Gardena News, CA Local News

Gardena plumber who lost $30,000 worth of tools frustrated with crime laws

Sat, 06 Apr 2024 06:42:52 +0000

A Southern California plumber whose work van and $30,000 worth of tools were stolen is frustrated after the suspect, who was arrested, was immediately released.

The victim, Robert Powell, is still out of work and doesn’t know how long it’ll take to replace his stolen tools and equipment.

The theft happened on March 28 as home surveillance cameras captured the brazen theft outside his Gardena home.

“At 4:30 a.m., they came and took it,” Powell said, on the verge of tears. “It’s hard to replace $30,000 worth of equipment that has taken you 10 years to accumulate.”

Video shows two suspects in an SUV pulling up to Powell's work van, breaking into it and driving it away.

Later that morning, the van was found abandoned in South Gate. However, all of Powell's valuable and expensive tools were gone.

Two hooded suspects steal a plumber's work van and tools in Gardena on March 28, 2024. (Robert Powell)
Two hooded suspects steal a plumber's work van and tools in Gardena on March 28, 2024. (Robert Powell)
Robert Powell is devastated after thieves escape with his work van and around $30,000 worth of expensive tools. (KTLA)
Robert Powell found some of his stolen tools being sold on the resale app OfferUp. (KTLA)
Only three tools were recovered after thieves escaped with $30,000 worth of tools from a Gardena plumber. (KTLA)
Robert Powerll found some of his stolen tools being sold on the resale app OfferUp. (KTLA)
Suspects driving away with a Gardena plumber's work van that was parked on his driveway on March 28, 2024. (Robert Powell)
Two hooded suspects steal a plumber's work van and tools in Gardena on March 28, 2024. (Robert Powell)
Two hooded suspects steal a plumber's work van and tools in Gardena on March 28, 2024. (Robert Powell)
- Two hooded suspects steal a plumber's work van and tools in Gardena on March 28, 2024. (Robert Powell)
- Two hooded suspects steal a plumber's work van and tools in Gardena on March 28, 2024. (Robert Powell)
- Suspects driving away with a Gardena plumber's work van that was parked on his driveway on March 28, 2024. (Robert Powell)
- Robert Powell is devastated after thieves escape with his work van and around $30,000 worth of expensive tools. (KTLA)
- Two hooded suspects steal a plumber's work van and tools in Gardena on March 28, 2024. (Robert Powell)
- Two hooded suspects steal a plumber's work van and tools in Gardena on March 28, 2024. (Robert Powell)
- Two hooded suspects steal a plumber's work van and tools in Gardena on March 28, 2024. (Robert Powell)

“They had all the right equipment just to get in there and cut the cable, cut the steering wheel lock and take the truck,” Powell said. “They had it in two-and-a-half minutes.”

Later that morning, the stolen truck was found abandoned in South Gate. However, all of Powell's expensive tools were gone.

The thieves also tore out the truck's ignition and back door before speeding away with it.

“It’s not just me that it hurts, it’s everybody when they’re stealing from us,” he said. “We have to find a way to stop these guys from doing this. It’s painful.”

Although Powell is devastated by this loss, he’s trying to stay positive and work on regaining his livelihood by replacing his tools. He hopes he’ll be ready to work soon enough. As an independent contractor, he has two employees who also rely on him for pay.

“I’ll take tomorrow and just start putting it back together as if I had nothing,” he said. “I know that I am blessed with the customers I have and the friends that I have. I’m going to pull through it.”

Powell filed a police report but said he couldn’t provide a detailed description of the suspects' appearance as his home security footage was on night mode and was too grainy.

Anyone who may be interested in helping Powell rebuild can email him directly at kandrplumbing90504@gmail.com.

George A. Romero’s ‘Dawn of the Dead’ turns 45 — Where to see it

Tue, 26 Mar 2024 08:00:52 +0000

George A. Romero’s zombie classic “Dawn of the Dead” will rise in a trio of area theaters once again to celebrate a milestone anniversary.

The film, which is the second in the renown directors series of genre-defining zombie flicks, turns 45 this year and will return to theaters across the country in April and May.

Locally, the film will screen at Gardena Cinema, which will screen the film in 3D, the Alamo Drafthouse in downtown Los Angeles and in Orange County at the Frida Cinema in Santa Ana.

Trevor Dillon, the programming manager at The Frida Cinema in Santa Ana, CA, on Friday, March 22, 2024. George Romero’s classic zombie film, Dawn of the Dead, returns to select theaters in April and May to celebrate the film’s 45th anniversary. It’s coming to three local theaters in Gardena, Downtown LA and the Frida Cinema. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

“I love this film. I think it has some of the greatest effects of all-time in terms of the gore and the sequences in particular, with zombies ripping people apart look unbelievable, better than anything you see on screen now,” said Trevor Dillon, director of programming and special events at the Frida, who jumped at the chance to screen the film, which is very rarely seen in theaters.

“We’ve never had the chance to play it and we’ve never been able to. I’m very surprised more theaters aren’t playing it,” he said.

The film followed Romero’s 1968 masterpiece “Night of the Living Dead,” which pretty much revolutionized the horror film genre and sparked the zombie craze that remains extremely popular today.

“I think ‘Night of the Living Dead’ really set the tone for the modern zombie movie and then ‘Dawn of the Dead’ then really pushed it forward,” Dillon said. “If ‘Night of the Living Dead’ set up the pins, ‘Dawn of the Dead’ knocked them all down.”

While the first film followed seven people trapped in a farmhouse in rural Pennsylvania who are under assault by flesh eating zombies, “Dawn of the Dead” went further into the genre by exploring the larger-scale effects of a zombie apocalypse on an entire society. The storyline follows a group of people who barricade themselves in a mall after a mysterious virus spreads all around them, turning those who are bitten into rabid, flesh-hungry creatures.

“It went into a way more political area, it’s more violent, it’s in color, it’s commenting on American consumerism but it’s also entertaining,” Dillon said.

The North American gala premiere of ‘Dawn of the Dead’ took place on April 12, 1979 at the Gateway Theatre in downtown Pittsburgh before it was released nationwide. At the Frida a couple of weeks before its early April screening, Dillon was busy putting up film posters at the theater and said he expects a sold out house at all three screenings inside the Orange County theater. He is also planning on having horror-themed vendors on-site during the screening.

Dawn of the Dead

Where: The Frida Cinema, 305 E. Fourth Street, Santa Ana. Showtimes are 7:45 p.m. Friday, April 12-Saturday, April 13 and 7:30 p.m. Sunday, April 14. Tickets are $12 at thefridacinema.org.

Gardena Cinema, 14948 Crenshaw Boulevard, Gardena. Showtimes are 2:30 pm, 6 p.m. and 9:30 pm on Saturday, April 27 and at 6:00 pm and 9:30 pm on Sunday, April 28. Tickets are $15 at eventbrite.com.

Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, 700 W. 7th Street, Suite U240, Los Angeles. Showtimes are 9:30 p.m. Friday, April 12 and 7:15 p.m. Tuesday, April 16. Tickets are $10 at drafthouse.com. This location is almost sold out.

For more information and more locations, go to dawn45.com.

Gardena high school sends microgravity experiment to the International Space Station

Fri, 22 Mar 2024 16:16:58 +0000

Students from Gardena’s Junipero Serra High School Space Team recently celebrated the launch of their second engineering experiment into orbit.

Henry Toler of the Junipero Serra High School Space Team grasps his hands as he watches the launch from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida of their second experiment aboard the SpaceX Falcon 9 CRS-30 rocket to the International Space Station. The experiment involves 3D printing in microgravity at Junipero Serra High School in Gardena on Thursday, March 21, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Members of the Junipero Serra High School Space Team watches the launch from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida of their second experiment aboard the SpaceX Falcon 9 CRS-30 rocket to the International Space Station. The experiment involves 3D printing in microgravity at Junipero Serra High School in Gardena on Thursday, March 21, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Members of the Junipero Serra High School Space Team watches the launch from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida of their second experiment aboard the SpaceX Falcon 9 CRS-30 rocket to the International Space Station. The experiment involves 3D printing in microgravity at Junipero Serra High School in Gardena on Thursday, March 21, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Members of the Junipero Serra High School Space Team react along with mentor Ken irvine, right, after the launch from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida of their second experiment aboard the SpaceX Falcon 9 CRS-30 rocket to the International Space Station. The experiment involves 3D printing in microgravity at Junipero Serra High School in Gardena on Thursday, March 21, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Junipero Serra High School Space Team watches the launch from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida of their second experiment aboard the SpaceX Falcon 9 CRS-30 rocket to the International Space Station. The experiment involves 3D printing in microgravity at Junipero Serra High School in Gardena on Thursday, March 21, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Members of the Junipero Serra High School Space Team watches the launch from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida of their second experiment aboard the SpaceX Falcon 9 CRS-30 rocket to the International Space Station. The experiment involves 3D printing in microgravity at Junipero Serra High School in Gardena on Thursday, March 21, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)

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The students’ experiment — meant to test 3D printing in microgravity, according to a recent Serra High news release — will eventually land aboard the International Space Station after blasting off in SpaceX’s Falcon 9 CRS-30 rocket this week.

The experiment will remain aboard the ISS for about a month, according to the school’s website; NASA astronauts will download data to the students.

From that data, the junior engineers will conduct analysis and determine the outcome of their experiment.

Serra High School’s Space Team is one of just nine schools across America selected to participate in NASA’s International Space Station Program, meant to give kids practical experience in engineering and other STEM specialties.

The Space Team also participated in the program last year — sending an experiment to test microgravity’s impacts on seed germination to the ISS.

The results of that test were recently returned to the students from NASA, the news release said, and are currently being processed by the students.

“The conclusions will add real data to the field of scientific knowledge and implications for future research,” the announcement said.

Serra’s Space Team, meanwhile, hosted a viewing party on Thursday, March 21, to revel in their accomplishment — and watch their second experiment make its way to the ISS from Florida.

As the countdown to launch began, anticipation built among team members, teachers and their supporters — some tightly clasping their hands as the rocket roared into the sky.

Upon liftoff, attendees erupted into cheers and applause, celebrating their achievement.

Serra’s Space Team will also visit the California State House in late April, the announcement said, to receive a commendation from the state Assembly for their contributions to engineering education in urban high schools.

Sushi in Gardena is doubly good at these 2 locations

Wed, 20 Mar 2024 14:53:42 +0000

Those of us who subsisted on take-out food during the dark days of the pandemic quickly learned which take-out foods satisfied our fearful souls … and which were barely a dog’s breakfast.

Italian food seemed overcooked, the pastas turning to red sauce mush in time. (Even pizza was something of a disaster, largely a reason for sucking down another beer.) Chinese food all too often arrived overcooked, a reminder of the rule that grabbing a table closest to the kitchen so the food is at its hottest is a test of culinary wisdom.

The notion of a take-out steak is absurd, as is a grilled slab of fish. Take-out hamburgers and chili dogs are a nightmare wrapped in brown paper.

By contrast, barbecue seemed to improve with age. Middle Eastern food traveled quite well. But nothing was a better option for take-out than sushi — especially if it was served in a bento box, packed with wasabi and ginger and rice. It was a real joy, as long as you don’t let it sit for too long (seafood, and all that).

If you’ve been to Japan, you know one of the most joyous lunchtime sights is bento box delivery people, the boxes of sushi (and more) stacked to the sky on the back of their bicycles, negotiating through traffic, bringing meals to salary workers (as they’re known), who by and large never leave their desks. (I’ve known workers who even sleep under their desks when needed!)

The boxes don’t contain the exotic rolls that have become a commonality. Simplicity is a defining quality. And there’s no take-out sushi simpler than that found at the venerable Sakae Sushi (1601 Redondo Beach Blvd, Gardena; 310-532-4550, www.sakaesushigardena.com).

Sakae has been in business since 1962. It’s reminiscent of small take-out shops found all over Japan. There are no tables. There are no servers. They ask that you call in with your order — though I’ve found just showing up also works well, if you don’t mind a wait. They take cash only.

They offer six sushi items: A vegetarian nori-maki of shiitake mushrooms, spinach and egg wrapped in seafood. Fried tofu (inari). Cooked shrimp (ebi). Pickled mackerel (saba). Shiitake mushrooms topped with sweet egg. And a California roll — the one modernist intruder on the menu.

Sushi rice — cooked over the stove in big pots rather than in rice cookers — is flavored with vinegar and notably sweetened. (There’s a taste of rice dessert in the sweetness; this sushi is a treat on many levels.)

The options are the nori and inari rolls in a box. California rolls in another box. And a mixture of the five rolls, with the California roll being an outsider in its own land.

The only sides are ginger and wasabi. The sushi is superb, elegant and so basic. In a world of deep-fried this and that, along with cream cheese here and there, this is sushi from the Before Times. It’s not as much food, as it is culinary history in a simple white box. It’s hard not to dig in as you drive away.

Pardon me a boatload of clichés, but Tokyo Central Specialty Market (1740 Artesia Blvd., Gardena, 310-660-6300; 3832 Sepulveda Blvd., Torrance, 310-375-4900; www.tokyocentral.com) is not just the Disneyland of Japanese markets, it’s also the Costco and the Trader Joe’s.

I don’t remember seeing a market as jam-packed with Japanese products in Tokyo, as are found on the maze-like aisles of Tokyo Central — so convoluted, they include a map, detailing 31 aisles, including two for frozen ramen, and another two for Hawaiian goods.

But for my needs, the most vital section is the area dedicated to sushi and sashimi, which sits adjacent to the dining area and its several cooked food stands. It offers more options than any restaurant in our sushi-obsessed city.

I am honestly hard-pressed to detail it all here — this is an encyclopedic selection of nigiri and rolls and sashimi. Packages of chunky futomaki packed with rice and veggies and seafood. Sampler boxes of fried tofu inari in numerous configurations. Exotica, like the packages of seared avocado and shrimp mayo rolls. Spicy tuna rolls with far more tuna within the seaweed wrappers than rice. Bluefin tuna nigiri of a deep red color. Salmon nigiri and crab roll combination packs. Aburi salmon nigiri sprinkled with herbs.

