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LAF News, Inglewood, CA (2026)

09/16/2026

Blacks and Latinos Clash Over LA’s Barrio Run; Mayor Karen Bass Calls for Dialogue Across Racial, Neighborhood Lines.

A planned Barrio Athletics 5K moved from Leimert Park to Elysian Park after racial tensions flared online, prompting Mayor Karen Bass to urge constructive dialogue.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass urged Black and Latino Angelenos to resolve their differences constructively after a dispute over a Latino-led running event planned for Leimert Park escalated into racial hostility online.

“Los Angeles is strongest when we listen to one another, treat every community with respect and work through our differences constructively,” Bass said in a statement she shared on Facebook.

Barrio Athletics, a grassroots fitness organization founded by South Central Los Angeles native Henry Gallardo, planned a 5K for Sept. 6. Participants were initially scheduled to meet in Leimert Park before running along Crenshaw Boulevard. In a promotional video,an organizer said the group would “take over the streets of Leimert Park.”

The language drew objections from Black residents and community leaders, who said organizers had not adequately consulted local stakeholders. They were also concerned that the gathering, which included plans for a DJ and vendors, would disrupt the Leimert Park Sunday Marketplace and other scheduled activities.

Leimert Park is widely regarded as the cultural heart of Black Los Angeles. Its weekly marketplace, food vendors and drum circle have long provided an economic and cultural gathering place for Black residents. That history, compounded with lingering concerns about gentrification and the city’s declining Black population, intensified sensitivity to the event’s promotion.

“This is a historic Black district which we fought for and built up, its arts district, its cultural hub,” KBLA radio host Dominique DiPrima told a local L.A. news station.

“You’re saying that you’re going to “take over” is sort of like the last stand for Black LA is problematic.”

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09/14/2026

Nearly Five Years Later, Windsor Hills Crash Returns to Focus as Nicole Linton Goes on Trial.

Nicole Linton’s trial over the 2022 Windsor Hills crash centers on whether she deliberately drove into the intersection or lost control during a seizure.

LOS ANGELES — There remains an eerie feeling for some approaching the intersection of La Brea and Slauson avenues, where nearly five years ago one of the region’s most horrific traffic collisions unfolded in a matter of seconds.

For the families of those who died there, however, Aug. 4, 2022, is far more than the date of a horrific crash.

It is the day Asherey Ryan, 23; her 11-month-old son, Alonzo Quintero; her boyfriend, Reynold Lester, 23; and Ryan’s unborn son, Armani Lester, were killed as they headed to Ryan’s prenatal appointment. Ryan was more than eight months pregnant and preparing for the birth of her son.

It is also the day friends Nathesia Lewis, 42, and Lynette Noble, 38, lost their lives while traveling together in another vehicle.

Six lives. Multiple families devastated. And an intersection that became synonymous with tragedy. Now, those families are back in a Los Angeles courtroom as Nicole Linton, the traveling nurse behind the wheel of the Mercedes-Benz that tore through the intersection that afternoon, stands trial on six counts of murder.

The case places before jurors two sharply different accounts of what happened inside Linton’s car in the seconds before impact.

Prosecutors say Linton accelerated to approximately 130 mph, ran a red light and crashed into vehicles traveling through the intersection. Deputy District Attorney Brittany Vannoy told jurors Linton had opportunities to slow down or change course but instead continued accelerating.

The defense does not dispute the catastrophic consequences of the collision. But Linton’s attorney, Jovan Blacknell, argues that what happened was not murder.

Blacknell acknowledged that the crash was “tragic,” but told jurors that Linton being charged with the most serious crime of murder “is also a tragedy.”

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09/11/2026

California Puts Black Girl Joy on the Calendar Every Aug. 10.

California has designated Aug. 10 as Black Girl Joy Day, recognizing Black girls’ achievements, talents and potential while encouraging communities to amplify their voices.

California has designated Aug. 10 as Black Girl Joy Day, an annual statewide celebration of Black girls’ achievements, talents and potential.

Assembly Concurrent Resolution (ACR) 226, authored by Assemblymember Lori D. Wilson, D-Suisun City, was chaptered by the secretary of state Aug. 20 as Resolution Chapter 193. It passed the Assembly 70-0 and also received unanimous Senate approval.

The measure recognizes Black girls’ contributions to California’s social, cultural, economic and political life and the systemic barriers they face. It encourages activities that amplify their voices and foster communities in which they can thrive.

