LOS ANGELES

GELFAND’S WORLD--Besides the usual finding that Donald Trump lies the way other people breathe, the new Woodward book underscores one other issue with Trump’s personality, something that we might have been focusing on from the beginning. 

PLANNING WATCH-Failed states don’t just happen. Countries don’t suddenly careen out-of-control because a foolish leader pursues irresponsible policies.

VOICES-Last week I received a copy of a directive which was sent out to each Los Angeles Police Division and the Specialized Units within the LAPD. 

GUEST WORDS-The COVID-19 pandemic has decimated much of the economy of Los Angeles, the state of California, and the nation.

EASTSIDER--Here are the real stakes for some 2 million beneficiaries and taxpayers.

VOICES-California, a state that once had so much beauty, promise, and opportunity that it was called the Golden State.

ALPERN AT LARGE-Oh, you wonderful "fact-checkers"!  

OTHER WORDS-A gender reveal party just started a wildfire in California — again. 

ONE MAN’S OPINION--People call America a democracy; it is not. People say America is based on equality.

CLIMATE POLITICS-Amazon Day, a day of celebration for over 100 years on September 5 has passed.

GELFAND’S WORLD--What a remarkable coincidence. A few days after Nancy Pelosi was outed for getting her hair cut inside a building (instead of on the sidewalk), President Trump was outed for insulting our nation’s war dead.

LABOR DAY ANGER--This Labor Day, immigrant and worker's rights advocates are sounding the alarm in response to reports of migrant grape pickers, many of whom are undocumented,

ALPERN AT LARGE--In California, in Michigan, in New York, in Florida, and throughout the nation, the economy of the COVID-19 pandemic and pre-election strategies have fast-forwarded and heightened the cultural divides lingering throughout our nation: whether it's capitalism or socialism, or a combination of both, the big issue of "who gets paid, and who gets crumbs" is becoming louder than ever. 

PANDEMIC POLITICS--This rent crisis is particularly acute in Los Angeles and other high-cost cities, where a lack of affordable housing and the economic slowdown from COVID-19 intersect to threaten the stability of many households.

COMMENTARY-What are your values? What core beliefs underpin your view of life in the United States of 2020?

GUEST WORDS--During the COVID-19 pandemic, essential workers have struggled balancing their own personal safety with the demands – often unreasonable, selfish and misguided -- of their deep-pocketed employers. 

CONNECTING CALIFORNIA--If you want to make your California city government stronger, don’t make your mayor more powerful. Instead, make your city council bigger.

VOICES-The LA City Council voted on August 11, 2020, to start the process of creating two new oversight entities to root out corruption in City Hall.

ALPERN AT LARGE--Normally, when a vote is held in Sacramento on a Sunday, and at 11:30 pm on the Monday before a vote is finally due and on extremely short notice, there are some serious shenanigans involved that have NO business in a functioning democracy. 

EASTSIDER-On August 27, the Planning Commission held a Zoom/Public Hearing concerning a piece of property at 412-426 Crocker Street, in downtown LA. Superficially, no big deal. Right? 

PLANNING WATCH-Nury Martinez, the Councilmember from LA’s Council District 6 in the north Valley, is the President of the Los Angeles City Council.