More Merrill: Eat at Rudy’s in Wilmington dishes up a tasty classic diner experience

The refrigerated cases are long, and packed to the (ahem) gills. There are cartoonish signs above declaring the wonders and the joys. The prices are better than expected. The quality is unsurpassed.

Next time, I’ve got to check out the several aisles of candies — the Japanese have a passion for Kit Kat bars, which are sold in dozens of flavors. Wasabi Kit Kats? You bet. I’ve had them. They’re green. Of course they are.

Merrill Shindler is a Los Angeles-based freelance dining critic. Email mreats@aol.com.

Election 2024: Here are how some local races along LA County’s coast look after latest update

Wed, 06 Mar 2024 18:55:37 +0000

The residents of Long Beach and South Bay area cities seem to have chosen who should represent them in their local governments.

Now it’s just a matter of waiting to officially learn who the winners are.

See the latest election results.

County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk Dean Logan announced the semi-final results for Tuesday’s primary early Wednesday. The registrar’s office then provided its first post-election day update around 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, with more than 1 million ballots counted — nearly 18% of eligible voters.

Here’s where the local races in Avalon, Lakewood, Paramount, Gardena and Compton stood as the latest update.

Avalon

Avalon Mayor Anni Marshall led handily with new vote totals on Wednesday afternoon with about two-thirds of the votes in her bid to win reelection against challenger Daniel Felts, who had about one-third.

The mayor, who has held the position for 10 years, represents the city of about 3,700 residents.

Incumbent councilmembers Lisa Lavelle and Yesenia De la Rose ran unopposed for a full four-year term.

Treasurer Oley Olsen also ran unopposed.

Anni Marshall (courtesy photo)

Lakewood

Two four-year seats on the Lakewood City Council were up for grabs this election, with both districts in the central part of town.

In the District 3 race, challenger Jeff Wood was in a comfortable lead with 59% of the vote. Incumbent Ariel Pe was trailing with about 41%.

District 3 is bordered by Bellflower on the north and Long Beach on the south.

Ariel Pe (courtesy photo)
Jeff Wood (courtesy photo)

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In District 4, business owner David Arellano had 64% of the vote over appointed Councilmember Vicki Stuckey, who had about 36%.

District 4 is bordered by Cerritos on the north, a small area of Bellflower on the northwest, Long Beach on the south and Hawaiian Gardens on the southeast.

Stuckey was appointed in 2022 to complete the term of retired Councilmember Diane DuBois.

David Arellano (courtesy photo)
Vicki Stuckey (Courtesy city of Lakewood)

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Residents began voting for councilmembers in five different districts, instead of a citywide vote, in 2022.

Paramount

Current Mayor Isabel Aguayo, and Councilmembers Brenda Olmos and Vilma Cuellar Stallings faced three challengers in their citywide bid for reelection: teacher Yesenia Maria Cuarenta, small business owner Jose De Leon and university administrative coordinator Carmen Patricia Gomez.

The incumbents are in the lead as of Wednesday afternoon. Olmos was leading the pack with 27%, followed by Aguayo at 20%, Stallings at about 17%, Cuarenta at 14%, Gomez at nearly 12% and De Leon at nearly 10%.

Isabel Aguayo (courtesy photo)
Brenda Olmos (courtesy photo)
Vilma Cuellar Stallings (courtesy photo)
Yesenia Cuarenta (courtesy photo)
Jose De Leon (courtesy photo)
Carmen Gomez (courtesy photo)

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Gardena

Incumbents Mark Henderson and Paulette Francis were leading in a race to retain seats on the Gardena City Council against teacher Aimee Midori Yamada, and first responder and veteran Anthony Dixon.

The top-two finishers will claim the two open council seats.

Henderson had nearly 33% of the vote. Francis with around 26% and Dixon had 23.81%, while Yamada at 17.74%.

Mark Henderson (courtesy photo)
Paulette Francis (courtesy photo)
Anthony Dixon (courtesy photo)

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Compton

Appointed Mayor Deidre Duhart had a small lead over challenger Jasper Jackson, with Fidel Marquez in third, in the race to represent District 1 on the City Council. But Duhart did extend her lead slightly when results came in Wednesday afternoon. District 1 is the northwest portion of the city.

Duhart had 42.15% of the vote and Jackson had 39.76%, while Marquez had 18.09%.

Deidre Duhart (courtesy photo)
Semi-official election results: Here are how some local races along LA County’s coast stand

Wed, 06 Mar 2024 11:04:10 +0000

The polls have closed, meaning the 2024 statewide primary is over — and the residents of Long Beach and South Bay area cities have chosen who should represent them in their local governments.

Now it’s just a matter of waiting to learn who the winners are.

See the latest election results.

County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk Dean Logan announced the semi-final results for Tuesday’s Presidential Primary Election early Wednesday. A total of 910,857 ballots were counted, with 16% of registered voters casting ballots. Many outstanding ballots remained to be counted, Logan said, but an official number was not announced. The first post-election day update is scheduled for later Wednesday, March 6.

Here’s where the local races in Avalon, Lakewood, Paramount, Gardena and Compton stood as of the semi-official results.

Avalon

Avalon Mayor Anni Marshall was leading handily with about two-thirds of the votes in her bid to win reelection against challenger Daniel Felts, who had about one-third.

The mayor, who has held the position for 10 years, represents the city of about 3,700 residents.

Incumbent councilmembers Lisa Lavelle and Yesenia De la Rose ran unopposed for a full four-year term.

Treasurer Oley Olsen also ran unopposed.

Anni Marshall (courtesy photo)

Lakewood

Two four-year seats on the Lakewood City Council were up for grabs this election, with both districts in the central part of town.

In the District 3 race, challenger Jeff Wood was in a comfortable lead with nearly 61% of the vote. Incumbent Ariel Pe was trailing with about 39%.

District 3 is bordered by Bellflower on the north and Long Beach on the south.
- Ariel Pe (courtesy photo)
- Jeff Wood (courtesy photo)
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In District 4, meanwhile, business owner David Arellano had nearly 65% of the vote over appointed Councilmember Vicki Stuckey, who had about 35%.

District 4 is bordered by Cerritos on the north, a small area of Bellflower on the northwest, Long Beach on the south and Hawaiian Gardens on the southeast.

Stuckey was appointed in 2022 to complete the term of retired Councilmember Diane DuBois.
- David Arellano (courtesy photo)
- Vicki Stuckey (Courtesy city of Lakewood)
of
Expand
Residents began voting for councilmembers in five different districts, instead of a citywide vote, in 2022.

Paramount

Current Mayor Isabel Aguayo, and Councilmembers Brenda Olmos and Vilma Cuellar Stallings faced three challengers in their citywide bid for reelection: teacher Yesenia Maria Cuarenta, small business owner Jose De Leon and university administrative coordinator Carmen Patricia Gomez.

In early results, the incumbents were in the lead. Olmos was leading the pack with 27%, followed by Aguayo at nearly 20%, Stallings at about 17%, Cuarenta at nearly 14%, Gomez at around 12% and De Leon had 10%.
- Isabel Aguayo (courtesy photo)
- Brenda Olmos (courtesy photo)
- Vilma Cuellar Stallings (courtesy photo)
- Yesenia Cuarenta (courtesy photo)
- Jose De Leon (courtesy photo)
- Carmen Gomez (courtesy photo)
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Gardena

Incumbents Mark Henderson and Paulette Francis were leading in a race to retain seats on the Gardena City Council against teacher Aimee Midori Yamada, and first responder and veteran Anthony Dixon.

The top-two finishers will claim the two open council seats.

Henderson had 32.29% of the vote. Francis with around 25.36% and Dixon had 23.86%, while Yamada had 18.5%.
- Mark Henderson (courtesy photo)
- Paulette Francis (courtesy photo)
- Anthony Dixon (courtesy photo)
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Compton

Appointed Mayor Deidre Duhart had a slight lead over challenger Jasper Jackson, with Fidel Marquez in third, in the race to represent District 1 on the City Council. District 1 is the northwest portion of the city.
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  LA school officials join with 2nd-graders in Gardena for Read Across America
  
  Tue, 05 Mar 2024 13:35:39 +0000
  
  Second graders at Amestoy Elementary School listen to a reading of Swimmy by Leo Lionni, in celebration of Read Across America week, in Gardena on Monday, March 4, 2024. (Photo by Brittany Murray, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
  L-R LAUSD Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho and LAUSD board member Tanya Ortiz Franklin, reading, Swimmy by Leo Lionni, to second graders at Amestoy Elementary School in celebration of Read Across America week, in Gardena on Monday, March 4, 2024. (Photo by Brittany Murray, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
  L-R LAUSD Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho and LAUSD board member Tanya Ortiz Franklin, chat with second graders at Amestoy Elementary School in celebration of Read Across America week, in Gardena on Monday, March 4, 2024. (Photo by Brittany Murray, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
  L-R Consulate General of Japan Sone Kenko, LAUSD Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho and LAUSD board member Tanya Ortiz Franklin, reading to second graders at Amestoy Elementary School in celebration of Read Across America week, in Gardena on Monday, March 4, 2024. (Photo by Brittany Murray, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
  Second graders at Amestoy Elementary School were treated to a visit by Consulate General of Japan Sone Kenko, LAUSD Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho and LAUSD board member Tanya Ortiz Franklin, in celebration of Read Across America week, in Gardena on Monday, March 4, 2024. (Photo by Brittany Murray, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
  L-R Consulate General of Japan Sone Kenko, LAUSD Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho and LAUSD board member Tanya Ortiz Franklin, reading to second graders at Amestoy Elementary School in celebration of Read Across America week, in Gardena on Monday, March 4, 2024. (Photo by Brittany Murray, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
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  A trio of officials, including one from Japan, recently celebrated Read Across America at a Gardena school.
  
  Alberto M. Carvalho, the superintendent of Los Angeles Unified School District, joined Consulate General of Japan Sone Kenko and LAUSD board member Tanya Ortiz Franklin at Amestoy Elementary School on Monday, March 4.
  
  They teamed up to read a book to second-grade students at the school, which has a dual-language program in Japanese.
  
  Read Across America, which the National Education Association started in 1998, is led by a committee of educators in what has become the nation’s largest year-round program to motivate children and teens to read. The program includes events, partnerships and reading resources.
  
  This year’s Read Across America Week, meanwhile, began on Saturday, March 2, and runs through Wednesday.
  
  Carvalho, Kenko and Ortiz Franklin read “Swimmy,” a 1963 picture book by Leo Lionni that’s about a fish who stands out because he’s a different color from his fellow fish.
  
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  Election 2024: LA teachers union pulls endorsement of LAUSD board candidate Kahllid Al-Alim
  
  Tue, 05 Mar 2024 11:17:46 +0000
  
  The union representing Los Angeles Unified School District teachers pulled its endorsement of embroiled board candidate Kahllid Al-Alim late Monday, March 4, on the eve of Tuesday’s primary election.
  
  Al-Alim, who could not be reached for comment early Tuesday, is one of seven candidates seeking to succeed retiring board member George McKenna as the District 1 representative. The district runs from around Beverly Hills southward, wrapping around Inglewood and ending at Gardena.
  
  Al-Alim’s candidacy took a hit last month because of revelations about social media activity that was sexually explicit, as well of some posts that led to accusations of antisemitism. Al-Alim previously aplogized for the posts.
  
  United Teachers Los Angeles, which represents more than 35,000 LAUSD educators, announced it had rescinded its endorsement of Al-Alim in a statement on its website.
  
  “United Teachers Los Angeles has rescinded our endorsement of District 1 school board candidate Kahllid Al-Alim after a democratic process that involved (multiple union bodies),” the union’s statement said. “UTLA member leaders moved decisively as information came to light.”
  
  Al-Alim became the center of controversy in late February when screen shots of his activity on X, formerly Twitter, began surfacing. Some of the activity was decried as antisemitic; he also followed accounts that were sexually explicit in nature, including those that promoted women on the adult site OnlyFans. The activity was from Al-Alim’s personal X account, which was deleted when the controversy erupted.
  
  Al-Alim quickly apologized for the activity in a statement, and said his career — which included serving on the African American Education Task Force and advocating for the creation of the Black Student Achievement plan, according to his website — had been dedicated to fighting oppression. He also did not drop out of the District 1 race; the top two finishers will face off in the November general election.
  
  “I have spent my life fighting against antisemitism, anti-Arab hate, Islamophobia, and all forms of oppression,” he said in his initial statement. “I have spent my life fighting for the equality of all people. There is a very long history of Jewish and Black people backing each other and working in solidarity for justice. I want to continue that important work.”
  
  But that didn’t stop the outrage.
  
  Everyone from the Los Angeles County Federation Of Labor, AFL-CIO — which also endorsed him — to the Simon Wiesenthal Center and LAUSD Board of Education President Jackie Goldberg condemned. UTLA, which had described Al-Alim in its endorsement as “fighter for racial and economic justice,” also condemned him
  
  But rescinding its endorsement was a long process. UTLA’s endorsement team, the Political Action Council of Educators and its Board of Directors all needed to weigh in — and its 250-member House of Representatives had to vote.
  
  The final decision came Monday evening.
  
  “UTLA condemns all forms of oppression,” the union said in its statement about rescinding Al-Alim’s endorsement, “including racism, sexism, anti-Semitism, anti-Blackness, Islamophobia, xenophobia, and homophobia.”
  
  The union also said this situation was a chance to learn.
  
  “As educators, we recognize that people can learn and evolve through courageous conversations,” UTLA’s statement said. “Therefore, we view this situation as a valuable learning opportunity not only for UTLA, but also for the wider community. We look forward to engaging the diverse communities that make up Los Angeles.”
  
