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Carson / CalWater Partner on Water-Wise Community Garden with Dedication Ceremony

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Carson / CalWater Partner on Water-Wise Community Garden with Dedication Ceremony

 

The City of Carson and local water utility California Water Service or Cal Water have partnered to convert Carson City Hall’s landscaping from thirsty turf to a water-wise garden that is projected to save up to 2.3 million gallons of water each year. The City of Carson and Cal Water came together Sept. 30 to dedicate the new community garden and spotlight the importance of making conservation a way of life, as the State has emphasized through recent regulations to reduce water use.

The project was funded through Cal Water’s lawn-to-garden and spray-to-drip rebate programs, which provided $388,377 to the city. It included removing 129,500 square feet of turf around City Hall and replacing it with drought-tolerant landscaping. Cal Water estimates that over the lifetime of the project, the city could save up to 23.3 million gallons of water.

“This project is very important to the City of Carson as we continue to create initiatives that will sustain us not just today but in the future,” said Carson Mayor Lula Davis-Holmes. “This garden is Carson making conservation a way of life for our residents and visitors, and we hope that the garden serves as an inspiration to everyone to make water-wise decisions in their lives.”

Projects like this are becoming increasingly important as about 400 of California’s largest cities approach the State’s Jan. 1, 2025, deadline to develop a water-use budget every year and set and meet appropriate targets. The rules are a part of two laws signed in 2018 after a severe five-year drought, but despite recent wet years, conversions like the City of Carson’s are important in implementing a long- term solution.

Cal Water offers its customers a number of incentives to save water every day through conservation rebates and programs.

Details: visit www.calwater.com/conservation

Gov. Newsom Signs Legislation Protecting Workers From Forced Political and Religious Messaging

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Gov. Newsom Signs Legislation Protecting Workers From Forced Political and Religious Messaging

 

SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation prohibiting employers from taking adverse actions against workers who refuse to attend meetings or receive communications regarding religious or political matters, including union-related topics.

How SB 399 protects workers

SB 399 by Senator Aisha Wahab (D-Silicon Valley) prevents employers from disciplining, discriminating against, or discharging employees for refusing to participate in employer-sponsored meetings or communications on religious or political matters that are not related to their job duties. This includes discussions on unionization, protecting workers from anti-union rhetoric that employers may attempt to impose in mandatory settings.

Employers remain free to express their views, but this law ensures that employees cannot be forced to listen.

“SB 399 is vital to shielding employees from retaliation for opting out of captive audience meetings unrelated to their jobs,” said Dr. Wahab. “With my small business background, I ensured the bill strikes a balance, protecting both employers and employees.”

Several states, including Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Minnesota, New York, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington, have enacted similar laws, underscoring growing national support for these employee rights in the workplace.

Here’s what California labor leaders said about this announcement:

  • “Captive audience meetings are routinely used to frighten workers and discourage unionization. We applaud Senator Wahab and Governor Newsom for ensuring that California workers are free from this kind of abuse and free to join a union.” – Peter Finn, President of Teamsters Joint Council 7
  • “For far too long, employers have used the power they have over workers to hold them hostage in meetings aimed at imposing political, religious, or even anti-union views that don’t align with workers’ beliefs. SEIU members thank Governor Newsom for standing up against coercion in the workplace and Senator Wahab for championing this necessary worker protection.” – Tia Orr, Executive Director of SEIU California
  • “This is a huge win for workers in California. Every worker should be able to do their job without being forced to participate in meetings about their employer’s political or religious views.” – Amber Parrish, Executive Director of the United Food and Commercial Workers Western States Council
  • “Everyone deserves freedom from intimidation at work. No one should lose their job because they refused to listen to their bosses’ views on politics or religion. No one should be forced against their will to attend captive audience meetings where their bosses threaten and coerce them out of reporting labor violations, or exercising their right to join a union.” – Lorena Gonzalez, President of the California Federation of Labor Unions, AFL-CIO

NALEO Educational Fund to Release California Latino Voter Snapshot Poll Findings

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NALEO Educational Fund to Release California Latino Voter Snapshot Poll Findings

 

The findings provide a comprehensive view of the perspectives of Latino registered voters in California ahead of the November elections

LOS ANGELES — The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials or NALEO Educational Fund will host a virtual briefing Oct. 3 to unveil the findings of its California Latino Voter Snapshot poll. The data will provide a comprehensive view of the perspectives of Latino registered voters in California and illustrate top-of-mind issues for the state’s Latino electorate. The poll also examines Latino registered voter candidate preferences for the top political races in Election 2024 and Latino voter enthusiasm for the election.

