Carson Residents Fight Shell Oil

Assembly Member Warren Furutani recently held a Town Hall meeting for Carson Carousel residents. For the past five years residents have had their lives turned upside down since, in 2007, it was discovered that their homes were built on contaminated soil. Environmental testing revealed high levels of benzene and methane under hundreds of homes. The contamination was traced to Shell oil wells buried under the homes. Shell Oil Company operated a crude oil storage facility on the site from 1924 to 1966. The oil was stored in below-ground reservoirs lined with concrete, but some of that oil appears to have seeped into the soil and the groundwater.

Community members filled up the Wilmington Middle School cafeteria to voice their frustrations with their ongoing battle with Shell oil. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge William Highberger dismissed a negligence and nuisance lawsuit filed against Shell and the developers of the Carson Carousel housing tract. Representatives from the Los Angeles Water Quality Control Board, which is in charge of the clean-up efforts, say it won't be an easy task and may take up to ten years to complete. But many residents do not like the idea of having to wait that long for a solution.

Read full post HERE.

Wilmington Toxic Tours: Creating Environmental Awareness

As a resident of Wilmington, I feel taking a Toxic Tour is a great way to learn important history about our town that is not always readily available. A Toxic Tour takes you around town providing a history of refinery explosions, scrap-yard fires, and soil contamination - something that's not provided in the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce's newsletters. Many people don't know the history of oil wells in Wilmington and the health problems they have caused.

I know that although I have gotten used to the smell in the air, it is not healthy and is a result of pollution created by the ports, freeways, and refineries that surround my community. So on a Saturday morning in January 2011, I took my first Toxic Tour to learn more.

The Toxic Tour, organized by Communities for a Better Environment (CBE) and the Coalition for a Save Environment (CFASE), took residents to various sites in Wilmington that largely contribute to pollution: ConocoPhillips Oil Refinery, The Port of Los Angeles, Valero Refinery, Tesoro Refinery, Pick Your Part Scrap Yard, and other locations. The purpose of the tour was to provide community members a chance to see various sources of pollution, understand the health problems this pollution has caused, and learn ways that CBE, CFASE, and the community can fight back.

Read the full post HERE.

Republicans Launch Janice Hahn Attack Ads

Last week I received an official sample ballot in the mail for the upcoming elections, where Councilwoman Janice Hahn and Tea Party-backed Republican candidate Craig Huey will be running for California’s 36th Congressional Race seat.

Being a resident of Wilmington, I know that although we may not always like what Janice Hahn does, we seem to all agree that she is a capable politician. For me, the outcome of this election was an obvious one. A poll conducted by Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz & Associates in February showed that Janice Hahn was up, which may be the reason for recent distasteful ads.

On Friday evening, as I was driving home from work, I heard about an offensive and racist ad campaign against Hahn on KCRW . This ad was made to attack Hahn for a gang rehabilitation program she supported. The program allows ex-gang members to become employed, and help solve the gang problem by becoming part of gang prevention programs.

Republicans immediately distanced themselves from this video. Craig Huey said he had nothing to do with the ad and he disapproved of it reported Newsy. The ad was created by independent conservative filmmaker Ladd Ehlinger Jr, who is also responsible for Turn Right USA. Unfortunately, the video was not the only attack. On Tuesday, the National Republican Congressional Committee sent text messages to voters in the 36th District notifying them that "Councilwoman Janice Hahn helped steer tax $ to violent, inner city gang members."

I am tired of political ads continuing to use people of color as a way to create fear among voters. We are continuously marginalized and I believe the only way to stop this is to vote for candidates that do not support this type of attack system or have supporters that would make videos like this.

I definitely recommend everyone to look over the sample ballot and do research if needed. And of course, Go out and vote!

Elections are Tuesday, July 12th, exactly three weeks from today. Polls open at 7a.m. and close at 8p.m.

Local Eats- The Chowder Barge

Trying to beat the summer heat? Taste something new and stop by the Chowder Barge, located off Henry Ford Ave just south of Anaheim St. in Wilmington. Look out for the blue Barge sign off the intersection. This pearl first sunk it's anchor in Wilmington after being ousted of the Long Beach Harbor in 1988.

The Barge has been serving warm clam chowder, sizzling hamburgers, and battered fish for many years. Upon arrival, be prepared to hear pirate tales of the seven seas; as well as port workers talk about their day to day work.

Beat the scurvy with an ice-cold "Captain" size beer for only five bucks! The servers are very nice, and attentive to your order. Their juicy burgers are cooked to order, and come with a choice of clam chowder, chili, or fries on the side. Feeling lucky? Try one of their daily specials, which range from chili-cheese omelets to portobello mushroom burgers.


The tri-tip salad is a curious treat; not something normally eaten atop a floating barge. Whether you're in the neighborhood, on your lunch break, or you're thirsty for some bar talk with the local sailors, stop into the Chowder Barge. Its a hidden gem in the industrious area of our town. Its still relatively unknown among locals, and carries that hole-in-the-wall quality.

The Chowder Barge

611 N. Henry Ford Ave.

Wilmington, Ca. 310-830-7937

Wilmington Kicks-off First Relay for Life Event!

