Carson Mayor Davis-Holmes’ State of the City Address to UnderscoreProgress Made In Developing 157 Acres
Days before Carson Mayor Lula Davis Holmes delivered the State of the City address, the mayor celebrated the groundbreaking for Envision Carson with the principals of the Faring/ Lennar partnership who are set to build a 1,115-unit development at the site of the Imperial Avalon mobile home park.
This is but only one of several developments set to come online. The city had been in talks with a few big box retailers to develop a store on the vacant lot across from the Porsche Experience. Costco had pulled out months ago after reaching an impasse with the developer of that property.
At the Feb. 15 community meeting on the Trump administration’s executive orders, planning commission president Diane Thomas noted that the city isn’t allowing litigation, referencing developer Cam-Carson, a joint venture between Macerich and Simon Property Group, to stop progress at the 157-acre project.
To get around this issue, the 157-acre project was broken into six parcels, two of those parcels were taken over by Faring and Lennar, separate from the Envision Carson project. Also, work has started on the construction of Leonardo Drive, a necessary step to begin building anything else on the 157-acre site.
But on Monday, the mayor didn’t duck the elephant in the room. Instead, she gave Faring a proverbial pat on the back for staying the course when the Imperial Avalon mobile home residents fought for their homes through demonstrations and protests at council meetings.
“In 2019, you and I were on a hit piece and saying we were trying to displace our mobile home park residents. They tried to take us out Jason,” the mayor said from the podium to Faring founder and CEO, Jason Illoulian.
She didn’t explain who “They,” were.
The mayor called up city council members to speak after her, starting with Councilman Jim Dear, who after reminding all in attendance of his longevity in Carson’s civic life and praising Faring for partnering with the city, said he wanted to bring, “a little touch of reality,” to the occasion, by noting that only three of the dozens of residents who chose the option that would allow them to return, will be doing so.
Random Lengths News attempted to follow up on the councilman’s comment with Illoulian after the photos of shoveling dirt were taken. He said he couldn’t recall the exact number. RLn also asked him about the status of the SLAPP motion Faring filed against Imperial Avalon’s Homeowners Association, which supported the residents in their fight to stay in their homes. He never responded.
SLAPP stands for strategic lawsuit against public participation. They’re intended to intimidate, censor, or silence critics by burdening them with costly and time-consuming litigation.
HOA president Jeff Steinman said by phone later that ultimately the SLAPP suit was dropped after all the residents had moved and the HOA agreed to not publicly disparage the company.
Dear said of Envision Carson, “It’ll be safe… it’ll be convenient … it’ll be somewhere where people can realize their individual family dreams,” he said.
Then he reminded attendees, saying, “As you know, I fought very hard for the residents of the mobile home park who were displaced,” referencing the three options the residents had to choose from.
“I think, Jason, only about three of them took Plan C,” Dear said. Then he followed with a backhanded compliment, “So that saved you a lot of money but it did show that you fulfilled your agreement.”
Dear concluded his remarks, noting that “if you have a dream that you’re willing to work for, you can’t just say, it’s the jewel of the South Bay, you have to make it happen.” Then he unintentionally deadpanned, “I think under the mayor’s leadership it will happen” to the giggles of some in attendance.
Sam Flood: A Church Leader, Labor Advocate and Champion for Justice
This past January, Warren Chapel CME Church celebrated its 80th anniversary. Regardless of denomination, a church is formed when two or more believers come together in worship, teaching, and fellowship. While the church’s mission is to spread the gospel and make disciples, the church has had to speak on the material realities of its believers, which included confronting racism and racial discrimination in employment and housing. Mount Sinai Baptist Church was the first Black church in San Pedro to engage in this work, starting in 1924. The work was just getting started by the 1940s. And where Mt. Sinai had Rev. D. Robert Cofield, Warren Chapel had one of its founding trustees, Deacon Sam Flood.
