Los Angeles Downtown News 07/24/2023

‘Go for Stack’

+ Powerball winner

Taking the Helm David Prentice becomes CEO of Midnight Mission

California Science Center launches historic space shuttle display

By Luke Netzley LA Downtown News Deputy Editor

The city of Los Angeles has been selected as one of six cities included in prospective bill AB 645, which would authorize participants to begin a five-year speed camera pilot program.

During a recent news conference at Glendale’s Eleanor J. Toll Middle School, Assemblymember Laura Friedman joined local leaders to rally support for the program, which would permit the cities of Los Angeles, Long Beach, Oakland, San Jose, San Francisco and Glendale to install traffic cameras in school zones and areas known to have a history of speeding or crashes. The cameras would capture photos of cars traveling over the speed limit and allow the cities to mail speeding tickets to the driver’s home.

“A few years ago, unfortunately and tragically, a child was killed in front of these schools,” Friedman said. “We have far too many deaths happening across the roads in California, not just a few years ago but every day. And those deaths have been skyrocketing, believe it or not, in the last few years. … We have seen an increase in pedestrian and cyclist deaths in the state of California. We have seen an increase in street racing, reckless driving and people driving with a wanton disregard for safety and life.

“There’s a very human toll in terms of lives. Now we call these accidents when they happen, but most of them are not accidents. … They’re preventable through road design. They’re preventable through education and preventable through enforcement.”

Despite focusing on enforcement, Friedman explained that the new program was not built to be “punitive.” Drivers must be going at least 11 miles per hour over the speed limit to get a ticket from one of the cameras, and each driver’s first ticket serves as a warning. The second ticket will cost $50 for drivers going 11 miles per hour over the speed limit with a “small escalator” for every

additional 10 miles an hour over the limit. There will also be warning signs displayed before drivers enter a speed camera zone, and the tickets will not penalize drivers with license points.

“These are not meant to be cash cows for cities; they’re not meant to be revenue generators,” Friedman said. “If the cities don’t decrease the amount of tickets they’re issuing from the cameras, they have to either do physical improvements or stop using them all together, because our goal is to reduce speeding, not to issue tickets.

“All the money that’s generated goes to implementing the program, and anything that’s left over can only go to physical improvements for those same streets to make them safer. … We have been getting support for this bill from the legislators, but also from grassroots advocates and activists all over the state of California who are simply saying, ‘Enough is enough.’”

Glendale Mayor Dan Brotman added that federal traffic-control device guidelines can limit a city’s ability to implement engineering changes that make roads safer. He explained that while city officials may continue to redesign and re-engineer roads, the planning and construction processes can take years to complete and cost millions of dollars in infrastructure spending. He called AB 645 a short-term solution.

“Right now, the easiest way to implement technology is speed cameras,” Brotman said. “With AB 645, we will finally be able to test this technology. We don’t know what we don’t know, which is why this very modest pilot is so valuable. It has all the safeguards anyone could reasonably ask for to ensure fairness.

“Speeding kills. We’ve known that for a long time. It’s the primary factor determining whether a pedestrian or bicyclist survives being hit by a moving vehicle. … We also know that speeding doesn’t kill equally. It disproportionately kills lower-income people, children and se -

niors. … They are more often the ones who need to walk, bike or take transit to get where they’re going. These are real people, husbands, wives, parents, children, friends, co-workers and neighbors. This is a problem we can and must tackle.”

Following the implementation of 162 new speed cameras in Chicago, a study by the University of Illinois at Chicago found that speed camera violations were more likely to fine drivers in minority communities. Friedman said that AB 645’s program will be different.

“If you don’t take a very careful approach to this kind of legislation, you can certainly have unintended consequences in this bill,” she said. “We have measures to ensure that they are equitably distributed in every different kind of neighborhood in terms of income and ethnicity so that they’re not all put in certain types of neighborhoods. We also have a lengthy community process to use the camera so that the neighborhoods themselves can weigh in and say, ‘Yes, we have a problem in our neighborhood.’”

After passing with approval through the Senate Transportation Committee and the Senate Judiciary Committee, AB 645 will now move on to the Appropriations Committee following the legislative summer recess, which runs from July 14 to Aug. 14.

“We have addressed every concern that we believe has been brought up about this bill to the point where we think that, when this is signed into law, it will serve as a model for similar legislation around the nation,” Friedman said. “Speed cameras are being used in other states. They’re being used in New York City and many other places, and they have seen a dramatic decrease in speeding in the areas that they’re using the cameras. And they’ve also seen a dramatic decrease in injuries and deaths due to speeding and reckless driving. I’m hoping that we replicate those same results here.”

EXECUTIVE EDITOR:

Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

MANAGING EDITOR:

Morgan Owen

DEPUTY EDITOR:

Luke Netzley

STAFF WRITER:

Leah Schwartz, Laura Latzko

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS:

Lynda Lin Grigsby, Jeff Moeller, Ellen Snortland

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER:

Chris Mortenson

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS:

Adam Pantozzi, Noel Vasquez, Brian Rapapor, Josh Withers

GRAPHIC DESIGNER:

Arman Olivares

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES:

Catherine Holloway 213-308-2261

Michael Lamb 213-453-3548

Covered California will help DTNEWS

The Toughest Job

Warren Furutani wasn’t prepared for the political battlefield of public education

By Lynda Lin Grigsby

LA Downtown News Contributing Writer

Warren Furutani knows this season in his life is about his legacy.

The community activist and politician who served in the state assembly and school boards for 30 years has a lot of ground to cover. In his home office in the Harbor Gateway area of Los Angeles, Furutani is softer than when he served as a no-nonsense assembly member representing the 55th district.

“He was known for being straightforward, honest and direct in his interactions with others,” said Councilmember Kevin De León, a former assembly member colleague. “And for being unafraid to speak his mind or stand up for what he believed in.”

At 75 years old and retired from politics, Furutani has embraced a new title: grandpa.

“It’s just great,” Furutani said.

There are no meetings or budgets to sweat over. There’s time to catch up with neighbors and space to build a treehouse for his granddaughter. During the early isolation days of the pandemic, he retreated daily to his home office with iced coffee to record his legacy in his memoir, “Ac-tiv-ist.”

The narrative of Furutani’s book and career takes root in Los Angeles and stretches from Little Tokyo to the state Capitol and beyond. It’s a love song for the city and communities he served. From political rallies to community organizing in the shadows of Los Angeles’s city hall, Furutani was there with his booming voice and a preternatural ability to speak to the heart of a cause.

“I saw Warren as a visionary and revolutionary thinker,” said Nobuko Miyamoto, an artist and director of Great Leap, a Los Angeles-based multicultural arts program.

Warren Furutani/Submitted

Warren Furutani, pictured here speaking at Manzanar in 2019, helped to organize the first pilgrimage to the World War II incarceration site.

His vision has always been the same: to bring about political or social change.

‘Ac-tiv-ist’

During his 1984 run for president, Jesse Jackson became the first presidential candidate to make a campaign stop in Little Tokyo. The rally point was in the courtyard of the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center with its red hardscape designed by Isamu Noguchi. Furutani took the microphone, hushed the excited attendees, and introduced Jackson.

Miyamoto was in the crowd, transfixed by Furutani’s words.

“Warren had this uncanny way of being himself and yet having that same kind of charisma and relatable and dynamic way of speaking with people, for people and to people,” she said.

His feet were in Little Tokyo, but his vision was to create common ground with other communities. In 2020, Furutani came out of retirement from political life to work as a senior adviser to De León — primarily to consult on Little Tokyo issues.

