Fellow Veterans and Friends of Veterans, As we know, America’s President and Commander-in-Chief, Donald J. Trump, has been on a foreign trip extolling America’s military strength while proudly proclaiming his patriotic support of our nation’s revered symbol of freedom and democracy — the American flag. Yet here at home on American soil, particularly at the Los Angeles VA, it is the complete opposite. … Read More
Sweet Punch of Prop. 54
There’s nothing politicians and lobbyists in this state hate more than the ballot initiative process to which they all pay hypocritical verbal homage every chance they get. It’s easy to see why they don’t like lawmaking by the public, the essence of initiatives: The process takes important issues out of their hands. It can alter their working conditions in ways … Read More
CNN Mock? Can’t Be
President Trump has begun a 13-day trip through Asia, starting in Japan. His meeting with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe seems to have gone very well. Mr. Abe presented Mr. Trump with hats saying, “Donald and Shinzo…Make Alliance Even Greater.” But of course, in the eyes of the liberal media, the president must never be allowed a success of any kind. … Read More
Scully Says No to the NFL
Fellow Americans … Vin Scully, the legendary Dodgers’ Hall of Fame broadcaster, says that protests by NFL players during the National Anthem now keeps him from watching the games. Mr. Scully, who turns 90 this month, made the remark Saturday night at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium. During a question-and-answer session after his speech, he was asked about the players’ protests. Said … Read More
Art Festival Opens
Kicking off three days of celebration with a Dance Party tonight, the bi-yearly Culver City art festival features artwork from 50 Southern California festival artists with a focus on affordable art and artisanal gifts — it’s a convenient locale to begin holiday gift shopping. Based in Town Plaza in front of the Culver Hotel, Downtown, An Affair of the Arts officially … Read More
Wildfires Smell Like a Previous Disaster
As disastrous and deadly wildfires raged through once-lovely residential areas in the Wine Country and other Northern California points this fall, there were signs that the aftermath could play out similarly to a scene that began almost 10 years earlier in Southern California. Loud claims were heard this time that negligent maintenance of power lines and poles, together with insufficient … Read More
Self-Inflicted Suffering
Student anxiety and hostility at public high schools have worsened since Donald Trump became president, according to a study. More than half of the 1,535 teachers who responded to a survey claimed to see more students than ever with “high levels of stress and anxiety” between January and May of this year. The study was conducted by UCLA’s director of … Read More
Now PUC Wants to Clean up Mess
The California Public Utilities Commission now says it wants closure on its most contentious, most questionable decision of the last few decades. This comes more than four years after a clandestine meeting between the commission’s then-president Michael Peevey and officials of the Southern California Edison Co. set parameters for “settling” the division of costs for shutting down the San … Read More
Our Man in Stockholm
If your home is like mine in fall, things are getting busy. This includes life at the West Basin Municipal Water District, where I am a director. I want to highlight my recent speech at World Water Week in Stockholm, Sweden, a ribbon cutting in Wiseburn, our recent Water Harvest Festival; and two cities turning 100 years old. In late … Read More
‘This Is Our Money’
L.A. Watchdog –The establishment of the municipally owned Bank of Los Angeles is an idea that is enthusiastically supported by City Council president Herb Wesson and the other members of the Council. According to Councilmember Paul Krekorian, the chair of the Ad Hoc Committee on Job Creation, the city “aims to create a state-chartered public bank that will provide banking services, reinvest in … Read More