RLn 5-27-21

As Gang-Related Shootings Rise, Parents of Murdered Youth March for Peace

By Arturo Garcia-Ayala, Reporter

[See Peace, p. 4]

SPHS to get an updated look p. 3 Documentary recalls FDR’s “New Deal for Artists” as advancing American society p. 9

Myths of the Lost War The burden and costs of American amnesia: New book investigates ‘Dissenting POWs’

By Paul Rosenberg, Senior Editor

Hoa Lo Prison to America Today. It’s co-authored by Tom Wilber, the son of one of the POWs interviewed on national TV, and Jerry Lembcke, a Vietnam veteran whose 1998 book The Spitting Image debunked and explored the origins of the widely believed myth of anti-war protesters spitting on returning veterans, and who’s written several other books debunking Vietnam War myths.

Random Lengths News interviewed Lembcke about his new book, starting with a question about how the new book compares with his first foray.

In The Spitting Image, Lembcke examines the widely believed myth of anti-war protesters spitting on

returning veterans. In that book, he said their memory was repressed in two ways. First, by the pathologizing of returning veterans and then by rewriting history to represent them as being spat upon by those whom antiwar veterans actually joined with.

In Dissenting POWs, the co-authors seem to argue that the existence of anti-war POWs were repressed in more complex ways — first, via the promotion of the prisoner-at-war myth, which was grounded in early American captivity narratives; second, via the narrative of brainwashing that emerge from the Korean War; third, via the pathologizing narrative in Lembcke’s

May 27 - June 9, 2021

Two days after Christmas, 1970, CBS and NBC aired clips of an interview with two prisoners of war — senior naval pilots, one who’d flown in Korea and both of whom opposed the ongoing Vietnam War. Historians estimate that 30 to 50% of POWs felt the same. Yet, while POWs loom large in American public memory of Vietnam, the very existence of these dissenting POWs has been virtually banished.

What’s been forgotten, what’s been remembered — or invented — in its place, how that happened and why it still matters as we struggle to withdraw from Afghanistan half a century later are explored in a new book, Dissenting POWs: From Vietnam’s

Restaurants crawl out of the pandemic p. 10

Above: Parents who lost children to gang violence gathered at Wilmington and Pacific Coast Highway on May 13 for march and prayer vigil.

Photo by Arturo Garcia-Ayala

Real People, Real News, Really Effective

WILMINGTON — On May 13, more than a hundred people called for an end to the ongoing violence by marching down Pacific Coast Highway in Wilmington.

The Peace March was organized by the Victory Outreach Church of Carson along with such other community groups as the Los Angeles chapter of the Parents of Murdered Children, United Wilmington Youth Foundation, I Heart Wilmington; all walked the one mile to Banning Museum park, chanting, “We want peace!” and “No more shootings!”

Mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, friends, church clergy and community leaders held signs showing the names and faces of the murder victims. Donna Arviso Narez walked in remembrance of her son, Daniel Arviso, 19, who was murdered by gang members in 2007 while walking home in Wilmington.

“Two guys and a girl murdered him in Ghost Town [East Wilmington] as a part of a gang initiation,” Donna lamented as she held her sign showing her son’s face.

Likewise, the families of victims, such as Mark Gonzalez, James Dominguez or Anthony Iniguez, are pressing for justice and an end to the violence.

[See Dissent, p. 8]

50% of L.A. County residents 16 and over are fully vaccinated as of May 25, 2021 Free roundtrip rides to vaccination sites are available from Uber and Lyft, call 833-540-0473 or use the apps Four new deaths and 139 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Los Angeles County

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May 27 - June 9, 2021

Real People, Real News, Totally Relevant

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

SPHS Will Update Its Campus

By Hunter Chase, Community News Reporter

Historic San Pedro High School is working on a $245 million remodeling project that will add three new buildings and update five existing ones, adding 34 new classrooms in the process.

“San Pedro High School is going to maintain its historic status, and all the things that make it a great school for decades, while also modernizing certain elements,” said Principal Steve Gebhart at a construction update community meeting on April 28.

The project began in 2015, passing through environmental studies and earning state approvals, including an environmental impact report. The Board of Education finally approved the $245 million budget on April 14, and construction was approved to begin on May 10.

Representatives from the Los Angeles Unified School District said the contractor has begun mobilizing on the site. The work is scheduled to be completed in 2027.

The reason it is challenging is because the school is sloped about 60 feet from its high point on Leland and 17th streets to its lowest point, on the northeast corner of the campus. This makes construction and accessibility difficult — they have to be careful where they place buildings, ramps, paving, retaining walls and parking.

The reason the school is using cast-in-place concrete buildings is so that they fit in with the existing buildings, LAUSD representatives said.

The buildings that were built in the 1930s were made using the same method. It involves using the concrete itself for both the structure and visible finish. Molds made of wood or metal are created, and then the concrete is poured into them.

The school is going to demolish several buildings, including its shop building, industrial arts building and four portable buildings. It will also remove 112 trees on the campus, but will

San Pedro High School renovations could move the school’s marching band into a roomier space than the cramped bungalows it currently resides in. Courtesy of SPHS

May 27 - June 9, 2021

[See High School, p. 5]

replace them with 148 new trees.

Taylor said that the new buildings integrate well with the existing buildings. They have the same color scheme, and a similar design.

“The new buildings are really quite understated, and not trying to compete with the historic buildings elsewhere on campus,” Taylor said.

Ed Cadena, senior project manager, said the construction would affect most of the campus.

The only exceptions would be the baseball field and the football field.

“The fact that this is such a comprehensive construction development of the high school, it obligates us to do some significant phasing of the work, and to introduce some temporary classrooms,” Cadena said.

In the first phase, which will last from 2021 to 2023, three new buildings will be constructed, including the new admin building, classroom space, a new lunch shelter and the central plant.

During this phase, the construction crew will also install some utilities from the existing campus into the new buildings, including water and electricity.

While the construction crew will not be changing the baseball field, it will be using it as a construction staging area. It will be used for setting up offices, staff parking and mockups.

While it’s being used, the school’s softball program will be relocated to the satellite campus,

Real People, Real News, Really Effective

The school will build three new buildings, representatives from LAUSD said. One building will include administration, food services and general classrooms, as well as a cafeteria with indoor and outdoor student dining. It will also have specialty classrooms, including digital imaging, culinary arts and engineering, and four science labs. In addition, it will provide a new main entrance to the campus on Leland Street.

The second building will be a single-story band and visual media building with a flexible video or broadcast classroom. The third will be a small central plant building for the boilers and chillers, which will provide hot and chilled water to the campus for heating and air-conditioning.

“They are within the confines of the historic structure, but internally the rooms will be just as fabulous as the brand-new buildings,” said Dean Taylor, senior project development manger.

The school will also upgrade and restore the historic library, which is on the second floor of the main building.

The project will not extend beyond the current campus boundaries, and will only use its existing land. It should take about six years.

“It’s a very complex project,” Taylor said.

“Not only complex in the way that the buildings are put together — they’re all cast-in-place concrete buildings — but also the topography of the site is very challenging.”

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Community Announcements:

Harbor Area Youth Summer Paid Internship Opportunity

The Leadership ARTS Mentoring Program (LAMP) offers leadership skill development in combination with learning conventional gardening and hydroponics for young people aged 18 to 24 currently living in low-income households.

Participants have an opportunity to earn up to $2,000.

This is an 8-week internship — June 8 to July 29, 15 hours per week — Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursdays 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Applications are being accepted from now through June 1. Applications are reviewed in the order they are received.

Interviews will be conducted beginning May 24th until all spots are filled.

Applicants will be invited to interview based on their income eligibility, on the quality of answers provided on this application questionnaire, and spots available.

Details: Apply here: www.surveymonkey.com/r/ LAMPSG2021

LB Permit Center at City Hall Begins Limited In-Person Services

The Long Beach Development Permit Center, located on the second floor of City Hall, is now open for limited in-person services by appointment only for express permits related to minor construction projects. Same-day appointments can be scheduled when available (walk-ins without appointments will not be allowed).

In-person appointments may be scheduled Monday through Friday, from 1 to 3:30 p.m.

Details: longbeach.gov/permits.

Home Safe program Helps Older Adults Facing Evictions

Older adults facing eviction may qualify to receive financial assistance and rent relief.

Details: 213-610-1589; APShomesafe@wdacs. lacounty.gov

Now Vaccinating Everyone Aged 12 and Older

Vaccinations for Homebound

Call the LA County Public Health Vaccine Call Center at 833-540-0473 if: you, or someone you know, needs transportation to a vaccination site, or you, or someone you know, are homebound and needs to get vaccinated at home (availability may be delayed due to high demand).

The call center is open daily 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Information is also available in multiple languages 24/7 by calling 2-1-1.

Details: To facilitate requests for in-home vaccinations, for the public, go to: https:// forms.office.com/in-home-vaccinations and on behalf of homebound clients for community-based organizations, https:// fo r m s . o f f i c e . c o m / c o m m u n i t y - b a s e d organizations

Real People, Real News, Totally Relevant

All Los Angeles County residents age 12 and older are eligible for the free COVID-19 vaccine.

As things begin to open, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health urges businesses, entities and residents to continue exercising caution even as certain restrictions are lifted.