Flood was a man of deep Christian convictions and a lifelong advocate for workers’ rights, racial equality, and community development. Born on June 6, 1897, in Kansas City, Missouri, Flood was the son of a preacher. Despite his religious upbringing, he chose to serve in the U.S. Navy during World War I, enlisting in Colorado. In the early 1930s, he moved to Shreveport, Louisiana, where he joined the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and worked at a meat processing plant. By 1943, he relocated to San Pedro, California, finding employment as an electrician at Todd Shipyards and beginning a decades-long career in labor and community activism.
Flood played a crucial role in advocating for African American workers’ rights in an era when unions were largely unwelcoming to Black workers. He became vice president of Local 9 of the United Marine Shipbuilding Workers of America, serving in this capacity for 17 years. Beyond his work in labor unions, he was deeply involved in civic and service organizations, including the San Pedro Chamber of Commerce, the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, The San Pedro Coordinating Committee, and the Mayor’s Advisory Council. He also served as chaplain of the World War I Barracks.
His faith guided his deep commitment to equality and justice. In a 1972 interview with the Daily Breeze, Flood stated:
“My Christian experience makes me have feelings for my brother, and I know no boundaries of mankind. Every man is a man with me, and I’m thankful for the knowledge to know that I can be like that. I feel that with all the critical times now, every man ought to learn to practice that type of attitude. I’ve always tried to do the things that I thought were right, and I try to put oil on troubled waters.”
Flood’s activism extended beyond labor rights. He was an advocate for affordable housing and fair housing policies in San Pedro. As a founding trustee of Warren Chapel CME Church, he understood the importance of addressing the material conditions of his community alongside spiritual guidance. He was instrumental in organizing residents of Banning Homes, a temporary workforce housing project, to secure permanent low-income housing when Banning Homes was slated for demolition. He opposed plans to transfer the site to the National Guard as a training ground, instead pushing for it to remain a resource for displaced families.
In the late 1960s, as the Beacon Street Redevelopment Project threatened to displace working-class residents, Flood partnered with Pastor Ulysses L. Butts of Warren Chapel CME Church, the Greater Peninsula Council of Churches, and the League of Latin American Citizens to form the nonprofit Verdes del Oriente. Their efforts led to the development of Verdes del Oriente Apartments (just above Rancho San Pedro public housing slated to be replaced in phases by the mixed-use development project, One San Pedro), colloquially known as the “White Bricks” and the Harbor Towers for seniors to provide affordable housing for those impacted by redevelopment.
Flood was known for his relentless dedication to people and his community. Even after retiring from the shipbuilding industry, he remained deeply involved in civic affairs. When asked why he continued working so tirelessly, he responded:
“To keep from becoming stagnant. You have to keep active. Besides, I’m just interested in people and like to do good wherever I can.”
Sam Flood and his wife, Regina, were Los Angeles Harbor Area residents for more than 30 years. Until his passing in 1973, he remained a steadfast advocate for justice, equity, and community welfare. His life’s work left an enduring impact on labor rights, civil rights, and affordable housing in San Pedro, cementing his legacy as a champion for the people ― a legacy seemingly forgotten in the 50 years since Flood’s death, evidence by this town and this city’s deficit in affordable housing.
