Belmont Beacon
MONDAY, JULY 21, 2014 - JULY 27, 2014
belmontbeacon.com
VOLUME 1, NO. 12
New mayor Garcia: “I’m really excited Harbor to be mayor in a city I love so much” Commission by Jennifer schlueter approves Last Tuesday afternoon, port budget Long Beach swore in its new mayor. 36-year old Robert Garcia replaces former mayor Bob Foster, who had been in office for 8 years. The youngest mayor in Long Beach’s history told abc: “Being 36 also gives me a different perspective. I understand what technology does, how technology can change our city, I understand what we have to do.” He added: “I have the energy to make sure that we are competing for those jobs in the region, the economic engine of really the U.S. is the port of Long Beach and Los Angeles, so understanding that and moving the city forward, I think that’s why I got elected.” The swearing-in ceremony of the new mayor at the Terrace Theater opened with a mariachi band which also incorporated a Peruvian song for Lima-born Garcia. Council members Lena Gonzalez, Stacy Mungo, Suzie Price, Rex Richardson and Roberto Uranga, and City Attorney Charles Parkin, City Auditor Laura Doud and City Prosecutor Doug Haubert also gave their public oaths to take
Capital improvement projects move ahead with $579 million in funding
Professional category by the American Public Health Association (APHA), which is the lead organizer for National Public Health Week, held each year in April to recognize the contributions of public health and highlight issues that are important to improve the public’s health.
The Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners on Monday, July 14, approved an $858 million budget for the Port of Long Beach in the upcoming fiscal year, with twothirds of the spending set aside for a robust building and modernization program. For the fiscal year starting Oct. 1, 2014, the Harbor Department plans to spend $579 million on capital projects -- part of a decade-long, $4 billion investment in Port upgrades and efficiency improvements. The ongoing Desmond Bridge Replacement Project and Middle Harbor Terminal Redevelopment will continue to be the Port’s largest construction projects. The budget was unanimously approved by the Commission and will be presented to the Long Beach City Council for approval. With ports throughout North America working to increase their market share, Port of Long Beach revenues are projected to remain level with the current fiscal year. The spending plan reflects the Port’s commitment to boosting its competitiveness in the long term by rebuilding and replacing outdated facilities and infrastructure.
Please see page 4
Please see page 4
New mayor Robert Garcia. -Courtesy Photo
office. California Attorney General Kamala Harris swore Garcia into the office of mayor. According to the Press Telegram, Tuesday day was the second best in his life, after
the day he became an American citizen. “For many years as soon Please see page 2
Long Beach Health Department recognized for social media efforts during National Public Health Week The Long Beach Health Department has received a national award for using social media to engage its community partners and staff, and has been selected to present its social media strategies during a national public health convention later this year. “Our Health Department promotes, protects, and preserves public health throughout
our community, and I am very pleased that our Health Department received this national recognition,” Mayor Bob Foster said. “Public Health Week highlights the importance of our Health Department’s work throughout the city, and with our partners.” The Health Department received the Grand Prize award in the Public Health
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FCC votes to expand internet access for schools and libraries State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson applauded a ruling by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Friday that marks a major step toward preparing students for the global economy by expanding Internet access for schools and libraries. The FCC voted today to modernize the E-rate program and boost support for wireless connectivity for schools and libraries. This action is designed to expand wireless access, make Erate dollars go further, and deliver faster, simpler, and more efficient applications and other processes. Known formally as the federal Schools and Libraries Program, E-rate established a surcharge on long-distance telephone bills in 1997 that provides discounts to assist schools and libraries in obtaining affordable telecommunications and Internet access. “Our schools, society, and economy thrive on interconnectivity,” Torlakson said. “Today’s action will not only help narrow the digital divide among students, but also help us reach and teach every
-Photo by Terry Miller
child so they will be prepared for the world that awaits them.” Torlakson has championed efforts to update E-rate. In March 2012, he convened his Education Technology Task Force to bring 21st century tools into California's classrooms so that no child is left offline. He has also brought together other state superintendents via the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) to work together on this issue. Last September, Torlakson went to Washington, D.C., to push for increased federal assistance to provide broadband access for all students and schools across California. While there, he co-chaired the CCSSO's Digital Learning Task Force to discuss and meet with members of the FCC, the White House, and the U.S. Department of Education. He also met with U.S. Senators to discuss E-rate. In June of last year, President Barack Obama proposed modernizing the E-rate program as part of his ConnectED initiative, which Torlakson at the time called "a huge step in the right direction." The FCC opened a public comment period soon afterward. Torlakson encouraged local superintendents and other education stakeholders across California to weigh in, and the California Department of Education also submitted its comments. Among the state's priorities are expanding the program;
making it easier to apply for and receive funding; ensuring the flexibility to take advantage of future technologies; distributing funding according to highest-priority needs; and allowing for adequate bandwidth to support wireless access as schools continue moving toward a one-to-one computer ratio. For more information on to-
day’s vote, visit the Federal Communications Commission’s Web site. For information on how the state uses the Schools and Libraries Program and the California Teleconnect Fund to provide telecommunications discounts to ¬-schools in the state, visit the California Department of Education’s E-rate Web page.
