latimes--2020-02-24--Shyong: Candidates love the 'ethnic food' photo op, but there are better ways to reach nonwhite vote

Shyong: Candidates love the 'ethnic food' photo op, but there are better ways to reach nonwhite voters

During a third-grade lesson on Latino culture , my teacher assigned me a Spanish name : Francisco .
I never thought that information would be of use to anyone , so I ’ ve never shared it .
But Democratic presidential candidate Amy Klobuchar thought differently last week when she proudly told a group of workers from the Nevada culinary union that , when she was in the fourth grade , “ Me llamo Elena.
” In the video , the largely Latino audience responded with deafening silence .
Pundits and social media posters quickly accused Klobuchar of pandering to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was the latest example of what has become a familiar political tradition among people of color : laughing at the cultural blunders of presidential candidates .
Over the years , candidates ’ attempts to reach people of color have gifted us with a long and hilarious highlight reel of cultural gaffes , starting with Gerald Ford biting into a tamale — still wrapped in its husk — during his unsuccessful 1976 presidential run .
Last year , then-South Bend , Ind.
, Mayor Pete Buttigieg stumbled with Latinos by admitting to enjoying salsa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2016 , we got the unexpectedly poignant existentialism of Hillary Clinton staring down a cup of boba tea in Flushing , N.Y.
I ’ ve always found these awkward outreach efforts terribly outdated and embarrassing for all parties .
Who is swayed by these gestures — the occasional mangled words of Spanish , or the hackneyed “ ethnic food ” photo op ?
They seemed to be premised on some bizarre assumptions .
If Klobuchar gets grass jelly in her half-sweet , no-ice boba tea , does that mean she understands Asian American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eating tacos ?
And what guarantee is there that these attempts will amount to anything more than a photo op ?
I decided to visit some Los Angeles eateries popular with presidential candidates and see if I could find anyone whose vote was swayed by appeals like these .
I also asked people what kind of outreach they would choose , if they had the chance to give the campaigns some advice .
I started at Dulan ’ s on Crenshaw , a cafeteria-style soul food restaurant that has hosted Joe Biden and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden donned an apron and helped serve breakfast to a group of community leaders there .
Reginald Ridgeway , longtime pastor of the Faith Way Missionary Baptist Church , wasn ’ t aware of the visit .
Still , he ’ s a Biden supporter , and he appreciates that the former vice president decided to spend time talking to members of the community .
Knowledge of African American culture and eating soul food — these things weren ’ t as important to him as spending the time , Ridgeway said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our food .
I ’ ll eat my own food .
Just listen to us … give us a genuine feeling that you hear what we have to say , ” Ridgeway said .
“ We can eat at a Taco Bell if we get that.
” Ridgeway thinks the stakes are too high in this year ’ s elections to worry about cultural gaffes and who said what to whom .
He ’ d love to see a female president someday and believes in many progressive causes , but his main priority @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Trump .
“ The only reparations I need is being true to the Constitution , ” Ridgeway said .
Barbara Melancon and Willimae Fulton , two social workers having lunch , also appreciated that candidates took time to stop by .
But they were tired of symbolic gestures of solidarity .
“ We ’ ve seen so many candidates come here and do this , but once they get into the office , they just forget us , ” Melancon said .
“ We should hold them to a higher standard , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s 2020 .
Time is up for these traditional politics .
I ’ m supposed to vote for you just because you enjoy our culture ?
Nah , ” she said .
“ It ’ s all about what are you going to do.
” My next stop was King Taco # 10 in Pico-Union , where Clinton , Biden and many others have made stops .
Biden ate some tacos here last year , accompanied by Mayor Eric Garcetti .
Jesse Ramirez , a recent USC graduate , didn ’ t remember @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when candidates try to speak Spanish and show an interest in Latino culture .
Still , he ’ s going to cast his vote based on policy .
“ They ’ re trying to reach out , ” Ramirez said .
“ Effort is good but that doesn ’ t mean they get my vote.
” But Rudy Lico , 20 , was mostly unimpressed .
“ We ’ re not all about tacos , ” Lico said .
My last stop was Mr. Boba in Koreatown , where last year Biden met @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cookies-and-cream milkshake with boba .
