Jan. 13
ExxonMobil Safety Violations Meeting
U.S. Chemical Safety board Chairwoman Vanessa Sutherland will be available for questions regarding an ongoing investigation into ExxonMobil’s Torrance refinery safety violations.
A public meeting will feature Rep. Ted Lieu, Sutherland, Chemical Safety Board investigators, and representatives from the Torrance Refinery Action Alliance, California Occupational and Safety Halth Administration, California Environmental Protection Agency, Western States Petroleum Association, United Steelworkers (USW), and Blue Green Alliance.
The public meeting will allow citizens to learn about the investigation into ExxonMobil’s Torrance refinery, ask questions and discuss what can be done to enhance the safety of our community.
ExxonMobil has been under investigation since an explosion on February 18, 2015 tore through the facility and launched a heavy piece of equipment within feet of the highly-toxic modified hydrofluoric acid (HF) tank, as well as spreading ash throughout the community. Congressman Lieu and Congresswoman Waters formally requested a CSB investigation following the incident. Six months later, Cal/OSHA fined ExxonMobil $566,600 with 19 separate citations, including 18 classified as “serious” and six characterized as, “willful because Cal/OSHA found that Exxon did not take action to eliminate known hazardous conditions at the refinery and intentionally failed to comply with state safety standards.”
Since the February explosion, several additional incidents have occurred at the Torrance refinery. On September 6, the Torrance Fire Department reported a “significant incident” when a leak occurred of highly-toxic modified HF. On October 23, a large steam cloud appeared above the refinery, the result of a leak that occurred in a pressurized eight-inch pipeline. These incidents have underscored the dangers posed to the community by toxic chemicals, which ExxonMobil’s worst-case scenario estimates could imperil the lives of a quarter million people in Southern California.
Time: 5 p.m. Jan. 13
Venue: Receiving area in front of Torrance City Council Chambers, 3031 Torrance Blvd., Torrance
Jan. 14
Long Beach Hosts Parks Public Input Meetings
The City of Long Beach is participating in a comprehensive parks and recreation needs assessment being conducted by the County of Los Angeles. The public is encouraged to participate in a community meeting in Long Beach to ensure that the voices of the community are heard regarding priorities for future park development and rehabilitation.
The following local community outreach workshop is scheduled to gather input about where new parks, recreation facilities, or open spaces areas are most needed; which parks need repair or expansion; and what type of recreation facilities are most needed:
The goal of the Park Needs Assessment is to engage all communities within the County to gather data and input for future decision-making on parks and recreation. Specifically, the final report will determine study areas and will identify, prioritize and outline costs for potential park projects within each study area in the County.
Time: 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Jan. 14,
Details: www.lbparks.org
Venue: Houghton Park, 6301 Myrtle Ave., Long Beach
Jan. 19
Minimum Wage
The Long Beach City Council will consider receiving and filing recommendations from the Economic Development Commission, with regard to the minimum wage policy in the city.
The city council will also consider directing the city manager to provide additional information or to prepare an ordinance relative to the implementation of the policy.
Time: 5 p.m. Jan. 19
Details: 16-0043
Venue: Long Beach City Hall, 333 W. Ocean Blvd., Long Beach
Jan. 19
Eastbound Motorists Diverted to Pico Avenue.
As part of the Gerald Desmond Bridge Replacement Project, eastbound Ocean Boulevard between the Desmond Bridge and downtown Long Beach will be closed for up to 36 months starting Jan. 19. Through traffic will take a short detour using Pico Avenue to rejoin Ocean Boulevard into downtown.
A temporary, overnight closure of eastbound Ocean Boulevard from State Route 47 to Golden Shore will take place from 9 p.m. Jan. 18 to 5 a.m. Jan. 19 to prepare the roadway for the long-term detour. Eastbound traffic will be detoured to northbound SR-47.
In addition, there will be an overnight detour for traffic using westbound Ocean Boulevard at Golden Shore. From 9 p.m. Jan. 18 to 5 a.m. Jan. 19, all westbound traffic will be diverted to Pico Avenue. Motorists will be able to rejoin westbound Ocean using the on-ramp from Pico.
