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Thursday, November 2, 2023

Jury Finds Woman Guilty For Murder of Foster Mother Who Had Custody of Her Child

Jury Finds Woman Guilty For Murder of Foster Mother Who Had Custody of Her Child

By ANDRÉ COLEMAN, Managing Editor

A homeless woman was found guilty of strangling the foster mother in 2018 who was caring for the homeless woman’s daughter.

According to the prosecutors Mary Jean O’Connor tracked down 75-year old Jeri Douglas to her Pasadena home and strangled her.

O’Connor is scheduled to be sentenced next month. She faces 25 years to life.

Pasadena police officers found Douglas’ body inside her condo in the 200 block South Madison Avenue in Pasadena on Dec. 17, 2018. Paramedics declared her dead at the scene.

Authorities went to the home after one of Douglas’ daughters was unable to reach her mother for several days, according to Pasadena police.

O’Connor was arrested in a mobile home in North Hollywood in late December 2018 and charged with one count of murder.

In a Jan. 17, 2019 interview with the Pasadena Weekly, O’Connor proclaimed her innocence.

Read More »

Monday, October 30, 2023

LA County Supervisors Demand Answers About Delay in Landlord-Relief Program

LA County Supervisors Demand Answers About Delay in Landlord-Relief Program

CITY NEWS SERVICE

Two Los Angeles County supervisors Monday called for an audit to determine why a rent-relief program for small property owners who are owed back rent accumulated during the COVID-19 pandemic has yet to be implemented, despite being approved nine months ago.

The Board of Supervisors approved the program on Jan. 24, directing the county Department of Business and Consumer Affairs to distribute $45 million to “mom-and-pop” landlords who are owned back rent. But according to Supervisors Kathryn Barger and Holly Mitchell, the program still has not begun, with neither applications nor program guidelines being made available.

“Delaying the disbursement of relief funds to mom-and-pop property owners is simply unacceptable,” Barger said in a statement. “The motion I introduced included an expectation that this landlord relief program would be launched expeditiously. We’ve missed the mark and small property owners are bearing the brunt of DCBA’s delays.”

Barger and Mitchell called on the county CEO to conduct an audit to identify reasons for the delay,

Read More »

Saturday, October 21, 2023

LA County Unemployment Rate Rises Slightly in September

LA County Unemployment Rate Rises Slightly in September

CITY NEWS SERVICE

Los Angeles County’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose to 5.1% in September, up slightly from a revised 5% in August, according to figures released Friday by the state Employment Development Department.

The 5.1% rate was above the 4.5% rate from September 2022.

In Orange County, where seasonally adjusted numbers were not available, the September unemployment rate was 3.7%, down slightly from 3.9% the previous month.

Statewide, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.7% in September, 4.6% in August and 4% in September 2022. The comparable figures for the nation were 3.8% in September, 3.8% in August and 3.5% a year ago.

Total nonfarm employment in Los Angeles County increased by 20,200 positions between August and September to reach more than 4.6 million.

The government sector showed the biggest increase, adding 16,400 jobs, according to the EDD.

Read More »

Wednesday, October 4, 2023

L.A. County Board OKs Amended 2023-24 Budget, Boosting Spending by $3.4 Billion

L.A. County Board OKs Amended 2023-24 Budget, Boosting Spending by $3.4 Billion

Crediting an influx of state and federal dollars along with higher-than-expected revenue and departmental cost savings, the county Board of Supervisors approved an amended $46.7 billion budget for the 2023-34 fiscal year Tuesday, adding hundreds of new positions.

The board unanimously approved a $3.4 billion supplemental budget plan, augmenting the initial $43.3 billion budget it approved for 2023-24 back in June.

In a presentation to the board, county CEO Fesia Davenport said more than half of the new funding, or about $1.8 billion, represented new funding from the state and federal governments. She noted that the bulk of that money is specifically “attached to particular programs or services,” meaning it mostly cannot be reallocated to other county programs.

The rest of the additional funding is the result of “operational savings” in various departments, including staff vacancies, cost savings in areas such as ongoing capital improvement projects and revenue collections that “exceeded what was anticipated,” primarily property tax revenue.

The new funding will be used to add 666 staff positions,

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Wednesday, October 4, 2023

L.A. County Board of Supervisors Unanimously Approves Barger’s Arts Support Motion Amid $4.1 Billion Revenue Loss

L.A. County Board of Supervisors Unanimously Approves Barger’s Arts Support Motion Amid $4.1 Billion Revenue Loss

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved a motion by Pasadena-area Supervisor Kathryn Barger to support the struggling arts sector, which is facing a potential $4.1 billion loss in revenues due to the pandemic and slow recovery.

Introduced by Barger, the motion aims to promote and support arts venues throughout the county.

Supervisor Barger emphasized the importance of these venues as shared communal spaces that reinforce mental and emotional well-being.

The motion directs the County’s Department of Arts and Culture to launch a social media promotional campaign and create a virtual map of arts programs for easy access by residents.

The motion also calls for several County departments that serve high numbers of the public – including Public Library, Parks and Recreation, and Beaches and Harbors – to take a more active role in promoting resources and events related to arts and culture.

The impact of the pandemic on the performing arts sector has not only affected the arts community but also public revenue.

