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California Briefs: Two Strikes — Governor Sues Trump Over Guard Takeover, Applauds Ruling on Restoration of AmeriCorps Funding

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California Briefs: Two Strikes — Governor Sues Trump Over Guard Takeover, Applauds Ruling on Restoration of AmeriCorps Funding

 

Gov. Newsom Suing President Trump and Department of Defense for Illegal Takeover of CalGuard Unit

LOS ANGELES – Following President Trump’s call to arrest Gov. Gavin Newsom, the Governor and Attorney General Rob Bonta June 9 have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration to end the illegal and unnecessary takeover of a CalGuard unit, which has needlessly escalated chaos and violence in the Los Angeles region.

The lawsuit, which names president Trump, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and the Department of Defense, outlines why the takeover violates the U.S. Constitution and exceeds the President’s Title 10 authority, not only because the takeover occurred without the consent or input of the Governor, as federal law requires, but also because it was unwarranted.

“Donald Trump is creating fear and terror by failing to adhere to the U.S. Constitution and overstepping his authority. This is a manufactured crisis to allow him to take over a state militia, damaging the very foundation of our republic. Every governor, red or blue, should reject this outrageous overreach. This is beyond incompetence — this is him intentionally causing chaos, terrorizing communities, and endangering the principles of our great democracy. It is an unmistakable step toward authoritarianism. We will not let this stand,” said Gov. Newsom.

Under the California Constitution, Gov. Newsom is the Commander-in-Chief of the California National Guard. In the lawsuit, Gov.Newsom and Attorney General Bonta explain that the federal government has overstepped its legal authority and bypassed the Governor’s approval to take over a unit of CalGuard, in a situation where federal government intervention was not needed and did not meet the necessary criteria for federalization.

The unrest in Los Angeles was nowhere close to rising to the level of a “rebellion” beyond the capacity of local and state authorities to control, nor is it different in kind from other similar situations in recent years that were brought under control by local authorities with no need for military intervention. The Department of Defense’s mobilization order also failed to comply with President Trump’s own direction to coordinate with the Governor and the National Guard.

Trump’s illegal takeover

On Friday, June 6, 2025, the federal government, through Immigration and Customs Enforcement, began conducting widespread operations throughout Los Angeles without providing notification to local law enforcement. During the course of these operations, ICE officers took actions that inflamed tensions, including the arrest and detainment of children, and military-style operations that sparked panic in the community. The Department of Homeland Security reported that its enforcement activities on June 6 resulted in the arrest of 44 individuals, two of whom appear to have been minors. Only five of those arrested reportedly had any criminal history.

In response, community members began protesting to express opposition to these violent tactics, the President’s heavy-handed, violent immigration agenda, and the arrest of innocent people, and to express solidarity with and concern for the individuals and families most directly impacted by the enforcement actions taking place in their community. Protests continued for two more days, and although some violent and illegal incidents were reported — leading to justified arrests by state and local authorities — these protests were largely nonviolent and involved citizens exercising their First Amendment right to protest. At no point did these protests necessitate federal intervention, and local and state law enforcement remained in control of the situation. Local law enforcement, despite no communication or advanced notice from the federal government, responded quickly and did not request federal assistance.

No basis for takeover

Soon after protests began, on June 7, President Trump issued a memorandum entitled “Department of Defense Security for the Protection of Department of Homeland Security Functions,” purporting to authorize the Department of Defense to call up 2,000 National Guard personnel into federal service for a period of 60 days, and declaring a “rebellion against the authority of the Government of the United States” and directing the Secretary of Defense to coordinate with state governors and the National Guard to commandeer state militias. This order was not specific to California and suggests that the President could assume control of any state militia.

President Trump then began posting to social media that the protests in California were out of control and that the federal government had taken over the California National Guard — further inflaming fear in the community, inciting fear and violence, and endangering state sovereignty. Notably, by the time the National Guard arrived on Sunday morning, the protests had dissipated thanks to local law enforcement, and the streets were quiet. The President’s Actions and the military presence inflamed the very protest and violence it was supposedly meant to suppress.