Help keep your community safe. Vaccine appointments are available. Some locations offer walk-in visits. No appointment needed.

Details: www.publichealth.lacounty.gov/vaccine/ index

May 27 - June 9, 2021

Long Beach Extends Rental Assistance Application Program by 30 Days

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The City of Long Beach Development Services Department is extending the deadline for residential landlords and tenants to submit applications for the Long Beach Emergency Rental Assistance Program to June 11.

Details: www.longbeach.gov/long-beachextends-application-period

Harbor Commission Approves $409,000 in Community Sponsorships

The Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners this week awarded 141 sponsorships totaling $409,430 to promote [See Announcements, p. 5]

What About My Child Who Was Killed By Police?

By Terelle Jerricks, Managing Editor

Sammy Martinez attended the May 13 peace rally in support of her friend, Valerie Rivera.

Both mothers lost their sons following encounters with the police. Setting aside whether they had criminal records and drug addictions, neither were armed and both cases show how illequipped police officers are in addressing individuals experiencing mental health crises.

On June 6, 2017, Eric Rivera, 20, was shot and run over by Harbor Division police officers of the Los Angeles Police Department, 11 seconds after encountering him on Wilmington Boulevard, near Pacific Coast Highway. It was later found that Rivera only had a water gun.

A pedestrian heard Rivera saying to himself in Spanish “He’s gonna pay me today!” while openly carrying a gun with no attempt to conceal it. Fearing that Rivera posed an imminent threat, he reported him to the police. Three squad cars arrived within minutes.

According to a fact-finding report released by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office a year later, Rivera entered the Jack in the Box restaurant, walked directly to the soda fountain machine and began to throw ice in the restaurant. An employee at the restaurant reported that Rivera was talking to himself while holding a green plastic toy water gun. Rivera filled the toy gun with water and soda and sprayed the contents throughout the restaurant. According to the employee, during the ten minutes he was in the restaurant, Rivera talked to himself and appeared “stressed ... mad ... anxious.” The employee believed he was under the influence of an illegal substance because of his behavior. The employee asked Rivera to leave. Rivera complied with the request after arguing with the employee. He left walking southbound along Wilmington boulevard. Fifteen minutes later, Rivera was killed by police.

Ernie Serrano, 33, died in police custody at [Peace, from p. 1]

Walk For Peace

The Los Angeles Police Department escorted the demonstrators, as did a bicycle brigade of mostly children, providing protection from vehicle traffic. Many cars passing by on Pacific Coast Highway cheered before honking their horns in support.

Between April 18 and May 15, there have been four homicides in the Los Angeles Harbor, an increase of 33 percent over the previous month, which saw three homicides between March 21 and April 17.

There has been a 117 percent increase in homicides over 2020 and a 160 percent increase over 2019. The rise in violent crime over the past couple of years after a long period of decline belies modern policing’s limitations in promoting public safety The demonstrators finished the march by gathering in a circle as Pastor Hector Cruz of the Victory Outreach Church led the group in somber prayers for the victims.

“We got to start with the kids, you got to get them early,” said Cruz, when asked what the community can do to prevent more gang violence. “They need an outlet, role models, something….”

Cathy Familathe, the leader of the Los Angeles chapter of the Parents of Murdered Children also addressed the gathering, sympathizing with everyone who lost a loved one to violence and

Pictured are Ernie Serrano (left) and Eric Rivera (right). Their respective mothers attended the May 13 peace rally in Wilmington. File photos

a Jurupa Valley grocery store in December 2020 where he spent hours erratically coming and going, at times attempting to make purchases with his identification card. An armed security guard approached Serrano, then a fight quickly ensued.

In the aftermath of Serrano’s death, Riverside Sheriff Chad Bianco said Serrano was reaching for the security guard’s gun when deputies arrived.

Bianco said encounters with Serrano began on the evening of Dec. 14, when the suspect’s family called 911 complaining that he was “not acting rationally, and was out of control.’”

Deputies went to the residence and found Serrano, who had several prior convictions in Los Angeles and Orange counties, including for assault on a peace officer, “belligerent, aggresemphasizing the importance of continuing to speak out.

“Losing someone to murder is not the same as cancer or a car accident.” Familathe stated.

“The families struggle to ask themselves what got in the [perpetrator’s] heads? (She then pointed with her microphone.) Everyone here knows what it feels like to lose someone.”

Just before the crowd was about to be led into a moment of silence, a mother, Sammy Martinez, referenced the police officers present as she shouted, “But you support the number one gang members ... the LAPD?” Martinez’s son, Ernie Serrano, was a victim of police brutality leading to his death in Riverside in December 2020. Martinez was in attendance to support her friend, Valerie Rivera, whose son, Eric Rivera was shot and killed by Los Angeles Police officers in Wilmington in June 2017. Familathe, still presiding over the gathering, responded to Sammy, “If your son was murdered by a police officer, then you have a seat at my table,” she said, as she pointed to the table behind her with the names and pictures of the victims.

“Your son or daughter’s picture belongs on that board if they were murdered by a police officer.”

Among those in attendance included representatives from Rep. Nanette Barragán, California State Assemblyman Mike Gipson and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti.

sive and displaying obvious signs of being under the influence,” the sheriff said.

“Deputies used a Taser to force Mr. Serrano to comply,” Bianco said. “He was treated at a local hospital and taken to the Robert Presley Detention Center.”

Serrano was booked on suspicion of being under the influence of a controlled substance and felony obstructing a peace officer. However, because the county correctional system was operating under court-mandated capacity limitations due to the coronavirus public health emergency, Serrano was released on his own recognizance the following morning.

That evening, he went to the market, and for the next “two to three hours” floated in and out of the store, exhibiting bizarre behavior, “cutting in front of people in the shopping aisles” and on several occasions trying to buy goods by offering his driver’s license as a payment device, the sheriff said.

Bianco said deputies used non-lethal measures such as baton strikes and tasering. After subduing Serrano, deputies placed a spit hood over his head because he was spitting out the blood flowing into his mouth from a gash over his eye.

A deputy who was involved in the prior day’s arrest reportedly noted that when he and his partner took Serrano to a hospital for a pre-booking medical examination, “his heart rate was like 190.”

Store surveillance video shows deputies held Serrano on the checkout counter for about seven or eight minutes, repeatedly asking him to calm down. However, he abruptly went silent and limp, at which point a corporal yelled, “He’s stopped breathing.”

Serrano was laid on the floor, where deputies removed the handcuffs and mask, initiating chest compressions for Cal Fire paramedics, who had been staging outside the store. They tried to revive him, but he was pronounced dead a short time later at Riverside Community Hospital.

Sheriff Bianco said that Serrano died from acute methamphetamine intoxication with fatal arrhythmia, a condition in which the heart beats with an irregular or abnormal rhythm.

Neither case should have been death sentences for Serrano or Rivera and their families.

Community Announcements:

Harbor Area

[Announcements, from p. 4]

local groups advancing causes such as the arts, environment, social justice and historic preservation.

The Harbor Commission approved an $800,000 community sponsorship budget for the 2021 fiscal year that began Oct. 1, 2020.

Requests for sponsorship funding are open twice a year, in March and September.

Events sponsored for this call include the Puente Latino Association’s Dia de los Muertos cultural event, Southern California Brass Consortium’s front lawn concerts and Orange County Coastkeeper’s native oyster restoration in Alamitos Bay. As part of the sponsorship requirements, recipients give the port promotional opportunities at events to spread awareness about its mission.

Details: www.polb.com/community/sponsorships

If You Need Internet Access, FCC Can Help

The Federal Communications Commission has launched a temporary program to help families and households struggling to afford Internet service during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Emergency Broadband Benefit provides a discount of up to $50 per month toward broadband service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying tribal lands. Eligible households can also receive a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers.

Eligible households can enroll through a participating broadband provider or directly with the Universal Service Administrative Company using an online or mail in application.

Details: 833-511-0311; www.fcc.gov/ broadbandbenefit

POLB Shares Update on Pier B Rail Project

The Port of Long Beach will hold a virtual community meeting on the status of the Pier B On-Dock Rail Support Facility project on June 2 at 10 a.m. This facility is part of the port’s $1 billion rail program, which will allow cargo to be carried by trains instead of trucks, reducing pollution and traffic.

Details: https://tinyurl.com/Pier-B-Project

County Extends Registration For Elderly Family Public Housing Sites

Get Help With Financial Navigators

By Lyn Jensen, Columnist

My mother never accepted, after her stroke in 2017 and a diagnosis of dementia (which she never accepted, either), that she was no longer capable of driving safely. Even in her final weeks in a care facility, she lamented, “I’ve got to start driving again.”

The potential danger of an incapacitated senior’s refusal to stop driving was demonstrated in Santa Monica in 2003, when an 86-year-old man admitted he got confused between the accelerator and brake. He drove for an entire block through a farmers market, hitting stands and pedestrians, killing 10, injuring 70.

The man was found guilty of 10 counts of manslaughter. “Hitting the accelerator instead of the brake seems to me to be a clearly negligent act,” the judge said.

Much driving advice for seniors focuses on safety, including alternatives such as ride services, but there’s little attention on getting an incapacitated person to admit the potential for danger.

