Bass Shines on in Downtown LA
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass on Saturday joined Angelenos, community leaders and elected officials for Shine LA to revitalize areas recently vandalized by bad actors who took advantage of the federal government’s chaotic escalation of the reckless raids in Los Angeles.
As the administration attempts to divide Angelenos, Shine LA serves as a powerful symbol of unity, civic pride and the unwavering perseverance of this city.
“The fear felt by so many in our city is real, and it’s impacting local businesses, families and neighborhoods,” said Bass. “That’s why Angelenos from all over came to Shine LA to El Pueblo, the birthplace of the city, to show that we are united and that we care about our city. We are one year away from people coming from all over the world for the FIFA World Cup, and like we did today by gathering together to revitalize our city, we will show the best of our city for these major upcoming events.”k
Volunteers gathered at three sites in Los Angeles – two of them taking place in Downtown L.A. neighborhoods and the third taking place in Hollywood. The sites included El Pueblo de Los Angeles, Spring Street Park, and Barnsdall Park in Hollywood, all of which had participants join in beautification efforts, demonstrating the resilience of LA’s communities after the chaotic federal escalation.
Angelenos are encouraged to sign up for alerts about upcoming Shine LA events at mayor.lacity.gov/ShineLA.
Barger named Metro Second Vice Chair
Last week, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) Board of Directors unanimously elected LA County Supervisor Kathryn Barger as Second Vice Chair, elevating her to one of the top leadership positions on the 13-member governing board.
Under Metro’s three-year leadership rotation, Supervisor Barger is slated to assume the role of Board Chair in the 2027-2028 fiscal year—a critical year when Los Angeles County will be finalizing preparations to host the Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games.
“I’m joining a strong, experienced, and principled Metro Board leadership team and am deeply honored by the confidence my colleagues have placed in me,” said Barger. “From public and employee safety to transportation reliability, my focus has always been increasing public trust.
Since joining the Metro Board in 2016, Barger has been a strong advocate for projects that expand regional connectivity and improve the rider experience. She has played an integral role in advancing critical initiatives, such as the Foothill Gold Line extension, Metrolink Antelope Valley Line improvements, and safety enhancements on the Metro system.
Santa Clarita adopts $344.6 million FY 2025-26 budget
Santa Clarita City Manager Ken Striplin announced that the City adopted another on-time and balanced budget last month for Fiscal Year 2025-26, totaling $344.6 million.
This new budget will bring to fruition several of the items organized by the themes outlined within our current Strategic Plan – Santa Clarita 2025.
Under the theme of Building and Creating Community, funds will go to increase the GO! Santa Clarita micro-transit service, programming at William S. Hart Park and the Valencia Community Center. Under the theme of Enhancing Economic Vitality, a new Zamboni will be purchased to help maintain the ice at The Cube – Ice and Entertainment Center, powered by FivePoint – Valencia.
While the City continues to see significant growth, the cost to maintain existing public infrastructure continues to rise. Some of these projects include replacing 16 Santa Clarita Transit vehicles, upgraded lighting at the McBean Regional Transit Center, new fleet vehicles, maintenance at William S. Hart Park and the completion of the new Haskell Canyon Bike Park.
The next fiscal year’s Capital Improvement budget is $81.5 million, including funding for Safe Routes to School, bicycle crossing enhancements, the Phase I construction of Via Princessa Park and the Annual Overlay and Slurry Seal Programs.
Pérez, HP Mayor Flores warn of ICE impersonations
State Sen. Sasha Renée Pérez (D-Altadena, Arcadia, Burbank, Claremont, Duarte, Glendale, Pasadena, La Cañada Flintridge, South Pasadena, Upland) and Huntington Park Mayor Arturo Flores on Saturday warned the public to be on guard against perpetrators impersonating federal immigration agents.
The warning came after the after the Huntington Park Police arresting a man for allegedly impersonating a federal immigration agent.
“We must protect Californians from police impersonations as we are seeing a rise in these incidents and heightened fear and confusion created by Trump’s aggressive immigration crackdown,” said Pérez, who recently intreoduced SB 805, the No Vigilantes Act,”to expand California’s police impersonation laws.
“The Huntington Park police initially thought the suspect’s car was a law enforcement vehicle until they ran the license plate. If actual law enforcement struggles to distinguish between real agents and dangerous criminals, then the general public has little chance of knowing who to trust without greater disclosure of law enforcement identification. The No Vigilantes Act would require law enforcement in California to clearly display a name or badge number just as local police do. This is especially vital now as we’re seeing unidentifiable individuals claiming to be law enforcement exhibiting unprofessional behavior and unorthodox tactics.”
Flores said the impersonation arrest has broader implications for communities like Huntington Park, where many families are of mixed immigration status:
“This isn’t just about one arrest—it’s about a pattern of encounters with individuals claiming to be federal agents who refuse to show identification, drive unmarked vehicles, and blur the line between law and intimidation,” said Flores. “We cannot allow fear to replace safety in our neighborhoods. Families in our city are living in fear—not because of the law, but because they can’t tell who’s behind the badge. We must restore trust, demand transparency, and stand for justice.”
Friedman celebrates release of $20 million for HIV prevention
U.S. Rep. Laura Friedman (D-Burbank, Glendale, West Hollywood, Hollywood) joined leaders from APLA Health and the Los Angeles LGBT Center outside APLA’s Gottlieb Medical Center on Saturday to celebrate the release of nearly $20 million in previously frozen HIV prevention funds.
One month ago, Friedman led California Congressional democrats demanding the Trump Administration immediately release these frozen Congressionally appropriated funds for HIV prevention and surveillance programs and to provide clear answers on the status of these critical awards.
The grants that were unfrozen for Los Angeles total $19,788,675 in federal investment from June 1, 2025, to May 31, 2026. Based on a full 12-month period, this represents an increase of $338,019 from their 2024 award.
“Let’s be clear, this freeze never should have happened,” said Friedman. “It was reckless, politically motivated, and it put lives at risk. I led the fight to get this funding restored because public health decisions should be based on science, not ideology. These grants support the very tools that have helped cut new HIV infections by 21% in targeted areas and I won’t stop fighting to protect them.”
