Los Angeles Downtown News 06-01-20

Boosting Self-Esteem

‘Ghosting’ Customers

Laundry Truck LA provides

Marco’s Pizza delivers,

clean clothes for the homeless

thanks to a cloud kitchen

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June 1, 2020 I VOL. 49 I #22

Protests Rattle DTLA Marchers vandalize police cars, building after Floyd death

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AROUND TOWN

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

City attorney sues ‘wellness’ group over COVID claims

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ity Attorney Mike Feuer’s office is suing Wellness Matrix Group ( WMGR) Director of Business Affairs and co-owner George Todt and CEO Barry Migliorini, alleging unfair, fraudulent and dangerous business practices tied to their at-home tests and numerous disinfectant products.

In late March, Feuer sent a substantiation letter to WMGR over claims made about its allegedly fake at-home tests. The civil lawsuit seeks to stop the alleged unlawful practices, to obtain full restitution for consumers, and civil penalties.

“It’s inexcusable to try to profit from this pandemic at the expense of people’s health,” Feuer said.

“We allege these defendants have been doing just that, engaging in a pattern of misrepresentation to boost their sales that includes fabricating a study to help pitch one of their products, claiming to have government approvals they’ve never had, and more. During this health crisis, we’ll continue to be especially vigilant about protecting an anxious public from those who would try to take advantage of them.”

Wellness Matrix Group does business as CoronaStop28, CoronaStopper, CoronaStoppers, StopCorona28 and other related names when selling its at-home COVID-19 serology tests and related COVID-19 disinfectant products, from 2-ounce bottles for personal use to 55-gallon drums intended for large-scale disinfection.

Todt and Migliorini allegedly made and advertised a number of false claims designed to communicate that they were approved and endorsed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Environmental Protection Agency and leading scientific experts.

Under the law, a manufacturer’s athome medical diagnostic test cannot be

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sold in California or anywhere else in the nation unless it has FDA approval. Contrary to WMGR’s alleged false claims and advertising, the FDA never approved its at-home test. And to date, the FDA has not approved any at-home serology tests.

But Todt and Migliorini continued making these alleged false claims while selling tests in California, including in the city of Los Angeles.

Feuer challenging Trump administration’s Clean Car Standards

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ity Attorney Mike Feuer brings Los Angeles into a nationwide coalition filing a lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s final rule rolling back the national Clean Car Standards.

The previous standards required appropriate and feasible improvements in fuel economy and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions from passenger cars and light trucks. Since their introduction in 2010, these standards have saved consumers money, reduced harmful emissions, and helped protect the health of communities.

The Trump administration’s misguided Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient Vehicles (SAFE) rule stops this progress in its tracks, hurting the economy and public health at

JUNE 1, 2020

a time when the country can least afford it. In the lawsuit, the coalition will argue that the final rule unlawfully violates the Clean Air Act, the Energy Policy and Conservation Act, and the Administrative Procedure Act. “We in Los Angeles must push back against the Trump administration’s anti-science, anti-consumer assault on our environment,” Feuer said. “As we’ve seen during the pandemic, it’s absolutely essential to pay close attention to our scientific experts. Here they’re telling us that unless we put the brakes on the administration’s action, it will needlessly cause more pollution, require drivers to pump more costly gas, and harm our environment at the very moment we need to protect it. It’s telling that even major car companies oppose the administration on this. With the stakes this high, we must win this lawsuit, and I’m confident we will.”

Info: oag.ca.gov/cleancars

Supervisors OK inspector general for skilled nursing homes

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cting on a motion by Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas and board Chairwoman Kathryn Barger, the Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to appoint—for the first time—an inspector general to

oversee skilled nursing facilities, which account for more than half of all deaths from COVID-19 in Los Angeles County. The board also approved bringing in the auditor-controller to ensure closer monitoring of skilled nursing facilities immediately.

The board tasked the inspector general with developing recommendations on how to strengthen oversight for skilled nursing facilities and how to improve their operations long term. Many skilled nursing homes have a history of getting low marks for quality of care, patient satisfaction and employee pay. “ While some skilled nursing homes may be doing their best to respond to COVID-19, we’ve seen hundreds of deaths at these facilities, tragically exposing the urgent need for stronger oversight across the industry,” Ridley-Thomas said. “Now, more than ever, we must act to address any questionable operations and substandard conditions in the facilities that care for some of our most vulnerable residents—the elderly, the low income and the disabled.”

