Friday, February 26, 2010

City Budget Forum This Morning

Rise and shine – it’s dollars and cents time!

Known for telling it like it is, City Councilman Bernard Parks is speaking at a city budget forum this morning organized by the Harbor Area neighborhood councils. The forum takes place at 9:30 a.m. on Feb. 27 at Rolling Hills Preparatory School, Palos Verdes Drive North west of Gaffey Street.

Hear from Parks, chair of the budget committee, along with union leader Julie Butcher, neighborhood councilmembers and others to learn how the city budget crisis can and will hit home for San Pedro residents and all Angelenos. (Some hints can be found in the Week in Review stories below.)

View the flyer for more information.

Week in Review

Related to the city budget:

“Harbor Area museums could lose curators in city of LA budget cuts”

“LA animal control officials step up dog licensing efforts”

“Some neighborhood council leaders concerned over DONE merger plan”

Find a city budget commentary by Doug Epperhart of the Coastal San Pedro Neighborhood Council in the current issue of Random Lengths News.

In other news:

“Port of LA sinks USS Iowa”

“LA board approves reform plans for San Pedro, Gardena high schools”

From the business page, a profile of Ancient Arts, a stained glass company in downtown San Pedro.

The hapless pelicans made the news again: Officials have determined “[p]elican illnesses attributed to weather, food scarcity”

If you hunger for more news, find the March issue of San Pedro Today in print and online, with a cover story on renovation of the Angel’s Gate Lighthouse.

Arts for a Fresh Perspective: First Thursday and More

See a show or visit an art gallery to get your mind off this week’s weighty news. Here are some options:

Little Fish Theatre Company is staging two versions of “Escanaba.” The Daily Breeze has all the details.

Get some fresh air, plus art, music and fine food at First Thursday this week (March 4). See the website for a rundown of highlights and a printable map. Take advantage of the free guided tour to galleries and more, beginning this month at Rafaello’s at 6:30 p.m.

Friday, February 19, 2010

Local Forum on City Budget Crisis

The city – and state, for that matter – are scavenging for coins between the sofa cushions. Thousands of layoffs, service cutbacks and the elimination and consolidation of city departments have been announced or implemented. How does it affect everyday Angelenos? A Harbor Area community forum next Saturday will go beyond the headlines to reveal the nuts and bolts and real-life impact of the financial crisis. L.A. City Councilman Bernard Parks, chair of the Budget Committee, will be joined by union leader Julie Butcher and neighborhood council members at the public forum, taking place on Feb. 27 at 9:30 a.m. at Rolling Hills Preparatory School, Palos Verdes Drive North west of Gaffey Street. View the flyer for more information.

Remembering the L.A. Air Raid

The Ft. MacArthur Museum is hosting its annual re-creation of the Great Los Angeles Air Raid of 1942 today (Feb. 20) from 12 noon to 8 p.m. rain or shine. Tickets are $30, with proceeds benefitting the museum. View the Daily Breeze story or the Ft. Mac webpage for more information.

Coastal Council Meeting Monday

The Coastal San Pedro Neighborhood Council meets on Feb. 22 at 6:30 p.m. at the Cabrillo Marina Community Building, Cabrillo Plaza, Berth 28. For more information, view the agenda or call (310) 290-0049.

Week in Review

Updates this week on the flood damage from the rainstorms: officials are looking for as much as $7 million to fix the storm-drain system while the people flooded out of their homes and businesses are “frustrated” seeking relief from the city.

The distressed pelicans are getting a lot of sympathy – and press. The Los Angeles Times reports on the high costs of feeding the rescued birds, while the Daily Breeze notes, “State Fish and Game joins probe of pelican health problems.”

Political notes: Councilwoman Janice Hahn responds to a Daily Breeze editorial on her withdrawal from the shipyard negotiations. And the LA school board voted this week to place a parcel tax on the June ballot.

Meanwhile, Back at the Theatre

Following up on last week’s preview of The Relevant Stage’s “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change,” the Daily Breeze theatre critic has now seen the show and written a review that begins, “the second time is the charm.” The show runs through Feb. 27 at the Warner Grand Theatre.

