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Topline:
Long Beach families can soon send their children to a free Westside dual-language preschool offering groceries, mental health support and special education services to students and their families.
Why it matters: The new school is housed in the West Facilities Center, a resource hub operated by the city’s Department of Health and Human Services. The center already includes a family health clinic and a Women, Infants, and Children office, and the preschool will augment those by offering wraparound services for the whole family in addition to early education for about 50 students. It’s an effort to invest in families on the Westside, an area of the city where existing providers can meet only 30% of the demand, according to a city press release.
How to apply: The preschool, operated by the nonprofit Un Mundo de Amigos, is expected to open later this fall, but families can join a waitlist for the new preschool or immediately enroll at one of Un Mundo’s two other sites, according to the program director Yolanda Silva.
Read on... for more on the free Westside dual-language preschool in West Long Beach.
This story first appeared on Long Beach Post.
Long Beach families can soon send their children to a free Westside dual-language preschool offering groceries, mental health support and special education services to students and their families.
The new school is housed in the West Facilities Center, a resource hub operated by the city’s Department of Health and Human Services. The center already includes a family health clinic and a Women, Infants, and Children office, and the preschool will augment those by offering wraparound services for the whole family in addition to early education for about 50 students. It’s an effort to invest in families on the Westside, an area of the city where existing providers can meet only 30% of the demand, according to a city press release.
The preschool, operated by the nonprofit Un Mundo de Amigos, is expected to open later this fall, but families can join a waitlist for the new preschool or immediately enroll at one of Un Mundo’s two other sites, according to the program director Yolanda Silva.
All families are welcome to apply, she said — Un Mundo de Amigos has no income requirements — but those with the highest need will be prioritized. That includes low-income families, families seeking employment and those with open court cases. Higher-income families can enroll if space allows, but they may pay a small fee.
Families interested in enrolling in the Westside preschool (or other sites) can contact Silva directly at yolanda@unmundodeamigos.com or by phone at 562-472-8099. They can also book a tour through the preschool’s website and specify that they are interested in the Westside location.
Renovations to the Westside site were recently completed (to the tune of $1.8 million thanks to grants and state assistance Un Mundo received), but the project has been long in the works.
More than 15 years ago, Laurie Petersen founded Un Mundo de Amigos as a way to “give back to the community,” she said. She’d read research about the critical foundations preschool establishes for young children, and she wanted to direct resources toward the greatest need.
“I looked for the poorest ZIP code in the county of Los Angeles with the least number of preschool spaces per capita for four-year-olds,” she said. Central Long Beach came up, she said.
Petersen bought two used car lots on Long Beach Boulevard between 14th and 15th streets and built the first Un Mundo de Amigos “from the ground up,” she said. Since then, she has founded a nonprofit, donated the school to it and opened a second location downtown.
In recent years, she began exploring options for opening a third location on the Westside, which she called “a desert of resources.” A space at the West Facilities Center, which had been vacant for years, was a perfect option, she said.
It’s especially needed, Petersen said, because of how she has seen the preschool population change. Families are navigating economic challenges and a high cost of living, fears of immigration enforcement, impacts from COVID on young children’s language and development and a larger population of students with disabilities who may not be getting the services they need, she said. Those challenges mean many arrive to kindergarten and aren’t ready to be there, she said.
Un Mundo de Amigos aims to fill those gaps by building whole-family support into the school’s approach. Un Mundo preschools have food pantries on site, stocked with fresh organic fruits and vegetables as well as pantry staples and supplies like diapers. Mental health support for families is available twice a week, and they have access to medical clinics and dental care, Petersen said.
The new Westside school will offer early intervention, evaluation and services for students with disabilities — helping fill a critical gap for families, some of whom have to choose between going to work and taking their child to speech therapy, Petersen said.
Un Mundo staff and their partners offer programs and services onsite, since many families are fearful of seeking resources in public, Silva said. She emphasized that the Un Mundo team has worked to build strong relationships with the families they serve.
“It takes a lot for somebody to ask for help,” she said. “We built those relationships where they don’t hesitate if they’re going through a family emergency. They come to us,” she said.
Topline:
The 61-year-old driver of a minivan that killed three people when it crashed outside a Los Angeles metro station during rush hour was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence and three counts of murder, a police spokesperson said Wednesday.
More details: The crash at a busy intersection in the North Hollywood neighborhood also critically injured two women. The vehicle ended up under a food vendor’s tent, and Mayor Karen Bass said the victims included street vendors and pedestrians.