As of May 22, 5,218 residents and 3,140 staff from these facilities have tested positive for the virus.

Across LA County, 53% of all deaths from COVID-19 have been in institutional settings, particularly in skilled nursing facilities.

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Covered will help LETTER California TO THE EDITOR

Stimulus checks Editor: A reporter once asked Sugar Ray Leonard what the best part of a fight was, and he answered, “When the check clears.”

So, for all you whiners out there who are

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MARGULIES’ OPINION

moaning about Trump’s name being on the stimulus check, regardless of your political affiliation, stop moaning and just cash it. One guarantee: It won’t bounce.

Dr. Howard Karlitz

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.

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Pepsi feeding funds toward COVID-19 recovery

By William Bergholz epsiCo is launching a $7 million initiative to help U.S. communities hardest hit by COVID-19.

PepsiCo Inc. and its philanthropic arm, the PepsiCo Foundation, are pledging to provide medical and economic support to the country’s black and Latino communities, including those in Downtown LA. The National Urban League and UnidosUS will receive $1 million each to help feed families and seniors, increase medical and COVID-19 testing, expand access to government support, and provide technology for remote education and work. A portion of the funds will be focused on post-recovery relief.

Local nonprofit partners will get $5 million to provide support and services that meet the specific needs of the black and Latino communities. These needs include COVID-19 testing and screening, access to affordable nutrition, health care services, education, job training, business resources, economic and child care assistance, and family and senior housing.

“We’re helping to provide immediate relief and support long-term recovery for black and Latino communities,” said Steven Williams, PepsiCo Foods North America’s CEO. “We will continue to do our part and be a partner to these communities in the months and years ahead.”

A $100,000 grant will be provided to the

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Farmworkers Pandemic Relief Fund, which provides critical emergency assistance to America’s farmworkers who support the food supply during COVID-19. PepsiCo’s initiative and investment comes as unemployment and infection rates among the black and Latino communities continue to spike.

The economic effects of COVID-19 are also having an unequal effect on black and Latino communities. In April, 16.7% of black and 18.9% of Latino Americans were out of work, compared to a national rate of 14.7%. “Black and Latino communities are facing higher rates of hospitalization, death and economic hardships,” said Kirk Tanner, PepsiCo Beverages North America’s CEO. Therefore, for these workers, plans to reopen create a significant public health risk.

Support from PepsiCo is directed to 15 of the nation’s hardest-hit cities that have the highest populated black and Latino communities. These cities are also where the company has strong ties and many of its employees live and serve, including Los Angeles.

PepsiCo’s new initiative offers public health assistance and supports long-term economic revival through employment and homeownership counseling, as well as job fairs and employment connections.

Within these communities, the funds are going to local affiliates of UnidosUS and the

JUNE 1, 2020

UnidosUS will receive $1 million from PepsiCo to aid in the longterm recovery from COVID-19.

Photo courtesy UnidosUS

National Urban League. Also, dozens of local nonprofit organizations, including $500,000 to the Mayor’s Fund for Los Angeles Angeleno Campaign. $1,000 cash cards will be distributed for families experiencing extreme financial hardship.

PepsiCo has been a long-time supporter of the National Urban League and UnidosUS, with more than 35 years of partnership with minority-focused organizations to positively impact communities over time and during times of crisis. By doing this, PepsiCo is recognizing the inequality in the United States and is working to balance it out.

“PepsiCo’s commitment to empowering communities of color allows the Urban League Movement to continue paving a path forward and to expand and intensify our service as America’s economic first responders,” said Marc H. Morial, president and CEO of the National Urban League.

“We are deeply grateful for the generous and timely support of our COVID-19 response from PepsiCo and the PepsiCo Foundation. At a time when Latinos and other communities

of color are being so hard hit, we need immediate action for emergency resources from all sectors. This commitment from PepsiCo will directly support the UnidosUS Esperanza/Hope Fund benefiting our network of affiliated community-based organizations who are on the front lines helping combat the health and economic impact of COVID-19 on the Latino community, from creating food delivery programs to offering mental health services via telemedicine portals. We commend PepsiCo for serving as an example of how the business sector can play an important role in addressing the health and economic impacts of this crisis and in the long-term recovery,” said Janet Murguía, president and CEO of UnidosUS. The PepsiCo Foundation has invested more than $16.5 million in programs that support people of color living in U.S. communities from 2018 into 2019. The investments are focused on nutrition and health, education, job training skills development and business growth, job creation and talent development, and advancing equality.