New mayor Robert Garcia Continued from page 1
as [my family was] able to get to this country, we wanted to be Americans,” Garcia told a crowd at the inauguration. “We wanted to be just like everybody else. We worked hard, we never asked for much, but with faith and hard work, we always got by.” At the age of 5, Garcia immigrated to the United States and was raised in Covina, before coming to this city in the 1990’s to attend Cal State Long Beach. Receiving a bachelor’s degree in communications studies made him the first college graduate in his family. After his master’s degree in communication management and his doctorate in higher education from the University of Southern California, Garcia became more and more involved in the community. Besides founding an online news website for Long Beach in 2007, becoming a city council member in 2009, and serving as vice mayor since 2012, Garcia is the chair of the Long Beach Housing Authority and the Long Beach Public Safety Committee. According to the Los Angeles Times, Long Beach’s first Latino and openly gay mayor understands “that for certain communities … this is a historic moment and a point of pride. But,” he adds: “I ran to be the mayor of all of Long Beach, regardless of the color of their skin, or who they love, or what part of the city they’re from.” The city is now represented by a new, very diverse, nine-member council including women and men from various ethnical backgrounds, i.e. Latino, black, Indian,
and Iranian. 8th District Councilman Al Austin told the Press Telegram: “This is what Long Beach looks like. This is what diversity looks like.” Prior the inauguration ceremony, the new council voted Suja Lowenthal to fill Garcia’s former position as vice mayor. The 2nd District Councilwoman succeeded Austin by only 1 vote in a 5-4 decision. Garcia, who defeated Damon Dunn in the mayoral race in June, wants to focus on Long Beach’s budget first: “I’ll be making all of my budget recommendations next week [Tuesday]. Once the budget’s done, I [will] announce on Wednesday all the city council appointments and committees. On Friday I’m doing my first policy speech at Cal State Long Beach,” he told the Press Telegram. Garcia hopes to save the city’s $3 million surplus this fiscal year rather than running up debts. Additionally he want to help the 20 percent of Long Beach’s residents who live below the poverty level: “Every one in five of our neighbors are below the poverty level,” he said. “We need to, we all want to help these people,” he told the Gazette. Over all, he has a bright outlook on Long Beach’s future: “I want to make sure Long Beach is the city of the future, that we’re prepared to meet all of the challenges of the new economy, the changing economy, that we’re attracting high-tech jobs, good jobs, for all of our residents,” he said according to abc.
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CBP intercepts 67 extremely invasive giant African snails at LAX Live mollusks arriving from Nigeria were destined for Los Angeles area
U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP) agriculture specialists at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) inspected an air cargo shipment declared as 67 live snails. Accompanying paperwork described them as Achatina Fulica for human consumption. They arrived from Lagos, Nigeria in two plastic basket packages weighing slightly more than 35 pounds in total and were destined for San Dimas, California. After submitting an urgent sample to United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Plant Protection and Quarantine entomologists, their acting national mollusk specialist in Washington, D.C., identified them as Giant African Snails - scientifically known as Archachatina (Calachatina) marginata var. ovum (Pfeiffer) (Achatinidae). CBP received notification of this on July 7. Native to Africa, their other commonly known names are Giant African Land Snail, West African Snail, West African Land Snail, Banana Rasp Snail, and Margie. “This significant interception of Giant African Snails is the first time this pest has been encountered in such large quantity and as a consumption entry by CBP in Los Angeles. It exemplifies how CBP agriculture specialists protect our nation’s agriculture from the introduction of threatening foreign pests, plants and diseases,” said Todd C. Owen, CBP director of field operations in Los Angeles. USDA emphasized the importance of safeguarding this shipment of one of the most extremely damaging snail species. Thereafter, CBP transferred the shipment to USDA’s local Plant Inspection Station for final disposition.
