Carson Mayor Calls On City Council To Declare Condition Of Local Emergency Over Polluted Soil

CARSON (CBSLA.com) — Members of the Carson City Council were expected to hold a special meeting Monday night after the city’s mayor urged lawmakers to declare a condition of local emergency over polluted soil in one local neighborhood.

In March 2011, the state Regional Water Quality Control Board ordered Shell Oil Company to “assess, monitor, and cleanup and abate total petroleum hydrocarbons and other contaminants of concern” in the soil and groundwater in the Carousel community.

Located at the former Kast Property Tank Farm, the tract of homes was built on top of land that Shell had previously owned and used to store barrels of oil, according to city officials.

In the early 1960s, the tanks were drained and abandoned and the property sold to a developer. According to city officials, the area was supposed to be cleaned by Shell Oil before the 278 homes were built.

The report (PDF) found higher-than-normal levels of benzyne, arsenic, lead, and other chemicals in over 200 soil samples of the property.

Residents like Cathy Post who live in the Carousel community north of Lomita Boulevard between Avalon Boulevard and Main Street have reported adverse health affects from living near the site.

“Within two years of living here, I was hit with flesh-eating disease and I remember thinking, ‘What the hell happened to me?’” Post said. “I almost died from it twice.”

The mayor said Shell promised to address the situation four years ago but has done nothing to date.

“They told me, ‘Mayor Dear, we’re going to the right thing’,” he said. “Now we want you, Shell, to live up to that. Do the right thing.”

Mayor Jim Dear is asking the city council to declare a condition of local emergency for the area, which he said will force Shell to the bargaining table.

“Purchase all the homes in the track, purchase the land from the city,” said Mayor Dear. “Clean it properly.”

Erin Brockovich, the long-time crusader against pollution in California, is among those lending support to the cause.

“This is a problem that is plaguing us across the country,” said Brockovich.

Meantime, residents of the Carousel say they are stuck living in the community.

“We can’t leave,” said one resident. “We can’t buy, we can’t sell.”

The soil findings were previously blamed as a major factor in derailing plans for a possible NFL stadium in the northwest corner of Carson.

Shell said the company would wait for the council’s decision.

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Mayor Garcetti Launches Pothole Repair Operation ‘Neighborhood Blitz’

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Mayor Eric Garcetti Monday kicked off operation “Neighborhood Blitz” to repair potholes on Los Angeles streets.

The operation was launched at 10:30 a.m. when a pothole repair truck was dispatched at the intersection of Woodman Avenue and La Maida Street in Sherman Oaks.

“I said when I was campaigning it was important to get back to the basics, and nothing’s more basic than a pothole,” Garcetti told KNX1070. “Twice a year, every single one of the neighborhood council areas will have the trucks out there looking themselves for where they can find the potholes and filling them before people even have to call them in.”

Mayor Garcetti Discusses Pothole Repair Operation 'Neighborhood Blitz'KNX1070

“We have had 70 years of neglect. It won’t turn around over night, but we can’t keep nickel and diming our streets. This is where public transportation goes over, these are where our cars go over, and a little bit of neglect costs us a lot on the back-end,” he said.

According to new research done for USA Today, only 38 percent of the nation’s pavement is rated in “good” condition, and one in 10 of the nation’s bridges are considered “structurally deficient”, KNX1070 reports.

“We did a report a couple of years ago that estimated about two-thirds of Los Angeles roads were in poor condition, and the average motorist in the Los Angeles area paid an additional $746 annually to maintain their vehicle on those rough roads,” said Frank Moretti, director of policy and research at the transportation research group TRIP.

Mayor Garcetti Launches Pothole Repair Operation 'Neighborhood Blitz'KNX1070

Following Monday’s blitz in Sherman Oaks, the operation will move on over the next two weeks to Sunland-Tujunga, Foothill Trails, Pacoima, Sylmar, Granada Hills North, Porter Ranch, Chatsworth, and Northridge.

Residents can use MyLA311 mobile app, which was launched earlier this year, to take pictures and report potholes.

RELATED STORY: Mayor Launches New ‘MyLA311' App For City Services, Information

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Second Recall Effort Launched Against San Diego Mayor

SAN DIEGO (CBSLA.com) — Opponents of San Diego Mayor Bob Filner launched a second recall effort against the mayor Monday, in the wake of accusations from seven women of sexual harassment.

The San Diego City Clerk’s office said petitions to recall Filner can begin circulating on August 18.

Last week, Filner said he was going into treatment but was not quitting his job.

City Clerk Says Recall Petitions For Filner Tom Reopelle

KNX 1070's Tom Reopelle reports that seven of the nine San Diego Councilmen want Filner out of office.

“I think seven out of nine, a very clear super-majority, sends a message that the council has lost faith in Bob Filner’s ability to lead the city,” said Councilman Mark Kersey.

“Filner should deal with his demons as a private citizen,” he said.

On Sunday, Senator Dianne Feinstein joined the growing number of officials calling on the mayor to resign.

Filner has two weeks to respond before either group can begin collecting signatures. Supporters of a recall will need to collect 102,000 valid signatures to get a recall on the ballot.

The second recall effort has raised questions over the legality of two such efforts under the city’s charter.

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