LOS ANGELES

PLANNING WATCH - In last week’s Planning Watch column I explained why LA’s mayoral candidates are mum on the climate crisis. 

THE VIEW FROM HERE - This involves the old adage, “figures don’t lie but liars can figure.” 

ACCORDING TO LIZ - There are seven candidates vying to fill some pretty big boots in the Office of the City Controller when Ron Galperin leaves later this year. 

RantZ and RaveZ - The Los Angeles Police Departments COMPSTAT (Crime Statistics) continue to show increases in major crimes as the number of LAPD Officers shrink to lower numbers month after month.  

DEEGAN ON LA—A one and done election on June 7 will guarantee three councilmanic candidates a council seat.

THE VIEW FROM HERE - They all falsely claim that Los Angeles has a housing shortage, when in reality we have tens of thousands more vacant units than homeless people.

CHARITY - As one of the nation’s most comprehensive providers of mental health and support programs for children, youth and families living with and affected by HIV/AIDS, and transgender/gender diverse youth, The Laurel Foundation is thrilled to host its inaugural international online art auction, “The Art Of _,” from May 2 to May 13, 2022. 

PLANNING WATCH -  Even though the local evidence for the climate crisis is overwhelming: a 12 month wildfire season, a megadrought, a water shortage, heat storms, and sea level rise - 

THE VIEW FROM HERE - In the 1950's game show, To Tell The Truth, three contestants tried to fool a celebrity panel as to who had done something unusual or had a strange occupation.   

LABOR WATCH - When William Dudley “Big Bill” Haywood — future secretary-treasurer of the Western Federation of Miners and thorn in the side of mine owners west of the American Rockies —

JAIL TIME - Just before I started graduate school, I was arrested and spent a night in jail.

ENTERTAINMENT WATCH - If ever there were steps of power that need storming by an angry mob, they are those of the Dolby Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard on Oscars Night.

RantZ and RaveZ - Mayor Garcetti implemented “Vision Zero “ in 2015 to ELIMINATE traffic deaths on Los Angeles streets by 2025. 

PLANNING WATCH - Sometimes a cure is worse than the disease, especially supply-side/trickle-down solutions to the housing crisis,

GUEST COMMENTARY - Watch out when our elected officials stump for affordable housing. The results so far have been the reverse. 

THE VIEW FROM HERE - Dunning-Kruger refers to the situation where people with limited knowledge of a particular subject tend to over-estimate their ability to understand the subject.

DEEGAN ON LA—-As rich a target it may seem to be, Rick Caruso’s yacht “Invictus” does not have a place on the starting line of the mayoral race.

THE VIEW FROM HERE - First, The Bad:  To no one’s surprise the debate-charade concealed Los Angeles’ core problem. 

THE DOCTOR IS IN - For two previous decades of grassroots/neighborhood council transportation advocacy, I (and so many others) watched in horror as a multimodal and environmental-friendly transportation/mobility program descended into a developer- and lobbyist-oriented money grab. 

HOMELESS CRISIS - By the lone tent under the cement overpass, just visible from the Hollywood Freeway, Fernando Maya waited with several backpacks stuffed with clothes, electronics and food.

LA MAYORAL ELECTION - Is there any among us so naive to think that the Los Angeles mayoral debate scheduled for Tuesday, March 22^nd will be anything more than a non-stop stream of BS? BS is too mild a term for the caca-doodoo which the candidates and the moderates throw at us.