CommentsERIC PREVEN'S NOTEBOOK - Julia Louis-Dreyfus is set to star in the comedy Beth & Don.
Who is Don?
The comedy will center on a New York novelist named Beth who is happily married to husband Don. However, when Beth overhears Don admit he hasn’t liked her writing in years, their once perfect marriage is tested.
Amy Wakeland must be peeved that the mayor stuck his nose somewhere and got sick in Scotland leaving her to handle domestic duties until November 14 when he resumes his post as low profile lame duck.
The fact that Garcetti was in Glasgow this week, the very same week that the LA Marathon is being held here, is convenient because he won't have to field questions about last year's debacle. Code word giant March 8 Superspreader. Shhh.
Interesting timing as well of Ana Guerrero his trusted chief of staff's return. She's been on home leave to reimagine her willingness to insult the great icon, Dolores Huerta.
The most powerful woman in the room was still Hilda Solis this week, who single handedly runs the most historic of all all-female county boards of supervisors... but Nury Martinez is nipping at her heels.
If you missed the First to Five documentary produced by the Supervisors about the Supervisors, sadly, you didn't miss much.
Though, the accomplishment of a five-pac is impressive, the wholesale removal of all traces of Mark Ridley-Thomas definitely hurts the production values.
The idea of five great women, ascending to the most powerful podium in America, with a small footstool for Yoda, plays better when there are too many MRT pontifications everywhere.
Something about the realization... that he's finally gone, is uplifting.
But now that he's gone, we kind of miss him.
This amp goes to eleven.
When the mayor went to the climate conference in Glasgow - somebody had to be the grown up and obviously Nury Martinez left unattended for 10 days is a lot.
Ana Guerrero knows exactly what to do. Don't insult Hilda Solis.
On November 10, 2021, Item 6 instructs the General Manager, Emergency Management Department, to advise the Mayor and City Council on the need for extension of this Declaration of Local Emergency as may be required. That's Nury! Certainly @CD6Nury as (acting mayor) knows if the @LACityCouncil will resume regular Friday meetings, right?
Also, she must know who she is going to choose to be her third banana or Assistant President Pro Tempore is, following the elevation of @MitchOFarrell #wtf Maybe she's waiting for Mark Ridley-Thomas' trial, which is just over a month away. Sit tight.
One detail until then, Nury cannot serve in quorum, meaning if a quorum of ten is needed to vote on a particular item, and she is in the room, the council will need eleven.
This could be a factor with so many opportunistic candidates out and about raising money.
At present, we are down one mayor, we have no CD10 representative, a compromised Staffer B running the 12th council district, and ongoing investigative work in the new ninth...
Is it fair to say, the City is being led by a Junta?
Public meeting: Private showing...
A bunch of fake budget hearings, wherein Paul Krekorian makes up the rules, lead to a big production in association with the City Clerk and the Office of the City Attorney... It's a big splashy set piece - with almost 100 minor changes... voted on in real time.
Even Sharon Tso, herself, the CLA is trotted out to take her place alongside the CAO Szabo for an expression of gratitude issue by Paul Krekorian, the Budget and Finance Chair.
Then, the council improperly fake-votes on a few items to give the sense to the public that this is not only a very important body, but also it is quite hard at work doing something. A few small well-intentioned interventions, shifting a few hundred thousand dollars this way and that, among the Billions, makes for pretty good drama.
Folks, would say, if they were in the room at budget hearings "Oh, look, they are legislating...impressive."
But, they're not in the room.
Say what?
Paul Krekorian, who had the gaul to make a small fuss about the Brown Act last week and Avak Keohtian who should be interviewed by a reparations commission on his views about public input to city governance, nix it annually.
It's a little show, and it will be televised with taxpayer dollars, but the taxpaying public is not allowed in the room. #RedLights&Siren
Mike Feuer, who has been in public office since 1994, has finally admitted that Governance in Los Angeles isn’t working.
No, he's not stepping down. He's running for mayor.
