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8 JUNE 16- JUNE 22, 2022
NEWS Pasadena Water and Power announces new assistant general manager of water Michelle Obama urges voter engagement at event near downtown LA
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Pasadena Water and Power (PWP) has appointed Stacie Takeguchi as its new assistant general manager (AGM) of water after a nationwide search. As the AGM of water, she is responsible for all aspects of Pasadena’s water system services, which include resources, engineering, construction, operations, and water quality.
Takeguchi is experienced in water planning, operations and engineering. She is a leader with more than 20 years of ensuring continued water supply reliability, sustainability and resilience for the region. Prior to joining PWP, Takeguchi worked for The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) for 15 years in various capacities, including leading regional drought action planning efforts.
Prior to MWD, she managed innovative stormwater multiuse projects at the County of Los Angeles Department of Public Works. Takeguchi has a bachelor’s degree from Tulane University and is a licensed engineer in the state of California. "We are at a pivotal point in managing California’s water,” said PWP Interim General Manager Jeffrey Kightlinger. “Stacie Takeguchi is the experienced leader that Pasadena needs in order to successfully navigate drought, supply and the future of water in our community. We’re excited to have her as part of our PWP leadership team.”
“I look forward to serving Pasadena and advancing the goals of PWP through continued excellent water service and forward-thinking innovation,” said Takeguchi.
To learn more about AGM Takeguchi and other PWP leaders, visit www. PWPweb.com/Executives.
PWP provides electricity to more than 65,000 customers within Pasadena. PWP delivers water to almost 38,000 households and businesses in Pasadena and adjacent communities in the San Gabriel Valley.
As a community-owned utility, PWP is a not-forprofit public service owned and operated by the City of Pasadena for the benefit of its customers and the community. Its priorities are reliability, responsiveness to customers, reasonable rates and environmental stewardship. F ormer first lady Michelle Obama delivered the keynote address at the conclusion of the Culture of Democracy Summit Monday, urging the public to remain engaged in the voting process as "states (work) to change the way elections are administered." "This stuff is scary to think about and it leaves us all feeling helpless, and Lord knows we all need to do some preservation just to get through the day," Obama said at Banc of California Stadium in Exposition Park. "Sometimes it's easier just to look away... but just because it's easier doesn't mean it's right. We are clowning ourselves because these past couple of months alone have proven that there's no guarantee that these issues won't reach every single one of us."
The four-day event -- which aimed to bring together people from various walks of life to discuss "the role different industries play in protecting and strengthening democracy through voter registration, education, mobilization and culture change" -- culminated Monday with a daylong series of speeches and panel discussions featuring entertainment and sports notables. "I have said it before, but it's important for us all to remember it's not just about who you vote for," Obama said. "It's not about whether you're a Republican, Democrat or independent... this is so much bigger than that because right now when we look around at everything that is happening with voting and our democracy, it is clear that we're seeing a deep discrepancy between what we tell ourselves about this country and what we see with our own eyes."
A series of discussions featuring celebrities such as Selena Gomez, Janelle Monáe, Wanda Sykes and Tracee Ellis Ross preceded Obama's speech. NBA players Chris Paul and CJ McCollum also took part, along with former Los Angeles Clippers coach Doc Rivers, who now coaches the Philadelphia 76ers.
Among the topics up for discussion were the history of democracy in the United States and its current state, which Obama said is "glorified in idea and neglected in action."
Additionally, the spread of disinformation and ways to counter it, reproductive rights in light of the potential overturning of Roe v. Wade, social responsibility in the entertainment industry, the criminal justice system and the impact professional sports have on society and democracy were covered by the event's speakers. "No one has the luxury to sit out or stay at home just because you're not feeling excited enough," Obama said. "Because, as I've said time and time again, if you don't vote, other people will."
When We All Vote was founded in an effort to increase voter participation by helping "close the race and age gap," working with community organizations to register voters and promote civic education. "I am calling on anyone who cares about our democracy to stand for everyone's place in it, because this is not a partisan issue, it's an American one, and anyone who says otherwise is trying to get you to stay quiet about the threats we face," Obama said.
