Hawthorne Press Tribune
Herald Publications - Inglewood, Hawthorne, Lawndale, El Segundo, Torrance & Manhattan Beach Community Newspapers Since 1911 - Circulation 30,000 - Readership 60,000 (310) 322-1830 - August 23, 2018
Inside
This Issue
Calendar of Events.............3
Certified & Licensed
Professionals.......................7
Classifieds............................3
Entertainment......................2
Food.......................................5
Hawthorne Happenings....3
Lawndale..............................4
Legals............................. 4,6,7
Pets........................................8
Weekend
Forecast
City Gets a SpaceX Sculpture
A sculpture representing a replica of the SpaceX Falcon Heavy was presented to the City of Hawthorne by the artist Ms. Goodman last week. Photo Courtesy of City of Hawthorne.
Heavy Foot Traffic Convinces
DMV to Open on Saturday
By Rob McCarthy
Welcome to the Department of Motor Vehicles.
Watch for slowing ahead.
The department notorious for its long
lines and agonizing wait times is now open
on Saturdays in Hawthorne and Culver City.
The DMV began its extended hours in early
August, a move necessitated by a surge in
applications for the new federally approved
driver’s license and ID card.
Not all DMV offices are open on Saturdays,
and weekend services do not include driving
tests. Still, South Bay residents who can’t
resolve their vehicle or licensing transactions
online can visit these DMV offices from 8
a.m. to 5 p.m. any Saturday. The extended
hours started on Aug. 6.
DMV Director Jean Shimoto echoed the
sentiments of many drivers and vehicle owners
who’ve spent hours waiting for their numbers
to be called at the motor vehicle licensing office.
“Today’s wait times are unacceptable and
we are continuing to take action to improve
service for all Californians,” Shimoto said in
announcing Saturday hours at 60 DMV offices
around the state.
Behind-the-wheel driving tests won’t be offered
as part of the Saturday effort to deliver
motor vehicle services at a faster clip, the
department announced last week. The Legislature
released $16.6 million in late July to
hire 500 more DMV employees. They’ve been
assigned to the busiest field offices, a department
spokesperson said. It’s unknown how
many of the new hires are in the South Bay.
The DMV said it’s using employees from
its headquarters to staff the busiest district
offices. The department also relaxed the rules
against food and drink inside DMV buildings.
To head off problems caused by missing documentation
and paperwork, DMV employees
will be stationed outside to assist customers
and answer questions before they reach the
check-in counter.
No longer will DMV customers need to
stick around inside the building and risk losing
their place in line if they step outside.
The DMV announced a text message service
that alerts customers before their number is
called. Another technology being added at
local DMV offices are handheld devices for
people to fill out a license application if they
don’t have a smartphone.
What’s driving this innovation and attention
to customer service at one of the state’s busiest
departments? It’s the REAL ID driver’s
license and identification card that can be
used at airports and federal buildings to pass
through checkpoints more quickly. California
initially resisted issuing the REAL ID licenses
and cards, as did several states that wanted
more time to comply.
Under the REAL ID Act, the California
DMV must meet requirements set by the
U.S. Department of Homeland Security for
its driver’s licenses and identification cards to
be accepted for federal purposes. California
began issuing the Real IDs on Jan. 22. Current
driving licenses and identification cards
will be accepted at TSA airport checkpoints
until Oct. 1, 2020, according to the DMV.
TSA agents will allow passengers to board
domestic flights if the travelers produce photo
identification other than a driver’s license,
the DMV explained ahead of the Jan. 22
implementation of REAL ID. California had
postponed implementing the federal REAL ID
after Congress passed a 2005 law requiring
all states to comply with post-9/11 security
requirements for driver’s licenses and ID cards.
California was one of 21 states that received an
extension from the Department of Homeland
Security. The extension expired a year ago.
The consequence for not meeting the federal
deadline of Jan. 1, 2018 was that passengers
from California would have been required
immediately to show an alternative form of
acceptable identification at TSA checkpoints,
according the Department of Homeland
Security’s website. Other acceptable forms
of federal identification for anyone without
a REAL ID include a valid U.S. or foreign
government-issued passport or U.S. passport
card, or a military ID, according to authorities.
A permanent resident or border-crossing
card, and a Department of Homeland Security
Trusted Traveler card also are valid.
Children under 18 aren’t required to get the
new identification cards. TSA does not require
minors to provide identification when traveling
with a companion within the United States.
Drivers can wait for their renewal notices to
arrive before applying for the federally compliant
licenses. Applications for REAL ID must
be made in person and cannot be processed
by mail. Applicants are advised to save time
by scheduling an appointment.
Residents do not need a REAL ID to drive
-- just to fly or enter a secure federal building
or military base. U.S. citizens and all legal
residents are eligible to apply for one. The cost
of a federally compliant license vs. a traditional
California one is the same: $35. A DMV-issued
identification card is $30 for either type.
The DMV reminds customers that many
transactions can be completed without visiting
a field office, including vehicle registration and
driver’s license renewals. People can save time
by booking an appointment and filling out
the driver’s license application online before
they visit a field office. The DMV website
at http://www.dmv.ca.gov lists online services
and office hours. •
Friday
Partly
Cloudy
76˚/66˚
Saturday
Sunny
76˚/66˚
Sunday
Sunny
76˚/66˚
The Weekly Newspaper of Hawthorne