Belmont Beacon
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2014 - OCTOBER 5, 2014
belmontbeacon.com
VOLUME 1, NO. 22
Governor signs ban of Confederate flag Rep. Schiff into law calls U.S. by Jennifer schlueter military strikes against ISIL ‘significant’
-Photo by Rockwell Hunter
Because the Confederate states, which favored slavery, promoted the Confederate flag during the Civil War, it is to many a sign of racism rather than Southern pride. When the mother of State Assemblyman
Isador Hall, D-Compton, spotted imitated Confederate money featuring the Confederate flag at the Capitol gift shop in Sacramento, her son decided to introduce bill AB 2444, with which he wants to “fend off the ugly hatred of rac-
ism”. The legislation, which prohibits “state agencies from selling or displaying items bearing the Confederate flag,” according to Al Jazeera, was signed into law Please see page 4
CSULB has 2nd lowest student debt among public regionals in West California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) has the second lowest student debt among regional public universities in the West according to U.S. News & World Report in its Best Colleges 2015 Guidebook. It was also ranked the fifth best public regional university in the West. “We are always honored and proud to receive such national recognition for our outstanding faculty, student and
alumni achievement. Of particular importance is how well we do in keeping student debt as low as possible,” said CSULB president Jane Close Conoley. “We will continue our commitment to emphasizing educational excellence, great value and commitment to student success that have always been a tradition at the Beach.” CSULB also was listed as having one of the top undergraduate engineering pro-
grams in the country among engineering schools whose highest degree is a bachelor’s or master’s degree. CSULB made the top 12 percent in the country in that category. Out of nearly 400 accredited undergraduate engineering programs in the nation, CSULB is listed at No. 47 with several other programs. The rankings are based on a survey of engineerPlease see page 2
Tuesday, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), a senior Member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, released the following statement after the President ordered strikes against ISIL and the Khorasan group in Syria Monday night: “Last night’s airstrikes against ISIL targets in Syria represent a significant expansion of the Administration’s efforts to degrade and ultimately defeat this new terrorist ‘state.’ The participation of Arab forces is especially important, not only to put an Arab face on the American led coalition, but also to cement their involvement in the longterm effort required to defeat ISIL. “The attack on the Khorasan group was also significant. On the Intelligence Committee we have long been aware of, and concerned with, the threat posed by this amalgam of core Al Qaeda from Afghanistan and Pakistan, the premier bomb-makers of AQAP, and abundant foreign recruits who can easily travel abroad to carry out attacks against Europe and United States. The Khorasan group and AQAP continue to be the most proximate threat to our nation. “This significant escalation of the military effort makes it all the more imperative for Congress to take up a new authorization to use force. The rationale given by the Administration, that its actions against ISIL can be justified by an authorization passed by Congress in the days after 9/11, is increasingly untenable, and Congress must not abdicate its responsibility. Congress should never have recessed with a war underway – we should take up this issue the moment we return to session.”
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Learn about new equipment available for people with hearing loss Toni Barrient , Hard of Hearing Community Representative of Telecommunications Access for the Deaf and Disabled Administrative Committee (TADDAC) will be guest speaker at the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) Long Beach/Lakewood Chapter on Thursday, October 9th, 2014, 6:30 p.m., Weingart Center, 5220 Oliva Avenue, Lakewood, CA 90712. Ms. Barrient will talk about the efforts she has made as a committee member and attendees will learn three things: 1) Who the Deaf and Disabled Administrative Committee (DDAC) is and why they exist; 2) Learn about new equipment being made available especially for people with hearing loss; 3) Where to go and what to do if you have an issue with the service/devices or if you would like to recommend a product or service. Both the Telecommunications Access for the Deaf and Disabled Administrative Committee (TADDAC) and the Equipment Program Advisory Committee (EPAC) make recommendations to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) and to the State of California. Committee members provide input regarding the telecommunications equipment and relay
services for Californians who are certified as having limitations of seeing, hearing, speaking, remembering, or moving. Meetings are held once a month and are open to the public. The public knows the telecommunications program under several names such as: California Phones, California Telephone Access Program (CTAP), California Relay Service (CRS) and Speechto-Speech. Ms. Barrient feels this would be an ideal opportunity to get feedback about the California Telephone Access Program from members and attendees. No reservations are necessary and admission is free. All meetings are Captioned with CART (Communication Access Realtime Translation) and the hearing induction loop. For more information, please call 562-438-0597 or visit www.hlalongbeachlakewood.org. Light refreshments are served. Hearing Loss Association, Long Beach/Lakewood Chapter is a support group offering education on coping skills and resources to people with hearing loss to help survive in a hearing world. HLAA meets at 6:30 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month at the Weingart Center, 5220 Oliva Avenue, Lakewood, CA.
