Frank Stoltze
I came to L.A. as a very young reporter on New Year’s Day, 1991. Two months later, four LAPD officers were caught on videotape beating Rodney King. A year later, the night before the riots/rebellion broke out, I was in the Nickerson Gardens housing project in Watts at an extraordinary rally of rival gangs that had brokered a truce.
Today, I cover Civics and Democracy in L.A. As we face perhaps the greatest threat to democracy since the Civil War, I seek to engage with communities and examine the hurdles to becoming involved in the political process. I cover the various social and political movements seeking to improve the lives of Angelenos. I also cover anti-democratic forces.
And after all these years, I still need to figure out the best donut shop in L.A. The best torta. The best (not fanciest) coffee. Best of all I get to meet the smartest, most interesting people and bring their voices to you.
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Judge James Chalfant wants the registrar to work with the recall backers to ensure they complete their review by March 31. The issue is back in his court today. -
In a conversation with LAist, the new sheriff acknowledges that, as an outsider, "I have my work cut out for me" in winning the support of the department's rank-and-file.
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Former Long Beach police chief Robert Luna was sworn in Saturday. His victory over Alex Villanueva was only the second time in almost a century that an incumbent lost a re-election bid.
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An outsider coming into an organization notorious for rejecting them, Luna takes over an agency reeling from four years of controversial decisions by outgoing Sheriff Alex Villanueva.
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He was elected in 2018 after running as a progressive Democrat who would reform the department. He ended up fiercely resisting oversight and clashing with watchdogs and the rest of the county’s political establishment.
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The evidence is "inconclusive and suggests the amount of force used was not excessive,” according to the DA's memo on the decision.
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The retired Long Beach Police Department chief soundly beat incumbent Sheriff Alex Villanueva in the race to lead the country’s largest sheriff’s department.
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The outgoing sheriff said he tried to push through four promotions for officials who were “already acting in that capacity.”
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Luna, the former Long Beach Police chief promises a “180 degree difference” in how he'll run LASD. Incumbent Alex Villanueva conceded Tuesday.
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The Aug. 2020 shooting of the bicyclist sparked angry protests.
