RLn 12-23-20 by Random Lengths News

any of us derive our identities from our work or our occupations. But few people assume an identity derived from an idea. The Do-Good Daniels did. Robert, a postal worker turned owner of a cleaning supply business, and Christi Daniels, a program manager for Nordstrom department store have been married for seven years. They have four boys ranging in age from 15 to 6. But generosity was a part of their identity long before they became local celebrities after being featured on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in 2018. “It’s important to us to always give when we can,” Christi said. “You could be one paycheck away from having a really hard time.” At the time, they were living in a two-bedroom apartment in Hawthorne with their sons. Even with their combined income, Southern California housing costs made it difficult to find an abode to comfortably fit their family. Still, they sponsored a family headed by a mother whose husband recently died. Robert and Christi’s lives changed dramatically when the couple decided to submit a video for the Ellen DeGeneres Geico Skybox contest. Winning would get them a seat in the Geico skybox to watch The Ellen DeGeneres Show live. So the Daniels filmed themselves singing and dancing while dressed like a pair of Santa’s elves. Although she was a fan of the show, Christi had no previous experience of doing something like that. She said something just told her to do it. But she first had to convince Robert. When he first heard the idea, he was skeptical. After Christi asked for the fourth time and he saw she was serious, he agreed. “If we’re going to do this then we gotta do it right,” Robert

By Hunter Chase, Reporter

[See Daniels Family, p. 6]

Buscaino’s State of the District p. 2 Estella Scrooge: A digital twist on a holiday favorite p. 11

Estella Scrooge on Streaming Musicals

By Paul Rosenberg, Senior Editor

At 2:26 p.m. on Dec. 14, California Assemblywoman Shirley Weber announced that Joe Biden had won all 55 of California’s votes in the Electoral College, thereby giving him an Electoral College majority of 302 votes — 32 more than necessary — formally assuring his election. It was a clear turning point: First, Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Biden — more than a month after most other world leaders, and then, Senate Majority Leader “Moscow” Mitch McConnell offered his congratulations as well. It was the first admission by GOP leadership that Biden had been elected president, more than a month after Biden’s victory in Pennsylvania secured the outcome. Donald Trump’s effort to overturn the election — seen as a grift by some (raising more than $200 million

in three weeks), and a coup attempt by others — clearly suffered a major blow. But grift or coup, there’s little chance he’ll stop anytime soon. There’s too much money, too much limelight and too much power at stake.

The Grift

On the grift side, Trump had responded to initial signs of his loss with a flood of more than 130 fundraising emails in the first three weeks. “The blatant voter fraud throughout corrupt Democrat-run cities is unprecedented,” a typical email read. Yet, in the more than 50 court cases Trump’s lawyers have filed, they’ve never produced any evidence of such fraud.

“When they come after ME, they’re really coming after YOU and everything YOU stand for,” an email went on to say. “This Election isn’t over yet. We still have a long way to go and I need to know that I can count on you,” it continued. “I’m putting together an Election Defense Task Force that will be made up of my STRONGEST defenders.” The email goes on to ask for an immediate $5 contribution to join the task force and “increase your impact by 1000%” — though exactly how is never explained. In fact, the Washington Post accurately described it as “a nonexistent fundraising account.” The first flood of emails linked to a page where, election law

COVID-19 Cases in the U.S. as of Dec. 21, 2020: 8,503,777; U.S. Deaths: 327,327; Cases in Los Angeles: 634,849 • For up-to-date stats: www.randomlengthsnews.com

[See Grift, p. 16]

December 24, 2020 - January 6, 2021

“We want them infected:” Private emails pushed herd immunity p. 17

It’s a Grift! It’s a Coup! It’s BOTH!

French Laundry Xmas: Local merchants and residents passively resist lock-down orders p. 12

Real News, Real People, Really Effective

The Do Good Daniels at home. Back row: Robert and Houston (left). Front row is RJ, Dylan, Tristan and Christi. Photo by Arturo Garcia-Ayala

Community Announcements:

Harbor Area LA County Awarded $6.4 Million To Help House Homeless Veterans

LOS ANGELES — The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has awarded $46 million to Public Housing Agencies across the country to help veterans at risk of experiencing homelessness. The award will help fund 4,875 Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing vouchers. The Los Angeles County Development Authority (LACDA) received the largest allocation of funds to a PHA, totaling $6,418,080, or 500 vouchers. The 2020 Los Angeles County Homeless Count found that 2,918 veterans remained unsheltered. Details: 310-478-3711.

Proposed Climate Action and Adaptation Plan Released Long Beach has released the proposed Climate Action and Adaptation Plan, or CAAP. The proposed plan will be considered by the Long Beach City Council, on Jan. 5, 2021, after which the California Environmental Quality Act review process will take place. Final adoption is anticipated in the fall of 2021, after completion of the environmental review. CAAP will provide a framework for creating or updating policies, programs, practices, and incentives for Long Beach residents and businesses to reduce the city’s greenhouse gas footprint and ensure the community and physical assets are better protected from the impacts of climate change. The previous draft plan was released on June 1, 2019. Community and agency feedback on the draft plan informed edits to the proposed plan. Details: longbeach.gov/caaplb

Rainbow Services Holiday Giving Program

Rainbow Services provides shelter and support to anyone impacted by domestic violence, but the organization needs your help to provide its clients with a holiday season. New, unwrapped gifts and gift cards are being accepted for the children and teens living in the Rainbow Services shelter, as well as area motels. Details: www.rainbowservicesdv.org/tis-theseason

Real News, Real People, Totally Relevant

Utility Bill Payment Assistance

December 24, 2020 - January 6, 2021

Harbor Interfaith is asking for ham donations along with the trimmings and new toys or gift cards to continue with its longstanding tradition of providing complete holiday meals for Christmas to more than 700 families. Unwrapped toys may include items for ages from 1 month to 18 years. Details: www.harbor-interfaith-donate-food

Harbor Interfaith Services Seeks Donations

Community-based Nonprofit Opportunities

Long Beach is seeking to contract with community-based nonprofits to provide food and nutrition-related services to populations experiencing high levels of food insecurity and/or barriers to food access as a result of the impacts of COVID-19 through March 20, 2021. Details: www.longbeach.gov/healthy-foodand-nutrition-related-services The City of Long Beach is helping residents and businesses by temporarily suspending utility service shut-offs for nonpayment, waiving penalties and interest for late payments and more. Details: 562-570-5700; www.longbeach.gov/ utilityservices

Free Mobile Hotspots and Computers for Long Beach Residents

Long Beach is launching a new free internet services and computing devices program to help connect Long Beach residents to free digital inclusion resources during the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 550 free tablets with keyboards and 250 mobile hotspots with one-year paid internet service plans are available on a first-come, first-served basis to qualified, lowincome Long Beach residents with proof of [See Announcements, p. 4]

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

Buscaino Adresses the State of the District Amidst Surge in COVID-19, Homelessness By Hunter Chase, Reporter

On Dec. 12, District 15 Councilman Joe Buscaino hosted his annual State of the District address virtually on Facebook. He spoke of a pressing issue: the spread of COVID-19. “No one expected that our lives would still be upended this far into the year and that we would lose over 300,000 Americans,” Buscaino said. He said that the pandemic has created problems that require multiple solutions. The two biggest problems, aside from the spread of COVID-19, are people going hungry and small businesses at risk of closing. To help feed people, Buscaino highlighted the creation of a $1 million hardship relief fund. It was used to create a meal delivery program for seniors with a design in mind to solve two problems at once — support local restaurants while addressing food insecurity amongst this district’s most vulnerable. Buscaino’s office also gave $750,000 in Vons gift cards to families and $32,000 to nonprofits. He commended the San Pedro & Peninsula YMCA for serving 160,000 meals to the community since March, with the help of more than 120 volunteers. For small businesses, Buscaino said the city gave loans and relief funds to them. In total, the Small Business Administration loaned or gave $2.5 million to small businesses. Buscaino also touched on homelessness in his district. Because of a federal lawsuit, the city

Los Angeles City Councilman Joe Buscaino gave the 2020 State of the District Speech in an empty Warner Grand Theatre in downtown San Pedro to be broadcast later on Facebook. Photo courtesy of District 15 Los Angeles City Council Office

and county came to an agreement where the city will create 67 new beds for homeless people, but the county will pay for the social services to help those who use them. “My district will open two additional safe parking sites, a pallet shelter site, and a Project Homekey that will serve as interim housing, and then transition to permanent supportive housing after three years,” Buscaino said.

These will bring the 15th Council District’s number of temporary beds to 963, and 1,183 units of supportive housing. “In Council District 15, we’re leading with solutions and an attitude that we must try all of the above when considering solutions,” Buscaino said. He said he supports clean and accessible sidewalks for everyone — in other words, he is [See State of the District, p. 3]

[State of the District, from p. 2]

State of the District Delivered Early supportive of CARE+ cleanups, which provide services to homeless people, but also throw away their belongings if they do not move them in time. Such cleanups were stopped in March because of the pandemic, but Buscaino has successfully introduced two motions since then to have them resume in specific areas. The CARE+ cleanups also has had the perverse effect of pushing the spread of encampments into other neighborhoods.

the newly reopened Harbor Division jail will likely close again without major federal funding or cutting other things from the city’s budget, and entire stations could close as well. This would be the second time the jail has closed after operating for about a year. It originally opened in 2009, but closed after only nine months of operation. It re-opened in February 2020. “If we decrease our police force, we will continue to see an increase in crime beyond what the pandemic has unveiled,” Buscaino said. He pointed out that he was one of only two Los Angeles City Council members, out of 15 total, who voted against cutting the budget of the Los Angeles Police Department by $150 million. “I support additional investment into public safety, not less,” Buscaino said. “I support the expansion of the Mayor Eric Garcetti speaks at the opening of A Bridge Home shelter community safety partnership, in San Pedro. City Councilman Joe Buscaino, who helped develop the a community policing model shelter, stands behind him. File photo that we piloted in Watts, which Buscaino mentioned the opening of A Bridge has proven to dramatically reduce violent crime Home shelters in San Pedro and Watts, both of while building harmony between residents and which have 100 beds. In addition, the shelter in officers.” Watts, opened in 2019, has placed 30 individuals He argued that the community safety into permanent supportive housing, and 30 are partnership and senior lead officer programs employed. He also said that his office created a reduce violence, and build trust between the navigation center for homeless people to store community and police. He said that there should their belongings, which is used by 160 people. be more investment into these models. Buscaino also said that Los Angeles Police Buscaino, who is a former police officer, did Department Chief Michel Moore reported that [See Buscaino, p. 4]

Public COVID-19 Testing at SP YMCA By Arturo Garcia-Ayala, Reporter

On Dec. 17, the City of Los Angeles provided free COVID-19 testing to the public at the San Pedro & Peninsula YMCA. The testing was a part of a project initiated by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti in which mobile testing sites were deployed to seven locations in East San Fernando Valley and South Los Angeles. The public began lining up outside the YMCA as early as two hours before opening. Volunteers from both the Los Angeles Fire Department and an organization called the Community Organized Relief Effort (CORE) composed of medically trained individuals arrived on scene setting up a reception tent, organizing the kits for distribution and sorting the people already there into 2 lines; walk-ups and appointments. At 9 a.m., the line for walk-ups patients standing 3 to 6 feet apart, stretched down Third Street around the corner towards S. Bandini Street. Appointment patients who made arrangements ahead, their line stretched in the opposite direction. All wore face masks. By noon, the walk-up line dwindled into a dozen people while the appointment line became the main line stretching towards Bellmarin Drive, a block uphill. A CORE volunteer noticed an elderly 73year-old woman who could barely stand struggling to walk to the back of the main line after initial processing. She along with her husband and grandchild were brought a chair before having their tests expedited. According to the Los Angeles County Department of Health, there were a total of 793 COVID-19 cases out of a population of 78,038 as of Dec. 22 in San Pedro. Photo by Arturo Garcia-Ayala

Real News, Real People, Really Effective December 24, 2020 - January 6, 2021

Community Announcements:

Harbor Area

[Announcements, from p. 2]

income eligibility, while supplies last. Digital inclusion navigators will be available by phone to facilitate the application process. Proof of qualifying income of 200% below the federal poverty guidelines will be required for all applicants. Low-cost Internet services, computers and a free virtual digital literacy course are also available to qualifying households. Time: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays Details: 562-570-7000; digitalinclusion@ longbeach.gov

Long Beach Job Training

Long Beach, in partnership with Pacific Gateway, will offer a new training program with Prologis Inc. designed to provide rapid skills training for thousands of Long Beach workers in the transportation, distribution and logistics sectors. Details: www.longbeach.gov/training-forunemployed-workers

New COVID-19 Assistance

In an effort to help Angelenos through these difficult times, the City of Los Angeles has implemented new programs to provide assistance for food service workers, local businesses and vulnerable students. The SERVE initiative is providing financial assistance to thousands of food service workers. Details: visit Coronavirus.LACity.org/SERVE LA Optimized is helping local businesses go digital with website optimization, branding, and marketing. Details: Coronavirus.LACity.org/LAOptimized

December 24, 2020 - January 6, 2021

Real News, Real People, Totally Relevant

The Angeleno Connectivity Trust is providing free internet service to K-12 students experiencing homelessness, children in foster care, young people with disabilities, and at-risk youth. Details: LAMayor.org/Connectivity

[Buscaino, from p. 3]

Buscaino

not mention the reasons why there have been calls to defund the police. He did not talk about the widespread criticism and nationwide protests against police violence that were sparked by the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor earlier this year. He also neglected to mention that even with the cuts to its budget, the LAPD will receive roughly $3 billion this fiscal year, about 51% of the city’s discretionary funding. Before the public outcry, the LAPD’s budget was going to increase from the previous year, even though most other city services were going to be cut. Buscaino also had positive things to say about George Matthews and his group of volunteers, called San Pedro CPR, which stands for caring, proactive residents. “[They] have continued their tireless efforts to keep our streets and sidewalks clean of trash and debris, using their own time and resources,” Buscaino said. He briefly touched upon the upgrading of the water system in the San Pedro Community Garden, which finished this year. Buscaino said that it benefits more than 200 gardeners, making it the largest community garden in the city. However, he failed to mention the controversy surrounding the decision to upgrade the water system in 2019. Initially, the city was going to shut down the garden in April 2019 to install new pipes and would not reopen until 2020. The gardeners convinced the city to wait until August 2019, so that summer fruits could be harvested. Buscaino said that the San Pedro Business District launched the city’s first permanent sidewalk dining pilot this year. It took the

business district years of planning with his office prior to the pandemic. He said it will last even after the pandemic is over and he would like to see it expanded to every community in the city.