Additional poll findings that will be released during the briefing include:

  • Methods by which Latinos intend to cast their ballots, barriers to voting, and Latino voter experiences with misinformation;
  • The extent to which Latino voters have been contacted about the election by candidates, political parties, or other organizations;
  • Whom Latino voters trust for reliable information about community matters; and
  • Notable differences among the perspectives of different segments of Latino voters.

“Earlier this year, we projected that at least 4.8 million Latinos in California are expected to head to the polls in this election, said NALEO Educational Fund CEO Arturo Vargas. “The California Latino Voter Snapshot poll illuminates the critical role California Latinos will play in Election 2024 and helps inform the decisions of local and state leaders about the issues of concern to the Latino community. The poll also serves as a resource for civic and community leaders who want to reach and engage the Latino electorate.”

Arturo Vargas, NALEO Educational Fund CEO; Rosalind Gold, Chief Public Policy Officer; and

Dorian Caal, Director of Civic Engagement Research, will be available to speak on the poll

findings, the historical context and methodology of the data, and the importance of

California Latino voters in the upcoming November elections. The call will also include a Q&A portion.

NALEO Educational Fund has tracked and analyzed Latino voter participation in national general elections for over two decades.

For additional inquiries, contact Luis Acosta at lacosta@naleo.org or 956-460-3598

Time: 9 a.m., Oct. 3

Details: To join the call, register here.

Venue: Online

 

County Proclaims Lead Poisoning Prevention Week and Seeks Solutions for Foster Family Insurance Crisis

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County Proclaims Lead Poisoning Prevention Week and Seeks Solutions for Foster Family Insurance Crisis

Supervisors Proclaim Lead Poisoning Prevention Week

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Sept. 24 approved a motion authored by Supervisor Hilda L. Solis and co-authored by Supervisor Janice Hahn to proclaim October 20-26, as Lead Poisoning Prevention Week in Los Angeles County.

Lead is a naturally occurring element that has been widely used for industrial purposes such as in batteries, gasoline, and historically in paint. Lead is invisible, tasteless, and odorless, making it a silent but highly toxic threat to both humans and animals. There are no safe levels of lead exposure. Prolonged exposure to high levels of lead is frequently prevalent in low-income neighborhoods, and by extension communities of color, from both industrial and residential sources. These communities often suffer from environmental inequities, with higher concentrations of freeways, battery smelters, oil fields, and aging homes with lead-based paint.

“I want to emphasize that tackling lead poisoning is not just the responsibility of individual families. We know the threat that lead poses to our children, and we know how difficult it can be to detect and eradicate. This is a public health issue that requires cooperation at every level. As Los Angeles County works to protect our children from lead poisoning, we are going to raise awareness of the steps everyone can take to help protect their families from lead exposure,” said Supervisor Hahn.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or CDC, lead can linger in the body for years- months in the soft tissues and decades in bones. Additionally, living in an urban area, such as Los Angeles County, exposure to some level of lead is almost inevitable. The only way to know if one has been lead-poisoned is by getting a blood lead test. Children should be screened at 1 and 2 years of age, and any time they are potentially exposed to a lead source. Adults should request a blood lead test from their medical provider if exposed to a lead hazard source.

With the approval of today’s motion, the Los Angeles County Department will launch a formal health education campaign during Lead Poisoning Prevention Week that encourages parents, community members, and school districts to engage in health education activities regarding the impact of lead on health and post-exposure care.

Details: For more information, read the full motion

 

County Seeks Solutions for Foster Family Agency Insurance Crisis

The insurance coverage crisis that is sweeping across various sectors in California has found a new target: Foster Family Agencies.

