Bellflower : Resolution Protests Possible Closure of Navy Shipyard

The city of Bellflower has joined Long Beach in protesting the possible closure of the Long Beach Naval Shipyard.

The City Council has passed a resolution urging Defense Secretary Dick Cheney and Congress to allow the shipyard to continue operations. Long Beach Naval Shipyard is one of 100 military installations around the country that has been targeted by Cheney for possible closure. About 4,100 civilians could lose their jobs if the shipyard closes.

Mayor John Ansdell said thousands of residents in and around Bellflower work at the shipyard, making it one of the area’s largest employers. Its closure, he said, would be a disaster. “An awful lot of families are depending on the shipyard,” he said. “It would be devastating to see it shut down.”