However, he did not mention that using this was currently illegal, as Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a stay-at-home order on Dec. 3, banning outdoor dining for at least three weeks.

Home Depot Donates Money to Local Charity By Arturo Garcia-Ayala, Reporter

On Dec. 16, Jonathan Guthman on behalf of the management of the Home Depot San Pedro store #1005 presented an oversized $1,000 check to Mike Walker, the head of San Pedro Packages for Patriots, a non-profit charity that assembles care packages for U.S. service-members serving overseas. The care packages are filled with essentials like shaving kits, toiletries, notebooks, treats and other items depending on the time of year. Around the holidays, Mike Walker along with a group of volunteers fill the parcels with more Christmas cards, additional candy, small decorations and other comforts the service-member may not be able to have in a foreign country. Photo by Arturo Garcia-Ayala

ILWU 23rd Annual Toy Drive in Wilmington

On Dec. 21, ILWU Locals 13, 94, 63 and 26 in the Port of Los Angeles launched the unionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 23rd annual toy drive and gave away more than 3,000 presents to local children. The gift give-away went on from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Families waited for up to 3 hours as the line wrapped around the block. Attendees practiced social distancing due to the coronavirus pandemic, wore face masks and maintained a distance of 6 feet from each other. Once an attendee reached the reception desk, they were escorted by a volunteer or Santa himself, so each child could select for themselves a toy they wanted among hundreds of different types from which to choose. Photo by Arturo Garcia-Ayala

Real News, Real People, Really Effective December 24, 2020 - January 6, 2021

[Daniels Family, from p. 1]

The Daniels Family on a Mission to Do Good

December 24, 2020 - January 6, 2021

Real News, Real People, Totally Relevant

recalled saying. Robert described the chain of events, from the making of the video and submitting it to getting a call back from the show within a short period of time almost as a blur. “When we submitted it, our video instantly won first place,” Robert explained. “They called us like the next morning. It was a really fast process. I’ve never seen a show work like that. I was like what is this about? Then they told us they wanted us in the skybox. It all happened within a week.” Apparently what clinched the win for the Daniels was a note Christi submitted with the video explaining that the video spiced up their love life. During the show, DeGeneres made light of the note, but the wheels of fate had already begun to turn. Initially only Christi and Robert were invited to sit in the box seats at the show. When they submitted the video only they were visible. Unseen in the video were the boys, who were singing in the background. The couple reasoned with the staff that because the boys participated in the production of the video they should be able to sit in the skybox with them. The boys weren’t able to sit with them, but the couple was told to bring their boys with them. Christi explained that while the boys didn’t get to sit in the box seats, DeGeneres’ staff got to observe the family dynamics of the Daniels family and got to know them, particularly as the boys complained about not being able to sit in the skybox and meet Ellen. It was during this time that Ellen DeGeneres’ staff learned that the family was experiencing financial hardships of their own. The family made such an impression that they were later invited back to the show, an episode entitled 12 Days of Christmas during which DeGeneres and General Mills Cheerios Cereal gave the family two checks totaling $1 million, $500,0000 for their own financial hardships and $500,000 to give back to the community how they saw fit. The way they spent that money was documented in a web series, naturally called The Do Good Daniels [https://tinyurl.com/DoGoodDaniels]. Since the series has ended, Robert and Christi have bought a house in San Pedro, where they live with their four boys, RJ, Dylan, Tristan and Houston. They also founded the nonprofit organization, Friendd, which helps families in need. “We go around, and we kind of just help people that are … just going through life’s challenges,” Robert said. “It’s been really hard [during] the holidays for some people.” For Robert, it was a no-brainer on how to spend the initial $500,000 donated by DeGeneres and Cheerios. “Because we already had relationships, we [were] already thinking, ‘How can we do great in the community? Who can we bless? Who can we find?’” he remembered. The Daniels family used the money to donate Skechers sneakers for the elementary school their children previously attended in South Los Angeles. In addition, they bought a wheelchair accessible van for a nonprofit called Sisters in Watts. They also revamped a community center in a homeless shelter in Los Angeles called A Place Called Home, including the donation of new computers. In 6 addition, they gave $10,000 to a young man

Photo by Arturo Garcia-Ayala On Dec. 16, Robert and Christi Daniels donated gift cards and holiday cheer to the Union Rescue Mission’s annual toy drive. Here they are with Union Rescue Mission’s Chief Executive Officer, Rev. Andy J. Bales (seated) and Vice President of Philanthropy Richard D. Newcomb (right). Photo courtesy of the Daniels.

who lived at the shelter to help pay for his college tuition. The family spent the full $500,000 donated to them by The Ellen DeGeneres Show and Cheerios in the series, but since then, the foundation has had personal donors, as well as organizations that it has partnered with. “That’s the great thing with having this experience,” Robert said. “We have piggybacked off of that, people have seen us with that and wanted to help.” The foundation has been working with medical professionals that have been fighting the spread of COVID-19. It has partnered with organizations from the San Fernando Valley to visit different hospitals and bring snacks, including Torrance Memorial and Little Company of Mary. It has also started its own registry. Robert and Christi’s children are involved with the organization as well. Robert said they enjoy helping other people, such as giving homeless people food and hygiene products. The entire family volunteers together. “I love the fact that we get to change people’s lives just by being who we are,” Robert said. “It’s just catapulting us into a whole ‘nother life, to where we get to actually take what we have and share it on a whole other level.” At one point in his life, Robert aspired to be a pastor, but he now focuses on doing ministry without an official church title. Christi is more interested in couples ministry. She said that many people have asked her for relationship advice. “People reach out all the time, like, ‘You guys seem to have so much fun,’ or ‘How are you guys doing it with the kids and you guys still have fun with each other, and every time I see you, you guys are so in love,’” Christi said. “That takes work.” Christi would like to tell their story, and help build strong marriages. “[It’s] very important,” Robert said. “Especially in our homes nowadays, we just

From left to right: Daniels brothers Dylan, Houston, Tristan and RJ. All four are involved with the Friendd, the family’s nonprofit. Photo courtesy of the Daniels.

don’t have enough fathers that stick around.” Christi and Robert don’t pretend to be perfect. They’ve had their ups and downs like everyone else. Despite the changes brought to their lives due to The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Christi and Robert are still the same Do Good Daniels giving to others despite their own financial hardships. Robert noted that he and Christi are both philanthropists and activists. With the finishing of two books, Robert is set to become an author and a motivational speaker. He even has his own podcast called, RiseshineNdogood. As of late, Robert has taken on a new task: health, fitness and healthy living starting with the mind, body and soul. Anyone who saw him on the DeGeneres show versus now would be shocked by his weight loss journey. Robert has lost 75 pounds. The first of Robert’s two books, Break the Chain, is a self-help book that draws from his life about overcoming limits, pathways to success, child rearing and avoiding passing on toxic child rearing practices. The other is Robert’s autobiography, Beating All Odds. Robert was raised by his grandmother. His father was gunned down before he was born. Robert’s mother died from a drug overdose a month and eight days after he was born. “I was born into this world as a drug baby,” Robert said. “Within that, there were just so many obstacles. … I had to learn how to turn my weaknesses into strengths, because I wasn’t a kid

that could learn like everybody else.” Robert has attention deficit disorder, and trouble with reading and writing. Robert said he didn’t know how to channel his energy or how to get people to pay attention to him so that he could get the help that he needed. “The book is all about overcoming … in spite of all the things that I’ve been dealing with,” Robert said. “I’ve even been beat, I’ve been ... molested, I’ve … just been exposed to some real harsh things growing up, and having to learn how to find my place and give it to my children of what my experiences have been like, so they don’t have to experience the same thing.” Though their nonprofit is small, Christi and Robert have big plans for San Pedro, where the family has now lived for a year. The plans include trying to help homeless people and support lowincome families. Robert said that he wants Friendd to work with other nonprofits in San Pedro, such as Harbor Interfaith and others engaged in the work of assisting the poor and the disadvantaged. “It’s very important to us that we find a way to bridge the gap between the nonprofits here and become very familiar with them ... becoming familiar with us … combine forces, and try to get what needs to be done around San Pedro,” Robert said. Managing Editor Terelle Jerricks contributed to this story.

ILWU Walk the Coast thanks community members, union locals & companies that have contributed to Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation to fight childhood cancer Answer the call to participate in this year’s virtual campaign to fund research and family support programs for children with cancer. Visit www.ilwuwalkthecoast.org to make your donation. Your name, business, union or organization will be included in our coming acknowledgment. Be a part of something wonderful! $10,000 DIAMOND SPONSORS

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When four-year-old Alexandra Scott was in the hospital, she told her mother that she would start a lemonade stand to help other children. Before her passing at age 8, Alex raised more than $1 million. Each $50 raised equals one hour of important research. ALSF funds more than 1,000 cutting-edge research projects at nearly 150 institutions, a travel program to support families of chldren receiving cancer treatment and resource development. . Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization

December 24, 2020 - January 6, 2021

Taking Back the Flag from False Patriots Sedition and betrayal — the grift that keeps grifting By James Preston Allen, Publisher

December 24, 2020 - January 6, 2021

Real News, Real People, Totally Relevant

I’ve simply had enough of the false patriot, neo-Nazi, Proud Boy militias, their enablers and fellow travelers misusing the American flag. A particular irritant is their strange commingling of national and appropriated symbols of fascism to aid Donald J. Trump’s grift of gullible supporters. The American left needs to take back America’s symbols and remind citizens of the reason why this union of states was formed: It was formed to establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general welfare and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity. While the American flag has been used to justify crimes against humanity and other core American beliefs since our nation’s founding, only four conflicts in our nation’s history actually stand out as upholding our national creed — the Revolution, the War of 1812, the Civil War and World War II — all could be argued as having defended our republic and our collective freedoms. This past Nov. 3, our current not-so-civil conflict of a national election saw more than 74.4 million patriots cast ballots to overthrow a tyrant. Seven million more than Mr. Trump received and he’s still pouting about it after the election “being stolen.” There is zero evidence of this still. His campaign was lost and Mr. Joseph Biden is the President-elect. What I am suggesting here is that the next time Black Lives Matter, ANTIFA, progressive Berniecrats or others line up for a demonstration, I urge them to take back the symbolism of the American flag and turn it into the promise of freedom, liberty and justice. Wave it as a reminder to the police, sheriffs and politicians under these colors of authority that their jobs are to “protect and to serve” us all — not just the thin blue line. I ask the obvious question: Do we want to march for justice and peace or a battle with armed militias supporting an oligarchy bent on destroying democracy? I have been impressed as of late by the courage of many county clerks, district judges and a few government employees who have risked their personal safety, careers or reputations in defending the national vote and thus, our core democratic principles against the attacks of a narcissist tyrant and his surrogates. These Americans

deserve the Presidential Medal of Freedom and our collective respect. On the other hand, the Texas Attorney General, Ken Paxton and 17 other state attorneys general and 126 Republican congressional representatives, who supported the Texas lawsuit to throw out the certifications of the vote in the four battleground states, need to be prosecuted for sedition along with the aforementioned militias. Attempting to subvert or suppress the vote is an act against our republic. Acting to intimidate poll workers, threatening violence against county officials in charge of overseeing elections or showing up with guns at polls or state houses where electors vote is a crime against our republic. It is repugnant to our sense of civil self-governance and should be treated as a crime. That the disgraced and recently pardoned Gen. Michael Flynn went on the news last week suggesting Trump institute martial law to overthrow the election is evidence of his traitorous disposition. Flynn told the right-wing pro-Trump Newsmax channel that the president should consider martial law to remain in power. “He could order [this], within the swing states, if he wanted to. He could take military capabilities and he could place those in states and basically rerun an election,” Flynn actually said. This is the very definition of seditious speech. This is, of course, the kind of sedition one would expect in some Third World nation where strong man autocrats rule with impunity supported by corrupt generals. Could this ever happen here? One might believe not. But here is what Trump’s former legal “fixer” Michael Cohen told Vanity Fair recently: I need you to think of what Trump is doing as no different than if you were watching The Apprentice. This is all a reality show. He knows he lost the election. He knows it. But the problem is he has an incredibly fragile ego and his fragile ego will not allow him to acknowledge that he is a loser, that he lost the election to Joe Biden. “I’m Donald Fucking Trump. I can’t lose the election to Joe Biden.” This is a cash grab. When you finish a job, you’re always thinking about how to reinvent yourself. That’s what Donald Trump is doing right now. He knows that his next saga of his story is really going to be predicated around a Publisher/Executive Editor James Preston Allen james@randomlengthsnews.com Assoc. Publisher/Production Coordinator Suzanne Matsumiya