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  Small pupusas are big on flavor at these 3 South Bay restaurants
  
  Mon, 04 Mar 2024 15:08:44 +0000
  
  We all have our culinary obsessions. There are those who build their lives around the hunt for the best pizza. There are those for whom the taco is the sine qua non of food. Or the burrito, or the tamale. I know of fans who have visited every ballpark in America — not for baseball, but for the hot dogs. People sing the gospel of bageldom.
  
  Acolytes almost come to blows debating the perfection of corned beef versus pastrami. And for those waiting in line at Los Cheros Pupuseria (16502 S. Main St., Gardena; 310-515-0107), situated in an industrial strip that’s just darkness at night, it’s the pupusa that demands allegiance. For at Los Cheros, pupusas are all there is.
  
  The search for great pupusas leads us deep into the easy to overlook world of Central American cooking in the South Bay. It’s a thick griddle cake from El Salvador and Honduras, usually made with cornmeal — an iconic bit of street food that’s been officially declared the national dish of El Salvador. It comes stuffed with sundry ingredients — though mostly cheese, beans and pork, especially chicharron pork rinds. It always comes with tasty curtido slaw.
  
  Its following is so obsessed, it’s been named the Best Street Food in New York. No, not the hot dog … the pupusa.
  
  On a Saturday night, that love of pupusas is on full display at Los Cheros. The line stretches out in the mini-mall parking lot, with a handful of fans seated at one of the few tables, gobbling their pupusas out of Styrofoam containers.
  
  At Los Cheros Pupuseria, which is situated in a Gardena strip mall, the stars of the menu are the pupusas. (Photo by Merrill Shindler)
  
  The Los Cheros model is thick and puffy, with a browned edge, and a basic selection of fillings. For me, the best option is the Revuelta — the full monty of pork, beans and cheese, very nicely melted.
  
  As for other versions, there also are chicharron and cheese, beans and cheese, cheese alone, cheese with the edible flower called loroco, cheese with calabaza squash — and one variation made with plantain, another with rice flour. The cornmeal pupusas are replicated with rice meal as well.
  
  And though there’s more to the takeout menu, it’s the pupusas that dominate the ordering — and the hearts of Los Cheros’ true believers.
  
  Some distance to the south, Pupuseria La Quebrada (1111 W. Pacific Coast Hwy., Harbor City; 424-250-9775) has a menu of five soups, five antojitos and 11 comidas, including some wonderful salpicons.
  
  But it’s the pupusas of the name that bring me in, nine of them, including one model of spinach with cheese. Otherwise, this is a destination in a large horseshoe mall packed with restaurants representing many of our local cuisines — including, of course, a sushi bar. It doesn’t get the line of Los Cheros, but it has a loyal following, who can’t pass on a proper pupusa — a taste of the homeland, in a world far away.
  
  And then, there’s La Esperanza (22832 S. Western Ave., Torrance; 310-626-6578, www.laesperanzarestaurants.com), which features a good-sized attached bakery, with racks of tasty pastries, baked in-house — and a menu that makes the place a bit of a culinary Organization of American States.
  
  The toughest part is … where to begin. Though, of course, the place to begin … is at the beginning, with the appetizers. Which are annotated as to where they arrived from. Thus, there’s a Guatemalan chile relleno, served with a Guatemalan tomato sauce. The mini fried corn tortillas called garnachas come with crunchy Guatemalan slaw. There are Guatemalan enchiladas and a Guatemalan salsa. There are Guatemalan taquitos. And Guatemalan black beans.
  
  There are dishes on the menu at La Esperanza that you have to go to the neighborhoods of Guatemala City to find. This is, in classic terms, for the local Central American population, a taste of home. And a very tasty one, too.
  
  Show up for breakfast, which is a fine alternative to American breakfasts, and you can dive into the Salvadoran breakfast of fried plantains with the thick sour cream found all over the region, and Guatemalan black beans. Or perhaps a 6-ounce steak served with two eggs and Guatemalan ranchero sauce.
  
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  Thai food in Gardena is a tasty treat at Sweet Rice
  
  From Mexico, they’ve got much-loved chilaquiles, a dish I never tire of, tortilla bits with eggs and a choice of red or green salsa. Along with rice, beans and Salvadoran chorizo.
  
  As an extra nod to Central American cooking, all breakfast plates come with fried plantains, and the local mix of rice and beans called casamiento. Which adds up to a complete protein, if memory serves me right. Tasty … and good for you, too.
  
  And of course there are pupusas — revuelta with chicharron, beans and cheese; chicken with vegetables; shrimp and cheese; and vegetables alone (spinach, zucchini, onions and tomatoes). You can get a Plato de Pupusas, of two different models, served with rice and beans on the side.
  
  And for a taste of authenticity, look for the word “chipilin” here and there on the menu, as in the case of the tamal de chipilin. Chipilin is not a place, and it’s not a person. Rather, it’s a Central American herb, added to the tamale dough for both color and flavor, though the flavor is mostly green vegetable flavor, rather than a distinctly memorable taste.
  
  At La Esperanza, you’ll find it under the tamale section, along with banana leaf-wrapped Guatemalan tamales, potato-filled tamales called paches, corn tamales called cuchitos, and sweet corn tamales, which are as much a dessert as an entrée.
  
  Speaking of dessert, there are two flavors of flan — the chocolate is amazing. As is the tres leches cake. And the coffee is Central American — which means thick, strong and memorable after a culinary tour.
  
  Merrill Shindler is a Los Angeles-based freelance dining critic. Email mreats@aol.com.
  
  Election 2024: Here’s a roundup of some local races along LA County’s coast
  
  Sat, 10 Feb 2024 06:01:25 +0000
  
  The 2024 statewide primary is just a few weeks away — but federal and state races aren’t the only elections on the ballot.
  
  Plenty of cities along Los Angeles County’s coast have local elections on March 5. Here’s a roundup of them.
  
  Avalon
  
  Avalon Mayor Anni Marshall will will try to win reelection agaiinst challenger Daniel Felts.
  
  The mayor represents the entire city of about 3,700 for two years.
  
  In her candidate’s statement on lavote.gov, Marshall said she has been mayor of Avalon for 10 years and touted her experience on various projects, including workforce housing, transient rental licenses and Cabrillo Mole renovation.
  
  The Cabrillo Mole Ferry Revitalization Project is currently in the works to repair the city’s wharf to “maintain its safety and reliability and increase its life expectancy,” to improve the “overall tourist experience,” according to the city of Avalon website.
  
  A campaign website or statement for challenger Daniel Felts could not be found.
  
  Incumbent councilmembers Lisa Lavelle and Yesenia De la Rose are running unopposed for a full four-year term.Treasurer Oley Olsen is running unopposed as city treasurer.
  
  Lakewood
  
  Two four-year seats on the Lakewood City Council will be up for grabs on March 5.
  
  Current Mayor Ariel Pe and Jeff Wood will face off in the District 3 race, while business owner David Arellano and reserve deputy Vicki Stuckey compete to fill the District 4 seat.
  
  Residents began voting for councilmembers in five different districts, instead of a citywide vote, in 2022.
  
  District 3 and 4 are in the central part of Lakewood. District 3 is bordered by Bellflower on the north and Long Beach on the south. District 4 is bordered by Cerritos on the north, a small area of Bellflower on the northwest, Long Beach on the south and Hawaiian Gardens on the southeast.
  
  David Arellano grew up in Lakewood and is a small business owner of Preferred Auto Design in Bellflower.
  
  Arellano coached girls track at Mayfair and Lakewood High School while volunteering as a soccer coach in youth sports. He has also been the chair of the board of directors for the Greater Lakewood Chamber of Commerce.
  
  His priorities, according to his campaign website, include community safety, economic development, infrastructure, and spearheading community engagement in city events and programs.
  
  Pe has lived in Lakewood for five decades and is a small business owner.
  
  His priorities, if reelected, include ensure a financial foundation for the city, strengthening public safety, and supporting community events and mentoring programs, according to his campaign website.
  
  Pe, according to his website, has been involved in numerous community organizations, including the Greater Lakewood Chamber of Commerce and Rotary Club of Lakewood. He currently serves as president of the Gateway Cities Council of Governments, vice president of Los Angeles County League of California Cities, and Lakewood Regional Medical Center.
  
  Vicki Stuckey was appointed in 2022 to complete the term of retired councilmember Diane DuBois.
  
  She has served on various Lakewood city commissions, according to her website, including the Public Safety Commission and the Planning and Environment Commission.
  
  Stuckey began her law enforcement career in 1985 with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and retired in 2019 as the captain of the Altadena Sheriff’s station, according to her campaign website.
  
  Stuckey has also been involved in other organizations, including the Rotary Club of Lakewood, Friends of Lakewood Library, the Lakewood Regional Medical Center and the African American Quilter of Los Angeles.
  
  Wood, meanwhile, is seeking his fourth term on the Lakewood City Council.
  
  Wood’s priorities, according to his website, are public safety, maintaining parks and recreation programs, supporting local businesses, and advancing capital improvement projects.
  
  Wood has also served on regional boards, including as president of California Contract Cities Association and the Southern California Association of Government’s Regional Council. He serves on local committees as well, including the city’s Audit and Measure L committees and the Schools Committee.
  
  Wood, according to the city’s website, has career experience in “risk management, business continuity, occupational safety and health, and emergency management.”
  
  Jeff Wood (courtesy photo)
  Vicki Stuckey (Courtesy city of Lakewood)
  Ariel Pe (courtesy photo)
  David Arellano (courtesy photo)
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  Paramount
  
  In Paramount, a city with about 52,500 people, current Mayor Isabel Aguayo and Councilmembers Brenda Olmos and Vilma Cuellar Stallings are running for reelection.
  
  Vying to replace them in the citywide election are teacher Yesenia Maria Cuarenta, small business owner Jose De Leon and university administrative coordinator Carmen Patricia Gomez.
  
  A lifelong resident of Paramount, Isabel Aguayo is seeking her second term on the City Council. Safety, education and recreational opportunities are important issues in the city, according to her candidate statement. A goal of Aguayo’s, she said, is creating more recreational programs in the city, including adult sports and adaptive recreation.
  
  Cuarenta said she is running for Paramount City Council to focus on quality of life issues and for an accountable and open city government.
  
  Cuarenta is currently a school board member for the Paramount Unified School District. She was elected to the school board in 2018 and reelected in 2022.
  
  Cuarenta, a California School Board Association delegate, helped form the school district’s office of Equity, Diversity and Support Systems, according to the district’s website.
  
  Cuarenta is a member of the Paramount Kiwanis Club and a member of the Paramount Historical Society, Paramount’s Parent Teacher Association and The Paramount Women’s Club, according to the school district’s website.
  
  De Leon, meanwhile, said in his candidate statement that he would advocate for cleaner air and for more affordable housing.
  
  Other issues include increasing safety in parks by adding more light, demanding more transparency from the city and stopping wasteful spending.
  
  Olmos, a health care professional, backed the creation of Paramount’s Back to School program, which supplied students with school supplies, and other programs while she was on City Council.
  
  Other programs that are moving the city forward, according to Olmos’ candidate statement, are student scholarships, homelessness intervention programs, the Chats & Snacks program — which promotes conversations with the mayor — and partnerships with the school district and business community.
  
  Cuellar Stallings said the city has had notable accomplishments recently, according to her candidate statement, including the installation of new playground equipment at all major parks in the city and new businesses on Paramount Boulevard.
  
  Other accomplishments include the expansions of the Little Library and Back to School Supplies programs, citywide repaving that’s set to begin soon, expansion of seniors’ programs, and the Los Angeles Kings Iceland skating rink.
  
  Carmen Patrica Gomez could not be reached for comment and no campaign website was available.
  
  Isabel Aguayo (courtesy photo)
  Brenda Olmos (courtesy photo)
  Vilma Cuellar Stallings (courtesy photo)
  Yesenia Cuarenta (courtesy photo)
  Jose De Leon (courtesy photo)
  Carmen Gomez (courtesy photo)
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  Gardena
  
  Incumbents Mark Henderson and Paulette Francis will compete against teacher Aimee Midori Yamada, and first responder and veteran Anthony Dixon to fill two City Council seats in Gardena, which has about 59,700 residents.
  
  Dixon was working for the Los Angeles County Fire Department as part of the Fire Department Lifeguard Division when the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks happened.
  
  So at 33, he joined the military and spent 11 years in the Army National Guard, where he served two tours in Iraq and Kuwait, according to his campaign website.
  
  Dixon began work for McCormick Ambulance at 18 years old and became an EMT and was eventually promoted to supervisor before joining the LA County Fire Department, where he fought fires to working at the Lifeguard Division.
  
  Dixon is a California State Fire Fighters Association board member, senior vice commander at VFW Post No. 3261 in Gardena, a member of the Gardena Kiwanis Club and the liaison advisor for the Gardena High School Key Club.
  
  Incumbent Francis has lived in Gardena for nearly five decades and was first elected in March 2020, according to the city’s website.
  
  Francis, who has worked in aerospace, real estate and government service professions; and is the president of California Educational Solution, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering women and children, according to the city’s website.
  
  Francis has also been involved in various city organizations, including serving as chair of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Cultural Committee of Gardena, president of the Gardena Valley Democratic Club, and commissioner on the Gardena Recreation and Parks Commission and the Planning & Environmental Quality Commission.
  
  Incumbent Henderson, according to his website, was first elected in March 2015, is an advocate for responsive government, a champion for technological advances and wants to help promote local businesses.
  
  Henderson is a U.S. Navy veteran and currently works at the Los Angeles Community College District as the district manager of College Technology Services.
  
  Henderson has lived in Gardena for 35 years and has been active as a volunteer youth sports coach, Gardena Pop Warner volunteer city commissioner, and board president of PVJOBs Inc. and Brothers Inc. Youth Leadership.
  
  Henderson was a delegate to the Southern California Association of Governments, West Basin Water Association alternate, Centennial Youth Services delegate, Gardena Rent Mediation board member, chair of the Planning and Environmental Quality Commission, and chair of the Racial Equity Housing Committee, according to his campaign website.
  
