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LA County Expands Support for Transition Age Youth and Tackles Jail Deaths

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LA County Expands Support for Transition Age Youth and Tackles Jail Deaths

 

Supervisors Advance CalAIM Benefits for Transition Age Youth

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors May 13 approved a motion authored by chair pro tem and Supervisor Hilda L. Solis and Supervisor Janice Hahn to establish a framework to ensure every Transition Age Youth or TAY aging out of the county’s system has information and enrollment support regarding available healthcare options and benefits, including those through California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal or CalAIM.

CalAIM, which provides beneficiaries with holistic care extending beyond the doctor’s office or hospital, includes statewide benefits such as Enhanced Care Management or ECM and Community Support or CS, and have helped address historic challenges faced by youth in foster care and TAY, such as care coordination. In June of 2024, the board passed a motion authored by chair pro tem Solis to ensure generational and life-long success for TAY, establishing a roadmap and a TAY Roundtable to address youth ages 16 to 24 who are not in school, training, working, or seeking employment. As a part of this approach, the county recognized these disconnected youth as more likely to be part of a generational poverty cycle, be unemployed or underemployed, experience housing insecurity and homelessness, and poor health.

The TAY roundtable had its kick-off meeting last month to begin collaboration to address the holistic needs of transition age youth. This roundtable is bringing together stakeholders across multiple county departments and community partners to coordinate to meet the needs of TAY, as well as make recommendations to better serve these youth. One of their key recommendations is connecting TAY to health care plans, to help preserve access to care and resources even beyond the County network.

The approved motion directs several county departments and offices, including the Departments of Public Health Services, Youth Development, Public Health, and even the County’s Youth Commission and LGBTQ+ Commission to include a presentation of considerations for TAY enrolling in a managed care plan in addition to the recommended framework.

Details: here.

 

Board of Supervisors Passes Hahn Motion in Response to Rising Deaths in LA County Jails

LOS ANGELES — In response to a disturbing rise in in-custody deaths within the Los Angeles County jail system, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors May 13 passed a motion authored by Supervisor Janice Hahn to initiate a multi-departmental comprehensive plan to address the crisis.

The county has seen one of the deadliest starts to a year in its jail system’s recent history. In the first 20 weeks of 2025 alone, 20 incarcerated individuals have died—more than double the number of deaths during the same period last year—including three in a single day.

“Our jails are in crisis,” said Supervisor Janice Hahn. “We have seen an alarming increase in deaths of people who are in our custody and in our care. We need to take urgent, decisive action to save lives. The aim of this motion is to make sure we understand what is driving this increase and that we address it at a systemic level.”

Deaths have continued to increase despite recent efforts to improve conditions—such as increased medical staffing, greater access to Narcan within jails, and a declining jail population.

The motion directs the Department of Health Services’ Correctional Health Services or CHS and requests the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department or LASD to deliver a comprehensive report within 90 days that includes:

An implementation plan with clear performance metrics to significantly reduce in-custody deaths;

An in-depth analysis of the causes and contributing factors behind the increase in deaths, along with recommendations to prevent future loss of life;

An assessment of how policy or budgetary decisions—such as Proposition 36 or federal cuts to health services—may affect inmate health outcomes.

Additionally, the motion directs the auditor-controller and CEO risk management, with support from CHS, LASD, and the medical examiner, to audit corrective action plans related to in-custody deaths from 2020 to the present and recommend further improvements.

Details: https://file.lacounty.gov/SDSInter/bos/supdocs/202910.pdf

 

Letters to the Editor: Memories, Machines and Messages of Peace from Pedro to California

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Letters to the Editor: Memories, Machines and Messages of Peace from Pedro to California

Remembering Eleanor Montano

I’m a family friend of Eleanor Montano. I’m speaking on behalf of the Montano family to let you know of her passing on April 29th.

Eleanor served her community of Wilmington, LAPD Harbor Division, City of LA on various Boards and Commissions throughout Los Angeles for over 50 yrs.

Eleanor has received numerous awards through the years for her work and has been a friend and mentor to many throughout the community. On a personal note, she was a mentor to me when I first came on board with the LAPD, volunteering with the Crisis Response Team back in 1996.

I thought it would be so very nice to acknowledge her dedication to her many years of service.

Thank you so much,

Gary Horton

 

Industrial Robots

U.S. factories now run about 382 ,000 industrial robots—up 12 % in a single year—and 2023 saw a new unit bolted to the floor roughly once every 14 minutes. ¹ These machines make everyday goods cheaper, but each one also reshapes or erases a human role. IFR International Federation of Robotics

AI is no longer just on the shop floor: algorithms design circuit boards, route freight, and even auto‑generate maintenance schedules. Yet the speed of this rollout has left unions and local officials scrambling to react in real time, not years in advance.