These pests are a very serious threat to our agriculture, natural ecosystem, public health and economy. They can consume more than 500 types of plants and, if vegetables or fruits are not available, will even eat the paint and stucco off of houses. They can be carriers of several parasites which are harmful to humans, one of which can lead to meningitis. Being one of the world’s largest land snails, these mollusks can reach up to about eight inches long, about five inches in diameter and may
live up to 10 years. Suggested preventative measures include strict quarantine to prevent introduction and further spread. CBP: U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation’s borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.
Long Beach Office 3780 Kilroy Airport Way Suite 360 Long Beach, CA 90806 Ph. (562) 472-0071 Fx. (562) 689-0071 Los Angeles Office 5701 South Eastern Avenue Suite 100 Los Angeles, CA 90040 Ph. (323) 727-1144 Fx. (323) 727-9198 www.heger-industrial.com Lic. #00814086
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Long Beach Police seeking the public’s help in identifying armed robbery suspect
-Courtesy Photos
The Long Beach Police Department is asking for the public’s help in identifying a suspect who committed a robbery to a local business. On Wednesday, July 9, 2014, at approximately 6:30 P.M., the suspect entered a local business in the 100 block of Linden Avenue. The suspect approached one of the employees and had a brief conversation with the employee. During the course of the conversation, the suspect brandished a knife and demanded money from the employee. The employee was in immediate fear for their safety, opened the cash register and handed the suspect money. Thankfully, the employee was not injured. The suspect was last seen
running north on Linden Avenue from the business. During the course of the investigation detectives obtained videotape evidence of the suspect entering the business. The suspect is described as a black male, approximately 50 years old, wearing a black cap, a blue and white plaid colored shirt and blue jeans. Anyone with information on the suspect or his whereabouts is urged to contact Long Beach Police Robbery Detective Don Collier at (562) 570-7464 or (562) 570-5537. Anonymous tips may be submitted by calling 1-800-222TIPS (8477), texting TIPLA plus your tip to CRIMES (274637), or visiting www.lacrimestoppers.org.
Port budget approved Continued from page 1
“The Port will continue to provide excellent seaport services and build the port of the future,” said Doug Drummond, President of the Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners. “The Port will remain a vital economic engine for both the regional and national economies.” The Harbor Department receives no taxpayer revenue to operate. Port operations are supported by income from terminal leases and fees charged to terminal companies and shipping lines for moving cargo through the Port. The budget projects operating revenue of $346.8 million. The approved budget adds 28 new full-time positions, which include 20 in Engineering to support ongoing capital
improvements, and six to enhance Port Security operations. The budget also includes funding of more than $30 million for environmental programs and projects such as technologyadvancement demonstrations of a barge-based pollution-control system for ships at berth and an electric truck overhead “catenary” system. The Port of Long Beach is one of the world’s premier seaports, a gateway for transPacific trade and a trailblazer in goods movement and environmental stewardship. With 140 shipping lines connecting Long Beach to 217 seaports, the Port handles $180 billion in trade annually, supporting thousands of Southern California jobs.
Harbor Pier A -Courtesy Photo
Social media efforts recognition Continued from page 1
“We were very excited to be recognized nationally for the efforts of our Department,” said Kelly Colopy, Health Department Director. “The Public Health Week planning committee came up with great ideas for engaging staff and community members with social media and other marketing.” Outreach efforts included a video on the Health Department’s YouTube channel, posts on the Health Department’s Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram sites, and daily bulletins for staff. The Health Department also held several activities during National Public Health Week to build stronger connections throughout the health
community, including the first Public Health Week conference sponsored by local partners. The Health Department will present its social media strategies during the APHA’s 2014 Annual Meeting in New Orleans in November. Long Beach Health Department Social Media Facebook: www.facebook. com/lbdhhs Twitter: @longbeachdhhs Instagram: @longbeachhealth YouTube: www.youtube. com/longbeachhealth For more information about the City’s social media efforts, visit www.longbeach. go/socialmedia