Issue 74
OCT/NOV
2020
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SERVING OUR COMMUNITY SINCE 2008
Publisher/Editor/Reporter Dianne V. Lawrence
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lrighty everyone. Buckle up! Elections are upon us. There are high stakes for local and national elections and the excitement is palpable.
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Dianne V. Lawrence CONTRIBUTORS
Locally CD10 is gearing up for new representation. The choice in front of CD10 voters is tried and true Mark Ridley-Thomas with years of political experience under his belt, or lawyer, activist and community leader Grace Yoo, a formidable new voice. Her poll numbers have her neck in neck with Thomas, who has not shared any of his internal polling… trouble in paradise? Could it be that the change in demographics in CD10 over the last 12 years indicates new-blood voters who aren’t interested in falling in line with the status quo. Although the LA Times endorsed MRT they also said “He is very much part of the political establishment, as is the district's current councilman, Herb Wesson, who is termed out. Ridley-Thomas previously served two terms on the City Council, and thus, under L.A. law, may serve only one more four-year term. That isn’t a long time to make big changes in the district, though Ridley-Thomas is uniquely able to hit the ground running if elected. He has said he intends to run for mayor in 2022, which could be a distraction. He has made questionable ethical decisions, most notably when he funneled $100,000 from a campaign fund to USC, which then hired his son as professor.” These are the some of the reasons TNN cannot support his campaign. Twice we have asked MRT if he would make a pledge to serve out his 4 years and not run for Mayor (if he wins he is gone in two years) and he refused to do so. Like Wesson, he becomes just another politician using our district as a stepping stone to more power. But MRT is on the ropes despite big ticket endorsements. His scorched earth attack on Grace Yoo in his expensive glossy mailers, accusing her of being against local housing development, says as much. We gave Grace, who doesn’t have MRT’s war chest, the opportunity to set the record straight. Meanwhile, Herb Wesson is trying to move on up and is running against Holly Mitchell for the Supervisor position MRT is termed out of and it’s not looking good for Herb. The LA Times gave Holly a rousing endorsement and we republish it here. So sit back and enjoy a tasty pastrami sandwich from the newly opened Johnny's Pastrami on Adams and Crenshaw and take a little stroll
RENEE MONTGOMERY LEO BRANTON JR.
GRACE YOO AFFORDABLE HOUSING CHAMPION
REGINA JONES
WILLIS EDWARDS. COVID-19 ISOLATION.
BRITTIE CRAWFORD
PRE-SCHOOL IN THE TIME OF COVID-19
CONTENTS 3
LA TIMES ENDORSES HOLLY MITCHELL
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GRACE YOO SETS THE RECORD STRAIGHT HOLLY MITCHELL INTERVIEW PART 3
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VOTER DROP BOX LOCATIONS
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BLM CD10 HEROES: WILLIS EDWARDS, LEO BRANTON JR.
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PRE-SCHOOL AND COVID-19
13 CROP SWAP WINS! 14 SENIOR SHARES COVID-19 ISOLATION STORY 15 REPORT ANIMAL CRUELTY AND FIGHTING WHERE TO GET INFO ON VOTING ISSUES 16 DESTINATION PICO - ELECTRIC BOX MURALS COVER DESIGN: Dianne V Lawrence
THE LA TIMES ENDORSES HOLLY MITCHELL FOR SUPERVISOR By THE TIMES EDITORIAL BOARD SEP. 16, 2020
to address police use of force — not just this year, when public attention has become attuned to structural racism and its deadly consequences, but consistently over her legislative tenure. And voters should judge her by her experience. Before she began her political career, Mitchell led Crystal Stairs, a well-regarded early-childhood education and parental support organization. Earlier she led the Black Women’s Health Project, was a legislative advocate for the Western Center on Law and Poverty and was a policy analyst for then-state Sen. Diane Watson (D-Los Angeles). She knows her way around human services and legislation. She knows how to lead. Her record and her talents fit in well with the current reform efforts of the Board of Supervisors, which has begun remaking county government into what it should be: a provider of help and hope to people in crisis, and not merely their prosecutor or the administrator of their penalties.
