Season 2. Episode 10. Jesse Marquez, Cargo Fire, Peace Patrol, Holiday Stuff

Transcript

Before we begin today’s episode, I want to take a moment — and I ask that you take it with me — to honor a life that mattered deeply to this community.

This episode is dedicated to Jesse Marquez, a longtime environmental justice advocate, organizer, and a fierce, independent voice for Wilmington.

According to reporting by the Los Angeles Times, published in early November 2025, Jesse Marquez — founder of the Coalition for a Safe Environment — spent decades organizing in harbor communities, particularly in Wilmington, fighting diesel pollution and industrial impacts that made residents sick for generations.

I had the privilege of working alongside Jesse when I served the County of Los Angeles.

And I want to be clear about something. Jesse wasn’t performative. He wasn’t there for optics. He wasn’t trying to be liked. He was there to be effective.

One of the most powerful moments captured by the Los Angeles Times happened in 2013, when Jesse walked into a Los Angeles Harbor Commission hearing carrying death certificates — each one representing a Wilmington resident who had died from respiratory illness. He placed them in front of decision-makers and refused to let the human cost of port pollution be ignored.

Through his work and the coalitions he helped build, diesel emissions in harbor communities have dropped by roughly 90 percent since 2005. According to the Los Angeles Times, his advocacy helped bring cleaner trucks, shore power for ships, green-space buffers, and millions of dollars in community health investments to neighborhoods long treated as expendable.

Jesse Marquez passed away on November 3, 2025, at the age of 74, due to complications after being struck by a vehicle earlier this year. He was surrounded by family.

He was one of the architects of environmental justice in the Harbor Area.

So today’s episode is dedicated to Jesse Marquez. 📍

What’s up, Harbor Area? Welcome back to The Harbor Area Podcast. I’m Joel, and today we’re doing a recent news rundown focused on San Pedro and Wilmington — stories about port safety, infrastructure, and community vigilance.

Because when you live in a harbor region, industry isn’t abstract.
 It’s outside your window.

And because we’re moving into the holiday season, we’ll also close with what’s happening around town — and say goodbye to something that meant a lot to this community.

Alright, let’s get into it.

On December 2, 2025, the Port of Los Angeles launched two new high-resolution livestream cameras, expanding public visibility of the harbor from San Pedro to Wilmington. These cameras provide panoramic, real-time views of one of the busiest ports in the world.

Camera One is located along the Port of Los Angeles Main Channel in San Pedro and features views of the USS Iowa and the Wilmington Clock Tower.

Camera Two is based in Wilmington’s East Basin and looks out over the Wilmington Waterfront Promenade.

If you want to see them for yourself, just search “Port of LA Earth Cam” on Google.

Visibility doesn’t solve everything, but it changes the relationship between the port and the people who live next to it — and that leads directly into the next story.

📍

Last Friday night — November 21, 2025 — the Harbor Area did what it always does when something goes wrong.

We grabbed our phones and checked social media and news outlets for updates.

According to ABC7 Los Angeles, the fire was reported at approximately 6:38 p.m. The vessel involved was the ONE Henry Hudson, docked at the Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro. Early reports indicated an electrical fire that began below deck.

According to Reuters, the ship sails under a Panama flag and had arrived earlier that week from Tokyo’s Shinagawa Port.

ABC7 later confirmed the ship was carrying hazardous materials, escalating the incident from a port emergency to a community health concern. By around 7:00 p.m., the fire had spread to multiple levels of the ship.

ABC7 reported that a mid-deck explosion disrupted power, including lighting and crane operations. The response included 124 Los Angeles Fire Department personnel, Port Police, the Long Beach Fire Department, and the U.S. Coast Guard.

Officials issued a shelter-in-place order for San Pedro and Wilmington.

Reuters later reported that the order was lifted, no injuries were reported, all 23 crew members were evacuated, and the ship was towed away from its berth at the Yusen Terminal. Multiple outlets noted criticism regarding the timing and clarity of emergency alerts.

This is the reality of living in a harbor community.

When something happens at the port, it’s not theoretical.
 It’s our air.
 It’s our home.

📍

Before we move on, I want to share something personal from this past week — because it speaks to what community vigilance looks like when it’s done responsibly.