President Trump’s unprecedented order attempts to usurp state authority and resources via 10 U.S.C. § 12406, a statute that has been invoked on its own only once before in modern history and for highly unusual circumstances — when President Richard Nixon called upon the National Guard to deliver the mail during the 1970 Postal Service Strike. This is also the first time since 1965 — when President Johnson sent troops to Alabama to protect civil rights demonstrators — that a president has activated a state’s National Guard without a request from the state’s governor.

Ending Trump’s abuse of power

On June 9, Gov. Newsom and Attorney General Bonta stood up for all states’ authority through this lawsuit. The lawsuit asks the court to end the federal government’s gross overstep of authority and require President Trump and Secretary Hegseth to follow the appropriate legal steps to take over any state militia, including an order issued through the Governor.

The lawsuit also explains that:

  • The federalization of the California National Guard deprives California of resources to protect itself and its citizens, including those working on drug interdiction at the border, and of critical responders in the event of a state of emergency — such as the January 2025 firestorm in Los Angeles, which CalGuard responded to.
  • 10 U.S.C. § 12406 requires that the Governor consent to federalization of the National Guard, which Gov. Newsom was not given the opportunity to do prior to their deployment.
  • The President’s unlawful order infringes on Gov. Newsom’s role as Commander-in-Chief of the California National Guard and violates the state’s sovereign right to control and have available its National Guard in the absence of a lawful invocation of federal power.
  • The situation in Los Angeles didn’t meet the criteria for federalization, which includes invasion by a foreign country, rebellion against the authority of the Government of the United States, and being unable to execute federal laws. At no point was this the case in the Los Angeles area, where local and state law enforcement remained in control.

What they WERE saying

Donald Trump: In a Townhall with ABC in 2020, Trump said he couldn’t move the National Guard into Democratic-run cities without the Governor’s approval. See here and here for the full transcript.

  • STEPHANOPOULOS: Mr. President, you promised four years ago at the Republican Convention, I’m going to restore law and order.
  • TRUMP: And I have, except in Democrat run cities. Look, we have laws. We have to go by the laws. We can’t move in the National Guard. I can call insurrection but there’s no reason to ever do that, even in a Portland case. We can’t call in the National Guard unless we’re requested by a governor. If a governor or a mayor is a Democrat and they — like in Portland, we call them constantly. I just spoke to the governor yesterday because we’re giving them relief on the fires. We’re giving them a — an emergency declaration

 

Gov. Newsom Statement on Court Ruling Restoring AmeriCorps Funding

SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gavin Newsom issued the following statement June 5 after a federal judge ruled that the Trump administration must restore funding to AmeriCorps in California. This comes after Gov. Newsom, Attorney General Rob Bonta and a coalition of states sued the Trump administration over DOGE efforts to dismantle AmeriCorps – the federal agency vital to supporting volunteer and service efforts in California and across the country.

“Common sense has prevailed over cruelty. The court is rightly siding with volunteers and service workers. Today, we’re doing right by John F. Kennedy and Sargent Shriver and all those who put others before themselves,” said Gov.Gavin Newsom.

In 2024, at least 6,150 California members served at more than 1,200 locations, including schools, food banks, homeless shelters, health clinics, youth centers, veterans’ facilities and other nonprofit and faith-based organizations. When the devastating fires struck Los Angeles earlier this year, AmeriCorps members were on the ground, distributing supplies and supporting families. The agency’s shutdown ends these efforts.

California Service Corps is the largest service force in the nation, consisting of four paid service programs:

Combined, it is a force larger than the Peace Corps and is mobilized at a time when California is addressing post-pandemic academic recovery, rebuilding from the LA fires and planning for the future of the state’s workforce.

In the 2023-24 service year, AmeriCorps members in California:

  • Provided 4,397,674 hours of service
  • Tutored/mentored 73,833 students
  • Supported 17,000 foster youth with education and employment
  • Planted 39,288 trees

Members helped 26,000 households impacted by the LA fires and packed 21,000 food boxes.