Among the founders of the group with Obama were Tom Hanks, Jennifer Lopez, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Monáe, Gomez, Stephen Curry, Paul, H.E.R., Kerry Washington and Shonda Rhimes.
By City News Service
Stacie Takeguchi. | Courtesy photo
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Here’s how to make sure your business is properly protected
If you own a small business, you know the importance of maintaining its financial stability. Everything from managing cash flow to keeping current with tax liabilities is crucial to ensure you’re able to keep your company profitable and in compliance with the law.
But even businesses with pristine balance sheets can be impacted by events outside their owners’ control. Accidents, natural disasters, lawsuits and cybercrime are just a handful of risks that threaten to undermine the financial health of today’s small businesses. That’s why it’s imperative that the entrepreneurs running them have proper protections in place.
If it’s been a while since you’ve reviewed your company’s insurance coverage, putting it off longer could leave your business susceptible to significant risk. Fortunately, there are steps you can take today to safeguard your company and your livelihood. Here is a primer to get you started.
First, understand the basics of business insurance
Different types of insurance can provide different protections for your business. Some of the more common types include: • General liability: This type of insurance provides coverage for legal issues ranging from injuries on your property to claims of libel or slander. • Product liability: Product liability insurance can provide protection against claims relating to defects in the products you manufacture or sell.
The level of coverage you would need to cover your risks will depend on the types of products you supply and their potential to do harm. • Professional liability: Professional liability coverage pertains to firms that provide services.
This coverage, often referred to as “errors and omissions insurance,” protects against mistakes that could occur. • Commercial property insurance: Just as you need insurance on your home, the same is true for your business property, even if you rent your business space. This insurance can protect the valuable assets in your company from risks such as fire, flood damage, vandalism or theft.
Specialized types of insurance
Beyond the basics, there are specialized types of insurance that can provide coverage for the unique aspects of your business. Consider whether any of these apply to your situation: • Business insurance for the home1: If you run your business out of your home, it is likely you’re your standard homeowner’s insurance will not cover risks associated with the business.
Check your policy to see if separate or additional coverage is needed. • Worker’s compensation:
If you have employees, you will likely need to have a worker’s compensation policy in place to cover injuries or deaths that could occur while doing business. • Auto insurance: Vehicles specifically owned by the company require full insurance. Employees using their own cars can be covered by personal insurance policies in most cases but be sure to check with your insurer.
You may need additional insurance to protect the company in case one of your employees has insufficient coverage. • Business interruption insurance: A natural disaster or other catastrophic event could disrupt your business operation for days, weeks or even months. This form of coverage can compensate businesses
for income lost during such periods. Generally, it is most suitable for a business that operates from a specific location, such as a retail store. • Cyber or data breach coverage: If sensitive information about employees, vendors or clients is stored within your computers and other devices, there may be a financial impact if your business is subject to a cyber-attack. This insurance can help cover costs associated with notifying affected parties, public relations and legal action. • Employment practices coverage: Employers can be subject to legal actions from employees and others, including accusations of discrimination, harassment or wrongful termination. Policies are available to protect against these costs. • Directors’ and officers’ liability: This coverage protects individuals in positions of authority in the company if they are sued over business decisions or actions taken. • Life insurance: If you share ownership of the
Jean D. Koehler. | Courtesy photo
business, think about what might happen to the firm if one of you passes away unexpectedly. Life insurance can be a key part of your company’s succession plan, ensuring the deceased’s loved ones and the surviving partners are taken care of financially and the business can continue to operate.
Look for solutions that are suitable
As you can tell from the plentitude of options described above, there is no “one-size-fits-all” solution when it comes to business insurance. Working closely with financial and insurance professionals can help you assess your needs and determine an appropriate protection strategy.
Jean D. Koehler, CLTC®, CRPC®, RICP®, CKA®, is a Financial Advisor with Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC. in Arcadia. She specializes in fee-based financial planning and asset management strategies and has been in practice for 21 years. She is also the winner of the 2020 Ameriprise Client Service Award. To contact her, please visit her website at https://www.ameripriseadvisors. com/jean.d.koehler/ or call her office at (626)254-0455. 55 East Huntington Drive Suite 340, Arcadia California 91006.
