Horvath Calls for Full Review Following Downed Plane Near Whiteman Airport
Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath (D-Pacoima, Panorama City, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Calabasas, Malibu) is calling on the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to conduct a full review of air traffic control operations at Whiteman Airport in Pacoima following Monday’s downed plane incident — and directing the County Department of Public Works to identify immediate safety actions within the county’s authority.
“A plane going down in a commercial corridor next to neighborhoods should never happen — and our Pacoima community deserves answers,” Horvath said in a statement issued Friday.
The statement followed the release of audio from the air traffic control tower, which Horvath said raises questions about whether there was a failure in communication or response.
Horvath noted that in June 2024, the county introduced unleaded fuel at Whiteman and implemented a nightly curfew from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., but acknowledged those measures would not have prevented a midday crash. She called on the FAA to determine whether there was a communication or response failure and outline steps to prevent future incidents.
The supervisor also urged the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) to investigate whether any power issues affected control tower operations, and said she looks forward to working with city partners to advance safety enhancements around the airport, including undergrounding utilities.
As the Board of Supervisors prepares to consider the future of Whiteman Airport, Horvath said the incident “underscores what is at stake: the safety and well-being of the surrounding community must come first.”
Bass Tours Downtown Adaptive Reuse Site, Touts Citywide Housing Push
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass toured the World Trade Center building in Downtown Los Angeles yesterday, where 512 units of 100% affordable housing are being created through the city’s Downtown Adaptive Reuse program — and announced the expansion of that program citywide.
“These projects represent the kind of innovation we are applying to break away from the status quo that has stunted L.A.’s housing production and driven up rents for decades,” Bass said. “We’re now unlocking tens of thousands of housing units to conversion, which can be much faster and cost-effective than new construction.”
Originally adopted in 1999, the Adaptive Reuse Ordinance applied only to buildings constructed within or near Downtown Los Angeles. Bass expanded the ordinance citywide, establishing a faster by-right approval process for converting buildings at least 15 years old to housing.
City officials say the expansion could spur the creation of more than 43,000 housing units by unlocking underutilized office space across the city — a particularly timely move as work-from-home trends have left significant commercial square footage vacant.
The tour expansion is part of Bass’ broader Executive Directive 1 initiative, under which more than 42,000 affordable housing units are being accelerated through the pipeline.
Bass also cited her administration’s encampment resolution strategy, which she says has reduced homelessness by nearly 18% and produced the city’s first-ever consecutive year decline.
Friedman Hosts Second Annual Congressional Art Competition Showcase
U.S. Rep. Laura Friedman (D-Burbank, Glendale, West Hollywood, Hollywood) hosted her second annual Congressional Art Competition showcase Saturday at the historic Ebell of Los Angeles, displaying more than 30 submissions from student artists across 14 schools in her district.
“The stories that these students tell through brushstrokes and acrylics we see here are just the start of a long journey in the creative arts — the kind of journey that may lead them to Hollywood studios making storyboards or drafting award-winning scripts,” Friedman said. “I will always strive to deliver more resources and opportunities for our children to pursue their creative dreams.”
This year’s competition was judged by a panel of prominent Los Angeles arts leaders including Ara Oshagan of the 18th Street Art Center and ReflectSpace Gallery, Glendale Arts CEO Nina Crowe, Forest Lawn Museum Director James Fishburne, Museum of Neon Art Executive Director Corey Siegel, and muralist and LA historian Margaret Garcia.
Friedman presented participants with Congressional certificates of recognition and met with parents, art teachers, and judges.
First place went to Andrea Acevedo, a 12th grader, for “The Family Business on the Side of the Road.” Second place went to Sona Korkotyan, a 10th grader, for “Chaos.” Third place was shared by Jiajin Li and Eduard Madatyan, both 10th graders, for “Swallowed” and “Sunset Drive” respectively.
Barger, Solis Honor Sue Zhang, Founder of LA’s Largest Chinese-American Coalition
Los Angeles County Supervisors Kathryn Barger (R-Antelope Valley, San Gabriel Valley, Santa Clarita Valley) and Hilda L. Solis (D-East Los Angeles, San Gabriel Valley, Northeast Los Angeles) adjourned yesterday’s Board of Supervisors public hearing in memory of Sue Zhang, a pioneering Chinese-American community leader who passed away April 20 at the age of 91.
Zhang founded the Roundtable of Southern California Chinese-American Organizations in 2005, which, under her leadership, grew into the largest collective of Chinese organizations in Los Angeles County. She devoted more than four decades to civic engagement and cross-cultural bridge-building across Southern California.
“Sue Zhang was a visionary who dedicated her life to uniting and uplifting the voices of Chinese Americans across Southern California,” Barger said. “Her founding of the Roundtable of Southern California Chinese-American Organizations stands as a testament to her extraordinary leadership and her belief in the power of community.”
“Los Angeles County has been profoundly shaped by Sue Zhang and her commitment to uplifting the Chinese community across Southern California,” said Board Chair Solis. “May her enduring legacy of leadership and lifelong community service continue to inspire us all.” Zhang is survived by the generations of leaders and advocates she inspired throughout her life.
