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Barragán Amplifies Call for Climate Justice and Chemical Safety on Earth Day

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Barragán Amplifies Call for Climate Justice and Chemical Safety on Earth Day

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. — In recognition of Earth Day, April 22, Rep. Nanette Barragán (CA-44) introduced and reintroduced a package of environmental justice legislation bills that aim to protect communities from pollution, prevent chemical disasters, and invest directly in frontline communities battling climate change.

“Earth Day is an annual reminder that we have an obligation to protect our environment and keep our planet clean and safe for everyone — especially for the communities who face the greatest pollution risks every day,” said Rep. Barragán. “We must take bold action to ensure safe air, clean water, and healthy neighborhoods for all families, not just the wealthy and well-connected. As we face the growing threats of climate change, toxic pollution, and environmental injustice, we cannot allow corporate polluters or a rogue EPA to endanger our communities.”

Rep. Barragán introduced the following bills:

  • The Chemical Disaster Prevention Act (new)
    This bill prevents the Trump Administration’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from rolling back life-saving safeguards that protect workers, first-responders, and nearby communities from chemical plant disasters. The bill ensures stronger oversight of nearly 12,000 chemical facilities nationwide and safeguards frontline communities from toxic accidents. EPA recently announced its plans to reconsider its Risk Management Plan Rule, which Rep. Barragán fought for last year. EPA’s Risk Management program regulates chemical facilities, which include the Wilmington and Carson refineries in the district, and Rancho LPG.
  • The Clean Water Justice Act (reintroduced)
    This legislation updates outdated Clean Water Act penalties to hold polluters accountable when they knowingly discharge illegal pollutants into sewer systems or water treatment facilities. It increases minimum and maximum fines and adjusts penalties for inflation, sending a strong signal that polluting our waterways is unacceptable. Rep. Barragán first introduced the bill in the 118th Congress in response to blatant illegal dumping by the Carson oil refinery into the Los Angeles County sewer system.

The Climate Justice Grants Act (reintroduced)
This bill creates a $1 billion per year grant program at the EPA to directly fund community-driven climate projects in low-income communities and communities of color harmed by pollution. Projects may include clean energy, weatherization, electric vehicle infrastructure, and climate-resilient upgrades. In the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), Rep. Barragán successfully fought to include $3 billion in funds for environmental justice communities, some of which the Trump Administration tried to cancel. The federal court for the District of Rhode Island recently ordered five federal agencies, including the EPA, to unfreeze IRA and infrastructure funding that had been awarded to nonprofits.

From Jealousy to Redemption: A Preview of Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale in Modern Verse Translation

Melina Paris
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From Jealousy to Redemption: A Preview of Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale in Modern Verse Translation

 

Director and Translator Tracy Young is a theatre director and playwright who has had a history working with Shakespeare productions, including translations. She recalls that her most challenging and joyful work to date is Medea/Macbeth/Cinderella (with co-adaptor Bill Rauch), a simultaneous telling of Euripides’ Medea, Shakespeare’s Macbeth and Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella. Earlier forays into Shakespearean translation include productions of The Taming of the Shrew and The Merry Wives of Windsor at Idaho Shakespeare Festival.

Tracy Young
Director and translator Tracy Young.

Los Angeles’ Skylight Theatre Company premieres Young’s latest production, The Winter’s Tale, the first LA production of a Play On Shakespeare translation. Experience William Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale as never before, in a spirited 90-minute music-infused retelling of a story about love, loss, and rebirth.

Opening April 24 and running through June 14, the story tells of the wrath of Leontes, a tyrannical king who rages over a cowed population as he places himself and his delusions above the law of Apollo. Death and terror reign until a Princess, Perdita, played by Misha Osherovich, raises their power to bring healing to the tortured land.

Osherovich (they/she) is a queer actor and writer. After conquering SXSW with the critically acclaimed premiere of SHE’S THE HE, Osherovich has taken on Shakespeare in the non-traditional casting and non-traditional interpretation of The Winter’s Tale. This is a rare opportunity for Osherovich, who, as Perdita, plays one of the heroines, making this a landmark moment. Even though the playwright was known for gender fluid roles and casting in his day, contemporary Shakespeare productions have limited representation of trans characters. However, there is a growing trend of including trans actors in roles, both those explicitly trans and those that may explore gender roles or identities in a broader sense.

