News Briefs

LB State of the City

Long Beach – Mayor Bob Foster focused his State of the City address, Jan. 11, on reforming public pension costs in Long Beach.

After a moment of silent in observance of a tragedy in Arizona that took the lives of six people and injured 13, the mayor said that 2010 left with a more optimistic view for the future.

Foster noted that crime has gone down in the city with gang related murders down 53.8 percent from the 2009, homicide down 24 and overall violent crime is down 13 percent. The mayor also noted the city’s accomplishments in getting the ball rolling on the completion of the Phase I of the Colorado Lagoon Restoration Project, the initiation of the second phase of the East San Pedro Bay (Breakwater) Study, storm drain enhancements, new developments throughout the city and the securing of the Gerald Desmond Bridge replacement, among other accomplishments.

However, despite prior agreements with former councils, there is a strong need for pension reform in lieu of climbing costs and obligations.

Official said that they expect pension cost obligations grow to more than $1.5 billion within 30 years, because the pension system, CALPERS, is run by the State of California, not locally. Therefore, changes to the pension system need to be addressed not only through collective bargaining with the city’s employee unions, but also with the support of Sacramento lawmakers.

Some city officials are hoping that Gov. Jerry Brown and the legislature address the need for state-wide pension reform, while the city continues to negotiate with local employee groups to reduce pension costs.  Foster said employees must sacrifice some benefits in order to have a sustainable future for the city.

“In my budget message this year I indicated that these deficits are being driven primarily by increased pension costs,” Foster said. “The increases are a result of massive losses by the Public Employees Retirement system and the increased benefits given to employees in 2001."

The mayor said he wasn’t optimistic about the outcome of negotiations, but that he would propose a ballot initiative to constrain future mayors and councils from providing any more in pension benefits than those already outlined.

“We created this problem and we need to solve it,” he said.

54th District Election Results

The 54th Assembly District delegates, were elected Jan. 9, the California State Democratic Party. The following is a listing of the elected represented: Lillie Brae, Virginia Acevedo, Tonia Reyes Uranga, Sharon Weissman, Carrie Scoville and Elisa McConnehea. Also, Tim Patton, Cory Allen, David Greene, Eric Kenney, Adrian Tatum, and Ron Nelson. The executive board member seat went to Tonia Reyes Uranga.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Show your support for What A Pair

Community members are encouraged to sponsor a decorated bra for the upcoming What a Pair event, an art fundraiser to help support the fight local fight against breast cancer, from 6 to 8 p.m. March 11, in San Pedro.

All Proceeds benefit Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center San Pedro Mammography Unit and other causes which improve the status of women and girls.

Ticket Prices: $65 per person/ $120 for a pair Sponsorhips start at $200.

Details: (310) 832-5482

Valentine’s Fundraiser

Wells House Hospice community supporters are encouraged to attend a Valentine’s Fundraiser, at 6 p.m. Feb. 7, at Hot Java in Long Beach

Guest can sip on wine, coffee or tea, eat some deserts and support the Wells House Hospice Foundation by purchasing an art piece created by residents of the hospice.

Live music, and an artist meet and greet also will be part of the event.

Venue: Hot Java
Location:2101 E. Broadway, Long Beach

COMMUNITY & FAMILY

Jan. 20

LGB2NETWORK Goes to MOLAA

Join the LGB2NETWORK, at 6 p.m. Jan. 20, for cocktails, appetizers and a private tour of Siqueiros: Landscape Painter, at the Museum of Latin American Art in Long Beach

Admission is free.

Venue: Museum of Latin American Art
Location: 628 Alamitos Ave., Long Beach
Details: (562) 590-9034

Feb. 8

Morning on the Marsh

Enjoy a nature experience with a leader to answer your questions and who shows you where to look for the unusual happenings, at 9 a.m. Feb. 8, at the Madrona Marsh Preserve in Torrance.

Free.

Venue: Madrona Marsh Preserve
Location: 3201 Plaza Del Amo, Torrance Details: (310) 782-3989

LIVE ENTERTAINMENT

March 5

Long Beach Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras celebrations return to Long Beach, from 12 to 10 p.m. March 5, at Rainbow Harbor.

Expect, a parade, live music, drinks, food and fun for the whole family.

Venue: Rainbow Harbor
Location:200B Aquarium Way, Long Beach
Details www.lbmardigras.com

FILM & THEATER

Jan. 23

Piecin' It Together

Little Fish is partnering with The Pennyroyal Players to present a single fundraising performance, at 3 p.m. Jan. 23, of Piecin' It Together, a lively and touching musical portrait about those who settled the American West.

Through story and song, Piecin' It Together reveals the humor and hardships of pioneering life -- endured by men, women and children.

Tax-deductible tickets are $12. Proceeds will benefits Los Cancioneros Master Chorale Scholarship Program and the American Association of University Women's Tech Trek program for seventh grade girls' science and math.

Venue:Little Fish Theatre
Location: 777 S. Centre St., San Pedro
Details: (310) 512-6030

Feb. 17

Surgikill DVD Release Party

Join the Artful Thinking Organization, at 9 p.m. Feb. 17, as it kicks off its second year and celebrates the DVD release of Surgikill at the Art Theatre in Long Beach.

Marking Surgikill’s 21st birthday and what would have been Director Andy Milligan’s 82nd birthday, the DVD party will rock with Surgikill on the screen, live Q-and-A and plenty of complimentary food and drink. 

Born Feb., 12, 1929 in St. Paul, Minnesota, Andy Milligan was a prolific filmmaker. Throughout his tortured and controversial life he made nearly 30 low-budget films from 1965 to 1990. His sense of humor, horror and movie making style exploded the sexploitation genre to a whole new level incorporating much of his real life experiences into his films.  The “Mulligan touch” as it was called, referred to his use of themes and caricatures.

Surgikill is a campy film about a masked killer that is killing off doctors, nurses, and patients at a poorly run Los Angeles hospital that is scheduled to be closed. Surgikill was Milligan’s last film before he succumbed to AIDS in 1991 at the young age of 62.

On hand for live Q&A on the 17th will be Bouvier and Sherman Hirsh. Bouvier played Dr. Grace Goode in Surgikill and starred in another of Milligan’s films, Monstrosity, from 1989. Sherman Hirsh was one of the three Surgikill writers along with Andy and Sid Caplan.

Tickets are $10.

Venue: Art Theatre
Location: 2025 E. 4th St., Long Beach
Details: (562) 438-5435; www.arttheatrelongbeach.com

ART

Jan. 28

SoCal Printmaking Exhibit

The Palos Verdes Art Center will celebrate its 80th anniversary this year with the Southern California Printmaking Exhibition, from Jan. 28 through April 24, in the Beckstrand,Walker and Norris Galleries at the Palos Verdes Art Center in Rancho Palos Verdes.

Southern California Printmaking Exhibition. This exhibition will showcase some of the artists who have been instrumental in making printmaking an Art Center tradition, as well as incorporating new and innovating artists from Southern California - artists that offer different techniques - producing distinctive ideas on the traditional methods of printmaking. The exhibition will also showcase an educational portion featuring step-by-step printmaking techniques.

The Galleries are open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and from 1 to 4 p.m. Sundays. An opening reception is scheduled from 5 to 8 p.m. Jan. 28, hosted by the Docent Council.

Venue: The Palos Verdes Art Center
Location: 5504 W. Crestridge Road, Rancho Palos Verdes
Details: 310-541-2479; www.pvartcenter.org