Paul Koretz: The Ed Buck Enthusiast
A shocking list of friends and frenemies were on the dole from Ed Buck, a longtime fixture of West Hollywood politics. One speaker has been hammering the Ed Buck Enthusiast brand onto Paul Koretz who is running hard for Office of LA City Controller, known as the office that cuts the checks.
The Controller's office also sings a song of transparency while declining to comment and produces a series of very narrowly scoped and mostly worthless audits.
The staff over there are lovely.
And the office used to have a mid century modern pizazz, unlike the drab City Attorney's office that sits on the eighth floor of City Hall East, where Feuer has capably adopted a mid eighties psychiatric ward look and feel.
The period when public access to his office was denied and enforced will make for a good section on the upcoming Los Angeles City Hall, Bridge Gallery show on FBI corruption. I'm curating.
Pat Morrison's lengthy normalizing piece will be given a tiny panel, but the main focus will be a Rogue's gallery of cheerful helpers milling among complicit LAPD journeymen. I have some great photographs of six armed LAPDists escorting me across the bridge. VIP.
If Koretz gets elected again, will he redecorate?
Decorating:
Redistricting, is similar to redecorating.
Following the breathtaking hostility issued toward our amazing redistricting commission volunteers, a new ad hoc Junta comprised of seven cowering lackeys, voted with Raman opposing, to do whatever Nury Martinez says on November 5. Her significant assprint remained roughly intact, after a few motions pushing back an attack on the Sepulveda basin, over which she's has incompetently presided.
The majority of the public don't understand what is going on exactly, myself included.
Blumenfield, Raman Deleon, O'Farrell, Koretz and Price were all in place to watch Council President Nury Martinez, who also chaired the ad hoc committee, rip that shit down.
She carved the Sepulveda Basin and Van Nuys Airport right back into the 6th district, without much discussion.
Several besties from Pacoima Beautiful and the Van Nuys Airport Association called in to kiss the ring.
Canoga Park and Winnetka would be placed back into Blumenfield's elitist 3rd district, while Reseda would be split between the 3rd district and the 4th district, represented by Nithya Raman.
As for independence, Fred Ali who was rudely cut off by the Junta leader last week, should get the last word, “This commission over the last year confirmed that the quasi-independent nature of the advisory commission simply does not work. It’s time for an independent, rather than advisory, commission to assume responsibility for redistricting for the good of our city.”
Tuesday November 9 item 34 is a report from the Ad Hoc Redistricting Committee regarding Redistricting Proposals for the Los Angeles City Council; Possible Action relative to modifying and/or adopting Draft Redistricting Map(s) for Public Hearings.
So what is this confusion? "If public hearing is not held in Committee," an opportunity for public comment will be provided.
Clearly, the public should be afforded an opportunity.
Enforcement Conflict update:
Exciting news from Budget and Finance Committee as an expected timeline for implementation of bus lane enforcement, including a warning period at the start of the program is coming soon.
Communications plans letting the public know about upcoming bus lane enforcement are being created. Thanks to the bus lane enforcement partnership.
Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) is also going to provide a report with a list of streets recommended for speed limit reduction, with priority given to streets with a history of fatal and severe injury collisions. This makes a lot of sense, but the proposed permanent Slow Streets Program is also a crowd pleaser down at DOT.
No comment from motorists, mired in terrible traffic. And please reduce the speed limit to 35 mph back from the 40 mph on Whitsett where the Harvard Westlake babies stroll. Thx, Krekorian.
And thanks for the retention of Beveridge & Diamond PC and Summa LLP as outside counsel and that the City enter into three-year contracts for a budget not to exceed $300,000 in each contract APPROVE the waiver of a potential conflict of interest requested by Summa LLP re: The July 11, 2021, sewage discharge at Hyperion.
Item 31 is a lovely motion reaching out to our treasured partners, Walmart, Ashley Furniture, Target, Dole, Home Depot, Chiquita, IKEA, Amazon, Samsung, Nike, LG, Redbull, Family Dollar, Williams-Sonoma, and Lowes...to join us in 100% zero-emissions ships by 2030. Ya right.
