March 2009 Archives

On March 20, environmentalists were outraged when the new owner of a parcel of wetlands on the Los Cerritos Channel near Loynes Drive and Studebaker Road bulldozed the property.

The owner says he was complying with a weed abatement order, while city officials say the property is zoned for open space and shouldn't have been touched without local and state Coastal Commission approval.

Tonight, the monthly Beer & Politics discussion will focus on this issue, with 4th District City Councilman Patrick O'Donnell and Assistant City Manager Suzanne Frick providing some answers. The event will take place at 7 p.m. at Gallagher's Pub & Grill, 2751 E. Broadway. It's free, open to the public, and always a lively dialogue.

Utter the word "Compton" and a few images may come to mind: crime, gangs, drugs, the rap group N.W.A., who came out with "Straight Outta Compton."

Many of us who grew up in Los Angeles County know its storied reputation. We also know that it's a city with older neighborhoods filled with tight-knit families who have weathered very good times (a bustling downtown, idyllic suburbia) and very bad times (riots, gang war).

Newsweek has put together a very comprehensive multimedia piece about a Compton in transition. The report has some interesting stats, including one that says the once proclaimed murder capital of the nation is showing a 25-year low in number of homicides. It doesn't shy away from the city's past, but it also looks at a community beyond its city's reputation.

First District City Council candidate Bill Grisolia has finally submitted his campaign finance report that was due Feb. 26. He turned in the paper filing last Friday, 22 days late, which will result in a $220 fine for the embattled candidate.

Candidates also are required to file an electronic version of the finance statement, which makes it available online, but Gini Galletta of the City Clerk's office said that Grisolia had technical problems and that for now he won't be fined any further. The clerk's office is awaiting a ruling from the City Attorney's office, she said.

Grisolia's finance report for Jan. 1 through Feb. 21 lists only a handful of contributions, despite early endorsements from several powerful unions before his tax problems and an arrest for driving under the influence of alcohol were revealed this month (see story here). The report says he had $4,800 in contributions, including a $2,500 donation from the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices, and a $100 donation from 7th District Councilwoman Tonia Reyes Uranga.

The lion's share of Grisolia's campaign funding came from $18,500 in loans he made to himself. Yet, Grisolia owes back taxes to the state and federal governments from the 2005 bankruptcy of his restaurant, Island Sunfish Grill, and was laid off from his job with DaVita dialysis center in January.

Grisolia explained this week that he has been supported by his family and friends since losing his job.

The Boeing C-17 Globemaster III program will host a "major join" ceremony for Qatar's first C-17 advanced airlifter at its Long Beach, Calif., production facility on Thursday, the company announced today. Qatar is the first Middle East nation to acquire the C-17.

 

Major join represents a key milestone, as the aircraft takes the shape of a C-17, with the advanced airlifter's four major fuselage sections - the forward, center and aft fuselages and wing assembly - joined together into one.

One of my favorite moments of covering Air Force One's arrival and departure in Long Beach last week came when I  met Ian DeLucca, a 15-year-old Millikan High School student who was writing about President Obama's Southern California visit for the school paper. In an interview, DeLucca told me he was "psyched!" by the assignment. The White House advance team gave the kid braces a credential and, after a security check, DeLucca was out on the tarmac with a Pulitzer Prize winner and other members of the press corps.

One of the most anti-establishment candidates in the 1st District City Council race, Rick Berry, released a video Tuesday night poking fun at candidate Robert Garcia.

While Berry has received few endorsements -- and says he doesn't want them -- Garcia has been endorsed by the city's police and firefighter unions, the Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce, and a range of local and state politicians. Garcia, a community college dean and neighborhood advocate, has touted this extensive support as evidence that he isn't beholden to special interests on the left or the right and says he would bring new ideas and youthful energy to the council. However, Berry, a product management consultant and musician, is critical of city government and city unions, which he blames for Long Beach's budget problems.