Only some twists of fate stopped my mother’s denial from having more severe consequences. A doctor and the DMV had to clear her to legally

drive again — her license was suspended — and she tried and failed to get clearance Also at just the right time her Prius’ battery died, and a replacement cost several thousand dollars. My mother, a great procrastinator, balked, but kept threatening to buy a new battery — or a new car. I feared she might stop procrastinating long enough to find an unscrupulous car salesman.

I chauffeured her for two years, while she spun sob stories to healthcare providers about how she “had to” drive because I couldn’t be expected to “drive 40 miles” to drive her. When I tried to explain the distance was more like 20 miles and distance wasn’t an issue, the professionals responded as to some trivial irrelevant family quarrel, instead of the evidence of dan-

[High School, from p. 3]

SP High School

May 27 - June 9, 2021

the Olguin Annex to San Pedro High, which is about 1.5 miles away. The school’s baseball program will remain at the main campus.

During this phase, the school will also use the north parking lot for interim housing.

“If you walk to the campus recently over the last couple of months, you’ve seen some activity out there,” Cadena said. “We have brought on board some interim housing, or temporary classrooms, so that we can initiate this first phase of construction.”

The second phase of the project will overlap the first, taking place from 2023 to 2025. The classroom building referred to as the “Old English building” will be remodeled in this stage, and the auditorium and small gymnasium will have their barriers removed.

In 2024, the science building will be remodeled, including conversion of some existing classrooms, upgrading of some bathrooms and connecting it to the central plant to give it a dependable air conditioning system.

In 2025, the school will update the larger gymnasium, including a seismic upgrade, resurfacing and bringing air conditioning to the main court.

“We very much expect that it will be traditional hours, ending somewhere between perhaps 2:30 to 3:30, depending on how long the day really needs to be to get work done, sometimes in anticipation of something starting the next day,” Cadena said.

“In consideration of this project, there’s a lot of things that we looked at and put into play to safely develop this site with consideration for the educational environment and the community,” Cadena said.

These considerations include an 8-foot-high chain link fence around the construction site, as well as a sound blanket to muffle the noise. In addition, all the contractor’s employees will be cleared by the Department of Justice.

Representatives of LAUSD said they expect construction to continue with a fully functioning campus with maximum enrollment throughout the school year.

The Financial Navigators program can help residents in Los Angeles County who are facing financial hardships due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Financial Navigators help you prioritize your financial concerns, identify immediate action steps, and make referrals to other social services and resources that may offer long-term assistance.

If you live in LA County and are facing financial difficulties, you can get started with a Financial Navigator by completing a short online interest form.

Details: www.fecpublic.force.com/fecbot/s/ referral/financial-navigator; call 800-593-8222 for assistance in completing the form.

Danger to Yourself and Others

gerous delusion it appeared to me to be.

My father also lived in denial about his dementia, and about his impaired driving skills. He lived on the second story of a stairs-only apartment, so his physical inability to get down the steps was what mercifully kept him off the road. “I just need somebody to help me to the car!” he’d rage.

“You need to see and hear well to drive,” I’d try to explain.

“I can see! I can hear!” he’d bellow. He complained he couldn’t hear even with two hearing aids turned up full (he always blamed the aids and batteries) and he couldn’t see even halfway across the room — but just try and tell him that impaired his driving.

I asked several resources if my mother could be counseled about her failure to accept her impairment, only to hear variants on, “She has dementia, so she’d just forget anyway.” She had times, though, when light broke through the dark clouds of dementia. Someone may have been able to cast some light on why she was so reluctant to admit the truth.

Real People, Real News, Really Effective

The Los Angeles County Development Authority, or LACDA, has extended the deadline to register for its elderly family public housing sites.

While initially set to close on June 30, 2021, applicants may now continue to add their name on up to seven site-based waiting lists through 5 p.m. Dec. 31, 2021.

The county’s Section 8 waiting list remains closed.

An elderly family is a household whose head, co-head, spouse, or sole member is a person who is at least 62 years of age. It may include two or more persons who are at least 62 years of age living together, or one or more persons who are at least 62 years of age living with one or more livein aides. Elderly families may choose, based on eligibility, to register for one, or all seven, waiting lists. Applicants will be selected from each waiting list in order of admission preferences, followed by date and time of registration.

Details: 626-262-4510; www.wwwa.lacda.org/ about-cdc/agency-overview

Life After Mother

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The Port of Los Angeles, ‘Is not in the homeless business’

By James Preston Allen, Publisher

per se, yet they are just now in the process of spending the last $50 million on the waterfront promenade and town square plaza, both of which address tourism.

Tourism is not counted in TEUs. So much for the, “we’re only in the cargo business” excuse.

Clearly, this port and the Harbor Commission understand they have bigger obligations to the surrounding community and to the people of the State of California than just the cargo business. Air quality, water pollution, economic/environmental justice, toxic clean up and local economic benefit via tourism are in fact policies of our port that arguably don’t go far enough. But they still admit responsibility for them.

The current disagreement is about expanding their still narrow perspective to address the greater good of the local community. What is best for the people of the state and what does it mean to be good community partners in this time of crisis over the homeless issue? Even the State Lands Commission is reviewing the overarching State Tidelands Trust doctrine, which affects all of the state owned lands. And because of their policy review the people surrounding the twin harbors of the San Pedro Bay need to be asking if this is enough.

Betty Yee, California State Controller, who sits on this commission wrote: When the Commission met [Feb. 24], we adopted our new Strategic Plan that acknowledges flexibility and adaptability as we embrace an evolving Public Trust Doctrine that reflects changing societal values and needs. In this spirit, what you have raised with the Port of LA does have Commission staff thinking about how to address these changing needs.

Clearly in times of crisis like the last year, attitudes can change, policies can shift, new perspectives can emerge. It is in moments with challenges like these that we see whether our leaders have the vision to see these changes. Right now, at the local level, it appears not.

For those who don’t understand the history, California became a state on Sept. 9, 1850, and thereby acquired nearly 4 million acres of land underlying the state’s navigable and tidal waterways, known as “sovereign lands.” These tidelands and submerged lands, equal in size to Con-

necticut and Delaware combined, are overseen by the California State Lands Commission. They are entrusted to local municipal entities like Los Angeles and Long Beach by legislation.

The neighborhood councils are not asking the port to shoulder the entire expense alone nor to even manage a homeless encampment, for there are other entities who could do this. They ask that the port merely donate a small portion of land on a temporary basis for what is considered an emergency situation. The larger issue of what the impacts of industrialized ports have on our community and our environment is a complex one that is worth considering closely.

The port complex and businesses who operate there are direct beneficiaries of our national trade policies, which have over the last 40 years been exporting jobs and importing an ever increasing quantity of foreign products. See the recent stats in our news briefs column.

Over the same period, tens of thousands of good paying blue-collar jobs have vanished from Los Angeles and during this same period we have seen homelessness grow. Now I haven’t seen the study which proves the correlation between the

two, but I do believe that there is a nexus between how profitable our ports are with how desperately poor the homeless have become because of job losses.

I would also like to remind all community members that Bezmalinovich is only the messenger and not the decision maker. There is still a public process for the redress of grievances, and we as neighborhood representatives of our various constituencies have a legitimate right, if not obligation, to represent those grievances no matter how unpopular they may be with the Harbor Department of Los Angeles.

His flippant dismissal of the influence of neighborhood councils as being unable to take positions contrary to Port of Los Angeles is insulting. I remind all concerned that it was just such a dismissal of community concerns by the port that launched the years long legal battle over the China Shipping terminal, which ended up costing the port some $65 million in a legal settlement. The arrogance of public officials to not negotiate in good faith with community partners is not only expensive, but it costs in the loss of goodwill.

City of Los Angeles Essential Phone Numbers Police non-emergency: 877-ASK-LAPD (877-275-5273) Abandoned Vehicles: 1-800-ABANDON (800-222-6366) Sanitation (missed trash pick-up, broken container): 800-773-2489 Traffic control (broken traffic signal): (818) 374-4823 Dept. of Water & Power: 800-342-5397 To request outreach services for people experiencing homelessness, www.lahsa.org/ portal/apps/la-hop/ and Other City issues: 3-1-1

Real People, Real News, Totally Relevant

Frequent readers of this column will remember Port Executive Director Gene Seroka’s rejection of the neighborhood council proposal to use two port properties, parking lots E and F, to temporarily house the area’s unhoused residents. He gave three reasons: First, they are being used as overflow for the San Pedro Fishmarket and as a “laydown site” for construction at the Ports O’ Call site — construction that really has not started yet.

Second, they’re being used for Port Police training — this may be true, but it’s not like there’s a shortage of vacant parking lots at the harbor these days.

And third, it’s too polluted to allow habitation — this last point is contested territory. The Regional Water Quality Control Board’s report on the matters says the contamination is under the landscaped area west of the paved portion of the site, a point confirmed by Chris Cannon, the environmental director at the port. This means that the parking lot is not contaminated.

At the May 18 Central San Pedro Neighborhood Council meeting, Augie Bezmalinovich defended Seroka’s position as one of the port’s public relations deputies by repeatedly interrupting me when I clearly had the floor speaking on this item. The chair did not call him out of order.

His ultimate argument though was that the port is not in the “housing the homeless business” but is in the “cargo business!” This is clearly more the true objection than all the other excuses.

At the time, this ended the discussion and the motion I was supporting lost narrowly as some of the council had tired of the bullying and left the meeting.