We were looking forward to hearing Mr. Ridley-Thomas talk about decarbonizing the maritime shipping, but he's out. Unless your betting on John Sweeney, Attorney for Mark Ridley-Thomas who said, “I don’t lose in court very often, so I am optimistic.”
Actually, so are we.
Item 30 is a delightful $2,135,130 in reprogrammed CDBG funds for the Western and Gage Pocket Park. No pick pocketing jokes but let's make sure ... Two million dollars! Let's have look at that budget, Mr. Chair.
After a round of drubbing about Urban Alchemy last week, they're back again to establish and operate a Safe Sleeping Village for the property located at 2300 South Central Avenue (Council file No. 20-0841-S15), the only change since last week is they've posted actual owner of the property. Curren Price seems like he is doing something, but not too much.
Krekorian has confused the issue over $704.02 from Revenue Source 5188 to the Neighborhood Council Fund No. 59B/14, Account No. 141279 (Valley Village Neighborhood Council) for the purpose of funding the 2021 Light Up Valley Village event. He says it's all a refund due from the canceled Neighborhood Council of Valley Village sponsored event, Light Up Valley Village, which was to have taken place on December 7, 2019.
So why is Valley Village only getting $704 when Gil Cedillo of CD 1 put $5,980 into his holiday tree lighting beautification project at the median island located at 4044 Eagle Rock Boulevard.
This is insulting. The Valley deserves its fair share. Independence. Illumination.
Speaking of which we need to retroactively arrange for Council District 13 observance of Indigenous Missing Women & Girls Awareness on November 7, 2021, including the illumination of City Hall. See O'Farrell for costs and an update on his move to ban 'adult men' from parks while arming parks and recreation rangers.
Budget Finance Friendship Circle:
On Budget and Finance agenda is a bold request of the Chief Legislative Analyst on Oct 27, 2021 for a full accounting in fifteen days of the Los Angeles City Council Redistricting Commission expenditures of taxpayer funds (particularly on the marketing budget), how it selected contractors that would receive taxpayer funds, how the commission conducted outreach, and how it ensured maximum participation of all communities of interest.
Thursday, November 11, 2021 is 15 days, so we are all very excited to see this CLA report.
And while we're on the accountability beat, tip of the cap to the Los Feliz Neighborhood Council. Mike Bonin and Nithya Raman had set forth a verbal motion to keep LAPD staffing at 9,457 officers, a level considerably lower than the 9,750 sought by Mayor Garcetti. The proposal was sent to the Council’s budget committee for further review. Now, it is finally on the agenda. Why?
Because Krekorian serves all his constituents equally, including the fuzzy progressives like me who want to put the savings toward having mediators and mental health professionals respond to some emergency calls instead of using expensive armed police officers for everything.
Except taking vaccines.
And speaking for myself and potentially millions of others, we do not appreciate the concept of sticking weapons in the hands of parks and rec rangers. Reverse course immediately. x2
More $ to ride to the hospital:
The CDC says 8% of healthcare workers had suicidal ideation over the past year. Yet, the City of Los Angeles Fire Department who has been liberally drinking from the FEMA hose wants to increase the Advanced Life Support (ALS) fee by $162 from $2,463 to $2,625 (+6.58%). The Basic Life Support (BLS) fee will go up $115 from $1,747 to $1,862 (+6.58%).
Charging people to get emergency care is a major public policy fail, obviously.
Correction on Paul Krekorian Recusal:
The Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety report relative to the refund claim filed by ABS Hollywood LLC was due to a project change. We don't usually check this, but it caught our attention when a conflict was called out but never explained by Kellilyn Porter, Assistant City Attorney, who wrote to the file. "Please make sure the documentation for the October 6th Claims Board reflects that Councilmember Krekorian was recused from Item 15. That Item was approved 2/0 by me and Anne. All other items were approved 3/0. Please confirm."
So diligent, but did she mean item 15 or item 16?