  In a campaign statement, Aimee Midori Yamada said she is focused on the city’s youth.
  
  Yamada served Gardena’s community for decades as a PTA member and PTSA board secretary at her children’s and grandchildren’s schools, according to the statement. Yamada founded the Isami taiko group at Gardena Buddh
  
  Thai food in Gardena is a tasty treat at Sweet Rice
  
  Wed, 10 Jan 2024 12:20:55 +0000
  
  I sometimes wonder if Thai restaurants, much as I wonder about our numerous street corner taco stands, are all run out of a central kitchen — a sort of culinary Deep State that demands the same menus, replicated precisely, because that’s what people want.
  
  We have legions of Thai restaurants around town — most a pleasure to eat at — where you’ll find the same preparation of chicken satay, the same mee krob, the same pad Thai, the same papaya salad. Those are dishes I truly love, but one does wonder if there’s anything else?
  
  Of course there is. I’ve been to Bangkok, where the menus, at the most modest of street-food eateries, bear little or no resemblance to the cookie-cutter style of LA.
  
  And, of course, to suggest that our Thai restaurants are all the same is glib at best, and disingenuous at worst. I’ve stood in line at Anajak Thai in Sherman Oaks for the Tuesday Thai Tacos — a uniquely SoCal creation. And when I’m in the ’hood, I often stop at the happily named Sweet Rice in Gardena for … sweet rice, and so much more.
  
  Sweet Rice is tucked into a back corner of Pacific Square Shopping Center, where it’s become, in the words of one Michelin kudo, an “exciting haven [that] specializes in authentic Thai breakfasts and desserts. The playful menu also proffers hearty soups and noodle dishes. … Desserts — even post-breakfast — are an absolute delight; and if the mango sticky rice is available, jump on it. The space is casual, with counter service, a welcoming vibe, and friendly servers.” (And yes, the anonymous Michelin critics really write like AI bots who are programmed to come up with pat phrases and tedious cliches. I do wonder if anyone human has worked at Michelin in years!)
  
  What Sweet Rice is, more than anything else, is a Thai eatery that’s pretty much unlike any other. As the menu states, the specialties of the house are “Thai breakfast & dessert” — with an emphasis on the former. And we are further reassured that “Our recipes are designed to capture original Thai flavors.”
  
  Sweet Rice in Gardena offers down-home Thai cooking — including a section of Thai breakfast dishes — not often found at other Siamese eateries. (Photo by Merrill Shindler)
  Sweet Rice in Gardena has a simple dining area, yet what they serve is simply delicious, says restaurant critic Merrill Shindler. (Photo by Merrill Shindler)
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  I have only a vague memory of eating breakfast in Bangkok — the restaurant where the servers all deliver your food on roller skates comes to mind, along with the seafood market where you select your fish, bring it to a line of woks, and have a cook prepare it as you like. I must have eaten breakfast. But all I can recall are bowls of rice with tea. At Sweet Rice, there’s far more that’s memorable.
  
  The most memorable of the breakfast dishes, for me at least, are the several Thai omelets — “Kao Kai Jeow.” There are just a handful. But adding on the numerous options in each, they begin to multiply. You can trick up the omelets with chicken, pork, shrimp or crab — dishes decidedly not found at IHOP.
  
  The omelets are made with onions, scallions and cilantro in one version, to which Thai basil and jalapeño are added in another. You can opt for one that’s all veggie. All come with rice on the side. Because rice is as essential to a Thai breakfast as the eggs.
  
  And the omelets are just wonderful, a dish you’ll want to make at home — though they’ll probably never taste as good. (I’ve long given up trying to replicate restaurant dishes. They never come out quite right.)
  
  Another breakfast dish that definitely smacks of morning meal is the Thai porridge — “jok” — which is a standard breakfast item throughout Asia, as common as corn flakes in the US of A.
  
  It’s rice porridge, served in two very similar versions: the gruel flavored with ground pork, a “century” egg (which actually isn’t a century old, but is processed to make it seem aged), a poached egg, scallions, ginger crispy noodles; and the deep-fried breadstick called “patongo,” which sits somewhere between a churro and a doughnut. (A secondary version is almost exactly the same, except for an increased amount of pork.)
  
  More Merrill: Modern Chinese food is a delight at these South Bay restaurants
  
  From there, the menu meanders into what may be breakfast dishes, but they’ll also do just fine for lunch and dinner. (Which makes sense since Sweet Rice doesn’t open till late morning.) A good deal of the main dishes are soups. Some are rice soups (“kao tom”) — with shrimp, with pork, with chicken, all with chrysanthemum greens, cilantro, scallions … and a patongo on the side.
  
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  There are noodle soups — different types of noodles, different levels of spice, different ingredients. Order the spicy boat noodles, and your broth will contain thin rice noodles, sliced beef, beef stew, beef meatballs, tripe, pork rinds, beansprouts, chili roasted garlic oil, Chinese celery — and the elegantly named “blood broth.” It’s a very busy bowl of soup, if you ask me.
  
  There are a trio of curries — one yellow, one red, one green, and both spicy. The yellow is available with chicken only. The green is made even more breakfasty with the addition of a hard-cooked egg on top.
  
  I don’t know about you, but my morning eggs define my breakfast habits. On Fridays only, there’s a dish called kao mun kai, which is poached chicken with cucumber and cilantro. Why it’s one day a week, I do not know. But … there it is.
  
  And what about the dish in the title? You’ll find it in the wondrous mango & sticky rice, such a good dish, one of my favorite desserts in the world.
  
  Since breakfast is the theme, at every hour the Thai iced coffee is essential — though the Thai tea with lime juice is sure tempting. And like the menu says, “Original Thai flavors.” Without the heat and humidity of a Bangkok summer.
  
  Merrill Shindler is a Los Angeles-based freelance dining critic. Email mreats@aol.com.
  
  Sweet Rice
  
  Rating: 2.5 stars
  
  Address: Pacific Square Shopping Center, 1630 W. Redondo Beach Blvd., Gardena
  
  Information: 424-344-2054
  
  Cuisine: Thai Dessert/Eclectic
  
  When: Lunch and dinner, Tuesday through Sunday
  
  Details: Tea and soft drinks; no reservations
  
  Atmosphere: Tiny eclectic Thai dessert café, in the back of a sprawling Gardena shopping mall, offering down-home Thai cooking, not often found at our many Siamese eateries — including a section of Thai breakfast dishes.
  
  Prices: About $18 per person
  
  Suggested dishes: 9 Kao Kai Jeow Thai Omelets ($13.99-$16.99), 2 Thai Porridge Dishes ($13.99-$14.99), 5 Noodle Soups ($12.99-$13.99), 5 Thai Curry Dishes ($14.99), Kao Mun Kai Poached Chicken (Fridays only) ($13.99), 2 Kao Tom Rice Soups ($12.99-$15.99), 3 Curried Kao Soi Noodles ($15.99)
  
  Credit cards: MC, V
  
  What the stars mean: 4 (World class! Worth a trip from anywhere!), 3 (Most excellent, even exceptional. Worth a trip from anywhere in Southern California.), 2 (A good place to go for a meal. Worth a trip from anywhere in the neighborhood.) 1 (If you’re hungry, and it’s nearby, but don’t get stuck in traffic going.) 0 (Honestly, not worth writing about.
  
  Sheriff’s Department Investigators Solve 16-Year-Old Cold Case Using DNA, Fingerprint Technology
  
  Sun, 30 Jan 2022 01:37:05 +0000
  
  GARDENA (CBSLA) — Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputies announced on Saturday that they believe they’ve solved a 16-year-old cold case.
  
  They announced that with the use of DNA and fingerprint technology, they have finally arrested a suspect wanted in the murder of a woman in 2005.
  
  On Thursday, they arrested 56-year-old Charles Wright, of Hawthorne, on suspicion of murdering 21-year-old Pertina Epps, via strangulation.
  
  Her body was found in an empty parking stall on April 26, 2005 at around 1 p.m., when a Gardena resident was backing out of a carport on 141st Street.
  
  “At the time of the murder, an extensive investigation was conducted by LASD homicide detectives and all leads were exhausted,” said Deputy Alejandra Parra of the Sheriff’s Information Bureau.
  
  She continued to detail, “During a review of this case in 2021 by the Sheriff’s Homicide Unsolved Unit, forensic evidence left at the crime scene was resubmitted for examination, using current technology.
  
  “DNA and fingerprint evidence was determined to belong to the suspect, Charles Wright,” Parra concluded.
  
  Wright made bail – set at $1 million – on Thursday, the same day he was arrested. He is scheduled to appear in court for arraignment on June 28.
  
  (© Copyright 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)
  
  Authorities Identify Gardena Man Fatally Stabbed on Saturday As Gary Godinez
  
  Thu, 27 Jan 2022 03:00:46 +0000
  
  GARDENA (CBSLA) – A 22-year-old man was stabbed to death Saturday morning in Gardena, authorities said.
  
  Officers were dispatched at about 2:30 a.m. to the 15100 block of Western Avenue, regarding a call of a stabbing victim in need of help, said Lt. Christopher Cuff of the Gardena Police Department.
  
  On Wednesday, the victim was identified as Gary Godinez. First responders to the scene of the incident found Godinez deceased in an alley on Western Avenue.
  
  They are still searching for a suspect wanted in the stabbing.
  
  The Gardena Police Department’s Detective Bureau urged anyone with information regarding the stabbing to call them at 310-217-9692.
  
  Manslaughter Charges Filed Against Driver Of Autopiloted Tesla Which Killed 2 In Gardena
  
  Tue, 18 Jan 2022 19:20:26 +0000
  
  LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles County prosecutors have filed two counts of vehicular manslaughter against the driver of a Tesla on autopilot who ran a red light, slammed into another car and killed two people in Gardena in 2019.
  
  The defendant appears to be the first person to be charged with a felony in the United States for a fatal crash involving a motorist who was using a partially automated driving system. Los Angeles County prosecutors filed the charges in October, but they came to light only last week.
  
  The driver, Kevin George Aziz Riad, 27, has pleaded not guilty. Riad, a limousine service driver, is free on bail while the case is pending.
  
  The misuse of Autopilot, which can control steering, speed and braking, has occurred on numerous occasions and is the subject of investigations by two federal agencies. The filing of charges in the California crash could serve notice to drivers who use systems like Autopilot that they cannot rely on them to control vehicles.
  
  The criminal charges aren’t the first involving an automated driving system, but they are the first to involve a widely used driver technology. Authorities in Arizona filed a charge of negligent homicide in 2020 against a driver Uber had hired to take part in the testing of a fully autonomous vehicle on public roads. The Uber vehicle, an SUV with the human backup driver on board, struck and killed a pedestrian.
  
  By contrast, Autopilot and other driver-assist systems are widely used on roads across the world. An estimated 765,000 Tesla vehicles are equipped with it in the United States alone.
  
  In the Tesla crash, police said a Model S was moving at a high speed when it left a freeway and ran a red light in Gardena and struck a Honda Civic at an intersection on Dec. 29, 2019. Two people who were in the Civic, Gilberto Alcazar Lopez and Maria Guadalupe Nieves-Lopez died at the scene. Riad and a woman in the Tesla were hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries.
  
  Criminal charging documents do not mention Autopilot. But the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which sent investigators to the crash, confirmed last week that Autopilot was in use in the Tesla at the time of the crash.
  
  Riad’s defense attorney did not respond to requests for comment last week, and the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office declined to discuss the case. Riad’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for Feb. 23.
  
  NHTSA and the National Transportation Safety Board have been reviewing the widespread misuse of Autopilot by drivers, whose overconfidence and inattention have been blamed for multiple crashes, including fatal ones. In one crash report, the NTSB referred to its misuse as “automation complacency.”
  
  The agency said that in a 2018 crash in Culver City, California, in which a Tesla hit a firetruck, the design of the Autopilot system had “permitted the driver to disengage from the driving task.” No one was hurt in that crash.
  
  Last May, a California man was arrested after officers noticed his Tesla moving down a freeway with the man in the back seat and no one behind the steering wheel.
  
  Teslas that have had Autopilot in use also have hit a highway barrier or tractor-trailers that were crossing roads. NHTSA has sent investigation teams to 26 crashes involving Autopilot since 2016, involving at least 11 deaths.
  
  Messages have been left seeking comment from Tesla, which has disbanded its media relations department. Since the Autopilot crashes began, Tesla has updated the software to try to make it harder for drivers to abuse it. It’s also tried to improve Autopilot’s ability to detect emergency vehicles.
  
  The company has said that Autopilot and a more sophisticated “Full Self-Driving” system cannot drive themselves and that drivers must pay attention and be ready to react at anytime. “Full Self-Driving” is being tested by hundreds of Tesla owners on public roads in the U.S.
  
  Bryant Walker Smith, a law professor at the University of South Carolina who studies automated vehicles, said this is the first U.S. case to his knowledge in which serious criminal charges were filed in a fatal crash involving a partially automated driver-assist system. Tesla, he said, could be “criminally, civilly or morally culpable” if it is found to have put a dangerous technology on the road.
  
  Donald Slavik, a Colorado lawyer who has served as a consultant in automotive technology lawsuits, including many against Tesla, said he, too, is unaware of any previous felony charges being filed against a U.S. driver who was using partially automated driver technology involved in a fatal crash.
  
  The families of Lopez and Nieves-Lopez have sued Tesla and Riad in separate lawsuits. They have alleged negligence by Riad and have accused Tesla of selling defective vehicles that can accelerate suddenly and that lack an effective automatic emergency braking system. A joint trial is scheduled for mid-2023.
  
  Lopez’s family, in court documents, alleges that the car “suddenly and unintentionally accelerated to an excessive, unsafe and uncontrollable speed.” Nieves-Lopez’s family further asserts that Riad was an unsafe driver, with multiple moving infractions on his record, and couldn’t handle the high-performance Tesla.
  
