Councilwoman Jan Perry

May 21 2013

Low voter turnout expected

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — After two years of hearing pitches from the two mayoral candidates left standing, Councilman Eric Garcetti and Controller Wendy Greuel, Los Angeles voters will finally decide today who will succeed Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

But despite a multitude of debates and public appearances, the record amount of money spent on mailers and television, radio and other ads to woo voters, election turnout could prove stubbornly low.

Apr 12 2013

Prevents voting of permanent homeless project

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Councilman Richard Alarcon walked out of a Los Angeles City Council meeting today, preventing his colleagues from voting on $18 million to fund the construction of permanent supportive housing for the chronically homeless.

The City Council needed 10 members present to vote, but with Alarcon refusing to return, there were only nine members present. Councilman Paul Krekorian later withdrew the motion. By that point, many of the other council members had already packed up their belongings to leave.

Jan 28 2013

Production, sale or marketing

LOS ANGELES, Calif.—Without discussion, a Los Angeles City Council committee today approved a motion calling on the city’s three pension fund managers to divest from companies involved in the production, sale or marketing of assault weapons or high-capacity ammunition magazines.

The proposal was introduced earlier this month by Councilwoman Jan Perry, who said the city needs to respond to the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., where 20 children were killed.

Aug 23 2012

Pioneer Women of the Year

Assemblywoman Holly Mitchell, top left; head of the LA84 Foundation Anita DeFrantz, top, education administrator Dolores Sheen (not pictured) and Gloria Mendez , left, are among the women honored at the 24th annual Pioneer Women of the Year Award held last Friday at L.A. City Hall and hosted by the Commission on the Status of Women. Each council member had an opportunity to nominate an honoree to add to those selected by the commission. Mitchell was chosen by the commission, Sheen was selected by councilman Bernard C. Parks, and Mendez was chosen by Councilwoman Jan Perry.

Juliana D. Norwood  |   OW Staff Writer
May 24 2012

Crime and health hazards

As the foreclosure crisis in Los Angeles continues, a group of residents and members of Service Employees International Union (SEIU Local 721), the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE) and Good Jobs L.A. led a tour of blighted bank-owned foreclosed properties and asked the city to begin assessing the banks with fines under the Foreclosure Registry Ordinance.

Across Black America

Here’s a look at African American people and issues making headlines throughout the country.

California
San Diego college students and volunteers will carry out their sixth home restoration project on Wednesday, July 10 through Sunday, July 14. as part of the “Healing our Heroes’ Homes” (H3) program created by the nonprofit Embrace. The five-day effort will take place at the home of medically retired Marine Corps Capt. Sarah Bettencourt. Bettencourt served with many different units across the country during the Global War on Terrorism and developed a rare neurological disorder in 2008. With a focus to restore the homes of disabled veteran homeowners, H3 falls in line with Embrace’s mission to mobilize college-student volunteers and community members to serve less fortunate members of civilian and veteran communities. The project for the Bettencourts’ home includes kitchen and bathroom remodeling, building ADA-compliant disability ramps, widening their driveway to ADA standards, widening doorways and landscaping.
 
District of Columbia
The 2013 Smithsonian Folklife Festival will showcase its five-year community research project on African American identity with the program “The Will to Adorn: African American Diversity, Style, and Identity.” This multicity collaboration examines the history and culture of the aesthetics of African Americans. The festival will be held June 26-30 and July 3-7, outdoors on the National Mall between Seventh and 14th streets. “Whether we realize it or not, we are all dress artists. The way we compose our look is a creative expression of our ideas about who we are and who we aspire to be,” said Diana N’Diaye, program curator. “This program explores the diversity of African American traditions of style, but also teaches young people the importance of documenting their own culture and saving that information for themselves and future generations.”