The Latest Scandal at Los Angeles City Hall "A councilman for South Los Angeles, Mark Ridley-Thomas, has been indicted on federal charges of taking bribes from a U.S.C. dean." (New York Times)
Study: Taking Uber or Lyft costs society and environment more than driving yourself "The problem is that ride-share drivers spend a lot of time 'deadheading' (driving alone) without paying passengers onboard, the study found. A 2019 report from Uber and Lyft found that deadheading accounted for roughly 40% of all mileage across six United States cities." (Green Car Reports)
It Just Got Easier To Set Up 'Slow Streets' Programs In LA "AB 773 could also make it easier for al fresco dining programs to stick around after the pandemic. Those programs allow cities to close off streets so restaurants, bars and cafes can set up tables and serve people outside." (LAist)
Destination Crenshaw projects get city approval. What big names in Black art are making for L.A. "Fundraising for the $100 million Destination Crenshaw — which now stands at $61.5 million — is getting a boost from DeMar DeRozan, a Chicago Bulls player, who will lead a new private fundraising drive, organizers said." (LA Times)
Emanate Health Breaks Ground on New $125 Million Expansion "On Aug. 27, Emanate Health broke ground on the first of two new 60,000-square-foot, two-story buildings slated for its flagship Queen of the Valley Hospital campus in West Covina." (LA Business Journal)
Workers haven’t returned to offices en masse. But companies are leasing more space "Los Angeles County saw a net gain of 300,000 square feet of leased office space in the third quarter, a tiny fraction of the local office supply but clearly an improvement from the net losses of 2 million square feet per quarter during the depths of the pandemic last year and early this year." (LA Times)
Metro and Other So Cal Freeway Builders Express Frustration About Addressing Equity "Caltrans and Metro have long histories of displacing numerous homes and businesses – predominantly in communities of color. Metro and Caltrans have continued to displace families in 2021, and Metro and Caltrans continue to plan for plenty of future displacement." (Streetsblog LA)
L.A. Has a ‘Canopy Equity’ Problem. A New Program Is Setting Out to Fix It "There have been a lot of efforts to plant more trees in Los Angeles over the years. Currently, City of L.A. residents are eligible up to seven free trees for their yards. However, creating these necessary canopies is more complicated than simply planting saplings and watching them grow." (L.A. Magazine)
