the name on one record, wanting to break the continuity of Herman Dune. “It’s funny because that is the record with the most listens on Spotify,” Ivar said. “It’s just something that I did on the side. I don’t know what it is but maybe it’s part of the creativity and persona that I do the different names.” To hear David’s music and see his artwork, visit: www. davidivar.com

Joe McBride Brings the Unexpected to Torrance Cultural Arts By Melina Paris, Music Columnist

Vocalist/keyboardist Joe McBride will pay tribute to Ray Charles at the James R. Armstrong Theatre. File photo

April 5 - 18, 2018

It’s Over Now, and An Evening In Dallas from his 1993 album, A Gift For Tomorrow. And he may include his rendition of Crazy. “Sometimes you just don’t think so much about why you do it but how you do it,” McBride said. “For Crazy, the song I was actually thinking about was a song by Paul Simon called Mother and Child Reunion. So I did apply that energy to (it) kind of a ska, reggae vibe.” He wanted to shock people a little bit too, he said, and show them you could take an original song and completely turn it upside down in a totally unrelated style. McBride looks for tunes with crossover value as well as a great hook or a great idea or melody. McBride and his band have been performing their Ray Charles tribute around the world. They featured it at the jazz festival in Cape Town South Africa in 2017 and again recently in Dallas. But to mix things up for this show they decided to also include McBride’s material. “I have a great deal of respect for Ray Charles,” McBride said. “He’s inspired my music for many years. He was one of the first crossover artists from country to jazz to pop back in the 50s. But I also love to share my gifts and where I’m coming from.” One of McBride’s favorite artists of all time is Prince. The artist said something that McBride adopted as his motto, “Any song can be an inspirational one.” “And you can touch others hearts if you play from your own,” McBride added. “ They will feel it.” You can find his music on several platforms including, Pandora, YouTube and Spotify. “We’re looking forward to coming out to Torrance and meeting everyone and playing great music.” McBride said. http://jwpagency.com/joemcbride.html Time: 8 to 9:30 p.m. April 13 Cost: $25 Details:https://www.eventbrite.com/e/joemcbride-tribute-to-ray-charles-torrance-catickets-37570504390 Venue: James R. Armstrong Theatre, 3330 Civic Center Dr., Torrance.

Real News, Real People, Really Effective

Keyboardist and vocalist Joe McBride performs a tribute to Ray Charles at the Torrance Cultural Arts Foundation, April 13. With nine albums released since 1992, his latest one, titled Lookin’ For A Change, perhaps best describes McBride’s approach to creating music, unexpected. During a phone interview with Random Lengths News, McBride stated plainly, “If you’re going to do a cover, it’s got to be at least as good as the original or better. Another thing I like to do (is) completely change the music but keep the same ideas. It’s all about interpretation.” The idea of a jazz artist doing a cover of Gnarls Barkley’s Crazy, is a little unexpected, but McBride did cover it, purely for the creative aspect. It’s a pop tune, albeit one that goes a bit deeper and a hook that resonates with many. McBride elaborated a bit on his method for choosing songs to cover but the conversation turned more toward what really drives him— love. McBride noted sometimes musicians get lost in the industry and concerned about how many records are going to sell and what sort of audience to target. But making music comes down to being a labor of love. “We’re out there having the time of our lives,” he said. “We want to make sure the audience is too. It’s our legacy. It’s a tradeoff because the music that makes the most money seems to be generated for profit or as a commodity. As far as jazz is concerned, a lot of us don’t make nearly that kind of money or have nearly that kid of stature.” McBride returned to the fact that as a musician, “You have to love what you do, to make it through the hard times and to come back and have something to say about it. That makes it more real for us and that comes through in the music.” As a popular contemporary jazz musician, McBride’s status is rooted in a solid foundation of talent. He began playing piano at four and started singing as a teenager. Around that time, he contracted a degenerative eye disease and eventually lost his eyesight. His passion for music, however, was never compromised. “I have learned from others and experienced myself, if you’re performing as an artist for a lifetime, you have to reinvent yourself,” McBride said. Taking heed of this knowledge, some of his recent material leans more to the acoustic side. He noted that it feels more organic and refreshing. As artists, musicians always look for inspiration. McBride’s criteria is, he has to like the song, it has to be well written and have audience appeal. There must be something he enjoyed in the original that inspires him, then he thinks, “This might be cool in another way.” But that’s only part of the puzzle. “It’s just as important to do originals and to have your own voice, he added. “To be able to speak to people and to share your spirit with others. I like both.” This will be his first time performing at Torrance Cultural Arts Center. McBride will also perform some of his own songs including,