After the crash: The minivan was on the sidewalk surrounded by debris Tuesday night with its driver’s side door open and an air bag deployed. Fire engines and emergency crews worked nearby as a helicopter flew overhead.
Read on... for more on the driver's arrest.
The 61-year-old driver of a minivan that killed three people when it crashed outside a Los Angeles metro station during rush hour was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence and three counts of murder, a police spokesperson said Wednesday.
Police have said the driver was taken out of the vehicle and was able to talk, but he appeared in shock after Tuesday’s crash. Officials were not immediately able to determine the cause or whether he acted intentionally.
Police identified the driver as Ihor Demianenko, a resident of the Valley Village neighborhood of Los Angeles, Officer Norma Eisenman said. She didn’t know whether he was still at a hospital early Wednesday.
It was not immediately clear if Demianenko had a lawyer who could respond to the allegations.
The crash at a busy intersection in the North Hollywood neighborhood also critically injured two women. The vehicle ended up under a food vendor’s tent, and Mayor Karen Bass said the victims included street vendors and pedestrians.
Investigators will go through video of the crash frame by frame, LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said.
“It will be probably a prolonged but a very deliberate investigation to determine what happened here,” he said.
Luis Luna-Guzman was working at a burger stand nearby when he heard a loud boom and saw people on the ground along with food and cups. People nearby started running toward the crash.
As he moved closer, he found an injured woman lying near the bike racks, her face, arms and legs bloody, he said, recalling her eyes were closed as she moaned in pain.
“I told her, ‘Don’t move, help is coming,’” Luna-Guzman said, adding that he saw a woman’s body nearby, while another woman was lying unmoving on the stairs leading to the station.
Adrin Nazarian, a Los Angeles City Council member whose district includes North Hollywood, described the area as a close-knit community where there is always commotion and activity.
The minivan was on the sidewalk surrounded by debris Tuesday night with its driver’s side door open and an air bag deployed. Fire engines and emergency crews worked nearby as a helicopter flew overhead.
One entrance to the metro remained closed Tuesday night, but otherwise the property wasn’t impacted and the stations for the bus and subway were open, according to Jose Ubaldo, spokesperson for the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
Thanawala reported from Atlanta.
Topline:
Last week’s election was full of surprises, especially for California school districts seeking to fix leaking roofs and broken air conditioners. Although election officials are still counting votes in many parts of the state, the preliminary results show that nearly half the school bonds on California ballots are failing.
The backstory: Eighty-six school districts put bonds seeking to do school repairs and modernization on last week’s ballot, totalling $12.4 billion, a relatively low amount of money compared to other big election years. Two years ago, school bonds totaled almost four times that and most of them passed.
Why it matters: As of late Tuesday, 50 bonds had either passed or were leading, with the rest failing. Bonds need 55% to pass.
Read on... for more on what this means for school repairs.
This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters.
Last week’s election was full of surprises, especially for California school districts seeking to fix leaking roofs and broken air conditioners.
Although election officials are still counting votes in many parts of the state, the preliminary results show that nearly half the school bonds on California ballots are failing.
“It’s a shocking outcome,” said Sara Hinkley, director of policy and research at UC Berkeley’s Center for Cities and Schools. “This leaves some school districts with very few options. I’m sure they’re sweating.”
Eighty-six school districts put bonds seeking to do school repairs and modernization on last week’s ballot, totaling $12.4 billion, a relatively low amount of money compared to other big election years. Two years ago, school bonds totaled almost four times that and most of them passed.
As of late Tuesday, 50 bonds had either passed or were leading, with the rest failing. Bonds need 55% to pass.
While school bonds performed poorly on the ballot in many parts of California, they succeeded in Los Angeles County and Orange County. Votes counted so far show almost every measure is poised to pass, and those races that haven't been called are still leaning yes as of November 11.
Here's the full list:
School district officials blamed the shaky economy.
“Everyone wants what is best for the kids, but when gas, groceries and utilities are cutting into people's budget, they have to find places to save,” said Mays Kakish, superintendent of Beaumont Unified School District near Banning in the Inland Empire. “In the short term, this loss of funding will be painful.”
Beaumont, one of the few districts in California where enrollment is increasing, desperately needs the $86 million the bond would have brought in. Last year, its schools had 138 roof leaks, district spokesman Thomas Guzowski said. In addition, the district needs to replace 81 portable classrooms.
