The Weekly Newspaper of Torrance Herald Publications - Torrance, El Segundo, Manhattan Beach, Hawthorne, Lawndale, & Inglewood Community Newspapers Since 1911 - (310) 322-1830 - Vol. 3, No. 29 - July 18, 2013 Inside Ground On New Shops BuildingEl Camino College Breaks This Issue Business & Professional ......................10 Calendar...............................2 Classifieds ...........................9 Crossword/Sudoku ............9 Police Reports....................3 Politically Speaking...........4 Real Estate........................12 El Camino College celebrated the groundbreaking of a new Shops Building. The Shops Building will be a brand new 44,400-square-foot, state-of-the-art learning center, complete with indoor and outdoor learning spaces. The $31.8 million project is made possible with funds from the college’s 2002 Measure E facilities bond. The new Shops Building replaces one of the first structures built on campus, dating back to 1949. Pictured is ECC Superintendent/President Thomas Fallo (center) with El Camino Community College District Board members (l to r) Ray Gen, Mary Combs, Brooke Matson (student trustee), and Ken Brown. Also pictured at right: Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee members Kirk Retz (committee chairman) and Nilo Michelin (committee member and Hawthorne councilman). Photo courtesy of El Camino College. Sports...................................5 Council Approves Creation of Transit TerriAnn in Torrance.........8 Training Coordinator Position By Dylan Little that staff wanted to maintain some flexibility some other transit agencies require for their The Torrance City Council approved in the recruitment process. “The majority supervisors and bus operators. We wanted the creation of a dedicated transit training of our candidates are required to have to allow them to come in and get the TSI coordinator position during its July 16 a Transportation Safety Institute TSI certificate within a year’s time. It gives us meeting. Previously the duties involved in this certificate,” Turner said. “However, there the opportunity to not only hire those with position would be handled by existing Transit is another certificate out there—the School the TSI, but also those candidates who have Weekend to monitor and train for compliance with Pupil Activity Bus SPAB certificate which See City Council, page 4Supervisors. However, recent retirements in thedepartment have made finding an employee Forecast a necessity. The new position will have an Senator Lieu Optimisticlocal state and federal rules and regulations a 40-hour week. Human Resources Manager About State’s Prospects hourly rate of $32.79 and $44.12 and work Melody Lawrence said that while she tried to set salary and skill requirements to be in By Brian Simon To maintain that momentum, Lieu Friday line with similar positions in other agencies, California has turned its financial said that California must emphasize its Sunny a fair comparison. So, it is instead based according to Senator Ted Lieu (D-28th in which it does well. The list includescompetitive advantages in the industriesfortunes around in dramatic fashion,there weren’t enough similar roles to create 74˚/65˚ on similar positions in the city of Torrance. District). In an upbeat State of the State hi-tech, aerospace, entertainment, tourism, “When researching this position…there were address last Friday at El Segundo’s ports, energy production, agriculture, and very limited positions similar to ours,” said Hacienda Hotel in front of business and biotech, among others. Saturday Lawrence. “In setting salaries, we looked for civic leaders, Lieu reported that California On that note, Lieu views Governor internal comparable positions.” has a projected budget surplus of over Jerry Brown’s Enterprise Zone reform as Partly Councilmember Bill Sutherland voiced $2 billion, continues to reduce its debt, a major step in the right direction since the Cloudy concerns that the requirements set up for the has shored up education funding and program now incentivizes industry on a new position were overly lax and created the is poised to become the eighth largest statewide basis rather than just in a specific 74˚/67˚ possibility that the City could be stuck with economy in the world once again. This geographical area. “Part of the reform an unqualified transit training coordinator. just five years after struggling mightily allows companies who manufacture, or “Here’s my problem—we’re paying a very with a $60 billion budget deficit, double biotech companies who purchase equipment Sunday professional salary and…the person after digit unemployment and a negative credit for research and development, to be exempt getting hired has to get a certain license and rating. The state of our state is once again from sales tax on the equipment,” said Partly has to take some classes,” said Sutherland. solid and we are gaining momentum,” Lieu, adding that numerous firms in his Cloudy “My concern is that for this type of salary, said Lieu. “Our unemployment rate has district (including several that sponsored these criteria should’ve already been achieved now dropped to the lowest in nearly tables for the State of the State event) can 76˚/68˚ and if for some reason this person does not five years, our credit rating went from qualify for the credits. pass these classes or get this license, we’d negative to stable to positive, and last In an update on legislation designed have to full-year dismiss them--which means year we created more jobs in California to grow the economy, Lieu noted that it’d cost us a full year. Could you explain?” than any other state--at a higher rate.” See Ted Lieu, page 6 Transit Director Kim Turner explained
Torrance 07_18_13
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