RLn 02-02-23

The state of two ports p. 3

Birthing Justice, social action doc ingites grassroots movement p. 9

Alder & Sage blooms in the wake of a lost piece of Long Beach history p. 10

FTC Urged to Crack Down on Egg Industry’s ‘Organized Theft’

By

As U.S. egg producers rake in record profits amid soaring prices, a farmer-led advocacy group focused on building a just and sustainable food system on Jan. 19 implored the Federal Trade Commission to “promptly open an investigation into the egg industry, prosecute any violations of the antitrust laws it finds within, and ultimately, get the American people their money back.”

Just before testifying at an open meeting of the FTC, Farm Action sent a letter to agency chair Lina Khan detailing its “concerns over apparent price gouging, price coordination, and other unfair or deceptive acts or practices by dominant producers of eggs such as Cal-Maine Foods, Rose Acre Farms, Versova Holdings, and Hillandale Farms, among others.”

As Farm Action explained, “Egg prices more than doubled for consumers last year — going from $1.79 in December 2021 to $4.25 in December 2022 for a dozen large Grade A eggs.” Major egg producers and their allies have blamed surging prices on a “supply disruption” triggered by the deadliest outbreak of avian influenza in U.S. history, calling it “’act of God’ type stuff,” the letter notes.

Based on its analysis of publicly available industry data, however, Farm Action determined that while the avian flu outbreak killed roughly 43 million egg-laying hens nationwide in 2022, “its actual impact on the egg supply was minimal.”

Thieves Steal $5,000 Worth of Equipment from the Garden Church

By Hunter Chase, Community News Reporter

On Jan. 5, several people broke into the Feed and Be Fed Garden at 1:30 a.m. and stole $5,000 worth of equipment. This equipment was used by the Garden Church, which meets there every Sunday. The thieves took a complete sound system and a gas-powered generator, said Peter Rothe, president of the board of directors for Feed and Be Fed.

“We’re doing our best to recover,” Rothe said. “It’s not a devastating loss, but for a nonprofit and a church, the loss constitutes a substantial part of our budget. And we’re soliciting donations online.”

Rothe said the sound equipment was worth about $2,500, and included portable speakers, amplifiers and microphones. The generator was borrowed from a friend of the church, and the church will now need to pay him back.

The Rev. Dr. Amanda Adams Riley, lead pastor of the Garden Church, said there weren’t any security cameras installed in the garden itself when the thieves broke in. The church had just purchased a camera, but had not yet installed it.

Rothe said that the San Pedro Historic Waterfront District, of the PBID, did have cameras nearby and

[See Eggs, p. 4]

picked up footage of the thieves entering the garden. Based on that footage, the PBID was able to tell Rothe how long they were in the garden.

“They were here actually for over an hour, inside,” Rothe said. “That initial break-in took place about 1:30 in the morning. And then again at 7, somebody else, another individual, seeing it open, or maybe related to the original, came in.”

None of the items that were stolen were insured.

“The insurance company doesn’t recommend

[See Garden Church, p. 3]

“Contrary to industry narratives, the increase in the price of eggs has not been an ‘act of God,’” says Farm Action. “It has been simple profiteering.”

Kenny Stancil, Common Dreams

DCA Launches E-Dinner Series for Creative Workers Exchange

The e-dinner series for creative workers exchange is an opportunity for local arts workers to build networks through listening, learning and exchanging insights. LA is a challenging place to find mentors, meet future employers or collaborators, or simply feel well-connected. Most of these minor complexities became amplified during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The monthly/biweekly meetings provide attendees the opportunity to hear insights about the current state, trends and developments of these various sectors, discuss common challenges and solutions, develop and share ideas for the future, and connect with their peers and build community. Details: mouna.benbouazza@lacity.org.

The State of Two Ports

By Paul Rosenberg, Senior Editor

The twin ports of LA and Long Beach are similar in many ways: similar businesses, serving similar customers with similar services, with the same ILWU workforce (plus often misclassified truck drivers) with a shared aspiration to be seen as America’s leading green port.

lution from vessels and equipment at the twin ports.” She added: “Mario Cordero, executive director of the Port of Long Beach, mentioned environmental concerns as a major port focus in the very first minute of his address, which the press cited: ‘Long Beach port director stresses environmental strides in 2022 review’— Press Telegram.”

Josh Lowenthal 69th

Assembly

District Swearing In Celebration

Join Assembymember Lowenthal’s community swearing in ceremony, to take place on Saturday Feb.11 at his alma mater Long Beach Poly. The day is a celebration of communities coming together and recognizing the unique and collective needs of Long Beach, Carson, Signal Hill and Catalina Island.

Time: 11 a.m., Feb. 11

Details: https://a69.asmdc.org/events

Venue: Long Beach Polytechnic High School, Anniversary of Torrance Refinery Explosion

TRAA will be holding a special event to commemorate the 8th anniversary of the Torrance Refinery explosion that nearly caused a catastrophe. It will be held at Cal State Dominguez Hills Feb. 17. Scheduled speakers include Rep. Maxine Waters, Assemblyman Al Marasutchi, scientists and community activists.

Time: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Feb. 17

Cost: Free

Details: https://traa.website/2023/01/13/savethe-date-february-17th/

Venue: Cal State Dominguez Hills, 1000 E. Victoria St., Carson

NWSPNC Neighborhood Purpose Grant Applications

The Northwest San Pedro Neighborhood Council Neighborhood Purpose Grant applicants must be a 501c3 nonprofit or a public school. To meet the deadline, applications must be postmarked no later Feb. 17, (if mailed), and received no later than Feb. 23, (if emailed). The decisions will be announced at the NWSPNC board meeting on March 13.

The forms can be found online at:https:// tinyurl.com/npg-application-review. Submit the application and cover letter by email to Melanie. labrecque@yahoo.com or by mail to: Budget and Finance Committee, 638 S. Beacon Street, Box 688, San Pedro, CA 90731 Email questions to: melanie.labrecque@yahoo.com. Please include your phone number.

Community Forum To Discuss Fentanyl

Crisis

To raise awareness about fentanyl, the Beach Cities Partnership for Youth Coalition is hosting a free, in-person community forum on fentanyl at the Redondo Union High School auditorium. Speakers include; Dr. Moe Gelbart, executive director, Thelma McMillen Center at Torrance Memorial; Chief Paul LeBaron, Hermosa Beach Police Department, Sebastian Martin, director of recovery at New Life House; Shana Martinez, clinical manager, allcove Beach Cities.

Time: 5:30 to 7 p.m., Feb. 9

Details: Register at https://www.bchd.org/fentanyl

Venue: Redondo Union High School Auditorium, One Sea Hawk Way, Redondo Beach

Zone In: Community Services and Housing Long Beach

The City of Long Beach is updating zoning regulations along West Willow Street and Santa Fe Avenue in West Long Beach. Known as Zone In: WestLB, this rezoning effort aims to activate commercial corridors, accommodate housing needs, and incentivize essential retail and services identified by the West Long Beach community, including grocery stores, banks and pharmacies.

Time: 6 to 7:30 p.m., Feb. 9

Details: https://tinyurl.com/project-webpage

Yet, the pictures painted by the two ports’ executive directors at their respective “State of the Port” were strikingly different, capped off with the news that the Port of Long Beach will create an off-shore wind turbine assembly facility as part of a new initiative to achieve carbon neutrality “at the port and beyond.” The proposed 400 acre facility (the largest in the U.S.) for the assembly of offshore wind turbines taller than the Eiffel Tower “holds the key to meeting California’s goal of producing 25 gigawatts of offshore wind power by 2045,” according to an introductory video. This represents a major breakthrough, given previous concerns about port electrification depending on fossil fuel power generation.

Andrea Hricko, retired professor from USC, said “I see the two ports’ addresses as a way to gauge commitment to cleaning up the air pol-

Garden Church

insuring anything less than $5,000 in value,” Riley said. “The individual items … none of them were worth that amount, and it was kind of happenstance that the generator was present at the time.”

Riley said the thieves cut through the fence, and sliced through the padlock that was on the shed where the generator was held.

“They took, I guess wire-cutters, something, and they snipped along the chain-link fence, kind of vertically, and then rolled it back,” Riley said.

Rothe said that since the padlock did not work, the church would be instituting a higher level of security in the garden, including security lights and a security camera.