Last month, the Nonprofits Insurance Alliance of California or NIAC, the insurance entity that covers 90% of all foster family agencies or FFAs in California, issued non-renewal notices to 30 FFAs of the 46 that are headquartered in Los Angeles County. Fourteen of those agencies–who provide foster care for approximately 500 children–will lose insurance in the next 21 to 30 days and may be forced to close their doors.

As a result, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted to support a motion introduced by Supervisor Barger and co-authored by Chair Lindsey P. Horvath to urgently find some short and long-term solutions. ”

Los Angeles County’s legal team now has 15 days to collaborate with the chief executive office and the Department of Children and Family Services to report insurance crisis solutions to the Board of Supervisors. The motion also instructs the county’s team of lobbyists to advocate for state budget proposals that can provide a long term solution to the insurance crisis facing FFAs.

During the Board of Supervisors’ discussion on this item, multiple foster family agency representatives testified to the impact of this looming insurance crisis on their operations. “Our agency has facilitated positive permanent outcomes for vulnerable children for 36 years,” said Cesar A. Gomez, LCSW, division director of Permanency Program Services for Five Acres. “Please continue your advocacy on behalf of Foster Family Agencies so that we can keep doing this important work. The future of our most vulnerable children in Los Angeles County is on the line.”

Senate Passes Bipartisan Legislation to Help Find Missing Persons on Federal Land

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Senate Passes Bipartisan Legislation to Help Find Missing Persons on Federal Land

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Senate last week passed bipartisan legislation introduced by Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) that would require the Department of Justice or DOJ to add a new category to the existing National Missing and Unidentified Persons Systems or NamUs database, which would allow the public and law enforcement to mark cases where a person went missing or was identified on federal land, including specific location details.

This new feature allows family and friends of people missing on public lands to more easily enter this information in NamUs, while law enforcement agencies work to improve national records of missing individuals. The Tracking and Reporting Absent Community-Members Everywhere (TRACE) Act also requires DOJ to submit an annual report to Congress detailing the number of cases from the previous year involving individuals who went missing or were suspected of going missing on public lands.

“Thousands of people go missing on public lands in the United States every year, but without an effective system to track them, law enforcement’s ability to help bring them home is that much more limited,” said Senator Padilla. “That’s why I’m glad to see the Senate unanimously pass our bipartisan TRACE Act to provide more accurate and readily accessible data, help equip law enforcement to resolve more cases, and help bring peace of mind to affected families.”

According to a NamUs report, over 600,000 people go missing in the United States annually. While the majority of these cases are resolved, tens of thousands of people remain missing every year.

There are approximately 640 million acres of federal land which include national parks, national forests, and Bureau of Land Management lands. Estimates suggest that at least 1,600 people have gone missing on public lands, though the number is likely much higher, as isolated or rugged terrain on public lands can make it especially difficult to find or identify people who go missing. Despite this, there is no functional system to report people who have gone missing on public lands. Having accurate data on how many people go missing on our public lands every year is crucial to aid search and rescue efforts and resolve cases.

NamUs is the main system used by law enforcement, families and friends of missing persons, medical examiners, and coroners to report unidentified remains and missing persons, and it is also used by the public.

Details: Full text of the bill is available here.

Governor-Signs Legislation on Homlessness Crisis and Ethical Concerns of AI

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Governor-Signs Legislation on Homlessness Crisis and Ethical Concerns of AI

 

Gov. Newsom Signs Bass-Sponsored Bill To Make Legislative Fix To Confront Homelessness Crisis

LOS ANGELES — Gov. Gavin Newsom this week signed SB 1500, which was introduced by Senator Maria Elena Durazo and sponsored by Mayor Bass to lead to Angelenos coming inside faster. The bill will give housing providers the certainty they need to take advantage of the federal presumptive eligibility waivers that Mayor Bass secured from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development or HUD in August of 2023.

SB 1500 provides statutory guidelines to various state programs to reduce barriers to permanent housing for unhoused people. For years, people experiencing homelessness needed to prove their income, Social Security, disability and other factors in order to enter permanent housing. After advocacy by Mayor Bass, in 2023, the Department of Housing and Urban Development granted Los Angeles presumptive eligibility waivers, allowing people to self-certify their income and tearing down this outdated barrier. Even with this new authority, housing providers were reluctant to take advantage of it because of potential penalties from the state. This bill changes that.