For the long-term eastbound Ocean detour starting Jan. 19, commuters heading to downtown Long Beach from the Gerald Desmond Bridge will exit Ocean Boulevard to Pico Avenue and rejoin Ocean via two signalized intersections, dedicated turn lanes and a newly striped two-lane on-ramp. Diverting eastbound traffic allows westbound Ocean to remain open during construction.
The northbound Long Beach (710) Freeway connector will remain open until further notice during the long-term closure of eastbound Ocean.
When completed in 2018, the new bridge will include six traffic lanes and four emergency shoulders, a higher clearance to accommodate new generations of cargo ships, and the Mark Bixby Memorial Bicycle and Pedestrian Path with scenic overlooks.
The replacement project allows the Gerald Desmond Bridge to remain in use while the new bridge is under construction. The bridge project is a joint effort of Caltrans and the Port, with funding support from the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation
Details: www.newgdbridge.com
Jan. 20
Complimentary Community Health Lectures
Learn about arthritis prevention and reduction with the help of Romina Ghassemi. RSVP.
Time: 7 p.m. Jan. 20
Details: (310) 548-5656
Venue: San Pedro Chiropractic and Posture, 1534 W. 125th St., San Pedro
Jan. 21
Community Engagement Meeting
Participate in the Los Angeles countywide parks needs assessment, at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 21, at Peck Park.
Time: 6:30 p.m. Jan. 21
Venue: Peck Park, 560 N. Western Ave., San Pedro
Jan. 23
Coffee with Lowenthal, O’Donnell, Austin
Councilman Al Austin, state Assemblyman Patrick O’Donnell and Rep. Alan Lowenthal invite you to join your friends and neighbors for a casual conversation over a cup of coffee.
Share your thoughts on federal, state and local legislative issues important to you.
Time: 9 to 10:30 a.m. Jan. 23
Venue: Expo Arts Center, 4321 Atlantic Ave., Long Beach
Jan. 27
Complimentary Community Health Lectures
Learn about t what muscle pain is and what to do with it with the help of Romina Ghassemi. RSVP.
Time: 7 p.m. Jan. 27
Details: (310) 548-5656
Venue: San Pedro Chiropractic and Posture, 1534 W. 125th St., San Pedro
Jan. 30
E-waste, Shred Drive
This e-waste and shred drive is hosted by the students of the Hughes Middle School Environmental Science Class. Funds raised will go towards taking the children of the class on different field trips where they will learn more about how to keep our world environmentally green and protected.
Time: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Jan. 30
Details: http://tinyurl.com/ShreadItRecycleIt
Venue: Hughes Middle School, 3846 California Ave., Long Beach
Feb. 22
Now Trending
Art students and recent graduates from leading Southern California art programs are invited to mine the cultural landscape of Los Angeles for inspiration leading to the submission of dynamic new work to be showcased in Palos Verdes Art Center’s Second Biennial Alpay Scholarship University Student Juried Exhibition, Now Trending. Submission deadline is Feb. 22.
• All media considered – new media encouraged
• Limited to three (3) submissions
• No submission fee
• Winning submission awarded $2,000 Alpay Purchase Prize and $10,000 scholarship from The Beverly G. Alpay Memorial Education Fund in support of the creation of new artwork to be exhibited in a 2017 solo exhibition.
* Submissions open January 4, 2016 at pvartcenter.org
* Submission deadline, February 22, 2016
* Exhibition dates, March 17 – April 17, 2016
Time: Feb. 22
Details: (310) 541-2479; www.pvartcenter.org
Sand Bags Available
With the upcoming rain in our forecast, the Los Angeles Fire Department is offering free sandbags and/or sand at the following stations in District 15:
Banning Park, 1331 Eubank St., Wilmington, (310) 548-7538 (bags only, call to confirm availability)
24801 Frampton Ave., Harbor City, (Harbor City Recreational Center) (310) 548-7585 (call to confirm availability)
Peck Park – 560 N. Western Ave., San Pedro, (310) 548-7580 – Dept. of Recs. & Parks (sand only, call to confirm availability)
444 S. Harbor Blvd., Berth 86, San Pedro, (310) 548-7542 (bags only, call to confirm)
18030 South Vermont Ave., Harbor Gateway, (310) 548-7579 (bags only, call to confirm availability)