El Monte shooting Banning bicycle
Continued From Page 1 of a stabbing and came under fire when they attempted to make contact with the suspect inside a room. The suspect then ran from the motel into a parking lot, where a second shooting occurred, and the suspect was killed.
The Los Angeles Times first identified the suspect as Flores, citing his mother, Lynn Covarrubias. An unnamed source from the District Attorney's Office told the paper Flores was on probation in a weapons case. Court records show Flores pleaded no contest to the charge in February 2021.
Covarrubias told the paper her son and his wife, who had a 7-year-old daughter, were separated but would often stay at the Siesta Inn. She said she did not know who was with her son at the motel on Tuesday. "These heroes paid the ultimate sacrifice," acting El Monte police Chief Ben Lowry said at a Tuesday night news conference. "Today they were murdered by a coward."
El Monte Mayor Jessica Ancona said during the news conference, "Heartbroken doesn't begin to express the loss that we feel." "They were acting as the first line of defense for community members when they were essentially ambushed while trying to keep the family safe," Ancona said.
El Monte City Councilwoman Maria Morales posted on Facebook, "They went to work today to protect the people of our city and to answer the call for help. Sadly, their selfless acts of service led them to a place of evil and they were taken from us in a senseless act of cowardice. "As a city official and, more importantly, as a mother, I can only imagine the pain and suffering their families are now enduring. I want them to know that I and the people of El Monte grieve with them during this dark moment."
Investigators combed the area of the shooting into the night Tuesday searching for evidence, witnesses and surveillance video. The Times reported that investigators interviewed a woman, described as the suspect's girlfriend, who was in the hotel room with him, noting that she had not been stabbed.
The city of El Monte, El Monte Police Department and El Monte Police Officers Association released a joint statement expressing their sympathy: "There are no words to describe our grief and devastation by this senseless act as we learned about the passing of two of our police officers. It weighs heavy on our hearts and we are sending our support to their families. "We would also like to thank the El Monte community and our surrounding government agencies for the outpouring support we have received in the last few hours."
A memorial of flowers and tributes quickly formed outside the El Monte Police Department headquarters, and it grew throughout the morning Wednesday. Condolences poured in from police and fire agencies. "My deepest condolences and prayers go out to the @ elmontepolice and the loved ones of the two officers who were senselessly murdered this evening in the line of duty," Sheriff Alex Villanueva tweeted.
A tweet from the Los Angeles County Fire Department read, "We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of two El Monte Police Dept officers. The LACoFD extends its condolences/prayers to everyone affected. "Every day, we work sideby-side w/law enforcement, including our partners at El Monte Police Dept, who are like family to us."
At around 11:10 p.m. Tuesday a police procession began from the El Monte Police Department to the hospital in order to escort the officers' bodies to the Los Angeles County Coroner's office.
The shooting came one day after a California Highway Patrol officer was shot multiple times during a traffic stop in Studio City. That officer was expected to survive, and a suspect in the shooting was arrested after an hours- long manhunt.
Anyone with information about the El Monte shooting was encouraged to call the Sheriff's Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. Anonymous calls can be made to 800-222-TIPS.
Children's Hospital again ranked first in California
Continued From Page 1 circumstances, the street sale of and repair of all bicycles and would imperil and cast suspicion on street vendors of non-stolen bicycles, who often serve poor riders. "Obtaining and servicing low-cost bicycles is vital for many low-income travelers and travelers of color. Many delivery people and messengers who rely on low-cost bicycle service would see their livelihoods threatened," the neighborhood council's statement continued.
The Los Feliz Neighborhood Council told council members in its community impact statement that it opposes the language of the ordinance, saying it "will criminalize mundane activities of cyclists and risk increasing the harassment and victimization of already vulnerable populations: the unhoused and black and brown cyclists."
