State of the State
No Ghost Bears
Newsom optimistic
Coffee and therapy
amidst recall
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Gallery offers virtual tours of cinematographer’s still work By Bridgette M. Redman he art of capturing a compelling photo involves taking the time to see, said two-time Emmy Award-winning cinematographer John Simmons. “You just have to put that comma in your life. It is something we have to take time to do,” said Simmons, who has been shooting photographs since he was 15. “You have to be affected by your environment, and your environment has to move you in a certain way. It has to move you enough to see a narrative in it.” Simmons has a series of his photographs and collages on display at the Jean Deleage Art Gallery at Casa 0101 Theater titled “Capturing Beauty: The Artwork and Photography of John Simmons.” The exhibit, which is available virtually through June 5, features Simmons explaining each piece and the context in which it was created. Simmons is the cinematographer for the Netflix show “Family Reunion” and the upcoming reboot of “iCarly” for Nickelodeon. He is vice president of the American Society of Cinematographers and one of only seven people of color in that organization.
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Seeing a story The exhibit’s photos are those that he has taken since 1965. He began working in Chicago, borrowing a camera from a friend’s brother. The pictures he took were so compelling that he began to get more and more work, and it eventually earned him a scholarship to Fisk University. To be a good photographer, he said, a person has to be in love with the idea of a frame and be able to feel that there is importance within the boundaries. “That can start with a love of painting, with family photos, with anything that nurtures one’s eye,” Simmons said. “I know I’ve always been in love with pictures and paint-
ings. There is a certain kind of nutrition that comes from looking at those things. It begins to shape you. It begins to give you a sense of composition, a sense of shadow and light, and that is the kind of affinity that makes you grow as an artist.”
Knowing your story The exhibit includes photos of important figures like Angela Davis and Shirley Chisholm to a close-up picture of a child’s mismatched shoes. His pictures capture moments ranging from parades to civil rights demonstrations. With each picture, he shares the context and sometimes harrowing stories of what happened while getting the shot. At one demonstration, a police officer saw him taking photos and knocked him to the ground with his baton. He leaned on Simmons’ back and said, “(Racist expletive), you better not let the sun set on you in this town.” Even his first experience with buying a camera was marred by racial profiling. Chicago neighborhoods were notoriously segregated, and his mother took him to a white neighborhood to get him his first camera. She sent him to the parking meter to put more money in it. “I was walking back, and a police car started slowly driving next to me,” Simmons said. “When I went into the store, the cops came into the store behind me and asked the guy behind the counter, ‘Is everything all right?’ That’s how Chicago was. I was sticking out like a sore thumb in a neighborhood I didn’t belong in.”
Creating collages Alongside Simmons’ photographs in the Casa 0101 exhibit are collages that pull together images, pieces of metal and any symbol he can get a hold of to tell his stories. They
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Cinematographer John Simmons, left, and gallery curator Jimmy Centeno. Photo by Luis Chavez
live in a place between his photography and hibit is Jimmy Centeno, who saw Simmons’ his cinematography. He still has the freedom work on display at the Museum of African to choose every element — unlike cinema- American Art and met with him to gauge his tography, which is a team creation — but interest in showing his work at Casa 0101. there is more of a narrative than found in his “I have a real affinity for that neighborstill photography shots. hood, because I used to have a studio there “The photographs can exist in a world of down the street with my nephew,” Simmons rational intellectualism,” Simmons said. “The said. “I love the idea of having my pictures collages transcend that. The collages enter a in that environment — that environment world of symbolism, and they are completely being a Spanish-speaking neighborhood free. They aren’t trapped within the boundar- that is very much culturally active. There ies of reality.” are murals on the walls, guys who make silk He said he recently took a closer look at screens. That neighborhood is very passionhis collages — collages that range from ones ate about imagery and community. I love it.” showing Donald Trump with a confederate He’s also enjoyed seeing other exhibits in flag to Harriet Tubman and chained slaves for that space over the years. sale. He feels they are little documentaries. He said he loves drawing out the univerEXECUTIVE Fuoco-Karasinski “All are about telling aEDITOR: story,”Christina Simmons said. sality of the narratives his pictures tell. PhoSTAFF WRITERS: Andrew Checchia, Andres De Ocampo, Julia Shapero “They’re all an interpretation of torn paper tographs capture a person’s humanity and CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Sara Edwards, Kamala Kirk and sand, pieces of metal and stuff that beauthenticity in a universal context. ART DIRECTORS: Arman Olivares, Stephanie Torres STAFF Luiscollages Chavez come a symbol andPHOTOGRAPHER: tell a story. The “You look at a picture of two lovers on a PHOTOGRAPHERS: Myriambus Santos take off whereCONTRIBUTING the photographs stop.” and you know what that is,” Simmons ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: Catherine Holloway, Michael Lamb said. “It doesn’t matter where you are or FOUNDER EMERITUS: Sue Laris where you’re from, you can see yourself in Setting up in Casa 0101 that picture and you can see how important The curator of the “Capturing Beauty” ex- it is to have that kind of relationship with
EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Christina Fuoco-Karasinski STAFF WRITERS: Kamala Kirk, Matthew Rodriguez CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Bliss Bowen, Frier McCollister, Andres de Ocampo, Bridgette M. Redman, Ellen Snortland ART DIRECTORS: Arman Olivares, Stephanie Torres STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER: Luis Chavez ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: Catherine Holloway, Michael Lamb FOUNDER EMERITUS: Sue Laris
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someone. Pictures are important to doing that.”
Returning to his roots Several years ago, Simmons was taking care of a terminally ill friend. The man was a writer who had always talked about publishing his work but never did and then he died. Simmons returned to his studio and came across a picture of the Black Panthers that he had taken. He realized that no one had seen that picture since the 1970s — not his wife, not his children. He determined he didn’t want to die and have no one ever see his photos. He started printing them, gathering nearly 100, when a fellow cinematographer hooked him up with a gallery, Perfect Exposure, which, in 2016, gave him his first exhibit in 30 years. “They need to have a life beyond me,” Simmons said. “They’re gaining their place in a way that is important to everyone.” He had been teaching weekend classes at UCLA for 26 years, 28 students each year. He did the multiplication and decided he had reached enough young people and now was the time to start concentrating on his art. “Now I work as a cinematographer,” Simmons said. “I make my collages, and I take my still pictures and I explore my archives for other ones. I’m always finding new pictures that I’d taken at earlier stages in my life.” Simmons is thankful both for the pictures he got to take in the ‘60s and the stage of life
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he finds himself in now. “To grow up in the ‘60s — what could be better for someone taking pictures?” he asked. “Really, to be able to shoot pictures of protest and passionate people and people on a mission. It was such a hip time. It was like the renaissance of art and music and literature. Everyone was interested in expressing themselves.” And while making photographs and collages doesn’t pay his bills, his work as a cinematographer does, and that work is still about putting things in a frame and visualizing images and how they can tell stories. “I’m so fortunate to be able to work as a cinematographer, make my collages and work as a photographer,” Simmons said. “That’s a really big deal, to just have your life be surrounded with creative stuff. I’m pretty lucky. It didn’t come easy.” While he is now always in demand as a cinematographer and is changing that industry with his diversity and inclusion work, photography continues to be an important part of his life. He said he always has his camera with him and takes photos every day. “That’s the thing about the pictures,” he said. “The pictures represent the fabric of humanity. They connect people. They make people know they are a part of something bigger. That is so important for all of us. When we think beyond ourselves, everything becomes better. I hope the pictures represent thinking beyond themselves. I think that is the coolest thing about art in general.”
John Simmons is a two-time Emmy Award-winning cinematographer. Photo by Luis Chavez
“Capturing Beauty: The Artwork and Photography of John Simmons” Through June 5 The Jean Deleage Art Gallery at Casa 0101 Theater, 2102 E. First Street, Los Angeles Virtual showing at https://bit.ly/38NECsf
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Five Acres board Chairwoman Susan McGuirl said the organization started as an old-fashioned orphanage for boys and girls.
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Photo courtesy of Five Acres
Five Acres was established in 1888 in Downtown Los Angeles as an orphanage serving children in the local area. In 1921, the organization moved its headquarters to Altadena.
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Five Acres assists children, families through services By Matthew Rodriguez ow more than ever, children and families rely on Five Acres to help them through the turmoil of life. “We’ve been around for 133 years,” said Five Acres board Chairwoman Susan McGuirl. “We started as an old-fashioned orphanage for boys and girls.” Five Acres was established in 1888 in Downtown Los Angeles as an orphanage serving children in the local area. In 1921, the organization moved its headquarters to Altadena and spread its influence to the greater LA area and across six counties. Last year, Five Acres helped 9,000 children and their families. In honor of the organization’s 100-plus years of work, LA County Supervisor Kath-
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ryn Barger recognized March 12 as “Five Acres Day” starting in 2018. “Our motto really is to promote safety, well-being and permanency for children and families,” McGuirl said. “(We) empower and encourage them to find ways to cope in our society and community and also provide support.” The nonprofit operates on three pillars to help children and families in crisis. First, Five Acres tries to promote safety for children by providing a safe place or, rather, an escape from harmful environments. “Sometimes children need to be taken out of an unsafe environment,” McGuirl said. “Many of these children have been mentally and physically abused.” At its headquarters, the organization
Photo courtesy of Five Acres
houses 60 to 70 children at its 5-acre residential campus. The children there are either waiting for foster care, adoption or do not have anywhere else to live. Five Acres provides adoption, mental health and other therapeutic services, in hopes of promoting a greater level of well-being — the second pillar. “(We make) sure that they have the skills, competencies, confidence and love that supports them in their ventures going forward,” McGuirl said. The final pillar of Five Acres is permanency, achieved by connecting children with a permanent home and loving family. “The idea of permanency is finding a permanent home for these children, where they can thrive, grow, be happy and really create that family unit,” McGuirl said. The permanency continues even after they’re adopted or placed in a new home. Even when a child leaves the facility, they are still given care and services to ensure that the child continues to grow. Also, when a child leaves the facility and no longer qualifies for care, Five Acres provides scholarships to those who earn them. The money can be used to continue their education either in college or vocational schools. “We don’t abandon them,” McGuirl said.