Misha Osherovich
Misha Osherovich (Perdita)

The role of the tyrant King Leontes (Daniel DeYoung), immersed in his own fear, jealousy, and oppressive ways, is palpable. A figure whose emotions are out of control, DeYoung is very good at being very bad as he evokes both repugnance and pity. But The Winter’s Tale is a love story, and the amorous couple’s connection between Perdita (Osherovich) and Florizel (Israel Erron Ford) is delightful. Alongside a modern score, their harmonies are a highlight of this presentation. Altogether, this is a wonderful, hardy cast.

Jason Williams Courtesy Of Skylight Theatre Company Misha Osherovich Spencer Jamison Daniel DeYoung
Jason Williams courtesy of Skylight Theatre Company – Misha Osherovich, Spencer Jamison, Daniel DeYoung

 

Jason Williams Courtesy Of Skylight Theatre Company Israel Erron Ford Misha Osherovich
Jason Williams courtesy of Skylight Theatre Company – Israel Erron Ford, Misha Osherovich.

This production is the first collaboration between Skylight Theatre Company and Play On Shakespeare, a non-profit organization that began as part of Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s initiative to examine plays through the lens of the English we speak today, which was launched in 2015 under Bill Rauch. Skylight Theatre Company’s accessible, modern English translation is adapted by Lisa Wolpe and Tracy Young, and directed by Young, whose award-winning work has been seen in productions at Actor’s Gang, Cornerstone Theater Company, and the celebrated Oregon Shakespeare Festival.

Play On translations aim to follow the same rigor and pressure as the original play, which means honoring the meter, rhyme, rhetoric, image, metaphor, character, action and theme. The work must be structured in iambic pentameter — a poetic rhythm characterized by lines containing five iambs (unstressed, stressed syllables), totaling ten syllables per line, creating a heartbeat-like cadence. Within this context, productions of the translations can still go through the same creative process that all classics go through: the director’s vision and creative interpretation.

 

The Winter’s Tale is also a story of hope and forgiveness. As Paulina, the witch, declares as the dead return to life, “It is required you do awake your faith!”

Skylight embraces the tenets of Play On Shakespeare and is proud to introduce this important non-profit organization to LA audiences.

“I was first drawn by Play On Shakespeare’s commitment to commissioning dozens of contemporary playwrights and translations made by playwrights who embodied many different lived experiences and share a deep love and curiosity about language,” said Armando Huipe, Skylight’s executive director. “They were all tasked with matching Shakespeare’s linguistic rigor as they approach the text and structure in order to make Shakespeare’s plays engaging and accessible to today’s audiences.”

“Right now, the picture is bleak, and it’s growing bleaker every day. The Winter’s Tale offers up a story where people find hope, forgiveness, and music in the face of tyranny. It reminds us how things that die in the winter are reborn in the spring,” said Gary Grossman, Skylight’s producing artistic director.

Skylight is recognized as an innovator of new play development among theater publications, including Dramatist Magazine. In just the last five years, three plays originating at Skylight have been performed Off Broadway and on Broadway: The Wrong Man and Church & State (which had 65+ productions in 33 states), and Lavender Men (which received a staged reading at Circle in the Square).

The Winters Tale Flyer

The Winter’s Tale
Time: 8:30 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays, 3 p.m. Sundays, and 8 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays (Schedule changes in May).

Cost: $20 to $42

Details: 213-761-7061; https://www.skylighttheatre.org/thewinterstale

Venue: Skylight Theatre,1816 1/2 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles

 

New Evidence Emerges in LA Fire Justice’s Lawsuit Against Southern California Edison

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New Evidence Emerges in LA Fire Justice’s Lawsuit Against Southern California Edison

PASADENA — Mikal Watts, an attorney working with LA Fire Justice, presented new video evidence that further proves the case against Southern California Edison for the catastrophic consequences of a fire ignited by their equipment in conditions of high wind.

An enhanced LiDAR analysis of the flashing seen in surveillance video taken at an ARCO gas station at the start of the fire shows that following the first flash, molten material can be seen dropping from one of Edison’s transmission towers. This molten metal dropped to the ground and caused dry brush at the base of the tower to catch fire, and in high wind conditions, this fire spread and caused the destruction of more than 9,000 structures and 18 deaths.

“Wildfires don’t start without an ignition,” said Mikal Watts. “A spark alone can create that fire, and then given the conditions that we all know existed here: high heat, low humidity, dried out fuels, and Santa Ana winds, this spark on Edison’s tower is the only thing that separates a catastrophe from the town of Altadena still being here.”