“We’re seeking funding to rebuild this fence with a wooden fence,” Roethe said. “But having said that, we understand that the place is not defensible. If somebody is really serious about breaking in here, they will break in, so we’ve had to institute a policy where we will no longer be keeping anything of value onsite, locked up or not.”

Riley said the thieves came with a plan. In the past, people have stolen things from the garden, but they were always less valuable things.

“It always seems more like a crime of opportunity,” Riley said. “This is the first one that’s felt much more like it was planned and intentional.”

When the thieves came to the property, they made a large mess while looking through the property, knocking several things to the ground, on a night when it was pouring rain. Linda O-Brien-Rothe, lead gardener of Feed and Be Fed, said that the thieves put up an EZ UP tent to protect themselves from the rain, and then left it behind.

“It’s hours and hours of volunteer work to clean it up,” Riley said. “It’s a nuisance for sure. And then it’s just sad, because … we don’t see

Cordero said the theme of his speech would be “our environmental social responsibility, our sustainable development,” and he went on to say, “I would like to thank our passionate environmental justice groups for their advocacy on climate change.”

“In contrast,” Hricko noted that “Gene Seroka’s focus was on the ups and downs of the Port of LA’s cargo volumes — which he spoke about for a full nine minutes before he first mentioned a need for ‘decarbonization of the maritime industry’ and ‘reducing emissions’ in his address.”

“What a stark contrast in statements,” homeowner activist Janet Gunter noted.

“Director Cordero offered a passionate and comprehensive pledge on behalf of the POLB

to reduce deadly port emissions as a first priority. He also described POLB’s fierce dedication to the promotion of zero-emissions technology sooner rather than later,” Gunter said. “Meanwhile, Seroka focused his energy on remaining competitive and improving the supply chain while periodically mentioning improving ‘sustainability’ without discussing the chronic issue of the port’s deadly air emissions upon the local community. Cordero made a very poignant statement in his address stating the following: ‘While other ports offer incentives for cargo, we offer customers incentives for environmental performance.’”

Indeed, Cordero said, “Last year, during the months we were experiencing record shipment, I said cargo volume is not the sole metric of success for the Port of Long Beach. Rather, how we serve our customers, contribute to our local community, mitigate the impacts to our neighborhoods, and serve our labor force, these are important metrics for the Port of Long Beach. And, ladies and gentlemen, given our success and

ourselves as an obvious target, right? We try to do good in the community. Generally, people like us.”

The church did not have a sound system prior to the pandemic, and Riley said she planned on going without it for a while. However, a volunteer from the church was able to cobble together a sound system with his own equipment. Riley said it’s possible the equipment will be returned, and said that one police officer she spoke to was kind of optimistic. One church member has been looking in pawnshops around the area.

Det. Donald Blue of the Los Angeles Police Department said the likelihood of the equipment being returned depends on what information the church has about the items.

“If the stolen property is serial numbered and they have that, and we can figure out where it was pawned at, and there are a few places that will accept those kinds of things, then we can get it back,” Blue said.

Even if they don’t have the serial number, if the police are able to find a suspect, they can go

to pawn shops and ask the shops if they’ve bought anything from the suspect, Blue said.

“But in lieu of that, even if the property is found at a location and we have no serial number and no suspect, I would not be able to confiscate or have that property returned because I can’t definitively determine if it was the property of the victim,” Blue said.

Rothe said that he does not have the serial numbers for the equipment.

Riley said that while they are raising funds to replace the equipment, she would prefer to use funding for the church’s ministry.

“We have church outside,” Riley said. “It’s in a garden, it’s a garden and it’s a church, what we grow is food that goes back out into the community.”

The church averages about 25 people every Sunday.

“We’re unsettled by having people on the property after hours, and with mal intent,” Riley said. “But we are praying for the thieves.”

[See Two Ports, p. 8] [Garden Church, from p. 1]

Peter Rothe, president of the board of directors for Feed and Be Fed, points to where the thieves sliced through the fence. Photo by Arturo Garcia-Ayala

Cracking Down on Eggs

According to the letter:

After accounting for chicks hatched during the year, the average size of the egglaying flock in any given month of 2022 was never more than 7-8% lower than it was a year prior — and in all but two months was never more than 6% lower.

Moreover, the effect of the loss of egg-laying hens on production was itself blunted by “record-high” lay rates observed among remaining hens throughout the year. With total flock size substantially unaffected by the avian flu and lay rates between 1-4% higher than the average rate observed between 2017 and 2021, the industry’s quarterly egg production experienced no substantial decline in 2022 compared to 2021.

Nevertheless, the “weekly wholesale price for shell eggs climbed from 173.5 cents per dozen at the end of February to 194.2 cents in the middle of March,” the letter continues. “By the first week of April, it had reached 298 cents per dozen. For two months after this point, the wholesale price of eggs appeared to stabilize at elevated levels slightly below this peak — but then it started increasing again. In July, it broke previous records and reached over 300 cents per dozen. After dipping briefly in August, the rally in wholesale egg prices continued, hitting 400 cents per dozen in October and almost 450 cents per dozen in the first weeks of December.”

According to Farm Action, major egg producers’ massive price hikes are unjustifiable. In addition to the avian flu outbreak, some have attributed skyrocketing egg prices to higher feed and fuel costs, but “the dominant producers’ course-of-business documents suggest these claims have little merit,” the letter states. “For example, in a presentation to investors just this month, Cal-Maine noted that total farm production and feed costs in 2022 were only 22% higher than they were in 2021.”

“The real culprit behind this 138% hike in the price of a carton of eggs,” says the letter, “appears to be a collusive scheme among industry leaders to turn inflationary conditions and an avian flu outbreak into an opportunity to extract egregious profits reaching as high as 40%.”

Max Bowman, the chief financial officer of Cal-Maine — the nation’s largest producer and distributor of eggs — has admitted as much, saying in a recent statement that “significantly higher selling prices, our enduring focus on cost control, and our ability to adapt to inflationary market pressures led to improved profitability overall.”

CNN reported last week that “there have been no positive tests” of avian flu at any of CalMaine’s facilities, and yet the company’s net average selling price per dozen conventional eggs more than doubled last year. The corporate giant, which controls roughly 20% of the egg market, is behind several popular brands, including

Farmhouse Eggs, Sunups, Sunny Meadow, EggLand’s Best and Land O’ Lakes eggs.

“Contrary to industry narratives, the increase in the price of eggs has not been an ‘act of God’ — it has been simple profiteering,” Farm Action’s letter argues. “For the 26-week period ending on November 26, 2022, Cal-Maine reported a 10-fold year-over-year increase in gross profits—from $50.392 million to $535.339 million— and a five-fold increase in its gross margins.

“Cal-Maine’s willingness to increase its prices — and profit margins — to such unprecedented levels suggests foul play. That Cal-Maine — the leader in a mostly commoditized industry with, presumably, the most efficient operations

and the greatest financial power — will quintuple its profit margin in one year without any compelling business reason is plainly an indication of market power,” the letter continues. “It is also an invitation for rival egg producers to tacitly collude with Cal-Maine, forego price competition themselves, and maintain high prices for the entire industry. Fundamentally, Cal-Maine seems to be engaging in price leadership — using the avian flu outbreak and the inflationary conditions of the past year as cover to establish a new ‘focal point’ for egg prices.”

“This pattern of behavior by the dominant firms in the egg industry raises significant con-

[See Gouging, p.15]

Eggtastrophe in San Pedro?

By Terelle Jerricks, Managing Editor and Micah Smith, Editorial Intern

It’s been two weeks since the publication of Kenny Stancil’s report on Farm Action’s letter to the Fed eral Trade Commission to crack down on price goug ing in response to the rapid rise in egg prices. Thus far, blame is being placed on rising feed prices, in creased transportation costs, and labor shortages on top of the Avian Flu killing 40 million chickens. But for restaurateurs, consumers, and mainstream media outlets, the exploding price of eggs feels more like an act of God to acclimate ourselves with rather than a problem than can be fixed.

Random Lengths News interviewed a few local restaurateurs to get their take on the problem.

Before its incarnation into a restaurant, Slavko’s Harbor Poultry Co. was a place where the chicken was slaughtered and sold to local markets and residents.

