The rising cost of parking tickets is a sore subject for many Angelenos. Now a group of citizens is taking their beef with the city’s parking enforcement policies to City Hall. A group calling itself the Parking Freedom Initiative is scheduled to meet with members of L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti’s staff today to discuss the high cost of tickets in L.A. The cheapest parking violation in the city these days is $58. The activists call that abusive. They want the city to cap parking fines at $23. The group says it will push for a ballot initiative if the city doesn’t reform its policies. L.A. issued more than 2.5 million parking tickets last year and collected about $150 million in fines.
If you’ve been watching the NBA finals, you may have seen an emotional advertisement pressuring the Washington Redskins football team to change its name. The ad – called “Proud to Be” – was paid for by the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, a Northern California tribe that owns a casino in Yolo County. The tribe hasn’t divulged how much it spent for the ad. But tribal leaders say they’re determined to spread the message that using the name Redskins brings pain and anguish to Native Americans. Pressure has been building on the Redskins to shed the name the team has used for more than 80 years. So far, the owners of the club have refused to budge.
Congressman Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield is making a push to succeed Eric Cantor as House Majority Leader. Cantor’s defeat in a Virginia primary this week has set off a scramble among House Republicans for leadership roles in the party. McCarthy, who currently has the No. 3 leadership post in the House – Majority Whip – is well positioned to move up a notch in the GOP hierarchy. Yesterday, he received Cantor’s endorsement. But McCarthy has a fight on his hands. Rep, Pete Sessions of Texas – the chair of the powerful House Rules Committee – also wants the job.
Congress is considering legislation that would place more than 600,000 acres of land in the Angeles National Forest and nearby areas into a National Recreation Area. The bill by Rep. Judy Chu of Pasadena would have the U.S. Forest Service team up with the National Park Service to improve trails, recreation centers and interpretive programs in the forest and along the San Gabriel and Rio Hondo rivers. Chu says the Forest Service has done a poor job of keeping the Angeles clean and safe. More than three million people a year visit the forest.
The L.A. Kings lost to the New York Rangers 2 to 1 last night at Madison Square Garden – putting their championship drive on ice until Friday. The Kings had their chances, but Rangers goalkeeper Henrik Lundqvist was brilliant in turning away 40 shots to help his team stave off elimination in the Stanley Cup Final. No sweep, but the Kings still lead the series three game to one. The Kings now get a shot to capture the Stanley Cup in front of their home fans: Game 5 is tomorrow night at Staples Center.