“Call Freedom: Artists Speak,” an Exhibition Presented by Angel City Culture Quest Podcast in Collaboration with Range Projects

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“Call Freedom: Artists Speak,” an Exhibition Presented by Angel City Culture Quest Podcast in Collaboration with Range Projects

 

Deadline to Enter: July 31, 2025. NO ENTRY FEES

Now is the time to speak louder than ever. We cannot be silenced, and in that vein, we announce an open call for Artists to “CALL FREEDOM!”

LOS ANGELES — On June 9, Angel City Culture Quest or ACCQ announced an open call for the new exhibition, Call Freedom: Artists Speak, in collaboration with Range Projects. The exhibit is set to run from Sept. 6 to 27. Send your visual and literary art, including painting, sculpture, ceramics, drawing, printmaking, photography, graphic design, or text (poetry, book readings, songs).

The exhibition will be juried by podcast producer/host and journalist, Melina Paris.

Paris, producer of ACCQ, is a journalist and podcast host. ACCQ is a labor of love with a deep focus on her guests and their works. The show does not do any advertising and would be deeply grateful for your support and participation in this fundraiser. A silent auction featuring select artworks will run throughout the exhibition, concluding at approximately 5:30 p.m with proceeds benefiting ACCQ, supporting its role in the community.

About the Exhibition

Art has always been a voice during turmoil, and Angel City Culture Quest presents this exhibition as a fundraiser and to engage and activate ideas around the theme, “Freedom!”

“For everything that is really great and inspiring is created by the individual who can labour in freedom.” – Albert Einstein.

We have been told so often that we are free by those in power; do we blindly accept it without understanding the true meaning of Freedom anymore?

In our home, America, and around the world, people’s rights are being dismantled more every day.

Oligarchy reigns.

“Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded bythe oppressed.” – Martin Luther King Jr.

It’s time to remind ourselves and our nation how to CALL FREEDOM!

Now is the time to show up and speak to what freedom really means in the “home of the free.”

Show us what your heart knows of freedom. Bring us what, in the depths of your imagination, defines freedom. Tell us what Freedom of Speech is in all its glory and pain. What is – or what is not freedom of religion?

“Freedom is privilege extended unless enjoyed by one and all” from the lyrics of a new version of the Internationale, by Billy Bragg

Create a work on what the freedom to assemble means. Recite a poem, do a reading, or sing a song about our inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Write about or show us how vital the Freedom of the Press is.

“A work of art is a declaration of freedom. There has never been anything so difficult for mankind to bear as freedom.” Oskar Schlemmer, German painter and designer.

Be the clarion call and bring us your best work for Freedom. Before it is gone.

The way to secure liberty is to place it in the people’s hands, that is, to give them the power at all times to defend it in the legislature and in the courts of justice.” -John Adams

About your Juror and Angel City Culture Quest

Melina Paris is an accomplished arts journalist, podcast producer, and cultural advocate. She has dedicated over a decade to illuminating the artistic landscape of Los Angeles, particularly focusing on the Harbor area. Through in-depth interviews and compelling narratives with artists of many media, she delves into their creative processes, often examining themes of social justice and environmental consciousness.

Her work reflects the power of journalism in bridging communities. Her podcast showcases the richness of Los Angeles’ artistic heritage and fosters deeper connections between creators and audiences. Melina’s commitment to the arts extends beyond media, as she engages in advocacy and community-building activities that reinforce the importance of cultural expression in societal development.

By bringing attention to the often-overlooked dimensions of the artistic experience, Melina continues to inspire and inform, reinforcing the transformative power of the arts in society.

Exhibition dates:

Time: 3 to 6 p.m. opening reception, Sept. 6. The show runs through to Sept. 27

Cost: Free

Details: Submissions link: https://tinyurl.com/Call-Freedom-Submissions

Venue: Range Projects, 3718 W Slauson Ave, Los Angeles www.instagram.com/rangeprojectsgallery

No Entree Fees:

Why?

Fundraising for the arts, the National Endowment for the Arts, and even smaller, local Arts organizations are being slashed. This exhibition is intended to promote the LA arts community. Angel City Culture Quest’s philosophy is: let’s support each other, however that may look; via art, podcasting, highlighting artists and their works, arts journalism, or sharing information. We’re in this with you, the artist.