So why aren’t workers given a transparent timeline—and the resources—to adapt? Large‑scale studies show that only about one in eight displaced workers (≈ 10–15 %) ever enroll in any formal retraining, despite clear evidence that targeted coursework can restore lost earnings. ² Meanwhile, many Americans still cling to the comforting hope that the economy will simply “snap back” to its pre‑automation state. That ship has sailed; entire warehouses and ports already run lights‑out. Money Smart Week

If we’re serious about preserving middle‑class dignity, three steps can’t wait:

Transparency. A federal Automation Forecast forcing large employers to publish five‑year robot/AI deployment plans.

Transition funding. A National Reskilling Trust that grants every displaced worker a fully paid year in an accredited program—no tuition, no lost health coverage.

Portable benefits. Health care and retirement accounts that follow the worker, not the job, so people can move from legacy roles into new ones without risking bankruptcy.

Give citizens the facts, the time, and the tools, and they’ll meet the future head‑on. Keep them in the dark, and the true price of “cheap” goods will be paid in livelihoods, not dollars.

Carlos Saldana

Long Beach

 

California Love

If your online algorithms have ever led you into the far-right internet, you know it is a fact-free environment filled with conspiracy theories and disinformation.

That’s true when it comes to California as well.

During the LA fires they were out there saying we didn’t rake the forest enough, firefighters were using purses to put out fires, and that the fires were set deliberately to create a UN model city. Wild stuff…

But it happens every day.

They say people are fleeing California. False. Our population grew again last year.

They say our state has made a mess of the economy. False. California is now the fourth largest economy in the world. The right likes to talk up Texas as some beacon of what America’s economy should be. Ridiculous. California is the largest manufacturing (and agricultural) state in the country. The next largest state is Texas, and we’re 41% bigger than Texas. Plus, California is a donor state. Texas? A welfare state.

We have more jobs in forestry, agriculture, and fishing. In so many ways, California is a microcosm of the United States. America… but more.

Thanks for reading — and stay vigilant against the lies and falsehoods out there.

Gavin Newsom, Governor California

 

Peace In Pedro

I’d like to announce 2 local Peace events this month:

1) Thursday May 15th 4-5pm in front of RLN, we will be rallying for our 1st Amendment Freedom of the Press, and to commemorate Nakba Day and denounce the murder by Israel of over 200 Palestinian journalists in Israel’s US-backed war of erasure in Gaza.

2) Our 10th Annual L.A. Harbor Peace Week Not Fleet Week, a series of Peace activities at the San Pedro Waterfront resisting the normalization and promotion of war during the U.S. military’s annual “fleet week” here. For 10 years during “fleet week”, YOUR L.A. Harbor has become a military fairground at the base of the USS Iowa on the L.A. Waterfront. Weapons of all types, and “careers” in WAR are promoted ad nauseum to tens of thousands of people, and especially target youth to recruit them to war jobs after high school.

We Americans pay $1.5 Trillion every year to the Pentagon to fight, prepare for, and recover from, America’s highly questionable wars and over 750 military bases in other people’s countries. Cutting just the nonsense programs like the F-35, long range missile “defense”, the Sentinel ICBM program, and the continued procurement of aircraft carriers could save $100 billion a year. This money could go to nurses, affordable housing, teachers, clean energy, pre-school programs, and healthcare, including VA benefits.

If you are sick and tired of constant WARS, and the promotion of them, join us for Peace Week Not Fleet Week!

A full list can be found @pedro4peace and @codepinksanpedro and on Facebook.

Thursday May 22 we’ll be flyering 4 peace at the downtown welcome “party”. Party4Peace. We’ll meet at 6pm in front of the garden at 429 6th St.

Friday May 23 is our Weekly “Rally for Palestine” @1221 S Gaffey St VONS 5-6pm, followed by a Car Caravan to Wilmington to vigil and FLYER in Banning Park at “fleet week’s” Wilmington Welcome ‘Party’.

Saturday May 24 11am-2pm to FLYER! @ the USS Iowa. and 5pm-7pm FLYER! for Peace at West Harbor

Sunday May 25 1-4pm @ USS Iowa

-Interfaith Peace Promotion and FLYERING!

“Stop Glorifying Guns”

“Pray for Peace, Not for War”

Monday Memorial Day May 26 2-5pm @ USS Iowa FLYERING!

“Gaza is Starving”

“War is Making you Poor”

Rachel Bruhnke Codepink

San Pedro

MAGA Warriors: The Bill is Due

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MAGA Warriors: The Bill is Due

 

By John R. Gray

Well, MAGA conservatives, you got what you wanted: Donald Trump was elected president. And lately, he seems to be following what you all wanted: immigration crackdowns are rampant (constitutional or not), DEI initiatives have either been shut down or are on the run, and liberals everywhere are being “owned” through all of Trump’s initiatives in just the first few months of his term.

Whiteness has been restored as the power structure in America. I know, I know, race somehow isn’t an issue in who you voted for as president, but this is just fantasy. Kamala Harris was clearly a more qualified presidential candidate, yet you all still voted for a white man who is a total egomaniac. Nevertheless, one has to wonder, are all of you in MAGA truly content with your vote? Is everything Trump and his “esteemed” cabinet are doing truly helpful for you, or are you starting to have a bit of buyer’s remorse?