Members of Congress take an oath to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.” Everything following “support”—the part about defending the Constitution “against all enemies, foreign and domestic”—was added during the Civil War. And Donald Trump is exactly what they were talking about: an enemy of the Constitution who seeks to set himself up as a virtual king, above the law and accountable to no one. Their oaths make it clear that members of Congress have a sworn duty to protect the Constitution from him, and “Impeachment is a remedy for a runaway president,” as Texas Representative Al Green told Democracy Now! On March 7. In 2017, Green was the first congressmember to call for Trump’s impeachment and he’s working to do it again. “I believe that he has done things that would merit impeachment,” Green said, noting that “If we wanted to impeach a president for speaking ill of Congress, as the president did, we can do it,” since that happened in 1868. Impeachment, Green said, “is what Gerald Ford said when he was in the House: whatever a given Congress concludes that it is on a given time — at a given time.” The next week, on March 12, constitutional attorney John Bonifaz told Democracy Now! about a grassroots impeachment campaign that’s already gained more than a quarter million signatures. “This president has already committed multiple abuses of power since assuming the presidency,” Bonifaz said. “And the framers designed the Constitution to ensure that we would not have a monarch or a tyrant govern this nation.” The petition can be found at impeachtrumpagain.org, which explains: Congress should have opened an impeachment investigation into Trump’s violations of the Emoluments Clauses and into his unlawful, corrupt campaign practices on Day 1 of Trump’s second administration. Since taking office, Trump has committed a growing list of impeachable offenses. It goes on to present a list of 13 specific charges that Congress should investigate, many with further specific subpoints. While all are serious, five of them are most closely tied to Trump’s attempt to set himself up as a would-be absolute monarch, undermining any countervailing power: Unconstitutionally usurping Congress’s powers Refusing to adhere to court orders Abusing his power to seek retribution against perceived adversaries Co-opting and Dismantling Independent Government Oversight Unconstitutionally usurping local and state authority Curiously missing from this list was Trump’s efforts to intimidate, if not jail or silence critical voices in the press, an oversight that Trump himself underscored two days later when he illegally delivered a political speech at the Department of Justice, where he called CNN, MSNBC, and unspecified newspapers illegal, signaling his intention to silence, if not imprison, his critics. “They’re really corrupt and they’re illegal. What they do is illegal,” he said of the cable channels, adding, “These networks and these newspapers are really no different than a highly paid political operative. And it has to stop. It has to be illegal.” While all the above reflect Trump’s dictatorial ambitions that Congress has a duty to defend against, they don’t exhaust the list of his impeachable conduct. Other specific charges from impeachtrumpagain.org include: Abusing the pardon power Abusing the emergency power Receiving foreign and domestic emoluments Depriving citizens of their birthright citizenship Corruptly dismissing criminal charges against New York Mayor Eric Adams Blocking efforts to secure U.S. elections Engaging in unlawful, corrupt practices during the 2024 presidential campaign But even these do not exhaust the list. Trump’s sweeping efforts to wantonly slash the federal government aren’t just a violation of Congress’s power of the purse, they’re also a profound injury to the American people, in violation of the Constitution’s preamble: that it was established to “promote the general welfare and provide for the common defense.” Green appeared on Democracy Now! the day after the House censured him for daring to challenge Trump during his address to Congress, saying Trump had “no mandate to cut Medicaid!” But Trump is going much further than cutting Medicaid—he’s going after Social Security and Medicare, which are bedrocks in promoting the general welfare, in addition to numerous other injuries to the general welfare, such as defunding biomedical research, shutting down national parks, slashing the National Weather Service, and much more. Trump’s attacks on Social Security are being led by unelected co-president Elon Musk, whose false claims of massive fraud (a 10,000% exaggeration) have already justified terminating payments to recipients, while an internal memo obtained by Popular Information, lays out a plan to sabotage the agency, simultaneously slashing staff and closing offices, while forcing hundreds of thousands if not millions of beneficiaries to go to extraordinary lengths to secure the benefits they’re entitled to. The endgame—shared by rightwing ideologues for generations—is to make the system so dysfunctional that people will agree to privatize it, resulting in billions, if not trillions of dollars being transferred from people who paid into the system into the pockets of Wall Street billionaire oligarchs—if not Musk himself, as he expands his financial interests. Such a wealth transfer is the exact opposite of promoting the general welfare—a direct violation of the Constitution’s preamble. But there’s another way in which Trump’s actions are impeachable: as violations of the Constitution’s “Take