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Know your rights, California

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Know your rights, California

 

SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gavin Newsom this week urged Californians to stay safe and know their rights amidst the ongoing federal chaos. Trump wants local communities to respond with violence so he can justify his authoritarian actions – like deploying the military against civilians and expanding dangerous, immigration raids.

The federal government has used California as a training ground to test its dangerous and indiscriminate mass detention agenda. They have killed civilians, terrified children, arrested Americans, and disappeared parents.

The U.S. Senate is expected to vote this week on a proposal to fund ICE and Border Patrol without any guardrails and restraints for public safety. As the news of the latest killing out of Minneapolis at the hands of federal immigration agents reverberates nationwide it is yet another unfortunate reminder why checks and balances need to be enforced. Californians – and communities nationwide – should vehemently oppose this vote and Congress needs to do its job and place guardrails on the Trump Administration’s continued abuses of power.

Support your immigrant neighbors and friends by calling for congressional action to hold federal agencies accountable, and to pass laws so that good, hardworking immigrant Californians can stay and work in the United States. The Trump administration is targeting people for detention and deportation who are following the immigration rules, are good contributing members of California communities and economy, and are part of American families.

Be aware

Gov. Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta have a new online portal to assist members of the public in reporting potentially unlawful activity by federal agents and officers across the state. The portal allows Californians to submit video and photos, helping create a record of potential unlawful conduct by federal agents and informing possible legal actions the state may take to protect Californians’ rights. If you believe you are witnessing a crime in progress, you should call 911 or your local law enforcement agency and report it.

You have the right to peacefully exercise your First Amendment rights but it is against the law to threaten, assault, or block access to federal property or interfere with federal law enforcement operations. Violence is never the answer, and assaulting a federal agent or obstructing an arrest is a crime.

Keep a safe distance and be mindful that you may encounter federal agents who are angry, inexperienced, improperly vetted, and untrained on how to do their job safely, including interacting with demonstrators or large crowds.

Exercise your rights

Trump and Stephen Miller have brought chaos and violence to our streets, undermining local law enforcement and creating dangerous situations. Violence is exactly what Trump wants, so he can use it as a reason to further block access to lawyers when people are detained and to bring the military to our streets to respond to protests.

Make your voice heard without resorting to violence, vandalism, or interference with law enforcement. This is an important time to support your community with information that empowers people to stay safe and prepared.

Know your rights fact sheets are available in: English, Arabic, Armenian, Farsi, Filipino, Hindi, Hmong, Japanese, Korean, Punjabi, Russian, Spanish, Chinese (Simplified), Tagalog, and Ukrainian.

California law is clear and prudent

State and local law enforcement agencies’ focus is on keeping people safe and preventing crime, not tearing families apart and threatening working people. State law requires them to cooperate only with federal immigration enforcement for people who have been convicted of dangerous crimes, including those leaving state prisons.

California has taken action, including enacting recent legislation to help keep people safe and push back against the administration’s “secret police” tactics in California.

  • Schools: Families will be notified when immigration enforcement comes on school campuses, and student information and classrooms are protected from ICE — and require a judicial warrant or court order to be accessed.
  • Hospitals: Emergency rooms and other nonpublic areas in a public hospital are off limits to immigration enforcement without a judicial warrant or court order, and immigration information collected by a health care provider is protected as medical information.
  • Due process: Funding immigration attorneys and assistance for immigrants so they can keep or apply for legal status, and have their day in court to prevent their wrongful detention and deportation.

Trump’s actions have a chilling effect – the state’s economy is likely to contract later this year due to fallout from global tariffs and immigration raids in Los Angeles and other cities that have rattled key sectors, including construction, hospitality, and agriculture, according to a UCLA Anderson forecast.

Earlier this year, the Governor met with business owners and faith leaders in the Los Angeles area to discuss the economic and societal impact indiscriminate federal immigration actions have had on their communities.

