A Los Angeles County judge found that charter cities aren’t subject to Senate Bill 9, the 2021 “duplex” law that allows up to four homes to be built on a lot in single-family neighborhoods. The law fails to accomplish its stated purpose of creating more affordable housing, and therefore, doesn’t meet the high bar of overriding local control over zoning, Superior Court Judge Curtis Kin said in a ruling released Wednesday, April 24. SB 9 “is neither reasonably related to its stated concern of ensuring access to affordable housing nor narrowly tailored to avoid interference with local government ..read more

What healthy dish are we going to make with all that chard? That was the question on the minds of educators at Annalee Elementary on Wednesday, April 17 as volunteers from LA Galaxy Foundation and Garden School Foundation descended upon campus to help refurbish the school’s community garden in Carson. The project was part of Major League Soccer’s “Greener Goals” initiative and the local professional team’s way of participating in MLS’ week of service surrounding Earth Day, April 22. Other MLS partner Earth Week endeavors around the U.S. include tree plantings, river bed cleanups, transforming ..read more

Carson recently announced that it has rolled out citywide surveillance cameras. The new cameras are part of the city’s effort to enhance public safety and bolster security measures, and help law enforcement catch criminals in the act, according to a Carson press release. “These surveillance cameras will serve as a powerful tool in our efforts to create a safer and more secure environment for everyone in our community,” Mayor Lula Davis-Holmes said in the announcement. The multimillion-dollar project, which also includes license plate readers around Carson, began about a year ago. The previous ..read more

A former Anaheim-based staffing agency will pay $2.2 million to settle a hiring discrimination lawsuit that alleged it failed to recruit and refer job candidates based on race, sex or disability, federal regulators announced this week. The 2022 suit by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission targeted BaronHR LLC and Radiant Services Corp., a Baron client that operates a commercial laundry facility in the Harbor Gateway near Carson and allegedly exercised the same discriminatory practices. “Protecting individuals seeking entry-level or temporary jobs from discrimination in recruitment ..read more

Anyone visiting a park in Carson can now get free internet access. Carson this week launched free Wi-Fi service in all of its parks, the city announced in a press release this week. It’s part of the city’s initiative to expand digital equity and access for residents, per the release, building a connected and inclusive community where everyone can access the internet for work, education or leisure in outdoor public spaces. “I am thrilled to announce that we are taking another step towards creating a more connected and inclusive community,” Mayor Lula Davis-Holmes said in the announcement. “By p ..read more

A city code amendment requiring contractors seeking permits to disclose prior labor violations was unanimously approved Tuesday, April 2, by the Carson City Council. The vote followed public remarks by three members of the carpenters union — wearing “Standing up to tax fraud” T-shirts — who said developers hire workers under the table in practices they said amount to billions of dollars in fraud each year. The lower bids for a project, they said, are selected by government entities often following their own code requirements. The ordinance, which was approved on a second reading without furthe ..read more

Harbor-UCLA Medical Center’s orthopedics chief, placed on leave in 2022 during an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct involving unconscious patients and misogynistic behavior, is no longer working at the renowned Los Angeles County teaching hospital, the Southern California News Group has learned. The county Department of Health Services confirmed in an email Thursday, March 21, that Dr. Louis Kwong’s employment has ended, but refused to disclose whether he resigned voluntarily or was fired, saying it was a personnel matter. Harbor-UCLA’s chief medical officer, Griselda Gutierr ..read more

Carson Mayor Lula Davis-Holmes outlined the city’s ambitious plans for the future during her 2024 State of the City speech on Thursday, March 21, with an emphasis on the city’s commitment to clean energy initiatives, enhanced internet connectivity, expanded park spaces, as well as plans to bolster housing stock for residents. Davis-Holmes delivered her annual address, showcasing the city’s accomplishments and mapping out its sustainable future, through a pre-recorded video broadcast at Carson Event Center. Despite this, the mayor herself was also present alongside representatives from a cross ..read more

The City Council this week greenlit an amendment to Carson’s municipal code requiring contractors seeking permits for certain large projects to disclose prior labor violations. The ordinance, which aims “to protect human rights, workers’ rights, and eradicate labor exploitation” is based on a recommendation from Carson Mayor Lula Davis-Holmes, according to a city staff report. Under this ordinance, contractors working or planning to work in the city must reveal any state or federal labor violations and associated penalties from the past five years when submitting their permit applications. Thi ..read more

Do you like free stuff? Do you like to wander through museums? Then I’ve got a deal for you. On March 23, dozens of Southern California museums in Southern California are opening their doors and inviting you to visit. For free. Yes, I said no charge. (Sadly, sometimes the parking is not free, but still …) Note that some places ask you to reserve in advance, so read up on the details. And the free admission applies to the general museum, not any specially ticketed exhibitions. If I were you, I’d get there right when they open, because this will be one crowded day. Here’s the freebie list, court ..read more