Just like many other institutions, the pandemic has forced many of Five Acres’ services to go virtual. According to McGuirl, Five Acres mainly provides care through telemedicine but still strives to give the best care possible. “It’s been extraordinary. The leadership and the staff at Five Acres pivoted right at the very beginning of the pandemic to telemedicine,” McGuirl said. “We don’t see these needs decreasing. In fact, we see these needs increasing in our society. … The pandemic sort of exacerbated those needs.” If the world was perfect, organizations such as Five Acres would have no reason to exist. However, with the world still striving toward perfection, McGuirl and Five Acres will continue to help the world one child at a time. “I don’t see that happening in the foreseeable future,” McGuirl said. “I think we’re making a difference one child at a time. That’s what we have to continue to focus on, to be able to build the confidence in these children … keep them safe, healthy, and enable them to grow into people that they want to be and enable them to contribute to our society and hopefully pay it forward.”
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Covered NEWS California will help
Newsom’s State of the State address offers optimism amidst recall By Andres de Ocampo s a year passes into the COVID-19 pandemic, Gov. Gavin Newsom gave his State of the State address March 9 at Dodger Stadium, acknowledging the strife and highlighting the progress California made during a troubling year. Newsom delivered his hopeful and confident State of the State address, standing alone, on stage in one of the nation’s mass-vaccination sites. “Instead of fans in stands, we see nurses in PPE (personal protective equipment), saving lives one injection at a time,” he said. In remembrance of those who have lost their lives due to the virus, Newsom said, “54,395 Californians we now mourn with broken hearts. That’s almost the same number of empty seats behind me, marking a silent tribute to loved ones who live forever in our memories.” Newsom prompted listeners to see that “the light at the end of the tunnel is even brighter,” however, and highlighted the COVID-19 positivity rate has gone down from 14% to 2.1%, which translates to 53,000 cases per day during the peak in early January to 2,600 confirmed cases. “I’m proud to report that California has administered nearly 11 million vaccine doses,” Newsom said, “That’s 3 million more than any other state.” Los Angeles County reported that out of those 11 million vaccine doses, it has administered about 2 million as of March 4, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health website. Newsom sympathized with the struggles of Californians and stood by his administration’s effort to slow the virus infection rate by issuing a stay-at-home order. “It was the right thing to do,” he said. “It was a year ago we made the incredibly difficult decision to issue a stay-home order to slow the spread,” he said. “We agonized about the sacrifices it would require. “People are alive today because of the public health decisions we made — lives saved because of your sacrifice. Even so, I acknowledge it’s made life hard and unpredictable, and you’re exhausted with all of it.” For the millions of Californians pushed out of the workforce and essential workers with no choice but to keep showing up — “this is who we fight for.” Newsom’s optimistic speech not only touched on issues like the care, safety and grit of health care and essential workers but also
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plans for getting kids back into school safely. “We’ve delivered three months’ worth of PPE to every school,” Newsom said. “We’ve directly enabled schools to provide routine COVID testing, especially for low-income students. “And starting last week, California promised that at least 10% of our vaccine allocation will go to teachers and school staff directly.” In the first week of this plan, Newsom noted they are on a pace which “doubled our goal” with 210,000 doses administered to educators. Newsom spoke about the inequity within the state and said that “when the pandemic ends … we’re not going back to normal. … Normal accepts inequity. “It’s why Latinos are dying from COVID at a higher rate than any other racial or ethnic group, why essential workers’ wages aren’t enough for them to afford the essentials, and why mothers have been leaving the workforce in staggering numbers,” he said. “So, our journey back must also be a path to close inequities. There is no economic recovery without economic justice,” he said. “To keep the dream alive,” Newsom said that they are continuing to provide financial relief, in reference to the $7.6 billion COVID-19 economic relief package approved on Feb. 22. It included $2.1 billion in grants and fee waivers for small businesses and nonprofits and a $600 Golden State Stimulus for families. “Three-quarters of these grants have gone to minority-, women-, and veteran-owned businesses and those serving rural and low-income communities,” he said. “We’re not just talking about equity. We are building it into the very fabric of all of our programs.” Newsom’s address comes at a time when his administration is facing opposition by a Republican-led campaign seeking to recall the Democrat governor. The campaign is required to provide 1,495,709 valid signatures by March 17. That would trigger a recall election later this year. Newsom, while standing by his policies in his address and noting California’s progress, also subtly referenced the recall, saying, “We won’t change course just because of a few naysayers and doomsdayers.” “So, to the California critics who are promoting partisan power grabs and outdated prejudices and rejecting everything that makes California great, we say this: We will not be distracted from getting shots in arms
Gov. Gavin Newsom delivered his State of the State address March 9 at Dodger Stadium. Submitted photo
and our economy booming again,” he said. The campaign to recall Newsom gained more following during the pandemic, as frustration among the public grew due to stay-athome orders and other COVID-19 restrictions. Newsom faced scrutiny last November when he attended a private dinner at an upscale French restaurant with several people outside of his household, which contradicted Califor-
nia’s COVID-19 safety guidelines requesting Californians to restrict their engagement with other households during a surge of COVID-19 cases. Newsom was quick to respond and apologize last November but touched on the event again in his address, saying, “We’ve made mistakes. I’ve made mistakes. But we own them, learn from them, and never stop trying.”
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DTLA RESIDENTIAL LIVING The Future of Downtown Los Angeles Experts predict DTLA’s strengths and weaknesses
By Kamala Kirk rior to the pandemic, Downtown Los Angeles was a bustling and vibrant metropolis that was developing at a rapid pace. When COVID-19 hit, many businesses closed their doors, and a significant decrease in tourists and visitors to Downtown led to virtually empty streets. But as vaccines are rolled out and cases continue to decrease, hope appears to be on the horizon. Bisnow recently hosted a virtual webinar, “Future of Downtown Los Angeles: Predicting DTLA’s Strengths & Weaknesses in 2021 & Beyond,” during which five industry experts discussed what lies ahead. The discussion kicked off with a presentation by Elan Shore, director of research and special projects at Downtown Center Business Improvement District (DCBID). He
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gave a preview of the DTLA Virtual: Development Tour, an online tour that offers a bird’s-eye view of Downtown’s continuing transformation through interactive technology, digital mapping, high-definition photography and drone video footage with indepth market stats and project specs. The Development Tour highlights the top projects that either have been recently completed, are under construction or have been proposed in Downtown, along with key deals and market data. It can be accessed at downtownla.com/ virtualtour and features four interactive tour stops that take viewers behind the scenes of some of DTLA’s most highly anticipated developments. “When the pandemic hit and we realized we weren’t going to be putting 50 people on a bus anytime soon, we started working
on this alternative, and thus our virtual tour was born,” Shore said. “All of the images are 360-degree panoramic, so you can turn all the way around and see everything in the surrounding area. In the coming weeks and months, we will be adding existing office, residential, retail and hospitality tours, plus the ability to create custom tours tailored to your needs and interests.” The webinar was moderated by Max Shapiro, a commercial real estate attorney from Allen Matkins. The panel’s featured presenters included Clare De Briere, executive vice president and regional manager for Skanska, a leading project development and construction group; John Barganski, SVP of leasing, Western region, Brookfield Properties; Ricardo Pagan, CEO of Claridge Properties; Stephane Lacroix, general manager of Downtown Los Angeles Proper Hotel; and
Justin Weiss, vice president of Kennedy Wilson Brokerage. Weiss said that while retail activity is slow, leasing continues, and he has a dozen in the works. “Of all the neighborhoods in LA, DTLA was hardest hit, but it’s obvious why,” Weiss said. “However, if you look at the sheer magnitude of investment in Downtown, there are approximately $4.5 billion worth of projects right now that are just under construction. I’m not going to sugarcoat it — retail activity is low right now, but most tenants are thinking long term and just trying to get through the present.” Weiss added that restaurants are also opening and that second-generation restaurant spaces are the most sought after because they are already built out and CONTINUED ON PAGE 14
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Living in ‘Grand’ Style
255 Grand boasts sumptuous amenities By 255 Grand 255 Grand, a Goldrich Kest apartment community, is located in the prestigious Bunker Hill neighborhood of Downtown Los Angeles. Bunker Hill is the go-to spot for dining, worldclass museums and a thriving arts and entertainment scene with immediate proximity to the Walt Disney Concert Hall, Museum of Contemporary Arts and The Broad Museum. Life atop Bunker Hill awaits you. A friendly front desk staff greets visitors in the beautifully appointed lobby. The community of 255 Grand offers breathtaking views, awe-inspiring balconies and patios, and spacious floor plans ranging from 480 to 1335 square feet. It’s a 391-unit high rise that includes recently renovated studios, one- and two-bedroom apartment homes showcasing floor-to-ceiling windows, which frame picturesque city and mountain views. The beautifully renovated apartment homes have stainless steel Whirlpool appliances, quartz countertops, deep soaking tubs and Moen faucets. The luxurious top two floors, known as the Sky Level, feature exclusive premium high-end features such as Bosch stainless steel appliances, Danze and Kohler fixtures, Nest third-genera-
Luxury Sky Level apartments have breathtaking views. (Photo courtesy of 255 Grand)
Outdoor amenities at 255 Grand include a pool deck. (Photo courtesy of 255 Grand)
tion programmable thermostats and oversized rainfall showerheads. All residents enjoy complimentary basic cable with Showtime included as well as Wi-Fi. The community of 255 Grand features a host of amenities for residents to enjoy. The spacious WiFi lounge is equipped with a gourmet kitchen with a Starbucks coffee bar, large televisions and public Wi-Fi, which provides residents the ideal place to mingle with friends or entertain a private party. Residents can also enjoy movie nights or the big game in the state-of-the-art theater. There
is also an ultramodern fitness studio with yoga room, weight stations as well as cardio and weight machines. The sumptuous amenities continue outside with a beautifully landscaped deck which offers four barbecue areas and warm and inviting firepits to relax and take advantage of the beautiful California climate. Additionally, residents can lounge by the pool and spa in what feels like a lush oasis in the middle of Downtown Los Angeles. Come experience the 255 Grand lifestyle, (213) 229-9777.