  Separately, NHTSA is investigating a dozen crashes in which a Tesla on Autopilot ran into several parked emergency vehicles. In the crashes under investigation, at least 17 people were injured and one person was killed.
  
  Asked about the manslaughter charges against Riad, the agency issued a statement saying there is no vehicle on sale that can drive itself. And whether or not a car is using a partially automated system, the agency said, “every vehicle requires the human driver to be in control at all times.”
  
  NHTSA added that all state laws hold human drivers responsible for operation of their vehicles. Though automated systems can help drivers avoid crashes, the agency said, the technology must be used responsibly.
  
  Rafaela Vasquez, the driver in the Uber autonomous test vehicle, was charged in 2020 with negligent homicide after the SUV fatally struck a pedestrian in suburban Phoenix in 2018. Vasquez has pleaded not guilty. Arizona prosecutors declined to file criminal charges against Uber.
  
  (© Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
  
  Sheriff’s Deputies Investigating Homicide In Gardena
  
  Mon, 10 Jan 2022 00:30:04 +0000
  
  GARDENA (CBSLA) — Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies were investigating a shooting on Sunday.
  
  The homicide was reported just after 1:15 p.m., on South Avalon Boulevard, in an unincorporated part of Gardena.
  
  One person was pronounced dead at the scene, though his identity has been withheld pending notification of next of kin.
  
  As of the time of the report, authorities have no information on either a suspect or motive in the shooting.
  
  Anyone with information on this killing was asked to call the LASD’s homicide unit at (323) 890-5500.
  
  (© Copyright 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)
  
  Pedestrian Killed After Being Struck By Multiple Cars On Southbound 405 Freeway In Gardena
  
  Wed, 05 Jan 2022 15:40:02 +0000
  
  GARDENA (CBSLA) — A pedestrian died Wednesday after being struck by multiple vehicles in the southbound lanes of the 405 Freeway in Gardena.
  
  The driver of a big rig reported possibly hitting a person who was already in lanes at about 4:40 a.m., according to the California Highway Patrol. The driver reported the person, described only as a male, had apparently been struck by a car already.
  
  A Sigalert was issued for four lanes of the freeway north of Vermont Avenue for several hours. Just the carpool lane was open to allow a trickle of traffic to get by.
  
  Torrance: southbound I-405 at Vermont Ave. only the HOV lane is open. Four left lanes are closed. Fatal collision involving multiple vehicles & a pedestrian. #sigalert #fatal pic.twitter.com/aRQg1bYtOH
  
  — Caltrans District 7 (@CaltransDist7) January 5, 2022
  
  All lanes were reopened after 9 a.m.
  
  Gardena Community Hospital Under Fire For Treatment Of Dead COVID Patients
  
  Wed, 29 Dec 2021 05:25:48 +0000
  
  GARDENA (CBSLA) – A local community hospital is under fire for how it has treated dead patients who succumbed to COVID-19.
  
  Memorial Hospital of Gardena is being accused of not properly caring for the bodies of dead COVID patients.
  
  Overhead on Monday, Sky9 captured video outside of the hospital where employees could be seen rearranging bodies inside a mobile freezer in a parking lot.
  
  A hospital spokesperson told CBSLA Reporter Nicole Comstock that its morgue inside can hold up to six bodies. During the pandemic, that has been insufficient.
  
  However, one witness who spoke with CBSLA on anonymity, told Comstock that those bodies were left outside in the rain.
  
  “Security had tears in their eyes. They’re crying. Some of the security had to leave because they got fluid on their clothes when they did move the bodies,” the witness said.
  
  The hospital denies that the bodies were not properly cared for. It insists the mobile freezer was kept at the required 34 degrees – and the bodies were not left outside during the recent rain storm.
  
  “Because of the overcrowding situation, hospital administrators took action yesterday to organize the outdoor cooling unit in a more orderly fashion,” Memorial Hospital of Gardena said in a statement to CBSLA. “Hospital protocol calls upon security guards to assist in the process when mortuaries come to pick up bodies, primarily helping to lift and move the bodies.”
  
  But the witness claims she saw body fluid on the sheets and the ground. She insists there is proof that the mobile freezers were not set at the proper temperature.
  
  “Impossible. Those bodies were defrosted. They were decomposing,” she said.
  
  Vidal Herrera, who owns an independent autopsy company, says it’s illegal to stack bodies the way the hospital was in the photos.
  
  “And I could see a lot of bodily fluids, and right there the pathogens- that can expose security guards and whomever walks in there,” Herrera said. “A body should never be there for more than two weeks.”
  
  But the hospital has admitted that its kept bodies in the mobile freezer for months. It said that 11 of the 19 people who passed away were not claimed by family members. In addition, Los Angels County hasn’t picked them up yet.
  
  The hospital released a statement to CBSLA Investigative Reporter Kristine Lazar on Thursday.
  
  “Memorial Hospital of Gardena continues working to alleviate a situation of overcrowding in its morgue facilities. As of this morning, the hospital had 19 bodies on site, in the hospital’s small inside morgue and in a temporary cooling unit outside,” the hospital said. “Local mortuaries are filling up at this time, which makes a transfer more challenging. Meanwhile, hospital administrators are working to get a larger temporary cooling unit on site to alleviate the overcrowding.”
  
  “The unusually high number of bodies is due to a surge in COVID-related deaths, on top of non COVID-related deaths, in addition to the Public Administrator cases. Because of the overcrowding situation, hospital administrators took action yesterday to organize the outdoor cooling unit in a more orderly fashion. Hospital protocol calls upon security guards to assist in the process when mortuaries come to pick up bodies, primarily helping to lift and move the bodies. While the outside cooling unit was being better organized, the hospital engaged Environmental Services staff to clean the unit. That is why some of the bodies were removed from the unit for a brief period. There was some evidence of fluids leaking from one or more bodies. This is not unusual for bodies that have been in refrigerated storage for a period of month’s. The temperature of the cooling unit is confirmed at the required 34 degrees; the bodies are not frozen.
  
  LAPD Seeking Help Finding Hit-And-Run Motorist Who Fatally Injured Bicyclist
  
  Mon, 29 Nov 2021 23:23:56 +0000
  
  LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — Authorities Monday sought the public’s help to find the hit-and-run driver responsible for striking and killing a bicyclist in the Harbor Gateway area of Los Angeles near Gardena.
  
  The 39-year-old man was riding his bike around 2:40 a.m. on Sunday at Vermont Avenue and Alondra Boulevard when he was hit and died at the scene, the Los Angeles Police Department said.
  
  The victim’s name was withheld, pending notification of his relatives.
  
  According to police, the man was riding westbound on Alondra Boulevard when he was struck by the vehicle traveling northbound on Vermont Avenue. No description was available of the vehicle or driver.
  
  A standing reward of up to $50,000 has been offered by the city of Los Angeles for information that helps authorities solve a fatal hit and run.
  
  Anyone with information on the case was urged to call the LAPD South Traffic Division at 323-421-2500 or 323-421-2577; 877-LAPD-247; or Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS.
  
  (© Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)
  
  New Gardena Police Sticker Alerts Officers To The Presence Of A Person With Special Needs
  
  Mon, 01 Nov 2021 22:27:58 +0000
  
  GARDENA (CBSLA) — Free stickers available starting today could be the difference between life and death at the hands of a police officer.
  
  (credit: Gardena Police Department)
  
  The Gardena Police Department on Monday is now offering free stickers that will alert law enforcement personnel that they may be interacting with a person with special needs. Use of the reflective stickers are voluntary, and are designed to be placed near the front doors of homes or on car windows.
  
  “The special needs sticker program was adopted as another tool to help law enforcement officers when interacting with those with potential physical or developmental disabilities,” the department said in a statement.
  
  Gardena police officers are trained every year on how to interact with people who have special needs, but the stickers are a visual indicator of a person at a call for service may have special needs, and instructions may not be easily understood.
  
  The stickers are available to the public in the lobby of the Gardena Police Department, 1718 W. 162nd Street, or through district lieutenants.
  
  The city of Seal Beach earlier this year also debuted a similar sticker.
  
  Man Killed, 2 Injured In Violent Gardena Crash
  
  Tue, 19 Oct 2021 14:15:43 +0000
  
  GARDENA (CBSLA) – One man was killed and two others injured in single-car crash in Gardena early Tuesday morning.
  
  Oct. 19, 2021. (CBSLA)
  
  The crash occurred at South Normandie Avenue and West Redondo Beach Boulevard just after midnight.
  
  According to Gardena police, one man died at the scene and two others were taken to a hospital. No names were released.
  
  The circumstances of the crash were unclear. There was no word on whether drugs or alcohol were involved.
  
  Scent-Free Hand Sanitizer From Gardena-Based Artnaturals Found To Have Cancer-Causing Chemicals
  
  Fri, 08 Oct 2021 15:46:55 +0000
  
  GARDENA (CBSLA) — Consumers should immediately stop using artnaturals hand sanitizer because they have unacceptable levels of cancer-causing chemicals, according to the FDA.
  
  ArtNaturals hand sanitizer for sale at a store in Ardsley, New York, U.S., on Friday, March 19, 2021. Some widely available hand sanitizers that American consumers snapped up last year to ward off coronavirus infection contain high levels of a chemical known to cause cancer, a testing firms analysis found. Photographer: Tiffany Hagler-Geard/Bloomberg via Getty Images
  
  Certain artnaturals scent-free hand sanitizer labeled with “DIST. By artnaturals Gardena, CA 90248” have been found to have unacceptable levels of benzene, acetaldehyde, and acetal contaminants, the FDA said in a warning issued this week. The product has been added to the FDA’s list of hand sanitizers consumers should not use.
  
  Benzene can cause certain types of cancer in humans, and acetaldehyde has been found to do so as well, according to animal studies. Meanwhile, acetal can irritate the upper respiratory tract, eyes, and skin.
  
  The FDA says that before they issued the warning this week, they made multiple attempts to contact artnaturals to discuss the contaminated hand sanitizers, but the Gardena-based company did not respond.
  
  Consumers who have a hand sanitizer that the FDA has warned against using should dispose of it, ideally in a hazardous waste container, which may be available from local waste management and recycling centers. Contaminated hand sanitizers should not be poured down a drain or flushed.
  
  Anyone who has experienced health problem from using a problematic hand sanitizer can submit a report to the FDA’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program.
  
  SPCALA To Host Low-Cost Pet Vaccine Clinic In Gardena
  
  Tue, 05 Oct 2021 01:39:45 +0000
  
  GARDENA (CBSLA) — The spcaLA will host a low-cost clinic in Gardena next weekend offering vaccines, flea and tick treatments, de-wormers and microchips for dogs and cats.
  
  The event will run from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. on Sunday at Gardena City Hall, located at 1670 W. 162nd St. Prices will range from $10 to $60.
  
  Dogs must wear collars and leashes, and cats must stay in a carrier. Attendees should bring existing vaccine records and have payment readily available.
  
  An additional clinic for Leptospirosis and canine influenza boosters will take place on Nov. 6 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at spcaLA’s PD Pitchford Companion Animal Village & Education Center, 770 E. Spring St., Long Beach.
  
  Social distancing will be enforced and masks will be required.
  
  (© Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)
  
  Robbery Suspect Holes Up On Rooftop Before Being Arrested
  
  Mon, 02 Aug 2021 02:52:29 +0000
  
  FLORENCE (CBSLA) – A robbery suspect that Gardena Police and Los Angeles Police Departments were trying to take into custody refused, for a time, to surrender Sunday afternoon.
  
  The suspect holed up on a building rooftop off of South San Pedro Street between Manchester Avenue and East 87th Street for an hour.
  
  The man was eventually taken into custody by a team of LAPD officers. Another suspect in the robbery was arrested earlier.
  
  70-Year-Old Woman With Dementia Reported Missing Near Gardena
  
  Fri, 25 Jun 2021 04:00:36 +0000
  
  GARDENA (CBSLA) – A 70-year-old woman diagnosed with dementia last seen in an unincorporated area near Gardena was reported missing Thursday.
  
  Debra Sue Cox was last seen just before 11 a.m. in the 1400 block of West 125th Street, between Western and Normandie avenues, according to Deputy Shawn Du Busky of the Sheriff’s Information Bureau.
  
  Cox is Black, 5 feet, 9 inches tall and weighs 150 pounds, with brown eyes and black hair. She was last seen wearing a light blue sweater, faded blue jeans and was carrying a black “stick-like” object.
  
  Anyone with information on Cox’s whereabouts was asked to call the Sheriff’s Missing Persons Unit at 323-890-5500. Anonymous tips can be called into Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or submitted online at lacrimestoppers.org.
  
  (© Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)
  
  Antoine Rainey Charged In Unprovoked Attacks On 2 Women
  
  Wed, 09 Jun 2021 00:19:57 +0000
  
  COMPTON (CBSLA) — A man accused of unprovoked assaults on two women, including a single mother attacked at a Gardena gas station, was formally charged Tuesday with two felony counts of assault by means of force likely to produce great bodily injury.
  
  (Source: LASD)
  
  However, criminal proceedings were quickly put on hold after an attorney for the suspect, 37-year-old Antoine Larue Rainey, expressed doubt about Rainey’s mental competency.
  
  The Long Beach resident is accused of attacking a woman May 30 at the Sinclair Gas Station at Rosecrans and Avalon in Gardena. She had just started pumping gas into her vehicle when security video shows a man driving into the parking lot and parking directly in front of her.
  
  Los Angeles County sheriff’s officials said the man calmly got out of his vehicle, walked toward the woman and punched her without any warning or provocation. She fell to the ground, and the man punched her again repeatedly in the head and face, grabbed her hair, and slammed her head against the vehicle and onto the ground several times, authorities said.
  
  After the assault, the man calmly walked back to his SUV, got in, and drove away. Gas station employees said the man was actually a regular customer, showing up daily to buy coffee and cigarettes.
  
  The woman was treated at a hospital for severe injuries to her head and face, and was said to be recovering at home, though she was still struggling with the trauma of the attack.
  