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he size, scope and duties of Los Angeles County government are hard to fathom. With a budget of nearly $35 billion and a payroll of 100,000, the county operates the nation’s largest local criminal justice and welfare systems and is responsible for caring for more people dealing with homelessness, mental illness, poverty, family breakdown and, yes, COVID-19 than most states. The county encompasses huge swaths of forest and chaparral that give rise to some of the nation’s worst wildfires, so its government necessarily operates a huge complex of emergency response services. Vacancies on the five-member Board of Supervisors are rare, and the choices voters make to fill those seats are crucial and, generally, long-lasting. For the 2 million people living in the county’s 2nd District, the best choice is state Sen. Holly Mitchell (D-Los Angeles). The county badly needs a leader with vision, independence and a record of achievement. Mitchell can be that leader. Voters should judge her by the assignments she has accepted, including the chair of the Senate’s budget committee and with it, a key role in determining what to fund and what to cut in order to keep state finances intact while providing the services so desperately needed by so many. Voters should judge her as well by the legislation she has authored and steered to passage, including numerous bills to correct inequities in government, including the justice system, healthcare programs and foster care services, and
Continuing on this path requires an ability to listen to and work in partnership with non-government organizations that advocate for and serve many of the same people under the county’s purview. Mitchell’s background in both nonprofit service and legislation make her the right person for the job, at the right time. Her runoff rival is Councilman Herb Wesson, a former state Assembly speaker who served for eight years as president of the Los Angeles City Council. Wesson likes to say that he’s a guy who brings people together to get things done, which is fine, depending on which people are brought together and what it is they want to get done. He ran the non-partisan council much as a speaker runs the partisan and caucus-driven Assembly, limiting public debate, working things out in committee and behind the scenes, and serving his colleagues as a prodigious fundraiser. Nearly a decade ago he presided over a redistricting process that gave an illusion of independence but ended up penalizing council members who had opposed his leadership and rewarding his most loyal supporters, including Jose Huizar, who is currently under indictment for alleged corruption in connection with building projects in parts of town that redistricting transferred to his district. In 2017, Wesson pushed through a charter amendment requested by the local police union that weakened the disciplinary system for officers accused of dishonesty, excessive use of force and other offenses, and he failed to follow up on promises to conduct citywide hearings on police discipline, oversight and reform. He vowed, admirably, to address racism, but his program of private Continued on Pg.20
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GRACE YOO, CHAMPION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING, SETS THE RECORD STRAIGHT
HOLLY MITCHELL INTERVIEW PART 3 The interview in its entirety can be read on our website.
GRACE YOO ATTORNEY AND CANDIDATE FOR LOS ANGELES CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT 10
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D.V. LAWRENCE
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n an expensive, deceptive flyer mailed out to residents across CD 10, LA County Supervisor Mark RidleyThomas accused me of being against affordable and supportive housing. My campaign immediately responded with a video that confirms my staunch support of affordable housing. Poll numbers indicate Ridley-Thomas' campaign to serve a fourth (and last) term on the City Council is failing and his campaign strategy is now focused on desperate, false attacks. My opponent, who has had 29 years in office and has overseen budgets in the billions of dollars, is trying to divert from his record of failure on these issues. Since his massive campaign funds keep bankrolling his false and malicious attacks, let me set the record straight.
PENSIONS TNN: Pensions are a big issue in LA. The county has significant unfunded liability for its pension and other post-employment benefits, OPEB plans. The LA 2020 Commission recommended an independent review in 2014, but nothing came out of it. Would you support the formation of a pension commission to review and analyze these liabilities and come up with recommendations to make these plans more sustainable or eliminate the liabilities? This would increase transparency.
Right now, LA is facing unprecedented challenges. I’m a leader who wants to talk about solving problems, not throw false accusations around as political ammunition. Not only do I support affordable housing and solving our homelessness crisis, it is one of my top priorities. And I don’t just talk the talk; I walk the walk. Recently, my neighbors and I supported a new development adjacent
HOLLY MITCHELL: Yes, I would support that. I think the issue of public pensions is going to be an ongoing issue that we have to talk about. We need to create a sense of balance for government workers, public sector workers and their ability to pay into a defined compensation system as well as the general public who pay their salaries. And so, I think any level of both scrutiny and oversight as well as transparency and creative thinking about how we enter this new economy and develop a pension system that will continue to be solid, is welcome. We’ve worked very hard at the state level to create ways to pay down past debt and to really make sure we shore up CalPERS and CalSTRS. And I think every level of
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These types of false attacks do not help anyone. These are the kind of attacks everyone hates; attacks that turn off voters and don’t help us reach solutions.
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DROP BOX INFO AND LOCATIONS
There will be over 400 secure Drop Boxes throughout the County to safely return your voted ballot in this election. Local locations found below. BALLOT RETURN CHECKLIST Before you drop off your Vote-by-Mail ballot, make sure: 1. Place your voted ballot card(s) inside the Official Return Envelope 2. Securely seal the Official Return Envelope 3. Sign and date the back of the Official Return Envelope HOW TO CHECK IF YOUR BALLOT WAS RECEIVED AND COUNTED After returning your voted ballot via Drop Box or by mail, you can check your ballot to make sure it was received and tallied through the Vote-by-Mail Status Tool. https://www.lavote.net/av_inquiry This tool will be available 30 days prior to Election Day. LOCAL DROP BOX LOCATIONS Jefferson/Vassie D. Wright Memorial Branch Library 2211 West Jefferson Boulevard, Los Angeles CA 90018 Hours: 24 Hour Loren Miller Recreation Center 2717 South Halldale Avenue, Los Angeles CA 90018 Hours: Sunrise - Sunset Washington Irving Branch Library 4117 West Washington Boulevard, Los Angeles CA 90018 Hours: 24 Hour Denker Recreation Center 1550 West 35th Place, Los Angeles CA 90018 Hours: Sunrise - Sunset Continued on Pg.15
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OCT/NOV 2020
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Black Lives Matter CD10 Heroes WILLIS EDWARDS 1946 - 2012 REGINA JONES Originally Printed in July 2012 Issue #25
At age 66 and on Friday, July 13, 2012, Willis Edwards succumbed to cancer. Willis was a celebrated force as a civil rights and political activist, once heading the Beverly Hills-Hollywood branch of theNAACP and shaking things up when he ran the NAACP image awards. Regina Jones, a long time resident of Country Club Park, worked alongside Willis on the Image Awards and shares her strong and affectionate memories of his effect on her life, the lives of those he loved and the causes he cared about.