In addition, LA Fire Justice uncovered photographs found in the archives at the Huntington Library from 102 years ago that show the construction of these towers. These towers were active for 48 years before the Sylmar Substation was damaged in an earthquake in 1971 and taken out of commission. Most of the towers on the circuit were taken down by Southern California Edison but the 19 towers known as towers 208 – 227 were left there for no reason.

“Despite being aware that the Kincade fire in 2019 began on an abandoned line, and giant utility Pacific Gas & Electric was fined $40 million dollars, Southern California Edison did nothing to remove the idle tower which caused the Eaton Fire,” Watts said.

“For Southern California Edison, this is inexcusable,” said consumer advocate Erin Brockovich. “For the money you earn as a for-profit corporation, that you continue to operate with failed infrastructure that caused this type of devastation is unacceptable. It was a complete, colossal failure.”

The Law Office of Douglas Boxer and the Watts Law Firm, attorneys working with LA Fire Justice, in February filed a lawsuit against Southern California Edison Company and Edison International for the catastrophic consequences of a fire ignited by their equipment in conditions of high wind. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Walt Butler, and Luis Gonzalez and Denise Diaz, who lost their Altadena homes in the fire.

As part of LA Fire Justice’s commitment to best-in-class work, using a technique called photogrammetry, our team of wildfire investigators, world-class fire origin and causation experts, and digital mappers conducted physical scans of Eaton Canyon and created a precise 3D model to pinpoint the fire’s exact point of origin. This technique takes videos obtained from surveillance footage and witnesses and stitches them together to recreate the canyon’s shape and details in an exact digital model. The original 3D video showing the origin of the fire at the abandoned tower can be viewed or downloaded here.

Details: LAFireJustice.com

First Partner Siebel Newsom Unveils Recommendations to Strengthen Support for Sexual Assault Survivors

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First Partner Siebel Newsom Unveils Recommendations to Strengthen Support for Sexual Assault Survivors

 

SAN FRANCISCO — California First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom last week released a comprehensive roadmap to improve California’s response and resources for survivors of sexual assault. The final report is the culmination of the First Partner’s Working Group on Support for Survivors of Sexual Assault, which she co-chaired with retired Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O’Malley. The report identifies gaps and offers recommendations to ensure survivors are met with dignity, respect, and a path to justice.

The working group, composed of experts across government, public health, law enforcement, the judicial system, and advocacy was convened by First Partner Siebel Newsom in 2023 to address the persistent challenges in the response to sexual violence. The report serves as a blueprint for policymakers, law enforcement, healthcare providers, and community leaders to make meaningful progress.

The working group’s report highlights California’s leadership in addressing sexual violence, including the establishment of the nation’s first Victim Compensation Program, the creation of Rape Crisis Centers, and the implementation of trauma-informed practices. Yet, it acknowledges that systemic barriers continue to prevent survivors from accessing the care and justice they deserve.

The recommendations include:

  • Evidence-based educational materials on sexual assault myths and trauma survivor behaviors for defense attorneys to review before a trial begins;
  • Trauma-informed jury instruction as well as required trauma-informed training for district attorneys;
  • A clear process for reporting survivor feedback and implementing policy changes based on feedback;
  • Ensured culturally specific, language-accessible support, so no survivor is left behind;
  • Strengthened prevention efforts, including consent-based education in our schools;
  • And the coordination of services statewide, so healing and support are available no matter your zip code.

Details: The full report is available here.

Caring for the Earth, Caring for Communities: Dignity Health Leads by Example

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Caring for the Earth, Caring for Communities: Dignity Health Leads by Example

 

SOUTHERN CALIF. – This Earth Day, Dignity Health — part of CommonSpirit Health — is reaffirming its commitment to healing both people and the planet through sustainability, environmental stewardship, and community-driven initiatives across California.

Dignity Health Southern California hospitals include California Hospital Medical Center, Glendale Memorial Hospital and Health Center, Community Hospital of San Bernardino, St. Bernardine Medical Center, St. Mary Medical Center, and Northridge Hospital Medical Center.