It was the right choice, said Bill Watanabe, founding executive director of the Little Tokyo Service Center.

“Warren has a long and deep connection with the Japanese American community, which is perhaps symbolized by his strong affinity for Little Tokyo,” Watanabe said.

After two years, Furutani left the adviser post quietly, he said, a week before an audio recording of a conversation between several Los Angeles councilmembers rife with racist and derogatory remarks leaked. De León was ensnared in the controversy.

“I didn’t want anybody to think that I left Kevin’s office because of the political problems,” Furutani said. “My advice to Kevin was to weather the storm. Take it right on the chin — you know, mea culpa — and move on, because I think he really has a lot to contribute to Los Angeles.”

This seems surprising coming from Furutani, who in 2011 almost came to blows with another assembly member over racially charged comments about Italian Americans. These incidences are different, he said, because one was made publicly on the floor of the assembly. The leaked audiotape seemed to be a secret recording of a private conversation.

Besides, Furutani would much prefer to zoom out for the long-range view of the city he loves.

A modest proposal

Furutani is no stranger to tough jobs. Before serving two terms in the state assembly, he made history in 1987 as the first Asian American Pacific Islander to be elected to the Los Angeles Unified School District Board. Of all his elected or appointed political positions, he said being an LAUSD school board member was the hardest job he’s ever had. It’s a bold statement, but also unsurprising considering the size of the school district (the second largest in the United States) and the high stakes of making decisions that directly affect the most important member of any family.

From 1987 to 1995, Furutani was one of the seven-member board members who oversaw changes to year-round school schedules and the launch of some of the state’s first charter schools.

In 1987, Warren Furutani, pictured here with his wife Lisa Furutani, made history as the first Asian American Pacific Islander to be elected to the Los Angeles Unified School District Board.

Even though it’s legacy time, Furutani’s voice drips with passion when he talks about his ideas to solve some of the current problems dogging the school district. He outlines the plan in his book — a modest proposal to anyone willing to listen.

“Public education for me is the most important democratic institution in our country,” he said. “As the public education system goes, so goes our democracy.”

In “Ac-tiv-ist,” Furutani dedicates a chapter to the trappings of public education as a “political battlefield” mired in bureaucracy. When he first ran for school board, his son, Sei Malik Furutani, was entering kindergarten, so he had vested interest. Before that, Furutani attended LAUSD schools just like his brothers and father. The way he sees it, his family has a long-standing investment in the Los Angeles public education system.

And he sees systemic flaws.

It’s the only sentence in Furutani’s memoir that is printed in bold: He thinks the crux of the problem is that LAUSD is too big. Managing it is like trying to steer an ocean liner. Because of its size, changing course is difficult. As set up, the school board makes decisions but only has authority over the superintendent, so the district’s large bureaucracy makes it inefficient and reactionary to issues.

Why not make LAUSD nimbler, he proposed, by breaking it up into a federation of seven school districts divided geographically with seven elected school boards?

“It would foster, I think, healthy competition between the different districts,” Furutani said. “But, most importantly, would facilitate involvement at the local level.”

Education for all

Furutani was a school board member during a tumultuous time of painful budget cuts and overcrowding, said Jackie Goldberg, a current LAUSD school board member who served a term with Furutani.

“I remember that he and I would sometimes sit at the end of a meeting and just cry,” Goldberg said.

During his school board tenure, LAUSD established the first 10 charter schools in California. The intent was to use the charter schools as ways of innovation and to create different approaches to public education. But as it turned out, he said, charter schools have now become a stalking horse for privatization in public education.

“Rather than being a complement to the public education system, they’re viewed as competitors,” Furutani said. “The very basis of public education is that it’s for everybody. A lot of the charter schools are doing good work, I get it. But they’re small. How do you replicate that in a big system?”

Politics and public service can be fickle. Once you leave the glare of the spotlight, it’s easy to be forgotten, Furutani said. He paused here as if to let the words land. Can someone who spent most of his career agitating for change be OK with the stillness of retired life? Now with his legacy recorded in his memoir, he hesitated to punctuate his political career with an end mark. Instead, he seemed to leave the door open for a second un-retirement, a possibility his wife, Lisa Furutani, said is likely.

Perhaps another appointed position will be in his future. After all, he served on the assembly with now-Mayor Karen Bass.

“I want to help out any way I can,” Furutani said.

With Special Tribute to J Dilla MUSIC

Grandmaster Flash + Tierra Whack

Saturday, Aug 26. | 8–11 p.m.

East West Bank Plaza at The Broad

Celebrate the 50th anniversary of hip hop with a concert by the legendary Grandmaster Flash fast-rising superstar Tierra Whack DJs Monalisa and Wyldeflower will pay tribute to J Dilla special appearance by his brother Illa J This concert is presented in conjunction with The Broad’s special exhibition Keith Haring: Art Is for Everybody

Get tickets at thebroad.org and , with a

The influence of hip hop on Haring is evident in his linework, radiant energy, and use of color, and the social commentary found throughout his work parallels ideas expressed in hip hop and rap.

Warren Furutani/Submitted

School board member Warren Furutani meets with Mayor Tom Bradley in 1987.

Covered California will help DTNEWS

From Intern to CEO

David Prentice takes helm of the Midnight Mission in ‘culmination’ of his career

By Morgan Owen LA Downtown News Managing Editor

When David Prentice applied to replace his retiring mentor, Michael Arnold, as CEO of the Midnight Mission, he had no expectations. If anything, he said, he was applying as practice for when the position opened again.

But the more Prentice thought about the position, the more he was sure he was the right candidate.

“I don’t think anybody can lead the Midnight Mission without the passion for what it is we do,” Prentice said. “Processing what the Midnight Mission does, what my experience has been and looking at the passion I have for the organization. … I really felt I could be effective as the CEO.”

By the time the board of directors called Prentice in to congratulate him, Prentice was so ready to take on the challenge that his first thought was, “OK, then. Let’s get to work.”

From the beginning, the Midnight Mission called to Prentice. An adopted child, he had a complicated childhood. After his parents divorced, Prentice’s father died as a result of acute alcoholism. In early adulthood, Prentice was headed down the same path.

“I had an opportunity to be homeless,” Prentice said. “I know what it feels like to feel hopeless when you burn all your bridges and you can’t call anybody in your family. It’s Thanksgiving and you’re not getting invited by anybody anywhere during those dark, gray California days. It’s a very desperate and hopeless feeling.

“When I got sober and started putting my life back together, I saw what was going on at the Midnight Mission. I was overwhelmed by the level of commitment from the staff. I had been to several rehabs myself as a client, and to see how they were doing it really impressed me.”

In 2012, Prentice began at the Midnight Mission as an intern during his certification as an alcohol and drug counselor. Prentice said the Midnight Mission was the only place that told him they could not promise a full-time job at the end of his internship — but they did promise the best education possible in the field.

On the last day of his internship, the Midnight Mission surprised him with an offer to become a full-time alcohol and drug counselor. He thrived, and the mission promoted him to assistant program manager for the treatment program.

Prentice said it was there that he started to take on responsibility and spread his wings.

After that, Prentice moved into the development side of the nonprofit. In his most recent role with the organization, he was put in charge of assessing the feasibility of expanding the Midnight Mission out of Skid Row into the San Fernando Valley.

“We just finished the feasibility study, and we absolutely determined there’s a critical need for services in the San Fernando Valley,” Prentice said. “The situation as it looks in Skid Row can happen anywhere if we don’t get ahead of it and start treating people. … I see a fully functional facility, emergency services and outreach where we can go out into the encampments under the bridges and start building relationships.”

