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The Local Publication You Actually Read January 25 - February 7 - 27, 2013

By Zamná Ávila, Assistant Editor

he last time Ponte Vista was in the public eye, Bisno Development Co. proposed to build 2,300 units

on 61.5 acres of land on the former Navy housing site in northwestern San Pedro.

Seven years later, Ponte Vista is back with a new developer, a new design and fewer residential units proposed. iStar Financial acquired the land as part of the resolution of the Bisno bankruptcy and fore-closure. But community opposition remains.

In an uproar, the community organized against the Bisno project and the rezoning of the property from that of single-family homes to multi-unit homes, giv-ing birth to the R-1 movement. The project galvanized neighborhood councils from San Pedro to Harbor Gate-way. Ultimately, Bisno Development Co. was forced to abandon the project and Bob Bisno went bankrupt.

On Jan. 14, iStar Financial, the latest developer of the controversial Ponte Vista project, announced its decision to limit the project to just 830 residential units.

The 830-unit project was the chosen alternative in the latest draft en-vironmental impact report, which was released Nov. 8. The report also included a 1,135-unit alternative—a far cry from the 1,495 to 2,300 pro-posed in 2005 by Bisno.

“Eight-thirty would still be too dense,” said Diana Nave, president of the Northwest San Pedro Neighborhood Council. “We have not yet con-sidered whether there would be any change we’d be willing to support.”

iStar, however, is counting on the support of a council member who wants to see this site developed, and by-and-large is supportive of the project and the concepts behind it.

“I am pleased that the applicant agreed with my request that they drop their plans for the higher (1,130) number of units,” District 15 Council-man Joe Buscaino wrote in an e-mail. “The community has made great strides in reducing this project from 2,250 units to 830.”

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Ponte Vista Redux/ to p. 4

Political Newcomer Charlotte Brimmer Aims For Carson’s City Council Seat p. 5

LBO’s Edgar Allen Poe Through the Eyes of Philip Glass p. 11

The Guilty Pleasures of Porky’s BBQp. 12

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Committed to independent journalism in the Greater LA/LB Harbor Area for more than 30 years

HARBOR AREACommunity Announcements:

Harbor AreaActivists Advance New Effort to Remove Rancho LPGBy Paul Rosenberg, Senior Editor

San Pedro’s Honorary Mayor Campaign Kick Off

The San Pedro Chamber of Commerce recently announced it is accepting applications for San Pedro’s Honorary Mayor’s Race.

Through the campaign, candidates raise funds for local nonprofit organizations and for Chamber-sponsored community events. The candidate raising the most funds is declared the Honorary Mayor of San Pedro for two years and represents the chamber and the San Pedro community at events and meetings.

Eighty percent of the candidate’s gross revenue up to $100,000 will go to his or her sponsoring organization(s) and to cover any campaign expenses. One hundred percent of amounts raised above $100,000 will go to the candidate’s campaign. The chamber will retain the remainder of the funds to support their community service programs or events.

Applications will be accepted until 5 p.m. Feb. 15. Contact Sandy Bradley at sbradley@sanpedrochamber.com or call (310) 832-7272 x 106 for further details.

State of the CenterJoin The Center as it reviews 2012 and looks

ahead to its goals in 2013, starting 9 a.m. Jan. 26, at the Art Theatre in Long Beach. This is your chance to come learn more about The Center’s programs, services, and events as well as meet and mingle with the staff and board of directors. RSVP.Details: (562) 434-4455Venue: Art TheatreLocation: 2025 E. 4th St., Long Beach

San Pedro Democratic Club MeetsThe San Pedro Democratic Club is hosting its

meeting and mayoral debate watch, from 7 to 9 p.m. Jan. 28, at Calle Ocho Mexican Restaurant in San Pedro.Venue: Calle Ocho Mexican RestaurantLocation: 800 S. Pacific Ave., San Pedro

LA River RevitalizationThe Sierra Club will host a meeting,

discussing the revitalization of the L.A. River, Jan. 31, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. The meeting will be held inside the Community Room of the Palos Verdes Library, to discuss plans for the L.A. River.Details: (310) 383-5247; http://lariver.org/staff.htmlVenue: Palos Verdes LibraryLocation: 701 Silver Spur Rd., Rolling Hills

Creating a Family Thinking about starting a family but don’t

know where to start? Meet experts in the field of LGBTQ family formation, from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Feb. 9, at The Center Long Beach.

Workshop topics include: adoption, legal issues, insemination and finding a sperm donor, surrogacy and egg donation, a parents panel about their own family-growing experience.Details: (562) 434-4455Venue: Center Long BeachLocation: 2017 E. 4th St., Long Beach

Volunteers Wanted for Housing Long Beach Community Forum

Housing Long Beach is seeking volunteers, from 6 to 8 p.m. Feb. 13, for its community forum at The Neighborhood Church in Long Beach. Housing Long Beach is a local nonprofit working to improve, preserve and increase the supply of affordable housing in Long Beach.Details: (562) 619-8340; www.housinglb.orgVenue: The Neighborhood ChurchLocation: 507 Pacific Ave., Long Beach

LA Needs Poll WorkersCity Clerk June Lagmay recently announced

that the Office of the City Clerk—Election Division is in need of about 3,000 additional

continued on following page

Community Announcements/ to p. 5

As the new year opens, community activists seeking to protect their community from poten-tial disaster at the Rancho LPG facility are strug-gling against monumental bureaucratic inertia on several fronts, most notably the U.S. Environ-mental Protection Agency and the Los Angeles City Planning Department.

The inertia is so profound that even Random Lengths’ routine attempts to get comments from those agencies proved fruitless as of press time. Yet, the determination to press on remains and it now appears that municipal code allows for Rancho to be shut down as a public nuisance, despite its con-troversial status as a “grandfathered” facility.

What’s more, District 15 Councilman Joe Buscaino’s office has reaffirmed that even though action is slow, steps are being taken which could lead to a resolution.

In late November, Chuck Hart, president of the coalition of homeowner associations, San Pe-dro Peninsula Homeowners United, sent a letter to Los Angeles Planning Department zoning ad-ministrator Michael J. LoGrande, seeking to file a nuisance abatement complaint against Rancho LPG. The idea for doing so came from Jeanne Lacombe, president of the Rolling Hills Riviera

Homeowners Association, a member of the of the home owners association.

“Back in 1980s, early ‘80s, the home owners group actually sued under the nuisance abate-ment program and the lawsuit was dismissed because at that time the nuisance abatement pro-gram didn’t really fit,” Lacombe told Random Lengths “When I became involved in the group maybe about three years ago, I wanted to start doing my own research.”

That’s when she found language suggesting that the law now allowed for a remedy—although it remained unclear if homeowners had the legal standing to get the ball rolling.

“They always say we can’t do anything about Rancho because it’s grandfathered in.... That was the mantra that they keep saying wherever we went,” Lacombe said, but she discovered, “It actually specifies in the nuisance abatement program facilities or properties that are grandfa-thered in. So that’s how that all got started.”

Chuck Hart followed up and wrote the letter, stating, in part that:

“Unfortunately, our Homeowners have been unaware until recently of the changes in 2008 to Nuisance Abatement criteria that now offers the opportunity to take action on situations that have been “grandfathered in” as a means to protect the citizenry. We applaud the long overdue wisdom of this inclusion. We now “officially” lodge our complaint and action with a demand to the City of LA to protect our community…

The introduction of the liquid petroleum gas fa-cility (initially, Petrolane) created a condition that is harmful to the public’s health and safety…The incorporation of this facility was a violation of the 1st principle of Civil Law; “Exposure of the pub-lic to risks that they do not know about, nor have

agreed to accept.”…Plaintiffs within the radius of impact suffer harm that is different from the type of harm experienced by the general public.

The Planning Department website contains a PDF file of a nuisance abatement presentation by Aletta James, which says, in part, that its goals include:

Eliminating public nuisance impacts caused by a particular use which is operated in an im-proper manner.

Furthering goals of the citywide General Plan Framework which seeks to assure a health-ful and safe living environment and improve the quality of life and opportunities for all residents and business owners

Under the heading of “Addressing Nuisance” the presentation says, in part:

Use was ”grandfathered” before city approv-al was required but now is a public nuisance.

Any otherwise legally permitted use “by-right” but causing a public nuisance

The over-ride of grandfathering exemptions is supported by the plain language of Los Angeles Municipal code SEC. 12.27.1:“Administrative Nuisance Abatement Proceedings.” But the Planning Department could not provide anyone to comment on their understanding of the lan-guage.

Chuck Hart has been waiting two months now.

“We sent a letter and we haven’t had any comment,” Hart said. “It’s unfortunate. Our rep-resentatives, who we ask to help, cannot even bother to respond, say, ‘I’m sorry we can’t,’ or ‘We’ve already covered this,’ or ‘It’s not feasi-

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The Local Publication You Actually Read January 25 - February 7 - 27, 2013from previous page

ble,’ or whatever, just something. So which way do we go next? But they didn’t have the courtesy to respond. It’s really sad.”

Sad, perhaps, but it’s not discouraging. “We keep trying,” Hart said. “We just keep

trying... The lack of response only encourages [us] to push further, push harder. We deserve an answer.”

Meanwhile, some response should be ex-pected soon on another front, according to Bus-caino’s press deputy, Dennis Gleason. Referring to the public safety hearing Buscaino convened this past June, Gleason told Random Lengths in an e-mail that “At the conclusion of the meeting, the committee instructed the Chief Legislative Analyst convene meetings with the Fire Depart-ment, Building and Safety, Harbor Department, City Attorney, Planning, Emergency Manage-ment, Bureau of Sanitation, and any other City departments as needed, and to report to the Pub-lic Safety Committee with recommendations to improve safety and hazard mitigation measures of liquid bulk facilities. The CLA [Chief Legis-lative Analyst] is finalizing this report and will be presenting his findings to the Public Safety Com-

mittee within the next month.”Buscaino followed up with six more motions

requesting additional information from various departments, Gleason noted. These requests in-clude:

Department of Building and Safety to report on potential seismic risks.

Planning Department to report on what ac-tivities are permitted under current zoning desig-nation and what effect a change in zoning would have.

Port of Los Angeles to report on whether a purchase of the parcel is possible.

General Services department to investigate the feasibility of the city purchasing the parcel directly.

CLA to report on existing local, state and fed-eral law concerning oversight, and how they can be strengthened.

City attorney to report on insurance require-ments and suggest possible changes in law to strengthen those requirements.

Random Lengths also sought answers from the EPA on a variety of questions, but did not receive any response. We will continue to press for answers in the days ahead.

Elections for the Assembly District Delegates and the Assembly District Executive Board representatives were took place on Jan. 12. Twelve people (six men and six women) from each Assembly district are elected to represent their district for both the 2013 and 2014 state conventions. Avalon, Long Beach, San Pedro and parts of Orange County are in the 70th Assembly District. San Pedro resident Carrie Scoville (right, in orange) came up short for one of the six seats available. As the designated “runner up” she would take the place of any female AD member who would not be able to fulfill their term. Three-hundred-and-ninety registered voters turned out for the event. Photo: Slobodan Dimitrov.

70th Assembly District Elections

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Ponte Vista ReduxWith a history of controversy and pushback

from the community, some might question why a developer would want to take on such a task.

“You are making the assumption that there is a controversy,” responded a visibly upset Den-nis Cavallari, the Ponte project manager. “We’ve come in and tried as much as possible to make it a non-controversial project.”

The company’s spokesman, Eric Shabsis said the opposition to the project is minor.

“You are now really seeing the last vestige of people who are saying, ‘We do not want any-thing built here,’ and will continue to put up roadblocks,” Shabsis said.

Yet, some say that the developers might be underestimating the opposition.

“Last time we had to go through a whole lot of crap to let the politicians know that we were seri-ous,” said Pat Nave, husband of Diana Nave and member of the steering committee for R Neigh-borhoods R-1, a community group that strongly opposed Bisno’s concept for Ponte Vista.

Whether opposition to the project as it stands will have the momentum it did years ago, when groups opposed Bisno, all depends on how much they piss off the community, Mr. Nave continued.

“In San Pedro you never know what can jump up and bite you in the ass,” Nave said. “If we put a little more work into it there would be more opposition. … If iStar doesn’t want to generate any opposition, then don’t show any-body the plan, because there is just so much bad packed into it.”

A Bit of HistoryPreviously occupied by Navy housing, the

61.5 acres of land on which Ponte Vista sits was turned over for civilian use, which included giv-ing 19.58 acres of the property to homeless advo-cacy group, Volunteers of America. In 1999, the City of Los Angeles and its Planning Commis-sion approved a plan to redevelop the land as a mixed-use project.

In 2005, Robert Bisno, of Bisno Development Co., purchased the remaining 41.95 acres of the land in auction for $88 million, and bought Vol-unteers of America’s 19.58 acres for $37 million.

The proceeds were given to Harbor Interfaith Services, in order to build on a new site. Bisno’s development proposal included apartments, con-dominiums and townhomes with about 37 units per acre, initially totaling 2,300 units.

Community pushback, forced Bisno to scale his proposal down from 1,950 units to 1,400—a number the community still rejected. Bisno ulti-mately lost the project in a bankruptcy filing as a result of the recession and the financial repercus-sions of all the setbacks.

