LA & OC
GIVE YOUR 2 CENTS ON $7 BILLION PROPOSAL FOR AN OC-TO-LA TRAIN LINE AT WEDNESDAY MEETING IN BELLFLOWER
The public is invited to an information-and-feedback meeting Wednesday evening in Bellflower regarding the proposed Orange Line, which would connect Los Angeles and Santa Ana—along with in-between towns like Downey, Paramount, Bellflower and Artesia—by running modern trains along the Pacific Electric right-of-ways that once carried the Red Car. The meeting, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 [...]
THE KILLING OF KELLY THOMAS: VIDEO OF BEATING BY FULLERTON COPS
A previously unreleased survelliance video of Fullerton police beating unarmed Kelly Thomas during an arrest July 5, 2011, was shown in court Monday on the first day of a hearing to determine whether two of the cops---Manuel Ramos and Jay Cicinelli---should stand trial in connection with Thomas's death when removed from hospital life-support systems on July 10.
LISTEN TO LARRY MANTLE’S SEGMENT ON NEW RULES FOR HIRING PEOPLE WITH CRIMINAL RECORDS
Airtalk, the KPCC-FM (89.3) radio show hosted by Larry Mantle, today considered the new rules approved by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on April 25 that could make the search for employment easier for convicted criminals and others who have gotten into legal trouble. To listen to the program via the KPCC-FM archives or via podcast [CLICK [...]
TEXTS FROM THE LINE AT THE JOB FAIR … UM, MAKE THAT “HIRING SPREE”
"People in line are very nice, quietly conversational, realistic, resilient. Sharing stories of their fruitless job searches, not self-pityingly, but recognizing that the sum of their stories equals a very messed-up state of affairs."
OC WEEKLY STORY ON MEDPOT A DISTURBING LOOK AT LONG BEACH OFFICIALS
After approving medpot dispensaries in 2010 and conducting a fiasco of a lottery to determine their locations, the City Council is on the verge---twice delaying its vote--of outlawing them. Meanwhile, Long Beach collects millions in pot-related fees and fines, simultaneously permitting and prosecuting various dispensaries.
8 DEATHS MAKE SEAL BEACH SALON SHOOTING WORST IN OC SINCE 1976
BY PAIGE AUSTION / BELMONT SHORE PATCH Eight people were killed and one critically wounded Wednesday afternoon—the worst human carnage in Orange County since a 1976 shooting in the Cal State Fullerton library—when a heavily armed gunman wearing body armor opened fire at the Salon Meritage in Seal Beach, police said. Shortly after the shootings, [...]
TWO FULLERTON COPS CHARGED, ONE WITH 2ND-DEGREE MURDER OF KELLY THOMAS
[EDITOR'S NOTE: THIS REPORT COMES FROM MATT COKER OF THE OC WEEKLY] Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas just announced that Fullerton Police Officer Manuel Ramos is being charged with two felony counts—second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter—in the vicious July 5 beating that led to the death of of homeless schizophrenic Kelly Thomas five days later. Ramos [...]
OC DISTRICT ATTORNEY TO REVEAL OFFICIAL VERSIONS OF KELLY THOMAS’ DEATH, COPS’ INVOLVEMENT—AND …
Orange County District Attorney (OCDA) Tony Rackaukus will hold a press conference at 11 a.m. today to discuss what charges—if any—he will file against six Fullerton Police Department officers in conjunction with the death of homeless schizophrenic Kelly Thomas in July. Rackaukus received a report Tuesday from the Orange County Coroner regarding the cause of [...]
EVERYDAY PEOPLE POWERING A MOVEMENT IN SUPPORT OF KELLY THOMAS
The Downtown Fullerton Plaza was bustling with life Saturday, a heart-wrenching contrast to the man---Kelly Thomas---who had brought all these people to this place, but an encouraging development, too.This was not an angry crowd, but one united by a desire that justice be done.
IS DISTRICT ATTORNEY TRYING TO MISLEAD PUBLIC IN KELLY THOMAS BEATING
In public pronouncements about the case of Kelly Thomas, the homeless schizophrenic who died in July after being beaten by six Fullerton police officers, the Orange County DA’s office has sometimes given the impression that the office is on the side of the police---even though the police are the criminal suspects. This is unusual. Usually the DA is on the side of the people, and against the alleged criminals.