A 2024 state bond — Proposition 2 — that provided $10 billion for school construction, is an alternative source of money for some school districts. But districts need to provide matching funds to get Prop. 2 money, and if the bond fails Beaumont will not qualify, Guzowski said.
Regardless, most of the Prop. 2 money set aside for school repairs is already spoken for. There’s still money available for new construction projects and emergencies, but there’s a long waiting list for the remaining money to fix leaky roofs or make other maintenance repairs.
John Affeldt, managing attorney at the public interest law firm Public Advocates, said he wasn’t surprised at the outcome of the school bond elections. Many bonds in wealthier areas like the Bay Area and Orange County tend to be for more money and usually pass, enabling those districts to get Prop. 2 money using matching funds. Bonds in lower-income areas, meanwhile, tend to be for less money and fail.
“Those who have more, get more,” Affeldt said. “It’s an unfair system, and part of a long pattern of the state’s failed system of financing facilities.”
Affeldt’s firm sued the state over the alleged inequities in Prop. 2 and is awaiting a judge’s decision on whether to grant the state’s request to throw out the case. Earlier this year, a judge denied the plaintiffs’ request for an injunction but said they had a “reasonable chance of succeeding” on at least part of the case.
San Diego Unified is on the other end of the school bond fortunes. Voters said “yes” to its $3.4 billion bond, the largest in California, ushering in a windfall for swimming pools, new performing arts venues, staff housing, new air conditioners, security systems and other upgrades. Homeowners will pay an average of $294 a year.
“It was a great night. I’m still on a high,” said school board vice president Sabrina Bazzo. “This means that all students in our district — not just those in wealthy neighborhoods — will get access to high-quality facilities.”
Basso attributed the bond’s success to plenty of community support. Labor unions threw their weight behind the measure, in part because the district agreed to hire local union workers for much of the work, Bazzo said. Even the local taxpayers association supported the bond, largely because it wasn’t a new tax; it replaced a previous bond from 2022.
Visalia Unified near Fresno doesn’t look to be so lucky. Its bid for a $158 million bond is trailing and expected to lose.
“The economy is challenging right now for a lot of folks,” said Superintendent Kirk Shrum. “I’m disappointed, thinking about what we could have done — upgraded bathrooms, new furniture — and now we have to wait.”
More than 70% of the district’s buildings are 50 years old or older, and are in dire need of repairs, Shrum said. A few years ago, the district assessed the condition of its buildings and the total for repairs came to $600 million. That seemed too high for a bond, so the district went with $158 million, the amount needed for only the most urgent projects.
Without the bond money, the district will shift funds around to pay for repairs when needed, but “we’ll never be able to get ahead of it,” Shrum said.
“You get stuck in a cycle of replace and repair when things break,” Shrum said. “But you can patch a roof only so many times.”
This article was originally published on CalMatters and was republished under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives license.
In this edition:
Get $1 churros, see the Grove tree lighting, Sheryl Crow live and more of the best things to do this week.
Highlights:
A big thank you to all the service members who’ve served our country this Veterans Day. There’s lots going on to honor them, including a ceremony on the beach in Santa Monica, a celebration at the VA and more.
Elsewhere on LAist, you can learn about one couple who chose the LAUSD coffee cake for their wedding, come hang out with us at CicLAvia in Pasadena and grab tickets for FilmWeek’s screening of Sideways.
Licorice Pizza has your music picks for the week ahead — it is Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction time, after all — including:
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday, Nov. 11
El Moro
Multiple locations (Echo Park, Costa Mesa, La Habra)
COST: $1; MORE INFO
What better way to get through the rest of the week than with $1 churros to celebrate International Churro Day? Mexico City institution El Moro now has three L.A. area locations where you can score a deal on the fried treat all day long, plus get a complimentary 12th churro when you purchase 11.
Tuesday, Nov. 17, 7:15 p.m.
Book Soup
8818 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood
COST: FREE; MORE INFO
We lost the great Brit-turned-Angeleno artist David Hockney this year, but his legacy in L.A. is remembered in author James Cahill’s new book, The Beverly Hills Housewife: Hockney’s Californian Muse and the World Beyond the Pool. The book tells the story of David Hockney’s pivotal early years in Los Angeles, his unlikely friendship with a Beverly Hills collector named Betty Freeman, and the city itself — all through the lens of a single painting, Beverly Hills Housewife (1966-67). Cahill will be in conversation with writer David Ulin.