Mass deportations in California could slash $275 billion from the state’s economy and eliminate $23 billion in annual tax revenue. The loss of immigrant labor would delay projects (including rebuilding Los Angeles after the wildfires), reduce food supply, and drive up costs. Undocumented immigrants contributed $8.5 billion in state and local taxes in 2022 — a number that would rise to $10.3 billion if these taxpayers could apply to work lawfully.

US’s Largest Nurses’ Union Demands Abolition of ICE After Alex Pretti Killing

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US’s Largest Nurses’ Union Demands Abolition of ICE After Alex Pretti Killing

Following the killing of Alex Pretti by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Jan. 24, the largest nurses’ union in the U.S. has demanded the abolition of ICE.

In a statement, National Nurses United (NNU) strongly condemned the killing of Pretti, saying the shooting demonstrates the “violence, terror, and lawlessness” and “dire public health threat” that federal immigration agencies pose to communities nationwide.

Pretti, 37, was an intensive care nurse at a Department of Veterans Affairs hospital. He was shot
and killed by a Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) agent as he was filming immigration agents conducting a raid on a street in Minneapolis. Videos from bystanders showed multiple agents tackling him, taking his gun, and then shooting at him at least 10 times, killing him.

In their statement, NNU called on the Senate to block the funding package for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) slated to come to a vote this week
On the date of the general strike in Minneapolis on Friday, just a day before Pretti’s killing, NNU had put out a statement condemning the House for its passage of the DHS appropriations bill.
The union, which has 225,000 members, has pledged to do “everything in our power” to get any members of Congress who vote to pass funding for ICE voted out of office.

Details: Read more here: https://tinyurl.com/portside-labor-nurses

From Planet Fitness to Living in ‘The Kill Zone”

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From Planet Fitness to Living in ‘The Kill Zone”

How Harbor Gateway South residents were left to fend for themselves — until Del Amo Action Committee pushed back

By Rick Thomas

I’ve driven down Torrance Boulevard into Carson more times than I care to admit. So many times, in fact, that I could probably do it blindfolded, which might explain why I missed something important for nearly a decade.

The drive was always the same.

Denker to Torrance Boulevard, left turn there, to Figueroa.

Turn right.

Destination: Planet Fitness in the Carson Town Center.

A place where my dreams of fitness go to nap. I spend hours…OK minutes, lifting weights for short stints, then settling in for the long haul on a stationary bike that goes nowhere.

Miles logged.

Going nowhere.

Pages read from print editions of Random Lengths News or the Sunday LA Times. One guest service associate at Planet Fitness saw me with those newspapers and said, “I haven’t seen one of them in a long time.”

I responded, “What, an old, black dude going to a gym?”

“No,” she said.

“A newspaper.”

I wanted to strangle her but that would have confirmed to LAPD’s Harbor Division that I am unstable and not right in the head, so I chose freedom rather than 20 years to life up at Castaic.

But I digress.

I’ve driven that stretch of Torrance Boulevard so often, I never saw it.

I did not look left.

I did not look right.

What I completely failed to notice, year after year, was one of the most important stops along that route. It was an office quietly doing work that would eventually change how I see my neighborhood, my health, and environmental justice altogether.

That stop…that office…was Del Amo Action Committee.

DAAC, for short.

You might miss it, just like I did, if you roll down the same route.

Almost 10 years.

Most people have never heard of DAAC or Del Amo Action Committee.

I certainly had not.

Yet, DAAC is one of the main reasons I look at environmental issues very differently today. More than I did when I first moved into Harbor Gateway South. Back then, I honestly believed environmental problems were something that happened somewhere else, to someone else.

Turns out, I was wrong.

Very wrong.

I live in what Del Amo Action Committee calls “The Kill Zone.”

That phrase alone will get your attention faster than a Planet Fitness lunk alarm.

I wrote about “The Kill Zone” in an earlier piece featuring Jones Chemicals, Inc., our neighborly environmental polluter, on their uncooperative behavior at their plant located in Harbor Gateway South.

How did I end up connected to Del Amo Action Committee?

Enter Cynthia Babich, Founder and Director of DAAC..

