The Visible Divide: Homelessness Crisis, Housing Takes Center Stage in CD4 Debate

In a striking display of the homelessness crisis, a debate between Councilwoman Nithya Raman and her opponent Ethan Weaver was set against the backdrop of a homeless encampment at the East Valley Adult Center in Sherman Oaks where Wednesday night's event was held. Raman's reluctance to enforce the city's no-camping laws, known as ordinance 41.18, which bans camping near schools and parks, sharply contrasted with Weaver's position, bringing the issue to the forefront of the debate. Raman, opposing 41.18, defended her stance, stating, "Enforcing this law won't effectively address the problem; it would merely displace it. It doesn't work. I mean, it's like, I don't think a kid's gonna be safer if they are 10 or 500 feet away from a school.”

Westside Current

LA Board Of Police Commission To Convene In Special Meeting On Interim Chief

The Board of Police Commissioners are expected to convene Friday to discuss the appointment of an interim chief of police as Los Angeles Police Department Chief Michel Moore is set to retire at the end of February. On the agenda for Friday's meeting, it notes the commission will enter closed session for their discussion, meaning that no other individual in the room will be allowed to listen in to their deliberations. At the end of their discussion, the commissioners will be expected to announce any action taken, if any. Members of the public will be allowed to speak up for one minute on the item, and there will be no general public comment period, according to the agenda. As part of their work, the Board of Police Commissioners, under the leadership of president Erroll Southers, will be tasked with identifying and selecting an individual to serve as the interim police chief, as well as identifying the top three candidates for Mayor Karen Bass to consider for the appointment. The Board of Directors of the Los Angeles Police Protective League, the union representing, LAPD officers, laid out the organization's hopes for the next chief. "In choosing a new chief, we urge the Police Commission and Mayor Bass to select an individual who's committed to rebuilding the ranks of the department, reducing violent crime, and improving morale," the union said in its statement issued last week. "These are challenging times for our city, as well as for our profession and we will need a leader unafraid of speaking truth to power, who will advocate for our rank and file and the safety of all Angelenos."

Spectrum News

LA County DA Debate: Candidates Discuss Crime Rates, Homeless Crisis

The candidates vying to become the next Los Angeles County district attorney engaged in a debate for the upcoming 2024 election. FOX 11's Elex Michaelson served as the co-moderator of the debate hosted by Los Angeles Magazine. Incumbent George Gascón faced off nine candidates – Jeff Chemerinsky, Jonathan Hatami, Nathan Hochman, David Milton John McKinney, Judge Craig Mitchell, María Ramirez, Eric Siddall and Judge Debra Archuleta – as they weighed in on the ongoing Los Angeles crime concerns as well as the homeless crisis. The candidates at one point, were asked to rate how safe they feel in LA County. A couple answered a zero. Others said five or six. Gascón declined to give a number. 

FOX 11

Dog Fatally Shot In Front Of Owner In Westlake; Suspects Sought

Police are searching for two suspects in connection with the fatal shooting of a dog in the Westlake neighborhood of Los Angeles late Wednesday. Los Angeles police officers responded to an assault with a deadly weapon call shortly before midnight on Beverly Boulevard near South Lake Street. They discovered a distraught woman down on the sidewalk hugging her dog, who had been shot several times, according to stringer news service KeyNews.TV. Animal services personnel were also called to the scene to remove the dog’s carcass. The woman did not appear to be injured in the shooting. No description was available of the gunman, who was believed to have been in the back seat of a vehicle. The motive for the shooting was unknown.

KTLA 5

Police Investigate Fatal Hit-and Run Collision In Baldwin Village

Police are seeking Thursday are seeking the driver of the car that struck a 59-year-old bicyclist in the Baldwin Village area of Los Angeles, then fled. The eastbound bicyclist crossed Crenshaw Boulevard, south of Stocker Street, around 7:30 p.m. Wednesday when a vehicle heading northbound on Crenshaw Boulevard struck him, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. The bicyclist was then hit by a second vehicle at a high rate of speed, police said. The driver of the first vehicle remained at the scene and tried to help the bicyclist, while the driver of the second vehicle kept going, according to police. The second vehicle is described as a sedan. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner later identified the victim as Kevin Sezar, who was pronounced dead at the scene. The city is offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the identification, arrest and conviction of the suspect involved in the hit-and-run. Anyone with information was urged to call LAPD South Traffic Division Detective Ryan Moreno at 323-421-4500. During non-business hours or weekends, calls should be directed to the LAPD South Traffic Division watch commander at 323-421-2577. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.