Let’s take a closer look at some of the things Trump and his cabinet have done in the past few months. Let’s start off with the tariffs Trump has imposed on many countries all over the world. It was argued that the tariffs implemented would lure manufacturing back to the U.S., forcing other countries to strike new deals with the U.S. and eliminating our trade deficits. All of these actions went against many economists’ advice, but the opinions of experts have never really mattered to Trump, have they? All of his policy decisions seem to be made on a whim, with no real reasoning behind any of them. The man conducts himself as a harbinger of chaos, like Frankenstein on roller skates, causing havoc throughout the government.

Speaking of havoc, let’s talk about the actions of Trump and his Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, who was seen operating bumper cars at the carnival recently. A TV personality like Trump, Hegseth fired Joint Chiefs Chair General Charles Q. Brown, Admiral Lisa Franchetti, Chief of Naval Operations, as well as the Judge Advocates General for the Army, Navy, and Air Force. Such actions appear to be nothing more than a purge aimed at getting rid of military officials that Hegseth was known to criticize as “DEI hires.” These firings beg the question of who Trump and Hegseth have in mind for these positions and what connections they may have to the two men. Hegseth has already commissioned his personal lawyer to be a Navy commander in the Judge Advocate General’s corps, which is obviously a conflict of interest and furthers fears that Trump and Hegseth will bring people into the Judge Advocate General that will allow them to get away with whatever they want. Would you want your children to serve under a man like this? Imagine them fighting and dying on the orders of such an inexperienced commander. Was this what you really wanted?

Now let’s get into the absolute catastrophe that is the Department of Government Efficiency, otherwise known as DOGE. Run by South African billionaire Elon Musk, this department, which is supposed to cut down on excess government spending, has only hurt government organizations that are meant to help people, such as the Social Security Administration, which was already operating at a restricted level from previous cuts. What are government employees to do, go on welfare? What does this mean for all of the senior citizens who need Social Security to survive in their old age, and what does it mean for those senior citizens who voted for Trump? I suppose they have to go on welfare as well. I guarantee that under Kamala Harris, we would not have had to worry about either of these questions. Seems to be a situation where people shot themselves in the foot, but this is what MAGA followers voted for, many of whom are on Social Security. Was this what you wanted?

Lastly, let’s talk about Trump’s dismantling of the Department of Education, all in the name of attacking “woke” ideologies and DEI programs. It’s no secret that the Department of Education was in charge of enforcing anti-discrimination laws and focused on helping underrepresented schools, things that are apparently anathema to Trump and his entire administration. His belief that states and local districts should deal with education by themselves begs the question as to how equitable treatment for all students can exist when each state can deal with education as it pleases. One must remember that at one point before the existence of the Department of Education, many southern states held two different and unequal standards of education for black and white students, thanks to segregation. Maga followers in Mississippi have been found to allocate unequal funds between black majority and white majority schools. Without a Department of Education, we could very well be headed back to unequal standards of education based on how states choose to implement their educational system.

My fellow Americans, I have to ask again: Is this what all of you in the MAGA movement really wanted? Are you really prepared to ride the unpredictable waves of pure dictatorship? When Trump deports legal immigrants such as Kilmer Abrego Garcia to El Salvador prisons and defies a Supreme Court Order to have him returned, is that really a part of what you want for this nation? How much further are you willing to let this man go with his fascism in the name of attacking “woke” ideologies? Will you continue to approve of this mess until this country resembles a Vladimir Putin-style oligarchy? If you do, I can guarantee that not even you will be safe when the trucks arrive to take you to who knows where. Keep waving your MAGA flags and kissing Trump’s ass though, after all, he’s what you wanted, a white narcissist as your ideal president.

Long Beach Fires Up Flavor for 3rd Annual Barbecue Festival

Melina Paris
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Long Beach Fires Up Flavor for 3rd Annual Barbecue Festival

 

It’s time for the 3rd Annual Long Beach BBQ Festival which means a finger-lickin’ good time. Brought to you by Axiom Kitchen and Noah’s Arc Foundation, this sizzling food and music event is happening at Shoreline Aquatic Park in Long Beach, May 23 and May 24.

Join for two days of BBQ, music, entertainment, games, shopping and fun in the sun. Indulge in mouthwatering ribs, juicy burgers and tender pulled pork from the best BBQ vendors in town. Enjoy live music from local bands, and a surprise headliner while you savor your favorite BBQ delights.

Bring your friends and family for a weekend filled with good food, great company and a whole lot of flavor. Proceeds from Axiom Kitchen’s sales will be donated to local charities.

May is National BBQ Month. Dozens of BBQ and other vendors will gather at Shoreline Aquatic Park for the two-day celebration, to offer their smoked, sauced and rubbed specialties to BBQ lovers.

