Harbor Harley Davidson Club gives more than 300 backpacks with school supplies to Barton Hill Elementary students
By Terelle Jerricks Managing Editor
Woman found dead, Harbor Area sustains four homicides p. 2 POC Restaurant grasping at last straws to stave off eviction p. 2
By Paul Rosenberg, Senior Editor
After five years of strikes and a series of small victories at individual firms, there are signs of a major shift in the struggle for justice by port truck drivers, along with allied warehouse workers. The root of the injustice is the “big lie” that they’re “independent owner-operators,” said Jose Portillo, a driver for Intermodal Bridge Transport. His testimony in a May 31 hearing before the Long Beach City Council Tidelands and Harbor Committee was emblematic of how once-marginalized voices are finally getting the attention and respect they deserve. “Year after year they’ve been violating laws, like misclassifying us, saying that we’re supposedly independent contractors,” Portillo said. “The truth is, that’s not true. Companies tell us what to do, where
to go and none of the drivers have the opportunity to negotiate with the customers of the trucking companies. That’s not an independent contractor. That’s an employee.” That conforms with an April 30 decision by the California Supreme Court in the Dynamex case, affirming use of the “ABC test,” that is utilized in other jurisdictions in a variety of contexts [such as the Internal Revenue Service] to distinguish employees from independent contractors. Being free from the control and direction of the hirer in connection with the performance of the work is the heart of the first, “A” requirement. All three of must be met in order for someone to not be employee. “While port truckers have won many individual
battles for wage theft and related claims rooted in misclassification, massive violations continue due to companies who continue to flagrantly violate the law,” said Fred Potter, Director of the International Brotherhood of [See Truckers, p. 16]
July 12 - 25, 2018
Kamasi Washington’s epic new album: Heaven and Earth p. 9
Port Truckers’ Struggle for Justice Enters New Phase
Brown’s last budget falls short in vision p. 4
[See Pirates, p. 3]
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From left to right: Frank Valencia, Chris Valencia, and Antonio Medina, the leadership of the San Pedro Harbor Area Pirates. Photo by Terelle Jerricks
The San Pedro Harbor Area Pirates, a Barton Hill Harley Davidson club, reminded me of what marriage and fatherhood can do to mature a man. The club’s president, Chris Valencia, sent me a press release about their July 14 backpack giveaway at Barton Hill Elementary School. The club had just hosted a softball tournament featuring motorcycle clubs from as far away as Indio and San Diego. As a result, they were able to purchase three times as many backpacks and school supplies as they did the first year
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Committed to Independent Journalism in the Greater LA/LB Harbor Area for More Than 30 Years
Missing Woman Found Dead, Harbor Area Sustains Four Homicides This past month, the number and nature of homicides has made Harbor Area noteworthy in ways residents wish it didn’t.
In Memoriam Capt. David Robert Rosa, LBFD
Missing Woman’s Body Washes Ashore the San Pedro Coast
SAN PEDRO — On June 28, the lifeless body of 25-year-old Rossmoor resident Haley Ora Downen was found along the San Pedro coastline. More than three days after she was reported missing, Downen’s remains were spotted at about 7:45 p.m. near the 800 block of Paseo Del Mar in San Pedro, Her body was pulled from the water at Royal Palms Beach. Downen’s death was ruled an accidental drowning by the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner. Los Angeles Police Department officers searching the area found personal items that belonged to Downen, but did not find her. A dive team was also unsuccessful. Downen was last seen at about 5:15 p.m. on June 23, on a shoreline trail between White Point Park and the Trump National Golf Club in Rancho Palos Verde.
A memorial procession at the Long Beach Arena was held for Capt. David Rosa of the Long Beach Fire Department who was fatally shot while responding to a call in downtown Long Beach. Photo by Diana Lejins.
Teenage Girl Shot, Killed
July 12 - 25, 2018
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WILMINGTON — The Los Angeles Police took Luis Aurelio Morales into custody July 2 for the suspected killing of Kayla Yolanda Huerta, a 17-year-old mother from Wilmington. In the early morning hours of June 18, Huerta was shot and killed in the 700 block of Sepulveda Street. Police officials said Morales got upset by something that was said and opened fire, wounding Huerta. It’s unclear what led detectives to Morales. The Daily Breeze reported that Morales has multiple convictions dating back to 2010 for battery on a peace officer, resisting arrest, brandishing a weapon, domestic violence and other charges. Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics responded to render aid; however, Huerta did not respond and was pronounced dead at the scene. Anyone with additional information is urged to (310)726-7886 or visit www. lacrimestoppers.org.
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Two Suspects Arrested on Murder Charges
SAN PEDRO — The Los Angeles Police Department’s Harbor Area Homicide Detectives announced the arrest of 21-yearold Mario Gallegos and 32-year-old Carlos Rivera in connection to the murder of 52-year-old Tony Bustillos. Bustillos was sitting in a parked vehicle at about 9:30 a.m. June 14, near the 200 block of North Pacific Avenue in San Pedro. Bustillos was talking with friends, when suspects fired multiple rounds at the victim, striking him and causing him to fall to the ground. Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics responded to the location to render aid and transport the victim to a local hospital;
LONG BEACH — A sea of public safety employees accompanied Capt. David Rosa’s casket into the Long Beach Arena July 3 for a final farewell to the popular firefighter. Scottish bagpipes and drums set a somber tone followed by a multi-state honor guard and his fire engine “hearst.” Thousands of well-wishers attended. Rosa was fatally shot on June 26 by a 77-yearold resident of Covenant Manor, a senior-living building in downtown Long Beach. Rosa was answering a fire and explosion call. In critical condition, he was taken to St. Mary’s Medical Center where he later died. Hired by the Long Beach Fire Department in 2001, his home base was at Fire Station 10 in Central Long Beach. Friends and family spoke about Rosa’s gift of caring about his fellow man. He often helped with Little League, always staying behind making sure all of the children were picked up by their parents. Community service was his benchmark. A devoted family man, Rosa left behind his wife, Lynley, and two grown children. — Photo and words by Diana Lejins
Ports O’Call Restaurant Grasps at Last Straws to Stay By Terelle Jerricks, Managing Editor
however, Bustillos died from his injuries. Harbor Area homicide and gang detectives identified and found two suspects. The suspects were arrested for murder. The case was presented to the district attorney’s office on, June 18, for filing consideration. Mario Gallegos and Carlos Rivera who are affiliated with a street gang are in custody and being held on $2 million bail. Anyone with additional information is urged to call (310) 726-7889 or visit www. lacrimestoppers.org.
Man Shot, Killed in Los Angeles
SAN PEDRO — The Los Angeles Police Department’s Harbor Area Homicide Detectives are seeking the public’s assistance in identifying the suspect(s) responsible for the shooting death of 38-year-old Walter Crespo. Crespo was shot at about 6:30 a.m. June 11 in an alley near the 600 block of W. 5th St. in San Pedro. The suspect(s) fired several times. Paramedics responded and rendered aid, but Crespo died from his injuries. Detectives do not have any leads on suspect(s) Anyone with additional information is urged to call (310)726-7886 or visit www. lacrimestoppers.org.
On July 9, an engaged couple who had booked an August wedding at Ports O’ Call restaurant pleaded with the court and port attorney’s for more time. After court marshals escorted the couple out, federal bankruptcy court Judge, Robert Kwan denied the restaurant’s request to stay at its present location, but requested that both sides come up with an orderly exit plan. Kwan extended the existing temporary restraining order to 12:01 a.m. of July 11. The attorney for the restaurant, David Haberbush, said an appeal would have to be filed quickly due to the expiring restraining order keeping the restaurant open four months beyond the eviction notice. The restaurant sought to stay put until January 2019, arguing that it was the only hope to raise money necessary to pay off its debts owed in salaries and deposits for special event bookings. According to the port’s testimony, plans for the San Pedro Public Market is 14 months behind schedule. The San Pedro Public Market is the venue set to replace Ports O’ Call Village. The Ports O’ Call Restaurant is the only current tenant on the Los Angeles Waterfront to have a letter of intent to return and be part of the new development that won’t be open until at least 2021. Talks are ongoing with five other possible transition sites in the meantime, Wilson said, but no deals have been struck. His attorney described the additional six
months being requested as a “bridge” to resolve both the bankruptcy and transition issues the landmark restaurant now faces. Port witnesses testified that the restaurant’s deck sitting out over the water is needed to build new seating in the public market, the first piece of construction that is planned. However, the Port did not reveal to the court that the site next to the existing Fish Market has contaminated soils from a previous tenant Chevron Oil. This may have been a consideration in the change of the phasing of the project which was announced last year and came as a surprise to the Ports O’ Call management. Other adjacent buildings under the lease that had been granted to Ports O’ Call Restaurant stand in the way of the planned promenade on the redeveloped site. The port faces “significant” losses should the project be further delayed, said port Waterfront and Commercial Real Estate Director Michael Galvin, especially if it causes the developer to opt out under the lease agreement deadline provisions. At this point the development team of Ratkovich/Jerico have not announced any nationally known tenants or whether they have funding to actually construct the new project. Some community members are concerned that the San Pedro Public Market will not get built even if the port is successful in evicting Ports O’ Call Restaurant.
Community Announcements:
Harbor Area Blood Donations
An emergency blood shortage is prompting the American Red Cross to issue an urgent call for eligible donors of all blood types — especially type O — to give now and help save lives. The following times times, dates and venues are welcoming donors in the month of July: • 8 to 3 p.m. July 14, 15, 21, 22 and 29 at the American Red Cross Greater Long Beach Chapter, 3150 E 29th St., in Long Beach. • 12 to 7:30 p.m. July 16, 17, 18, 23, 24, 25, 30 and 31 at the American Red Cross Greater Long Beach Chapter, 3150 E 29th St., in Long Beach. • 12 to 6 p.m. July 18 at the American Red Cross Greater Long Beach Chapter’s main building, 201 S. Pico Ave., Long Beach. • 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. July 19 and 26 at the American Red Cross Greater Long Beach Chapter, 3150 E 29th St., in Long Beach. • 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. July 20 and 27 at the American Red Cross Greater Long Beach Chapter, 3150 E 29th St., in Long Beach. • 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 22 at Christ Lutheran Church, 6500 Stearns Ave., Long Beach • 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 28 at the American Red Cross Greater Long Beach Chapter, 3150 E 29th St., in Long Beach.
[Pirates from p. 1]
SP Harbor Area Pirates Give Back the club started giving the school supplies to the
students of Barton Hill Elementary. Club President Valencia, 45, Vice President Frank Valencia, 40, and Secretary Antonio Medina, 36, are a brotherhood bound by shared love of Harleys and commitment to lifting up their Barton Hill neighborhood. The club has given away free backpacks filled with school supplies each of the three years since the club formed. The first year they gave away 100 backpacks. This year will be the first time they give away more than 300. The club also has been giving away Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners with everything except whole turkeys — and that was only because they didn’t have refrigeration space to store the holiday fowl. When asked why they do it, Chris replied, “Honestly, we are blessed with having good jobs and just wanted to give back.” Chris is a longshore mechanic, Frank is a crane operator and Medina works in construction. Their style looks a lot like that of the Legends Car Club — until recently known for classic car picnic fundraisers at Point Fermin Park‚ except their interest is Harleys. All of them are
lowrider cars on two wheels. It has family history as far as if you look at the Harleys themselves in the old movies based on them. It’s based on family. They helped each other grow. Just from where they came from to where they are at now. We didn’t have anything growing up.” Raising money for causes has always been a part of the fabric of lowrider and bike cultures, from putting on car washes to assist families with funeral expenses. Frank revealed that he owned a couple of
discount stores and swap meet knock-offs, goes a long way in helping them blend in. All three men are married with children and are mentors to young adults in the community. The youngest guys in the club worked their asses off to get a Harley. “We’ve been wearing these patches since day one,” Chris explained, referring to the patches on their custom-made club vests. “What we do, they want to be a part of that. We tell them that there some things [that] go behind these patches: Number 1, respect; Number 2, give back.” Their fundraisers are literally family affairs where children, wives, sisters, mothers and aunts are involved. During the weeks leading up to Father’s Day the club hosted a Baseball for Backpacks tournament where they sold pastries. “Our wives did the bake sales and the whole nine [yards]. His mom and my mom were on the grill the whole time,” Frank said. “Our ladies are the backbone of our club,” Chris said. “They don’t get the recognition they deserve but they are the ones who pulled it off. They are the ones coordinating the shirts for the girls, organizing the events.”
Gerald Desmond Bridge Closures
The eastbound off-ramp lane to Pico Avenue is closed for overnight work from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., through July 14. The southbound and northbound Pico Avenue lanes will be closed at Ocean Boulevard for overnight work from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., through July 14. There is a detour through north and southbound Harbor Scenic Drive.
