Rep. Harman pays a personal toll for opposing the free-trade agreement.

IT’S PERSONAL: South Bay Rep. Jane Harman (D-Marina Del Rey) says her opposition to the North American Free Trade Agreement was not without a personal price. After all, her husband, the head of an electronics firm, and her former law partner, U.S. Trade Representative Mickey Kantor, favored the pact--which passed in the House last week--and took umbrage at Harman’s stance.

Kantor was miffed when Harman took the floor of the House on Monday and let loose with accusations that the Clinton Administration was “making some desperate deals” to gain votes.

“Politics may be the art of compromise, but there is something very unsettling about the unprecedented trading to influence the vote,” she said in her speech.

Kantor called her the next day.

“I told him I was talking about perceptions,” she said. “The perception is that there were major trades to get votes.”

The conversation ended amicably, she said.

A bit more certain is that things will be fine with her husband, the head of Harman Industries. Still, it was a vote Harman won’t soon forget.

“This got personal in a way I never expected. It was a very difficult vote, in light of the pressures,” she said.

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SKIPPING CARSON: So what if Philippines President Fidel V. Ramos won’t be coming to Carson as part of his trip to the Los Angeles area. South Bay Filipinos plan to take part in the visit, beginning with his scheduled 6 a.m. arrival this morning at Los Angeles International Airport.

Carson Mayor Pro Tem Peter D. Fajardo said that several Filipino delegations from the South Bay area will participate in the red-carpet ceremonies at the airport, and then will be among those having breakfast with Ramos at the Intercontinental Hotel in Los Angeles.

Fajardo will present Ramos a key to the city from Carson, and Mayor Michael I. Mitoma will give a speech. After the breakfast, the South Bay delegations will hear Ramos’ address at the Los Angeles Sports Arena to a crowd expected to number 15,000.

Los Angeles has the largest Filipino population outside the Philippines, with Carson home to the third-largest Filipino population in the county.

Carson officials had lobbied for Ramos to stop in Carson, but the Secret Service ruled out the possibility because the city did not have a facility that satisfied the agency’s security concerns.

“We are not disappointed,” Fajardo said. “We are happy that the president will be able to stop in L.A.”

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OFF THE WALL: So much graffiti, so many businesses, churches, and schools that could help remove it.

That’s what Gardena officials believe, anyway. The city has launched an Adopt-a-Wall program in hopes that it would put taggers--and the city’s two full-time painters--out of business.

Five years ago, the city employed a part-time painter and spent approximately $50,000 on graffiti removal, according to Ken Ayers, public works director. This year, the city will spend over $200,000.

The Adopt-A-Wall program calls on businesses, churches and schools to volunteer to paint over graffiti on a wall of their choice. Councilman James W. Cragin, who spearheaded the program, said the city would rather spend graffiti removal money on cultural and sports programs in city schools.

So far, 25 residents, businesses, churches and schools have joined the effort.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“When I’m up there, nothing else exists. You don’t realize how much energy you’re using just trying to stay focused. When I first started getting serious about darts, I would come home with tremendous headaches.”

--Stacy Bromberg, a 37-year-old legal researcher from Hermosa Beach, who has become the country’s highest-ranked woman dart player only six years after taking up the sport.

THIS WEEK’S HIGHLIGHTS

Wilmington: Author and historian Don McDowell will discuss his newly published book, “The Beat of the Drum--The History, Events and People of Drum Barracks; Wilmington, California,” on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce Community Room, 100 E. Water St. The book details the history of Camp Drum from its inception in 1862.

LAST WEEK’S HIGHLIGHTS

Lawndale: A groundbreaking ceremony was held for a new county fire station. The new Station 21 will be built on vacant property next to the 50-year-old current station at 4312 147th St. County officials say the new facility will cost about $900,000, and at 8,500 square feet, will be larger than the current station. The new station will include a flame-proof tile roof and a deluxe dispatch system. It should be completed by June, 1994. The current station is too small to accommodate the two paramedics, 18 firefighters, three fire trucks and a paramedics van. The old station will be demolished to make room for a parking lot.