Harbor Interfaith Services Begins Construction Family Resource Center
SAN PEDRO – The Los Angeles Department of City Planning recently gave the green light to begin construction on a 3-story Harbor Interfaith Services’ Family Resource Center in San Pedro.
In October 2009, County Supervisor Don Knabe helped Harbor Interfaith Services receive a $4.9 million grant, which will cover construction costs.
The 15,000-square-foot building will be constructed on its current facilities, at 670 – 680 W. 9th St., starting in September. The project is estimated to be complete in 18 to 24 months.
The new building will include an expanded preschool and after school program area. There will now be space to accommodate private meetings with clients in the Family Resource Center, as well as a larger food pantry and donation storage area.
The preschool moved July 12 to the YWCA at 437 W. 9th St. and the Family Resource Center, which includes the food pantry, will relocate on July 26, to 625 W. 9th St. Harbor Interfaith is in negotiations to rent an office on 10th Street and Pacific Avenue to house its administrative offices beginning on Sept. 7.
“This has been a long time coming and we are very excited about this project, which will give us the room we need to make education a centerpiece of all we do,” Harbor Interfaith Services Executive Director Tahia Hayslet said.
Transit Projects Gets Funds
LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles City Council voted 10-0 with Councilmen Tony Cardenas, Ed Reyes, Dennis Zine and Councilwoman Jan Perry in absentia, to transfer $100,000 from District 15’s portion of the Street Furniture Revenue Fund to fund transit related, sidewalks and curb improvement projects relating to the district.
EPA Administrator Deems L.A. River Navigable
LOS ANGELES – Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa P. Jackson announced July 7 that the EPA deemed the Los Angeles River navigable.
The decision elevates the status of the river to a natural resource that deserves the same protection as other rivers under the Clean Water Act and ensures more protections by strengthening future environmental protections for the 51-mile river, small streams and wetlands throughout the Los Angeles River Basin.
The Clean Water Act protects the nation's rivers, streams, wetlands, lakes and other waters from pollution and other activities that destroy and degrade these vital natural resources.
The agency’s decision enhances the ability, in coordination with the Army Corps of Engineers, the state and the city, to fight pollution and protect the health and safety of those who use these waters. In particular, it will help federal, state and local agencies stop the future destruction of natural streams, wetlands and other waters remaining in the Los Angeles Basin t to reduce harm to the watershed from polluted storm-water runoff.
The river begins at the confluence of Arroyo Calabasas and Bell Creek in the San Fernando Valley and flows to the San Pedro Bay.
“We want the L.A. River to demonstrate how urban waterways across the country can serve as assets in building stronger neighborhoods, attracting new businesses and creating new jobs,” said Jackson in a statement released by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s office.
Details: www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/guidance/CWAwaters.html#definition
Marijuana Collectives One Step Closer to Being Taxed
LONG BEACH – On July 6, the Long Beach City Council voted 8-1, with Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske opposed, considered a business license tax on medical marijuana collectives.
The measure would levy a 5 percent tax on collectives and a 10 percent on marijuana businesses if California voters pass Proposition 19, legalizing, regulating and taxing marijuana for recreational use in the state.
The Long Beach Department of Financial Management’s proposal would also tax medical marijuana cultivation sites .0075 cents per square foot. The taxation is believed by some council members to add a potential relief to the city’s $18.5 billion budget deficit, some going as far as equating it to alcohol taxation.
However, medical marijuana advocates say taxes would have the most negative impacts on the patients who need to consume the herb for medical purposes and that it should be untaxed, just as prescription drugs are not taxed.
The City Council passed an ordinance in March establishing 1,000 to 1,500 feet buffer zones from schools.
A public hearing is scheduled at 5 p.m. Aug. 3 to approve the placement of the tax related ballot measure on the November General Election.
Veterans and Spouse Receive More Opportunities for L.B. Jobs
Long Beach Councilman Robert Garcia proposed a voter initiative for the November ballot at the July 6 City Council meeting that would make two changes to the city charter, enhancing support to returning veterans to the workforce.