The iconic 100-year-old local chicken shop has

[See Eggtastrophe, p. 15]

What Cal-Maine Foods and the other large egg producers did last year — and seem to be intent on doing again this year — is extort billions of dollars from the pockets of ordinary Americans.

Jim Frlekin with a tray of fried chicken at Slavko’s Harbor Poultry in San Pedro. File photo

Rain, Riots and Violence

By James Preston Allen, Publisher

If you listened to weather reports by mainstream media “meteorologists” during the last deluge of storms, there was a sense of shock and surprise at the ending of our multi-year drought. Yet, even with global warming the long weather cycle of the state has been predicted a long time ago. It should not have come as any surprise.

It was in one of Carey McWilliams early books on the history of this area where I first learned of the 19-year rain-drought cycle of the “island of Southern California.” As he commented back in 1946, there are long dry years with little or moderate rain but then about every second decade there’s a torrent that washes down the San Gabriel Mountains and floods the lowlands and fills the arroyos and the rivers. It’s the reason why the LA River and its tributaries are cement lined gutters to the ocean to rush millions of gallons of the overflow once every generation.

Recently we’ve gotten a little smarter about capturing the infrequent rainfall. It’s just long enough for people to forget the last time or even the worst time before and for the young ones to have never known. However, if you go look up the records, it’s right there. It’s a 19-year cycle, give or take. Mother nature doesn’t use a Gregorian calendar.

Carey McWilliams’ successor as documenter of all things Los Angeles was Mike Davis the American writer, political activist, urban theorist and historian. He was based in Southern California. He is best known for his investigations of power and social class in works such as City of Quartz, Davis carried on the social justice commentaries of McWilliams into the current era. He passed away this past October.

I forget in which of his books he notes the similar cycle of race riots that occur about every 27 years here. Just long enough for people to vaguely remember the Watts uprising, or the Rodney King revolt and to be shocked when the protests over the killing of George Floyd turned into broken glass on the streets of LA.

I’m sure Davis would have described this historic social phenomenon more critically than I am in these pages, but my point here is that there are cycles both nature and human that go beyond the current news cycle, political commentary or even the self-reflection of the political elites. For what Los Angeles is good at is forgetting its history as it chases reinvention every couple of decades. It’s a

collective lobotomy as we pursue the next new gold rush.

Think of the aerospace boom, the digital tech revolution and of course always the silver screen — all bringing us a chimera of the future sci fi or romanticized pasts and leaving us with the housing and homeless crisis in what is now one of the wealthiest cities in the wealthiest nation in world history. California is now the fourth largest economy surpassing Germany and yet it still has these intractable social-environmental-justice issues that seem to cycle and surface like some kind of natural phenomenon. Yet, they are not.

Enter the mass murders of late — 39 since the beginning of this year — and then the rise in police killings, four in Los Angeles alone. In just this last month it would seem like the clock has been dialed back to what? Probably the 1990s when homicides reached 2,589 in one year. What I’m proposing here is that like the rain and the riots, this trend in violence is also cyclical. That if we look back without blinders, and without being distracted by what’s next, we could recognize the pattern.

Perhaps it’s part of human nature, or perhaps it’s due to overcrowding — too many people into too small a space — or it’s caused by an economic system that values property over people? Is it the prevalence of too many guns, systemic racism or just the American penchant for violence? Or is it a combination of all of the above? Nobody seems to agree on the cause but we all know the effect.

Clearly, if we only listen to the daily news

feed and don’t remember what’s come before we’ll never really understand why it’s happening now. And we will never understand how to fix it while we rush off to grab the next shiny object on our latest hand-held device.

The weather gal on channel four is predicting sunny skies for the rest of the week and we’ve almost forgotten the rain.

An open letter re: Julian Assange

Editor’s note: As Wikileaks founder Julian Assange sits in a London prison awaiting the extradition appeals process, supporters are still pressuring President Joe Biden to drop the case. What follows is a an open letter submitted to the U.S. Justice department by press freedom, civil liberties, and international human rights advocacy organizations in 2021, that’s still relevant today.

Attorney General Merrick Garland:

We, the undersigned press freedom, civil liberties, and international human rights advocacy organizations, write again to share our profound concern about the ongoing criminal and extradition proceedings relating to Julian Assange, the founder of Wikileaks, under the Espionage Act and the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. In February, members of this coalition wrote to the Acting Attorney General, urging that the criminal charges against Mr. Assange be dropped. We now renew that request with even greater urgency, in light of a recent story in Yahoo News describing alarming discussions within the CIA and Donald Trump administration before the indictment against Assange was filed. The Yahoo News story

Publisher/Executive Editor James Preston Allen james@randomlengthsnews.com

Assoc. Publisher/Production Coordinator Suzanne Matsumiya

“A newspaper is not just for reporting the news as it is, but to make people mad enough to do something about it.”

—Mark Twain

Vol. XLIIII : No. 3

Random Lengths News is a publication of Beacon Light Press, LLC

Published every two weeks for the Harbor Area communities of San Pedro, RPV, Lomita, Harbor City, Wilmington, Carson and Long Beach.

only heightens our concerns about the motivations behind this prosecution, and about the dangerous precedent that is being set. As we noted in our earlier correspondence, the signatories to this letter have different perspectives on Mr. Assange and his organization. We are united, however, in our view that the criminal case against him poses a grave threat to press freedom both in the United States and abroad. We were disappointed that the Department of Justice appealed the decision by Judge Vanessa Baraitser of the Westminster Magistrates’ Court to reject the Trump administration’s extradition request. Especially in light of the recent news report, we urge you to drop that appeal and dismiss the underlying indictment.

As we explained in our earlier letter, journalists routinely engage in much of the conduct described in the indictment: speaking with sources, asking for clarification or more documentation, and receiving and publishing official secrets. News organizations frequently and necessarily publish classified information in order to inform the public of matters of profound public significance. We appreciate that the government has a legitimate interest in protecting bona fide national security interests, but the proceedings against

Columnists/Reporters Melina Paris Assistant Editor/Arts Hunter Chase Community News Reporter

Fabiola Esqueda Visual Journalist/ Social Media Director

Mr. Assange jeopardize journalism that is crucial to democracy. In our view, a precedent created by prosecuting Assange could be used against publishers and journalists alike, chilling their work and undermining freedom of the press. Major news organizations share this concern. The charges against Assange have been condemned by virtually every major American news outlet, even though many of those news outlets have criticized Mr. Assange in the past. In light of these concerns, and in light of the shocking new reporting on the government’s conduct in this case, we respectfully urge you to drop the ongoing appeal of Judge Baraitser’s ruling and to dismiss the indictment of Mr. Assange.

Respectfully, (in alphabetical order)

Access Now, American Civil Liberties Union, Amnesty International USA, Center for Constitutional Rights, Committee to Protect Journalists, Defending Rights & Dissent, Demand Progress Education Fund, Electronic Frontier Foundation, Fight for the Future, First Amendment Coalition, Free Press, Freedom of the Press Foundation, Human Rights Watch

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Biden 2024 Decision Pits the Party’s Elites Against Most Democrats

By Norman Solomon

Denial at the top of the Democratic Party about Joe Biden’s shaky footing for a re-election run in 2024 became more untenable over the weekend. As the New York Times reported, investigators “seized more than a half-dozen documents, some of them classified, at President Biden’s residence” in Delaware. The newspaper noted that “the remarkable search of a sitting president’s home by federal agents — at the invitation of Mr. Biden’s lawyers — dramatically escalated the legal and political situation for the president.”

Donald Trump’s obstructive refusal to cooperate with the federal investigation into the far more numerous classified documents in his possession stands in sharp contrast with Biden’s apparently full cooperation with the Justice Department. Yet Biden now faces a documents scandal that’s sure to fester for quite a while — the average length of special counsel investigations has been upwards of 900 days — and the impacts on his plans to seek re-election are unclear.

Meanwhile, here’s an assumption so routine that it passes as self-evident among power brokers and corporate-media journalists: Democratic voters are presumed to be mere spectators awaiting Biden’s decision on whether to seek a second term. Hidden in plain sight is a logical question that remains virtually off-limits to raise in standard political discourse: Why not ask them?

What a concept. Biden could actually seek guidance from the Democratic base — the people who regularly turn out to vote for the party’s candidates, give millions of small-dollar donations and do priceless volunteer work in support of campaigns to defeat Republicans.