MyNewsLA

Carjackers Rob Food Delivery Driver At Gunpoint

A food delivery driver was carjacked at gunpoint earlier this week in the Mid-Wilshire neighborhood of Los Angeles, authorities announced. The Jan. 15 incident occurred just before 10 p.m. at the corner of 10th Street and Plymouth Avenue, according to a news release from the Los Angeles Police Department. After he had picked food for delivery, the victim told police he noticed he was being followed by a vehicle described as a black, newer model SUV that ultimately cut him off and blocked his path. “Two suspects exited the vehicle and, at gunpoint, ordered the victim to exit his vehicle and patted him down, taking his wallet and his car keys,” police said, adding that two other suspects stayed inside the black SUV. The armed suspects, described as Hispanic males 20-25 years old, also took the victim’s white 2013 Hyundai Sonata, which has still not been recovered. No description was available for the two suspects that remained in the SUV.

Yahoo! News

Alleged Burglar Arrested For Targeting Elderly Woman's Reseda Home; Police Seeking Additional Victims

Police have arrested an alleged burglar who assaulted an elderly woman during a home burglary in Reseda in early January, and they're searching for more victims. Diamon Smith, 30, was arrested after Los Angeles Police Department detectives were able to connect him to a burglary that happened on Jan. 2 in the 19100 block of Vanowen Street, when an elderly woman was assaulted inside of her home, according to a statement from the Los Angeles Police Department. After some investigation, police were able to connect Smith to at lesat three additional residential burglaries, all of which targeted female victims that lived in single-family homes and apartments. "Investigators strongly believe there are other victims who have yet to be identified," LAPD's statement said. Anyone with further information is asked to contact LAPD detectives at (818) 374-7742. 

CBS 2

Palisades Dry Cleaners Robbed Tuesday Morning

If you recognize the suspect in this photo taken at 1:30 a.m. in Regal Cleaners, at 881 Via de la Paz, please alert Palisades Senior Lead Officer Brian Espin (310) 444-0737. The criminal gained entrance early Tuesday morning, January 16, by smashing the glass on the front door. An alarm went to the security company and the owner was notified. According to the owner, LAPD responded almost immediately. The only thing taken from the dry cleaners was the credit card machine used for transactions. The owner, who daily arrives at his business between 5 and 6 a.m., has seen the couple from the van, which is permanently parked across the street in front of Gelson’s (with handicapped license plates) looking in business windows. The owner said the couple live in the van. The van owners also park a BMW on the street near the van. After the break-in this morning, the BMW was gone. Cleaner owners hope that maybe the condominium building next to the dry-cleaning business or that Gelson’s across the street from their business have video tapes that might provide more leads.

Westside Current

Trial Begins For 2021 Road Rage Shooting That Killed 6-Year-Old Aiden Leos

The trial is now underway in Santa Ana for the man accused of killing 6-year-old Aiden Leos in a deadly road rage shooting in Orange County. Marcus Anthony Eriz, 26, faces one felony count each of second-degree murder and shooting into an occupied vehicle, and enhancements for both of using a firearm causing great bodily injury and death. Prosecution and defense attorneys took their turns framing the case in court, with defense saying the shooting death was a mistake and a rash decision by a young man. Senior Deputy District Attorney Daniel Feldman said during opening statements that when investigators questioned Eriz he admitted to grabbing his gun and shooting after he was "flipped-off" by the driver. "He confessed to it, and when they (investigators) asked him about it, he said 'yeah they were merging away from the vehicle, and that's when I just grabbed my gun for some reason and shot at them'" prosecution said. The shooting happened May 21, 2021 around 8 a.m. as Aiden Leos was in the backseat of his mother's car while she drove on the 55 Freeway near Chapman Avenue in Orange. Joanna Cloonan was driving Aiden to his kindergarten class at Calvary Chapel Academy in Yorba Linda. Wynne Lee, Eriz's girlfriend, was driving the couple in the carpool lane of the freeway. Prosecutors say Lee switched lanes before speeding back into the carpool lane, cutting off Cloonan and then giving the peace sign.

