Los Angeles Harbor

Floyd D. Clay of Wilmington has been appointed to the Los Angeles Harbor Commission to fill the vacancy created by the death of Commissioner Kenneth Lord, Mayor Tom Bradley announced Friday. Clay, 45, is a member of the Los Angeles County District Council of Carpenters executive board. Clay's appointment is subject to approval by the City Council. The Harbor Commission, a semi-autonomous body, oversees operations at the Port of Los Angeles.

"We're gonna stay right here. We have no place to go. We're orphans." --Joseph B. Vernick, 76-year-old leader of a group of veteran seamen who defied port officials by arranging for the aging S. S. Lane Victory to be towed into Los Angeles Harbor, where they hope to have it designated a museum in honor of their deceased comrades.

A crane moving a 51-foot sailboat into Los Angeles Harbor toppled Thursday, pinning the operator between the apparatus and the boat's trailer, Los Angeles police said. Jack Margesen, 60, of Covina suffered a broken pelvis and a ruptured bladder. He was hospitalized in serious condition. Sgt. Martin Renteria said the accident at Berth 199 in Wilmington involved a crane owned by Mr. Crane Inc. of Orange.

The ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles have tentatively agreed to share air quality monitoring information, officials said Thursday. The agreement would have the ports coordinate monitoring from four existing stations in and around the Port of Los Angeles and at least two under development in Long Beach. The agreement is to be considered Thursday by the Los Angeles Harbor Commission and Jan. 9 by the Long Beach Harbor Commission.

A truck driver sustained minor injuries Wednesday when a container exploded at the Port of Los Angeles. Harbor officials said the 1:35 p.m. explosion of a 20-foot container headed overseas appeared to be an accident caused by spontaneous combustion of a propane tank inside. The container had been packed in the U.S. and also contained household goods such as air purifiers. An investigation was continuing, authorities said.

The 29th annual Los Angeles Harbor Christmas Afloat parade kicks off this weekend, featuring a virtual flotilla of brightly decorated boats that will wind their way through the harbor before thousands of spectators. The Christmas Afloat parade is one of the most popular events at the harbor, and organizers say they expect more than 50,000 people to line the parade route this year.

Ending their 4-month-old strike, the union of Los Angeles port pilots ratified a new contract agreement that will boost their salaries to $140,612 by 2001. The pilots, who guide ships through the Los Angeles Harbor, voted late Tuesday on their new 3 1/2-year contract that will immediately raise salaries from $113,712 to $122,376 when they return to work. The City Council and Harbor Commission approved the settlement in closed sessions earlier Tuesday.

Owners of a vessel involved in a 1991 oil spill in Los Angeles Harbor were ordered to pay a $100,000 fine Tuesday after pleading no contest to violating a state law enacted in 1990. Pan Ocean Shipping Co. agreed to a misdemeanor violation of the Oil Spill Prevention and Response Act. The spill took place on Jan. 8, 1991, when tanks on the South Korean ship overflowed during refueling.