Garcia proposed adding 5 points, for a total of 15 points, to veterans who apply for jobs with the city and the Port of Long Beach. The councilman also proposed extending the points benefits to spouses of veterans killed in action or 10 percent disabled, instead of 30 percent disabled.
The full proposal has yet to be slated but is expected to come to the council floor within a few weeks. If the council approves the proposal the item will be placed on the November ballot.
Acres of Books Final Book Sale
LONG BEACH – On June 10, the building, now owned by the City of Long Beach, where Acres of Books once stood, reopened the locale that closed in 2008, to sell the bookstore's leftover inventory of 30,000 books and 1,500 vintage fruit crates were able to fill crates of books for $25, some dating back to the 1900s.
Acres of Books, which once honed such figures as Upton Sinclair, Diane Keaton and Ray Bradbury, closed to make way for a city redevelopment project. The ‘30s-era building will be demolished and replaced with an art center.
In 1934, bookseller Bertrand Smith moved from Ohio to Long Beach and opened the shop in 1934 and moved to the building on Long Beach Boulevard in 1960. The space previously had been used as a country-western dance hall and a showroom for cars.
The public-private redevelopment project, the ArtExchange, is scheduled to break ground in September.
The ArtExchange will be a site for artist studios, galleries, classrooms and a performance space.
Labor Agreement Approved for L.B. Airport Project
LONG BEACH – On July 6, the Long Beach City Council voted 7-2, with Councilmen Gary DeLong and Val Lerch opposed, to begin the process of developing a project labor agreement for the Airport Terminal Project.
Labor Groups Head to Arizona
LOS ANGELES -- More than 500 labor groups and faith communities will travel from Los Angeles to Arizona July 29, to participate in a forum with Arizona organizations and elected officials who are leading Latino registration and turnout programs in the state, among other political and solidarity events, in the efforts to fight SB 1070 during the November elections.
The Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, one of the participating groups, recently applauded the Obama administration for filing a lawsuit in federal court July 6, challenging the constitutionality of Arizona's SB 1070.
"I am thrilled to be in Phoenix today when the federal lawsuit was filed,” said Maria Elena Durazo, executive secretary treasurer of the Los Angeles County AFL-CIO.
The groups will leave from Dodger Stadium at 5 a.m., stop at Blythe, Calif. and at 1 p.m. arrive at Phoenix.
Mid-year Report Show Citywide Crime Decrease
Chief Charlie Beck reported, July 9, an 11 percent drop in violent crime as well as reductions in property and gang crime in the Los Angeles mid-year crime statistics.
According to the report, overall crime is down 6 percent and property crime down five percent. However, there is a rise in homicides, up 4 percent from 2009, but still about 40 percent lower than in 2005.
The city also has experienced a 9 percent decrease in gang-related crimes. Gang related robberies declined by 10 percent, aggravated assault decreased by 8 percent and gang related attacks on police officers are down by 21 percent.
Villaraigosa Nominates Water and Power Commissioner
LOS ANGELES – On July 8, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa nominated real estate executive Christina Noonan to the Board of Water and Power Commissioners Noonan’s resume business experience as senior vice president of Jones Lang
LaSalle’s Los Angeles office.
“Drawing from her corporate experiences, she will help transform the DWP into a more efficient, transparent, and business-friendly organization that makes smart
decisions on behalf of the City and ratepayers,” said Villaraigosa in statement released from his office.
Radiology Clinic Settles Lawsuit Bilked Medicare Case
LOS ANGELES - The company that owns Advanced Radiology of Beverly Hills paid the federal government $647,000 to settle allegations that it filed false claims with Medicare for unnecessary radiological tests.
The Oaks Diagnostics Inc., doing business as Advanced Radiology, paid the settlement June 30. The payment prompted the government to ask a federal judge this morning to dismiss a civil lawsuit.
The United States alleged in the civil lawsuit that Advanced Radiology and its owner, Dr. Ronald Grusd, engaged in a scheme to bill Medicare for unnecessary tests performed from 1999 through 2002.