In March 2010, iStar Financial took owner-ship of the Ponte Vista property.

Density and DesignThe new Ponte Vista project under iStar calls

for 208 single-family homes, 224 townhomes with garages, 180 units of single to three-story condominiums (plus private garages), and a four-story condominium complex composed of 218 units with central parking structure.

Diana Nave said the resurrected project was a move in the right direction, but it’s still denser than it should be.

“We are concerned about the number of rent-al apartments and the massiveness of them,” she said. “There are certainly a number of people who still feel that it should stay at the same zoning but our council has not taken a stance on that.”

Pat Nave, is one of those people. “These guys are a bank,” Pat Nave said. “Tell

me about the last bank that did something good for the community.”

He believes that the design of the project should be comprised of 291 single-family homes with 15 acres of open space. He believes that these condos will compete with downtown San Pedro’s redevelopment efforts.

“Everybody wants to build condos, and con-dos are not selling,” Pat said. “If you want to undercut the redevelopment of downtown San Pedro, then go ahead.”

But the lofts in downtown San Pedro and the Ponte Vista project are two very different proj-ects, said Cavallari. Moreover, that statement al-ludes to the assumption that there is an issue with the market.

“The market is correcting itself and it has corrected itself, and prices are starting to go up,” Cavallari said. “There is no inventory, the project will do fine.”

Cavallari believes opponents are mainly

from p. 1

Ponte Vista: It’s Back/ to p. 17

The new Ponte Vista developer, iStar, optimistically hopes to break ground on the new project by late 2013. The above is a rendering of the proposed project. Courtesy of iStar Financial

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The Local Publication You Actually Read January 25 - February 7 - 27, 2013

poll workers to staff polls for the 2013 Municipal Elections on March 5 and May 21.

Poll workers play an integral part in meeting voters’ needs by ensuring their neighbors have the opportunity to vote locally in their communities. Poll workers earn stipends for each day that they work. Inspectors receive a $100 stipend and are paid an additional $25 for attending a mandatory training class and another $50 for picking up and dropping off polling place supplies and voting equipment. Clerks receive an $80 stipend and an additional $25 for attending a mandatory training class.

Poll worker must be English-literate and registered voters. Bi-lingual workers wanted who also speak Armenian, Chinese, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, Tagalog, Thai, or Vietnamese.

Applicants may sign up by calling the Election Division’s Poll worker Recruitment Hotline.Details: (213) 978-0363; http://cityclerk.lacity.org/election

Warren T. Furutani Harbor YouthSource Center

Los Angeles Harbor College has partnered with the City of Los Angeles Community Development Department to open the first ever Community College-based YouthSource Center.

The Los Angeles Harbor College YouthSource Center is dedicated to working with income eligible youth ages 17 to 21 in the surrounding communities. Services offered include: Academic counseling, GED preparation, tutoring, financial literacy, college preparation, mentoring, resource referrals, truancy diversion, and job readiness workshops.Details: (310) 233-4097Venue: LA Harbor College, SSA 133Location: 1111 Figueroa Place, Wilmington

Help the South Bay Coalition for the Homeless

South Bay Coalition for the Homeless needs your help to reach their goal of raising 250 volunteers for the upcoming Greater Los Angeles homeless count.

The count is vitally important because when its known who and where homeless people are in the South Bay, groups are better able to plan and identify resources to provide vital services and, ultimately, move homeless families and individuals into housing.Details: TheyCountWillYou.org

Community Announcements:

Harbor Area

The large screen TV in Charlotte Brimmer’s of-fice was tuned to a documentary about the 20th an-niversary of Los Angeles Riots when I walked in.

After 20-plus years with the Community Re-development Agency of Los Angeles, she was still upset that Gov. Jerry Brown dismantled the primary tools of community development.

“It was very, very interesting,” she said, al-most sardonically.

The political upstart spent the day walking neighborhoods and was in a comfortable black jumpsuit and slippers. She was working at her desk before I arrived.

She was working out of the Redevelopment office in Watts before the CRA was shut down.

“I was assigned there when I was 51,” she

said thinking back. “That’s where I grew up mentally. That’s where I saw the real thing,” she said, referring to the moment where she shed her naivete.

Growing up in the San Fernando Valley in the 1960s, she noted that she was never exposed to the reality that other African Americans were facing in Watts during that time and after.

“It’s like, you know, but you don’t know, at least not to the level that I found out,” Brimmer explained, describing her own personal culture-shock after seeing high rates of poverty and ingrained patterns of community and familial dysfunction ranging from drug abuse, teenage pregnancies and joblessness rooted in the lack of economic development.

“At the peak of it, when we really could have made a difference where people were finally believing in the system and there were a lot of things in the pipeline, Gov. Brown comes and says we don’t need redevelopment anymore,” she said.

The Brimmer family could be in the midst of emerging as a political dynasty. Her third child, out of four, Justin Brimmer and former aid to Councilwoman Janice Hahn, ran for the Los An-geles 15th District City Council seat. He came in a distant fourth, but there are expectations of a bright future for him in local politics.

It is no secret that Brimmer is Mayor Jim Dear’s preferred candidate to replace either Councilwoman Julie Ruiz-Raber or Councilman Mike Gipson, two incumbents that have been a thorn in the mayor’s side this past year. Dear has been actively campaigning on Brimmer’s be-half even as he campaigns for reelection in the March 5 Carson City elections. He was the key-note speaker when she officially announced from her home this past December, and even appeared prominently in her campaign video on YouTube. Aside from Gipson and Ruiz-Raber, Brimmer is running against several other candidates that

include an attorney, Albert Robles, community activist Rita Boggs, and fellow planning com-missioner Joseph Gordon.

Brimmer is generally described as very bright, assertive and an independent thinker by her colleagues on the Planning Commission and others who have worked with her in the past. When Brimmer announced her candidacy and said she was running under the banner of change. Dear agreed, saying that change indeed is needed on the council and that Brimmer would be wel-comed new blood.

For a political newcomer like Brimmer, the mayor’s endorsement is fraught with advantages and risks. The biggest risk is that she’ll be labeled simply as a reliable Dear vote rather than an in-dependent council member.

“It’s time to restore respect in our city government,” said Brimmer responding to why Car-sonites should vote for her.

“We’ve been lacking in terms of our image, with the unpleasant-ness, [lack] of respect, teamwork and leadership. And that’s been missing for a number of years.... I believe citizens have been crying

from p. 2

Candidate Charlotte Brimmer:Carson’s Political Newcomer Tries to Beat the Learning CurveBy Terelle Jerricks, Managing Editor

Carson City Limits/ to p. 6

Carson City Council candidate Charlotte Brimmer stands with a supporter during precinct walk on Jan. 19. Brimmer frequently cites her ties to Carson going back to the days when she was checker for Alphabeta grocery store in the 1970s. Photo: Terelle Jerricks.

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out for change. That’s one reason.“A second reason is to strengthen our public

safety. And, that was before Connecticut [Sandy Hook School shootings] for me. But that’s prob-ably more because of Watts…because they have [a] Watts gang task force. So I would like to bring a taskforce here. Where you can bring com-munity people, bring city government all to the table on a regular basis.”

She said she was unaware of the Gang Alter-natives Program in Carson, as well as others with similar policy aims that are annually the benefi-ciaries of $100,000 from a Housing and Urban Development block grant.

In 2012, the Gang Alternatives Program re-ceived $12,000 and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Carson Gang Diversion Team received $15,500. Both received almost double what they were given in 2011, despite the city council’s cutting off a number of other com-munity organizations.

Brimmer is supportive of veterans, wishing to provide more support for those returning from the war in Afghanistan. She’s also supportive of seniors and wants to encourage volunteer-

ism amongst the youth. But there’s no particular policy agenda on her platform. Choosing instead to wait until she’s elected and gain more infor-mation.

Helen Kawagoe Honor ControversyA procedure code like Carson’s Standard

Management Procedures manual should theo-retically keep issues like the naming of buildings from being politicized. Carson operated under such a code until 2011 when it was deemed obso-lete and was suspended.

In January 2012, after long-time City Clerk Helen Kawagoe suffered a health setback that forced her to resign for good, a motion to re-name the council chamber after her came up for a vote.

The item failed 2-3, with Dear and Council-man Elito Santarina as the “yes” votes.

The mayor was taken aback, as were a num-ber of Kawagoe admirers in attendance at the meeting.

Eventually, the council passed a substitute motion, that same night after three hours, where-by the council chambers would be renamed after Kawagoe immediately upon her death, eliminat-ing the required 60-day delay that usually ac-companies such a naming process.

on which she would ultimately defer to the city attorney.

Nevertheless, Brimmer joined the Helen’s Dream Coalition to understand the passion that was driving Kawagoe’s supporters to push so hard for her to be immediately honored with a namesake.

“Believe it or not, I was curious,” Brimmer said. “Why were we arguing?…I didn’t want to take anybody’s word for it and I didn’t want to pull anyone over to the side and say, ‘Tell me what’s going on.’ I thought, ‘Why don’t you [meaning herself] go to one of their meetings, and maybe you can get a better understanding yourself?’ So I’ve attended quite a few meetings. I learned that they were very passionate about this and its probably one of the top issues we will have to deal with once we’re sworn in.”

When asked if she has learned where their passion come from, she said, she hoped she was right that it was because she gave so many years of her life as a civil servant.

“If procedures and policies allow it, then I

As a one-man gang diversion team, Deputy Fredrick Noya has spent much of the past seven years managing a model program at the Carson Sheriff’s Station.

He works on a case-by-case basis to get youths out of and away from gangs. As a measure of his success, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s De-partment recently came under a mandate to bring a similar program to every station.

“Since its founding in 2006, the Carson Sher-

resources available. Noya’s team starts with a referral from the

community—from law enforcement, a teacher, or a parent who simply walks into the station, for example. He then conducts an assessment to identify the level of assistance an individual and the family may require.

The assessment places the referred individual at one of four levels. Self-identified gang mem-bers are assigned level four, while level three is

don’t see what the problem would be in recog-nizing her,” Brimmer said.

Brimmer noted that Del Amo overpass was named after Councilwoman Kay Calas while she was still alive, but reiterated that she would abide by what the administrative code and city attorney say, alongside her colleagues on the council, if she is elected.

Regarding cities using redevelopment monies to rehab public buildings

In 2009, the City of Carson launched a $4 million rehabilitation effort of the Cong. Juanita Millender-McDonald Community Center using redevelopment money and a grant from the federal government. When given the hypothetical, “if you were on the council, would you have voted for that item?” Her answer was an emphatic, “No.”

“Wow!” she exclaimed. “So they entered into an agreement with themselves? They just de-cided to allocate redevelopment funds to cover those expenses?”

“I know about the issue,” said Brimmer about the vote. “I don’t know what the policy is. I’d go back to that…[the]procedures and what their administrative code calls for…Regardless, if it’s been revised or not, or reviewed and approved, whatever is existing is what will hold.”

She said this is a matter

One-Man Gang Diversion Team: No One is Turned AwayBy Lyn Jensen, Carson Reporter

from p. 5

Brimmer/ to following page

Carson Sheriff’s Station Gang Diversion Team: Left to right, Lt. Damon Jones, Sandi Lemur and team founder Deputy Fredrick Noyes are a model for other stations. Photo: Lyn Jensen.

iff Station’s Gang Diversion Team has become an essential part of the Los Angeles County Sher-iff’s Department’s effort to divert youth from criminal and gang activity in the Carson commu-nity,” reads a department information sheet.

“We’re the case manager,” Noya said dur-ing an interview at the Carson station. “We try to figure out what’s best to help that kid get off the street.”

His team approach consists of a combination of counseling, tutoring and alternate activities.

“Mothers, fathers will come in and just pour their hearts out to Fred and start to tell him [about] the difference in these kids Fred has made,” said station Capt. Eddie Rivero, Noya’s boss, during the same interview.

Noya estimates he handles perhaps 85 to 100 cases per year, with about a 70 percent success rate. He started the team concept in 2006 be-cause parents, educators, church workers, or at-risk youth themselves would often ask the Sher-iff’s Department for assistance, but there were no

“a kid who’s starting to turn in that direction,” as Noyes describes it. Level two would be “someone who has problems with figures of authority.” Level one may be a youth who’s simply looking to do more for the commu-nity, such as going into the Explorer program, or wanting to work.

After conducting the assessment, Noya meets about once a month with other agencies, which he calls a collaboration

team, including mental health organizations and such youth groups as the YMCA.

“I’ll give them the background of that partic-ular kid and figure out a game plan,” Noya said. “Everybody has their expertise [such as] whether we think he’s bipolar or they think he’s suffered abuse … I will manage that kid and make sure he fulfills his commitment to the program.”

As an example, “There was a kid who was caught tagging [on a tagging team]. He was hav-ing trouble, moderate drug use, not getting along with the parents,” Noya offers. “That would put him at a level three.”

“He was in the program for three or four months,” Noya continues. “He came in here yes-terday and he told me I changed him and he’s now into The Rock boxing club [a program the Eben Ezer Church runs] and they’re going to give him an award.”

Noya now credits the young man with being off the street and having a goal.