I remember exactly how we met.

I posted something on Nextdoor.

Cynthia responded.

And by “responded,” I mean she hollered at me with passion…with precision…OK, she took a switchblade to my post like a few gangbangers in the hood would like to do, well, to me.

But that’s Cynthia Babich.

Next thing I knew, I was invited…or summoned by her to a weekly Saturday morning meeting at Del Amo Action Committee’s office on Torrance Boulevard.

That was the beginning of everything.

“This is serious as shit,” she said. “We are a pretty pushy group and we’re gonna keep being pushy.”

She was talking about Jones Chemicals, Inc., the environmental polluter that keeps on keeping on when it comes to their horrific integration into the Harbor Gateway South.

“That’s why we wrote that shutdown letter and our goal is to make Jones Chemicals, Inc. leave,” she said.

Del Amo Action Committee was already addressing issues with Jones Chemicals, Inc. well before I started my integration into this problem. Their ongoing efforts focus on protecting Harbor Gateway South residents from any dangerous incidents at the plant.

Del Amo Action Committee has become a powerful force and voice in the full Harbor Gateway and beyond.

That’s because of their relentless push to ensure that elected leaders representing the community where Jones Chemicals, Inc. does business, are fully engaged in the goal of bringing this company into full compliance with federal, state, county and local standards.

City Councilmember Tim McOsker, Congressperson Nanette Barragan, and County Supervisor Holly Mitchell all responded to Del Amo Action Committee’s efforts.

Bigly.

Everybody else, as in State Senator Laura Richardson and Assemblyman Mike Gipson?

Crickets.

More on that shortly but y’all know me…if elected leaders refuse to comment on a company harming the communities they represent, those political leaders are not fulfilling their duty to the stakeholders who pay their salaries.

State Senator Laura Richardson and Assemblyman Mike Gipson should be ashamed.

“They can make shit happen, and they need to make shit happen,” Cynthia Babich said when referring to those elected leaders.

Well…I think shit is happening.

Del Amo Action Committee is working to end city-run operations, constantly working with the likes of environmental polluters as is Jones Chemicals, Inc. It remains unclear why Los Angeles city officials continue to partner with companies that harm local communities.

Their job is to protect residents living in Harbor Gateway South.

Quite frankly, except for the Congressperson who has been engaged on day 1 of this issue, others have failed.

Until now.

Until…Del Amo Action Committee.

“The more we uncovered from Jones Chemicals, Inc., it started hyping our concerns,” Jeffrey Herschler, Chief Science Officer for Del Amo Action Committee, said when it comes to the ongoing areas of concern from inspections at Jones Chemicals, Inc.’s plant.

“There are new violations they’re (the Environmental Protection Agency) finding each time.”

Yeah, this is the company, Jones Chemicals, Inc., that Los Angeles city officials want to partner with to sponsor events and invite to Harbor Gateway South Neighborhood Council meetings, twice, well…to be our neighbors.

Yeah, them.

I just don’t get it.

Really…I just don’t get it.

“They have no intention of doing any more with the risk management plan we presented to them,” said Herschler.

Yeah, they don’t.

“The Trump administration has been attacking the EPA, so most of the enforcement people have been told not to speak to DAAC or other community members,” Cynthia Babich added.

That was then.

We have reached…now.

“Residents of the Harbor Gateway community have raised concerns regarding safety, emergency preparedness, and environmental risks associated with operations at JCI Jones Chemicals, Inc.,” wrote Los Angeles City Councilmember Tim McOsker, in a motion to the LA City Council.

Oh, yeah, this is now.

Well past then.

And one of those “preparedness measures” is the image of a ‘Shelter in Place’ kit you see here, designed for about $50, and the recommendation for all residents residing in “The Kill Zone” to have at home during an emergency created by a chemical release at Jones Chemicals, Inc.

I have one of those ‘Shelter in Place’ kits and I, along with other families residing in Harbor Gateway South, took one home to test the kit in preparation for a chemical release.