(15) City Attorney report relative to settlement in the Guess IP Holder LP v. City of Los Angeles, LASC Case No. 20STCV22170 and Guess? Inc. v. City of Los Angeles, LASC Case No. 20STCV48635. (This case arises from an action filed by taxpayer seeking a refund of business license taxes paid to the City) R21-0288 9/23/21
Did she mean item 16?
(16) ________ Department of Building and Safety Recommendation to Approve Refund Claim Filed by ABS Hollywood LLC.
(This claim refund is due to project change located at 1661 N. Western Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90027).
The Developer of the Bricker Building is ABS Hollywood, LLC (“Developer”), doing business as The Bricker, LP for the purposes of this affordable housing project. The sole member of ABS Hollywood, LLC is Samir Srivastava, who is also the sole member of Advanced Business Solutions, LLC. ABS Hollywood, LLC is a Hollywood-based development firm actively involved in the revitalization of Hollywood’s real estate and creative arts communities.
ABS Hollywood, LLC. or any of its related entities is not currently in default on any Agency loans or in violation of any Agency policies. The Bricker Building Project is highly consistent with two key objectives of the Hollywood Redevelopment Plan: production of affordable housing units, and protecting and rehabilitating historic resources in the project area.
It if is Item 16, the story is that the LLC originally paid $84,274.92 for a permit in 2018, but will get back $67,419.93 in refund.
Appears to be some kind of human error and LADBS forgot to put the project on hold after various telephonic conversations. Got it.
Yes, it is somewhat fishy.
Escheatment Error:
The notices and publications were executed by the Office of Finance and the City Clerk Office, while adjusting the final escheated amount based on processed claims, LADOT concluded that an administrative oversight occurred when retrieving the list of 3,084 outstanding checks for publication.
This oversight occurred due to staffing shortages as a result of Blumenfield's Separation Incentive Program (SIP). The 2017 checks were omitted from the list, and checks issued in 2015, which were escheated previously, were inadvertently included in the list. LADOT has since taken corrective measures to avoid future administrative oversight.
LADOT has adjusted the escheatment period to 2016 and the escheat amount from $292,671.32 to $126,227.74.
LADOT has reported that a claim of $73.00 has been processed, which reduces the monies available for escheat to $126,154.74.
What are the details regarding the lone claim for $73.00 that has been processed?
Does anyone think the outreach to the intended recipients of this messaging is working well?
Why is it so hard to give people their money back?
Mike Feuer has finally admitted that Governance in Los Angeles isn’t working. What then?
Tracking PPP
This propublica search BAR is fantastic for a few drinks... Search Every Company Approved for Federal Loans As part of the Paycheck Protection Program, the federal government has provided hundreds of billions in financial support to banks to make low-interest loans to companies and nonprofit organizations in response to the economic devastation caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Search more than 11 million loans approved by lenders and disclosed by the Small Business Administration.
Here's some Marina del Rey recipients. Can you match any payouts to Marina lessees of
Bailouts....
MARINA CITY CLUB RESTAURANT INC $166k
KILLER SHRIMP MARINA DEL REY, LP $779k
CHABAD OF MARINA DEL REY $43k
https://projects.propublica.org/coronavirus/bailouts/loans/chabad-of-marina-del-rey-6144387108
CHABAD OF MARINA DEL REY $54k
https://projects.propublica.org/coronavirus/bailouts/loans/chabad-of-marina-del-rey-3391308607
MARINA DEL REY OIL CORPORATION $97k
https://projects.propublica.org/coronavirus/bailouts/loans/marina-del-rey-oil-corporation-6257817200
MARINA DEL REY OIL CORPORATION $103k
https://projects.propublica.org/coronavirus/bailouts/loans/marina-del-rey-oil-corporation-4260308503
WCF MARINA DEL REY LLC $46k
https://projects.propublica.org/coronavirus/bailouts/loans/wcf-marina-del-rey-llc-1742578709
WCF MARINA DEL REY LLC $149k
https://projects.propublica.org/coronavirus/bailouts/loans/wcf-marina-del-rey-llc-1742578709
Ming Pizza MDR llc $116k
https://projects.propublica.org/coronavirus/bailouts/loans/ming-pizza-mdr-llc-8692878305
MDR Market 1 $44k
https://projects.propublica.org/coronavirus/bailouts/loans/mdr-market-1-4894607701
Marina Pacific Hotel and suites llc $1,799,078 venice?