Aaron Vallejo , 29 , said Biden showing up in Koreatown “ surprised the hell out of me.
” “ To see this kind of person come here , it ’ s really rare .
It kind of puts Koreatown on the map , ” Vallejo said .
At the end of my presidential campaign food crawl , I felt differently about these cultural gestures .
Just because they are symbolic doesn ’ t mean they can ’ t be powerful , said Karthick Ramakrishnan , professor of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s a generational divide in the way these messages are received , he said .
To college-educated , second-generation or younger Americans like myself , these gestures are often condescending and reductive .
But to immigrants and those who rarely feel inclusion in U.S. politics , even clumsy and awkward attempts to reach out are seen as long-awaited signs of respect and inclusion .
“ It sends the signal that your culture , your community , your food , is American too , ” Ramakrishnan said .
“ It suggests that immigrants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the candidate is comfortable with the prospect of a multicultural nation.
” And research shows these gestures do help garner votes , said Rudy Alamillo , assistant professor of political science at Western Washington University .
In an analysis of 2016 presidential candidate Jeb Bush ’ s appeal among Latino voters , Alamillo and his coauthor Loren Collingwood found that Bush ’ s identity-based strategy was one of the most influential factors .
Cross-racial mobilizations — things like speaking Spanish , emphasizing that he has a Mexican American wife , and commercials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a more powerful factor than even party identification or ideology .
The efficacy of these appeals , Alamillo said , allows Republicans to go after Latino votes without meaningfully supporting causes and issues that Latinos care about .
“ They can run ads in English saying we ’ ll build a wall and favor mass deportations , ” Alamillo said .
“ But in Spanish , they ’ ll just make identity-based appeals .
It allows them to run two different campaigns at the same time.
” We ’ re headed toward a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a regular part of political campaigning .
Winning elections in an increasingly diverse country will require many kinds of cultural appeals .
But if our votes can be easily bought with gestures of respect and inclusion , we lose the chance to advocate for the causes most important to us .
I have to admit I would be highly entertained by the sight of future presidential candidates trying to suck the meat off chicken feet at dim sum , but I want so much more than that .
And so did a lot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ramirez proposed a “ King Taco Town Hall ” where presidential candidates would answer questions posed by customers and locals for an hour , rather than primarily addressing cameras and gathered media .
Melancon suggested that the candidates sit down with gang members to draw attention to the roots of crime and poverty .
Fulton said she ’ d love to see a presidential candidate shadow some social workers for a day to highlight the mental health crisis and flaws in the safety net .
Fulton also suggested campaigns hand out free school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fact that schools in black and Latino neighborhoods receive unequal funding .
To me , all these suggestions sound far more practical and convincing than what any presidential campaign has tried .
They show that it ’ s possible to convey symbolic cultural meaning as well as highlight substantive and meaningful issues .
And no one has to choke on a tamale .

During a third-grade lesson on Latino culture, my teacher assigned me a Spanish name: Francisco.
I never thought that information would be of use to anyone, so I’ve never shared it. But Democratic presidential candidate Amy Klobuchar thought differently last week when she proudly told a group of workers from the Nevada culinary union that, when she was in the fourth grade, “Me llamo Elena.”
In the video, the largely Latino audience responded with deafening silence. Pundits and social media posters quickly accused Klobuchar of pandering to Hispanics, or “Hispandering.” It was the latest example of what has become a familiar political tradition among people of color: laughing at the cultural blunders of presidential candidates.
Advertisement
Over the years, candidates’ attempts to reach people of color have gifted us with a long and hilarious highlight reel of cultural gaffes, starting with Gerald Ford biting into a tamale — still wrapped in its husk — during his unsuccessful 1976 presidential run. Last year, then-South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg stumbled with Latinos by admitting to enjoying salsa mixed with ranch dressing. And in 2016, we got the unexpectedly poignant existentialism of Hillary Clinton staring down a cup of boba tea in Flushing, N.Y.
I’ve always found these awkward outreach efforts terribly outdated and embarrassing for all parties. Who is swayed by these gestures — the occasional mangled words of Spanish, or the hackneyed “ethnic food” photo op?
They seemed to be premised on some bizarre assumptions. If Klobuchar gets grass jelly in her half-sweet, no-ice boba tea, does that mean she understands Asian American youth culture? Should future candidates practice eating tacos? And what guarantee is there that these attempts will amount to anything more than a photo op?