“Black Girl Joy Day started with a very simple but powerful belief: our girls deserve spaces where they do not have to overcome something to be celebrated,” said Kellie Todd Griffin, president and CEO of the California Black Women’s Collective Empowerment Institute (CBWCEI).

“They deserve to experience joy simply because they exist. They deserve to know that California sees them, values them and believes in their future. To see August 10 permanently recognized as Black Girl Joy Day is incredibly meaningful,” added Todd Griffin.

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09/10/2026

Patti LaBelle, Common and Public Enemy Lead BMAC’s 2026 Gala Honorees.

Patti LaBelle, Common and Public Enemy will be honored at BMAC’s Sept. 24 gala in Beverly Hills, alongside music executives advancing Black music and industry equity.

The Black Music Action Coalition will honor Patti LaBelle, Common and Public Enemy alongside several prominent music executives at its sixth annual BMAC Gala later this month in Beverly Hills.

Presented by Live Nation, the Sept. 24 event at The Beverly Hilton will also recognize Nicole Wyskoarko, Tina Davis, a group of live music executives known as The Team and Universal Music Group’s Global Impact Team. Kenny Burns will return as host.

LaBelle will receive the BMAC Icon Award, adding another accolade to a career that has spanned more than six decades. From her years with Labelle to a solo catalog that includes “If Only You Knew” and “New Attitude,” the Philadelphia native has remained one of R&B’s most celebrated vocalists.

Common will be presented with the Harry Belafonte Change Agent Award. The Chicago rapper, actor and activist has long paired his entertainment career with advocacy, including work through his Common Ground Foundation.

Public Enemy will receive the Social Impact Award. Led by Chuck D and Flavor Flav, the group helped push politically conscious hip-hop into the mainstream during the late 1980s with landmark albums including It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back and Fear of a Black Planet. The group’s music has consistently confronted racism, inequality and other social and political issues.

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09/09/2026

California Civil Rights Leaders Urge Voters to Reject Confusion, Cast Ballots in November.

California civil rights leaders urge voters not to let mail-ballot lawsuits deter them from voting. Every active registered voter will receive a ballot for the Nov. 3 election.

As legal battles over mail voting move rapidly through federal courts, California civil rights leaders are urging voters — particularly Black voters, immigrants, young people and other communities that have historically faced barriers at the ballot box — not to let uncertainty keep them from voting this November.

“Do not be intimidated. Do not be discouraged,” Rick L. Callender, president of the NAACP California Hawaii State Conference, told reporters during a recent press briefing. “Verify your registration, return your ballot, track your ballot, and immediately report any problems.”

The warning comes as voting-rights organizations and Democratic-led states challenge a new U.S. Postal Service rule implementing portions of a March executive order from President Donald Trump. The rule would impose new requirements on mail ballots used in federal elections, including the submission of information about mail-ballot recipients and the use of unique barcodes.

A federal judge in Massachusetts temporarily blocked key portions of the rule on Aug. 27 while the litigation proceeds. The Trump administration has since asked a federal appeals court to lift that order. The dispute remains unresolved just weeks before states begin sending ballots to voters.

For California voters, however, the immediate message is much simpler: Vote-by-mail remains available.

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09/08/2026

Harris-Dawson Responds to Crenshaw Corridor Demands Before Sept. 4 Deadline.

Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson says Destination Crenshaw is expected to finish in early 2028, addressing community concerns over delays, funding and assistance ahead of a Sept. 4 deadline.

Los Angeles City Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson has responded in writing to the Crenshaw Corridor community ahead of the Sept. 4 deadline set by KBLA Talk 1580 host Tavis Smiley and community stakeholders seeking concrete answers about Destination Crenshaw. Smiley acknowledged that Harris-Dawson responded within the requested timeframe, while emphasizing that his response will now be reviewed in light of the community’s concerns. Harris-Dawson’s letter addresses the project timeline, funding, delays, business and resident assistance, and next steps. It is published below in its entirety.

Dear Community Members,

Since hundreds of community members first initiated what Nipsey Hussle coined as Destination Crenshaw, it has been one of my top priorities. Nine years into this once-in-a-generation, transformative project, we have made incredible progress, and together we will accomplish much more.

To date, the project has raised and invested more than $129 million in the Crenshaw Corridor. Following the construction of the K Line, it is the largest investment in the corridor’s modern history, and I have been unwavering that this be an investment in Black permanence, with unashamedly Black presence expressed through culture and art. Further investment is still to be made, but the returns have not waited for completion. Since Destination Crenshaw was announced, Black ownership and investment along the corridor have increased, making Crenshaw the only major commercial corridor in Los Angeles where that is true.

