Democratic Congressman
Democratic Congressman from the San Fernando Valley (Pacoima, Panorama City and Van Nuys) and a leading member of Congressional Hispanic Caucus; former Los Angeles City Councilman representing the 6th District and Chair of the City's Ad Hoc Committee on Gang Violence and Youth Development
Are Democrats about to Stage a Virtual "Coronation?" Since Barbara Boxer announced her retirement from the US Senate, Attorney General Kamala Harris is the only announced candidate. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts has endorsed her. New York's Kirsten Gillibrand says she needs Kamala Harris "by my side." Hispanic leaders are saying, "not so fast." One of them is Tony Cárdenas, the first Latino elected to Congress from the San Fernando Valley and a member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.
Is Time-Warner Cable Monopolizing the Dodgers? Major League Baseball means Big Money: In the next 25 years, the Dodgers will get more than $8 billion from Time-Warner Cable. But it only serves 30% of the LA market. So far, no other major distributor will pay what Time-Warner’s asking to show the games, which leaves 70% of the LA market blacked out. Is Time-Warner cable monopolizing the Dodgers?
In Los Angeles, Will Red-Light Cameras Come to a Stop? Thirty-two cameras were installed at Los Angeles intersections in 2004. The idea was to photograph drivers in the act of running red lights. The City Council insisted on at least one camera in each of their 15 districts, but the cameras were not all installed at the most dangerous intersections, and last year, an audit by City Controller Wendy Gruel could not conclusively document an increase in public safety. Now the contract has run out and the Police Commission has decided not to renew .
The Political Food Fight at LAX JD Power says Los Angeles International Airport is 18th out of 19 major American airports when it comes to passenger satisfaction. One of the complaints is the food . Airport officials have been hearing that message for years so, in April, they set up a bidding process for food concessions. HMS Host , which has been feeding LAX travelers since 1965, came in last among four bidders. The winner was an outfit called SSP , which included well-known Los Angeles chefs. The City Council will make the final decision and, with some $600 million at stake, HMS Host is not going away quietly. We hear from Host, council members, random travelers, and chefs working with SSP, who showed their stuff at today’s "eat in" in downtown LA.
City Faces Budget Crunch and Expensive Gang Problem Between Echo Park and Eagle Rock last week, several schools were locked down into the evening while the LAPD shot it out with reputed members of the Avenues street gang. Yesterday, 19 alleged gang members were picked up in North Hollywood in a sweep involving some 200 officers.
There’s a New Gang Czar In Town A recent report called Los Angeles “the gang capitol of the world,” and recommended a single city official to coordinate twenty-three different programs that cost eighty-two million dollars a year. Today, Mayor Villaraigosa named the evangelical minister Jeff Carr as LA’s first “gang czar.” For seventeen years, Rev. Carr ran the Bresee Foundation , a faith-based community services group in Los Angeles. More recently, he managed a staff of fifty for Sojourners/Call to Renewal in Washington, DC.
City Officials Respond to LA Gang Study A prestigious group called the Advancement Project has produced a massive report on Los Angeles , now called the world capital of gang violence. Despite the efforts and expenditures of multiple public agencies and dozens of independent projects, the problem is worse than it was 20 years ago and is comparable to a public-health epidemic. Officials have decided that rather than dealing with symptoms, it's time to treat basic causes and involve the LA Unified School District as well as law enforcement. Yesterday at Los Angeles City Hall, the City Council's Ad Hoc Committee on Gangs heard a "power panel" of high-level officials respond to the report. The Chiefs of the Fire and Police and County Sheriff all said law enforcement isn't enough to deal with gang violence. We hear from the report's author and get response city officials, the committee and the LAUSD.
Terrorism and tweets, hate speech and murder Just days before an election, Britain is coping with a rash of deadly terrorism, and Prime Minister Theresa May is on the defensive. And again today, President Trump has tweeted criticism of the Mayor of London. Later, a double murder in Portland, Oregon has revealed the ugly past of a supposedly “progressive” city. One immediate question: is “hate speech” protected by the First Amendment?
Who's to blame for the opioid crisis? Some of the lawyers who took on Big Tobacco are now going after Big Pharma. It’s all about the deadly epidemic of opioid use. Are the drug companies to blame? What about the users? Later, on today’s Talking Point: making sense of Britain’s upset election.
The longest US war: Will Trump send more troops to Afghanistan? The Trump White House is divided over the Pentagon's request for more troops in Afghanistan—where the US has been fighting for the past 16 years. Is there a formula -- either for "victory" or a political settlement? Is there an end in sight for America's longest war?