Biden’s decision on whether to run again should be seen as much more than just a matter of personal prerogative. Rather than treating it as such, Biden could put party and country first by recognizing that the essential Democratic task of defeating the Republican ticket in 2024 will require widespread enthusiasm from grassroots Democrats. Biden would be boosting the chances of beating the GOP by including those Democrats in the decision-making process as he weighs whether to officially declare his candidacy.

But there’s one overarching reason why the Biden White House has no interest in any such idea. The president doesn’t want to ask the question of loyal Democratic voters because he probably wouldn’t like the answer. His stance is clear: It’s my party and I’ll run if I want to.

A glimmer of that attitude showed through during a news conference shortly after the midterm election. Noting that “two-thirds of Americans in exit polls say that they don’t think you should run for re-election,” a reporter asked:

Read

“What is your message to them?” Biden’s reply: “Watch me.” Later, CNN and CNBC polls found that nearly 60% of Democrats didn’t want Biden to run again. Yet from all indications, he still intends to do just that.

Defying the wishes of most of the party’s voters could be spun as leadership, but a more fitting word is hubris. Whatever the characterization, it runs a serious risk of self-defeat. For instance, only wishful thinking leads to a belief that the Democratic presidential nominee next year can win without a strong turnout from those who represent the party’s bedrock base and its future — the young.

Biden’s “watch me” attitude is especially out of whack in relation to youthful Democratic voters. A New York Times poll last summer found that a stunning 94% of them under age 30 said they didn’t want Biden to be the party’s nominee. Such a disconnect spells trouble if Biden does run. Too many young people might heed the “watch me” attitude by declining to volunteer or vote for Biden before he goes down to defeat.

In normal times, a president’s renomination has been his for the taking. But in this case, when most of the party’s supporters don’t want him to run, exercising raw intra-party leverage to get nominated would indicate a high degree of political narcissism. It’s hardly a good look or an auspicious path.

If he runs in 2024, Joe Biden would be the foremost symbol of the status quo — not a good position to be in when faux populism will predictably be the name of the Republican game. In a poll last November, only 21% of registered voters told Hart Research that the country was “headed in the right direction” while 72% said it was “off on the wrong track.”

For the president, gaining the Democratic nomination next year would likely be much easier than winning the White House for a second time. If Biden is content to become the party’s nominee again while ignoring the majority of Democrats who don’t want him to run, he’ll be boosting the chances that a Republican will get to work in the Oval Office two years from now. To prevent such a catastrophe, grassroots Democrats will need to directly challenge the party elites who seem willing to whistle past the probable graveyard of Biden’s second-term hopes.

Norman Solomon is the national director of RootsAction.org and the executive director of the Institute for Public Accuracy. He is the author of a dozen books including War Made Easy. His next book, War Made Invisible: How America Hides the Human Toll of Its Military Machine, will be published in June 2023 by The New Press.

RANDOM Letters

Letter — Personal Journey

(Re: RLn Letters, Jan. 5-18, 2023)

I enjoyed “A Personal Journey From Red to Blue.” A sampling of Republicans from yesteryear:

Robert Lafollette — Senator founded The Progressive.

Hiram Johnson — California governor and the state’s first popularly elected senator was close to Franklin Delano Roosevelt and a staunch New Dealer.

Fiorello LaGuardia — Mayor of New York City and vongressman was simultaneously a socialist and used to walk precincts and speak Italian with his constituents.

Frederick Douglass —“Power concedes nothing without struggle. Those who want change without struggle want crops without plowing the land, want the ocean without its awful roar.”

Earl Warren —As Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, he so pissed off local conservatives after the Brown v. Board decision that they threw up a billboard at Five Points calling for his impeachment.

Yeah, it’s a long way from “Honest Abe” to George Santos.

Steve Varalyay Torrance

The First Amendment

While the First Amendment gives the right to publish what you want, it does not give the right to

act like an ass...

Dear Masses,

Sincerely “The Masses”

While we normally don’t print anonymous letters to the editor we will make an exception in your case in response to which, I’d say that the U.S. Constitution does in fact protect people expressing themselves “Like an ass.” Just look at Donald J. Trump, he has been acting like one for years and the only time he was stopped temporarily is when he supported and encouraged an insurrection and even then he was just kicked off social media and has of yet not been indicted.

Thanks for the post card.

James Preston Allen, Publisher

On the Mountain Top

Great article on MLK (“From the Mountain Top,” RLn, Jan. 19Feb. 1, 2023). We all need frequent reminding of where King stood de-

spite major national media efforts to water his messages down. He championed labor rights and the needs of all disadvantaged people, not just civil rights clauses intended for legislation. The historian Michael Honey has proved this in his award-winning books and articles. Your reinforcement will surely help.

Harvey Schwartz El Serrito, CA

What’s Good for the Gander, Must be Good for the Goose?

There is a Bible story (Genesis 9) where a man, in the worst interpretations, sodomizes his father while the father is passed out.

I request that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis ban this chapter from the Pre-K to 12 public education curriculum in Florida.

Perhaps a committee could study other dangerous passages in the Bible.

“History, the mother of truth...”

—

$28 $45

$83

Cervantes Mike Madrid San Pedro

REP Watch

Barragán to Get an Office in San Pedro Municipal Building

Last month, the Los Angeles City Council, through a motion made by 15th District Councilman Tim McOsker, voted to provide office space for Rep. Nanette Barragán in the San Pedro Municipal Building on 7th and Beacon streets.

City staff decided that a suite currently occupied by the Department of Public Works on the fifth floor would be the best place for the congresswoman’s new office.

To accommodate this proposed lease, the Department of Public Works will be relocated to another suite on the same floor.

The Department of General Services, with the help of the City Attorney’s office, was directed to negotiate a no-cost lease with Barragán’s office.

Council To Study Adding Medical Personnel On Police Calls

On Jan. 13, the Los Angeles City Council moved a motion to the public safety committee that would pay for a presentation by Denver Colorado’s Support Team Assisted Response (STAR) Program, which deploys, through 911, emergency response teams that include emergency medical technicians and behavioral health clinicians to engage individuals experiencing distress related to mental health issues, poverty, homelessness, and substance abuse.

In the first three days of 2023, three Angelenos suffering from mental health breakdowns were killed by the Los Angeles Police Department in three separate incidents, including Takar Smith, Keenan Anderson and Oscar Leon.

But no mental health experts were contacted, as Police Chief Michel Moore pointed out during a news conference following the shooting.

“Our City’s emergency response not only failed them and their loved ones but took their lives,” the city

Two Ports

leadership in these areas, the Port of Long Beach is number one.”

In part, the differences reflected the two men’s backgrounds — but also the two cities whose ports they lead. Seroka has headed POLA since 2014, following a 26-year career at American Presidents Line, while Cordero’s experience is much more diverse — from his three decades as a lawyer specializing in workers’ compensation cases, to his long tenure on POLB’s board, and the board of the Federal Maritime Commission, which he chaired for four years, where he received multiple awards for assisting industry stakeholders to accomplish their goals.

While the two ports are roughly equal in size, Los Angeles has almost nine times the population of Long Beach, and POLA is far from LA City Hall, as well as most of the city’s commercial and population centers.

But both men are ultimately responsible to newly-elected mayors: Karen Bass, LA’s first Black female mayor, and Rex Richardson, Long Beach’s first Black mayor. Their roles will be significant, said Joe Lyou, president and CEO of the Coalition for Clean Air.

“I expect Mayor Bass to take her zero emission port pledge seriously,” Lyou said. “The Los Angeles port needs to shift from prioritizing profits to prioritizing public health, which means eliminating pollution from ships, terminal equipment, trucks and trains. They have a long way to go.”

CCA’s deputy policy director, Christopher Chavez, was the sustainability co-lead for Richardson’s transition team. He pointed to three things Richardson proposed in his State of the City address:

council’s motion stated. “Every Angeleno should be able to trust that when they call Emergency Services they will deliver safe, compassionate, effective services that truly meet the moment.”

City council staff said that while Los Angeles has seen success with pilot programs such as the therapeutic vans operated by the LA County Department of Mental Health and the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD), neither have yet acquired the capacity to meet the demand, nor the severity of certain mental health crises.

