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July 30 – August 26, 2021
Homeless Advocate Arrested Near Venice Bridge Home Shelter on Suspicion of Dealing Drugs 65-year-old Garry Featherstone accused of selling meth, PCP B y S am C atanzaro A self-described homeless outreach advocate was recently arrested near the Venice Bridge Home shelter on suspicion of dealing PCP and meth to the local homeless population. According to the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department (LASD), Narcotics Bureau investigators served a two-location search warrant in Venice last Thursday after receiving information of a potential narcotics dealer disguising himself as a homeless outreach advocate. In a press release, the LASD said the investigation identified that narcotics dealer, 65-year-old Garry Featherstone, had been using a tent to sell drugs to Venice’s homeless population. According to the LASD, the tent was in close proximity to the “Venice Bridge Home” homeless shelter. “Investigators conducted countless hours of surveillance of Featherstone and saw him
complete several hand-to-hand narcotics transactions. Featherstone masquerades as a homeless outreach advocate while supplying homeless individuals with narcotics,” reads a statement from the LASD. On Thursday afternoon, investigators conducted the search warrant operation on a tent near 3rd Avenue and Rose Street, as well as a Venice residence, and arrested Featherstone for possession of phencyclidine (PCP) for sale and possession of methamphetamine for sale. Over 15,000 dollars in U.S. currency was also recovered. “Featherstone, a self-proclaimed homeless advocate, operates ‘Homeless Enterprise’ from a tent on 3rd Avenue, where he sells sodas, candy, and other snacks and beverages to the local homeless population, ”reads the LASD statement. According to the LASD, “Homeless Enterprise” is registered with the city of Los Angeles Finance Department. “This is another clear example of how several people are using the veil of outreach to run criminal enterprises and exploit the already marginalized population of county residents who are experiencing homelessness,” said Sheriff Alex Villanueva in a statement
Photo: LASD
Surveillance footage of a tent where a man has been accused of selling drugs to the Venice homeless population. following the arrest. “It’s time for common sense, compassionate regulation of public space. It’s time for politicians to stop using
the homeless population as a platform and for them to either help law enforcement keep the community safe or get out of the way.”
Petition for Recall of Councilmember Bonin Approved for Circulation Signature gathering phase now set to begin after approval by City Clerk B y S am C atanzaro The Los Angeles City Clerk has approved a petition for recall of Councilmember Mike Bonin. Bonin, who represents Los Angeles City Council District 11 encompassing much of the Westside, was served the recall notice on June 15. On July 13, the City Clerk approved the petition for circulation. “Councilmember Mike Bonin has consistently made promises to his constituency and failed to follow through on these promises since he took office,” reads the recall’s Statement of Reasons. “In summary Councilmember Mike Bonin does not engage with the district and did not improve
our quality of life or clean up our neighborhoods. Our streets have become de facto campgrounds, sanitation policies are failing, crime is rising, and Mike Bonin remains unresponsive.” Bonin was not immediately available for comment Tuesday on the approval for circulation of the petition for recall. In a statement released after being served the recall in June, Bonin called the petition a waste of tax dollars. In addition, the councilmember claimed that the campaign is backed by rightwing forces. “A recall election, held right before regularly scheduled city elections, would be a waste of millions of dollars of taxpayer money — dollars that could be better invested in addressing our homelessness crisis,” Bonin, who has announced a run for a third and final term in 2022, wrote in said. “This recall has been championed by the same right wing forces that are trying to erode our democratic process and take down progressive officials across the state.”
Recall, see page 10
Photo: Los Angeles City Councilmember Mike Bonin (Facebook)