Hahn hails water taxis
Metro Board of Directors Chair and Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn (D) this week saw Metro’s Ad-Hoc Committee on the Olympic and Paralympic Games unanimously approve her motion to explore the feasibility of a water taxi between San Pedro and Long Beach during the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The City of Long Beach will host 11 sports during the Games — the second most of any city behind Los Angeles.
“If we are serious about people taking transit to every Olympic event, we need to get creative. The water taxi’s time has come. It would offer residents, workers, and tourists an alternative to driving and parking at the Games venues that’s not only reliable and affordable, but fun as well,” said Hahn. “It’s time to explore what it would take to get this idea off the ground and into the water.”
Hahn’s proposed water taxi will offer an innovative public transport connection for San Pedro and surrounding communities, as well as for riders along Metro’s J (Silver) Line, which runs along the El Monte Busway and Harbor Transitway from El Monte to San Pedro via Downtown Los Angeles.
The full Metro Board of Directors will vote on Hahn’s motion in their monthly meeting next Thursday, May 22, 2025.
Chu supports fed film incentives
U.S. Rep. Judy Chu (D—Monterey Park, Alhambra, San Gabriel, Pasadena) yesterday endorsed film and television unions and studios, and the Trump administration’s “Special Ambassadors” to Hollywood call for President Trump to support expanded tax incentives for U.S. film and TV production.
At the same time, Chu called Trump’s proposal to impose tariffs on foreign films “ill-conceived.”
“President Trump identified a serious and growing problem: that film and television production has been moving out of the United States and to the more than 80 countries that offer tax incentives for productions. This trend has hurt not just my district in Southern California, but communities across the country that have hosted film shoots, studios, prop manufacturers, and the thousands of good-paying jobs that go into making a movie or TV show a reality,” said Chu.
Chu advocated extending and expanding Section 181, the only federal tax incentive specifically for domestic film and television production. Section 181 expires at the end of this year.
Richardson: Long Beach toilets are necessary
Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson this week called public restrooms a necessary infrastructure that serves everyone in the community.
Hizzhonor’s comments came after it was announced that the City of Long Beach has partnered with Throne Labs to launch a new four-month pilot program to improve the local restroom experience across the city and offer additional clean, safe and family-friendly smart public restrooms.
In addition to 52 freestanding public restrooms across the City, Throne smart restrooms are now available for public use at DeForest Park, Harvey Milk Promenade Park, Belmont Pier and Shoreline Marina. These locations were chosen based on a review of restroom demand and funding availability of existing restrooms at the locations.
“This pilot program with Throne represents our commitment to exploring innovative options to increase access to clean, accessible and safe public facilities. By piloting a solution that has proven successful in communities throughout LA County, we aim to increase the number of welcoming public spaces in Long Beach parks,” Richardson said.
Throne restrooms are Americans with Disabilities Act-accessible facilities that feature running water sinks, flushing toilets, baby changing stations and free menstrual products. Each unit is equipped with 21 sensors that provide real-time data on the restroom’s status, cleanliness and usage statistics, including potential misuse.
During the pilot phase, users can access the units via text message or mobile app, creating accountability while maintaining user privacy. All Long Beach community members, including those without mobile phones, will continue to have access to the City’s other 52 freestanding, accessible public restrooms. The units are cleaned four times daily and are open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
The four-month pilot program will run until mid-August 2025.