Street Improvements Coming to Anaheim Street in Wilmington

The Department of Transportation has implemented a number of changes on Anaheim Street in Wilmington, with the goal of improving traffic safety and connectivity between Figueroa Street and Henry Ford Avenue. Some of the revisions include:

• Removing one travel lane in each direction between Figueroa Street and Eubank Avenue;

•Curb extensions with paint and plastic bollards;

• Removing parking between Eubank Avenue and Alameda;

• A new protected bike lane;

• Upgrades to sidewalks, traffic signals, and pedestrian crossings;

• Bicycle intersection improvements, pedestrian-scale lighting, and street trees.

Residents have expressed concern about the impact of these changes, and it is appropriate for the city council to receive an update on the status of the project, as well as the methodology and metrics for evaluating its effectiveness.

Councilman Tim McOsker made a motion to direct the Department of Transportation to report on the effects of traffic calming measures and safety improvements to Anaheim Street between Figueroa Street and Henry Ford Avenue.

• Doubling the Clean Truck Rate from $10 to $20 per 20-foot equivalent container unit

• Installing 100 truck chargers on port property

• Creating a local fund to help replace dirty trucks

As it stands, POLB seems to be moving much faster in making use of the fees generated so far. “We started our first grant program last September to help subsidize the purchase of ZE trucks,” Seroka said. “So far we’ve had four applicants, that’s four trucks. Why the low number? Because these trucks are not only costly, they’re not commercially available yet,” he said (though that’s not strictly true). “So last month we issued a separate grant to get more pre-production ZE big rigs on the street. Thanks to that funding a total of six million dollars was awarded to two local trucking companies who will use the funds to purchase a total of 22 pre-production battery electric trucks.”

But POLB is moving much faster by focusing on infrastructure, while CARB provides vehicle funding. “In September we held a groundbreaking for 30 charging units that would be built at the 4 Gen trucking yard by Electrify America for the 61 zero-emission battery electric trucks that 4 Gen announced it was purchasing,” Cordero said.

“God willing, our new mayor will see the disparity going on between these two ports and recognize the ingrained and unjust policies embraced by the Port of LA,” Gunter said. “We can only hope that Mayor Bass will make changes that restore the priority of environmental protections to its proper first place position.”

[Two Ports, from p. 3]

Today in America, the facts on Black maternal healthcare are disturbing. You can find statistics that point to this national health hazard on the website for Birthing Justice, a social documentary, which offers data — and solutions — on the maternal healthcare system in this country, and birth stories of Black women.

Birthing Justice executive producers and co-writers Denise Pines and Jacoba Atlas approached Monique Matthews to direct this film (which Matthews also co-wrote). Matthews said the social documentary was designed to shift policy but also to amplify and highlight the activists, the birth care professionals and the parents who are actively working to make change. As Matthews said, when you want things done you have to go to the people.

“We don’t want this to be above anyone,” she said. “We created this from the people to amplify their voices.”

The film focuses on real-life birthing traumas that American Black women have experienced and does not shy away from the main culprit of these traumatic experiences, racism. Matthews said that before Pines and Atlas approached her to direct Birthing Justice, she didn’t know how bad the situation was. As she dug deeper into the story, she realized that there were women she had known for 20 to 30 years but she didn’t know that they had suffered a traumatic birthing experience, such as preeclampsia. She said people don’t share.

“It’s horrible,” said Matthews. “I remember going away to college and hearing later about one of the girls I grew up with who died giving birth.”

Matthews had a cousin who died in a hospital

Birthing Justice, Social Action Doc Ignites Grassroots Movement

By Melina Paris, Assistant Editor

giving birth and a sorority sister who lost a baby who was less than a year old, which is also considered part of maternal mortality. Matthews understood the toll it took on her friend — a 26-year-old woman, married, with a Ph.D.

“She was everything that you could think [to] be on track to have a successful birth,” Matthews recalled. “I kept seeing these things happen but I didn’t connect the dots … when Jacoba and Denise contacted me and we sat down, I said ‘yes, I want to do this.’”

Matthews noted that she wanted to affirm it with love because she understood the challenge of providing information in a way that informs, without alarming and terrifying people.

“Black people deal with enough trauma. I don’t want us to be terrified,” Matthews said. “I want us to have successful lives.”

It’s what drew her to this project and to tell this story in a way that informs yet affirms life.

“It’s really shocking and that’s one of the reasons we made this film, because it’s hiding in plain sight,” Matthews said. “The stats are so alarming, yet so many women and birthing people who go through this feel ashamed sometimes. And it’s not on them. It’s on our policies, it’s on racism, it’s on so many other things.”

Matthews said we need to say to women, “We want to hear your story.”

“Every woman deserves a beautiful birth story,” she said. “It’s not something that we need to be ashamed of when there’s trauma attached or things go awry.”

Matthews noted the team behind Birthing Justice actually finished the film ahead of a meeting of the Congressional Black Caucus because it was a very big event and because they consider the film to be a social action documentary — about informing and influencing policy. Its first screening, which was the first 20 minutes of the film, took place at the Congressional Black Caucus meeting in September. Following that, Matthews said they were fortunate to have Rep. Lauren Underwood (IL-14), a registered nurse who is also in the film, host the filmmakers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to present the film, which can make an impact in terms of changing policy.

This was followed by another brief screening at The United Nations, in November in Geneva, Switzerland. The first Los Angeles premiere screening was Jan. 11 and Birthing Justice will be shown at the Pan African Film Festival in February.

On Jan. 22, Matthews was especially excited to attend a screening and panel at Community of Hope, in Washington D.C. The city has the highest infant mortality rate of any city in the United States.

Top: Ebony Marcelle, director of midwifery, with a newborn, at Community of Hope in Washington, D.C. Above: A still from Birthing Justice. Images courtesy of Birthing Justice

[See Birthing, p. 13]

n July 24, 2022, the day Portfolio Coffeehouse closed after 32 years as a Long Beach institution at the corner of 4th Street and Junipero Avenue, owner Kerstin Kansteiner knew that six months later she’d be back in business little more than a block away.

But everybody saying that Portfolio was moving had it wrong. Portfolio was passing away, and Kansteiner was in mourning. “I have to look at this as a new beginning,” she said that day through tears, toting a bouquet of flowers a loyal patron had gifted. “Otherwise I won’t make it through.”

That new beginning is Alder & Sage, which opened softly this month serving coffee beverages and a small array of eats. Expanded hours, dinner service, and beer & wine will come next month. For now, she’s just gratified that people are showing up.

Did she really have any doubt? “Oh, shit yeah,” she says, “ohmigod yes! [In the run-up to opening] you’re exhausted, and there’s still a million things to do. And then you open and there are people here, but you’re like, ‘Well, maybe they’ll stop coming tomorrow.’ And then there are people here the next day and I’m like, ‘Okay, that’s good; and some of the people who were here yesterday and here again today — that’s even better.’ The number of people who’ve come in is a validation, […] but I’m gonna have that doubt for a long time. […] From having had several businesses now, I know the world has changed. It’s [become] more ‘here today, gone tomorrow.’ In this world of 144-character [tweets] kids so often just move on to the next cool thing.”

Occupying what was formerly Carousel Preschool (itself a bit of an institution), Alder & Sage is 2,200 square feet of wood (alder, of course), windows, and a feng shui that flows from front to back. Step outside and you find another 2,200 feet with fire pits, meticulously landscaped drought-tolerant flora, and if your timing is right a squirrel scurrying along the back fence.

All in all, there’s enough seating so that patrons nursing cups of coffee for three hours won’t feel guilty taking up tables needed to serve the diners that will financially justify keeping Alder & Sage open as late 10 p.m. (five

hours later than Portfolio — which once upon a time stayed open ‘til midnight and beyond — during its last several years even pre-pandemic).

But none of this would have come to pass had Kansteiner had her way. The trouble started in 2017 when she dropped off her five-year lease extension, just as she had done five years earlier (and five years before that). But this time landlord Michael Salemi claimed she didn’t file it in the manner re-

Alder & Sage Blooms in Wake of a Lost Piece of Long Beach History

Enter Scott Ross, a longtime Portfolio regular (hot chocolate was his go-to) and area property owner with whom Kansteiner (in her capacity as president of the 4th Street Business Association) had dealt in regards to his parking lot at 4th & Cherry. “Pretty late in the game I was like, ‘Maybe I should call him.’”