Residents Urged to Check Measles Immunity Ahead of Summer Travel

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Residents Urged to Check Measles Immunity Ahead of Summer Travel

As of June 6 the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is investigating one case of measles in a Los Angeles County resident who recently travelled internationally.

Public Health is investigating multiple exposure sites related to this case. Individuals who were at the following public locations during the dates and times below may be at risk of developing measles due to potential exposure to this case. The risk is particularly high for any exposed individuals who are not immunized against measles.

  • May 28, 2025: Costco, 18659 Via Princessa, Santa Clarita, CA 91387 from 10:00AM – 12 p.m.
  • May 28, 2025: Trader Joes, 19037 Golden Valley Rd., Santa Clarita, CA 91387 from 2:30 to 4 p.m.
  • May 28, 2025: Walmart, 25450 The Old Rd., Stevenson Ranch, CA 91381 from 3:15 to 4:45 p.m.

Persons who were at these locations during the date and times listed above may be at risk of developing measles from 7 to 21 days after being exposed. These individuals should confirm if they have been vaccinated against measles. If they have not had measles in the past and have not yet obtained the measles vaccine, they may not be immune and protected against measles. Unimmunized persons or those with unknown immunization status should monitor for symptoms. Individuals who have been free of symptoms for more than 21 days after being exposed (after June 18, 2025) are no longer at risk

For a list of clinics that offer free or low-cost immunizations for persons who are uninsured or underinsured, call 2-1-1 or visit: http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/ip/clinics.htm.

 

Hide & Hide

Melina Paris
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Hide & Hide

 

In Homer’s Epic Tradition A Critique of the American Dream

When the lights come up, we see a Filipina woman named Costanza appearing stressed, and talking to herself. It’s not immediately clear that she is conjuring her friend, Billy. It’s her ritual to bring someone back from a journey she had.

Pacing the stage, she is telling herself a story, making up a name, a city of origin and her circumstances. It’s not coming together. She’s in trouble, running now.

She begins again. She runs for her life.

“Blood races,” she says. “Blood races faster when you’re running. You’re the one who’s on the run. Run, damnit, run.

“We run in our sleep, we sleep as we run. After today, no more stories, just freedom.”

Los Angeles’ Skylight Theatre Company features independent theatrical productions by emerging playwrights. This season’s lineup brings thought-provoking original works and classical theater, providing innovative narratives. For its latest offering, Skylight presents the premiere of Hide & Hide, written by Roger Q. Mason and directed by Jessica Hanna. This production is the second in Mason’s Califas Trilogy: three genre-busting plays about land, power and dreams in California. The play runs through June 29.

18 Photo By Jason Williams. Amielynn Abellera And Ben Larson 1
Costanza De La Fe (Amielynn Abellera) and Billy “Sweet Boy” Adams (Ben Larson) Photo by Jason Williams., courtesy of Skylight Theater

Hide & Hide is a nonstop, gripping narrative told through a combination of intense physical performances and dialogue. The production uses only some block benches for its minimal set. There’s no intermission, costume, or scene changes. The fate of two compelling characters is told through Costanza De La Fe (Amielynn Abellera, The Pitt) a Filipina immigrant with a soon-to-expire visa, and Billy “Sweet Boy” Adams (Ben Larson), a queer rent-boy from Texas fleeing a Christian sex conversion camp. After many personal battles, Billy and Constanza form a sham marriage to pursue their version of that dream in seedy 1980 Los Angeles during the disco heyday, “a place where dreams come true if they lie well enough.”

Though unknown at first, this story plays with time with a little reinvention sprinkled in, making for a magical realism experience, juxtaposed with the gripping reality of hard truths.

When Costanza encounters Billy they are both escaping; for Costanza, “to a place where she doesn’t have to get married to be called a woman.” Billy is escaping “from the scene of the boys’ camp at Lewisville Lake made in God’s name where …”

“Be careful,” Costanza warns.

Together, they board a Greyhound bus to start over again. Back in time.

Upon her arrival in America, Costanza is introduced to a harsh reality by her aunt Conejo, who immediately demands from her niece: $500 for rent, to get a boyfriend, and informs her, in six months, by December, “you’re a stray dog because your Visa expires.” Conejo denies Costanza’s shock at her aunt’s callousness by rationalizing, “I am very charming. Americans like charm.”