It was not a good exercise.

It was a sobering effort that no stakeholder should have to take. We deserve better than this.

We really do.

That whole chemical release thing is no joke.

“Constituents have contacted the Council Office seeking clarity on the City’s enforcement authority, civil capacities, and ability to ensure that appropriate safety measures are implemented,” with respect to Jones Chemicals, Inc., the McOsker motion continued.

I told you this was pretty powerful.

But wait…there’s more

Councilmember McOsker’s motion asks “…that the City Council direct the Office of the City Attorney, in consultation with the Emergency Management Department, the Los Angeles Fire Department, the Department of Building & Safety, and the Department of City Planning to report back…on the City’s criminal and/or civil enforcement capacities, as well as steps to abate any present nuisance, with respect to the JCI Jones Chemicals, Inc. facility and their operations.”

I told ya, pretty powerful stuff.

Peep this, in the same motion: “Del Amo Action Committee, a local environmental justice non-profit organization, has proposed an emergency response framework recommending several preparedness measures for JCI to adopt.”

Back to that “Shelter in Place’ kit.

Back in the day there were crickets on the issues from elected officials regarding Jones Chemicals, Inc. in the Harbor Gateway South. Councilmember McOsker demanded continued “engagement with JCI to pursue community-requested safety initiatives.”

Congresswoman Nanette Barragan, who grew up in the hood, sent a letter to LA City Council stating , “This chemical facility has violated the federal Clean Air Act, California Accidental Release Prevention Program, and Hazardous Materials Business Plan Program, and repeatedly failed to properly maintain their equipment as required by law.”

Throw in County Supervisor Holly Mitchell.

“Del Amo Action Committee has been at the forefront of addressing environmental justice issues in this community through advocacy, community education, and resident capacity-building. Their tenacity and follow-through have helped compel action, like the one by Councilmember McOsker, which I support.”

I think shit is happening.

More from the very tall, wish I had her playing center when I was coaching CYO hoops back in the day, County Supervisor Holly Mitchell, “…we will continue working with Del Amo Action Committee, LA City partners, County agencies, local businesses, and residents to ensure accountability, and fight for stronger enforcement and protections for our communities.”

“It’s David versus Goliath,” Jeffrey Herschler from DAAC told me. “They (the EPA) ding them, they get a notice of violation, they fix them and Jones Chemicals, Inc. is back in business.”

Maybe Del Amo Action Committee has slayed Goliath.

The Tim McOsker motion, Agenda Item 4 – Council File #25-1469, was “approved on consent, moving forward!,” by the Los Angeles City Council, Del Amo Action Committee boss Cynthia Babich wrote to me in an email.

“It’s all just about protecting the area around Jones Chemicals, Inc. as best as we can,” from Jeffrey Herschler, DAAC’s Chief Science Officer.

“Early in the mornin′, late at night, it don’t even matter what time it is,” in the words of the Philosopher Future, Del Amo Action Committee is always there, protecting Harbor Gateway South “as…best…as we can.”

Border Patrol and ICE Murder Another Legal Observer in Minneapolis

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Border Patrol and ICE Murder Another Legal Observer in Minneapolis

 

By Rosie Knight

It’s Saturday Jan 24, 2026. Less than a month ago President Donald Trump’s aggressive immigration policies crossed a new breaking point when ICE agent Jonathan Ross murdered a U.S. Citizen and mother of three Renee Good. While that seems like the kind of event that would have been a watershed moment for our government and specifically Democratic leadership. Instead all there has been is insipid calls for peace and strongly worded social media posts directed at the ever more isolated and uncontrollable president, and in the wake of that lack of action something depressingly predictable and painful has happened, once again.

Early this morning in Minnesota, Border Patrol agents attacked Alex Pretti who was protecting another legal observer, beating him to the ground, and seconds later shooting him point blank in the back ten times, while he was held down, killing him in broad daylight. Another extrajudicial murder at the hands of ICE while our politicians stand by and do nothing but fund vague and legally expansive “Immigration Enforcement” bills, giving unlimited funds to the very people who are killing our neighbors in the streets. Although Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Fray are demanding ICE and Border Patrol leave the city and the state, it is once again the community who have shown up for peaceful vigils and community rallies.