Gun violence prevention law Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr. has signed into law a bill reinstating a pilot program authorizing specified City Attorneys, including Los Angeles, to evict tenants who unlawfully possess or sell illegal firearms or ammunition on the premises. The pilot program sunset on January 1, 2014. AB 2310, authored by Assembly Member Sebastian RidleyThomas and Assembly Member Roger Dickinson, was sponsored by Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer. It passed both houses of the Legislature with overwhelming bipartisan support. “This law provides my Office with an important tool that will help keep communities safe from illegal guns,” said City Attorney Feuer. “We have effectively used this approach in the past and expect to employ in our future work to prevent gun violence.” “Neighborhood safety is a top priority for every community in California,” said Assembly Member Sebastian Ridley-Thomas. “Residents cannot be safe in their homes and apartments when persons possess illegal weapons or engage in unlawful
firearms and ammunition sales from their rented units. I applaud Governor Jerry Brown for signing AB 2310 into law to provide city attorneys and landlords with an effective tool to evict tenants who possess illegal weapons or sell guns and ammunition from the homes or apartments they rent. This effort has been particularly successful in Los Angeles due to the diligent neighborhood safety efforts advanced by Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer. Illegal weapons and unlawful weapons dealings have no place in our neighborhoods.” AB 2310 authorizes the City Attorney to notify the property owner of a weapon or ammunition related crime committed on the premises by the tenant and requires the property owner to evict that tenant. The City Attorney also notifies the tenant of the City’s ability to begin the eviction process. If the property owner fears for his/her safety, the bill authorizes the City Attorney to bring an unlawful detainer action on the owner’s behalf, helping shield landlords from retaliatory threats or violent reprisals.
2nd lowest student debt at CSULB Continued from page 1
ing deans and senior faculty at all accredited programs. Adding private institutions to the mix, CSULB ranked 33rd overall among all colleges and universities in the West, a region made up of 13 states from Texas to California to Washington and includes Alaska and Hawaii. The 2014 “Best Colleges” guide provides a look at how some 1,600 accredited fouryear schools compare on a set of up to 16 indicators of excellence based on a number of categories, including assessment by administrators at peer institutions, graduation and retention rates of students, student selectivity and alumni giving. The indicators also include input measures that reflect a school’s student body,
its faculty and its financial resources. The guide’s editors say they rate U.S. colleges and universities in an effort to assist students with one of the most important decisions of their lives—choosing the right college. Studies seem to back up that thinking. Using data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, research shows that those with a college degree earn nearly twice as much as those with just a high school diploma. The wage gap is even larger when comparing those with master’s or doctoral degrees to those with just a high school diploma. The print edition of the “Best Colleges 2015″ guidebook can be purchased online now or on newsstands.
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Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department launch a body worn camera pilot program The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has long recognized the advancement in body worn camera technology as a useful and practical tool for enhancing public trust and increased transparency. In addition, it is also a valuable way to obtain better video and audio evidence while providing a law enforcement perspective. In July 2013, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department began plans for performing a no-cost test and evaluation of a Body Worn Camera System. After completing extensive research and a request for information procurement process, four manufacturers were selected to participate in the pilot program, which was formally initiated on Monday, September 1, 2014. The six month pilot program will evaluate the feasibility of utilizing a Body Worn Camera System for Sheriff’s Department personnel to record interactions with citizens, the specifications for the procurement of a Body Worn Camera System device, file management software, cloud-based storage solution and an evaluation of future Department policy. The pilot program will also identify the strengths and weaknesses associated with the use of a Body Worn Camera System in a law enforcement capacity. The evaluation will be performed at four Sheriff’s patrol stations which include: Lancaster Station, Temple Station, Century Station, and Carson Station. The Deputies who participate in this pilot program are voluntary. Each Deputy will be provided training on the use of the device, maintenance, uploading video files, retrieving video files for viewing and evidence and protocols for utilization. Deputies will provide weekly evaluations to the Department project manager about their experiences and opinions. A total of 96 Body Worn Camera System devices will be
issued to Department personnel. The devices will also be tested in several side-by-side comparison tests by the Department’s Training Bureau. At the end of the test phase, which concludes on March 1, 2015, the Sheriff’s Department will prepare an assessment report and recommendation for potential future procurement and deployment of a Body Worn Camera System by Sheriff’s Department personnel. “The Body Worn Camera system is the next step in the modern evolution of law enforcement technology. Just as radios and computers have become common place in law
enforcement, these camera systems will be utilized by law enforcement as a matter of routine. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is systematically researching and testing these systems as well as developing policies and a process to manage the thousands of hours of video data that will be collected each year that will be needed in future law enforcement efforts,” said Project Director Chief Bob Denham. For more information please contact Public Information Officer Nicole Nishida at (323) 810-1973 or Sheriff’s Headquarters Bureau at (323) 267-4800.
