February 2010 Archives
The 130-foot sailboat "American Pride" hit a sandbank during low tide Thursday in Rainbow Harbor and may have suffered minor damage.
The Coast Guard said no one was injured and the cause of the beaching is under investigation.
The 69-year-old schooner is used for whale watching and educational trips, and is the official tall ship of Long Beach, where it makes its home. Owned by the Children's Maritime Foundation, the schooner is used for marine science education, sail training, and living history programs. Schools and organizations use the vessel for sailing adventures ranging from 3 hours to 5 days.
A federal district court judge rejected a request Thursday by trucking lobbyists to throw out an upcoming trial with the Port of Los Angeles over its Clean Trucks Plan.
Judge Christina Snyder's decision to proceed with the trial as scheduled in late March or April comes one day after a federal appeals court also rejected the American Trucking Associations' request that all enforcement measures in the L.A. Port's Clean Truck plan be dismissed.
The Ninth Circuit panel's decision allows the port to continue with its taxicab-style concession model until the forthcoming trial determines the merits of the plan.
Los Angeles' model would require port trucking companies gradually take responsibility for their rigs in exchange for exclusive access to port properties. The changeover, designed to increase from 20 percent of total hauls carried by employee drivers in 2010 to 100 percent in 2013, has been temporarily suspended pending the outcome of the trial.
Other provisions, however, remain in effect, including requirements that companies keep records on driver training, vehicle maintenance and insurance. The Los Angeles plan also requires trucks have radio-frequency identification tags, or RFIDs, to ensure drivers are complying with the dirty truck ban.
Long Beach, which initially supported the concession model, has since dropped the plan in favor of a more industry-friendly approach that is not being challenged by the ATA.
In my dream, a band opened up for tonight's 7th District City Council candidate debate, and the group started playing Rage Against the Machine covers. I remember thinking: "Wow! That's perfect! That's going to set things off to a politically controversial start." Then I noticed that one of the band members was Theo Douglas, though I doubt remember which instrument he was playing.
In reality, the 7th District debate won't have a band, but should have some political venom or at least some lively discussion. The event begins at 7 p.m. at the Puka Bar, 710 W. Willow. The doors open at 6 p.m. It's free and open to the public. See you there!
The council members said they plan to meet with a number of legislators and officials, including Congresswoman Laura Richardson, Congressman Dana Rohrabacher, Congresswoman Linda Sanchez, the office of Sen. Diane Feinstein, the Army Corps of Engineers and various House and Senate appropriations committees. They will also meet with Boeing Corp., whose production of the C-17 airplane employs about 5,000 people in Long Beach.
There's one other write-in candidate in the April election, but 7th District Councilwoman Tonia Reyes Uranga hasn't yet filed her papers to qualify. Given all of the work she's put into her campaign, I'm sure she will turn in those papers soon. I can't imagine her backing out now.
A Hong Kong-based shipping executive is funding research at the University of Southern California to reduce diesel emissions and improve engine efficiencies in marine vessel fleets.
Kenneth Koo, president of Tai Chong Cheang Steamship Co., provided the university's Viterbi School of Engineering with $4.1 million to develop new technologies designed to reduce fuel use, cut emissions and save energy.
Initial research will focus on producing lab-scale technology that can later be scaled up for testing in full-size engines, the university said.
"Our goal is to reverse, recover and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, while also conserving fuel and reducing emissions harmful to health and the environment," said Koo. "I believe we have a responsibility to be good stewards of the environment, and we are willing to do our part to reduce the impact on climate change caused by our ships."
Ships calling at the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles are Southern California's largest single source of diesel emissions, emitting thousands of tons of carbon dioxide, sulfur oxides and other harmful pollutants into the sky annually.
Health studies link diesel pollution to higher rates of asthma, cancer, heart disease and respiratory ailments.
USC researchers note that the engine technology used in modern ships is virtually unchanged from 100 years ago, providing ample opportunity to make improvements.
"We believe a huge improvement approaching complete combustion can be attained with transient plasma ignition, and we intend for USC to conduct research to develop prototype technology that could be truly revolutionary," said Vinay Patwardhan, a ship captain who is overseeing Tai Chong Cheang Steamship Company's investment.