Intro to Radio Workshop
This workshop will provide a brief overview of KLBP’s mission as Long Beach’s first public radio station, as well as programming and radio basics. You will have an opportunity to meet program producers to discuss the process of developing music and talk radio programs for 99.1 KLBP-Low Power FM. Time: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. July 14 Details: https://tinyurl.com/LB-RadioWorkshop Venue: Made by Millworks, 240 Pine Ave., Long Beach
Household Hazardous Waste and E-Waste Collection Event
Redefining Public Safety
30-Minute Beach Clean-Up
The band of club brothers know they are modeling altruistic behavior and characteristics for the area’s youth. Frequently folks from the neighborhood ask to pose for pictures with them and their Harleys when they’re out and about the neighborhood. The men’s attachment to San Pedro’s Harley Davidson heritage isn’t just a matter of them loving the Harley Davidson motorcycle. It’s that there’s tangible evidence of its existence in the earliest days of San Pedro’s motor vehicle culture — namely, San Pedro’s [See Pirates, p. 15]
July 12 - 25, 2018
The goal of the 30-Minute Beach Cleanup is to promote conservation awareness, recycling, and litter abatement through community involvement, environmental awareness and stewardship. Bags, gloves, refreshments, and door prizes provided. Time: 10 to 10:30 a.m. July 21 Cost: Free Location: On the Beach at the end of Granada Avenue, Belmont Shore: 1 Granada Ave., Long Beach [See Announcements, p. 5]
high performance street bikes but gave them up because of the implicit danger their speed incurs. “Any bike can be deadly but those bikes are too damn fast,” Frank said. “I get an adrenaline rush off them so I took it down to a Harley.” Referencing Harley Davidson’s motorcycle origin story and its founding families, Frank expressed a sense of kinship with William Harley and the Davidson brothers, Walter and Arthur. “It has family history as far as the Harleys themselves,” Frank explained. “It’s based on family that helps each other grow. Just from where they came from to where they are at now.” Most of my cousins knew what it was to grow up in the projects and they knew how it was to have that new pair of shoes or a nice pair of jeans or a new shirt for the first day of school. We wanted to give back and take just a little bit of the burden off of the parents. We live in that area, so we see the struggle. They believe their work also addresses bullying. Getting children some of the latest fashions, as opposed to sneakers associated with
This symposium will begin the journey of redefinition by looking at how other communities police the police and create realistic and effective alternatives to incarceration. Time: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 21 Details: https://tinyurl.com/Redefining-PublicSafety Venue: Dignity Health - St. Mary Medical Center, 1050 Linden Ave., Long Beach
connected in one way or another to the lowrider and classic car culture we see cruising down Pacific Avenue. When they founded the San Pedro Harbor Area Pirates Harley Davidson Club, they were looking to connect to this town’s motorcycle history going back to Eddie Ryan’s 1930s bike shop. Referencing a subculture that began more than 80 years ago, Valencia and Medina see themselves as the heirs of that culture. But they only have a couple of pictures and a little research to go off of. “We just tried to blend the two things we like to do,” Antonio said. “We all grew up hard. We didn’t have anything growing up. All three of us being alumnus of Barton Hill look at it like, ‘We didn’t have anything, so why not help the kids?’” The San Pedro Harbor Area Pirates has 24 members now. The youngest is 23 years old and the oldest is in his early to mid-40s. Chris and Antonio are keenly aware of some of the negative stereotypes of bikers as delinquents and work hard at pushing back on that perception. “When you see a pack of bikes it’s usually involving some fundraiser or ride-along to give back,” Chris and Frank said. “Harleys are like
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Drop-off of household hazardous waste and electronic waste. Accepted items include: used tires, used motor oil, batteries, paint products, cleaning products, pesticides, fertilizers, fluorescent bulbs and tubes, thermostats, mercury-containing lamps, and e-waste including computers, TVs, VCRs, microwaves, video games, monitors, printers, cell phones, network and equipment. Time: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 14 Cost: Free Details: www.longbeach-recycles.org Venue: EDCO Recycling and Transfer Collection Center 2755 California Avenue, Signal Hill
Panoramic photo of Harley Davidson riders in front of Eddie Ryan’s Harley Davidson dealership on 4th and Beacon sts. in San Pedro, circa 1930. Top, Bill Cottom of Century Motorcycles on his Vincent. Right, members of the Centurians motorcycle club in San Pedro. File photos
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Brown’s Last Budget Looks Good, Falls Short in Vision By Paul Rosenberg, Senior Editor
On June 27, Gov. Jerry Brown signed his 16th and last state budget. It totaled $201.4 billion dollars, with the largest cash reserve, a hallmark of the fiscal conservatism that has especially characterized his second two-term stint as California’s governor, which began in 2011. These eight years are concluding with far more optimism and praise from allies than his first two terms, from 1975 to 1983. Brown’s unbroken string of balanced budgets, achieved while paying down short-term debts and building up long-term reserves, stands in stark contrast to the fiscal mayhem that preceded him. The Schwarzenegger years produced only two balanced budgets. They were smoke-and-mirror affairs based on a wide array of unsustainable gimmicks, which the legislative analyst’s office had warned against at the time. “When I took office back in 2011 with the state facing a $27 billion deficit, I pledged to work with the legislature to fix California’s financial mess,” Brown said in his signing announcement. “Today, the final budget I sign delivers on that pledge and prepares us for the future.” Not only does his last budget fill the constitutional “rainy-day fund” to its maximum level, with $2.6 billion of deposits beyond what’s required, it also creates two new reserves: the Safety Net Reserve Fund, with sub-accounts
Gov. Jerry Brown signed his 16th and last state budget on on June 27. File Photo
for CalWORKs and Medi-Cal, and the Budget Deficit Savings Account. All these are intended to cushion the impact of a future downturn, when the need for such spending typically increases, even as the state’s capacity declines. “Focusing on One-Time Expenditures,” is touted as a key feature of the budget in the Department of Finance Budget Summary.
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“After accounting for costs to continue existing programs, the Budget makes few new targeted ongoing commitments,” the summary explains. “Instead, in recognition of the growing risks that the state budget faces, the Budget commits $4 billion in one-time General Fund spending, focused on infrastructure, homelessness, and mental health.”
Brown’s main accomplishment has been working within the pre-existing economic and political framework, sporadically allying himself with those seeking to alter it in a more progressive direction. He did that in 2012 via Proposition 30, which increased sales and top income tax rates, primarily to fund education, then was extended for 12 years in 2016, via Proposition 55. He also benefited from Proposition 25, passed in 2010, when he was elected, which eliminated the need for legislative super-majorities, which Republicans had long used with crippling effects. The new budget reflects this legacy with significant spending increases addressing many different top-tier concerns: education, healthcare, housing and homelessness, environmental protection and food security. For example, the budget expands the state’s earned income tax credit program, which is expected to benefit more than 2 million households in 2018-19 with $420 million in tax credits. Existing programs fare relatively well, especially education. California State University Chancellor Timothy White was quick to offer praise. “By providing sufficient funding to the California State University in the state’s 201819 budget, Gov. Brown and the legislature made a wise decision that will provide California and Californians with both immediate and farranging benefits,” White said. CSU gets an ongoing increase of $197.1 million, plus $161.1 million in one-time funding to expand enrollment, address deferred maintenance and bolster campus efforts to support student well-being. The UC system gets an ongoing increase of $98.1 million, plus $248.8 million in one[See Budget, p. 17]
New Standards for Cleaner Trucks at Ports
SAN PEDRO — On July 2, Harbor Commissioners for the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles approved measures ensuring new trucks entering drayage service meet the cleanest engine standards. New trucks visiting the marine terminals will be required to be 2014 models or newer. The requirement takes effect Oct. 1, 2018, and applies only to trucks that are not registered in the Ports Drayage Truck Registry. The Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners approved the tariff amendment on June 21. The Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners took a similar action on June 25. Final approval is expected this month. The two neighboring ports coordinate on truck standards and other air quality measures as part of the San Pedro Bay Ports Clean Air Action Plan. The tariff change is the first in a series of nearterm and long-term steps the ports are taking to advance clean truck progress. New strategies seek to phase out older trucks, with a goal of transitioning to zero-emissions trucks by 2035. Reducing pollution from heavy-duty trucks has played a major role in dramatic clean air progress at the San Pedro Bay Ports. Since 2005, the ports have reduced overall emissions of diesel particulate matter 87 percent, sulfur dioxide 97 percent and nitrogen oxides 56 percent, according to the most recent air emissions inventories. Details: www.cleanairactionplan.org
Civilian LBPD Employee Arrested
When it comes to slime, Carson is in the Guinness Book of World Records. City council members — with perfectly serious faces — boasted publicly of that unusual achievement, on July 1, after a “Community Friendship Day” at Carson Park found 933 people making slime. Some comedians may ask why Carson needs a recreational event to do that. The city’s mayor, Albert Robles, has been removed from the Water Replenishment District by court order. Albert Robles filed a notice of appeal concerning his removal from the Water Replenishment District in Superior Court, County of Los Angeles on June 13. The Water Replenishment District proceeded with action on July 3 to fill his seat within 60 days. Waste Management, the city’s former trash hauler, is suing the city, alleging violation
Community Announcements:
Harbor Area [Announcements from p. 3]
Bullying Prevention Program Committee Meeting
Regular meeting, monthly on the fourth Tuesday Time: 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.July 24 Cost: Free Details: cityofcarsonwebservices@gmail.com Venue: 701 E. Carson St., Carson
Long Beach City Council Meeting
The City Council will vote whether to give final approval of an ordinance to regulate adultuse commercial cannabis activity in Long Beach among other issues. Time: 5 to 8 p.m. July 24 Cost: Free Details: (562) 570-6101; www.longbeach. legistar.com/Calendar.aspx Venue: Council Chamber, 333 W. Ocean Blvd., Long Beach
Assessing City Contracting Opportunities
Event organizers will talk about upcoming construction opportunities for small businesses. Time: 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. July 31 Cost: Free Details: (213) 258-3000 Venue: Banning’s Landing Community Center, Gertrude Room, 100 E. Water St., Wilmington
Map Connects LA’s LGBTQ Youth with Vital Resources
pursue economic development to the maximum degree permitted by the California Constitution.” In a letter sent to the committee, dated June 5, the Construction Industry Force Account Council stated it opposes Carson’s intention to become a charter city, “Becoming Charter will exempt the City from the Public Contract Code provision that [was] created to ensure a fair, open and a transparent government and place this in the hands of City staff.”
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July 12 - 25, 2018
LOS ANGELES — On June 28, Los Angeles Controller Ron Galperin released a map detailing free and local resources to help LGBTQ homeless youth throughout greater Los Angeles. The map lists 143 organizations in Los Angeles County. These organizations offerings include resources for free housing, health resources, youth programs, education programs, scholarships, legal services and nutrition. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or questioning persons who may be in danger of experiencing homelessness can find support through partner organizations, such as the LA LGBT Youth Advocates Coalition and the Los Angeles chapter of PFLAG, an all volunteer organization run by parents, family members, LGBTQ persons and their friends. Details: www.lacontroller.org/lgbtqresourcemap
of Carson’s own contracting ordinance. Some residents are circulating a petition to reverse a council decision to allow marijuana warehousing. Then there’s the hasty proposal for a city charter, for which a deadline looms. The push started May 1, when Robles and two other council members, Jawane Hilton and Elito Santarina, suddenly got in a big rush to put a finished city charter before voters Nov. 6. The window to accomplish that opens July 24 and closes Aug 7. “You’re pushing this through for a reason and I don’t think it’s a good reason,” resident Terri Forsythe told the council at its May 29 meeting. “A rushed product never turns out the way it was intended.” “I don’t see the rush,” Cedric Hicks, one of two council members who voted against the charter proposal said at that same meeting. “What makes it so important to get done by August?” Under state law a charter city is allowed to do certain things a general law city such as Carson cannot. For example, a charter city may set council members’ compensation differently from that directed by state code. Charter cities are not bound by the state’s prevailing-wage requirements for public works projects, nor are they required to comply with the state’s competitive bidding requirements. A draft of a city charter was circulated at the June 25 meeting of the Committee of the Proposed City Charter. In the section “Economic Development, Goals and Objectives” the draft discusses how Carson’s location and “significant undeveloped properties” provide “special” development opportunities. “California in 2011 dissolved redevelopment agencies,” the section goes on to complain, “and thereby eliminated the authority created in the 1950s to general law cities to undertake economic development.” The section continues, “The City has found that its previous redevelopment program was essential” and “It is a significant goal of adopting this charter to allow the city to
LONG BEACH — On June 29, a clerk typist at the Long Beach Police Department was arrested on charges of recording people in a restroom without their knowledge. To avoid a conflict-of-interest, the Signal Hill Police Department handled the apprehension of 28-year-old Sergio Nieto, a resident of Downey. Officials said that a LBPD employee went to his supervisor with information about suspicious activity in the second floor men’s restroom in the Public Safety Building, prompting an investigation that revealed that Nieto had been photographing and videotaping other employees in the same restroom. Nieto’s court date is set for July 25 at the Long Beach Superior Court.
By Lyn Jensen, Carson Reporter
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Heatwave is Another Signal of Global Warming The fury of the record-setting heat wave that blistered Southern California after the Fourth of July is quite likely due to global warming, said a variety of climate scientists. “It is virtually certain…” said Michael Wehner of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. A 2017 Stanford study found that four out of five record-hot days globally are now attributable to climate change. “The world is not quite at the point where every hot temperature record has a human fingerprint,” said lead author Noah Diffenbaugh “but it’s getting close to that.” It’s hard to remember a hotter summer day in Los Angeles County than July 6. Weather Channel meteorologist Greg Diamond chronicled it on Twitter with a map that showed 35 places that recorded temperatures of 115 degrees or more. All-time highs were recorded at Van Nuys (117 degrees) and Burbank airports (114) and UCLA (111), the Long Beach Airport (101) set a record for July and daily records were established in downtown Los Angeles (108) and at Los Angeles International Airport (92). Three other all-time records were set: 118 in Riverside, 114 in Santa Ana and 117 at Ramona airport. The marks are all the more remarkable because California’s hottest heat waves tend to come in late August or September.
