San Pedro Voters: Global Issues, Local Faces

Bringing state and national issues home to San Pedro, dozens of community members attended a voter forum this week to assert their voice in the political arena.

The forum brought civic-minded San Pedrans together to delve into the local, state and national issues dominating public debate in the weeks before next month’s pivotal election.

San Pedro’s three neighborhood councils co-sponsored the forum, illustrating the point that “all politics is local.”

Community activists made statements with their comments, clothing and accessories. Political t-shirts and buttons dotted the room of approximately 50 activists.

Speakers included:

• David Greene, president of the San Pedro Democratic Club
• John Stammreich, local Republican Party leader and former Northwest San Pedro Neighborhood Council board member
• Lydia Gutierrez, candidate for the 25th State Senate District and Coastal San Pedro Neighborhood Council board member
• Brian Gibson, candidate for the 36th Congressional District
• Steven Simons, candidate for Superior Court Judge Office No. 72
• Councilwoman Janice Hahn, campaigning for L.A. city Measure A

Neighborhood council board members spoke to encourage participation in community issues year-around through neighborhood councils. More than a dozen board members attended the forum, including:

• Linda Alexander, Central
• Sue Castillo, Central
• Doug Epperhart, Coastal
• Robert Farrell, Coastal
• Soledad Garcia, Coastal
• Robert Gelfand, Coastal
• Bruce Horton, Coastal
• Linda Marinkovich, Coastal
• Andrew Silber, Central
• Kristina Smith, aide to Northwest
• John Stinson, Coastal
• Erin Strelich, Coastal-elect
• Phill Trigas, Central
• Peter Warren, Coastal

Participants enjoyed fresh fruit, vegetables and hummus donated by Melissa’s, a leading produce company. Melissa’s public relations director is a San Pedro resident who attended the forum.

San Pedro News has invited the local Democratic and Republican parties to write commentaries for next week’s issue.

Stay tuned for the election countdown and tune in to the Central, Coastal and Northwest councils for ongoing community politics.