Care” clause. Article II, Section 3 states that, among other things, the President “shall take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed.” This is exactly the opposite of what Trump has done. He’s sought to turn the laws inside out to serve his own narrow interests, and those of close allies like Musk, who’s seen dozens of investigations into his businesses shut down since Trump’s inauguration. In Trump’s first term, it took a long time for Green to build support for impeachment, until Trump blatantly crossed the line, withholding congressionally appropriated funds in an attempt to blackmail Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy into opening a phony investigation into Joe Biden. This term, Trump began similar efforts almost immediately. Impounding Congressionally-approved funds have garnered the most attention by far, thanks to Musk’s chainsaw approach. But Trump is also blackmailing Zelenskyy with a different end in mind: Rewarding his Russian handler, Vladimir Putin, for his murderous invasion of Ukraine. And in the wake of his recent DOJ speech, he’s made clear his intention to continue phony investigations against Biden and those Trump sees as aligned with him. On social media Trump said he no longer considered valid the pardons Biden granted to people Trump might target because they were signed using an autopen, which is not merely an uncontroversial method of affixing a presidential signature that Trump himself has used, it’s the modern version of a device first used and praised by Thomas Jefferson. All this shows that Trump is completely undeterred from the kind of conduct he was impeached for in his first term—conduct that culminated with an armed attack on the Capitol, a failed coup. It’s clear that such conduct warrants impeachment again. “But what’s the point?” you might ask, given how little effect it had last time. The answer lies in the streets, rather than in Congress or the Courts. As Abraham Lincoln famously said, “Public sentiment is everything. With public sentiment, nothing can fail; without it, nothing can succeed.” Recent research has shown that nonviolent protest movements almost inevitably drive autocrats from power once they reach a threshold of 3.5% of the population. That’s what a study of 323 violent and nonviolent movements from 1900 to 2006 showed, described in the 2011 book, “Why Civil Resistance Works: The Strategic Logic of Nonviolent Conflict” by Erica Chenoweth and Maria J. Stephan. “There weren’t any campaigns that had failed after they had achieved 3.5% participation during a peak event,” Chenoweth told the BBC in 2019. As Rachel Maddow noted on her March 17 show, such movements are now surging in response to the autocratic wave that Trump is a part of. Other countries, like Hungary and Seria, are well ahead of us because their autocrats have been in power much longer. But protests here in America are mushrooming at an astonishing speed, in a wide variety of venues for a wide variety of specific causes. Adding the broad call for Trump’s impeachment to the specifics of each local protest is a logical way for Americans to do what others have done before them to get rid of autocratic authoritarian leaders. Congress has a duty to impeach Trump. And the people have the power to make that happen. It may not be clear from American history. But world history holds out more promise.
Immediately after the 2016 election, more than 50 concerned citizens within 25 miles of San Pedro, used the Indivisible Guide, a guide to influencing Congress written by former progressive staffers. Indivisible San Pedro held its first public meeting on Feb. 16, 2017, at Angels Gate Cultural Center, Building H. Eight years later, Indivisible San Pedro is still here, fighting the good fight, one election at a time.
On Feb. 15, founding member of Indivisible San Pedro, Melanie Jones, greeted nearly 100 concerned yet jovial members and guests of the organization’s 8th-anniversary celebration and meeting, once again at Angels Gate Cultural Center.
“There is nothing normal about what is happening in our federal government now,” said Melanie Jones later by email. “Each Indivisible group responds to their own elected [representatives]. Fortunately, our local members of Congress are fighting hard for democracy and have been standing up to Trump/Musk. Good leaders need support. We do that, too.”
Indivisible San Pedro founders Melanie Jones and Peter Warren. Photo courtesy of Indivisible San Pedro
Jones said action is the antidote to despair. Indivisible San Pedro is trying to grow and is asking for the community’s help because “numbers mean visibility,” and right now, Indivisible’s actions are to focus on reclaiming the House in 2026. These efforts were a success for the group in 2018 when Indivisible’s actions made an impact, which led to a flip in Congress.
The genesis of Indivisible was when its founders Ezra Levin and Leah Greenberg after the November 2016 election wrote and posted the above mentioned Google document called “Indivisible: A Practical Guide for Resisting the Trump Agenda.”
Surprised that the document blew up, the founders set up a website with an interactive national map where local resistance projects could register to attract new participants and receive tips about how best to fight Trump initiatives in Congress.
Early viewers who witnessed the Indivisible map dots growing into the thousands galvanized into action. By late 2017, about half of those dots linked to newly launched local groups (many, though not all, of which eventually affiliated formally with D.C. Indivisible).