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Museum Tower offers a new standard for Downtown living. (Photo courtesy of Museum Tower)
A Thriving Scene
Prestigious Bunker Hill is in a prime location By Museum Tower Museum Tower is conveniently located in Downtown LA’s prestigious Bunker Hill, the go-to neighborhood for world-class museums, fine dining and a thriving arts and entertainment scene. Museum Tower offers residents immediate proximity to some of the best attractions Los Angeles has to offer, including Broad Museum, Walt Disney Concert Hall, Grand Park and Grand Central Market by way of historic Angel’s Flight. With Museum Tower being part of Cal Plaza, the Museum of Contemporary Art, Omni Hotel and Colburn School of Art are just a few enjoyable steps away. An elegant, 24-hour-attended lobby with artistic design features and modern finishes warmly welcomes residents and visitors. In addition, the ground floor plays home to a new fitness and cardio studio with state-of-the-art Life Fitness equipment, a Freedom Climber rotating rock-climbing wall, cycling bikes and Well Beats on-demand virtual classes. The third floor, which opens to Cal Plaza and MOCA, hosts a modern resident lounge and library, a leasing showroom, a screening
room and a modern pool deck with heated pool, spa, gas fireplaces, gourmet barbecue areas and loungers. Incredible views, private balconies and spacious floorplans are offered in Museum Tower’s 211 studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom residences, complete with high-speed internet capabilities, luxury wood-style flooring, white quartz counters and stainless-steel appliances. The 20th floor is home to Museum Tower’s five ultra-luxurious penthouse residences, where no expense has been spared and no detail overlooked in a design that features top-of-the-line GE Monogram appliances and the latest in smart home technology. Museum Tower has taken things to the next level—the 21st level to be exact. It’s home to a new rooftop amenity deck, offering panoramic views of Los Angeles in a modern, relaxing indoor/outdoor setting. Luxury gas fireplaces and architectural lighting set the stage for a peaceful evening under the city lights. Whether an enthusiast of the arts or a professional looking to ditch the commute, Museum Tower offers the perfect downtown retreat. For more information, call 213-805-7728.
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Crystal Anniversary
Realtor Randelle Green celebrates 15 years of Downtown excellence By LA Downtown News Staff It was 2005 when DTLA’s residential renaissance began, and a new Downtown Realtor named Randelle Green was in the middle of it. Green was assigned with leading sales teams from The Pan-American Lofts in the Historic Core; Evo/Luma/Elleven in South Park; and The Roosevelt in the Financial District. Quickly, he became well known. By 2013, local developers and sales and marketing companies like Ryness and the Mark Company were interested in Green’s work. After years of working and consulting for some of the country’s biggest Downtown developers, Green started his own boutique brokerage, The RandelleGreen Group (Downtown LA Lofts & Condos). Booming pocket neighborhoods like The Arts District quickly became a fixture in Green’s client base. Since late 2016, Green has represented a mixture of buyers and sellers, and sold just under $10 million in the Arts District’s Barker Block Building alone. Additionally, per the MLS, he represented the seller of the building’s highest-priced sale at $1.635 million. “I remember back when Barker Block had just come to market and the now ever-so-popular Arts District was just a vision,” Green recalled. “Times certainly have changed in the past 15
years. “My goal was to bring to Downtown a smaller personalized brokerage, one that specializes in the local market — not one that simply includes Downtown alongside its other branches in the valleys or west side.” Clients want a hands-on Realtor who understands the specific nuances of the unique urban market and cares about it. Fast forward years later and The RandelleGreen Group has become a Downtown residential staple. “I’ve kept my company and team small and inADVERTORIAL
timate,” Green said. “Many of the big brokerages have come and gone and continue to come and go, but I have chosen to stick it out. “From the humble beginnings and the Downtown boom, through the recession of 2007 to 2011 and its bounce back, right up to COVID and now the re-emergence from an international pandemic, one thing is certain — I’m not going anywhere.” Broker/CEO Green has outlasted many of the others and has proven it with 15 years of integrity and honesty. His Midwestern work ethic has never left him. “I have built my business on referrals, which means everything to me,” Green said. “I am in residential real estate for one reason — the people. I still find great satisfaction when I work with my clients. It takes a local experienced specialist to navigate Downtown LA, one who knows their way around. You can’t just come into the area and think you can learn it overnight. We see a lot of that lately and we also see lots of mistakes being made. Years of experience is priceless and that’s simply the differentiator of The RandelleGreen Group. I put my name on it.” The RandelleGreen Group therandellegreengroup.com
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Promenade Towers Love it! Lease it! Live it! By Promenade Towers Promenade Towers features unique and spacious apartments with floor-to-ceiling windows and contemporary solariums displaying breathtaking views of the DTLA skyline or mountains. High-rise towers offer a relaxing setting — a sparkling pool, a tranquil fountain and a lush landscape. The community offers residents a variety of amenities, including a state-of-theart fitness center, 24-hour attended lobby, onsite parking garage and a café, Crepe de Paris. Located in the Bunker Hill area, Promenade Towers has convenient freeways access and is just minutes from LA Live and the Music Center, as well as upscale museums, fine dining, great shopping and exciting night spots. For a tour, call 213-687-8440 or visit thepromenadetowers.com. ADVERTORIAL
The fitness center has state-of-the-art equipment. (Photo courtesy of Promenade Towers)
The catwalk has a beautiful view of the pool. Promenade Towers’ north tower is majestic. (Photo courtesy of Promenade Towers) (Photo courtesy of Promenade Towers)
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Historic Building, Garment Lofts
Residential living within the heart of the Fashion District Garment Lofts, a 1926 Gothic Revival shell transformed into stunning lofts and ground floor retail spaces. (Photo courtesy of Garment Lofts)
By Garment Lofts Inside Garment Lofts, fashion is woven into the very threads of its existence. Originally constructed as a center for garment manufacturing in 1926, this incredibly significant building showcases an early 20th century Gothic Revival-style signature of the famous duo, architect William Douglas Lee and the female powerhouse developer, Florence C. Casler. At Garment Lofts, residents are surrounded by irreplaceable character and expansive city views. These stunning lofts all feature the structures original concrete floors and walls, spacious renovated floorplans, and gourmet kitchens equipped with granite counters and stainless-steel appliances. Designer finishes include custom cabinets and counters, subway-tile backsplashes in the kitchens and penny tiles in the bathrooms. Amenities include 24-hour gym access, a rooftop lounge and a spa overlooking the downtown skyline. Once residents step outside, they’re seconds away from shopping, dining and entertainment. This 12-story historic high rise is conveniently located at the northwest corner of Eighth and Santee streets in Downtown Los Angeles near the 10 and 110 freeways. Come live in DTLA’s famous Fashion District and see what Garment Lofts is all about. Don’t miss this chance to be a part of Downtown LA’s colorful history. Leasing now. Call today for the manager’s special, 213-228-9955, email leasing@garmentloftsla.com or visit garmentloftsla.com. Garment Lofts is located at 217 E. Eighth Street, Los Angeles. ADVERTORIAL
Get Up To $8,000 Back On Your Taxes & Golden State Stimulus Payment $600 or $1,200 The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is a refundable tax credit for eligible workers and families with low to moderate-income. Those who qualify for EITC and/or Cal EITC and claim the credits could pay less in taxes or even get a tax refund up to $8,000. There are Federal EITC (EITC) and California EITC (Cal EITC). If you qualify for Cal EITC and have a child under the age of 6 as of the end of the tax year, you may qualify for an additional $1,000 through Young Child Tax Credit (YCTC).
