LOS ANGELES

AT LENGTH-I’ve been thinking lately that perhaps America should build a wall like Donald J. Trump suggests, just not where he envisions it or for the reason he proposes.

ALPERN AT LARGE--Some of us want to find solutions, and some of us want to exploit this crisis.

PUBLIC HEALTH POLITICS--On Friday May 8, 2020, the West San Fernando Valley was experiencing excessive heat. 

ONE MAN’S OPINION-If you think things are bad now, just wait. Americans are moving towards a second civil war. 

GELFAND’S WORLD--I’ve been ruminating over the following question: Since so few people in this giant county have actually come down with the Covid-19 illness, are most of us at least modestly immune to it?

PERSPECTIVE--Every morning for the last two months, I’ve checked the news in my home state of Florida with growing concern.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRISIS-Current measures prohibiting eviction of tenants and helping them through the financial crisis won't last forever. 

RENTERS’ RIGHTS-Despite a global pandemic that’s fueling mass unemployment in California, Big Real Estate has been contributing millions to stop the expansion of rent control through the Rental Affordability Act.

PLANNING WATCH-Despite the White House’s pre-pandemic boasts about a booming American economy, its bungled response to the Covid-19 crisis was the straw that quickly broke the back of the American financial system.

EASTSIDER--There are three basic facts about the much maligned public sector in the United States.  There are over 90,000 distinct units nationwide, representing about 10% of the Annual US GDP. 

PERSPECTIVE--The “final” Burbank Airport Noise Task Force hearing was held over two nights, May 6th and 7th, via Zoom. 

ALPERN AT LARGE--While it's entirely understandable to acknowledge that people act--and react-- in fear, as time goes by the need to "keep it together" and "think clearly and calmly" is greater than ever.

VOTING POLITICS-Americans hoping for a clean, fair, and reliable vote count this fall must pay attention to how their state and local officials intend to handle this election. 

@THE GUSS REPORT-How’s that for a provocative question? Ventura Boulevard is the world's longest avenue of contiguous businesses, stretching from Universal City to the front stoop of Calabasas.

A POST-PANDEMIC PROPOSAL-What makes great lives for Americans? Great jobs. A livelihood that they are passionate about. 

GELFAND’S WORLD--Is it possible to impeach a president twice? We all know that the guy, currently holding the job in this country, doesn’t like to accept blame for anything.

DEEGAN ON LA-City Hall has been locked down to the public for the past several “at home” weeks,

FIRST PERSON--The cabin was restless. It was a weekday afternoon in late April, and I was among dozens of people boarding an airplane that most of us had assumed would be empty.

RENTERS’ RIGHTS-The California Apartment Association, one of the most powerful landlord lobbying groups in the state, has a long, sordid history of opposing renter protections.

NEIGHBORHOOD POLITICS--Rental units in the City of Los Angeles do not all fall under the same housing category or city programs.

ALPERN AT LARGE--Just as it's too simple and myopic to blame the end of the world on the automobile...