Friday, February 12, 2010

Week in Review

The plight of pelicans began as the lead story in the Daily Breeze, then became the subject of multimedia reports on KNX 1070 newsradio and the Channel 2/9 TV news.

As expected, funding issues dominated Thursday’s meeting on waterfront redevelopment. Determined to find the money to build something, Port Executive Director Geraldine Knatz told the Daily Breeze, “I'm going to learn how to beg and I’m going to get that money.”

Local students will continue to get hands-on maritime lessons aboard the Angels Gate tugboat, thanks to donations that kept the vessel afloat when funding was jeopardized.

She’s from the government and the Port of Los Angeles High School hopes she’s here to help (with funding). In other words, “San Pedro school uses Rep. Harman’s visit to lobby for funds.”

High-tech safety is the plan as “[a]uthorities boost security at port complex.”

Money and politics had a little fender-bender this week, with the result that “Hahn recuses herself as mediator after shipbuilder’s contributions come to light.”

It was an uncontested election, but the results are in: “Voters overwhelmingly favor Gardena, San Pedro high school reforms.”

Just call this one Ports O’ Potty: “Automated restrooms at Port need user-friendly modifications.”

Shop local for your Valentine’s Day flowers at Fleur de Lys, a new Weymouth Corners shop profiled this week on the Daily Breeze business page.

Coastal Council Meeting 1 Week Later

The monthly meeting of the Coastal San Pedro Neighborhood Council is Feb. 22, a week later due to the President’s Day holiday.

Love-Themed Theatre

The Relevant Stage is performing “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change” this Valentine’s Day weekend and through the end of the month. It’s an encore show returning this year by popular demand after last year’s run. Read a review from Friday’s Daily Breeze.

Friday, February 5, 2010

Week in Review

Portside, there’s talk of replacing the Gerald Desmond Bridge and a twist in the proposal to build a new shipyard on Terminal Island.

And more maneuvering in the quest to bring the USS Iowa to San Pedro.

This news is – bad pun alert – rooted in controversy: “Six downtown San Pedro trees must be removed to keep funding.”

Peruse a range of community, business and arts news in the latest San Pedro Business Journal.

In school news, “[s]ome sixth-graders would stay at elementary schools under LAUSD plan.”

From last Sunday, a recap of residents’ struggles to recover from the rain damage. (Over in the opinion section, Councilwoman Janice Hahn’s office took exception to the story.) Now that it’s raining again, sandbags, anyone?

On a decidedly lighter note, the San Pedro Target will soon carry more grocery foods.

Civic Calendar

Waterfront Development Meeting Thursday: Time for Implementation
Now that the plans have been approved, port officials will give a briefing on the implementation stage. The meeting takes place on Feb. 11 at 6 p.m. at the Crowne Plaza hotel, 601 S. Palos Verdes St. The implementation guidelines, schedule and other background information can be found in this LA Waterfront newsletter.

Neighborhood Council Meetings Next Week
The Northwest San Pedro Neighborhood Council meets Monday, Feb. 8 at 6:30 p.m. at Peck Park, 560 N. Western Ave. Visit www.nwsanpedro.org or call (310) 732-4522 for more information.

The Central San Pedro Neighborhood Council meets Tuesday, Feb. 9 at the Croatian Cultural Center, 510 W. Seventh St. Refreshments are served at 6 p.m. and the meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. Visit www.sanpedrocity.org or call (310) 918-8650 for more information.

Fine Tuned

The world premier of “Avatar” music will be staged today (Saturday) as part of the Golden State Pops Orchestra’s “Great Composers Tribute.” Taking place on Feb. 6 at 8 p.m. at the Warner Grand Theatre, the show features music from “Avatar,” the TV show “Lost” and other popular productions. John Ottman, the composer behind tunes from “The Usual Suspects,” “X2: X-Men United,” “Superman Returns” and “Valkyrie,” will be interviewed on stage at 7:30 p.m.