As a healthcare provider rooted in compassion and service, Dignity Health states it recognizes that environmental health is inseparable from human health. In 2024, Dignity Health hospitals across California made significant strides in reducing waste and greenhouse gas emissions. These efforts included:

Shredding over 3,861 tons of paper—saving an estimated 65,651 trees, 27 million gallons of water, 11,585 cubic yards of landfill space, and 1.47 million gallons of oil

Recycling more than 1,000 tons of mixed materials

Reprocessing 77 tons of medical devices

Recycling over 1,400 tons of cardboard

Safely disposing of over 120 tons of electronic waste

These achievements reflect Dignity Health’s commitment to reducing its environmental footprint and advancing sustainable practices that protect both people and the planet.

As a member of CommonSpirit Health, Dignity Health is also part of a larger movement toward long-term sustainability. CommonSpirit has set a goal to achieve net- zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040, as part of a broader strategy to reduce energy consumption, conserve water, minimize waste, and invest in environmentally responsible infrastructure.

Currently, day-to-day operations account for 31% of CommonSpirit Health’s total greenhouse gas emissions. To accelerate progress, an interim target has been set to cut operational emissions by 50% by 2030—ensuring steady momentum toward a healthier, more sustainable future.

“At Dignity Health, our mission of humankindness extends beyond the walls of our hospitals and into the environment—because a healthier planet leads to healthier people,” said Julie Sprengel, California President, CommonSpirit Health. “As healthcare leaders, we have a responsibility to lead in sustainability, knowing that the environmental conditions around us directly impact the well-being of the communities we serve.”

In celebration of Earth Day, Dignity Health hospitals and care sites are participating in a variety of local efforts to promote sustainability and environmental awareness. These include seed giveaways, employee plant swaps, rock painting events, educational workshops, and facility upgrades—all aimed at protecting the ecosystems where we live and work.

Dignity Health stands with community partners, patients, and caregivers in building a more sustainable, equitable, and healthier world for all.

San Pedro Comes Alive with Creativity: Artists Invite You In for Open Studios Weekend at AGCC, & Launch of Arts Open April 26–27

Melina Paris
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San Pedro Comes Alive with Creativity: Artists Invite You In for Open Studios Weekend at AGCC, & Launch of Arts Open April 26–27

 

Its Time for Open Studios Weekend at AGCC

Angels Gate Cultural Center, or AGCC, announces the return of Open Studios Day on April 26, in partnership with Arts Open San Pedro, a two-day city-wide open studios event. Fifty-one local artists will open their doors to the public for a peek into their art practice.

The event includes community class demonstrations, the opening reception of Cloud 3601 in the second-floor gallery, Direct from the Classroom: Spring Selections in the first-floor gallery space, an all-ages art workshop, and Hugos Jr. Burger food truck. As a partner in the Arts United San Pedro coalition, AGCC will also be participating in the second day of Arts Open San Pedro, April 27, with artist studios and galleries open for self-guided tours.

Open Studios Day is a free, all-ages event that provides the public a glimpse into the process, art, and lives of local artists who create at Angels Gate Cultural Center. AGCC hosts one of the largest studio artist programs in the region with a diverse range of artistic disciplines, including ceramics, photography, printmaking, writing, sculpture, videography, performance, mixed media, music, and painting. This self-guided tour of artist studios provides a unique opportunity to interact with the artists and purchase contemporary works of art. More information about the artists who create at AGCC can be found at angelsgateart.org.

Live Community Class demonstrations will take place throughout the day. Stop by G classroom for a glass bead making demonstration with Steve Bay, 1-3 pm. A Raku Ceramics demonstration with AGCC Studio Artists Delora Bertsch and Perry Okimoto will be held in the kiln yard at 3:30 pm.

Join in G classroom for an “All-Ages Art” activity all day. Design a cartoon cat symbolizing you to be included as part of our Teen Mural Club mural-inspired tessellation.

In the galleries, explore Cloud 3601 featuring works by the diverse range of Studio Artists who create at Angels Gate Cultural Center. Direct from the Classroom: Spring Selections showcases artworks created by K-5th-grade students in the Artists-in-Classrooms program, highlighting their creative expressions in dance, visual arts, and creative writing.

Unnamed 27 1
Angels Gate Cultural Center studio artist,courtesy AGCC.

