With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
Riverside mayor vows aid to tsunami-stricken sister city Sendai
Japanese self defense personnel walk amongst a tsunami devastated town, close to the airport in Sendai on March 14, 2011.
(
Philippe Lopez/AFP/Getty Images
)
The city of Riverside is getting ready to send help to its sister city in Japan - Sendai. The coastal city was one of the hardest hit by a tsunami last week in the wake of the magnitude 8.9 earthquake.
Its seaport and airport have been destroyed. Half of the city's 1 million people have no electricity in their homes.
Riverside Mayor Ron Loveridge has been in contact with Sendai these past few days.
"Its city hall is part hospital, part homeless center, part nurse center of the city," Loveridge says. "I mean, people come there for water; they come for medical attention. It’s sort of the general store. With one wave the tsunami washed away people’s lives.”
Sponsored message
Loveridge says his city will most likely raise money that’ll go specifically to the mayor of Sendai, so that reconstruction efforts can get underway as soon as possible.
Loveridge is in Washington, D.C. today for a mayors conference. He’ll meet with other Riverside city officials over the phone this afternoon to discuss the best way to help the devastated Japanese city.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
