San Pedro Central

After spending more than $14 million to build an elaborate fountain with synchronized lights and music, the Port of Los Angeles apparently forgot to include one thing: “No swimming” signs. To the surprise and concern of harbor officials, many San Pedro residents have begun taking dips in the new fountain at First Street and Harbor Boulevard that is part of a waterfront improvement project, reports the Daily Breeze.

Kids (and reportedly a few adults and one dog) have been making use of the pond to find relief from the heat. Some have been spotted bringing beach towels along as they make a special trip to the pond.

Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Geraldine Knatz said she wanted to put a fence around the fountain to prevent any mishaps. Instead, the port installed some last minute “No swimming” signs to keep bathers at bay.

The fountain and its choreographed light and music shows won’t be officially dedicated until July 25. If you can’t make it, then watch a YouTube video posted by a fountain fan as the attraction sprays water back and forth in tune to the song “Theme From ‘A Summer Place’.”

– Jesus Sanchez

I was personally wondering what the construction at the intersection of 6th and Harbor Blvd. is so I decided to do some digging around.  I found the comment below from www.sanpedrowaterfront.com.

The overall goal of the improvements at the Downtown Plaza is to create a revitalized, attractive, and easily accessible pedestrian-oriented plaza in front of the Maritime Museum and to enhance the pedestrian connectivity throughout the area. Sidewalks would be widened by approximately 5 feet along Sampson Way between 5th Street and 7th Street. Curbs along the streets may be removed and replaced with low-profile rounded curbs. The crosswalks within the intersection at 6th Street and Harbor Boulevard would be ground down and resurfaced with colored concrete. Existing pedestrian walkways in the downtown area will be improved with new concrete treatments, and the surrounding hardscape will be removed and replaced with new landscaping. Additional project elements in this portion of the project area include painting the existing topsail building, upgrading portions of the surrounding fence, re-grading surrounding hardscape, and installing a graphic display that will outline the cutline for the proposed future harbor.

Located just two blocks from San Pedro Harbor is historic LaSalle Lofts, a new mixed-use development that marries the historic elegance of the former 1920’s built LaSalle Hotel with today’s modem
conveniences opened its sales doors today. You can find them on San Pedro La Salle Lofts Website.

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ABC Listens to San Pedro Video

The new $18.7 million Harbor Area Animal Shelter in San Pedro opens Saturday with festivities, including music, pet adoptions and tours. (Robert Casillas / Staff Photographer)

There are trees and grass, high-tech medical clinics and spacious offices with lots of natural light.

Gone are the dark, cramped kennels where prospective pet owners had to “walk the gauntlet” surrounded by barking dogs, crowded sometimes five or six deep in a kennel space.

San Pedro’s new, state-of-the-art animal shelter took longer to build than anticipated. But those who have seen it agree: It was well worth the wait.

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The Port of Los Angeles is offering free boat tours to the public on Saturday and Sunday, May 17 and 18, in celebration of World Trade Week 2008. The hour-long tours of the nation’s number one containerport will depart both days between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. from Ports O’ Call Village, 1100 Nagoya Way in San Pedro, and Banning’s Landing Community Center, 100 E. Water Street in Wilmington.

The Port sponsors the free, fully-narrated tours each year to keep community members up-to-date about the latest Port developments, driving home the importance of international trade to everyday living.

Stroll the scenic Los Angeles Cruise Ship Promenade with its colorful public art, and the Harbor Boulevard Parkway with ’story rope’ narratives. Tour the World War II warship S.S. Lane Victory docked at the Promenade, and visit the Los Angeles Maritime Museum at Sixth Street and Sampson Avenue. Sightseers can enjoy free rides on the Waterfront Red Car Line to all these attractions. Afterward, enjoy the lunch at one of the many international restaurants located in historic downtown San Pedro.

Reservations are not required for the free boat tours, which will board on a first-come, first-served basis. Wheelchair access is available at each departure point. Information about the Port’s World Trade Week Boat Tours program is available 24 hours a day on the Port’s toll-free special events line at (800) 831-PORT or call (310) 732-3508 during normal business hours.

World Trade Week is a national, month-long program of tours, seminars and other events to educate the public about the significance of international trade to the local economy. For information about other local World Trade Week activities, call the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce at (213) 580-7569, or visit the official event website at www.worldtradeweek.com.

Click here to go back to the Port of Los Angeles homepage.

LOS ANGELES, April 8, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The following was released today by the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO:

WHAT: As gas prices continue to skyrocket, the prices of groceries continue to increase and families are running a greater risk of losing their homes to foreclosure, workers in Los Angeles are taking a stand. Many from various industries including janitors, actors, longshore workers, port drivers and college professors will begin a three day march (April 15-17th) that will take them from Hollywood, where actors represented by Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) face a joint contract negotiation, to the Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro, where Longshore workers represented by the International Longshore Warehouse Union (ILWU) face contract negotiations in July. (more…)

L.A.’s high-tech Automated Traffic Surveillance and Control system is coming to San Pedro and Wilmington. The system — started during L.A.’s great victory against traffic (the 1984 Olympics) — now covers about 70% of the city, according to the Breeze:

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The first of a series of “Meet the Grunion” programs begins in March and continues through July. Watch the silvery fish come up on the beach to spawn. Learn about grunion and the interesting mating rituals of this curious fish. The aquarium opens at 8 pm and an auditorium program begins at 9. Warm clothing and a flashlight are recommended. (more…)

Consumers nationwide are about to get an in-depth look at the complex, water-borne supply chain that stocks America’s store shelves and often runs through the Port of Los Angeles, the nation’s largest container port. On Sunday, April 6, 2008, at 10 p.m. ET/PT, before moving to its regular time of Mondays at 10 p.m. ET/PT, the National Geographic Channel (NGC) premieres America’s Port, a new eight-part weekly series that delivers an insider’s view of the massive Port of Los Angeles complex and the intrepid individuals charged with keeping it running smoothly and securely 365 days a year.

While Los Angeles is known more for entertainment than global trade, 20 miles south of downtown L.A. is
one the most important trade gateways in the world. It’s a city within a city, brimming with a workforce of
thousands and potential crises ‘round the clock: longshoremen urgently offloading cargo; customs officials
investigating suspicious containers; a port pilot circumnavigating busy and unpredictable waterways; police
divers searching for missing persons; a counterterrorism chief inspecting target points — and a tireless
woman at the helm of the Los Angeles Harbor Department.
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