The Midnight Mission isn’t a shelter, explained Prentice; it’s a place that strives to set people up for success in all areas of their life. Sometimes the path out of homelessness is as simple as a few missing credits to a high school diploma or basic job training. The point is, “We need to identify what made this person homeless in the first place. … Give a man a fish, he’s

good for a day. Teach a man to fish, he’s good for a lifetime,” Prentice quoted. Prentice said he owes a lot to the Midnight Mission. It was there that Prentice reconnected with his biological mother. As it turns out, they chose similar life paths. She works for a women’s homeless shelter in West Virginia, is sober and is devoutly religious like him.

“Thanks to the Midnight Mission, she got blessed with a son she could be proud of, and I owe a lot of that to the Midnight Mission. And, of course, being named CEO, she is just beaming,” Prentice said. “She’s been out here several times, and every time she comes, she volunteers in the kitchen and on different holidays. It’s a blessing, and I attribute that to my relationship with the Midnight Mission.”

But Prentice’s journey with the Midnight Mission hasn’t been easy. “They tell you

601

when you are getting your certification that if you’re going to be a drug and alcohol counselor, you will go to funerals. Although Prentice couldn’t recount any of those instances due to confidentiality, he said it can be a tough job working with the Midnight Mission.

As CEO, Prentice has a vision of making the Midnight Mission one of the premier providers of homeless care in Los Angeles. In particular, Prentice said he wants to expand the nonprofit’s women’s services and build a more robust drug and alcohol treatment program.

“When I go to work, I see the successes. I have participants that call me to say, ‘Dave, I’ve (been sober) 10 years today. Thank you so much. I’m married, I bought a house and I’m working.’ I go in and focus on those successes. And I’m able to see that because I’m a product of that, too.”

Midnight Mission

213-624-9258

midnightmission.org

Midnight Mission/Submitted

After 14 years working with nonprofits, David Prentice was appointed as CEO of Midnight Mission.

Covered California will help DTNEWS

Powerball Winner

Ticket in DTLA hits $1.08B jackpot

By LA Downtown News Staff

The Powerball jackpot has been won in California, as a single ticket sold in Downtown Los Angeles matched all six numbers drawn on July 19. Final ticket sales pushed the jackpot beyond its earlier estimate of $1 billion to $1.08 billion at the time of the drawing, making it the third-largest Powerball jackpot and sixth largest U.S. lottery jackpot ever won. The jackpot has a cash value of $558.1 million.

The winning numbers in the drawing were white balls 7, 10, 11, 13 and 24 and red Powerball 24, while the Power Play multiplier was 2X. The winning ticket was sold at Las Palmitas Mini Market in the Fashion District.

“Congratulations to our newest Powerball jackpot winner and the California Lottery,” said Drew Svitko, Powerball Product Group chair and Pennsylvania Lottery executive director. “For more than 30 years, Powerball has brought people together to dream big and win big and, in doing so, has raised billions of dollars for good causes supported by lotteries. A portion of every Powerball ticket sold during this jackpot run will go toward furthering that legacy of supporting public programs and services in your community.”

The lucky ticket holder will have the choice between an annuitized prize of $1.08 billion or a lump-sum payment of $558.1 million. Both prize options are before taxes. If the winner selects the annuity option, they will receive one immediate payment followed by 29 annual payments that increase by 5% each year.

Even though the jackpot was won by a single ticket, participating lotteries are reminding players to check their tickets for one of the nine ways to win. Nationwide, the Powerball drawing produced more than 4.8 million winning tickets, with players winning lower-tier cash prizes worth a combined $85.1 million.

The Powerball jackpot eluded players for three months, before it was finally hit in the 39th drawing of the jackpot run. Other Powerball jackpots this year include a $754.6 million jackpot won in Washington on Jan. 5, a $162.6 million jackpot won in Virginia on March 4, and a $252.6 million jackpot won in Ohio on April 19.

There were 36 other top-winning tickets in the July 19 Powerball drawing (CA7, CT, FL-4, IL, IN, KY, MA-3, MD-2, MO, NH, NJ-2, NY-5, OH, TX-4, WI, WV) that matched all five white balls to win $1 million prizes. Three tickets (FL, PA, RI) matched all five white balls and won $2 million prizes by including the Power Play option for an additional $1 per play. There were also 195 tickets that won $50,000 prizes and 62 tickets that won $100,000 prizes.

Powerball holds the current world record for largest national lottery jackpot at $2.04 billion. Powerball celebrated its 30th anniversary last year, and since its first drawing in 1992, the game has helped generate more than $29 billion for good causes supported by U.S. lotteries.

More than half of all proceeds from the sale of a Powerball ticket remain in the jurisdiction where the ticket was sold.

Covered California will help DT CONSIDER THIS

Michelin Mystery

Where the rubber meets the restaurant, stars will follow

By Ellen Snortland LA Downtown News Columnist

One of my former students from Cal State Los Angeles wrote to me while she was briefly in town. “We’re taking you and your husband to a Michelin-rated Chinese restaurant to thank you for the years of service you have provided for so many of your students.” Until recently, Joan had also been in my private writing classes.

“That would be lovely,” I said. Joan grew up in the heart of Beijing and has come to study in Southern California and then stayed.

We met her at Bistro Na’s in Temple City, a predominantly Asian area of the San Gabriel Valley. We had already perused Bistro Na’s online menu and were very excited at the prospect of dining there.

We walked into the lobby and noticed the Michelin stars prominently displayed for 2019 and 2021. “Hmm…” I thought. “Where are 2022 and 2023?”

Bistro Na’s is part of a Beijing-based franchise specializing in the Imperial cuisine of the Qing Dynasty and is well known by the best chefs in Los Angeles who often dine there. The décor is serene, featuring Chinese musical instruments mounted near the ceiling in “shadow boxes.” We were warmly greeted and seated.

Joan asked us each to pick a dish. The prices are high; Joan and her spouse are not rich, so I was embarrassed, as they were so proud and excited to treat us! I had my mouth set on a $26 bowl of soup I’d seen on the website. Joan encouraged me to order it, even though we couldn’t share.

“Pick another dish, not just the soup,” she urged, so I ordered the smoked duck breast. It arrived in a few minutes and was astonishingly good, a room-temperature appetizer I could have been happy with as a main dish. The other entrees came soon after and were… OK. Nothing was mind-and-palate-bendingly good, nor worth the prices on the menu. But where was the soup?

I kept waiting for it… and waiting… and waiting. I asked, and they said the chef was still working on it. Finally, the soup arrived — a covered cup of vaguely chicken-flavored water with gray, rubbery, bony chicken chunks. It looked nothing like the photo I’d seen. What a

letdown!

My husband tried some of the soup and agreed it was gross. I thought about sending it back; however, it was so late in the meal that I decided to blow it off and never eat there again.

Afterward, it occurred to me that I didn’t know anything about Michelin stars. All these years being impressed by a Michelin rating… What does it mean, exactly? And how is one earned? How does a restaurant lose it? If the soup was an indicator, I could see how Bistro Na’s could be lacking.

I wrote a Yelp review, which was less than glowing, although I held back. Bistro Na’s PR folks responded quickly on Yelp. They wished I’d complained during the meal. While I understand that, I was thinking of my hosts, and it just seemed wrong to complain in front of them.

Yes, this is the same Michelin as the tire company. To encourage auto journeys in the early 1900s, then post-World War I, Michelin published a guide to recommended restaurants. According to TripSavvy.com, the three-star system goes like so:

One star: A good place to stop on your journey, indicating a very good restaurant in its category, offering cuisine prepared to a consistently high standard.