 

AGCC Studio Artists include Adam Gaxiola, Andrea Lien, Ann Weber, Anna Erneholm, Ashton S. Phillips, Beth Elliott, Candice Gawne, Catherine Burce, Da Aie Park, Daniel Porras, Deborah Wright, Delora Bertsch, Dennis Keeley, Elizabeth Casuga, Elyse Pignolet, Emma Rault, Frank Rodriguez, Gil Mares, Henry Krusoe, Jesse Small, Joe Barile, Jon Nakamura, June Edmonds, Karla Diaz, Kim Kei, Leah Shane Dixon, Lisa Diane Wedgeworth, Lowell Nickel, Lucinda Rudolph, Lynn Doran, Marco Schindelmann, Melodie Reay, Mike Watt, Nancy Voegeli-Curran, Perry Okimoto, Phoebe Barnum, Regina Herod, Rene LaRue, Robert Alexander, Scott Anger, Soft Chick, Syracuse residency students (Carla Erausquin Bayona, Sophia Hashemi and Teddy Berg), Taylor Crisp, Tianlu Chen, Vanessa Madrid, W.S. Milner, Yoon Jin Kim, Yozmit the DogStar, and Yuichiro Roy Kunisaki.

Enjoy two days of open studios, live music, and performances throughout San Pedro’s vibrant Arts & Cultural District at Arts Open San Pedro. Hop on a complimentary trolley and explore galleries, meet over 100 artists, and discover the hidden creative gems of L.A.’s most exciting arts destination. Experience the creativity that fuels San Pedro.

Time: 12 to 4 p.m. April 26 and 27

Venue: Angels Gate Cultural Center

 

Unnamed 28

Launch of Arts Open San Pedro

Get ready for a weekend of inspiration as Arts Open San Pedro launches on April 26, and 27. Experience the creativity of over 100 artists across the San Pedro Arts & Cultural District during this immersive two-day event.

“Our goal is to inspire discovery of San Pedro’s Arts and Cultural District and all it contributes to the greater Los Angeles arts community,” said Michael Stearns, Arts United Partner. “We aim to highlight and uplift our incredible local artists, performers, and musicians, showcasing the unique creative spirit that thrives throughout this vibrant city.”

Artists will have their works available for purchase, offering attendees the opportunity to own a piece of San Pedro’s artistic expression.

To enhance the experience, complimentary trolleys will operate across three distinct routes — Harbor, Coastal, and Angel — ensuring convenient access to various event locations throughout the city. These trolleys will run from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on both days to provide attendees with ample time to immerse themselves in the festivities. Some studios are walkable, while others are reachable by a short car drive within less than a mile from the trolley stops.

Image courtesy of AGCC
Image courtesy of AGCC

Attendees are encouraged to RSVP ahead of time to plan their visit by exploring the event map and schedule, available on the official Arts Open San Pedro website: https://artsopen.artsunitedsp.org/.​

  • Open Studios & Galleries – Tour local studios and meet some of Los Angeles’ most dynamic artists.
  • Live Performances – Enjoy music, dance, and theater that reflect San Pedro’s rich cultural heritage.
  • Interactive Art Installations – Get hands-on with creative exhibits and art-making experiences.

Time: Studio/Gallery Hours: 12 to 4 p.m. Stage Performances: 2 to 6 p.m.

Cost: Free

Details: RSVP: artsopen.artsunitedsp.org

Venue: Various locations

PHOTO Program Gallery Returns with Stunning Showcase as Winners Take the Spotlight

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PHOTO Program Gallery Returns with Stunning Showcase as Winners Take the Spotlight

Winners were announced last week for the annual Port of Long Beach PHOTO Program, and the selected works are on exhibit along with all entries in the popular community arts project at the Port of Long Beach Administration Building in the Long Beach Civic Center.

Featuring distinctive images of the port submitted by amateur and professional photographers, the display is held in collaboration with the Arts Council for Long Beach. The free exhibit is now open to the public from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays through May 22 at the Port Administration Building lobby, 415 W. Ocean Blvd., Long Beach 90802.

The photographers who participated in this year’s Port of Long Beach PHOTO Program were selected from a pool of applicants. They attended a daylong workshop given by professional port photographers and then were presented with the opportunity to capture the sights, views and lights of the harbor during a sunset cruise through the port. For the 2025 tour, participants observed the port through a “green” lens in conjunction with the port’s 20th anniversary of the green port policy.

“The Port of Long Beach is among the most visually dynamic and interesting places to photograph,” said Port of Long Beach CEO Mario Cordero. “It’s a pleasure to view it through the eyes of the photographers and see the Port come to life in a new way.