Great News! The eligibility of Cal EITC and YCTC extend to all qualified non-residents who file 2020 taxes with an ITIN or SSN. California provides the Golden State Stimulus Payment of $600 or $1,200 to all taxpayers who receive Cal EITC and/or file taxes with an ITIN on the 2020 tax return. PACE and Los Angeles Public Library are hosting an EITC Live-Streaming Webinar in March. Register Now at rebrand.ly/ladnew331 Questions? Contact wtsang@pacela.org for a Free Consultation or Learn More at rebrand.ly/ladneitce21.
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Award-Winning Realtor
Bill Cooper is excited about Downtown’s market By LA Downtown News Staff Those who live, work or play Downtown have probably met bill Cooper or heard his name. Downtown since 2002, and twice voted Best Residential Realtor, Cooper has a fervor for LA’s core. His involvement with the planning and development of Downtown’s real estate market and its multifaceted neighborhoods and parks have proven his excitement. He is a founding member and president of the Downtown Real Estate Association and has twice been voted Best Realtor in DTLA. He sits on the board of the Society for the Preservation of Downtown Los Angeles and has served on the Pershing Square Park Advisory Board since 2008. He has worked with the Los Angeles Conservancy and is a member of the California Association of Realtors, and the National Association of Realtors. With years of experience with Coldwell Banker Realty, Cooper enjoys helping Downtowners find their niche in the ever-changing environment they now call home. Cooper’s passion for service, knowledge of the marketplace and understanding his field helps buyers and sellers feel confident. “We treat our clients as if they were our own family,” Cooper said. “We understand that buy-
The view from Eastern Columbia’s largest penthouse in DTLA’s historic core. (Photo courtesy of Bill Cooper)
LA real estate expert, Bill Cooper, can be reached at 310-721-2455 or larealestateexpert.com. (Photo courtesy of Bill Cooper)
ing or selling a home is more than just a transaction: it’s a life-changing experience. “That’s why our team of highly seasoned real estate professionals provides exceptional, personalized service for all of our clients. We take great pride in the relationships we build and always work relentlessly on the client’s behalf to help them achieve their real estate goals.” Cooper’s team of experts represents the best and brightest in the industry, and they’re always striving to lead the field in research, innovation and consumer education. Buyers and sellers
need a trusted resource who can guide them through the complex world of real estate. Bill Cooper, Realtor LA Real Estate Expert Coldwell Banker Realty, Downtown Los Angeles 310-721-2455 larealestateexpert.com
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DTLA RESIDENTIAL LIVING
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THE FUTURE OF DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES, 6 don’t require a huge investment to get up and running. Landlord Brookfield is the largest owner of Downtown LA class A high-rise space and has over 10 million square feet of office space in its Western region portfolio. While 80% to 85% is leased, Barganski said the space is experiencing physical occupancy of about 10% to 15%. “The last year has been spent investing huge sums of capital and human capital to change how those workplaces interact with our users,” Barganski said. “I think people will return to the office, but what they’ll return to will be different on the inside.” When asked how the pandemic has changed the way her company is developing projects, De Briere said Skanska had been investing in technologies associated with healthy building and sustainability over the last decade, so they won’t be doing things that much differently than they already have. “We have a building in the Arts District
that we’re designing right now, and we have an exterior corridor around every one of the office floors and a garden space on every single floor in order to create that indoor-outdoor connectivity,” De Briere said. “We also employ touchless technology on virtually all of our buildings, and we’ll continue to do that. I do think that we’ll start to see smaller buildings so that tenants can control the entirety of their environment and provide for the health and safety of employees and customers.” When discussing the impact of COVID-19 on the hospitality industry, Lacroix said he and his team consider ways to reconnect on a deeper level with the LA community. The Downtown Los Angeles Proper Hotel, which is scheduled to open in June, is one of the most anticipated high-design hotel openings this year. “At all of our properties, we always find a way to partner with successful local businesses and restaurants,” Lacroix said. “Our hotel is located two blocks away from the
Orpheum Theatre, and I love the energy and true urban feel of the area. When it comes to the safety and health of our team, in order for customers to be confident, we have to ensure that we do our due diligence and have a robust plan in place.” Pagan also talked about his upcoming developments, which include a $2 billion Angels Landing on Fourth and Hill Street that will bring two luxury hotels, more than 400 for-sale and for-rent residential units, and more than 36,000 square feet of commercial space to the side that is an undeveloped hillside and former park. Even though the project may be delayed for a year and a half, Pagan said that the reason was due to “political headwinds” and not the pandemic. As of September, developers were still anticipating the project would be open for the 2028 Olympics, which LA is scheduled to host. “People love urban cities, and once people gain confidence and are comfortable being near each other again, in the long term, people will return to Downtown,” Pagan said. “Looking ahead five to 10 years, we believe that underdeveloped cities like LA are key. New York is already built out, as
MARCH 15, 2021
is Seattle and most major cities.” De Briere added that Downtown is starting to see more neighborhood pockets coming up, which create a sense of community that people are drawn to. “I’m looking forward to seeing how each one of those neighborhoods will continue to evolve,” De Briere said. “Bunker Hill has a very different feel than the Arts District. The nice thing is that they’re all connected by transit now. So you can get to all of them, but they each have their own community and feel, which is important. As a developer, what I’m building in one part of Downtown is very different than what I would build in another part. As long as we maintain that sense of uniqueness as we build for the community, I think that will create a really vibrant and diverse Downtown.” Bisnow is the largest producer of news and events within the commercial real estate industry across North America, Canada, the United Kingdom and Ireland. Operating in more than 50 cities across North America and Europe, Bisnow hosts over 300 events each year with the purpose of informing, connecting and advancing the commercial real estate community to do more business.
DTLA RESIDENTIAL LIVING
MARCH 15, 2021
Golden Dragon shines in Downtown LA Golden Dragon has been voted Best Dim Sum for six consecutive years. The restaurant is open for takeout, delivery through Uber Eats & Grubhub and outdoor dining. (Photo courtesy of Golden Dragon) By Golden Dragon In the heart of Chinatown is Golden Dragon, a restaurant where guests can satisfy their cravings for Chinese food, whether it’s for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Golden Dragon has been voted Best Dim Sum for six consecutive years. The restaurant is open for takeout, delivery through Uber Eats & GrubHub and outdoor dining. Diners can order from the regular menu and dim sum menu. Dim sums start as low as $2.99 each and are served from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. Golden Dragon offers a variety of dim sums such as siu mai, har gow, beef riceroll, shrimp riceroll, baked barbecue pork buns, steamed chicken buns, marinated chicken feet, fried shrimp balls, egg rolls, egg custard tarts and sesame balls, just to name a few favorites. From the regular menu, diners can order favorite items such as house chow mein, beef chow fun, fried rice, French-style diced beef, honey walnut shrimp, tangerine beef, tangerine chicken, fried calamari and spicy pork chop. Golden Dragon offers free parking and offers plenty of bang for the buck. When the bill comes, be prepared to be pleasantly surprised. So, gather fellow foodies for a visit to Golden Dragon, home to some of the finest dim sum in town. Golden Dragon Restaurant 960 N Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90012 (213) 626-2039
DOWNTOWN NEWS 15
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Finding Financial Security The LA nonprofit LeaseUp is a rental market solution
By LeaseUp As the rental market slowly recovers from COVID-19, property owners and managers are left with growing collections of unpaid rent and a looming eviction crisis. But those in LA County can count on LeaseUp to secure rent-ready tenants and steady, monthly rental collections. LeaseUp is an innovative program backed by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) serving more than 600 property owners and Sign up for LeaseUp at leaseupla.org. managers in Southern California. The (Photo courtesy of LeaseUp) goal? Offer benefits and stability to property owners and managers in LA County while providing housing for people who are struggling to make ends meet. The program’s success is due to its property owner-focused approach. From day one, LeaseUp connects property owners and managers with a dedicated housing specialist, who not only helps to find the right renter for their units but also offers ongoing support navigating any issues that arise once the tenant has moved in. LeaseUp also provides more financial protection than any open-market options: waiving listing fees, providing unit holding fees for up to two months and vacancy loss fees, and offering property damage protection of up to $10,000. Interested in seeing if your property is eligible? All it takes is a simple, quick and free sign up. Get started today at leaseupla.org ADVERTORIAL
Are you losing money on your property by not joining LeaseUp? Property owners who rent through LeaseUp enjoy steady rental income every month. Want to see if you’re eligible? Visit leaseupla.org today to learn more.
LeaseUp
16 DOWNTOWN NEWS
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MARCH 15, 2021
PAID ADVERTISEMENT
Men’s Virility Restored in Clinical Trial; 275% More Blood Flow in 5 Minutes A newly improved version of America’s best-selling male performance enhancer gives 70-year-old men the ability and stamina they enjoyed in their 30’s. America’s best-selling sexual performance enhancer just got a lot better. It’s the latest breakthrough for nitric oxide – the molecule that makes E.D. woes fade and restores virility when it counts the most. Nitric oxide won the Nobel Prize in 1998. It’s why “the little blue pill” works. More than 200,000 studies confirm it’s the key to superior sexual performance. And this new discovery increases nitric oxide availability resulting in even quicker, stronger and longer-lasting performance. One double-blind, placebo-controlled study (the “gold-standard” of research) involved a group of 70-year-old-men. They didn’t exercise. They didn’t eat healthy. And researchers reported their “nitric oxide availability was almost totally compromised,” resulting in blood flow less than HALF of a man in peak sexual health. But only five minutes after the first dose their blood flow increased 275%, back to levels of a perfectly healthy 31-year-old man! “It’s amazing,” remarks nitric oxide expert Dr. Al Sears. “That’s like giving 70-year-old men the sexual power of 30-year-olds.”