BBQ vendors will include

Axiom Smoked Meats & BBQ

Big Brian’s Meats

El Guero y La Flaca

Casey Family BBQ

Chaudown Kitchen

Good Smoke Better Eats

Rib Bones BBQ

Magillas BBQ

Q Bellie’s BBQ

2 Scoops of Rice

Smoked N’ Blazed BBQ

Midway City BBQ

PS Smoked Meats

Nova’s Craft BBQ

Smokin’ Rubens BBQ

White Oak Craft BBQ

Vinegar and Smoke

Black Pork

Brothers Keeper BBQ

Califas BBQ

Just Wright BBQ

…with more added daily.

“We are excited for year three of this delicious event,” said Ian and Qiana Mafnas in a joint statement. “We hope to give our fellow smokers and BBQ joints some great exposure and to all those attending two days of memorable BBQ.”

Time: 12 to 9 p.m., May 23, 24

Cost: $10 to $250

Details: www.LongBeachBBQFest.com

Venue: Shoreline Aquatic Park, 200 Aquarium Way, Long Beach.

Nate Holden, Outspoken L.A. Councilman with Deep Ties to Hahn Family, Dies at 95

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Nate Holden, Outspoken L.A. Councilman with Deep Ties to Hahn Family, Dies at 95

 

(June 19, 1929 – May 7, 2025)

Former Los Angeles City Councilmember Nathaniel “Nate” Holden, known for his fierce independence, combative style, and strong ties to the Hahn political dynasty, died Wednesday at 95. His death was confirmed by L.A. County Supervisor Janice Hahn, who described Holden as a political lion and family friend.

Holden’s political roots ran deep with the Hahn family. Before winning elected office, he served for 12 years as assistant chief deputy to Kenneth Hahn, the long-serving L.A. County Supervisor and father of Janice Hahn. Kenneth Hahn, one of the most influential politicians in South L.A., relied heavily on Holden’s grassroots instincts and sharp policy mind. Janice Hahn said she called him “Uncle Nate” and considered him part of the family.

After years of working behind the scenes, Holden launched a tumultuous but ultimately successful electoral career. Despite losing six of his first seven political races, including two bids for Congress, he was elected to the California Senate in 1974, then to the L.A. City Council in 1987, where he served four consecutive terms representing the 10th District until 2003.

As a councilman, Holden quickly established a reputation as a maverick. He often clashed with colleagues, voted alone, and didn’t shy away from insults. “I’m not running any nursery school,” he told the Los Angeles Times in 1987. Known to mark down councilmembers who voted against him, he once warned a colleague, “I’ll remember that.”

Despite his abrasive style, Holden was a tireless advocate for his constituents, who respected him for his populist zeal and refusal to be politically “housebroken.” Representing a district that included South Central and southwestern Los Angeles, Holden focused on the basics — street repairs, stop signs, tree trimming — and was known to bombard city departments until requests were met. “They used to call me Stop Sign Holden,” he said. “When something had to be done, I got it done.”

Holden was especially focused on public safety. He supported increased police foot patrols and introduced a city law requiring toy guns be brightly colored to avoid deadly confusion. He also launched a pioneering gun buyback program during his failed 1989 mayoral campaign, offering $300 of his own campaign funds for surrendered assault weapons.

Among the few Black city leaders at the time, Holden worked to rebuild Crenshaw following the 1992 riots and pushed for more parks, libraries, and youth recreation centers. While he opposed liquor store saturation in South L.A., he controversially helped Korean business owners in Koreatown obtain full liquor licenses — a decision that drew scrutiny but strengthened his base in the area. Nearly a quarter of his campaign donations from 1991 to 1994 came from Korean American donors.

Holden’s ties to international trade also reflected his district’s diversity. He traveled to Japan, Korea, and Taiwan to build business relationships and represented L.A. at the Korean president’s inauguration. He helped open the door for East Asian investment in L.A. long before it became common practice.

Though his record included legislative wins — such as championing the law that made Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday a California state holiday — his legacy was complicated by personal controversies. In the 1990s, he faced three sexual harassment allegations from former aides. One case was dismissed, another settled, and a third ended in his favor, though the city spent $1.3 million in legal fees. He was also fined more than $30,000 for violating campaign finance laws.

Despite the turbulence, Holden’s constituents admired his pugnacious spirit and unrelenting focus on neighborhood concerns. “If I was ever in a bar fight,” said Herb Wesson, his former chief of staff, “I would sure hope that Nate Holden was on the bar stool next to me.”

He is survived by his sons, Reginald and Chris Holden, and several grandchildren.

Peace Week 2025 Engages the Harbor Community, May 22 to May 26

Melina Paris
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Peace Week 2025 Engages the Harbor Community, May 22 to May 26

 

It’s time for a week of peace activities at the San Pedro Waterfront, resisting the normalization and promotion of war during the U.S. military’s annual Fleet Week.

