Ex-VA Police Officer Sentenced for Civil Rights Violation in Baton Assault
Man Struck 45 Times With a Baton in Assault Captured on Video
The former officer of the Veterans Affairs Police Department (VAPD) who was accused of beating a man at the VA was sentenced on Monday to 12 months in federal prison. The assault was captured on video footage that was released in 2022, shortly after the incident.
Juan Anthony Carrillo, 46, of Alhambra, pleaded guilty in July to one misdemeanor count of deprivation of rights under color of law. U.S. District Judge Wesley L. Hsu, who handed down the maximum sentence allowed for the
offense, emphasized the responsibility law enforcement officers have to maintain public trust.
“Officers owe a special duty and have a special obligation to keep the trust of the citizens they police,” Judge Hsu said during the sentencing.
The assault occurred at approximately 4:00 a.m. on January 16, 2022, at the West Los Angeles VA Medical Center. The victim, identified in court documents as “R.V.,” was detained by another VAPD officer when Carrillo arrived to assist.
Carrillo used a baton to strike R.V. approximately 45 times in 41 seconds, even as the victim screamed in pain. Many of the blows were delivered while the other officer, significantly larger than the victim, was restraining R.V., who was unarmed.
The victim suffered cuts to both legs
and a broken bone in his right foot as a result of the attack.
The case was investigated by the FBI, the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, and the VA’s
Attorneys Susan S. Har and Michael J. Morse of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section prosecuted the case.
Brentwood’s Beloved New York Bagel Co. to Close After 21 Years at Topa Town & Country Center
Local Favorite, Designed by Renowned Architect
Fred Gehry, Must Vacate by December 31
New York Bagel Co., the beloved bagel shop in Brentwood, has sadly received word from the owners of Topa Town & Country Shopping Center that they must close and vacate the premises by December 31, 2024.
The current owners of New York Bagel Co., Ted and Petra Cichowski, have owned the restaurant since 2003 when they bought it from the original owner David Rosen. They have 21 years of history in Brentwood and the bagel shop is an institution and gathering place for the residents of the neighborhood, so this is a sad blow to Brentwood. The shop itself was designed by architect Fred Gehry, who was a friend of Rosen’s, so New York Bagel Co. is also a part of Los Angeles’ proud architectural history.
I spoke with Patra Cichowski who told me the story behind the restaurant’s
eviction. Patra became emotional while telling me the story because the bagel shop means so much to her and Ted and the friendships that they have forged with members of the community are so meaningful to them.
She said, “It’s our family, our employees, like Manny, and especially the customers, They’ve all been like our family. Our kids have grown up there and we’ve watched kids grow up. We’ve seen some of them who now have kids [of their own]. We never did it to make a ton of money. We just wanted to do something that we enjoyed and to make a living.”
The restaurant’s lease was up for renewal in June and Ted and Petra met with the Vice President of Anderson Real Estate, who owns the Topa Town & Country Shopping Center, and is also apparently a customer of the shop. She said that their broker told them that the VP liked them and wanted to work with them to stay.
At the meeting, they presented him
with a business plan, said they would be willing to remodel their business and said, “We are willing to do whatever you want us to do.” He responded that people think of New York Bagel Co. as an institution in Brentwood and that the meeting ended on a positive note. There was never any mention of raising the rent.
However, when they had not heard back from him by August and they were renting the space on a month to month basis, since the lease had not been renewed, they became concerned and reached out to their broker. By the time they heard back from Anderson Real Estate, it was August and they were told that the company was “looking into other prospects.” In mid-October, they finally received an email that they had until December 31 to vacate the property.
Prior to being told that they had to
leave, Patra said that the company had told them that an insurance adjuster was going to come by to take a look at the property and she recognized the person from another restaurant company who she knew. The shop also received a visit from a couple of architects around that time as well when Ted and Patra were not there.
From what she has heard, the owners of the complex want to bring in “fresh faces” to change the look of the mall. Patra said that she is not sure what the future of the New York Bagel Co. is and that so many customers have tried to help them find a new space, for which she is grateful.
She mentioned that she trusts that things works out for a reason, but cannot help but be concerned, especially for some of her longtime employees.