JUNE 1, 2020

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The Healthiest Choice in Los Angeles!

Jodie Dolan says helping the homeless helps everybody.

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Laundry Truck LA provides free services for homeless

By William Bergholz odie Dolan began caring for people who are homeless through projects that fed and provided showers for them. Something bothered her, though.

After they showered, they would redress with their dirty clothes. It was then that Dolan thought of creating a laundry service for them.

The Laundr y Truck LA ( TLTLA) was launched in 2019 to provide clean clothes to homeless people in Downtown Los Angeles. The organization started one day a week with a 16-foot trailer, five washers, five dryers, a folding station, a water heater and a 25,000-watt generator.

Today, Laundry Truck LA—thought to be the world’s first laundry service of its kind—is seeking a second truck and raising money to purchase more generators.

It operates seven days a week plus night shifts.

“It makes them ready to engage the world,” Dolan said.

The Laundry Truck LA’s goal is to enlighten its users to practice good hygiene and stay connected to society.

The program has brought people together; one that has a much more humanistic perspective for people who are home-

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less. After the shower, people living on the streets—some for 30 years—feel welcome, understood and transformed into healthy individuals.

With the coronavirus pandemic impacting the city of Los Angeles, the Laundry Truck LA has been vital for homeless people. It has done this by connecting with the city of Los Angeles’s temporary housing initiatives, which include over 6,000 beds.

Furthermore, the Laundry Truck LA is expanding its reach to provide free laundry service at many motels and hotels in support of California’s Project Roomkey, a first-in-the-nation initiative to secure hotel and motel rooms to protect people who are homeless from the coronavirus.

As a result, the Laundry Truck LA is in high demand, is receiving donations and community support, and is saving lives.

Last year, the Laundry Truck LA completed 3,000 loads of laundry. This year, it’s set to complete 15,600 loads.

The Laundry Truck LA is looking to grow organically.

“We’re here as long as we’re needed,” Dolan said. “Helping the homeless helps everybody.”

The Laundry Truck LA schedule Tuesday and Wednesday: Bassett Park (8 a.m. to 4 p.m.)

510 N. Vineland Avenue, La Puente

Friday: Echo Park Community Center (8 a.m. to 4 p.m.)

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The Black Lives Matter-LA movement marched in Downtown LA May 27 to protest the death of George Floyd.

Photo by William Bergholz

JUNE 1, 2020

At around 8:15 p.m., protesters assembled on First and Main streets, in front of the Los Angeles City Hall.

Photo by William Bergholz

Protestors vandalize police cars during Floyd march

By William Bergholz he Black Lives Matter-LA movement marched in Downtown LA around 6 p.m. May 27 to protest the death of George Floyd, a man who was killed after a police officer pinned him to the ground with his knee in Minneapolis.

During the march, a group of protesters made its way onto the 101 Freeway near Alameda Street and blocked traffic. They then confronted and vandalized two highway patrol cars. One protester was injured after jumping on and off one of the highway patrol cars. The LAFD treated the injured person, but the condition has not been released.

The protest moved from the freeway onto Aliso Street, where they were met by officers and police cruisers. Police helicopters circled above, as protestors burned an upside-down American flag with aerosol spray and tagged the LAPD Headquarters with anti-police graffiti.

At around 8:15 p.m., about 150 protesters assembled on First and Main streets, in front of the Los Angeles City Hall, and began damaging property and throwing items.

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The LAPD issued a Citywide Tactical Alert. Dozens of police officers were sent to the scene, including a bike unit, senior lead officers, and the metro and patrol units.

“Our position is to protect their First Amendment right,” said LAPD Sergeant II Frank Preciado.

The officers controlled the crowd and moved them westbound to First and Spring streets. While there, one of the motorists accelerated and injured a protestor, who was treated by the LAFD. No arrests were made.

The LAPD indicted it’s assessing the protest and it has received information that there will be additional gatherings.