Apparently, the video below, which was released on youtube, is the first of several to come from Berry's campaign before the April 7 special election. Besides Berry and Garcia, four other candidates are in the race.

The city is inviting the public to a groundbreaking for Seaside Park, 14th Street and Chestnut Avenue, at noon Saturday.  The park will add 2.5 acres toward the City Open Space Plan goal of acquiring 1,000 more acres of parks and open space so that there are 8 acres for every 1,000 residents, according to a news release from City Hall.  

Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske has called for a closed City Council session to discuss the land swap that is intended to preserve at least part of Los Cerritos Wetlands initially after learning about "outrageous" documents that reveal e-mail conversations between city officials and Tom Dean, who owns the wetlands.

Schipske and many community members previously had raised concerns about the deal, for which the City Council gave City Manager Pat West authority to finalize in February, and were skeptical about whether the city was getting a good trade. In the deal, the city is swapping its 12.1-acre public service yard by the Los Angeles River for 33.77 acres of the wetlands on the Eastside south of 2nd Street next to Studebaker Road. The city hopes to eventually acquire the entire 175-acre Bixby Ranch portion of the wetlands. The council voted 6-2, with Schipske and Councilwoman Rae Gabelich dissenting.

A published report in The District Weekly the last week about e-mail documents obtained by a concerned citizen reveal some potentially troubling conversations between Dean and Director of Public Works Mike Conway, who is leading the city's negotiations. Among other things, Conway gave Dean his personal e-mail for unknown reasons and seems to be bending over backwards to help Dean in the deal, noting in e-mails that the deal will be "excellent" for Dean and "defensible (barely)" for the city.

"I am also concerned to read in the documents the costs to remediate the contamination of the City Public Service Yard. This cost was not disclosed during Council discussions of this transaction," Schipske said in a statement.

Schipske said she is calling for a closed session because City Attorney Robert Shannon has said that is how real estate transactions should be handled. In the meantime, Schipske wants City Manager Pat West to hold off on finalizing the deal.

A resolution introduced by Rep. Linda Sánchez, D-Lakewood, that would recognize thousands of Vietnam War veterans for their service passed the U.S. House of Representatives today. 

H.Res. 234 designates March 30, 2009 as "Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day." 

"With this legislation, we can help provide Vietnam veterans the heroes' welcome they deserve, but that too many never received," Sánchez said in a statement.  "While today's resolution may seem like a small gesture--and when compared to what our soldiers and their families sacrificed, it certainly is--it will serve to remind us of their service to our country."

In a speech on the floor of the House of Representatives today, Sánchez urged her colleagues to support this important piece of legislation.  Go to www.youtube.com/user/LindaTSanchez to check out her speech.

PULSE OF THE PORTS WATCH LIVE BY CLICKING HERE 7:30 A.M. WEDNESDAY

 

Photo Courtesy of Dave Bullock (www.eecue.com)

Cargo volumes have plummeted, work on the waterfront is in short supply and shippers are laying off staff and shuttering offices. And for many of the 30,000 local residents still employed in the Long Beach-Los Angeles harbor complex, the downturn has meant fewer work hours, reduced wages and slashed benefits.

It's no secret that Southern California's economic engine is out of gas.

The question is: What will it take to jumpstart trade again through Long Beach-Los Angeles?

This question and many others are the focus of Wednesday morning's "Pulse of the Ports" breakfast - an informative roundtable featuring some of the region's top economists, labor leaders and trade experts.

The event will webcast live (click here) beginning at 7:30 a.m.

Viewers can also submit questions throughout the discussion by emailing pulse@polb.com.

 

A redesigned version of the Press-Telegram's print edition hit doorsteps and racks this morning. The look is crisper, more modular and cleaner. There are new typefaces and headline styles and some of the features have been moved. The price is unchanged at 25 cents.

I've spent a lot of time -- perhaps way too much time -- with the six candidates who are running for the 1st District City Council seat in the April 7 special election. I've interviewed them one on one and attended my fourth candidate forum Friday night.