Office of Security and Law Enforcement. Assistant U.S.
CD 11 to Present Plans for Pedestrian Safety, Left-Turn Pockets, and Median Beautification
Join the Virtual Update on San Vicente Boulevard Improvements
The Brentwood Community Council announced via its email newsletter that Council District 11, in collaboration with StreetsLA and the Department of Transportation (DOT), will host a virtual briefing on Tuesday, November 26. The purpose of this meeting is to update Brentwood residents on the status of several important projects along San Vicente Boulevard.
The meeting, led by Councilwoman Traci Park and members of her office, will cover three main initiatives:
• The Installation of left-turn pockets at San Vicente Boulevard and Darlington Avenue.
• Walkability improvements, including curb bump-outs to enhance pedestrian safety.
• Median beautification, funded by contributions secured by State Senator Ben Allen.
The briefing is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. and requires an RSVP in advance to attend. Residents who RSVP will receive a meeting link closer to
Thanksgiving at
by Chef Michael Mina
Thursday, November 28 | 2 to 8 p.m.
the event and will have the opportunity to submit suggestions, questions, and concerns in advance.
To RSVP and provide input, community members can visit this Google form.
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Serving the Community For 76 Years
Celebrate Brentwoodmeet’s 2nd Birthday with Holiday Trivia Night
Brentwoodmeet is marking its second anniversary with a festive trivia night celebrating Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, and the holiday season. The event will take place at the Brentwood Recreation Center on Saturday, Dec. 7, and promises fun, prizes, and holiday spirit for all attendees.
Event Details:
• What: Brentwoodmeet’s 2nd Birthday and Holiday Trivia Night
• When: Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
• Where: Brentwood Recreation Center: parking is available at the Post Office after 3:00 p.m.
• Who: Teams or individuals are welcome to participate.
Every attendee will receive a present, with opportunities to win additional prizes, including French purses, Dodgers memorabilia, Italian ceramics, jewelry, books, and locally made items.
A drawing will determine prize winners, and participants must be present to claim their prizes. Guests are encouraged to bring food or drinks to share (no alcohol).
Suggestions include cheese, crackers, cookies, fruit, or cake. Refrigeration is available at the venue, though reheating or microwaving food is not permitted. Participants can register in advance by
emailing brentwoodmeet@gmail.com. Whether coming solo or as part of a team, attendees can expect a lively celebration of Brentwoodmeet’s milestone and the holiday season.
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Brentwood Beat: The Adventures of a Brentwood Poll Worker
By Jeff Hall
For years now many have been worried about election integrity. I’m not paranoid about these things, but I wanted to see all this with my own eyes. So I signed up to be a poll worker volunteer this time around. I was stationed at Brentwood Science Magnet School. I was there four days, November 2-5.
First the good news.
People really take their right to vote seriously. The line was an hour and a half long on Tuesday, November 5, the last day of voting. Whenever we couldn’t find someone in the computer system, people became quite anxious. They wanted to be sure they got to cast their vote.
There was a workaround procedure ensuring everyone got to vote. It just took a little longer in the case of those not readily found in the system. While the volunteers played a critical role, there’s no way this system could work without the leadership and participation of several talented, hard-working, and dedicated workers from the County. Ours was a fun team.
The technology was more advanced than any I had experienced before. Long gone are the big books with your name and address on them. This time everyone had to get checked in via an Apple iPad, signing in, using a rubber stylus.
If a voter showed up with his or her sample ballot, it had a bar code printed on it, unique to that voter. With a quick scan, it was really easy to check in these voters. This feature should be heavily promoted in the future; it really speeds things up. Most didn’t know they could
do that.
Voters could also preload their votes into their phone, producing a QR code that could be scanned into the voting machine. That was pretty slick.
Voters generally seemed to be in a good mood. All day long, on election day, food kept arriving at our polling location – anonymous contributions from the neighborhood. We had doughnuts, fruit, and then, later in the day, the pizzas started showing up.
We had so much extra food that at one point, I asked the supervisor if I
could take several boxes of pizza and go work the lines of voters who were still outside. It was getting cold and dark out there. The boss said OK and within a few minutes, four boxes of pizza were gone.
Now the bad news.
