How to LA: Dyslexia in College, Bell Gardens Rent Vote, Threemile House

Good morning, L.A. It’s Wednesday, August 24.

Happy hump day, my friends. The education team is on a roll with its extensive, comprehensive coverage of dyslexia in California. So far you’ve learned about the science behind dyslexia, California’s slow approach and lackluster state policies, and the inconsistencies in how K-12 schools respond to struggling students.

Now, my colleague Jill Replogle is tackling higher education, examining what the approach to dyslexia looks like once students enter college. 

There’s a big shift that happens once students take this next step into their lives. Unlike K-12 schools, colleges aren’t legally obligated to provide a “free appropriate public education.”

That means college students have to be proactive about asking for accommodations, like tutoring and extra time on tests. But what happens if you don’t know you can get an accommodation in the first place? Or you don’t even know you have a learning disability? What if you’re afraid of the possible stigma that comes with having a learning disability?

Martín Cohen-Velasquez has had all these questions run through his head. He says asking for help with his dyslexia in high school felt demeaning. It took him years to feel comfortable enough to ask teachers for help. Then in college, he questioned whether he should be asking for anything. "It's like, you're 18, now you're deemed an adult so why would you need help?"

It’s a situation that many with dyslexia have experienced. Jill takes us through the challenges that college students like Cohen-Velasquez face as well as what rights they have, the problems that come with diagnosing students in college, tips on how to get a disability assessment and resources. 

Read Jill’s story today to learn more about dyslexia in college.

As always, stay happy and healthy, folks. There’s more news below the fold.

The News You Need After You Stop Hitting Snooze

• Bell Gardens’ city council is the latest board to elect for stronger limits on rent increases. Councilmembers voted unanimously to push forward a plan that would cap annual increases at 4%.
• ICYMI Angels owner Arte Moreno is exploring the possibility of selling the team. Moreno bought the club in 2003 for $184 million.
• Earlier this week, LA Metro tested out trains on the K line – the new light rail system connecting the Crenshaw area to LAX (check out this video). Metro says that seven of the stations along the 8.5 mile route will open sometime later this year. 
• There are 25 community fridges scattered across Los Angeles. The effort began in July 2020 with a goal of feeding people and reducing waste. Here’s how it's going. 
• It’s official, state coffers are taking hits from the economy slowing and the once-booming technology industry taking a back seat. Layoffs in tech triggered a 12% revenue shortfall in the month of July. 
• If you have ever received unsolicited sexually graphic material by text, email, app, or other electronic means, California Lawmakers have news for you. Under a new bill approved by California Lawmakers, victims are allowed to sue against ‘Cyber Flashers’. 
• Today, President Joe Biden is expected to announce his overdue push to forgive up to $10,000 in federal student loans for Americans who earn less than $125,00 a year. He is also set to extend a hold on loan payments to January. 

The Kicker — Threemile House: The Real Wild, Wild West

Men gamble inside the Yellow Astor, a typical mining town saloon with a gaming table, a barber shop and ahotel office.

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C.C. Pierce/Los Angeles Photographers Collection/Los Angeles Public Library Collection

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Every Wednesday, I’ll give you a little piece of Los Angeles history. Are you ready for this one? It’s wild.

If you’re a fan of Westerns, you’ll definitely be invested in this story. Back in the day, L.A. was a place of gunfights, drunken brawls and robberies, and in the 1890s there existed this place called the Threemile House.

LAist contributor Glen Creason said it sounded like a “quaint bed and breakfast, scented with lavender and serving fresh biscuits, or maybe a dude ranch where city slickers could spend a few days pretending they lived in the Pueblo.” But as he began digging through artifacts, he discovered something: it was anything but a charming pit-stop.