Marina Pacific Hotel and suites llc $1,285,000 venice?
SHEP MDR LLC $29,752
https://projects.propublica.org/coronavirus/bailouts/loans/shep-mdr-llc-5641508306
Pilates Pro - Marina Del Rey, Inc. $343k
https://projects.propublica.org/coronavirus/bailouts/loans/pilates-pro-marina-del-rey-inc-1769967701
Pilates Pro - Marina Del Rey, Inc. $331k 2
https://projects.propublica.org/coronavirus/bailouts/loans/pilates-pro-marina-del-rey-inc-4763258405
Bizhaus MDH Inc. $65k
https://projects.propublica.org/coronavirus/bailouts/loans/bizhaus-mdr-inc-8112387701
Bizhaus MDR Inc $77k 2
https://projects.propublica.org/coronavirus/bailouts/loans/bizhaus-mdr-inc-9163628408
Tahiti $167K
MDR Apartments $12K
https://projects.propublica.org/coronavirus/bailouts/loans/marina-del-rey-apartments-l-p-3952547309
Marina Del Rey Innvestors LP $855K
https://projects.propublica.org/coronavirus/bailouts/loans/marina-del-rey-innvestors-lp-2146878507
MARINA DEL REY CONVENTION AND VISITORS. $97k
DEL REY RESTAURANT CORPORATION $348k
https://projects.propublica.org/coronavirus/bailouts/loans/del-rey-restaurant-corporation-4805777204
DOLPHIN MARINA LTD. 203K
https://projects.propublica.org/coronavirus/bailouts/loans/dolphin-marina-ltd-6823017202
MARINA HOUSE, LLC $41k
https://projects.propublica.org/coronavirus/bailouts/loans/marina-house-llc-1944837303
MARINA HOUSE, LLC $41K 2
https://projects.propublica.org/coronavirus/bailouts/loans/marina-house-llc-5482008507
CALIFORNIA YACHT CLUB $619K
https://projects.propublica.org/coronavirus/bailouts/loans/california-yacht-club-4720097300
IWF MDRH LLC Jamaica $1,321,809
https://projects.propublica.org/coronavirus/bailouts/loans/iwf-mdrh-llc-8644218410
Teasers MDR INC $783,915
https://projects.propublica.org/coronavirus/bailouts/loans/teasers-mdr-inc-7124108403
Teasers MDR INC $563k
https://projects.propublica.org/coronavirus/bailouts/loans/teasers-mdr-inc-4603097007
PACIFIC OCEAN MANAGEMENT, LLC $168k
https://projects.propublica.org/coronavirus/bailouts/loans/pacific-ocean-management-llc-5586667406
Somera Capital Management, LLC $165k
https://projects.propublica.org/coronavirus/bailouts/loans/somera-capital-management-llc-5386847200
Somera Capital Management, LLC $159k
https://projects.propublica.org/coronavirus/bailouts/loans/somera-capital-management-llc-2052128809
HARBOR REAL ESTATE LIMITED PARTNERSHIP Boatyard $237k
WINDWARD YACHT REPAIR INC $149k
https://projects.propublica.org/coronavirus/bailouts/loans/windward-yacht-repair-inc-2886948303
WINDWARD YACHT REPAIR INC $149k 2
https://projects.propublica.org/coronavirus/bailouts/loans/windward-yacht-repair-inc-6438337709
MARINA DEL REY INNVESTORS LP $855k
https://projects.propublica.org/coronavirus/bailouts/loans/marina-del-rey-innvestors-lp-2146878507
Marina del Rey Lessees:
(Parcel 8T -- Lease No. 77827)
ARCHSTONE MARINA BAY NOMINEE LP
Archstone Property Holdings LLC
9200 East Panorama Circle,
Suite 400 Englewood, Colorado 80112
(Parcel 10R - lease no. 78564)
GS Neptune Marina Apartments, LLC
PR Neptune, LLC
Esprit 1
(Parcel 12R - Gateway KW-Esprit I Owner, LLC
(Parcel 13 R Villa Del Mar Properties,LTD., L.P.
