LOS ANGELES

‘WHEN DOES IT CHANGE?’--The just-released Chaleff report on the Los Angeles Police Department’s actions during the protests following the George Floyd murder in May 2020 find lack of training and preparedness as the culprit for LAPD’s failures-

PLANNING WATCH-As the homeless crisis gets worse in Los Angeles, California, and the entire United States, two narratives dominate media coverage, both of which blame elected officials. 

VIEW FROM HERE-When was the last time a sitting Los Angeles City Councilmember in District Four lost his re-election bid?  Since 1929, the answer is “never.”

BCK FILE--The City Controller’s Fraud Waste and Abuse (FWA) Unit is tasked with investigating allegations of the misuse of resources by city employees, contractors and others.

GUEST WORDS-I was absolutely shocked the other day when, low and behold, Councilman O’Farrell appeared on Twitter announcing a start of his safe camping pilot program.

DIEDRA’S LA--“The definition of insanity is doing the same things over and over again but expecting different results” …. Albert Einstein 

THE DOCTOR IS IN--Contrary to popular belief, not all homeless people are terrible, disease-spreading, drug-addicted blights to our society.

THE CITY--The Daily News has a promotion VOTE for the best of!  The best of what?  

EASTSIDER-With their usual heavy handedness, DONE has proudly proclaimed what a wonderful tribute to democracy the 2021 NC Elections are going to be.

TRANSIT TALK-Los Angeles is looked upon by the rest of the nation as off its rocker for its independence of thought and lifestyle.

RANTZ & RAVEZ--From time to time, it is interesting to review recent HEADLINES and examine where we are going as a society. 

RANDOM LENGTHS-Actions by the Biden administration, in refusing to share the U.S. government owned patent of the coronavirus vaccine, ensures the profits of the rich who own the giant for-profit pharmaceutical and medical insurance monopolies.

NEIGHBORHOOD POLITICS-The last few years have been difficult for the Office of the City Attorney (OCA) headed by Mike Feuer, as evidenced by a series of embarrassing and ethically challenged developments that also, directly or indirectly, have a potentially serious impact on the City’s budget. 

GUEST COMMENTARY--A homeless encampment on North Berendo Street—at Hollywood Boulevard—in Los Feliz has been taken over by a street gang that is listed among the top 10 in Los Angeles as most dangerous.

MY TURN-There was a lot of optimism on November 9, 2019, as dozens of candidates diligently filed paperwork and took historic pictures or videos as they kicked off campaigns to save the City.  

GELFAND’S WORLD-As reported in two previous columns, there has been a continuing uncertainty over the planning and administration of the neighborhood council congress, an annual event in which nearly a thousand neighborhood council participants come together to discuss their mutual issues and interests. 

STANDARDS FOR WHAT WE EAT--Imagine a food so filthy that it requires chemical disinfection prior to packaging and sale.

PENSION POLITICS--Environmental organizers across the country are converging in Northern Minnesota in support of Indigenous Water Protectors, to stop the construction of the Line 3 pipeline expansion.

@THE GUSS REPORT-In the past 20 years, nowhere in Los Angeles has quality of life fallen harder than in Venice.

THE DOCTOR IS IN--Vaccines aren't perfect, and the requirement of getting vaccinated does not exist in a free society.

DESPERATE MIGRATIONS-Thousands of desperate migrants, mostly from Central America, are stuck at the U.S.-Mexico border. Most are families and unaccompanied children.