how Willis helped them. My next-door neighbor told me: “Willis got my daughter into student housing at USC.” My cousin shared: “He got me involved in civil rights while I was attending Cal State LA.” When my life turned upside down - my mother died, my business failed and my 20-year marriage came to an end - I went underground. Every week Willis would call and leave a message on my answering machine, “I know you’re there. You don’t have to answer but I want you to know I love you.” He kept calling until I answered. For three years Willis asked me to handle publicity for the NAACP Image Awards. When I finally agreed, the media area had outgrown the lobby of the Wiltern Theatre. The new pressroom was the Atlas Restaurant next door. I told Willis that I didn’t know how to set up a live feed and he said he’d get someone to assist me. A few days later a man introduced himself as being sent by Willis, while handing me his card that read “White House Media Core.” It came as no surprise at the 1987 Image Awards nominees press conference when Willis, president of the Beverly Hills-Hollywood chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People announced, “The NAACP will not nominate a black actress for this year’s Image Awards,” adding that there was a “…disconcerting lack of balance in the roles available to black women. Beyond the realm of comedic feature films, roles for black women do not seem to exist.” The same year he spearheaded a full-time monitoring of the entertainment industry’s employment practices of black technicians and other employees.
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Willis Edwards with Ethel Bradley
t’s hard to remember when I did not know Willis Edwards. Quite possibly my first awareness of Willis was the early 70s when he was lobbying for the right to vote for 18-year-olds. Next he was everywhere working on Tom Bradley’s mayoral campaign. Once Mayor Bradley was in office, my husband, Ken and I would run into Willis at every media or entertainment event we attended, most often with Los Angeles’ first lady, Ethel Bradley holding his arm.
Resigning as President of the Beverly Hills-Hollywood Branch of the NAACP was a hard decision for Willis. He did so with incredible grace and integrity. His written resignation in the Image Awards program came as a shock to almost everyone as the lights dimmed, the doors closed and the taping of the 1990 show began. I often wonder if my advice that he do so was correct. Continued on Pg. 20
Since his passing, everyone I speak with has a story about
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Black Lives Matter CD10 Heroes LEO BRANTON JR. 1922 - 2013 RENEE MONTGOMERY Originally Printed in Feb 2016 Issue # 46
PHOTO BY RENEE MONTGOMERY
Leo Branton Jr. was a civil rights and entertainment lawyer who championed the underdog and lived in Lafayette Square. He was also father to Tony Nicholas who ran the now defunct Tom Bradley Youth and Family Center on Pico. Leo was 91 and died April 19, 2013 in Los Angeles. We reprint the article we wrote about him in our Aug 2013 issue.
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dismissed by a judge. Yet it was the acting bug that inspired Branton to study law at Northwestern, after traveling with a repertory company and military service. The tireless attorney who has won numerous distinctions and is a sought-after speaker, was one of the first to hire a consultant to psychologically profile juries and to demand fairer diversity of juries. Other legal distinctions include winning cases upon appeal at the U.S. Supreme Court level. His persuasive closing argument in the case of People v. Angela Davis (where he served as Chief Counsel) is still used for instruction in law schools. Branton is most proud of his 40-year effort to free death row inmate Robert Wesley Wells. Although retired for ten years [at the time of the original report], Branton continued to do pro bono work, graciously accepting cases for individuals arrested on bogus charges who could not afford representation on their own. However, despite his 62-year career in civil rights (Branton was awarded the ACLU’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009), it is his late wife, Geraldine Branton, whom he credits as his greatest inspiration: “When she saw a wrong, she tried to solve it.” He encouraged young black people to take better advantage of the greater opportunities achieved through the civil rights movement. Branton has three sons and grandchildren.
isiting with Lafayette Square resident Leo Branton feels like time travel through landmarks of 20th century history. Branton, a famous civil rights attorney, served as defense counsel to Angela Davis, Hollywood blacklisted Dalton Trumbo, several Black Panthers, and innocent men arrested in the Watts Riots. Branton was also one of the first AfricanAmerican attorneys to provide legal representation to entertainers, including Dorothy Dandridge, Nat King Cole, Miles Davis, and Jimi Hendrix (until he fired the last performer for lack of cooperation, that is). Local residents may also know Branton as host to Rosa Parks each winter in his home for the decade preceding her death. Branton explains he had his first experience with discrimination when arrested as a teenager after he fought back when a store clerk struck him in his native Arkansas – a case later
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OCT/NOV 2020
Keep Our Local Businesses in Business. Use Local Services!
