VOICES

VOICES-Austin Beutner, the one-time candidate for Los Angeles mayor and former publisher of the Los Angeles Times, recalled a funny story during a talk he gave at a breakfast meeting hosted by the San Pedro Chamber of Commerce at Ports O’ Call Restaurant. It was about the time Beutner was delivering a speech on how to make a profit in Russia after the fall of the Soviet Union. Beutner was there as part of a Clinton administration team led by Secretary of State Warren Christopher to help Russia transition from communism to a free-market economy. But suddenly, Beutner realized he’d lost his audience. Bewildered, he turned to his interpreter and asked, “What is it that they don’t understand?” 

VOICES--Local governments in California's cities and counties are to blame for delaying housing development—rather than state environmental law, according to a new study.

VOICES--Stop. Just for a second. I know it’s hard. The news comes at us so fast these days. Stories that, during relatively normal times, would consume us for weeks shoot across our consciousness and then disappear in a flash; like fireworks the next story explodes across our screens while the last one dissipates from our view, and vanishes from our thoughts.

VOICES--"If you're not catching flak you know you are not over the target" is a saying which apparently originated from WWII pilots, who could tell they were over the target if they could see and feel the antiaircraft fire.  

420 FILE--Under the newly passed resolution, no city department, agency or employee “shall use any city funds or resources to assist in the enforcement of federal drug laws related to cannabis.”

VOICES--This was one of a few letters sent to LAPD OIG, and CIVIL GRAND JURY after Beck berated a captain in front of the media. 136.1 PC - Intimidating a witness, and LAPD Vol 1/273 intimidating a wit who gave info to the OIG.  

VOICES--Dear Eve and CD7: At tonight's Sunland-Tujunga Neighborhood Council meeting you answered a question from the audience incorrectly in front of a moderately sized audience of Neighborhood Council members and stakeholders. When asked why the Councilmember had not yet met with the SAFE Coalition you tried to say she had by meeting with several individuals. I viewed the Councilmember answer a similar question in a similar fashion in front of a gang deterrence audience a few months ago. (Photo above: Councilmember Rodriguez center.) 

VOICES--I am deeply concerned about our immigration system using unlawful tactics to tear families apart, rather than respecting the importance of family unity,” said Rep. Roybal-Allard.  “Many immigrant families come to the U.S. out of a desperation to survive. 

VOICES--The state parole board continues its reckless policy of early release for violent felons. We previously documented some examples of the parole board's dangerous trend of ignoring public safety when labeling inmates to be released early as "not a danger" to the public. 

VOICES--I just read your publications 2013 article about Mayor James T. Butts undetermined residency in Inglewood.

VOICES--Recently, the LA Times wrote an editorial urging our LA City Councilmembers to “put the brakes on all these tax breaks,” and as a Los Angeles taxpayer, I couldn’t agree more. The piece mentioned several specific examples of tax breaks conceded by “City leaders,” worth “half a billion dollars that have been approved in recent years,” to fund various hotel projects underway in Downtown Los Angeles. Moreover, there was a tax break recently awarded by the City councilmembers to a private Hotel developer worth $103.5 million dollars that was taken without public or council comment. 

VOICES-The main problem that I have with Trump's border wall is its outmoded usefulness in the 21st century. Let's face it, walls are not only a part of a different time period, they are part of a different mindset.  

VOICES--In 1986, CBS reporter Lesley Stahl went with her husband and daughter for a valedictory meeting with President Ronald Reagan before ending her stint as a White House correspondent. (She would later return to cover George H.W. Bush as well.) Before she went in, Stahl was told to ask no questions. When Reagan appeared, Stahl was faced with a befuddled man who did not seem to know where he was. 

VOICES--One year has passed since LA voters approved $1.2 billion in Measure HHH to end LA’s homeless crisis — and the City Council and Mayor Eric Garcetti have failed to erect a single unit of homeless housing.

VOICES--Los Angeles is in the throes of an unprecedented housing affordability crisis, with homelessness at historic highs.  So why does our planning department see fit to allow developers to buy up affordable, rent-stabilized buildings and convert them to luxury, million-dollar condominiums? 

VOICES--The state Legislature has repeatedly beaten down common-sense attempts to fix the most egregious flaws in the social-engineering experiments known as Prop. 47 and Prop. 57.