I decided to visit some Los Angeles eateries popular with presidential candidates and see if I could find anyone whose vote was swayed by appeals like these. I also asked people what kind of outreach they would choose, if they had the chance to give the campaigns some advice.
I started at Dulan’s on Crenshaw, a cafeteria-style soul food restaurant that has hosted Joe Biden and former President Obama.
Last year, Biden donned an apron and helped serve breakfast to a group of community leaders there. Reginald Ridgeway, longtime pastor of the Faith Way Missionary Baptist Church, wasn’t aware of the visit. Still, he’s a Biden supporter, and he appreciates that the former vice president decided to spend time talking to members of the community.
Knowledge of African American culture and eating soul food — these things weren’t as important to him as spending the time, Ridgeway said.
“You don’t have to eat our food. I’ll eat my own food. Just listen to us … give us a genuine feeling that you hear what we have to say,” Ridgeway said. “We can eat at a Taco Bell if we get that.”
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Ridgeway thinks the stakes are too high in this year’s elections to worry about cultural gaffes and who said what to whom. He’d love to see a female president someday and believes in many progressive causes, but his main priority is electing anybody who isn’t President Trump.
“The only reparations I need is being true to the Constitution,” Ridgeway said.
Barbara Melancon and Willimae Fulton, two social workers having lunch, also appreciated that candidates took time to stop by. But they were tired of symbolic gestures of solidarity.
“We’ve seen so many candidates come here and do this, but once they get into the office, they just forget us,” Melancon said.
“We should hold them to a higher standard,” Fulton said. “It’s 2020. Time is up for these traditional politics. I’m supposed to vote for you just because you enjoy our culture? Nah,” she said. “It’s all about what are you going to do.”
Sen. Elizabeth Warren greets people at EllaEm’s Soul Food restaurant last week in North Las Vegas, Nev. (David Becker / Getty Images)
My next stop was King Taco #10 in Pico-Union, where Clinton, Biden and many others have made stops. Biden ate some tacos here last year, accompanied by Mayor Eric Garcetti.
Jesse Ramirez, a recent USC graduate, didn’t remember Biden’s visit. He appreciates when candidates try to speak Spanish and show an interest in Latino culture. Still, he’s going to cast his vote based on policy.
“They’re trying to reach out,” Ramirez said. “Effort is good but that doesn’t mean they get my vote.”
But Rudy Lico, 20, was mostly unimpressed.
“We’re not all about tacos,” Lico said.
My last stop was Mr. Boba in Koreatown, where last year Biden met with Korean American community leaders over a cookies-and-cream milkshake with boba. Aaron Vallejo, 29, said Biden showing up in Koreatown “surprised the hell out of me.”
“To see this kind of person come here, it’s really rare. It kind of puts Koreatown on the map,” Vallejo said.
At the end of my presidential campaign food crawl, I felt differently about these cultural gestures. Just because they are symbolic doesn’t mean they can’t be powerful, said Karthick Ramakrishnan, professor of political science at UC Riverside.
There’s a generational divide in the way these messages are received, he said. To college-educated, second-generation or younger Americans like myself, these gestures are often condescending and reductive. But to immigrants and those who rarely feel inclusion in U.S. politics, even clumsy and awkward attempts to reach out are seen as long-awaited signs of respect and inclusion.
“It sends the signal that your culture, your community, your food, is American too,” Ramakrishnan said. “It suggests that immigrants don’t need to assimilate, that the candidate is comfortable with the prospect of a multicultural nation.”
And research shows these gestures do help garner votes, said Rudy Alamillo, assistant professor of political science at Western Washington University.
In an analysis of 2016 presidential candidate Jeb Bush’s appeal among Latino voters, Alamillo and his coauthor Loren Collingwood found that Bush’s identity-based strategy was one of the most influential factors. Cross-racial mobilizations — things like speaking Spanish, emphasizing that he has a Mexican American wife, and commercials depicting Bush eating Mexican food — were a more powerful factor than even party identification or ideology.
The efficacy of these appeals, Alamillo said, allows Republicans to go after Latino votes without meaningfully supporting causes and issues that Latinos care about.