Schipske is a native of Orange County and has worked her way up through local offices and has come close to winning a national seat. She was first elected to public office in 1992, serving on the Long Beach Community College District Board of Trustees until 1996. She later ran against former Congressman Steve Kuykendall for state Assembly, and against former Rep. Steve Horn and Rep. Dana Rohrabacher for Congress. Schipske is finishing her first council term and is running for re-election in April.
Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez, a Democrat who represents Orange County's 47th District, said in a statement:
I join with Orange County Democrats in extending a warm welcome to the Honorable Gerrie Schipske and congratulate the Democratic Party of Orange County on its selection of Ms. Schipske to serve as the DPOC Executive Director. I look forward to working with her and the DPOC in helping to elect Democrats as we move forward to the November 2010 elections.Rick Eiden, president of the Orange County Labor Federation and Executive Vice President of UCFW Local 324, said:
One thing is certain -- in heavily Republican Orange County, Schipske will have her work cut out for her.
Gerrie is a great organizer, she will be a tremendous asset to the Democratic Party of Orange County and I look forward to working with her.
Nine City Council candidates are expected to attend a forum Thursday by the Long Beach Coalition for Good Jobs and a Healthy Community. Not every candidate that's on the ballot April 13 is attending, but that may not be a surprise given the controversial nature of the Coalition. The group is linked to labor organization Unite Here and has been working to improve workers' pay or create unions at area hotels.
The forum is co-sponsored by the Center for Community Engagement, Housing Long Beach, the Women's Democratic Study Club, the Immigrant Rights Coalition, and Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice. It will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the Neighborhood United Methodist Church, 507 Pacific Ave., and is free and open to the public.
The candidates who are attending are:
- District 1 - Jana Shields
- District 3 - Tom Marchese
- District 5 - Gerrie Schipske
- District 7 - Jack Smith, James Johnson, Tonia Reyes Uranga and Jill Hill
- District 9 - Steve Neal and Dan Pressburg
The Long Beach Press Club, a professional and social organization of local media including several Press-Telegram reporters, has scheduled a series of candidate debates for the April 13 city elections. Called 'Debates at Da' Beach,' the debates will give candidates for City Council, city attorney and city prosecutor an opportunity to answer questions from a panel of reporters. This isn't your father's candidate forum -- we plan to have an engaging, lively and revealing discussion with the candidates.
The debates will be conducted in a style resembling a press conference. A panel of four journalists, plus moderator, from local media outlets -- a different panel for each debate -- will present questions to the candidates (I will be on several of the panels myself). Candidates will have two minutes to respond to each question, but panelists will be permitted to interject and/or ask followup questions if the candidates stray from the theme of the questions. Members of the public who feel an important issue is not being addressed may submit questions in writing to the moderator.
The debates are free and open to the public and will be conducted in eating-and-drinking establishments throughout the city. Debates among council candidates have been located in each of the council districts. A debate between Mayor Bob Foster and challenger Stevie Merino is still pending; in the absence of a debate, Merino will be provided with a press conference. City Auditor Laura Doud is running unopposed.
All debates begin at 7 p.m. and will last no longer than 90 minutes.
THE SCHEDULE:
- Monday, Feb. 22 - 7th District
Puka Bar, 710 W. Willow
Debate starts at 7 p.m.
Doors open at 6 p.m.
Bar service available - Wed Mar 3 - 9th District
El Ranchito, 5345 Long Beach Blvd.
Debate starts at 7 p.m.
Doors open at 6 p.m.
Full dinner menu and bar service available - Monday, March 8 - City Attorney
The Gaslamp, 6251 E. PCH
Debate starts at 7 p.m.
Doors open at 5 p.m.
Full dinner menu and bar service available - Monday, March 15 - City Prosecutor
Rooftop at Smooths, 144 Pine Ave.
Debate starts at 7 p.m.
Full kitchen and bar available downstairs, enjoy happy hour 5-7
Full bar service available rooftop - Monday, March 22 - 3rd District
The Gaslamp, 6251 E. PCH
Debate starts at 7 p.m.
Doors open at 5 p.m.