The registration records of many couldn’t be found inside our iPads. Many reported that they had registered online – months, weeks, and even the day of voting. Many presented affidavits they got via email from the Registrar’s office, showing they were registered voters.
But we couldn’t find their records in the system and had to re-register them from scratch. The only way we could issue them ballots was to make them provisional or conditional voters. I’m guessing this happened as often as 30 percent of the time.
But there is a huge amount of paperwork involved to issue a conditional or provisional ballot. It took these voters as long as 10-30 minutes each to fill out the form printed on the outside of a big pink envelope, into which they would later insert their ballot.
It was very frustrating for everyone involved.
But maybe the biggest frustration was knowing the lines outside never had to reach an hour and a half; I think, if the computers were all properly synced up, the lines never would have grown longer than 30 minutes.
And if the computers aren’t syncing, that could cause many to question the efficacy of the system. That’s not good. There have been several news reports saying the State of California – and Los
Angeles County in particular – are way behind when it comes to counting votes.
As I write this on November 14, nine days after election day, millions of votes still aren’t counted.
I think a huge reason has to be all the conditional and provisional ballots. Someone has to physically open each of those envelopes. Someone has to then take the information hand-written on the outside of the envelope, and type that into the system.
If the system’s computers had been properly synced on election day, this issue would go away. Then there was the issue of voter ID. I’m guessing 3040 percent of voters arrived at the front of the line with their driver’s license, passport, or other form of ID, ready to present.
But we were told it was against the law to look at these IDs.
When I told people this, they often couldn’t believe it – and several became quite upset. They wanted us to check their ID. They asked, if we weren’t checking IDs, how could we know if they were really who they said they were?
This is a very good question. I didn’t have a good answer.
Whatever the purported social benefit is of not asking for ID is far outweighed, I think, by all the mistrust that NOT asking for IDs generates. Those who originally came from other countries seemed particularly offended. Not being required to show ID would never be tolerated back in the old country, I was told repeatedly.
Many of the voters had long, hardto-spell names (at least from the
perspective of this Anglo-American). Many had Persian, Armenian, Hispanic, Russian, Chinese or other last names. These voters knew we’d have a hard time spelling their names, so they happily presented IDs when they arrived at the front of the line.
This made it so much easier. I could just look at the information and type it in, one letter at a time, using a rubbertipped stylus. But I kept getting scolded every time the supervisor saw me accepting an ID.
As a result, the voter had to spell his or her name, one letter at a time, as I tapped it in, using the stylus (a slow procedure under the best of circumstances).
As more and more voters spelled out their names up and down the checkin lines, the place became louder and louder. When the place got really crowded, we practically had to yell at each other to hear each letter properly. My throat hurt at the end of the day.
If we could simply hold the ID in one hand and tap away with the other, this problem could be eliminated. It was very frustrating for all involved. And it added to the length of time it took to check in voters.
When I complained to my supervisor, saying these voters wanted to present IDs, she said too bad, it was the law. We couldn’t look at IDs. This seemed really dumb to me – especially if people were voluntarily presenting IDs.
She told me to take it up with election officials after the election. This is my
first step in that direction. I just don’t see why voters shouldn’t be asked to show ID. And if they voluntarily show it, why can’t we look?
My Republican friends say the reason Democrats don’t want to ask for IDs is that Democrats want to allow noncitizens to vote because one day most of these people will vote Democratic.
My Democratic friends say this policy is needed because Black people, in particular, don’t have IDs. Many, including Blacks, find this statement wildly offensive, inaccurate – and racist, even.
Why give anyone a reason to doubt the system? If we simply asked for ID, that would eliminate a lot of skepticism when it comes to our voting system, in my opinion.
Paradoxically, it was the foreign-born who seemed most upset about the noID system. Based on exit polls, the assumption that the foreign-born will automatically vote Democratic could actually be wrong
There is one more flaw in the system that really needs to be corrected. At the end of the process, the ballot machine prints out a one-pager, showing the voter all of his or her votes. This is one last opportunity to correct any mistakes. If the voter agrees the votes are fine, the voter feeds the printed ballot back into the machine, and into a box it goes.