“They can run ads in English saying we’ll build a wall and favor mass deportations,” Alamillo said. “But in Spanish, they’ll just make identity-based appeals. It allows them to run two different campaigns at the same time.”
We’re headed toward a future in which racial politics will become a regular part of political campaigning. Winning elections in an increasingly diverse country will require many kinds of cultural appeals. But if our votes can be easily bought with gestures of respect and inclusion, we lose the chance to advocate for the causes most important to us.
I have to admit I would be highly entertained by the sight of future presidential candidates trying to suck the meat off chicken feet at dim sum, but I want so much more than that. And so did a lot of the people I spoke to.
Ramirez proposed a “King Taco Town Hall” where presidential candidates would answer questions posed by customers and locals for an hour, rather than primarily addressing cameras and gathered media.
Melancon suggested that the candidates sit down with gang members to draw attention to the roots of crime and poverty.
Fulton said she’d love to see a presidential candidate shadow some social workers for a day to highlight the mental health crisis and flaws in the safety net.
Fulton also suggested campaigns hand out free school supplies in impoverished neighborhoods to point out the fact that schools in black and Latino neighborhoods receive unequal funding.
To me, all these suggestions sound far more practical and convincing than what any presidential campaign has tried. They show that it’s possible to convey symbolic cultural meaning as well as highlight substantive and meaningful issues.
And no one has to choke on a tamale.


latimes--2020-02-24--How to watch the Kobe Bryant memorial

How to watch the Kobe Bryant memorial

Today ’ s memorial service for Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna , who were killed along with seven others in a helicopter crash last month , will be steeped in symbolism .
The jersey numbers of the basketball legend and his budding prodigy — 24 and 2 , respectively — are intrinsically rooted in the details .
Everything from the date of the event — Feb. 24 ( 02/24/20 ) — to the ticket prices — $ 24.02 , two for $ 224 or $ 224 each — relates to those special numbers .
Twenty-thousand mourners will fill downtown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the house that Kobe built ” — to celebrate the lives of the 41-year-old Lakers star and his 13-year-old daughter , who were killed in the air crash over Calabasas .
Outside the arena , screens will go dark , and the entire space around LA Live will be barricaded to those who do not have tickets to the sold-out memorial .
Officials have advised the public to stay away from the vicinity , echoing a similar command given last year before the memorial service for slain rapper Nipsey Hussle .
“ Heed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be seen here , ” Staples Center President Lee Zeidman said Friday .
Those who didn ’ t receive a ticket to the memorial can still watch from home or elsewhere .
The service will be streamed live on several outlets .
Here ’ s what you need to know : The memorial begins at 10 a.m. Monday and is expected to conclude by 1 p.m .
Spectrum News 1 will carry the memorial , as will ABC News Live ( the network ’ s streaming service ) on various platforms , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Apple TV .
Viewers also can watch live on latimes.com .
Local networks also are expected to broadcast the live event .
In Orange County , home to all nine of the crash victims , the city of Santa Ana will offer a service at City Hall for those hoping to watch the event in solidarity with others .
A prayer and a moment of silence will precede the memorial .
“ To commemorate Kobe Bryant , his daughter Gianna and the seven other members of our Orange County community who lost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month , the city of Santa Ana is inviting the public to watch live broadcasts of the memorial event on Monday , Feb. 24 , at City Hall , ” city officials said in a statement .
The city of Lynwood , a predominantly Latino community that embraced Bryant , will show the memorial at the Lynwood Community Center gymnasium .
Staples Center has instructed people not to enter the surrounding LA Live area during the service .
It ’ s unclear how restaurants and other venues in the vicinity will be affected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ later than normal because pedestrian access will be restricted .
There will be no procession before the memorial , and the service will conclude in time to allow for Clippers game against the Memphis Grizzlies .
Mayor Eric Garcetti previously said that the memorial would serve as a tribute to more than Bryant ’ s basketball career .
“ I think one message that I would say is this is not just about a man who was a basketball player , this is about a father , this is about a leader , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is about an artist , this is about somebody who was so much more than just how he was on the court , ” he told reporters .
“ It ’ s a reminder how much unity we have , though .
We are one city that believes in each other , believes in something bigger than ourselves and we will absolutely do everything to make sure that this is done so that everybody can come to it as well , ” the mayor said .