When she did, Ross informed her that the Carousel Preschool space was available. “He said, ‘I couldn’t envision anything better than having you as my tenant.’”

She signed the lease in April 2022 and, with van Dijs as her ace-in-the-hole (his JR van Dijs Construction Management is responsible for the Edison Lofts and rehabilitation of the Lafayette and the Art Theatre, among several other downtown Long Beach projects), they immediately went to work transforming 366 Cherry into more than she hoped for. “Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I could [get] this,” she says, spreading her arms in appreciation of all that surrounds her.

But however much she hoped to transfer aspects of Portfolio’s spirit into this healthy new body, she never considered keeping the old name. “A lot of people were mad that I’m not

calling this ‘Portfolio,’” she says. “But I can’t call it that because clearly this is not Portfolio and never will be. It had to be a different name.”

quired and put her on a month-to-month basis, which allowed him to raise the rent beyond the yearly 3% allowed by the extension. Kansteiner claims a sort of harassment ensued (“torture by a thousand needles”), including bogus reports to the City of Long Beach that Portfolio was out of compliance with various codes (Salemi confirms filing the reports, alleging violations related to an improper kitchen remodel). A protracted legal battle ensued, during which Kansteiner says she spent roughly $140,000 in legal fees and suffered rent increases totaling 28% by 2021.

She recalls reaching a breaking point one day sitting at her kitchen table with husband Jan van Dijs. “‘I can’t do this anymore,’” she told him. “‘[…] Even though my attorney says I’m going to win, emotionally I cannot do this anymore.’ Jan said, ‘That’s what [Salemi] wants you to do. But this is wrong, and if we have to we’ll put every dollar of our savings on the line. We’re going to see this through.’ Had he not set me straight, I think I would have given up.”

(Salemi says that by 2017 “it just wasn’t working out. […] But Kerstin is a great person. She’ll do really well with [Alder & Sage]. It was just time to move on.”)

In June 2021, Salemi and Kansteiner reached a settlement which Kansteiner regarded

as a clear victory, including an allowance for Portfolio to operate rent-free for what would have been the remaining 13 months of the 2017 lease extension.

But needless to say, this would be Portfolio’s last hurrah.

“By the end, I was just so tired,” she recounts. “I couldn’t even celebrate [the victory]; I just wanted to throw up. […] In some sense there was no winning. I thought I was going to have to let [all my employees] go. To live with that for another year — knowing that I was going to have to close, going to work every day looking at these people who are making plans for the future…. I honestly thought, ‘This is it. I know 4th Street, and there’s no place I can move my business; and there’s no other place I want to be.’”

She did, however, rehire any and all employees who wanted to embark on this new venture, and she’s overwhelmed with how all of them, along with the customers — regardless of how long they’ve been part of Kansteiner’s journey — are starting a new tradition in the best sense of the old.

“I have employees here who were not born when Portfolio opened, were not there when we were smoking cigarettes behind the counter late at night. I don’t think they’re even familiar with that culture,” she says. “It’s a new generation, but they still appreciate the thing that I’ll very loosely call ‘community’ that Portfolio created. It’s still here. It’s different from what it was, but the feeling of having a safe place, belonging, being able to go somewhere and just be, maybe strike up a conversation with somebody or just sit in a corner, it’s still here — and it made me very happy to see that these past three days. There are people who came in and stood in line and maybe had never talked to each other but recognized each other from Portfolio and said, ‘Oh my god, I remember you!’ We’re together; that’s still here. Can Portfolio be revived? Absolutely not. But it can be different and still create community. […] Whatever happened at Portfolio, that should not be the measure of success here. I can only move forward and say, ‘Here is this new thing.’”

Check out that new thing, Alder & Sage, at 366 Cherry Ave., Long Beach. Current hours are 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., but for up-to-date hours and menu listings, visit aldersage.com

Kerstin Kansteiner (center) and employees old and new. Below, the interior of Alder & Sage, Kansteiner’s new coffeehouse. Photos by Greggory Moore

Valentine’s Day at the Aquarium of the Pacific

Dive into Valentine’s Day at the Aquarium of the Pacific with your favorite person or people this year for an exclusive experience.

Enjoy a one-of-a-kind date night with dinner and a movie, surrounded by more than 12,000 animals. Bask in the sunset, overlooking the harbor during cocktail hour before finding your seats in the Ocean Theater for a special showing of La La Land. Noted for its outstanding musical score and cinematography, with Academy wins in both those categories, the film depicts how following your passion can be painful yet extraordinarily magical and necessary.

Your evening will continue at your private table with a chef-crafted duo entrée offering.

VIP experience: Enjoy your meal up close to one of the aquarium’s exhibits.

The menu for the evening includes: Caprese salad bed of watercress greens with mozzarella

By Melina Paris, Assistant Editor

cheese and tomato dressed with a citrus basil vinaigrette. A duo entrée: Cabernet braised short rib with demi-glace and crispy onion

accompanied by stuffed salmon Florentine with piquillo pepper sauce over parmesan risotto and seasonal market vegetables. And for dessert —mini cupcakes and chocolate covered strawberries. There is a vegetarian option as well. Cash bar available.

Tickets to this event include admission for the entire day to the Aquarium of the Pacific.

Advance booking required and space is limited. Masks are recommended for this event. See the aquarium’s website for all entrance and safety requirements: https://www.aquariumofpacific. org

Time: 5 to 10 p.m., Feb. 14

Cost: 18 and older, adult $109, member $89, VIP adult: $129, VIP member: $109

Details: R.S.V.P. 562-590-3100; https://tinyurl.com/Aquarium-valentine

Venue: Aquarium of the Pacific, 100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach

BIG NICK’S PIZZA

Tradition, variety and fast delivery or takeout—you get it all at Big Nick’s Pizza. The best selection of Italian specialties include hearty calzones, an array of pastas and our amazing selection of signature pizzas. We are taking all safety precautions to protect our diners and staff. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram to stay updated on new developments. Call for fast delivery or to place a pick up order. Hours: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mon.-Thurs.; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fri.-Sun. Big Nicks’ Pizza, 1110 N. Gaffey St., San Pedro, 310-732-5800, www.bignickspizza.com

1111 BISTRO AT LA HARBOR COLLEGE

Come experience the French flair at 1111 Bistro at Los Angeles Harbor College.

Open Tuesday and Thursday for lunch from 11:00 a.m. to 1 p.m. starting Feb. 23 through March 2. The Bistro is run by students serving à la cart and 3-course meals.

1111 Bistro on the LA Harbor College campus, 1111 Figueroa Place, Wilmington, culinaryreservations@ lahc.edu

BUONO’S AUTHENTIC PIZZERIA

Family owned and operated since 1965, Buono’s is famous for award-winning brick oven baked pizza.

Buono’s also offers classic Italian dishes and sauces based on tried-andtrue family recipes and hand-selected fresh ingredients. Dine-in and patio service, takeout and delivery. Hours: Sun.-Thurs. 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Fri. and Sat. 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Buono’s Pizzeria, corner of 6th and Centre sts., Little Italy San Pedro, 310547-0655, www.buonospizza.com

HAPPY DINER #1

The Happy Diner #1 in Downtown San Pedro isn’t your average diner. The selections range from Italian- and Mexican-influenced entrées to American Continental. Happy Diner chefs are always creating something new—take your pick of grilled salmon over pasta or tilapia and vegetables prepared any way you like. Dine in or al fresco or call for takeout. Hours: Mon.-Wed. 6 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Thurs.-Sat. 6 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. and Sun. 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Happy Diner #1, 617 S. Centre St., San Pedro, 310-241-0917, www.hap pydinersp.com

HAPPY DINER #2

Built on the success of Happy Diner #1, Happy Diner #2 offers American favorites like omelets and burgers, fresh salads, plus pasta and Mexican dishes

are served. Order online for delivery or call for pickup.