CBS 2

Man Who Killed Colorado Officer In Hit-and-Run Crash Sentenced To 24 Years In Prison

A man who hit and killed a Weld County sheriff’s deputy in September 2022 while she was riding a motorcycle to work will spend up to 24 years behind bars. Judge Timothy Kerns sentenced 37-year-old Norberto Garcia-Gonzales to 24 years in prison — the maximum sentence for fleeing the scene of a crash involving death. Garcia-Gonzales — who is in the country illegally — will also face deportation after serving the sentence. “Due to your unwillingness to engage with lawful orders and the circumstances of the events that led to your conviction, I find that 24 years in the Department of Corrections is reasonable and just,” Kerns said Friday afternoon. Garcia-Gonzales was originally charged with leaving the scene of a crash involving death, careless driving, failure to yield right of way, driving under restraint for an alcohol-related offense and obstructing a peace officer. He pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of a crash involving death, a Class 3 felony, in November. The rest of the charges were dropped as part of a plea agreement. Garcia-Gonzales pulled out in front of 24-year-old Alexis Hein-Nutz on Sept. 18, 2022, as she was driving a motorcycle southbound on Weld County Road 37. Garcia-Gonzales’ vehicle was stopped at a stop sign heading west on AA Street. He inched into an intersection as Hein-Nutz approached from Weld 37 — which does not have a stop sign.

Greeley Tribune

California Health Officials Shorten COVID Isolation Period To 1 Day

California health officials have shortened the COVID-19 isolation guidelines for those who test positive as the department aims to focus more on people who are the most at risk of severe illness while also working to minimize school and workplace disruptions. As of Jan. 9, people who test positive for COVID-19 but have mild symptoms and have been fever-free without the help of medication may return to school or work after one day of isolation. Previously, the recommended guidelines called for five days of isolation. “The reason for these changes is that we are now at a different point in time with reduced impacts from COVID-19 compared to prior years due to broad immunity from vaccination and/or natural infection, and readily available treatments for infected people,” a representative with the California Department of Public Health told KTLA in an email statement. “Most of our policies and priorities for intervention are now focused on protecting those most at risk for serious illness. Additionally, previous isolation recommendations were implemented to reduce the spread of a virus to which the population had little immunity and had led to large numbers of hospitalizations and deaths that overwhelmed our healthcare systems during the pandemic.”

KTLA 5

City Council Approves RV Parking Bans On Westside

Overnight RV parking has been banned in some Westside areas. The Los Angeles City Council voted 9-2 on Wednesday to prohibit oversized vehicles from parking on the following streets between 2 and 6 a.m., as reported by LAist. Cypress Grove: Both sides of Lindblade Street between 11891 Lindblade Street and 11805 Lindblade Street. Marina Peninsula: Both sides of Hurricane Street between Pacific Court and Canal Court; Both sides of Pacific Avenue between Mast Street and Northstar Street. Playa Del Rey: Both sides of Pershing Drive between Manitoba Street and Waterview Street. Playa Vista: Both sides of Millennium Drive between Village Drive and Westlawn Drive; Both sides of Westlawn Avenue between Millenium Drive and Bluff Creek Drive; Both sides of Bluff Creek Drive between McConnell Avenue and Village Drive; Both sides of Kiyot Way between Villosa Place and Pacific Promenade; Both sides of Pacific Promenade between Seabluff Drive and Para Way; Both sides of Playa Vista Drive between Jefferson Boulevard and Pacific Promenade.

KTLA 5

LA Council Committee Calls For Toxic Algae Mitigation Plan

A Los Angeles City Council committee approved a motion Wednesday seeking to improve the city's response to a toxic algal bloom, and to update protocols to help marine mammals who are washed ashore as a result of the natural phenomenon. The Neighborhood and Community Enrichment Committee voted 2-0 to move forward a motion introduced by Councilwoman Traci Park, who represents the 11th District, encompassing coastal West L.A. neighborhoods. Councilman John Lee, who sits on the committee, was absent during the vote. Park's motion comes in response to the 2023 widespread toxic algae bloom that sickened or killed more than 1,000 marine animals along the Southern California coast, including at city and county beaches. She held a news conference last June alongside L.A. County officials and John Warner, the CEO of the Marine Mammal Care Center in San Pedro, to discuss efforts that summer to care for impacted sea animals. The MMCC is a nonprofit organization that provides a safe haven for marine mammals year round, providing critical care, food and shelter. Commonly seen in the summer and lasting several weeks, the bloom of toxic marine algae called pseudo-nitzschia produces domoic acid, a neurotoxin that largely affects marine animals such as sea lions and dolphins.

Westside Current

About the LAPPL: Formed in 1923, the Los Angeles Police Protective League (LAPPL) represents more than 8,900 dedicated and professional sworn members of the Los Angeles Police Department. The LAPPL serves to advance the interests of LAPD officers through legislative and legal advocacy, political action and education.