Under SB 1500, when a person experiencing homelessness is provided permanent housing using Los Angeles’ self-certification of income authority from HUD, the housing provider will no longer be subject to scrutiny from the State for 24 months as long as the unhoused individual does not have an income exceeding $48,550, which is 50% of the Area Median Income or AMI in Los Angeles.

This bill will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2025.

Key results from the 2024 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count:

  • Homelessness in the City of Los Angeles is down for the first time in six years.
  • Unprecedented drop in street homelessness (10% decrease in the City of Los Angeles – the first double digit decrease in the last at least 9 years).
  • A decrease in makeshift shelters (38% decrease in the City of Los Angeles).
  • The number of people who moved into permanent housing is at an all time high.

 

Gov. Newsom Signs Bills to Crack Down on Sexually Explicit Deepfakes & Require AI Watermarking

SACRAMENTO – Gov. Gavin Newsom Sept. 29 signed three pieces of legislation designed to address the ethical concerns surrounding artificial intelligence or AI and protect individuals from the misuse of digital content. The new laws impose new requirements on AI developers and social media platforms to ensure responsible technology use while safeguarding Californians from harm.

SB 942 by Senator Josh Becker (D-Menlo Park) focuses on helping the public more reliably identify AI-generated content. It requires widely-used generative AI systems to include provenance disclosures in the content they generate. These disclosures, while invisible to humans, should be detectable by free tools offered together with these systems. Users can use these tools to identify AI-generated content. This new measure ensures transparency and accountability in the rapidly evolving world of digital content creation.

“Going forward it’s crucial that individuals know if content was created by AI or not. SB 942 is a significant advancement over anything that’s come before because it requires large Gen AI companies to both label AI generated content and provide an AI detection capability,” said Senator Becker. “By signing this bill, Governor Newsom is providing Californians with essential tools to navigate the evolving digital landscape and solidifying our position as a leader in enacting sensible AI regulations that protect consumers without stifling innovation.”

SB 926 by Dr. Aisha Wahab (D-Hayward) creates a new crime targeting AI-generated sexually explicit deepfake content. The bill makes it illegal to create and distribute sexually explicit images of a real person that appear authentic, when intended to cause that person serious emotional distress.

“Victims of digital sexual assault are forever traumatized by their perpetrators through damaged reputations that lead to a lack of workplace promotions, mental health deterioration, shame, and isolation,” said Dr. Wahab. “SB 926 gives these victims—who are predominantly women—and law enforcement the tools they need to ensure perpetrators are prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”

SB 981, also by Dr. Wahab addresses the issue of sexually explicit digital identity theft. It requires social media platforms to establish a mechanism for users to report sexually explicit deep fakes of themselves; once reported, this content must be temporarily blocked while the platform investigates, and permanently removed if confirmed. This legislation empowers individuals to take swift action to protect their digital identity and privacy in cases where their likeness is misused.

Gov. Newsom Announces Judicial Appointments

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Gov. Newsom Announces Judicial Appointments

 

SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gavin Newsom Sept. 30 announced his nomination of three Court of Appeal Justices: Justice Brian M. Hoffstadt as Presiding Justice of the Second District Court of Appeal, Division Five; Judge Michelle C. Kim as an Associate Justice of the Second District Court of Appeal, Division One; and Judge Anne K. Richardson as an Associate Justice of the Second District Court of Appeal, Division Two.

The Gov. also announced his appointment of seven Superior Court Judges, including Los Angeles County.