WHY SO MUCH EXCITEMENT? Despite the billions men spend annually on older nitric oxide therapies, there’s one well-known problem with them. They don’t always work. A very distinguished and awarded doctor practicing at a prestigious Massachusetts hospital who has studied Nitric Oxide for over 43 years states a “deficiency of bioactive nitric oxide… leads to impaired endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation.” In plain English, these older products may increase levels of nitric oxide. But that’s only half the battle. If it’s not bioactively available then your body can’t absorb it to produce an erection. Experts simply call it the nitric oxide “glitch.” And until now, there’s never been a solution.
NEXT GENERATION NITRIC OXIDE FORMULA FLYING OFF SHELVES Upon further research, America’s No. 1 men’s health expert Dr. Al Sears discovered certain nutrients fix this “glitch” resulting in 275% better blood flow.
He’s combined those nutrients with proven nitric oxide boosters in a new formula called Primal Max Red. In clinical trials, 5,000 mg is required for satisfying sexual performance. Primal Max Red contains a bigger, 9,000 mg per serving dose. It’s become so popular, he’s having trouble keeping it in stock. Dr. Sears is the author of more than 500 scientific papers. Thousands of people listened to him speak at the recent Palm Beach Health & Wellness Festival featuring Dr. Oz. NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Namath recently visited his clinic, the Sears Institute for Anti-Aging Medicine. Primal Max Red has only been available for a few months — but everyone who takes it reports a big difference. “I have the energy to have sex three times in one day, WOW! That has not happened in years. Oh, by the way I am 62,” says Jonathan K. from Birmingham, AL.
HOW IT WORKS Loss of erection power starts with your blood vessels. Specifically, the inside layer called the endothelium where nitric oxide is made. The problem is various factors THICKEN your blood vessels as you age. This blocks availability causing the nitric oxide “glitch.” The result is difficulty in getting and sustaining a healthy erection. How bad is the problem? Researcher shows the typical 40-year-old man absorbs 50% less nitric oxide. At 50, that drops to 25%. And once you pass 60 just a measly 15% gets through. To make matters worse, nitric oxide levels start declining in your 30’s. And by 70, nitric oxide production is down an alarming 75%. Primal Max Red is the first formula to tackle both problems. Combining powerful nitric oxide boosters and a proven delivery mechanism that defeats the nitric oxide “glitch” resulting in 275% better blood flow. There’s not enough space here to fully explain how it works, so Dr. Sears will send anyone who orders Primal Max Red a free special report that explains everything.
MORE CLINICAL RESULTS Nutrients in Primal Max Red have logged impressive results.
A new discovery that increases nitric oxide availability was recently proven in a clinical trial to boost blood flow 275% In a Journal of Applied Physiology study, one resulted in a 30 times MORE nitric oxide. And these increased levels lasted up to 12 hours. “I measured my nitric oxide levels, you can buy a test kit from Amazon,” reports 48-year-old Jeff O. “Monday night I showed depleted.” Then he used ingredients in Primal Max Red and, “The results were off the charts. I first woke around 3 a.m. on Tuesday very excited. My nitric oxide levels measured at the top end of the range.”
FREE BONUS TESTOSTERONE BOOSTER Every order also gets Dr. Sears testosterone boosting formula Primal Max Black for free. “If you want passionate ‘rip your clothes off’ sex you had in your younger days, you need nitric oxide to get your erection going. And testosterone for energy and drive,” says Dr. Sears. “You get both with Primal Max Red and Primal Max Black.”
HOW TO GET PRIMAL MAX To secure free bottles of Primal Max Black and get the hot, new Primal Max Red formula, buyers should contact the Sears Health Hotline at 1-800-782-4728 within the next 48 hours. “It’s not available in drug stores yet,” says Dr. Sears. “The Hotline allows us to ship directly to the customer.” Dr. Sears feels so strongly about Primal Max, all orders are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee. “Just send me back the bottle and any unused product within 90 days from purchase date, and I’ll send you all your money back,” he says. The Hotline will be open for the next 48 hours. After that, the phone number will be shut down to allow them to restock. Call 1-800-782-4728 to secure your limited supply of Primal Max Red and free bottles of Primal Max Black. You don’t need a prescription, and those who call in the first 24 hours qualify for a significant discount. Use Promo Code NP0321PMAX230 when you call in. Lines are frequently busy, but all calls will be answered.
THESE STATEMENTS HAVE NOT BEEN EVALUATED BY THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION. THIS PRODUCT IS NOT INTENDED TO DIAGNOSE, TREAT, CURE OR PREVENT ANY DISEASE. RESULTS MAY VARY
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Covered California will help OPINION Fix LA’s homeless housing crisis Editor: New luxury condos in Downtown Los Angeles make luxe Downtown living viable again but push many unhoused individuals further from the services they need to survive. The crisis on the streets of Downtown Los Angeles has intensified during the pandemic, with those who already had no place to go scrambling for a safe place to live while many businesses shutter and the Skid Row area turns itself over to gentrification. What was already a significant problem for the city is growing rapidly as calls from locals to stop violent and often unnecessary police sweeps of homeless camps grow into cries to defund the police and start funding more services for the unhoused. Mayor Garcetti’s budget for the 2020-21 fiscal year allotted 7.4 cents for every budget dollar spent on community policing and only 3.7 cents of every dollar on community services, some of which address homelessness. Most of the services, like nonprofits and government agencies aimed at addressing homelessness, are within a few blocks of the Skid Row area. As new luxury condos take over the neighborhood, the unhoused will be pushed further from the services they need to survive. During a pandemic, many shelters and homeless services are not safe. Tourism rates are low, and there are thousands of hotel rooms that are vacant. We have the money to rent these rooms, and we have a large need for this space for our unhoused. If we can temporarily house these people in sanitary hotel rooms while we build more affordable housing, we could see a decline in homelessness and help our neighbors get off the streets. Project Room Key, created by the group LAHSA, uses emergency funds to open these hotel rooms to the unhoused. The project is temporarily housing 1,672 people and has 589 vacant rooms as of March 1. Housing the houseless temporarily via Project Room Key only addresses part of the issue. When the pandemic ends, the project will likely end with it, and currently the city has no operational budget to address affordable housing or post-pandemic housing once Project Room Key has expired. Right now, the city of Los Angeles should allocate the $70 billion needed to create enough affordable housing for all who need it. The cost to build affordable housing units is roughly $500,000 per unit. If the city wants to save money, it needs to address the high building costs and legal issues associated with building affordable housing as well. If the city cannot allocate the money needed to address affordable housing for all, it needs to create alternatives like purchasing the hotels that are being used for Project Room Key, which could save them a substantial amount of money and still house a large majority of the unhoused. Elaine Agee Agnes Rapala
Disrespect or discrimination?
Editor: LeBron James recently remarked on TNT during the NBA draft that when he was young, “We would have never picked those guys (Stockton and Malone) in video games, never.” This sent a not-too-subtle message to his fanbase, one more of discrimination than merely disrespect. Black NBA players since before Lebron was born have groused about the lack of nightlife in Salt Lake City. They have also known that the Mormon church initially barred Blacks from holding the religion’s priesthood, a policy long ago changed. Lebron is effectively asking, “Has anything good ever come out of Salt Lake City?” James owes the league’s players, coaches, fans and owners, and especially the Jazz and its historically Latter-day Saints owners, an apology, and should issue a statement in support both of small franchises and religious freedom. Kimball Shinkoskey
Hey you! Speak up! Downtown News wants to hear from people in the community. If you like or dislike a story, let us know, or weigh in on something you feel is important to the community. Participation is easy. Go to downtownnews.com, scroll to the bottom of the page and click the “Letter to the Editor” link. For guest opinion proposals, please email christina@timespublications.com.
