Sunday, October 5, 2025
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Queen Mary Commemorates Commodore Everette Hoard with Celebration of Life Aboard Ship, August 23

 

Community Invited to Honor his Legacy Through Live Stream Access or In-person with Reserved Ticket

LONG BEACH — The Queen Mary will host a Celebration of Life for Commodore Everette Hoard on Aug.23, honoring the ship’s beloved Commodore with a day of remembrance and tribute. Doors will open at 1 p.m. and the program will begin in the Grand Salon at 1:45 p.m. before moving to other locations aboard the ship, reflecting Everette’s lifelong devotion to the Queen Mary and the community he welcomed aboard.

The day of remembrance will include welcoming remarks from Queen Mary managing director Steve Caloca, a speech from wife Cyndi Hoard, a family tribute video, and heartfelt readings and reflections from Everette’s family and friends. A ceremonial laying of the wreath on the Britannia Deck and a champagne toast led by the Queen Mary’s officers will bring the program to a close.

Commodore Everette Hoard, who passed away on July 17, 2025, was the living embodiment of the Queen Mary’s spirit. For more than 40 years, he dedicated his life to honoring and preserving the historic ship, greeting every visitor as if they were stepping into his own cherished home. His encyclopedic knowledge, warmth, and devotion touched countless lives and made him the heart and soul of the Queen Mary.

“Everette’s love for this ship, its legacy, and every person who stepped aboard was unmatched,” said Steve Caloca, managing director of the Queen Mary. “We have not only lost a family member—we’ve lost a legend who will live on in our hearts and our souls.”

The public is invited to honor Commodore Hoard’s memory either by reserving a ticket to attend in person at this link,https://tinyurl.com/Cdre-Hoard-Celebration-of-life or by joining virtually via live stream with LBTV and can be accessed at 1:45 p.m. on August 23 at www.queenmary.com/commodorehoard.htm.

Construction to Begin on SR-47 Off-Ramp and I-110 On-Ramp

 

Starting tonight Aug.18, crews will close the existing northbound I-110 on-ramp and southbound SR-47 off-ramp to make way for new, realigned ramps. Detour routes will be in place to ensure continued access and safe traffic movement throughout the area. These closures are part of a larger project scheduled to open in November of this year, which will include a new northbound I-110 on-ramp, a new southbound SR-47 off-ramp, and the realignment of Knoll Drive, all designed to improve traffic flow and connectivity. Note that all work activity is subject to change based on weather conditions.

South Bay Real Estate – Stagflation?

South Bay: Market Shrinking

In July the South Bay real estate market made a valiant attempt to maintain a positive stance. It failed. Compared to June of this year, things looked better on the sales volume side, but June was already in the tank, so even the summer bump was only modest help. Looking back to July of last year gave a depressing picture. Overall sales for the south Bay were off by 1%. In itself that’s not a huge number, but considering the market started this year at well over 10%, it’s a big drop in sales.

Median price was an even greater disappointment. In January every area of the South Bay was in positive numbers. By July, every area except PV (which has been negative four out of seven months), was shrinking.

Year to date numbers have overall pointed in an equally negative direction. For the first seven months of the year the South Bay is looking at a 6% increase in homes sold. Compared to the 11% that started the year, one has to conclude the local real estate economy is trending down. The median price tells an even more down-trodden perspective with nearly all areas showing prices falling by 1% to 3% from the same period in 2024.

Beach: A One Month Jump?

The number of homes sold in the Beach cities during July jumped to 130 units, up 11% from June sales. Keep in mind, the increase follows a 4% drop in June, which followed a 2% drop in May. Month to month sales have been erratic at the Beach, while annual sales volume has been steeply up compared to 2024. July sales continued the trend with a 10% increase over the same month last year.

Median price is another matter. At the Beach the median came in at $1,844,000, down 3% from June. July was the sixth successive decline in month to month median prices for the Beach area. Annually the median has shown mixed results compared to 2024, ranging from a 32% increase in January to a 1% decline in July. This drop in July followed another 1% decline in June, continuing what looks like a year long slide in median price and in sales volume. While still higher than in 2024, July was the second lowest month this year in terms of homes sold.