Two stars: A restaurant worth a detour, indicating excellent cuisine and skillfully and carefully crafted dishes of outstanding quality

Three stars: A restaurant worth a special journey, indicating exceptional cuisine where diners eat extremely well, often superbly. Distinctive dishes are

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precisely executed using superlative ingredients.

When rubber was a precious commodity, and automobiles were rare, a person didn’t want to waste precious resources on any ol’ place! Now it’s the same, except it’s gas prices that have gone skyhigh. You don’t want to be a Downtown Los Angeles or Westside “foodie” and undertake a significant schlep if the restaurant is not good.

Considering their reputation, I informed Bistro Na’s that I wanted to give them another chance since I was planning on writing a piece about Michelin ratings anyway due to my ignorance about the process.

As it turns out, Michelin sends out anonymous reviewers who specialize in not being noticed. We stuck out, so the service at Bistro Na’s “take two” was over the top; if we’d asked them to feed us, I think they would have! Our server also irritated me by sucking up to my husband a lot, even though I was the point

person. I didn’t need her to be obsequious with me, but I wanted to be at least equal in her attention.

I’m happy to report that, this time, the soup was excellent, and every dish we ordered lived up to its potential and reputation.

Of course, every restaurant has “off” nights, but you never know. It’s probably a good idea to regard every customer as a potential Michelin reviewer.

And maybe it’d be judicious to double-check that lid-covered cup of chicken soup. After all, a Michelin reviewer can giveth a star and also taketh it away.

2023 marks the 30th year that Ellen Snortland has written this column and was one of three winners of the LA Press Club’s Journalist of the Year. She also teaches creative writing online and can be reached at ellen@beautybitesbeast.com. Her award-winning film “Beauty Bites Beast” is available for download or streaming at vimeo.com/ondemand/beautybitesbeast. www.ladowntownnews.com

Ellen Snortland

Covered California will help DT COVER STORY

‘Go for Stack’

California

Science Center launches historic space shuttle display

By Luke Netzley LA Downtown News Deputy Editor

The California Science Center has begun a roughly six-month process of lifting the space shuttle Endeavour into a vertical launch position for an upcoming 20-story display in the under-construction Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center.

By combining Endeavour with solid rocket boosters and an external tank, the center will create the world’s only display of an authentic, ready-to-launch space shuttle system.

“It’s awe inspiring,” said Jeff Rudolph, president and CEO of the California Science Center Foundation. “It’s a sight very few people actually even got to see at Kennedy Space Center up close because the launchpad was a secure area and hard to get to. The few people that did see it would always talk about how amazing it was to go up to the level of the entry and the hatch. You look down and it’s more awe-inspiring than you can imagine. The outcome is going to be just an incredible exhibit.”

The first step in building the 200-foot vertical configuration was to start installing the two aft skirts, both measuring 18 feet in diameter, on top of which solid rocket motors will be stacked to form the solid rocket boosters. The installation of the aft skirts, which lay the foundation upon which the entire shuttle stack will be built, began on July 20 to commemorate Space Exploration Day.

The next step in the “Go for Stack” process will be to move and lift the external tank, ET-94, into place. ET-94 is a lightweight tank and was moved from the Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans to the California Science Center in 2016. The tank, which was built to carry fuel and oxidizer, never flew to space and served as a hardware testing piece after ET-93’s involvement in the space shuttle Columbia tragedy, which resulted in the death of all seven crewmembers in 2003.

The final milestone in the stacking process will be to move Endeavour across Exposition Park and combine the orbiter with the rest of the shuttle stack. This feat, which Rudolph described as “very technically challenging,” has never been done outside of a NASA facility.

“We’re (building) it outside in Los Angeles at a construction site,” Rudolph said with a laugh. “The primary difference is that the vehicle assembly building at Kennedy Space Center had a series of bridge cranes built into the building. It had a series of platforms that were built to come out from the structure to gain access to all the points where you had to attach bolts and hardware to put the whole stack together. We don’t have any of that, so it’ll involve, as we do this and put the pieces together, building scaffolding that will go up about 15 stories tall.

“Once the aft skirts are attached to the seismic isolator pad, the margin of error in alignment is less than one tenth of an inch, the width of a nickel. And anything be -

yond that will make the rest of the space shuttle-stacking process impossible. The parts won’t all fit. We’re fortunate to have a highly specialized and accomplished team with deep roots in the space shuttle program led by our Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center project director Dennis Jenkins.”

After successfully completing 25 missions into space, including the first service mission to the Hubble Space Telescope, Endeavour has made its home at the California Science Center for the past 11 years. The orbiter will remain on display in a horizontal position at the California Science Center until Sunday, Dec. 31, until the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center opens to the public in several years with the Endeavour shuttle stack as its star attraction.

Adding 100,000 square feet and 100 new educational exhibits, the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center will be a major expansion that will double the California Science Center’s educational space. The artifacts and hands-on experiences of its air, shuttle and space galleries will provide new educational opportunities for visitors with free general admission.

For Rudolph, the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center represents the third phase of the California Science Center’s master plan and a dream that has been decades in the making. He said that his hope for the Endeavour shuttle stack display is to not only capture people’s attention but to then ex-

plain the science and engineering behind it and explore the challenges and opportunities of space travel.

“In the early 1990s when we were developing the science center’s master plan and planned an air and space section, we thought about major things that we’d like to have in there, … all intended to inspire and motivate future scientists, engineers and explorers,” Rudolph said. “At the time, we said, ‘Someday they’ll retire the space shuttles and we should try to get one.’ And the best way to display one, both to show the whole system and what it actually took to get into space and to inspire people of all ages, was to put it in launch position.

“I personally had great experiences at science centers early in my life. … I grew up during an era when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin first landed on the moon, and it captivated the world’s attention. And then I remember the space shuttle’s first flight. … I’ve continued to have been fascinated by our exploration, including the amazing work JPL does in robotic exploration and landing a rover on Mars and a helicopter on Mars. All of this allows us to learn about new worlds and to learn about our own planet by looking back at Earth. So much of what we know about our own planet comes from Earth observation, how we follow a lot of climate change issues, how we analyze and see what’s happening with our droughts and our fires. That’s relevant to all of us.”

Chris Mortenson/Staff

Workers prepare to fasten the first aft skirt of the new Endeavour vertical launch exhibit.

Chris Mortenson/Staff

One of the aft skirts is hoisted into the future Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center.

Covered California will help DTFEATURES

The Perfect Partner

Sake fans help raise funds for Little Tokyo Service Center

By Laura Latzko LA Downtown News Staff Writer

With one-on-one interactions with seniors, youth, families and others in need, the Little Tokyo Service Center fosters change in Downtown LA and the surrounding areas.

The Little Tokyo-based organization will raise funds for its programs through Sake on the Rocks.

In its 15th year, the fundraiser is Friday, July 28, at the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center Plaza. The evening allows patrons to try sake from 23 Japanese breweries and food and beverages from more than 20 local restaurants and beverage vendors. Representatives from the breweries will talk about their products.

DJs will provide the soundtrack. The event also features a sake barrel-breaking ceremony and a shochu cocktail contest.

Mutual Trading Co. Inc will offer an interactive game such as sake trivia.

Derek Mio — an actor best known for “The Terror,” “Greek,” “G.B.F.” and “The Emoji Movie” — will host the shochu cocktail-making contest.