But it became clear very quickly that many thought the printed piece of paper was a receipt of some sort, and they
started walking out of the voting station, ballot in hand. But a vote doesn’t count if it isn’t fed back into the machine.
Poll workers quickly went on high alert and stopped people if they were leaving the premises with their ballots. Did a few ballots sneak out, inadvertently? Probably.
The machines need to be re-jiggered so a voter can check his or her votes while the machine maintains a grip on the physical ballot. I think it used to be this way.
Now, here’s the really good news. I don’t believe anyone who arrived during our four days of voting came to
submit a fraudulent vote. The system is too complicated, the lines are too long. The people seemed too earnest about wanting to vote.
If you went to all this work to submit one fake vote, you would have to be very motivated, indeed. I just don’t think this was an issue.
If there is voter fraud, it would have to take place much higher up in the food chain. But even here, I sincerely doubt this is a real issue. The system has a lot of protections built in – so many, in fact, it slows down the vote-counting process.
Sunshine Preschool Voted Best Preschool Brentwood
By Susan Payne
There’s a lot of history to love at the reader-voted best preschool in Brentwood.
Brentwood Sunshine Preschool was founded in 1941 during World War II, a once standalone colonial Brentwood home converted into a school. While fathers were called to war, women needed childcare to bolster the economy and provide for their families.
To date, the school has had three family owners. The latest owners, siblings Alison, Erin and John Cornyn, inherited the school after their mother, Rita Cornyn, who dedicated 44 years of her life educating children at Sunshine, passed away in November of 2020.
“My mom loved to say, the most important thing to instill in children is a love for learning. If they have a love for learning, that will carry them on for years to come. We are honored to continue her legacy and be voted among readers with such high distinction,” said John Cornyn.
Sunshine Preschool works to foster a strong sense of self in its preschool-aged students by encouraging confidence and independence, self-expression,
persistence and resilience, and social awareness and compassion. The school hosts 14 fulltime teachers, three administrators and welcomed educator Sophie Robertson as the head of school five years ago.
“We have wonderful teachers and we’ve been fortunate to have generations of families that have trusted our care and curriculum,” John said.
Before settling in LA, John obtained a double master’s in special education and social work from Bank Street College and Columbia University in New York. After working in his respective fields for some time, he joined his mother at Sunshine in 2006.
As a fulltime teacher at Sunshine, he’s implemented enrichment activities to help children develop compassionate hearts and inclusivity as they take on the world.
“In my puppet shows, I include special needs characters, so kids can look outwardly and try to be more inclusive, but also introspectively, they can realize their own strengths and areas of need,” John said. “We also celebrate the rich diversity of many cultures through enrichment events like Diwali, the Lunar New Year or Dia De Los Muertos.”
Throughout the year, Sunshine works with Proyecto Pastoral, a nonprofit in Boyle Heights at Delores Mission. Sunshine helps raise contributions for the nonprofit and collects Thanksgiving meal donations for the families of that community.
“My mom started the tradition of helping other schools, it’s become part of who we are. We will continue doing this for years to come,” John said.
Watermark Communities Create Colorful, Enriched Lives
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colorful, enriched lives on their terms. For more than 30 years, The Watermark has relentlessly focused on transforming senior care by creating extraordinary and innovative communities where people thrive — where the human spirit flourishes.
“We do assisted living differently. Customized care and choice are the order of the day. Our expert support is tailored to your needs, on your schedule — not ours,” said James Howland, the executive director. “Just imagine your favorite boutique hotel, then add extraordinary cuisine, fun events, interesting classes and unsurpassed personalized care.”
The Watermark at Beverly Hills boasts 14 different plans for its residents to match their needs and lifestyle. Each newly renovated luxury studios and one-bed apartments feature designer kitchenettes, high ceilings, private balconies to enjoy the warm California sun, and a variety of safety and security features to enhance residents’ lives.
In an elegant setting dedicated to helping residents feel comfortable and content, The Watermark takes care of the day-to-day so you can focus on fun — social activities, classes and outings to keep you learning, laughing and
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Offering boutique assisted living and short-term stays, The Watermark residents found the home to be a closeknit community, quant, and a place where neighbors become friends.