Throughout the week attend several public activities including:

  • Peace flyering at the USS Iowa
  • Peace Car Caravans;
  • Engagement of the public and local politicians

For 10 years during Fleet Week, the LA Harbor has become a military fairground at the base of the USS Iowa on the LA Waterfront. Polluting military flyovers, warships costing billions of dollars, amphibious attack helicopters, weapons of all types, and careers in war are promoted to 30,000 people, and especially used to recruit youth into war.

Contact: 310-971-8280 sojournerrb@yahoo.com @codepinksanpedro @Pedro4Peace

RSVP for an event. Many pro-peace/cost of war flyers, banners and signs will be available.

 

IMG 8456
CodePink Peace Week Action. Photo by Daniel Rivera

Scheduled events

Party for Peace, Not for War

Get materials to flyer, engage the public on peace during Fleet Week’s welcome ‘party.’

Meet at 6 p.m., May 22 at The Garden Church, 429 W. 6th St.

Vigil for Peace

Meet at 4 p.m., promptly May 23 at Fort McArthur Air Force Housing 23rd/Pacific Avenue during the daily 4:30 bugle blasting of the “Star Spangled Banner” (that can be heard in a 10-block radius daily).

Rally for Palestine

Meet at 5 p.m., Friday (weekly) at 1221 S. Gaffey St., and 13th St. Vons.

At 6 p.m., Car Caravan from Vons to Wilmington (3 miles) to vigil and Flyer Banning Park at Fleet Week’s Wilmington Welcome Party at the Banning Mansion, 401 E M St. Wilmington.

Flyer! At the USS Iowa and West Harbor

Meet at 444 S. Harbor Blvd. (Picnic benches at the end of 5th Street and the Waterfront Promenade). Meet at 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., May 24.

As the “party” continues, join voices to say, “Party for Peace, not for War” 5 to 7 p.m. Flyer for Peace at West Harbor (meet at 6th and Waterfront Promenade in front of the Maritime Museum).

Interfaith Peace Promotion and Flyering

Meet 1 to 4 p.m., May 25, at USS Iowa, 444 S. Harbor Blvd. (Picnic benches at the end of 5th Street/Waterfront Promenade).

“Stop Glorifying Guns.” “Pray for Peace, Not for War.”

Memorial Day May 26 Rally to “Recruit for Peace, Not for War”

Meet promptly from 11 to 12 p.m. at the corner of Palos Verdes Drive North/Western Avenue, in front of the military recruiting office.

Then meet 2 to 5 p.m. for flyering: Gaza is Starving. War is Making you Poor. Meet at USS Iowa 444 S. Harbor Blvd. (Picnic benches at the end of 5th Street/Waterfront Promenade).

Peace Week Wind Down

Celebrate this work and plan for future collaboration. Meet at 5 p.m. at The Green Onion, a San Pedro favorite (one block from the USS Iowa) at 145 W. 6th St., San Pedro.

 

Ship Tours: What You Need To Know, Fleet Week Highlights

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Ship Tours: What You Need To Know, Fleet Week Highlights

Editor’s Note: This post was updated to include updated information for joining the digital queue to board active duty ships at Fleet Week 2025.

The active duty ships will be open to the public daily from Friday, May 23rd, through Monday, May 26th.

Here’s a quick list of helpful things to know when you come down to the harbor to see them:

Go Aboard:

  • The ships will be berthed in San Pedro’s Outer Harbor and the ONLY WAY to go aboard an active duty ship will be to catch a SHUTTLE BUS from the main LA Fleet Week EXPO footprint adjacent to Battleship IOWA at 250 S. Harbor Blvd., San Pedro 90731
  • All adults must present a valid government-issued ID (state ID card, driver’s license or passport) to take Navy ship tours. Non-US citizens must show valid passports and will be subject to a brief additional screening before boarding the vessels. Photocopies of IDs will not be accepted

Ship Tour Lines:

  • Lines to catch the free ship tour shuttles form at the main EXPO footprint adjacent to Battleship IOWA. Ship tour lines will be inside the EXPO footprint and open to the public daily from Friday, May 23, through Monday, May 26.
  • Lines will close if capacity is reached
  • More information about lines and ticketing coming soon
  • The main event EXPO is located at 250 S. Harbor Blvd., San Pedro, CA 90731 – directly adjacent to the Battleship IOWA.

Restrictions:

  • Visitors must be at least 5 years of age
  • No strollers permitted on the ships
  • Visitors must be able to walk unassisted without the aid of supporting devices for access to the vessels
  • Visitors must be able to walk through tight spaces and up and down steep ladders
  • No public restrooms are available aboard the ships, but will be on the dock
  • Please wear closed-toed shoes. For your safety flip flops and high heels are strongly discouraged
  • No pets allowed
  • No banners, flags, political propaganda or the like is permitted
  • Battleship IOWA will be open as usual. Please check IOWA’s website for times and prices. Active military and veterans will be admitted free all weekend with confirmation of military idea (does not apply to family members or friends). The Battleship Pacific Center has updated the process for participating in the active duty ship tours as we will be using a digital queue system. Would you mind updating the article to reflect the process that will need to be followed to secure a tour on the ships: https://getinline.lafleetweek.org/

NAVY SHIP TOUR SECURITY REQUIREMENTS
ALL ship tour guests 18 years and older must show a government-issued ID card before boarding an active US Navy ship.

