April 25, 2019
VOL. 34, No. 17
Thousands Left LA: Experts Blame RENT
By Francis Taylor, Asst. Editor
More than 13,000 people left Los Angeles County between 2017 and 2018, according to Census statistics. And experts say the cost of rent is the driving force. According to residential rental service Zumper, Venice has the highest average rent of anywhere
in the city of Los Angeles: more than $3,000 a month for a onebedroom apartment. And on Abbott Kinney, there’s one unit that rents for $25,000 a month. A recently departed El Segundo family is now enjoying a much bigger life in Oregon, after leaving Southern California and its skyrocketing rents. They once lived in a 900-square-foot apartment, paying nearly $2,000 a month for rent. After much debate, the family packed up, and moved to Eugene, Oregon, where they bought a 1400-square-foot home and their mortgage is $1,500 a month. “Although we loved living in LA, we knew we were paying a pre4
State of the City Address Mayor Butts’ State of the City Address Attracts 700 of the Best of Southern California
By Francis Taylor, Asst. Editor
“The only thing that has changed in the City of Inglewood is everything.” Mayor James T. Butts The City of Inglewood State of the City Address, presented by Mayor James T. Butts, last Thursday was a huge success. 700 of Southern California’s most important people including top brass from the Los Angeles Rams, the Los Angeles Chargers, the Los Angeles Clippers, the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, the Girl Scouts of America, a bevy of corporate sponsors, state and local elected officials from throughout the region and business, community and clerical leaders converged on the Los Angeles Hyatt Regency Airport hotel, packing the grand ballroom. Hosted by local sports/news commentator Fred Roggin, the sold-out event was a virtual victory lap for Mayor Butts and the entire Inglewood city council as they boasted a litany of accomplishments that is second-to-none in the nation. Presented in a television broadcastquality video those in attendance were able to view a visual overview of how
By Francis Taylor, Asst. Editor
Despite what appeared to be a rainy day on the horizon early in the day, nearly 4,000 Inglewood residents and others converged on the South Lawn of Inglewood’s City Hall on Saturday to enjoy a day of world-class entertainment, healthy food choices, fun and fellowship, as the sun emerged from the
the City of Inglewood has been transformed from when Inglewood was known as the City of Champions with the Inglewood Forum hosting the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Kings – and the height of the Hollywood Park Race Track, to the present time when the city is expected to become a rival to the Downtown Los Angeles entertainment destination known as LA Live. Anyone who has driven along Prairie Avenue in Inglewood is already familiar with and has watched the Los Angeles Stadium and Entertainment District emerge from underground with the construction of the newest NFL Stadium that will be the home of the Los Angeles Rams and the Los Angeles Chargers. The stadium, with its innovative, state of the art design and construction will also be the envy of the league. Steve Balmer, owner of the Los Angeles Clippers who at INGLEWOOD TODAY press time-was battling to remain a contender in the 2019 NBA finals, provided an inside view of his decision to bring his team to the City of Inglewood. After commending Mayor
Butts and the entire city council for the leadership they displayed in helping to bring the Clippers to Inglewood, Balmer said that their level of welcome and willingness to ‘dive-in’ has been phenomenal. Balmer acknowledged the city’s affinity for the Lakers and added that the Clippers’ goal is to have all of Inglewood become a Clippers fan, noting that in 30 years the city of champions will be the Los Angeles Clipppers. Mayor Butts noted the support the Clippers have already demonstrated in the community providing eyeglasses to every child who needed them in the city and providing a complete renovation of the Crozier Elementary School basketball courts. The financial contributions they have already made, before earning a dime in the City of Inglewood is noteworthy. Balmer’s comment comparing Inglewood to the Clippers was poignant…. like a phoenix rising out of the ashes. And Mayor Butts added his spin by saying that the only thing that has changed in Inglewood is everything.