“At that point, command staff get their emergency operation group together. We do an assessment of how many possible protestors are going to be assembling and where that location will be. Our responsibility is to protect property,” Preciado said.

Mayor Eric Garcetti tweeted Angelenos to “follow their conscience in response to the pain and senselessness of this horror.” Like the LAPD, Garcetti is hoping for peaceful protests.

The LAPD issued a Citywide Tactical Alert. Dozens of police officers were sent to the scene.

Photo by William Bergholz

JUNE 1, 2020

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Steel Panther’s virtual concert will benefit Heavenly Pets Animal Rescue and Live Nation’s Crew Nation Fund.

Photo by David Jackson

Steel Panther is out to ‘save the world’

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski os Angeles rock legends Steel Panther want to save the world from quarantine boredom.

The hair metal band will host the “Concert to Save the World” from an undisclosed location in LA at 2 p.m. Sunday, June 7, on lnk.to/steelpantherlive.

“It’s not like a quarantine concert,” said drummer Stix Zadinia.

“We’re going to be in the same room rocking—6 feet apart, of course—and giving the viewers the live music experience while being in their own living room. We’re going to have multiple cameras, and we’ll give things away and have interactive chats with the viewers.”

There’s a charity component, too. The $15 tickets from the virtual concerts will benefit Heavenly Pets Animal Rescue in North Hollywood and Live Nation’s Crew Nation Fund, which supports touring and venue crews.

“It’s going to be a great experience,” he said about the show. “It’s going to be a nice escape for people at 2 p.m. Pacific on a Sunday. Most people who are working will still generally be a home. It’s going to look amazing on a SmartTV or a computer monitor or phone. It’s a great way to escape and forget about the craziness that’s going on.”

Formed in 2000 in Los Angeles, Steel Panther—singer Michael Starr, guitarist Satchel, drummer Zadinia and bassist Lexxi Foxx—melds hard rock virtuosity with parody. With four full-length albums, Steel Panther has appeared on “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” “Larry King Now” and “FOX NFL Sunday.”

Steel Panther, which recently released the album “Heavy Metal Rules,” has been making headlines with its daily video vignettes helping folks sheltering in place know what day of the week it is. The series has featured cameos by George Lopez, Corey Taylor of Slipknot/Stone Sour, Scott Ian of Anthrax, Jason Hook of Five Finger Death Punch and

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Joey Fatone of ‘N Sync.

“When we heard this thing was shutting down the world, I was in Canada getting ready to do a show and then we received the call to go home. There were no shows,” Zadinia said.

“I freaked out for about two weeks. We didn’t know what was going to happen. Then, we got our bearings and started being very creative. We’re missing out on a lot of revenue, but we have found other ways and we’re finding other ways to stay viable and entertaining. We’re trying to monetize what we can while being sensitive to the consumer.”

With bands like Ratt performing in Geico commercials, ’80s-style heavy metal is making a comeback, but Steel Panther never went away.

“We’ve been playing heavy metal since the late ’80s or early ’90s and never stopped,” he said. “Even when it went completely away, we said we were going to keep doing it. Bands like Def Leppard, they’re legendary, but it seems like they took a break and dipped out for a little bit. They’ve come back with a vengeance and fans are super hyped on it.

“Our demo is from 16 to 85. We create killer songs in the genre that they love. Kids—I mean people 25 and younger—when they see Steel Panther, it’s fresh to them and it’s their band, too.”

Zadinia, who was born Darren Leader, and the rest of Steel Panther give the fans credit for keeping the band going.

“Without supporters and without fans, the coolest band in the world isn’t going to do what we do,” he said with a laugh. “It’s not lost on us. A band needs fans, and we want to keep our entertainment fresh for people. The last thing we want to do is have fans say, ‘Oh yeah, I’ve seen that,’ and turn it off. We want to keep it fresh and fun and interactive.

That’s the name of the game.”

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JUNE 1, 2020

Mindy Kaling read stories by 826LA’s students during the organization’s 2020 gala.

Photo courtesy 826LA

826LA’s virtual gala celebrates 15th anniversary

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski very June for the past five years, 826LA has hosted an annual gala that centers around the nonprofit organization’s students and their stories, along with celebrity guests and great food.