However, I have this rebuttal: The Port of Los Angeles is also not in the air pollution control business, but because of its activities over many years various agencies are forcing them to address and correct their historic business practices and invest millions of dollars on clean air technologies.

I might also add that because of the port’s lax oversight of and the bad practices by its tenants, it is now financially responsible for tens of millions of dollars and many acres of toxic clean up.

The same way the Port of Los Angeles is not in the environmental mitigation business, they are now because of public pressure and legal issues. Let us not forget that the port is also not in the tourism business,

Publisher/Executive Editor James Preston Allen

May 27 - June 9, 2021

james@randomlengthsnews.com

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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. XLII : No. 11

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.

Assoc. Publisher/Production Coordinator Suzanne Matsumiya Managing Editor Terelle Jerricks

Columnists/Reporters Melina Paris Staff Reporter Hunter Chase Staff Reporter Send Calendar Items to:

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RANDOMLetters Labels or Definitions

Definitions are important.

Semite: of relating to, or constituting a sub family of the AfroAsiatic language family that includes Hebrew, Aramaic, Arabic, and Amharic. (Merriam Webster) Who is a Semite? Who is an Anti-Semite?

Is a Polish-Yiddish speaking individual a Semite?

Is a Palestinian (Christian or

Community Alerts Upcoming Hearing for Proposed Development at 1309-1331 S. Pacific Ave.

The Planning and Land Use Management committee of the Los Angeles City Council is hosting a hearing for a proposed development at 13091331 South Pacific Avenue on June 1. The hearing will consider whether the project qualifies for a categorical exemption to the California Environmental Quality Act. The Los Angeles City Planning Commission previously approved the project, but the Citizens Protecting San Pedro filed an appeal, arguing that it does not qualify for its requested exemptions.

The proposed project is a fourstory, 45-feet-and-5-inches tall apartment building with 102 dwelling units, 12 of which are low-income units, and 127 parking spaces.

Time: 2 p.m. June 1 Details: https://tinyurl. com/1309-Appeal

Public Comment On Southern California International Gateway Revised EIR

Responses to California’s Comeback Plan and American Families Plan in Advocating for Students On High Cost of Textbooks RE: “California Roars Back: Gov. Newsom Presents $100 Billion California Comeback Plan” Textbook affordability is a large problem in higher education, and I know someone who could not afford to buy a textbook for a class and as a result, almost failed the class altogether. The professor assigned homework through the textbook’s website so my friend lost easy points in the class because of her inability to pay for the $150 textbook in the first week of classes. Textbook prices have become outrageously expensive and have hindered the accessibility of higher education for far too long.

As a UCLA student and an intern on the CALPIRG Students Affordable Textbook campaign, I care about textbook affordability because students should not have to choose between paying rent and paying for their textbooks. Luckily, there is a realistic solution to this problem. Open textbooks are peer-reviewed and edited and are provided to students free of charge.

The UCs are top universities that pride themselves on accessibility and diversity but have not implemented a free textbook program.

Therefore I urge the UC schools to consider implementing this system to allow all of their students to have the same opportunities to pass their classes. I fully believe that open textbooks can help students, expand educational opportunities, and lead higher education into the open resource world.

Madison Muggeo University of California, Los Angeles

Newsom or No One is Nonsense

By Jacob Pickering, Guest Columnist

It’s time for many of my colleagues in the California Democratic Party to get a clue about the current gubernatorial recall election against Gavin Newsom. This isn’t 2003, and Arnold Schwarzenegger is not running for governor of California this year.

In other words, the hostile hyperventilating that you hear from some of our state’s party leaders is unnecessary, since there is almost no realistic chance that Gov. Newsom is going to be recalled, in large part thanks to the fact that all registered voters in California will automatically receive an absentee ballot in the mail for this year’s recall election.

Speaking of unnecessary behavior, the ugly arm-twisting and aggressive suppression of the Democratic candidacies of some well-known potential gubernatorial replacement candidates is unfortunate, not to mention unseemly (and unAmerican, if you ask me). Democrats, run for office if you want to! Don’t be bullied by anyone.

There needs to be at least one viable Democratic gubernatorial replacement candidate on the ballot this fall, just in case the majority of California’s voters do decide to go ahead and recall Gov. Newsom from office. This latest laughable political proposition of “Newsom or No One” currently being promulgated by not only Gov. Newsom’s inner circle, but also by the friends and former underlings of recalled Democratic Gov. Gray Davis is so fundamentally at odds with realpolitik, where does one even begin?

How about with the 2003 gubernatorial re-

call election in California? “Democrat” Gray Davis (who was barely a Democrat at all) lost that recall election for one main reason — and I’m not talking about Davis’ Republican replacement Schwarzenegger or former Lieutenant Gov. Cruz Bustamante, the most prominent Democratic replacement candidate on the ballot that year. Blaming Bustamante for Davis’ loss is ridiculous.

Gray Davis was recalled as governor by California’s voters in 2003, because the then 2ndterm Gov. Davis had the lowest approval ratings of any California governor in my lifetime (and I’m a middle-aged man who was born and raised in California). Conservative Democrat Gray Davis’ approval ratings were in the 20s at the time of the recall election, in other words only about one out of every four Californians approved of the job Davis was doing, which is why Gray Davis’ second term as governor came to an abrupt, embarrassing end in 2003. The voters wanted Davis to go.

Blame the blatant corruption of George W. Bush-Dick Cheney, Ken Lay and Enron for Davis’ ignominious defeat, if you wish, but stop beating up on Cruz Bustamante already, conservative Democrats! Or were you unaware of the fact that a bunch of angry, asinine, over-the-hill, white-haired White folks falsely blaming Bustamante might backfire on our current Gov. Gavin Newsom?

As the worst president in American history, Donald Trump used to say so often: “We’ll see what happens.”

Real People, Real News, Really Effective

May 27 - June 9, 2021

The Port of Los Angeles has released a Revised Draft Environmental Impact Report for the Southern California International Gateway project, for a 45-day period of public review and comment, from May 19 to July 9, 2021. The Port will accept written comments and hold a virtual public meeting via Zoom at 5 p.m. June 15, to present its findings and provide opportunity for public comments. The report and related documents are available on POLA’s website at portoflosangeles.org.

Comments on the revised draft EIR must be submitted in writing by the end of the 45day public review period and must be postmarked by July 9, 2021.

Submit written comments to: Christopher Cannon, Director City of Los Angeles Harbor Department Environmental Management Division 425 S. Palos Verdes Street San Pedro, CA 90731 Time: 5 p.m. June 15 Zoom Location: tinyurl.com/ y63w67jb

Muslim) a Semite?

If I support Palestinian’s can I be referred to as supporting Semites?

Mark A. Nelson San Pedro

Earlier this year, President Biden recognized that students everywhere are struggling to fund their education with his American Families’ Plan. Not only has the pandemic placed many families in an unfortunate economic position, but many students have had to defer from attending college due to the rising tuition costs. To read that he has now presented a comeback plan that will speed up this support is amazing! It is wonderful that the leader of our country plans to support college students and low income families and I have a direct program he can endorse to make this happen!

As an intern and the Visibility Coordinator for the Affordable Textbooks campaign with CALPIRG Students, I am here to encourage the implementation of a UC-wide open textbook program. The article shared that Biden’s plan will be “cutting the cost of student housing and working to reduce the cost of textbooks.” Tuition is an obvious financial burden on students, but purchasing class materials has hindered students just as much for decades.

Textbook prices have become outrageously expensive! Students have been struggling to balance textbooks prices and paying for their wellbeing, and it is time to denormalize that.

Since the UCs are a major factor of California’s education reputation, I believe this program is the perfect pathway into aiding students nationwide with open resources. The UCs, as worldclass educational institutions, could lead higher education as a whole into the open resource world.

Overall, textbook affordability is an element of college affordability that has a simple solution. UC students would directly benefit from this financial relief and other schools could be inspired to take that initiative for their students. Open textbooks can help students and expand educational opportunities.

Aryeal Lands University of California, Los Angeles

7

[Dissent, from p. 1]

Dissent

book, PTSD: Diagnosis and Identity in Post-empire America; and fourth, the distracting fantasy of missing POWs, in his book, CNN’s Tailwind Tale. In both books, in both cases, it wasn’t just a matter of forgetting what happened, but a replacing of what happened with alternative narratives.

Lembcke agreed with that assessment.

Lembcke, an associate professor emeritus of sociology at Holy Cross College in Worcester, Mass. noted that “Both books are, at some level, studies in social memory and forgetting.” One of his points was that “We as a people collectively we don’t just forget, but it’s that the memories that we have get pushed off-screen, so to speak, by something related, but something different and oftentimes a kind of reversal of that memory that we have.”

Take the Vietnam War as a whole, for example, Lembcke explained.

“That war was lost and in many ways the memory of the war in Vietnam has been lost by the American public,” he said. “That memory was displaced by the idea that the real war was not in Vietnam all along, and that the real war was at home. The real war was about liberals in Congress who had emasculated American culture through the 1960s through government funding programs and so forth, and that then during the war, specifically, liberals in Congress tied one hand behind their back, not allowing us to fight the war that needs to be fought, and radicals in the streets demoralized U.S. fighters in Vietnam and gave aid and comfort to the enemy by their opposition in the street.”