“A newspaper is not just for reporting the news as it is, but to make people mad enough to do something about it.” —Mark Twain Vol. XLI : No. 27

Published every two weeks for the Harbor Area communities of San Pedro, RPV, Lomita, Harbor City, Wilmington, Carson and Long Beach. Distributed at over 350 locations throughout the Harbor Area.

Managing Editor Terelle Jerricks editor@randomlengthsnews.com Senior Editor Paul Rosenberg paul.rosenberg@ randomlengthsnews.com Internship Program Director Zamná Àvila

Trump news network. It’s why he’s fighting with Fox every day. He’s looking to steal their base. Because with his social media platform of 90 million followers, he knows that of that 90 million, 20 million are die-hard Trump fans. He could shoot someone on Fifth Avenue and they would be behind him 100%. From them, he just wants $4.99 a month. And for that $4.99 a month, you get to listen to all the

bullshit and all the far-right-wing conspiracies that Donald Trump can dream up. That’s what he’s going to sell you. That’s $100 million a month, $1.2 billion a year. That’s going to pay for the gas in his 757.

And as Paul Rosenberg writes in this issue, “the post election grift of Trump just continues on.” Clearly something more than the American flag should be taken away from this false patriot and his followers.

WFP Chief Urges World to Use Its Wealth to Prevent Famine

Acceptance speech by Executive Director David Beasley on behalf of the Nobel Peace Prize Laureate 2020 World Food Programme in Oslo, Norway on Dec. 10, 2020 Waking up this morning in the beautiful city our incredible partners and donors and most of Rome, it is hard to imagine that in about 400 importantly on behalf of 19,000 peacemakers AD this city experienced a massive famine that at the World Food Programme, and for all those ended up killing almost 90% of its population. who came before us, especially those who died in Students of history associate something else with the line of duty and their families who carry on, that ancient date: the beginning of the fall of the and on behalf of the 100 million hungry people Roman Empire. Now, did the famine cause the we serve, to the Norwegian Nobel Committee, fall? Or did the fall cause the famine? I think the thank you, for this great honor. answer is yes — both. Also, thank you for acknowledging our work Waking up in this wealthy, modern, of using food to combat hunger, to mitigate technologically advanced world, it’s hard to against destabilization of nations, to prevent imagine us going through a famine like that. But mass migration, to end conflict and … to create my tragic duty today is to tell you: famine is at stability and peace. humanity’s doorstep. For millions and millions We believe that food is the pathway to peace. of people on earth. I wish today that I could speak of how Failure to prevent famine in our day will working together we could end world hunger for destroy so many lives and cause the fall of much all the 690 million people who go to bed hungry we hold dear. every night. But, today we have a crisis at hand. On behalf of the secretary general of the This Nobel Peace Prize is more than a thank United Nations, our board, our sister agencies, [See Nobel, p. 9]

Columnists/Reporters Melina Paris Staff Reporter Hunter Chase Staff Reporter Send Calendar Items to: 14days@randomlengthsnews.com Photographers Arturo Garcia-Ayala, Terelle Jerricks, Raphael Richardson, Chris Villanueva Contributors David Beasley, Ari LeVaux, Greggory Moore Cartoonists Andy Singer, Jan Sorensen, Matt Wuerker

Design/Production Suzanne Matsumiya, Brenda Lopez

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For advertising inquiries or to submit advertising copy, email: rlnsales@randomlengthsnews.com. Annual subscription is $40 for 27 issues. Back issues are available for $3/copy while supplies last. Random Lengths News presents issues from an alternative perspective. We welcome articles and opinions from all people in the Harbor Area. While we may not agree with the opinions of contributing writers, we respect and support their 1st Amendment right. Random Lengths News is a member of Standard Rates and Data Services and the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies. (ISN #0891-6627). All contents Copyright 2020 Random Lengths News. All rights reserved.

RANDOMLetters Automation at the Port

I more than saw the article! “The fight against Automation Continues,” 12/10/20 I was very pleased to open my RLn envelope and find the front page story. The telling of this David and Goliath story was both informative and reasoned. Stressing that the commissioners who brought the charges against Carlos absolutely sought a target that could not get the help of the ILWU in defense was crucial to this malfeasance. “Pick on the little guy.” I would hope that my sisters and brothers in the ILWU recognize the threat illustrated by a 22 count bogus suit because the institutional feelings were hurt by parody. Maybe the capitalists are not concerned with our well being but rather their own power and vanity.

Our union brothers in the Port Police local should also think twice before harassing an obviously innocent longshore worker. Robin Doyno Local 13 member, retired Los Angeles

Normalize US-Cuba Relations

We are all too familiar with the conservatism of the Daily Breeze newspaper editorials which are out of touch with the political perspectives of working people in the South Bay. Occasionally the news articles do reflect facts that are too hard to ignore, such as police brutality and the massive demonstrations against it, Donald Trump’s thousands of lies, etc. but their editorials never tell the truth about labor struggles, environmental battles against the refineries, pollution,

the Wilmington communities fight for clean air, the need for universal healthcare, etc. Below is a recently submitted letter to the editor which they refused to print in line with their right-wing editorial positions. Fortunately, we have Random Lengths News, which reflects independent journalism and progressive politics. I agree with your Dec. 16, 2020 editorial calling for US-Cuba normalization but not for the same reasons. Normalizing relations benefits US and Cuban populations in scientific, health, academic, and cultural arenas. The U.S. blockade/embargo/ sanctions against Cuba for 60 years, by every Democratic and Republican administration, failed to overthrow the socialist revolution due to overwhelming support for its social programs, medical and educational successes (often exceeding the US), international assistance to workers/

farmers world-wide (e.g., medical brigades fighting Ebola, SARS, coronavirus, teachers, skilled workers), etc. You hope that capitalistic bribes, supporting dissidents promoting capitalism, encouraging skilled professionals to “defect”

will instead foment a counterrevolution…but that Obama strategy won’t succeed. Today, the formerly monolithic anti-Communist Cuban Americans in Miami, LA, NY and elsewhere have also started demonstrating against the blockade.

The UN votes annually, nearly unanimously to urge the US to End the Blockade, then the US vetoes the resolution. Mark L. Friedman Co-coordinator, Los Angeles U.S. Hands Off Cuba Committee San Pedro

[Nobel, from p. 8]

Nobel

Real News, Real People, Really Effective December 24, 2020 - January 6, 2021

you. It is a call to action. Because of so many wars, climate change, the widespread use of hunger as a political and military weapon, and a global health pandemic that makes all of that exponentially worse – 270 million people are marching toward starvation. Failure to address their needs will cause a hunger pandemic which will dwarf the impact of COVID. And if that’s not bad enough, out of that 270 million, 30 million depend on us 100% for their survival. How will humanity respond? Let me tell you why what we do at the World Food Programme works. First, food is sacred. Anyone who has sat down to a Thanksgiving or a holiday meal, or taken communion, attended a Seder, fasted for Ramadan or made a food offering at a Buddhist temple knows that. And every human, whether they are people of faith or not, knows the power of food not only to sustain us, but bring us together in our common humanity. Here’s the second reason the World Food Programme works: because what the 19,000 of us are doing is an act of love. Dr. [Martin Luther] King, Nobel Laureate in 1964 said, “Love is the most durable power in the world.” And, like Dr. King, from a very young age, I learned this teaching from Jesus of Nazareth, as he taught from the Torah: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” I have come to understand that a better translation of what Jesus actually said was “Love your neighbor as your equal.” Think for a moment what this really means. Imagine every woman, man, girl and boy we share this planet with is our equal … and if we would just love them as such.

Imagine what that would do to war, to conflict, to racism, to division, and to discrimination of every kind. What warms my heart is this: 100 million of my equals received food from the World Food Programme this last year and we averted famine. What tears me up inside is this: this coming year, millions and millions and millions of my equals are marching to the brink of starvation. We stand at what may be the most ironic moment in modern history. On the one hand — after a century of massive strides in eliminating extreme poverty, today those 270 million of our neighbors are on the brink of starvation. That’s more than the entire population of Western Europe. On the other hand, there is $400 trillion of wealth in our world today. Even at the height of the COVID pandemic, in just 90 days, an additional $2.7 trillion of wealth was created. And we only need $5 billion to save 30 million lives from famine. What am I missing here? A lot of my friends and leaders around the world have said to me, “You’ve got the greatest job in the world, saving the lives of millions of people.” Well, here is what I tell them: “I don’t go to bed at night thinking about the children we saved, I go to bed weeping over the children we could not save. And, when we don’t have enough money and the access we need, we have to decide which children eat and which children do not eat, which children live, which children die. How would you like that job?” Please don’t ask us to choose who lives and who dies. In the spirit of Alfred Nobel, as inscribed on this medal — “peace and brotherhood” — let’s feed them all. Food is the pathway to peace. ©The Nobel Foundation, Stockholm, 2020.

In the Time of Pandemic Junk Food News New Project Censored release offers a prescription for keeping the faith for better journalism By Terelle Jerricks, Managing Editor

December 24, 2020 - January 6, 2021

Real News, Real People, Totally Relevant

The release of Project Censored year after year is predicated upon the belief that quality news is a needed public good whether or not there’s a hunger for it in the information marketplace dominated by the mainstream, corporate-owned press. The journalists, analysts, media professors and student interns who put together Project Censored’s State of the Free Press 2021 continue to do the work that they do in hope that mainstream media outlets will cut back on “junk food news” and instead devote that space to stories in which information translates into a citizenry that is more aware, better informed and increasingly empowered. In 1983, Project Censored founder Carl Jensen coined the term “junk food news” to describe the headline-grabbing, sensationalist news stories produced by corporate media profiteers at the expense of traditional investigative journalism. Izzy Snow and Susan Rahman open the Junk Food News chapter in State of the Free Press 2021 with Kitty O’Meara’s poem, In the Time of Pandemic. It envisions the lockdown response to COVID-19 as a reset button to the worst impulses of capitalism, consumerism and nihilism. Snow and Rahman compare it to the aftermath of 9/11, when political leaders told constituents that the most-effective way to defeat terrorism and expand freedom was to go shopping — and buy American. Not in recent memory has this planet experienced a pandemic let alone a moment like this one, where

Coverage of the death of NBA star Kobe Bryant overshadowed the internationally consequential death at the hands of U.S. forces of Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani.

our television screens were filled with reports of empty store shelves of toilet paper, water and canned goods and fights breaking out over essential goods in crowded store aisles. This buy-back-your-freedom model has arisen again, now out of the desperation of the coronavirus pandemic, in which the lower and middle classes, most affected by the tragedies of the crisis, are the most

pressured to reopen and re-conform to the economic systems that oppress them. While buying American was once promoted as the way to defeat the terrorists, in the time of COVID-19, toilet paper seems to be the new favored commodity in wiping out the bad guys. Witness as the corporate media dare to ask the truly hard-hitting questions: If we hoard the Charmin, does that make us good

or bad Americans?