As part of the alleged scheme, an Advanced Radiology contractor recruited Medicare beneficiaries to undergo diagnostic tests such as CT scans and MRIs, even though the beneficiaries did not need the tests. That contractor - Nordelyn Lowder - pleaded guilty to one count of health care fraud in connection with the scheme. Lowder was sentenced in June 2008 to 20 months in federal prison and was ordered to pay $426,455 in restitution.
The settlement resolves allegations initially made against Advanced Radiology in a "whistleblower" lawsuit filed pursuant to provisions of the False Claims Act, which allow a private party to file a civil action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of the recovery. A former Advanced Radiology employee originally filed the whistleblower lawsuit on 2003.
EPA Voids Import Certificates for 3 California Companies
WASHINGTON –The Environmental Protection Agency withdrew its approval of the import and sale of up to 200,000 gas-powered off-road motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles for three California companies.
The agency suspects that tailpipe emissions information was either incomplete or falsified. This is the first time EPA has voided certificates of conformity for these types of vehicles and only the second time the agency has done so for any type of vehicle. EPA is considering an enforcement action under the Clean Air Act, which could lead to significant financial penalties against the businesses that manufactured or imported these types of recreational vehicles.
As a result of a lengthy investigation, EPA is alleging that the applications for the certificates contained false or incomplete information. EPA issued the certificates in 2006 and 2007 to the U.S. counterparts of four of China’s largest manufacturers of these types of vehicles: Hensim USA in the City of Industry, Loncin USA in Hayward, Calif., Peace Industry Group in Norcross, Ga., and Seaseng in Pomona.
The certificates were issued based on applications compiled by their consultant, MotorScience Enterprise. EPA believes MotorScience Enterprise intentionally submitted false or incomplete emissions information.
The Chinese manufacturers are Chongqing Hensim Group Co., Chongqing Longting Power Equipment Co., Zhejiang Peace Industry and Trade Co., and Zhejiang Chisheng Industry and Trading Co.
All vehicles imported or manufactured in the United States are required to have certificates of conformity, which are issued by EPA.
Harbor Interfaith Services Begins Construction Family Resource Center
SAN PEDRO – The Los Angeles Department of City Planning recently gave the green light to begin construction on a 3-story Harbor Interfaith Services’ Family Resource Center in San Pedro.
In October 2009, County Supervisor Don Knabe helped Harbor Interfaith Services receive a $4.9 million grant, which will cover construction costs.
The 15,000-square-foot building will be constructed on its current facilities, at 670 – 680 W. 9th St., starting in September. The project is estimated to be complete in 18 to 24 months.
The new building will include an expanded preschool and after school program area. There will now be space to accommodate private meetings with clients in the Family Resource Center, as well as a larger food pantry and donation storage area.
The preschool moved July 12 to the YWCA at 437 W. 9th St. and the Family Resource Center, which includes the food pantry, will relocate on July 26, to 625 W. 9th St. Harbor Interfaith is in negotiations to rent an office on 10th Street and Pacific Avenue to house its administrative offices beginning on Sept. 7.
“This has been a long time coming and we are very excited about this project, which will give us the room we need to make education a centerpiece of all we do,” Harbor Interfaith Services Executive Director Tahia Hayslet said.
Transit Projects Gets Funds
LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles City Council voted 10-0 with Councilmen Tony Cardenas, Ed Reyes, Dennis Zine and Councilwoman Jan Perry in absentia, to transfer $100,000 from District 15’s portion of the Street Furniture Revenue Fund to fund transit related, sidewalks and curb improvement projects relating to the district.
EPA Administrator Deems L.A. River Navigable
LOS ANGELES – Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa P. Jackson announced July 7 that the EPA deemed the Los Angeles River navigable.
The decision elevates the status of the river to a natural resource that deserves the same protection as other rivers under the Clean Water Act and ensures more protections by strengthening future environmental protections for the 51-mile river, small streams and wetlands throughout the Los Angeles River Basin.
The Clean Water Act protects the nation's rivers, streams, wetlands, lakes and other waters from pollution and other activities that destroy and degrade these vital natural resources.