Cumulative sales for 2025 were 23% higher than 2024, though still down 15% from 2019, the last normal year of business preceding the pandemic. For the same period, the median price is up 9% over last year, while coming in at 49% above the median in 2019.

Harbor: Volume and Median Down

July was not a positive month for the Harbor area. Compared to June, sales volume and median price both fell by 8%. The number of homes sold for the month fell to 307 units, while the median price dropped to $775,000. This was the steepest monthly drop seen at the Harbor in 2025.

Annual statistics weren’t any better. Looking back to July of 2024, shows sales volume declined by 3%, and the median price fell 9%, the largest annual drop this year. If the current trend continues for the balance of the year, Harbor area real estate may take a serious hit.

Year to date sales through July came in at 3%. While still positive, it’s important to note the Harbor started the year with sales volume at 10% and has been dropping all year. Similarly, the median price has gone from 1% up in January to 9% down in July, ending the first seven months falling by 1%.

A quick comparison to 2019, shows year to date sales volume still down 20% from pre-pandemic business. Median price is still 43% above the 2019 median.

Hill: Strikingly Good

The Palos Verdes Peninsula saw a strikingly good real estate market in July. Month over month sales climbed an astonishing 53%. Of course, it’s not so impressive when one notes that sales dropped 34% last month. Even at that, 75 homes were sold in July, well above the average sold in any month for 2024 and the highest number in yet this year. At $2,185,000, a 13% increase over June, the median price was likewise the highest month for 2025.

Though not as dramatic, the year over year statistics were also impressive with a 3% increase in the number of homes sold compared to July of 2024. Increasing at 8% over July of last year, made PV the only area with a positive median price this month.

Viewing 2025 versus 2024 year to date sales brought another increase of 2%, roughly on par with the rest of the South Bay. Then came the only negative on the Hill for July—a drop of 1% in the median price.

Year to date sales compared to 2019 are still down by 11% , while the median price remains up by 44% from 2019.

Inland: Long Term Slowdown

July versus June numbers showed surprising strength for the Inland area. Those cities kicked the sales volume by 15%, with the number of homes sold climbing to 131 units. While boosting the median price 1%, to $979,000, the Inland area topped the market except for the highly volatile PV peninsula.

The monthly trend reversed with the annual statistics. July 2025 compared to July 2024 showed a 8% drop in the number of sales, accompanied by a 2% drop in the median sales price.

Year to date for the first seven months came with mixed results. Sales volume showed a 1% increase. For the same period, the median price dropped 3%, ending very much like all areas except the Beach, which continued to show positive results.

Once again looking back to 2019, before the real estate market was irremediably shaken by the Covid pandemic, current sales are down 15% and median prices are up 36%. With five months left in the year and economic forecasts leaning toward stagflation, this could well be a tipping point.

Beach=Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach, El Segundo
Harbor=Carson, Long Beach, San Pedro, Wilmington, Harbor City
PV Hill=Palos Verdes Estates, Rancho Palos Verdes, Rolling Hills, Rolling Hills Estates
Inland=Torrance, Lomita, Gardena

LA From City to Sea: Care Campus Launches, Millions for Coastline Recovery

County Celebrates the Grand Opening of Skid Row Care Campus to Fill Housing and Services Gap

LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles County and city officials, community organizations and neighborhood residents gathered Aug. 14 to celebrate the opening of the Skid Row Care Campus, a welcoming and safe space for services, connection and community. Following speeches and campus tours, the Skid Row community came together for a celebration and service fair.

The campus, located at 442 S. Crocker Street in Los Angeles, offers a place for Skid Row residents to access hygiene care, case management, health care, harm reduction supplies and more. The campus comes out of the Skid Row Action Plan, a community planning initiative that expands access to interim and permanent housing, health care, harm reduction and other supportive services. The plan, developed by Skid Row community members and public, private, and non-profit organizations, seeks to address systemic racism and disinvestment in Skid Row by supporting a culturally vibrant and thriving community.