Jones said other Indivisible groups with other representatives have different assignments and she has no doubt they are holding members of Congress, whom they feel are not pushing back hard enough, to account.
“Certainly, that has been Indivisible’s national message,” Jones said. “We know this is a long battle. But for those of us who value America as we have known her, a land of laws, free speech, and growing equality… We will not back down.”
As a group of concerned citizens, ISP recognizes the Trump administration’s agenda will take America backward and must be stopped. While modeling the values of inclusion, respect, and fairness, the organization has and continues to work to flip local districts from red to blue in California while this time around, pressuring local district congressional members to resist the remaking of the federal government by Elon Musk and the rest of the Trump administration.
Jones recalled the days and weeks after the start of the convicted felon’s first term in office when Indivisible began. The organization’s members gathered at Trump National Golf Club in Rancho Palos Verdes and formed the letters in the word, “RESIST,” using their bodies, lying on the grass of the then-45th president’s property.
Facing his second term, Jones responded to whether there had been any failures or what Indivisible would do differently now.
“Failure is not in our lexicon,” Jones wrote in an email. “We fight on. We are working to attract more people to the fight. Our strength is in numbers.”
Since its beginning, Indivisible San Pedro members have made phone calls and written postcards (numbering in the thousands) to residents, and the ISP ‘Light Brigade’ does a banner-hang over the Gaffey Street ‘San Pedro’ bridge overpass.
Indivisible San Pedro hangs a banner over the Gaffey Street ‘San Pedro’ bridge overpass. Photo courtesy of Indivisible San Pedro
Its most recent banner in February read “It’s A Coup.” ISP also organizes and shows up at rallies to defend democracy and meets with elected representatives at both the state and federal levels to urge them to stand up to the current regime and its policies for their constituents.
Jones noted that Indivisible has pushed back on Democrats who seem inclined to act as if there can be anything like business as usual.
In addition to meeting in fellowship, at the meeting, Jones aimed to encourage attendees to join them in making phone calls to their representatives — especially if they are Republican — to push back on the president’s policies this second time around, like firing federal workers, increasing ICE raids — even within hospitals, places of worship and schools (designatedprotected areas), dismantling the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Education, and the repeal of wildlife protections, the Affordable Care Act and the National Right to Work.
Indivisible member Peter Warren told Random Lengths News that many people in this country are worried. The Indivisible meetings also serve as a way to connect with like-minded people who relate to this fear, worry and even some who recall how America today is reminiscent of 1930s Germany.
Nonprofit newsroom MinnPost in October 2024 highlighted glaring examples of this: Adolf Hitler in the 1920s and early 1930s sought to delegitimize core democratic institutions. Donald Trump as both Republican candidate and president has done the same when institutions do not serve his political goals: the courts, the electoral process, the certification of an election, democratic opposition, and even branches of the administration that do not fall in line.
Trump calls the mainstream news media “fake news.” In 1930s Germany, the Nazis similarly decried them as “Lügenpresse” (press of lies). He scapegoats minorities and stirs up hostile emotions against adversaries, calling them “internal enemies” of the American people, needing to be fought by the National Guard, even the military — another parallel.
Warren noted that MAGA Republicans who do not live in the Harbor Area don’t realize how integrated our neighborhoods are.
Subsequently, they do not (or don’t want to) see an accurate representation of diverse communities living and working relatively harmoniously.
Old Glory, graphic by Terelle Jerricks
Recently, Grassroots Democrats everywhere were shocked by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s (D-NY) apparent capitulation in the fight to fund the Trump administration’s government until Sept. 30, the end of the current fiscal year. For the past week, many have called for him and other Democrats who followed him to be primaried out of office. The message: either fight or get out of the way of others who will.
The vote was 54-46, with two Democrats joining all but one Republican supporting the measure. The bill cleared a key procedural hurdle with the help of 10 Democrats in a 62-38 vote. Sixty votes were needed to defeat a Democratic filibuster.