  Rainey is also accused of attacking a 63-year-old woman in her car in the same area the day before, according to investigators.
  
  “These types of unprovoked attacks are especially egregious and will not be tolerated,” District Attorney George Gascón said in a statement.
  
  During the brief proceedings, it was revealed that Rainey’s mother, Sheila Creswell, turned him in after seeing the video of the May 30 attack at the gas station on CBS2.
  
  Creswell said her son has severe mental problems and that she turned him in hoping that he would get the help he needs.
  
  “As a mother, my heart goes out to the victims that was involved, and I’m praying for them,” she said. “I pray for them more than I pray for myself, and I’m praying for my son that he gets the help that he needs.”
  
  A July 6 status conference has been set, and his bail has been raised to $50,000.
  
  (© Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)
  
  Suspect In Random Attack At Gardena Gas Station Arrested
  
  Sat, 05 Jun 2021 06:10:21 +0000
  
  GARDENA (CBSLA) — Hours after police released video of a random attack on a woman pumping gas at a Gardena gas station last weekend, the Long Beach Police Department said it had arrested a suspect.
  
  (Source: LASD)
  
  The attack happened just after 7 p.m. last Sunday at the Sinclair Gas Station at Rosecrans and Avalon in Gardena. A woman had just begun pumping gas into her vehicle when a man drove into the parking lot and parked directly in front of her.
  
  Los Angeles County sheriff’s officials say the man calmly got out of his vehicle, walked toward the woman and punched her without any warning or provocation. She fell to the ground, and the man punched her again repeatedly in the head and face, grabbed her hair, and slammed her head against the vehicle and onto the ground several times, authorities said.
  
  After the assault, he calmly walked back to his SUV, got in, and drove away. Gas station employees said the man was actually a regular customer, showing up daily to buy coffee and cigarettes.
  
  The woman told authorities she did not recognize him, did not know him personally, and nothing was taken from her. She was treated at a hospital for severe injuries to her head and face, and is now recovering at home, according to sheriff’s officials.
  
  Authorities she was still struggling with processing the trauma of the attack.
  
  “It’s the emotional part,” LASD Det. Keegan McInnis said. “She’s really having a difficult time leaving the house. She’s struggling to take her daughter to school, pick her daughter up from school. She hasn’t been back to work since the incident.”
  
  McInnis also said that the department was looking into the possibility that it might have been a hate crime.
  
  “He never tried to take anything from her,” he said. “He never asked for anything. He did make some comments to her in regards to her speaking Spanish, so we’re still looking into that for the possibility of a hate crime.”
  
  Investigators also said that the same man attacked a 63-year-old woman in her car in the same area on Saturday afternoon and said that they were not releasing his name as they continued looking into additional reports of possible assaults.
  
  He was taken into custody after a family member turned him in to police.
  
  Anyone with information about the suspect or the attack was asked to contact McInnis at (323) 568-4800.
  
  Gardena Man Alleges Officers Shot Him With Stun Gun, Placed Their Weight on His Back
  
  Fri, 04 Jun 2021 02:25:59 +0000
  
  LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) – A Gardena man is suing the city, alleging his civil rights were violated in 2020 when police officers shot him with a stun gun and placed their full weight on his back without provocation.
  
  Roshawn Douglas’s Los Angeles Superior Court also alleges false imprisonment, negligence, assault, battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. He seeks unspecified compensatory damages against the city and several Gardena Police Department officers as well as punitive damages against the same officers in the suit filed Tuesday.
  
  A representative for the Gardena City Attorney’s office could not be immediately reached for comment.
  
  According to the suit, Douglas drove his truck out of his shared driveway on May 25, 2020, so that his neighbor could leave the premises. As he re-entered his driveway, GPD officers activated their lights and sirens and followed his truck, the suit states.
  
  Douglas says he stayed in his truck and obeyed the officers’ orders that he put his hands on the steering wheel. The officers then told Douglas to get out of the vehicle, and as he did so, he was pulled by some of the officers in different directions, causing him to lose his balance, according to his court papers.
  
  “At no time during the physical altercation did Mr. Douglas resist and/or combat officers,” the suit states.
  
  One of the officers then fired a stun gun at Douglas while he had his hands up and was being restrained by another policeman, the suit alleges.
  
  After being shot with the stun gun, Douglas fell face-down on the concrete and the officers began to punch and kick him, according to the lawsuit, which alleges he was shot again with the stun gun as two officers “placed their body weight on his back.”
  
  Douglas was subsequently arrested although he had committed no crime, the suit says. He was taken to Memorial Hospital of Gardena and then to jail, according to the complaint.
  
  One of the officers drove Douglas’s truck around the block and parked it on the street. The plaintiff’s vehicle was impounded and sold at auction, the suit alleges.
  
  The plaintiff suffered both physical and emotional injuries, including embarrassment, humiliation, mental anguish, emotional distress, and ongoing nightmares regarding the encounter with police, according to the suit.
  
  (© Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)
  
  Ex-DMV Manager In Lincoln Park Pleads Guilty In Bribery Scheme
  
  Tue, 18 May 2021 15:53:37 +0000
  
  LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — The former manager of a DMV branch in Lincoln Park pleaded guilty Monday to federal charges of taking bribes in exchange for providing driver’s licenses, part of a larger DMV bribery scheme in Los Angeles County, authorities said.
  
  Forty-four-year-old Jovana Nettles of Norwalk pleaded guilty Monday in federal court in U.S. District Court in downtown L.A. to one count of mail fraud, admitting she accepted cash bribes to illegally issue permits and driver’s licenses to otherwise ineligible applicants.
  
  Nettles received bribes in exchange for providing driver’s licenses to people who could not otherwise pass their driving exams, prosecutors said.
  
  Nettles admitted to fraudulently entering passing scores for applicants without that person actually taking or passing the necessary tests, according to a plea agreement filed in federal court.
  
  The alleged leader of the scheme, Antanacio Villegas, a former DMV license registration examiner in Torrance and Gardena, is expected to plead guilty to a federal fraud charge on June 21.
  
  Nettles “was part of a conspiracy involving corrupt DMV employees and brokers,” prosecutors wrote in the plea agreement.
  
  The scheme involved someone who would enter passing scores on the required tests and someone further up the chain who would enter the fraudulent information into the DMV database, the agreement states.
  
  (© Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)
  
  Disabled Teen Ricardo Littles Found Safe A Week After Leaving Home In Gardena
  
  Tue, 16 Mar 2021 19:51:08 +0000
  
  GARDENA (CBSLA) — A 17-year-old boy with the mental capacity of a five-year-old and medical conditions that require daily medication was found safe Tuesday after going missing for a week.
  
  Ricardo Littles left his home without permission the night of March 9 and never returned, according to Gardena police officials. He was reported missing the next day.
  
  Police say Ricardo was found safe Tuesday and is now in the custody of Children’s Services.
  
  Man And Woman Shot To Death In Gardena Identified
  
  Sun, 28 Feb 2021 23:00:53 +0000
  
  GARDENA (CBSLA) – A man and a woman were shot to death Saturday evening in unincorporated Gardena.
  
  The shooting was reported at 7:35 p.m. in the 14900 block of Chadron Avenue, said Deputy Tracy Koerner of the Sheriff’s Information Bureau.
  
  Homicide detectives were called to the scene to determine the circumstances of the deaths, including whether it was a murder-suicide, Koerner said.
  
  They were later identified as Sabrina Roberts, 41, and Jason Wilson, 43, according to the Los Angeles County coroner’s office.
  
  Investigators are trying to determine the circumstances of the deaths, including whether it was a murder-suicide, Koerner said.
  
  Anyone with information about the deaths was asked to call the department’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500 or Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or go here.
  
  (© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)
  
  Chaos After Man Shot, Wounded During Argument Inside Gardena Target Store
  
  Thu, 25 Feb 2021 19:45:46 +0000
  
  GARDENA (CBSLA) – It was a chaotic scene for shoppers after a suspect – who later escaped – shot and wounded a man during a fight inside a Target store in Gardena Wednesday night.
  
  A man was shot and wounded during a fight inside a Target store in Gardena, Calif. Feb. 24, 2021. (OnScene TV)
  
  The shooting occurred at around 10 p.m. at a Target store located at 2169 W. Redondo Beach Blvd.
  
  According to Gardena police, two men were in a heated argument that turned into a physical fight. One of them then pulled out a handgun and shot the other man twice.
  
  “Everyone was panicking and running around,” witness John Yeressian told CBSLA. “People didn’t know if the gunman was inside or outside, or which way they were going. So everyone was just scared and just ducking.”
  
  The suspect ran from the store and remains at large Thursday morning, police said.
  
  The victim was rushed to a hospital, where he underwent surgery. His condition was not disclosed.
  
  There was no word on whether the two men knew each other prior to the shooting or what may have sparked the argument.
  
  Police said the suspect was described as Hispanic, between 5-foot-7 and 5-foot-10, with dark hair and wearing dark clothes. No surveillance images from inside the store were immediately released.
  
  Wrong-Way Driver Killed After Slamming Head-On Into 2 Vehicles On 110 Freeway In Gardena
  
  Mon, 01 Feb 2021 16:37:47 +0000
  
  GARDENA (CBSLA) — A driver police say going the wrong way on the 110 Freeway was killed after slamming head-on into two other vehicles.
  
  (credit: CBS)
  
  The crash happened at about 12:40 a.m. on the freeway’s southbound lanes, just north of the 91 Freeway, according to the California Highway Patrol. A witness said a sedan was going north in the southbound No. 3 lane just before the crash.
  
  The driver of that sedan died at the scene. The driver’s name has not been released.
  
  A woman in an SUV that was hit had to be cut from the wreckage and was rushed to the hospital. A couple in another car suffered minor injuries.
  
  All southbound lanes and the Redondo Beach Boulevard on-ramp to the southbound 110 Freeway was shut down for several hours during the fatal crash investigation.
  
  LA County Coroner Releases Inquest Findings In Death Of Andres Guardado
  
  Sat, 16 Jan 2021 01:59:03 +0000
  
  LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner Friday released the findings from the Nov. 30 inquest into the death of 18-year-old Andres Guardado.
  
  The stated goal of the inquest was to determine the circumstances, manner and cause of Guardado’s deaths.
  
  Retired Justice Candace Cooper, the appointed hearing officer presiding over the inquest, listed five findings in her four-page report as follow:
  
  The deceased is Andres Guardado Pineda (Mr. Guardado);
  
  Mr. Guardado’s date of death was June 18, 2020;
  
  Mr. Guardado died in the driveway at 420 W. Redondo Beach Blvd., Gardena, CA 90248 at approximately 18:01 hours (6:01 p.m.);
  
  The medical cause of death was multiple gunshot wounds; and
  
  The manner of death was by the hands of another person other than by accident.
  
  Cooper said she came to those conclusions following the inquest and subsequent review of Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department files delivered to her under seal that would not be released publicly.
  
  Following the release of the findings, Guardado’s family released the following statement through their attorneys:
  
  “Justice Cooper has confirmed what we knew all along. We now call upon District Attorney Gascón to do what the Sheriff’s Department has not, and that is to take action and hold these deputies accountable for their criminal actions. Andres was a good person with his whole life ahead of him. That life was violently taken from him, and we suffer the consequences as his killers remain free. Our family will not rest until we have justice for Andres.”
  
  Guardado, who was working as an informal security guard at a Gardena auto body shop, was fatally shot while running away from two deputies who alleged the teen was reaching for a gun, a characterization that has been denied by the teen’s family.
  
  Sheriff Alex Villanueva last month ordered the suspension of the deputies involved in the shooting — Miguel Vega and Chris Hernandez — due to an unrelated investigation into a traffic collision that happened in April 2020.
  
  A video of the inquest proceedings can be viewed online.
  
  Gardena Freeway Crash Leaves 1 Dead, 4 Critically Injured
  
  Sat, 26 Dec 2020 17:52:16 +0000
  
  GARDENA (CBSLA) – A car crash on the freeway in the early morning hours after Christmas left one person dead and four injured, the California Highway Patrol said.
  
  The crash was reported at 2:11 a.m. on the transition from the southbound Harbor Freeway to 190th Street and the San Diego (405) Freeway, according to the California Highway Patrol.
  
  A 2019 Honda was in the number one lane of the transition road when it struck the guardrail, the C.H.P. said.
  
  Officers with the CHP said the four people injured were transported to the hospital in critical condition.
  
  Firefighters and paramedics dispatched to the scene at 2:13 a.m. rushed four critically injured people to area hospitals, said Brian Humphrey of the Los Angeles Fire Department.
  
  The driver of the Honda, a 39-year-old male resident of Carson, was pronounced dead at the scene, the C.H.P. said.
  
  The victim’s name will be released pending notification of his family, according to the Los Angeles County coroner’s office.
  
  The critically injured victims: a 35-year-old man, a 26-year-old woman, a 31-year-old man, and a 20-year-old woman, were rushed to Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in Torrance, the C.H.P. said.
  
  (© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)
  
  Police Chase Ends In Crash In Gardena, 1 Killed
  
  Wed, 23 Dec 2020 15:28:18 +0000
  
  GARDENA (CBSLA) – At least one person was killed after an police pursuit ended in a wreck in Gardena Tuesday night.
  
  Dec. 23, 2020. (CBSLA)
  
  The crash occurred at around 10:30 p.m. in the area of Artesia Boulevard and Western Avenue, according to Gardena police.
  
  One person died at the scene. Two others were rushed to local hospitals with undisclosed injuries, the Los Angeles County Fire Department reports. No names were released.
  
  The circumstances of the chase and crash were not confirmed.
  
  LA County Coroner’s Inquest Into Death Of Andres Guardado Gets Underway
  
  Mon, 30 Nov 2020 19:21:52 +0000
  
  LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — The Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office began an inquest Monday into the death of 18-year-old Andres Guardado, who was shot in the back this summer by a sheriff’s deputy after running from authorities at an auto shop near Gardena, where he was employed as an informal security guard.
  