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OCT/NOV 2020
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PRESCHOOL IN THE TIME OF COVID-19
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BRITTIE CRAWFORD World City Center Preschool
eciding to send a child to preschool has always been a daunting task and finding the right childcare environment can sometimes prove challenging. Some of the things parents consider when selecting a preschool may include cost, distance to home or work, diversity, and play-based vs. academic. On top of that, navigating the plethora of educational philosophies can be a full-time job. Today, you can add COVID-19 to that mix, and you've got one mind-numbing task on your hands. Luckily, you can look for some things that can help make your search for the right preschool, during this time of uncertainty, more palatable.
windows open, where possible, throughout the day. Check to see if your preschool plans to bring the outdoor air into their classrooms before children arrive. 3. Cleaning Strategies. As a state-licensed facility, preschools already have a cleaning strategy. Your prospective preschool's policy should include cleaning high-touch areas at least once per day. Still, many preschools opt for several cleanings throughout the day. Find out how often your prospective preschool cleans high-touch areas.
4. Ratios. Ratios are essential right now, and lower numbers have helped in the preschool classroom by limiting the number of children and staff members in a space. State licensing agencies have mandated student-teacher ratios for preschools from 1:12 down to 1:10 while Covid-19 is still among us. Find out how many children will be in your child's classroom and with how many teachers. Here are 10 things to look for when searching for a preschool in the era of COVID-19. 1. COVID-19 Emergency or Readiness Plan. Every school needs to have a plan of how they will help to prevent the spread of Covid-19 in their school and how they will handle things if a case of Covid-19 shows up at the school or in the school community. The plan will need to outline wellness and temperature checks, cleaning strategies, social distancing, mask-wearing rules, drop-off and pick-up standards. 2. Bringing the Outdoors In. Being outdoors is better than being locked inside a room with stagnant air. Many preschools have a strategy of bringing the outdoors in and leaving exterior doors or
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5. Outdoor Time. Although there is still debate about the disease and its spread, we hear that outside is better. Most preschools are ensuring that children have ample time outside. Find out what percentage of the day your child will be outside. 6. Temperature and Wellness Checks. One of the biggest concerns for children returning to preschool is that they may be asymptomatic carriers and may be able to spread the virus with no symptoms. One way preschools combat this unknown is by administering temperature checks at drop-off and conducting wellness checks throughout the day. 7. Sick Time for Teachers. Preschools understand that teachers may become ill and have told their teachers that they should stay home if they
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are sick. Find out what your preschool's sick policy is for their teachers and what they will do for substitutes if the teacher becomes ill. 8. Travel Restrictions. At most preschools, family or staff travel, internationally or domestically, will require families to self-isolate for 14 days before returning to school or work. Check to see what the school's travel policy is. 9. Sick Child Policies for Kids. As with teachers, it is inevitable that children will have an illness at preschool, Covid-19, or not. Most preschools already have in place a policy for when a child becomes sick at preschool. It usually involves the child being picked up by a parent within the hour. With Covid-19, many preschools have moved the pickup time to within 30 minutes. Children must stay at home for 72 hours if they have any Covid-19 like symptoms and return to school after there is no fever present for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication. Continued on Pg. 20
CROP SWAP LA WINS LA 2050 COMPETITION!!
TO ADVERTISE OR SUBMIT IDEAS
Contact us at: 323.871.8580 info@theneighborhoodnews.net
Thank you for voting in the LA2050 competition!
We are very excited to share that Crop Swap LA won $50,000 in the LA2050 Grant Challenge competition in the live category!!! This means we can build seven new gardens on selected resident front lawns. We had 5,800 votes and we were only 400 votes away from winning the first-place prize. “We have the opportunity to convert front lawns into highly productive market gardens, and to share that wealth neighbors in the form of green jobs." We are hoping to install our first garden before Winter 2020. Our garden locations are still TBD. We are currently planning, recruiting teams, getting business insurance and human resources processes in place.