Meanwhile, Billy, in need of money, finds himself a place where he can get some … money and sex. An unhoused man who offers Billy the blanket off his back tells him, “You look like you’re made of money. [They’ll] pay you big for your looks.”

19 Photo By Jason Williams. Ben Larson 1 1
Billy Adams (Ben Larson) Photo by Jason Williams, courtesy of Skylight Theater

While Hide & Hide introduces new characters, this is only a two-person play. Abellera and Adams portray multiple roles of those whom they encounter, for better and worse — usually both, on their journey. These personas are comedic (like Costanza as her Aunt Coneja), sinister, and sometimes helpful, often simultaneously in their disastrous attempts to “help” and prey on Billy and Costanza. But it’s all accepted because these two individuals exist outside of the hetero-normative, white hegemony of American “culture,” where the powerful do not want them to succeed. As these characters subject Costanza and Billy to realities of the unforgiving city; legal advice, shelter, pimping, employment, quid pro quo and drugs, the two strive with everything they possess and all manner of creativity to reach their American Dream.

Costanza finds a “good job” with Ricky, a Filipino attorney, who she discovers sells the dream to people from across the seas — “matchmaking free for the American Dream … to whoever is willing to pay for it.”

Midway through the story, Billy and Costanza find each other again, in a nightclub.

“I heard there’s a Strip called Sunset,” Billy says. “Where people forget their worries for a few hours of liquor and friction and good times.”

They set eyes on each other, both taken by immense attraction.

“I see the most beautiful boy I’ve ever seen,” Costanza coos. “A mix of Ricardo Montalban, Bruce Lee and Rudolph Valentino!” They dance the night away, making plans for a sham marriage, leaving together, revivified.

Soon, at her job, Costanza notices many women come to talk to Ricky, “in whispers.” Billy also knows this lawyer intimately, whom he calls a fraud, but it turns out he will also need his aid.

Billed as a Homeric critique of the American Dream, Hide & Hide succeeds. The poetry of Billy’s beautiful southern drawl phrases as he describes ugly deeds and Abellera’s mastery of Philippine English (rhotic) dialect and comedic timing leave you hanging on every word, wanting more. Filled with grand dreams and devastating disappointments, this work provides a journey through the realities of the survival of immigrants and of what lies under the surface of prejudice of the “other” in America. In a most exhilarating and entertaining way, Mason lays bare the innumerable struggles of those on the margins of society, of which many have no knowledge, and how those struggles affect their daily lives as well as the overarching life-changing events that many endure.

2 Photo By Jason Williams. Amielynn Abellera And Ben Larson 1
‘Costanza and Billy’ Photo by Jason Williams., courtesy of Skylight Theater

“Hide & Hide excavates the myth of the American Dream, how it motivates, corrodes, and ignites people to do the unspeakable in the name of freedom,” says the playwright and creator, Roger Q. Mason. “The piece is based in 1980, the year my mother immigrated to the United States from the Philippines. In times like these, she — and our family at large — wonder, ‘Was the plane ride even worth the journey?’ I think so, but we have to fight for the freedom promised in the dream.”

Hide and Hide is the recipient of the LA New Play Project from the UCLA School of Theater, Film, & Television.

Time: 8 p.m., June 12, 8:30 p.m. Thursday to Saturday and 3 p.m., Sunday June 13 to 29

Cost: $23 to $45.50

Details: Reservations, https://www.skylighttheatre.org/hide-and-hide

Venue: Skylight Theater, 1816 1/2 Vermont Ave. Los Angeles

CA Pesticide Watch: Public Input on 1,3-D Cuts & EJ Panel Nominations Open

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CA Pesticide Watch: Public Input on 1,3-D Cuts & EJ Panel Nominations Open

DPR and OEHHA Open Public Comment on Modified Proposed Regulations Restricting 1,3-D Use in California

The Department of Pesticide Regulation or DPR and the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment or OEHHA June 5 announced next steps in the joint-and-mutual development of regulations to restrict 1,3-dichloropropene (1,3-D) use to address cancer risks for occupational bystanders.