Diversion/ to following page

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The Local Publication You Actually Read January 25 - February 7 - 27, 2013

“His story is only one story,” Rivero added. “There are numerous stories like that, kids that are now in college, kids that have come back to tutor other gang diversion kids.”

In 2011 Deputy Noya and I met with Sheriff [Lee] Baca and the major executives in this de-partment... The sheriff mandated that each patrol station have a model like Carson’s at their dis-posal.”

Noya is now training other stations’ deputies about starting their own gang diversion teams in compliance with the mandate.

Sandi Lemus and Sgt. Damon Jones assist with the team. A $15,000 Community Develop-ment Block Grant from the City of Carson funds Lemus’ position. The team also is funded by an undisclosed donation from Watson Land Co., for staffing and supplies.

Lemus began on the team as a student in-tern, before she graduated from California State University Dominguez Hills. Majors in crimi-nology or law enforcement at local universities often work on the team to fulfill their internship requirements.

Carson’s gang diversion team serves the sur-rounding area including Compton, Long Beach and Wilmington. There is no age restriction.

“We don’t turn anybody away,” says Noya.

Harbor Community Clinic Hires New Clinical PsychologistSAN PEDRO—Harbor Community Clinic in San Pe-dro recently hired Dianne Bohorquez to head its expanding Behavioral Health Department.

Bohorquez earned a bachelor of arts in psy-chology from UCLA and a doctorate from the Cali-fornia School of Professional Psychology. As an intern she worked with children and adolescents with a range of developmental and learning dis-abilities such as autism, attention deficit hyperac-tivy disorder, schizophrenia and severe emotional disturbances. During her postdoctoral fellowship at UCLA, she served as co-facilitator of cancer support groups and was project coordinator of the Women Survivors Project that followed Latina and African-American breast cancer survivors.

Bohorquez is bilingual in English and Span-ish and has worked throughout her career with Latino patients, especially in settings offering medical support. She has worked as a volunteer in hospice and as a support group facilitator for siblings of cancer patients.

Harbor Community Clinic has just completed a major renovation that added a new counseling wing with four rooms for individual and group coun-seling. The clinic will continue to utilize marriage and family therapist graduate student interns as counselors on weekends and evenings, as it has for several years. Now however, Bohorquez is of-fering sessions three days a week and eventually will upgrade the program to offer full-time behav-ioral health services for those needing help with depression, anxiety, anger management, relation-ship problems, life stressors or substance abuse issues.

Counseling is available for adults, teens and children, and patients may be referred from the medical doctors or nurses at the clinic, from other agencies and community groups such as church-es, or self-referred. Fees are income based on a sliding scale. Also, clinic personnel may be able to help pre-qualify and enroll patients for health care plans and programs for which they may be eligible.Details: (310) 547-0202.

CARSON — Alcoa Fastening Systems in Carson presented a check for $25,000 to California State University, Dominguez Hills Interim President Willie J. Hagan to continue and expand the university’s Alcoa STEM Scholarship for undergraduate students majoring in science, technology, engineering and mathematics related degree programs.

The Alcoa Foundation established the scholarship in the 2011-12 academic year with a $20,000 grant to the university. That year, four junior and senior level students with a GPA of at least a 3.0 were awarded $5,000 scholarships. The scholarship required that the students be able to demonstrate financial need. This year’s grant increases to five the number of scholarships that will be awarded.

Given that the annual tuition fee (not including books and other living expenses) to attend CSUDH is $5,472 for full-time students, the scholarship allows its recipients to have an almost tuition-free year.

From left, Eric Caesar, human resources manager and Bill Carrigan, director of operations at Alcoa Fastening Systems; California State University, Dominguez Hills Interim President Willie J. Hagan; and John Wilkins, interim dean of the College of Natural and Behavioral Sciences. Photo: Gary Kuwa-hara, Cal State Dominguez Hills.

CSUDH Receives $25K to Further Science Education

Guns Heat Up LA City Attorney’s RaceLOS ANGELES—Los Angeles city attorney can-didate Mike Feuer hit City Attorney Carmen Trutanich hard on guns recently, when he called on the firebrand incumbent, “to return the profit he received from the National Rifle Association and other pro-gun groups while co-owner of Trutanich Michel LLP.

Shortly afterward, on Jan. 17, Feuer released a four-point plan to reduce gun violence and a host of other initiatives to en-hance school safety in Los Angeles.

Feuer’s four points were:• Establish a gun violence prevention

unit in the City Attorney’s Office• Create a regional gun violence task

force• Press for the enactment of new Los

Angeles laws to reduce the risk of gun-related crimes.

• Advocate for mental health parity“I am calling on Mr. Trutanich to give back

the profits he derived from the NRA and other pro-gun organizations,” Feuer said in a re-leased statement. “Even better, he could do-nate that money to organizations devoted to preventing gun violence. But one way or the other, if Mr. Trutanich were truly committed to distancing himself from his NRA past and combating gun violence, he would rid himself of this tainted profit.”

Palos Verdes Hotel Fire Leaves 14 in-juredSAN PEDRO—Fourteen people, including three critically injured, were hospitalized after fire that started about 3:30 a.m. Jan. 22, at

Brimmer said that during her employment with the Community Redevelopment Agency she has seen cities use redevelopment funds for public buildings and said that that is something that is not generally accepted.

“I don’t know the code,” she said. “I would refer you to the city attorney to provide the spe-cific code for it. But over at Los Angeles, it has occurred. And it’s something that’s frowned upon.

Carson, like a number of small cities in Los Angeles County is a general charter city. The city council also doubles as other entities such as the Redevelopment Agency and the Housing Authority.

“Somebody’s head should have rolled there,” Brimmer said.

Then she noted that City Manager Jerry Groomes was in charge at the time as a possible explanation for the council’s move. Brimmer was informed the item was approved by a major-ity vote.

“That’s why it’s time for a change because a lot of the current council people do not have the technical experience to understand what the difference between development and redevel-opment, and between planning and urban plan-ning,” she said.

Brimmer said that if she were on the council, she would be able to red flag potential issues with the city attorney and open a frank discussion with council colleagues to move forward.

She was asked if she would have voted with the majority, if she were on the council, in issu-ing a bond to pay for the cleanup efforts at Bou-levards at South Bay—a bond that required the community center to be put up as collateral.

She said, “Absolutely not!”But she dialed back her critique of the coun-

cil noting that they rely on the information given to them by staff and may not be sophisticated in such matters on their own. She said that’s why she should be elected.

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Columnists/ReportersLyn Jensen CarsonB. Noel Barr Music DudeJohn Farrell Curtain CallGretchen Williams EntréeAndrea Serna Arts WriterMalina Paris Culture WriterKevin Walker Community NewsCalendar

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Random Lengths News editorial office is located at 1300 S. Pacific Ave., San Pedro, CA 90731, (310) 519-1016. Address correspondence regarding news items and news tips only to Random Lengths News, P.O. Box 731, San Pedro, CA 90733-0731, or email to editor @randomlengthsnews.com.Send Letters to the Editor or requests for subscription information to james @randomlengthsnews.com. To be considered for publication, all Letters to the Editor should be typewritten, must be signed, with address and phone number included (these will not be published, but for verification only) and be kept to about 250 words. To submit advertising copy email adv@randomelengthsnews.com or reads@randomlengthsnews.com.Extra copies and back issues are available by mail for $3 per copy while supplies last. Subscriptions are available for $35 per year for 27 issues.Random Lengths News presents issues from an alternative perspective. We wel-come 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 to express those opinions. Random Lengths News is a member of Standard Rates and Data Reporting Services and the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies. (ISN #0891-6627). All contents Copyright 2012 Random Lengths News. All rights reserved.

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Contributors Danny Simon, Arthur R. Vinsel, Mark Karlin, Slobodan Dimitrov

Mark Karlin: You have for years contend-ed that there is a false narrative in more recent years that has allowed Republican misdeeds, particularly presidential election manipulation, to go unpunished. Can you briefly explain what happened with Richard Nixon and his campaign’s successful efforts to torpedo the Vietnam peace talks during the 1968 election?

Robert Parry: The evidence from the Na-tional Archives is now clear that Nixon’s cam-paign sabotaged Lyndon Johnson’s Vietnam peace talks in 1968, when Nixon recognized that they were on the cusp of bringing the war to a conclusion. If Johnson could negotiate an end to the war before the 1968 election, Vice President Hubert Humphrey would almost surely have

won. So, Nixon’s campaign dispatched emis-saries to the South Vietnamese leaders promis-ing them a better deal if they boycotted the Paris peace talks, which they did.

Johnson learned about what he termed Nix-on’s “treason” first from a leak out of a Wall Street meeting in which a Nixon financial backer was placing bets on stocks and bonds based on inside knowledge that Nixon would “block” a peace deal. Johnson then confirmed the conspir-acy via FBI and NSA wiretaps and confronted Nixon in a phone conversation just days before the election. Nixon denied the facts as presented by Johnson, but Johnson didn’t believe him. On the day before the election, Johnson met with three senior advisers to discuss whether to go

America’s False History By Mark Karlin, Truthout

Seasoned journalist Robert Parry offers a thoroughly researched account of how the Repub-lican Party and neo-cons have conspired to creative a false narrative about America’s political and constitutional history. Parry tenaciously documents the accusations that he has pursued for years: that the Nixon campaign undermined peace talks that likely would have ended the Vietnam War in 1968 or 1969 in order to win the presidency; and that the Reagan campaign conspired with the revolutionary Iranian government to ensure that the U.S. embassy hostages were not released before the 1980 election in order to seal Jimmy Carter’s defeat.

At the end of Chapter Eight of America’s Stolen Narrative, Robert Parry writes: “But the end result of the failed investigations into the presidencies of Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush meant something else for the American people. They were left wandering in a wilderness of false narratives, trying to chart their future on a map drawn by liars.”

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All presidential inaugurations are plush with patriotic symbolism.

The second one for Barack Obama, the 57th for our republic, was no less. The pomp and cer-emony of this transfer or continuation of power changes tenor with the party or candidate. Presi-dent James Madison was the first to host an inaugural ball charging at-tendees $4 each to attend. In 1841, President William Henry Harrison gave his speech of some 8,445 words that lasted two hours in the wet winter of Washington D.C. that year. Thirty days later, he died of pneumonia. So much for being long winded.

As much of a skeptic as I am about overtly patriotic displays, I have to say that this one played to some very deep and passionate strings of Americanism that were quite powerful and moving. From the use of both the President Abraham Lincoln’s and Dr. Martin Luther King’s bible—on MLK day no less—to the musical arrangements of our national anthems and the artists that sang them, these elements held particular contemporary meanings. And, the meanings gave these often sung songs new context. Who knew that the U.S. Marine Corp band was capable of playing them in anything other than the traditional way? Does it matter whether or not Beyoncé “lip-sang” the anthem? Not really. It was the pageantry that mattered.

What was probably the most notably brilliant piece of political ceremony was Obama’s Baptist

his legacy as a U.S. president and the next 30 years of American politics. He has also learned the hard way about trying to negotiate inside the beltway on a bipartisan basis. Even as they are taking down the red, white and blue bunting from the capitol, the machine that elected Obama

into office is morphing into “outside the beltway” activism. Clearly, this should have been done more than two years ago before the Demo-crats lost the majority in the House of Representatives, but at least he is willing to learn on the job.

I, however, am not fully con-vinced that this administration nor any administration can move this country to a more enlightened pro-gressive national agenda. One that is

not controlled by Wall Street bankers and the mil-itary industrial complex that even now, with the winding down of the Afghanistan war, is looking to ramp up a new conflict in Mali and Algeria. War and endless war, often called “peacekeep-

minister-like use of the refrain, “We the peo-ple,” from the Declaration of Independence. This not only shifted the focus off of the idea of his vision over to the core fundamentals of the American creed of “life, liberty and pursuit of happiness.” This clever, and I pre-sume sincere, use of this most revered found-ing document steals its meaning back from the right-wing Tea Partiers and places its core principles in the heart of the liberal Demo-cratic agenda. Obama’s detractors would find its meaning hard to deny, for in doing so, they would have to challenge something very fundamental about the assertions made in the Declaration of Independence and thus-ly about America itself. In short, Obama has wrapped himself in more than just the patri-otic symbolism of the flag and God, but in the fundamentals of our republic.

He is keenly aware of his place in Amer-ica’s history, as its first black president and the transitional role that this has for both

ing,” echoes from George Orwell’s 1984 where, “war is peace” and the drones now used for the clandestine war on terror will be brought home to spy on our every move.

Our countrymen have come to accept the

predicament of sacrificing liberty for security to which Benjamin Franklin once opined, “Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.”

public with the evidence, but LBJ was dissuad-ed from doing so for “the good of the country.” Johnson hoped Nixon and the South Vietnamese might relent after the election, but they didn’t and the war continued for more than four additional years before being settled on roughly the terms available in 1968.

MK: President Lyndon Johnson knew, you describe, what Nixon’s campaign was up to, but he chose not to reveal what was basically a trea-sonous act to the public. As a result, Nixon won a fairly close election and the Republicans, you contend, figured that they could play dirty elec-toral politics and conduct covert foreign policy with impunity. How did this affect the 1980 elec-tion in relationship to the U.S. embassy hostages in Iran?

