Speed Reading

Quick news for your Saturday morning.

Tie your shoes and scoot out of the house for today’s opening of the 22nd Street Park. Speechifying with Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Councilwoman Janice Hahn, the Coastal San Pedro Neighborhood Council and others is at 11 a.m., followed by free lunch. Find more background information in this week’s Daily Breeze story.

And/or, take your precinct-walking shoes over to the Stammreich for State Senate kickoff today in Torrance.

The Arcade Building in downtown San Pedro celebrated its 85th birthday this week.

In case you were wondering how business is doing at the twin ports, the Los Angeles Times reports they are “fight[ing] to stay dominant,” noting “the port complex has been handling less cargo as competitors in Mexico, Canada and other parts of the U.S. draw more traffic.”

The Central San Pedro Neighborhood Council will hear a presentation on the USS Iowa at its Tuesday meeting. The Jan. 12 meeting takes place at the Croatian Cultural Center, 510 W. Seventh Street, beginning with refreshments at 6 p.m. and the meeting at 6:30 p.m.

The regular monthly meeting of the Northwest San Pedro Neighborhood Council is Monday, Jan. 11 at 6:30 p.m. at Peck Park, 560 N. Western Ave.

A new issue of Random Lengths News is circulating in print and online, with a cover story on the top local stories of 2009.