With the snark of a Mean Girls cast of protagonists, the Junk Food News chapter authors explore the question of “Who is considered important and worthy of coverage during this pandemic?” Snow, Rahman and crew documented the weeks and months following the first reports and identification of the coronavirus until about May when most Americans were coping with lockdown measures keeping them captive and anesthetized with Netflix, TikTok videos and Instagram feeds of celebrities living in spacious normality that isn’t really the norm to most Americans. While celebrities spread messages that “we’re all getting through this together” and that these are “uncertain times,” their only uncertainties lie in whether their local Whole Foods will be restocked with vegan toilet paper. In the meantime, Americans reckon with how quarantine has impacted their careers, home lives, and finances. The corporate media is actively and consistently choosing to focus on the famed icons who are still able to share their lived perfection even during times of hardship.

The authors do note the few stories that highlighted the real struggles of everyday Americans, but that sort of reporting was too few and far between with little exploration. The authors of this chapter take note of how coverage of the death of NBA Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant sucked the air out of the media market in the months following his helicopter crash in January 2020. [See Junk Food, p. 15]

By Greggory Moore, Curtain Call Columnist

Ohio. Curiosity piqued by the fact that the property — Harthouse, a hotel for the down-and-out that never turns away anyone for lack of funds — is run by Estella’s childhood flame Philip “Pip” Nickleby (Clifton Duncan), who she Havishammed all those years ago, nothing will do but to hop on the first plane out in the morning. It’s not like she had Xmas plans, anyway. According to the press release, Estella Scrooge is “the first digital theatre piece filmed entirely during the pandemic, utilizing cutting-edge technology.” And as a set of still photos over the closing credits documents, the entire film was shot one performance at a time — as in, no two actors were ever together on-set — and cobbled together with green-screen and digital tech that looks like a helluva lotta work. The result is what you might expect if Grand Theft Auto characters decided to take in a musical whose cast wasn’t CGI. It’s simultaneously impressive and awkward, and the more ambitious the design team gets with the digital effects, the more their limitations show, especially since most people alive today don’t know a world without Industrial Light & Magic. But you’re not coming to Estella Scrooge for verisimilitude, so this isn’t a fatal flaw. In fact, the

weirdness is strangely engaging. A more serious shortcoming is one inherent to producing a musical in this manner: the inability of the cast to truly interact. This manifests in two ways. The first is the simple lack of physical/eye contact. The technical team has patched things together reasonably well and for the most part, get away with it even when you can’t help but notice. But during the duets, we really feel it, particularly the big love song between Estella and Philip. I would love to see Wolfe and Duncan perform this onstage together because their connection is convincing; but because they aren’t together, their intimacy cannot be fully realized. The biggest problem, though, has to do with why it’s so much easier to make musicals work onstage than on screen: the spectacle. The thrill of the musical stage isn’t just the songs and lead performances — it’s the totality that shoots you over the moon. When a big number is done right, you almost don’t know where to look for all [See Curtain Call, p. 15]

Real News, Real People, Really Effective

here is a subsection of American culture that loves Hallmark Christmas movies. I mean, loves. The romance, the schmaltz, the familiar formula — it’s Yuletide comfort food for the soul. If you’re one of these people, have I got a musical for you! With a template provided by Charles Dickens, you already know where you’re going with Estella Scrooge: A Christmas Carol with a Twist. Familiarity — check. Schmaltz? Trust me. As for romance, by grafting a bit of Great Expectations onto this Christmas Carol redux, you should feel enough warm fuzzies to get you through at least one cold, COVIDy winter’s night. The eponymous Estella (Betsy Wolfe), great-greatgreat-great-great-great granddaughter of Ebenezer (Danny Burstein), is CEO of Bleak House Capital and wears the label “gentrifying capitalist” with pride. She’s so devoted to the voodoo of trickle-down economics that she sings a whole song about it. On Dec. 23, right-hand woman Betty Cratchit (Megan McGinnis) alerts her to a new foreclosure back in Estella’s hometown of Pickwick,

December 24, 2020 - January 6, 2021

Betsy Wolfe as Estella and Clifton Duncan as her childhood flame, Philip “Pip” Nickleby, in Estella Scrooge: A Christmas Carol with a Twist streams digitally on Streaming Musicals.

Real News, Real People, Totally Relevant

his coronavirus pandemic and the recurring lockdown measures to control the virus’ spread hasn’t been easy for anyone. That’s particularly true for local restaurants that have been limited to outside patio, delivery and take away dining. Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge James Chalfant put a limit on the extent of the county-level ban on outdoor dining in a Dec. 8 ruling. A state-imposed ban on outdoor dining, which supersedes any county order, was not changed by the judge’s ruling. The county ban on service remained in place until Dec. 16, but it could not be extended as the ban was after that date. The on-premises table service ban extended from Nov. 25 to Dec. 16. That order, which is stricter than the state’s minimum requirements for Purple Tier counties, was met with resistance and lawsuits, including one submitted by a downtown Los Angeles restaurant, Engine Co. No. 28, and one filed by the California Restaurant Association, a large industry trade group representing restaurant owners. The Board of Supervisors were not united on the closures. Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn co-authored a motion with Supervisor Kathryn Barger to allow outdoor dining to continue at 50% capacity. The motion failed in a 2-3 vote, with Hahn and Barger in the minority. Hahn released a statement Nov. 24 expressing her opposition to the board’s decision: I did not support the ban on outdoor dining at restaurants that takes effect tonight. The situation we face is dire, but I don’t think we have the data to prove outdoor dining is driving the current surge, or to rationalize the number of people who will

French Laundry Christmas Local merchants and residents passively resist lock-down orders By Arturo Garcia-Ayala, Reporter

The Lawn Chair Restaurant Supporters, a group that is against the recent ban on outdoor dining, gathered outside the Omelette & Waffle Shop to eat and stage a demonstration against the ban. Photo by Arturo Garcia-Ayala

BIG NICK’S PIZZA

Tradition, variety and fast delivery or takeout—you get it all at Big Nick’s Pizza. The best selection of Italian specialties include hearty calzones, an array of pastas and our amazing selection of signature pizzas. Call for fast delivery. Hours: 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sun.-Thurs.; 10 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Fri.-Sat. Big Nicks’ Pizza, 1110 N. Gaffey St., San Pedro, 310732-5800, www.bignickspizza.com

December 24, 2020 - January 6, 2021

BUONO’S AUTHENTIC PIZZERIA

Family owned and operated since 1965, Buono’s is famous for exceptional award-winning brick oven baked pizza. Buono’s also offers classic Italian dishes and sauces based on tried-and-true family recipes and hand-selected ingredients that are prepared fresh. Takeout and delivery at all three locations. Hours: Sun.-Thurs. 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Fri. and Sat. 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Buono’s Pizzeria, 222 W. 6th St., San Pedro 310-547-0655, www.buonospizza.com

CONRAD’S MEXICAN GRILL

Conrad’s menu reflects the cuisine of his native Oaxaca with a fresh focus on local, seasonal ingredients for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It features classic dishes from Oaxaca and regional Mexico, such as

lose their jobs. I also worry it will drive more people to indoor gatherings in homes — which we know are more dangerous. Unfortunately, the board voted 2-3 against a motion that I co-authored with Supervisor Barger to allow outdoor dining to continue at 50% capacity. The outdoor dining ban will go into effect Nov. 25, after 10 p.m.

mole sauces, ceviche, empanadas and sopecitos. Conrad’s also features an inventive vegetarian and vegan menu. Order online for curbside pick up and delivery. Open Mon.-Sat. 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sun. noon to 8 p.m. Conrad’s Mexican Grill, 376. W. 6th St., San Pedro • 424-264-5452, www.conradsmexicangrill. com

HAPPY DINER #1

The Happy Diner #1 in Downtown San Pedro isn’t your average diner. The selections range from Italian- and Mexican-influenced entrées to American Continental. Happy Diner chefs are always creating something new—take your pick of grilled salmon over pasta or tilapia and vegetables prepared any way you like. Call for takeout breakfast, lunch and dinner. Hours: Mon. - Sat. 6 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., Sun. 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Happy Diner #1, 617 S. Centre St., San Pedro, 310-241-0917, www.happydinersp.com

HAPPY DINER #2

Built on the success of Happy Diner #1, Happy Diner #2 offers American favorites like omelets and burgers, fresh salads, plus

In light of this, I have asked the LA County Development Authority to expand the eligibility for the Business Revitalization Grant to make $6 million available for restaurants that need help. It is not enough, but I am going to do everything I can to help these businesses and their workers. Citizens opposed to the new lockdown

pasta and Mexican dishes are served. Call in your order for curbside pickup. Hours: Mon. - Sat. 6 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Sun. 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Happy Diner #2, 1931 N. Gaffey St., San Pedro, 310-935-2933, www.happydinersp.com

HAPPY DELI

The Happy Deli is a small place with a big menu. Food is made-to-order using the freshest ingredients. Breakfast burritos and breakfast sandwiches include a small coffee. For lunch or dinner select from fresh salads, wraps, buffalo wings, cold and hot sandwiches, burgers and dogs. Delivery to your home or office available. Hours: Mon. - Sat. 6 am. to 8 p.m., Sun. 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Happy Deli, 530 S. Gaffey St., San Pedro, 424-364-0319, www. happydelisp.com

SAN PEDRO BREWING COMPANY

A micro brewery and American grill, SPBC features handcrafted award-winning ales and lagers served with creative pastas, BBQ, sandwiches, salads and burgers. Order your growlers and house drafts to go! Open daily 12 to 8 p.m. for takeout and delivery through Grubhub, Postmates and Doordash. San Pedro Brewing Company, 331 W. 6th St., San Pedro, 310-831-5663, www.sanpedrobrewing.com

orders have been staging silent protests at local restaurants. One of the more recent protests was staged at the Omelette Waffle shop by people calling themselves the Lawn Chair Restaurant Supporters. The seven restaurant patrons brought their own tables and chairs to the corner of 11th and Gaffey streets on Dec. 9 at 10 a.m. They set up six feet apart, then went inside one by one to order. When they received their food, instead of leaving the area they sat down and enjoyed it along the outside wall of the restaurant on the public sidewalk. Though they were defying the outdoor shutdown order without permission or consent from the restaurant owner, they all had their specific reasons for their demonstration. “I am here supporting local businesses should be open because everyone needs to work and the job is essential,” said restaurant supporter George Matthews. “I am here to have breakfast and I wanted to enjoy it with some friends,” Scott Carter said. Others wanted to express the other human cost of the shutdown. “When the pandemic started we were given 15 days to slow the spread,” Tasha Montelongo said. “Fifteen days [is] now going [on] 9 months. A lot of good people are suffering — business owners and the workers that work with these businesses.” For their part, the owners of the Omelette & Waffle Shop, Leslie Jones and Mona Sutton released the following statement: Although we respect the opinion of the portion of the community that came out this morning to protest the closure of all outside dining, Leslie and I firmly believe that it’s our responsibility to completely support the [See French Laundry, p. 15]

TAXCO MEXICAN RESTAURANT

We are proud to serve our community for almost four decades with generous plates of traditional Mexican Call in your order for pickup or order online for delivery through Doordash.com Open Sun. and Mon. 12 to 8 p.m.; Tues.-Sat. 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Taxco Mexican Restaurant, 28152 S. Western Ave., San Pedro, (310) 547-4554, www.taxcorestaurantpv.com

WEST COAST PHILLY’S

Welcome to West Coast P h i l l y ’ s Cheesesteak and Hoagies w h e r e authentic Philly ch ee se ste aks meet the waterfront in San Pedro. Along with serving the classic cheesesteak, West Coast Philly’s puts its unique twist on its cheesesteaks and hoagies. Also on the menu are subs, burgers, wings and salads. Order online or call for pickup in the rear parking lot or delivery via Postmates, Doordash and Grubhub. Hours: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. West Coast Philly’s, 1902 S. Pacific Ave., San Pedro, 424-264-5322, www.westcoastphillys.com

Support Independent Restaurants • Dining Guide online: www.randomlengthsnews.com/dining-guide

We have the Greatest LPs ever made on the vinyl format Marvin Gaye The Beatles Rolling Stones Bob Dylan Sade

Santana Bob Marley Eastside Stories Hank Williams Neil Young

11 to 5 Wed.-Sun.