The American Cancer Society and the City of Wilmington will host a Menudo/Pancake Breakfast to kick-off the first Wilmington Relay for Life event. It will celebrate survivors and encourage community members to sign-up for Relay. The breakfast will be held at the Harbor Christian Center this Saturday June 18th, 9am-12pm. Menudo and Pancakes will each be sold for $5.

All money will be donated to the America Cancer Society. Information will be available on sponsorship, team registration, fund raising, luminaria and survivor participation. There will be a DJ and a raffle for some great prizes!

Please come and learn more about the Wilmington Relay for Life 2011.

Save the Date: Relay for Life Wilmington 2011 will be at Banning High School on August 20th-21st.

Relay for Life Wilmington Kick-off Breakfast

When	Saturday, June 18, 2011 9:00AM to 12:00PM
Where	Harbor Christian Center 1551 North Wilmington Blvd. Wilmington, CA 90744
Price	Menudo and Pancakes will each be sold for $5

Mi Vientre, Mi Voz/ My Womb, My Voice

• 1 in 2 Latinas becomes pregnant by the time they are 20.
• Latinas have the highest teen pregnancy rate and teen birth rate.
• The vast majority of teen pregnancies occur to Latinas living in California and Texas.

– The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy

Billboards have been posted in Los Angeles this week that read, “El lugar mas peligroso para un Latino es el vientre de su madre/The most dangerous place for a Latino is in their mother’s womb.” Facts about teen pregnancy have been twisted to perpetuate false stereotypes of Latina youth. This misrepresentation of young Latinas and their sexuality does not accurately represent the facts of their lived reality. There are social conditions that have led to the disproportionate rate of unplanned pregnancies in our community. The placement of these billboards is only emblematic of the continuous harassment of our young women, and in this instance, it is sponsored by the Latino Partnership for Conservative Principles.

I take great pride in growing up in a predominantly Latino community in Wilmington, CA. When looking at the numbers, I know they do not represent my community entirely. Wilmington is a low to middle income, immigrant neighborhood with low performing public schools and a lack of resources. However, if you scratch the surface, it is a neighborhood with rich cultural history, amazing resilience and is also deeply religious. Due to the religious attitudes toward sex, there is very clear messaging around abstinence until marriage. Yet, with the many teen pregnancies, it is clear that youth are not waiting to have sex. No one is talking with our youth about healthy relationships, their sexuality and about practicing safe sex.

Research has demonstrated, that evidence based comprehensive sex education programs that discuss both abstinence plus access to contraception are the most effective programs at reducing unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections among young people. There is even stigma around being prepared for something youth “shouldn’t be doing in the first place.” Once youth become young mothers they are additionally stigmatized because of their choices.

Only 1 in 10 abortion clinics are located in predominantly Latino neighborhoods. In Wilmington, we have limited access to a local hospital and clinics that provide comprehensive women’s services. Anyone that needs access to abortion services has to leave the city to find it. I believe that if more preventive service providers like Planned Parenthood existed in our neighborhoods we would see a reduction in unplanned teen pregnancy and an increase in prenatal care. Having access to contraception and active community outreach could really change things for our youth. Additionally, we must build and provide support services for young mothers and their children such as day care, career training programs, and access to a college education. Removing stigma around condoms use, contraceptive use and having safe spaces to discuss our sexuality would benefit all women in our communities.

Latinas who use their right to choose an abortion and those that choose to be mothers grow up alongside each other in the same communities, face similar obstacles and understand what it means to be a woman that is only defined by their body. To set Latinas who choose to access abortion services in direct opposition to the young mothers in our communities limits the understanding of the larger social problems in Latina’s lives. We face the same limited access to employment opportunities and to a quality education. Despite these obstacles, if we choose to do so, Latinas go on to raise beautiful children, become supportive partners, and statistically become the primary income earners in our households.

The only dangerous place for a Latina is in a society where biased billboards attempt to divide communities under false pretenses and bad stereotypes. The only dangerous place for a Latina is in a community with limited services. The only dangerous place for any woman is in a world where we try to control and stigmatize access to medically accurate information and services.


To learn more facts about Latina teen pregnancy:
http://www.thenationalcampaign.org/resources/pdf/FastFacts_TPChildbearing_Latinos.pdf

To access safe and comprehensive services near you:
http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-center/findCenter.asp

Fun Summer Activities @ the Wilmington Branch Public Library

Looking to plan some fun summer activities? ...don't forget to check out our great Wilmington Public Library. Some planned events include: Game Night, Summer Reading Club, Computer Classes, and many more!

Check out the calendar of events at:
http://www.lapl.org/branches/Branch.php?bID=10

Wilmington Waterfront Park Grand Opening!

It started in 1988 as an idea in the Wilmington Community Advisory Board, and today it has become a reality. The community was out in full force celebrating the Grand Opening of the Wilmington Waterfront Park. This 30 acre park doubles the amount of park space in Wilmington! Make sure to stop by and enjoy Wilmington's new beautiful green space. Below are a few snapshots of the opening ceremony.