  The inquest, the first in Los Angeles County in more than 30 years, was conducted by retired Court of Appeals Justice Candace D. Cooper, who has also served as Superior and Municipal Court judge and on the California Court of Appeals.
  
  Among the highlights of this morning’s session so far include when Dr. Kevin Young, who signed the autopsy report, reviewed his previous findings that Guardado was shot five times in the back.
  
  Cooper announced at the conclusion of Young’s testimony that she decided against releasing the autopsy photos into the public record, only diagrams showing the locations of the wounds.
  
  Lianna Darabedyan, a coroner’s investigator assigned to the case, testified that a gun was found no more than 5 feet to the right side of Guardado’s
  head as his body lay face-down on the ground.
  
  First responder Andrew Clemens, a county firefighter/paramedic who responded to the scene June 18, said Guardado was pronounced dead within about three minutes after the arrival of paramedics.
  
  Another county firefighter/paramedic confirmed the circumstances of the death, and Cooper excused other firefighter/paramedics from testifying, because their testimony would be duplicative.
  
  “The Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner is committed to transparency and providing the residents of Los Angeles County an independent assessment of its findings in this case,” Dr. Jonathan Lucas, the county’s chief medical examiner-coroner, said in a statement on Nov. 10 that announced the inquest. “An inquest ensures that our residents will have an independent review of all the evidence and findings of our office and of the cause and manner of death of Mr. Guardado.”
  
  An undated photo of 18-year-old Andres Guardado, who was shot and killed on June 18, 2020, in Gardena, Calif. (Credit: Family photo)
  
  Guardado was fatally shot near the Gardena auto body shop where had been working as an informal security guard while running away from two deputies who alleged the teen was reaching for a gun. His family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the county, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and the two deputies involved in Guardado’s death.
  
  The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted to request the inquest after allegations that the sheriff’s department was refusing to cooperate with monitoring of their investigations. Inspector General Max Huntsman told the Board of Supervisors says his staff had been locked out of Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department computers, and that the deputy who shot Guardado didn’t give a statement for weeks.
  
  The demands for transparency are another broadside in Sheriff Alex Villanueva’s war of words with the Board of Supervisors and other county officials, and his department has sued Huntsman, accusing him of conspiracy, unauthorized computer access and theft of confidential files.
  
  (© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)
  
  Coroner Orders Inquest Into Shooting Death Of Andres Guardado
  
  Wed, 11 Nov 2020 03:02:56 +0000
  
  LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — Los Angeles County will conduct an inquest into the death of 18-year-old Andres Guardado, who was shot and killed June 18 by an L.A. County sheriff’s deputy.
  
  An undated photo of 18-year-old Andres Guardado, who was shot and killed on June 18, 2020, in Gardena, Calif. (Credit: Family photo)
  
  The county coroner’s office Tuesday appointed retired Court of Appeals Justice Candace Cooper — who also served as a Superior and Municipal Court judge and as a justice on the California Court of Appeals — to conduct the inquest, which will begin Nov. 30.
  
  It is the first inquest in L.A. County in more than 30 years.
  
  The inquest will be public and Cooper, as the hearing officer, will hear the testimony then make findings related to the cause and manner of death before forwarding her decision and recommendation to the coroner’s office.
  
  “The Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner is committed to transparency and providing the residents of Los Angeles County an independent assessment of its findings in this case,” said Dr. Jonathan Lucas, the county’s chief medical examiner-coroner. “An inquest ensures that our residents will have an independent review of all the evidence and findings of our office and of the cause and manner of death of Mr. Guardado.”
  
  In September, the L.A. County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to ask to coroner’s office to conduct an inquest into Guardado’s death. At the time, Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas recommended using the coroner’s subpoena power to create a record of investigative steps taken by the sheriff’s department related to the cause and circumstances of the shooting death.
  
  “For far too long we have accepted the status quo — we haven’t sufficiently challenged law enforcement’s incessant demands that investigations remain shrouded in secrecy,” he said. “This board must not sit by and allow the county’s law enforcement department to entrench itself in traditional patterns of behavior that profoundly harm not only vulnerable communities but the entire justice system.”
  
  Sheriff Alex Villanueva has consistently pushed back against the board’s allegations that he does not favor transparency and challenged the board’s authority to request an inquest.
  
  “Transparency cannot come at the expense of integrity in any criminal investigation,” he said. “We do hold our employees accountable, so any suggestion or inference that we cannot hold ourselves accountable to the rule of law is factually false.”
  
  Guardado was fatally shot near a Gardena auto body shop while running away from two deputies who alleged the teen was reaching for a gun, a characterization that has been denied by the teen’s family.
  
  Caltrans Crews Work To Clear 30,000 Pounds Of Noodles From 110 Freeway In Gardena
  
  Tue, 03 Nov 2020 05:41:57 +0000
  
  GARDENA (CBSLA) — Caltrans crews worked Monday night to clear 30,000 pounds of noodles from the northbound lanes of the 110 Freeway after a semi-truck overturned.
  
  UPDATE: Three right lanes of NB I-110 remain CLOSED until 10:30 PM as 30,000 pounds of noodles cleared. https://t.co/BygDWExvwK
  
  — Caltrans District 7 (@CaltransDist7) November 3, 2020
  
  The truck overturned at about 1:55 on the freeway near Rosecrans Avenue, according to California Highway Patrol. One person was taken to the hospital with unknown injuries, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.
  
  Caltrans District 7 reported that crews were still working to clear the noodles at about 8:30 p.m. and were expected to remain on scene until 10:30 p.m.
  
  The three right lanes of the freeway were closed for the cleanup.
  
  (© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)
  
  Woman Killed, 2 Hurt In Multicar Crash On The 405 Freeway In Gardena
  
  Thu, 24 Sep 2020 14:30:23 +0000
  
  GARDENA (CBSLA) – A woman was killed and two people were hurt in a five-vehicle wreck which shut down the southbound side of 405 Freeway in Gardena for several hours Thursday morning.
  
  Sept. 24, 2020. (CBSLA)
  
  The crash occurred at around 3:40 a.m. on the southbound 405 Freeway near Western Avenue, according to California Highway Patrol’s incident information page.
  
  Two of the vehicles overturned.
  
  A woman in her early 20s was pronounced dead at the scene, CHP reports. She was not identified. Two others were rushed to local hospitals with minor to moderate injuries.
  
  At a news conference, CHP officials described the crash as a “multiple incident collision,” meaning several collisions occurred during the course of the overall wreck.
  
  All southbound lanes of the freeway were shut down at Normandie Avenue as of 8 a.m.
  
  Security Guard Charged With Murder In Shooting Of Gardena Market Customer Not Wearing A Mask
  
  Thu, 09 Jul 2020 05:46:24 +0000
  
  GARDENA (CBSLA) — A security guard who authorities say shot a man Sunday night outside a Gardena store — after they fought over him not wearing a mask — has been charged with murder, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
  
  Umeir Hawkins, 38, and his wife, Sabrina Carter, 50, both of Los Angeles, were arrested Monday in connection with the murder of 50-year-old Jerry Lewis of Gardena. Lewis was pronounced dead Sunday evening at a store in the 2300 block of Rosecrans Avenue.
  
  Lewis was also known by his rapper alias “Madd Head.” He gained popularity in the 1990s and for one of his songs, “Pimp’n Ain’t Ez,” which was featured on the “Beavis And Butthead – Do America” soundtrack.
  
  “It shouldn’t happen this way,” Lewis’ daughter Jerica Hill said. “My dad is not that type of person. He has a good heart.”
  
  Police say Hawkins was an employee of the store Lewis had visited while waiting for a tow truck. According to the DA’s office, Lewis had tried to enter the market without a mask and started arguing with Hawkins. Lewis left the store, then returned and began physically fighting with Hawkins.
  
  Carter, who had been waiting in the parking lot for Lewis to finish work, armed herself with a handgun and intervened in the fight by pointing it at Lewis and other customers, according to Gardena police. As Lewis walked away from the store toward his vehicle, police say Hawkins took out a second firearm and shot Lewis as he was walking away.
  
  According to the prosecutors, both Hawkins and Carter were convicted in 2013 for assault by means of force likely to produce great bodily injury. Hawkins has been charged with murder, and both he and his wife are also facing a count each of possession of a handgun by a felon.
  
  Hawkins is being held on $1 million bail, and he faces a possible maximum sentence of 50 years to life in state prison. Bail was set at $35,000 for Carter, who faces three years in prison if convicted as charged.
  
  The shooting is still under investigation, and police are still seeking witnesses and video of the crime. Anyone with more information about the shooting can contact Detective Ryan Sproles at (310) 217-9618 or Detective Dolores Searle at (310) 217-9654.
  
  Independent Autopsy Reveals Andres Guardado Shot In The Back 5 Times By Deputies
  
  Wed, 08 Jul 2020 18:00:08 +0000
  
  LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) – An independent autopsy released by the family of a teen who was killed by Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies last month in Gardena indicates that he was shot in the back five times.
  
  An undated photo of Andres Guardado. (Credit: Family photo)
  
  The controversial shooting death of 18-year-old Andres Guardado occurred on the evening of June 18, in the 400 block of Redondo Beach Boulevard.
  
  The law firm representing the family Wednesday released the results of an autopsy which was conducted independently by forensic pathologist Dr. Bennet Omalu on June 26.
  
  The results of the independent autopsy – which includes a graphic photograph – appears to indicate that Guardado had five gunshot wounds to his back. He also had a graze abrasion on his left forearm.
  
  He had no drugs or alcohol in his system, toxicology results determined.
  
  The official autopsy which was conducted by the L.A. County coroner’s office remains sealed.
  
  “It has been 20 days since Andres was tragically gunned down by a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputy,” said family attorney Nicholas Yoka in a statement. “We are once again imploring the sheriff’s department to step forward, release the medical examiner’s autopsy report and do the right thing by this family.”
  
  A diagram from an independent autopsy of Andres Guardado. (Credit: Panish Shea & Boyle LLP)
  
  On the night of the shooting, deputies patrolling in the area said they saw Guardado flash a gun and then run south between two businesses. Deputies gave chase, and after a short foot pursuit, Guardado was shot. He died at the scene.
  
  Guardado was working as an informal security guard for the Freeway auto body shop at the time. According to the sheriff’s department, deputies recovered an unregistered gun loaded with a large-capacity magazine. They also say he was not licensed and was not wearing a uniform.
  
  However, his family has repeatedly disputed the claim that he was armed.
  
  “According to the family and best friends, he did not own a gun, did not have a gun, did not have access to a gun,” family attorney Adam Shea said at a June 30 news conference.
  
  The family also claims witnesses told them Guardado was running from deputies when he was shot.
  
  The family has demanded that security video from nearby businesses be released. Further complicating the issue is that L.A. County Sheriff’s deputies do not wear body cameras. The department is purportedly going to begin equipping its deputies with body cameras later this year.
  
  In a virtual Compton City Council meeting on June 29, L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said that his investigators are still following leads from potential witnesses and cannot release any reports until those are complete.
  
  “It can’t be made public until all the witnesses have been identified and been interviewed. Otherwise, we’re gonna taint their testimony and we’re gonna have a compromised result,” Villanueva said.
  
  The L.A. County Board of Supervisors has voted unanimously to pursue an independent review of the investigation.
  
  Meantime, the FBI is monitoring the LASD’s investigation of Guardado’s shooting death.
  
  Man Shot, Killed During Fight With Gardena Store Employee
  
  Mon, 06 Jul 2020 14:32:28 +0000
  
  GARDENA (CBSLA) – A man was shot and killed during an altercation with a store employee in Gardena Sunday night while waiting for a tow truck.
  
  The victim was identified as 50-year-old Jerry Lewis of Gardena.
  
  The shooting occurred at 7 p.m. in a parking lot in the 2300 block of Rosecrans Avenue, according to Gardena police.
  
  Lewis was waiting for a tow truck to repair two flat tires when he got into some kind of physical altercation with a store employee. A gun was produced and Lewis was shot, police said. He died at the scene.
  
  Its unclear who pulled out the gun and what circumstances prompted the fight. Police also did not confirm exactly where the employee worked.
  
  It’s unclear if there is any security video of the incident. Anyone with information should call detectives at 310-217-9618.
  
  Driver Shot By LA Deputies After Ramming Into Patrol Vehicle During Gardena Pursuit
  
  Mon, 29 Jun 2020 14:12:47 +0000
  
  GARDENA (CBSLA) – A drunken-driving suspect was wounded, but is expected to survive, after he was shot by Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies after ramming into their patrol vehicle following a pursuit through Gardena late Sunday night, authorities said.
  
  June 29, 2020. (CBSLA)
  
  The wreck and shooting occurred at about 10:50 p.m. in the 16100 block of Atkinson Avenue, near the intersection of Redondo Beach and Crenshaw boulevards.
  
  The 31-year-old suspect was taken to a local hospital with two gunshot wounds to the arm, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said. He is in stable condition.
  
  The incident began when deputies noticed the man driving erratically and attempted to pull him over. He sped away, prompting a pursuit which came to an end when the man went down a one-way street on Atkinson Avenue.
  
  According to a sheriff’s spokesman, deputies got out of their cruisers to arrest him, but instead of surrendering, he accelerated towards them, slamming into a patrol vehicle and prompting deputies to open fire on him.
  
  “At some point, the suspect made a U-turn,” sheriff’s Lt. Charles Calderaro told reporters early Monday morning. “Believing that he was gonna stop, deputies exited their vehicle to detain the suspect, at which time he accelerated towards the deputy’s vehicle, striking the deputy’s vehicle, and a deputy-involved shooting occurred.”
  
  The suspect then struck a second unoccupied parked car before he was taken into custody, Calderaro said. No deputies were hurt.
  
  “We heard the gunfire, five shots ring out, and then shortly after that we heard more cop cars coming down, sirens, and then the helicopter comes circling over,” neighbor Randal Miller told CBSLA.
  
  Deputies believe the man was under the influence of alcohol at the time. His name has not been released.
  