Unnamed 2024 09 30T100356.395
Justice Brian M. Hoffstadt

Second District Court of Appeal

Justice Brian M. Hoffstadt, of Los Angeles County, has been nominated to serve as presiding justice of the Second District Court of Appeal, Division Five. He has served as an associate justice at the Second District Court of Appeal, Division Two since 2014. Justice Hoffstadt served as a judge at the Los Angeles County Superior Court from 2010 to 2014. He was a partner at Jones Day from 2007 to 2010 and served as an assistant U.S. attorney at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Central District of California from 2000 to 2007. Justice Hoffstadt served as senior counsel at the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Policy Development from 1998 to 2000 and at the Federal Communications Commission, Office of General Counsel from 1997 to 1998. He served as a law clerk for the Honorable Sandra Day O’Connor at the U.S. Supreme Court from 1996 to 1997 and for the Honorable Cynthia H. Hall at the U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit from 1995 to 1996. Justice Hoffstadt earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Presiding Justice Laurence D. Rubin. This position requires confirmation by the commission on judicial appointments, which consists of Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero, Attorney General Rob Bonta and Senior Presiding Justice Arthur Gilbert. Justice Hoffstadt is a Democrat.

Unnamed 2024 09 30T100421.527
Judge Michelle C. Kim,

Judge Michelle C. Kim, of Los Angeles County, has been nominated to serve as an associate justice of the Second District Court of Appeal, Division One. She has served as a Judge at the Los Angeles County Superior Court since 2018. Judge Kim served as a deputy alternate public defender at the Los Angeles County Alternate Public Defender’s Office from 2005 to 2018 and as a deputy public defender in the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office from 2003 to 2005. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law. Judge Kim fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Victoria D. Chaney. This position requires confirmation by the commission on judicial appointments, which consists of Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero, Attorney General Rob Bonta and Senior Presiding Justice Arthur Gilbert. Judge Kim is a Democrat.

Unnamed 2024 09 30T100754.207
Judge Anne K. Richardson

Judge Anne K. Richardson, of Los Angeles County, has been nominated to serve as an associate justice of the Second District Court of Appeal, Division Two. She has served as a judge at the Los Angeles County Superior Court since 2018. Judge Richardson was a directing attorney at Public Counsel from 2014 to 2018. She was a partner at Hadsell, Stormer, Richardson and Renick LLP from 1998 to 2014 and was an associate there from 1993 to 1998. Judge Richardson was a public interest fellow at Litt and Stormer from 1990 to 1992 and served as a law clerk for the Honorable Mariana R. Pfaelzer at the U.S. District Court, Central District of California from 1989 to 1990. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from Stanford Law School. Judge Richardson is being selected to fill the vacancy that will be created pending confirmation of Justice Brian M. Hoffstadt’s appointment as Presiding Justice of the Second District Court of Appeal, Division Five. This position requires confirmation by the commission on judicial appointments, which consists of Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero, Attorney General Rob Bonta and Senior Presiding Justice Arthur Gilbert. Judge Richardson is a Democrat.

The compensation for each of these positions is $279,151.

Unnamed 2024 09 30T101239.048
Elizabeth L. Bradley

Elizabeth L. Bradley, of Los Angeles County, has been appointed to serve as a judge in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Bradley has been a partner at Rosen Saba LLP since 2011. She was managing partner at Bradley & Bradley LLP from 2005 to 2011 and an associate at the Law Offices of Alan S. Gutman from 2000 to 2005. Bradley was a sole practitioner from 1997 to 2000. She was an associate at the Law Offices of Elizabeth Franco Bradley from 1996 to 1997 and at Viviano & Bradley from 1994 to 1996. Bradley earned a Juris Doctor degree from the California Western School of Law. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Michael Levanas. Bradley is a Democrat.

Attend the Landslide Emergency Update, Oct. 1

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Attend the Landslide Emergency Update, Oct. 1

Reminder: Tomorrow night, Oct. 1, at the RPV city council meeting, the city’s geologist will present the latest land movement data in the Portuguese Bend Landslide complex. Since August, the overall average rate of movement has decelerated 13% to 8 inches per week, with a range of 1% acceleration to 27% deceleration, depending on the area.

The council will discuss various efforts to continue slowing the movement and prepare for the next rainy season. This includes the recent activation of five deep vertical dewatering wells at the toe of the Portuguese Bend Landslide that are removing about 600 gallons of water per minute to relieve water pressure that is fueling the sliding. Preliminary data shows movement has slowed down at a greater rate in the area since the wells were activated.