The Clash Funkadelic Dr. Dre Prince Jimi Hendrix Johnny Cash

Sublime Amy Winehouse Sinatra Carol King Wu-Tang Misfits

Pink Floyd Kendrick Lamar Queen The Cure Patti Smith & much more

447 W. 6th St., San Pedro â&#x20AC;˘ 424-264-5335

Real News, Real People, Really Effective December 24, 2020 - January 6, 2021

ARTS CULTURE ENTERTAINMENT

MUSIC Dec. 22

Streaming Christmas Concert Let Long Beach’s founding first lady, Mrs. Margaret Bixby, take you on a nostalgic holiday journey. Get the Christmas spirit listening to: The California State University Long Beach Winterfest ensembles and the First Congregational Church Choir. Proceeds benefit

Dec 24 2020 - jan 6 2021 the restoration of the First Congregational Church of Long Beach building, which is more than 100 years old. Time: 4 p.m. Sundays, through Jan. 6 Cost: $10 Details: www.preserve/christmasmusic-live-stream-concert

Dec. 22 Holidaze’ Part 1 and 2 The Cabaret Corner Presents a double night feature event celebrating the holidays. Join an amazing event with talented artists showcasing holiday spirit. Time: 7 to 9 p.m. Dec. 22 and 23 Cost: Free Details: www.thecabaretcorner. wixsite.com/mysite/events

Dec. 24

Jolly Bolly Holiday Spend Christmas making music with and for loved ones. Join a set of wintry warmth, and say holiday hellos to friends old and new in the chat. Time: 12 p.m. Dec. 24. Details: https://www.facebook. com/Xmas-Eve-Livestream 61st Annual LA County Holiday Celebration The LA County Holiday Celebration is back for its 61st year since Kenneth Hahn started it in 1959. This time around, it will be allvirtual — but still packed with performances for the whole family to enjoy. There are a number of ways to enjoy this year’s program: Time: Premiering 3 to 6 p.m. Dec. 24 on PBS SoCal. Details: Live streaming on pbssocal.org, kcet.org and holidaycelebration.org Encore broadcasts on PBS SoCal 7 to 10 p.m. Dec. 24 and on KCET 12 to 3 p.m. Dec. 25

December 24, 2020 - January 6, 2021

Real News, Real People, Totally Relevant

After 61 years of independent and community-based media, our financial circumstances continue to slide into the abyss of uncertainty. We may have to think the unthinkable; we may be forced to shut down.

Show your your support for KPFK today! Donate: www.KPFK.org • 818-985-KPFK

Dec. 23

The Nutcracker at Wethersfield A COVID-19 compliant Nutcracker, choreographed and directed by Troy Schumacher, has announced a special Twitch live stream featuring over 20 dancers from New York City Ballet with Sara Mearns as the Sugar Plum Fairy as well as an interactive chat with luminaries of the ballet world. Time: 5 p.m. Dec. 23 to 12 a.m. Dec. 26 Details: www.NutcrackerAtWethersfield.com

ART

Dec. 27

PVAC Winter Show The Palos Verdes Art Center Winter Show is a juried all-media online exhibition hosted by Palos Verdes Art Center open only to Palos Verdes Art Center members. Time: Dec. 21 through Jan. 17 Details: www.pvartcenter.org/thewinter-show

Expansiveness: Changing Perspective MashUp Contemporary Dance Company will livestream the premiere production of Expansiveness: Changing perspective, A + D Museum (2018): and interview company dancer Megan Kenson. Donations to attend start at $5. Time: 5 p.m. Dec. 27 Cost: Donation based from $5 Details: www.mashupdance. com/-expansiveness-changingperspective-a-d-museum

Dec. 23

Free Speech Facing Extinction

Dances are reimagined for 2020 and streaming. Louise Reichlin & Dancers will be streaming three reimagined sections of her critically acclaimed 1990-92 work Urban and Tribal Dances plus a new filmic version of Alone 2020. Time: Through Dec. 31 Cost: Free Details: 213-385-1171; www.LAChoreographersAndDancers.org, Vimeo.com/showcase/urbanandtribaldances

Raised as Roosters: An Interview with the Artists and Curator If you missed Gallery Conversations: Raised as roosters, relief prints and drawings by Abel Alejandre and Guerra this past month, in this exclusive video, produced by Angels Gate Cultural Center, you can get a more in-depth look into this great exhibition. Join Abel Alejandre, Guerra and Kristina Newhouse in a video exploring the artists’ processes, the themes of Xicano identity, masculinity and traditional Mexican motifs featured in the exhibition. Details: https://tinyurl.com/raisedas-roosters, www.angelsgateart. org/gallery-tour

THEATER Dec. 23

Kris Kringle The Musical This perennial holiday musical which will stream in a virtual production on Christmas Day, offers an early holiday gift. Daily, through Christmas, Kris Kringle The Musical releases a series of streaming music videos from and inspired by the musical. With the original story, book and additional lyrics by Maria Ciampi, and music and lyrics by Tim Janis and Angelo Natalie, this musical will delight audiences of all ages. Cost: Free Details: www.kriskringlethemusical.com Estella Scrooge Musical Theatre West brings audiences a musical created with cutting-edge technology that is sure to become a new holiday tradition — the world premiere of Estella Scrooge: A Christmas Carol with a Twist. The story follows Estella Scrooge, a modern-day Wall Street tycoon with a penchant for foreclosing. The play is now available for streaming through the holidays. Cost: $29.99 and up Details: www.musical.org/estella

DANCE Dec. 31

Urban and Tribal Dances Four of the six Urban and Tribal

COMMUNITY Dec. 23

Holiday Marketplace The holiday marketplace is now an online experience, where shoppers can support the Self Help Graphics community of vendors and receive exclusive holiday discounts. Visit the Holiday Marketplace shop website to purchase handcrafted goods, textiles, jewelry and art from fantastic artist and artisan vendors. Tip: Use “SHGHoliday” at check-out on select vendor websites to receive exclusive discounts. Time: Through Dec. 23 Cost: Free Details: selfhelpgraphics.com/ holidaymarketplace

Dec. 23

Shop Small — Shop Local Need a holiday gift? Give the gift of an original piece of art. Browse through the Long Beach Artist Registry and choose from over 500 visual, literary, musical and performing artists. The Arts Council for Long Beach aims to connect the diverse range of local Long Beach artists with their community, and help the community connect with the artists who make Long Beach a more vibrant and expressive place to live. Details: Explore the entire Artist Registry here, www.artslb.org/ artist-registry Rancho Los Cerritos Holiday Cheer The Rancho gardens are open and freely accessible to all thanks to continuous donations. Visitors can take a self-guided tour, go on a scavenger hunt, smell the flowers, or just get away for awhile. Contact information must be provided when you check-in for contact tracing purposes and masks must be worn at all times. Virtual activities such as exhibits, tours and history videos are available online. RSVP. Time: 1 to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays, 9. a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and 1 to 5 p.m.

Sundays Cost: Free Details: https://www.rancholoscerritos.org/reserve/ Virtual Storytime Curator Sarah Wolk FitzGerald and volunteers have collected the best young children’s books from diverse authors for you to enjoy. Sign-up to watch. Time: 11 a.m. Tuesdays Details: www.rancholoscerritos. org/storytime Virtual Creation Station Learn how to make arts and crafts inspired by the history and nature found at Rancho Los Cerritos. You can chat live with RLC staff if you need help on your projects. Time: 1 p.m. First Saturdays Details: www.facebook.com/rancholosc, www.youtube.com/channel/Rancho Outdoor Market Check out handmade jewelry, soaps, and wood products made from Rancho plants. Find unique gifts like ornaments, felted sheep, and pomanders. Contactless payment available. Time: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and 1 to 5 p.m. Sundays Details: www.rancho-los-cerritosmuseum-shop.square.site

Dec. 27

Hands-off Cuba Car Caravan Demonstration Support U.S. Hands-off Cuba. and caravan to end the U.S. blockade, travel bans and sanctions. Demonstrate for normalization of U.S.-Cuba relations and medical collaboration to fight COVID-19. Time: 10 a.m. Dec. 27 Venue: Wilshire Federal Building, 11000 Wilshire Blvd., #1000, Los Angeles . Caravan to Echo Park, mini-rally 12 p.m. Details: ushandsoffcubacommittee.com

Dec. 28

Shared Science STEM and History Event A Rancho Los Cerritos docent will lead students on a scavenger hunt to discover local history. Then, alongside a Shared Science constructor instructor, students will create a plushie critter who adapts to its local biome requirements with special attachments like LED light eyes, heat reflectors, bigger ears, bigger teeth. All onsite/in-person activities follow safe COVID-19 response protocols. Time: 1 to 3:30 p.m. Dec. 28 Cost: $10 Details: www..com/yd9blqv9 Venue: Rancho Los Cerritos, 4600 Virginia Road, Long Beach

Dec. 29

Online Plushie STEM Critter Build Shared Science constructor instructor will livestream creating a plushie critter who adapts to its biome requirements with special attachments like LED light eyes, heat reflectors, bigger ears, bigger teeth. Students pre-purchase supplies for hands-on class work. A supply kit can be purchased from Shared Science for pick up or mailed to you in the session options. Time: 1 to 2:15 p.m. Cost: $10, plus supplies. Details: Rancho Los Cerritos, www. SharedScience?orglink=campsregistration; 562-285-3942

[Curtain Call, from p. 11]

Curtain Call

the movement and action/reaction. But with social distancing tying his hands, co-writer and director John Caird — who’s got a couple of Tonys on his mantle, so it ain’t like he doesn’t know how to do theatre — has opted to cut to single shots for reactions, which is downright clunky. The only serious attempt at an ensemble spectacle is the scene-setting opener, which is so-so as a musical number but does effectively ground us in the film’s universe. Otherwise, Caird and co-writer and composer Paul Gordon have hewed mostly to solo numbers and duets — and when they do go ensemble, they pretty much eschew spectacle, which is probably the right choice. Musically, look, no-one’s gonna confuse Estella Scrooge with Sweeney Todd — it doesn’t help that there are few analog instruments to be found — but Gordon is fluent in the vernacular of musical theatre, and even an overreliance on familiar tropes and less-than-literary lyrics does not prevent him from tickling your funny bone or vibrating your heartstrings now and again. The entire cast sings well enough for the material, even if occasionally it at least feels like there’s a hint of Auto-Tune in the mix. The best thing about Estella Scrooge may be its self-awareness. The Hallmarky formalism, the schmaltz, the pat performances, the heavyhanded references to other Dickens works — these aren’t weaknesses but strengths, all perfectly in keeping with the overall attempt. Caird & Gordon know exactly what kind of entertainment they’re creating, and that knowledge is key to its relative success. This self-awareness is nowhere more apparent than inside Harthouse, which is run by “almost a family, a strange little family” of non-blood relations (there’s a song about that, too) that knowingly waves its banner of inclusivity — multiracial, multigenerational,

multisexual — in your face. “Whatever we are, we’re not quite the norm […] Unconventional, that we admit / We do things our own way.” Transboy Smike (Em Grosland) most clearly points this up. “I’m Smike,” he chirps to Estella by way of introduction, pointing to a pronoun pin on his jacket: “He/him/his, or they/them/ theirs.” It’s one of several laugh-out-loud moments in a script that’s not afraid to poke fun at both itself and the times we live in. “I told you that mortgage was a bad idea,” Nickleby’s attorney, Mr. Jaggers (Kevyn Morrow), laments. “Interest-only reversed-adjustable subprime loan — nobody knows what that means!” Despite the cast’s inability to occupy a common physical space, the performances work well enough, acted in true Hallmarkian style. Among the minor characters, Patrick Page stands out as the Ghost of Christmas Future, particularly for his dancing. “Life isn’t fair, I know that much,” says Estella near the end of her spectral travels. “But it never was. We can make it fairer, if we choose,” rejoins the ghost, culminating the 21st-century spin Caird & Gordon have given A Christmas Carol’s social message. A great critic of capitalism, Dickens himself would surely approve. But beyond their modest success on that score, the entire Estella Scrooge team has done yeoman’s work to inject our COVID Christmastime with the combined comfort of musical theatre and the delightfully sappy seasonal fare so many of us love. Don’t be surprised if one of these years you find Estella Scrooge running on the Hallmark Channel. But in 2020, you have to go get it. Streaming Musicals’ Estella Scrooge: A Christmas Carol with a Twist streams ondemand through Jan. 31. Cost: $22.99 to $44.99. To purchase a “ticket” so that 30% of the proceeds benefit Musical Theatre West, go to musical.org/estella.

French Laundry Christmas

current mandatory closure as all sit-down restaurants in all communities should. We stand firmly in our belief that the sooner we all unite to do everything in our power to stop the spread of COVID-19 the sooner we will be able to move on in a safe fashion for the future. We also believe this is not about choosing sides, it is about doing what is right.