Charter Proposal May Indicate Potential for Economic Slime
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Little Italy, Big Problem for a Small Town Symbolic of lack of collaboration with community By James Preston Allen, Publisher
Real News, Real People, Totally Relevant
When I heard the news that Councilman Joe Buscaino had gotten a large portion of downtown San Pedro designated as “Little Italy” it was like — “Say what?” This came out of nowhere. There was no collaboration with any neighborhood council or group. There was no discussion with the San Pedro Chamber of Commerce. So this designation is supposed to do what exactly? Merchants in the newly named district, most of whom aren’t Italian, are tilting their heads in wonder as this newly minted district coexists with the branding of the Waterfront Arts District, the San Pedro Historic Waterfront District and the demised Beacon Street Redevelopment District. Meanwhile, the San Pedro Business Improvement District has been spending more time and money searching for yet another brand. If some people are confused about what to call this area or are concerned about “branding” it once again, Buscaino has just unintentionally complicated the issue. The reason for Little Italicizing it is unclear. Was this for ethnic pride, or was he simply courting the declining ethnic vote? Now I’m not even sure of the historical accuracy of the designation, as most of the old Italian families lived south of the central business district in the historic preservation zone called Vinegar Hill, the area where most of little Italian winemakers crushed their grapes — even during prohibition — where the old homes still have wine cellars. I absolutely love Italian food and most of the remaining restaurants serving the various forms of it are in this area, but so are a bunch of other ethnic cuisines. In fact, between 9th and 6th streets on Pacific Avenue, in the heart of this area, I can count five Mexican restaurants and that’s probably just 10 percent of those restaurants we counted up for our Cinco de Mayo list. That doesn’t even count the taco trucks or the roving tamale vendors. Anyone up for calling this area Little Mexico? The point really is that someone has convinced our erstwhile policeman that this worked in San Diego. So, while he’s on track to making San Pedro Great Again, like demolishing all of Ports O’ Call, he should just move ahead without talking with anyone. This is part of the backward flip on diversity that’s being shucked to us with the San Pedro
Public Market. Diversity in this case is about bringing fewer people of color to the waterfront. This is often hidden in the doublespeak associated with the current development promotions. I don’t know what world Buscaino is living in, but right here, in this part of Los Angeles, we have one of the most truly diverse populations in the most diverse city in America. The most recent time I counted there were something like 19 different nationalities represented in our community, and it’s probably grown since I checked. I personally celebrate this. And this Little Italy thing does as much to divide our community, as he thinks it does to celebrate his national origins. Good for you, Joe. How about making my street Little Scotland? For as much as this is an insignificant issue compared to, let’s say, the homeless crisis, the eviction of Ports O’ Call Restaurant or fixing the landslide on Paseo del Mar, it is emblematic of Buscaino’s track record: a selfie photo op for his Facebook fans — more smoke than fire, more illusion than substance. This is nothing more or less than a PR move with nothing behind it to improve either the business district or the lives of the people who live and work here. It is exemplary of the way that this councilman has worked since he was first elected. He doesn’t listen to those outside his own circle; he looks at most problems as an us-versus-them dynamic and he always wears rose-colored glasses for some promise of future prosperity. He doesn’t even know how to process criticism, which is part of the job description for being an elected politician. You’ll notice that Buscaino’s turn-about on the homeless issue came only after Mayor Eric Garcetti announced the “Bridge Home” initiative in his state of the city address earlier this year. Suddenly, Joe wants to show his compassion for the desperately poor neighbors after chasing them all around his district for five years from one encampment to the next, burdening them with tickets they can’t afford to pay and jail when they don’t. This, my friends, is not problem solving. It’s just kicking the can down the sidewalk hoping someone else will pick it up. So now let’s get down to the real issue — where do we set up the emergency shelters that Garcetti has called for? There is a loosely formed group comprised of neighborhood council members, San Pedro Chamber of Commerce
Publisher/Executive Editor James Preston Allen james@randomlengthsnews.com
July 12 - 25, 2018
Assoc. Publisher/Production Coordinator Suzanne Matsumiya
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“A newspaper is not just for reporting the news as it is, but to make people mad enough to do something about it.” —Mark Twain Vol. XXXIX : No. 14 Published every two weeks for the Harbor Area communities of San Pedro, RPV, Lomita, Harbor City, Wilmington, Carson and Long Beach. Distributed at over 350 locations throughout the Harbor Area.
Managing Editor Terelle Jerricks editor@randomlengthsnews.com Senior Editor Paul Rosenberg
chairman Tim McOsker and a few others working separately who have engaged the council office in the search for locations. This once again was not the council office reaching out to the leaders of the community first and seeking advice for solutions from people long engaged in the issue but the council office getting onboard with a political agenda from city hall and then waiting for the community to react.
The problem not the cure
All of this is like his pronouncement two years ago at the San Pedro chamber’s annual luncheon
about a proposed 15-story high rise development in the heart of the San Pedro business district on its shortest and narrowest street. This came not long after, we all learned that the developer was a known real estate fraudster from Solano County who was later convicted. Like I’ve said before, Joe is long on hype, short on action and now he’s little on Italy. Whether you agree with this new designation or not, the way this designation came about is a symptom of Buscaino’s leadership, not the cure for our problems.
Love Is the Measure By Archbishop José H. Gomez
The law is a teacher and so is the way we enforce our laws. So what lessons are we teaching at our nation’s southern border? The pictures are dramatic, and they fill us with sadness and anger. Immigrant children — some barely old enough to walk, some infants still in their mother’s arms — being torn away from their undocumented parents as they try to cross the border. More than 2,000 children have been seized by border authorities in the past six weeks alone. Adding to the cruelty, in the large warehouses being used as child internment camps, strange rules have been imposed that prevent shelter workers from touching or holding the little children to comfort them. It is hard to write these words. I cannot believe this is happening in our country. But this is where 25 years of bipartisan failure on immigration reform have led us. We are now a nation where “zero tolerance”
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Cartoonists Ann Cleaves, Andy Singer, Jan Sorensen, Matt Wuerker Design/Production Suzanne Matsumiya, Brenda Lopez Advertising Representative Justin Shahian Sales1@randomlengthsnews.com Display advertising (310) 519-1442 Classifieds (310) 519-1016 Fax: (310) 832-1000 www.randomlengthsnews.com
means “no mercy.” We seem proud to announce that we will no longer grant asylum to victims of domestic abuse and gang violence. In the name of protecting our borders, we are willing to break up families and shatter the lives of innocent children. As the pictures were coming in from the border, leaders in the House of Representatives decided to block debate on a bipartisan commonsense and compassionate immigration bill that was supported by me and my brother Catholic bishops. Again, the result is to penalize children for the mistakes of their parents — in this case, the almost 2 million who were brought to this country as small children by undocumented parents or family members. As I write, House leaders are drafting two bills. Right now, it does not look like either bill provides a clear or generous path for these young people to become citizens. And this is not right. [See Love, p. 7] 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.
[Love from p. 6]
Love The law is a teacher. And
our leaders are delivering some harsh lessons these days. Our nation’s highest law enforcement official is quoting the New Testament to justify our new family separation policies. “I would cite you to the Apostle Paul and his clear and wise command in Romans
Community Alert
LA County Seeks New Proposals For Courthouse Redevelopment
San Pedro -- Los Angeles County’s Department of Public Works has released a new request for proposals to redevelop the site of the closed San Pedro Courthouse. This is the second RFP for this project after a first attempt in 2016 did not ultimately result in a successful bid. Supervisor Janice Hahn said there is an incredible opportunity to invest in the future of downtown San Pedro. The site is full of potential and she is committed to building a project to be proud of. While the previous RFP had some problems, this new expanded RFP allows the flexibility necessary to attract the right developer with the project that is right for San Pedro. While the previous RFP was limited, the new RFP has been expanded to include a wide variety of possible projects and uses. The county prefers to maintain ownership of the property, however, the RFP states that the county may consider selling the site. Proposals are due Aug. 23. Interested parties are encouraged to attend a presubmittal conference at the courthouse, July 12 at 10 a.m. to answer any questions.
13, to obey the laws of the government because God has ordained them for the purpose of order,” he said. What should our Christian witness be in the face of our government’s approach to immigration? We need to pray for wisdom and courage. We need grace to retain our humanity even as we confront the inhumanity of our government’s policies. We need to remind our leaders that Romans 13 concludes with these words: “For the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. … The commandments are summed up in this saying: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” Love is the measure by which we are judged. Every one of us. This is the law of God and no one is exempt. Our nation is judged finally by how it treats the weakest and most vulnerable among us. Our leaders have a solemn duty to secure our national borders and enforce our immigration laws. No one questions this. But we must find a better way. What we are doing now is wrong — on the borders, in the cruel partisanship and selfinterested political calculations of our immigration debates. Our national conscience has been darkened by fear, by economic insecurity and by years of “dehumanizing” rhetoric about immigrants from politicians and media figures. As Christians, we are called to help our neighbors and leaders rediscover the capacity
for empathy — to once more be able to feel compassion for the common humanity and destiny that we share with one another, including our immigrant brothers and sisters. St. Thomas Aquinas said that when a human law does not reflect God’s law then it becomes an unjust law and even an act of violence. We need to insist that those who make and enforce our laws guard against this. The love and mercy that we hope to receive is the love and mercy that we need to extend to others. That means stop the family separations right now — and give those 2,000 children back to their moms and dads. The law is a teacher. As Christians our duty in this moment is to insist that our laws reflect God’s law of love. Every human life is sacred and every person’s dignity must be respected, even if that person has broken the law or is related to someone who has broken the law. We have much to pray about again this year. Pray for me and I will be praying for you. And let us ask our blessed mother to be near to every child and every parent suffering separation along our borders this day.
RANDOMLetters Supreme Court Nominee
Donald Trump’s new Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh — hand-picked by right-wing legal groups who want to roll back LGBTQ equality and reproductive rights — has a long history of radical extremism: • He tried to overturn Washington, DC’s assault weapons ban and has been praised by the NRA for opposing common-sense gun safety; • He tried to block an undocumented teenager in one of Trump’s detention centers from exercising her constitutionally protected right to an abortion; and • Throughout his tenure on the bench, he has consistently ruled against workers,
An open letter to Councilman Joe Buscaino
consumers and the environment. Councilman Joe Buscaino And while Kavanaugh may spoke briefly at the10th annual have spent his career defending Cars and Stripes Forever event discrimination and working to on June 29. He said that it was roll back our most fundamental his dream that one day the San freedoms, we cannot allow him to Pedro waterfront would rival bring his radical far-right agenda to the waterfront amenities of San the highest court in the nation. Francisco and San Diego. With That’s why Equality California the plans for the San Pedro Public is calling on YOU to take a stand Market, that hope will begin to and demand the U.S. Senate block be realized thanks to his tireless Trump’s SCOTUS nominee: efforts working behind the scenes We cannot be more clear: to promote the development. As OUR. RIGHTS. ARE. AT. RISK. part of that new development the The American people deserve councilman supports the inclusion a fair-minded justice who will of the Ports O’ Call Restaurant in the stand up for LGBTQ equality, new marketplace. At the January reproductive rights and affordable 25th, 2018 meeting of the Board healthcare for all Americans. of Harbor Commissioners, Ana Valerie Ploumpis Dragin, his Port Affairs director, National Policy Director read a statement of general support Equality California for the including the restaurant in the new development stating that: [See Letters, p. 8]
Join us on for our monthly meeting on
Monday, July 23 at 7 p.m. Guest Speaker:
Homeless women’s advocate Mel Tillekeratne from the She Does movement A review of election results
At Ports O’Call Restaurant
1200 Nagoya Way, Berth 77, San Pedro For details: (916) 837-0920
José Horacio Gómez is a Mexican-born prelate of the Catholic Church. He has been the archbishop of Los Angeles 2011. Since 2016, Gomez has served as vice president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. He is the first person of Latino descent to hold this position.