Read More »

Thursday, September 28, 2023

Metro Board of Directors OKs Extension of Micro Transit Service for Altadena/Pasadena/Sierra Madre

Metro Board of Directors OKs Extension of Micro Transit Service for Altadena/Pasadena/Sierra Madre

CITY NEWS SERVICE

Metro’s Board of Directors Thursday extended its MicroTransit Pilot Program on-demand rideshare service through September 2024 for numerous zones in L.A. County including Altadena/Pasadena/Sierra Madre.

The Board also instructed that a study be done to determine whether the program should be continued for an additional six months, or if necessary, discontinue some of the eight zones the program serves.

The board voted 12-0 with director and Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger absent during the vote. Directors Ara Najarian, James Butts, Fernando Durta, Janice Hahn and Barger introduced the motion to possibly consider a new operational business model and improve the overall performance of its micro transit program, also known as Metro Micro.

Metro Micro is an on-demand rideshare service, offering trips within several zones in L.A. County, including Watts/Compton; LAX/Inglewood; El Monte; North Hollywood/Burbank; Highland Park/Eagle Rock/Glendale; Altadena/Pasadena/Sierra Madre; Northwest San Fernando Valley; and UCLA/Westwood/VA Medical Center.

The service can be used for short local trips and uses small vehicles seating up to 10 passengers.

Read More »

Tuesday, September 26, 2023

L.A. County Proposes New Bid to Settle Homelessness Lawsuit

L.A. County Proposes New Bid to Settle Homelessness Lawsuit

By FRED SHUSTER, City News Service

Los Angeles County and the L.A. Alliance for Human Rights have reached a new proposed settlement of a lawsuit over local governments’ response to the homelessness crisis, and it appears to meet recent demands of the judge overseeing the case, according to court documents filed Monday.

U.S. District Judge David Carter has rejected previous efforts to settle, denying the county and the homelessness coalition’s joint stipulation to dismiss the case, saying he wanted more “oversight and enforcement powers.”

According to Monday’s filing, Carter is getting what he asked for, including the county’s promise to fund 3,000 new mental health/substance use disorder beds, subsidies for 450 new clients of residential care facilities for indigent adults and the elderly, and, significantly, the appointment of a retired federal judge to monitor the county’s compliance with the settlement.

“The previous settlement the parties presented to the Court already provides a thousand new beds and enhanced services for people experiencing homelessness with substance use disorder or mental illness,”

Read More »

Saturday, September 16, 2023

Man Who Alleges He Won Record $2 Billion Powerball Jackpot Cites Death Threats

Man Who Alleges He Won Record $2 Billion Powerball Jackpot Cites Death Threats

The State Lottery Commision has repeatedly stick to its conclusion that the winner of the record-setting $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot last November was Edwin Castro, who purchased the winning ticket at an Altadena service station and opted for a lump-sum payment of $997.6 million.

CITY NEWS SERVICES

A man who maintains he is the winner of the record-breaking November $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot — not the Altadena man the state as declared was the victor — says in an amended complaint that he has received death threats for making his claim to the prize.

State officials have denied Jose Rivera’s claim in his Alhambra Superior Court lawsuit against the California State Lottery Commission that he is the lottery winner. The commission maintains that Altadenan Edwin G. Castro, also a defendant in the Rivera suit, is the proper winner as announced on Feb. 14.

But in his updated complaint filed Monday, Rivera still insists he is the lawful winner and that he has paid a price for taking his stand.

Read More »

Wednesday, September 13, 2023

Cool Schools: LA County Looks to Help Districts Beat the Heat for Students

Cool Schools: LA County Looks to Help Districts Beat the Heat for Students

CITY NEWS SERVICE

The county Board of Supervisors Tuesday directed its staff to meet with local school districts and assist them with obtaining state and federal grant money available for cooling measures at campuses in an effort to protect students from extreme heat.

“Due to the nature of their design, many schools are some of the hottest locations in the county,” Supervisor Hilda Solis, who introduced the motion, said in a statement following the unanimous vote. “Play yards dominated by asphalt increase heat risk, and the lack of trees on many campuses results in fewer opportunities for cooling shade. It’s clear many schools need to reimagine their campuses to address extreme heat.”

According to Solis, there are various funding opportunities available for school districts, including a recent state allocation of $73 million for schools to replace asphalt surfaces with green spaces, trees and vegetation.

Her motion directs various county departments to meet with interested school districts to provide them with information about possible funding sources for cooling projects,

Read More »

Tuesday, August 8, 2023

L.A. County Board of Supervisors Form Two New Entities to Boost Regional Approach to Homelessness Planning, Service Coordination, and Innovation

L.A. County Board of Supervisors Form Two New Entities to Boost Regional Approach to Homelessness Planning, Service Coordination, and Innovation

Tuesday, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a motion introduced by Supervisor Kathryn Barger and co-authored by Supervisor Hilda L. Solis that accelerates the County’s efforts to tackle homelessness by debuting a new regional approach to deliver solutions, cultivate collaboration, and stimulate innovation.

Two new entities – deemed in the motion as an Executive Committee and a Leadership Table – will be formed in the coming days to that end. The Executive Committee will consist of nine members, including two L.A. County Supervisors, two elected representatives from the City of Los Angeles including the Mayor, elected representatives from four municipalities representing regions specified in the motion, and a representative appointed by California’s Governor.

The complementary and more expansive Leadership Table will serve as an advisory body to the Executive Committee. Members will also harness private funding sources to support regional homelessness solutions. The Leadership Table will consist of representatives from various sectors, including but not limited to business, faith-based, advocacy, academia, people with lived experience,

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