dark rain clouds. Shattering previous records, the event, hosted by Guy Black, featured a number of notable local and internationally known artists and entertainers including Inglewood resident Phillip Lauth as well as Kenny Lattimore, Eric Benet, Club Noveau. The Susie Han-
sen Latin Band, and Shanice, with Con Funk Shun closing out the day of what turned out to be the City’s largest Earth Day Celebration to date. Spearheaded by the Environmental Services Division of the Public Works Department, Angela Wil3 liams and Joi Aldridge
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FBI ARRESTS LEADER OF ARMED CIVILIAN GROUP THAT DETAINED MIGRANTS By AP
The FBI arrested a New Mexico man Saturday on charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammo as controversy continues over his group’s deployment of armed volunteer border patrollers who have detained undocumented immigrants crossing into the U.S. An FBI release said agents and Sunland Park police arrested Larry Mitchell Hopkins, 69, of Flora Vista, who is also known as Johnny Horton Jr., “on a federal complaint charging him with being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition.” Shortly before 4 p.m. the United Constitutional Patriots declared an “emergency” on their Facebook page, stating that their commander had been arrested at their camp near the Mexican border, and asking for
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donations to a fundraising account. Doña Ana County records indicate Hopkins was arrested at 11:55 a.m. on the federal warrant and is being held without bond. Hopkins is expected to appear in the U.S. District Court in Las Cruces on Monday morning. Hopkins was with the United Constitutional Patriots, a group that drew the ire of the American Civil Liberties Union and New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas after it began detaining people they encounter who crossed into U.S. territory. “This is a dangerous felon who should not have weapons around children and families,” Balderas said Saturday in a statement. “Today’s arrest by the FBI indicates clearly
April 25, 2019
that the rule of law should be in the hands of trained law enforcement officials, not armed vigilantes.” The FBI declined comment about Hopkins’ role in the group, stating more public information will be available Monday after Hopkins appears in court. Hopkins identified himself as the national commander of the militia group in an interview last month with El Paso ABC television affiliate KVIA. The Facebook page for United Constitutional Patriots, linked to by Hopkins on his Facebook page, states that United Constitutional Patriots is for “Americans that believe in the constitution and the rights of every American that will stand up for there (sic) rights in unity and help keep America safe.” The Associated Press reported that U.S. authorities Friday warned private groups to avoid policing the border after a string of videos on social media showed armed civilians detaining large groups of Central American families in New Mexico. The videos posted over the last several days show members of United Constitutional Patriots ordering family groups as small as seven and as large as several hundred to sit on the dirt with their children, some toddlers, waiting until Border Patrol agents arrive. Customs and Border Protection said it “does not endorse or condone
private groups or organizations that take enforcement matters into their own hands. “Interference by civilians in law enforcement matters could have public safety and legal consequences for all parties involved,” the agency said on its Twitter account. Jim Benvie, a spokesman for the group, said members assist a “stressed and overstrained Border Patrol” and there are no issues with its actions. One video shows a Border Patrol agent arriving after the group tells a small group to sit and wait. New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, a Democrat, said Friday that she was actively working with state and local police to address the armed groups. “Menacing or threatening migrant families and asylumseekers is absolutely unacceptable and must cease,” she wrote on Twitter. The American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico on Thursday wrote Lujan Grisham and state Attorney General Hector Balderas on Thursday, urging them to investigate the incidents, including what it said was the detention of nearly 300 people on Tuesday near Sunland Park. “This has no place in our state: we cannot allow racist and armed vigilantes to kidnap and detain people seeking asylum,” the ACLU wrote.
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CITY TREASURER COMMUNITY WORKSHOP $ GETTING YOUR HOUSE IN FINANCIAL ORDER $
ELIMINATING DEBT THE THREE C’S OF INVESTING BUYING YOUR FIRST HOME BUYING INVESTMENT PROPERTY WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT IRA’S WAYS TO BOOST YOUR EARNINGS POWER BEST TIME TO BEGIN SAVING FOR RETIREMENT CRITICAL STEPS TO TAKE BEFORE RETIREMENT SOMETHING YOU NEED TO TALK ABOUT o FINAL EXPENSES EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT WILLS & TRUSTS MEDICARE 2019 – INFORMATION YOU NEED TO KNOW HOW YOUR CREDIT SCORE WORKS & HOW TO IMPROVE IT PROS AND CONS OF REVERSE MORTGAGES
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Inglewood City Hall Community Room A, 1st Floor Saturday – April 27, 2019 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM PRIZE RAFFLE DRAWING!!
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GUEST SPEAKERS INCLUDE : 1). MICHELLE HICKS (R. HICKS REALTY) 2). DAVID WILSON (PRIMERICA) 3). LARRY SPRINGS (SERVICE COMPANY REALTY GROUP) 4). LUCILLE BLAIR & JUAN THOMPSON (INGLEWOOD CEMETERY MORTUARY) 5). BILLY CAMPBELL (ALLSTATE INSURANCE) 6). DR. ROSIE MILLIGAN (BUSINESS & CREDIT CONSULTANT) 7). KORI MCMANUS (NEW AMERICAN FUNDING) 8). MICHAEL FOSTER (LENDING KEY)
April 25, 2019 Continued from page 1: Earth Day Celebration
created an Inglewood signature event that thousands have grown to love and support. Inglewood’s Earth Day Music Festival provides an opportunity for residents to mix with their elected officials, fellowship with their neighbors and friends, and partake in a broad range of healthy food choices while enjoying a free concert that caused often caused the crowd to sing along with familiar tunes and dance in place as the music moved them. Since the crowd spilled onto Manchester Boulevard, city council members later suggested that next year a larger venue may be needed to accommodate what is anticipated to be a larger crowd next year. If you missed the Earth Day Music Festival this year, make sure you help the City of Inglewood make history again in 2020!