Real News, Real People, Really Effective July 12 - 25, 2018
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RANDOMLetters [Letters from p.7]
“ …he is hopeful that Ports O’ Call Restaurant will negotiate its new rightful place in the development and become a staple for a whole new generation…” The port is responsible for building the promenade and the developer has decided to use the location of the Ports O’ Call Restaurant to build an outdoor dining area over the water for the San Pedro Fish Market and Restaurant. Hence, the decision to evict the Restaurant at the beginning of the first construction phase instead of the second phase
as originally planned. This would have met the intent of the 209 environmental impact report to keep tenants that were to be included in the new development in continuous operation throughout construction. After that January statement, the San Pedro Public Market LLC extended a notice of intent on March 6, 2018 to include the restaurant in the SPPM as part of a second construction phase. However, on March 7, 2018, the Port of Los Angeles issued an eviction notice to the restaurant. On May 21, 2018 superior court
judge Douglas Stern ruled that the port and City of Los Angeles could proceed with evicting the restaurant. The owner of the restaurant has publicly stated that the restaurant could not survive a three-year hiatus in operations from 2018 to 2021, and recently filed for bankruptcy. On July 9, Judge Robert Kwan ruled against the restaurant but extended a temporary restraining order until 12:01 to allow for an appeal. The judge urged both parties to begin work on a transition plan. Talks are ongoing with five other possible transition sites in the meantime. The attorney for the restaurant stated that an additional six months would provide a bridge
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July 12 - 25, 2018
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to resolve both the bankruptcy and transition issues. After the councilman’s remarks at the Cars and Stripes event, I chatted briefly with him. I asked if he had read the two opinion pieces in Random Lengths News dealing with the re-phasing issues involving the Fish Market and the restaurant. He said that he had not; I told him that I would send him both articles. I briefly explained what I believe is the key point of the articles offering a winwin solution to a revised phasing plan. Instead of the San Pedro Fish Market remaining in its current location during the first year of construction, as currently planned, the developer could keep the Fish Market in operation at its current location for all or part of the second construction phase before transitioning it to the SPPM in late 2021 or early 2022. This would allow the Restaurant to remain open in its current location during the first construction phase. The developer could then transition the restaurant to the SPPM at the end of the first construction phase in late 2020 or early in 2021. Both the Fish Market and the restaurant would, therefore, remain in continuous operation throughout the construction of the SPPM as stated in the EIR. The councilman said that this was an “interesting idea” and that “someone should talk to the developer about it.” As I stated in those articles, re-phasing the project to allow both the Fish Market and the restaurant to remain in continuous operation would be a win-win for all concerned with no significant impact on project cost or schedule. The port would have kept its promise to keep all the tenants chosen to be included in the new development in continuous operation. The developer would have earned the good will of a large segment of the community. Of course, the 125 employees of the restaurant would be overjoyed to keep their jobs. The community would be happy to see the restaurant survive and, as the councilman stated in January, to be enjoyed by future generations. I respectfully suggest that the “someone” is the councilman himself. He is the one public official who has the credibility and respect of all the parties: the mayor, the port, the developer, all three San Pedro neighborhood councils, and many of his constituents. While all three San Pedro neighborhood councils — in April and May 2018 resolutions — support efforts to keep both the Fish Market and the Ports O’ Call Restaurant in continuous operation throughout the construction of the SPPM, they have far less influence with the mayor, the city council, the port and the ceveloper than the councilman. At the moment, I see no other person whose good offices could play a pivotal role in resolving the phasing issue
that threatens the survival of the restaurant. At this critical juncture with the port facing a serious lawsuit and the restaurant owner taking legal action to forestall his eviction, the councilman could use his god offices to mediate a solution to the phasing issue to everyone’s benefit. There need be no rush to shut down and demolish the restaurant, the port will not issue a request for proposal for the Promenade until late this year and construction will not begin until next spring. So there is plenty of time to reevaluate a change in phasing plans that would keep both the restaurant and Fish Market in continuous operation throughout construction of the SPPM. Let’s hope that the councilman chooses to follow through on his January statement that the Ports O’ Call Restaurant find its new rightful place in the development and become a staple for a whole new generation. Carlos M. Garcia San Pedro
False Equivalencies
In your most recent dditorial, you bemoan Trump and his administration with all kinds of misdeeds that have in fact, been the standard practice of numerous administrations before his, at least since Reagan and to which your editorial has remained either silent or complicit by saying nothing about them. My friend, this nation is a terrible mess, mostly because most papers across the nation still continue feeding pap to the American people, ignoring the realities facing the nation and that we are no longer a “Democracy,” all due to the criminal behavior of congress, the judiciary as well as the executive. If you are smart, I need not enumerate the numerous sins that these benches are guilty of. Bald-facedly lying in reporting the news by either sensationalizing or exploiting it to suit the interest of the individual paper is not reporting but misinformation. Calling Trump a “fascist” is an epithet that is of no significance when you ignore the trend to “fascism” perpetrated by all three branches of government, failing to attend their responsibilities to the nation and people, colluding with globalists, special interests, all lubricated with outright briberies, while assuaging their sensitivities by calling them “campaign contributions.” The Democrats and Republicans are both guilty of heinous misdeeds against America who no longer serve the American people or its interests. Hailing the so called “Obamacare,” and calling it an accomplishment of statecraft, instead of calling it an abomination of the rightful public health interests of the American people, but only to serve the parasitic needs of insurance
industry. Obama was a BS artist who talked a beautiful spiel while leading America to untold wars destructions, persecutions for the sake of leading the nation in serving the globalizing institutions that have nothing to do with America. Also were his predecessors, both the two Bushes, as well as Clinton, all of whom lead us to foreign wars that had nothing to do with us, other than delivering bombs on innocent civilians, subverting their institutions, while hypocritically, shedding crocodile tears about immigrant families. Roger D’Altavilla San Pedro Dear Mr. D’Altavilla, We may have to agree to disagree, in part. You put the blame on all of the media as purveyors of misinformation. This is a gross generalization that sounds a lot like Donald Trump’s “fake news” allegations. The Fairness Doctrine that directed broadcast news organizations to give both perspectives in reporting was eliminated under President Ronald Reagan, this allowed for the rise of Fox News kind of reporting. Since that time, with the consolidation of the corporate media more emphasis has been placed on audience monetization, which has chased American media down a rabbit hole of infotainment news, reality TV and a downsizing of real news reporters. With the rise of the internet and the shift to online advertising like Google, the corporate media have been chasing audience numbers and click-per-view like a digital dog chasing the mirage of a bone. Our government is as much a victim of our addiction to the new technology as are the people. Trump however has actually given a few in the news world the courage to grow some spine, to do real investigative reporting and some media to actually report on the facts. Like the Russian meddling via social media in our elections. That is a fact not fake news. And, if or when the investigation of that disinformation campaign is connected to the Trump campaign, the only conclusion will be treason. Now you can say all you want about the rest of Congress or Obama being a BS artist but for the most part you can’t call them traitors. And as for Obamacare it is still working even though it is not a Medicare for All program. However, the one thing that is becoming more apparent is that “Making America Great Again” is a slogan meant to mislead and divide us not a policy of reform. Thanks for writing James Preston Allen, Publisher Send Letters to the Editor to: letters @randomlengthsnews.com. To be considered for publication, all Letters to the Editor must include your name with address and phone number included (these will not be published, but are for verification only) and be kept to about 250 words.
Kamasi Washington’s
HEAVEN
LIGHTS UP
LEIMERT PARK By Melina Paris, Music Columnist
creating Heaven and Earth. Washington addressed a crowd of about 50 people. Kamau Daaood, poet and cofounder of the World Stage, joined him in discussion. Daaood was a teenager when he began his literary journey in the Watts Writers Workshop. Since that time, he grew to become a forceful presence among Los Angeles poets. Daaood, with the legendary jazz drummer Billy Higgins opened the World Stage, a workshop and performance space for poets and musicians in 1989. The discussion was to focus on tradition, mentorship and passing the torch. That said, Washington displays and verbalizes respect for his musical forbearers and from where he came. Emphasizing this was the fact that during this discussion, Daaood spoke the most. He spoke about Leimert’s oral and musical history with deep regard and abstract expressions. He exuded the feelings [See Kamasi Washington, p. 14]
Real News, Real People, Really Effective
Kamasi Washington brought Heaven and Earth to Leimert Park on June 21 for a daylong, pre-album release party. The title of the tenor sax player ’s e album also captured the mood among his fans. After he released his critically acclaimed Epic in 2015, Washington became a torchbearer for a hybrid of progressive music deeply rooted in jazz. He exposed a younger generation to new sounds, alongside those they were already familiar with in hiphop, classical and rhythm and blues. The day opened with a talk at the Barbara Morrison Jazz Museum. The talk was compelling but Washington’s performances are the most compelling. The talk offered the possibility to hear, straight from Washington, intriguing details about his process in
AND EARTH
July 12 - 25, 2018
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ENTERTAINMENT July 14
Concerts by the Sea on the LA Waterfront This special summertime concert features Ballet Folklorico Paso de Oro Dance Company and Trio Ellas Time: 6:30 p.m. July 14 Details: www.lawaterfront.org Venue: Banning’s Landing, 100 Water St., Wilmington Out of Body Come for a night of out of body experiences. The event will feature Dorian Wood and ¡Aparato! Wood is a Los Angeles singer, artist, and storyteller who explores his own story of hardships, love and joy in an emotionallycharged solo performance. Time: 7 p.m., July 14 Cost: $20 Details: www.17017blackbaud hosting.com Venue: Museum of Latin American Art, 628 Alamitos Ave., Long Beach
July 12 - 25, 2018
Real News, Real People, Totally Relevant
Popfuji Join Brouwerij West for its monthly summer series. All ages welcome. The afternoon includes food trucks and musical performances. Time: 3 p.m. July 14 Cost: Free Details: (310) 833- 9330 Venue: Brouwerij West, 110 E. 22nd St., Warehouse No. 9, San Pedro
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Dale Fielder Quartet For this special performance at Alvas, Dale Fielder will be debuting new compositions performed by DFQ. Time: 8 to 10 p.m. July 14 Cost: $20 Details: www.alvasshowroom. tix.com Venue: Alvas Showroom, 1417 W. 8th St., San Pedro Twisted at The Pike Join the twisted indie rock show with a carnival theme featuring Fartbarf, LA Witch, Cosmonauts, Shave and Sirena Serpentina tribal fire belly dancers. The event is at The Pike Outlets, by the Ferris wheel. Time: 5 p.m. July 14 Cost: Free Details: www.summewand music.com Location: The Pike Outlets, 95 S. Pine Ave., Long Beach 6162 Live Enjoy a night of live music and dancing with 6162 performing disco, Motown, soul, oldies, rhythm and blues, swing and hip-hop. Time: 8 p.m. July 14 Cost: $5 Details: (310) 327-4384; www.alpinevillagecenter.com Venue: Alpine Village, 833
Torrance Blvd., Torrance Mystic Wave With almost 20 members, Mystic Wave’s mission is to spread waves of peace and bring people together through music with the Buddhist concept of “Many in body — one in mind.” Their infectious vibe is both fun and funky. Musical borders are blurred as they blend jazz, Latin and old-school soul styles. Time: 4 to 6 p.m. July 14 Cost: Free Details: (310) 328-4964; www.torranceca.gov/Parks/22200. htm Venue: Charles H. Wilson Park, 2200 Crenshaw Blvd., Torrance
July 15 Psychedelic Sunday Keith Erikson puts his Spin Cycle to work serving up sweet aural bliss in the form of his Psychedelic Sunday shows. This gathering includes Kiss The Frog, Grampas Grass and Hunter, and The Dirty Jacks. Pre-show happy hour at 4:20 p.m., 21 and older. Time: 5 to 10 p.m. July 15 Cost: $10 Details: www.longbeach.harvelles. com Venue: Harvelle’s, 201 E. Broadway, Long Beach Robert Coomber and Satin Brass Satin Brass quartet will perform music from classical to jazz. Time: 3 p.m., July 15 Cost: $10 to $21 Details: www.elcamino.edu/centerfor thearts/performances Venue: El Camino College, Campus Theatre, 16007 Crenshaw Blvd., Torrance The Los Angeles Black Music Awards All the stars of music and the arts in Los Angeles are celebrating the Black Music Awards with the stars of today, tomorrow and unforgettable legends. Be among the best of the best in Los Angeles at the Los Angeles Black Music Awards. Time: 5 to 8 p.m. July 15 Cost: $25 to $75 Details: www.eventbrite.com Venue: Warner Grand Theatre, 478 W. 6th St., San Pedro