The votes came after a 48-hour period in which Schumer broke with most House and Senate Democrats, announcing he would support moving forward on the bill a day after he declared they didn’t have the votes to fight it. Schumer ultimately voted no on the final passage of the legislation.
The budget, ultimately signed by the 34-time convicted felon in the Oval Office, reduced non-defense spending by approximately $13 billion, affecting Social Security, Medicare, Nutrition Assistance Programs, and Affordable Housing Initiatives. At the same time, an additional $6 billion has been allocated to defense. The bill enhances presidential authority over federal spending and it prevents Congress from voting to end emergency declarations that enable tariffs on countries like Canada and Mexico, effectively extending these trade measures.
This is after the Trump administration and the Department of Governmental Efficiency have taken a chainsaw to several agencies in the federal government resulting in the firing of 30,000 federal workers and counting.
Warren went on to say that much of the Indivisible meetings, besides actions, are about fellowship, companionship, and even therapy — the ability to talk to others who are also concerned.
“People need counseling,” he said of the meetings. “People want to do something, to not be alone, it’s joyful.
Indivisible San Pedro meets on Zoom on the second and fourth Thursday of each month. Jones noted the group always begins and ends each meeting with hope.
Further, this week, your senators and representatives are back home for recess — and Indivisible has many events planned to get their attention. It has put together a detailed toolkit to help you plan events and make the most of town halls.
I was sitting at my favorite coffee shop on Sixth Street drinking espresso the other day watching a young woman counseling a man who was obviously in a recovery diversion program. I only caught a bit of their conversation as I wasn’t trying to eavesdrop but I did notice the interactions–engaged conversation with some empathy.
After she stood up, I asked if she worked for one of the programs here in town and she answered “Yes, this is my first job after getting out of nursing school.” She then offered up that her program was funded by Medicaid and I asked if she thought this program would survive the federal cuts to social services. “I’m not sure, but I can always go back and get a job as a nurse. But I really like this work.” There was no mention of what would happen to the many men and women in these diversion programs after the budget cuts. This is just one of thousands of stories we will begin to hear as the tirade of budget cuts filters down to our schools, health care, and other social services.
In just 59 days, the Orange Felon has already left a path of terror, destruction, and chaos. This article just writes itself from the daily news reports and what is left unanswered are ― where are the lower prices on day one? He’s pardoned every single January 6th rioter, accused USAID of being corrupt and dismantled it, investigated FBI agents who worked on Jan. 6 cases, froze funding for Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security, and more, enacted tariffs on our top two trading partners, Canada and Mexico, gave Elon Musk unlimited access to government servers, withdrew from the World Health Organization and the Paris Climate Agreement. What could possibly go wrong with all of this?
The corruption would seem to be in the Oval Office.
A federal judge blocked the administration from using the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to carry out mass deportations — an unprecedented move that was meant to be used only in times of war and was last used to illegally intern Japanese Americans during WWII. The action left many outraged and immigration lawyers scrambling to help their clients file lawsuits against the government. Did I hear that there were now some 160 lawsuits against these executive orders?
This certainly won’t save any money.
There’s plenty of work for lawyers these days, but the prices at the grocery stores haven’t gone down.
The Orange Felon said he invoked the 18th-century law to expedite the removal of Tren de Aragua gang members, claiming that the Venezuelan gang was engaged in an invasion of the United States and posed a major national security threat. Where’s the evidence?
The price of avocados is going to skyrocket.
Then he himself entered the fray, using the instruments of media-politics.
“This Radical Left Lunatic of a Judge, a troublemaker and agitator who was sadly appointed by Barack Hussein Obama, was not elected President,” he posted on Truth Social.
“This judge, like many of the Crooked Judges’ I am forced to appear before, should be IMPEACHED!!!” Says the man who was twice impeached!
Supreme Court Chief Justice Roberts’ immediate response, “For more than two centuries, it has been established that impeachment is not an appropriate response to a disagreement concerning a judicial decision. The normal appellate review process exists for that purpose.”
There’s nothing normal about this man.
It appears as though this administration is ignoring court orders and abusing the rule of law.