In both journalism and life as a woman, we know that there is no such thing as a perfect victim. So while its easy to highlight Pretti and how fantastic he was — both as an Intensive Care Unit nurse at a VA hospital and passionate community member — it’s important to remember that whether or not people are innocent or guilty, “good” or “bad”, cruel or kind, they are not supposed to be gunned down in the street by Federal Agents for practicing their constitutional right to film and watch Federal Agents as they enact their immigration crackdown. This is fascism. We are here, America is ground zero for its rise. They are manufacturing consent and pushing the boundaries of what we deem to be acceptable, as long as it’s couched in false ideas of protecting imaginary borders that were only invented in the last few hundred years.

If protesting makes you uncomfortable it’s time to sit with that discomfort because no one is safe. They murdered a white man who legally owned a weapon and was allowed to carry it both concealed and open. Videos have already shown that agents had disarmed him of the weapon he was legally allowed to carry before they shot him ten times in the back, while he was held down. If they are not scared to do that on camera, from ten angles, then they aren’t afraid of doing it to you, your loved ones, and your neighbors. The time to step outside is now, if it is safe for you to do so. And if not then see how you can support those closest to you. Knock on doors. Ask if people need grocery deliveries. Exchange next of kin details. We keep us safe.

Newsom, Bonta Say State and Local Police Can Investigate Crimes by Federal Agents

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Newsom, Bonta Say State and Local Police Can Investigate Crimes by Federal Agents

 

SACRAMENTO — In light of the federal government’s refusal to cooperate with state and local investigations of the two recent federal officer-involved shooting deaths in Minnesota, California Attorney General Rob Bonta, in coordination with Gov. Gavin Newsom, Jan. 27 issued a bulletin reminding state and local law enforcement of their concurrent jurisdiction to investigate potential state law crimes committed by federal agents. Federal and state law enforcement have long collaborated on investigations that result in both federal and state criminal charges, with a presumption that neither law enforcement agency will obstruct the other’s investigations or thwart the objective pursuit of justice.

However, the federal government’s response to the recent tragic deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minnesota, and the federal government’s conduct in other recent cases, make clear that this administration not only will not investigate such incidents but will attempt to thwart other agencies from doing so. The California Department of Justice is prepared to support state and local law enforcement to assert their rights to access potential crime scenes and evidence relevant to an active investigation of potential state law crimes, including recourse to the state and federal courts as needed to request immediate emergency injunctive relief, as in Minnesota.

 

“Trump Administration officials have repeatedly lied to the American people. Given what has happened in Minnesota, we cannot outsource our fundamental duty to protect Californians by simply accepting federal narratives. Especially when a fatal shooting occurs, no one should be allowed to rush in, seize evidence, and control the narrative before state and local law enforcement have lawful access. Concerns that the federal government was doing exactly that in obstructing Minnesota state and local law enforcement investigations into the tragic killing of a 37-year old VA nurse prompted a Trump-appointed judge to order the Trump Administration not to destroy evidence relevant to the investigation. Our local and state law enforcement are the front line for ensuring due process and public trust. Every state and local agency must remember its role, exercise its full authority, and always ensure the protection of the people of this state. Transparency isn’t a talking point; it’s a legal and moral requirement.” — Gov. Gavin Newsom

 

California stands ready to take all necessary steps to investigate potentially unlawful conduct by federal agents that occurs on state soil, and where the facts warrant, file charges for violations of the California Penal Code. Local law enforcement agencies are encouraged to contact the California Department of Justice’s Division of Law Enforcement for assistance in accessing potential crime scenes and evidence relevant to an active investigation, including recourse to the state and federal courts as needed to request immediate emergency injunctive relief. Californians are encouraged to report incidents of federal agent misconduct to the California Department of Justice’s portal at oag.ca.gov/reportmisconduct.
In the bulletin, the California Department of Justice advises state and local law enforcement:

  • States have primary authority to investigate and prosecute violations of state criminal law, even by federal agents.
  • California law enforcement agencies may independently investigate such incidents and are not required to defer to federal authorities.
  • The California Department of Justice is available to assist and can seek court orders to secure evidence.