July 21
4LI Enjoy a night of Jazz and Rock at this all ages show featuring Andy Waddell on guitar, Jim Simmons, keyboard and vocals, Zephyr Avalon on bass and Rosy Enquiston drums. Time: 8 p.m. July 21 Cost: $10 Details: (310) 547-2348; www.peoplesplacesp.com Venue: People’s Place, 365 W. 6th St., San Pedro The Painted Birds This up-and-coming Long Beach group will showcase original compositions, demonstrating their attempt to push fusion music forward. The group takes heavy inspiration
from Weather Report, Mahavishnu Orchestra and Return to Forever. Time: 8 p.m. July 21 Cost: $20 Details: www.alvasshowroom. com/ event/the-painted-birds Venue: Alvas Showroom 1417 W. 8th St., San Pedro
July 12 - 25 • 2018 Yellow Submarine
July 22 Saw and Soul Live Lou Mannick on musical saw with special guests jazz singer Barbara Morrison and guitarist Mike McCollum. Time: 5 p.m. July 22 Cost: $20 Details: www.comedyandmagicclub. com Venue: The Comedy and Magic Club — Live at The Lounge, 1014 Hermosa Ave., Hermosa Beach Music in the Park Join this family-friendly event for a day of activity dedicated to promoting health and wellness for children and adults. There will be live music, Zumba demonstrations, the YWCA’s mammogram truck, arts and crafts, community booths and face painting. Live music by The Mighty Echoes, Los Cambalache and Twanguero. Time: 12:30 to 5 p.m. July 22 Cost: Free Details: www.grandvision.org/ calendar-details.asp?id=1156 Venue: Anderson Park, 828 S. Mesa St., San Pedro
July 27 Sleep Max Richter describes Sleep as a “personal lullaby for a frenetic world” and “a manifesto for a slower pace of existence.” Scored for piano, string quintet, electronics and vocals, the piece is an enquiry into the relationship between sound and the sleeping mind, with music. Time: 10:30 p.m. July 27 and 28 Cost: $60 and $80 Details: (213) 972-0711; musiccenter.org/sleep Venue: Grand Park, 200 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles
July 28
Raíces & Música Drawing from Rancho Los Cerrito’s rich Mexican history, Raíces & Música celebrates this heritage through music. The event includes dinner, cocktails and live music by the award-winning band Mariachi Tesoro, led by Rebecca Gonzales. Time: 6 to 9 p.m. July 28 Cost: $100 Details: (562) 206-2040; w w w. r a n c h o l o s c e r r i t o s . o r g / upcoming-event/musical-roots Venue: Rancho Los Cerritos, 4600 N. Virginia Road, Long Beach
July 29
enTRANCe Havana Enjoy beats from Havana to San Pedro. Time: 6 to 8 p.m. July 29 Cost: $20 Details: www.alvasshowroom.tix. com
The Beatles’ innovative 1968 animated film will return to theaters in a new 4K restoration created to mark the movie’s 50th anniversary. The original has been restored by hand, frame by frame, rather than using automated software. The Art Theatre in Long Beach will screen The Yellow Submarine on July 21 and 22. Details: www.72268.formovietickets.com
Venue: Alvas Showroom, 1417 W. 8th St., San Pedro
Aug 10
Long Beach Jazz Festival The Long Beach Jazz Festival features a line-up from classic rhythm and blues to hot summer night jazz. Long Beach Jazz Festival features some of the top artists of the year and includes VIP seating with a great selection of food, art, health and wellness pavilion. Time: 6 to 10 p.m. Aug. 10, and 1 to 10 p.m Aug. 11 and 12 Details: www.longbeachjazzfestival. com Venue: Rainbow Lagoon Park, Shoreline Drive, Long Beach
THEATER Ongoing
The Foreigner Charlie, a pathologically shy Englishman, accompanies his friend Froggy on a trip to rural Georgia. Charlie is overcome with fear at the thought of having to make small talk with strangers, so Froggy informs the locals that Charlie is from an exotic foreign country and speaks no English. Time: 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays, through July 15 Cost: $25 to $45 Details: (310) 512-6030 www.littlefishtheatre.org Venue: Little Fish Theatre, 777 Centre St., San Pedro My Fair Lady Most people know the story of Eliza Doolittle — a flower seller of limited means with a feisty personality whom Professor Higgins transforms into a Victorian lady who can engage with people of wealth and means without a hint of the once-humble street vendor showing through the façade. Time: 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 2 p.m. Sunday through Aug. 4
Cost: $14 to $24 Details: (562) 494-1014; www.lbplayhouse.org Venue: Long Beach Playhouse, 5021 E. Anaheim St., Long Beach Shakespeare by the Sea If you can’t join them at Point Fermin Park, be sure to check out their website for a complete schedule. Time: 8 p.m. through Aug. 8 Cost: Free Details: www.shakespearebythesea. org/wp/locations Venue: Point Fermin Park, 807 Paseo del Mar, San Pedro
The Real Dirt on Farmer John. Time: 7 to 9: 30 p.m. July 20 Cost: Free Details: www.feedandbefed.org Venue: Feed and Be Fed, 429 W. 6th St., San Pedro
July 21
FILM
Pool Party Movie Night Join the Summer Movie Night series on the pool deck featuring a family favorite film. Time: 7 to 10 p.m. July 21 Cost: Free Details: (562) 437-5900 Venue: Renaissance Hotel, 111 E. Ocean Blvd., Long Beach
Justice League Come sit under the stars and big guns while overlooking the Los Angeles Waterfront. Bring the family, friends, a lawn chair and blanket. Concessions available, no outside food, drink or coolers allowed. Time: 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. July 13 Cost: Free Details: www.pacificbattleship.com Venue: Pacific Battleship CenterBattleship USS Iowa, 250 S. Harbor Blvd., Berth 87, San Pedro
The Beatles Yellow Submarine The Beatles’ innovative 1968 animated film will return to theaters in a new 4K restoration created to mark the movie’s 50th anniversary. The original has been restored by hand, frame by frame rather than using automated software Time: 11 a.m. July 21 and 22 Cost: $11:50 Details: www.72268.formovietickets. com Venue: The Art Theatre, 2025 E. 4th St., Long Beach
July 13
July 19
July 24
Silent Film Series Expert and author Jean-Jacques will discuss the history of the Balboa Film Co. The evening will feature Fatty Arbuckle in The Cook and Out West, and a special clip from Strike Me Pink. Time: 8 p.m. July 19 Cost: $40 Details: https://tinyurl.com/y86xzccr Venue: The Exhibition Room, 1117 E. Wardlow Road, Long Beach
Coco Come out to enjoy Moonlight Movies on the Beach Time: 8:30 July 24 Cost: Free Details: www.alfredosbeachclub Venue: Moonlight Movies on the Beach, 5101 E. Ocean Blvd., Long Beach
Queen of the Sun What Are the Bees Telling Us? is a profound, alternative look at the global bee crisis from award-winning filmmaker Taggart Siegel, director of
Synchronous Objects Enjoy an evening of dance with this contemporary ballet and modern dance company. Time: 8 p.m, July 14
July 20
DANCE July 14
Cost: $10 to $21 Details: www.elcamino.edu/ centerforthearts/performances Venue: El Camino College, Campus Theatre, 16007 Crenshaw Blvd., Torrance
ART
July 14
Deciduous Gods Artist W.S. Milner discusses her work and the impetus for creating sculptures based on ancient myths at Cornelius Projects. Milner’s sculptures are on display through July 28. Time: 4 p.m. July 14 Cost: Free Details: (310) 266-9216. Venue: Cornelius Projects, 1417 S. Pacific Ave., San Pedro
July 21 Parkhurst Artists’ Exhibit The Parkhurst Artists Exhibition features over 30 original pieces. Reception for the artists with live music, hors d’oeuvres and wine bar. The entire collection will be on display through Aug. 17. Time: 5 to 8 p.m. July 21 Cost: Free Details: (310) 547-3158; www.parkhurstgalleries.com Venue: Parkhurst Galleries, 439 W. 6th St., San Pedro
Ongoing
Vitality and Verve III An exhibition showcasing new works by artists of the New Contemporary Art Movement. Presented in curatorial collaboration with Los Angeles’ Thinkspace Projects and with the support of POW! WOW! Long Beach, the exhibition is the third iteration in the collaborative series, Art After Dark. Time: 5 to 10 p.m. Cost: $15 Details: www.lbma.org Venue: Long Beach Museum of Art, 2300 E. Ocean Blvd., Long Beach
COMMUNITY
Music in the Park
July 13
Hide Your Kids Vital Bonfire 2018 Come out and vibe, enjoy the night at the beach with friends or come out and meet people in a friendly environment. Open mic, music, free food, ages 18 and older. Time: 6 to 10:30 p.m. Cost: Free Details: www.eventbrite.com/e/hideyour-kids-vital-bonfire-2018-tickets Venue: Cabrillo Beach, 3720 Stephen M. White Dr., San Pedro
Guitar virtuoso El Twanguero will perform at Anderson Park in San Pedro.
July 14 Full Steam Ahead The Full Steam Ahead tour includes separate tickets for the regular self -guided general admission tour and the new guided behind-the-scenes tour of the engineering spaces on board the USS Iowa Battleship. Time: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. July 14 Cost: $11.95 to $99.00 Details: www.pacificbattleship.com Venue: Pacific Battleship CenterBattleship USS Iowa, 250 S. Harbor Blvd., Berth 87, San Pedro
July 15
Summer Soiree and Art Sale The Summer Soiree and Art Sale. is a fundraiser to promote more public art, provide arts appreciation and educational experiences and advocate for the arts in the community. The event will feature chef made foods, live music by the Alex Smith Trio, a juried art sale and four live artists. Time: 3:30 to 6 p.m. July 15 Cost: $55 in advance, $70 at door Details: www.eventbrite.com/e/ summer-soiree-art-sale-tickets Venue: Deco Art Deco Penthouse Loft, 521 W. 8th St., San Pedro
July 16
Summer Day Camps Summer camps at Rancho Los Cerritos allow children to have fun, try new things and be inspired by their surroundings. Day campers explore the Rancho and discover more about themselves and other in an immersive enriching historical site. Need based scholarships
Enjoy a free day of activity dedicated to promoting health and wellness for children and adults on July 22 at Anderson Park in San Pedro. The event features Zumba demonstrations, the YWCA’s mammogram truck, arts and crafts, community booths and face painting. Live music by The Mighty Echoes, Los Cambalache and El Twanguero. Details: www.grandvision.org/calendar-details.asp?id=1156
available. Time: 10 to 2 p.m., three one week sessions and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.for UnPlugged, one week session, July 16 to Aug 10 Cost: $130 per week and $160 for the week, for UnPlugged Details: (562) 206-2040; www.rancholoscerritos.org Venue: Rancho Los Cerritos, 4600 N. Virginia Road, Long Beach.
July 20
Night Dive 18+ This adults-only event will feature local bands performing right next to the fish, DJs spinning in the aquarium’s galleries, inspiring works of art, cocktails and drinks, and tasty bites from food trucks. Time: 7:30 p.m. July 20 Cost: $17.95 Details: tickets.aquarimofpacific. com Venue: Aquarium of the Pacific, 100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach
Time: 5 to 11:30 p.m. July 20 and 12 to 11:30 p.m. July 21, 12 to 10 p.m. July 22 Cost: Free Details: (310) 833-3541; www.marystar.org/fiesta-2018 Venue: Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Church, 870 W. 8th St., San Pedro
July 22
Art as Meditation This three-part series of workshops will teach participants to set a specific course to meet goals and leave inspired with a list of measurable goals and actionable steps to achieving them. Time: 2 to 4 p.m. July 22 Cost: $55 Details: www.cohnart@yahoo.com Venue: Crafted at the Port of
Los Angeles, 112 E. 22nd St., Warehouse No. 10, San Pedro 16th Annual Old West Chili Cook-off Have some fun at the Old West Barbeque and Chili CookOff featuring KJ Rock Hero Entertainment and free chili tastings. Time: 4 to 11 p.m. July 22 Cost: $10 to $15 Details: www.sanpedromasons.org/ tickets Venue: LA Harbor Lodge No. 332, 1640 W. 9th St,, San Pedro
July 28 Love Long Beach Festival 2018 Love Long Beach 2018 is the fiveyear anniversary of the two day festival, spreading the magic of all that is Long Beach. DJs, music, arts and crafts, food court, vendors, yoga and sound healing. Time: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. July 28 and 29 Cost: $5 to $10 Details: www.subtractmusic.com/ love Venue: Shoreline Aquatic Park, 200 Aquarium Way, Long Beach Family Sandcastle Building Day Relive your favorite memories and create new ones during Cabrillo Marine Aquarium’s Family Sandcastle Day. All you need is your best sandcastle building tools, a little shovel and bucket. Time: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 28 Cost: Free Details: www.cabrillomarine aquarium.org Venue: Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, 3720 Stephen M. White Dr., San Pedro Midsummer Scream Halloween and Horror Convention Dozens of haunted and Halloweenthemed attractions will be part of the convention, including walk-through
mazes, horror themed VR experiences and escape rooms and immersive theater, along with three stages featuring panels, presentations and performances from Southern California’s biggest theme parks and names in dark entertainment. Time: July 28 and 29 Cost: $15 to $85 Details: creepyla@gmail.com Venue: Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center, 300 W. Ocean Blvd., Long Beach
July 29 Kirtan Concert Enjoy the Kirtan Concert by Nikunj Ras Kirtan Ensemble followed by meditation, another Kirtan, ending with food and refreshments. Time: 5:30 July 29 Cost: Donation based Details: www.vedacasa.com Venue: Casa Ayurveda and Yoga, 718 S. Weymouth Ave., San Pedro
July 31 Blackwater Diving: Exploring the Night Sea In this lecture Mike Bartick will share photos and stories from his experiences exploring the ocean at night, including images of gelatinous sea jellies, sea snails, squid, and paper nautiluses—some of the ocean’s ancient animals. Time: 7 to 8:30 p.m. July 31 Cost: $5 Details: (562) 590-3100; www.aquariumofpacific.org Venue: Aquarium of the Pacific, 100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach
71st Annual Mary Star of the Sea Parish Fiesta Enjoy carnival rides, games food and beverages and raffles and Bingo.