As CNN’s Paula Reid reported, “This is a huge deal. Here you have Chief Justice John Roberts appearing to push back on statements the President made earlier today, suggesting that Judge James Boasberg, who, of course, temporarily blocked deportations by the Trump administration or at least tried to, should be impeached.”
Would it be procedural to issue an arrest warrant for someone who violates a court order?
Clearly, the entity who should now be impeached for the third time for abrogating his oath of office and the US Constitution which states clearly in its preamble We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States,
What this administration has done in just two months is not Justice, does not insure domestic Tranquility or promote the general Welfare nor secures the Blessings of Liberty. It’s quite the opposite.
People who are not criminals are also being detained and deported without a judicial hearing, free speech and the press are being threatened and the defunding of humanitarian and health programs is a direct attack on the general welfare. And the Orange Felon’s actions provide nothing for the common defense.
Still, many people just aren’t concerned. Why? Because he hasn’t come for their neighbors or family, because it’s those “others” who are the“bad people” being abused and disappeared. We are approaching a time when any person of color or anyone who is outspoken will need to “carry their papers” to prove citizenship.
If this is beginning to sound like pre-World War II Germany, then you’d be right. And the only course of action is to resist and to do it now! It’s better done now before the ICE Gestapo breaks your door in the middle of the night and hauls you off to a black site prison.
This is the test of our Republic that all the founding fathers warned us about. What they cautioned us about and feared because democracies are vulnerable to the same human frailties that have existed since the ancient Greeks and Romans ― the technology has evolved, but human psychology has not. Fear of “others” will lead to tragedy for the many, led by a tyrant.
And no, the prices haven’t gone down yet except in the stock market.
LOS ANGELES—The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors passed a motion introduced by chair pro tem and Supervisor of the First District, Hilda L. Solis, proclaiming March 31, 2025, as César E. Chávez Day throughout Los Angeles County. This declaration honors the legacy and profound contributions of César E. Chávez to the civil rights and labor movements in the United States. “The contributions and leadership of César E. Chávez not only transformed the lives of countless farm workers and their families, but also left a legacy that continues to inspire resilience, advocacy, and the enduring power of ‘Sí, se puede!’,” said Chair Pro Tem Solis. “On César E. Chávez Day, we reflect on the strength of perseverance in the face of adversity, and honor his memory by engaging in service to our communities, just as he dedicated his life to service and justice for others.”
On March 27, 2017, Los Angeles County joined the federal government in commemorating the birthday and legacy of César E. Chávez, a pioneering leader in the fight for farm workers’ rights. Widely recognized for his advocacy, Chávez led marches, hunger strikes, and boycotts to draw national attention to the struggles faced by migrant workers. His efforts played a role in securing better working conditions, health coverage, fair wages, and benefits for farm workers across the country. In 2014, President Barack Obama designated César E. Chávez Day as a federal commemorative holiday, further cementing Chávez’s place in American history.
A portion of La Paz is now the César E. Chávez National Monument, managed by the National Chavez Center in partnership with the National Park Service. This monument exemplifies Chávez’s legacy and serves as a place of reflection on his work and impact.
“I had the privilege of working on creating this legislation in Congress to memorialize César Chávez’s beginnings,” added Solis. “The designation of this monument, along with the recognition of César E. Chávez Day, allows us to honor his relentless efforts for social justice, which continue to inspire generations today.”
CARSON — The City of Carson is ushering in a new future with the construction of its first-ever municipal fiber optic network. This project is set to transform Carson into a digital hub, revolutionizing broadband access for residents, businesses, and city services.
The first project phase will install over 100,000 linear feet of fiber optic conduit and cable, creating a fast high-speed fiber network connecting all major city parks located within District 1, District 2, District 3, and District 4. The city’s fiber network construction design utilizes a combination of directional boring, trenching, and bridge attachments to ensure the installation is efficient and minimally invasive. The primary fiber network backbone will be constructed along Avalon Boulevard, forming the foundation for future citywide connectivity.
