The Weekly Newspaper of Torrance
Herald Publications - Torrance, El Segundo, Manhattan Beach, Hawthorne, Lawndale, & Inglewood Community Newspapers Since 1911 - (310) 322-1830 - Vol. 7, No. 42 - October 19, 2017
Inside
This Issue
Certified & Licensed
Professionals.......................9
Classifieds............................4
Crossword/Sudoku.............4
Entertainment......................2
Legals....................................8
Pets......................................10
Real Estate...................11-12
Sports....................................5
TerriAnn in Torrance..........6
Weekend
Forecast
West Basin’s Gloria D. Gray
Receives Award of Excellence
On October 12, West Basin Municipal Water District Division II Director Gloria D. Gray (shown here with Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts) received the Esther Williams Award of Excellence during South Bay
Workforce Investment Board’s (SBWIB) 22nd annual Alumni Awards event held at the Torrance Marriott South Bay. Gray earned the honors for her continued commitment to community service, work as
a director on West Basin’s board and her ongoing support of SBWIB programs.Photo Courtesy of West Basin Municipal Water District. •
California’s Health Premiums Are
Holding Steady for the Time Being
By Rob McCarthy
California’s healthcare exchange will
raise premiums for a second consecutive
year, but limit the 2018 increase to the
silver mid-level plans as a way to offset
a possible loss of federal assistance, it
has announced.
President Trump’s threat to withhold the
federal government’s contribution toward
making health insurance affordable for
individuals and families will only affect the
silver-tiered plans for now, said Executive
Director Peter Lee for Covered California.
Silver plans will average a 12 percent price
hike next year, but could go as high as 27
percent for some policyholders who receive
financial assistance, his office said.
A surcharge on silver plans was necessary
because of the “ongoing uncertainty
at the federal level,” Lee’s office said last
week. The federal government partners with
states that created and run health insurance
marketplaces--like Covered California--to
pay some of the premiums so that individuals
and families can comply with the Affordable
Care Act. Under the law, every child
and adult must be covered by a private or
government-sponsored health plan.
The President on October 12 also signed
an executive order that allows low-cost,
low-benefit plans to be sold to individuals
in compliance with the Affordable Care Act.
It was widely reported that the President’s
See Health Premiums, page 8
Friday
Partly
Cloudy
72˚/59˚
Saturday
Sunny
80˚/62˚
Sunday
Sunny
88˚/66˚
City’s Optimized Street Sweeping
Program Draws Local Criticism
By Cristian Vasquez
Several residents spoke out against various
aspects of the Optimized Street Sweeping
Program presented during Tuesday night’s
Torrance City Council meeting. Among
the complaints was the “excessive” use of
signage throughout the city regarding street
sweeping, the use of resources to enforce
street sweeping parking enforcement, and
even the existence of the Optimized Street
Sweeping Program itself.
On September 26, the Mayor and Council
requested an informational item on the program—
including an update on the installation
of no parking signs, the connection between
street sweeping and compliance with water
quality mandates, and the revenue associated
with street sweeping citations.
The report indicates that street sweeping
is the most effective method of preventing
trash, debris and sediment from washing into
the local storm drain system. In addition the
report states that in order to properly remove
said debris, there must be an effective street
sweeping program conducted that requires
all vehicles to be removed for a short period
once a week.
“The City of Torrance is part of a Beach
Cities group that goes through some of these
watersheds--and actually all of the cities actually
do have street sweeping,” Public Works
Director Robert J. Beste said. “Some cities
sweep more than we do--especially in the
downtown areas--such as Hermosa Beach.
So does Manhattan Beach...”
In some areas where cities have a curb,
depending on how much debris is in the area,
the program requires that sweeping take place
twice a month or once a month. In order to
comply with the Los Angeles Regional Water
Quality Board requirements regarding National
Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)
requirements, the City received $5.6
million in grant funds to install no parking
signs and retractable screens as part of the
Storm Water Basin Enhancement Project and
the Optimized Street Sweeping Program. The
no parking signs impose a parking restriction
of three hours for sweeping to occur. This
has been considered by some residents as
an excessive measure.
“In the past few years, I have been surprised
that the City Council has allowed
See City Council, page 5