RP: Having escaped disclosure of their peace-talk sabotage in 1968, the Republicans faced a similar opportunity in 1980 when Presi-dent Carter’s re-election depended on resolving an extended standoff with Iran over 52 American hostages held after the U.S. Embassy takeover. Key Republicans, including some associated with the Nixon campaign of 1968, feared that Carter might overtake Ronald Reagan in the campaign’s final days if Carter could work out a deal to bring the hostages home. The Repub-licans also saw a Reagan victory as an historic opportunity to transform U.S. politics by shift-ing the country dramatically to the right. It was a

Changing the Patriotic SpinTaking the Declaration of Independence Back from the Tea PartyJames Preston Allen, Publisher

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The Local Publication You Actually Read January 25 - February 7 - 27, 2013

RANDOMLetters

temptation hard to resist.The evidence is now overwhelming that

people involved in Reagan’s campaign contacted Iranians behind Carter’s back with an offer of a better deal, much as Nixon’s people had offered promises to the South Vietnamese. According to various witnesses on all sides of those secret meetings, the contacts ensured that the hostage crisis would not be resolved until after Reagan’s victory. As it turned out, the hostages were held until Reagan was sworn in on Jan. 20, 1981, giv-ing the new president the added political impetus of a major foreign policy victory in his first sec-onds in office.

MK: Can you elaborate on the connection between the 1980 Reagan campaign relation-ship with Iran to the Iran-Contra scandal that emerged years later?

RP: I was involved in writing many of the Iran-Contra stories for the Associated Press and Newsweek in the 1980s. And the conventional wisdom was that Reagan’s secret arms deals to Iran began in 1985 and continued into 1986. However, as the investigation progressed, we learned that Reagan’s arms sales to Iran via Israel began almost immediately after he took office in 1981.

One of the Israeli-contracted supply planes crashed inside the Soviet Union in July 1981 and an internal State Department inquiry by Assistant Secretary of State Nicholas Veliotes determined that the origins of these US-approved arms ship-ments could be traced back to contacts made during the 1980 presidential campaign. In other words, the Iran-Contra shipments of 1985-86 were, more or less, an extension of arms deliver-ies that had begun years earlier with Israel acting as the middleman.

MK: Hovering around all this duplicitous activity is George Herbert Walker Bush. He

comes across as the Zelig of the GOP in terms of the use of political subterfuge. Is that a surprise, considering that the CIA headquarters is named after him?

RP: The current conventional wisdom about George H.W. Bush is that he was an upright and decent fellow who was perhaps insufficiently po-litical to be regarded as a very successful presi-dent. However, the real George H.W. Bush was a cynical, indeed ruthless, operative who would do or say pretty much anything to achieve his goals. He was part of the elite ruling class that emerged from World War II.

As Republican National Chairman in 1973, he tried to help Richard Nixon slip away from the Watergate scandal. And in 1976, Bush fit easily into the sinister world of the CIA. As CIA direc-tor, he oversaw one of the bloodiest years in the CIA-backed repression across South America, including the infamous Condor assassination program, which even reached into Washington with the car-bombing death of Chilean dissident Orlando Letelier. Bush also used that year at the CIA’s helm to build contacts with intelligence operatives who would reappear at Bush’s side in 1980, when they had common interests in easing President Carter out of the way.

Those CIA colleagues also assisted Bush as vice president when he was handling secretive operations such as the off-the-books support for the Nicaraguan Contras and clandestine weapons shipments into the Middle East. After the Iran-Contra scandal broke, Bush hid his diaries so they could not be used in any investigations and then when Special Prosecutor Lawrence Walsh was finally closing in on the criminal cover-up in late 1992, then-President Bush pardoned six Iran-Contra defendants, insuring that the trail of crimes would never reach his door. So, no, it’s not surprising that CIA headquarters would be named after him.

The complete article may be read at http://tinyurl.com/AmericasFalseHistory

False Historyfrom previous page

Let’s Talk About GunsEver since the tragedy in New-

town, CT, the focus is now on the issue of “gun control.” It’s time for a national dialogue. One thing we don’t need is the political ran-cor that surfaces when this issue is debated. I’m ready for a reasoned, well-researched discussion on what we need to do to lessen the possi-bility that incidents like this will happen again. We’re not talking about a war zone on foreign soil. We’re talking about the slaughter of innocents in our own backyard. I’m constantly asked if I would use a firearm in self-defense. I can honestly say, “I don’t really know.”What I do know is that we need to talk and talk intelligently on this issue. Gun control is not, I repeat, not the issue. If we cannot accommodate each other, more in-nocent people will die.

People are dying right now as we speak, as a result of gun vio-lence. When will all the carnage end? If we cannot solve our prob-lems without resorting to the type of political backstabbing we have seen from extremists on both sides, more innocent victims will die. It is up to us to stop the bloodshed once and for all.

Ronald ShimokajiCarson

Dear Ronald Shimokaji,Having a rational national

discussion on gun violence is what the Obama administration has called for and what Joe Biden has started.

Yet, I’m not so sure that all of the hysteria by gun owners has set-tled down or will ever settle down to have this more reasoned debate.

What I do know is that histori-cally sub-machine guns were out-lawed after World War I for public safety and has never been success-fully challenged in the Supreme Court, this may guide lawmakers in crafting new laws that control assault weapons today.

James Preston Allen, Publisher

Tree Hacking at Averill Park

Today [Jan. 17, 2013], a “crew” stopped by on a Saturday morning and jumped out to brutally “hack at” heirloom Jacarandas.

When asked for their work or-der there was none. When asked for an arborist there was none.

When the last hacking scars were pointed to—they were be-low the these new one—and it was pointed out that this species will grow no new limbs when cut in

this manner we were dismissed.This disregard for our trees and

public spaces of beauty is not right. This guerilla-style tree hacking can not go on.

When trees of this importance and presence need attention a work order should be shared with the neighborhood council board mem-bers and an arborists report/pres-ence must be part of the process.

Two years ago, these slow-growing trees gave a spectacular show of a purple blaze not seen for a decade. Now the pods for this year’s display have been hacked away and the trees are left thin and willowy.

This is a shame. We must set up a system in this little town where-by we manage our natural beauty with care paired with professional expertise. And, the neighborhood councils should be asked to partner in this process as they are the ‘ear to the ground.’

Laureen VivianSan Pedro

Missed a FewRandom Lengths News ne-

glected to mention a few things in 2012.

First, there was the passing of ultra-liberal Gore Vidal, a vital goad of the Left against the United States and the Republican Party. Following his “crypto-Nazi” taunt against Conservative firebrand and unifying intellect William F. Buck-

ley, Vidal drifted away, never again to be a viable core of the national conversation.

Contrary to their fulsome praise for Diane Ravitch’s rhetoric about public education and “The 99%,” she outlined the conserva-tive objections to “No Child Left Behind.” Liberal sympathizers of the Occupy Movement turned on their own. Not just liberal Port-land Mayor Sam Adams, but also former Councilwoman and cur-rent Oakland Mayor Jean Quan, who ordered the violent Occupy Oakland crowd to disperse or face jail time. Even liberal Governor “Moonbeam” Brown is cutting spending, though not by enough.

Other welcome defeats of col-lectivized aggression include Wis-

consin Gov. Scott Walker’s success in implementing necessary budget reforms and surviving a recall ef-fort against the same opinion with a larger winning margin. Michigan witnessed the defeat of a measure to enshrine collective bargaining rights in the state constitution. Shortly after the election, Michi-gan enacted right-to-work legis-lation similar to Wisconsin and Indiana, one of few states which diminished costs and cuts deficits without raising taxes.

Then there was the “fiscal cliff”, where President Obama’s lack of leadership could no longer be ignored. In the final deal, one which “everyone hated”, President Obama made the Bush tax cuts permanent for the “99%.” How this

Progressive President will fund the expansive welfare state which he envisions for this country has now further eluded him, with two more years of gridlock in his near future. Even though President Obama won re-election, his party gained but a slim majority in the Senate and lost their opportunity to win back the House of Representatives. In 2014, this country will witness a definite repudiation of Democratic party principles.

Even though California Demo-crats have won their first superma-jority in many years, the voters in this state will witness and withdraw the liberal-progressive agenda of tax-and-spend statism in 2014.

Arthur Christopher Schaper Torrance

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the Palos Verdes Inn in San Pedro. Many of the injuries were the result of smoke

inhalation and residents jumping from the second story windows to flee the fast moving inferno. Ar-son investigators have gotten involved precisely because of the speed in which it spread.

It took 150 firefighters 34 minutes to extin-guish the blaze, in the 90-year old building. Tele-vision news reports showed flames engulfing the interiors of some rooms.

Some witnesses, who asked not to be identi-fied, believed the fire was intentionally set, citing the ongoing crime and safety issues at the build-ing, ranging from gang altercations, drug deal-ing and drug use. Residents say none of the fire alarms seemed to work at the single-room occu-pancy hotel.

According to the Los Angeles Fire Department public information officer, Eric Scott, firefighters returning from a nearby medical call saw smoke at the hotel before any 9-1-1 call had been re-ceived. Seven rooms were damaged, two of them extensively, Scott said.

Long Beach Traffic FatalityLONG BEACH—A traffic injury took place on Jan. 19, at about 8:42 p.m., which resulted in the death of a person. The one-vehicle collision, took place on Del Amo Boulevard, east of Orange Avenue.

When Long Beach Police arrived at the scene, they witnessed an overturned vehicle with six oc-cupants. Four of the occupants were ejected from the vehicle and two more were trapped inside. The two inside were later rescued by the Long Beach Fire Department.

The investigators believe the driver was travel-ing fast and suddenly lost control of the vehicle. The driver then crashed into the center divider, causing the vehicle to flip several times.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the Long Beach Police Department at (562) 570-7244. Anonymous tips may be submitted by call-ing (800) 222-8477, or visiting www.lacrimestop-pers.org.

Lieu Introduces Abandoned Ship BillTORRANCE—Sen.Ted W. Lieu announced the in-troduction of a bill, which revises a 2009 law to remove pollution-spewing, abandoned ships from the state waterways.

This bill is significant to the locale, given that California has the second highest boating popula-tion in the nation.

No hearing date has yet been set to seek rati-fication for the bill.

n Jan. 10, Gov. Jerry Brown announced the state’s first balanced budget since 2001, under Gray Davis.

“For the next four years, we’re talking about a balanced budget, we’re talking about liv-ing within our means,” Brown said at his press conference presenting the budget.

It’s the sort of fiscally conservative message that Brown, a reputed liberal, has always em-braced, going back to his first two terms as gov-ernor in the 1970s.

“Fiscal discipline is not the enemy of demo-cratic governance, but rather its fundamental predicate,” he said in a related press release.

But it’s the how and the why of the balancing that’s upsetting advocates for those who’ve been hurt the most in recent years.

“We’re extremely concerned about the bud-get,” said Vanessa Aramayo, director of the Cali-fornia Partnership Coalition told the Sacramento Bee. “It’s all about choices, and he’s choosing to put Wall Street ahead of Californians and the state’s most vulnerable....We’re calling on him to put families first.”

“State policymakers could do more to restore the severe cuts made in recent years to child care and other supports that help families struggling to find and keep jobs,” said Chris Hoene, execu-tive director of the California Budget Project, in a press release.

Hoene was generally supportive, calling Brown’s proposed budget “a major step forward on many fronts,” but also pointing out that, “the state could scale back or end ineffective tax cred-its and incentives, such as the costly Enterprise Zone Program.”

California’s painful recovery should be seen in context. An analysis of all state governments combined by the National Conference of State legislators, finds that state revenues plummeted from $670 billion in 2008 to just $604 billion in 2010, and had only partially recovered to $645 billion by 2012. That’s four straight years of lower revenues compared to just one year after the 1990–1991 recession and two years after the 2001–2002 recession hit.

The one obvious bright spot of Brown’s bud-get was support for public education, primar-ily due to the passage of Proposition 30. Brown proposed $56.2 billion for K–12 and community colleges, up $2.7 billion over the revised 2012-13 funding level of $53.5 billion and up $8.9 billion from $47.3 billion in 2011–12. Brown also pro-posed a 5.3 percent increase in higher education spending, and would substantially expand Medi-Cal, thanks to federally funded provisions of the Affordable Care Act. But the inertia still lies with cut backs in the social service realm, for exam-ple, maintaining existing cuts in the CalWORKs program, as the time limit for parents eligibility is being slashed from 60 months to 24 months.

Given the total disaster that his predecessor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, made of the budget for most of the last decade, it was understand-able that Brown’s announcement was met with widespread relief, and initial expressions of sup-port from throughout the state legislature. Yet, it’s telling that the most unqualified praise came from a Republican leader, while top Democrats offered early signs of wanting to do more for those who’ve been hurt the most in recent years.

Republican Assembly Leader Connie Con-

way called Brown, “the adult in the room”—an unthinkable gesture when the GOP had more than one-third of the seats and the law required their votes to pass a budget. Now, lacking actual power, the GOP is playing psych-out politics.

“He may need us because our restraint agrees with his, and we believe that we may be more restrained than some of our colleagues across the aisle,” Conway told the Sacramento Bee.