After the initial 45-day public comment period on the proposed regulations closed in January 2025, DPR and OEHHA reviewed the comments and scientific peer reviews. Limited regulatory changes are proposed on the regulations, and they are specified in the notice of proposed modifications. Public comments will be accepted on the regulatory changes and the scientific peer review as part of a 15-day comment period, open June 5 through the end of day June 20.

To review the proposed modifications to the regulations, visit DPR’s website. Comments on the changes to the proposed regulations can be submitted to DPR through the online comment portal SmartComment, or sent by email to dpr24001@cdpr.ca.gov.

Details: Read the press release here.

 

Nominations open for the Department of Pesticide Regulation’s Environmental Justice Advisory Committee

The California Department of Pesticide Regulation opened its first nomination period to identify representatives from rural and urban communities impacted by pesticide use, including Native American, tribal, or indigenous groups, farmworker advocates, socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers and scientists with environmental justice backgrounds that are interested in serving on the department’s new environmental justice advisory committee or EJAC.

To apply, applicants can fill out an application form at:https://tinyurl.com/EJAC-application.

In addition, provide a recommendation letter from an environmental justice organization, community group, or other organization or entity implementing program work that seeks to achieve environmental justice. Mail all materials to EJACinfo@cdpr.ca.gov by June 30.

Rep. Nanette Barragán Leads Letter Demanding Protections for Multilingual Weather Alerts and Forecasts

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Rep. Nanette Barragán Leads Letter Demanding Protections for Multilingual Weather Alerts and Forecasts

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Rep. Nanette Barragán (CA-44) June 4 led a letter to National Weather Service or NWS director Ken Graham urging immediate action to protect and strengthen access to multilingual weather alerts and forecasts. The letter was co-led by the current and most recent chairs of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus or CHC, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus or CAPAC, and Congressional Black Caucus or CBC — key caucuses whose members represent communities most impacted by language-access failures.

Rep. Barragán’s letter follows a recent disruption in the NWS’s multilingual alert services, which occurred when NWS allowed its contract with a third-party translation firm to lapse. Although the service has since been restored, the letter highlights that the gap placed millions of Americans with limited English proficiency at risk and exposed dangerous vulnerabilities in the country’s emergency communication system.

“Ensuring that all Americans, regardless of the language they speak, have access to life-saving weather information is not optional — it is a core responsibility of the National Weather Service,” said Rep. Barragán. “In a nation as diverse as ours, language access must be treated as an essential component of emergency preparedness and public communication — not an expendable service.”

In the letter, CHC, CAPAC, and CBC members posed specific questions to the NWS about how it plans to prevent future lapses, evaluate translation service providers, and ensure inclusive outreach to limited-English-proficient communities. The lawmakers also pressed for transparency on the criteria used to select which languages are included in multilingual alerts and how the agency plans to update those lists to reflect shifting demographics.

Nearly 68 million people in the U.S. speak a language other than English at home — roughly one in five Americans, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The letter underscores that access to accurate weather information in one’s language is essential, not just during emergencies, but also for everyday decisions that affect safety, health, and economic security.

Rep. Barragán has long championed language accessibility and continues to lead efforts in Congress to ensure that language is never a barrier to safety or survival.

Details: Find the letter to NWS Director Graham here. Find background information here.

EPA Inspection Finds Multiple Safety Lapses at Valero’s Wilmington Facility

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EPA Inspection Finds Multiple Safety Lapses at Valero’s Wilmington Facility

 

LOS ANGELES — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or EPA June 4 announced a settlement with Ultramar Inc., doing business as Valero Wilmington Refinery, over chemical safety violations under both the Clean Air Act or CAA and the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act or EPCRA. The company fixed the identified safety issues and will pay $270,437 in penalties.

“I had hoped that Valero would invest in upgrades to their California facilities and stay in business in our state. They will soon shut down at least one California refinery and leave. This will be a huge hit to gas prices in California, Nevada and Arizona,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Josh F.W. Cook. “This settlement today ensures that Valero has improved its safety systems and emergency response procedures at the Wilmington refinery. As they continue toward closure elsewhere in the state, we at EPA will continue to monitor the situation.”