Dissenting POWs is primarily centered on two groups of prominent anti-war POWs, two officers

Jerry Lembcke, co-author of Dissenting POWs: From Vietnam’s Hoa Lo Prison to America Today. File photo

and eight enlisted men, both of whom faced legal action on their return. Two figures of particular interest were pilots Edison Miller and Gene Wilbur, who were maligned as turncoats in Republican presidential candidate John McCain’s memoir Faith of My Fathers, as “camp rats” who “had lost their faith completely” after returning home as antiwar protesters.

Lembcke described Miller and Wilbur as being from modest backgrounds, Wilbur, born from a sharecropper farm family, and Miller, an orphan who grew up in Iowa. Neither of them went to college and both enlisted in the Navy soon after high school after World War II. They worked their way up through the ranks. They were both outstanding.

Lembcke noted that their background and professional trajectory set them apart from their peers.

“All of the other pilots — as far as I know — were at least college graduates,” the sociology professor said. “Many of them were graduates of the military academies. They resented people like Wilbur and Miller. It was a sort of, ‘How did you guys get here?... I never heard of you at the academy…. What the heck!’

“My co-author Tom Wilbur and I find that the dissenting pilots, like Gene Wilbur and Ed Miller, had a more empathetic identity with the Vietnamese because they ... recognize[d] — particularly being from rural backgrounds — they had some greater sympathy and empathy with the Vietnamese than did the more elite pilots.”

Their most important exercise of dissent oc-

curred during an interview with Canadian journalist Micheal Maclear, which was broadcasted on NBC and CBS. Recalling the interview, Lembcke noted that it appeared Maclear was looking to uncover the conditions under which the POWs were living in Vietnam.

“He did a kind of panoramic, silent videotaping of their rooms in which they lived — at the time he portrayed them as rooms, not cells,” Lembcke said. “That was a real eyeopener for me. McClure did this interview in December 1970 and Christmas furnishings were out, you saw that.

“Then he sat down with two of the pilots, Wilbur and Bob Schweitzer ... It was mostly about their conditions of how often they got mail from home, how often they got other things, like candy and clean underwear and things like that. The tape he made for the CBC then was picked up by two U.S. television networks and was broadcast in the states.”

This wasn’t the pilots only action, but it was what brought them in direct conflict with the senior ranking officers who set up an impromptu chain of command. It was at this juncture that the now familiar narrative of the hard-core holdout POW was created.

Lembcke describes this moment as a more complicated story.

“In the first year of pilot captures, 1964, there’s not even any claim, even by these guys, that they were tortured,” Lembcke said.

“Then later, maybe ’66, ’67, some claim they were tortured, some say they weren’t. We also know that after about 1969 nobody claims to have been tortured or at least very few. So, there’s a sort of window period.”

To explain this, Wilbur and Lembcke [See Dissenters, p. 15]

May 27 - June 9, 2021

Real People, Real News, Totally Relevant

ILWU Local 10 Presidents Request Angela Davis Be Made an Honorary Member

8

After Angela Davis spoke to the rally at the end of San Francisco’s May Day march, Trent Willis, president of Local 10 of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, went back to the microphone.

“I’m going to ask the union for a resolution: to make our sister Angela Davis an honorary member, as we did with Martin Luther King and Paul Robeson,” he announced.

The crowd cheered. Some older longshore workers in their white caps began shouting out, “Free Angela!” — the chant that swept the world during her 1972 trial.

Willis recalled the ILWU’s union’s long history of honoring Black radical leaders, even as a conservative and racist establishment was hounding them. Singer Paul Robeson was denied his passport and demonized for refusing to knuckle under to McCarthyism’s witch-hunts at the height of the Cold War. Dr. King spoke to the union in 1967, in the last year of his life, calling for radical social change and an end to the Vietnam War. The New York Times condemned him for it, but King told longshore workers in the Local 10 hall, “We’ve learned from labor the meaning of power.”

During her comments to the multitude celebrating May Day, Davis recalled the years when thenCalifornia Gov. Ronald Reagan had her fired from her teaching job, and tried to send her to prison.

“When I was on trial, the ILWU came to my support, too,” she remembered.

— Photos and words by David Bacon

Documentary Recalls FDR’s “New Deal for Artists” as Advancing American Society

P

ulitzer Prize-winning author Studs Terkel specialized in oral histories, so he knew whereof he spoke when over 40 years ago he lamented that “even in the history books [and] the memories of people” it was as though the Federal Art Project never existed.

This sentiment comes at the beginning of The New Deal for Artists, a 1979 documentary meant to help fill that void. Although the rise of the internet has exponentially increased the available information on every subject under the sun, a new digital remastering of the film — itself an oral history, told by artists whose careers were launched and lives were saved by the still-little-known New Deal program — not only feeds us stories of the past but gives us food for thought about the future and the role of

By Greggory Moore, Columnist

government.

With the Great Depression raging, Franklin D. Roosevelt assumed the presidency with a fervent belief that government could and must play a larger role in the day-to-day lives of the American people. To enact this “New Deal” with Americans his administration created what came to be known as an “alphabet soup” of programs to put people to work. Chief among these was the Works Progress (later: Work Projects) Administration, or WPA. And it was under the WPA that the Federal Art Project, or FAP, was born in 1935.

Over the course of its eight-year history, the FAP would at least briefly employ roughly 10,000 artists, paying them $23.60 per week to ply their various trades — an astounding sum considering that in today’s dollars this amounts to $1,840 per month during America’s worstever economic crisis.

Because the FAP was purposely set up to free artists from the creative constraints of having to worry about the marketability

of their work — oppressive in the best of times, let alone during the Depression — the program fomented what narrator Orson Welles called “an unprecedented artistic renaissance” in the United States.

Writers including Terkel, Saul Bellow, Nelson Algren, and Ralph Ellison were sustained by the FAP for a time. Richard Wright wrote Native Son while enjoying its financial support. Without the FAP we likely would never have heard of painters Willem de Kooning, Mark Rothko, or Jackson Pollack. And although Orson Welles was one of few artists getting steady work during the Depression, it was the FAP’s Federal Theatre Project that propelled him into the stratosphere, furnishing him the opportunity to stage a version of Macbeth that proved to be both a sensation and a landmark in theatre history, employing 150 Black actors — only four with prior stage experience — plus African drummers and dancers.

The progressive nature of so much FAP work — the birth of American Abstract

Expressionism, the Negro Theatre Unit (remember, this in the 1930s, when Black people could not elsewhere get hired as theater techs), the “social documentary” style of WPA photographers like Dorothea Lange “giv[ing] voice to the voiceless” — is one of The New Deal for Artists central themes. As presented through the lens of writer/director Wieland Schulz-Keil, FDR’s progressive approach to enabling artists propelled the country forward both socially and artistically.

But we all know what happens eventually to progressive idealism in our Land of the Free: it gets painted red by politically opportunistic conservatives.

Thus, the last third of The New Deal for Artists documents the sad rise of the Red Scare, as right-wing reactionaries get the government to [See New Deal, p. 11]

Real People, Real News, Really Effective

May 27 - June 9, 2021

Artists of the WPA collage by Brenda Lopez

9

W

hile the world was set on pause due to the waves of the COVID-19 pandemic, the restaurant industry has been trying to stay afloat.

The National Restaurant Association announced in December 2020, that more than 110,000 establishments were closed permanently or for the long term.

Restaurants have had to establish a new normal, drastically change their budgets, look for other sources of revenue, push to the demand for delivery services and rely on technology.

Restaurants Crawl Out of the Pandemic

By Iracema Navarro and Cindy Portillo, Editorial Interns

Defying the Odds, Receiving the Bill Later

When COVID-19 infection rates started surging in fall 2020 and into the holiday season, the Los Angeles County public health department tightened restrictions over public gatherings, restaurants and bars to stop the spread. Many small business owners and restaurateurs had grown fatigued of the lockdown measures and in many places had begun rebelling against the government controls. Many restaurants were forced to close because they refused to abide by the safer-at-home measures, and wore their resistance to the shutdown orders like a bandage of honor. Though subject to Long Beach Public Health Department, the Long

Pandemic Kills 24-Hour Restaurants but the Work Gathers

May 27 - June 9, 2021

Real People, Real News, Totally Relevant

While most of us are hiding from the pandemic, essential workers are still driving late to work in the seemingly deserted streets.

From healthcare workers to warehouse workers, essential employees are helping maintain some semblance of normality in a time when California has lost more than 58,000 to the pandemic.

Throughout it all, night and graveyard workers often depend on the food service industry to help keep their strength up during these trying times. Yet, with the pandemic affecting the nation’s restaurant industry, some late night eateries have all but vanished.

There are signs outside of restaurants that catch a driver’s sight but the biggest or flashiest sign can never surpass the OPEN 24 HOURS sign.

There are the typical 7-Eleven stores and donut shops that are open 24 hours a day with one to perhaps two employees, but it’s rare to find a fully managed 24-hour restaurant.

With the tradition engraved in their loyal customers, family-owned Diana’s La Bonita Restaurant in Carson has had to display new hours open during the pandemic. The business also sells wholesale products through Diana’s Mexican Food Products, Inc. To stay afloat during the pandemic, the restaurant’s new

10

don’t have the means to.”