During the activity, community members representing different organizations — including the Japanese American National Museum, the Go for Broke National Education Center and API Equality-LA — will try their hand at making shochu cocktails. Modeled after “Iron Chef,” the contest will see contestants asked to make cocktails on the spot with chosen ingredients and garnishes.

“What we try to do is bring them to the

stage and share the spotlight with other organizations in the community,” said Sharon Kamegai Cocita, the Little Tokyo Service Center director of development.

Kamegai Cocita said the fundraiser is fun but still ties into the organization’s origins and mission.

The service center was founded in 1979 by Japanese American activists who wanted to offer social services, including linguistic assistance, to the Japanese and Japanese American community in Southern California.

Kamegai Cocita said the event pays

homage to its roots while sharing a taste of Japanese heritage and culture.

The event highlights local restaurants from Little Tokyo, Chinatown, Boyle Heights, Culver City, East Hollywood and West LA.

“They represent the different neighborhoods and the different cuisines of Los Angeles,” Kamegai Cocita said.

“So, in that way, it’s a lovely tie-in to who we are. Our client base is just so diverse and represents the diversity of Los Angeles.”

Among the items are Asian-inspired tacos, cookies and pastries as well as small bites of sushi, yakitori skewers and curry.

There will be plenty of time for guests to socialize and network.

“I think that when you go to an event, it’s so great to have that opportunity to connect with folks maybe you haven’t seen in a long time or just meet new folks,” Kamegai Cocita said.

Boosting programs

Little Tokyo Service Center’s primary fundraiser, Sake on the Rocks raises around $400,000 for the organization’s programs.

Kamegai Cocita said guests can learn about the Little Tokyo Service Center that evening.

“It brings in people from different neighborhoods and backgrounds to learn more

about our organization and build an appreciation for our neighborhood, community and our small businesses here and also more appreciation for our Japanese heritage,” Kamegai Cocita said.

Kamegai Cocita said over the years, the populations served by the organization have expanded.

“We started with the Japanese community because there were no social service organizations that would provide services in the Japanese language. But we have grown considerably since then. We provide services in Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Spanish and English,” Kamegai Cocita said.

With a 114-person staff, the organization serves about 10,000 clients, while the recreation center sees around 50,000 visitors. The Little Tokyo Service Center offers child care, bilingual case management, community organizing and planning, early childhood education, civic engagement, tax preparation assistance, financial literacy workshops and counseling, long-term care and insurance workshops, senior caregiver support, senior mental health counseling and therapy, identity theft and fraud avoidance workshops, affordable housing projects, domestic violence transitional housing and local business support.

“We are all about community self-determination. So, anything that is causing

Little Tokyo Service Center/Submitted

During the Little Tokyo Service Center’s Sake on the Rocks event, there is a sake barrel-breaking ceremony.

Little Tokyo Service Center/Submitted

During Little Tokyo Service Center’s Sake on the Rocks event, guests can try sake from Japanese breweries.

a barrier to a community achieving happiness, fulfillment and opportunity, that’s what we address to have a healthy community,” Kamegai Cocita said.

“So, we are tackling the big issues that are standing in the way of communities achieving that.”

Recently, the organization started a homeless services program. Kamegai Cocita said it was important to help people in Skid Row, which borders the service center.

“We have experts in social service,” she said.

“We have experts in building affordable housing and project management. We have experts in all these different communities. We pooled that expertise plus hired on folks that are very experienced in homeless outreach, and we started that program last year.”

Through its Mi CASA after school programs, the Little Tokyo Service Center works with elementary, middle school and high school students from low-income neighborhoods. The program offers college prep support and homework assistance as well as arts and crafts, dance and sports activities.

The center runs a summer camp for Mi Casa participants, who go on field trips and take part in music, dance, martial arts and sports activities.

As part of their small-business program,

the service center works closely with local businesses, helping them in areas such as building an online presence. Kamegai Cocita said this was especially important during the pandemic.

“These longtime legacy businesses, they started off before there was online ordering. We really needed to work with them during COVID so that they could survive during that,” Kamegai Cocita said.

They also hold free workshops for small businesses and entrepreneurs.

“It’s all about sharing knowledge with our community to make it stronger,” Kamegai Cocita said.

One of their programs, Changing Tides,

works to destigmatize mental health issues and getting help for those who need it in the Asian American and Pacific Islander community.

The organization recently held its Ripple Effect walkathon, which is focused on suicide prevention and awareness.

The service center often works with other social services organizations and groups on their efforts.

“We feel like we need to partner with other folks in the community and work together to help bring up the whole community,” Kamegai Cocita said.

Last year, they opened the Terasaki Budokan recreation center, which houses sports leagues and tournaments, hula

and taiko classes, events such as comedy nights and concerts, after-school sports and arts programs, basketball academies, martial arts training, yoga classes and improv workshops.

Along with a gymnasium with basketball and volleyball courts, the space has a courtyard, a community room and an outdoor plaza area with a stage.

The organization hosts a range of senior activities and classes at the rec center, including karaoke, mahjong, computer and English classes, Zumba, exercises classes, art activities, table tennis, ukulele lessons, pingpong and yoga.

Kamegai Cocita said the senior programs are meant to promote physical and mental health and combat isolation among seniors.

“We’ve been wanting to have a recreation center for a very long time. I’m talking 20-plus years,” she said.

“We finished construction during COVID in 2021. We were able to actually open to the public in 2022 after COVID restrictions were lifted.”

Little Tokyo Service Center’s Sake on the Rocks Fundraiser

WHEN: 7 to 10 p.m. Friday, July 28

WHERE: Japanese American Cultural and Community Center Plaza, 244 San Pedro Street, Los Angeles

COST: $175 general admission, which includes unlimited food and drink INFO: ltsc.org/sake2023

Little Tokyo Service Center/Submitted

Little Tokyo Service Center offers classes and activities for seniors.

Covered California will help DTBUSINESS

Shine Gold for Cancer

Dunkin’ begins donation campaign for area childrens’ hospitals

By Morgan Owen LA Downtown News Managing Editor

Dunkin’ will give customers a way to “shine gold” with the option of a $2 donation for area children’s hospitals, including Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. Through Aug. 5, customers will receive a limited Gold Joy Donut in return for their donation.

The focus of Dunkin’s Shine Gold initiative is to encourage customers to donate to the Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation.

Grants from the initiative will be given away to programming in childrens’ hospitals with a focus on childhood illness and oncology, bringing smiles through art, music and integrated therapy; they will also be used to fund adaptive equipment for children with mobility issues.

“Dunkin’ is proud to shine gold to support children battling illness right here in our communities,” said Jamie Struwe, Dunkin’ field marketing manager. “Cancer has touched many of our lives, and it’s an ordeal no child or parent should face. Together with the community, we look forward to helping bring joy to kids fighting cancer.”

The Gold Joy Donut is decorated with a ring of gold icing and yellow sprinkles, topped with a glazed donut hole. The design pays homage to the ribbon rep -

resenting childhood cancer awareness. According to the American Cancer Society, approximately 10,000 children under 15 were diagnosed with cancer in the United States throughout 2023. Since the Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood

Foundation was started in 2006, it has raised more than $45 million for national and local nonprofits. According to the company, the foundation awarded 650 grants totaling more than $9.5 million. All the proceeds raised from the Shine

‘The Greatest Hack’

ParkUp makes finding a spot in Downtown Los Angeles just a little easier

By parkUp

Imagine the average Angeleno sitting in traffic for an hour, and by the time they get Downtown, they’re late for an appointment, just about ready to implode, let alone have to deal with that scary word that gives the chills — that’s right, the “P” word.