The city council will consider how to allocate $5 million in landslide relief funding recently received from the office of Los Angeles County Supervisor Hahn. City staff is proposing providing $10,000 in individual financial assistance to property owners of residences impacted by the landslide in the Portuguese Bend Community Association, including Vanderlip Drive, Seaview and the Portuguese Bend Beach Club. The remaining funds could be used for the city’s landslide response and stabilization efforts.

The council will also consider extending the local emergency declarations in the landslide area that were put in place to bolster the city’s response to the land movement and utility shutoffs. Both declarations must be extended every 60 days to remain in effect.

View the staff report with more information on the city website at: https://tinyurl.com/Recommended-council-action

If you are a person with a disability and need an accommodation to participate in programs, services, activities and meetings, contact the City’s ADA Coordinator/Risk Manager at 424-327-3982,adarequests@rpvca.gov, 30940 Hawthorne Blvd., Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275, at least 48 hours in advance to request an auxiliary aid or accommodation.

Meeting Info

The meeting will take place in person and via Zoom. To participate in public comment during the meeting, fill out a speaker slip if you are attending in person, or complete a form online at rpvca.gov/participate to participate virtually or leave a pre-recorded voice message. Email your comments on this topic to cc@rpvca.gov.

Time: 7 p.m., Oct. 1

Details: Watch live at rpvca.gov or on Cox 33/FiOS 38.

Venue: McTaggart Hall at Hesse Park, 29301 Hawthorne Blvd, Rancho Palos Verdes and on Zoom

NOFX Bids Farewell–A Punk Legacy Concludes Its Final Tour in San Pedro

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NOFX Bids Farewell–A Punk Legacy Concludes Its Final Tour in San Pedro

By Chris Villanueva, Columnist

The band NOFX is on the final leg of its very last tour before calling it quits. I picked up my first NOFX album in my early teens (I’m in my 40s now), and the heavy but fast skatepunk sound immediately blew me away. The album, Ribbed, was my gateway to NOFX’s music and I’ve been a fan ever since. I’ve only been to a handful of their shows, but needless to say, I was heartbroken to hear that they are retiring.

Since April, NOFX has been on a 40-city 40-song tour marking their 40-year reign in the punk rock scene. The band’s final show is on the first weekend of October (Oct. 4 to 6) at San Pedro’s Berth 46. There will be many special guests, including The Descendents, Lagwagon, Dropkick Murphys, Pennywise, MxPx, Fishbone, and many more.

NOFX kicked off the tour with their latest release, The Half Album, as an endnote to their discography. The titles in their tracklist are typical of albums past: clever, irreverent, heavy on the wordplay, and sardonically substantive in their storytelling given the age of the audience that’s gotten older with them. The opening track, Fake-A-Wish-Foundation, is a follow-up to the song My Bro Cancervive Cancer, which was released on their 2021 album titled Single Album. In that song, singer Michael Burkett, better known as Fat Mike, sings about a man named Brett who befriended the band and claimed he had brain cancer. The track follows up on the man only known as Brett and talks about how he scammed many people with the same lie just to get free perks from NOFX and many other bands before being found out.

The second track I’m a Rat is another catchy punk rock song served up NOFX style. The song was reportedly originally written by Fat Mike for the Japanese punk rock band Hi-Standard, who also released a version of this song in 2023. You can also find an instrumental orchestral version of this song on the album Fat Mike Gets Strung Out. It’s definitely worth a listen.

The Queen is Dead starts mellow before going full punk. It’s a song and tribute to a person named Naja Brooks, a friend and salesperson for the band who passed away in recent years. It’s a great song with lots of emotion.

The track titled The Most Humblest Man in the World has a slightly different mood like it could’ve come from one of their older albums.

Finally, we have The Last Drag, the longest song on the album at a little over six minutes. On this track, Fat Mike sings about detox and addiction, likely reflecting on his long battle with drug addiction, getting clean, and now his retirement after 40 years with NOFX.

All in all, it’s a good little album to check out. And generations of punks will miss this band. If you have not seen them live, there’s no time like now.

Sunday, general admission tickets are still available.

For bands that have continuously stayed in the limelight for as long as NOFX has, it’s hard to imagine retirement being the end. And it may not, in the sense band members will go onto solo projects and projects with other artists.