As more people get vaccinated against the virus, a light at the end of the tunnel seems to have been lit. What it means to the restaurant industry, which has had to endure a rollercoaster of guidelines, remains to be seen as society approaches a new “normal.”

Diana’s La Bonita Restaurant in Carson employee, Ramon Elizondo. Diana’s adapted its hours and relied on its wholesale business to make ends meet.

Photo by Iracem Navarro. Below, Restauration in Long Beach was cited numerous times by the city for defying lockdown restrictions and now is permanently closed. File photo

hours have been from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. and five employees were told that their graveyard shifts were no longer needed.

Although the hours were cut, the demand for food hasn’t changed.

“I’m still working the same amount of hours,” said 33-year-old Ramon Elizondo, who has nine years working for the restaurant.

“Pretty much everybody is trying to get their food at the same time and that’s the problem that we have always had. Lines are out the door or three phone lines are ringing nonstop, and now we have Postmates orders coming in.”

According to the Securities and Exchange Commission filings, food-delivery apps collectively had a $3 billion revenue increase during the shelter-in-place restrictions caused by the pandemic.

“I feel like I’m bringing service to my community,” Elizondo said. “There’s a lot of people that don’t really have time to cook or just

Beach eatery, Restauration, was one of those establishments whose proprietor decided to ignore the lockdown measures, arguing she had a duty to keep her staff employed.

“It’s not easy, but I made the decision as a business owner,” said the owner of Restauration, Dana Tanner. “I felt like if there wasn’t something solid to show me that restaurants [were major contributors to the pandemic] …

[See Staying Afloat, p. 11]

[Staying Afloat, from p. 10]

Staying Afloat then we shouldn’t be discriminated against.”

The City of Long Beach cited Tanner for remaining open during time periods when COVID-19 cases were high and outdoor dining was not safe. Tanner was cited multiple times for not following the safer-at-home orders and refusing to comply with the city of Long Beach.

“I wasn’t going to close down, when people needed to work and be employed,” Tanner said.

Tanner spoke with each of her employees and asked them what they felt comfortable with and they all agreed to continue to work.

Tanner has been open during lockdowns, the safer-at-home orders and did not have a single COVID-19 case from her employees.

“I don’t know a single small business owner

[New Deal, from p. 9]

who employs people, who feels like what happened in our state was right,” Tanner said.

Restauration was permanently shut down by the Long Beach public health department in January 2021, after it cut the establishment’s gas and applied other sanctions.

While some restaurants continued defying state guidelines to maintain their business and keep their employees working, other restaurants have had to cut graveyard shift workers while adding the demand of delivery. Adapting to the guidelines gave the opportunity to Diana’s restaurant to one day switch the lights on the open 24 hours once again after opening its doors to indoor dining fully.

Palos Verdes Art Center ANNUAL STUDENT ART EXHIBITION

Details: Palos Verdes Art Center, 5504 Crestridge Road, Rancho Palos Verdes, (310) 541-2479, www.pvartcenter.org

artists during the worst of economic times changed the course of American art history while providing relief and training for thousands of Americans who might never have otherwise found work, Americans who produced hundreds of thousands of works telling stories that otherwise would never have been told.

The New Deal for Artists tells their story, in their words. Listen to that story and you learn a bit more about our American story, which may include a moral about how we all benefit when artists are not simply left to the mercy of the “free market.”

To book The New Deal for Artists for virtual screenings, visit Corinth Films: http:// corinthfilms.com/films/new-deal-for-artists

Michael Stearns Studio@The Loft ANNE OLSEN DAUB: RECENT WORK

Anne Olsen Daub’s modus operandi is often based on random events and continuous agitation. At times the process of creating art directs her and sparks inspiration, other times she is directly inspired by way of a metaphor from external cultural sources that lead her to discover a deeper meaning and understanding. Her recent work in cardboard was inspired by the seven deadly sins and evolved into The Land of Oz. In person reception for the artist on June 12, 3 to 6 p.m. Mask wearing is appreciated in the gallery, refreshments will be served outdoors. Through July 12. Michael Stearns Studio@The Loft, 401 S. Mesa St., San Pedro. Enter at the loading dock on 4th St. Details: 562-400-0544

Ko-Ryu Ramen 362 W. 6th St. San Pedro 90731 310-935-2886

Real People, Real News, Really Effective

Palos Verdes Art Center/Beverly G. Alpay Center for Arts Education presents its Annual Student Art Exhibition featuring works by Palos Verdes Peninsula students. The exhibition highlights this year’s artistic creations from Palos Verdes Art Center school-based outreach program Art At Your Fingertips. Run completely by parent volunteers, AAYF’s paramount objective is to help every Elise A., 2nd grade, Silver Spur Elementary child feel comfortable School. using art as a means of communication and expression­. This year, the program was delivered online and through Zoom to the students. The virtual exhibition, curated by Gail Phinney, community engagement director and Aaron Sheppard, curator, is online through June 28.

New Deal for Artists

clamp down on content critical of capitalism, a rein-tightening which culminates in the WPA’s shutting down the pro-union, Welles-directed musical The Cradle Will Rock four days before its Broadway opening. (It was produced the following year by Welles’s Mercury Theatre and is now regarded as a classic.) Before long government censors were “suggesting” changes to a book on the history of civil liberties — and the abridgement thereof — in the State of Illinois, and before long FAP was only a shadow of its former self.

What you take away from The New Deal for Artists may depend on your political bent.

What cannot be denied, however, is that the government’s choice to nurture thousands of

koryuramen.com Koi Ramen

May 27 - June 9, 2021

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MAY 27 - JUNE 9 • 2021

MUSIC June 4

Honey Whiskey Trio, a Livestream Concert Honey Whiskey Trio embodies Americana roots music with rowdy songs, romantic melodies and haunting ballads.

Time: 7 p.m. June 4 Details: www.grandvision.secure. force.com/ticket/honey-whiskeytrio

June 5

Pacific Visions Youth Symphony Under the direction of famed recording artist David Benoit, the Pacific Visions Youth Symphony will present a program which will include works of Leroy Anderson, Wolfgang Mozart, and Vince Guaraldi featuring the iconic music from Peanuts.

Time: 7 p.m. June 5

Cost: $20 Details: www.eventbrite.com/e/ pacific-vision-youth-orchestra

June 7

Smooth Touch The Band Smooth Touch is a funky smooth 10-piece show band that consists of three lead vocalists, keys, guitar, bass, drummer and a 3-piece horn section that’s sure to electrify the stage, even when there isn’t one.

Details: www.TOCA/TheFenians#/events

THEATER June 2

Story Circles at Angels Gate Cultural Center The company is inspired by the redevelopment of Rancho San Pedro and wants to hear the stories of families that live there, and all over San Pedro. The company will

take these stories and use them to develop a play.

Time: 6:30 p.m. June 2, 3 p.m.

June 5 Details: https://tinyurl.com/StoryCirclesSP

ART

May 26

Many Paths To Wellness The interactive discussion will be an exploration of our path through the overlapping mental health impacts of pandemic losses, racial trauma and other stressors in the past year. An opt-in, healing selfreflection and community care time will be offered. The panel discussion will be led by Tiombe Wallace, a licensed marriage and family therapist with over 23 years of experience.Eventbrite registration is required to join the virtual event.

Time: 6:30 to 8 p.m., May 26 to June 12 Details: we-rise-healing-centered-art-many-paths-to-wellness

May 27

Bridge Wellness Through Art and Healing Bridging Wellness is a series of community pop-ups supported by WE RISE LA and Arts Council for Long Beach. It includes Art Rise, a series of 21 art experiences in a collaborative effort with partners Angels Gate Cultural Center, Compound LB and 10 other organizations and artists in the Harbor Area.

Details: www.artslb.org/bridgingwellness and www.whywerise.la/ community-pop-ups The Lofts: Speaking Unspoken You can view this exhibit by appointment. You will receive the available appointment slots, pick a time slot, and email back with the number of people in your party and chosen time slot to reserve your spot.

Time: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 29 Details: phoebenayetakeda@ gmail.com Venue: The Lofts, 401 S. Mesa St. San Pedro illuminations Loiter Galleries presents illuminations, which includes selected works by Leah Shane Dixon. It is a multimedia projection of Shane’s stunning works created to be viewed safely from the street.

Time: Through June 19 Details: www.loitergalleries.com Cost: Free Venue: 180 E. 4th St., Long Beach The Long Beach Creative Group Second Annual Exhibition This exhibition is available now through June 20, featuring artists Marka Burns, Donald Tiscareno, Heather Werner Cox, Dorte Christjansen, Michiel Daniel, Greg

Fritsche and Mic Burns.

Time: 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday May 27 to June 20 Details: www.longbeachcreativegroup.com Venue: Long Beach Creative Group, 2221 E. Broadway, Long Beach

June 3

Armchair Artwalk Tour, Pedro Pride The Armchair ArtWalk will be talking with local artists about their magnificent work in furniture design, music and visual art, as they share what pride means to each of them. Register in advance for this meeting to receive a confirmation email.

Time: 6 p.m. June 3 Details: www.meeting/register/ armchair-artwalk

June 4

Collected Treasures Estate Sale Shop for unique estate treasures at Collected Treasures, a curated collection of special items at special prices. Collected Treasures benefits the Palos Verdes Art Center/Beverly G. Alpay Center for Arts Education.

Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 4, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 5, 1 to 3 p.m. June 6 Cost: Free Details: https://pvartcenter.org Venue: Palos Verdes Art Center, 5504 W. Crestridge Rd., Rancho Palos Verdes

June 5

Meditations in Solidarity This is a collection of paintings created by Jana Opincariu during the pandemic. Opincariu creates hyper-realistic images of bodies, objects and animals with surreal, macabre undertones.

Time: 5 to 9 p.m. June 5 Cost: Free

Details: 562-435-5232; www.hellada.us Venue: Hellada Gallery, 117 Linden Ave., Long Beach

FOOD

May 29

Everybody Eats Festival Long Beach West Side’s Santa Fe Village is holding a festival where people can explore local food, diverse cultures and neighborhood stories. Free samples from local restaurants and snack shops will be available.

Time: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 29 Cost: Free Details: https://tinyurl.com/Everybody-Eats-Festival

COMMUNITY May 27

Vietnam Memorial Moving Wall The Moving Wall is the half-size replica of the Washington D.C. Vietnam Veterans Memorial and has been touring the country for more than 30 years.

Time: 1 to 7 p.m. May 27 and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. May 28 to May 31 Details: 310-521-4460; www.themovingwall.org, www.greenhillsmemorial.com Venue: Green Hills Memorial Park, 27501 S. Western Ave., Rancho Palos Verdes

June 4

Searching for “Lost Sharks” Dr. David Ebert with the Pacific Shark Research Center/Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, will give a virtual lecture on his global explorations, which have led to the discovery of more than 50 new shark species.

Time: 7 to 8:30 p.m. June 4 Cost: Free Details: https://tinyurl.com/LostSharks

Censored: April 27 Artwalk Stakeholder Meeting

May 27 - June 9, 2021

Real People, Real News, Totally Relevant

By Melina Paris, Editorial Assistant

12

Art still evokes controversy, unintended or otherwise. I saw this recently in a strange clash in taste and property values on top of an appropriation of the Me Too movement in Long Beach. Citing the aforementioned reasons, a member of the historic Bluff Heights neighborhood association in a letter to the city objected to two recently proposed murals to be exhibited on a Long Beach marajuana dispensary, saying they were too sexually explicit. The images included a purple flower on a backdrop of the same color [it wasn’t stated but it could be because the stamen was in view] and on another side, a well-endowed young woman in a garden with a butterfly, her fingers gently touching her chest. They called the art “objectionable” but it is also an easy target.

In San Pedro, censorship has recently taken on a different form concerning the local press.

As an arts and culture columnist who covers the San Pedro, the Harbor Area and greater Los Angeles, part of my job is to cover the First Thursday ArtWalk and artists who make it happen for the community at large. At the latest art walk stakeholder meeting on April 27, my efforts were at the least abridged and ultimately censored.

Random Lengths News covered the first stakeholder meeting, which took place in January, to look at what was potentially being planned as artists and the arts district work to relaunch the art walk as Los Angeles opens up from more than a year of being closed. For our

second story we consulted three local artists to gather their input on the history of San Pedro’s art walk and their ideas for it going forward. As a follow up to that story, I attended the April 27 Zoom meeting to hear about the art walk stakeholder survey results and the plans gleaned from that document going forward. Prior to the event, after I reserved my place, I agreed to speak to the meeting facilitators about any questions I may have before writing about the meeting, per their request.

Censored

During the meeting, members of the press were asked to “announce” themselves and their publication in the chat, which I did. We were told this was because some people wanted to know [about the press] before they were quoted in an article that they didn’t know about. We were then assigned to break out rooms, but I was excluded. However another publication’s editor was assigned to a break out room as well as another Random Lengths News reporter who was there in the capacity of an artist — a photographer; he was asked to promise not to reveal the contents of his break out session since he was not there as a reporter. In the break out rooms the survey results were considered and built upon. After attendees returned to the main meeting, I heard the “best of” those ideas which are listed below.

The intention of the report was for artists [See Censored, p. 13]

[Censored, from p. 12]

Censored

and interested stakeholders to have an open or “democratic” discussion on the survey results and the future direction of the arts district.

To my best recollection, the second meeting had fewer artists in attendance than the first meeting. Without adequate reporting on these meetings, it’s not possible for the artists and the larger community to participate in the discussion. This is problematic and can appear to lead to manufactured consent.

Facilitator and Angels Gate Cultural Center executive director Amy Erickson said the purpose of this conversation was to determine the structure that would enhance the organic quality of the art walk. In her view, the Chamber of Commerce and the Property Ownwers Business Improvement District have central positions in this structure.

Then Erickson turned to the survey. She said people love the event the way it is.

The “First Thursday Art Walk” is by most accounts referred to as First Thursday. It’s easy, people know what and when you are talking about and it’s become the de facto term used by many locals. Further, many people attending First Thursday go for the street fair environment.

I would venture to say, some may

not even be aware that the event was intended and initiated as an art walk.

They may see crafts for sale and the occasional live music happening and presume, that’s the “art,” or that it serves as art, even though they may be aware that galleries are open too. This begs the question, how are people drawn to the galleries?

I mention this because in this scenario, art becomes a casualty, an afterthought with the general community who haven’t been exposed to what’s happening in their downtown arts district. I make an effort to call it “art walk,” verbally and in writing about the event. It may seem miniscule, but words and names are important. They are identifiers providing information that people respond to.

In these recent go-rounds with the planning and relaunching of the art walk, it’s important to consider this and the message the arts district puts out.

The Meeting

If the apparent shaping of manufactured consent wasn’t problematic, the revisioning of the arts district’s history was.

Just before the meeting started, executive director of the Grand Vision Foundation and board member of the Chamber of Commerce, Liz SchindlerJohnson, offered a synopsis of the art walk’s history.

In Schindler-Johnson’s recollection, the artwalk started in 1998 as a collaboration between local artists, restaurateurs and a very, very small business improvement district, different from the PBID of today.

She speculated that the artwalk drew in foot-traffic of about 50,000 people a year — “a very small operation that had big dreams.”

Schindler-Johnson identified Robin Hinchcliff, who also was one of the former executive directors of Angels Gate Cultural Center, as the driving force in bringing artists together and getting them to commit to opening up their studios once a month and to the public.

Schindler-Johnson posited that the art walk helped to start changing the narrative about San Pedro and what there was to do in downtown San Pedro.

“Many people thought, ‘there’s such an aversion to downtown San Pedro’ but it was people who thought

there wasn’t much to do,” SchindlerJohnson said. “The artwalk started changing people’s perceptions and it also made it attractive for other artists to come be part of downtown San Pedro. It changed who was here on a very regular basis.”

She said there have been many different aspects of First Thursdays over the years from exclusively people who were there to see the galleries, “but really very small numbers of people, maybe 100 to 200 at the most.”

The art walk sometimes featured classic cars, then food trucks came, about 2008 or 2009. It was always controversial but “brought profoundly more people to the event, whether art lovers or art buyers, or not is always up for discussion.”

She called the San Pedro arts district a naturally occurring one and credited spontaneous generation for its success despite not having any specific management or supervision. The PBID over the years has generously supported some of the marketing for the event.

“From the Lofts to the [National] [See Art Walk, p.15]

SAN PEDRO — The Port of Los Angeles handled 946,966 twenty-foot equivalent units, or TEUs, in April, a spike of 37% compared to last year.

It was the best April in the port’s 114year history, and the ninth consecutive month of year-over-year increases.

Four months into the year, overall cargo volume has increased 42% compared to 2020.

Since January, the Port of Los Angeles has processed 3,539,397 TEUs. Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka said that key data points continue to trend in the right direction.

April 2021 loaded imports reached 490,127 TEUs compared to the previous year, an increase of 32%. Loaded exports declined 12% to 114,449 TEUs, marking the 27th decline over the past 30 months.

Empty containers reached 342,391 TEUs, a jump of 82% compared to this past year due to the heavy demand in Asia.

A total of 89 cargo vessels arrived in April, including two extra loaders. On May 25 there were 11 POLA vessels at anchor and 17 vessels at berth with 11.6 average days at berth and anchor.

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Fictitious Business Name Statement File No. 2021058278 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: 1.

WE GOT THIS, 2. GIANINE P. RIZZI, 1075 W. 11TH ST., San Pedro, CA 90731County of LOS ANGELES, Articles of Incorporation or Organization Number: LLC/ AI No 202005510392 Registered owner(s): WE GOT THIS PRODUCTIONS LLC, 1075 W. 11TH ST., SAN PEDRO, CA 90731; State of Incorporation: CA This business is conduct-

ed by a limited.liability company. The registrant(s) started doing business on 02/2020. I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct.

(A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions code that the registrant knows to be false is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000)).

WE GOT THIS PRODUCTIONS LLC, S/ RYAN S. BLANEY, Secretary.

This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Los Angeles County on 03/09/2021. NOTICE-In accordance with Subdivision (a) of Section 17920, a Fictitious Name Statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the County Clerk, except, as provided in Subdivision (b) of Section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to Section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed before the expiration. 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: 4/15/21, 4/29/21, 5/13/21, 5/27/21

Fictitious Business Name Statement File No. 2021078313 The following person is doing business as: (1) Kurt’s Concrete, 1918 W 169th Street, Gardena, CA 90247, Los Angeles County. Registered owners: Kurt Giles, 1918 W 169th Street, Gardena, CA 90247. This Business is conducted by an in-

May 27 - June 9, 2021

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dividual. The date registrant started to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above: 01/2009. 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/.