Parking has always been such a pain, especially when driving around the crazy streets of Downtown, but we may have finally found a solution. Local startup ParkUp is basically the ultimate parking hack and can be found at the palm of your hand with your mobile device. This app can make the parking experi -

ence a tad bit more dandy.

No more circling the block endlessly with your fingers crossed, hoping for a spot to open. No more seeing a car pulling out of a spot and stepping on the gas to get one, before another car ultimately makes an illegal U-turn from the other side of the street to get there first. No more parallel parking only to find the spot is a 10-minute parking zone.

No more seeing a parking attendant with a too-good-to-be-true $5 sign posted at the entrance only to find out after you pull in that the daily rate is much higher.

ParkUp lets you actually compare pric -

es and pay for your parking spot all on the same app. You know exactly how much it’s going to cost without any hidden fees or gimmicks or the million other headaches that come with parking in this city.

So don’t worry if you forgot to bring cash from home, and please don’t bother with the parking meter that always seems to be broken.

ParkUp has created a super simple, user-friendly app that brings it all together in the palm of your hands. Yes, downloading it may be a little annoying the first time, but the minute or two spent doing it can save you money. It’s like the greatest hack no one ever thought of, surprising considering what an unpleasant experience parking Downtown can be.

Gold initiative will be given to area children’s hospitals through the foundation. There are two Dunkin’ locations in Downtown Los Angeles, one at 754 S. Olive Street and another at 410 E. Washington Boulevard.

Dunkin’ Donuts/Submitted

Dunkin’s Gold Joy Donut was designed to pay homage to the cancer awareness flag.

Covered California will help DT

Breaking the Fourth Wall

Corey Helford Gallery presents its newest group exhibition

By Leah Schwartz

LA Downtown News Staff Writer

Th e Corey Helford Gallery is celebrating its newest addition to the space with a group exhibition highlighting four world-renowned artists: Chloe Early, HUSH, Ian Francis and RYOL.

“The Fourth Wall” opened earlier this month and will close on Saturday, Aug. 19. The title refers to the performance and literary convention in which an imagery partition exists, separating the viewer from the art. This metaphorical wall can be toyed with and crossed by the artistic subject for a metatheatrical effect.

Each artist hints at this awareness in some way. “They’re offering their artwork in a transitional phase,” Corey Helford Gallery Director Sherri J. Trahan said.

For example, Irish oil painter Chloe Early’s work is dreamlike, with characters seeming to come in and out of reality. In her piece “Day-Glo Wanderstar,” Early depicts a female figure suspended in space, almost as if in flight. The figure interacts with a buoyancy float in a manner that makes it unclear which is keeping the other afloat.

“I’m interested in circular objects from a symbolic perspective. To me they represent continuity and life cycles, and the shape reminds me of planets, their rings

and orbital paths. I also like that these swim rings are reminiscent of childhood, summer holidays, leisure and escapism. I wanted to contrast those seemingly frivolous human activities against a darkness and emptiness akin to outer space,” Early said. “Gravity is suspended in these paintings, whose titles reference bird flight patterns, color terms and aspects of astronomy. Color is a paramount concern and symbolic of the depths and darkness of the night in contrast to the brightness of the sun.”

Hanging alongside Early’s work is that of UK-based mixed-media artists HUSH and Ian Francis. HUSH melds traditional techniques and urban influences in his paintings, layering multimedia to create complex artwork with depth. Often, the artist centers enigmatic female figures on his canvases, who exude a sense of strength and allure.

Among other projects, HUSH, commissioned by the Tao Group, created murals and permanent installations for Tao propers across the country in Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Chicago, along with several outdoor murals worldwide.

Francis’ work focuses on the artificial and constructed reality many interact with through screens and technology that dominate daily modern life. In his paintings, Francis grapples with the re -

cent isolation of the pandemic. Francis draws heavily on film and photography, which reflect his interest in perception and the lenses through which people view the world and themselves. Francis’ upcoming show at the CHG will mark his third solo show at the gallery.

“I’ve found (isolation) a difficult subject to explore visually in a way that feels true to me, but there’s a sense of emptiness and separation from one another that seems to permeate this moment,” Francis said. “There’s something about the layered nature of paint that fascinates me. I really like the interplay between applying paint in a very transparent, delicate way juxtaposed with using it in a much more raw, abstract and chaotic way that threatens to break apart and obliterate the detail, structures and patterns.”

Indonesian artist RYOL, who completes the exhibit, creates whimsical paintings with an illustrative style, hearkening to animé. His new series, “Togetherness,” features fairy tale-like paintings inspired by pop art in which RYOL broaches subjects that contrast with his lighter aes -

thetic, including critiques of traditional patriarchal society and the fluidity of modern-day gender and gender roles.

“These new works celebrate the togetherness I have with the people closest to me and express togetherness in simple things I’ve experienced or encountered in the environment. The way I imitate pop culture, such as the anime and cartoon figures I received as a child, cannot be separated from how pop artists work,” RYOL said. “I choose to deconstruct rather than imitate. I don’t feel associated with Pop Art in the West. My perspective as a growing consumer of popular culture in the age of globalization is an authentic part of the artistic process.”

Each of the four artists is a gallery veteran, having had their own solo exhibits in the past. “They’re all headlining artists,” Trahan added. “Each of these artists is hugely significant on their merit.”

The gallery’s next show will open on Saturday, Aug. 26, featuring the work of Canadian painter and illustrator Camilla d’Errico.

Corey Helford Gallery/Submitted

“Satellite Hovering” by Irish oil painter Chloe Early is on display as part of “The Fourth Wall” exhibit at the Corey Helford Gallery.

Corey Helford Gallery/Submitted

“Cafe Emptied” by UK-based mixed-media artist Ian Francis is on display as part of “The Fourth Wall” exhibit at the Corey Helford Gallery.

Covered California will help DTENTERTAINMENT

The Bellwether

Porter Robinson among artists christening new DTLA venue

By Luke Netzley

LA Downtown News Deputy Editor

Beneath its irradiant neon-blue sign, the Bellwether has opened its doors to Downtown Los Angeles, welcoming in a collection of acclaimed artists to celebrate the city’s newest nightlife destination.

“We want to impress people right off the bat,” talent buyer Nick Barrie said. “I think LA needed a new space and … what we bring as independent promoters is a big focus on attention to detail and making sure the customer and the artists have the greatest time ever here. … In some big places, that can kind of get lost in the cards and it’s something that we really take pride in.”

For The Bellwether’s inaugural concert lineup, Barrie wanted to bring in a wide variety of artists that embod -

ied the spirit and identity of the club as a diverse and welcoming place fit to serve as a new home for different audiences across the city. To christen the venue into the Downtown music scene, Phantogram performed on opening night before Buscabulla, Tycho and Panda Bear & Sonic Boom rounded out the first week.

“We delve into contemporary music, and that stretches to all corners,” Barrie emphasized. “It was important to me to show that on the initial calendar and show that this was going to be something that was a music venue, not just some niche club. All types of music, all types of people are welcome here. … Everything works in the room. It’s not a hip-hop room; it’s not a dance club. That was really important, to … make sure that people knew that we were going to

have something for them here.

“(Since opening,) it’s been really positive. People have been coming in with a smile on their face and they leave with a smile on their face, and that kind of tells you the story. … We’ve seen a huge uptick in our ticket sales after these first few shows because it’s getting on people’s radars.”