Punk legend in residence, Mike Watt, is no stranger to that experience as the founder of Mike Watt and the Minute (pronounced My- Noot) Men, fIREHOSE and Dos.

Watt said that in his opinion, life is a journey and personal artistic expression seems to him very natural to reflect such a thing.

“Lots of stuff goes into one’s own way of expressing themselves and definitely, I believe one might wanna explore all kinds of different ways besides stuff they’ve learned to do over and over,” Watt said.

On that note, Watt remarked that NOFX guitar man, Eric Melvin, had already started working on his solo work, referencing Melvin’s first commercial solo release in 2022 under the moniker, “Melvinator.”

Watt recalled playing with Melvin on a project called Punk Rock Karaoke 20 years ago.

“I liked him very much,” Watt said. “The other guitar man they (NOFX) added later, El Hefe [Aaron “El Hefe” Abeyta] from Sac-town … I think he’s a really good musician, really incredible. Both those cats have much respect from me.”

Todd Congelliere, frontman for Clown Sounds and Toys that Kill, played in some of the same clubs early before NOFX took off in popularity.

Congelliere noted that even a band with lesser stature could tour to whatever place that punk lives on the planet, but to get to NOFX’s level was like capturing lightning in a jar where a lot of the right things had to happen at the right time.

“Their sound was … very melodic. It also became kind of like the ’90s flavor,” Congelliere explained. “With Green Day hitting it big … The Offspring hit it big … [NOFX] was on the same label as The Offspring and there was definitely some trickle-down to that. Once those bands started getting bigger, they kind of got some of that too.”

“I don’t even know who’s bigger than them. I know The Offspring still plays on mainstream radio,” Congelliere said.

The frontman for FYP thinks it was mainly the label that they’re on that had the secret sauce to the sound they had.

“Some people called it “Southern California Skate Punk,” which I never understood. But, that was like the sound … like Bad Religion, when they did their album, Suffer,” Congeliere explained.

When asked if he was going to do any special at The Sardine, of which Congelliere is the proprietor, to take advantage of the turnout for the concert.

“If anything, it’s just [going to be] business as usual,” Congelliere said. “We’re going to extend our hours because we know people will be moseying around.”

Congelliere thought about doing something more, but wound up booking two really good shows on Friday and Sunday featuring the Canadian punk band Single Mothers and The Octmoniks on Saturday.

“We’re going to push it back and we’re going to start the band a little later [in the evening],” Congelliere said.

Generations of punks will miss this band. If you have not seen them live, there’s no time like now.

Sunday, general admission tickets are still available.

NOFX at Berth 46
Time: 12 to 10 p.m., Oct. 4 to 6
Details: https://brewhahaproductions.ticketspice.com/nofx-final-tour-san-pedro
Venue: Berth 46, 3011 Miner St., San Pedro
Terelle Jerricks contributed to this story.

Deborah Krall – An Octogenarian Activist in a Time of Crisis, RESIST / PERSIST

Melina Paris
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Deborah Krall – An Octogenarian Activist in a Time of Crisis, RESIST / PERSIST

RESIST / PERSIST

On September 17, 2024, Deborah Krall, an octogenarian, launched an exhibit of previous and new work at Hollenbeck Palms, the retirement community where she resides, proving that creativity and activism have no age barriers. The resident-organized exhibition will run until Oct. 31.

ARTIST STATEMENT:

“As a politically curious and active woman, teacher, artist, and collector of small, shiny objects, I have acquired bags full of campaign pins of varying sizes, colors, and sentiments. About 15 years ago, I began using this material in collages. In this series, RESIST /PERSIST, I wallow in color, texture, and symmetry. The more I produced these collages, the more people offered me their collections of campaign pins. These pins support causes such as public schools, unions, reproductive freedom, and peace. I have been attracted to art all my life and have been a member of Mother Art, (motherart.org) a feminist artcollective, since 1980.”

To view by appointment, contact Evelyn Cantacuzene-Speransky

Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., at 424-394-8485 and.esperansky@hotmail.com.

Time: Sept. 19 to Oct. 31

Cost: Free

Details: 323-307-4522; www.hollenbeckpalms.com

Venue: Hollenbeck Palms, 573 S. Boyle Ave., Los Angeles

 

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