Mayor Eric Garcetti said today that he signed an executive directive to make city services more accessible online and contact-free whenever possible amid the COVID-19 pandemic.     Garcetti said people can already pay bills online, and contact-free pickup services of materials from libraries is available, but ``this directive is a critical step to not only modernize government but to keep us safe as we open up city services, or the city services that have stayed open and that you depend on don't put you at risk.''  ... read more »

We can all learn something new and we can certainly learn from past experiences to help us for the future. This would hopefully give us a smoother, better outlook  as we move through the day to day continuum of our lives. How can we unravel the past? Detangling what has happened is difficult, maybe impossible.  What happens to those who make things more difficult, when if they would stop and consider carefully the matters, they would be better positioned to guide a brighter future. ... read more »

“The one Constitutional office elected by all of the people is the presidency.  So, at a minimum, we should expect a president to feel a sense of responsibility for the safety and welfare of all 330  million  of us – regardless of what we look like, how we worship, who we love, how much money we have – or who we voted for,” Obama declared.   ... read more »

LOS ANGELES, CA: Today, the County of Los Angeles Board of Supervisors, the LA County Department of Workforce Development, Aging and Community Services (WDACS), and the Commission on Human Relations jointly announced the launch of the “L.A. vs Hate” initiative to report and end incidents of hate and hate crimes in LA County. This announcement comes as 211-LA continues to receive reports of hate – from January through July 2020, 256 total calls reporting hate, including 27 calls as a result of COVID-19 – and is part of a multi-year mission by the Board of Supervisors to end acts of hate in the County. ... read more »

When Brandy began crafting her newest album nearly three years ago, her intent was both benevolent and selfish. She wanted to give R&B fans the timeless music she’s been synonymous with, while also gain liberation from emotional bondage. She achieved her goal with “B7” — but she wasn’t prepared for the raw and emotional way the lyrics poured out of her during the creative process. It’s why, for the first time, the Grammy winner co-wrote every song on the album and co-produced the majority of the project. ... read more »

A man eyed for years as a possible suspect in the 2002 fatal shooting of hip-hop pioneer Jam Master Jay pleaded not guilty at his arraignment on Tuesday, and remained in federal custody where he is already serving a prison sentence for robbery.  Ronald Washington, 56, entered his plea remotely from Kentucky, while his attorney and the government’s lawyers appeared by teleconference because of coronavirus concerns.  Washington and Karl Jordan Jr., 36, face a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison, or the death penalty if convicted of murder in the death of Jason “Jay” Mizell, known professionally as Jam Master Jay.   ... read more »

A new video released by the attorneys of Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri appears to show an Alameda County sheriff’s deputy initially shoved him twice leading to an altercation moments after his team had defeated the Golden State Warriors in last year’s NBA championship.   The Raptors had just won their first title at Oracle Arena in Oakland on June 13, 2019, when Ujiri went onto the court to join his celebrating team.  ... read more »

While this is a pivotal moment in our nation’s history, it is also a pivotal moment in the history of Los Angeles.  Although it is a time of crisis, we need to use it as time of great opportunity, a time to breathe new life into the marvelous minority communities of South-Central Los Angeles.  In short, we need to embark on what may be called an Urban Marshall Plan designed to expand political power to minority communities and to promote fairness in the distribution of public resources. This is an opportunity to bring new hope to the poor and underserved who are suffering the most in these times of crisis, as they do in all times.  ... read more »

A judge today took under submission a motion by the estate of the pilot in the Jan. 26 helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant and eight others to move a lawsuit brought by Bryant's widow to Orange County to ensure a fair trial.     Vanessa Bryant brought the case on Feb. 24 in Los Angeles Superior Court on behalf of herself and her surviving three daughters, including the youngest, Capri, who turned one-year-old on Sunday.     The case was later transferred to Van Nuys Superior Court and names as defendants the estate of the late chopper pilot, Ara Zobayan, plus Island Express Helicopters and Island Express Holding Corp. Judge Virginia Keeny heard arguments on the change-of-venue motion, then took the case under ... read more »

Public pressure to restore a key HUD rule has united civil rights, public and private sector stakeholders in a swelling and nearly daily drumbeat of concern calling for fair housing to be supported and HUD’s replacement rule be rescinded.      On July 23 the rule known as Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) HUD Secretary Ben Carson termed the rule as “a ruse for social engineering under the guise of desegregation”.    ... read more »

It’s that time again that my Office undertakes its most important function of the fiscal year that lays the ground work for the very property taxes that pay for our vital public services: The Assessment Roll.   The Roll for 2020 has been closed and it reflects solid growth for the City of Los Angeles and the rest of the County. However, the Roll is pre-COVID and I will explain that in a bit.   ... read more »

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L.A. Controller Ron Galperin, in cooperation with the City’s Economic and Workforce Development Department (EWDD), updated his interactive map and microloan tracker displaying the microloans funded by the City of Los Angeles to help small businesses get the assistance they need during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the program started, EWDD has distributed more than $5.9 million to 419 Los Angeles businesses — an increase from the $3.4 million to 227 businesses reported when Galperin first released the tracker in July. Available at lacontroller.org/microloans, Galperin's microloan tracker is updated through the beginning of August and includes a map with the name, location and loan amount for each recipient.  ... read more »

Wealthier communities went from being the most mobile before the COVID-19 pandemic to the least mobile, while poorer areas have gone from the least mobile to the most mobile, according to a study by the University of California, Davis. ... read more »

Battle of the Beats starts on Tuesday, August 18th at 12:00 p.m. EST and ends Friday, August 28th at 12:00 p.m. EST. Interested participants are invited to submit a 60-second (max) video of themselves playing their hottest beat for the opportunity to win recording equipment, bragging rights, and the ability to sell their beat for cash. The goal is to raise money for Black Connect’s business mentoring and legal services programs for small, Black-owned businesses, which will help entrepreneurs build sustainable businesses, particularly those impacted by COVID-19. ... read more »