Requirements for US Citizens

  • Acceptable IDs for US Citizens include a valid driver’s license, passport, or other government–issued photo identification
  • Paper copies or pictures of ID cards or passports are not accepted

Requirements for Non-U.S. Citizens

  • Non-U.S. Citizens or anyone without legal permanent residence status must show a valid passport to board US Navy ships
  • Non-U.S. Citizens will be fingerprinted and photographed while passing through security screening prior to boarding a US Navy ship
  • Paper copies or pictures of ID cards or passports are not accepted

 

Fleet Week Highlights

Downtown San Pedro Welcome Party

Time: 5 to 9 p.m., May 22

Cost: Free

Venue: Downtown San Pedro

 

VIP Sail: Tall Ship Tour of LA Fleet Week Waterside

An exclusive view from the water on one of LA Maritime Institute’s tall ships

Time: 5:30 to 7:30 pm, May 22

Cost: $150

Venue: West Harbor, 1200 Nagoya, San Pedro

 

Festival of Sail at LA Fleet Week

Festival of Sail at LA Fleet Week all weekend in the Downtown Harbor south of the EXPO

Time: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., May 23

Cost: Free

Venue: Downtown Harbor south of the EXPO

 

Military Has Talent – Qualify

Military Has Talent qualifying round on the LA Fleet Week main stage

Time: 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., May 23-25

Cost: Free

Venue: Battleship IOWA 250 S. Harbor Blvd., San Pedro

 

Active Duty Ship Tours

Active duty Navy ship tours during LA Fleet Week 2024

Time: May 23

Cost: Free

Venue:Main Expo Footprint, Battleship IOWA 250 S. Harbor Blvd., San Pedro

 

LA Fleet Week Navy Esports Challenge

LA Fleet Week is hosting the Navy Esports Challenge — a brand-new competition where strategy, speed, and teamwork collide in front of a live audience on the iconic LA Waterfront.

Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., May 23 -25

Cost: Free

Venue: Main Expo Footprint at the Battleship IOWA 250 S. Harbor Blvd., San Pedro

 

Main LA Fleet Week EXPO

LA Fleet Week’s main expo adjacent to Battleship IOWA

Time: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. May 23

Cost: Free

Venue: Main Expo Footprint at the Battleship IOWA 250 S. Harbor Blvd., San Pedro

 

Friday Entertainment Line Up

On the LA Fleet Week main stage today: Savor, The Destroyers, Military Has Talent

Time: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. May 23

Cost: Free

Venue:Main Expo Footprint at the Battleship IOWA 250 S. Harbor Blvd., San Pedro

 

Battleship IOWA Tours

Battleship IOWA is open for tours during LA Fleet Week!

Time: 10 a.m. May 23 and 5 p.m., May 26

Cost: $29.95

Venue:Main Expo Footprint at the Battleship IOWA 250 S. Harbor Blvd., San Pedro

 

Neighborhood Activation Hollywood

The Grove. Hang out with US Navy sailors at The Grove

Time: 11:30 am – 3:00 pmMay 23

Cost: Free

Venue:The Grove 189 The Grove Drive, Los Angeles

 

Wilmington Welcome Party

City of Wilmington welcomes LA Fleet Week at its beautiful Banning House Museum

Time: 5:30 to 9 p.m., May 23

Cost: Free

Venue: Banning House 401 E M Street, Wilmington

 

Festival of Sail at LA Fleet Week

Festival of Sail at LA Fleet Week all weekend in the Downtown Harbor south of the EXPO

Time: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., May 24

Cost: Free

Venue:

 

Active Duty Ship Tours

Active duty Navy ship tours during LA Fleet Week 2024

Time: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., May 24

Cost: Free

Venue: Main Expo Footprint at the Battleship IOWA 250 S. Harbor Blvd., San Pedro

 

Main LA Fleet Week EXPO

LA Fleet Week’s main expo adjacent to Battleship IOWA

Time: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., May 24

Cost: Free

Venue:Main Expo Footprint at the Battleship IOWA 250 S. Harbor Blvd., San Pedro

 

Battleship IOWA Tours

Open for tours during LA Fleet Week!