  Gardena police were also on scene.
  
  Gardena, Compton Communities Unite On Behalf Of Andres Guardado, 18, Shot And Killed By LASD
  
  Mon, 29 Jun 2020 00:47:24 +0000
  
  COMPTON (CBSLA) — Nearly two weeks after 18-year-old Andres Guardado was shot and killed by a deputy from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department near Gardena and West Compton, the local community is coming together in his honor.
  
  18-year-old Andres Guardado was shot and killed by an LASD deputy on June 18, 2020, in Gardena, Calif. (Courtesy: Family Photo)
  
  Guardado’s family said the teen was working as a security guard for a local auto body shop when a patrolling deputy spotted Guardado who “ran because he was scared.” Following a short foot chase, a deputy fired at Guardado several times, striking him in the torso and killing him.
  
  “It’s something so painful that we don’t wish would happen to anybody,” said Guardado’s uncle Noe Abarca.
  
  According to LASD, Guardado was armed with an unregistered weapon and did not have a license to work as a security guard in the state.
  
  Demonstrations emerged in response to Guardado’s death and involved protesters being hit by pepper balls outside the sheriff’s station in Compton.
  
  A few miles away from the car wash on Sunday, community activists gathered in Compton once again to call on city officials and Compton Mayor Aja Brown to cut ties with the sheriff’s department.
  
  Activists also demanded details on Guardado’s autopsy after the sheriff put a hold on the information.
  
  In a sit-down interview last week with LASD Sheriff Alex Villanueva, who also previously announced that he has reached out to California Attorney General Xavier Becerra to monitor their investigation into Guardado’s death, asked for patience from the community in the ongoing investigation.
  
  “It’s not at the pace people want because everyone wants an instant answer right now, and if they don’t get it somehow it’s a conspiracy but it’s not,” Villanueva said.
  
  The Compton City Council and Villanueva are expected to meet in a scheduled meeting on Monday.
  
  According to the agenda, they plan to discuss use of force reform, transparency, and contractual obligations with the department.
  
  The investigation into Guardado’s death remains under investigation.
  
  Family Of Teen Shot, Killed By LASD In Gardena Dispute Claim He Was Armed
  
  Sun, 21 Jun 2020 05:25:12 +0000
  
  GARDENA (CBSLA) — A Los Angeles area family is disputing statements from the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department following the LASD’s deadly shooting of 18-year-old Andres Guardado.
  
  A memorial was held for Andres Guardado on June 20, 2020, outside the shop where LASD shot and killed him on June 18. (Courtesy: CBS)
  
  The family says Guardado did not have a gun, despite official statements from LASD that they recovered an unregistered loaded 40-caliber semi-automatic pistol from the scene with a prohibited extended magazine.
  
  “It was not his gun, you all framed him. Someone else did or you all did,” said Guardado’s sister Jennifer.
  
  LASD Sheriff Alex Villanueva warned the public not to rely on social media when it comes to the investigation, saying it “drives the conspiracy cycle.”
  
  An LASD deputy fired six rounds at Guardado on Thursday, killing him at the scene, after the teen allegedly flashed a weapon and then tried to flee from deputies.
  
  RELATED: ‘He Ran Because He Was Scared’: LASD Deputies Shoot, Kill Auto Body Shop Security Guard In Gardena
  
  According to the LASD, patrolling deputies said they saw Guardado outside an auto shop in the area of 400 block of Redondo Beach Boulevard, near South Figueroa Street, at about 5:53 p.m. on Thursday. After a short foot chase, a deputy fired at Guardado, striking him in the upper torso.
  
  Guardado’s family and the shop owner told CBSLA that the 18-year-old was working as a security guard for the shop at the time.
  
  Authorities said in a news conference on Saturday that Guardado was not at the legal age of 21 to be performing those duties, was not wearing a security uniform at the time and did not have a record of a security license on file.
  
  Detectives are still working to collect video footage near the scene at the time of the incident, LASD said.
  
  An autopsy will be performed by the medical examiner in the coming days and will be published by the coroner’s office.
  
  Villanueva said he continues to push for body-worn cameras in the LASD to provide more transparency.
  
  The investigation into Guardado’s shooting remains ongoing and is still in its early stages.
  
  Demonstrators Demand Transparency, Answers After LASD Deputies Kill Teen
  
  Sat, 20 Jun 2020 06:00:41 +0000
  
  EAST GARDENA (CBSLA) — Dozens of demonstrators gathered Friday evening outside of an East Gardena auto body shop where an 18-year-old was shot and killed by deputies 24 hours prior.
  
  An undated photo of 18-year-old Andres Guardado, who was shot and killed by Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies on June 18, 2020, in Gardena, Calif. (Family photo)
  
  The protest, organized by Union del Barrio and other social justice organizations, sought justice for Andres Gaurdado who was working as a security guard when he was shot and killed Thursday evening by deputies with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
  
  Shortly after 6 p.m., demonstrators took to the street in the 400 block of Redondo Beach Boulevard.
  
  Earlier in the day, family members held a news conference in front of the shop saying that Guardado was working two jobs and was trying to go to school to become a registered nurse.
  
  “He was a good man,” Jennifer Guardado, the teen’s sister, said. “He was gonna make it in life. He was gonna make it and become a good, professional man in life, but they took that away from my family and me.
  
  “My parents are completely destroyed. We’re all dead already inside.”
  
  The sheriff’s department said Friday that Guardado was not recognized as licensed security officer by the state of California. The also said he was not wearing any identifiable clothing or a uniform indicating he was working in the capacity of a security guard.
  
  The department also said a firearm devoid and any identifying marks or serial numbers was recovered at the scene and contained a large-capacity prohibited magazine.
  
  A makeshift memorial has popped up outside the auto body shop where Guardado worked. (CBSLA)
  
  But family members said they did not believe Guardado was armed.
  
  “I’d never heard or seen him have any kind of weapons,” Celina Avarca, Guardado’s cousin, said. “He never talked about them.”
  
  His sister went to far as to allege that he was framed.
  
  “It is not his gun,” Guardado’s sister said. “Y’all framed him. Someone else did or y’all did.”
  
  A Friday night statement from the Los Angeles Community College District said it was “shocked and saddened” to hear of Guardado’s death.
  
  “LACCD strongly supports the call by Mr. Guardado’s family for a full and independent investigation into the circumstances of the killing. His death comes at a time of national outcry for social justice and significant police reform regarding the use of deadly force by law enforcement and for greater emphasis on de-escalation techniques and community policing. We must never be desensitized to, or normalized by, the alarming number of deaths by law enforcement of black and brown men and women in this country – it cannot be tolerated and the time for police reform is now.”
  
  Guardado was a student at Los Angeles Trade-Technical College, according to the statement.
  
  LACCD, which contracts with LASD for law enforcement services, said it was reviewing the district’s expectations surrounding community policing practices.
  
  Protesters said they were planning another demonstration Sunday.
  
  ‘He Ran Because He Was Scared’: LASD Deputies Shoot, Kill Auto Body Shop Security Guard In Gardena
  
  Fri, 19 Jun 2020 23:20:51 +0000
  
  GARDENA (CBSLA) — An investigation is underway after Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies fatally shot an auto shop security guard in Gardena Thursday evening.
  
  Family members identified the victim to CBSLA as 18-year-old Andres Guardado.
  
  An undated photo of 18-year-old Andres Guardado, who was shot and killed by L.A. County Sheriff’s deputies on June 18, 2020, in Gardena, Calif. (Family photo)
  
  The shooting happened in the 400 block of Redondo Beach Boulevard, near South Figueroa Street, at about 5:53 p.m., according to the sheriff’s department. Deputies patrolling in the area said they saw a man flash a gun and then run south between two businesses.
  
  Andrew Heney, the owner of the Freeway auto body shop, confirmed to CBSLA that Guardado worked as a private security guard for the shop.
  
  “We had a security guard that was out front, because we had just had certain issues with people tagging and stuff like that,” Heney said. “And then the police came up, and they pulled their guns on him and he ran because he was scared, and they shot and killed him. He’s got a clean background and everything. There’s no reason.”
  
  Deputies gave chase, and after a short foot pursuit, Guardado was shot by deputies in the upper torso, LASD said.
  
  “Deputies observed the individual, at which point he observed the deputies,” an LASD spokesperson said Thursday night. “The individual then produced a handgun, and then began running southbound away from the deputies through businesses nearby. Deputies engaged in a short foot pursuit between the two businesses, at some point the deputies contacted the suspect and that’s when the deputy-involved shooting occurred.”
  
  Family members of Guardado confront deputies at the scene. June 18, 2020. (CBSLA)
  
  Guardado died at the scene. According to LASD, deputies recovered a gun that was devoid of any identifying marks or serial numbers and contained a loaded large-capacity prohibited magazine.
  
  Deputies also said Guardado was not recognized as licensed security officer by the state of California. The also said he was not wearing any identifiable clothing or a uniform indicating he was working in the capacity of a security guard.
  
  It was unclear how many deputies opened fire on him.
  
  “He was a good man,” Jennifer Guardado, the sister of the victim, said. “He was gonna make it in life. He was gonna make it and become a good, professional man in life, but they took that away from my family and me.
  
  “My parents are completely destroyed. We’re all dead already inside.”
  
  Family members confronted deputies at the scene Thursday night and told reporters they did not believe Guardado was armed.
  
  “I’d never heard or seen him have any kind of weapons,” Celina Avarca, Guardado’s cousin, said. “He never talked about them.”
  
  The family said LASD investigators removed security camera video along with some of the cameras from businesses in the area.
  
  Avarca said Guardado was working two jobs and was trying to become a registered nurse.
  
  “I lost a part of me, it’s empty, and I’m never gonna have him back,” his sister said. “I’m never gonna see him, he’s never gonna talk to me, I’m just, I can’t, I just can’t believe this happened to my brother. It really hurts me.”
  
  This is the second fatal shooting involving LASD deputies in two days.
  
  On Wednesday, deputies fatally shot Terron Jammal Boone, identified by family as the half-brother of 24-year-old Robert Fuller, a black man who was found hanging from a tree last week in Palmdale.
  
  Car-To-Car Shooting Shuts Down 110 Freeway In Gardena
  
  Wed, 10 Jun 2020 18:15:26 +0000
  
  GARDENA (CBSLA) – Investigators believe that a drug deal that went sour sparked a car-to-car shooting which lead to a fiery three-vehicle crash that shut down the southbound lanes of the 110 Freeway in Gardena Wednesday morning for more than five hours.
  
  June 10, 2020. (CBSLA)
  
  No one was wounded in the shooting, although at least two people were injured in the wreck. A dog also survived.
  
  The situation began just before 4 a.m., when an Infiniti SUV drove alongside a BMW SUV and a suspect opened fire on the southbound side of the freeway, near Redondo Beach Boulevard.
  
  “Paralleled each other, and shots were fired into the gray BMW, causing the gray BMW to hit the right-shoulder wall, and then the Infiniti hit an unrelated vehicle, uninvolved, an Escalade, causing the Escalade to burn into flames,” California Highway Patrol Officer Simeon Yarbrough said.
  
  The occupants of the charred Escalade escaped unscathed, while the man and woman inside the shot-up BMW jumped out and ran. They were picked up by some good Samaritans, who drove them to the hospital, CHP said. They were not struck by the gunfire, but were treated for injuries from the crash.
  
  Meanwhile, a German shepherd was left behind in the BMW. Officers were caring for him, CHP reports.
  
  The shooter and his possible accomplice in his Infiniti took off running.
  
  “So we have officers driving around the area trying to follow up on information to see if they can locate them,” Yarbrough said.
  
  CHP believes a “drug deal gone bad” led to this morning’s freeway shooting and crash that’s shut down the SB 110 between Rosecrans and the 91. @CBSLA pic.twitter.com/TcxUpFQ9aq
  
  — Kara Finnstrom (@KaraFinnstrom) June 10, 2020
  
  All southbound lanes were shut down at around 4:30 a.m., backing up traffic for miles. They were fully reopened just before 10 a.m.
  
  National Guard Deploys To Several LA Nursing Homes With Coronavirus Outbreaks
  
  Fri, 24 Apr 2020 23:15:16 +0000
  
  LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — National Guard teams have been deployed to at least four nursing homes in the Los Angeles metropolitan area which have reported coronavirus outbreaks.
  
  Eight-member National Guard teams were deployed to the Brighton Care Center in Pasadena, the Gardena Convalescent Center, the Hollywood Premier Healthcare Center in in East Hollywood and the Alcott Rehabilitation Center in Central Los Angeles.
  
  Based on the latest numbers from the California Department of Public Health’s website:
  
  The Brighton Care Center has at least 43 cases among residents and another 20 among staff.
  
  Hollywood Premier has 29 among residents and 25 among staff.
  
  Gardena has 33 among residents and 18 among staff.
  
  Alcott has less than 11 cases among staff.
  
  “We didn’t request the National Guard, but we requested help,” Dr. Barbara Ferrer, Los Angeles County public health director, said Friday. “And the National Guard was great.”
  
  There are 26 L.A. County nursing homes which are reporting at least 20 cases among residents, Ferrer said Thursday. It was not immediately clear how DPH decided where the National Guard would be deployed.
  
  RELATED: LA County Bars Visitors At Nursing Homes, Communal Activity Inside Facilities
  
  Nearly 300 institutional settings — including nursing homes, skilled nursing facilities, assisted living facilities, shelters, jails and prisons — have had at least one case, according to Barbara Ferrer, director of the county’s Department of Public Health.
  
  Those institutions make up a total of 5,339 cases, and 365 deaths, representing 43% of all coronavirus
  fatalities countywide, Ferrer said.
  
  Ferrer said more than 330 residents in institutional settings have died of coronavirus in L.A. County, the majority of which resided in nursing homes. That accounts for 39 percent of all coronavirus deaths in L.A. County so far.
  
  As of Friday, there were 18,517 coronavirus cases and 848 deaths countywide from the disease.

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