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INGLEWOOD CELEBRATES
HISTORIC EARTH DAY MUSIC FESTIVAL Close to 4,000 people corralled onto Inglewood City Hall’s South Lawn over the weekend for a day of fun and entertainment from the likes of Shanice, Kenny Lattimore, Eric Benet and Con Funk Shun, for what became, the City’s largest Earth Day Celebration to date. Spearheaded by the Environmental Services Division of the Public Works Department, Angela Williams and Joi Aldridge have created an Inglewood signature event that thousands have grown to love and support. Inglewood’s Earth Day Music Festival is an opportunity for residents and guests to enjoy a free concert in the community, and learn a few ways that we all can make a lasting contribution to the well being of the place we all call home. To call the event a non-stop dance affair would be an understatement, as folks boogied from the front of the stage to the curb of Manchester Blvd. Take a look at some of the snaps from the day. “Inglewood put on one heck of a show.” -Diamond
Kenny Lattimore destroying the stage! As we close out Earth Day, and reflect upon the fantastic time we had over the weekend, its important to note that events like this are great for the environment, not only because of the education components that come along with the festival programming, but the holistic idea of music as a healing agent, and joy and laughter as a purifier of the personal and physical environment. It’s almost as if the music and fun was so strong, it literally broke up the clouds revealing the shining sun above. So, as you compost, recycle, bike to work, carpool, or conserve water, consider playing a little jazz, or soul music and just relaxing, the world can’t get enough of good vibes either. Til next year, Happy Earth Day Inglewood!
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April 25, 2019
Continued from page 1: Thousands Left LA: Experts Blame Rent
mium to be away from our family. With one child, and one on the way, we decided to move,” the former Los Angeles area individual said via interview from Oregon. Census figures show LA County lost more 13,241 people last year. A big reason: the cost of rent. LA residents spent more than $40 billion in rent in 2018. Studies show that nearly half of LA residents pay more than 30% of their income toward housing, and experts say rising rents show no sign of slowing down. “On a year over year basis, Los Angeles is actually one of our fastest growing top cities,” said Crystal Chen of Zumper.com. “Our February report shows Los Angeles [one-bedroom apartments] were up over 8% which is especially notable because it’s a slow moving season right According to Zumper, the average for a one bedroom in Santa Monica is now $3,500 a month, $2,400 in Glendale, $2,330 in Los Angeles, and $2,270 in Culver City. A study by the California Housing Partnership shows LA County has lost more than $5,000 affordable housing units in the past decade when they converted to market rent. According to the Zumper study, LA is second only to New York in amount of rent paid, and of the $500 billion spent monthly in the nation, 12% comes from Los Angeles.
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By AP
Ohio has added itself to a growing list of states where Republican Gov. Mike DeWine has signed one of the most stringent anti-abortion bills in the country that bans abortions after a heartbeat can be detected. Similar bills had been proposed in Ohio in the past, but the state’s last Republican governor, John Kasich, vetoed those saying that they were unconstitutional. The legality of abortion bans that start at the point of a detectable heartbeat — which can be as early as six weeks into a pregnancy when some women may not know that they are pregnant — has been challenged in a number of other states. As soon as DeWine signed the
Ohio bill into law, the state’s chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) announced that they will be challenging it in court. “This legislation is blatantly unconstitutional and we will fight to the bitter end to ensure that this bill is permanently blocked,” said Freda Levenson, the legal director of the ACLU of Ohio, in a statement. “SB 23 is one of the most aggressive, oppressive, and radical attacks against women ever seen in this state and this country.” Already this year, there have been two other states — Kentucky and Mississippi — where similar socalled “heartbeat” bills have been signed into law. Kentucky and Mississippi’s new laws have both already
Fictitious Business Name Statement File No. 2019101180 The following person is doing business as:
Fictitious Business Name Statement File No. 2019076753 The following person is doing business as:
Macknificent Custodial Services 2140 West 108th Street Los Angeles, CA 90047
The Twee Project 13517 Flatbush Ave. Norwalk, CA 90650
Registered Owner(s): Angeles. CA 90047
Qualitwee 12062 W. Edinger Ave., #58 Santa Ana, CA 92704
Gerod Mack, 2140 West 108th Street, Los Registered Owner(s): Thuy Trang Nguyen, 12062 W. Edinger Ave., # 58, Santa Ana, CA 92704
This business is conducted by an individual(s). The registrant(s) This business is conducted by an individual(s). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the fictitious business listed commenced to transact business under the fictitious business listed above on April 16, 2019. above on March 26, 2019. I (We) declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true information which he or she knows to be false is guilty of a crime.) Gerod Mack, Owner.
I (We) declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true information which he or she knows to be false is guilty of a crime.) Thuy Trang Nguyen, Owner.
This statement was filed with the County Clerk on April 16, 2019.