Buscaino, however, said the ordinance would give the Los Angeles Police Department a "necessary tool" to reduce the number of bicycle thefts in Los Angeles. Under the proposed ordinance, a "chop shop" is defined as: three or more bicycles; a bicycle frame with the gear cables or brake cables cut; two or more bicycles with missing parts; five or more bicycle parts.
Buscaino said his district, which borders Long Beach, "has seen a proliferation of bicycle chop shops."
The Souther Robertson, Northwest San Pedro and Sunland-Tujunga neighborhood councils issued community impact statements in support of the ordinance.
| Photo courtesy of PxHere
By City News Service
Children's Hospital Los Angeles was again ranked as California's best hospital for pediatric care and specialty services according to U.S. News & World Report's 2022-23 Best Children's Hospitals list published Monday.
The hospital was also first in the survey's Pacific U.S. region, which consists of Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington, and made the Honor Roll of Best Children's Hospitals for the 14th consecutive year, every year since its inception.
The hospital was nationally ranked in all 10 pediatric subspecialties assessed by the survey, including top-10 recognition in four categories -- sixth in both orthopedics and gastroenterology and gastrointestinal surgery and seventh in urology and diabetes and endocrinology. The 2022-23 Best Children's Hospitals survey evaluated 119 pediatric hospitals, including freestanding institutions like
Children's Hospital Los Angeles. | Courtesy photo
LA County, Gascón lawyers respond to veteran prosecutor's suit
Defense attorney: Man killed rapper Nipsey Hussle in heat of passion
George Gascón. | Photo courtesy of LA District Attorney's Office
By City News Service
Lawyers for Los Angeles County and District Attorney George Gascon have responded to an amended lawsuit filed by a veteran prosecutor who alleges that he suffered a backlash for being a critic of Gascon, saying some of the plaintiff's s claims were filed too late and that still others should be resolved instead in a workers compensation claim.
The defense attorneys filed their court papers on Monday in Los Angeles Superior Court in response to the amended lawsuit brought May 13 by Deputy District Attorney Jon Hatami, who now alleges eight causes of action compared to the five in his original complaint filed last Sept. 3. "Plaintiff fails to state facts sufficient to constitute claims upon which relief can be granted...," the defense attorneys state in their court papers. "Insofar as plaintiff seeks recovery for alleged physical and/or emotional injury based on conduct by defendants that neither contravenes fundamental California public policy nor exceeds the risks inherent in the employment relationship ... the exclusive remedy for these alleged injuries is an action or a claim under the Workers' Compensation Act."
Other Hatami claims were filed outside the statute of limitations, according to the defense attorneys' court papers.
Hatami alleges he has been defamed and denied promotions because he has criticized Gascon's directives. His new complaint also alleges he was harassed and discriminated against because of his heritage, his religion and his complaints. Hatami is part Iranian and his father is Muslim.
Instead of putting a stop to the alleged disparate treatment, Gascon's office ratified it by refusing to promote him, the amended suit alleges. "Gascon maliciously embarrassed plaintiff by calling him an `internal terrorist,' refused to promote him and disparately removed or failed to assign plaintiff cases that would typically be designated within his jurisdiction," the amended suit alleges.
Among the cases, Hatami has been assigned is that of Jose Cuatro and Maria Juarez, a Palmdale couple charged with murder and torture in the death of their 4-year-old son, Noah. He also was one of two prosecutors in the trial of Isauro Aguirre and Pearl Fernandez, who was sentenced to death and life in prison without parole, respectively, for her 8-year-old son Gabriel's death.
When Gascon was sworn in December 2020, he promised to stop enforcing California's threestrikes law, end-use of the death penalty and create a review board to hold law enforcement officials more accountable. When Hatami criticized Gascon's changes, he found himself in a hostile work environment, according to his amended complaint. "Gascon has deliberately denied assigning (Hatami) to complex child abuse and murder cases within his jurisdiction as punishment for not going along with his directives," the amended suit alleges. "This in turn impacts (Hatami's) work and ability to prove himself for desired promotions."