Full dinner menu and bar service available - Monday, March 29 - 5th District
El Dorado Restaurant, 3014 Studebaker Dr.
Debate starts at 7 p.m.
Doors open at 5 p.m.
Full dinner menu and bar service available
Food specials: $2 tacos; $16 prime rib dinner - April - 1st District
TO BE ANNOUNCED
Murchison said he is at the council meeting for two items -- a property deal between the city and his client, Wilmington-Lomita Blvd., LLC, and the much publicized proposed lobbyist registration ordinance, which has gained renewed life following the Murchison-Beck controversy.
Minutes ago, Murchison, who is sitting just a few seats away from me, told me that he wasn't sure yet whether he would speak on the lobbyist ordinance. In 2008, he spoke out against it, but that was before his business dealings were in the spotlight.
"I'm supportive of whatever the
council decides to do a hundred percent," Murchison told me.
He wouldn't comment about the Press-Telegram's coverage of the issue between he and Beck, except when I asked if he had seen Beck lately.
"Craig Beck and I continue to be good
friends," Murchison said.
Long Beach's four Democratic groups had asked for him "to clarify or recant" his statement that marriage is determined by God, not human laws, which he said to the Long Beach Business Journal. In his response released today, Neal says:
Read his full statement:
As an active member of the Democratic Party and tireless advocate for progressive causes, I have spent my career serving all segments of our community - regardless of race,
gender, or sexual orientation.
I have reached out to Councilmembers Garcia and Schipske, as well as the Long Beach
Lambda Democratic Club to have a meaningful dialogue on this important matter.
Steve Neal response.PDF.
Shannon is running for a fourth term as city attorney. He is being challenged by City Prosecutor Thomas Reeves. Read my last article about the race here.
The Long Beach Police Officers Association has endorsed city prosecutor candidate Doug Haubert.
"The Long Beach Police Officers Association endorses Prosecutor Doug Haubert for Long Beach City Prosecutor because he is tough on crime, experienced, and the most qualified candidate for the position," said Steve James, President of the Long Beach POA.
Haubert, a former Long Beach deputy city attorney who now works for a law firm for which he handles prosecutions and legal issues for several area cities, has also been endorsed by Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca and the Association of Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs. His opponent is Timothy O'Reilly, an assistant city prosecutor.
The prosecutor position is open because City Prosecutor Thomas Reeves is running for city attorney.
Read about the candidates' stances on the issues here, and read about a controversy that O'Reilly raised about Haubert's ballot designation here.
During Foster's time in office, Long Beach has stepped up efforts to keep trash out of rivers and the ocean by installing grates on storm drains and installing refuse collection devices in the river.
The award is named after the late Chi Mui, former Friends of the Los Angeles River board member and mayor of San Gabriel.
In your recent interview with the Long Beach Business Journal you were asked about your positions regarding the Equal Benefits Ordinance for the City of Long Beach as well as your views on Proposition 8. You are quoted as saying that marriage is..." instituted by God..." and you "don't think man has the ability or the right to change that." You also refer to the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) Community as "a lifestyle that people choose..." We respectfully ask you to clarify or recant these anti-LGBT comments.
Read the full letter:
One bit of news out of City Hall that we didn't report last week was that the City Council unanimously nominated 7th District Councilwoman Tonia Reyes Uranga to serve her first full term on the South Coast Air Quality Management District board. It's just a nomination for the 51-city L.A. County Western Region, mind you, and must be approved by those members. Those 51 cities voted late last week, but couldn't reach consensus, so they'll likely try again in a month or two, I'm told.
Uranga already serves on the board, but she was chosen to complete the partial term of another member who she replaced. This would be Uranga's first full term, although if she doesn't get reelected in April (the city primary election) or June (the city general election), the seat would be empty again and a replacement would be needed.
The AQMD plays an important role in smog-filled SoCal -- it is the air pollution control agency for all of Orange County and the urban portions of Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. This 10,743-square-mile area is home to over 16.7 million people -- about half the population of California. The organization sets emissions standards for stationary sources such as power plants, refineries and gas stations.
The Grant Neighborhood Association and North Long Beach Community Action Group are jointly hosting a 9th District City Council candidate forum next month.