Through Saturday, Nov. 21
6 Rose Ave., Venice
COST: FREE; MORE INFO
Australian artist Cj Hendry has taken over churches, swimming pools and more around the world with her bright creations. Her latest installation, Flower Shop, takes over the Rose Room in Venice, where you can purchase one of her felt flowers starting at $10 — the perfect headstart on unique holiday gifts.
Through Sunday, Nov. 15
Pantages Theatre
6233 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood
COST: FROM $45; MORE INFO
Fun fact: The Who’s Tommy was the first show I saw on Broadway in 1995 (starring the great Michael Cerveris), and now I’m dating myself by saying the revival is on tour at the Pantages. The Who’s timeless 1969 soundtrack follows the story of Tommy, a child struck by tragedy who wins hearts with his pinball prowess. Pete Townshend and director Des McAnuff reunite to tell the story again for a new generation. Tommy, you’re a sensation.
Saturday, Nov. 14, 7 p.m.
The Wallis
9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills
COST: FROM $27.50; MORE INFO
I saw the live National Theatre production of The Importance of Being Earnest in London last year, and it’s laugh-out-loud funny, with great performances from Doctor Who himself (Ncuti Gatwa) and Sharon D. Clarke as Lady Bracknell. Directed by Max Webster, the Oscar Wilde classic mistaken-identity comedy took the West End by storm, so don’t miss a chance to catch the filmed-live version at the Wallis. If you just can’t get enough "Earnest" this week, the Bardfly Theatre Co. has their last live performance of the sendup of Victorian England at the L.A. Arboretum the same night.
Saturday, Nov. 14, 4 p.m.
Sunset Strip
Sunset Blvd. between San Vicente Blvd./Clark Ave. and North Doheny Drive, West Hollywood
COST: FREE, RSVP REQUIRED; MORE INFO
Sheryl Crow will play 'til the sun comes up on Santa Monica Boulevard (well, more likely 'til just after it goes down) at the free concert on the Sunset Strip, Live on Sunset. The nine-time GRAMMY Award winner and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee joins a host of other performers, including Local Natives and Empress Of, at the block party show.
Saturday, Nov. 14, 10 p.m.
Academy L.A.
6021 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood
COST: $39.95; MORE INFO
Art collective Meow Wolf is opening soon in L.A., but you can catch the vibe early with this DJ set at Academy L.A. The music takeover will feature some of Meow Wolf's favorite characters and oddities from their unique multiverse, alongside DJ performances from Desert Hearts and house producer Justin Martin.
Saturday, Nov. 14, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Downtown San Pedro
COST: FREE; MORE INFO
The Second Saturday Art Walk takes over downtown San Pedro this weekend, with galleries, record stores and more opening their doors to celebrate independent artists in the harbor town. Plus, the San Pedro International Film Fest will present two ocean-themed documentary short series at the John Olguin Auditorium at Cabrillo Marine Aquarium.
Thursday, Nov. 12, tour at 11:30 a.m.
UC Irvine Langson Orange County Museum of Art
Segerstrom Center for the Arts
3333 Avenue of the Arts, Costa Mesa
COST: FREE; MORE INFO
The O.C. Museum of Art opens its fall exhibit, Hello Again, with a public celebration on Thursday featuring a tour with curators. The show leans on “thematic fluidity” in the curation rather than chronology, with a focus on California art of the 1960s and '70s as well as more contemporary work. The first exhibit from newly-appointed director Kathryn Kanjo, it “reveals how regional landscapes, domestic spaces, and urban culture remain fertile territory for material and conceptual experimentation.” The exhibition includes work from many artists you’ll be familiar with and some to discover, including Glenn Ligon, Suzanne Lacy, Robert Rauschenberg, Betye Saar, Ed Ruscha, Narsiso Martinez and more.
Monday, Nov. 16, 7 p.m.
The Grove
189 The Grove Drive, Fairfax District
COST: FREE; MORE INFO
It’s that time of year again. The annual Christmas Tree lighting at the Grove happens next Monday — just 39 days till Santa gets here, folks. This year’s party features performances from Nicole Scherzinger, Jason Mraz, Mark Ambor, Jamie Miller, “O” by Cirque du Soleil, American Authors, Kenedi Anderson, JYT and more.