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A CD10 SENIOR SHARES HER ISOLATION EXPERIENCE
O
REGINA JONES
n March 9, 2020, I transitioned from a Free Black Woman to a scared elder, hiding from a deadly assailant that could come masked as someone I love and who loves me.
open the front door, touch incoming mail, or allow anyone in two rooms. It took time to determine what my self-care looked like. As the weeks passed, I relaxed more when my grandson came home from his work at Trader Joe’s. I was afraid that he was carrying an infection from someone or something he had touched while he was at work. I’d watch to make sure he washed his hands, showered and put on clean clothes. I avoided him as if he had a plague. It took time to determine how confined I wanted to be.
At some point I decided that I need human interaction and loosened my rules. Moderation rather than rigidity. As a retired elder I’ve gotten to know our wonderful mailman, our UPS driver, all of the neighbors on my short 10-house street. We enjoy exchanging greetings and catch-up talks about all kinds of topics. Now we do it from a distance wearing masks and I find that everyone is respectful and doing their best to be safe during these emotionally ravaging times.
Seven months at home is a long time, but it’s passed quickly. Although I don't believe in bad luck, I’m hesitant to write that luckily neither I nor anyone that I know personally has become ill from the devastating and deadly COVID-19 virus. It’s contagious and can be transmitted in so many ways. It has devoured over 200,000 American lives while I’ve been home avoiding human contact outside of my family that I live with. Being a hugger and not being able to hug the people I love is taking an emotional toll on me. Three of my sons have come to visit and we wear masks and adhere to social distancing guidelines. Two are very careful maintaining ample space between us and remaining in one place during their visits. But my third and oldest son appears to be unconscious of the dangerous threat that he is. One time he reached out to hug me. My response was very much like it would be if an assailant reached for me. I pushed him away and screamed, “Don’t touch me!” Instantly I could see hurt on his face, but my safety is more important than my first born, first love’s feelings these days. It’s taken a virus for me to establish boundaries that no one is allowed beyond.
At the beginning of my self-imposed confinement I didn’t
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This is a first for every human on the face of our planet earth. No one has prior experience. There have been disasters before, but times are much different now. We have mass communication and information that would have taken months to reach us in the past and is now delivered to us while it is happening from every place in the world. Unfortunately, the news is delivered for sensationalism under the guise of first-hand reporting and other efforts to attain the highest ratings in a war between all media. Everyone fighting to be number one so they can dominate their market, be it television, radio, internet, podcast or whatever area they are in. Higher ratings, more money. I’ve learned to watch much less news and skip through the daily newspaper while avoiding the emails and postings of friends and loved ones that are filled with doom and gloom, rightful anger and so many emotions that are not good for my well-being. I’ve had to find my comfort zone but not get so comfortable that I forget to wash my hands, wear my mask, and safe distance from most people that I come in contact with. I love sitting down to dinner with my family. I love interacting with my fouryear-old great-grandson when he comes over to spend time with his father. I pray that he’s not carrying some virus that he’s been exposed to somewhere. My faith and trust that my family is concerned about protecting me and therefore careful, comes and goes and I have to sometimes gently remind them of my fears and concerns. I’ve become more proficient than ever on my computer, doing Zoom meetings, face-time visits with my grandchildren and just recently celebrated my birthday with over 20 friends across the country on Zoom. I’m enjoying the new technology options that keep me in contact with
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family, friends and the world outside of my home. And still there is seldom a day that I don’t feel some kind of congestion in my head or I cough, and that worries me for a few moments before I engage myself in something to put my mind to rest from thinking that does not serve me.
WHERE TO READ UP ON ALL THE ISSUES YOU WILL BE VOTING ON www.votersedge.org/ca www.calmatters.org/election-2020-guide/ w w w. l w v c . o r g / v o t e / e l e c t i o n s / b a l l o t measures
Dog-Fighting, Cock-fighting & Animal-Cruelty Hotlines
www.ballotpedia.org
Los Angeles Animal Cruelty Task Force
(213) 486-0450 24-hour notification hotline. Email: actf@lapd.lacity.org. www.tinyurl.com/LAanimaltaskforce
LA Dog-Fighting Hotline $5,000 Reward
(877) NO2FITE (662-3483) A 24-hour tip line for Los Angeles residents to report any information about dog-fighting rings, an upcoming dog fight or individuals involved in dog fighting. Tipsters can remain anonymous and still collect up to $5,000 if the information leads to an arrest or conviction. Please note, if there is a dog fight in progress, call 911. www.reportdogfight.com
Humane Society Dog-Fighting or Cock-Fighting Hotline
(877) TIP-HSUS (847-4787) A nationwide tip line. Your identity is protected if you call to report tips about dog-fighting/cock-fighting or suspected fighting. Reward money for reporting is up to $5,000. www.tinyurl.com/humanesocietyhotlines
Continued on Pg. 17
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Pico Signal Box Art Project was conceived by destination:PICO to give a voice to local artists. dP participated in every aspect of the project from artist selection, box preparation, supply distribution, documentation and celebration planning. The artwork was sponsored by CD 10 and the LA Department of Cultural Affairs. LA Commons served as the project manager. Silvia Gallini Pico Blvd. and Masselin Ave.