With its premier location minutes from Rodeo Drive, The Watermark’s wide variety of amenities and services set the community apart: extraordinary outings, dining, 24/7 associate support, catering and in-room dining, complete building, residence and grounds maintenance, computer and technology center, delicious healthy meals, dry cleaning services, elegant dining room, fitness center, housekeeping, library, move-in coordination service, pantry program, personal shoppers, salon and barber services, transportation services and more!
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Suspect Arrested After Beverly Hills
Carjacking and Crash Injures
Four Near
Rodeo Drive Holiday Party
Carjacked Vehicle
Collision Near
Wilshire Boulevard
Leaves Four
Injured
A suspect was arrested Thursday night after a carjacking and subsequent vehicle crash that injured multiple people in Beverly Hills, police said in a
social media statement.
The Beverly Hills Police Department (BHPD) received a 911 call at approximately 7:06 p.m. on Nov. 14 reporting a carjacking in the 400 block of North Bedford Drive. The victim told officers that an unidentified male suspect used force to steal her black BMW X3 before fleeing the area.
Shortly afterward, a second 911 call reported a vehicle-versus-pedestrian collision. Investigators learned that the driver of the stolen BMW lost control of the vehicle near Wilshire Boulevard
and Camden Drive, causing a crash that left multiple people injured. The suspect fled the scene on foot.
BHPD officers working at the Rodeo Drive Holiday Lighting Celebration quickly detained the suspect in the 200 block of South Beverly Drive.
The crash injured four people: two adult males, one adult female, and one male juvenile, according to BHPD.
The Beverly Hills Fire Department transported all victims to local hospitals, and their current conditions were not immediately known. According to reporter Sean Beckner-Carmitchel on social media, a building was damaged.
The suspect, identified as James Portul, 22, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was arrested and booked on charges of carjacking and hit-and-run with injury.
Court Halts Order for Expedited Veteran Housing in West LA, Citing VA’s Budget Constraints
Ninth Circuit Grants Temporary Stay On Judge
Carter’s Directive for Rapid Veteran Housing
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has temporarily paused an order requiring the Department of Veterans Affairs to expedite housing for homeless veterans at the West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs (VA) campus from Los Angeles Superior Court Judge David O. Carter. The stay, granted Friday, delays the enforcement of U.S. District Judge David Carter’s order, which had demanded the VA accelerate its housing efforts for veterans experiencing homelessness. The decision provided temporary relief for VA officials, who were at risk of being held in contempt of court.
Attorney for the veteran’s group, “Amanda Mangaser Savage said in a statement, “As [VA officials] pay lip service to what all of these veterans have
done for our country, let it be known that they are fighting, actively, placing temporary housing on the grounds that veterans need right now,” She added, “I think it’s really ironic that this is happening on Veterans Day.” as quoted by CBS News.
On Monday, former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger visited the VA campus, where he delivered pizza to veterans as a gesture of appreciation. He said, “Let me tell you something. It is embarrassing to see what the Veterans Administration has done over these last few decades, which is nothing, for these men and women that are out there,” he said. “How can you let people hang out there homeless. I mean, it’s beyond my kind of thinking.”
The federal government’s attorneys argue that the VA’s $407 billion annual budget is already allocated across competing priorities and say that fulfilling Carter’s order could strain resources. The West Los Angeles VA has also stated that it has 307 permanent housing units currently open on its campus, with more than 400 additional units under construction, expected to be ready by the end of 2025. The facility also offers 150 temporary shelter units
that provide veterans with access to medical services and information on pathways to permanent housing.
A statement from the VA said, “The court exceeded its legal authority, and its orders would prevent VA from fulfilling our mission to end Veteran homelessness by diverting critical resources from efforts that are proven to get Veterans off the streets and save lives – including VA health care, permanent housing
support, legal assistance, job training, and much more. This would negatively impact Veterans and their families, both in LA and across America, and the VA is beginning the appeal process to prevent that from happening.”
The legal proceedings are expected to continue, with both the federal government and the group of veterans who brought the suit returning to court on Wednesday.