In November 2020, Gascon said in an interview on Spectrum News 1 that the only reason the plaintiff sought the death penalty in the Gabriel Fernandez case was because his ego had been hurt by Aguirre, that Aguirre had rubbed Hatami the wrong way, that Aguirre was not the "heavy" in the case and that Aguirre had refused Hatami's plea deal, according to the suit.
The comments were "knowingly false" and were meant to damage Hatami's reputation and fitness to carry out his duties, according to the amended suit.
Mother and her two young children pay homage to the slain rapper. | Photo courtesy of joey zanotti via Flickr (CC BY 2.0)
By City News Service
Aprosecutor told jurors Wednesday that a man opened fire with two guns on Nipsey Hussle outside the rapper's clothing store in the Hyde Park area of Los Angeles just over three years ago, while one of the defense attorneys acknowledged that his client killed the musician but said the crime occurred in the "heat of passion."
Eric Ronald Holder Jr., 32, is charged with murder for the March 31, 2019, slaying of the 33-year-old rapper, whose real name was Ermias Joseph Asghedom.
Holder, an aspiring rapper, is also charged with two counts each of attempted murder and assault with a firearm and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon, along with allegations that he personally and intentionally discharged a handgun and that he personally inflicted great bodily injury.
In his opening statement, Deputy District Attorney John McKinney told the downtown Los Angeles jury that Holder "pulls out not one but two guns and starts shooting" after a conversation with the rapper that included allegations of "snitching." The prosecutor said the rapper had told Holder that there was word on the street that he had been "snitching," but that there was "no hostility" before Holder left the parking lot and then returned soon afterward to the strip mall. "You can see him shoot from the left hand and the right hand," the prosecutor said of surveillance video.
The rapper was struck by at least 10 and possibly 11 bullets in an "explosion of violence," McKinney said, noting that he was "shot from literally the bottom of his feet to the top of his head" and that he would have been a paraplegic if he survived because one bullet transected his spine.
Holder allegedly told the fallen rapper, "You're through," and kicked him in the head before running from the scene, according to the prosecutor.
Both men had grown up in South Los Angeles in a neighborhood claimed by a gang and were recruited into the gang at a fairly young age, McKinney told jurors.
One of Holder's attorneys, Aaron Jansen, told jurors, "This is a case about heat of passion."
The defense lawyer, who was set to wrap up his opening statement Wednesday afternoon, conceded that his client "shot and killed" the rapper, that a bullet accidentally struck another man and that a third man might have been grazed.
He noted that Holder surrendered himself at a mental health clinic in Bellflower three days after the shooting.
After Hussle's death, thousands of people were on hand in April 2019 for a service in his honor, with singer Stevie Wonder and rapper Snoop Dogg among those paying tribute to him.
In a letter that was read during the service, former President Barack Obama wrote, "While most folks look at the Crenshaw neighborhood where he grew up and see only gangs, bullets and despair, Nipsey saw potential. He saw hope. He saw a community that, even through its flaws, taught him to always keep going."
The rapper-entrepreneur was posthumously honored with two Grammy Awards in 2020 for best rap performance for "Racks in the Middle" and for best rap/sung performance for "Higher."
County OKs LA River master plan, despite opposition
affordable housing coming and make it increase. The affordability crisis and the homelessness crisis in Los Angeles will not go away without us as a society making decisions and commitments to help get there, and this is one of those opportunities to make one of those choices."
Voters in November 2016 passed Proposition HHH to use $1.2 billion to build 10,000 units for homeless Angelenos, with the goal of more than tripling Los Angeles' annual production of supportive housing.
The high cost of Proposition HHH-funded projects has been criticized by some. A January 2022 report by Controller Ron Galperin said the average cost of Proposition HHH projects is $600,000 per unit, up from $530,000 in 2020. When the proposition was passed by voters, the city anticipated that each unit of supportive housing would cost between $350,000 and $414,000.
Galperin's report included details of the cost of Proposition HHH units in the last year, with one project in pre-development expected to cost $837,000 per unit, making it $100,000 more expensive per unit than the most expensive project in 2020.