The Skid Row Care Campus, run by community organizations and staffed by people from the Skid Row neighborhood, began providing services in April 2025. The campus reflects what Skid Row residents have highlighted as the greatest needs in the community. The goals are to improve the health and wellbeing of Skid Row community members and create pathways out of homelessness.

The campus includes:

  • A safe services space featuring a park-like setting with onsite recreation areas, a garden, a pet area, showers, laundry, and wellness activities.
  • Case management and service booths with rotating resources from Los Angeles County and nonprofit agencies.
  • A harm reduction health hub, offering health care, respite beds for people who need medical observation, a drop-in center, harm reduction supplies, a methadone clinic (Opioid Treatment Program).
  • An enriched residential care facility, providing housing and care for people who need assistance with basic activities such as preparing meals, dressing and bathing. Also known as a licensed Residential Care Facility for the Elderly, the facility has 48 beds.

The campus is a collaborative effort among Los Angeles County Departments of Health Services, Mental Health and Public Health, City of L.A. officials, community organizations and Skid Row residents.

Details: Read more information about harm reduction services on campus and around Los Angeles County here at https://bylaforla.org/.

 

L.A. County Receives $5.1 Million to Advance Living Shoreline Projects

LOS ANGELES — Projects to restore and protect Dockweiler, Zuma and Redondo beaches for future generations are moving ahead, thanks to $5.1 million in Measure A funds, the Los Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbors or DBH announced Aug. 18.

The grant from the Regional Park and Open Space District or RPOSD will fund the next phase of planning and design of “living shoreline” projects at each of the three beaches. DBH launched the projects in 2024 and is close to finishing a feasibility study that helped shape their design.

Living shoreline projects use native plants to restore dunes and shoreline habitats that naturally protect the coast from rising seas and stronger storms. By protecting the coastline, the projects will also ensure public access to the beach for years to come.

RPOSD approved over $5 million in Measure A funding for the planning and design phases of three projects:

Zuma Beach Living Shoreline Project, Malibu: $3.1 million
Widen the beach, create new dune habitat, and enhance existing dune habitat. Sand placed at Zuma Beach is expected to naturally migrate downcoast and widen Point Dume Beach.

Dockweiler State Beach Living Shoreline Project, Playa del Rey: $230,000
Add low sand barrier along the bike path to keep sand out of parking lots and restore and enhance existing dune habitat by installing sand fencing, removing non-native species, seeding with native plants, and building new access paths

Redondo Beach Living Shoreline Project, Redondo Beach: $1.7 million
Widen the beach between the Redondo Beach Pier and Topaz groin and create new dune habitat

Each project will now move into design development and environmental review, with an aim to start construction in the coming years. Community engagement will be a key part of the process—including public meetings, email updates, and presentations to local groups—to ensure transparency and help shape the design of each project.

Details: Join in building a more resilient L.A. County coastline at beaches.lacounty.gov/coastal-resilience.

DA Files New Public Corruption Charges Against LA City Councilmember Curren Price

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office has filed two new public corruption charges against Los Angeles City Councilmember Curren Price after uncovering evidence that the city’s housing authority and LA Metro paid Price’s wife more than $800,000 total at the same time Price voted to award the agencies multimillion-dollar contracts.

Curren De Mille Price Jr. has been the Los Angeles city councilmember for the Ninth District since 2013. Like all other councilmembers, he is prohibited from having a financial interest associated with any project that comes before the city council.

Price was charged on June 13, 2023, in case BA515782 with five felony counts of embezzlement of government funds, three felony counts of perjury and two felony counts of conflict of interest.

Subpoenas in the case yielded additional evidence of public corruption. On Aug. 11, prosecutors filed an amended complaint alleging two additional counts of conflict of interest. The complaint includes an appendix of 39 exhibits of evidence of the payments and Price’s voting history.

Between Oct. 22, 2019, and June 30, 2020, the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles allegedly paid Del Richardson & Associates approximately $609,600. During this time, Price voted to support a $35 million federal grant and a state grant application for $252 million for the agency.

Price’s staff had flagged the item of interest prior to the votes.