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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Air Pollution continues decline at Port Diesel air pollution from ships, trucks, trains and other big machines at the Port of Long Beach has declined by 82 percent since 2005, a comprehensive air quality analysis has found. The report – which focuses on 2013 – shows seven straight years of steadily declining air pollution from goods movement in the harbor area. Compared to emissions levels in 2005 — when the Port adopted its Green Port Policy — all of the key air pollutants from port-related sources have declined in 2013. In addition to the drop in diesel emissions, smog-forming nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides have been cut 54 percent and 90 percent respectively. Emissions from Port operations have plunged even as shipping activity has increased slightly, with containerized cargo up 0.3 percent since 2005. Air pollution reductions are due to the ongoing shift to bigger ships that carry more cargo more efficiently, as well as newer ships with cleaner engines, increased utilization of on-dock rail and shore power, and regulations requiring ships to use cleaner, lower sulfur fuel in their engines. Other efforts, like the Clean Trucks Program,
-Courtesy Photo
have also helped to cut emissions. “The Port of Long Beach is able to achieve these reductions through its deep commitment to environmental improvement and sustainability. And we want to bring more zero-emissions technology to the Port and continue to be the world’s greenest seaport,” said Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners President Doug Drummond. The report released Monday examined data from 2013. The study’s results were reviewed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the California Air Resources Board and the South Coast Air Quality Management District. The annual analysis of air pollution from port sources ― literally an “emissions inventory” ― is conducted to check the Port’s progress in improving air quality. For the complete emissions inventory, go to www.polb.com/ emissions. The Port of Long Beach is a recognized industry leader in environmental stewardship worldwide. The more than $180 billion in trade flowing through the Port of Long Beach each year creates more than 300,000 jobs in the Southern California region.
State law enacted to allow city clerks to perform civil marriage ceremonies On Friday, September 19, 2014, Governor Brown signed AB 1525 by Assemblymember Bonnie Lowenthal into State law. This bill was sponsored by the City of Long Beach and allows City Clerks to perform marriages, thus enhancing civic engagement in the process. “This is a great day for Long Beach, love, and equality,” said Mayor Robert Garcia. “I am proud that City Clerks can begin offering civil marriages. I want to thank the State Legislature and Governor Brown for enacting this law.” When the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Proposition 8 ban on same-sex marriages in June 2013, the Los Angeles County RegistrarRecorder granted temporary authority to allow local City Clerks in Long Beach to conduct civil marriage ceremonies for all couples wishing to
get married. This temporary, two-month authority was enormously popular. The Long Beach City Clerk Department was able to solemnize 65 civil wedding ceremonies during this time, and City Clerk Larry Herrera-Cabrera is ready to solemnize more marriages for couples who are interested in making Long Beach City Hall their wedding destination. “This is great news for couples in Long Beach!” says Assemblymember Bonnie Lowenthal. “In just a few months, wedding bells will ring at City Hall and we’ll have one more reason to celebrate.” Couples wishing to get married at Long Beach City Hall can take advantage of this new law, beginning at midnight on January 1, 2015. Appointments can be made with the Long Beach City Clerk’s Office by calling 562-570-6101.
California bans Confederate flag Continued from page 1
last Thursday by Governor Jerry Brown. For Hall and others, the flag symbolizes racism, hatred, and is meant to intimidate. In August, the California State Assembly supported the law 66-1 proving to Hall that legislators were “standing together united to fend off the ugly hatred of racism that’s been portrayed and demonstrated through the emblem of the Confederacy.” Republican Tim Donnelly told the Los Angeles Times that because he is a “strict Constitutionalist,” he sees the law interfering with the right to free speech. Al Jazeera reported that “other lawmakers argued that the legislation does not violate free-speech rights because it only applies to formal actions of government officials and agencies. Moreover, the law allows for the
flag to be used for historical or educational purposes and does not apply to people on state property.” John Mc Worther of the Daily Beast believes that there are more important steps to take against racism than banning the Confederate flag, for example, addressing the issue of police brutality against African-Americans: “When we talk about ’fending off’ racism, we need to fend off the kind of thing that happened to people like Michael Brown, John Crawford, Eric Garner, and Ezell Ford all within the past month’s time. Make an America where this sort of thing isn’t routine, and maybe then we can get to worrying our heads over flags. And yet, even then, I highly suspect most of us wouldn’t really even feel the need to bother.”