Inspecting Remaining Aliso Canyon Gas Wells a Musthttps://www.citywatchla.com/los-angeles/10687-inspecting-remaining-aliso-canyon-gas-wells-a-must

March 10 2016 GUEST COMMENTARY-The State Legislature is undertaking emergency action to address the major natural gas leak in the Aliso Canyon fields – a leak that drove thousands of people from their homes last October in search of relief. Senate Bill 380 builds...

• Type: Article
• Author: Bob Huff
• Category: LOS ANGELES

Missouri: A Teaching Moment for other Colleges that Flunk the Racism Testhttps://www.citywatchla.com/climate/9910-missouri-a-teaching-moment-for-other-colleges-that-flunk-the-racism-test

November 09 2015 RACE IN AMERICA-Now former University of Missouri president Tim Wolfe (photo left) in a moment of rare candor for someone who just fired himself admitted what has been probably one of the worst kept secrets at American colleges. His words: “Racism does...

• Type: Article
• Author: Earl Ofari Hutchinson
• Category: CLIMATE

Headlines Don’t Lie – LA Needs Leadershiphttps://www.citywatchla.com/archive/9545-headlines-don-t-lie-la-needs-leadership

August 27 2015 JUST THE FACTS-I’m talking to you as a man who policed Los Angeles streets for over 30 years and established policy for another 14 years -- two years as an elected Charter Reform Commissioner and 12 years as an elected Los Angeles City Councilman. Take...

• Type: Article
• Author: Dennis Zine
• Category: Archive

Yes, Cosby Can Be Prosecutedhttps://www.citywatchla.com/archive/9281-yes-cosby-can-be-prosecuted

July 09 2015 URBAN PERSPECTIVE-The moment the first of the 45 women to date publicly accused comedian Bill Cosby of drugging and raping them, the big question on the lips of many was: Could Cos be criminally prosecuted? The legal experts hashed the question back...

• Type: Article
• Author: Earl Ofari Hutchinson
• Category: Archive

The God’s of Bad Writinghttps://www.citywatchla.com/archive/9198-the-god-s-of-bad-writing

June 22 2015 GELFAND’S WORLD-I was asked to give a talk last week about writing. You may notice that what I do is straightforward nonfiction. In fact, I refer to it as uncreative writing, since the idea is to communicate ideas cleanly and clearly. In preparing and...

• Type: Article
• Author: Bob Gelfand
• Category: Archive

Galperin On a Roll: If It’s Grandstanding, We Need More of Ithttps://www.citywatchla.com/archive/9088-galperin-on-a-roll-if-it-s-grandstanding-we-need-more-of-it

June 01 2015 PERSPECTIVE-I use a term when I am discussing business with colleagues, staff or clients. It is “serious stuff” and I employ it if the subject matter is controversial, eye-opening or impactful. While I have no idea if Ron Galperin (photo)has a similar...

• Type: Article
• Author: Paul Hatfield
• Category: Archive

The Godmother of LA Politics: Rosalind Weiner Wymanhttps://www.citywatchla.com/archive/8761-the-godmother-of-la-politics-rosalind-weiner-wyman

April 02 2015 MY TURN-A look at Women in History-would not be complete without talking with a true Los Angeles pioneer, leader… the person almost singularly responsible for the Dodgers coming to Los Angeles and patron of the arts … Rosalind Weiner Wyman. (Photo) I...

• Type: Article
• Author: Denyse Selesnick
• Category: Archive

Sony Back on the Racial Hot Seathttps://www.citywatchla.com/archive/8512-sony-back-on-the-racial-hot-seat

February 23 2015 URBAN PERSPECTIVE-Amy Pascal (photo) chairperson of the Motion Pictures Group of Sony Pictures Entertainment is gone. Film producer Scott Rudin apologized profusely and has kept a deliberate low to no public profile public. Both took much deserved heat...

• Type: Article
• Author: Earl Ofari Hutchinson
• Category: Archive

The Argument for Making Ramon Cortines THE LA Schools Superintendenthttps://www.citywatchla.com/archive/8289-the-argument-for-making-ramon-cortines-the-la-schools-superintendent

January 26 2015 LA SCHOOLS … AND OTHER MUSINGS-When I read the paper, I do not immediately turn to the sports page. I like sports, but I’m not obsessed like I am about public education policy. Sports writing generally offers the best storytelling in the daily media....

• Type: Article
• Author: Scott Folsom
• Category: Archive

As the LAPD’s Cooked Books Prove, LA is No Mayberryhttps://www.citywatchla.com/archive/8191-as-the-lapd-s-cooked-books-prove-la-is-no-mayberry

January 12 2015 Parks Place-Now that the comatose glow from the holidays has worn off, for some it’s back to trying to run away from the problems created in 2014 and several years prior. Last month, The Los Angeles Times covered several stories concerning LAPD...