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LAPD Motorcycle Officer Hospitalized After 405 Freeway Crash in Sepulveda Pass
Collision Near Skirball Center DrivePossibly Involving a Tesla Caused Major Traffic
The 405 Freeway was the scene of a motorcycle crash in the northbound
lanes going through the Sepulveda Pass in Bel Air. The Los Angeles Police Department motorcycle officer in the crash was hospitalized Thursday afternoon, according to the LAPD.
Officials announced that the accident happened shortly after 4:00 p.m. near Skirball Center Drive. While details about the cause of the crash remain unclear, preliminary reports indicate a Tesla automobile may have been involved.
Paramedics treated the injured officer on the freeway before transporting them
to a hospital. The officer’s condition has not been disclosed.
The SIG Alert crash caused major traffic delays, with miles of congestion reported. Reports said that the backup went all the way to the 10 Freeway,
Some lanes have since reopened, but it remains uncertain when the entire northbound side of the freeway will be fully operational.
The investigation into the crash is ongoing.
Grammy-Winning Rapper Lil Durk Appears In Court to Face Federal Murder-for-Hire Charges
Rapper Faces Trial in Alleged Plot Targeting Rival’s Family in Shooting
Near the Beverly Center
Chicago rapper Durk Banks, known as “Lil Durk,” who is a Grammy Winner, pleaded not guilty to charges from federal prosecutors on Thursday, November 14. Banks was extradited to Los Angeles after his arrest in Miami, Florida. Banks was jailed without bond by U.S. Magistrate Judge Patricia Donahue and scheduled a detention hearing for December 12. A federal judge will be appointed to the case and will hold a status conference on November 25 and the trial is expected to begin on January 7, 2025.
Banks, 32, also known as “Blood” and “Mustafa Abdul Malak,” has been charged with multiple felonies, including conspiracy, use of interstate facilities to commit murder-for-hire resulting in death, and using and carrying
firearms, including a machine gun, in a crime of violence. The new charges add to an earlier criminal complaint against him. He has been named as the lead defendant.
The indictment alleges that Banks, who formed an organization called Only the Family (OTF) in 2010 to promote hip-hop artists, engaged in violence through OTF members, including murder and assault, to maintain their status in the group. Banks and his late friend, rapper Dayvon Bennett (known as “King Von”), were allegedly involved in a feud with another rapper, identified in court documents as “T.B.,” after T.B.’s associate killed Bennett in 2020.
Prosecutors say Banks later placed a bounty on T.B.’s life.
According to court documents, OTF members tracked T.B. in Los Angeles on Aug. 19, 2022, ultimately firing at least 18 shots at his vehicle at a gas station near the Beverly Center. T.B.’s relative, identified as “S.R.,” was killed in the attack. Banks allegedly financed the operation, with evidence showing OTF associates coordinating travel arrangements for the hitmen and using Banks’ funds to pay for travel and lodging.
Prosecutors say that Banks and Grant
flew to California on a private jet, where Grant allegedly purchased ski masks for the hitmen and used Banks’ credit card to pay for their hotel room.
“Mr. Banks is charged with orchestrating a cold-blooded murder that resulted in the death of a rival’s family member,” said U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada. “Not only that, the shooting occurred in the open at a gas station, endangering many others in the area.”
FBI Assistant Director Akil Davis commended the collaboration with the Los Angeles Police Department, noting,
“The apprehension of Mr. Banks as he attempted to leave the United States is a testament to our commitment to bringing perpetrators of violent crime to justice.”
The five other defendants remain in federal custody in Illinois and face similar charges. If convicted, each defendant could face up to life in federal prison.
The FBI and Los Angeles Police Department led the investigation, with the case being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ian V. Yanniello, Daniel H. Weiner, and Gregory W. Staples.
Beverly Hills High Limits Student Gatherings After Pro-Trump Rally Disrupts Campus
Principal Cites Safety Concerns Following Post-Election Demonstration
Beverly Hills High School has put limits on student gatherings after a pro-Trump student celebration after the election. Principal Drew Stewart issued a statement after school officials had to step in to calm the rowdy gathering, where a crowd of mostly male students gathered to jump up and down and chant slogans with some wearing red MAGA hats and wearing Trump flags around their shoulders. A student posted a video of the scene on TikTok.