Throughout the coming months, The Bellwether will welcome artists like synthwave band The Midnight; singer-songwriters Santigold, Cary Rae Jepson and Tove Lo; rapper Isaiah Rashad; English indie rock band the Wombats; indie pop band Saint Motel; and electronic artists Shallou and Porter Robinson, who will perform three unique sets across a three-night takeover: “No Originals DJ Set” on Thursday, July 27, when he will experiment with new tracks from

an untested library of music; “air2earth” on Friday, July 28, when he will perform as his progressive house, hypnotic techno-fueled alias; and “DJ Set” on Saturday, July 29, a pure reflection of his discography that melds older songs with newer sounds.

“The upcoming shows are going to be a blast,” Barrie said. “It’s career artists who have been around for a long time and are going to be around. They have passionate fans and they’re going to bring really high-energy shows. And I think these are artists and fans that are also sophisticated concertgoers and they’re going to appreciate the sound, the sight lines and the little nuances of the club.”

Located at 333 S. Boylston Street, The Bellwether sits perched on the cusp of Downtown LA. Within its walls, the club

Josh Withers/Contributor

The Bellwether sits along S. Boylston Street on the outskirts of Downtown LA.

holds a 1,600-capacity main room with a 270-degree wraparound balcony, custom lightning and specially built d&b sound system.

Stepping off the dance floor, guests can visit The Bellwether’s restaurant and bar, The Virginian, or the openair lounge with sweeping views of the city skyline. On the balcony level, The Bellwether also holds a “Looking Glass Lounge” that serves as a private, elevated experience for VIP guests. Barrie called the club an “adult playground” with seemingly endless areas to explore.

“The patrons enter into a beautiful navy lobby with really striking, radiant lighting, and then walk up some cascading stairs that go to the main music room,” general manager Casey Lowdermilk described. “The main music room is pretty intimate with the stage that juts out into the crowd with unobstructed sight lines throughout. … We are actively adding some other touches to that (open-air lounge) space as well over the next several months. I think people will be returning to The Bellwether and seeing other additions and touches that we’re renovating.”

While Barrie and Lowdermilk empha -

sized the importance of the individual experience of each guest, from friendly customer service to the diversity of the club’s onstage programming, they also said they want The Bellwether’s artists to feel at home.

“On the artist side, we want people to feel welcome,” Lowermilk said. “We want them to return and to feel like this is their comfortable living room.”

Barrie added that the mission of The Bellwether extends to artist development too.

“For us, it’s about building artists, … establishing more of a legacy as far as just different capacities and being able to bring a band in town at the Moroccan Lounge level and work them up to thousands and thousands of tickets sold,” he said. “I think that’s an exciting part, too, being able to help grow an artist in the market and be a part of their journey.”

Michael Swier, owner of Downtown’s Teragram Ballroom and The Moroccan Lounge, and his brother Brian Swier had partnered with Another Planet Entertainment founder and CEO Gregg Perloff and signed the lease on the 45,000-square-foot building shortly before the pandemic. The leadership team

of The Bellwether has since stated their commitment to not only fostering a new community inside the club but in the neighborhood outside of it as well.

“It’s an area of Downtown that isn’t fully activated with a lot of nearby restaurants,” Lowdermilk said. “We have seen with other venues and independent venues that we get established in one area, and the venues are anchor tenants, and they can help to create more business and draw more patrons. We hope to do 140 to 200 events a year in this space, and that’s going to bring 1,600 people to this area, 200 nights a year. So, in a couple years, hopefully we see some other businesses sprout up around here as well.

“There’s just a great opportunity in this neighborhood to really have an establishment here. The Bellwether is an industry indicator, so we want to be on that leading edge within the industry,

both in the customer and artist experience and the artists that we’re bringing into the building. There’s also a great opportunity … to hire our local neighboring Angelenos and bring them into the building. … We want to incorporate and be a part of the community in that way, too.”

As a brand, Barrie said that his dream for the future is that The Bellwether can become a famed venue and a name that’s recognized both locally and globally.

“We want to put our name on the map and be one of those iconic LA venues that an artist says, ‘I want to play there,’” Barrie said. “I think people are getting really turned on and hearing about how it’s a really great place. We had a lot of industry coming back already for tonight after coming here the last few nights. I think people have found a new home.”

The Bellwether

333 S. Boylston Street, Los Angeles thebellwetherla.com

Brian Rapaport/Contributor

Music duo Phantogram perform at the grand opening of The Bellwether.

Covered California will help DTSPORTS

Sports’ Soundtrack to Success

Meet Dieter Ruehle, who entertains the masses at sporting events

By Jeff Moeller

LA Downtown News Contributing

Writer

He sees the base hits on the baseball field. He watches the bone-crunching hits at the hockey rink. At both venues, he plays the hits while entertaining the masses.

Meet Dieter Ruehle. You probably don’t know him, but his name should be music to your ears.

The organist for Dodgers games at Dodger Stadium and Kings games at Crypto.com Arena, the musical talents of Ruehle have helped make him a creative force — and institution for his unique longevity — at big-time pro sports events.

“I loved it from the beginning,” he said when asked if music/performing was something he took to right away. “I took to classical piano lessons really well and felt comfortable playing at games.”

He also took to his eventual chosen profession at a very young age. So young in fact he could not even drive himself to work (mom drove him).

“I started doing LA Lazers indoor soccer and LA Clippers basketball in 1984 when I was 15 years old. The Clippers changed over to organ recordings after a couple of years, but I remained with the Lazers until the team folded in 1989. The Los Angeles Kings hired me in the summer of ‘89.”

As Wayne Gretzky was helping create new hockey fans in Southern California, Ruehle was providing his own form of assists from the upper reaches of the Forum.

Initially, Ruehle served only as the organist — the only music heard at Kings games was live organ during pregame, in-game and intermissions. In his second year, the team introduced recorded music to its in-game presentation.

“I was the person playing both organ and cassette tapes. Things were beginning to change. The Forum finally got its first center-hung videoboards in 1991, which was my third year with the Kings,” the San Fernando Valley native said

The addition of video boards created more fan presentation elements like dance cam and kiss cam.

“I needed to adapt,” Ruehle admitted. “As the years went on, recorded music playback went from cassettes to CDs to laptops to DJ’ing. As our in-game shows grew bigger, I still handled all of the live and recorded music until the Kings hired our first in-game DJ back in 2014.

“Music playback is now a two-person show, but I still handle most of our ingame music playback and pregame intros while the DJ handles warmups, media timeouts and intermissions.”

Ruehle’s path to his gig was unlikely. It started when he caught a segment during a local newscast.

“Even when I was working in Inglewood at 15, what I think truly gave me my start was playing the organ at a Kings game the day after I turned 12 years old. KABC-TV Channel 7 had a story during their local newscasts called Sports Fantasy. It was my sports fantasy to play the organ at a game. It came true on Nov. 19, 1980.”

He was immediately hooked.

“I wrote letters to the teams at The Forum every summer. The Lazers of the Major Indoor Soccer League hired me in 1984, the Kings in 1989 and then the Lakers in 2001. … As they say, the rest is history.”

Ruehle’s workload extends well beyond the nine innings of a baseball game (he started with the Dodgers in 2016 after the legendary Nancy Bea Hefley retired), the three periods of a hockey game and/or the four quarters of a basketball game. In short, he just doesn’t show up to the venue before first pitch and crack his knuck-

les.

“The amount of practicing and preparing I do at home and the in-arena and in-stadium rehearsals that happen hours before game time are immense,” Ruehle said.

Ruehle has to be extremely attentive. Baseball can be a slow-paced sport. Ruehle also has to be ready to roll with the punches.