CLASSIFIED ADS

REACH 63,000 HARBOR AREA READERS

HELP WANTED

CAREER TRAINING

MUSIC LESSONS

PAID IN ADVANCE! Make $1000 A Week Mailing Brochures From Home! No Experience Required. Helping home workers since 2001! Genuine Opportunity. Start Immediately! www.AdvancedMailing.net (AAN CAN)

AIRLINE CAREERS begin here – Get started by training as FAA certified Aviation Technician. Financial aid for qualified students. Job placement assistance. Call Aviation Institute of Maintenance 800725-1563 (AAN CAN)

First lesson FREE. VIOLIN LESSONS in your home with Jim Sitterly, concertmaster of Alias, Lost and Fringe. All levels. 310-548-1659. www.JimSitterly.com.

RLN SEEKING SALES & MARKETING DIRECTOR Responsibilities include: • Advertising sales— print and digital • Selling event sponsorships • Developing and maintaining social media Requirements: • 2-plus years of advertising or marketing experience • Online marketing experience • Reliable transportation RLn offers: • Unlimited earning potential • Great work environment • Creative thinking Candidates must be eligible to work in the United States. Random Lengths News is an equal opportunity employer. Send resumé to james@ randomlengthsnews.com or drop by the office at 1300 S. Pacific Ave. in San Pedro.

EARN $500 A DAY As Airbrush Makeup Artist for: Ads . TV . Film . Fashion. HD . Digital 35% OFF TUITION One Week Course Taught by top makeup artist & photographer Train & Build Portfolio. Models Provided. Accredited. A+ Rated. AwardMakeupSchool.com (818) 980-2119 (AAN CAN)

FINANCIAL SERVICES Denied Credit?? Work to Repair Your Credit Report With The Trusted Leader in Credit Repair. Call Lexington Law for a FREE credit report summary & credit repair consultation. 855-620-9426. John C. Heath, Attorney at Law, PLLC, dba Lexington Law Firm. (AAN CAN)

MAKE THE CALL TO START GETTING CLEAN TODAY. Free 24/7 Helpline for alcohol & drug addiction treatment. Get help! It is time to take your life back! Call Now: 855-732-4139 (AAN CAN) OXYGEN - Anytime. Anywhere. No tanks to refill. No deliveries. The All-New Inogen One G4 is only 2.8 pounds! FAA approved! FREE info kit: 877-673-2864 (AAN CAN)

Struggling with DRUGS or ALCOHOL? Addicted to PILLS? Talk to someone who cares. Call The Addiction Hope & Help Line for a free assessment. 800-978- 6674 (AAN CAN)

MISC

VEHICLES

NEW AUTHORS WANTED! Page Publishing will help you self-publish your own book. FREE author submission kit! Limited offer! Why wait? Call now: 888-231-5904 (AAN CAN)

CASH FOR CARS: Any Car/ Truck 2000-2015, Running or Not! Top Dollar For Used/ Damaged. Free Nationwide Towing! Call Now: 1-888-4203808 (AAN CAN)

Bulletin Board

Real News, Real People, Totally Relevant

HEALTH CARE

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

FOR SALE

Poetry Book — Shadow Lands: Reflection on some people I’ve known. 12 original poems by RLn Publisher James Preston Allen. $10+$1.50 s/h Beacon Light Press, P.O. Box 731, San Pedro, CA 90733. HughesNet Satellite Internet - 25mbps starting at $49.99/mo! FAST download speeds. WiFi built in! FREE Standard Installation for lease customers! Limited Time. Call 1-800-490-4140

Dish Network-Satellite Television Services. Now Over 190 channels for ONLY $49.99/ mo! HBO-FREE for one year, FREE Installation, FREE Streaming, FREE HD. Add Internet for $14.95 a month. 1-800-373-6508 KILL BED BUGS & THEIR EGGS! Buy Harris Bed Bug Killers/KIT Complete Treatment System. Available: Hardware Stores, The Home Depot, homedepot.com (AAN CAN)

REAL ESTATE SERVICES REAL ESTATE INVESTOR seeks to purchase commercial or multi-unit residential properties in San Pedro. No Agents please. 310-241-6827

April 5 - 18, 2018

I do taxes right!

www.donmarshallcpa.com

“Surround Sound”--one way to take it all in.