While much of what we heard was nothing new, the forum by the League of Women Voters showed that the mostly green, inexperienced candidates are now a more politically savy group with refined and clear stances on the issues. They have found their voice and their message, and the differences between them are becoming clear.

The forum at Covenant Manor had a smaller crowd and a more intimate feel than most of the previous forums, but the League's many years of hosting such forums showed. The candidates were limited to 1 minute responses, forcing them to state a clear position quickly and allowing many questions to be asked. Many of the questions, however, seemed to lead back to one issue: the city budget.

• Among the six candidates, former council member Evan Braude, who served from 1986 to 1994, is the only one with serious political experience, and he has focused on the value of that experience in his campaign. He is a union supporter who feels city employees do a valuable service and "deserve the pay that they get." He also has the endorsement of the Democratic Party, which can be a strong influence in the liberal 1st District, even though the council seat is non-partisan.
• At the other extreme, Rick Berry, a product management consultant and musician, has emerged as the most conservative voice and the most critical of city government. He says city salaries, pensions and benefits all may need to be reduced to eliminate the city's growing budget deficit, and pledges "no new taxes."
• Jana Shields, a linguist who runs a volunteer education program, has similarly conservative views, though she has focused on Long Beach partnering with non-profit organizations to fill the void of inevitable program cuts. She also says a "shop in Long Beach" campaign could increase sales tax revenue.
• Another candidate who had seemed the clear frontrunner early in the race but now faces tough competition is Robert Garcia, a Long Beach City College administrator. Garcia is a more moderate candidate -- he switched parties from Republican to Democrat two years ago and is supported by both unions and the Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce. He also has raised the most campaign money to date. On the budget, he says cuts should start with the council offices and that the city should eliminate unneccesary consulting contracts.
• The Rev. Misi Tagaloa of the Second Samoan Congregational Church is a grassroots candidate who has improved his performance at the forums. However, at Friday's forum he surprisingly discounted the city's budget problems as "an accounting exercise" that city management should deal with. His campaign theme has been one of inclusiveness and "giving a voice to the voiceless."
• A sixth candidate, Bill Grisolia, a policy and legal specialist, wasn't at Friday's forum, but like Braude, he is a strong union supporter. However, he also is the most embattled candidate after being arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol in January (he hasn't been convicted yet) and losing some of his union endorsements to Braude.

Today is the last day for 1st District residents to register to vote in the April 7 special election. Here is information on how to do it, straight from the City Clerk's Web site:

How may I register to vote?/Where can I find voter registration forms?

You may register by completing a voter registration form available in most government offices, including city halls, libraries, DMVs and post offices, or online at http://www.ss.ca.gov/. You may also contact the City Clerk Department at (562) 570-6101 and request that a voter registration form be mailed to you.

The NRA is taking shots at the Long Beach City Council.

LBReport.com says that the National Rifle Association is opposing a proposed council ordinance that would required those selling ammunition to keep detailed customer records.

The council is taking up the issue Tuesday night. The whole story is at http://www.lbreport.com/news/mar09/nra.htm

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has endorsed Evan Anderson Braude for the Long Beach City Council, Braude's campaign announced over the weekend.

Braude, a former council member, is one of six candidates running for the open 1st District council seat formerly held by state Assemblywoman Bonnie Lowenthal, who is Braude's domestic partner and also has endorsed him.

In a press release, Braude says he and Villaraigosa have similar stances on issues such as supporting "decent pay, benefits, and working conditions for employees in all industries."

While not a local Long Beach political figure, Villaraigosa adds a powerful endorsement to Braude's campaign, particularly because the 1st District has a large Latino population.

His other major endorsements include unions such as the city of Long Beach's largest employee union, the United Autoworkers and the Teamsters, as well as several former city officials and several Assembly members.

Judging from reader posts and angry phone, few issues divide P-T readers as much as Proposition 8.