Last week, Attorney General Bonta led an amicus brief in support of Minnesota’s lawsuit challenging the Trump Administration’s extraordinary campaign of lawlessness during its deployment of federal agents to the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and Saint Paul. The Attorney General previously led a coalition in filing an amicus brief opposing unlawful immigration stops in the Central Valley and led a multistate coalition in seeking a temporary restraining order to stop ICE and CBP from engaging in unlawful practices in Los Angeles. Gov. Newsom and Attorney General Bonta also recently secured a decision by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California ending the continued federalization and deployment of California National Guard troops in and around Los Angeles.

POLA Releases RDEIR for Proposed Terminal Island Maritime Support Facility, Seeks Public Comment

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POLA Releases RDEIR for Proposed Terminal Island Maritime Support Facility, Seeks Public Comment

 

LOS ANGELES — The Port of Los Angeles Jan. 26 released a partially Revised and Recirculated Draft Environmental Impact Report (RDEIR) for the proposed Terminal Island Maritime Support Facility Project, located in the port complex at 740 Terminal Way in San Pedro. The port originally released the DEIR for this proposed project Sept. 15, 2025.

The proposed project involves the development and operation of a chassis support facility on an approximately 89-acre site at the Port of Los Angeles. Proposed development includes the construction and installation of office trailers, maintenance and repair facilities, chassis stalls, and appurtenant water and electrical infrastructure. In addition, planned refurbishment of the existing vacant office building at 750 Eldridge Street at the proposed project site would support overall operations.

This Partially Revised and RDEIR reflects a revised opening in 2029 with full build-out in 2049, as well as updates air quality emission calculations to reflect modified assumptions for terminal and on-site idling for truck turn times during operations.

The RDEIR, along with addition environmental documents for this proposed project, is available for review on the Port of Los Angeles website at portoflosangeles.org/ceqa.

Written comments on the RDEIR may be submitted via email to ceqacomments@portla.org or to the following address during the public comment period through March 11, 2026:

Director of Environmental Management

Los Angeles Harbor Department

425 South Palos Verdes Street

San Pedro, CA 90731

Comment letters sent via email should include the Project title “Terminal Island Maritime Support Facility Project” in the email subject line.

Details: portoflosangeles.org/ceqa; 310-732-3615

Meet the First Three: Long Beach Coast Announces Players, Fan Fest Set for Saturday

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Meet the First Three: Long Beach Coast Announces Players, Fan Fest Set for Saturday

 

LONG BEACH — The Long Beach Coast Jan. 27 announced three players on the team’s roster ahead of the club’s inaugural 2026 season in the Pioneer Baseball League, all hailing from Southern California.

The signees include left-handed pitcher Brett Wozniak (Garden Grove), utility standout Jacob Jablonski (Mission Hills), and outfielder Eddy Pelc (Huntington Beach).

Guiding the Long Beach Coast on the field will be Troy Percival, the team’s first manager. A four-time MLB All-Star and World Series champion, Percival famously closed games for the Anaheim Angels during their historic 2002 championship season, bringing a championship mindset and deep Southern California baseball legacy to Long Beach. Supporting him in the dugout are assistant coaches Troy Glaus, a six-time All-Star and former World Series MVP, and Jerome Williams, a longtime major league pitcher whose career began in Southern California. Together, the coaching staff blends elite playing experience, leadership, and firsthand knowledge of the game at the highest level.

Meet the Coast: Fan Fest This Saturday

Fans will have the opportunity to meet Brett Wozniak, take photos, and get autographs during a Coast community event.