Last year, approximately 350 people attended and more than $600,000 was raised for the nonprofit writing and tutoring programs. Due to the pandemic this year’s gala, “Changing the Story,” will be virtual on June 3. It will also celebrate a special milestone: 826LA’s 15-year anniversary.

“This year’s theme is the past, present and future as we’re celebrating 15 years of 826LA,” said Cheryl Klein, 826LA’s development and communications manager.

“This year it will be very different, but we’ve been excited about the talent who have signed on to read work by our students and talk about their own creative process.”

The 2020 gala will be hosted by comedian Al Madrigal and will feature a star-studded ensemble of celebrities, including Mindy Kaling, Kumail Nanjiani, Emily V. Gordon, Constance Wu and Keegan-Michael Key—all of whom will be reading stories by 826LA’s students.

“The pieces by our younger students tend to be short and delightfully weird—getting trapped inside a phone, sentient hamburgers, emotional lemurs,” Klein said. “Our high school students tend to write about their lives, which often include some pretty intense challenges, like immigration, poverty and struggling to belong, along with incredible hope and resilience. And these times definitely call for hope and resilience.”

Like other organizations, 826LA was forced to pivot both its programs and its fundraising strategy in the wake of COVID-19. Within weeks of school closures, the organization had contacted hundreds of families and volunteers to assess their needs, and relaunched programs in virtual form.

“Our mission hasn’t changed, but our methods have changed a lot, needless to say,”

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Klein said. “We now have online tutoring and workshops, but we also have writing prompts for teachers who are struggling in this environment and a bilingual resource hub for families, where they can find out about things like how to get free internet access. A silver lining of our COVID-19 response is that now certain programs that were available only to LA students are available to everyone via our Virtual Hub.” The 826 Network started in 2002 when writer Dave Eggers teamed up with educator Ninive Calegari to start a creative space where students from under-resourced communities could get one-on-one writing and tutoring support from volunteers. Proving to be a successful model, it expanded to Los Angeles in 2005.

“We have writing centers on the Westside and the Eastside, plus Writers’ Rooms on the campuses of Manual Arts High School in South LA and Roosevelt High School in Boyle Heights,” Klein shared. “Our programs include tutoring, workshops, field trips, in-school projects and college access support. Our curriculum ranges from silly to serious, and students range from 6 to 18—but the through line is a belief in amplifying student voices with one-on-one support from trained volunteers.”

Anyone who makes a donation toward the fundraiser can stream the event live at 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 3. The “red carpet” portion of the event featuring guests in 826LA shirts and pajamas starts at 6:30 p.m. To date, $409,476 has been raised.

“We know times are hard, but we are really grateful to people who say, ‘I have a little extra and I’m going to share it,’” Klein said. “We are also always looking for volunteers. We have easy trainings to help people get acquainted with virtual volunteering.”

Info: 826la.org

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LAHSA shares plan to rehouse 15K homeless individuals

By Kamala Kirk he COVID-19 crisis has placed the homeless population at a higher risk of catching the virus, due to overcrowded shelters, lack of essential supplies like face masks and hand sanitizer, and limited access to food and bathrooms.

To help save lives, the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) has put together a COVID-19 recovery plan that focuses on rapidly moving 15,000 high-risk people experiencing homelessness into housing.

On May 26, at the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors meeting, LAHSA presented the details of its plan, which envisions a strengthened rehousing system that addresses racial inequity and is prepared to handle future crises. In a media briefing earlier that morning, LAHSA Interim Executive Director Heidi Marston shared the organization’s actions to date in responding to the public health crisis; its strategic plan to guide operations; as well as a vision for short-, medium- and long-term strategies.

“We know homelessness was a crisis long before COVID-19 came into the picture, but COVID-19 has accelerated the speed of our work and the need to maintain this crisis model,” Marston said. “It has helped us develop some best practices, but it has also required us to shift our focus—not only to people who are of a certain acuity score but those that are the most likely to become hospitalized or pass away should they contract the virus.”

The LA Rehousing Recovery Strategy will require a large-scale effort to acquire and lease property, and it will depend on continued emergency investments from local, state and federal government. It will also build out a new level of efficiency and real-time awareness of LA’s rapid rehousing and permanent supportive housing inventory. The recovery plan elevates five key values: First, anyone who has been placed in emergency shelter during the crisis will not return to the street and instead be place in some form of interim housing, rapid rehousing or permanent supportive housing.