Real News, Real People, Really Effective July 12 - 25, 2018
11
A
ndrew Anderson is not the person you might expect to be hosting an event about chili peppers and how they may be used in cocktails. He grew up in rural Wisconsin, land of cheese curds, pot roast, and fish fries, where high seasoning is regarded with suspicion. “As a kid I wouldn’t even eat jalapenos,” Anderson recalled. “After I moved to California I just fell in love with chiles, which I hadn’t appreciated before. I tried Thai food, and Indian and Mexican, which use chiles fresh, dried and pickled. I indulged in those cuisines and analyzed the way the spices were used at the same time. “Now, I grow 63 varieties of chiles and have a hot sauce company called The Spicy Kitchen,” he said. “I make a mango hot sauce and a Thai-based one that has pineapple and garlic and onion. I like complex heat, and most of my sauces have from eight to 15 chiles in them. Each one hits your palate at a different level, and when you blend them all together you get something that has been enhanced and enjoyable.” Anderson has taken to chili peppers with the fervor of a convert, but it’s still a bit odd that he ended up conducting this class. His principal profession has not been as a chef, bartender, or hot sauce maker. He is a landscape designer whose excursions into carpentry led to a relationship with Rancho Los Alamitos. “In Wisconsin my family had a one-acre garden and we grew a lot of our food,” he said. “When I moved out here to an apartment I
Learning to Love the Heat By Richard Foss, Cuisine and Culture Columnist
Andrew Anderson, the founder of the Spicy Kitchen. Photos by Richard Foss
had one little ledge, so I made window boxes. When my friends saw them they were stunned, because it hadn’t occurred to them to make their own spaces to garden. They wanted custom
Real News, Real People, Totally Relevant
Two Great Choices for Dining featuring
$10 Lunch Menu
& Early Bird Specials 1420 W. 25th St. (25th & Western) San Pedro • (310) 548-4797
Lunch & Dinner—Mon.-Fri. 11:30 a.m.- 9 p.m. Sat. & Sun. from 4 p.m.
made planter boxes to fit their needs, and it became a business. I started making succulent planters and planter boxes, and the rancho’s gift shop here was one of my vendors. After we got to talking about my culinary interests, they asked me to do some classes.” The “Red Pepper Workshop” on July 14 is the latest in a series that gives participants handson experience in the garden, kitchen and bar. “Everyone will get an 18-inch redwood planter box and we’ll have a selection of different kinds of chili peppers,” he said. “I’ll talk about the varieties of chili and their uses;
they can select the ones that they like. Then I’ll explain how you can use these awesome chiles you just planted. I like to bring in food and cocktail ideas to start people thinking how to utilize them in ways that are different from what they grew up with. Everybody will get recipe cards for the three food items we’ll be serving and three cocktails, which they will experience at lunch.” Though the seminar about chili peppers may seem an unlikely fit for an early California rancho, it’s actually quite appropriate. The early settlers of California were famous for their love of dishes that were pungent with chili and garlic, and unwary visitors from the USA were shocked by how spicy they were. William Tecumseh Sherman, who came to California in 1847, was offered rabbit stewed in what he thought was tomato sauce. As he noted in his diary: “Taking a good mouthful, I felt as though I had taken liquid fire; the tomato was chile colorado, or red pepper, of the purest kind. It nearly killed me.” The Ohio native stayed in California for over a year but never learned to enjoy peppery foods. It’s a measure of how much our tastes have changed that the most popular cuisines in America all have some heat in common. Anderson says that though this event is all about chiles, he intends to show how they can be used subtly. “Everything is pepper themed, so it will be a spicy Saturday morning,” Anderson said. “I’m not going to try to kill anybody, but there will be a complex heat in everything. This isn’t the kind of contest where people drink hot sauce, rather the opposite. People are scared of chiles because of the hot factor, and I want to show them that if chiles are used appropriately they can be subtle and enjoyable. It makes no sense to craft something that you take one bite of or one drink of and then you’re done.” Even those who use chiles in their everyday cooking may not have tried them in cocktails, which is something of a new frontier. Anderson says that while cuisines that use chiles go back centuries, even millennia, there isn’t much cultural bedrock for cocktails using chili peppers. “A few decades ago there was only one spicy cocktail, the Bloody Mary, and a few years ago you started seeing spicy margaritas,” he said. “Recently, there has been a huge upsurge in craft cocktail creativity, so now people are enjoying all sorts of original ideas that involve chili heat. It’s hard to predict whether any of them will become classics, because tastes change with time. To prepare for my events, I consider the flavors thinking about how they’ll mix together, and how to manipulate the ingredients to get the desired effect. It’s the same way I approach cooking, but in a different medium. It just gets you a little happier.” The chili pepper event is one in a series
July 12 - 25, 2018
[See Heat, p. 13]
12
Banquet Room up to 50 guests Heated Patio Dining Follow us at Think Cafe San Pedro and Sonny’s Bistro San Pedro @thinkcafesonny @sonnys_bistro
302 W. 5th St., San Pedro (310) 519-3662
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Mon.-Sat. 8 a.m.- 9 p.m. • Sun. 8 a.m.-2 p.m.
[Heat from p. 12]
Love the Heat
that Anderson has presented at Rancho Los Alamitos, and the partnership has apparently been productive for both parties. “At any given event about half of the members are people who have never been to the rancho,” he said. “They come for my event, take the tours and they leave knowing about this hidden gem. I bring in a different demographic, and I engage their existing members, and everybody is happy.” The Red Pepper Workshop will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. July 14. For reservations call (562) 431-3541 or visit rancholosalamitos.org. The next event will be about pickling and canning vegetables. It will take place on Sept. 22.
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
A San Pedro landmark for over 44 years, famous for exceptional award-winning pizza baked in brick ovens. Buono’s also offers classic Italian dishes and sauces based on tried-and-true family recipes and handselected 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) 547-0655 www.buonospizza.com
THE CHORI-MAN
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) 2410917 • 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
SAN PEDRO BREWING COMPANY
A micro brewery and American grill, SPBC features handcrafted award-winning ales and lagers served with creative pastas, BBQ,
sandwiches, salads and burgers. A full bar with madefrom-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. We are proud to serve our community for almost three decades. 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, expires 7-31-18). 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) 547-4554, www.taxcorestaurantpv.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
July 12 - 25, 2018
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 awardwinning Sunday Champagne Brunch, receive the first Spirit Cruises harbor cruise of the day free. Open 7 days, lunch and dinner. Free parking. Ports O’Call Waterfront Dining, 1199 Nagoya Way, LA Harbor, Berth 76, San Pedro • (310) 833-3553 • www.portsocalldining.com
The Victorian oak panels & elegant brass fittings will make you feel like you’ve crossed the Atlantic. F e a t u r i n g popular pub fare such as Fish & Chips, Shepherd’s Pie & entrées of Choice Steaks, Roast Prime Rib, Beef Wellington & Roast Rack of Lamb. Seafood selections include Chilean Sea Bass, Atlantic Salmon, Jumbo Tiger Shrimp & Sand Dabs. International draft beers & ales, as well as domestic craft beers on tap. Full bar; free, gated parking lot. Happy hour five days a week. Hours: Mon. 5 to 9 p.m., Tues.-Thurs. 11:30 to 9 p.m., Fri. 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Sat. 1 to 10 p.m., Sun. 1 to 9 p.m. The Whale & Ale, 327 W. 7th St., San Pedro (310) 832-0363, www.whaleandale.com
TAXCO MEXICAN RESTAURANT
Waterfront Dining
PORTS O’ CALL RESTAURANT
THE WHALE & ALE ENGLISH RESTAURANT & PUB
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
Conrad’s menu offers cuisine of the Americas, with a fresh focus on local, seasonal selections for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Conrad’s changing menu represents the best of what’s local and in season. Whether it’s shrimp bruschetta and Oaxacan empanadas, omelettes or chilaquiles, fresh seafood to mole poblano, sourcing the freshest ingredients, combining them with traditional flavors and rewriting familiar recipes into exceptional cuisine is our mission and greatest joy. Open Tues. - Sun. 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Conrad’s Farm to Table, 1902 S. Pacific Ave., San Pedro • (424) 264-5454 www.conradssp.com
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
CONRAD’S FARM TO TABLE
13
[Kamasi Washington from p. 9]
Kamasi Washington
Real News, Real People, Totally Relevant
of the creative community and of its pupils that have been passed down through generations. “Leimert was rich with music and everyone was here” Daaood said. “A spiritual thing gets passed on and in it’s the notes.” Leimert Park is bastion of black creativity in Los Angeles from literature to art, textiles poetry, music and fashion. There’s good reason to celebrate its legacy and Washington, as one of its children is a perfect host to carry this torch. While it was good, even edifying, to hear from Daaood as one of the art centers originators, Washington and his music drew this crowd to Leimert. It would have been fascinating to hear more from him. He did speak about a few things like how Harmony of Difference, his 2017 extended play came together. The EP contains music Washington wrote for a standalone multimedia installation for New York’s Whitney Museum of American Art, 2017 Biennial. The concept was to bring different things together and show how differences can be beautiful. “Difference is not an issue to be dealt
with, it’s a beautiful thing to celebrate,” Washington said. In that, he wanted to bring different mediums, not just music. So, the first person he approached was his sister Amani Washington, an artist. He wanted to collaborate with her and this was the perfect opportunity. He also wanted to have a film component. So, he collaborated with director, A.G. Rojas to shoot the 14-minute video for Truth on the Harmony of Difference EP. He noted that when he met Rojas, he let him hear the music, told him about the concept and within days they shot the video and it was beautiful. “It’s a blessing to know that you have kindred spirits all over the world who you are in line with and don’t have to explain what your
Kamasi Washington’s new album is Heaven and Earth.
trying to do,” Washington said.
What style of jazz is your favorite?
To answer this question, Washington’s responded, “That’s like asking what words are your favorite?” He said there are infinite rhythms, sounds, cords and structures and people like to hone in on certain ones but that’s not the totality of the culture. He gave a considered explanation, elaborating on the idea of infinite. “When you think of earth maybe you look up, you have space and you think of the ocean,” Washington said. “But it’s (also) butterflies, the bees, trees, the people the fish. It’s not just the ocean. It’s not just…” He knocked out a beat on the table and said, “That’s just one part of it. And, when you really start to learn all the different aspects of music, you realize that they are all kind of the same. It’s all straight ahead.” Washington said he talks more about particular artists he listens to, like Gerald Wilson (Sept. 4, 1918 to Sept. 8, 2014), his mentor and close friend. The jazz trumpeter, band leader and educator opened Washington’s access to his musical heritage and made him feel connected to it in a very important way. When he was coming up, Washington would go to Wilson’s home who lives in the area. The elder handed him the music and made him feel connected to his heritage in a way that was vital to him. Wilson is more commonly known because his music is so powerful and beautiful. His music would shape people’s lives and help them get through their day-to-day, to have that connection to an artist.
July 12 - 25, 2018
Institutions and the world or UCLA and Leimert Park?
14
Asked to compare the exposure gained from the cultural hub of Leimert to that of his formal education at University of California Los Angeles, Washington said, he would rather classify it as “institutions and the world.” He said education from institutions in general is helpful. To have a place that is dedicated to the storing of information like, UCLA, he could more surgically pinpoint things he wanted to learn and information he wanted to get to. “Like Kamau said, there is certainly information and understandings that you can’t
get in that way, that you only get by being close to someone,” Washington said. “It’s more energetic and a less tangible aspect of music, especially in music and I believe, in life in general.” At UCLA, Washington could go to the library and find every score imaginable. He could go get the pieces of music he wanted and actually look at them. This was before the internet was big. Having that access was important. He was exposed to things that were not on his radar. “Like Indonesian Gamelan music,” he said. “How much of a possibility was that to happen just gigging around town? Probably nothing. But the human aspect of music, the heritage, the lineage, the intangibles, (you can’t get).”
The day’s events
From there Washington and posse moved to Ride On Bike Shop for a Streetfighter Tournament, in celebration of the Heaven and Earth track, Street Fighter Mas. Washington previously made a statement about the track explaining when he was younger, children from different hoods would gather at one store to play Street Fighter. It was like an equalizer and only about how good they were at playing Street Fighter. In other places, (they) would be afraid of these children. Washington jokingly said it was his own theme song, like a boxer. After the gaming tournament, Eso Won Books hosted a two-hour-long album signing where Washington chatted with everyone who got their hands on his CD or album.
The next step
Washington and his band, The Next Step performed two one-and-a-half-hour free sets at the World Stage to hundreds of fans. The line to get in, an hour before the first show, circled around the block. The World Stage only has room for 100 guests so, couches and big screens were set up outside to accommodate everyone. From the early afternoon to nightfall the events drew a multi-ethnic and multigenerational representation of Angelinos and others from elsewhere, fans and artists alike. Washington touches people with his music and moves them. Whether in a huge concert hall, at Coachella or in his own hood, his music is an elixir that brings people together. Washington will embark on another world tour following his album release. Details: https://www.kamasiwashington.com
Long Beach Fresh, Transforming School Food By Melina Paris, Staff Writer
workshops, and breathing techniques. One of her goals is to get yoga into schools. Veronica LeGarrette of Food Finders, discussed her organization’s role in redistributed excess food to places that can use it. Food Finders picks up food from 87 different schools in Long Beach daily or weekly and delivers 380 bags of food per week to families. All of the Food Finders donations stay in the community. Chef Paul and Dana Buchanan of Primal Alchemy Catering Company wrapped up the panel discussion. Chef Paul and Dana were the first to establish organic gardens in the Long Beach Unified School District and are the founders of Days of Taste, a two-day class for fourth graders on healthy foods. [See Fresh, p. 19]
Transforming School Food panelist at the end of the week long Food Summit held by Long Beach Fresh in May 2018.