DOWNEY AUTO DEALER SENDS A HAZ-MAT TRIBUTARY INTO RIO HONDO RIVER
DOWNEY—Los Angeles County workers conducting a routine inspection of the Rio Hondo River last week discovered a stream of hazardous waste—including oil and antifreeze—that had originated at Downey Wholesale Auto dealership. County health officials have begun an investigation. According to Chuck Seely, assistant chief and fire marshal for the city of Downey, LA County investigators [...]
CERRITOS HONORED AS LA COUNTY’S MOST BUSINESS-FRIENDLY CITY
Cerritos was honored as Most Business-Friendly City in Los Angeles County for cities with populations under 60,000 people Wednesday night during a ceremony at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, receiving an Eddy Award from the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC). Alhambra won the Eddy among cities with populations over 60,000, a category in which [...]
CERRITOS, DOWNEY & CARSON ARE FINALISTS FOR LA COUNTY’S MOST-BUSINESS-FRIENDLY CITY AWARDS
Three cities in the Greater Long Beach area—although not Long Beach, itself, this year—are among 12 finalists for Eddy Awards in the 2010 Most Business-Friendly City competition sponsored by the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC). Representatives of Cerritos, Downey and Carson will be at the Beverly Hilton Hotel tonight to await the announcement [...]
GREATER LONG BEACH—HEY, THAT’S US—GETS A LITTLE NOD ON LA OBSERVED
It’s not the biggest headline in today’s edition of LAObserved—OK, so it’s not a headline at all—but it’s worth noting that Greater Long Beach got a mention and a link in Kevin Roderick’s all-about-LA website, in the Editor’s Blog. Well, it’s worth it to us, anyway.
710 FREEWAY EXPANSION MAY BE DELAYED BY RIGHT-OF-WAY, DESIGN ISSUES
LBReport.com has learned that a massive expansion plan for the Long Beach (710) Freeway—14-lanes total, with a four-lane truck “freightway” elevated through parts of Long Beach above 10 ground-level “mixed flow” lanes — has now raised right-of-way issues. Along with other redesign items, these could delay the project by up to 11 months … and if freightway right-of-way issues can’t be [...]
CONGRESS CLEARS LAURA RICHARDSON OF ETHICAL ALLEGATIONS
The House of Representatives Committee on Standards and Office Conduct has cleared Congresswoman Laura Richardson (D., Carson-LB) of allegations referred to the Committee by the Office of Congressional Ethics, dismissing its review of those allegations. Following a seven-month probe, the Committee’s investigative subcommittee voted unanimously to adopt a finding “that Congresswoman Richardson did not knowingly [...]
DISQUALIFIED FOR HER FRIENDSHIP BRACELET? THAT’S MY STORY (ON SPORTS ILLUSTRATED WEBSITE)–AND I’M LINKING TO IT
BY DAVE WIELENGA / SI.COM Remember the story of the college softball player who hit the game-winning homer and blew out her knee as she trotted around first base, but was carried to second, third and home by opposing players — even though she represented the decisive run in a game that determined the championship? [...]
SUPERVISOR KNABE ALLOTS $2.5 MILLION TO REHAB SAN GABRIEL RIVER BIKE PATH
CERRITOS – A $2.5 million project to rehabilitate portions of the San Gabriel River bike path in Cerritos and Lakewood will continue, Supervisor Don Knabe has announced. “It is important that the bike paths along our riverbeds are safe,” said Knabe of a project that will be paid for in Fourth District Capital Improvement funds. [...]
DOWNEY’S BIG BOY, NEE HARVEY’S/JOHNIE’S BROILER, RECEIVES PRESIDENT’S AWARD FROM L.A. CONSERVANCY
The new Bob’s Big Boy in Downey has been honored with the President’s Award from the Los Angeles Conservancy, a prestigious recognition that confirms the restaurant’s triumphant comeback after it was decimated in an illegal demolition three years ago. [In the Nov. 18, 2009, issue of The District Weekly, Theo Douglas wrote about the special [...]
COUNTY CLERK HAS NO RECORD THAT COMPTON RDA EVER FILED MANDATED STUDY OF $100 MILLION BOND ISSUE
The City of Compton Redevelopment Agency claims to have filed with the Los Angeles County clerk for public review of a study on the agency’s proposed issuance of $100 million in bonds, but The Bulletin has learned that county clerk’s office has no record of it. READ MORE