But neglecting their base has long been the Democrats Achilles heel, both nationally and here in California. Thus, Assembly Speaker John A. Pérez, D-Los Angeles, called Brown’s budget “A good starting point,” then quickly added, “But it is that, it’s a starting point.”

And, Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Stein-berg, D-Sacramento, said “The governor’s frame is solid.”

But he went on to say, “I can only add that we can’t forget and won’t forget mental health, dental care and subsistence for the elderly and disabled and other related issues as the year pro-gresses.”

The view from outside Sacramento is more stark.

“While there is a surplus that the governor has identified, he is not recognizing how the sur-plus has gotten to this place,” Los Angeles-based Aramayo told Random Lengths.

She went on to cite two primary causes. “One is the families that have already been

impacted by cuts,” Aramayo said. “We have been able to identify a surplus because of all the cuts that we’ve made since 2008, severe cuts that practically obliterated our safety net. Childcare alone has seen a billion dollars in cuts. We have other programs, health and human services, in home support services, MediCal, all in all in health and human services. We’ve seen $15 bil-

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Jerry Brown’s Half-Measure:A Balanced Budget But Not a Progressive OneBy Paul Rosenberg, Senior Editor

lion in cuts. And, the governor’s forgetting that these families continue to struggle. And this is a grave concern to us.”

Speaking technically, Aramayo may be mis-taken. Brown’s budget press release acknowl-edges that, “The 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 bud-gets provided three dollars of spending cuts for every dollar in temporary tax revenues approved by the voters.”

This three-to-one ratio of budget cuts to tem-porary tax increases stands in sharp contrast to the one-to-one ratios adopted by former Repub-lican governors Reagan and Wilson when they faced similar budget shortfalls. But there appears to be a vast gap between technically recognizing how the balance has been achieved and morally registering that same fact.

A longer version of this article is at www.random-lengthsnews.com

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Dear Mr. Schaper,Where do I begin to discuss how much I truly

disagree with your perspectives and misguided al-legiance to depleted conservatism?

This country is changing all around you and the only thing you can do is throw stones at things that you can’t or refuse to understand. Republican conservatism used to stand for something – like conserving our natural resources and creating a national park system. Now, it’s just damn the global warming and drill baby drill!

Don’t you find it the least bit odd that during all of the Bush Jr. years of fighting for control of Middle East oil we continued to import more and more of it? And now, with a president who doesn’t hold hands with a Saudi Prince we have become an oil exporting nation once again.

If people such as you don’t want to be part of the social democracy then don’t register to accept Social Security or Medicare when you retire, that would at least solve a small part of our deficit.

James Preston Allen, Publisher

Benghazi FalloutLack of security at the U. S. diplomatic mission

in Benghazi, Libya was blamed for the U.S. am-bassador and three other Americans being killed by militants. The Senate Foreign Relations Commit-tee determined that there was “massive failure of the State Department at all levels, including senior leadership, to take action to protect our government employees abroad.”

It was Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s responsibility to make sure that diplomats were protected and safe and had adequate security. The Committee made 29 recommendations to improve security at high-threat embassies and consulate, al-though I feel it should have been Clinton’s job to make these recommendations.

Clinton dodged a bullet, as she claimed health reasons as her excuse for not testifying. We will most likely see Clinton in the future running for some new political position. When it comes time to vote, remember the mismanagement of Benghazi.

John WinklerSan Pedro

Dear John Winkler, As I recall the Congress made the recom-

mendations and then cut the budget. Is Secretary of State Hillary Clinton

responsible? Unfortunately, yes. It was her department. Will Congress accept any of the blame? No! And this will be remembered when she runs for president in four years, but by whom?

James Preston AllenPublisher

Restaurant ReviewsI was so pleased to find a restaurant review

by your critic Gretchen Williams in your most recent issue. This writer is one of your best and I have relied on her recommendations for many years.

I have found that she can describe both food and dining experience completely accurately.

I can always depend on her to be my guide to places that I wouldn’t have tried, had I not read her reviews in your outstanding local pa-per. On that subject I find your editorial page and comments a great way to keep up with the happenings in my hometown.

Please keep up your efforts. We need your type of journalism, a commodity that has been under evaluated in today’s disappointing media.

Stein PikksenWilmington

Dear Stein Pikksen, Ms.Williams has been writing for us some

time now and does a great job of discovering hidden jewels of epicurean delight and diverse cuisines. I believe our dining column is now 29 years old.

James Preston AllenPublisher

from p. 9

Gov. Jerry Brown 2012-13 budget is the first California budget that’s been balanced since 2001. File photo

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The House of Usher Continued on page 16.

by: B. Noel Barr, Music Columnist and John Farrell, Theater Columnist

On Jan. 19, we traveled to the beautiful Art Theatre on 4th Street near Cherry Avenue in Long Beach. In a program that was a bit of a tease for the Fall Of the House of Usher, we were treated to an old silent movie about Edgar Allen Poe and his poem, The Raven. Behind the film was the magnificent piano virtuosity of Ms. Michelle Schuman. Here, she played other works of Phillip Glass to the sad life of Edgar Allen Poe and The Raven. The music by Glass that accompanied the film, were “Metamorphosis” and

“Orph’ee Suite.” L o n g B e a c h

O p e r a C o m p a n y i s b r i n g i n g t h e P o e

masterpiece, The Fall of the House of Usher, to the Warner

Grand Theatre. This is a psychological, operatic work

that chills you to the bone. The terror and madness that belies the story seems to mirror

Poe’s life. The deeply troubled Roderick Usher, like Poe, is bipolar, though Poe’s troubles were brought on

by his addictions to alcohol and opiates. Our narrator enters a world of his friend Roderick Usher

and his (twin) sister Madeline. Madeline, who is very attached to her brother, seems deathly ill, but from what? Who knows? With a

story setup that includes being buried alive, incest and other introspective maladies, — Oh, we can get deep into contemporary drama with this trio.Singers and actors Susan Hanson as Madeline Usher, Ryan McPherson as

Roderick Usher, Jonathon Mack as the Physician, William is Lee Gregory and Nick Shelton as the servant bring a very striking and rich opera that takes the audience into the

depths of insanity. The libretto or vocal story, written by Arthur Yorinks, is as breathtaking as is the music by Philip Glass. The beauty of this opera is the full vocals intertwined with deeply stark music. The intensity of the story really propels the music. This 18th century horror tale, recreated in present time, touches you in a very scary way.

Front : Andreas Mitisek (LBO) , Ken Cazan (Stage DIrector) Behind: L to R: Nick Shelton (Servant), Suzan Hanson (Madeline Usher), Ryan MacPherson (Roderick Usher), Lee Gregory (William), Jonathan Mack (Physician)

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Porky’s Continued on page 15.

by: Terelle Jerricks, Managing Editor

Guilty Pleasures at Porky’s• Happy Hour •

Blu Bar at Crowne Plaza • $4 Drinks and half off appetizers. (310) 519-8200, 601 S. Palos Verdes St., San Pedro

The Chowder Barge • Try the 34oz. captain’s mug! (310) 830-7937, 611 N. Henry Ford, Leeward Bay Marina, Wilmington

Godmother’s Saloon • Live jazz from Mike Guerrero Trio: 7 p.m. every Wed. (310) 833-1589, 302 W. 7th St., San Pedro

Iron City Tavern • Happy Hour 1/2-price appetizers & drink specials: 4 to 6 p.m. Mon. to Fri. 589 W. 9th St., San Pedro; (310) 547-4766

June’s Bar • Happy Hour: Mon. to Fri., 4 to 7 p.m. $1.00 Off drinks. (310) 521-9804, 1100 S. Pacific Ave., San Pedro

Ports o’ Call • Happy Hour: Mon. to Fri., 3 to 8 p.m. Taco Tuesdays. Oyster shooter & bloody mary Wednesdays. (310) 833-3553, Berth 76 Ports O’ Call Village, San Pedro

San Pedro Brewing Co. • Happy Hour: 2:30 to 6:30 p.m., Mon. to Fri. (310) 831-5663, 331 W. 6th St., San Pedro

Trusela’s • Happy Hour: 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., Tues. to Sat. (310) 547-0993, 28158 S. Western Ave., San Pedro

Whale & Ale • Happy Hour: 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Mon to Fri., 4 to 7 p.m. on Wed. Late Night Happy Hour: 10 p.m. to Midnight, Fri. Only. (310) 832-0363, 327 W. 7th St., San Pedro

Happy Hour Listings Are Paid Advertising

Porky’s BarBQ in Long Beach is closing permanently Sunday, Jan. 27.

“The demographics changed,” Earl Hellum, proprietor of the popular rib joint, explained. Yelp reviews of patrons who would say they like the food but were bothered by the fact they would be hassled by panhandlers, among other issues that led him close the venue.

The upside of the closing is that all of his energy, creative and otherwise, will be focused on the San Pedro branch.

At 47 years of age, Earl is becoming ever more a stickler for authenticity, from the recipes to the décor of the restaurant, which includes Southern Americana art and sensibilities on the walls that you would find in a traditional rib joint in the

EntertainmentJAnuAry 25

The TopicsThe Topics will be performing live at the 7th Street Chophouse, Jan. 25, at 8:30 p.m. The band blends a variety of music from the 1950s and the 1960s, up to the present time.Details: (310) 684-1753; 7thstreetchophouse.comVenue: San Pedro 7th Street ChophouseLocation: 465 W. 7th St., San Pedro

Beyond rhythmThe San Pedro Brewing Company will be hosting the reggae band Beyond Rhythm, Jan. 25, from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. The cover charge will be $3. Details: (310) 831-5663; sanpedrobrewing.comVenue: San Pedro Brewing CompanyLocation: 331 W. 6th St., San Pedro

The Fabulous Esquires Big BandThe People’s Yoga Health and Dance will host the Fabulous Esquires Big Band, Jan. 25, starting at 7 p.m. The band will be giving lessons until 8 p.m. The performance will take place after the lessons. Refreshment will be served on the house. Tickets will cost $25 at the door and $15 if you pay in advance.Details: (310) 547-2348; www.peoplesyogaand-health.comVenue: People’s Yoga Health and DanceLocation: 365 W. 6th St., San Pedro

JAnuAry 26American MonsterHarvelle’s will be hosting American Monster Burlesque and Blues Show at 9:30 p.m. Nobody younger than the age of 21 will be allowed, for there is a 2–drink minimum purchase required. Tickets will range anywhere from $10 to $50.Details: (562) 239-3700; www.longbeach.harvelles.comVenue: Harvelle’s Long BeachLocation: 201 E. Broadway, Long Beach

Calendar Continued on page 15.

Photo by Terelle Jerricks

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The Loft GalleryReuben Acosta: Solo Exhibition.Open Studios: Candice Gawne, Carol Hungerford, Sam Arno, Daniel Porras, Murial Olguin, Jan Govaerts, Anne Marie Rawlinson, & Nancy Towne Schultz.401 S. Mesa St. • 310.831.5757 • Open 6–9pm & by appt.

SanPedroArtAndEntertainment.comNew Website for San Pedro Art and Entertainment. ATTENTION ARTISTS: Register Nowwww.sanpedroartandentertainment.com

Gallery 345Masks and Beyond“Masks and Beyond” is title of Pat Woolley and Gloria D Lee paintings of masks and bearly impressions and other work being shown 6-9pm 1st Thursday February. 310 545 0832 and 310 374 8055 for appointments. artsail@roadrunner.com; www.gloriadlee.com; woolleybear@verizon.net; www.teddytraveler.com • 345 W. 7th Street, San Pedro, CA

Artist Studios & GalleriesGallery 381 • 381 West 6th St. • 310-809-5082Dwelling • 387 West 6th St. • 310-547-4222Neil Nagy • 408 West 6th St. • 310-617-3459Mike Rivero Studio • 414 West 6th St. • 310-720-3407Dekor • 445 West 6th • St. 310-831-1800fINdings Art Center • 470 West 6th St. • 310-489-1362Arcade Gallery Ovation • 479 West 6th St. • 267-909-0799Ancient Arts Stained Glass • 333 West 7th St. • 310-832-7613Studio 339 • 339 West 7th St. • 310-514-1238Allyson Vought • 356 West 7th St. 424-210-7475Human Array Gallery • 357 West 7th St. • 408-475-8867Nancy Crawford • 360 West 7th St. • 310-732-7922Gallery Ls • 362 West 7th St. • 310-541-4354Paul Turang • 364 West 7th St. • 310-547-9771Gallery Neuartig • 366 West 7th St. • 213-973-8223Jim Harter • 368 West 7th St. • 310-533-8753Studio MNX • 370 West 7th St.Meredith Harbuck • 372 West 7th St. • 310-528-7184Yoon Jin Kim • 374 West 7th St. • 310-514-2143Julia Strickler • 376 West 7th St. • 310-908-3824Shannon LaBelle • 378 West 7th St.Hiroko • 382 West 7th St. • 310-514-8881SP Chamber Board Room Gallery • 390 W 7th St. • 310-832-7272Gallery at the Vault • 407 West 7th St. • 310-548-6585 Shalla Javid Studio • 407 7th St. Unit 119 A • 918-557-2165 Scott Boren Borenstudios • 412 West 7th St. Yong Sin • 414 West 7th St. • 310-221-0283Medea Gallery • 445 West 7th St. • 310-833-3831Gallery 478 • 478 West 7th St. • 310-732-2150Norm Looney • 318 S. Pacific Ave. • 310-548-6293 Warschaw Gallery • 600 S. Pacific Ave • 310-547-3606

San Pedro’S original artWalk— Fine dining • live MuSic SPecial PerForManceS • Food truckS!