This statement was filed with the County Clerk on March 26, 2019.
NOTICE-In accordance with Subdivision (a) of Section 17920, a Fictitious Name Statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the County Clerk, except as provided in Subdivision (b) of Section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A New Fictitious Business Name Statement must be filed before the expiration.
NOTICE-In accordance with Subdivision (a) of Section 17920, a Fictitious Name Statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the County Clerk, except as provided in Subdivision (b) of Section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A New Fictitious Business Name Statement must be filed before the expiration.
The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a Fictitious Business Name in violation of the rights of another under Federal, State or common law (See Section 14411 et.seq., Business and Professions Code.) Original April 25; May 2, 9, 16, 2019 IT004223012002057 Inglewood Today
The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a Fictitious Business Name in violation of the rights of another under Federal, State or common law (See Section 14411 et.seq., Business and Professions Code.) Original April 18, 25; May 2, 9, 2019 IT004223012002056 Inglewood Today
Fictitious Business Name Statement File No. 2019078425 The following person is doing business as:
Fictitious Business Name Statement File No. 2019085342 The following Person is doing business as:
Nashcam Nashcam Productions 1011 N. Chester Ave., Apt. A Inglewood, CA 90302-1748
New On Earth New On Earth Clothing 4181 West Kling Street, Apt 28 Burbank, CA 91505
Registered Owner(s): Darrell R. Nash, Jr., 1011 N. Chester Ave., Apt. Registered Owners: Bibiana Hurtado Ibanez, 4181 West Kling Street, A, Inglewood, CA 90302 Apt. 28, Burbank, CA 91505; Pablo Hurtado Gonzalez, 3237 17th Street, San Francisco, CA 94110 This business is conducted by an individual(s). The registrant(s) This business is conducted by individuals. The registrants commenced commenced to transact business under the fictitious business listed to transact business under the fictitious business listed above on April above on March 27, 2019. 1, 2019. I (We) declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true information which he or she knows to be false is guilty of a crime.) Darrell R. Nash, Jr., Owner.
I (We) declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true information which he or she knows to be false is guilty of a crime.) Bibiana Hurtado Ibanez and Pablo Hurtado Gonzalez, Owners
This statement was filed with the County Clerk on March 27, 2019.
This statement was filed with the County Clerk on April 1, 2019.
NOTICE-In accordance with Subdivision (a) of Section 17920, a Fictitious Name Statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the County Clerk, except as provided in Subdivision (b) of Section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A New Fictitious Business Name Statement must be filed before the expiration.
NOTICE-In accordance with Subdivision (a) of Section 17920, a Fictitious Name Statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the County Clerk, except as provided in Subdivision (b) of Section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A New Fictitious Business Name Statement must be filed before the expiration.
The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a Fictitious Business Name in violation of the rights of another under Federal, State or common law (See Section 14411 et.seq., Business and Professions Code.) Original April 18, 25; May 2, 9, 2019 IT004223012002055 Inglewood Today
The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a Fictitious Business Name in violation of the rights of another under Federal, State or common law (See Section 14411 et.seq., Business and Professions Code.) Original April 11, 18, 25; May 2, 2019 IT004223012002054 Inglewood Today
faced legal challenges, and neither has taken effect. While no six-week ban has actually gone into effect, abortion advocates claim lawmakers push for “radical abortion bans” as “part of a deliberate strategy” to get legal challenges that could take an abortion case to the Supreme Court, as Elizabeth Nash, the senior state issues manager at the Guttmacher Institute, said on a conference call with reporters in late March. The Planned Parenthood Action Fund reports that in the first three months of 2019, there were 16 states where a six-week abortion ban has been either filed, moved or signed into law. The debate over such a ban in Georgia is ongoing, and the state’s legislature has approved of the bill but it is awaiting the governor’s signature. One potentially unexpected group that came out against the Georgia bill is the Writers Guild of America East and West, which released a statement condemning the “draconian anti-choice measure.” The guild said if passed, “this law would make Georgia an inhospitable place for those in the film and television industry to work, including our members.”