The gay marriage ban is in the courts, and the man challenging it, state Attorney Gen. Jerry Brown, wants to talk with the media about his position. A High Court ruling on his challenge to Prop. 8 could come any time between now and June.

The former California governor, and a likely candidate for his old job in 2010, plans to host a telephone press conference at 7 p.m. Monday evening.

Look to the P-T for coverage.

It's dangerous work, but the paychecks are good, the pensions are better, and the profession isn't going anywhere unless everyone in Los Angeles County starts treating each other really nicely. Unlike many employers, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is HIRING. Long Beach's Pacific Gateway Workforce Investment Network plans to host a recruitment for more than 150 openings with the Sheriff's Department from 10 a.m.  to 1 p.m. March 31 at the Harbor WorkSource Center, 1851 N Gaffey St., Ste. F, in San Pedro. The Pacific Gateway Workforce Investment Network, administered by the City of Long Beach, provides no-cost services to businesses and job seekers. Multiple openings are available. Openings include deputy sheriff trainee and civilian positions in clerical, maintenance and dispatching. Salaries and requirements vary, depending on positions.  For information on salary ranges and job requirement for specific positions, please visit www.lasd.org. From the city press release: How to Apply: Step 1: Pacific Gateway Workforce Investment Network registration is required prior to meeting the employer.  To save time, pre-register at the Career Transition Center, 3447 Atlantic Ave., or Center for Working Families, 1900 Atlantic Ave., Long Beach, CA.  Registration will also be available at the recruitment. To register, bring the following information: State ID / Driver's License AND Social Security Card OR             School ID Card (with birth date) AND Social Security Card  OR             School ID Card (without birth date) AND Social Security Card AND birth certificate  OR             U.S. Passport AND any proof of Social Security Number (Social Security card, school printout).   If applicable, bring unexpired Permanent Resident Card (Green Card).  Males born on or after January 1, 1960, must be registered with the Selective Service. For information   call 847.688.3117 or visit www.sss.gov.  Step 2: Attend the recruitment on Tuesday, March 31, 2009 from 10:00 am -1:00 pm at the Harbor Worksource Center, 1851 N. Gaffey St., Ste. F, San Pedro, CA 90731. Dress to impress and bring your resume. For more information, please contact Eileen Arthur 562.570.3771 / TTY 562.570.4629.

Long Beach City Hall spokesman Ed Kamlan sent along information about a free childhood immunization clinic from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at Colin Powell Elementary School. Also on the agenda: kindergarten readiness.

From the press release (with slight edits):

 The City of Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services' Early Childhood Education Committee is teaming up with the Long Beach Unified School District to host the last of three Kindergarten Festivals from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at Colin Powell School, 150 Victoria St., Long Beach.  The festivals provide parents with information about early childhood education, kindergarten readiness and the school registration process. 

The festival will also provide free immunizations for children by the Health Department's Nursing Services Division in cooperation with Nursing Students from California State Long Beach. The immunizations are grant-funded.

The festival will feature three workshops that focus on school readiness, reading and math.  Each incoming kindergartener in attendance will receive a free backpack filled with school supplies.  Translation services in Spanish and Khmer will be provided, along with community resources for families. 

For more information, contact Nancy Manriquez Dowell of the Long Beach Kindergarten Festivals Planning Committee, at 562-429.6020. 

As the president went through a list of government officials in attendance at his town hall meeting Wednesday in Costa Mesa, he mentioned Rep. Loretta Sanchez, an Orange County Democrat, but noted that the town hall meeting at the OC Fair and Event Center wasn't actually in her district. It was, in fact, in that of Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, a Republican whose district includes part of Orange County, a sliver of coastal Long Beach, the Port of Long Beach and part of the Palos Verdes Peninsula.

The clearly pro-Obama, and I'm guessing mostly Democratic, crowd responded with boos at the mention of Rohrabacher's name. Obama said Rohrabacher wasn't able to attend the event.

"We didn't get the invitation to him on time," Obama said, chalking it up to "a screw up on our part."