The agency’s decision enhances the ability, in coordination with the Army Corps of Engineers, the state and the city, to fight pollution and protect the health and safety of those who use these waters. In particular, it will help federal, state and local agencies stop the future destruction of natural streams, wetlands and other waters remaining in the Los Angeles Basin t to reduce harm to the watershed from polluted storm-water runoff.
The river begins at the confluence of Arroyo Calabasas and Bell Creek in the San Fernando Valley and flows to the San Pedro Bay.
“We want the L.A. River to demonstrate how urban waterways across the country can serve as assets in building stronger neighborhoods, attracting new businesses and creating new jobs,” said Jackson in a statement released by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s office.
Details: www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/guidance/CWAwaters.html#definition
Marijuana Collectives One Step Closer to Being Taxed
LONG BEACH – On July 6, the Long Beach City Council voted 8-1, with Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske opposed, considered a business license tax on medical marijuana collectives.
The measure would levy a 5 percent tax on collectives and a 10 percent on marijuana businesses if California voters pass Proposition 19, legalizing, regulating and taxing marijuana for recreational use in the state.
The Long Beach Department of Financial Management’s proposal would also tax medical marijuana cultivation sites .0075 cents per square foot. The taxation is believed by some council members to add a potential relief to the city’s $18.5 billion budget deficit, some going as far as equating it to alcohol taxation.
However, medical marijuana advocates say taxes would have the most negative impacts on the patients who need to consume the herb for medical purposes and that it should be untaxed, just as prescription drugs are not taxed.
The City Council passed an ordinance in March establishing 1,000 to 1,500 feet buffer zones from schools.
A public hearing is scheduled at 5 p.m. Aug. 3 to approve the placement of the tax related ballot measure on the November General Election.
Veterans and Spouse Receive More Opportunities for L.B. Jobs
Long Beach Councilman Robert Garcia proposed a voter initiative for the November ballot at the July 6 City Council meeting that would make two changes to the city charter, enhancing support to returning veterans to the workforce.
Garcia proposed adding 5 points, for a total of 15 points, to veterans who apply for jobs with the city and the Port of Long Beach. The councilman also proposed extending the points benefits to spouses of veterans killed in action or 10 percent disabled, instead of 30 percent disabled.
The full proposal has yet to be slated but is expected to come to the council floor within a few weeks. If the council approves the proposal the item will be placed on the November ballot.
Acres of Books Final Book Sale
LONG BEACH – On June 10, the building, now owned by the City of Long Beach, where Acres of Books once stood, reopened the locale that closed in 2008, to sell the bookstore's leftover inventory of 30,000 books and 1,500 vintage fruit crates were able to fill crates of books for $25, some dating back to the 1900s.
Acres of Books, which once honed such figures as Upton Sinclair, Diane Keaton and Ray Bradbury, closed to make way for a city redevelopment project. The ‘30s-era building will be demolished and replaced with an art center.
In 1934, bookseller Bertrand Smith moved from Ohio to Long Beach and opened the shop in 1934 and moved to the building on Long Beach Boulevard in 1960. The space previously had been used as a country-western dance hall and a showroom for cars.
The public-private redevelopment project, the ArtExchange, is scheduled to break ground in September.
The ArtExchange will be a site for artist studios, galleries, classrooms and a performance space.
Labor Agreement Approved for L.B. Airport Project
LONG BEACH – On July 6, the Long Beach City Council voted 7-2, with Councilmen Gary DeLong and Val Lerch opposed, to begin the process of developing a project labor agreement for the Airport Terminal Project.
Labor Groups Head to Arizona
LOS ANGELES -- More than 500 labor groups and faith communities will travel from Los Angeles to Arizona July 29, to participate in a forum with Arizona organizations and elected officials who are leading Latino registration and turnout programs in the state, among other political and solidarity events, in the efforts to fight SB 1070 during the November elections.
The Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, one of the participating groups, recently applauded the Obama administration for filing a lawsuit in federal court July 6, challenging the constitutionality of Arizona's SB 1070.