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PUBLISHER’S MESSAGE
PROPERTY OWNERS EXPRESSED THEIR CONCERNS As all of the positive news surrounding the City of Inglewood continues to dominate the public discussion; Mayor Butts’ well attended and very positive State of the City Address, the progress of the new NFL stadium, the pending ground-breaking of the new NBA arena, etc., property owners and renters are anxiously awaiting the decision of the city council on the city’s rent control ordinance. Most of the public comments at the regular city council meetings have been from renters who have made their position clear. There has been considerably less input from the ‘Mom and Pop’ property owners who may have purchased properties over generations in order to provide for the next. Several property owners have shared their view and many believe that just cause evictions should be taken off the table because just cause eviction equals full blown rent control as it puts 100% of the burden of dealing with problem tenants and the eviction process on the landlords. It also negatively affects the value of the property. For example, what if a family member passes away and the heir needs to sell the property? Just cause eviction (rent control) has an immediate impact on value of at least 15%. This policy has a direct impact on the owner’s retirement, not to mention the annual income people count on to live. Many of the owners in Inglewood keep their rents low to keep high occupancy levels. This is for the betterment of the City of Inglewood while just cause eviction strips owners of their right to determine if a tenant is breaking their lease, or a bad tenant is stripping that owner of the right to operate their business and investment. Also, the cost of evictions is substantial and the process is lengthy. This impacts an owner’s ability to collect consistent rent and a higher probability of lengthy non-rent collecting periods when going through the eviction process. Crafty tenants often ask for a jury trial, heaping an additional and
TRUMP,EPA
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April 25, 2019
CHOKE-OUT EARTH DAY By Francis Taylor, Asst. Editor
hefty burden on owners even when there is no dispute of the substance of the Unlawful Detainer. Property owners pointed out that the language in the proposed ordinance related to long term ownership reprieve and eight percent max-rent cap needs to be explained in its entirety. Long term owners (seven or more years) who can prove rents are at least 80% below market may receive a onetime reprieve of an 8% rent increase in a 12 month period. The problem for some owners is that this does not help those who are 4050% below market. Raising eight percent per year will still take more than ten years to get rents up to market. That is certainly not a fair or reasonable return on investment? The council should consider the possibility of raising the max rent cap to 10% like Long Beach. A significant concern related to the relocation policy is that there needs to be more information provided to the public on where these average rental rates came from. The “Average monthly rent in the LA area” is not a good enough baseline for the City of Inglewood. The City of Inglewood Housing Authority has published the fair market rents for the City of Inglewood for 2018-2019 as follows: Studio - $1,067, 1BDR - $1,284, 2BDR $1,663, 3BDR - $2,231, 4BDR - $2,467 Finally the council should consider the percentages/dollar amounts of lost equity and loss of value to the owner’s if the measure is authorized to continue as well as the fact that there has been little active engagement with the owners about these issues and no mention of how the eight cap impacts someone 40-50% below market rents. The Inglewood city council does not dictate the ticket prices at the Forum and will not at the new football or basketball arena. They might reconsider how severely they force their-insertion into the rental decisions of individual apartment owners.
The choices you make today can have a great impact on tomorrow.
The Trump administration and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator A. Wheeler have failed African-American communities. Earth Day is the ideal time to renew our commitment to ensure everyone has equal access to clean air and safe environments regardless of which zip code they live in. It is also a time to remember our history is rooted in the American soil that our ancestors’ hands worked and the seeds they planted to feed and fuel future generations to care for our environment. Public transportation, trucks, cars and factories release high levels of pollution into the air. It is important to note, tailpipe pollution is especially harmful for African Americans, who suffer disproportionately from air pollution with black children 4.5 times more likely to be hospitalized for asthma and 10 times more likely to die from asthma than white children. The EPA is charged with monitoring these pollutants and putting safeguards in place that protect us all. But the Trump administration has consistently failed us through a long list of budget cuts and policy rollbacks. Earlier this year, we marked the 25th anniversary of President Clinton signing an Executive Order requiring all federal agencies to make environmental justice part of their missions, a move to correct the course of environmental racism. However, during his first year in office, President Trump announced plans to dismantle EPA’s Office of Environmental Justice. This year, the Trump administration’s fiscal year 2020 proposed budget would cut EPA funding by an outrageous 31 percent, the highest of any federal agency. Budgets represent values, and it’s clear that this administration does not value environmental justice or our health and well-being. Furthermore, instead of advancing environmental justice by offering solutions to protect health, combat climate change and achieve equitable outcomes, the Trump administration continues to do the bidding of corporate polluters by dismantling lifesaving health and climate protections like the Clean Power Plan. This protection established the first federal limit on climate-changing carbon pollution released from power plants and is projected to prevent 90,000 child asthma attacks, 300,000 missed work and school days, and up to 3,600 premature deaths annually by
2030 according to EPA estimates. Repealing it would mean more sick kids, more expensive hospital visits, and thousands of premature deaths that could have been prevented. I urge you to join those who condemn the decision by the Trump administration to weaken America’s clean car standards, which reduce tailpipe pollution, fight climate change, and save families money at the pump. A recent EPA study found when it comes to particulate air pollution—which is linked to premature death in people with heart or lung disease, irregular heartbeats and decreased lung function—the health burden on black lives is 54 percent higher than the health burden on the American population overall. Additionally, the clean car standards have saved American drivers over $80 billion to date. Rolling back standards that reduce pollution and save drivers money makes no sense. If that wasn’t enough, EPA Administrator Wheeler is also moving to dismantle the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards. These protections help safeguard our communities against mercury, soot, and other deadly toxicants from coal and oil-burning power plants. EPA estimates that federal mercury pollution protections prevent up to 11,000 premature deaths, 130,000 asthma attacks, and 4,700 heart attacks each year. Mercury pollution is particularly hazardous, endangering pregnant women, unborn children, kids and other vulnerable communities causing severe brain damage to those exposed to it. With 68 percent of African Americans living within 30 miles of a coal-fired power plant, and more than 6.7 million living in a county that is home to a refinery, Wheeler’s “Poison Plan” hits close to home. The saying goes that actions speak louder than words, and by that standard, Trump and Administrator Wheeler’s moves to gut these safeguards are heard loud and clear in our community. Instead of rolling back the progress, we should be moving forward in addressing the needs of our communities, the environment, and climate change. On Earth Day, the fight for environmental justice continues with greater urgency. Celebrate the day by speaking out against the Trump administration’s dangerous actions and speaking up for clean air, clean water, and safer communities.