A June 2022 EPA inspection of the Wilmington facility identified violations of the CAA’s risk management program requirements. The inspection found several safety problems, including that the facility had underestimated the distance that dangerous concentrations of chemicals could spread in a worst-case scenario release. Underestimating the impact of such a release potentially leaves nearby homes, daycares, schools and businesses unprepared in an emergency. Accurate calculations are essential for emergency responders to quickly protect the public from chemical releases.

The inspection further identified violations including inaccuracies in the facility’s equipment diagrams essential for rapid emergency response, insufficient analysis of how facility-wide power failures might compromise safety systems, failure to implement previously recommended safety measures, and omission of mandatory information in both operating procedures and incident reports.

EPA also determined that Valero violated the EPCRA by failing to immediately notify state emergency officials after three separate sulfur dioxide releases in 2018, 2020, and 2021. Releases of sulfur dioxide require immediate reporting when they exceed 500 pounds.

The facility refines petroleum using hydrofluoric acid, a highly dangerous chemical. Hydrofluoric acid can cause severe, permanent health problems if released. The Clean Air Act’s Risk Management Program regulates industrial processes that produce, process, or store more than 1,000 pounds of hydrofluoric acid.

County Briefs: Faster Veteran Death Certificates Approved; Funding Allocated for Blue Line Rail Car Installation

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County Briefs: Faster Veteran Death Certificates Approved; Funding Allocated for Blue Line Rail Car Installation

Barger Spearheads Push to End Delays for Grieving Veteran Families

LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger introduced a motion that secured the board’s support in urging federal lawmakers to back legislation requiring Department of Veterans Affairs or VA physicians to sign veteran death certificates within 72 hours of notification.

The Board of Supervisors approved the motion, emphasizing the need to eliminate unnecessary delays that often leave grieving families waiting weeks—sometimes months—just to access essential documents and benefits.

The issue, while technical on paper, has very real consequences. When a veteran passes away, their family often cannot access financial accounts, survivor benefits, or even begin funeral planning without a signed death certificate. Under the current VA system, that wait can stretch up to eight weeks, compounding emotional grief with logistical hardship.

In a recent letter sent to Congressional leaders, the Veterans Survivor Coalition made their stance clear. “This issue is not complicated, nor does it require extensive debate—it is simply a matter of ensuring that VA physicians, who were the primary doctor for the veteran, sign the death certificate within 72 hours of notification,” the letter stated.

As of now, no federal law exists to guarantee this 72-hour timeframe. Supervisor Barger believes this needs to change. Her motion directs the county’s chief executive office to support federal legislation that would establish the 72-hour rule.

 

County Allocates $1.5 Million for Historic Blue Line Rail Car Installation in Long Beach

LONG BEACH /LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted to allocate $1,500,000 to a pedestrian-friendly makeover of a four-block section of 1st Street in Downtown Long Beach. The planned centerpiece of the project will be Blue Line Rail Car #100, the first rail car to operate on the Los Angeles Metro Blue Line when it opened in 1990.

The project, administered by the City of Long Beach, will transform a four-block section of 1st Street in the downtown core into a pedestrian-friendly mobility corridor connecting the newly redeveloped Civic Center at Pacific Avenue eastward toward the East Village Arts District at Elm Street. Construction is expected to begin late this year and to last nine months.

Construction of the Blue Line — Los Angeles County’s first light rail line — was made possible by Proposition A, a half-cent sales tax that Hahn’s father, Los Angeles County Supervisor Kenneth Hahn, fought to place on the ballot. Voters approved the measure in 1980. Kenneth Hahn later lobbied for the Blue Line, connecting Long Beach with Los Angeles, to be built first.

Dignity Health Urges Summer Safety Awareness Ahead of Seasonal Shift

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Dignity Health Urges Summer Safety Awareness Ahead of Seasonal Shift

 

LONG BEACH — Emergency Room physicians across the Long Beach typically see a rise in seasonal injuries and illnesses, including heatstroke, water-related incidents, and foodborne illnesses. Dignity Health St Mary Medical Center urges the community to prioritize safety during the summer season’s high temperatures and increased outdoor activities.