Hours: Mon. - Sat. 6 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., Sun. 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Happy Diner #2, 1931 N. Gaffey St., San Pedro, 310-935-2933, www.happydinersp.com

HAPPY DELI

The Happy Deli is a small place with a big menu. Food is made-to-order using the freshest ingredients. Breakfast burritos and breakfast sandwiches include a small coffee. For lunch or dinner select from fresh salads, wraps, buffalo wings, cold and hot sandwiches, burgers and dogs. Order online or call for takeout or delivery. Hours: Mon. - Sat. 6 am. to 8 p.m., Sun. 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Happy Deli, 530 S. Gaffey St., San Pedro, 424-364-0319, www. happydelisp.com

KO-RYU RAMEN SAN PEDRO

Serving Japanese dishes and signature ramen bowls. Or order your ramen to fit your taste buds perfectly by customizing your own bowl. Order as many toppings as you want and add just the level of heat to suit your taste. Now serving sake and Sopporo beer. Hours: Mon. - Thurs. 11:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.; Fri.-Sat. 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sun. 12 to 9 p.m. Ko-Ryu Ramen, 362 W. 6th St., San Pedro, 310-935-2886, www.koryuramen.com

PINA’S MEXICAN RESTAURANT

Pina’s Mexican Restaurant serves traditonal Mexican food from Michoacan for breakfast through dinner, and is known for specialty enchiladas, burritos, tacos and mariscos served in a comfortable, casual dining atmosphere. Pina’s now has a full bar and outside dining, so come on by for a real margarita! Party trays for any occasion.

Hours: Sun. - Wed. 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. and Thurs. - Sat. 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Pina’s Mexican Restaurant, 1430 W. 25th St., San Pedro, 310-547-4621, www.pinasmexicanrestaurant.com

SAN PEDRO BREWING COMPANY

A micro brewery and American grill, SPBC features handcrafted awardwinning ales and lagers served with creative pastas, BBQ, sandwiches, salads and burgers. Order your growlers, house drafts and cocktails to go (with food purchase)! Open daily 12 to 8 p.m. for indoor or al fresco dining, takeout and delivery.. San Pedro Brewing Company, 331 W. 6th St., San Pedro, 310-831-5663, www.sanpedrobrewing.com

Photo by Kevin Le Vu Photography, courtesy of the Aquarium of the Pacific

Birthing

Community of Hope supports D.C. families with housing and healthcare in the four quadrants of the city, which was highlighted in the film.

The film shows two sides of the world of maternal health for Black women. On one hand, too often, Black expectant mothers are not listened to when they approach their healthcare providers with serious concerns or questions on the status of their pregnancy. Dr. Donna Adams Pickett in Augusta, Georgia said she was dismayed by how easily she and women who look like her are dismissed.

Dr. Pickett had a patient that she saw was abrupting (when the placenta pulls away from the uterine lining before the time of delivery). Yet, she had to convince the anesthesiologist why they needed to do a C-section, emergently, as opposed to urgently. The anesthesiologist walked past Dr. Pickett in the room, and went to the nurse and asked, “why are we doing this emergently?” Dr. Pickett had to go to the fetal tracing monitor, point to the pattern and say, “this is an abruption pattern.” Pickett said in the film, it frustrated her that after more than 21 years of practice, she had to justify advocating for her patients.

Framing the solution

The Birthing Justice team has taken a grassroots approach to this crisis. By hosting small screenings and panels all across the nation and by facilitating home screenings — with support via questionnaires, discussion topics and how to host a panel discussion — they aim to activate a movement.

There’s an 11-bill legislative package making its way through Congress called the

Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act — a package spearheaded by the congressional Black Maternal Health Caucus that includes policy proposals to address the racism and inequities at the root of the Black maternal health crisis in the U.S. The Protecting Moms Who Served Act became the first of the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act bills that passed in November 2021. Nine of the remaining 11 Momnibus bills were included in the text of the Build Back Better Act, which passed the House in November 2021. The Build Back Better Act is currently stalled in the Senate amidst ongoing negotiations.

Matthews said solving this crisis takes a multipronged approach. Highlighting exciting progress on the Black maternal healthcare front, Birthing Justice focused on the complete turnaround of Los Angeles’ Martin Luther King Jr. Community Hospital or MLKCH.

“[MLKCH] is now one of the [most] successful birthing hospitals in the country,” Matthews said. “It has a distinguished award (international Baby-Friendly designation), a very hard designation to get and it’s a model for how we can turn this around in a hospital setting.

“We want to encourage people to see [the film] and call their representative because it’s important to them,” she said. “If we don’t, then the reality is the majority of the bills may die. One of the things we want to get across is what Dr. Kanika Harris said, ‘there’s nothing that Black women are doing that is so different than what other women are doing.’ [What] I want to make clear is that [this] is not an individualized problem, it’s systemic so, we want to address it systemically.”

To read the full story online go to: https:// tinyurl.com/4fktw632

JOB OPPS

RLNews is looking for freelance food and music writers who are knowledgeable about Harbor Area restaurants, culture and music scenes. Committment to writing to deadline is a must. Having a strong social media following and bi-lingual skills is a plus. Submit inquiries and any links to your writing to editor@randomlengthsnews. com or call 310-519-1442 weekdays.

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PLEASE HELP!

Animals at the Harbor Animal Shelter have ongoing need for used blankets, comforters, pet beds.* Drop off at Harbor Animal Shelter 957 N. Gaffey St.,San Pedro • 888-452-7381, x 143

PLEASE SPAY/NEUTER YOUR PET!

*In any condition. We will wash and mend.

Specialists: Call 855-7874471

AUTOS

DONATE YOUR VEHICLE to fund the SEARCH FOR MISSING CHILDREN. FAST FREE PICKUP. 24 hour response. Running or not. Maximum Tax Deduction and No Emission Test Required! Call 855-504-1540

PETS

PEDRO PET PALS is the only group that raises funds for the City Animal Shelter and FREE vaccines and spay or neuter for our community. 310-991-0012.

Plants for Sale

Various sizes of Peruvian Spiral Cactus, mature Aloe Vera plants and Century plants $10 to $24.95 ea. Call or text

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS

NAME STATEMENT

File No. 2022-276962

The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Vorte Restoration Services, 1323 S. Gaffey, San Pedro, CA 90731, County of Los Angeles

Registered owner(s): Bolanos Brothers LLC, 1123 Via Sebastian, San Pedro, CA 90732; California. This business is conducted by: a Limited Liability Company

The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 01/2010 I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions code that the registrant knows to be false is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand

dollars ($1,000)). S/ Victor Bolanos Ortega, President of Bolanos Brothers LLC

This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Los Angeles on December 27, 2022

NOTICE-In accordance with Subdivision (a) of Section 17920, a Fictitious Name Statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the County Clerk, except, as provided in Subdivision (b) of Section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to Section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A new Fictitious Business Name Statement must be filed before the expiration. Effective January 1, 2014, the Fictitious Business Name Statement must be accompanied by the Affidavit of Identity form. The filing of this statement does not of itself

authorize the use in this state of a Fictitious Business Name in violation of the rights of another under Federal, State, or common law (See Section 14411 et seq., Business and Professions Code). 1/5, 1/19, 2/03, 2/17/23

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS

NAME STATEMENT

File No. 2023-007074

The following person(s) is (are) doing business as:

The Carberry Family Trust, 1224 Cota Ave., Torrance, CA 90501, County of Los Angeles

Registered owner(s): April Carberry 1224 Cota Ave., Torrance, CA 90501; California. This business is conducted by: an Individual

The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on N/A I declare that all information in this statement is true and cor-

[continued on following page]

ACROSS

1. Trevor Noah’s soon-to-be former gig, briefly

4. Winner of the 2022 World Series

9. Bring together

13. Eight, in France

15. “For real”

16. 1890s gold rush city

17. “Umbrella Academy” actor

19. Font style, for short

20. Collect little by little

21. Wrinkly “Dick Tracy” villain in a Ned Flanders flashback

23. Mizuho Bank currency

24. Put to the test

26. Scand. nation, at the Olympics

27. Green Starbucks offering

29. Watch

31. Third word in many limericks

34. Cold War-era treaty of 1955

37. “Allow me”

39. Hobart hopper

40. Italian coffee brand that doesn’t look so well?

41. Add-on that adds new objects and characters to a game

46. Concert souvenir

47. “Don’t block my path” noise

48. “Fifty Shades of Grey” star

Johnson

51. Iceland-to-Ireland dir.

52. Multi-PC hookup, for short

53. “Criminal Minds” org.