Kurt Giles, owner.

This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Los Angeles on 04/02/21.

Notice--In accordance with subdivision (a) of section 17920. A fictitious name statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the county clerk, except as provided in subdivision (b) of section 17920 where it expire 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner.

A new fictitious business name statement must be filed before the expiration.

The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see section 1411 ET SEQ., Business and Professions code).

Original filing: 04/29/21, 05/13/21, 05/27/21, 06/10/21

Fictitious Business Name Statement File No. 2021104264 The following person is doing business as: (1) FUNERAL COACH PLUS, 118 Gaviota Ave, Long Beach, CA 90802. Los Angeles County. Registered owners: Ronnie Grubbs, 118 Gaviota Ave, Long Beach, CA 90802. This Business is conducted by an individual.

The date registrant started to transact business under the fictitious business name

or names listed above: 07/2020. I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true information which he or she knows to be false is guilty of a crime.) S/. Ronnie Grubbs, Owner.

This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Los Angeles on 05/06/21.

Notice--In accordance with subdivision (a) of section 17920. A fictitious name statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the county clerk, except as provided in subdivision (b) of section 17920 where it expire 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed be-

[continued on p. 15]

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ACROSS

1 Gp. that pushed its 2021 deadline to May 4 Pot top 7 Moved around in Excel, maybe 13 Nine Lives spokesanimal Morris, e.g.

14 Neighbor of Miss.

15 Award recipient 16 “___ been thinking ...”

17 Metaphorical space that’s not too taxing 19 Ohio facility that had an elephant wing named for Marge Schott until 2020 21 Sluggish 22 Starting from 23 Forgo 26 “___ of Avalor” (Disney series) 28 Charging connection 31 Timeline span 32 Desiccant gel 34 Ivan the Terrible, for one 35 Rock group from Athens, Georgia 36 2021 Academy Award winner for Best Director 39 One of Snow White’s friends 42 “Or ___ what?”

43 Some flat-panels 47 Bar brew, briefly 48 The “S” in iOS (abbr.)

49 A bit unsettling 50 “Wynonna ___” (Syfy series) 52 Very small amount 56 Soviet news agency 57 It’s no diamond 61 2016-18 Syfy horror anthology based on Internet creepypastas 63 End of many URLs 64 Uncooked, in meat dishes 65 Actress Gadot 66 L.A.-to-Denver dir.

67 Baby attire with snaps 68 Late Pink Floyd member Barrett 69 Flat tire sound

DOWN

1 Frozen spikes 2 Pasta that sits relatively flat on a plate 3 Baseball Hall of Famer Casey 4 Actress Mosley with the podcast “Scam Goddess” 5 Massey of “Love Happy” 6 ___ with faint praise 7 “90210” actress Spelling 8 Dreamworks movie released just before “A Bug’s Life” 9 Knuckleheads 10 “Black Mirror” creator Charlie 11 Opposite of morn, to a poet 12 Pop singer Kiki 15 2007 film in Edgar Wright’s

“Cornetto trilogy” 18 ___ Schwarz (toy retailer) 20 Jaded sort 24 Indignation 25 “Archer” character with an extensive back tattoo 27 Muscle maladies 29 Mort who hosted the first Grammy Awards ceremony 30 “___ yourself” 33 Treaty partner 34 Bee follower?

37 Small ear bone 38 Keatsian intro 39 Backgammon cube 40 Greek wedding cry 41 Under-the-hood maintenance, e.g.

44 Dreamlike states 45 Hallucinations 46 Certain bagels 51 Fourth-down plays 53 “Blizzard of ___” (Osbourne album) 54 ‘70s supermodel Cheryl 55 Wide variety 58 ___ B’rith (international Jewish organization) 59 “Able was ___ ...”

60 “I’ve got it down ___” 61 Company’s IT VIP 62 Chinese dynasty for four centuries

[Dissenters, from p. 8]

DBA FILINGS [from p. 14] fore 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: 05/27/21, 06/10/21, 06/24/21, 07/08/21

Fictitious Business Name Statement File No. 2021111890 The following person is doing business as: (1) PATRICIA’S SKIN CARE, 1622 S Gaffey Street #202, San Pedro, CA 90731. Los Angeles County. Registered owners: Patricia Elaine Bondon, 873 W. 18th Street #2, San Pedro, Ca 90731. This Business is conducted by an individual. The date registrant started to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above: 07/2020. I declare that all information in this statement

is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true information which he or she knows to be false is guilty of a crime.) S/. Patricia Elaine Bondon, Owner.

This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Los Angeles on 05/17/21.

Notice--In accordance with subdivision (a) of section 17920. A fictitious name statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the county clerk, except as provided in subdivision (b) of section 17920 where it expire 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner.

A new fictitious business name statement must be filed before the expiration.

The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of

another under federal, state, or common law (see section 1411 ET SEQ., Business and Professions code).

Original filing: 05/27/21, 06/10/21, 06/24/21, 07/08/21

Fictitious Business Name Statement File No. 2022021104268 The following person is doing business as: (1) RITO RESTORATION, 1840 S Gaffey Street #414, San Pedro, CA 90731. Los Angeles County.

Registered owners: Jorge A Espinoza, 202 N Bandini, San Pedro, Ca 90731. This Business is conducted by an individual. The date registrant started to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above: 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/.

Jorge A Espinoza, Owner.

This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Los Angeles on 05/06/21. Notice--In accordance with subdivision (a) of section 17920. A fictitious name statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the county clerk, except as provided in subdivision (b) of section 17920 where it expire 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed before the expiration. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see section 1411 ET SEQ., Business and Professions code).

Original filing: 05/27/21, 06/10/21,

Dissenters

formed a hypothesis based in part on Craig Howes’ book Voices of the Vietnam POWs. Lembcke first explained that Howe believed a half-dozen senior ranking officers felt they had compromised their hardcoreness by giving statements to the Vietnamese, about the illegality and the impropriety of the war.

By the time younger, newer service personnel who had been captured in the South began to come into the prison system, these senior ranking officers begin to feel like, “What if they found out that I said this or I said that, and then some of these newer guys do the same thing? And when we all get home, they say ‘Well, you know, Senior Ranking Officer John Stockdale did this. Or Jeremiah Denton did that...

“So, these guys made up this fairytale…. ‘Boy, we really had it rough in the old days when we got here. we had the shit beat out of us. And yeah, to get some relief from that, by golly, we said some things [Art Walk, from p. 13]

Art Walk’s Future

Watercolor Society we have created, all of us together, have created more of an impression of a walkable artist-driven environment and ... it’s been one of the top greatest improvements to our immediate community that I can possibly think of,” she said.

She followed this by asking her husband, CEO of Jerico Development and PBID board member Alan Johnson if he wanted to add anything. Alan agreed to his wife’s assertions by describing the genesis of the artwalk as a kind of creative push and pull between local artists and small downtown businesses, crediting the resulting changing nature of the artwalk as the key to its survival.

Getting to the survey, most respondents said the art walk borders are between 5th Street and Pacific Avenue to 8th Street and Pacific and over to Harbor Boulevard. San Pedro is home to Cornelius Projects a few blocks south on Pacific Avenue at 14th Street.

It makes sense to include this asset in the art walk and in potential trolley routes, if that is revived.

Most people in the survey consider the art walk a regional event — opposed to a community event,

that we know we shouldn’t have said, but we went right back into the torture chamber. We really toughed it out,’” Lembcke said. “In a kind of finger-shaking manner, they said to these newbies, ‘And that’s what you guys better do. Because if you don’t forget we’re going to get you with charges when you come home. We’re going to charge you with collaboration.

“So, what Tom Wilbur and I say in our book is that’s the beginning of the construction of the mythical hero POW, and that’s what comes home, that’s kind of what gets implanted in the public presentation, and that’s what sticks in the American public memory of the POWs.” Read Paul Rosenberg’s full interview with Jerry Lembcke online at www.randomlengthsnews.com The interview covers the enduring myths of brainwashed POWs and POWs left behind in Vietnam; the deconstruction of the captive hero narrative that goes back to the founding of the United States; the impact this misremembering of the Vietnam War has had on military and political leaders 20 years after the start of the wars in Afghanistan and more.

which was the second most voted option. It’s curious why that is and what constitutes a regional event. Art certainly does. As artist Ron Linden noted in our last story, the cachet provided by the arts district is something the downtown area benefits from.

Considering this is also how artists make their livelihoods, the art they create deserves the highest focus in relaunching this art walk. The issue is besides marketing the galleries, this survey doesn’t appear to support the framework necessary to showcase art on a regional level. It does, however, support a community street fair.

San Pedro is also home to professional artists who are fluent in this level of promotion. Heed their knowledge, utilize their insights and talent to create a regional affair befitting this historical port town that artists have flocked to and created in for more than a century.

Wrap up

Erickson said the arts district has never had funds to pay for this event. It wants suggestions and it will take all the data and bring it to the PBID, Chamber of Commerce and other partners. At this point, I requested in the Zoom chat box that they also ask the artists for their input.

06/24/21, 07/08/21

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