RLn 03-08-12 Edition

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Filling CRA Shoes: Neighborhood Council Takes First Steps p. 4

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Reggae Artist Pato Banton on Environment, Peace and War p. 11 Homebrewer Talks Craftbrews for St. Paddy’s Day p. 12 Community Leader Daryl Supernaw Steps Up to the Plate for LB City Council p. 17

He’s Bringing Home the Bacon, But Can He Avoid Becoming Chum for the Sharks? In the month that he’s been in office, Los Angeles City Councilman Joe Buscaino has been working earnestly to fulfill his campaign promises of economic development and public safety—a job made a little easier when the new Los Angeles City Council President Herb Wesson surprisingly made him the chairman of one of the biggest commissions: Public Works.

By Terelle Jerricks, Managing Editor and James Preston Allen, Publisher

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Los Angeles City Councilman Joe Buscaino stood with his son Matteo as he was sworn in during a formal community ceremony on Feb. 25, at the Warner Grand Theatre in San Pedro. Photo: Terelle Jerricks.

March 9 - 22, 2012

Joe Goes to City Hall/ to p. 7

The Local Publication You Actually Read

his commission oversees a department of more than 5,400 employees and is one that designs and executes public projects from sidewalks to bridges to waste-water treatment plants and libraries. Two days after his Feb. 1 swearing-in into office, Joe was faced with his first crisis. Downtown merchants learned that he submitted a motion to cut the downtown San Pedro and Wilmington rates in half rather than remove them all together—causing an online dust up that included labeling Joe a flip-flopper. To quell the furor, the council office told Random Lengths that Joe “is working with the Department of Transportation and collecting community input to come up with an overall parking strategy.” The council office communications director, Branimir Kvartuc said, “The Councilman is considering hosting a community forum to address parking issues.” Joe also sits on the Trade, Commerce and Tourism and Public Safety committees. On the day Random Lengths’ publisher James Allen interviewed the new councilman for this story, Joe had just finished introducing himself in his new role to the Harbor Commission and laying out a few of the things he would like to work on with the Port while, to hear him tell it, showing that he will be no doormat. “We looked at what the people want in this district,” Joe explained. “I told Dr. [Geraldine] Knatz [executive director of POLA], ‘We are going to disagree on some things, but as long as we agree to disagree... For me it’s a job issue in expanding the port. Making sure that we move forward with the expansion in light of what’s happening down south [referring to the widening of the Panama Canal and the building of the Baja California ports]. Joe spoke about his vision and mission of making San Pedro a destination at the end of the Harbor Freeway.

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