Time: 10 a,m, to 5 p.m., May 24 to 27

Cost: $29.95

Venue: Main Expo Footprint at the Battleship IOWA 250 S. Harbor Blvd., San Pedro

 

Galley Wars

The cooking competition is back on the fantail of Battleship IOWA

Time: 12 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., May 24

Venue: Main Expo Footprint at the Battleship IOWA 250 S. Harbor Blvd., San Pedro,

 

West Harbor After Party

When the EXPO closes, the party moves! Join us at West Harbor for more

Time: 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., May 24

Cost: Free

Venue: West Harbor, South of the LA Maritime Museum

 

Festival of Sail at LA Fleet Week

Time: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., May 25

Cost: Free

Venue: Downtown Harbor south of the EXPO

 

Active Duty Ship Tours

Time: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., May 25

Cost: Free

Venue: Main Expo Footprint at the Battleship IOWA 250 S. Harbor Blvd., San Pedro,

 

LA Fleet Week Navy Esports Challenge

A brand-new competition where strategy, speed, and teamwork collide in front of a live audience on the iconic LA Waterfront.

Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. , May 24-25

Cost: Free

Venue: Main Expo Footprint at the Battleship IOWA 250 S. Harbor Blvd., San Pedro

Denim and Pearls 2025

Reporters Desk
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Denim and Pearls 2025

 

The San Pedro Committee made a drizzly day brighter and sunnier as they celebrated and honored Black women of San Pedro through guest speakers, vendors, gift bags, and other activities and acknowledgments at the second annual Denims and Pearls Brunch, a week before Mother’s Day.

Inspired by the annual Melvin Haines The Fellas Breakfast, the Denims and Pearls brunch was created to recognize and pay tribute to the women who have made significant contributions to their communities, particularly those who have paved the way for others.

This year’s speakers included Zanetta Tribble, Melba Johnson, Dr. Stacey Bullock, Nellie Trice, Glennetta Youngblood and Dr. Veronica Joyce Johnson.

The brunch also served other purposes, including raising funds for scholarships to support students who grew up or were raised in the San Pedro area.

 

National Bloody Caesar Day

Terelle Jerricks
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National Bloody Caesar Day

Did you know there are 11 liquor-related holidays in May? That ties the month with July, likely due to Memorial Day and Independence Day, both popular for summer celebrations. One of those holidays is National Caesar Day, named after the Caesar cocktail, not Julius Caesar or any historical figure. The distinctly Canadian drink was invented in 1969 by Alberta bartender Walter Chell. It’s similar to a Bloody Mary but uses Clamato — a blend of clam and tomato juice — instead of plain tomato juice.

Thinking ahead to the summer months back in February, I thought it would be amusing to run a fictional story in the form of a bartender’s tale, while lampooning the current commander in chief. After 115 days of on-again, off-again tariffs and unpredictable executive orders, maybe we all could use a drink — and a laugh.

Stick It to Trump When You Next Visit Your Favorite Bar

If you want to stick it to Trump, make yourself a Bloody Caesar. Don’t be like Jerry.

Recently, a bar patron — let’s call him Jerry — slammed his empty pint glass on the counter.

“Fifteen bucks for a beer? This is robbery, Rick.”

Rick, the bartender, sighed. “I told you, Jerry. Prices went up because of tariffs. Everything’s more expensive now — hops, aluminum for cans, even the bar nuts you keep stealing.”

Jerry scoffed. “Tariffs, my ass. You’re just gouging us.”

“Nope,” Rick said, wiping down the bar. “Blame Trump’s trade war. He slapped tariffs on aluminum, China hit back with tariffs on our barley, and now —”

“Blah, blah, politics,” Jerry waved him off. “I just want my cheap beer back.”

Rick chuckled. “Funny how you didn’t mind when he said tariffs would ‘punish China,’ but now your paycheck’s getting punished instead.”

“I thought it was supposed to bring jobs back,” Jerry grumbled.

“And has it?” Rick asked.

Jerry paused, then huffed. “All I know is, last year I could get a beer for five bucks. Now I can’t even afford to get drunk properly.”

“Well,” Rick said, pouring another pint, “you could switch to domestic. But American breweries are hurting too — import costs, supply chain issues, you name it.”

Jerry groaned. “Fine. Gimme the cheapest thing you got.”

Rick grinned and slid over a tiny shot glass of beer.

Jerry frowned. “What the hell is this?”

“Tariff-sized portion,” Rick said. “Still 15 bucks, though.”

Jerry could have ordered a Bloody Caesar — a Canadian riff on the classic Bloody Mary — made with clam broth, vodka, tomato juice, hot sauce, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, and a mix of herbs and spices.

You can make a Bloody Caesar at home too.

Ingredients:

  • Celery salt, for rim
  • 2 lime wedges
  • 2 ounces vodka
  • 4 ounces tomato-clam juice
  • 2 dashes hot sauce, such as Tabasco sauce
  • 2 dashes of Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 grinds black pepper
  • 1 celery stalk, for garnish

Prepare the celery salt-rimmed glass. Pour some celery salt onto a small plate and select a pint or highball glass. Rub one lime wedge along the rim of the glass and invert the glass onto the plate.

In a cocktail shaker, combine vodka, tomato-clam juice, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, lime juice, horseradish, salt, and black pepper. Add ice to fill the shaker ⅔ of the way up.

Roll, rather than shake, the cocktail by passing the drink back and forth between two shakers, or the shaker and a pint glass, three times.

