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The Thorn West is a state and local news roundup compiled by members of DSA-LA. Our goal is to provide a weekly update on the latest developments in state and local politics, and to track the issues that are most important to our membership.
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Issue No. 85 - November 12, 2021
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- The LA City Council approved the Ad Hoc Redistricting Committee’s revised map without debate. Only Councilmembers Marqueece Harris-Dawson and Nithya Raman voted against it. A revised LAUSD district map was also passed, over the objections of Southeast LA residents whose voices it minimizes. CalMatters identifies the friction points in California’s congressional redistricting. Drafts of congressional district maps dropped this week and they have to account for the fact that California is down a seat.
- A motion to allow Los Angeles park rangers to carry weapons was passed out of the Parks Committee, despite overwhelming opposition in public comment.
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- A story by Cerise Castle in theLAnd magazine covers Reclaim and Rebuild Our Community, a group of housing advocates who earlier this year occupied several long-vacant homes in El Sereno, owned but neglected by CalTrans.
- Councilmember Kevin De León was appointed chair of the Homelessness and Poverty Committee, taking over from Mark Ridley-Thomas. (Councilmember Raman was appointed vice chair.) Today De León’s 41.18 motion to create a massive anti-sit/lie/sleep enforcement zone around City Hall passed 8–2, with only Councilmembers Raman and Mike Bonin opposing.
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- Labor Notes interviews an IATSE member who is voting against the tentative agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.
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- Updates from the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow: Governor Gavin Newsom backed out of attending, and promptly disappeared for two weeks. Mayor Garcetti attended and contracted COVID-19. A host of international pledges left California’s climate commitments looking comparatively wan. “I don’t at all feel that we are leading the world anymore,” assessed California Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, who was in attendance.
- Though the California Public Utilities Commission has been investigating ways to close the Aliso Canyon gas storage facility ever since a disastrous 2015 leak, they also just voted unanimously to increase the amount of gas stored there in the short term.
- The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California has declared a regional drought emergency due to record dry conditions and called for increased efforts to maximize conservation.
- After years of resistance, the Southern California Air Quality Board has finally approved a significant regulation, known as Refinery Rule 1109.1, that could dramatically curb air pollution around south Los Angeles County.
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