Galperin said costs could reach $900,000 or $1 million per unit if the city doesn't make any changes.
While the coalition's proposal would build on Proposition HHH by prioritizing permanent housing, Los Angeles City Councilman Joe Buscaino has proposed a ballot measure that would require the city to prioritize emergency temporary shelter production over permanent housing. That measure would also prohibit encampments across the city if enough shelter is available and offered.
LA County to explore possible local rules to control gun sales
By City News Service
Following a successful petition by a coalition of labor unions and other organizations, and a 14-0 city council decision Wednesday, Los Angeles voters in November will consider a ballot measure that would create a tax on multimillion-dollar property sales to fund solutions to homelessness, including permanent housing.
The coalition began collecting signatures for the United To House L.A. ballot measure in January, with the goal of getting 65,000 signatures to qualify for the November 2022 general election.
On May 2, the group turned in 98,043 signatures, with a sufficient number verified by the City Clerk. On Wednesday, the city council decided to add the measure to the November general election ballot instead of calling a special election.
If approved by a majority of voters in November, the measure would create a 4% tax on properties sold for more than $5 million, and a 5.5% tax on properties sold for more than $10 million.
"In this moment, we need to do something really big. United to House L.A. will be the biggest investment the city has ever made in preventing homelessness and will provide hundreds of millions a year for affordable housing," said Alliance for Community Transit-Los Angeles Director Laura Raymond, who co-chairs United To House L.A.
Raymond said in December that the revenue raised by the tax would be invested in affordable and permanent housing, as well as oversight of how the tax dollars are spent, including through a dedicated inspector general. She claimed it would provide "the strongest citizens oversight and accountability protections in the history of Los Angeles."
The group contends the tax would have generated about $800 million between March 2019 and March 2020, by taxing only 3% of real estate sales that year.
The coalition anticipates the measure would create more than 26,000 homes for people experiencing homelessness or who are at risk of homelessness, helping about 69,000 people over the next 10 years. The group also claims the investment in homelessness prevention could help more than 475,000 at-risk renters stay in their homes each year.
The coalition includes Leaders from the Alliance for Community Transit- LA, the Korean Immigrant Workers Alliance, Los Angeles Community Action Network, the Los Angeles/ Orange Counties Building & Construction Trades Council, Move LA, the NoHo Home Alliance, Renters' Right to Counsel, and the Southern California Association of Non Profit Housing.
Raymond said Wednesday that 143 organizations had joined the effort. "It's estimated that in the first 10 years, this will build over 25,000 units of affordable housing that will house almost 70,000 people," Frank Martinez, policy director for the Southern California Association of Nonprofit Housing, said. "The stability of a permanent source of funding is extremely important for those who build affordable housing. It allows them to plan ahead and build up their pipeline and keep that flow of T he Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously directed its attorneys Tuesday to investigate potential gun-control measures that could be implemented locally. "There's no doubt that we're facing a gun violence epidemic in our nation," Supervisor Janice Hahn, who introduced the motion asking for the report, told her colleagues. "There's simply too many guns out in our communities."
The motion calls for county attorneys to explore an array of possible local regulations, such as increasing the required age to purchase a long gun from 18 to 21, enacting a safestorage ordinance similar to one in place in the city of Los Angeles, creating buffer zones between schools and gun stores, and banning people who are on the federal no-fly list from purchasing guns.
Hahn referenced guncontrol rallies that were held across the country over the weekend, including in downtown Los Angeles. She said students and parents are "begging those of us who can to take action against gun violence." "I wanted to take a look at what we could do as county supervisors here in Los Angeles County," she said, calling for a list of "common-sense gun measures that we can enact here at the local level that would save lives."
The board unanimously backed her motion. "We know that each shooting takes somebody's life away, and we have to go way beyond this now, and I do believe this motion will help us get there," Supervisor Hilda Solis said.
The motion also asks county staff to explore what it would take to enable the county Department of Public Health to declare gun violence a public health emergency. It also adds the county's voice in support of bipartisan gun legislation being considered in Congress.
By City News Service