Between Oct. 27, 2020, and Oct. 20, 2021, LA Metro paid Del Richardson & Associates approximately $219,500. During this time, Price brought and voted in favor of a motion to award $30 million to LA Metro.

Price’s staff had flagged the conflict of interest prior to the votes.

It is further alleged that Price took advantage of his position in city government to award city lease agreements and over $2 million in federal COVID-19 grants to the nonprofit Home at Last. Home at Last was a paying tenant of the Urban Healthcare Project at the time of the votes. Price served as CEO of Urban Healthcare Project during the time of these votes. These funds were intended for homelessness efforts.

Price’s arraignment on the amended complaint is scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 14, in Department 42 of the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center.

If convicted as charged, Price faces a maximum sentence of 11 years and four months in custody, including up to nine years and four months in state prison and up to two years in county jail.

As Students Return To Classrooms, Drivers to Encounter New Street Safety Improvements Near Schools

 

LOS ANGELES—Mayor Karen Bass announced hundreds of new street safety improvements installed by the city to make it safer for children and families to walk safely to and from school. Improvements include installing new speed humps, signage and intersection treatments which help ensure drivers are traveling slowly and with control near schools. Last year, Mayor Bass announced the first installation of street safety infrastructure along with hiring of crossing guards.

“As the school year begins, the City has doubled down and completed hundreds of new street improvements to keep families and children safe as they get to and from school,” said Mayor Bass. “We will do all that we can to continue to make communities safer and focus on ensuring a safe experience for students this year.”

The city has completed installation of projects and taken action to make areas around schools safer, including:

  • Establishing School Slow Zones with reduced 15 mph speed limit at 625 schools, including 343 new street segments near 201 schools ahead of the new school year.
  • Completing 469 speed hump or steed table installations near 117 schools since 2023 – with 30 new schools receiving speed humps over the recent summer break.
  • Installing safety improvements including quick-build intersection tightening, new “No Right Turn on Red” restrictions, and leading pedestrian intervals (gives pedestrians a short head start, of 3-7 seconds, when crossing an intersection before vehicles are given a green light) at more than 75 schools.
  • Deploying nearly 500 crossing guards to help escort elementary and middle-school students across busy corridors.

LADOT General Manager Laura Rubio-Cornejo said this initiative has delivered improvements at hundreds of schools to reduce driver speed and ensure children can get to school safe and ready to learn.

County Sand Reuse Plan Aims to Protect L.A. Beaches, Shorten Permit Process

LOS ANGELES—A plan to allow the Los Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbors or DBH to use sand that may have otherwise gone to a landfill for beach nourishment moved forward Aug. 13 with the Board of Supervisors’ unanimous approval of the Sand Compatibility and Opportunistic Use Program or SCOUP.

If approved by regulatory agencies, the L.A. County SCOUP will remove the lengthy permitting and approval process for small beach nourishment projects that meet the program’s criteria.

“The diminishing amount of sand on our beaches is one of the many negative factors of climate change impacting our shoreline,” said Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell, whose Second District includes Dockweiler, Manhattan and Redondo beaches. “SCOUP helps the County address this challenge with cost-effective, nature-based solutions to replenish the sand our beaches need, while supporting the County’s commitment to keeping our beaches accessible to everyone.”

While coastal erosion is a natural process, climate change is making it worse. Higher sea levels and stronger storms wash away sand faster than before. Man-made structures like dams and sea walls also play a role.

Dams hold back sediment that would normally flow to the coast. Sea walls, which are often built to protect homes near the beach, can cause sand to erode more quickly by changing the way waves hit the shore. As sand disappears faster than new sediment arrives, beaches shrink, and the natural buffer that protects roads, buildings, and public spaces fades away.

SCOUP nourishment projects will restore sand to beaches that serve as a buffer between the ocean and public infrastructure.