[Pirates from p. 3]
Pirates Give Back Eddie Ryan Harley Davidson dealership. It was the first of its kind in all of Southern California. Every year, Ryan staged a large group photo of Harley Davidson riders lined up in front of the shop on 4th and Beacon streets for a photo shoot. Pictures from those photo shoots have been sold at auctions or hang in legendary motorcycle shops. As the story goes, Ryan was a time trials
community and sharing their love for riding their Harleys, I was reminded of a 2006 story I wrote, Pedro’s Motorcycle Diaries. It was my first foray in documenting the Los Angeles Harbor Area’s motorcycle subculture. Century Motorcycle’s Cindy Rutherford was one of the primary sources for that story. At the time, Rutherford said bikers would
The San Pedro Harbor Area Pirates Motorcycle Club will donate hundreds of backpacks filled with school supplies to students of Barton Hill Elementary School. Courtesy of Chris Valencia
July 12 - 25, 2018
compete against each other in hill climbs and scrambles — sometimes for pink slips. What I neglected to mention in that story was that her father, Bill Cottom, opened Century Motorcycles with his collecting of pink slips from such competition. The racing spots back then included Rusty Nails, which was north of Greenhills Memorial Park and the Palos Verdes Reservoir before it was filled with water. According to Cottom’s obituary, his passion for motorcycles was lit when, as a 12-year-old living on a Kansas farm, he rode his cousin’s Reading Standard motorcycle. At the age of 17, with the money he earned working at a general store and as an underage professional boxer — he won the light heavyweight championship in Kansas — Cottom bought his first Harley-Davidson. During the early years of the Depression, Cottom worked as a sparring partner in Chicago
Just as the Centurions cut an attractive figure on the bikes through their unity and the fact that they looked like they were having fun, the San Pedro Harbor Area Pirates cut a similar figure with custom made Harley Davidson vests and custom sewn patches on them. “We’ve been wearing these patches since day one,” Chris explained. “What we do, they want to be a part of it. We tell them that there are some things that go with these patches: respect is Number 1, giving back is Number 2. Chris said he hoped to include 15th Street Elementary School in the years to come in the philanthropic efforts. They are already adding luster to their hometown’s motorcycles culture as The San Pedro Harbor Area Pirates intend to continue to lift up their community by serving as role models as they slowly expand their reach to more schools. They write their own chapter in Pedro’s Motorcycle Diaries. 15
racer, a hill climber and a regular gypsy tour rider. Gypsy tours are when riders from across the country converge upon a single destination like Sturgis, South Dakota, Daytona Beach, Florida or Walkers Cafe at Paseo del Mar, in San Pedro on a sunny Sunday afternoon. Rumor had it (rumor because all I’ve been able to find so far are online anecdotes from people who knew the descendants of these figures) was that Ryan was an ExcelsiorHenderson motorcycle man before he had a falling out with the company and started getting into Harleys in the mid-1920s. So from then on until 1962 it was a Harley shop. A regular at Ryan’s shop, bought, moved and operated Ryan’s shop as Motorcycles Only, in the city of Gardena. And that was the extent of the history of the Harley Davidson dealership in San Pedro. While the Valencia brothers and Medina talked about their desire to give back to the
and raced motorcycles for cash on wooden board race tracks. Cottom came to San Pedro in 1935 to help his brothers run their Century Sign business. He opened Century Motorcycles at Pacific and 17th Street that year, specializing in vintage and British-made motorcycles such as Vincents, BSAs and Triumphs. The shop soon became a prominent hangout for bikers from throughout the Los Angeles area and beyond. Rutherford explained that her father, along with Dave Thomas and Chuck Caughlin founded a local chapter of the Centurions Motorcycle club in the 1960s to counteract the outlaw image of bikers. She said their membership ranged from eight to 80 years old and 90 percent were married. The club rules were so rigid that if a member received a ticket, he’d receive an additional penalty from the club captain. Club rules included: • Being a good citizen and obeying all traffic laws • Maintaining your motorcycle in safe running condition • Using a legal muffler and encourage other riders to the do the same • Wearing Snell Foundations of Safety approved helmets
Real News, Real People, Really Effective
The Long Beach School District feeds nearly 60,000 children daily. Earlier this summer, community members and parents came together to discuss healthy food and food waste at the Transforming School Food panel discussion at Fremont Elementary School in Long Beach. The event happened toward the end of the larger, weeklong food summit held at community restaurants and farms by Long Beach Fresh, founded by Tony Damico and Ryan Smolar to increase the production, distribution and consumption of healthy, local foods in Long Beach. Nine panelists from both large and small organizations spoke on issues regarding healthy food access and healthy food education. Elizabeth Batalao, one of the panlists, is an administrative dietician with the Long Beach Unified School District. She discussed the restrictions and guidelines her department has to follow as they deal with food waste and provide foods students like and want to eat. The department’s nutrition literacy programs, such as Harvest of the Month, utilize handson education that have been well received by Long Beach Unified students. Each month students explore a different fruit or vegetable, using a book and their senses. They also have a fresh fruit and vegetable program which provides healthy snacks while introducing students to new fruits and vegetables. Ayesha Syler with Los Angeles Food Policy Council spoke about the Good Food Purchasing Program. The program provides standards and support to empower major institutions to procure local, sustainable, fair and humanely produced foods. Their goal is to use the buying power of these major institutions (like a school district) to affect how food is purchased and consumed. The remainder of panelists came from their own startups that connect and educate Long Beach youth through a variety of outlets. Chef Kyle Johnson of MarketL0Vr spoke about his nonprofit which brings the knowledge and practicality of plant-based living to Long Beach and Compton neighborhoods. Johnson mentors youth at Long Beach Polytechnic High School, where he facilitates Ask A Chef pop up cooking demonstrations. Johnson shared a story where he took a group of 20 Polytechnic High students to Big Bear. He grouped them together by culture and asked them to share with each other what they each loved most about their cultural backgrounds. Overwhelmingly, they most loved and wanted to share their respective culture’s foods. This emphasized that food is what brings people together. Other panelists included Ground Education, run by Holland Brown and Karen Taylor along with interns from California State University Long Beach. They plant school gardens and use garden-based curriculum to teach students how to think of food from the perspective of health and the environment. They taught 500 classes in the 2018 school year. Suzanne Mapes, the panel discussion facilitator, discussed the Feed My Soul project, an endeavor she founded to help children notice how their bodies feel related to the foods they eat. Mapes uses kindness and yoga
[Truckers from p. 1]
Truckers Struggle Against Exploitation
Teamsters Port Division. But that could be about to change as a result of actions at both the state and local levels. The Long Beach hearings are part of a search for local strategies, while the City of Los Angeles has already initiated a set of lawsuits against three Cal Cartage companies (taken over by NFI Industries this past October).
New State Bill Would Hold Retailers Accountable
July 12 - 25, 2018
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The most promising new approach comes from Senate Bill 1204, drafted by Bell Gardens state Sen. Ricardo Lara. The bill would make large retailers jointly responsible for labor law and related violations by the logistics companies they contract with. “California has tried for more than a decade to address misclassification and exploitation of port truckers, but these vulnerable drivers still lack the appropriate protections,” Lara told Random Lengths News. “By letting California hold retailers jointly liable when they employ companies that break the law, Senate Bill 1402 will clean up our port trucking industry once and for all.” The bill passed the Senate 22-12 on May 30, and is going through Assembly hearings, with a floor vote expected in mid-August, Lara’s staff said. The bill’s findings note that “California’s port drayage drivers are the last American sharecroppers, held in debt servitude and working dangerously long hours for little pay.” It points out that more than $45 million has been awarded to more than 400 drivers by the state’s Division of Labor Standards Enforcement, but “Drivers have seen little of those awards while misclassification remains endemic, as companies that commit violations go out of business and are replaced by others that repeat the pattern.” Holding retailers accountable would drastically improve compliance, according to Teamsters spokeswoman Barbara Maynard. “We anticipate that this will be a game changer in the industry … coupled with the California Supreme Court decision on the Dynamex case, which clarified rules around using independent contractors,” Maynard told Random Lengths News. One employment law firm report called it the “Contractor Apocalypse,” saying the standard will make it much more difficult for businesses to [mis]classify workers as independent contractors. Lara’s involvement started about two years ago, when he met with a group of drivers and a couple of warehouse workers. “The senator began looking at what he could do and that was a complex question because trucking is tricky,” Maynard said. “There’s federal preemption [which struck down the truckers’ employee protection in the original Clean Trucks Program] and there’s local laws, there’s state laws, there’s federal laws, and there’s all kinds of things that make it complicated….. He came up with a piece of legislation is really very elegant and simple…. What Sen. Lara’s bill does is publish a list of those companies that have been found guilty of violating the law for misclassification.” Retailers that go ahead and use companies on the list then become jointly liable for their violations. “We think that it’s a creative approach to 16
Sen. Richard Lara said his bill will ”clean up our port trucking industry once and for all.” File photo.
the problems in this industry that have been here for decades,” said a Lara staffer, on background. “We’re really excited about this legislation,” said Jessica Durrum, a spokeswoman with the Our People Our Port Coalition, which includes labor, environmental, faith-based and immigration advocates who work closely with port truckers and warehouse workers. “We’ve seen the lengths to which companies will go to avoid accountability — creating shell companies, ignoring labor commission decisions that become final judgments; they continued to avoid and flout the law,” Durrum said, “So, as many enforcement mechanisms that we have, the better.”
A Handful of Companies Embrace Responsibility, Employee Model
Years of struggle by misclassified port workers are starting to pay off. A handful of companies have abandoned the independent owner-operator model and are now valuable allies, since they, too, are hurt by companies that gain a competitive advantage by continuing to break the law. Toll, EcoFlow and Shippers Transport Express all submitted letters of support for SB 1204. “We provide fair wages, medical and we make pension contributions for our drivers. But we do so at great competitive disadvantage,” Eco Flow President and CEO Bill Allen wrote. “We fight for survival.” Allen noted that it is 25 to 30 percent more expensive to use employee drivers. There are a variety of reasons for that. Companies using the independent owner-operator model do not pay for workman’s compensation policies, unemployment insurance fund taxes, medical benefits, pensions, profit sharing or employer payroll taxes or other statutory employmentrelated programs. “There is simply insufficient profit margin available to sustain wages and benefits at current
levels in an employee context unless everyone plays by the same rules,” Allen said. “Given our companies’ experience and ability to come into compliance with labor laws, we do not see any reason why every other port trucking company cannot do the same,” wrote Kevin Baddeley, general manager of Shippers Transport Express, which made more than 250,000 drayage moves in 2016. This is second only to the California Cartage companies, now owned by MFI industries, which made over 300,000 drayage moves that year, and now faces lawsuits brought by Los Angeles City Attorney Michael Feuer on Jan.8. Toll Global Logistics operates across 1,200 locations in more than 50 countries, with over 40,000 employees worldwide. “Around the globe Toll recognizes our most valuable asset is our employees and we take the same approach here in the United States,” Tolls Americas President Geoff Terrill wrote. “Our success in delivering excellent service to our customers not only depends on how we treat our people but how we impact the communities we work in and the planet we inhabit. Therefore, we are committed to creating sustainable value in the movement of goods through highly ethical and socially responsible standards for managing our business.” Unfortunately, such enlightened attitudes are the exception, not the rule, despite the legal consequences — at least, as far as they have been applied to date. Lara’s bill, making retail cargo owners responsible for how they move their goods, would substantially add to those consequences. After minor adjustments were made—giving more time for retailers to get out of contracts and providing for monthly updates—the trucking association verbally dropped its opposition to the bill.
Los Angeles Still Has a Role to Play
But no single approach, however wellconceived, should be counted on to fix a situation that’s been in place for decades, which is why city-level measures in Los Angeles and Long Beach are important as well, Durrum pointed out. Following a sub-committee field hearing in San Pedro this past Nov. 28, 2017, the Los Angeles City Council called on the city attorney to investigate what could be done — in turn stirring Long Beach to consider similar action, Durrum said. This process is still under way. One quick result was the Jan. 8 lawsuits against three Cal Cartage companies — CMI Transportation, K & R Transportation and Cal Cartage Transportation Express. “These port trucking companies take advantage of hundreds of hard-working drivers, requiring them to pay onerous expenses just to do their jobs, while leaving them without basic benefits and protections — all to boost the companies’ profits,” Los Angeles City Attorney Michael Feuer said when announcing the suits. “It’s wrong and we’re fighting to stop it.” But despite these lawsuits, and numerous previous findings of violations of state and federal laws, the Harbor Commission still approved a one-year Free Trade Zone Operating Agreement with Cal Cartage on April 5. Councilman Joe Buscaino took a leading role in reversing it and the city council voted unanimously to veto the agreement on May 8. “Time and again I have told the LA Harbor Commission that NFI/Cal Cartage is breaking the law by misclassifying me as an independent contractor yet they continue to give sweetheart deals to the company,” said Gustavo Villa, a misclassified Cal Cartage driver. “I am so grateful that Councilman Buscaino stepped in to block this sweetheart deal for a company that has shown no regard for the laws of the land.” It was a step in the right direction, but it begs the question: why did the city council have to intervene in the first place? The Harbor Commission still seems to accept criminal behavior as the norm.
Long Beach Moves Forward, Too
In Long Beach, the city council approved a three-pronged approach on Feb. 20. It added port driver issues to its state and federal legislative agendas, requested the city attorney to “explore options to support regulatory enforcement efforts” by the state, and requested hearings to look for solutions by the Harbor and Tidelands Committee and the Long Beach Harbor Commission. The committee hosted two hearings in May, but a third, originally planned for midJune has yet to be scheduled. But the overall tone of those meetings reflects a fundamental shift in understanding, which is the result of years of seemingly thankless struggle by port drivers. For example, in the May 31 meeting, Portillo was one of four presenters, along with Durram, who provided an overview of the port truckers’ struggle. Patrick Henning, the director of the California Employment Development Department, spoke to how misclassification weakened the state’s unemployment and disability insurance system. Jonathan Rosenthal, the CEO of Saybrook Management & Chairman of TTSI Transportation, explained why regulation was needed from a systems view of business, based on 30 years of experience in different aspects of the logistics sector. “Capital has no conscience and so it needs a regulatory framework,” Rosenthal said. “Capital moves towards return and it moves [See Truckers, p. 17]
[Budget from p. 4]
Brown’s Last CA Budget time funding to support legal services for undocumented students, faculty and staff, and to address student hunger and basic needs and other costs, including deferred maintenance. The community college system gets a $522.8 million increase for its new funding formula and a one-time expenditure of $100 million to set up an online community college, along with $20 million in ongoing funding to support its annual operation. Finally, the budget provides $3.7 billion to fund full Implementation of the Local Control Funding Formula for K-12 education. This brings the total increase in school funding since 201112 to more than $4,600 per student, perhaps the clearest single indicator of how Democratic state governance matters. But the budget shies away from new long-term spending commitments, focusing new spending primarily on one-time expenditures, such as a variety of commitments on homelessness. These include $500 million for one-time Homeless Emergency Aid block grants to localities, $15 million in one-time funding within three years for a pilot program addressing homelessness among seniors, a one-time $50 million allocation to provide services for homeless individuals with mental illness, and one-time increases to support [Truckers from p. 16]
Truckers
• Does not provide state-funded assistance to moderate-income Californians [up to 600 percent of the federal poverty line] who buy health insurance on the individual market, including through Covered California. • Does not end Medi-Cal’s “senior penalty” by extending no-cost coverage to seniors with incomes between 123 percent and 138 percent of the poverty line.