The Arts Council’s panel of judges awarded the top prize to David Dinsmore of Long Beach for Rubik’s Cube, a geometric image of colorful containers neatly stacked on a cargo ship. Second place was awarded to Eric Vitwar of Long Beach for I Got You, a captivating image of a cargo ship’s anchor. Third place went to James Rexwinkel of Lakewood for Marine Layer Landing Arm, a striking image of equipment reaching skyward at an oil terminal.

For more information on the Arts Council for Long Beach, visit www.artslb.org. Additional information about the PHOTO Program and a gallery of the images can be found at polb.com/photoprogram.

LA Health Services and Harbor-UCLA Launch LA-DROP: A Life-Saving Blood Transfusion Initiative

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LA Health Services and Harbor-UCLA Launch LA-DROP: A Life-Saving Blood Transfusion Initiative

LOS ANGELES — Leaders from across Los Angeles County April 18 gathered to celebrate the official launch of LA-DROP (Los Angeles Development and Rapid Operationalization of Prehospital Blood) — a pilot program that enables paramedics to administer lifesaving whole blood transfusions before patients reach the hospital.

“The first whole blood transfusion by ground EMS in Los Angeles County is a powerful testament to what coordinated, countywide collaboration can accomplish,” said Dr. Kelsey Wilhelm, LA-DROP project lead, director of EMS and Disaster Preparedness at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, and medical director for the City of Compton Fire Department. “This program represents nearly two years of planning, training, and trust-building among partners united by a shared mission: to save lives. We are hopeful that LA-DROP will have a lasting impact and help transform emergency medical services across our community.”

On April 21, 2025, the City of Carson, along with the unincorporated communities of Rancho Dominguez and Willowbrook will join the LA-DROP pilot program, with the City of Inglewood and unincorporated communities of Athens-Westmont and Lennox joining April 25.

The LA-DROP prehospital blood transfusion pilot program is a partnership between the LACoFD, City of Compton Fire Department, Los Angeles County Emergency Medical Services Agency, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, and San Diego Blood Bank committed to establishing the first safe and sustainable prehospital blood program in Los Angeles County. Through partnerships and a community-driven blood donor network, LA-DROP aims to reduce preventable deaths and strengthen Los Angeles’ emergency medical response system with innovative prehospital care.

Details: To learn more about LA-DROP click here.

CSULB Students and Faculty Protest ICE, Budget Cuts, and Speech Restrictions

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CSULB Students and Faculty Protest ICE, Budget Cuts, and Speech Restrictions

By Daniel Rivera

On March 26, students and faculty members gathered at CSULB, and marched through the campus, demanding that the university protect its students from ICE, budget cuts, divest from the military, and reduce regulations on speech on campus.

“I’m here out to support this community event to support undocumented students, fight against the budget cuts at the CSUs, and talk about how we do like the new time placement manner policy at the Cal-State system”, said Lisa, a student activist and media liaison, told Random Length News.

The policies include regulations on when, where, and how meetings and events can be facilitated on campus so that it won’t disrupt other students or university business. Limitations like not allowing protest indoors and amplified noise after a certain time, for this protest it was set between 12 pm and 2 pm.

The student protestors called it “too short,” and demanded more time and more access to the school. According to the campus, the policies have been in effect for about 30 years, and after the California Budget Act was passed, it was moved from Campus rules and regulations to its document for easier access.

The protestors moved through the campus, culminating in visiting the Office of the President,(in violation of the Time and Manner policies), where the staff locked the doors. The students began taping their demands to the wall, covering the glass panels in paper from top to bottom.

“So right now, the current plan is that if ICE were to show up on our campus they would be directed to our university police department, who would handle them. But the truth is that our university police departments do not stand in solidarity with the students,” Lisa continued.

The protestors wore masks to protect themselves and limited identifying information for the press because students have been targeted at other universities for participating in protests, especially ones for Palestine that swept the country since the ongoing Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories.

They want a team to respond to ICE and protect their fellow students from deportation, they want CSULB to divest and cut ties with its various military/aviation partners like Boeing.

“What’s happening at the US and Mexico border is not separate from what’s happening in Gaza. They are connected by the same companies like Boeing, Raytheon, and Northrop Grumman who make billions [of dollars] on war. . . the CSULB is building the p[ipleines into our classrooms in the guise of opportunity and our tuition pays for it,” Emily, a student speaker said during the rally.