Highlights include:
• LBC hats on sale
• 10% off season tickets and 10-game mini plans
• Prizes and giveaways
• DJ C-Strait
• Games and fan activities
• Free parking

The Long Beach Coast continues to work closely with the City of Long Beach and California State University Long Beach on plans to bring professional independent baseball to historic Blair Field beginning with the 2026 season.

Additional player announcements, brand activations, and community events will be unveiled in the coming weeks.

Time: 4 to 7 p.m., Jan. 31

Details: For tickets and updates, visit www.longbeachcoast.com.

Venue: WatchMe! Sports Bar, 6527 E. Pacific Coast Highway, Unit B-2, Long Beach

Local Students Invited to Apply for Port of LB Scholarships and Internships

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Local Students Invited to Apply for Port of LB Scholarships and Internships

 

Applications are now available for the Port of Long Beach’s Scholarship Program and Summer High School Internship Program. Details for both programs, eligibility information and online applications can be found on the port’s website at www.polb.com/education.

The scholarships are open to high school seniors attending Long Beach Unified School District-area high schools and pursuing higher education or training in careers in international trade, logistics, engineering and other port-related industries. In addition, the scholarship program also includes students in trade programs and those enrolling part-time. For 2026, the port has increased the program’s budget by $50,000, awarding a total of $400,000 for high school and college scholarships. Scholarships will range from $500 to $6,000.

Applications for port scholarships for students already attending Long Beach City College; Orange Coast College; California State University, Long Beach; and Cal Poly Maritime Academy are handled in each school’s scholarship application office. Please contact them directly for more details.

High school internships are available to current high school juniors and seniors who reside in Long Beach or attend a high school in the Long Beach Unified School District service area. Participating high school student interns will gain hands-on experience as they work alongside Harbor Department staff. The program lasts six weeks, from June 22 through July 30.

The deadline for both programs is Feb. 20; no late applications will be accepted. Applicants are advised to read the instructions carefully.

Hahn Urges State to Protect Communities by Rejecting Deer Plan

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Hahn Urges State to Protect Communities by Rejecting Deer Plan

LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn sent a letter Jan. 26 to Valerie Termini, the new Interim Director of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife or CDFW, urging the Department to reject a permit application by the Catalina Island Conservancy that would authorize the eradication of the island’s mule deer population.
Central to Hahn’s letter is a new memo from Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone, which warns that eliminating Catalina Island’s entire deer population would increase wildfire risk.

“According to our Fire Chief, wiping out the deer would remove one of the island’s most effective forms of vegetation management,” said Supervisor Hahn. “Without deer grazing, fuel loads would grow significantly, making wildfires more likely and more dangerous.”

In his memo, Chief Marrone raises concerns that eliminating all deer would allow vegetation to accumulate unchecked, increasing fire intensity and threatening the city of Avalon. He instead recommends maintaining a smaller, managed deer population to help naturally reduce vegetation and fuel loads across the island.

Excerpt from Marrone memo:
From a wildfire risk perspective, complete removal of mule deer presents operational concerns. In the absence of herbivory, chaparral fuel loads would increase, resulting in higher tons per acre and elevated ERC values. Fuel age classes exceeding 25 years are extremely difficult to manage during wildfire incidents and significantly increase suppression complexity.

Increased fuel loading would elevate wildfire risk to developed areas, particularly in Avalon and other locations where heavy fuels are present within 200 feet of structures. Conversely, maintaining a reduced mule deer population can provide a measurable reduction in understory vegetation and seedling establishment, moderating fuel continuity and, under certain conditions, improving firefighting effectiveness depending on weather, fuels, and topography.

Santa Catalina Island—outside the City of Avalon—is unincorporated Los Angeles County and lies within Hahn’s district. In 2024, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to oppose the conservancy’s previous permit application.

While the conservancy has abandoned its earlier proposal to use aerial sharpshooting, the revised plan would still eradicate the island’s entire deer population over a five-year period using professional hunters. Hahn called the approach drastic and unnecessary.
“Mule deer have been part of Catalina’s landscape for nearly a century, and they are deeply valued by the people who live on and visit the island,” Hahn said. “I continue to hear from long-time residents who cherish these animals and want a more balanced, humane solution.”