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April 25, 2019
NEW ARENA FOR CLIPPERS?
HERE’S WHAT OWNER STEVE BALLMER WANTS IT TO HAVE By ThePostGame Staff
Despite some lawsuits against their efforts, the Los Angeles Clippers are confident that they will be playing in a new arena starting in 2024. The Clippers have identified a location in Inglewood, near the NFL stadium that the Rams and Chargers will share, and owner Steve Ballmer has been touring venues around the country to borrow successful architectural ideas. One certainty, Ballmer told attendees at the World Congress of Sports, is that the arena will not be home for a hockey team, which allows it to be constructed in a way that puts fans closer to the court. “I like Utah quite a bit,” Ballmer said of Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City. “Utah is very condensed, very noisy. They’ve just done a remodel to give them very nice luxury spaces.” Another reason why Ballmer wants the Clippers to have their own arena is scheduling. At Staples Center, the Clippers are third in the pecking order behind the Lakers and Kings for scheduling preferences. Check out the video above for more of Ballmer’s thoughts regarding a new home for the Clippers.
CALIFORNIA SENATE APPROVES
BAN ON
HAIRSTYLE DISCRIMINATION By Associated Press
California could become one of the first states to outlaw racial discrimination because of hairstyles — such as braids and dreadlocks — in a move aimed at challenging longheld standards of professionalism in the workplace. The California Senate voted 37-0 on Monday to approve a bill that would update the state’s antidiscrimination law so that the term “race” includes “traits historically associated with race.” Federal and state laws ban discrimination based on religious hairstyles and head coverings. But federal courts have not extended those protections more broadly because of race, ruling that because hairstyle was a choice, companies could require workers to follow certain stan-
dards as a condition of employment. Sen. Holly Mitchell, a Los Angeles Democrat, said the bill was necessary to challenge “Eurocentric standards of beauty” that have dominated professional dress codes. “And so even though African Americans were no longer explicitly excluded from the workplace, black features and mannerisms remain unacceptable,” she said. Mitchell said these grooming policies often disproportionately affected African Americans, who would have to spend lots of money on expensive products to alter their hair. That thinking was most recently challenged in 2010, when a black woman, Chastity Jones, successfully applied for a job at an Alabama insurance company. But the company
Photo by: NBA(clippers digital)
later rescinded the job offer because Jones wore her hair in dreadlocks and refused to remove them. At the time, the company’s grooming policy required employees “to be dressed and groomed in a manner that projects a professional and businesslike image.” The company’s human resources manager, who is white, told Jones dreadlocks “tend to get messy,” according to court documents. In 2016, a federal appeals court sided with the company, ruling dreadlocks were not an unchangeable characteristic of race. The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal, which allowed the ruling to stand. But state and local governments could be changing that. Earlier this year, the New York City Human Rights Commission clarified that the city’s anti-discrimination laws do cover hairstyles. California’s proposal, if it becomes law, could prompt other states to follow. No one spoke against the bill on Monday, but Mitchell said some people worry her proposal would
result in a multitude of frivolous claims or that it could prevent companies from requiring workers to wear hairnets or other protective coverings. “By clarifying that hair texture and hairstyles are tied to racial identity, this bill actually helps makes employers aware of traits that have been historically excluded and helps them create grooming policies foster inclusion and diversity,” Mitchell said. The measure now heads to the state Assembly.
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April 25, 2019
EYE ON THE CITY GEORGE DOTSON
Mayor Butts opened the weekly city council meeting by congratulating the students from Hudnall Elementary School who won the Science Fair competition that was initiated by principal, Dr. Dawnyell Goolsby. The hands-on science fair challenged students in grades one to five to five and the winners were awarded a trophy by members of the city council, while Dr. Goolsby was presented with a proclamation that was signed by the entire council members and read aloud my Mayor Butts. Dr. Goolsby thanked Council member Eloy Morales and the other members of the council for their support and invited members of the community to visit her campus. Before the students left the council chambers Mayor Butts invited them to view the professionally produced video that was presented at the State of the City event that traced the recent history of the City of Inglewood.