Was Obama serious about the "screw up," or was this a political snub of the conservative congressman? A report by Politico.com says Rohrabacher wasn't too happy about finding out about the town hall meeting from a reporter, and the Orange County Register reports that the president's office says it hadn't intended to leave Rohrabacher in the dark.

The Airport Advisory Commission and the public on Thursday will meet Mario Rodriguez, the new head of Long Beach Airport. The meeting will begin at 4 p.m. at the Airport Marriott Hotel.

Rodriguez, 43, who started Feb. 23, replaced Christine Andersen, who left in May to become the public works director for the city of Santa Barbara. At Long Beach, he oversees a 125-person staff and a $28 million budget.

Before coming to Long Beach, he was deputy director of planning and development at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport.

When I met with him this week, Rodriguez had some really interesting stories to tell about living through Hurricane Katrina and how the airport weathered such as disaster.

My profile on Rodriguez will publish on Sunday in the Press-Telegram. If you get a chance, check it out.

The Wrigley District plans to be active over the next couple of months. Here are a list of events sent to the P-T by the Wrigley Association. On the agenda are graffiti removal, running along the L.A. River and an appearance by Rep. Laura Richardson, D-Long Beach. The newsletter is actually a fun read filled with clever turns of phrase and lively language. Our favorite: "graffiti cleaner-upper."

Neighborhood Advisory Group (NAG) meeting Thursday, March 19th, 6pm at 2023 Pacific Ave Graffiti talk at NAG.  Barry, the graffiti cleaner upper will talk about how we can battle graffiti in Long Beach, how do they wipe it out, how do we contact him to clean things up and what we can do to help.  Take a look around the neighborhood before you come to the meeting and give him a list of locations that need attention.  Our esteemed City Prosecutor will be in attendance with an update of what is going on in his office and we will also hear from the LBPD West Division on current police activities.  It should be a lively meeting please come and join in, all are welcome. Congresswoman Richardson at Wrigley Meeting Monday April 6th at 7pm at Veterans Park, 28th and Pine.  The Wrigley Association will host Congresswoman Laura Richardson (D-37th) at their monthly meeting.  Find out what is going on on Capitol Hill that will affect you.  As always, the this will also be the location for the monthly Chalkboard Food Co-Op.  There was a great backyard harvest last month, don't miss out.  If you missed Monday's press telegram, go online and see the front page article with picture of Wrigley Association member Adriana Martinezhttp://www.presstelegram.com/ci_11921903. Adriana talks about lowering her grocery bill through her garden.  Free River Runners Training Program Starts March 24th! This free fitness training program starts next week.  Work off those St. Patrick's Day beers with the River Runners.  Vernon Rudd will again be leading "The Wrigley River Runners" to an injury free 5k & 10k run.  This year runners will get 15% off at Buono's and $1 off smoothies at Juice it Up as well as free training. The intention is to create an environment that will support the entire family in a fun filled sport.  This training program is designed for the first time runner as well as the advanced runner with the goal of completing a injury free 5k or 10k run.  Vernon, a Wrigley resident, is a long distance multi marathon runner who is looking forward to leading the 2nd annual Wrigley River Run.    The group will meet on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.  You can come to one, two or three meetings a week.  More at http://www.lbfoundation.org/Events.htm

  Mentors International is hosting a field trip 6-9 p.m. Wednesday to a bonded warehouse where visitors will learn about emerging trends in international trade and new federal security rules regulating U.S. imports and exports.
A global logistics expert will host the tour, which takes attendees through a Price Transfer and trucking facility in Rancho Dominguez. Attendees can also learn about job opportunities in shipping, warehousing, customs inspection and supply-chain management.
The cost is $55 per attendee, but active-duty or recently discharged veterans are invited free-of-charge. Mentors International is a job-training and career enhancement organization with ties to several Southland universities and the state's Employment Development Department.
Reservations are required. Contact Jennifer Frank at (310) 763-3400 or through mentorsintl@charter.net.