DATING Livelinks - Chat Lines. Flirt, chat and date! Talk to sexy real singles in your area. Call now! 1-844-359-5773

ADOPTION PREGNANT? CONSIDERING ADOPTION? Call us first. Living expenses, housing, medical, and continued support afterwards. Choose adoptive family of your choice. Call 24/7. 877362-2401

DBA Filing & Publishing $

[continued on p. 19]

PEDRO PET PALS is the only group that raises funds for the City Animal Shelter and more importantly FREE vaccines and spay neuter for our community. (310) 991-0012

Just Relax Tax Service

GET MORE, PAY LESS.

Fictitious Business Name Statement File No. 2018052390 The following person is doing business as: W.C. Triplett Cleaners, 2138 S. Pacific Ave., San Pedro, CA 90731. Los Angeles County. Registered owners: Willie Cameron,

CASH REWARD for the safe return of cat, “Elijah Gato” NO QUESTIONS ASKED! Last seen July 23, 2017 at 237 W. 10th St., San Pedro. Call (310) 617-1696.

Save time. Save money. Save stress.

(310) 833-8977

03/22/2018, 04/5/2018, 04/19/2018

658 W. 22nd Street, #1, San Pedro, Ca 90731. Luz Cameron, 658 W. 22nd Street, #1, San Pedro, Ca 90731 This Business is conducted by a husband and wife. The date registrant started to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above: 1996. I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true information which he or she knows to be false is guilty of a crime.) S/. Willie Cameron, owner. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Los Angeles on March 2, 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, were to expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pur-

PETS

• Payroll • Income Tax • Notary Service

Don Marshall CPA, Inc.

county clerk, except as provided in subdivision (b) of section 17920, were to expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed before the expiration.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: 03/08/2018,

ALL AREAS ROOMMATES. COM. Lonely? Bored? Broke? Find the perfect roommate to complement your personality and lifestyle at Roommates.com! (AAN CAN)

Worry-Free Tax & Accounting Service

870 W. 9th St., Ste. 100A, San Pedro Call for appt. today 310.221.0034 • www.justrelaxtax.com

Fictitious Business Name Statement File No. 2018048278 The following person is doing business as: Depot Painting, 26 Rockinghorse Rd, RPV, CA 90275. Los Angeles County. Registered owners: Dulux Painting, 26 Rockinghorse Rd, RPV, CA 90275. This Business is conducted by a corporation. The date registrant started to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above: Jan. 30, 2018. 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/. John Mantikas, owner. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Los Angeles on Feb. 27, 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

ROOMMATES

(AAN CAN)

PLEASE SPAY/NEUTER YOUR PET! *In any condition. We will wash and mend.

DBA FILINGS

135

310-519-1442

ACROSS

1 Fly fast 4 Amy of 2016’s “Arrival” 9 Retool 14 Fire truck accessory 15 Addition to a bill or contract 16 Boisterous 17 Flock formation 18 Venus, when visible after sunset 20 “Back in Black” rockers 22 Some board members 23 Light nap 24 “In memoriam” write-up 26 Corrosive cleaning stuff 27 Know with certainty 30 Bass or buff ending 31 Bother, to the Bard 34 Smoking-based practical joke that’s hardly seen anymore 37 Have an ___ the hole 38 Opus ___ (“The Da Vinci Code” sect) 39 Drew, the detective 41 It’s tough to hear without an amp 44 8 1/2” x 11” size, briefly 45 Geek blogger Wheaton 46 James of “Gunsmoke” 47 Family member, informally 48 “___ bien!” 49 They may be tough to break

53 Like the Beatles 54 “As far as I can ___ ...” 58 Way up (and down) 61 Director Ang 62 The Chi-___ (“Have You Seen Her” group) 63 Siberian forest region 64 “Chandelier” singer 65 Strap for a dog walk 66 With 67-Across, what each of the long answers displays 67 See 66-Across Down 1 Coffee nickname 2 CFO or COO, e.g. 3 Irked, with “off” 4 “What ___ the odds?” 5 Split (up) 6 Skillful 7 Department store section 8 ___ Lanka 9 Harmon of “Rizzoli & Isles” 10 Spoonful, maybe 11 British isles 12 Exam for H.S. juniors 13 Banks who hosts “America’s Next Top Model” 19 Justin Timberlake’s former group 21 Dave of “Fuller House” 25 Rodeo horse, briefly 26 Sudoku solving skill

27 Costar of Rue, Betty, and Estelle 28 Do really well 29 Hardy wheat in health-food products 30 April ___ (“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” reporter) 31 Contrary to 32 “Inferno” poet 33 Black-and-white ocean predators 35 Actor Elba 36 Become used (to) 40 Calendar spans, for short 42 Unexpected plot turn 43 Bin contents, until emptied 47 Private reserve 48 Implied but not stated 49 “Life In ___” (Matt Groening comic strip) 50 “That’s ___!” (“Not so!”) 51 Alpha successor 52 Currier’s lithography partner 53 Herr’s wife 55 Otherwise 56 Princess from Alderaan 57 Goneril’s father 59 Prefix with laryngology 60 Palindromic, growly-sounding