Under the program, beach-quality sand left over from development, dredging and flood control maintenance may be used for small projects to nourish the following beaches:

  • Zuma Beach, Malibu
  • Will Rogers State Beach, Pacific Palisades
  • Dockweiler State Beach, Playa del Rey
  • Manhattan Beach, Manhattan Beach
  • Redondo Beach, Redondo Beach

Scoup Sites

These beaches were chosen using several criteria, including coastal erosion and flood risk, public infrastructure and amenities, and recreational and economic benefits, among others. These sites are also popular destinations for people from diverse inland communities. Preserving these beaches is vital to coastal access for all Angelenos.

The California Coastal Commission will next review the program for a coastal development permit. The program will also require approval by the California State Lands Commission, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the L.A. Regional Water Quality Control Board.

SCOUP is a key component of DBH’s coastal resilience initiative, a strategy that works to protect local beaches for future generations through nature-based solutions and partnerships with regional stakeholders.

To learn more about the county’s coastal resilience initiative and SCOUP, sign up for emails about project updates and community engagement opportunities, and find out how to be part of building a more resilient L.A. County coastline, visit beaches.lacounty.gov/coastal-resilience.

Gelson’s Markets Workers Reach Tentative Agreement on New Contract

 

LOS ANGELES—United Food and Commercial Workers or UFCW Locals representing over 2,000 grocery workers at Gelson’s Markets across Southern California, Aug. 13 reached a tentative agreement securing higher wages, more money for pension contributions, additional health and welfare improvements, staffing and more.

The UFCW Gelson’s Bargaining Committee said:

“This victory was only possible because of our hard work and solidarity with our co-workers, our customers, and our union siblings at Ralphs, Vons, Albertsons, Pavilions, and Stater Bros. Every pledge card and petition we signed, delegation we participated in, social media post we shared, customer we engaged, and action we attended helped get us to this point. Our victory sends a powerful message to workers everywhere – when we band together in solidarity, we win.”

Further details of the tentative agreement will be shared exclusively with union members in upcoming meetings. After the vote closes, the results will be tallied, verified, and shared with members. Vote results and further information on the contract will be shared with the public after membership has had a chance to review and vote on their contract.

Details: www.groceryworkersrising.org.

Grocery workers at Ralphs, Albertsons, Vons, Pavilions and Super A, ratified their new contracts last month. Last week, Stater Bros. workers reached a tentative agreement and are currently holding contract ratification votes.

LA Briefs: Services Expanded to Cover Eviction Prevention and Enrollment in Safety Net Programs

Citywide Eviction Prevention Services Expanded in South LA

LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and mayor’s fund CEO Conway Collis Aug. 13 announced the expansion of a proven resource for Angelenos who are currently — or at risk of — facing eviction. While the mayor’s fund already partners with the city’s FamilySource Centers across Los Angeles, they have now expanded and opened the first We Are LA Crenshaw casework office to help connect Angelenos in danger of becoming homeless to every resource available to them. We Are LA caseworkers provide these individuals and families one-on-one, personal support, helping them overcome obstacles like filling out applications for services, using unfamiliar technology, language barriers and accessing legal aid.

Focus on prevention is key to confronting the homelessness crisis, which has led to a second consecutive year of decline in the number of people experiencing homelessness.

“Preventing people from falling into homelessness is key to our efforts in addressing this humanitarian crisis,” said Mayor Karen Bass. “Results show that this program is working, and with a second consecutive decline in homelessness for the first time in recent history, we must continue this momentum. With more than 1,000 Angelenos served since it opened in June, I know that this office and We Are LA will continue to make change in Los Angeles.”

The following resources are available at the mayor’s fund We Are LA Crenshaw casework office, the city’s FamilySource Centers and the We Are LA Hotline (213-584-1808):

  • Caseworkers for one-on-one support in responding to eviction notices and filing court responses to fight eviction.
  • Referrals to the Eviction Defense Network for legal representation by an attorney in court.
  • Assistance applying for all eligibility-based benefits (Medi-Cal, SNAP) and unclaimed tax credits.
  • Assistance for veterans and foster youth.

