The Weekly Newspaper of Torrance
Herald Publications - Torrance, El Segundo, Manhattan Beach, Hawthorne, Lawndale, & Inglewood Community Newspapers Since 1911 - (310) 322-1830 - Vol. 8, No. 4 - January 25, 2018
Inside
This Issue
Weekend
Forecast
Torrance Rose Float Association
Recognized by County Board
On Jan. 16, Supervisor Janice Hahn presented a proclamation to the Torrance Rose Float Association (TRFA) for another winning Float at the 2018 Tournament of Roses Parade. In attendance were Torrance
Mayor Pat Furey, Bev Findley-TRFA President, Lynn Robinson-TRFA Vice-President, Carol Gilles-Secretary, Mary Hoffman-Treasurer, and Michelle Polcari-Director of Volunteers. Mayor Furey congratulated
TRFA and its awesome volunteers who worked tirelessly to perfectly decorate the float in record time. (Content/Photo Provided by Carol Gilles).
City to Begin Issuing RFP for New
Emergency Operations Center at Airport
By Cristian Vasquez
On Tuesday, the Torrance City Council
moved forward with department head recommendations
To Catch a Thief…
Dear Readers,
We’ve been getting calls and emails
telling us that someone is taking the whole
stack of our community newspaper the Torrance
Tribune out of our newspaper racks,
which are located throughout Torrance.
We greatly thank all our readers who
have alerted us to this situation and we
have taken steps to address this crime.
Yes, crime. The newspapers may be free
to the public, but you can’t take a whole
stack or bundle. It’s a misdemeanor crime
under California Code, Penal Code 490.7
and the first violation is $250.
Under this code, our legislature saw
that free newspapers provide a key
source of information to the public and
that unauthorized theft of multiple copies
of free newspapers -- whether done
to sell them to recycling centers, injure
a business competitor, deprive others of
the opportunity to read them, or for any
other reason -- hurts the readers, writers
and publishers while also impoverishing
the marketplace of ideas in California.
We have met with the Torrance Police
Department and asked storeowners and
employees at the locations we are aware
of this happening to keep their eyes open.
If anyone else sees this happening at any
of our 57 rack locations, please email me
at web@heraldpublications.com.
We appreciate everyone’s help on this.
Community members, store managers,
employees and the Torrance Police
Department have all been wonderful in
trying to help us stop this. Thank you.
Heidi Maerker, CEO, Torrance Tribune. •
to issue Requests for Proposal
(RFP) for the design and construction of an
Emergency Operations Center (EOC). The
new, stand-alone EOC will be located at
the Torrance Municipal Airport and act as
the “central command and control facility”
during disaster. The current EOC, located
at the Torrance Civic Center, will become
the alternate location from which to operate
during an emergency situation.
Charlie Wilson from General Services
stated during his staff report that funding
is available for this project under FEAP
(Facility, Equipment, and Automation Plans)
569 EOC-Enhancement. The EOC provides
cities and emergency response personnel a
location from which to execute emergency
preparedness, disaster management functions
and duties during an emergency, which would
allow for the ongoing operation of the City.
The City Council began discussing the
creation of a new EOC last year, and on June
27 approved dedicating funds to supporting
such a project. The initial idea was to create
an EOC next to the Police Department.
However, it was determined that having the
EOC at the Torrance Municipal Airport was
more effective because: the airport is home
to the current alternate EOC and has existing
designation rooms that will add more space
to the new stand-alone facility. Also during
an emergency, the airport has extra space
available and allows for greater flexibility and
“efficient use of existing data, communication
and break out facilities.”
“I do like the fact that the decision was
considered to move the seed from here
at Civic Center down to the airport,” said
Councilman Mike Griffiths. “I think it makes
sense to have it separated.”
At the moment, the EOC is located in the
second floor of the Torrance Police Department
building and its 960 square feet serve as
the coordination point during an emergency
or major disaster. The new EOC is projected
to stand at 2,760 square feet will provide a
centralized information center to gather and
speak to multiple platforms; allow for a “ready
to respond” situation by eliminating set-up
time; save responders time so they can focus
on coordinating resources; ensure phone lines
and computer will always be activated, allow
instant communication with citizens; serve
as a focal point for all mutual aid responses,
and create a location to provide year-round
training to City staff and first responders.
The total estimated cost for the new EOC
is $2.4 million, in addition to $1.2 million
in equipment and furnishings.
See City Council, page 6
Calendar of Events.............2
Certified & Licensed
Professionals.......................7
Classifieds............................6
Crossword/Sudoku.............6
Legals....................................7
Politically Speaking............5
Real Estate...........................8
Sports....................................3
TerriAnn in Torrance..........4
Friday
Mostly
Sunny
63˚/48˚
Saturday
Mostly
Sunny
70˚/52˚
Sunday
Partly
Cloudy
79˚/56˚