Richard Lopez StudioNew works on display by Richard Lopez. Art classes by appointment. 372 7th St. • 562.370.7883 • Ralopezart.com

Michael Stearns StudioOpening this month at Studio 347, Michael Stearns presents the Valentine themed show, “Love is Blind.” Along with six guest artists, Michael explores emotions evoked by the high expectations created by this manufactured holiday. Michael is especially interested in honoring the whimsy of Valentine’s Day while investigating the universal truths of human relationships and love. An Artist’s Reception will be held on Sunday February 10th from 4:00 – 6:00 at the studio.Studio 347 is open on First Thursday Artwalks and by appointment and by chance. For additional information, please call 562-400-0544.347 W. 7th St. • 562.400.0544 • Michaelstearnsstudio.com

Ray Carofano / LensWorkRay Carofano, local artist and First Thursday staple, is featured in the latest issue of LensWork. A portfolio of 21 images from the Broken Dreams series plus 59 additional images and an audio interview on LensWork Extended are both available on line.For more information visit: http://www.lenswork.com/previewpages/lw104/lw104preview.html

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BIG nICk’S PIzzATradition, variety

and fast delivery; you get it all at Big Nick’s Pizza. The best selection of Italian specialties include hear ty calzones, an array of pastas and of course, our amazing selection of signature pizzas,

each piled high with the freshest toppings. Like wings or greens? We also offer an excellent selection of appetizers, salads, beer and wine. Call for fast delivery. Hours: 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Sun.-Thurs., 10 a.m.-11:30 p.m. Fri. & Sat. 1110 N. Gaffey St., San Pedro • (310) 732-5800

BEACH CITy GrILLA c u l i n a r y

adventure—no passport required. Famous for Cajun sweet potato fries, garlic French fries, fresh fish, shrimp, salads, vegetarian, Cajun and Caribbean specials . Tr y the

awesome desserts created by Chef Larry Hodgson. Celebrating 25 years. Open for Lunch: Tues.-Sat. 11 a.m.- 2 p.m. and dinner: 5-8 p.m. Closed Sun. and Mon. 376 W. 6th St., San Pedro. (310) 833-6345.

BoArDWALk GrILLC a s u a l

w a t e r f r o n t dining at i ts finest! Famous for s labs o f Chicago-style baby back ribs, f i sh -n -ch ips ,

rich clam chowder, cold beer on tap and wine. Full lunch menu also includes salads, sandwiches and burgers. Indoor and outdoor patio dining available. Proudly pouring Starbucks coffee. Open 7 days a week. Free Parking. 1199 Nagoya Way, LA Harbor - Berth 77, San Pedro • (310) 519-7551

Buono’S AuTHEnTIC PIzzErIAA San Pedro

landmark for over 40 years, famous for exceptional award-winning pizza baked in b r i c k o v e n s . B u o n o ’ s a l s o o f fe rs c lass ic

Italian dishes and sauces based on tried-and-true family recipes and hand-selected ingredients that are prepared fresh. You can dine-in or take-out. Delivery and catering are also provided. Additionally, there are two locations in Long Beach. Hours: Sun.-Thurs. 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Fri. and Sat. 11 a.m.-11 p.m. 1432 S. Gaffey St., San Pedro • (310) 547-0655 www.buonospizza.com

CATALInA BISTro & ExPrESS GrILLThe soaring span of the V i n c e n t T h o m a s Bridge above and bustling vessel traffic on the Main

Channel alongside, Catalina Bistro and Express Grill in the new Catalina Express terminal is the most exciting place to eat

in the Harbor. The Grill is a wonderful surprise of great coffee and great food. The Bistro and accompanying bar have made the terminal a go-to place for drinks and food with a view at the outdoor tables with umbrellas. From 1/3lb Angus Burgers, homemade soups daily and clam chowder on Fridays you can’t go wrong. Join us for breakfast and lunch daily and dinners on Friday & Saturday nights. Catalina Sea & Air Terminal, Berth 95, San Pedro 310-707-2440

THE CHoWDEr BArGEL.A. Harbor’s

famous floating r e s t a u r a n t , sur rounded by boats in Leeward Bay Marina. Dine inside by our fire place, or outside on our deck. This unique spot serves great sandwiches, burgers, f ish & chips, wings and of

course, the BEST clam chowder anywhere! Try our sourdough bread bowl and daily specials. Wine and beer on tap or by the bottle, featuring our 34oz Captains Mug! The new owners have kept the “funkiness” of the old barge, and stepped it up several notches. Watch the games on our big screen TVs, utilize our WiFi and enjoy our XM tunes. THE place for your next party. Hours: Mon, Tues 11 a.m.–3 p.m. Wed, Thurs 11 a.m.–8 p.m. Fri, Sat, Sun 9 a.m.–8 p.m. 611 N. Henry Ford, (at Anaheim) Leeward Bay Marina, Wilmington • (310) 830-7937 • www.ChowderBarge.com

Iron CITy TAVErnIron City features a newly renovat-ed dining room and wonderfully restored bar in a modern set-ting. The most c o m f o r t a b l e

gastropub in San Pedro, Iron City offers casual dining for lunch and dinner with food service at the bar. Catch all sporting events on seven 50” screens in surround sound and listen to your favorite tunes on our internet jukebox. (Iron City is a supporter of the Black & Gold.) Iron City fea-tures authentic Philly cheese steaks, various hot sandwiches and burgers, calamari steaks and a variety of Italian pasta dishes. Hours:10:30 a.m.-2a.m. 7 days a week. Happy hour from 4-6 p.m. featuring 1/2 priced appetizers and drink specials. Free parking in rear. 589 W. 9th St., San Pedro • (310) 547-4766

MISHI’S STruDEL BAkEry Mishi’s is a fragrant landmark on 7th Street, where it is possible to find Nirvana by following your nose. The enticing aroma of baking strudel is impossible to resist, and the darling café is warm and welcoming like your favorite auntie’s

house. Aniko and Mishi have expanded the menu to include homemade goulash soup and a variety of sweet and savory Hungarian strudels, crepes and pastas. The best indulgence is taking a frozen strudel home to bake in your own kitchen and create that heavenly aroma at your house. Mishi’s Strudel Bakery and Café, 309 W.7th St., St., San Pedro • (310) 832-6474 www.mishisstrudel.com

PorTS o’CALL WATErFronT DInInGSince 1961

we’ve extended a hearty welcome to visitors from eve r y co rne r of the globe. Delight in an awe-inspiring view of the dynamic LA Harbor while

enjoying exquisite Coastal California Cuisine and Varietals. Relax in the Plank Bar or Outdoor Patio for the best Happy Hour on the Waterfront. With the Award-Winning Sunday Champagne Brunch, receive the first SPIRIT CRUISES Harbor Cruise of the day FREE. Open 7 days, lunch and dinner. Free Parking. 1199 Nagoya Way, LA Harbor - Berth 76, San Pedro • (310) 833-3553 www.Portsocalldining.com

SAn PEDro BrEWInG CoMPnAy

S P B C h a s a n eclectic menu featuring p a s t a s , s t e a k s , seafood, sandwiches, sa lads , de l i c ious appetizers, and great BBQ. Handcrafted ales and lagers are made on the premises. A full bar with made-from-scratch margaritas

and a martini menu all add fun to the warm and friendly atmosphere. WIFI bar connected for Web surfing and e-mail—bring your laptop. Hours: From 11:30 a.m., daily. 331 W. 6th St., San Pedro • (310) 831-5663 • www.sanpedrobrewing.com

SPIrIT CruISESA n i n s t a n t

party! Complete with all you need to relax and enjoy while the majesty of the harbor slips

by. Our three yachts and seasoned staff provide for an exquisite excursion every time, and “all-inclusive” pricing makes party planning easy! Dinner Cruise features a 3-course meal, full bar, unlimited cocktails and starlight dancing. Offering the ultimate excursion for any occasion. Free Parking. 1199 Nagoya Way, LA Harbor - Berth 77, San Pedro • (310) 548-8080, (562) 495-5884 • www.spiritmarine.com

THInk CAFéThink Café is

g iv ing downtown San Pedro a taste of sophist ication for breakfast and l u n c h t i m e , a n d dinner. Located in the heart of downtown on 5th Street, Think Café’ has been a magnet for local s and business types

alike for over 15 years. The special secret of Think Café? Dining outside on the patio. Lovely for latte’ in the morning or soup and salad at midday, the patio is a wonderful rendezvous in the evening, perfect for enjoying a selection from the wine list. The Café’ also boasts a selection of imported beers. Breakfast at the Café’ runs the gamut from bacon and eggs to eggs Benedict, with a wide variety of dishes to awaken the taste buds. Think Café’s sandwiches are hard to beat. 302 W. 5th St. Suite 105, San Pedro • (310) 519-3662

To Advertise in Random Lengths News’

Restaurant Guide for the Harbor Area, Call (310) 519–1442.

TruSELA’SSouthern Italian & California Cui-sine • Bob and Josephine Tru-sela have been a w a r d e d t h e “Most Promising New Restaurant 2010” award and three stars 2011

and 2012, by the Southern California Restaurant Writers Association. Catering available for all ocassions. Hours: Sun. 5 p.m.–Close, Lunch: Tues–Fri 11:30–2:30, Dinner: Tues–Sat 5 p.m.–Closing. 28158 S. Western Ave., San Pedro • (310) 547–0993 www.truselas.com

THE WHALE & ALESan Pedro’s

British Gastro P u b o f f e r s c o m fo r t a b l e dining in oak paneled setting, featuring English

fish & chips, roast prime rib, sea bass, rack of lamb, beef Wellington, English pies, venison, salmon, swordfish & vegan/vegetarian dishes. Open for lunch & dinner, 7days/wk; great selection of wines; 14 British tap ales, & full bar. Frequent live Music. First Thursday live band & special fixed price menu. Hours: Mon.-Thu. 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Fri. 11:30 a.m.-midnight Sat. & Sun. 1-10 p.m. Bar open late. 327 W. 7th St., San Pedro • (310) 832-0363 • www.whaleandale.com

San Pedro’s Best Guide To—Fine Dining—

Brochure

2013 EditionComing Soon!

January 25 – February 7, 2013ACE: Arts •

Culture • Entertainm

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Calendar to page 16.

South. The radio station stays on KJazz, and on some evenings old school blues joints adds an old-timey atmosphere to the place while you’re waiting for your food.

“We want to do one restaurant really well and let the future take care of itself. It may be a cliché, but if my great grandmother were to be here, I don’t want her to be like, ‘What did you do to my food?’”

Earl is hyper–conscious of Porky’s stand in the landscape of barbecue restaurants, both among its contemporaries, as well as, in time. One of the battles he’s fighting, at least with himself, is the downward pressure on prices that McDonalds is creating as they begin to provide even more offerings at dollar or less prices.

“Porky’s fried chicken is very similar to that of Golden Bird’s chicken,” Earl noted. “At one time they had 18 restaurants. Now they only have one.”

Earl compared Golden Bird to Honey’s Kettle, which had the same batter and everything, but cost 30 percent more.

“There’s one in Culver City. There’s one in Compton. It’s a fresh product and you get what you pay for. Customers want what they want and that’s the same thing with me,” Earl said, making a parallel to the quality of Porky’s product and the prices charge for it.

Because barbecue is a comfort food—a food which different people have different tastes and expectations—Earl knows he won’t be able to please everyone. But he also understands who his customers are. He cited Erving Magic Johnson’s

take over of Fat Burger and the changes that made the legendary burger stand fall off its pedestal as the best burger in Los Angeles.

“A big mistake that Magic Johnson made—every business he’s had, has been successful—except for when he got into Fat Burgers. Instead of having an 80/20 mix of fat, it was changed to 9/10 mix [this translates to a significantly healthier burger, but a burger that no longer tasted like Fat Burger]. And instead of toasting the buns on the grill they started put them through a toaster. They changed their product, people stopped going to Fat Burger.

They’ve changed their burger back to 80/20 but they still put their buns through a toaster, not on the grill. At the original Fat Burger, on Jefferson and Western Avenue, It was a slight tilt on the grill and these buns are sucking in all this fat that got caramelized but they had all the flavor. And that’s how our burgers are made here. This is not a place to be healthy. This the place where you’d get diabetes, high blood pressure, you’re going to have gas all night, Earl joked. “But it is what it is.”

He said that salads have never done well at Porky’s. In fact Porky’s has one green vegetable: greens. Mustard and collard greens to be exact.

Earl pays great attention to detail, nimbly responding to his core customers desires. His menu is a reflection of it. His menu frequently changes in the course of a year, not that it deviates from the core product. The newest items on the menu includes the blacken catfish, pulled chicken, and the Hobo plate.