“It’s challenging when the home team isn’t playing well, losing by a large amount. It zaps the energy out of the fans. I’m basically playing a live soundtrack to games by reacting to what happens during games.

“At Dodgers games, I’m focused on every pitch. People sometimes think baseball is a slow game, but let me tell you from where I sit, plays can happen quickly. As do many situations. I’ve got to be ready.”

It’s the little things.

“When the Dodgers are hitting and the count goes to three balls, one strike, one out, I usually play a song by the band 311 because the scoreboard literally says ‘311.’ In another situation, sometimes I’ll play the theme to ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind’ when there’s a ball hit that barely goes foul. The neat thing about playing live is that I can transition from a

song into a fan prompt — think Let’s Go Dodgers, Charge! etc. — when I can tell play is close to resuming.”

Ruehle’s workload has extended past Los Angeles. He worked the 2017 and 2018 World Series contests. He worked the Gold Medal men’s hockey game at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics. He worked six Olympics and several NBA and NHL events in Europe and China.

Sean Tabler worked in Game Entertainment for the Chargers at SoFi Stadium before recently joining the Kings.

“We rely on his expertise to ensure music is timely, situational and sustains fan energy,” Tabler said . “Dieter provides a wealth of knowledge and decades of experience in live sporting events. He also continually brings in new ideas that keep our sound fresh. It’s an honor to work with one of the best in the business.”

From behind his organ, Ruehle has witnessed some of the greatest moments in LA sports history.

“It was thrilling to feel the energy in person at both Stanley Cup wins in 2012 and 2014 and Game 7 of the 2010 NBA Finals between the Lakers and the Celtics,” said Ruehle, who also triggers the goal horn at Kings games. “There was definitely extra stress with all of those games … but also a great reward.”

Adam Pantozzi/Contributor

Dieter Ruehle is the point man for the soundtrack that is Dodger Stadium and Crypto.com Arena.

Covered California will help DTSPORTS

Team O’Neal

Hollywood father supports his son

By Jeff Moeller

LA Downtown News Contributing Writer

The picture says it all. A father-son moment captured at an optimal time at a professional sporting event. The dad, Ryan O’Neal, is a Hollywood legend. The son, Patrick O’Neal, enjoys an ever-growing sports broadcasting career.

But the photo is simple, and it is perfect — a pair enjoying the action; sports serving as a hopeful escape from the real world.

“He’s my best friend. I love him and my dad is my biggest fan,” Patrick said. “Hearing him tell me how proud he is of me for my work doing play-by-play for the Angels is really special to me. I made my dad proud.”

It is not always rosy, however.

“He doesn’t always love my choice of jacket and tie or shoes, and he wants me to smile more and tell some funny stories,” Patrick said with a chuckle. “Other than that, my dad always gives me his full support.”

Sports has always created a special bond between Patrick and his father. It was an outlet for Ryan long before he hit the big screen, a big-screen career that has the older O’Neal immortalized at 7057 Hollywood Boulevard.

Trained to become a professional boxer, Ryan competed in Golden Gloves championships in 1956 and 1957. The results were 18 wins in 22 fights with 13 knockouts. It figures that love of the sweet science would overflow into his day job of the last 50-plus years.

“My favorite sports movie is ‘Raging Bull’ by Scorsese,” Ryan said. “I liked everything about it. I thought it was very realistic.”

Boxing, NFL football, tennis, hockey and baseball — those are Ryan’s favorite sports. The latter two have taken on a whole new meaning to Ryan with a spotlight on Patrick.

More than 20 years ago, Patrick shelved his dreams of shining in Hollywood to pursue a career in sports broadcasting. Patrick had some bit roles. Maybe you remember him in “Table for One,” “Time Bomb” and “The Right Temptation.” Maybe you don’t.

But it was an interview for a Sports Update position at Fox Sports Radio in 2000 that was the catalyst to what has developed into an Emmy Award-winning career.

“I’ll never forget the moment when the program director told me I got the job, as long as I was willing to work 12 to 5 a.m.,

Monday through Friday,” Patrick said.

His famous last name was an afterthought there and then, especially at 3 o’clock in the morning.

“When I first started out as an actor, I was in my late teens in the late 1980s. My dad was a big star, and it for sure helped me get an agent and get auditions,” said Patrick, who enjoyed small parts in huge movies such as “Die Hard 2” with Bruce Willis and “Wild Hogs” opposite John Travolta, as well as the TV series “Beverly Hills 90210” with Shannon Doherty.

“But I lacked his skill and ease and confidence as an actor, and all the casting agents in town soon realized that fact. I also was very defensive when I was younger about being the son of a big star, which looking back seems silly of me.”

Patrick has since enjoyed so many big sports moments while wearing a press pass: USC football with Reggie Bush, Matt Leinart and Pete Carroll; the Kings winning two Stanley Cups; and covering Kobe Bryant and the Lakers when they won two championships. Patrick was the first person to interview the legendary Bryant after he scored 81 points with a live walk-off interview to the crowd inside Staples Center and on TV on Fox Sports West.

Over the years, he has learned to be pro-

ficient in as many sports as he can. Patrick believes versatility is invaluable to one’s employer. He recommends working on your voice and being a strong writer. Also being confident, showing you are a hard and tireless worker and serving as the ultimate team player can help you rise up the ranks.

His latest venture — Angels play-by-play duties — pads an already impressive resume.

“I’ve had the incredible opportunity to do play-by-play for the Los Angeles Angels. I can say I called some Shohei Ohtani unicorn moments as a pitcher and hitter. But calling Reid Detmers’ no-hitter is No. 1 for sure.”

Ryan said, “It’s amazing. I’m thunderstruck. He’s turned me into a real Angels fan, and he’s very good at his job.”

Ryan received his own rare honor two years ago. In the first virtual double-star ceremony in history, he and Ali McGraw received stars on the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Dedication of the 2,692nd and 2,693rd Stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the Category of Motion Pictures came in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the iconic movie “Love Story.” McGraw and Ryan both received Oscar nominations for their

starring roles in the timeless classic.

Patrick played a key role in the logistics of his dad receiving the well-earned star treatment:

“I’m pumped we got him his deserved Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, where he will live for generations to see,” he said.

Despite having more than 60 credits to his name and helping establish the O’Neal name as a Hollywood fixture, the 82-yearold veteran performer is now content at his beachside home in Malibu watching his son take a lead television role on a nightly basis. He is also quick to dismiss any thoughts of living in the past.

“I haven’t started to reflect yet,” the quick-witted father said when asked how he looks back on his legendary career.

“But when I do, you’ll be the first to know.”

Patrick, meanwhile, has the role of a lifetime.

“I’ve had the longest part of my career — playing a sportscaster on TV.”

Patrick O’Neal calls select Angels game on Bally Sports West (BSW) with partner Mark Gubicza, and for the past 18 seasons he has helped cover Kings hockey on BSW as host of the Kings Live pregame show and postgame show.

Noel Vasquez/Contributor

Taking a break from his broadcasting duties, Patrick, left, and Ryan O’Neal took in a Kings hockey game at Crypto.com Arena. Both father and son have a great affinity for attending professional sporting events.

Publication Date: August 14, 2023

BEST OF DOWNTOWN

The Best of Downtown publication is our biggest issue of the year!

On August 14, 2023, we announce all of the winners and reader recommended companies in this year’s survey.

Whether you won or not, all companies are welcome to advertise in this special issue. This is one of the best times to market your business. DTLA is coming back and now is when you want to put your business in front of our readers. The Best of Downtown issue has a glossy cover and is a keepsake for those who only want the best.

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