Author: Emilie St. John

COMPTON – In less than two years after its opening Plenty Farm has announced it is closing its Compton location. The company said that it is undergoing a “strategic shift” to strawberries. “This is a bittersweet moment in Plenty’s journey,” the company said in the post. “Compton was our first commercial farm and marked our transition from a startup to a scaling business. But the rising cost of doing business in California, including climbing energy prices, made operating here challenging. Closing this chapter was not a decision we made lightly, but it was a necessary step as we shift our…

INGLEWOOD – The newly elected Inglewood city treasurer was awarded an exorbitant salary increase during the Dec. 17 city council meeting. Angela Allen was elected after receiving nearly 56% of the vote during the Nov. 5 election over her opponent Taylor Bryant who was backed by Congresswoman Maxine Waters and former Inglewood treasurer Wanda Brown. Allen previously served as deputy city clerk. The salary increase became a point of contention between Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts Jr. and District 1 Councilwoman Gloria Gray who refused to vote on the salary ordinance that also increased the salary of the city clerk…

Jonathan T. Jackson has filed suit against Dr. Rashad Ritchie, Michael Shure and The Young Turks over comments made during a recent episode of Indisputable with Dr. Rashad Ritchie. According to the suit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, Jackson is alleging that Ritchie “framed Plaintiff as guilty of extortion and criminal misconduct, despite clear and documented evidence proving otherwise.” “This case arises from the deliberate, defamatory, and malicious conduct of Defendants Dr. Rashad Richey (“Dr. Rashad Richey”), Michael Shure (“Shure”), and The Young Turks (“TYT”) (collectively, “Defendants”) through their program Indisputable with Dr. Rashad Richey. During their November 1,…

LOS ANGELES – Ward Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), Mothers in Action and Brotherhood Crusade partnered with DoorDash to provide 1,000 families with meals for the Thanksgiving Holiday. The meals were delivered to local residents served by WEDC and the meal purchases were made possible thanks to support from community partners like DoorDash. This marks WEDC’s 29th year of serving meals for the holiday. “Thanksgiving is a time for community and gratitude, and WEDC’s Thanksgiving meals program truly embodies both,” said Marqueece Harris-Dawson, Los Angeles City Council President. “I’m comforted knowing that hundreds of Angelenos in the communities I serve and…

BELLFLOWER – The Bellflower Unified School District (BUSD) is taking corrective action on a payment made to an employee in June 2021, demanding the return of what it terms “unlawful compensation” amounting to $108,489.98. This effort to recoup funds reflects the district’s ongoing scrutiny and correction of past financial practices. According to the letter received under a public records request, F3 Law is seeking reimbursement from Daniel Buffington after the District Governing Board approved a promotion for him that was due to be retroactive to March 13, 2021. In 2021, Bellflower Unified reported 158 employees making more than $100,000 per…

INGLEWOOD — For the first time since the early 1990s, voters here will select a new city treasurer. Wanda Brown has served as city treasurer for more than 30 years and is the longest-serving city official in its history. Brown is supporting Taylor Bryant, a corporate attorney. Also on the ballot is deputy city clerk Angela Allen. “I’m supporting Taylor Bryant because she has the education, work experience and temperament for the office of city treasurer,” Brown said. Brown explained what qualities a city treasurer should hold in order to earn residents’ votes. “The candidate should have earned a degree…

Without current funding, unsheltered homelessness could rise 28% across LA County–more than 57,400 would lose services and housing INGLEWOOD — New data shows that without new voter-approved homelessness funding, nearly 15,000 more people could experience unsheltered homelessness in South Los Angeles and the South Bay due to lost housing and services. The funding cuts would result in a 28% rise in unsheltered homelessness across LA County. “We’ve learned through our conversations with community members that folks are feeling anxious with so much on the ballot this year. So many families are housing burdened throughout LA County, with a potential for nearly 15,000 more people,…

In 2023, Los Angeles was ranked the 2nd rattiest city in the United States. In 2022, California Governor Gavin Newsom described the resurgence of typhus, a flea-borne disease spread through infected rats and other small mammals, as a “medieval disease” after 171 cases were reported in Los Angeles County alone. Earlier this year, Family Dollar agreed to pay a hefty fine and forfeiture of nearly $42 million as part of a plea agreement to resolve criminal charges for keeping food and drugs in an unsanitary warehouse infested with rats. After a Food and Drug Administration inspection revealed the infestation, the…

LOS ANGELES – A powerful coalition of labor leaders, elected officials, and formerly incarcerated individuals came together to urge Californians to vote Yes on Proposition 6 – a groundbreaking initiative that seeks to end forced labor in California’s carceral system, expand rehabilitation opportunities for incarcerated individuals, and save taxpayer money. “Prop 6 ensures they have the flexibility to attend GED classes, vocational training, and substance abuse counseling. The ultimate goal is to equip incarcerated individuals with the tools they need to succeed upon release, preventing homelessness and repeat offenses,” said Los Angeles County Federation of Labor President, Yvonne Wheeler. The…

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs (DCBA) continues to spread awareness that the minimum wage in unincorporated LA County increased to $17.27 per hour on July 1. The new minimum wage of $17.27 applies to employees who work at least two hours per week within the unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County. Employers with 25 or fewer employees must pay their employees no less than $17.27 an hour. The Department of Consumer and Business Affairs (DCBA) plays a crucial role in ensuring workers in unincorporated LA county receive the correct wages as mandated…