In the News
New Resistance Poll: California Refused to Cave for Trump and His Agenda
CALBUZZ-Californians resoundingly reject Republican President Donald Trump himself and the intrusions he threatens to implement on state policies governing immigration, health care, climate change and access to abortion, according to the l…
Don’t Let Mega-Developers Pee In Your Gravy Bowl: Here’s a City Plan That Works
THIS DEAL MAKES SENSE--I gotta hand it to Mayor Garcetti. He really knows how to put together a group of endorsers. Looking over the list o…
Filmmaker Ava Du Verney’s Oscar Nominated ‘13th’ is a Tour de Force
JIM CROW IS ALIVE AND WELL-The film “13th” derives its title from the one exception to the 13th Amendment that abolished slavery in 1865: "…
California Has a Choice: The Road to Prosperity … or Road to Ruin
ALPERN AT LARGE--To the best of my knowledge, using a car, pushing for new options for mobility, wanting affordable home prices, advocating…
Urgent Memo to the Governor: Stop the Witch Hunts at CalPERS
EASTSIDER-I really don’t mean to keep pickin’ on CalPERS, but lately their Board and smarmy General Counsel seem to be doing a better job o…
Sports Politics: Los Angeles Should Be Wary of Incurring Expensive Olympics Debt
GUEST COMMENTARY--As it turns out, Los Angeles’s new love for sports does not end with acquiring the Rams and Chargers to play football.
L…
Support this ‘Venetian Carnage’? – We Don’t Think So
VENICE VOX-We are a contingent of Venetian neighbors, business people, property and home owners, renters, political representatives and soc…
A ‘Slap on the Wrist’ for Officials … And For You? It’s Penalties, Fees and a Lien on Your Property
STICKING IT TO THE PEOPLE- In 1984, George Orwell called the government’s propaganda division the “Ministry of Truth” but the names “Ethics…
Measure S Does One Thing: It Stops City Hall Corruption
CORRUPTION WATCH-While everyone talks about Measure S in terms of planning, the reality is that Measure S is less about development and pla…
LA’s Regional Shopping Centers: Wave of the Future or Reminders of the Past?
MALL CULTURE REVISITED-When regional shopping centers first appeared in the mid 1950s, they were considered by most Americans to be the wav…
How Progressives Are Recruiting California Corporations in Their Fight Against Trump
WHAT THE RESISTANCE LOOK’S LIKE-- More than 120 companies have joined a legal brief rebuking President Donald Trump and his executive order…
Women’s March Los Angeles: What’s Next?
STAND FOR SOMETHING--It’s hard to believe just two weeks ago, three-quarters of a million women, men and children gathered in LA’s Pershing…
When It Comes to Sanctuary, Offering a Bed Is Only the Beginning
THERE’S MORE TO IMMIGRATION THAN LAWS-In late 2012, I got a call from a church member. “Seth, Harry’s picking his daughter up from school…
Trump’s Claims of Voter Fraud Too Close to Home
HE DOTH PROTEST TOO MUCH-President Trump gave his informed testimony this week that people were registered to vote and had voted in multipl…
Trump Pissed: ‘Not Fully Briefed’ on Order Elevating Bannon to Security Council
RIGHT WING POWER GRAB--President Donald Trump reportedly did not realize he was promoting chief strategist Steve Bannon to the National Sec…
To the Measure S Naysayers: I Know What You’re AGAINST … What are You FOR?
APLERN AT LARGE--In my last CityWatch article, I emphasized what the Measure S supporters are FOR. A few key questions are in order for th…
Support the Resistance: Deflecting Trump in LAUSD 4
EDUCATION POLITICS-On March 7, 2017, Los Angeles will play a duplicate round of last November’s presidential election, and we’ll have the o…
More to La Kretz Than Meets the Eye … Like Say … the Unimaginable Future of Los Angeles
BACKTALK—(Editor’s Note: This is a response to Jack Humphreville’s CityWatch article ‘La Kretz Innovation Center: A Pay to Play Pet Project…
Memo to Mayor Garcetti about Measure S: Please Don’t Give Away the Store
PLATKIN ON PLANNING-Mr. Mayor, other than reelection, you have a tough assignment, and it is much more than finding unusual photo ops. You…
LA City Council Gets an “F” on Current Events, and It Could Be Costly
@THE GUSS REPORT-LA City Council got a sliver of local media attention last week when it stated its objection to President Trump’s nominati…