Be prepared: It’s not just a motto By Ellen Snortland
“M
ommy! I got to kick a man!” The excited little Girl Scout had just finished the first portion of an Impact Personal Safety kids class, specifically the physical self-defense drills. I have never forgotten what she told her mom that day! We teach and practice effective emotional, verbal and — when push comes to shove (excuse the expression) — physical self-defense. If I had a magic wand, I would make our nonprofit’s classes mandatory for all ages starting at 6. Do I promote running around kicking men? No, I do not. What I do promote is a more thorough relationship with reality. And part of that reality is that roughly half of the world’s population has been brainwashed into thinking they are helpless in the face of the “superior” physical attributes and power of men. In the Unreality Department, the male half has also been indoctrinated by every form of entertainment into thinking they are invincible. For example, a fight scene showing a man totally unfazed after getting hit in the head with a fire extinguisher. (Yes, that was in a movie.) Because of this, even men are afraid of other men, which is not OK for anyone. I scream (often loudly) when I see men threatening or manipulating women without facing serious consequences. I want women and girls learning to deliver in the moment, for real, consequences; a pinch, a yell, a kick in the pee-pee. Brains count more than brawn in most instances. Why don’t we prepare girls and women for jerks? As it is now, we raise females to have two unrealistic expectations about boys and men: 1) There will always be a man around to defend you; 2) All men will behave themselves. Let’s look at the facts: Only a week ago, a new study by the World Health Organization reaffirmed that 1 in 3 women on the planet will be assaulted in her lifetime, and that’s most likely a conservative number. (And this number has not moved for decades.) I can personally vouch for these stats. Of the three daughters in my well-off, privileged, Norwegian American family in South Dakota, all three of us were assaulted. When we use the phrase “women are assaulted,” what’s missing? The perpetrators, that’s who! Statistically, while some women can be violent, it’s almost always men. Hiding this fact via language creates the image that females are passively waiting to become statistics. Since the early ’90s, I’ve been on a global mission to make empowerment self-defense portable, accessible and affordable. The following are the most frequent objections I hear. • Learning self-defense just creates more violence, right? No! Wearing a seatbelt doesn’t cause more car accidents; it is merely common-sense preparation before driving. Same thing with self-defense. I have stopped violence by being aware of what was happening. I’ve stopped fights. I’ve stopped someone from assaulting me. I merely looked at a sketchy white guy once, and he backed off! • It isn’t ladylike to yell or fight back. Is it ladylike to be raped or killed? Maintaining anachronistic notions of ladylike behavior is absurd when it comes to self-protection. Being a lousy target is not an either/or proposition. I am a “femme,” yet I will be vicious if it comes to protecting myself or my loved ones. • Won’t it scare my child if I put her in a self-defense class? Children are short; they are not stupid. They see what’s going on. They feel vulnerable. They know that mean people exist in the world, starting in preschool when they interact with their first mean kid. It’s important to practice saying things that are not considered polite: “Stop,” “Back away” and “I will make a huge scene if you come closer.” • Men should stop being violent instead of women preparing for it. Yes, men should stop being violent. However, the men most apt to attack women and kids do not give a rat’s patootie about that idea. An ideal world and the one we live in are different planets, light years away from each other. You don’t have fire drills in the middle of a fire. Similarly, people need to practice scary-people exercises in safe environments. Yelling can fly out the window during an adrenalin surge. Practicing in a lower-stress class will make that yell accessible when there is an actual threat. Semi-spoiler alert: A brilliant new movie I urge you to see is “Promising Young Woman.” And… how I longed to yell to the protagonist in her last scene: “Go for his eyes! Go for his neck! Go for his groin!” For goodness’ sakes, he had one arm out of commission. Had she any practice at identifying the hard parts of her body and exploding them into the soft parts of the bad guy, the outcome would have been very different.
Ellen Snortland is a columnist and writing coach. Reach her at ellen@authorbitebybite.com.
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MARCH 15, 2021
PAID ADVERTISEMENT
Better read this if you are 62 or older and still making mortgage payments. More than 1 million seniors have taken advantage of this “retirement secret.” It’s a well-known fact that for many older Americans, the home is their single biggest asset, often accounting for more than 45% of their total net worth. And with interest rates near all-time lows while home values are still high, this combination creates the perfect dynamic for getting the most
payments are required with a government-insured HECM loan; however the borrowers are still responsible for paying for the maintenance of their home, property taxes, homeowner’s insurance and, if required, their HOA fees. Today, HECM loans are simply an
Request a FREE Info Kit & DVD Today! Call 800-941-3174 now. out of your built-up equity. But, many aren’t taking advantage of this unprecedented period. According to new statistics from the mortgage industry, senior homeowners in the U.S. are now sitting on more than 7.7 trillion dollars* of unused home equity. Not only are people living longer than ever before, but there is also greater uncertainty in the ecomony. With home prices back up again, ignoring this “hidden wealth” may prove to be short sighted when looking for the best long-term outcome. All things considered, it’s not surprising that more than a million homeowners have already used a government-insured Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) loan to turn their home equity into extra cash for retirement. It’s a fact: no monthly mortgage
effective way for homeowners 62 and older to get the extra cash they need to enjoy retirement. Although today’s HECM loans have been improved to provide even greater financial protection for homeowners, there are still many misconceptions. For example, a lot of people mistakenly believe the home must be paid off in full in order to qualify for a HECM loan, which is not the case. In fact, one key advantage of a HECM is that the proceeds will first be used to pay off any existing liens on the property, which frees up cash flow, a huge blessing for seniors living on a fixed income. Unfortunately, many senior homeowners who might be better off with a HECM loan don’t even bother to get more information because of rumors they’ve heard. In fact, a recent survey by American Advisors Group (AAG), the nation’s
number one HECM lender, found that over 98% of their clients are satisfied with their loans. While these special loans are not for everyone, they can be a real lifesaver for senior homeowners especially in times like these. The cash from a HECM loan can be used for almost any purpose. Other common uses include making home improvements, paying off medical bills or helping other family members. Some people simply need the extra cash for everyday expenses while others are now using it as a safety net for financial emergencies.
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*Housing Wealth for Homeowners - 62+ Reaches $7.7 Trillion in Q1 2020: NRMLA/RiskSpan Reverse Mortgage Market Index (RMMI) Q1 2000 - Q1 2020 Reverse mortgage loan terms include occupying the home as your primary residence, maintaining the home, paying property taxes and homeowners insurance. Although these costs may be substantial, AAG does not establish an escrow account for these payments. However, a set-aside account can be set up for taxes and insurance, and in some cases may be required. Not all interest on a reverse mortgage is tax-deductible and to the extent that it is, such deduction is not available until the loan is partially or fully repaid. AAG charges an origination fee, mortgage insurance premium (where required by HUD), closing costs and servicing fees, rolled into the balance of the loan. AAG charges interest on the balance, which grows over time. When the last borrower or eligible non-borrowing spouse dies, sells the home, permanently moves out, or fails to comply with the loan terms, the loan becomes due and payable (and the property may become subject to foreclosure). When this happens, some or all of the equity in the property no longer belongs to the borrowers, who may need to sell the home or otherwise repay the loan balance. V2020.12.22 These materials are not from HUD or FHA and were not approved by HUD or a government agency.
NMLS# 9392 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org). American Advisors Group (AAG) is headquartered at 18200 Von Karman Ave, Suite 300, Irvine CA 92612. Licensed in 49 states. Please go to www.aag.com/legal-information for full state license information.
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TRAX
BY BLISS
VALERIE JUNE, The Moon and Stars: Prescriptions for Dreamers (Fantasy): HHHH Hopeful and — as is the norm with this idiosyncratic artist — cosmically conscious, June’s latest album is her most immediately engaging. Working with Grammy-winning Jennifer Hudson/Tank and the Bangas producer Jack Splash, she contours songs with Afrobeat polyrhythms and guitar (“You and I”), analog loops (“Within You”), and bird songs, a meditative flute and singing bowl (“Starlight Ethereal Silence”). Throughout, June returns to soul like a prodigal child circling home in wonder for the album’s strongest tracks: reassuring opener “Stay,” the swaying “Call Me a Fool” (introduced by Stax legend Carla Thomas’ recitation of “African Proverb”), and the hooky “Fallin” (“Fallin’ out of love with love/ All the things you’re dreamin’ of”). valeriejune.com ALLIE CROW BUCKLEY, Moonlit and Devious (self-released): HHH Low, distorted guitar and synth tones shape the spectral chill of the LA singer-songwriter’s debut album, which may appeal to Angel Olsen fans. With her controlled vocal style, Buckley’s poetic turns of phrase and dramatic arrangements (crafted with Jason Boesel and Mike Viola) carry the emotional weight of standouts “Hanging Tough” (“Dollar scratchers under my nails/ Still betting on beginner’s luck”), “Trouble in Paradise,” the title track, and the Sharon van Etten co-write “Gold Medallion.” The album’s sound makes a more lingering impression than individual songs but piques interest in future Buckley projects. alliecrowbuckley.com TASH NEAL, Charge It to the Game (Black Hill): HHH The former London Souls frontman had abundant subject matter for his solo debut: social injustice, the hustle and wonder of creative careers, surviving a brutal car wreck. Composed while Neal was recuperating from that 2012 nightmare, the 11 tracks punch harder than his LS releases. His brawny guitar’s as forward as his falsetto in the slick mix, which undercuts his lyrical impact. “Finding Your Way” and the Dan Auerbach-produced “Like a Glove” introduce lighter pop moments, while gritty funk and R&B rhythms drive “All I See Is Blood” and “Something Ain’t Right” (“Though you treat it like a chore/ Our lives matter just like yours/ If you feel me, someone testify”). tashlive.com WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR, Maverick Thinker (Chrysalis/PIAS): HHH½ The folk-rocking Cornwall trio decamped to Sound City in Van Nuys just as the pandemic hit to record their third album, which is more intimate than 2017’s “Proud Disturber of the Peace.” Frontman Ruarri Joseph’s melodic compositions benefit from more focused arrangements (particularly the harmony-brightened “Quiet Life”), and the band has fun with the slinky groove of “The Deep End” and the Dylan-esque rocker “Wake Up” (“You should be famous/ You should be in the papers/ Without your makeup/ There’s no problem/ Until you make one”). Joseph’s podcast (“William the Conqueror: The Podcast”) expands on the songs with fiction about their daydreaming protagonist. williamtheconqueror.net
Spring into Health Our city is starting to open up and everyone is itching to get out of the house and start taking better care of themselves. Let Downtowners know that you are here to help.