Today’s memorial service for Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna, who were killed along with seven others in a helicopter crash last month, will be steeped in symbolism.
The jersey numbers of the basketball legend and his budding prodigy — 24 and 2, respectively — are intrinsically rooted in the details. Everything from the date of the event — Feb. 24 (02/24/20) — to the ticket prices — $24.02, two for $224 or $224 each — relates to those special numbers.
Twenty-thousand mourners will fill downtown Los Angeles’ Staples Center — “the house that Kobe built” — to celebrate the lives of the 41-year-old Lakers star and his 13-year-old daughter, who were killed in the air crash over Calabasas.
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Outside the arena, screens will go dark, and the entire space around LA Live will be barricaded to those who do not have tickets to the sold-out memorial. Officials have advised the public to stay away from the vicinity, echoing a similar command given last year before the memorial service for slain rapper Nipsey Hussle.
“Heed our message: There will be nothing to be seen here,” Staples Center President Lee Zeidman said Friday.
Those who didn’t receive a ticket to the memorial can still watch from home or elsewhere. The service will be streamed live on several outlets. Here’s what you need to know:
MEMORIAL START TIME
The memorial begins at 10 a.m. Monday and is expected to conclude by 1 p.m.
Advertisement
HOW TO WATCH
Spectrum News 1 will carry the memorial, as will ABC News Live (the network’s streaming service) on various platforms, including Roku, Hulu, Facebook Watch and Apple TV. Viewers also can watch live on latimes.com.
Local networks also are expected to broadcast the live event.
California How Los Angeles is remembering Kobe Bryant As news of the crash spread, people set to mourning collectively and individually. Paint dried, ink settled into skin, and a city speckled purple and gold.
In Orange County, home to all nine of the crash victims, the city of Santa Ana will offer a service at City Hall for those hoping to watch the event in solidarity with others. A prayer and a moment of silence will precede the memorial.
“To commemorate Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and the seven other members of our Orange County community who lost their lives in a helicopter crash last month, the city of Santa Ana is inviting the public to watch live broadcasts of the memorial event on Monday, Feb. 24, at City Hall,” city officials said in a statement.
The city of Lynwood, a predominantly Latino community that embraced Bryant, will show the memorial at the Lynwood Community Center gymnasium.
Staples Center has instructed people not to enter the surrounding LA Live area during the service. It’s unclear how restaurants and other venues in the vicinity will be affected. Some businesses are preparing to open later than normal because pedestrian access will be restricted.
WHAT TO EXPECT
There will be no procession before the memorial, and the service will conclude in time to allow for Clippers game against the Memphis Grizzlies.
Mayor Eric Garcetti previously said that the memorial would serve as a tribute to more than Bryant’s basketball career.
“I think one message that I would say is this is not just about a man who was a basketball player, this is about a father, this is about a leader, this is about a filmmaker, this is about an artist, this is about somebody who was so much more than just how he was on the court,” he told reporters.
“It’s a reminder how much unity we have, though. We are one city that believes in each other, believes in something bigger than ourselves and we will absolutely do everything to make sure that this is done so that everybody can come to it as well,” the mayor said.
Times staff writer Richard Winton contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-02-24--Kobe Bryant memorial: L.A. says goodbye with tearful tributes from Vanessa, Michael Jordan

Kobe Bryant played many roles over the course of his 41 years : the NBA superstar who for two decades donned purple and gold and led the Lakers to five championships , the Olympic gold medalist , the businessman , the coach and the friend .
But for Vanessa Bryant , the two roles that her husband played the best were those of a loving father — a true “ girl dad ” — and a doting husband .
Tears filled her eyes as she took the stage at Staples Center on Monday and spoke about some of the similarities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Gianna , shared .
They both had a knack for writing touching tributes to Vanessa in cards and letters on special occasions .
They had a passion for family time in the form of movie and game nights .
They both loved basketball .
Bryant was a loving dad who always remembered the simple things , like being on time to pick up their girls from school and leaving the toilet seat down in a house full of ladies , she said .
“ She was thoughtful like him .
They were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happy , funny , silly and they loved life .
They were so full of joy and adventure , ” she said .
“ God knew they couldn ’ t be on this earth without each other .