"I'm delighted that we will add two more racing legends to the Long Beach Motorsports Walk of Fame," said Mayor Bob Foster, who will be presenting the medallions to the honorees.  This year's inductees represent not only great drivers, but individuals that have contributed much to the success of the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach over the years," said Jim Michaelian, CEO of the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach.  "That's why 'Little Al' is known as the 'King of the Beach' and Bobby has achieved great success at Long Beach not only on the track but also as an owner." Al Unser, Jr. followed in the footsteps of his father and an uncle (Bobby) to become repeat champion at Indianapolis, winning the '500' in 1992 and 1994. Champion of the Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) series in 1990 and 1994, Unser won the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach an incredible six times: 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1994 and 1995, and overall, took the checkered flag in 31 events between 1984 and 1995.  Unser won the 24-hours of Daytona at age 24, is a two-time IROC champion and the youngest IROC champion ever. In 1994 he dominated the CART open-wheel racing season winning eight of 16 races and was named ABC's Wide World of Sports Athlete of the Year. Unser will be competing in this year's Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race, Saturday, April 18, having won the world-famous event in 1985. Bobby Rahal is one of the select group of individuals who have won the Indianapolis 500 both as a driver (1986) and as an owner (2004).  Between 1982 and 1992, Rahal won 24 National Championship races and captured the Championship Auto Racing Team's (CART) seasonal title in 1986, 1987 and 1992.  He won on ovals, road courses and competed in Formula 1 and NASCAR events. Rahal won championships driving sports cars, winning several SCCA titles and shared the winning car in the 24-Hours of Daytona (1981) and the 12-Hours of Sebring (1987).  He made 15 starts at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, finishing second four times.  In 1996 he formed Rahal Letterman Racing, with David Letterman as a minority owner. The Walk of Fame medallions include renditions of the racers' cars and their major achievements in motorsports. Additional information about the inductees' illustrious careers will be available at the event or atwww.lbmotorsportswalkoffame.com/index.

Boeing Co., military and international officials praised the C-17 program at a "major join" ceremony at the Long Beach plant this morning. The "major join" is when the airlifter's four major fuselage sections - the forward, center and aft fuselages and wing assembly - come together. It's the moment the materials and parts join to look like a C-17.

Officials such as NATO Assistant Secretary General for Defence Investment Peter C.W. Flory and Republic of Hungary Minister of Defence Imre Szekeres ceremoniously drilled in rivets in the C-17. This one - shared by 10 NATO nations and two Peace for Partnership nations under a long-term agreement - will be the first of three that will head to Papa Airbase in Hungary.

Read more about it in Saturday's Press-Telegram.

Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius will soon be heading into nomination hearings to be secretary of Health and Human Services under President Barack Obama. But back in the day, before she was elected to either of her terms as governor, I got to know the then-candidate quite well.

In my first reporting job out of college, at the Topeka Capital-Journal, I spent a long, exhausting day (about 15 hours) with Sebelius on the campaign trail traveling around Kansas. I also researched deeply into her background, talking with everyone from old political opponents to her father (a former Ohio governor) and her college roommate. The result was two extremely lengthy but informative (I like to think) articles that delve into Sebelius' character and history. It was quite a package, with photos of her as a child, as a young woman, with her family at the time and campaigning, as well as other biographical information and online audio clips.

• Read the campaign trail story here.
• Read the biographical profile story here.

I have to say that when I heard Sebelius was being considered by Obama for secretary of Health and Human Services (even though she was a second choice) I wasn't surprised. I remember coming away from my day with her in 2002 thinking that not only was she going to become governor, but also that one day we would see her in Washington, perhaps even in the White House as the first woman president. She's intelligent, extremely energetic (I was pretty worn out by the end of the day, but she seemed to have boundless energy), approachable and clearly very politically savy.

The beleagured Martin Luther King hospital could reopen in late 2012, it was announced today by the University of California and Los Angeles, which plans to partner in the effort.