Alex Rodriguez Casio and La Cienega Blvd
Jane Cohen Pico Blvd. and Hauser Blvd.
Pascaline Doucin-Dahlke Pico Blvd. and Curson Ave.
Nada Gliwan Pico Blvd. and La Brea Ave
Rosanne Kleinerman Pico Blvd. and Genesee Ave
Adah Glenn Pico Blvd. and Cochran Ave
Andrea Castillo Pico Blvd. and Burnside Ave.
Guy Long Dianne V. Lawrence Pico Blvd./Crescent Heights Pico Blvd and Redondo Blvd.
GRACE YOO Cont. from Pg. 6
to my backyard. It’s currently under construction. We worked with stakeholders, including the developer, to bring this project to fruition. That is what our Los Angeles communities need. Execution and results through action, not the same lifeless and stagnant status quo that has exacerbated our issues, instead of solving them. Angelenos are looking to us as local leaders to roll our sleeves up and tackle these issues head on, and that’s exactly what I’ll do, and what I’ll bring to the Council. See our video that shows this collaborative and coalitionoriented problem-solving in action: AFFORDABLE HOUSING VIDEO LINK: https:// youtu.be/8BOw6LlOHvs You’ll see the construction as well as my neighbors who I worked with to make it all a reality. I’m so proud of everyone who worked together to help create 64 units of housing for previously homeless people to live in. This may be one example, but it is a great example of how we can get things done when we work together and focus on trying to solve real problems. And this is not simply a campaign tactic. Not only do I act and execute, this is a high priority issue for me that I’ve been very vocal about. I’ve written articles about it, I campaign about it, and I’m constantly talking about it. I believe we need to stop kicking the can down the road on affordable housing. Los Angeles has an affordable housing crisis. It’s not going to fix itself and it’s not going to get fixed until we elect honest leaders with the will and commitment to actively pursue creative solutions with integrity and transparency. It’s certainly not going to get fixed while corrupt leaders are making back-room deals with developers that result in exorbitant costs and fewer affordable units than should be required. We need leaders who solve problems, not make them worse. We need leaders who pull residents together and actually lead them to “Yes, In My Back Yard” instead of “Not In My Back Yard.” We can’t think that the solution is in someone else’s neighborhood. To really solve our crisis, we have to look at all neighborhoods and communities and determine what is appropriate in each one. Every City Councilmember has to make affordable housing a priority and must build affordable housing units along with units at the luxury end. They surely have the power to do better than they have. But so far, they have not shown the will. I
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have the will and drive to make this happen. As a longtime leader in my community and California State certified mediator, I know how to bring together people with different opinions to solve problems. I will work with communities so that they support new developments and redevelopment projects because they fit the neighborhood and haven’t just been forced into the existing surroundings by politicians who are in cahoots with greedy developers trying to make as much money as possible. The people who live and work in a neighborhood need to provide input. Then the residents will feel that affordable housing projects are good for their neighborhood and contribute to, not diminish, the quality of life for all. I want to incentivize developers to build projects that provide different types and sizes of housing: projects that range from tiny 250 sq. feet to larger 1200 sq. ft. units. We need that kind of variety so everyone can find a home that fits their needs and their means. I also want us to be creative about redevelopment. We have old motels, vacant warehouses and other unused buildings that can be converted into housing more quickly than new construction. That’s also less expensive than buying land and building from the ground up. It’s also significantly better for our Earth, as re-use is more green than building a LEED SILVER-certified building. When we are pursuing the building of new affordable housing, we need strict oversight to make sure unscrupulous developers are not exploiting our crisis. I hear stories about new “affordable” apartment units costing the city more than $700,000 to build in city council district 10. For one unit! The cost is outrageous and will forever prevent us from being able to actually build enough permanent supportive housing. Again, we need to incentivize developers that can and will bring units to market at costs that are reasonable and sustainable, so that there will be affordable units that people can afford to live in. One specific cost that I think we can do better at controlling is construction consultant fees. Developers hire these individuals to help streamline the process for them but often at tremendous cost to the taxpayers. The truth is, every aspect of affordable housing cost needs to be carefully scrutinized and the city should always retain the right to veto any contractor hired by a developer of affordable housing units. We need accountability and transparency from start to finish. In addition to bringing new units to market, we also need to stop the bulldozing of existing low-income housing. This is something that our current leaders have also failed at. Los Angeles used to have a lot more affordable housing. Downtown, for instance, was full of low-income housing
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known as SRO (Single Room Occupancy) buildings. These SRO buildings were torn down to build luxury apartments and condos without concern about where the low-income residents would then live. Our politicians knew they were making our homelessness crisis worse, but they just kept approving the new expensive developments. And despite warnings from policy experts and homeless advocates, City leaders continue even now to allow lowincome housing to be demolished so new, luxury apartments and condominiums can be built. If we think there is a need for luxury housing in a particular area that currently has low-income housing, then builders must be required to replace the affordable units at the same time as they build luxury ones. Affordable housing is not a problem just in District 10, where I live and which I hope to represent on the City Council. We need regional and state efforts to help our local efforts. I will be a tenacious fighter to make housing a priority at every income level so that we can finally make a dent in a problem that too many politicians have ignored. We can’t kick the can down the road on this any longer. I will be a force to make real progress that improves the lives of Angelenos.