• Type: Article
• Author: Bernard Parks
• Category: Archive

Have the Democrats Found Their Lost Backbone in Elizabeth Warren?https://www.citywatchla.com/archive/8088-have-the-democrats-found-their-lost-backbone-in-elizabeth-warren

December 18 2014 JUST SAYIN’-There can only be one reason why scores of weak-kneed, embarrassingly cowardly Democrats can justify their votes to pass the recent National Budget, and that is that a behind-the-scenes, secret deal had been made. I’m thinking that perhaps...

• Type: Article
• Author: Rosemary Jenkins
• Category: Archive

The John Deasy Years: Important Announcements but Alienated the Foot Soldiershttps://www.citywatchla.com/archive/7755-the-john-deasy-years-important-announcements-but-alienated-the-foot-soldiers

October 23 2014 EDUCATION POLITICS-The symbolism of last Friday’s press conference by the recently embattled and newly ex-superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District, John Deasy, couldn’t have been more explicit. Speaking for the first time as a private...

• Type: Article
• Author: Bill Raden
• Category: Archive

The Non-Surfing Lessons of Fifty Years of Endless Summerhttps://www.citywatchla.com/archive/7712-the-non-surfing-lessons-of-fifty-years-of-endless-summer

October 13 2014 GELFAND’S WORLD-Sometime around 1964, a man who was obviously an unknown in the film world finished up a documentary about a couple of guys who travel the world in search of the perfect wave. Not just the perfect wave, but pretty much any and every...

• Type: Article
• Author: Bob Gelfand
• Category: Archive

Attention LA Board of Education: More Nails for Deasy Coffinhttps://www.citywatchla.com/archive/7614-attention-la-board-of-education-more-nails-for-deasy-coffin

September 25 2014 LA SCHOOLS-As the LAUSD Board of Education nears the target date for renewing the contract of Superintendent John Deasy, there are many things they must consider. Here are a DIRTY DOZEN issues which most teachers and UTLA recognize and report on, and...

• Type: Article
• Author: Ellen Lubic and Diane DeBoer
• Category: Archive

In Politics: No Such Thing as a Public Servanthttps://www.citywatchla.com/archive/7488-in-politics-no-such-thing-as-a-public-servant

September 08 2014 CORRUPTION WATCH-Why do we continue to call elected officials "public servants" when in fact most of us are fully aware that they do not serve us at all? The fact that they are elected officials does not make them our servants. A servant is one who...

• Type: Article
• Author: Clinton Galloway
• Category: Archive

LA Schools: Restoring The SUPER In Tendenthttps://www.citywatchla.com/archive/7465-la-schools-restoring-the-super-in-tendent

September 04 2014 EDUCATION POLITICS-When my home town built a new school in the early ’70′s, a whole era vanished in concert with the disappearance of gilded letters proclaiming the “Superintendent’s Office” within. I never did figure out what a “Superintendent” was...

• Type: Article
• Author: Sara Roos
• Category: Archive

The World’s Most Diverse, Innovative, and Surprising Nation Is in Danger of Becoming Entirely Predictablehttps://www.citywatchla.com/archive/7107-the-world-s-most-diverse-innovative-and-surprising-nation-is-in-danger-of-becoming-entirely-predictable

June 23 2014 WHO WE ARE-America—arguably the world’s most diverse, innovative, and surprising nation—is becoming a lot more predictable. And boring. According to the most recent Pew Research Poll on political polarization, Americans are becoming more consistently...

• Type: Article
• Author: Gregory Rodriguez (Publisher Zocalo Public Square)
• Category: Archive

Dear Gov Brown: You Can’t Deny Californian’s Their Right to Safetyhttps://www.citywatchla.com/archive/6679-dear-gov-brown-you-can-t-deny-californian-s-their-right-to-safety

April 03 2014 VOICES-With 2,139 oil and gas wells already fracked, will California repeat the same mistakes of the past and let a largely unregulated industry invade? Will you frack to the moon and back, or will your ‘Moonbeam’ shine a new light on harmful fracking...

• Type: Article
• Author: Shane Davis
• Category: Archive

Liza Cozad is Dying of Brain Cancer. The Government Nixes an Unverified Treatment. How Wrong is This?https://www.citywatchla.com/archive/6600-liza-cozad-is-dying-of-brain-cancer-the-government-nixes-an-unverified-treatment-how-wrong-is-this

March 17 2014 GELFAND’S WORLD-In a previous article, I wrote of the case of Liza Cozad, who is dying of a rare brain tumor. She wants the option of being treated with a drug that the vast majority of scientists and doctors feel is worthless. We are faced with a...

• Type: Article
• Author: Bob Gelfand
• Category: Archive

Meet the Worst Judge in Americahttps://www.citywatchla.com/archive/6083-meet-the-worst-judge-in-america

November 27 2013 JUDGING THE JUDGES-Now that Senate Democrats have deployed the so-called nuclear option and many of the president’s judicial nominations finally will move forward, the question arises: From a progressive perspective, who is the worst sitting federal...