ALEX PADILLA
JAMES BUTTS
The City Attorney announced the denial of 13 claims against the city, mostly for property damage. Denial precedes the claimant’s procedural step to sue the city. The council approved an Amendment to Agreement No. 17-441 with East Beach Inglewood, LLC, increasing the contract amount by $4,000 (total contract amount of amount of $11,423) to cover the cost of additional Environmental Document Preparation associated with a proposed rezoning of two contiguous properties. The council adopted a resolution affirming the list of projects for Fiscal Year 2019-2020 that will be funded by the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017 (SB 1). The council approved an Amendment to Agreement No. 18-149 with Veneklasen Associates, Inc., to complete residential sound insulation work on 55 units. (FAA/ LAWA Funds) and an Amendment to Agreement No. 18-147 with The
HOW TO SCAN YOUR AIRBNB FOR
HIDDEN CAMERAS By Aaron Mak
Over the weekend, news outlets reported that a New Zealand man named Andrew Barker had found a camera, hidden in a smoke detector,
in his Airbnb that was livestreaming a feed of the living room. Barker was in Cork, Ireland, on a 14-month trip around Europe with his family when they checked into the rental
ELOY MORALES
RALPH FRANKLIN
Jones Payne Group to complete residential sound insulation work on 78 units. (FAA/LAWA Funds) The council approved the purchase and sale agreement between the City of Inglewood and Armando Navarro and Patricia Navarro (Husband and Wife as Joint Tenants) to secure 756 square feet of right-ofway from the larger parcel located at 10003 South Inglewood Avenue, needed to implement the Century Boulevard Mobility Improvement Project, subarea 3. (Tax Exempt Bond Funds) Mayor Butts explained that, despite the claims made on various social media sites, the city merely purchased the right-of-way to a sliver of the sidewalk that was needed to provide wheelchair access. The council recommended the introduction of an Ordinance amending Chapter 10 (Public Works) Article 8 (Wireless Telecommunications Facilities within the Public RightOf-Way) of the Inglewood Munici-
pal Code. During the council members comments portion of the meeting all of the members acknowledged the Hudnall Elementary school Science Fair winners, a tremendously successful State of the City Address and an extraordinary Earth Day Festival celebration. It was noted that the mayor’s state of the art presentation was attended by 700 individuals, comprised of top brass from the Los Angeles Rams, Los Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, state and local elected officials from throughout Southern California, and business, community and clerical leaders from throughout the region. The City of Inglewood, under the leadership of Mayor James T. Butts, and a supportive and independent city council, continues to demonstrate that the only thing different in the city is everything!
house. Once they unpacked, Barker, who works in IT security, conducted a scan of the Wi-Fi network and found a camera the owner had not mentioned. He was then able to connect to the camera and view the live feed. The next day, the Barkers notified Airbnb, but he told the media that
the company treated the incident like a canceled booking and just temporarily suspended the rooming post after a privacy investigation that the family found unsatisfactory. It wasn’t until Nealie Barker, Andrew’s wife, posted details of the incident on Facebook that Airbnb removed the listing and
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DEMOCRAT LEADERS DELIBERATE
“That’s going to be a very consequential decision and one I’m going to reserve judgment on until we have a chance to fully deliberate ocrats had raised the possibility of on it,” house intelligence committee chairman Adam Schiff told Fox impeachment in interviews. House judiciary committee chair- News Sunday. man Jerrold Nadler, whose panel would spearhead any such proceedings, said Democrats would “see where the facts lead us” after completing their own investigation. “Obstruction of justice, if proven, would be impeachable,” Mr Nadler told NBC’s Meet the Press. A redacted version of special counsel Robert Mueller’s report into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election was issued last week following a 22-month investigation. The findings detailed numerous occasions in which Mr Trump atDemocrats, who control the tempted to thwart the probe. While it fell short of concluding he had House of Representatives, planned committed a crime, it failed to exon- a conference call for Monday afternoon to discuss their next steps in erate him. Crucially, Mr Mueller also noted response to the Mueller report. Mr Nadler issued a subpoena to congress has the power to address whether the president had broken the Justice Department to hand over the law – and Democrats are expect- the full, unredacted report and uned to discuss what action to take in derlying evidence by 1 May. Before drawing any conclusions, the coming weeks. he said Democrats wanted to hear work and port scans for suspicious work if your device and the camera devices on the local Wi-Fi network are connected to the same Wi-Fi netdoesn’t require as much technical work. If the camera is on a different knowledge as you might fear. Nor network, or if it stores the footage on does it require expensive gear. an internal hard drive, you’ll have a Various apps that can perform the harder time finding it. For more descans for you; Barker recommends tails on how the scans work, check Angry IP Scanner, NetworkMapper, out the guide that Barker wrote for and Network Scanner by First Row. travelers