DBAs & LEGAL NOTICES [from p. 18] suant 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: 03/08/2018, 03/22/2018, 04/5/2018, 04/19/2018

03/22/2018, 04/5/2018, 04/19/2018

Fictitious Business Name Statement File No. 2018068669 The following person is doing business as: Hair Force One Staffing, 884 W. 12th St., San Pedro, CA 90731. Los Angeles County. Registered owners: Ricardo Salinas, 884 W. 12th St., San Pedro, CA 90731. This Business is conducted by an individual. The date registrant started to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above: January 2018. 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/. Ricardo Salinas, owner. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Los Angeles on March 20, 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, were to expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed before the expiration.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

04/19/2018, 05/03/2018

Fictitious Business Name Statement File No. 2018057371 The following person is doing business as: Paul Original Shoe and Working Boot MFG, 631 S. Mesa St.,, San Pedro, CA 90731. Los Angeles County. Registered owners: Jose L. Rivera, 424 W. 3rd St., #10, San Pedro, CA 90731. This Business is conducted by an individual. The date registrant started to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above: Jan. 1, 2018. 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/. Jose L. Rivera, owner. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Los Angeles on March 8, 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, were to expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed before the expiration.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: 03/22/2018, 04/5/2018, 04/19/2018, 05/03/2018

Fictitious Business Name Statement File No. 2018 The following person is doing business as: Excel Funding R.E.S., Inc, Excel Funding RES, Inc., 28924 S. Western Ave, STE 110, San Pedro, CA 90732. Los Angeles County. Registered owners: Excel Funding Real Estate Services, 28924 S. Western Ave, STE 110, San Pedro, CA 90732. This Business is conducted by an individual. The date registrant started to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above: N/A. 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/. Frances T. Baldwin, owner. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Los Angeles on March 20, 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, were to expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed before the expiration.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: 03/22/2018, 04/5/2018, 04/19/2018, 05/03/2018

into the civic gutter in this current decade. It is sadly going straight to hell in the hands of the current leadership! It is a public crime to have to suffer in the only seaside slum on the West Coast, which is housed within the wealthiest port in the western hemisphere! Please, think of that people: in a historic seaside in Southern California, there is no statewide scale commercial, recreational, or residential development. Visit any seaside north or south, and take pictures if you question that characterization. The poorest living areas of San Pedro are nearest the aterline from the B-to-B. The San Pedro Market Place at PoC is NOT a ‘new exciting development with brand name corporate partners that will attract international visitors and transform and diversify the people culture of our waterfront. It is simply a depressed rearrangement of a few existing businesses. SPMP is clearly a locals only, povertylevel give-away. SPMP is the smallest and most anemic commercial project currently in any major west coast port. It is even smaller than the original PoC footprint built over half a century ago, which, incidentally, was founded by a huge corporation, with many brand name corporate partners. That is what made Ports o Call a great popular place to visit for all: it had a lot to offer — and yes, for locals too. Long Beach was a mess 50 years ago, they gutted their decaying waterfront, and transformed their waterline through public access. And, creating a great PROMENADE — ‘human avenue’ along the sea — was their key and their path to prosperity. The people in Long Beach not only witnessed and acknowledged the “brutal truth” of the real problem. They also shouldered and overcame their seaside sickness. Just go to Long Beach, folks, take a good look! The people of Long Beach believed in the potential of their relationship to the sea--and had the guts to claim it! They built for their families’ future. Just like POLA, the Port of Long Beach is an international destination for cargo — BUT THEIR WATERFRONT BECAME A GREAT DESTINATION FOR PEOPLE, TOO! John Papadakis Rancho Palos Verdes

Waterfront Rethink Needed

I am reaching out to RLn readers for help. My elderly mother, who suffers with multiple sclerosis, lives in The Gardens and has for more than 25 years. Her two dogs have lived with her for almost 10 years. There have been no problems until recently. Her neighbors have targeted her and are forcing her to either leave her home in The Gardens or euthanize her dogs. The dogs provide companionship and safety, not to mention they are living creatures. The dogs don’t bark excessively, yet when they do, it may take her a little longer now to respond to them. The homeowners association has started fining her $200 per complaint about the barking. We feel this is animal cruelty and elder abuse. We are reaching out to the San Pedro/ RPV community for help in finding a good, loving home for the dogs: an 8-year-old Boxer mix and 10-year-old Husky mix. Although we are hoping to resolve the situation at The Gardens, we would appreciate any help the pet community can recommend or provide for my mother’s longtime companions. Please contact (310) 561-6156. Jessica Baker San Pedro

