LOS ANGELES

RANTZ & RAVEZ-I was invited to join the parade celebrating the 100^th Birthday of Encino resident and military veteran Ernest “Ernie” R. Dutcher, Jr. Senior citizen members and friends from the Wings over Wendy’s military group gathered in cars, many decorated with festive Happy Birthday signs and colorful balloons.

VOICES-When I heard that my wife’s book club was meeting in the home that the architect, S. Charles Lee designed for himself (photo above), I decided to read a book I didn’t want to read.

ONE MAN’S OPINION-It took a long time for our country to devolve to such a low level that we have become one of the world’s most corrupt and poorly run nations. 

CLIMATE POLITICS--The human body has limits. If “temperature plus humidity” is high enough, even a healthy person seated in the shade with plentiful water to drink will suffer severely or likely die.

DEEGAN ON LA-Being a landlord of a rent stabilized (RSO) property these days is more challenging than ever.

POLITICS--From the beginning of this pandemic, the response of our elected officials has prioritized private profits over saving lives.

@THE GUSS REPORT-The best way to read the LA Times for the past few decades is to do so with an open and fair mind, and then read between the lines to figure out its lies by omission.

PANDEMIC IN LOS ANGELES: DAY 60--Following George Chiang’s guilty plea in the FBI’s case against Council Member Jose Huizar, I am firmly of the belief that all fifteen members of the LA City Council should now resign, pack up their bags, and try their luck elsewhere. 

GUEST COMMENTARY-There are times to be measured and reasonable, but this is not one of them: 

VOICES-The following letter was sent on Monday, May 18, to Mayor Eric Garcetti, Councilmember Mitch O'Farrell and Director of Planning Vince Bertoni.

GUEST COMMENTARY--Just how dirty is Los Angeles City Hall?

AT LENGTH-I’ve been thinking lately that perhaps America should build a wall like Donald J. Trump suggests, just not where he envisions it or for the reason he proposes.

ALPERN AT LARGE--Some of us want to find solutions, and some of us want to exploit this crisis.

PUBLIC HEALTH POLITICS--On Friday May 8, 2020, the West San Fernando Valley was experiencing excessive heat. 

ONE MAN’S OPINION-If you think things are bad now, just wait. Americans are moving towards a second civil war. 

GELFAND’S WORLD--I’ve been ruminating over the following question: Since so few people in this giant county have actually come down with the Covid-19 illness, are most of us at least modestly immune to it?

PERSPECTIVE--Every morning for the last two months, I’ve checked the news in my home state of Florida with growing concern.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRISIS-Current measures prohibiting eviction of tenants and helping them through the financial crisis won't last forever. 

RENTERS’ RIGHTS-Despite a global pandemic that’s fueling mass unemployment in California, Big Real Estate has been contributing millions to stop the expansion of rent control through the Rental Affordability Act.

PLANNING WATCH-Despite the White House’s pre-pandemic boasts about a booming American economy, its bungled response to the Covid-19 crisis was the straw that quickly broke the back of the American financial system.

EASTSIDER--There are three basic facts about the much maligned public sector in the United States.  There are over 90,000 distinct units nationwide, representing about 10% of the Annual US GDP.