MITCHELL Cont. from Pg. 6
government has a responsibility to do that. DISCRETIONARY FUNDS TNN: Supervisors get $3 million a year for staff, cars, office expenses and pet projects. Would you be transparent and accountable on how that money is spent on staff funding and discretionary funds (pet projects)? HM: As elected officials, our salaries are public for good reason and I will continue to be transparent and not wasteful with tax-payer dollars. Like any government entity, the county also has job titles with specified salary ranges that are measured and are comparable to what other people pay, other legislatures pay their chief of staff and other key staff positions. You’re given a defined budget by which you have to build a staff whose job is to be in the community and have access to constituents, because there’s only one me and 2 million residents in the Second Supervisorial District. I am committed to being transparent. Public employees do public work and, if you’re paid by the county, that’s the work you do. You don’t do my campaign work. You don’t do any side work. That’s the way I’ve engaged in my practice. I have a separate campaign team. I don’t comingle. I believe in public service and people are paid by the public to do public work and that’s what I would continue to do. TNN: One last question. The coronavirus. The city’s going to suffer from the loss of tax revenue and the increase in expenses. What are your thoughts about what’s coming down the pike with the coronavirus?
Stay Safe. It isn't over
Kates mom has three children. Snap, Crackle and ......?
HM: So, I am working every day alongside our governor. I carried the two budget bills on the floor of the Senate on Monday that appropriated a billion dollars to help for school districts, a variety of areas where through the governor’s executive order, we wanted to allocate funds immediately to empower him to provide support to small businesses, to the nonprofit sector, to education across the board. I support his executive orders that prevent people from being evicted at this point in time and to help homeowners with their mortgages. This is just the very beginning, but I’m proud of the work we’ve been able to do at the state level to provide immediate response. I think people need to adhere and follow the directive of our elected leaders. Stay home, don’t be out and about; we’ve got to get ahead of this tsunami that’s impacting the entire world. Continued on Pg.21
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PRESCHOOL Cont. from Pg.13
WILLIS Cont. from Pg. 8
The past two years I’d often run into Willis at the Eureka Café. Most often he was coming from church service at Ward AME or FAME. He was usually sitting at a large outside table, greeted me with a big hug and immediately began pulling chairs up for me to join him and whoever he was with.
10. Handling Covid-19 cases in preschool. If children test positive for Covid-19, preschools should contact all staff and parents in the community to let them know that there is a case of Covid-19. The preschool will then do a thorough cleaning of the child's areas within 24 hours, and that child must quarantine at home for 14 days.
It came as no surprise when I visited him at Westwood Veterans’ Hospital or Hospice in North Hills, that sitting with him were veteran actresses Beverly Todd and Judy Pace, NAACP president Ben Jealous, UCLA surgeon Dr. Christian Head and a room filled to capacity with Willis’ friends, family and admirers.
Preschools in Los Angeles are all regulated by Community Care Licensing, a division of the California Department of Social Services, and Covid-19 regulations and mandates come from this agency. Many preschools have a few more policies that they've put in place, above and beyond licensing requirements, that they feel are best for their community. If your prospective preschool has a Covid-19 Emergency or Readiness plan, that is a good indication that they are prepared to handle the challenges we are facing when it comes to Covid-19 and preschoolers.
In Willis’ company I’ve eaten soul food in Hollywood with Rosa Parks, attended an intimate Deepak Chopra training and dinner in LaJolla, celebrated the work of Artis Lane with the backdrop a magnificent view of the Pacific Ocean from Bernard and Shirley Kinsey’s garden patio, and experienced many more once-in-a -lifetime events. Willis leaves me with many wonderful memories. He quietly mentored me, providing expertise and counsel; he was always patient and kind, and he introduced and nurtured my friendship with two exceptional women, Sandra Evers Manly and Billie Green.
Lastly, it's essential to know that many studies show that nationally preschools haven’t had high rates of Covid-19 incidences and, according to childcare center data collected by economist and Brown University professor Emily Oster, childcare centers don't appear to be especially susceptible to infections. Many preschools in New Jersey remained open during early state closures and the YMCA recently reported that their centers that service 40,000 children had no outbreaks of Covid-19. These statistics and awareness of appropriate policies and wellthought-out precautions should give parents a little peace of mind when sending their children back to preschool.
