Pondering about the Random Lengths News

I am impressed.

For some time I have been somewhat critical of 'news' coming from Random Lengths News.

But change is constant and both the Random Lengths News has changed, in my opinion, and so have I.

I went from dreading what would be in each bi-weekly issue, to now waiting to get my hands on one on the day before its publication date.

I feel there are three very good reasons that I have seen some great changes in RLN.

Now, Mr. Terelle Jerricks, the Editor, Mr. Paul Rosenberg, Senior Editor, and especially Mr. Chris Yang, Staff Writer have given the newspaper a higher standard than just a throwaway advertisement vehicle.

The Publisher, Mr. James Preston Allen and I have not seen eye to eye on some issues in the past, but I must commend him for his editorial and writing staff.

Now many of you may feel that Mr. Allen is too far to the left of center for your liking.

I happen to feel that, as a progressive myself, he may be closer to the political center than I am, on many subjects.

There was a period of time on my blogs when I would not refer to the publication as a 'news' publication at all.

All of that has changed and now I am finding quite a bit more real news about OUR community in the Random Lengths News with every new edition, I feel.

In the latest edition of July 25-August 7, there is a front page article that is exactly the kind of pondering-type piece that we all need to think about.

The multi-page article is about the "Debate Over Pier 400" and it was written by Mr. Chris Yang with help from Editorial Intern Christine Bedenis.

The article seems to hit just about every single part of the issue of placing a new supertanker terminal on Pier 400 and building a pipeline to new storage tanks that would be built on Terminal Island.

The issues are complex and take just about every direction possible.

Included in the article are issues dealing with the idea that hazardous materials storage should have been put in the area of Pier 400 years ago.

There has long been talk about the real need to move the Amerigas storage tanks to where they should be, out on Pier 400.

There is mention of the Cleawater Program of the Sanitation District and the large cry to put the outfall construction shaft and ground-level construction structures on Terminal Island at the old LAXT terminal.

Issues of increased pollution were included in the article.

The current issue of Random Lengths News has not been put up on their Web site as a .pdf document, but when it appears, I hope everyone will read the entire edition of the News.

The Random Lengths News' latest edition also considers that someone is suggesting that there is yet another sinkhole forming under Western Avenue, possibly.

I will deal with that particular bit of troubling news on another blog. Can you guess which one?

I understand that the publisher needs to keep his paper afloat financially and taking money to run a full page ad is something Mr. Allen probably needs to do to keep his newspaper afloat.

I hope that the progressive Mr. Allen feels a bit of a tinge when he accepts ad money from Bisno, but we need to realize that if the Random Lengths News is to continue to improve, it needs ad funds to keep it going.

There are still many members of OUR community who have very negative feelings for the Random Lengths News, and I was one of them in the past.

I hope Mr. Allen continues to assist his editors and writers to do their best to report the news as we have been seeing it being done in recent months.

It is quite alright to be a progressive newspaper in a town that doesn't see much progressive reporting and editorializing from other local publications.

Of course San Pedro still has a good number of correct-thinking, working class folks who keep unions strong and want to make good changes to OUR community.

A newspaper that services our needs is welcome as it continues to improve and aid us all.

Now that I have ruffled some feathers, it is your turn to ponder.