“Summer is a season when we see a sharp rise in preventable emergencies,” said Dr. Jim Keany chief medical officer at Dignity Health St Mary Medical Center.. “With just a few simple precautions, we can help prevent serious injuries, avoid unnecessary ER visits, and keep the focus on enjoying everything the season has to offer.”

Heat Safety

The summer of 2023 recorded over 2,300 heat-related deaths in the United States, the highest in 45 years, according to the CDC. Emergency departments also saw a substantial increase in heat-related visits, particularly among adults aged 18–64.

To combat heat-related illnesses, Dr. Keany recommends:

  • Staying hydrated by drinking plenty of water.
  • Wearing light-colored, loose-fitting clothing.
  • Avoiding strenuous activity and staying indoors during peak heat hours.
  • Applying sunscreen regularly and wearing wide-brimmed hats.
  • Checking on elderly neighbors and relatives during heatwaves.
  • Keep infants and young children cool and shaded — avoid outdoor activities during peak heat,

dress them in lightweight clothing, and ensure they stay well-hydrated.

Water Safety

Drowning remains a leading cause of accidental death, especially among children aged 1 to 4. Additionally, near-drowning incidents and ear infections like swimmer’s ear are common during the summer months.

Dr Keany advises:

  • Ensuring constant supervision of children.
  • Wearing life jackets during water activities.
  • Avoiding swimming under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
  • Drying ears thoroughly after swimming to prevent infections.

Grilling and Foodborne Illness

Summer barbecues can lead to food poisoning if proper precautions aren’t taken. Hot temperatures facilitate bacterial growth on food, increasing the risk of illness.

Dr Keany recommends:

  • Washing hands and cooking surfaces thoroughly.
  • Using a meat thermometer to ensure proper internal temperatures.
  • Refrigerating leftovers promptly to prevent bacterial growth.
  • Using caution when using a fire pit, fireworks or hot grill.

Gov. Newsom Condemns CMS Rollback of Emergency Protections for Pregnant Women as “Unnecessary Danger”

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Gov. Newsom Condemns CMS Rollback of Emergency Protections for Pregnant Women as “Unnecessary Danger”

 

SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gavin Newsom June 3 decried the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ or CMS decision to rescind previous guidance reaffirming protections under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act or EMTALA for emergency abortion care when medically necessary. The rescission, effective May 29, 2025, confirms that CMS will not enforce EMTALA when hospitals do not provide emergency abortion care necessary to stabilize a patient’s health

What this means for patients

While today’s ruling does not impact women in California, it will likely have an increasingly chilling effect on hospitals and physicians, particularly in states with total abortion bans that do not make exceptions for the health of the pregnant person (Arkansas, Idaho, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and South Dakota). Hospitals and physicians in these states are legally prohibited from providing abortion as a stabilizing treatment for women experiencing emergency medical conditions, unless that condition becomes life-threatening.

How we got here

Following the Supreme Court’s decision Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health, President Joe Biden’s administration issued guidance stating that: “A physician’s professional and legal duty to provide stabilizing medical treatment to a patient… preempts any directly conflicting state law or mandate that might otherwise prohibit or prevent such treatment.” The guidance clarified that hospitals and physicians have an obligation to provide stabilizing care, including abortion, if that is necessary to stabilize a patient experiencing an emergency medical condition.

The Biden administration sued the state of Idaho in August 2022 arguing that their near-total abortion ban was in violation of EMTALA. In June 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling meant that hospitals in Idaho could perform emergency services, including abortions, to save the life of a pregnant woman. At the time, the court declined to make clear that federal law protects pregnant women in emergency settings. The Trump administration dismissed that lawsuit in March.

The American Civil Liberties Union or ACLU reported that for nearly four decades, EMTALA has been understood by medical providers and the federal government — including both Democratic and Republican administrations — to require abortion care when that care is needed to stabilize pregnant patients in a medical crisis. As Doctors for America’s motion to intervene emphasized, stripping away EMTALA’s protections would put doctors in legal chaos and force them to violate their sworn duty: to save lives and prevent harm.

Details: People seeking abortion care or information about reproductive health care in California, should visit Abortion.CA.Gov.

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