LOS ANGELES

STUDENT HOUSING CONTROVERSY-Westwood community members oppose a proposed housing project because they think it will replace existing affordable housing and cause traffic congestion. 

EDUCATION POLITICS--Instead of meeting with United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) in the days leading up to the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) strike, Superintendent Austin Beutner and Board President Monica Garcia were in Sacramento in an effort to “drum up lawmaker opposition to the teachers strike.”

ONE MAN’S OPINION-While Americans are tweeting their irrational, hyper-emotional memes, the GOP and the Dems are de-constructing the U.S. Constitution for fun and profit – their fun and their profit.

CALBUZZ--With uncharacteristic restraint, Calbuzz balks when people around the country ask us whether Kamala Harris is for real, or just the flavor of the week.

ALPERN AT LARGE--Last night was a blast from the past--wonderful people like Darrell Clarke, Jody Litvak, and Cory Zelmer, some of the greatest "transit heroes" I've ever met, were at the kickoff of three meetings of what I've referred to as "the Holy Grail" of our transit system which is the north-south transit line from the San Fernando Valley to LAX...starting with the San Fernando Valley to the Expo Line/Westside. 

PLATKIN ON PLANNING-“So, here we are, on a rainy day, in the richest country in the world, in the richest state in the country, in a state as blue as it can be, and in a city rife with millionaires, where teachers have to go on strike to get the basics for our students.

OTHER WORDS--Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz just announced he may run for president as an independent centrist candidate in 2020.

GELFAND’S WORLD--In my previous CityWatch column, I discussed the lessons of the Woolsey Fire. For that analysis, I used the reports of the City Manager of Malibu, the former mayor of Malibu, and an official from Bell Canyon, all of whom spoke at a meeting of the Neighborhood Council Emergency Preparedness Alliance.  The major lessons I took from those reports were the following: 

@THE GUSS REPORT-On Tuesday, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti woke up, put on his Captain Obvious hat and announced that he is not going to run for the Democratic nomination to seek the White House in 2020. 

EASTSIDER-I like Gavin Newsom. Even though I initially supported John Chiang, it was pretty clear that Gavin was the best/most likely to succeed candidate in the pack. Lack of name recognition in Southern California aside.

CORRUPTION WATCH-While everyone is all atwitter about the FBI’s investigation of Councilmember Jose Huizar and few Chinese, let’s take some time to ponder the FBI’s possible end games. Who thinks that after all these years, the FBI intends to stop Los Angeles corruptionism? 

AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEBATE-Senator Scott Wiener has come up with a solution to the housing crisis: Over-ride local control to make sure more housing units can be built.

ALPERN AT LARGE--It is probably the utmost in hypocrisy to suggest that anyone reading this, and/or who writes articles for CityWatch, tone down their passion about the whole Trump and/or Pelosi and/or Schumer and/or Clinton thing. After all, CityWatch readers have a passion for politics and current affairs … otherwise, they wouldn’t be here. 

AT LENGTH-To understand the historical significance of the recent teachers’ strike against Los Angeles Unified School District I direct you to a PBS documentary that aired a few weeks ago, and now online, about the Latino student uprising in East Los Angeles in 1967-68. 

@THE GUSS REPORT-2019 is young – still in the top of the first inning, if you will – yet LA City Hall has already had more than its fair share of awkward moments. 

CONNECTING CALIFORNIA--The county sheriff is the problem child among California elected officials. No office is less accountable, or more reliable in producing scandal.

CAL MATTERS--Mention Pacific Gas & Electric to Victor Porter, and the response is nothing like the bland non-opinion most Americans have of the companies that provide their electricity. (Photo above: Erin Brockovich speaks to Paradise wildfire victims.)

HOSTED BY BRETT SHEARS-- Our guest for this episode of the EmpowerLA Podcast is Ken Draper, a founding Board Member from the Mid City West Community Council and Editor-Publisher for LA’s most notorious watchdog, CityWatch.

DEEGAN ON LA-High tech will step up in 2019 to help make life a little easier for the homeless in LA, thanks to a new app called “Get Help for Homeless.” It will give first responders in Los Angeles access to medical, mental health, recovery and shelter resources for homeless people. 

GELFAND’S WORLD--It's been a demanding year. We've had several of the worst brush fires in the history of California. In the northern part of the state, the death toll has been astonishing, at more than 80 in one incident.

MUST READ-In recent decades, I have been one of those celebrating the power of urbanism: the capacity of cities and towns to create economic dynamism, expanded life choices, opportunities for active living, and healthier, more resource-efficient lifestyles.