• Type: Article
• Author: Bill Blum
• Category: Archive

Napolitano New UC Pres: Bring Everyone’s Phone and Email Records with You, Janethttps://www.citywatchla.com/archive/5391-napolitano-new-uc-pres-bring-everyone-s-phone-and-email-records-with-you-janet

July 15 2013 CONNECTING CALIFORNIA - I hope she starts by requiring TSA searches of any member of the legislature who steps on one of her campuses. The appointment of former Arizona Governor and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano as the new president of...

• Type: Article
• Author: Joe Mathews
• Category: Archive

Up to Their Eyeballshttps://www.citywatchla.com/archive/5288-up-to-their-eyeballs

June 24 2013 SPYING - One of the most disturbing aspects of the National Security Agency surveillance scandal is the way government has reportedly worked with private companies such as Yahoo, Facebook and Google. Those companies have disputed allowing the...

• Type: Article
• Author: Bill Boyarsky
• Category: Archive

Antonio Villaraigosa's Quest for Wall Street, Washington and Wealthhttps://www.citywatchla.com/archive/5121-antonio-villaraigosa-s-quest-for-wall-street-washington-and-wealth

May 23 2013 PERSPECTIVE - After 19 years spent mostly in elected office, where he has gained a reputation as a frenetic promoter of both himself and the city, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa was busily working an A-list room once again — this time inside...

• Type: Article
• Author: Patrick Range McDonald
• Category: Archive

5 Ways Employees Should Prepare for the Workplace of the Futurehttps://www.citywatchla.com/archive/5115-5-ways-employees-should-prepare-for-the-workplace-of-the-future

May 22 2013 As the millennial generation, often defined as those born between 1982 and 1997, makes up more of the workforce, and as its members move into leadership roles in industry, we can expect their generational perspectives to shape the workplace. Lindsey...

• Type: Article
• Author: Miriam Salpeter
• Category: Archive

Villaraigosa Policy Looms Large: Panel Pulls Plug on PCAChttps://www.citywatchla.com/archive/5093-villaraigosa-policy-looms-large-panel-pulls-plug-on-pcac

May 16 2013 VIEW FROM HERE - On Thursday, May 2, 2013, the Villaraigosa administration carried out one final act of vandalism against the idea of public representation. It came in the form of a vote by the Board of Harbor Commissioners to abolish an organization...

• Type: Article
• Author: Bob Gelfand
• Category: Archive

Villaraigosa's Policy Writ Large: Screw the Public’s Voicehttps://www.citywatchla.com/archive/5065-villaraigosa-s-policy-writ-large-screw-the-public-s-voice

May 13 2013 VIEW FROM HERE - On Thursday, May 2, 2013, the Villaraigosa administration carried out one final act of vandalism against the idea of public representation. It came in the form of a vote by the Board of Harbor Commissioners to abolish an organization...

• Type: Article
• Author: Bob Gelfand
• Category: Archive

Supremes Affirmative-Action Debate Spotlights UC’s Shabby Historyhttps://www.citywatchla.com/archive/3922-supremes-affirmative-action-debate-spotlights-ucs-shabby-history

October 15 2012 COURT POLITICS - The US Supreme Court heard oral arguments Wednesday in Fisher v. the University of Texas, the latest big affirmative-action case to reach SCOTUS. Conservative justices used their questions to establish how intentionally slippery and...

• Type: Article
• Author: Chris Reed
• Category: Archive

3 Characters in Search of a Pension Reform Theaterhttps://www.citywatchla.com/archive/3767-3-characters-in-search-of-a-pension-reform-theater

September 13 2012 THE PLAY’S THE THING - We've all had a little bit of time now to digest Governor Brown's pension reform proposal, along with the various reactions. As an elected official who has recognized the need for systemic change when it comes to municipal...

• Type: Article
• Author: John Mirisch
• Category: Archive

White Out! Majority of Births Now Minorities—Brace Yourself for the Loss of Nothinghttps://www.citywatchla.com/archive/3215-white-out-majority-of-births-now-minoritiesbrace-yourself-for-the-loss-of-nothing

May 28 2012 VOICES FROM THE PUBLIC SQUARE - Here we go again. The Census Bureau has released yet one more milestone data point that supposedly reveals the profundity of America’s ongoing demographic change. This time, it’s news that, as The New York Times put it...

• Type: Article
• Author: Gregory Rodriguez
• Category: Archive

Obama Killed Osama: Deal with It!https://www.citywatchla.com/archive/3103-obama-killed-osama-deal-with-it

May 03 2012 GUEST WORDS - All the old rules of politics are gone. The new "wisdom" is not to search for your opponent's weakness but, on the contrary, attack his strengths. Thus the Republicans went after John Kerry, a decorated war hero with two purple hearts, as...

• Type: Article
• Author: Jonathan Dobrer
• Category: Archive