What You Need To Know Today: Dodger Playoffs Guide, City Council Protests, History of LA Politics Corruption

Good morning, L.A. It’s Wednesday, October 12.  

Today in How To LA: Repping the ‘Boys In Blue’ in the World Series Playoffs, protests after city council tape leak; plus a look into the history of L.A. politics corruption. 

It’s Dodgers Playoff Season, baby.

Okay, let’s pause. I have a little secret to share with you all.

*whispers* I’ve never been to a Dodgers Game. Like ever. I’ve been to only one baseball game in my life and it was a minor league game. I know I know. I’m not a real Angeleno. Shame on me.

But I also know I can’t be the only one who’s out here slipping. So, for the folks reading this newsletter who are like me and would like to go to their first Dodgers Game during this playoff season, my colleagues at LAist have us covered.

Both Gab Chabrán and Brian De Los Santos ventured out to talk to Dodger fans about what makes rooting the Boys in Blue in the stadium so special…especially when at the World Series.

Gab took a trip to Chavez Ravine, the spot for the last regular season game and chatted with Angelenos about their favorite players (did you know there was a player named Will Smith?), food (I need to try those helmet nachos!), and parking tips (make sure you arrive early!).

Brian helped us sports newbies out by talking to A Martinez from NPR’s Morning Edition about how we can get on the Dodgers Bandwagon without looking like a complete fool. Did you know they’ve won well over 100 games this season? Martinez said they actually finished a historic main season!.

Here’s a quick, down and dirty guide. But listen here for the full convo: 

Rule Número Uno: Watch the game.

Rule #2: Have a player to watch….like Freddie Freeman, the first baseman for the Dodgers, Trea Turner, Julio Urías or Mookie Betts.

Rule #3: Watch the sunsets over Chavez Ravine and feel the energy of the crowd.

Rule #4: Eat the Dodger dog and the garlic fries…oh! And have a margarita with the Tajín rim while you’re at it.

Rule #5: Don’t bring any bags. If you need to, just bring a wristlet or a clutch.

Rule #6: If you can, please take an Uber. However, be warned. They can be expensive. So walk down to a spot close to the stadium like Guisados and catch your ride-share car to and from there.

Listen to the rest of Brian’s chat with some Dodger experts here.

As always, stay happy and healthy, folks. There’s more news below — just keep reading.

The News You Need After You Stop Hitting Snooze

*At LAist we will always bring you the news freely, but occasionally we do include links to other publications that may be behind a paywall. Thank you for understanding! 

• Several Angelenos protested inside and outside of Los Angeles’ city hall in the first city council meeting since the now infamous tape. Community members spoke of their disgust at then-president Nury Martinez and the other council members racist language. 
• City Council Update: Nury Martinez said yesterday morning she is taking a leave of absence from her position on the council. This comes as calls for her to leave the office continue to grow, leading up to President Joe Biden to call for her resignation. 
• The time to vote for L.A. County Sheriff is soon approaching (Nov. 8!). Are you curious to know what Alex Villanueva and Robert Luna have to say about deputy “gangs”, conditions for jail inmates and homelessness? My colleague Frank Stoltze asked them questions about these issues and more here. 
• Speaking of the L.A. County Sheriff’s race, the third episode of this season's Imperfect Paradise is out. Read seven takeaways from the episode here. 
• One of the most prolific writers of all time, Joan Didion, now has a new exhibition at the Hammer Museum, less than one year after her death. From now until January 22, you can check out Joan Didion: What She Means and read excerpts from her essays and novels as well as see her work displayed in various art media. 
• Eric Kay, an ex-Los Angeles public relations employee has been sentenced for giving fentanyl to Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs. In 2019, Skaggs was found dead in a hotel room right before a game with the Texas Rangers. 
• Have you thought about having your body used as compost to help plant trees or grow flowers when you die? Sounds like an idea of the future, right? Well, we just might be inching closer to that earth-friendly option with a new California bill that legalizes human composting.

Wait! One More Thing...A Look Into The Corrupt History of Early LA Politics

Los Angeles Mayor Frank Shaw is given a badge which bears the official seal of the City of Los Angeles. In 1938, Mayor Shaw would be recalled from office in an anti-corruption campaign.

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Courtesy of the Los Angeles Public Library

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Angelenos, we’re voting for a new mayor on Nov. 8. So in light of the upcoming elections AND the recent city council scandal that has since hit the national stage, I wanted us to take a rocky trip down early L.A. politics.

Spoiler alert, friends. As you can read in Hadley Meares article, corruption in L.A. politics isn’t new and it for sure, wasn’t pretty. Ever since L.A. became a city in 1850, the people in charge have had their run-ins with malfeasance. There’s no shortage of bribery, abuse of power and of course, racism.

One aspect of this time that stuck out to me was the fact that even though there was corruption in a lot of major U.S. cities at the time, there were unique factors that made L.A. stand out. Historian Bill Deverell said that the impacts of World War II brought in rapid growth and money. 

“The velocity of metropolitan growth is so fast, and the arrival of such large economic drivers in the culture, like Hollywood and oil, and then federal expenditures for infrastructure in the New Deal era,” Deverell said.

Read more here about the nasty dealings of a handful of L.A. mayors who participated in this Wild, Wild West game of crony capitalism.