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MARCH 15, 2021
Covered California will help ARTS AND CULTURE
Actor combines talents to tell Picasso’s story By Bridgette M. Redman n artist who is a painter and actor can tell stories like no other. For the last 10 years, Herbert Siguenza has been telling Pablo Picasso’s story. CaltechLive! is presenting the film adaptation of “A Weekend with Pablo Picasso,” the one-man play that Siguenza, co-founding member of Culture Clash and playwright in residence at San Diego Repertory Theatre, began performing in 2010. It is available on demand through April 4. The seed for the play was planted when Siguenza was 7 years old and in a dentist’s waiting room. On one of the tables was Douglas Duncan’s book “The Private World of Pablo Picasso.” He perused it, and things shifted for him. “I was amazed,” said Siguenza, who voiced Tio Oscar in “Coco.” “I didn’t know who Picasso was at age 7. I saw this old man without a shirt. He had dogs, goats, chickens. I thought, this was a wonderful life. He got it. I told my mom, when I get old, I want to become this man. She said, ‘No. He’s crazy.’” Decades later, when Siguenza turned 50, he went to the San Diego Rep and told them he wanted to write a play based on this book. They gave him the green light. He researched Picasso’s life and read everything he could get his hands on. The result was “A Weekend with Pablo Picasso.”
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Painting and storytelling The play features three fictional days from 1957 in Picasso’s life. Over those days, he paints six paintings and makes three vases for a wealthy client. Siguenza paints two Picasso-like paintings during the performance. In live performances, he also draws a portrait of an audience member in real time and gives them the drawing after the show. He says that while he does paint live on film, it’s less believable and doesn’t have the same impact. However, he still tells the artist’s story. “It is nothing earth-shattering,” Siguenza said. “I just wanted people to experience the man himself, the artist.” Picasso, known as the Father of Modern Art, was a man driven by many demons. During his research, Siguenza found a story that was central to Picasso’s personality — his sister died of dysentery when Picasso was 13. “The story is in the middle of the play, and I think it is the heart of the story, the reason he is Picasso,” Siguenza said. “He had a vow with God. He told God, ‘If you make her better, I’ll stop painting.’ Then she died and he felt very guilty to be an artist because that meant his sister died because of him.”
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Herbert Siguenza stars in “A Weekend with Pablo Picasso,” which CaltechLive! is streaming through April 4. Photo courtesy of CaltechLive!
Siguenza has performed the show around the country for the past 10 years. Now, he said, he’s a better actor and painter, something that is reflected in the film that was made last summer. It was the silver lining of COVID-19. The Rep wanted to produce a film that it could stream. Siguenza suggested Picasso because it had been developed there and it didn’t require rehearsals. Other institutions are able to stream it. The play has had subtle changes over the decades, often related to changes in Siguenza’s life as he has grown closer to the painter’s age. There is a change in energy and physicality. “The piece has evolved as I evolve,” Siguenza said. “I have aged into the piece and I will keep aging into the piece, and it will be more authentic every year.” Finding Picasso’s style Siguenza’s paintings have always been what he calls “Picassoesque.” It wasn’t a stretch for him to emulate Picasso’s style in the play. He said he is surprised sometimes at what comes out. In the beginning, he practiced frequently to get things just right. “It was hard to talk and paint and to do everything at once — acting, painting, remembering the lines and remembering the staging,” Siguenza said. “After 10 years of doing the play, it’s second nature now. We did have to change the staging for the movie; that was challenging.” Siguenza started his career as a painter and a printmaker before becoming one of the co-founders of Culture Clash in 1984. He plans to do this show for the rest of his career. “He’s always been an iconic figure and a hero to me,” Siguenza said. “An artist to me is someone who devotes his entire life and being to being an artist, which means being creative every single day, every hour if you can. That’s how Picasso lived. He literally created something every day.” The show has sold out and received rave reviews, and now it is reaching new audiences during the pandemic. Directed by Tim Powell and Todd Salovey, the film shows the maestro dancing, sculpting, sharing secrets, clowning, drawing, and impersonating a matador. “Even though many audiences have a long history with Siguenza from his work with Culture Clash, ‘A Weekend with Pablo Picasso’ will be a revelation,” said Michael Alexander, director of public programming at Caltech. “Siguenza’s fine acting and painting skills are on full display as he masterfully captures Picasso’s free-spirit character and painting style right before our eyes.”
“A Weekend with Pablo Picasso” by Herbert Siguenza, a film version of the one-man show livestreamed by CaltechLive! Through April 4 events.caltech.edu/picasso
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MARCH 15, 2021
DOWNTOWN NEWS 21
DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM
Covered DINING California will help
No Ghost Bears: Coffee and therapy By Frier McCollister ucked inside Santee Street’s dead end, safe from the relative bustle of Eighth Street in the Fashion District, the tiny but colorful coffee and toast café No Ghost Bears has been feeding the community since 2014. Originally dubbed Coffee Colab, the operation was rebranded under the current moniker in 2017. Owned and operated by Will and Natashia Miyazaki, No Ghost Bears was born out of a shared passion for coffee. Shortly after marrying in 2013, the couple started their coffee roasting company — Suits and Knives Coffee — prior to opening the café. Will grew up in Santa Rosa. His Japanese father left the family when Will was young, although the two maintained contact. His mother remarried and the family moved to Chicago for six years, before moving back to California. “My adolescence was in the projects, gangbanging. I didn’t go to high school. I was selling meth and coke outside the library.” He came to Los Angeles when he was 16. “My dad bought me a bus ticket, and we smoked a $700 cigar.” As discreetly articulate as Will is garrulously profane, Natashia was born in London and raised in Bath, England. A fashion designer by trade, she was visiting Los Angeles and staying Downtown at the Cecil Hotel in 2012. Will was working at Marty’s coffee shop, on the ground floor. “I was visiting from England at the Cecil, above the coffee shop, (and met Will),” Natashia said. “We stayed in touch. I was working in Hong Kong and had an opportunity to come to LA.” The couple reconnected and after a long-distance romance. Natashia returned to Los Angeles in 2013. “We got married and started our coffee roasting company, Suits and Knives. We started that before we opened No Ghost Bears.” Natashia worked on establishing the business and brand, while Will experimented with the coffee’s roasting flavor profiles. Favorable notices in the press at the time helped propel the business, but the couple wanted to convey their passion more directly to the public. “Selling coffee to people online, they make it (at home) the way they want to make it,” Natashia said. “We wanted to introduce it to the world the way we want to make it. It’s hard creating a brand without a store.” Natashia runs the show, but it’s Will who seems to be the coffee whisperer. “I always had a thing for coffee, I guess. I’ve always had a strange fan base.” He credits Natashia for harnessing his unruly energy and helping to channel his gifts. Alluding to the scope of his ambition, Will mused, “If you do something for 50 years, you become a legend. With me, at the end of the day, you want to be here 30 years from now, and I will. It’s always about the level of craft.” Having worked as a consultant to a variety of roasters and shops — “I was a hired gun,” Will explained — he was known for his strongly stated opinions and unusual taste. “He always had the reputation as a disruptor,” Natashia said about her husband. “He’s very talented at what he does. It was a natural progression for us.” Will interjected, “I’m not that bright. She knows what’s right.” “I’m the translator,” Natashia explained. “She’s more business oriented,” Will offered. “We’ve found a balance,” Natashia concluded. “Behind every great man is a great woman,” Will added proudly. No Ghost Bears is a neatly designed café stall with a white-tiled counter face painted with a black-and-white cartoon mural by the couple’s friend, Polish artist Mikolai. The center of the counter is dominated by a handsome, gold-plated “Spirit” model espresso machine, made by the Dutch company Kees van der Westen. Outdoor seating is accommodated in two coves decked with planters on the curbside. Regarding the menu, Natashia noted, “We wanted to keep it simple.” Originally the shop only sold coffee concoctions. “We only added the food just before the pandemic.” That menu is comprised of seven toasts devised by Will. These range in variety: peanut butter and strawberry, accented with flaked coconut and chocolate nibs ($6.50); Nutella and banana ($7.50); fig compote and ricotta cheese with lemon zest and Himalayan pink salt ($9.50); and an impressive version of the locally ubiquitous avocado toast tiled
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Natashia Miyazaki and William Miyazaki own No Ghost Bears. Photo by Luis Chavez
Hot latte is creative in its design. Photo by Luis Chavez
with cucumber and radish topped with cracked black pepper and chili flakes ($10). It’s all vegan or vegetarian, except the bacon and egg croissant ($8.50). The toasts are served on freshly baked sourdough bread supplied by the local artisanal bakery Bakers Kneaded. Naturally, all the usual espresso coffee drinks are available, brewed with custom roasted Suits and Knives beans. Notably, in addition to extra shots ($1), 10 mg CBD ($3.60), charcoal ($2.50) and chaga mushroom ($3) can be added to any chosen espresso.The ensuing uncertainty and chaos of the pandemic helped to further transform the business. “In the beginning, for the first three months, it was a struggle,” Natashia said. “We didn’t get any of the loans that were available.” She initiated a GoFundMe campaign to maintain the staff payroll and reached out to the shop’s cadre of loyal regulars. “We have a really strong community here. We made our goal in a week. It really made a difference.” “I watched my company sinking,” Will added. “She was working so hard to keep us alive.” By the end of summer, the couple revamped the business to make it more viable. “I had to make the decision to go back to work full time. I hired new people. They worked really hard and diligently.” In the meantime, they kept their doors open as the Downtown streets emptied. “We made our coffee shop a safe space,” Natashia said. “We were the only one open. We stayed open. We created an environment that made people feel secure. This was like a sanctuary. It helped us survive and weather the storm. (The customers) relied on us, too, for their sanity. It’s coffee and therapy.” Looking to his wife, Will added, “You’re going to lose unless you have someone in your corner.”