Barton Hill Pride

Established in August 2015, Barton Hill Pride strives in its program of offering scholarships and donations to deserving students in our community. It is our mission to afford students the opportunity to succeed. Our current efforts are directed towards assisting the school in fixing the underground tunnel used by students to get to school. Vandals have made holes in the tunnel fencing many times. We are raising funds to replace a part of the fencing with perforated sheets of steel to deter these vandals. We are looking to raise funds to keep tunnel safe and clean. In order to meet our mission and provide for students in our community, we rely on the generosity of individuals and businesses for support. Without assistance from these community minded people, we wouldn’t be able to help these children. Your generosity will make a difference in our community and impact the lives of these deserving students.All contributions are appreciated. All extra funds go toward supplies and rewards. Marcos Villela Chair person, Barton Hill Pride San Pedro

April 5 - 18, 2018

The most recent design for the rebuild of Ports O’ Call moves all buildings away from the waterfront to create a large walking path along the water. I wonder if POLA has contemplated the effect this will have on restaurants such as the Fish Market whose tax revenue gave them a pass on being closed during construction? It is highly probable that the fresh fish isn’t what brings so many people to that restaurant. One can purchase fresh fish at many restaurants in Los Angeles. The seaside dining is most probably the draw for their enormous success. That will be gone after the reconstruction. The beautiful Ports O’Call Restaurant has been a cornerstone for the community of San Pedro for over 50 years. It is the heart of our community. It is where we bring friends and family for a nice lunch or dinner. It is where we go to unwind on a Friday night. It is also where the community holds weddings, proms, bar mitzvah’s, election campaigns, end of life celebrations, etc. It is the only fine dining waterfront restaurant between Redondo Beach and Long Beach. Why would the port want to replace that with a sidewalk? We were told at the previous port meeting a couple years ago that the

Needed: Home for Two Dogs

Fictitious Business Name Statement File No. 2018046613 The following person is doing business as: LA Ilusion Catering, 1631 S. Pacific Ave., San Pedro, CA 90731. Los Angeles County. Mailing Address: P.O. Box 1833, San Pedro, CA 90733. Registered owners: Jacqueline G. Bravo, 1631 S. Pacific Ave., San Pedro, CA 90731. This Business is conducted by an individual. The date registrant started to trans-

03/22/2018, 04/5/2018, 04/19/2018

(see section 1411 ET SEQ., Business and Professions code). Original filing: 03/22/2018, 04/5/2018,

[Letters from p. 9]

rebuilding would happen in stages allowing the current tenants to maintain their businesses as the built out progressed. We are now being told that only a select few restaurants will be allowed to stay open during construction and one of them is not Ports O’ Call. It is my hope that the POLA will reconsider both their boardwalk design that eliminates our unique beautiful seaside dining and the closing of the heart of San Pedro, the Ports O’ Call Restaurant. In a perfect situation this historic restaurant would be allowed to remain as is with the walkway and rebuilding going around it or at the very least, allowing the restaurant to stay open until the new Ports O’ Call Restaurant is built. Like many other people, I am hoping a praying for a change of heart by the port. Please do not close POC Restaurant and please rethink removing all waterfront dining from our beautiful harbor. A walkway along the water is far more interesting and intriguing if it meanders on the edge and through the businesses allowing for everyone to enjoy both. Darlene Zavalney San Pedro

Real News, Real People, Really Effective

Fictitious Business Name Statement File No. 2018046612 The following person is doing business as: Jackie’s Multi Services, 1300 1/2 N. Gaffey St., San Pedro, CA 90731. Los Angeles County. Mailing Address: P.O. Box 1833, San Pedro, CA 90733. Registered owners: Jacqueline G. Bravo, 1300 1/2 N. Gaffey St., San Pedro, CA 90731. This Business is conducted by an individual. The date registrant started to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above: 02/01/2013. 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/. Jacqueline G. Bravo, owner. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Los Angeles on Feb. 26, 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, were to expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed before the expiration.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: 03/08/2018,

act business under the fictitious business name or names listed above: 02/01/2013. 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/. Jacqueline G. Bravo, owner. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Los Angeles on Feb. 26, 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, were to expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed before the expiration.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: 03/08/2018,

RANDOMLetters

April 5 - 18, 2018

Real News, Real People, Totally Relevant