You’re not going to find fried catfish at Porky’s. Earl said it threw off the flavor of his oil. But you will find some incredibly seasoned catfish that is quickly becoming one of the most popular items there, behind the fried chicken. The

Flying SquadThe Flying Squad will be performing rock music at the San Pedro Brewing Company, Jan. 26, from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. Tickets will be on sale for $3.Details: (310) 831-5663; sanpedrobrewing.comVenue: San Pedro Brewing CompanyLocation: 331 W. 6th St., San Pedro

FEBruAry 1Down the HatchDown the Hatch will perform at the Godmothers Saloon, Feb. 1, from 9 p.m. to 12 a.m.Details: (310) 833-1589; http://www.godmoth-erssaloon.comVenue: Godmothers SaloonLocation: 302 W. 7th St., San Pedro

FEBruAry 7Trial by FireThe San Pedro 7th Street Chophouse will host the Trial by Fire, tribute to Journey, Feb. 7, at 8:30 p.m. The band Journey had to cancel their Trial by Fire tour due to an injury to the lead singer. A tribute has been made to them in order to give fans what they missed out on, the Trial by Fire tour. Details: (310) 684-1753; http://7thstreetchophouse.comVenue: San Pedro 7th Street ChophouseLocation: 465 W. 7th St., San Pedro

JAnuAry 25Shark Lagoon nightsThe Aquarium of the Pacific presents Shark Lagoon Night, Jan. 25, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. The public is invited to get up close with the ocean’s main predators. Guests will have the opportunity to touch bamboo sharks and see large sharks such as sand-tigers and rays. Coffee, hot cocoa, beer, wine, desserts, and snacks will be available for purchase. Admission price is free.Details: (562) 590-3100 ext. 0; www.aquariumof-pacific.orgVenue: Aquarium of the PacificLocation: 100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach

JAnuAry 27Whale FiestaThe Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, will host the 43rd annual Whale Fiesta, Jan. 27, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This event celebrates marine mammals and the migration of Pacific gray whales along Southern California’s coast. More than 20 marine life orga-nizations will help raise awareness and provide protections for these animals. Free.Details: (310) 548-7562; www.cabrillomarineaquar-ium.orgVenue: Cabrillo Marine AquariumLocation: 3720 Stephen M. White Dr., San Pedro

JAnuAry 28Excellence In Leadership Speaker SeriesMarymount College presents its Excellence In Leadership Speaker Series, Jan. 28, at 7 p.m. Marymount will be bringing California leaders to the campus to discuss leadership challenges and opportunities in the 21st century. This event will be held in the auditorium of the Main Campus. Details: (310) 303-7223; www.marymountpv.eduVenue: Main Campus Marymount College audi-toriumLocation: 30800 Palos Verdes Dr. East, Rancho Palos Verdes

FEBruAry 2Little SquirtsThe Cabrillo Marine Aquarium presents Little Squirts, a session that is offered for four consecutive Saturdays in Feb. from 10 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. Details: (310) 548-7562; www.cabrillomarineaquar-ium.orgVenue: Cabrillo Marine AquariumLocation: 3720 Stephen M. White Dr., San Pedro

Community/Family

pulled chicken is simply dark portions of chicken that’s been slow cooked to the point that it falls apart and is drenched in Porky’s famously spicy Bubba sauce.

For Earl, product quality is number one on his list of priorities. Service is a close second. He spends a great deal of time training his staff to make his recipes with precision and have them learn by their mistakes. Though a lot of times those mistakes get thrown away.

But even the mistakes are oh so good. A lot of the meats that are over-smoked, a little over cooked, or maybe made just little extra crispy, a mixture of these caste off meats are put on the Hobo plate. For the real barbecue connoisseurs, this is an ideal plate where you can get various cuts and kinds of meats you would not ordinarily get.

But at the end of the day, it’s product quality that Earl is aiming for.

“We’re going to run out of food,” Earl explained. “I cannot have an endless amount of biscuits, ribs, and tri-tips, because if they don’t sell, they’ll just go to the next day. You can do that with beans and greens, but I can’t do that with fresh beef and I can’t do that with fresh chicken. So we’re going to make a limited amount, and when we’re out, you’ll just have to get something else [on the menu].”

Earl is planning to launch a barbecue competition with prize money involved later this year. He’s looking to br ing out the connoisseurs with recipes of their own. Details: (310) 521-9999Venue: Porky’s BBQLocation: 362 W. 6th St., San Pedro

Calendar from page 12.

Porky’s

Palos Verdes Art Center is hosting an exhibition of textile artists. Entitled, Fiber Forward:

Contemporary Practices in Textile Art. The exhibit utilizes a distinct range of media

and couples it with unique perspectives. The result is in an intellectually compelling and visually beautiful show.

Three galleries at Palos Verdes Art Center are dedicated to the work of 16 artists from across the United States. Each gallery is grouped thematically, according to subject and size of the work. Color abounds. Themes of wind and water are discussed in thought provoking forms that present natural phenomenon in beautifully constructed textiles

Utilized from the beginning of time, fiber art has experienced a major resurgence recently. Weaving was one of the first skills developed by early humans and traditional tapestry continues to be practiced. Today’s fiber art encompasses felting, quilting, yarn bombing and fine silk textile wall art. A generation bombarded by plastic artificiality and impersonal technology has embraced the natural fabrics and colors incorporated in this ancient art form.

One local artist even uses dryer lint for her art sculptures.

The utility of traditional weaving and quilting has occasionally raised the question of “is this art?”

These artists leave no question in the viewer’s mind. Quilts included in this exhibit were never intended to cover your bed.

Fiber artist Deborah Weir curates the exhibition with guest co-curator Inga-Gorsvans-Buell. Both artists are featured in the exhibition.

Gallery One at Palos Verdes Art Center houses much of Weir’s work in an exhibit titled A Fierce Wind. She shared that she grew up in the San Fernando Valley and was affected each year by the fierce Santa Ana winds.

“Almost all of the pieces here are represented by the names of winds in specific parts of the world,” Weir says.

Fierce winds from Australia, and Asia are represented in the artist textiles. Harmatton, the dry dusty West African trade wind, is presented in a darkly colored composition that warns of impending danger. Weir also transforms the element of wind into brilliantly colored textiles that effectively communicate the effects of wind on people and the landscape. A concerned environmentalist, she expresses a concern for global warming and the results caused by environmental changes she has witnessed in her lifetime.

A widely exhibited artist, she has participated in fiber art shows across the country and also teaches her techniques at Fiber Fly Studios, on the Palos Verdes Peninsula.

In Gallery Two, Artist Inga-Gorsvans-Buell has taken on the subject of water in her section titled Confluence. The show presents five West Coast artists, each with a unique vision and different perspectives, using various media on the topic of water’s beauty and misuse. She states the exhibit is relevant at this time, as the United Nations has declared 2013 as the International Year of Water Cooperation.

Gosvans-Buell incorporates the printmaking technique of collagraphy. The resulting collage is imbued with brilliant colors in the artists’ contemporary style. Collagraphy is a very open printmaking method and Gosvans- Buell uses it beautifully in her work.

The final section of the exhibition presented in Gallery Three is an exhibit titled, 24x80. The national group Art Cloth Network organized this gallery. The room contains silk banners, all sized 24 by 80 inches, hence the title.

The result is an exhibition that is thematically cohesive, utilizing a distinct range of media coupled with unique perspectives. The intellectually compelling and visually beautiful show will reward the visitor and provides a great excuse to travel up the hill.

Fiber Forward: Contemporary Practices in Textile Art will be on display through March 17. Venue: The Palos Verdes Art CenterLocation: 550 Deep Valley Drive, Suite 261, Rolling Hills Estates

The Fabric of Lifeby: Andrea Serna, Contributing Arts Writer

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Calendar from page 15. Calendar from page 11.

Art

House of usHernative Garden Workday Beach Cleanup Join the Cabrillo Marina Aquarium in helping main-tain the beach and the Cabrillo Native Garden, Feb. 2, from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Group reservations are required to be made by Jan. 31. Free.Details: (310) 548-7562; www.cabrillomarineaquar-ium.orgVenue: Cabrillo Marine AquariumLocation: 3720 Stephen M. White Dr., San Pedro

FEBruAry 7Marymount College at First ThursdayMarymount College will be hosting student and faculty performances for the First Thursday event at the Arcade Gallery and the Grand Annex Theatre. Free. Details: (310) 303-7223; www.marymountpv.eduVenue: Grand Annex Theatre; Arcade GalleryLocation: 434 W. 6th St., San Pedro; 479 W. 6th St., San Pedro

JAnuAry 25Pick of the VineThe Little Fish Theatre will host the Pick of the Vine event, Jan. 25, at 8 p.m. The Pick of the Vine is a selection of short screenplays. Tickets will go on sale, beginning at $27.Details: (310) 512-6030; http://www.littlefishthe-atre.orgVenue: Little Fish TheatreLocation: 777 S. Centre St., San Pedro

JAnuAry 27Philip Glass’ Fall of the House of UsherThe Long Beach Opera presents to you, at the War-ner Grand Theatre, Philip Glass’ Fall of the House of Usher, Jan. 27, at 2 p.m. As one of Edgar Allan Poe’s most unsettling stories, Fall of the House of Usher, explores a time where it is best to confront your fears and nightmares, and also deduct the fine line between reality and your imagination. Phillip Glass’ music provides an eerie sound for this journey. Tickets range anywhere from $29 to $160, proportional to your seating. Details: (310) 548-2493; www.grandvision.orgVenue: Warner Grand TheatreLocation: 434 W. 6th St., San Pedro

FEBruAry 1 Atlantic StepsThe Torrance Cultural Arts Foundation and their Guest Artists Series presents Atlantic Steps, Feb. 1, beginning at 8 p.m. The Atlantic steps tells the story of Ireland’s oldest dance form, portrayed through music, song, dance and energy of the Connemnara region. Tickets go on-sale for $35 and $31.50.Details: (310) 781-7171; www.atlanticsteps.comVenue: James Armstrong TheatreLocation: 3330 Civic Center Dr., Torrance

FEBruAry 5 From Cuba To Paris and the Surrealist Move-mentThe Torrance Cultural Services Division will be showing Artful Days: Wilfredo Lam, Feb. 5, from 12:10 p.m. to 1 p.m. Lam was the first Cuban artist to gain an international reputation. Lam sought to portray and revive the Afro-Cuban spirit and culture. Admission won’t cost you a thing.Details: (310) 618-2326Venue: George Nakano TheatreLocation: 3330 Civic Center Dr., Torrance

Somos AnimalesThe Gallery Azul present Somos Animales, Feb. 9, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Somon Animales is about realizing that we are animals and we should be in the same rhythm with the elements and the planet.Details: (310) 831-2116; www.galleryazul.com/Venue: Gallery AzulLocation: 520 W. 8th St., San Pedro

Love is Blind Michael Stearns presents the Valentine themed show, Love is Blind, Feb. 10, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Along with six guest artists, Michael explores emo-tions evoked by the high expectations created by this manufactured holiday. Details: (562) 400-0544; www.michaelstearns-studio.comVenue: Michael Stearns StudioLocation: 347 W. 7th St., San Pedro

Theater/Film

Behind the Curtains of a Philip Glass’ Poe Production

The First United Methodist Church of Long Beach has a full-sized gym with blue painted brick walls, a basketball court under a suspended ceiling and a stage at one end. There, are gathered a rehearsal pianist, an orange extension cord running to her piano, a group of singers facing her and the two glass windows to the outside. Also, there is a man working his way through a book, keeping track of the singers. At the far end is a coffee pot and bottled water for the performers — the voice needs to be continually lubricated.

A conductor stands next to the piano, beating time with what looks like a pen as the singers rehearsed short sections of what is unmistakably a Philip Glass score. The singers, dressed in street clothes, ignore the children just outside the glass as carefully as the children ignore the singers.

This odd juxtaposition of noisy forces: the singers and the children, marks one of the first rehearsals of Long Beach Opera’s initial production of their 2013 season, The Fall of the

House of Usher, an opera by Glass, libretto by Arthur Yorinks. Premiered in 1988, is getting its first hearing on the West Coast in this production. Long Beach Opera has used the gym for rehearsals for several years, even for performances of Brundebar, an opera composed by Hanz Craza.

Early rehearsals are important for the performers, who learn the musical score and how the conductor and director view the music. The cast was rehearsing last week in the gym. This week they move to the Warner Grand, where they will rehearse the action. The opera, set originally in early 19th century Baltimore by Edgar Allen Poe, will be given an Art Deco enhancement by the elegance of the Warner Grand.

Suzan Hanson, who created the role of Madeline in the opera’s premiere 25 years ago at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Mass., is one of the performers on folding chairs facing the pianist (and the children outside). She has no problems with her words, even though she is heard throughout the opera, and knows the score intimately, she doesn’t remember her words. She doesn’t have to. Madeline never speaks a word in

the entire production.She puts on gloves against the cold in the gym...

er...rehearsal hall, and later in rehearsal she is seen calmly knitting through the music. The knitting, she explains later, is for a sweater to combat the cold in Chicago. After three performances in San Pedro the opera is being moved, with most of the cast, to performances in Chicago. This is the first co-production in which Andreas Mitisek, artistic and general director of the Long Beach Opera, is taking to his new home at the Chicago Opera Theater. Mitisek was appointed artistic director there this past year.