One major news story on Bryant’s death offered distraction from the gratuitous drone strike that killed 10 people, including the intended target, Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani. In the days following the strike, Iran retaliated by attacking two American bases in Iraq. Donald Trump and his administration, as this chapter’s authors noted, never offered a rational explanation for the strike. But coverage of the aftermath of Iran’s retaliation was relatively muted. Though there were no American deaths following the Iran’s missile strike, there was little follow-up on the fallout of that strike, which included widespread cases of brain injury and long-term health issues suffered by the American military personnel who were attacked. Instead, Americans were wrapped in a prolonged mourning ritual of a sports hero with a history complicated by sexual assault allegations — a past muted by Bryant’s celebrity. The Junk Food News chapter authors remarked upon the hyper-focus on the death toll numbers on a daily basis during a moment in which the Trump administration was actively refusing to provide national guidance and coordination. In their view, this lack of leadership by the Trump administration led to the proliferation of fake cures and scams being peddled by modern day snake oil salesmen and hucksters. The other issue, the authors pointed out, is that despite all the reporting on death tolls, the reporting by corporate owned media still managed to overlook the toll the coronavirus and federal inaction is having on the most vulnerable in the United States — the indigenous communities. Poverty, limited access to healthcare, densely populated households, and comorbid conditions all place this community at greater risk than the vast majority of the US populace. Experts say that entire tribes could be wiped out due to the pandemic, as households in close proximity to one another create an opportune environment for the virus to spread quickly.

In this chapter, Roth and Huff preface the ways Project Censored contributors demonstrate how to build capacity of a people

Editor’s note: In 1976, Dr. Carl Jensen founded Project Censored at Sonoma State University as a media research program with a focus on student development of media literacy and critical thinking skills as applied to the news media censorship in the US. Professor Mickey Huff of Diablo Valley College became director in 2010. Working with associate director Dr. Andy Lee Roth, he has extended the Project’s educational reach beyond Sonoma State University, expanding the Campus Affiliates Program launched in 2009. The Campus Affiliates Program now connects hundreds of faculty and students at colleges and universities across the U.S. and around the world in the collective effort of identifying and researching each year’s top Censored news stories. In addition to the campus affiliates program, Project Censored continues to foster relations with numerous independent media groups and free speech organizations. 15 December 24, 2020 - January 6, 2021

Underlying the authors’ parallel analysis and critiques of the corporate media’s reporting on the pandemic is the belief that the marketbased model of news production is toxic to a democracy and toxic to a healthy body politic. Indeed the conclusion one is left with after reading the rest of Project Censored is that the market-based model of news production and consumption renders a body-politic incapable of fighting off the infectious diseases called “fake news” and “truth decay.” Fortunately, the writers of State of the Free Press 2021 don’t just lay out the problem without possible solutions. State of the Free Press 2021 editors Andy Lee Roth and Mickey Huff set the tone in the sixth chapter, “Media Democracy in Action,” by quoting Timothy Snyder from his book, On Tyranny: It is your ability to discern facts that makes you an individual, and our collective trust in common knowledge that makes us a society. The individual who investigates is also the citizen who builds.

to discern facts and build a more civil society. In the pages that followed, space was made for reporting on the emergence of new platforms and protections for whistleblowers who risk their reputations and livelihoods to call out abuses of power and educational settings in which young people can question the politics of media representations and develop their identities as conscientious community members and global citizens. After publishing for nearly 45 years, it’s a wonder that the editors of Project Censored have not become cynical about the work in which they are engaged. It’s not as if the problems have gotten more visible and easier to deal with or as if this world’s power elite has become less greedy and less corrupt. Random Lengths News asked the editing duo, why is it that after 45 years Project Censored has not lost hope and has continued this work. The answers they provided are two-fold when boiled down to their essence: the first reason is the fact that there’s still quality work being produced even now despite the rise of modern day authoritarianism and the increase in censorship because of it. “Cynicism, while deserved, needs to be put in context and even put aside if we are to work toward making a more democratic, transparent and diverse free press,” Huff explained. “While Project Censored calls out propaganda and censorship in the corporate press, we also highlight the important work of intrepid independent journalists in our Top 25 list each year. “What we hope people take away from our efforts is to be critical observers of all media while expanding news media diets, that a free press does matter, and it already exists. However, we need to grow and support more of it in the public interest while promoting critical media literacy education. It’s in this education of the next generations that gives me the most hope.” It should be noted that Project Censored along with the Action Coalition for Media Education founded the Global Critical Media Literacy Project to teach digital media literacy and critical thinking skills. The second reason is that unless humanity and civilization as we know it come to an end, then the battle for the future is Project Censored’s raison d’être. Roth said he remains inspired by the courageous work of the independent journalists, who break these important but underreported stories, and by the project’s student researchers, who flex their critical media literacy muscles to help ensure that those stories reach a wider public audience. “Both groups give us good reasons to be hopeful rather than cynical,” Roth said.

As the lunch hour ended, the Lawn Chair Restaurant Supporters came as they went. They left with their signs, tables and chairs and with fuller bellies — satisfied in their civil disobedience over a sit-down breakfast. Pacific Diner probably held the first such protest on Dec. 2. Notice of the demonstration was spread via Facebook. On the day on which the act of defiance was to take place, the restaurant’s parking lot was open with nearly every slot filled. Nearly every table in the restaurant’s back patio was filled with customers eating lunch. But this turned out to be only the beginning. During the weekend of Dec. 13, the South Shores shopping center on 25th Street and Western Avenue in San Pedro was the site of a carnival complete with a kid’s jumper, a petting zoo, food trucks and vendor booths but without many of its attendees wearing face masks or following social distancing rules. The event was also a protest against the current lockdown orders and Gov. Gavin Newsom, who authorized those restrictions yet attended a friend’s birthday

party in Napa Valley, Calif. that didn’t observe any of the COVID-19 protocols he’d ordered. Santa Claus served as the event’s master of ceremonies with his megaphone, at least whenever children weren’t making Christmas present demands of him. In the first hour, more than two dozen people with their families trickled in, attracted by the music playing through loudspeakers and more arrived throughout the afternoon. The event was organized by Dr. Van Volkenburgh, owner of the Peninsula Pet Clinic, who opposes business restrictions imposed by the city, county and state governments since March. The event was called The French Laundry Christmas after the Napa Valley restaurant where Newsom attended the birthday party. “If the Governor is not abiding by his own guidelines, then why should we?” Diana Martinez, a veterinary nurse at the Peninsula Pet Clinic, rhetorically asked. Several small businesses sold products and signatures were gathered on a petition to recall Newsom from office. Despite the shutdown orders and the enforcement of social distancing practices statewide, the majority of those in attendance did not wear face masks but were not encouraged to wear them, either. Amongst the attendees, the consensus was that COVID-19 was not a hoax, but should not impose any further restrictions on businesses or citizens.

Junk Food News

Real News, Real People, Really Effective

[French Laundry, from p. 12]

[Junk Food, from p. 10]

[Grift, from p. 1]

Cargo Volumes Surge at both Ports

SAN PEDRO — In November, the Port of Los Angeles processed 889,746 twenty-foot equivalent units, or TEUs, an increase of 22% compared to November 2019. A combination of increased consumer spending, holiday shipments and replenishment of warehouse inventories has resulted in an unprecedented surge of cargo in recent months. Year-to-date, overall cargo volume is 3% lower compared to 2019. The first five months of 2020 cargo had plummeted nearly 19% compared to last year. Since then, imports from Asia have been coming at a record pace while U.S. exports have decreased 23 of the last 25 months at the port. Loaded exports decreased 5.5% to 130,917 TEUs. Empty containers, heavily in demand in Asia, increased 34.2% compared to November 2019, reaching 294,010 TEUs. The Port of Long Beach had its best November on record, lifted by the holiday retail rush and a surge in personal protective equipment deliveries amid the latest nationwide wave of COVID-19 cases. Dockworkers and terminal operators moved 783,523 TEUs of container cargo this past month, a 30.6% jump compared to November 2019. Imports were up 30.5% to 382,677 TEUs and exports were down 5.2% to 117,283 TEUs. Empty containers shipped overseas rose 55% to 283,563 TEUs. POLB has moved 7,297,430 TEUs during the first 11 months of the year, 4.7% up from the same period in 2019.

POLB Prioritizes Dual Transactions

December 24, 2020 - January 6, 2021

Real News, Real People, Totally Relevant

LONG BEACH — The Port of Long Beach is collaborating with its marine terminal operators to bolster the number of “two-way” truck deliveries amid the strongest cargo surge in the port’s history. The four companies that operate the port’s six container terminals — International Transportation Service, Long Beach Container Terminal, SSA Marine and Total Terminals International — have committed to increasing the number of truck moves that pair an export container delivery with an import container pickup appointment during the same visit. The port and its container cargo terminal operators are working directly with truck drivers and customers to improve the appointment system and maximize the number of these dual transactions to improve efficiency within the supply chain. While some exceptions will apply, prioritizing dual transactions will ultimately increase truck operation efficiencies while also helping the port handle cargo volumes triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Community Groups Awarded $400,000 in Sponsorships

LONG BEACH — The Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners has approved 89 community sponsorships totaling $396,450, highlighting the Port of Long Beach’s role in international trade and dedication to social responsibility. Since 2007, the Port of Long Beach has distributed more than $9 million through its Community Sponsorship Program. The program supports events and projects that make Long Beach a better place to live and work. The Harbor Commission approved an $800,000 community sponsorship budget for the 2021 fiscal year that began Oct. 1. Requests for sponsorship funding are open twice a year, in March and September.

Another Shooting Death

CARSON — Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide investigators are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the shooting death of a man. The incident was reported Dec. 13, about 3 a.m., near the area of Scottsdale South and Kiddie Lane in Carson. [See News Briefs, p. 17]

It’s A Grift, It’s a Coup

President Donald Trump with Senior Advisor and son-in-law Jared Kushner following an event in Osaka, Japan. Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead

expert Rick Hasen noted, “half of that money will go towards retiring his campaign debt instead.” But there were also emails that linked to a donation page for Trump’s “Make America Great Again” committee. Initially, it said that 60% of donations would go toward retiring campaign debt and the other 40% would go to the Republican National Committee. By mid-November, fundraising requests were coming from the Trump Make America Great Again Committee, a joint fundraising effort splitting its proceeds between the Trump campaign, the Republican National Committee, and Save America, a new Trump leadership PAC, which initially got 60%, then 75% of each contribution. Leadership PACs cannot retire campaign debt but are otherwise lightly regulated. They can be used to pay for events at Trump’s properties or to finance his travel or personal expenses. In short, they’re almost like personal piggy-banks. “There’s not really a legal mechanism that would prevent somebody from enriching themselves with the contributions that they receive into their leadership PAC in the same way that personal-use restrictions would prohibit that for a campaign committee,” campaign finance legal expert Kate Belinski told the Post on Dec. 1. On Dec. 3, the Trump campaign announced that, along with the RNC, it had raised $495 million between Oct. 15 and Nov. 23, including $207.5 million in the 20 days after Election Day. That same day, the Post reported that the Trump campaign had spent only $8.8 million contesting election results — a small fraction of the money raised within that time. Then, on Dec. 18, Business Insider reported that Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, had set up a campaign shell company, American Made Media Consultants, that secretly paid the president’s family members and spent nearly half of the Trump campaign’s $1.26 billion war chest — a total of $617 million. There is a relatively innocent explanation — Mitt Romney used a similar entity, named “American Rambler,” to make major TV ad buys, and lawyers at Jones Day, a top GOP law firm, suggested the Trump campaign do the same. But that doesn’t account for what happened after the shell company (American Made Media Consultants) was created, especially the secretive

way it was run, the disproportionate amount of money it handled and the Trump family hands in the cookie jar, all of which are reminiscent of how Trump and his siblings used a similar shady entity, “All County Building Supply & Maintenance,” to help evade inheritance taxes of nearly half a billion dollars, according to a 2018 New York Times investigation. As The Times explained, that entity “was ostensibly a purchasing agent for Fred Trump’s buildings,” but that’s not actually what it did: Instead All County siphoned millions of dollars from Fred Trump’s empire by simply marking up purchases already made by his employees. Those millions, effectively untaxed gifts, then flowed to All County’s owners — Donald Trump, his siblings and a cousin. Fred Trump then used the padded All County receipts to justify bigger rent increases for thousands of tenants. American Made Media Consultants has only just now been brought to light, so we have no idea if it was used in any similar sort of illegal or unethical manner. But the Trump family clearly knows how to do it, if they had wished. As one clean government expert — Brendan Fischer, the director of federal reform at the Campaign Legal Center — told Business Insider, the payments to American Made Media Consultants were a “scheme to evade telling voters even the basics on where its money is really going” and a “shield to disguise the ultimate recipients of its spending.”