He had to bring them home together.
” Bryant and Gianna were among nine people killed last month when the helicopter they were taking to Bryant ’ s Mamba Academy in Thousand Oaks for a youth basketball game slammed into a hillside in Calabasas .
Roughly 20,000 friends , family members and fans streamed into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Kobe built — to celebrate Kobe and Gianna .
The memorial opened shortly after 10:30 a.m. with Beyoncé — donning a gold pantsuit — singing her 2013 song “ XO , ” a tribute to Bryant , who loved the song , and her 2008 hit “ Halo.
” Videos showing some of the best moments in his two-decade career with the Lakers as well as embracing his family after a win played on a screen overhead .
Following her performance , late-night TV talk show host Jimmy Kimmel opened the vigil @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Neal , Stephen Curry , Dwyane Wade , Magic Johnson , Kanye West and Kim Kardashian were among the guests .
Basketball greats Michael Jordan , Diana Taurasi and O ’ Neal took the stage at the center of the arena to share memories of the Lakers legend , commending him not only on his storied basketball career , but also for his abilities as a husband and father , businessman and loyal friend .
Tears poured down Jordan ’ s face as he reflected on what Bryant “ accomplished as a basketball @ @ @ @ @ @ @ storyteller and as a father.
” He called Bryant a dear friend , like a little brother .
“ In the game of basketball , in life , as a parent , Kobe left nothing in the tank , ” Jordan said .
“ He left it all on the floor.
” He joked that his emotional eulogy could spawn another round of “ Crying Jordan ” memes , in which a picture of Jordan ’ s tear-stained face is superimposed over another person .
“ He wanted to be the best basketball @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as I got to know him , I wanted to be the best big brother I could be , ” Jordan said .
“ When Kobe Bryant died , a piece of me died.
” Sabrina Ionescu , who plays college basketball for the University of Oregon , spoke about how Bryant helped her improve her game , helping her perfect her step back .
Both Ionescu and Vanessa said Gianna , a basketball standout in her own right , was the future of professional women ’ s basketball and was motivated to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sports .
“ She had the will and determination to be able to play wherever she wanted ... whichever school she would come to choose , it didn ’ t matter , ” Ionescu said .
“ If I represented the present of women ’ s basketball , Gigi was the future.
” WNBA great Taurasi said it was Bryant ’ s greatness and competitive fire that “ made this little girl believe she could be a Laker someday.
” Taurasi recalled a time when Bryant brought Gianna into the locker room .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ look on the girl ’ s face .
“ It was a look of excitement , a look of belonging , a look of fierce determination , ” Taurasi said .
Rob Pelinka , the Lakers general manager , was Bryant ’ s best friend and godfather to Gianna .
The two spoke every day , so it wasn ’ t unusual that Pelinka received a text message from Bryant the Sunday morning he died .
In typical fashion for Bryant , he was messaging Pelinka to try to arrange an internship for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ later , the helicopter crashed , Pelinka said .
Altobelli , his wife and their daughter , Alyssa , were on board the chopper with the Bryants .
“ Kobe ’ s last human act was heroic , ” Pelinka said .
“ He wanted to use his platform to bless and shape a young girl ’ s future .
Hasn ’ t Kobe done that for all of us ?
” During his remarks , Pelinka shared a message that Bryant had written for him in a Wizenard novel , a young @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
To RP , my brother .
May you always remember to enjoy the road , especially when it ’ s a hard one .
Love , Kobe .
“ Kobe wrote these words just a few months ago .
Now I realize these words were perhaps for us all , ” Pelinka said .
Los Angeles residents and fans from across the country — many wearing Bryant jerseys with No .
8 or No .
24 emblazoned on the backs — descended on downtown Los Angeles in the chilly morning hours before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The crowd outside was quiet , a stark contrast to the typical excited energy of a game day .
Ray and LaVonna King took the train from San Diego at dawn to celebrate the life of a family hero .
The Kings picked up their programs , pins and T-shirts with Bryant and Gianna ’ s numbers on the back before they entered the arena .
“ It is just an awesome honor to be able to be here , ” said LaVonna King , clad in a T-shirt recapping Bryant ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a sad day for everyone to come together and say their prayers for the families , ” Ray King said .