The Fall of the House of Usher is a tale of Gothic horror telling a classic tale. William, a childhood friend of Roderick Usher, is summoned to his home. Roderick, the only survivor of the Ushers, tells William that his sister Madeline is dying from a disease that involves the loss of control of her body. When she does die, William and Roderick bury her below the ancient Usher house. But Roderick cannot rest. He believes he has buried Madeline alive, and eventually she reappears and kills Roderick. William flees and the house cracks and falls apart.

Mitisek decided to stage Fall in the middle of the past year, and hired Ken Cazan, who earlier directed Long Beach Opera’s production of The Cunning Little Vixen, to direct this production. Cazan, who is resident stage director at USC, sees this opera as something more than just a spooky story.

“I had an automatic reaction to the relationship of Roderick and William,” Cazan said in a recent interview. “Roderick’s desperate need of William, and William’s very ‘sensitive’ gift of a music box and anxiousness to be with Roderick, immediately impressed me as a budding or long desired homosexual relationship. Perhaps it was tending to go there in their youths, as they played together during puberty and adolescence. Certainly, Roderick wrote to William, beseeching him to come and help him, in a desperate voice, practically begging for him to join him. William feels an unusual sense of passion for Roderick, a long lost friend whom he hasn’t seen since they were children. William very forcefully speaks of taking Roderick away, and of saving him.”

That very different view of Poe’s Gothic horror story is fine with Mitisek, who expects to get very individual views from the creative people he works with.

Fall of the House of Usher is only the first of two tales by Poe to be featured in this year’s Long Beach Opera schedule. After a production of Gabriel Ortiz’ Camelia La Tejana: Only the Truth (Unicamente la Verdad) March 24 and 30 at Long Beach’s Terrace Theatre Poe’s Tell-Tale Heart in an opera by Stewart Copeland and Michael Gordon’s Van Gogh will be produced as a double-bill May 11, 18 and 19 at the Expo Center in Long Beach. The final production of the current season will be Ernest Bloch’s Macbeth set for June 15, 22 and 23 at the Port of Los Angeles.

Tickets for The Fall of the House of Usher are $29 to $160. Performances are Jan. 27 at 2 p.m., Feb. 2 at 8 p.m. and Feb. 3 at 2 p.m.Details: (562) 432-5934, www.longbeachopera.orgVenue: Warner Grand TheatreLocation: 478 W. 6th St., San Pedro

Credit: Keith Ian Polakoff.006: L to R: Lee Gregory (William), Ryan MacPherson (Roderick Usher), Suzan Hanson (Madeline Usher) behind them

17

The Local Publication You Actually Read January 25 - February 7 - 27, 2013

afraid of the traffic.The way Shabsis explains it is that while

generally, more units, mean more, cars and more traffic, “the type of units make a difference. Single-family homes generate more traffic than multi-family home.”

He said that many existing single-family homes have more than two cars in the fam-ily, which may be comprised of parents, adult or teenage children, and/or senior citizens who drive. This is as opposed to a condo or town-home, where there is designated parking spaces for one or two cars. This explanation, however, does not address the community’s desire for fewer units.

The developer’s plans calls for Ponte Vista to be a gated commu-nity with a dedicat-ed road to Mary

Star of the Sea High School. The project would include 11.07 acres of green space, development facilities and pools.

Diana Nave said the neighborhood council is opposed to Ponte Vista being gated because it segregates the project from the community as a whole.

“It has to do with civic engagement and being part of the community,” she said. “The job of the neighborhood council is to engage people. Gates divide and isolate. When you put people behind a gate you are selling isolation, as opposed to be-ing part of the larger community of San Pedro.”

Cavalleri explained that the purpose of the project being gated was to mitigate the impact of traffic within the development. He argues that Ponte Vista is already gated, noting that it’s al-ready separated from the street grid and immedi-ate neighborhood.

About 18 percent of the former Navy housing property will include open space in the form of playgrounds, pocket parks and publicly acces-sible hiking and biking trails. In addition, the de-veloper will pay more than $2.5 million to devel-op on- and off-site parks and recreation facilities in the Harbor Area. The fee is in accordance to the State Quimby Act, which requires residential subdivision developers to pay impact fees that can be used to purchase and develop land and/or recreational facilities.

Nave noted that most of their comments on

from p. 4

Ponte Vista: It’s Backthe draft EIR, which was released Nov. 8, were concerning the design of the project.

TrafficExtra right-turn lanes, extra left-turn lanes, ad-

ditional signals, a contiguous lane along Western Avenue for XL diesel trucks and 40-foot setbacks to the property’s entrance on Western are among some of the developer’s plans to mitigate traffic.

The developer acknowledges that traffic is one of the biggest community concerns, not only for the San Pedro community, but also its sur-rounding communities.

Diana Nave said that most of the traffic miti-gations are focused on the north side of the proj-ect, assuming that there would not be much of a problem with traffic from the south and basing it on 60 percent north and only 40 percent south of San Pedro.

“That assumption is flawed,” she said. In 2010, iStar conducted traffic counts in the

area during peak school hours and on Saturday to capture the impact of traffic to the community.

Shabsis said they found that the 16 inter-sections to be in compliance with the

California Environmental Qual-ity Act guidelines as well as

the guidelines of the Los Angeles De-

partment of Trans-

portation for the reduced density project. Although iStar officials say community in-

put was considered, some communities feel they were left out of the loop.

“We still have general concerns with traffic as it impacts our city,” said Gary Sugano, assistant city manager for the City of Lomita. “There are a lot of mitigation efforts that they really haven’t consulted us on. They may or may not be fea-sible but if we were consulted there may have been better considered in our eyes. To hear the improvement without actually talking to the af-flicted areas is basically putting the carriage be-fore the horse.”

Cavalleri signaled that iStar still is willing to discuss options with other communities. One op-tion that developers said they might entertain is some type of future traffic impact fee in case of additional impact, which the Northwest San Pe-dro Neighborhood Council suggested.

“We are more than happy to entertain dialogue but we are not going to enter a dialogue thinking that we gotta modify and change things because it is somebody’s whim or will,” Cavalleri said.

Next StepsDiana Nave said that members of the neigh-

borhood council are upset that they did not extend the public comment period to 90 days in consid-eration of the holidays. The developer allowed 60 days of public comment and was required to

only have 45 days for comment. Now that the comment period has ended, the

City of Los Angeles is expected to compile the draft EIR comments.

Once the final EIR is released, the Los Ange-les Planning Commission will set a hearing and make recommendations. The Los Angeles City Council’s Planning and Land Use Committee will also set a hearing and give their recommen-

dations. And lastly, the city council is expected to vote to approve or disapprove the project.

Developers expect the project to be entitled in the second quarter of 2013, with a ground-breaking in the third or fourth quarter of the year. Model homes are expected to rise by late spring or summer 2014. The developer estimates the projected cost in total investment to be more than $500 million.

18

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19

The Local Publication You Actually Read January 25 - February 7 - 27, 2013

Statement of Abandonment of use of Fictitious Business name

File no. 2012238002File no: 20080895010; Date Filed: 05/20/08Name of Business(es) nick’s li-quorStreet Address, City, State, and Zip Code: 510 N. Pacific Coast Hwy, Re-dondo Beach, CA 90277. Registered Owners: Brook Zewdie, 2005 Speyer Lane Unit #B, Redondo Beach, CA 90278. Tseday Kiwfe-Micahesi, 2005 Speyer Lane Unit #B, Redondo Beach, CA 90278. Business was conducted by a husband and wife. I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. (A regis-trant who declares as true information which he or she knows to be false is guilty of a crime).This Statement was filed with the County Clerk of Los An-geles County on Nov. 30, 2012.

Fictitious Business name Statement

File no. 2012 253805The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: 1. San pedro Healing Arts med Clinic, 2. San pedro physical therapy, 3. Healing Arts medical Clinic, 1366 W. 7th Street, Ste 4B, San Pedro CA, 90731. County of Los Angeles, 1952 Galerita Dr., Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275.Registered owner(s): San Pedro Healing Arts Inc., 1366 W. 7th Street, Ste 4B, San Pedro CA, 90731. This business is conducted by Corpora-tion. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 1992. I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true infor-mation, which he or she knows to be false, is guilty of a crime.) San Pedro Healing Arts Inc. S/ Dr. Maria Baez, President. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Los Angeles on December 24, 2012. Notice- In accordance with Subdivision (a) of Section 17920, a Fictitious Business Statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the County Clerk, except as provided in Subdivision (b) of Section 17920, where it expires 40days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS FILINGSother than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A New Fictitious Business Statement must be filed before the expiration. The fil-ing 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 14411 et. Seq., Business and Profes-sions Code). Amended (New Filing): 01/10/13, 01/24/13, 02/7/13, 02/21/13

Fictitious Business name Statement

File no. 2012254805The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: get it-got it Concierge, 3431 Muldae Ave., San Pedro, CA 90732. County of Los Angeles. Reg-istered owner(s): Charles G. Abbott, Jr., 3431 Muldae Ave., San Pedro, CA 90732. This business is conducted by a General Partnership. The registrant commenced 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.) Charles G. Abbot, Jr., owner/general partner. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Los Angeles on December 26, 2012. Notice- In accordance with Subdivi-sion (a) of Section 17920, a Fictitious Business Statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the County Clerk, except as provided in Subdivision (b) of Section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A New Fictitious Business Statement must be filed before the expiration. The fil-ing 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 14411 et. Seq., Business and Profes-sions Code). Amended (New Filing): 01/10/13, 01/24/13, 02/7/13, 02/21/13

Fictitious Business name Statement

File no. 2012240722The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: 1. vB management marketing Services, 2. vB manage-ment, 17809 Osage Ave., Torrance, CA 90504. County of Los Angeles. Registered owner(s): Stephen A. Robbins, 17809 Osage Ave., Tor-rance, CA 90504. Carol B. Robbins, 17809 Osage Ave., Torrance, CA 90504. This business is conducted by husband and wife. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above 1/10/2000. I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true infor-mation, which he or she knows to be false, is guilty of a crime.) Stephen A. Robbins owner. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Los Angeles on December 26, 2012. Notice- In accordance with Subdivi-sion (a) of Section 17920, a Fictitious Business Statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the County Clerk, except as provided in Subdivision (b) of Section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A New Fictitious Business Statement must be filed before the expiration. The fil-ing 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 14411 et. Seq., Business and Profes-sions Code). Amended (New Filing): 01/10/13, 01/24/13, 02/7/13, 02/21/13

Fictitious Business name Statement

File no. 2013002493The following person(s) is (are) do-ing business as: 1. Hawaiian total Fitness mmA, 615 S. Mesa Street, San Pedro CA, 90731. County of Los Angeles. Registered owner(s): Gretchen Alexis Kennedy, 615 S., Mesa Street, San Pedro CA, 90731. This business is conducted by an indi-vidual. The registrant commenced 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 infor-mation, which he or she knows to be false, is guilty of a crime.) San Pedro Healing Arts Inc. S/ Gretchen Ken-nedy. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Los Angeles on Jan. 07, 2013. Notice- In accordance with Subdivision (a) of Section 17920, a Fictitious Business Statement gen-erally 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 Sec-tion 17920, where it expires 40days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in the resi-dence address of a registered owner. A New Fictitious Business 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 14411 et. Seq., Business and Professions Code). Amended (New Filing): 01/24/13, 02/7/13, 02/21/13, 03/07/13

Fictitious Business name Statement

File no. 2012257444The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: 1. g Floorz, 603 5th Street, Apt. 3, San Pedro CA, 90731. County of Los Angeles. Registered owner(s): Jesus Gonzales, 603 5th Street, Apt. 3, San Pedro, CA 90731. This business is conducted by an indi-vidual. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on N/A. I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true infor-mation, which he or she knows to be false, is guilty of a crime.) San Pedro Healing Arts Inc. S/ Jesus Gonzales. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Los Angeles on Dec. 31, 2012. Notice- In accordance with Subdivision (a) of Section 17920, a Fictitious Business Statement gener-ally 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 Sec-

tion 17920, where it expires 40days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in the resi-dence address of a registered owner. A New Fictitious Business 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 14411 et. Seq., Business and Professions Code). Amended (New Filing): 01/24/13, 02/7/13, 02/21/13, 03/07/13

Fictitious Business name Statement

File no. 2013010411The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: 1. Second Chance re-pair, 2637 S. Pacific Ave., San Pedro CA, 90731. County of Los Angeles. Registered owner(s): David Perez, 2637 S. Pacific Ave., San Pedro, CA 90731. This business is conducted by an individual. The registrant com-menced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Jan. 4, 2013. I declare

that all information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true information, which he or she knows to be false, is guilty of a crime.) San Pedro Healing Arts Inc. S/ Jesus Gonzales. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Los Angeles on Jan. 15, 2013. Notice- In accordance with Subdivision (a) of Section 17920, a Fictitious Business Statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the County Clerk, except as provided in Subdivision (b) of Section 17920, where it expires 40days 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 Statement must be filed before the expiration. The fil-ing 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 14411 et. Seq., Business and Profes-sions Code). Amended (New Filing): 01/24/13, 02/7/13, 02/21/13, 03/07/13

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