Details: Results from an independent research study show that the We Are LA program is helping keep people housed and preventing them from falling into homelessness: https://tinyurl.com/fund-for-homeless-prevention

 

Solis, Horvath Lead Efforts to Keep County Residents Enrolled in Safety Net Programs

LOS ANGELES—The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Aug. 13 approved a motion to launch the “Keep Your Coverage” campaign. This initiative aims to provide multilingual and culturally competent information and critical resources, connect beneficiaries to work and volunteer opportunities as well as American Job Centers, and collaborate with community health workers and promotoras to help county residents maintain their enrollment in Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP amid new and expanded work requirements.

On July 4, 2025, President Trump signed the so-called “Big Beautiful Bill” into law – a reconciliation bill that includes nearly $1 trillion cuts to Medicaid and SNAP over ten years. With 13.4 million Californians relying on Medicaid for health coverage, and another 5.4 million Californians receiving food assistance through SNAP, the bill eliminates access to essential safety programs on health, nutrition, and economic assistance among the county’s most vulnerable residents. In fact, approximately 3.5 million Medicaid enrollees in California are at risk of losing their benefits because of work requirements, while 368,000 individuals will be at risk of losing their food assistance in California as a result of this bill.

Despite exemptions, new and expanded work requirements and eligibility criteria may impact working adults, children, older adults, veterans, people with disabilities, and other vulnerable and at-need residents due to unnecessary administrative barriers. As the county prepares for the implementation of these new eligibility and work requirements, it is imperative to proactively ensure that eligible Medicaid and SNAP enrollees can continue to receive the healthcare coverage and food assistance they have a right to access.

At its core, the “Keep Your Coverage” campaign will be supplemented by training of promotoras and community health workers in culturally and linguistically appropriate ways to help enrollees maintain their benefit coverage.

Details: Read the full motion here.

Ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach Post Busiest Months Ever, POLA Eclipses 1 Million Container Units

 

LOS ANGELES — July was the busiest month on record in the 117-year history of the Port of Los Angeles. The port handled 1,019,837 Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs), 8.5% more than last July. Retailers and manufacturers brought in goods at an elevated pace due to concerns of higher tariffs later this year.

“Shippers have been frontloading their cargo for months to get ahead of tariffs and recent activity at America’s top port really tells that story,” said Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka. “Port terminals in July were jam-packed with ships loaded with cargo, processed without any delay—much to the credit of our dedicated longshore workers, terminal and rail operators, truckers, and supply chain partners.”

Dr. Zachary Rogers, Assistant Professor of Supply Chain Management at Colorado State University and a lead author of the Logistics Managers Index, joined Seroka for the briefing. Rogers discussed the impacts of tariffs on transportation, warehousing and inventory.

WATCH BRIEFING HERE

July 2025 loaded imports came in at 543,728 TEUs, 8% more than last year and the most imports ever in a month at the port. Loaded exports landed at 121,507 TEUs, a 6% improvement from 2024. The port processed 354,602 empty container units, 10% more than last year.

Seven months into 2025, the Port of Los Angeles has handled 5,975,649 TEUs, 5% more than the same period in 2024.

Also in Long Beach a pause in tariffs in recent months lifted the Port of Long Beach to its most active July on record and the third-busiest month in its 114-year history.

Dockworkers and terminal operators processed 944,232 twenty-foot equivalent units in July, up 7% from the previous record set in July 2024. Imports rose 7.6% to 468,081 TEUs and exports declined 12.9% to 91,328 TEUs. Empty containers moving through the port increased 12.3% to 384,824 TEUs.

“Retailers are now seeing the arrival of goods that were purchased for lower costs during the temporary pause placed on tariffs and retaliatory tariffs earlier this year,” said Port of Long Beach CEO Mario Cordero. “Due to the ongoing uncertainty caused by shifting trade policies, our Supply Chain Information Highway digital tracking tool forecasts that cargo will be down about 10 percent in the second half of 2025, resulting in a flat year for volume.”

“We appreciate our terminal operators, truckers, dockworkers and all the individuals who are moving cargo through the Port at a record-setting pace,” said Long Beach Harbor Commission President Frank Colonna. “We continue to work closely with labor and industry to meet the evolving needs of our customers.”

The port has moved 5,690,863 TEUs through the first seven months of 2025, up 10% from the same period in 2024.