VOICES

VOICES--The LA River needs YOU! Friends of the Los Angeles River (FoLAR) is organizing its 29th Annual La Gran Limpieza / Great RIver CleanUp. Now less than a month away from kicking off three weekends of River CleanUp in celebration of Earth Month. This CleanUp is the Largest Urban River CleanUp in the nation’s history - and it relies on the participation of Angelenos like you to take hands-on action in support of River restoration. 

VOICES -- Yesterday, 30 housing activists and hotel workers protested in front of 779 Stradella Dr., a notorious party house branded as a “sober living residence” and tied to Paul Manafort.

VOICES--In 2015 an Exide Technologies plant in Vernon, Calif. that melted down car batteries for their lead was closed to avoid federal criminal prosecution for polluting nearby communities. 

VOICES—To Board of Neighborhood Commissioners--My name is Laura Velkei, I serve on the HCNC as the 3^rd VP, Chair of Land Use and Bylaws Committees, and handle communications for our Board. 

VOICES--My name is Susan Hunter and I’m the caseworker with the Hollywood Local of the Los Angeles Tenants Union. You may know me better as the evil scheming blackmailer who is trying to harm your victim client for tons of money. At least that is what you called me in your latest press release. 

VOICES--Refugio Rodriguez continues to “represent” the stakeholders of LAUSD Zone 5… six months after allegations of felony charges for perjury and conspiracy. He was also charged with 25 mysterious money-laundering misdemeanors that flummox elections ethicists since there is no limit on self-financing one’s own campaign, completely obviating any need for Rodriguez to have illegally paid his staff to donate to it. Further, it has recently come to light that these crimes may be the tip of the iceberg. And regulators further afield from LAUSD are noticing Rodriguez’ charter chain too. 

VOICES--The trendy storyline in criminal justice is to blame the prosecutor, blame the police, blame the laws and blame society. Never mind the wake of destruction violent criminals leave on the community, especially economically vulnerable neighborhoods. Never mind the approximately 17,000 Americans murdered in 2016. Never mind those people. Let's now focus on the injustice of putting away rapists, gang members and murderers. 

VOICES--Today the Federal Communications Commission repealed net neutrality — a terrible step for the future of a free and open internet and for our democracy. In January when the State Legislature reconvenes, I will introduce legislation to require net neutrality in California.

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.