In 2014, the CSULB received a supply of the year from Boeing, which employs the most students, numbering around 1,200. CSULB makes up a corner in the so-called golden triangle, the cooperative relationship between the military, higher education, and industry.

The CSUs have faced increasing pressure on their internal speech policies from the Trump administration, which has set its sights on protestors on visas and targeting pro-Palestinian speech with deportation at universities across the country.

Alongside the increased pressure on immigrant communities, the campus is facing budget cuts from both the state and federal governments, impacting services, limiting course choices, and cutting jobs.

The protestors do not believe that the state-at-large has their back, that the state and more specifically the governor is sliding to the right, especially after inviting rightwing extremists Steve Bannon and Charlie Kirk to his podcast in recent weeks.

“We’ve seen the university turn to budget cuts at this crucial moment to say everything is inevitable… that it’s up to a governor who has chosen to court right-wing voices, to sit down with authoritarians rather than investing in the people’s university,” said Rob, assistant professor of sociology at CSULB and California Faculty Association member.

Random Lengths News has reached out to the university for comment and has not heard back immediately.

 

UFCW 324 Takes Stand Against Self-Checkout, Citing Theft and Job Loss

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UFCW 324 Takes Stand Against Self-Checkout, Citing Theft and Job Loss

By Daniel Rivera, Labor Reporter

On April 1, members of UFCW 324, alongside community members, gathered at Long Beach City Hall to comment in support of a proposal meant to regulate self-checkout and provide more employment.

“I think we, and certainly the workers who work in grocery and drug retail, have recognized that there for some time that there’s a problem”, said Derek Smith, Political Director for 324, told Random Lengths News. That problem, he says, was created by self-checkout, by the absence of working employees, which has led to increased theft.

“Item 23(proposal) is trying to increase staffing for self-checkout stations under the guise of public safety concerns,” Celeste Wilson, Government Affairs manager for the Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce. She explains that the companies should be hiring security guards instead since employees are usually not allowed to interfere with shoplifters. However, the union states that simply having their presence can deter theft.

“The problem is inordinate amounts of theft that are happening, which I think all of us know to some degree, and that the vehicle by which people are stealing things are invariably is self-check,” Derek continued.

In recent years, companies like Costco and Trader Joe’s pulled back it self checkout in response to rising thefts.

It goes beyond the security issues presented by the lack of oversight, but the also calls attention to the diminishing customer experience and lack of flexibility. The union is proposing that not only should there be ideally one cashier per two self-checkout ratio, but also have workers dedicated to watching the self-checkout and assisting customers.

“And if you have a checker there for every two and then someone to help the customers that are on self-checkout, that’s better because… alcohol and stuff like that can’t go through self-checkout,” Shamiko Pekoe, a food clerk at Von’s for about 24 years explained when discussing having to juggle being a cashier, helping on the self-checkout and providing other services necessary to the store.

According to a report from Capital One, self-checkout remains very popular, with about 73% of shoppers preferring it to a cashier.

However, understaffing has remained widespread across numerous industries, years after the pandemic prompted closures and layoffs, and has yet to fully recover to pre-pandemic levels, placing a large strain on workers.

Self-checkout, accordingly, has led to increased losses across the industry. According to a report, self-checkout is about 10 times more likely to be robbed than traditional checkouts, even though it’s slated to grow from 2 billion to about 4 billion in the following year.

However, many of these are accidental, according to the survey, as much as 21% due to various user errors like not scanning an item properly, mis-weighting, faulty barcodes, and a whole variety of troubleshooting and problem-solving that was once left up to a trained cashier to handle.

Over the last few years, since the pandemic, several corporations have reported a rise in shoplifting, from the casual to the large-scale viral shoplifting phenomenon, which has led to some shuttering their operations in California.

These shutterings have left communities in food deserts, pulling away vital services and products in part due to the rising theft.

However, activists and business people argue over the solution, which in this case is either more employee eyes or more security and harsher sentencing. Wilson explained that Proposition 36 was only recently passed, and we should wait for the law to have its intended effect.

Prop 36, among many things, adds a three-strike policy as punishment for repetitive shoplifting charges, and those include charges for shoplifting under $950 worth of merchandise. However, three three-strikes laws have been heavily criticized in the past for their contribution to recidivism and disproportionate effect on communities of color.

However, the activists think that the more eyes cover an area, the less likely they are to steal by sheer presence, while also providing jobs and improving customer experience. However, there isn’t a clear relationship between floor presence and theft.

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