Second, LAHSA has identified 15,000 of the most vulnerable members of the unsheltered population by age and medical condition and prioritized them for rehousing. Third, evidence has shown that more people have become homeless in the past year alone, so interventions to prevent continued inflow of new homeless people must be prioritized. Fourth, there is the need to build capacity across the system to facilitate scaling up quickly in public health emergencies to help better prepare for future crises. And last, there must be a prioritization on advancing racial equity in how LAHSA approaches and deploys all programs and interventions.

“We went from zero to 100 in a matter of days during COVID-19, and while that demonstrates the commitment and capacity of our system, it’s also not sustainable for us to do that every year,” Marston said. “We know that a crisis is going to come back and there will be something like COVID-19 in the future, so we have to focus on building that system capacity so we’re not having to ramp up that way every year.”

The rehousing efforts will be aided by the same strategic alignment within LAHSA that resulted in Housing Central Command (HCC), a collaborative effort that coordinates actions among city, county and federal agencies. Extending HCC’s coordinated approach will enable LAHSA to transition vulnerable occupants of Project Roomkey—which is providing shelter to more than 2,800 high-risk individuals at 31 hotels and motels across LA County—and other shelter residents into appropriate housing resources and permanent supportive housing at a faster rate.

“We have Department of Public Social Services workers at a number of our Roomkey sites to help enroll folks in Social Security and other programs so they have income coming in,” Marston said.

“We also have legal services coming on-site to provide services, and we’ve partnered with the DMV to help people get their IDs and paperwork done so they are ready for housing. We are really committed to these partnerships and maintaining them in the longer term.”

Marston also shared that LAHSA has identified six steps that will need to be taken to support its efforts and improve its current system: identify and acquire housing units and prop-

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213.626.1500

The COVID-19 crisis has placed the homeless population at a higher risk of catching the virus. To help save lives, the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority has put together a COVID-19 recovery plan.

Submitted photo

Besides the rehousing strategy, intensified street outreach will also help other vulnerable homeless people.

Submitted photo

erties; increase ability to quickly match and assign available units to clients; dedicate staff to help people locate and move into units; establish an inventory management system to enable active tracking of available resources; buy and preassemble move-in kits at scale so residents have basic supplies; and create real-time awareness of housing units that become available in the next seven days.

Besides the rehousing strategy, intensified street outreach will also help other vulnerable homeless people by placing them into new or vacated Project Roomkey rooms. The plan envisions this increased support for people at the same time as it projects strengthening the systems that prevent and end homeless by calling for zoning reforms, safety net enhancements, workforce training coordination and legal services.

“We’re setting really bold goals here, and we recognize that,” said Marston. “We know it’s going to take a really big investment of resources and alignment to move our system in a way that’s much faster than we’ve moved before, but now is the time to do it. We have every reason to believe that we can do it and that we should hold ourselves accountable to meet the needs that we know exist. The reality is that we have people’s lives in our hands, and across the board we need to stay focused on our priority, which is saving lives right now.”

themuseumtowerapts.com

For more information, visit lahsa.org.

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JUNE 1, 2020

Microsoft Theater, Staples Center shows postponed

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski ue to the ongoing developments with the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, Microsoft Theater and Staples Center shows have been postponed or canceled and the staff is working diligently with promoters to get them rescheduled, if possible.

All ticket purchases will be valid for the new date and time.

Visit microsofttheater.com for continual updates on its event schedule.

Some shows have yet to be postponed or scheduled. Updates, as of May 27, for the Microsoft Theater are as follows:

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The Lumineers are scheduled to play the Staples Center on August 21. The band canceled its May and June shows.

Lindsey Stirling, July 21, postponed Grupo Firme, July 25 “Trolls Live!” August 1 and August 2 “Femme It Forward Presents Love Language,” August 14 The Australian Pink Floyd Show, August 15 Boyz II Men, August 21 Teo Gonzalez and Jorge Falcon, October 2 Jose Luis Perales, October 3 Franco Escamilla, October 11 Judas Priest, October 15 Jesus Adrian Romero, October 16 “Baby Shark Live!” November 8 Pepe Aguilar, postponed TBD “Smoke Me Out Tour,” canceled Ricardo Montaner, postponed TBD Pancho Barraza, February 27 “Final Fantasy VII Remake Orchestra World Tour,” March 6 “Paw Patrol Live! Race to the Rescue,” March 12 and March 13

Photo by Danny Clinch

Below are updates on shows at the Staples Center as of May 27. Visit staplescenter.com for more information.