after his Airbnb incident. In his Ireland Airbnb, Barker used Good old-fashioned sleuthNetwork Scanner for the network ing can also be helpful for finding scan and NetworkMapper for the cameras. Consumer-grade hidport scan, but most apps have both den cameras come embedded in a features. variety of different commonplace Check to see whether there are objects. Glance through the webinexplicably two smoke detectors in site for BrickHouse Security or the the same room. Amazon search results for the term Network scans generally allow “hidden camera” and you’ll find fake users to view the IP addresses and alarm clocks, USB chargers, manufacturers of devices connected buckets, lamps, stuffed anito the Wi-Fi. In Barker’s case, the mals, and bottles of Mounmanufacturer of the hidden record- tain Dew ($429–$519 on the ing device was literally listed as “IP- website Covert Law EnforceCAMERA.” Once you have the list, ment, if you’re curious) with it’s a good idea to work backward. discreet pinhole cameras. “You should in theory be able to tick When you enter a room, you off each device found through the should check around to see if scan to a device you are aware of and anything looks out of place. can physically see,” Barker wrote. “These things tend to stand If you see a device that looks sus- out like a sore thumb,” says picious, a port scan can help to iden- Dan Tentler, founder and tify its purpose. The scan will list the CEO of Phobos Group, a cydifferent ports for connecting to the bersecurity firm. For examdevice and the services they provide. ple, he recommends checking The services will be listed as short to see whether there are inexcodes; a Google search will gener- plicably two smoke detectors ally reveal what the codes mean. in the same room. For example, the code RDP indiHolding an object in your cates that users can remotely control hands can also help to dethe desktop of the computer. The termine whether it’s fake. codes RTMP and RTSP are for video “If there’s a can of Mountain streaming. Dew randomly sat on the These sorts of scans will only kitchen counter … and you
IMPEACHING TRUMP Trump has launched a fresh attack on Democrats, accusing the party of unspecified illegality following a weekend of talk about his possible impeachment. Democratic leaders have refused to rule out starting proceedings to remove the president from office after a heavily-redacted version of the Mueller report was released on Thursday. Some prominent party figures, including 2020 presidential hopefuls Elizabeth Warren and Julian Castro, have gone further by making outright calls for the impeachment process to begin. Mr Trump has responded to that prospect by claiming the Democrats have orchestrated a criminal conspiracy in order to undermine his administration, while providing no evidence. “How do you impeach a Republican President for a crime that was committed by the Democrats?” Mr Trump said on Twitter. The president’s accusation followed a day in which several DemContinued from page 7: How to Scan Your Airbnb for Hidden Cameras
admitted that the original response “did not meet the high standards we set for ourselves.” This isn’t the first time that an Airbnb guest has discovered hidden recording devices in a rental unit. As Ars Technica reported, a woman found a remote-controlled camera in the living room of an apartment she had been planning to stay in for a month in 2013. She sued both Airbnb and the apartment’s residents, alleging that the camera had filmed her without clothing and recorded intimate conversations she had with her partner. In 2017, Florida police arrested a man for video voyeurism after his Airbnb guests reported finding a camera in the bedroom’s smoke detector. Airbnb’s terms of service dictate that hosts must disclose the presence of cameras to their guests. It’s unclear how common a practice it is for Airbnb hosts to hide cameras in their units, but if you’re particularly worried about prying eyes, there are imperfect ways to search for invasive devices. “Hidden cameras are probably rare but there are steps that an average user can take to increase their chances of finding one if one exists,” Barker wrote in an email to Slate. “Since our incident I will be performing network and ports scans at every accommodation we stay at.” That seems like a good practice. But it also requires some knowledge. When the story hit the internet, lots of people found themselves wondering how, exactly, to scan a network. The good news is that doing net-
April 25, 2019
from Mr Mueller and attorney general William Barr, who is scheduled to testify in early May. Mr Trump has claimed complete vindication from the Mueller investigation after a summary of findings was released by Mr Barr in March.
However, since larger sections of the conclusions have been made public, the president has also attacked the report, describing its authors as “Angry Democrats” and Trump Haters”. He has called for an investigation of how the FBI began the probe, and has also tried to blame Democrats, accusing them of spying on his campaign. walk up and pick up the can, you’re going to immediately know that it’s a hidden camera,” says Tentler. Look for reflections when you shine a light on objects, which may reveal the presence of a lens. If and when you find such a device, make sure to alert Airbnb or the hotel. You might also want to inform law enforcement, especially if you’re in a state where two-party consent is required for recording. “If you find a camera, take pictures of it,” says Tentler. “Make noise, post pictures of the thing on the internet, on Twitter.” Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America