The forum will take place March 7 from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Community Presbyterian Church, 6380 Orange Ave. The event is free and open to the public, and should be a great chance for voters to hear from the four candidates in what may be a very tight race.
Vice Mayor Val Lerch is running a write-in campaign for a third term representing North Long Beach's 9th District. Running against him are Brad Shore, a therapist and airline employee; Steve Neal, who works for a union; and Dan Pressburg, a financial consultant who happens to be a former staffer of Lerch.
We've had the State of the Union, the State of the City and the State of the Port, but City Council members aren't content with that. A handful of Long Beach council members give speeches on the state of their districts, and the next one will be next week.
Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske will give her fourth annual State of the 5th District address Feb. 11 beginning at 7 p.m. at the Long Beach Water Treatment Plant, 2950 Redondo Ave. The event is free and open to the public.
Schipske will provide an overview of the 5th District and join key city staff in discussing: crime statistics, fire station calls for service, library services, code enforcement cases, infrastructure repair, and traffic and parking mitigation efforts. The Airport and Water departments will also give project updates.
Congresswoman Laura Richardson on Tuesday expressed concerns over President Barack Obama's proposed budget cuts. She serves as the chair of the U.S. House of Representatives Homeland Security Committee's Subcommittee on Emergency Communications, Preparedness and Response. Her comments are featured below:
"I support the President's attempts to streamline the homeland security grant application process, which has become overly burdensome for state and local governments, and to consider a deficit freeze to all departments, including defense. However, I am concerned about the budget's proposed reduction in grants and training programs for our first responders, at a time when we are asking more of them, not less.
"I am particularly concerned to see that assistance to firefighters has been cut by $200 million. In light of aging fire facilities, lacking gender appropriate rooms, changing advanced technology and ever increasing incidents of floods, fires and more, now is not the time to cut vital programs and services that directly save lives. Any cuts to first responders at this time would be short-sighted
"As a representative of an area which contains critical national infrastructure, I know that the ability to protect the well-being of people and businesses during emergencies should be the primary concern. If we can defend abroad, we should be able to protect at home as well. I will work closely with my colleagues, discuss with House leadership and advise the Obama administration of my efforts to make certain that our state and local partners are getting the support they need to keep our nation prepared."
Congresswoman Laura Richardson was named the chair of Congress' Homeland Security Committee's Subcommittee on Emergency Communications, Preparedness and Response.
"The Homeland Security Committee was instituted after Sept. 11, 2001, to provide security oversight and focus for our homeland, the United States of America," the congresswoman said in a prepared statement Monday.
"After the fiasco in New Orleans and the recent penetration of Flight 253 this last Christmas, I stand ready in this vital capacity," Richardson added. "As we face one of our most difficult tasks, ensuring there is confidence and protection in our homeland, I hope to bring the lessons of my district -- ports, airports, water treatment and refineries -- as examples of America's vulnerabilities and needs."
The subcommittee's jurisdiction includes oversight of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); preparedness for responding to terrorism; first responder grants for response training; coordination between various levels of government and organizations for terrorism-related emergency preparedness and response; and technology development and use for combating terrorism and for disaster response.
About the Bloggers
Paul Eakins reports on Long Beach City Hall, and local and regional
politics. A newcomer to the Press-
Telegram, he previously has covered
local and state government and politics in San Diego County, Mexico
and his home state of Kansas.
E-mail Paul at paul.eakins@presstelegram.com.
Kris Hanson reports on the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles,
covering environmental issues, economic triumphs and
pitfalls and trade trends of America’s largest port.
He also writes a weekly column “On The Waterfront”,
appearing Tuesdays, and also produces an occassional video
and column titled “On The Job,” which follows the hard-working
men and women who keep Southern California’s economy humming.
E-mail Kris at kristopher.hanson@
presstelegram.com.
Karen Robes Meeks came to work for the Press-
Telegram
in April 2002 as a beat reporter, covering the cities of
Lakewood, Bellflower and Paramount. She now covers business,
specifically redevelopment, tourism and small businesses.
She also writes Eye on Redevelopment, a monthly column that
appears in the Business Monday section.
E-mail Karen at karen.robes@presstelegram.com.