Pour into the rimmed glass and garnish with a lime wedge and celery stick.

Hard Acts to Follow

Terelle Jerricks
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Hard Acts to Follow

 

The Sardine in San Pedro is the place to be to get the pulse of music scenes across genres and across regions, as artists increasingly make the local adult playground a stop for their tours. I was perusing their online calendar when I saw just how many shows were coming to The Sardine, each of them important in their own right.

Sardine’s Todd Congelliere told me off the bat the Detroit Cobras (set to perform on May 25) are going to be a special show. So special that Congelliere’s Clown Sounds and the band Heavy Cat will be opening for them. The Detroit Cobras, a rock band that carries the torch for the rawest sound of rock, soul, and R&B you can imagine, was led by lead vocalist Rachel Nagy, before she died three years ago. Any fan would wonder if the band would come back.

The Detroit Cobras, formed in 1994 by vocalist Rachel Nagy and guitarist Mary Ramirez, became cult icons of the garage rock revival with their raw, soulful reinterpretations of 1950s and ’60s R&B obscurities. Built on a deep love of vintage soul and rock, the band earned a reputation as “Detroit’s Most Famous Cover Band,” known for channeling the gritty heart of Motor City music through Nagy’s powerhouse vocals and Ramirez’s steady guitar. Their debut Mink, Rat or Rabbit (1998) and follow-up Life, Love and Leaving (2001), both released on Sympathy for the Record Industry, established their formula: no-frills garage arrangements of forgotten gems by artists like the Shangri-Las, Irma Thomas and Otis Redding.

Though the lineup changed frequently, Nagy and Ramirez remained the creative core, supported by collaborators like Greg Cartwright of Reigning Sound and, briefly, Don Was. Later releases like Baby (2004) and Tied & True (2007) saw the Cobras expand their reach, signing with UK label Rough Trade and U.S.-based Bloodshot Records. Their sound resonated especially overseas, leading to multiple European tours.

Nagy’s voice was considered at once tough, tender, and unapologetically emotive, and was described as the band’s defining force. Tributes described her as a fierce and vital presence whose influence stretched beyond garage rock. In August 2022, Ramirez and the remaining bandmates reunited for a tribute show in Detroit and later performed West Coast dates in Nagy’s honor. Despite her passing, Nagy’s spirit continues to echo through the Cobras’ electrifying catalog — a gritty, reverent celebration of rock and soul history.

The Detroit Cobras will be at the Sardine on May 25, 2 p.m. Tickets are $20.

Another Michigan artist, but from Flint, known as Thot Squad, aka Blvck Bunnie, has made The Sardine one of her tour stops. It took me a double-take and a second that Thot Squad was one person, but as I watched her YouTube videos and her all of her social media handles, it’s plain to see that she has a whole squad running her operation with her as that operation’s creative leader.

Her wordplay as a rapper is simple, catchy and memorable, paired with drum-heavy production intended to get bodies moving on the dance floor. Considered as part of the wave of Black alternative music her rise reminds me of Doja Cat before she became internet famous with her viral hit Mooo declaring to the world, “Bitch I’m a Cow.” Or Doechii, when she was still an underground sensation, killing the microphone on TikTok before Top Dawg Entertainment (the house Kendrick Lamar was pivotal in building).

Thot Squad, aka Blvck Bunny has several songs on YouTube including, Hoes Depressed where if you combine the visuals and lyrics, its raw hip hop, her stepping on the necks of her haters. Funny as that sounds, she trolls her haters in her comment sections, creating new content in the process.

Her music embodies alternative music and is representative of people pushed to the margins: Black, women, queer, sex workers … the elderly. A lot of her videos includes an elderly white woman who I believe Thot Squad calls her grandmother. Critics who believe the elder is being exploited fill the comment sections with hate and threats. Blvck Bunny, like Bugs Bunny, trolls them in return.

Thot Squad will be at the Sardine on May 24. Tickets are $30 at https://www.thesardinepedro.com/

Concerts at the Sardine, May 15 through May 29

8 p.m., May 15: Under The Influence / Rsvr / Pine Ave $5:

8 p.m., May 16: Dondo / Royal Rats / Clams / Sitters

6 p.m., May 17: Wasted Eternities / Into Nothing / Lakuna / Gamble / Pain Spiral / Call to Arms $10

2 p.m., May 18: Pizza Wolf / Future Confusion / Regel Beagle / Belly Belt $10

8 p.m., May 22: System Exclusive / Ologist / Chorus Pedal $12

8 p.m., May 24: Thot Squad $30

2 p.m., May 25: Detroit Cobras / Clown Sounds / Heavy Cat $20

8 p.m., May 27: The Carmines / Regal Beagle / Dropped Out Free

8 p.m., May 29: Wheelwright $15 ADV / $18 DO

The Sardine, 1101 S. Pacific Ave., San Pedro

424-264-5388, www.thesardinepedro.com

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