Harbor Currents: NEWS March 15, 2013

POLA Container Volumes Increase 17 Percent
SAN PEDRO — The Port of Los Angeles recently released its February 2013 cargo volumes.
Overall, the volumes increased 16.99 percent compared to February 2102. The increase was due in part to a surge in imports prior to the closure of factories for the Chinese New Year.
Imports jumped 25.23 percent from 254,359 20-foot equivalent, TEU, to 318,547 TEUs this February. Exports dropped 4.88 percent, from 164,725 TEUs in February 2012 to 156,690 TEUs in February 2013.
Combined, the total loaded imports and exports for the past month increased 13.4 percent, from 419,084 TEUs in 2012 to 475,237 in 2013.
For the first two months of 2013, container volumes have increased about 4.87 percent (about 1.28 TEUs) compared to the same period in 2011 (about 1.22 TEUs).
Details: www.portoflosangeles.org/maritime/stats.asp

Man Murdered in Long Beach 
LONG BEACH — Twenty-three-year-old Nelson Suarez was killed March 13 near 8^th Street and Maine Avenue in Long Beach.
At about 10 p.m. police responded to a several calls regarding shots near the area. Suarez, who sustained a gunshot wound to the upper torso died in a local hospital.
An unidentified man also was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Investigators say three people were standing in front of a home when they were shot multiple times. A third person at the scene was not injured.
While no suspects have been apprehended, the incidents seemed to be gang related.
Anyone with information about this crime is urged to call (562) 570-7244 or anonymously at (800) 222-8477.

LB Budget Surplus Projected
LONG BEACH — The City of Long Beach recently announced that it is projecting a $3.6 million surplus for the 2013-14 fiscal-year budget.
The surplus is the result of negotiated pension reforms and the state dissolution of the redevelopment agencies, which restored 42 percent of the city’s property tax increment, about $11 million in revenues.
Long Beach placed that percentage of the city into a redevelopment area that then locked up the tax increment, which could only be used for redevelopment.
Details: www.scribd.com/doc/130201964/Fy14-16-Fiscal-Outlook

Water Bills Increases
LONG BEACH — Long Beach residents recently received an increase in their water bill. The increase is due an increase charged by Water Replenishment District, which provides the City of Long Beach with groundwater replenishment. The city pumps about 60 percent of its water from their sources.
Details: www.scribd.com/doc/130201966/Why-Long-Beach-residents-are-getting-water-rate-increase-noticesÂ

Trutanich Announces Dorner Hunt Damage Control Agreement
LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office hosted a meeting March 14, at City Hall, to discuss the agreement reached to compensate a truck, which was damaged when officers shot at two women during the Christopher Dorner manhunt.
Seventy-one-year-old Margie Carranza and daughter Emma Hernandez’s truck was damaged, Feb. 7, after Los Angeles Police Department officers shot at their truck while on the hunt for a former police officer suspected of going on a killing rampage after posting an angry manifesto online. He was later killed during a shoot out with police officers near Big Bear.
The women agreed to receive $40,000 out of the city’s general fund as compensation for the damage to their blue Toyota Tacoma, which was shot more than 100 times while delivering newspapers in Torrance.
As part of the agreement both parties are freed from property loss liability. The truck now can be used as evidence before it is returned to the women.

Furutani Appointed to Public Works Commission Board
LOS ANGELES – Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa announced, March 11, the appointment of former Assemblyman Warren Furutani to the Board of Public Works Commissioners.
Furutani represented the 55^th Assembly District from 2008 – 2012 and served on various committees including Utilities and Commerce, Transportation and Labor.

Results of Alphabet Drawing for Candidates Order
SACRAMENTO – The Election Division within the Secretary of State office, held a randomized alphabet drawing on Mar. 14, to determine the order that candidates’ names will appear on the Jun. 4 local election ballots. The last names will apply.
Here are the results, beginning with the first one and ending with the twenty-sixth one: R, K, C, G, T, A, O, W, Y, V, I, P, S, U, H, F, B, L, X, N, M, E, Z, J, D and Q.
Details: http://www.sos.ca.gov/admin/press-releases/2013/db13-009.pdf

Senate Judiciary Committee Reviews Firearm Related Bills
WASHINGTON, D.C.— The Senate Judiciary Committee reviewed four firearm related bills on Mar. 7. The reviews brought attention about the protection of Second Amendment versus public safety.
The bills that the Judiciary Committee are reviewing are as following: The assault Weapons Ban of 2013, Stop Illegal Trafficking in Firearms Act of 2013, Protecting Responsible Gun Sellers Act of 2013 and the School Safety Enhancements Act of 2013.
Details: http://public.tableausoftware.com/views/MapLight-Gun-Interests2_0/Dashboard1?:embed=y