"I am thrilled to be in Phoenix today when the federal lawsuit was filed,” said Maria Elena Durazo, executive secretary treasurer of the Los Angeles County AFL-CIO.
The groups will leave from Dodger Stadium at 5 a.m., stop at Blythe, Calif. and at 1 p.m. arrive at Phoenix.
Mid-year Report Show Citywide Crime Decrease
Chief Charlie Beck reported, July 9, an 11 percent drop in violent crime as well as reductions in property and gang crime in the Los Angeles mid-year crime statistics.
According to the report, overall crime is down 6 percent and property crime down five percent. However, there is a rise in homicides, up 4 percent from 2009, but still about 40 percent lower than in 2005.
The city also has experienced a 9 percent decrease in gang-related crimes. Gang related robberies declined by 10 percent, aggravated assault decreased by 8 percent and gang related attacks on police officers are down by 21 percent.
Villaraigosa Nominates Water and Power Commissioner
LOS ANGELES – On July 8, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa nominated real estate executive Christina Noonan to the Board of Water and Power Commissioners Noonan’s resume business experience as senior vice president of Jones Lang LaSalle’s Los Angeles office.
“Drawing from her corporate experiences, she will help transform the DWP into a more efficient, transparent, and business-friendly organization that makes smart decisions on behalf of the City and ratepayers,” said Villaraigosa in statement released from his office.
Radiology Clinic Settles Lawsuit Bilked Medicare Case
LOS ANGELES - The company that owns Advanced Radiology of Beverly Hills paid the federal government $647,000 to settle allegations that it filed false claims with Medicare for unnecessary radiological tests.
The Oaks Diagnostics Inc., doing business as Advanced Radiology, paid the settlement June 30. The payment prompted the government to ask a federal judge this morning to dismiss a civil lawsuit.
The United States alleged in the civil lawsuit that Advanced Radiology and its owner, Dr. Ronald Grusd, engaged in a scheme to bill Medicare for unnecessary tests performed from 1999 through 2002.
As part of the alleged scheme, an Advanced Radiology contractor recruited Medicare beneficiaries to undergo diagnostic tests such as CT scans and MRIs, even though the beneficiaries did not need the tests. That contractor - Nordelyn Lowder - pleaded guilty to one count of health care fraud in connection with the scheme. Lowder was sentenced in June 2008 to 20 months in federal prison and was ordered to pay $426,455 in restitution.
The settlement resolves allegations initially made against Advanced Radiology in a "whistleblower" lawsuit filed pursuant to provisions of the False Claims Act, which allow a private party to file a civil action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of the recovery. A former Advanced Radiology employee originally filed the whistleblower lawsuit on 2003.
EPA Voids Import Certificates for 3 California Companies
WASHINGTON –The Environmental Protection Agency withdrew its approval of the import and sale of up to 200,000 gas-powered off-road motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles for three California companies.
The agency suspects that tailpipe emissions information was either incomplete or falsified. This is the first time EPA has voided certificates of conformity for these types of vehicles and only the second time the agency has done so for any type of vehicle. EPA is considering an enforcement action under the Clean Air Act, which could lead to significant financial penalties against the businesses that manufactured or imported these types of recreational vehicles.
As a result of a lengthy investigation, EPA is alleging that the applications for the certificates contained false or incomplete information. EPA issued the certificates in 2006 and 2007 to the U.S. counterparts of four of China’s largest manufacturers of these types of vehicles: Hensim USA in the City of Industry, Loncin USA in Hayward, Calif., Peace Industry Group in Norcross, Ga., and Seaseng in Pomona.
The certificates were issued based on applications compiled by their consultant, MotorScience Enterprise. EPA believes MotorScience Enterprise intentionally submitted false or incomplete emissions information.
The Chinese manufacturers are Chongqing Hensim Group Co., Chongqing Longting Power Equipment Co., Zhejiang Peace Industry and Trade Co., and Zhejiang Chisheng Industry and Trading Co.
All vehicles imported or manufactured in the United States are required to have certificates of conformity, which are issued by EPA.