Nearly every day Los Angles police file reports on someone for their simply being suspicious. Suspicious of what, however, is unclear. It is part of the Los Angeles Police Department’s suspicious activity reporting program, which is touted as a first line of defense against possible terrorist attacks. Though law enforcement praises the reporting system,...
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The online manifesto of Christopher Dorner, an ex-cop who sought to exact revenge on the Los Angeles Police Dept. for his dismissal in 2009, spoke of corruption, racism and brutality within the department. However, the LAPD is not the only...
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The manifesto of Christopher Dorner, an ex-cop seeking revenge on the Los Angeles Police Dept. for what he says was a wrongful dismissal, has gained much attention since he had been connected with several murders that targeted law enforcement and their families, and which led to a multi-agency manhunt. The document has been described...
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Margarita Lucero and her husband are unloading their pick-up truck of clothes. In the back are old televisions and VCRs. These are items they sell at swap meets, she explains. When asked how she has been, she responds, “No bien. Nervous.” The subject of her worries flies overhead in an overcast sky. “La policía,”...
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These may be the final days of Fort Hernandez. Forty-five days ago, a foreclosed home in Van Nuys became a local hub of community outreach and protesting against banks. The residents of 14620 Leadwell St. decided not to leave, but to use their experience as an example of what’s wrong with this country’s banking...
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It is Oct. 1 and Occupy Los Angeles is celebrating its first year in existence. Roughly 200 people have assembled in Pershing Square and are planning to march through downtown. The temperature is near 100 degrees and an aggressive trimming of the park’s trees provides little shade for anyone. Although a protest is planned,...
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Cherise Rogers is happier these days – much happier. After five years of fighting questionable misdemeanor charges, which involved over 70 costly court appearances and ruined her career aspirations, her case is finally over, but with a pleasant twist. Her case has been expunged, allowing Rogers to freely move on with her life. “I...
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It’s Saturday afternoon, Labor Day weekend, in Van Nuys and the mood is subdued. Homeowners tend to chores. One works on his pick-up truck. Above, a warm breeze stirs the tree leaves, making a gentle sound that causes one to desire a hammock for an afternoon nap. Nearby, atop a flag pole, an American...
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Homeless people have historically gained the ire of city dwellers. In 1875, the editors of the New York magazine Appleton’s Journal took issue with the destitute who made themselves “an object of abhorrence to decent folk” in Central Park. They criticized the installment of park benches, saying that the “mendicancy of a free seat...
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Proyecto Jardín has been functioning as a community garden for over 10 years in the East Los Angeles neighborhood of Boyle Heights. Like most East LA neighborhoods, it is common to find liquor stores and fast food chains yet little health-food establishments or fitness centers. A Boyle Heights Beat analysis shows that there is...
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