54. Down-to-the-wire election

59. “The Things We ___ Love” (Isy Suttie podcast)

61. “Back to you,” on a walkie-talkie

62. Glass sheet

64. Philosopher Descartes

65. Best-case

66. Part of NAFTA, for short

67. “Star ___: Lower Decks”

68. Dapper

69. Mag execs

DOWN

1. Place to “hit” for a workout

2. “2001: A Space Odyssey” star

Keir

3. Person of few words

4. Formic acid producer

5. Excessively sentimental

6. Main land vehicle for the Teen Titans (it makes sense ‘cause of the letter)

7. “Chunky” pasta sauce brand

8. Pirates’ place

9. Plastic restaurant freebie that may be serrated

10. “This is ___ drill”

11. Computer debut of 1998

12. Prefix before kinetic

14. Mowry of “Sister, Sister”

18. “Home ___ Range”

22. “That is sooooo nasty”

25. Like the fish in poke bowls

28. “Pet” plant

29. Racecar engine sound

30. “This ___ you ...”

31. Where to see stars in Hollywood

32. Knee injury site, briefly

33. Unclean quarters

35. Indy 500 winner Luyendyk

36. Selection

37. ___ Gala (annual NYC event)

38. Battle weapon

42. Thomas who drew Santa Claus

43. Comedian/rapper Zach seen in “Epic Rap Battles of History” and “The Crossword Show”

44. Activity that makes squeamish parents cover their kids’ eyes, for short

45. Root beer brand

49. Crashed into at 90 degrees

50. TV networks and radio stations, e.g.

51. Animated movie series with Gingy

52. ___ the half (was ahead)

54. Wrongful act, legally

55. “Skinny Love” band Bon ___

56. “Bob’s Burgers” keyboardplaying son

57. Verdi opera set in Egypt

58. Online tech review site

60. ___-Locka, Florida

63. Former West Coast beer brand,

“Change of Pace” — by only one letter.

DBAs

Egg Price Gouging

rect. (A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions code that the registrant knows to be false is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars

($1,000)). S/ April Carberry

This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Los Angeles on January 11, 2022

NOTICE-In accordance with Subdivision (a) of Section 17920, a Fictitious Name Statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the County Clerk, except, as provided in Subdivision (b) of Section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to Section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner.

A new Fictitious Business Name Statement must be filed before the expiration. Effective January 1, 2014, the Fictitious Business Name Statement must be accompanied by the Affidavit of Identity form. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a Fictitious Business Name in violation of the rights of another under Federal, State, or common law (See Section 14411 et seq., Business and Professions Code).

1/19, 2/02, 2/16, 3/2/23

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT

File No. 2023-023621

The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Ride with Paris, 2051 Elberon Street, Rancho Palos, CA 90731, County of Los Angeles

Registered owner(s): Paris Thomas, 2051 Elberon Street, Rancho Palos, CA 90731; California. This business is conducted by: an individual

The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 01/2010 I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions code that the registrant knows to be false is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000)). S/ Paris Thomas, Individual

This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Los Angeles on February 1, 2023

NOTICE-In accordance with Subdivision (a) of Section 17920, a Fictitious Name Statement gener-

[from previous page] QUICK

ally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the County Clerk, except, as provided in Subdivision (b) of Section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to Section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner.

A new Fictitious Business Name Statement must be filed before the expiration. Effective January 1, 2014, the Fictitious Business Name Statement must be accompanied by the Affidavit of Identity form. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a Fictitious Business Name in violation of the rights of another under Federal, State, or common law (See Section 14411 et seq., Business and Professions Code).

2/02, 2/16, 3/02, 03/16/23

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME

Case No. 23LBCP00010

Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles

Petition of: JULIE ANNE DUENAS

TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS:

Petitioner JULIE ANNE DUENAS filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows:

JULIE ANNE DUENAS to JULIE ANNE SOLA-DUENAS

The Court orders that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.

Notice of Hearing:

Date: 02-24-23, Time: 8:30 am, Dept.: 27

The address of the court is 275 Magnolia Ave., Long Beach, Ca 90802

A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county: Daily Journal and RLn.

Date January 13, 2023

David W. Slayton Judge of the Superior Court 1/19, 1/26, 2/2, 2/16/23

cerns about monopoly power and potential antitrust violations in this sector,” the letter adds. “It also presents exactly the kind of monopoly or oligopoly power that is entrenched in a market ‘with highly inelastic demand’ and that ‘imposes substantial costs on the public,’ which Chair Khan has previously argued enforcers should seek to challenge.

We urge the FTC to exercise the full scope of its authorities — under the Sherman, Clayton and FTC Acts — to identify, challenge, and uproot anti-competitive arrangements that suppress competition among egg producers and enable dominant firms like Cal-Maine to extort consumers for the eggs they need every day.”

Eggtastrophe in San Pedro?

thrived for four generations but won’t be done in by the price of eggs.

“It’s like a yoyo,” Brian Frlekin said. “Sometimes things are up, other times things are down, you just gotta stay in the game.”

Frlekin said he gets their eggs, and sometimes chicken, from a restaurant supply house, but that the price for a flat of eggs generally fluctuates.

Brian’s father, Jim, once explained to Random Lengths that before the advent of supermarkets in the 1960s, small mom-and-pop markets supplied most of the community’s dietary needs. Combined with the fact that new regulations made it impossible for the Poultry Co. to continue providing freshly slaughtered chickens, the business had to evolve. That next step in the evolutionary chain was the offering of ready-made food. Jim said he got worried when the supermarkets started offering readymade food too, but it turned out Slavko’s had a better product that local residents trusted.

Jim says that the key to Slavko’s success was their ability to give the customer what they wanted. He explained that shortly after they began providing readymade meals, they would market their product to the holidays that local San Pedro residents celebrate. They would have corned beef and cabbage in March in celebration of Lent, the tradition-

al Italian dish, mostaccioli and the Croatian sausage, ćevapčići year round.

“When they zig, we zag,” Jim explained.

In November, “antitrust trailblazer” Khan led the agency in issuing a new policy statement restoring its commitment to “rigorously enforcing” the FTC Act’s prohibition on “unfair methods of competition,” including what critics have called “predatory pricing.”

According to Farm Action: “What Cal-Maine Foods and the other large egg producers did last year — and seem to be intent on doing again this year —

eggs gone.”

Despite the rises in prices, she said customers aren’t going to go to Think Cafe and not expect to have eggs.

On the bright side, Carly said the price of chicken has gone down.

is extort billions of dollars from the pockets of ordinary Americans through what amounts to a tax on a staple we all need: eggs. They did so without any legitimate business justification. They did so because there is no ‘reasonable substitute’ for a carton of eggs. They did so because they had power and weren’t afraid to use it.”

“This kind of organized theft is exactly what Congress — and the public it represents ‘empowered and directed’ the FTC to prevent,” the group concluded. “The FTC should do nothing less.”

In addition to regulatory action, Sen. Bernie Sanders (IVt.) argued last weekend that Cal-Maine’s “corporate greed” exemplifies why “we need a windfall profits tax.”

Last March, Sanders introduced the Ending Corporate Greed Act, which seeks to stamp out price gouging by imposing a 95% tax on the windfall profits of major companies.

(310)831-3138

Se Habla Español Lic. #748434

Jim says that he may not be the brightest guy, but Slavko’s has managed to stay ahead of the curve with that philosophy.

Think Cafe restaurateurs, Chef Sonny and Carly Ramirez, who are known for their servings of breakfast favorites from the traditional ham and eggs to the eggs scrambled with smoked salmon and their variations of egg benedict.

“Yeah, [eggs are] likely going to keep going up too. Hopefully not forever though, they just have to fix the chickens,” Carly said. “You know they killed 8,000,000 chickens, so that’s 8,000,000

“Chicken, which was $3 a pound before, is now $1 a pound, so you do have to weigh the good with the bad,” Carly said.

Progressive economists have long urged Congress and the Joe Biden administration to enact a windfall profits tax, strengthen antitrust enforcement, and impose temporary price controls, arguing that only these measures — and not the Federal Reserve’s unemployment-inducing interest rate hikes — can address the corporate profiteering underlying the cost-of-living crisis.

Two eggs sunny side up from Think Cafe. Photo by Arturo Garcia-Ayala

[Eggtastrophe, from p. 4]