ANSWER TO RIDDLE: KATE
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LA TIMES Cont. from Pg. 3
dinners and discussions fell far short of the mark then, and even further short of what is needed now. Today, as public attention has turned more forcefully to policing and racism, Wesson has become somewhat of a born-again reformer, pushing programs to beef up human services, address racial and economic inequity and curb abusive policing. These moves show Wesson at both his best and his worst: He hears what the public wants and he responds — but not until the problem is unavoidable. Mitchell is different. She has been working in issues of equity and reform for her entire career. She displays the moral and policy compass Los Angeles needs in a county supervisor. The Times again endorses Mitchell unreservedly.
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MITCHELL Cont. from Pg. 19
We’re doing all that we can as fast as we can to be supportive and to be responsive. We have to make sure our healthcare infrastructure is ready and equipped to provide the services and the care California residents are going to need. And I’m working very hard to be a part of the solution. TNN: And what about the loss of tax revenue from these businesses? I know the restaurants are really suffering. I mean, a lot of them will go out of business. HM: Unfortunately, I agree. We’ll have to figure that out. There’s nothing we can do about that loss of revenue. It is our reality and it’s government’s responsibility to now respond appropriately. And we’re going to work as fast as we humanly can. And so, our job now is to try to act as aggressively and proactively as we can to stop it, and deal with the repercussions. TNN: I know we’ve gone a little over time and you’ve been very, very generous with your time and your answers so thank you so much for participating. HM: I think it was a great series of questions. I appreciate the opportunity to be able to share my perspective and opinion on the issues that interest the readers of your publication. I thank you for the opportunity.
DROP BOXES Cont. from Pg. 7
Exposition Park/Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Regional Library 3900 South Western Avenue, Los Angeles CA 90062 Hours: 24 - Hour Queen Anne Recreation Center 1240 West Boulevard, Los Angeles CA 90019 Hours: Sunrise - Sunset Expo/Vermont E Line Station 1026 West Exposition Boulevard, Los Angeles CA 90007 Hours: Regular Hours of Operation Memorial Branch Library 4625 West Olympic Boulevard, Los Angeles CA 90019 Hours: 24 - Hour Pio Pico - Koreatown Branch Library 694 South Oxford Avenue, Los Angeles CA 90005 Hours: 24 - Hour Ahmanson Senior Citizen Center 3990 Bill Robertson Lane, Los Angeles CA 90037 Hours: Sunrise - Sunset
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The Neighborhood News Community Covid-19 Restricted Distribution Sites We are adding various liquor stores within our boundaries to make up for the places that are shut during this crisis. Too many to identify here. WEST WASHINGTON BLVD. 2 FOR 1 PIZZA S.W. corner of Western ANGELINA PIZZA N.W. corner of Western LIQUOR STORE corner of Gramercy W. of Arlington SURFAS corner of 3rd Ave. West of Arlington COPY CENTER 3313 W. Washington Blvd NATRILIART 3426 W. Washington Blvd. and 5th WELLINGTON SQ. FARMERS MRKT (Sunday 9-1, just west of Crenshaw) LA LIQUOR Washington and West View FISH MARKET Washington and Rimpau CHEF D' CREOLE KITCHEN 4641 W. Washington VENICE WORLD HARVEST FOOD BANK Venice and Arlington RALPHS Midtown Shopping SAN VICENTE LIQUOR STORE (San Vicente/La Brea) YUMMY ( (San Vicente/Hauser) PICO PAPA CRISTO (Normandie and Pico) GRAIN CAFE (Pico one blk east of Crenshaw) PASTA SISTERS (Pico/Arlington) TOM'S BURGERS (Pico/West Blvd) OKI DOG (Pico/Mullen, across from Lowes) SKY TACO (Pico/Dunsmuir) ALFREDO PIZZA (Pico/Hauser) CHOCOLAT CAFE (Pico/Hauser) CJ’s RESTAURANT 5501 W. Pico (Carmona, e. of Hauser) POWER PLANT (5671 Pico/Spaulding) CHARLIES FISH (Next to Power Plant) PAPER OR PLASTIC 5772 W. Pico (Ogden/e. of Fairfax) VONS (Pico/Fairfax) ADAMS ORANGE SUSHI 1/2 blk e. of Normandy in corner mall SUPER 98 CENT MARKET s.w. corner of Western/Adams LOS ANAYAS 4651 W. Adams and West Blvd. HONEY BEES 4715 W. Adams FISH MARKET n. side of Adams at Rimpau VEES CAFÉ 5418 W Adams Blvd (w. of La Brea) DELICIOUS PIZZA 5419 W. Adams JEFFERSON LOUISIANA FRIED Jefferson and Arlington s.w. corner POLICE DIVISIONS WILSHIRE DIVISION 4861 W. Venice (e. of La Brea)
IN FRONT OF THE DOORS BETWEEN THE ATM AND SODA MACHINES
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GRACE YOO AD