“ It is going to be a hard day for everyone involved.
” A month ago , the news of Bryant ’ s death stunned Los Angeles .
For many , the reality of the loss had still not fully sunk in .
“ I don ’ t know if the numbness will ever go away for L.A. , ” Bun Garcia said .
“ At first , people thought maybe they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t dead .
Today really brings home the reality.
” Garcia and his mother , Berly Schwartz , stood together among the crowd outside the venue , sharing memories of watching Bryant beat competitors during his two-decade career as a Laker .
Her voice broke as she recalled attending games with her late husband , Sam Schwartz , who died two years ago .
“ I am just so emotional .
I came to Kobe ’ s games with my husband .
He loved Kobe and the Lakers , ” she said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ It is so hard for them.
” Out of respect for the families of those who died in the Jan. 26 helicopter crash , fans were urged by police to stay away from Staples Center during the memorial unless they had a ticket .
The massive video screens outside the L.A. Live complex were turned off .
More than 80,000 applied for the lottery for tickets — which ranged in price from $ 24.02 to $ 224 , with proceeds to be donated to the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation .
The event @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 50 , and his 14-year-old son , Jaeden , booked their flight from Maryland to bid Bryant farewell before they knew they needed tickets .
Mustaf , a first-round NBA draft pick for the New York Knicks in 1990 , said he chose Bryant as a role model for his son , the leading scorer on his middle school basketball team .
It wasn ’ t just because of Bryant ’ s athletic supremacy , he said .
Mustaf flipped through his phone to a photo of Jaeden at age 3 in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” on the back .
Jaeden has worn No .
24 since he was a baby , his father said .
Ben Morrison drove to Staples Center from Newport Beach to attend the service , which he said felt extremely personal .
The 21-year-old attended Bryant ’ s church and remembers seeing him often , but he said he didn ’ t talk to him as much as he wanted .
The one interaction he had with Bryant happened during a Fourth of July , when he saw Bryant buy $ 40 worth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a $ 100 bill and told him , “ Keep the change , ” Morrison recalled .
“ He was a baller , ” Morrison said as he walked toward Staples Center in a yellow No .
8 Lakers jersey .
Morrison got one of the $ 24.02 tickets and said it was important to come so he could get closure .
“ I think it ’ s powerful to come here with so many different people who are feeling the same way I ’ m feeling , ” he said .
Bryant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ noted on Instagram the significance of the date of the memorial : 2-24-20 : Daughter Gianna wore No .
2 while playing basketball , while her husband wore No .
24 .
The “ 20 '' denoting the current year also is the number of years Bryant played for the Lakers .
Many standing outside Staples Center said Bryant ’ s death felt like the loss of a family member .
“ It ’ s so hard to explain why we are so emotional about someone we never knew personally , but he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” said Star Dodd of Rancho Palos Verdes .
Ozzie Arnold captured much of the crowd ’ s attention outside Staples Center as he drove his personalized golf cart with a lift kit and large tires with purple-and-yellow rims .
The cart ’ s purple base had a Lakers logo and , on the hood , Nos .
32 and 24 , the jersey numbers of Magic Johnson and Kobe Bryant .
Arnold , 66 , said he was devastated the day Bryant died , but he hoped the spectacle would lighten @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Kobe Day , ” he said .
“ It ’ s the last day we have to celebrate his life .
It ’ s a sad day , but it ’ s a happy day.
” The memorial ended about 12:30 p.m .
The venue was quickly turned around to prepare for a Clippers game against the Memphis Grizzlies at 7:30 p.m .
Fans who couldn ’ t make it to downtown Los Angeles gathered elsewhere in Southern California , including Orange County — which Bryant and his family have called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ memorial and pay tribute .
After dropping off his wife at the airport , Scott Rubin decided the next thing he wanted to do was take a photo of a Bryant mural .
His search brought him to downtown Santa Ana .
At 4th Street and Spurgeon Street , he took a selfie in front of a wall with a sprayed-painted portrait of Bryant and the Lakers star ’ s nickname , “ Black Mamba , ” spelled out in purple , yellow and black .
Rubin planned to watch the memorial with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doesn ’ t consider himself a Lakers fan , he said he was touched by Bryant ’ s death .
“ He was more than a basketball player , ” Rubin said .