On Tuesday, December 9, at 6:00 a.m., I went out on patrol with the Harbor Area Peace Patrol.

And to be clear, this was not law enforcement, not surveillance, and not an attempt to interfere with any agency or operation. This was a community-based observation patrol, focused on awareness, verification, and responsible communication.

The atmosphere felt almost like a 20/20 or Dateline investigation — quiet streets, early morning light, and a heightened level of attention.

The purpose was to observe and verify potential ICE activity — not rumors, not speculation, but patterns seasoned peace patrollers are trained to recognize.

I was with well-seasoned peace patrollers — people who understand the difference between fear and facts.

And here’s the important part: during our patrol in Wilmington, we did not observe or confirm ICE activity that required community alerts.

That matters.

That same day, there were regional reports of ICE-related activity tied to the Port of Los Angeles, which were monitored carefully, with an emphasis on verification before amplification.

Community protection isn’t about panic.
 It’s about presence.
 It’s about accuracy.

Sometimes the best outcome is being able to say: nothing to report.

📍

On November 26, 2025, ABC7 Los Angeles reported that operations were suspended at the Federal Correctional Institution, Terminal Island, due to a “major and immediate” infrastructure concern.

Underground utility tunnels housing the facility’s steam heating system had deteriorated to the point where chunks of concrete were falling, posing risks to staff and critical systems.

The facility houses nearly 1,000 inmates, and officials said they were evaluating relocation options while attempting to keep individuals close to their anticipated release locations.

Terminal Island Prison is federal infrastructure located in a highly industrial, seismic environment.

This isn’t dramatic failure.
 It’s what deferred maintenance looks like — quietly becoming dangerous.

Quite frankly, I knew the facility existed, but I didn’t realize people were still housed there.

📍

As we move into December, the Harbor Area is still showing up.

In San Pedro, the Muller House Museum on South Beacon Street is decorated for the holidays, welcoming visitors with a sense of history and warmth. Check their website for dates and times.

The Banning Museum is hosting a Victorian Christmas display running through January 4, 2026 — a reminder of how long these traditions have been part of this place.

And in Long Beach, the Belmont Shore Christmas Lights are up — a tradition that brings people together year after year.

📍

So that’s the Harbor Area update.

A container ship fire at the Port of Los Angeles that escalated quickly and triggered a shelter-in-place for San Pedro and Wilmington.

A federal facility on Terminal Island suspending operations because concrete is falling from its infrastructure.

And early-morning community patrols — neighbors quietly watching out for one another, choosing accuracy over fear.

All of this lives inside the world Jesse Marquez spent his life trying to change.

He understood that the cost of industry, neglect, and policy failure should never be paid by the people with the least power.

And before we close, I want to acknowledge something closer to home — something that feels small on paper, but heavy in the heart for many of us in San Pedro.

This is also a moment to say goodbye to The Green Onion.

For decades, The Green Onion wasn’t just a restaurant — it was a landmark. A place tied to late nights, family meals, first dates, celebrations, and everyday conversations that only happen in places that feel familiar.

Recently, The Green Onion closed its doors, marking the end of another long-standing Harbor Area institution.

When places like that disappear, it’s not just about a building or a menu.

It’s about time passing.
 It’s about memory.
 It’s about community history quietly slipping away.

Preserving a community isn’t only about fighting harm — it’s also about remembering what matters.

Sometimes justice looks like lawsuits and hearings.

And sometimes it looks like people showing up at six in the morning, or pausing long enough to say thank you to a place that fed generations.

Thank you for listening to The Harbor Area Podcast.

Take care of each other.
 Hold on to what matters.

I’ll see you next time.
 Happy holidays.

Works Cited

• Los Angeles Times. Reporting on Jesse Marquez and the Coalition for a Safe Environment, November 2025.
• ABC7 Los Angeles. “Container ship fire erupts at Port of Los Angeles,” November 21, 2025.
• Reuters. Coverage of the ONE Henry Hudson container ship fire, November 2025.
• Port of Los Angeles. Announcement of public livestream harbor cameras, December 2, 2025.
• ABC7 Los Angeles. Reporting on Federal Correctional Institution Terminal Island operations suspension, November 26, 2025.