The Coup

There’s no doubt that Trump is conning his small donor base, the only question is “How much?” and “How much else is he doing as well?” The latter question leads into the subject of staging a coup, or more precisely, an autogolpe — a “self-coup,” which takes place when a democratically elected leader uses the position to dissolve or disarm the national legislature and the courts, putting the leader above the law. While many observers have resisted such talk, it’s important to realize that a failed coup is a coup nonetheless, even a comically inept one. What’s more, even a comically inept coup can sometimes succeed. That’s why Dec. 14 was such an important day. Before that, there was genuine uncertainty

about whether Trump’s coup might succeed. Trump and his closest allies kept coming up with harebrained schemes about how he could hold onto power and only a small handful of Republican officials offered any sort of solid resistance. Perhaps the last such scheme before Dec. 14 was a Texas lawsuit against Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, seeking to overturn their election results. It was initiated by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton — under FBI investigation for criminal activity, and no doubt interested in a possible Trump pardon — and then joined by 17 other Republican attorneys general, and supported by a 60%-plus majority of Republican House members, 126 of them, including Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy. The idea that one state could sue another in federal court to invalidate its elections flies directly in the face of everything conservatives supposedly believe about federalism and states rights, but a 5-4 conservative majority of Supreme Court justices ignored their own principles in handing the 2000 election to George Bush, so it arguably wasn’t that harebrained … until it turned out that it was. Only two justices agreed to even hear the case — and none said they’d support it. Then, on Dec. 14 itself, “alternative delegations” of Republican electors to the Electoral College met in seven states that Trump lost — Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, New Mexico, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin — on the far-fetched theory that their illegitimate status could somehow be magically reversed. These seven cosplay delegations hadn’t been endorsed by their state legislatures, as originally envisioned in Trumpian “constitutional” fantasies. But at least they were the electors that would have been elected if Trump had won their states instead of Biden. So at least they had the right players, even if everything else was bogus. Sure, it was another harebrained notion, but harebrained notions have had quite a run these past four years.

The Longer View

Here in California, Weber had a different thought. “We continue to validate that this democracy — this experiment in treating everyone equal and making sure that every vote counts — is truly, [See Grifters, p. 17]

[Grift, from p. 16]

Grifters

‘We want them infected.’ ‘There is no other way.’ Private emails pushed public apathetic COVID-19 response By Paul Rosenberg, Senior Editor

“There is no other way,” then-White House science adviser Paul Alexander wrote in emails obtained by a House watchdog, published by Politico on Dec. 16. “We need to establish herd, and it only comes about allowing the non-high risk groups to expose themselves to the virus. PERIOD,” Alexander wrote on July 4 to his boss, Health and Human Services assistant secretary for public affairs Michael Caputo and other top officials.

broader anti-science agenda, he explained. “I put together a brief document, I called it my October One Plan, by which we can bring things back down to containment and prevent this horrible fall surge,” recalled Hotez, in late July. “And, instead what they did was they made this tragic pivot, which was to create and launch a disinformation campaign. This was a deliberate disinformation campaign led by the president’s advisors, where they tried to make the case that the COVID deaths were not

Carson deputies responded to a person down call for service. Upon their arrival, they found a male adult suffering from a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The victim is a male Hispanic possibly in his late 20s. There is no suspect information at this time. Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to call 323-890-5500.

LA has 2nd Leakiest Natural Gas Supply in the U.S.

LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles has the second leakiest natural gas system in the United States, according to the Gas Index, a new report and website published on Dec. 15 by Global Energy Monitor. The report provides a first-of-its-kind look at methane leakage attributable to natural gas use in 71 cities across the United States. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, with more than 80 times the climate warming impact of carbon dioxide within a 20-year timespan. It’s the main ingredient in natural gas, composing up to 90%. The leakiest system is in Indianapolis, with a leakage rate of 809 grams of methane per thousand standard cubic feet. Los Angeles is second with a rate of 779 grams, followed by Phoenix at 727, Miami at 706, and Oklahoma City at 693. Other California cities in the survey were Sacramento at 542, San Francisco at 546, and San Diego at 572. The study combines data covering five categories of leaks: production (well sites, etc), transmission (long-distance pipelines, etc.), distribution (distribution pipelines, service lines, etc.), gas meters, buildings (gas pipes, appliances, etc.) and additional leakage (citywide leakage based on citywide measurements of methane emissions which cannot be attributed to particular processes).

WSSSRW Confirms Both Vaccines Are Safe

Screen capture of Politico.com’s front page scoop.

really due to COVID, [they were] due to other causes they downplayed the severity of the epidemic, they discredited masks, they created this fake concept of herd immunity, saying it occurs around 20-22%.” This figure — cited by GOP Sen. Rand Paul, as one example — is less than a third of the generally-accepted level. “[The result] was deadly,” Hotez said. “The White House declared a war on science, and we fought back.” So, they made attempts to push back on the Alexander private emails story, denying their impact and ignoring how consistent they were with what the Trump administration and its allies publicly did. What’s more, Alexander’s very existence is evidence of anti-science sabotage. As noted above, he was appointed the science advisor to the HHS assistant secretary for public affairs. But a public affairs officer for an agency full of scientists has no need for a personal science advisor. His job is to facilitate the communication of those scientists — not to second-guess or obstruct them.

SACRAMENTO — The Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup Dec. 13 and Dec. 20, respectively, completed its concurrent review of the federal process and has confirmed both the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines are safe and efficacious for public use. The workgroup provided its first confirmationon the Pfizer vaccine to the governors of California, Nevada, Oregon and Washington Dec. 13. On Dec. 20, WSSSRW completed its review of the federal process and concluded the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine is safe and efficacious for use. The Workgroup provided its confirmation to the Governors of California, Nevada, Oregon and Washington, making the Moderna vaccine the second COVID-19 vaccine supported for use in these states. Shipments are expected early this week. The California’s COVID-19 Scientific Safety Review Workgroup will continue to evaluate other COVID-19 vaccines after they are routed through FDA authorization. The panel is made up of nationally acclaimed scientists with expertise in immunization and public health. Details: www.gov.ca.gov/ScientificSafety-Review-Workgroup.pdf www.gov. ca.gov/-Scientific-Safety-Review-WorkgroupModerna.pdf

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December 24, 2020 - January 6, 2021

“Infants, kids, teens, young people, young adults, middle aged with no conditions etc. have zero to little risk,” he falsely wrote, “so we use them to develop herd … we want them infected.” Politico reported other emails, showing the spread of Alexander’s influence and for context quoted Kyle McGowan, the Donald Trump-appointed Centers for Disease Control and Prevention chief of staff who resigned mid-August. “It was understood that he [Alexander] spoke for Michael Caputo, who spoke for the White House,” McGowan said. “That’s how they wanted it to be perceived.” But, muddying the story, Politico also noted that “Senior Trump officials have repeatedly denied that herd immunity … was under consideration or shaped the White House’s approach to the pandemic.” A clarifying outside view was offered by Dr. Peter Hotez, co-director of the Center for Vaccine Development at Texas Children’s Hospital, on MSNBC the next day. Pushing herd immunity was only one aspect of a

[News Briefs, from p. 16]

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starting to realize & why the Court/Senate/ statehood reforms have gained traction,” he wrote. “The immediate authoritarian threat of Trump since 2017 has shined light on the enduring undemocratic nature of our political institutions. Both are threats.” The silver lining is that people are waking up.

Real News, Real People, Really Effective

truly successful,” Weber said, after the vote. This time, at least, she was right. But for how long? That’s the question. Trump’s effort to overturn the election had clearly suffered a major blow, soon to be compounded by Putin and McConnell, as organized Republican opposition appeared to crumble. But the damage Trump has done to American democracy could prove far worse in four years. Weber was only right by a hair: Biden won the national popular vote by over seven million votes, but a shift of fewer than 43,000 votes in Arizona, Georgia and Wisconsin would have produced an Electoral College tie, and Trump would have won the tie-breaking election in the House of Representatives, which would have voted under a one-state-one-vote rule. That scenario underscores a crucial fact: however anomalous, atypical and quixotic Trump’s attack on our democracy might be, it is echoed by a framework of constitutional structures that are inherently hostile to the one-person/onevote spirit of democracy we nowadays take to be fundamental to our democracy. What’s more, between these two extremes — the atypical Trump and the foundational constitutional structures — there lies an extensive middle ground in which democracy must battle for its very life. We’re quite mistaken if we think the only danger that we face is a Trumpian coup. Trump was never going to turn into Adolf Hitler or Benito Mussolini. Full-blown authoritarian rule isn’t what serious students of world politics have feared. Instead, they worry about what Steven Levitsky and Lucan Way called “Competitive Authoritarianism” in their 2010 book on the subject. “Modern democratic regimes all meet four minimum criteria,” they explain: 1) Executives and legislatures are chosen through elections that are open, free, and fair; 2) virtually all adults possess the right to vote; 3) political rights and civil liberties, including freedom of the press, freedom of association, and freedom to criticize the government without reprisal, are broadly protected; and 4) elected authorities possess real authority to govern, in that they are not subject to the tutelary authority of military or clerical leaders. That’s not to say there are no violations, but “such violations are not broad or systemic enough to seriously impede democratic challenges to incumbent governments. In other words, they do not fundamentally alter the playing field between government and opposition.” So then, how does America stand up? Mark Copelovitch is a political scientist at the University of Wisconsin who’s been tweeting observations for some time through the lens of “Today in life under competitive authoritarianism.” He recently observed, “Arguably, the US has basically not fully met the 1st 2 of Levitsky & Way’s democratic criteria since the failure of Reconstruction. Trumpera backsliding is mostly on criterion 3. But the problem now is additive. EC + increases in

gerrymandering & malapportionment + Trump.” This can — and should be — cause for serious concern. All the Republicans scrambling to make Trump’s harebrained schemes pay off should surely worry us — a lot. But Copelovitch sees a silver lining: “I actually do think this is what we are

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PLEASE HELP! The animals at the Harbor Animal Shelter have ongoing need for used blankets, comforters, pet beds.* Drop off at Harbor Animal Shelter 957 N. Gaffey St.,San Pedro • 888-452-7381, x 143 PLEASE SPAY/NEUTER YOUR PET! *In any condition. We will wash and mend.

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

DBAs $ 140 Filing & Publishing

310-519-1442 Remember to renew your DBA every five years

Fictitious Business Name Statement File No. 2020170948 The following person is doing business as:(1) Lili Bella Boutique, 1317 Woodbury Drive, Harbor City, CA 90710, Los Angeles County. Registered owners: Patricia R. Garcia Guitierrez, 1317 Woodbury Drive, Harbor City, CA 90710. 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/. Patricia R. Garcia-Gutierrez, owner This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Los Angeles on 10/26/20. 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: 11/24/20,

This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Los Angeles on 10/30/20. 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: 11/24/20, 12/04/20, 12/10/20, 12/22/20

Fictitious Business Name Statement File No. 2020161140 The following person is doing business as: (1) Global G. Hair Cosmetics USA, 29648 N. Enrose Ave., Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275, Los Angeles County. Registered owners: Carlos Polichenco, 1259 W. 24th St, Unit #1, San Pedro, CA 90731. Marco Bird, 1622 Linda Vista, Pasadena, CA 91103. This Business is conducted by a general partnership. 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

“Leg Work” — keep on counting!

[continued on p. 19]

12/04/20, 12/10/20, 12/22/20

Fictitious Business Name Statement File No. 2020175759 The following person is doing business as:(1) Able Design and Fabrication, (2) Mirotek, 1550 W. Manhalo, Rancho Dominguez, CA 90220, Los Angeles County. Registered owners: ADF Inc., 1550 W. Manhalo, Rancho Dominguez, CA 90220. This Business is conducted by a corporation. The date registrant started to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above: 09/2015. 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/. Louis Mannick, President

guilty of a crime.) S/. Carlos Polichenco, President This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Los Angeles on 10/13/20. 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

For answers go to: www.randomlengthsnews.com

JOBS

ACROSS

1 1990s Disney show with characters from “The Jungle Book” 9 Clear music holder 15 Prozac maker 16 Enter, as data 17 They have two legs each 19 Icon used in Twitch chat to express feelings 20 Uganda’s Idi 21 Being, Roman-style 22 “Tiny Alice” dramatist Edward 25 Active chemical in cannabis 28 “Parklife” group 29 The heavens, for Olympians 32 They have four legs each 37 Broadcast studio sign 38 Key to get out? 39 Cover once more? 40 They have six legs each 43 “Here are the words on the label ...” 44 State with a three-word capital 45 Abbr. in a job posting 46 Charlie of “Hot Shots!” 48 Singer with the EPs “BLQ Velvet” and “PRINCESS” 52 “Transformers” actor LaBeouf 54 Abbr. on marked-down clothes

55 They have eight legs each 61 Like a difficult battle 62 Comedian Sarah who once wrote “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard” 63 “Game of Thrones” actress Williams 64 Followed

DOWN

1 Tiny laugh 2 Class reunion attendees 3 Cars for execs 4 Make happy 5 Mathematical ratio 6 Middle East gp. 7 French 101 pronoun 8 “All the news that’s fit to print” initials 9 Sevastopol resident 10 Metric prefix for “tenth” 11 “Call Me Irresponsible” lyricist Sammy 12 City southwest of Tulsa 13 Sample of wine 14 Methyl ending 18 Actress Issa 22 Olympic flame lighter in Atlanta 23 Winter Games vehicles 24 Rudely abrupt 25 “Is ___ fact?”