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09/07/2026

Hochman Reduced Daniel Flores’ Felonies, but Critics Say Whistleblower Damage Remains.

L.A. DA Nathan Hochman reduced Officer Daniel Flores’ 16 felony charges to misdemeanors, citing whistleblower concerns, but critics say the case still chills reports of LAPD misconduct.

LOS ANGELES — Before Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman reduced 16 felony charges against LAPD Officer Daniel Flores to misdemeanors, Flores’ attorney warned that prosecuting an officer who secretly recorded alleged racism, sexism and homophobia inside the department would send a message to other officers considering exposing misconduct.

“Every cop in the City got the District Attorney’s message: if you blow the whistle on fellow officers, you will pay the price, not them,” attorney Alan Jackson previously told LA Focus. “And you’ll pay it in felony charges.”

Hochman now acknowledges concern about that message played a role in his decision to reduce the charges.

“Nothing changed with respect to either the facts or the law,” Hochman said following the reduction.

Instead, Hochman said he became concerned that the felony prosecution was creating a perception that his office would not protect legitimate whistleblowers — and that such a perception could discourage people from coming forward.

“And that’s a message that I didn’t want to send,” Hochman said.

09/04/2026

Harris-Dawson Defends Destination Crenshaw as Questions Over Spending, Timeline Persist.

Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson defended Destination Crenshaw and cited business aid, but Dulan’s disputes a key funding figure as stakeholders seek a timeline and transparency.

LOS ANGELES — After weeks of mounting criticism over Destination Crenshaw, Los Angeles City Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson has issued a detailed response defending the still unfinished project, outlining improvements along the corridor and disclosing financial assistance to legacy businesses.

But the response has generated new questions of its own, including how some of the financial assistance cited by Harris-Dawson was calculated.

Tavis Smiley, who moderated the recent community town hall and helped organize a coalition demanding action on the project, said Harris-Dawson’s response still falls short.

“Responding is not the same as answering,” Smiley said in a KBLA Talk 1580 editorial.

Smiley argued that restoring parking, repairing streetlights and repaving streets and sidewalks should not be confused with completing Destination Crenshaw.

“The community was promised a transformational project,” Smiley said. “So where is it? When is this thing going to be finished?”

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09/03/2026

Diddy Faces Nearly $1 Million Legal Bill After $100 Million Defamation Suit Dismissed.

Sean “Diddy” Combs faces a nearly $1 million legal-fee request after a New York judge dismissed his $100 million defamation suit over a Peacock documentary.

Sean “Diddy” Combs is facing a nearly $1 million legal bill after losing his $100 million defamation lawsuit against NBCUniversal, Peacock and Ample Entertainment over the documentary Diddy: The Making of a Bad Boy. A New York judge dismissed the case in April, rejecting Combs’ claims that the documentary defamed him by promoting conspiracy theories and repeating false allegations. Following the dismissal, the defendants sought approximately $990,292 in legal fees under New York’s anti-SLAPP protections. Combs’ attorneys reportedly are not disputing the defendants’ entitlement to fees but are challenging the amount requested and the hourly rates charged by defense counsel.

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08/31/2026

Historic Vision Theatre Reopens as Leimert Park’s Long-Held Dream Takes Center Stage.

LOS ANGELES — For anyone who has been around Leimert Park long enough, the news has a familiar ring to it: The Vision Theatre is reopening. Again.

But this time, after nearly $40 million, roughly 15 years of renovation and restoration work, and decades of starts, stops and changing plans, city officials say the historic theater at the heart of Leimert Park Village is finally positioned to fulfill a promise more than three decades in the making.

Mayor Karen Bass, Councilmember Heather Hutt, Department of Cultural Affairs General Manager Daniel Tarica and arts and community leaders gathered last week for a ribbon-cutting marking the official return of the Vision Theatre Performing Arts Center. More than 500 community members, artists, elected officials and philanthropic partners attended the celebration, which featured local music and dance performances.

“Last week, the Vision Theater rose again as a platform for Black creativity, community and commerce. This theater is a landmark that has anchored Leimert Park for nearly a century, and it is coming back stronger than ever. I was proud to have secured the funding to start the renovations during my tenure in the State Assembly,” said Mayor Bass. “When the Olympic and Paralympic Games arrive in 2028, I want the entire world to experience Leimert Park. I want them to hear this community’s music, taste its food, meet its entrepreneurs, and feel its art. That story starts right here, welcoming the world to the Vision Theater.”

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