The email sent to parents said, “We have had ongoing exercises of student political speech over the past 2 days,” Stewart wrote in the email, according to the Times. “Starting tomorrow, students will continue to be able to exercise this right individually, but will be restricted in their right to assemble. These assemblies have ended up creating a
disruption to normal school activities and has also left many students feeling unsafe and unwelcome.”
During the video, a security guard holds up one of the flags and the crowd erupted into cheers.
The limits on expression are related to gatherings of large groups. Individuals are allowed to express their views, but
group expressions are not going to be allowed for student safety. Students will not be allowed to jump, gather in circles, or shout. Michael Bregy, the Beverly Hills Unified Superintendent said, “We value students ’ freedom of expression and encourage respectful civic engagement,” but that staff “acted swiftly to de-escalate when expressions
crossed into disruption.”, according to the Los Angeles Times.
A source told the Times that some students had flags that were on poles, which can clearly be seen in the TikTok video, and that violates educational code.
Megacity Review: Genaro Trejo’s Global Platform for Urban Arts and Literature Launches in Los Angeles’ Westside
Santa Monica, CA – A new voice has arrived on the Los Angeles literary scene with the launch of Megacity Review, an ambitious journal dedicated to capturing the narratives of urban life from around the world. Founded by Genaro Trejo, a former investor turned arts advocate, Megacity Review has emerged as a platform for voices often sidelined in mainstream media, including those from LGBTQ+ communities. With roots in East Los Angeles and a career spanning continents, Trejo merges his local insight with a global vision, celebrating the diversity of urban life.
Trejo’s journey to creating Megacity Review is one of passion and purpose. Raised in East LA, he studied political science and Chicano Studies at UCLA and earned a master’s in public policy from the University of Chicago. His career led him through Latin America and Asia as a private investor, where he observed the challenges and complexities of urban landscapes in cities like Mexico City and Shanghai. Eventually, he shifted his focus to nonprofit work in Los Angeles, serving as COO of Heart of Los Angeles (HOLA) while partnering with groups like the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Weingart Foundation. Now, Megacity Review blends Trejo’s business expertise with his commitment to the arts, creating a platform for voices seldom heard.
“Cities are filled with dynamic people and untold stories,” Trejo says. “My goal with Megacity Review was to create a space that captures urban experiences from every angle. Cities are rich, complex spaces, and we want the journal to reflect that.”
A Fresh, Inclusive Voice in LA’s Westside Literary Scene
The debut issue of Megacity Review demonstrates the journal’s commitment to diversity in both content and contributors. With pieces by New York Timesrecognized artist Lauren Halsey and Vietnamese American writer Lynn Lieu, the issue delves into themes of identity and culture. Lieu’s story, “Eyebrows,” explores body dysmorphia and cultural pressures, offering readers a candid, authentic perspective.
Other contributors include Lisa McKamy, a managing editor at the University of Chicago Press, and Robinne Lee, author of The Idea of You, whose presence underscores Megacity’s mission of inclusivity. Inspired by The Paris Review, the journal combines uncoated text pages with semi-gloss inserts to elevate its art features, giving readers an immersive experience that’s both visually and tactilely engaging.
From Global Investment to Local Impact Trejo’s career path, from global
investment to community work in Los Angeles, gives him a unique lens through which he views urban life. His years as an investor in Latin America and Asia brought him a deep understanding of urban challenges. Now, he applies this knowledge locally, serving on boards like The Survivor Center (formerly The Center for Law and Justice) and PS Science, where he channels his expertise into community work.
“After years in business, I wanted to bring that experience to the literary arts,” Trejo says. “Megacity Review allows me to support both emerging and established voices, showcasing stories that shape city life.”
A Platform for Urban Arts and Global Perspectives
Available for pre-order at megacityreview.org, Megacity Review invites readers across Santa Monica, Venice, Pacific Palisades, Brentwood, and the broader Westside to engage with the diverse realities of city life. Trejo hopes the journal will become a staple for those interested in urban stories that matter, whether they’re readers in Los Angeles or global citizens.
With its debut, Megacity Review is more than just a publication; it’s a movement. Advocating for free expression and connecting people through stories, it reveals the depth, beauty, and resilience of urban communities. Megacity Review is a vital new presence in arts and literature, inviting readers into a world where every city’s story matters.