There’s already a model for this: alternative sentencing options that have been initiated in several counties. are being tried out at the local level in various counties across the state. The common theme in all these budget areas — housing, poverty, healthcare, mass incarceration — is that Democrats are still largely focused on doing a better job working within a policy framework driven by Republican ideas, either reflecting them or trying to fend them off. What’s needed is a new willingness to think outside that outdated, discredited box. That will be the test to whomever is elected next November.
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Beyond that, several key concerns were only partially addressed. The state’s robust growth under Brown’s stewardship — almost twice the national average — has increased state revenues, but high housing costs have kept California’s poverty rate at 20 percent, using the cost-ofliving-sensitive Supplemental Poverty Measure, the highest in the nation. The CalWORKs program provides modest cash assistance for more than 830,000 low-income children while helping parents overcome employment barriers. “The annualized maximum CalWORKs grant for a family of three has been well below the deep-poverty threshold (50 percent of the federal poverty line) for the past 11 years,” noted, California Budget Project, however. The Senate proposed to end that, phasing in grant increases within three years, but the budget only provides a modest one-year increase, with further progress dependent on future budgets. Similarly, while healthcare coverage has been significantly expanded, taking advantage of the Affordable Care Act, a single-payer universal healthcare bill, which passed the State Senate this past year, has been shelved indefinitely in the Assembly. And then, there’s the cost of mass incarceration. The budget summary presents corrections as a success, arguing that Brown’s tenure has reversed a costly long-term expansion of the prison system (12.5 percent annual budget increases within two decades, with frequent spending over-runs), with the goal to give offenders the greatest opportunity for rehabilitation—thereby reducing recidivism and increasing overall public safety in a cost-effective manner. It argues that in contrast, within the past eight years, annual corrections spending growth has been reduced to 2.7 percent while focusing more dollars on health care and rehabilitation.” But critics say that much more could be done. “Despite the ongoing decline in incarceration, spending on state corrections remains high,” Scott Graves, of the California Budget Project wrote in April. The $12.1 billion in corrections spending is $2 billion higher than the 2012-13 level, after adjusting for inflation. Combined with county
involved, or might potentially be involved, with the corrections system. The goal would be to modify sentences in order to make sure they are proportionate to the seriousness of the crime as well as to the risk that an individual will reoffend.
Real News, Real People, Really Effective
away from risk.” In 2016, Saybook determined that the independent owner-operator model was too risky. “We said, ‘Look, we don’t think that’s right model, we think that that’s too unpredictable, the regulatory environment that’s developing is too unpredictable,” he recalled saying. “It’s cheaper to cheat, no question about it…. It’s your job to give us regulatory certainty.” That will ensure broad compliance by all companies, not just the more far-sighted ones. The fact that all these different points of view converged on the same bottom line — the need to recognize port truckers as employees and make that recognition universal — epitomized the shift in consciousness that’s necessary in order for justice to finally be achieved. There’s still a great deal of hard work to be done, translating that awareness into laws, regulations, and most importantly, day-to-day practice on the ground. But the growing universality of that awareness signals a true turning point in the struggle. That’s a hopeful sign for port truckers, but it’s not their only concern, Durrum pointed out. Port drivers are largely an immigrant workforce, with many — like Portillo — from Central America and many of those here in America under Temporary Protected Status. “Many, many drivers will be affected by this program which is being phased out as we speak,” Durrum said. So there’s ongoing organizing to combat the threat. It’s one of the oldest stories in the labor movement. The ILWU’s founding president, Harry Bridges, was an Australian immigrant, who the government spent decades trying to deport — unsuccessfully. Once again, workers can look back at their history to gain strength for their next struggle, even as the current struggle is yet to be won.
shelter services for domestic violence survivors ($10 million) and homeless youth ($1 million). A good indication of what’s not in the budget can be found in the California Budget Project’s analysis of healthcare spending, under the heading, “Budget Package Aims to Address Health Care Affordability and Financing, but Includes None of the Policy Expansions Advanced by the Legislature.” “While the budget agreement promotes longterm efforts to improve California’s health care system, it does not incorporate any health care coverage expansions or affordability policies that the Legislature had advanced,”the California Budget Project noted. For example, the budget package: • Does not expand eligibility for Medi-Cal to undocumented immigrant adults.
spending, total costs top $20 billion statewide. The prime driver in reducing incarceration was a 2009 federal court order requiring California to reduce overcrowding in its prisons, which Brown and the legislature responded to with a public safety realignment,” moving certain lower-risk prisoners to county jails. California also passed two propositions (47 in 2014 and 57 in 2016), which shortened sentences, and provided more flexibility in probation and parole. But the changes fall far short of the comprehensive rethinking that’s called for — and could save the state billions each year. Writing in The Nation on June 22, Graves explained, As one key step forward, state leaders could create a sentencing commission to review California’s sentencing laws and suggest some common sense changes. The commission would evaluate the impact of sentence length on individuals who are
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1 Came up 6 Minor argument 10 Die spots 14 Cholesterol drug with the generic version Simvastatin 15 Animal in two constellations 16 Mental concoction 17 One-eighty 18 Boxing Day baby, astrologically 20 Defunct newspaper from North Carolina’s state capital 22 Pencil end 23 ___ el hanout (North African spice mix) 24 Distorted 27 Leb. neighbor 28 Greek column style 31 You, to Shakespeare 32 Crankcase component for engine fluids 34 Get a little froggy? 35 Certain Winter Olympics squad, as spelled in some countries 38 City with a Witch Museum 39 The great outdoors 40 “Toy Story” kid 41 Try to buy 42 Work at a grocery store, perhaps
45 Music collection often stored in a tower 46 Directional suffix 47 Place to change before swimming 50 Compare pros and cons 53 Easy swimming target, slangily 56 Word before paper or metal 57 Charismatic glow 58 Reverberation 59 City between Jacksonville and Tampa 60 Seasonal employee 61 Put a halt to 62 Pied ___ (“Silicon Valley” company)
DOWN
1 Sky-blue shades 2 Hub traffic circle 3 Eye-related 4 Tender spots 5 Basement apartment resident at 123 Sesame Street 6 “No ___ luck!” 7 Backside before a fall? 8 Having as a goal 9 Airport runway 10 “___ or it didn’t happen!” 11 Altar-ed statement? 12 Part of MPG 13 ___ Jacinto 19 -y, pluralized
21 Bobby Flay’s milieu 24 Exclamation often misspelled with the second letter at the end 25 Be nomadic 26 ___ it up 29 Show starter 30 Water nymph, in mythology 31 Yew, for example 32 Mind 33 Philosopher’s suffix 34 Midpoint, for short 35 Group in the pit 36 Carmaker Ransom 37 Intuition 38 Alveolus, e.g. 41 Pays off 42 Undeserved reputation 43 “Hurry up!,” in Spanish 44 He brought the frankincense 46 Startled sound 48 Storyteller with morals 49 Italian lawn bowling 50 Make a present presentable? 51 “___! Cherry-O” (kids’ board game) 52 Corvette roof option 53 Took a load off 54 Shade 55 Robotic factory piece ©2018 Jonesin’ Crosswords (editor@jonesincrosswords.com) For answers go to: www.randomlengthsnews.com
REVIEW
Unchecked Assaults on Intelligence Fortell a State of Tyranny By Sara Corcoran, Washington D.C. Columnist Special to RLn Gen. Michael C. Hayden begins his book, The Assault on Intelligence: American National Security in an Age of Lies, surveying the flattened streets of Sarajevo. When Hayden was head of Intelligence for the American forces in Europe, he was tasked with providing intelligence to the United Nations forces based in Bosnia. As he paces the streets, Hayden laments that there was a time when Sarajevo was occupied with thriving commerce and religious tolerance only to be replaced with ruins and artillery. So, his warning about the perils of unchecked ethnic nationalism and its consequences are timely and significant. The foundation of his message is also clear. The prospect of having a stable, thriving society is difficult to sustain when the institutions that support civil societies are threatened by external stressors, such as fervent nationalism and authoritarianism. The result is likely going to be the downfall and degradation and eventual annihilation of that society. Even though he doesn’t envision a complete meltdown of American society, he makes it very clear that that the institutions and processes that have kept America free and stable for the past 230 years aren’t guaranteed. He believes institutions need
Gen. Michael Hayden’s new book, The Assault on Intelligence: American National Security in an Age of Lies, examines the threats to America’s stability from within. File photo
to be nurtured by guardians of democracy and their respective thought processes. Our decision makers and their decisions need to be based on data, facts and truths, not on “post truth,” where real truth is anathema. Hayden warns that in an environment where personal feelings and opinions guide critical thinking, the outcomes will be flawed and fatal. The institutions these “enlightened thinkers”
represent need to be protected from assault by enemies of the state, both foreign and domestic. Hayden discusses the tension that exists between all three branches of government as healthy and supervisory by design. He believes that if the rxecutive nranch were to overreach, the Congress and the courts would step in to block the overreach and restore balance. For example, U.S. courts quickly
DBA & LEGAL FILINGS 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: 05/31/2018, 06/14/2018, 06/28/2018, 07/12/2018
[Fresh from p. 15]
Long Beach Fresh Students learn a new food vocabulary such as: “sustainable,” “natural” and “organic.” They also learn to identify foods, their differences and how to read food labels. Their lessons then comes full circle at the dining table where they are taught dining etiquette and the art of the table. The consensus at the conclusion of the panel discussion was that there’s still more work to be done on
healthy food access and food waste. The good news is that the number of partnerships between institutions in the community and the food industry are growing and communities are increasingly growing empowered to take control of the food their children eat. With the help of small startups like the ones mentioned children seek out healthy foods and more importantly, know how to find them.
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: 06/27/2018, 07/12/2018, 07/26/2018, 08/09/2018
July 12 - 25, 2018
Fictitious Business Name Statement File No. 2018150408 The following person is doing business as: Regal Roofing, 1503 S. Centre Street, San Pedro, CA 90731. Los Angeles County. Registered owners: Bryan Michael Hibon, 11920 Inglewood Ave., Hawthorne, CA 90250. 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/. Bryan Michael Hibdon, owner. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Los Angeles on June 20, 2018. Notice--In Accordance with subdivision (a) of section 17920. A fictitious name statement generally expires at the
attorney general and former FBI director risks establishing a treacherous pattern. Hayden sees the president pushing his executive mandate beyond conventional limits and Congress failing to draw a line to stop him. Even more unique is the fact that Hayden sees Trump enlisting the help of Congress to intensify the effect of undermining the portions of the executive branch that do not bend to the President’s will. The general points out that most civil servants consider an allegiance to truth and the Constitution as more important than loyalty to a cult of personality. The American process of a normal and peaceful transition of power from one administration to the next is seen as a sign of a stable governance, which we have enjoyed for some 230 years. Irrespective of party affiliation, Americans pledge allegiance to our constants, the flag and the constitution on a regular basis. However, under the Trump administration, the pillars of the steady state are convulsing and being depleted. From the candidate continuum, through his first 100 days and onto his first year, Hayden reflects upon a Trump administration that operates in a chaotic vacuum focusing on emotional messages, grievance, and tribalism. He finds the Muslim travel ban irrational, the attacks on the judiciary unfounded and Trump’s thirst for public shaming and Twitter treacherous.
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Fictitious Business Name Statement File No. 2018112411 The following person is doing business as: Children’s Maritime Institute, Berth 73, STE #2, San Pedro, CA 90731. Los Angeles County. Registered owners: Los Angeles Maritime Institute Berth 73, STE #2, San Pedro, CA 90731. This Business is conducted by a corporation. The date registrant started to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above: 04/2018. 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/. Bruce Heyman, CEO. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Los Angeles on May 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
moved to block President Donald Trump’s “Muslim Travel Ban,” forcing the president to revise and tailor its terms. It is common for an administration that develops its outlook and policies on inductive reasoning, often based on observations and generalizations, to come into conflict with its inherently pessimistic, deductive counterparties, such as the Central Intelligence Agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigations, and the director of National Intelligence. However, any effective president must find an equilibrium between paradigms and not view opposing perspectives as a threat to the sanctity of any given administration. Past administrations have experienced tensions from within. President Bill Clinton and Louis Freeh at the FBI is one example. President George W. Bush pushing to get Attorney General John Ashcroft’s signature to an enhanced interrogation order at his hospital bed and President Barack Obama relying on executive orders in the face of congressional opposition to legislative proposals, are a couple more examples. While this friction is common for any administration, stoking a civil war within one’s own executive branch is unprecedented and alarming. Departing from this trend, Trump has declared war on the law enforcement and intelligence agencies, which report to him, demanding loyalty pledges. Trump’s public vilification of his
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