(Parcel 14 GS Neptune Marina Apartments, LLC
(Parcel 15 U Esprit II ) PPF AMLI 4242 VIA MARINA, LLC
(Parcel 18 Dolphin Marina) DOLPHIN MARINA, LTD
(Parcel 20 Panay Way Marina Panay Way Marina, L.P.
(Parcel 21 HOLIDAY MARINAS, INC.,
(Parcel 22 Foghorn Inn, Cheesecake Factory MARINA PROPERTIES, LLC
(Parcel 27 Jamaica Bay Inn IWF Jamaica Bay, LLC
PREG Holding Group
Abel Realty Co., Inc
(Parcel 28 MARINERS BAY, LLC
(Parcel 30 DEL REY YACHT CLUB
(Parcel 33R Legado Marina LLC
(Parcel 41 Wesco Sales Corp., a California corporation (Lessee) to CAH Marina I, LLC, Feb '21
(Parcel 42 IWF MDR HOTEL, L.P., a California limited partnership
Invest West Financial, LLC,
(Parcel 43
MDR MARINA, L.P.
MDR Marinas, LLC, a
Pacific Marina Development, Inc
(Parcel 44 PACIFIC MARINA VENTURE, LLC
(Parcel 47 Santa Monica Yacht Club
(Parcel 50T Waterside at Marina Del Rey Marina Waterside LLC
(Parcel 52 Pacific Ocean Management LLC
(Parcel 53 Boatyard Harbor Real estate limited Partnership
(Parcel 54 Windward yacht and repair, inc.
(Parcel 56S Gold Coast Village LLC
Golden Pacific, LLC
Gold Coast Village, LLC
(Parcel 61 Shanghai Red's DEL REY RESTAURANT CORPORATION
(Parcel 64 Breakwater at Marina del Rey ARCHSTONE VISTA DEL REY LLC
(Parcel 65 UCLA The Regents of the University of California
(Parcel 75 Marina Professional DEL REY PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION
(Parcel 76 Trizec towers Marina-Airport Building, LTD.
(Parcel 94 DEL REY PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION
(Parcel 95 Gold Coast West LLC
(Parcel 97 Gold Coast Shopping Center, LLC
(Parcel 100/101 Shores, LLC Del Rey Shores LLC
(Parcel 102 Marina 41
EQR-MARINA DEL REY-I LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
ARCHSTONE-SMITH OPERATING TRUST
EQR-MARINA DEL REY II LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
(Parcel 103 Oakwood Marina del Rey ASN Marina LLC
(Parcel 104 Del Rey Shores Personal Warehouses ASN Marina LLC,
(111-112 Marina Point LTD
Marina Pacific Associates
(113 S Marina Admiralty Company
Ellis Ring Trust
(125H Ritz Carlton Host Hotels & Resorts, LP
(1251 Marina City Club
Essex Marina City Club LP
Essex MCC, LLC
Essex Portfolio, LP
Essex Property Trust, Inc.
(130 Teasers MDR, LLC
(131S Cafe del Rey Commodore club Inc.
(132 California yacht club LAACO, LTD
(133S Warehouse restaurant CAH MARINA I, LLC Rick Caruso
(134 First Bank CAH MARINA I, LLC Rick Caruso
(Parcel 140 Gold Coast Apartments, LLC Michael Pashaie Jade Pacific LLC
(Parcel 141 HMH MARINA LLC,
(Parcel 145 IWF MARINA VIEW HOTEL, L.P.
(Gladstones SEAVIEW RESTAURANTS, INC.,
(Eric Preven is a longtime community activist and is a contributor to CityWatch. The opinions expressed by Eric Preven are solely his and not the opinions of CityWatch)