Hahn urged CDFW to reject the current permit application and instead work with the Conservancy to pursue alternatives that protect the island’s ecosystem without increasing fire risk or eliminating the deer entirely.

“There is a clear path forward that preserves a smaller deer population, reduces wildfire danger, and treats wildlife humanely,” Hahn said. “I am asking the state to listen to our fire experts and choose a smarter, safer approach for Catalina Island.”

Details: Read Hahn’s letter and Chief Marrone’s memo here.

Indivisible San Pedro, CA: Upcoming Actions and How to Stand with Minnesota After ICE Enforcement Violence

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Indivisible San Pedro, CA: Upcoming Actions and How to Stand with Minnesota After ICE Enforcement Violence
UPDATE: You can attend an Indivisible SP in person meeting Jan. 29 at 7:30 to 8:30 p.m., at Angels Gate Cultural Center, Building H, 3601 S. Gaffey St., San Pedro.

 People are angry, frustrated and scared. They want to help their communities to end the brutal ICE kidnappings and attacks. RLN has gathered together several actions by Indivisible San Pedro, CA. that you can take today to do just that. Whether you get in the street, go to a training, or do good work elsewhere, your help is needed.

Jan. 31 – ICE Out – Torrance

Federal immigration enforcement agencies, including ICE & CBP, continue to incite violence against the American people. There have now been two killings in Minnesota, with no consequences for the agents who committed the violence.

Join Indivisible to demand accountability, honor the lives lost, and make your voices heard- it’s time to start the work needed to dismantle ICE once and for all.

Time:12 to 2 p.m., Jan. 31

Details: https://tinyurl.com/ICE-Out-Torrance

Venue: Hawthorne Blvd. and Sepulveda Blvd., Torrance

 

Jan. 31- Training: Best Practices for Effective Activism

The administration’s use of ICE to attack innocent civilians is criminal and in support of an unabashed agenda of white supremacy and nativism.

The training will be about the most effective ways to fight this as individuals, along with the power of working in groups and coalitions. This training will discuss best practices for protests, rallies, and boycotts; best approaches to contacting elected representatives; and ways to make a difference in competitive elections.

This will be an interactive session, where participants can talk together and practice effective tactics.

Time: 2 to 4 p.m., Jan. 31

Details: https://tinyurl.com/Training-effective-activism

Venue: Torrance Municipal Airport – Zamperini Field, 3301 Airport Drive, Torrance

Upcoming Events

These nationwide events, calls, and training sessions are coming up soon.

Monday (tonight!): No Kings Coalition Mass Call: Eyes on ICE (8-9pm ET)
Learn how to participate in a local ICE watch and know your rights when recording and monitoring law enforcement.

Tuesday: Fight Back With Friends monthly call (6:30-7:30pm ET)
Learn about the DHS funding fight and use relational organizing tools to help friends, family, and neighbors to take action.

Thursday: “What’s the Plan?” with Leah + Ezra (3pm ET)
A weekly interactive Q&A with Indivisible co-founders and executive directors Leah Greenberg and Ezra Levin.

Stand with Minnesota

Despite constant teargassing, brutal detentions, and the murders of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, Minnesotans have stood up against Trump’s invasion of their state in remarkable numbers and with tremendous courage. Braving frigid temperatures, they’ve been demanding Minnesota’s corporations stand with their customers and staff and demand that ICE and Border Patrol leave the state.

Minnesota organizers have asked that the rest of us help turn up the heat on the state’s biggest regime-friendly corporations. Call or email Target, Hilton, Enterprise, Home Depot, and Delta Airlines to demand they take action to get ICE out of our communities FOR GOOD.

Whether they’re actively cooperating or keeping quiet in the face of ICE and Border Patrol brutality, each of these corporations is standing by as armed, masked secret police terrorize the communities in which they operate.

Details: https://www.facebook.com/groups/indivisiblesp

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