“Jurassic World Live Tour,” July 17 to July 19, canceled Camila Cabello, August 7, canceled Janet Jackson, August 12, postponed The Lumineers, August 21 Roger Waters, September 10 and September 11, postponed Enrique Iglesias and Ricky Martin, September 17 and September 18 Krush Groove, September 25 Luke Bryan, October 9 Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, October 10 Celine Dion, postponed, TBA “Wild ‘N Out Live,” postponed TBA The Weeknd, August 13 to August 15, 2021

JUNE 1, 2020

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The Marco’s all-meat pizza is topped with pepperoni, ham, Italian sausage, bacon, the original Marco’s sauce and three signature cheeses.

Photo courtesy Marco’s Pizza

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned intends to sell the personal property described below to enforce a lien imposed on said property pursuant to Sections 21700-21716 of the Business & Professions Code, Section 2328 of the UCC, Section 535 of the Penal Code and provisions of the Civil Code.

The undersigned will sell on the 9th day of June 2020 at 11: 00 A.M. on the premises where said property has been stored and which are located at Thriftee Storage Company LLC, 1717 N. Glendale Blvd. in the city of Los Angeles, County of Los Angeles, State of California, the following: Solomon Mascarinas S p a c e n u m b e r : A3,D51,D38,C9 Personal effects Amount: $3312.00 Jesse Benavides Space number: U55 Personal effects Amount: $427.00 Connie Chan Space number: E25 Personal effects Amount: $517.00

Marco’s Pizza is taking safety measures during the COVID-19 pandemic. The chain recently started delivering from a “ghost” or “cloud” kitchen in Downtown LA. Photo courtesy Marco’s Pizza

Marco’s uses new technology to deliver to Downtown LA

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski arco’s Pizza has moved into Downtown LA—but in an untraditional manner.

The pizza chain is delivering food via a third-party platform from a “ghost” or “cloud” kitchen.

“There’s no storefront,” said owner Michael Goetz, who trained in Sherman Oaks.

“You don’t see us. The concept is going to be the wave of the future. It’s the epicenter of technology. Ordering from a third-party app makes it more feasible and reasonable for a franchisee, who has costs associated with a storefront.

“It’s just genius. I’m jealous I didn’t come up with it.”

Marco’s is in a large building with multiple kitchens. The order is picked up from the lobby and, Goetz added, “It’s very, very efficient and ingenious.”

Goetz moved to Downtown LA from Lexington, Kentucky, where he became familiar with Marco’s.

“Just like most people, I eat pizza,” he said.

M

“I’ve always explored my options. Marco’s fell in my lap. After soliciting competitors, I liked the way Marco’s does business, and after the way they treated me, it was a no-brainer. I love the taste and the products.”

At Marco’s, he prefers the Pepperoni Magnifico, which is covered with pepperoni, its signature Old World Pepperoni, romesan seasoning, original sauce and three cheeses.

“The Mag is my favorite,” he said. “It has two types of pepperoni. I read that 36% of all pizza orders have pepperoni on them. Pepperoni, in general, is a fan favorite of most of society.”

He said the wings and the pizza bowls are popular as well.

“The pizza bowls have the same ingredients as pizza, just no dough,” Goetz said. “Those who are conscious of that stuff won’t feel guilty—no dough, no guilt.”

After opening on May 4, Marco’s Pizza has surpassed expectations.

“The numbers are great,” he said. “It’s very unfortunate what’s been going on with society, but the delivery business has done really well. Marco’s has done well.”

Purchases must be paid for at the time of purchase in cash only. All purchased storage units with the items contained herein are sold on an “as-is” basis and must be removed at the time of sale.

Sale subject to cancellation in the event of settlement between Thriftee Storage Co. and obligated party.

Thriftee Storage Company LLC Dated at Los Angeles, CA by Felipe F. Islas / Manager Published: 6/1/20, 6/8/20 Los Angeles Downtown News

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JUNE 1, 2020