No Ghost Bears 305 E. Eighth Street, Suite 3, Los Angeles 213-372-5190, noghostbears.com
TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS
22 DOWNTOWN NEWS
MARCH 15, 2021
SPECIAL ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE
■ RESIDENTS IN 4 STATES CASH IN: The phone lines will be ringing off the hook. That’s because for the next 48 hours, packages containing actual Gold Vault Bricks still loaded with four 5-ounce Jumbo State Bars layered in valuable 24 Karat Gold minted by the Federated Mint are being shipped to residents in 4 states. These are the only Gold Vault Bricks known to exist and everyone wants them. That’s because they’re still loaded with Jumbo Gold Bars bearing the name of The First Bank of the United States of America and the state they were once destined for. And here’s the best part. If you live in one of the 4 states listed in today’s publication you cover only the minimum gold fee set for state residents of just $49 per ounce. That’s a real steal because residents living outside of the designated 4 states must pay $124 per ounce if any remain.
Residents snap up Gold Bars issued in 4 States
Heavy Gold Vault Bricks loaded with valuable Jumbo State Bars layered in 24 Karat Gold are up for grabs as thousands stand to miss the deadline to claim the gold bars; now residents in 4 states can claim the Gold Vault Bricks for themselves and keep all the valuable bars found inside just by covering the minimum gold fee set for state residents within the next 48 hours
“It’s like a modern day gold rush,” said Mary Ellen Withrow, emeritus 40th Treasurer of the United States of America. That’s because actual Gold Vault Bricks™ still loaded with four 5-ounce Jumbo State Bars layered in valuable 24 Karat Gold bearing the name of the First Bank of the United States of America™ and the state they were once destined for are up for grabs as thousands of U.S. residents stand to miss the deadline to claim the gold. Now any resident of those states can claim the Gold Vault Bricks for themselves and keep all the valuable gold found inside. That’s four massive bars weighing a full 20 ounces of high demand bullion copper layered in valuable 24 Karat Gold in all. And here’s the best part. If you live in one of the 4 states listed in today’s publication you cover only the minimum gold fee set for state residents of just $49 per ounce which (Continued on next page)
Who gets the Jumbo Gold Bars: Listed below in bold are the states that get the gold. If you live in one of these states immediately call the State Distribution Hotline at: 1-800-749-6917 GB2179
AL AK AR Arizona California CO CT DE FL GA
HI IA ID IL IN KY KS LA MA ME
MD MI MN MO MS MT NC ND NE NH
NJ NM Nevada NY OH OK Oregon PA RI SC
SD TN TX UT VA VT WA WI WV WY R1007C
MARCH 15, 2021
DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM
(Continued from previous page)
totals $980 for the full 20 ounces locked away inside these gold vault bricks. That’s a real steal because residents living outside of the designated 4 states must pay $124 per ounce which totals $2,480 if any remain. “As special counsel to Federated Mint I earn my pay delivering breaking news. And today’s announcement confirming the release of Gold Vault Bricks to the general public is as big as it gets. Believe me, I know how valuable these Gold Vault Bricks are to resellers, collectors, dealers and anyone else who gets their hands on them,” Withrow said. “So my advice is this, anyone who gets an opportunity to get their hands on one of these Gold Vault Bricks better jump at the chance before they’re all gone,” Withrow said. “These Gold Vault Bricks loaded with massive 5-ounce Jumbo State Bars layered in valuable 24 Karat Gold make the most impressive gifts for Christmas, birthdays, graduations, weddings, and any other occasion, especially for that hard-to-buy-for person,” Withrow said. According to Ms. Withrow, since thousands of U.S. residents stand to miss the deadline to claim the gold, today and tomorrow are intended as a “special 48 hour release” for the benefit of persons living in; CA, AZ, NV, and OR. This gives residents of those states a fair chance to claim the Gold Vault Bricks and all the valuable gold loaded inside for themselves. But, Ms. Withrow added, “The Gold Vault Bricks are only available as inventory permits during the special 48 hour release and once they’re gone, they’re gone.” The emeritus Treasurer added, “Remember this, these Gold Vault Bricks contain a full 20 ounces of high demand bullion copper layered in valuable 24 Karat Gold and we have no power to stop dealers, resellers, collectors and the like from buying up all the Gold Vault Bricks they can get their hands on and reselling them for a big profit,” Withrow said. Anyone who fails to obtain them during this special 48 hour release may be forced to buy them later in the secondary market from a dealer, reseller or collector at a hefty premium. ”We already know the phones will be ringing off the hook. That’s why hundreds of agents are standing by to answer the phones beginning at 8:30am this morning. We’re going to do our best, but with just 48 hours to answer all the calls it won’t be easy. So make sure to tell everyone to keep calling if all lines are busy. We’ll do our best to answer them all,” Withrow said. “That’s why Federated Mint set up the State Distribution Hotlines in order to make sure residents in the 4 designated states listed in today’s newspaper publication can get them now,” Withrow said. The only thing readers of today’s newspaper publication need to do is make sure they live in one of the 4 states listed in today’s newspaper and call the State Distribution Hotlines before the special 48 hour release ends midnight tomorrow. ■
DOWNTOWN NEWS 23
SPECIAL ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE
NEVER BEFORE SEEN: THESE FIRST BANK OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA JUMBO GOLD BARS ARE THE ONLY ONES KNOWN TO EXIST
VALUABLE: THESE ARE THE FOUR 5-OUNCE JUMBO GOLD BARS SEALED AWAY IN EACH GOLD VAULT BRICK BEARING THE STATE DESTINATION
How much are the Gold Vault Bricks worth: The answer is, it’s impossible to say. But, it would be foolish for anyone to try and determine the value of these Gold Vault Bricks based on today’s price of gold. Here’s why. Gold, silver and all precious metal values always fluctuate and there are never any guarantees. But what we do know is that these are the only Gold Vault Bricks still loaded with four 5-ounce Jumbo State Bars known to exist. In fact, the value of the pure 24 Karat Gold layered content is just a bonus for anyone lucky enough to get one of these Gold Vault Bricks because there’s no telling how much the actual collector value could be worth. That makes the minimum gold fee set for state residents of just $49 per ounce which totals $980 for the full 20 ounces locked away inside these Gold Vault Bricks a real steal since residents living outside of the designated 4 states must pay $124 per ounce, which totals $2,480, if any remain. Why the vault fee is so low: Since thousands of U.S. residents stand to miss the deadline to claim the gold, Federated Mint has re-allocated Gold Vault Bricks to be sent out in the next 48 hours. That means the gold is up for grabs and now residents in 4 states can claim the Gold Vault Bricks for themselves and keep all the valuable bars found inside. These are the only Gold Vault Bricks known to exist and everyone wants them. That’s because they’re still loaded with four 5-ounce Jumbo State Bars layered in valuable 24 Karat Gold bearing the name of The First Bank of the United States of America and the state they were once destined for. That’s four massive bars weighing a full 20 ounces of 24 Karat Gold and valuable bullion copper in all. And here’s the best part. If you live in one of the 4 states listed in today’s publication you cover only the minimum gold fee set for state residents of just $49 per ounce. That’s a real steal because residents living outside of the designated 4 states must pay $ 124 per ounce if any remain.
■ FIRST LOOK INSIDE THE GOLD VAULT BRICKS: Pictured above are the Gold Vault Bricks containing the only Jumbo State
Gold Bars known to exist bearing the name of the First Bank of the United States of America and the state they were once destined for. State residents are rushing to get them because the Gold Vault Bricks are still loaded with four 5-ounce Jumbo State Bars layered in valuable 24 Karat Gold. To claim you Vault Brick, just call 1-800-749-6917 GB2179 before the deadline ends. Everyone lucky enough to get them better hold on to them because there’s no telling just how much they could be worth.
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FEDERATED MINT, LLC IS NOT AFFILIATED WITH THE U.S. MINT, THE U.S. GOVERNMENT, A BANK OR ANY GOVERNMENT AGENCY. IF FOR ANY REASON WITHIN 30 DAYS FROM SHIPMENT YOU ARE DISSATISFIED, RETURN THE PRODUCT FOR A REFUND LESS SHIPPING AND RETURN POSTAGE. THIS SAME OFFER MAY BE MADE AVAILABLE AT A LATER DATE OR IN A DIFFERENT GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION. OH RESIDENTS ADD 6.5% SALES TAX. FEDERATED MINT, PO BOX 1200, MASSILLON, OH 44648 ©2020 FEDERATED MINT
24 DOWNTOWN NEWS
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MARCH 15, 2021