Community Voices
Angels Among Us
A mix of donors, volunteers, advocates, and a strong board help propel our local nonprofits to success.

Recently, I was asked to speak at a Holy Trinity School fundraising event that was honoring the Lane family as “angels among us” for their astounding support of the school as generational […]

Giving Students What They Need
A new nonprofit aims to enrich the experience in San Pedro schools.

San Pedro schools need our help. Many know that funding for vocational training, creative arts programs, and other essential courses has diminished (or been canceled altogether). The San Pedro Education Foundation aims […]

War & Race
San Pedran’s latest book details the heroic deeds of Black soldiers fighting the Nazis in Europe and bigotry at home.

The contributions of Black Americans to victory in World War II, long overlooked, is the subject of a new book by San Pedro’s Peter Gravett, retired Army major general. The aptly titled […]

Sidewalk Surfin’ Into Your Fifties 
At 55, Jennifer Coppa is hitting her stride in competitive skateboarding

As a child, Jennifer Coppa liked to go fast.  Her father would take her to skateboarding events and frequent a skate park in Simi Valley where she would compete with mostly boys, […]

Saintly Inspiration
The new film 'Cabrini' is a reminder that the promise of America is still real today. 

Inspiration can come from various places in our lives.  Whether it’s a story about someone who has overcome adversity by committing everything they had to achieve a particular goal or someone who […]

The Money Didn’t Stink
A new documentary captures the history of San Pedro’s fishing and canning industry. 

San Pedro is a town built by people who weren’t afraid of rolling up their sleeves, working hard, and getting dirty.  Be it whaling, moving cargo, building ships, commercial fishing, or canneries, […]

Soul-Singing Songstress
Internationally recognized R&B and jazz vocalist, Windy Barnes Farrell, shares some secrets to her success.

I first met Windy Barnes Farrell several years ago when I was producing the San Pedro Chamber of Commerce Fourth of July commemoration at the Korean Bell.  She sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” […]

Class Acts
San Pedro High HOF announces 2024 class; remembering pair of storytelling bluejackets

Having skipped a year and being reconstituted as a biennial event, the San Pedro High School Athletic Hall of Fame returns November 2 at the Dalmatian-American Club with another star-studded class of […]

Losing What We Love
Local small businesses make a town unique; we must support ours more.

Last month, I had a lot of meaningful discussions with folks around town about all of the activity occurring in San Pedro.  So many things are happening at once. Some good, some […]

How Do You Reclaim a Space?
ALMA Backyard Farms helps former inmates rebuild their lives through urban gardening.

In 2013, with a single plot of land in East LA, ALMA Backyard Farms co-founders Erika Cuellar and Richard Garcia started with the small goal to help feed five families that included […]

Underserving Teens: A National Epidemic
It’s time to invest in ‘Pathways to Success’

Without a doubt, teens are the most at-risk and underserved subset of children ages 5–18. This is not just a local problem but is evident throughout the City of LA, our state, […]