26 Poet Gil Scott-___ 27 Advanced very slowly 28 Daft, in Derby 30 You are here 31 Van Gogh’s brother 32 “Holy moly!” 33 Maternally related 34 ___ profundo (lowest vocal range) 35 Morning TV host Kelly 36 Like some angles 41 Tiny ear bone 42 “American Gods” actor McShane 47 It might go over your head 48 Shimerman of “Deep Space Nine” 49 Streisand’s “Funny Girl” role 50 Levy again 51 Bond, for example 52 Downhill runners 53 Hindu festival of colors 54 Maui, for one 55 Rum ___ Tugger (“Cats” cat) 56 Bitter brew, briefly 57 Athens X 58 One-hit wonder band behind “How Bizarre” 59 “When the Rain Begins to Fall” singer Zadora 60 Einstein’s birth city

LEGAL NOTICES NOTICE INVITING BIDS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City of Long Beach, California, acting by and through the City’s Board of Harbor Commissioners (“City”) will receive, before the Bid Deadline established below, Bids for the following Work: PIER G AVENUE INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS at PIER G AVENUE LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA AS DESCRIBED IN SPECIFICATION NO. HD-S2517 Bid Deadline:

NIB -2 Pre-Bid Questions. All questions, including requests for interpretation or correction, or comments regarding the Contract Documents, must be submitted no later than January 12, 2021, at 5 p.m. Questions received after the pre-Bid question deadline will not be accepted. Questions must be submitted electronically through the PB System. Emails, phone calls, and faxes will not be accepted. Questions submitted to City staff will not be addressed and Bid-

Prior to 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 19, 2021. Bids shall be submitted electronically via the Port of Long Beach PlanetBids (PB) System prior to 2:00 p.m.

Bid Opening:

Electronic Bid (eBid) results shall be viewable online in the PB System immediately after the Bid Deadline.

Contract Documents Available:

Download Contract Documents from the Port of Long Beach PB System Vendor Portal: www.polb.com/sbe Click on the POLB Vendor Portal 1. Register and Log In

2. Click “Bid Opportunities”

3. Double-click on respective bid Project Title

4. Click on Document/Attachments tab

5. Double-Click on Title of Electronic Attachment

6. Click “Download Now”

7. Repeat for each attachment

Pre-Bid Meeting:

None.

Project Contact Person:

Kiran Vohra Kiran.Vohra@polb.com

Please refer to the Port of Long Beach PB System for the most current information.

Copies of all Port insurance endorsement forms, SBE/ VSBE Program forms, Harbor Development Permit Applications and other Port forms are available at www. polb.com/business/permits.

NIB -3 Pre-Bid Meeting and Site Visit. There will not be a pre-bid meeting or site visit for this project. Site images are provided with the documents for reference. Any site photographs, videos or maps included in the Contract Documents do not constitute a complete visual depiction of the site and should neither be considered nor are warranted as such. The City makes no guarantee that existing construction and site conditions matches construction depicted on record reference documents. It shall be the Bidder’s responsibility to identify existing conditions. Note that downloading the photo images document(s) can be used to satisfy a portion of a Bidder’s good faith efforts to meet the SBE/VSBE participation goals listed below.

NIB -7 Contractor Performed Work. The Contractor shall perform, with its own employees, Contract Work amounting to at least 30% of the Contract Price, except that any designated “Specialty Items” may be performed by subcontract. The amount of any such “Specialty Items” so performed may be deducted from the Contract Price before computing the amount required to be performed by the Contractor with its own employees. “Specialty Items” will be identified by the City on the Schedule of Bid Items. The bid price of any materials or equipment rental costs from vendors who are solely furnishing materials or rental equipment and are not performing Work as a licensed subcontractor on this project shall also be deducted from the Contract Price before computing the amount required to be performed by the Contractor with its own employees. NIB -8 SBE/VSBE. This project is subject to the Port of Long Beach (POLB) Small Business Enterprises (SBE)/Very Small Business Enterprises (VSBE) Program. The combined SBE/VSBE participation goal for this project is twenty-seven percent (27%) of total bid value.

NIB -15 Period of Bid Irrevocability. Bids shall remain open and valid and Bidder’s Bonds and other acceptable Bid Security shall be guaranteed and valid for ninety (90) calendar days after the Bid Deadline or until the Executive Director executes a Contract, whichever occurs first. NIB -16 Substitution of Securities. Substitution

of Securities for retainage is permitted in accordance with Section 22300 of the Public Contract Code. NIB -17 Iran Contracting Act of 2010. In accordance with Public Contract Code sections 2200-2208, every person who submits a bid or proposal for entering into or renewing contracts with the City for goods or services estimated at $1,000,000 or more are required to complete, sign, and submit the “Iran Contracting Act of 2010 Compliance Affidavit.” Issued at Long Beach, California, this 9th day of November, 2020. Mario Cordero, Executive Director of the Harbor Department, City of Long Beach, California Note: For project updates after Bid Opening, please contact plans. specs@polb.com.

DBA FILINGS [from p. 18] rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see section 1411 ET SEQ., Business and Professions code). Original filing: 11/24/20, 12/04/20, 12/10/20, 12/22/20

Fictitious Business Name Statement File No. 2020161148 The following person is doing business as:(1) Luxe Linen, 2803 E. 208th Street, Carson, CA 90810, Los Angeles County. Registered owners: The Diva Hair Jewelry $ Accessories, Inc., 2803 E. 208th Street, Carson, CA 90810. This Business is conducted by a corporation. The date registrant started to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above: 02/2015. 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/. Gary Wexler, CEO This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Los Angeles on 10/13/20. 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:

11/24/20,

12/04/20, 12/10/20, 12/22/20

Fictitious Business Name Statement File No. 2020183675 The following person is doing business as: (1) John Hart, 210 Whalers Walk Suite #123, San Pedro, CA 90731, Los Angeles County. Registered owners: John McCormick, 210 Whalers Walk Suite #123, 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: 01/2000. 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/. Thomas Gregory Compagnon, Managing Member. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Los Angeles on 11/10/20. 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: 12/03/20,

December 24, 2020 - January 6, 2021

For the link to the Port of Long Beach PB System and for information on this Project and other upcoming Port projects, you may view the Port website at www.polb. c om / bus ines s / bus ines s opportunities.

der will be directed to the PB System.

NIB -6 Contractor’s License. The Bidder shall hold a current and valid Class “A”, California Contractor’s License to construct this project.

Award of the Contract, if any, will be to the responsible Bidder submitting the lowest responsive and responsible Bid. If the lowest responsive responsible Bidder fails to submit the required documents including insurance forms, bonds and signed Contract within thirty (30) calendar days after Conditional Award of Contract, the Board reserves the right to rescind the Conditional Award and Conditionally Award the Contract to the next lowest responsive and responsible Bidder.

NIB -1 Contract Documents. Contract Documents may be downloaded, at no cost, from the Port of Long Beach PB System Vendor Portal website. Bidders must first register as a vendor on the Port of Long Beach PB System website in order to view and download the Contract Documents, to be added to the prospective bidders list, and to receive addendum notifications when issued.

NIB -5 Contract Time and Liquidated Damages. The Contractor shall achieve Affidavit of Final Completion of the Project within 460 calendar days as provided in Paragraph SC - 6.1 of the Special Conditions, from a date specified in a written “Notice to Proceed” issued by the City and subject to adjustment as provided in Section 8.2 of the General Conditions. FAILURE OF THE CONTRACTOR TO COMPLETE THE WORK WITHIN THE CONTRACT TIME AND OTHER MILESTONES SET FORTH IN THE SPECIAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING THE ENGINEER’S APPROVAL OF AFFIDAVIT OF FINAL COMPLETION, WILL RESULT IN ASSESSMENT OF LIQUIDATED DAMAGES IN THE AMOUNTS ESTABLISHED IN THE SPECIAL CONDITIONS.

before commencement of construction and be bound by each and every provision of the PLA, including, but not limited to: payment of prevailing wages; payment of fringe benefit contributions POLB expects all Bidders to to union trust funds on beachieve the combined SBE/ VSBE participation goal. half of workers; use of union hiring halls as a source for Award of the Contract will workers; follow alternating be conditioned on the Bidreferral procedures if emder submitting an SBE-2C ploying Core Workers; and Commitment Plan demonLocal, Disadvantaged, and strating the Bidder’s intent Veteran worker utilization to meet the combined SBE/ goals. VSBE participation goal. If the Bidder’s Commitment Per the Department of InPlan does not demonstrate dustrial Relations, projects intent to meet the combined covered by a Project Labor goal, the Bidder shall demAgreement (PLA) are exonstrate that it made an empt from the requirement adequate good faith effort to submit electronic CPRs to do so, as specified in the directly to the Labor ComInstructions to Bidders. The missioner’s Office. In lieu, Port’s SBE Program staff is the Contractor and all Subavailable to provide informacontractors will be required tion on the program requireto submit electronic or hardments, including SBE certicopies of CPRs and labor fication assistance. Please compliance documentation contact the SBE Office at to the Port of Long Beach. (562) 283-7598 or sbeprogram@polb.com. You may NIB -11 Trade Names also view the Port’s SBE and Substitution of program requirements at Equals. With the exception www.polb.com/sbe. of any sole source determination that may be identified NIB -9 Prevailing Wage in this paragraph, Bidders Requirements per Departwishing to obtain City’s ment of Industrial Relaauthorization for substitutions. This Project is a pubtion of equivalent material, lic work Contract as defined product, or equipment, are in Labor Code Section 1720. required to submit a writThe Contractor receiving ten request for an Or Equal award of the Contract and Substitution using the form Subcontractors of any tier included in Appendix A shall pay not less than the together with data substanprevailing wage rates to all tiating Bidder’s representaworkers employed in execution that the non-specified tion of the Contract. The Diitem is of equal quality to the rector of Industrial Relations item specified, no later than of the State of California has fourteen (14) calendar determined the general predays after City’s issuance vailing rates of wages in the of Notice to Proceed (NTP). locality in which the Work is Authorization of a substituto be performed. The rate tion is solely within the disschedules are available on cretion of the City. the internet at http://www. dir.c a .gov/dlsr/ D Pr eWNIB -12 P r e q u a l i f i c a ageDetermination.htm tion of Contractors. NOT and on file at the City, availUSED. able upon request. Bidders are directed to Article 15 of NIB -13 Bid Security, the General Conditions for Signed Contract, Insurrequirements concerning ance and Bonds. Each Bid payment of prevailing wagshall be accompanied by a es, payroll records, hours satisfactory Bidder’s Bond of work and employment of or other acceptable Bid Seapprentices. curity in an amount not less than ten percent (10%) of This Project is subject to the Base Bid as a guarantee compliance monitoring and that the Bidder will, if Condienforcement by the Departtionally Awarded a Contract ment of Industrial Relations. by the Board, within thirty No Contractor or Subcon(30) calendar days after tractor may be listed on a the Contract is conditionbid proposal for a public ally awarded to the Conworks project unless registractor by the City, execute tered with the Department and deliver such Contract to of Industrial Relations purthe Chief Harbor Engineer suant to Labor Code Sectogether with all required tion 1725.5 (with limited exdocuments including inceptions from this requiresurance forms, a Payment ment for bid purposes only Bond for one hundred perunder Labor Code Section cent (100%) of the Contract 1771.1(a)). No Contractor Price, and a Performance or Subcontractor may be Bond for one hundred perawarded a contract for pubcent (100%) of the Contract lic work on a public works Price. All Bonds shall be on project unless registered forms provided by the City. with the Department of Industrial Relations pursuNIB -14 C o n d i t i o n a l ant to Labor Code Section Award of Contract and 1725.5. Reservation of Rights. The Board, acting through NIB -10 Project Labor the Executive Director, reAgreement. This project is serves the right at any time subject to the requirements before the execution of the of a Project Labor AgreeContract by the City, to rement (PLA), included as Apject any or all Bids, and to pendix AA. The Contractor waive any informality or irand all tier subcontractors regularity. The Conditional must sign a Letter of Assent The combined SBE/VSBE participation requirement shall include a minimum of five percent (5%) of total bid value as VSBE.

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For assistance in downloading these documents please contact Port of Long Beach Plans and Specs Desk at 562-283-7353.

NIB -4 Summary Description of the Work. The Work required by this Contract includes, but is not limited to, public infrastructure improvements including removal and reconstruction of roadway improvements; storm drain facilities; sanitary sewer facilities; relocation of public utilities; installation of traffic control; permanent traffic signage and striping; and trenching and excavation. Refer to Section 01 11 00, Summary of Work in the Technical Specifications.

12/10/20, 12/22/20, 01/06/21

December 24, 2020 - January 6, 2021

Real News, Real People, Totally Relevant