“This project represents a major milestone for Carson,” said Mayor Lula Davis-Holmes of the City of Carson. “By investing in our own fiber network, we are creating a foundation for enhanced connectivity, economic growth, and future smart city initiatives. This is just the beginning of a transformative journey for our community.”
HP Communications, Inc. was selected as the contractor to construct phase 1 of Carson’s fiber network. Nick Goldman, company president, elaborates “HP Communications is leveraging our extensive experience to deliver a state-of-the-art fiber optic network with minimal disruption to the community. By focusing on underground installation for the majority of the fiber network and implementing targeted open trenching in select areas, our team will reduce surface disruption while optimizing performance.”
Gary Carter, Carson’s director of information technology & security notes, “Above all benefits the network will provide, perhaps the most notable will be a testament of Carson’s self-reliance to close the digital divide created by decades of digital redlining since the internet’s inception.” The city’s strategic planning for Carson’s fiber network to end the historical digital redlining that perpetuates educational, economic, and health inequalities has led to Carson’s competitive position for an $8.19 million California Public Utilities Commission Last Mile grant, currently awaiting a final award decision in the FY2027-28 state budget.
Future updates on the city’s fiber optic network construction progress, CPUC Last Mile grant award, and community broadband network launch will be posted on www.carsonca.gov
LOS ANGELES — After a record start to 2025, Port of Los Angeles cargo volume remained strong into February. The port processed 801,398 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) last month, which was 2.5% more than last year and marked the port’s second-busiest February on record.
“For 17 of the last 19 months, the Port of Los Angeles has experienced year-over-year cargo growth, all without ship delays or back-ups on our docks,” Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka said at a Port of Los Angeles media briefing. “That’s a testament to the outstanding work of the women and men of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, our terminal operators, truckers, railroads and other stakeholders.
“Many retailers and manufacturers have been importing their products through Los Angeles earlier than usual as a hedge against tariffs,” Seroka added. “Given the substantial inventory already here, and the uncertainty of tariffs, it’s possible we could see a 10% volume decline in the second half of the year. Here in Los Angeles, we will continue to look for new opportunities to bring more business through our gateway.”
Dr. Nela Richardson, ADP Chief Economist, joined Seroka at the media event. Richardson discussed the impact of tariffs on the economy, particularly from the labor market perspective.
February 2025 loaded imports came in at 413,236 TEUs, 1% higher compared to the previous year. Loaded exports came in at 109,156 TEUs, an 18% drop from 2024. The Port processed 279,006 empty containers, 16% more than last year.
Two months into 2025, the Port of Los Angles has handled 1,725,643 TEUs, 5.4% more than 2024.
Homicide detectives are investigating the murder of a male adult victim that occurred on March 17, on Atlantic Avenue.
About 3:49 a.m., officers responded to the 5400 block of Atlantic Ave. regarding an assault with a deadly weapon call. Upon arrival, officers contacted a male adult victim who was shot in the upper body. Officers rendered medical aid until being relieved by Long Beach Fire Department personnel, who transported the victim to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
Homicide detectives responded to the scene. At this time, the motive for the shooting and the circumstances of the incident are under investigation. Detectives are working to determine the identity of any suspect(s) involved.
The identity of the victim is being withheld pending notification of the next of kin by the Los Angeles County Department of the Medical Examiner.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is urged to contact Homicide Detectives Eric Thai or Chasen Contreras at 562-570-7244, or anonymously at 800-222-8477, www.lacrimestoppers.org.
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Missing Persons Unit is asking for the public’s help locating at-risk missing person, Pedro Hernandez Jr who is a resident of Los Angeles County. He is a 23-years-old male Hispanic who was last seen on the 1000 block of West Carson Street, in the city of Torrance at 8:30 p.m. on March 18.
Mr. Hernandez is 5’11”, 170lbs with brown hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing gray pants. Mr. Hernandez is diagnosed with schizophrenia and there is concern for his well-being.
Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Missing Persons Unit at 323- 890-5500 or anonymously at 800 222-8477, http://lacrimestoppers.org