"The University of California brings incredible talent to the table and an ability to support Los Angeles County's goal and my goal of ensuring the residents of South Los Angeles have quality care," Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said in a statement. "My Administration will continue to lend its support and leadership for this outstanding partnership and to the reopening of a new Martin Luther King hospital."

Built in the aftermath of the 1965 Watts riots, the facility formerly known as Martin Luther King-Drew Medical Center had to stop offering emergency and inpatient services in August after failing a "make-or-break" inspection by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. It also was on the verge of losing its federal funding.

Its closure sparked outrage among residents in South Los Angeles and Willowbrook. Many saw it as a symbol of efforts to revitalize the area while providing medical services to the area's largely low-income population.

Since then, county officials have been looking for ways to reopen the facility as a full-service hospital. At one point, county officials had been in talks with officials from Pacific Hospital of Long Beach, which eventually pulled out of negotiations. The facility, recast as King-Harbor, now operates as an urgent care center.

"The people of South Los Angeles deserve access to needed, quality medical services, and this proposed plan provides an important framework for addressing this community's health care needs," Schwarzenegger said.

Mayor Mario Guerra will discuss the State of the City on March 20.
The Downey Chamber of Commerce-sponsored event will begin at noon at the Rio Hondo Event Center, 10627 Old River School Road.
Admission is $25 per person. Reservations must by made with the Chamber by Tuesday. Call 562-923-2191.

Anyone who's ever written a story about the city of Lakewood has encountered spokesman Don Waldie, a man who for more than 30 years has explained to reporters everything about the city neighboring Long Beach, from new fireworks laws to the city history.

When he's not schooling reporters like me, Waldie is blogging about Los Angeles for KCET.

In his blog, Where We Are, which Waldie began penning in December, the author of Holy Land muses about all things L.A.-related, including its events, its public transit and its architecture. He even weighs in on the future of newspapers such as the Los Angeles Times and the Press-Telegram, which created quite a buzz in this newsroom.

Check out it here.
 

Not much of surprise here, but the horrendous 710-105 freeway interchange has taken the dubious honor of being named America's worst trucking bottleneck, according to a new study.

The American Transportation Research Institute also names the 405-605 freeway interchange in its list of the top 10 most congested bottlenecks. Both interchanges are fed by truck traffic from the port.

Rounding out the top ten are intersections in the San Gabriel Valley, Oakland, Chicago, Arizona, Georgia and Tennessee.

Ballot counting in Paramount halted unexpectedly tonight when the machine to count them stopped working, a city official said.
The machine broke just as city officials began counting ballots from one of their eight precincts.
Yikes! Will they have to count hundreds of ballots by hand?
Paramount's Vince Torres said they won't have to. After an unsuccessful attempt at fixing the machine, Paramount officials brought in the counting machine used in Signal Hill, he said.
So far, only absentee ballots have been counted. Those show Mayor Gene Daniels and incumbent Peggy Lemons leading with 505 and 436 votes, respectively, and looked to win the two seats up for grabs. Challengers Jamie Guererro and Hector Pena trail with 144 and 88 votes.
Torres said the city will have new tallies around 11 p.m. tonight.

Whether at home, the office or campaign headquarters, it doesn't matter. For the six candidates running for two hotly contested City Council spots in Cerritos, tonight is the night to unwind after months of campaigning. Staff writer Greg Mellen catches up with folks in Cerritos:

 Challenger Cindy Yen Chen is practicing positive thinking. Although
facing a tough field with two incumbents, Planning Commissioner and
challenger Chen is hosting a victory party at her campaign
headquarters at 18906 Norwalk Blvd. in Artesia and friends and
supporters are invited to come down.
 "It's called a victory party," Chen said, "and victory or not it's a party."
 Incumbent Jim Edwards had the pre-election jitters and was predicting
a tough race and planned to watch results on Cerritos cable television
with supporters at the home of his campaign manager, Larry Sagert.
 "Being mayor has been a huge honor," Edwards said. "It's been a great
four years. I've done an excellent job, but a lot of times it's not
about that.
 "I'm ready to do another four years. I'd to do it again and then retire."
 Incumbent Carol Chen has just finished her third election run in two
years. Chen earned her way onto the Council last June in a special
election after falling just short in her previous run.
 She is meeting with campaign volunteers and supporters at her
campaign headquarters and will watch results on-line.
 Meanwhile, challenger Chris Fuentes, who brought much of the heat to
the debate planned to cool down at a friend's house after the polls
closed.
 Fuentes, who finished in last place in his run during the special
election in June, remains unbowed and claims that he has brought the
real issues and the tough questions that have helped define the
election.
 "We've had all these feel-good Kumbaya campaigns," Fuentes said. "I
run on the issues."
 Despite a frenetic day driving voters to the polls, Fuentes was
realistic about his long odds of prevailing in a crowded field against
well-known and well-heeled competition.
"If it doesn't work out, my (2011) campaign starts tomorrow," he said
with a laugh.

Where does a candidate go after months of campaigning for a City Council seat? If you're a candidate from Signal Hill, you're chillin' with supporters at a hangout spot or at a fellow candidates' home tonight.

Staff writer Greg Mellen caught up with them an hour ago:
 
The four candidates for three Signal Hill City Council seats are
taking two different approaches to election night celebrations.
 Edward Villanueva and Ed Wilson are going to meet with friends and
supporters at parties, while Ellen Ward and Michael Noll will be a
little more subdued and will likely get together at Mike's house to
track results.
 Challenger Villanueva will be meeting with constituents at Curley's
Cafe, 1999 E. Willow St., beginning at about 8 p.m.
 "I might need a beer after the polls close," Villanueva said with a laugh.
 The candidate said he would likely break away from the festivities to
catch the close of the counting at City Hall at about 9 p.m.
Wilson, one of the three incumbents running for three seats, said he
would meet supporters at Phil Trani's, 3490 Long Beach Blvd. at about
8 p.m.
 Wilson said he felt good going into the election.
 "I've only gotten positive responses to the people I've talked to,"
Wilson said. "Most people says the city's in good shape, so I think it
will be a good day for the incumbents."

If you don't live in Long Beach or Lakewood, chances are you're voting in a city election today.

Residents in Bellflower, Cerritos, Signal Hill, Paramount and Norwalk are choosing their future City Council members from a field of incumbents and hopefuls.

Can't make up your mind about a candidate? Go to the cities' websites (see below) or www.smartvoter.org  for bios and candidate statements.

Click on the links below for the latest results in your cities. Also, keep coming to the Press Corps blog. We'll be here in the newsroom throughout the night posting and updating results as we hear 'em.

* Polls in Bellflower close at 8 p.m. Officials will begin posting results at www.bellflower.org right after that. People will be manning the phones tonight to provide the latest numbers. Call 562-804-1424, press 0, and the operator will connect you to an English, Spanish or Tagalog speaker.

* Cerritos will close its polls at 8 p.m.Go to www.ci.cerritos.ca.us or call 562-916-1248 for the latest results. 

* Norwalk voting polls close at 7 p.m. The final election tally will be posted on the city's website, www.ci.norwalk.ca.us, but residents can call the city clerk's office, 562-929-5720, for election result updates.

* Paramount polls will close at 8 p.m. Go to www.paramountcity.com for results. You can also call 562-220-2010 or 562-220-2011. Call 562-220-2017 if you prefer a Spanish speaker. When a final tally is in, call 562-220-2012 for a recording of complete election results.

* In Signal Hill, polls will close at 8 p.m. when the results of absentee ballot voting will be available. Counting should begin soon after and officials estimate the counting from the three poll sites should take about an hour. Residents can call 562-989-7200, for results as they become available. Final results will be posted on-line at www.cityofsignalhill.org.