“ He was human .
He was a dad.
” Before the memorial came to an end , the crowd stopped to watch Bryant ’ s Academy Award-winning animated short film , “ Dear Basketball , ” which he narrated .
Bryant transforms on screen from a child playing with his dad ’ s rolled-up socks to an NBA superstar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I gave you my heart because it came with so much more .
”

Richard Winton, Hannah Fry, Emmanuel Morgan, Luke Money, Ruben Vives, Gale Holland

At Staples Center, center court featured roses and the overhead video board showed photos of the Bryant family. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
Mourners, many of them in Lakers jerseys, watch the proceedings. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
UConn women’s basketball head coach Geno Auriemma, among the speakers, said, “I’m here as a father, not as a basketball coach.” (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka spoke during the vigil of receiving a text from Kobe Bryant the morning of the crash, trying to arrange an internship for Lexi Altobelli, whose mother, father and sister died in the helicopter crash that also claimed the lives of Bryant and his daughter. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
WNBA superstar Diana Taurasi, whom Kobe Bryant called the “White Mamba,” talked about the Lakers superstar and his influence. (Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images)
Phil Jackson, former coach of the Lakers, is among mourners at Monday’s event. (Wally Sklaij / Los Angeles Times)
Shaquille O’Neal brought smiles to the crowd as he shared memories of Kobe. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
Vanessa Bryant speaks at the memorial for her husband, Kobe Bryant, and daughter Gianna on Monday at Staples Center. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
Kobe Bryant played many roles over the course of his 41 years: the NBA superstar who for two decades donned purple and gold and led the Lakers to five championships, the Olympic gold medalist, the businessman, the coach and the friend.
But for Vanessa Bryant, the two roles that her husband played the best were those of a loving father — a true “girl dad” — and a doting husband. Tears filled her eyes as she took the stage at Staples Center on Monday and spoke about some of the similarities her late husband and their 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, shared.
They both had a knack for writing touching tributes to Vanessa in cards and letters on special occasions. They had a passion for family time in the form of movie and game nights. They both loved basketball.
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Bryant was a loving dad who always remembered the simple things, like being on time to pick up their girls from school and leaving the toilet seat down in a house full of ladies, she said.
× Vanessa Bryant, Michael Jordan and Shaquille O’Neal were among the speakers in the sold-out tribute.
“She was thoughtful like him. They were so easy to love. They were happy, funny, silly and they loved life. They were so full of joy and adventure,” she said. “God knew they couldn’t be on this earth without each other. He had to bring them home together.”
Bryant and Gianna were among nine people killed last month when the helicopter they were taking to Bryant’s Mamba Academy in Thousand Oaks for a youth basketball game slammed into a hillside in Calabasas.
Roughly 20,000 friends, family members and fans streamed into Staples Center — revered as the house that Kobe built — to celebrate Kobe and Gianna.
The memorial opened shortly after 10:30 a.m. with Beyoncé — donning a gold pantsuit — singing her 2013 song “XO,” a tribute to Bryant, who loved the song, and her 2008 hit “Halo.” Videos showing some of the best moments in his two-decade career with the Lakers as well as embracing his family after a win played on a screen overhead.
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Following her performance, late-night TV talk show host Jimmy Kimmel opened the vigil.
Jennifer Lopez, Shaquille O’Neal, Stephen Curry, Dwyane Wade, Magic Johnson, Kanye West and Kim Kardashian were among the guests.
Basketball greats Michael Jordan, Diana Taurasi and O’Neal took the stage at the center of the arena to share memories of the Lakers legend, commending him not only on his storied basketball career, but also for his abilities as a husband and father, businessman and loyal friend.
Tears poured down Jordan’s face as he reflected on what Bryant “accomplished as a basketball player, as a businessman and a storyteller and as a father.” He called Bryant a dear friend, like a little brother.
“In the game of basketball, in life, as a parent, Kobe left nothing in the tank,” Jordan said. “He left it all on the floor.”
He joked that his emotional eulogy could spawn another round of “Crying Jordan” memes, in which a picture of Jordan’s tear-stained face is superimposed over another person.
“He wanted to be the best basketball player that he could be and, as I got to know him, I wanted to be the best big brother I could be,” Jordan said. “When Kobe Bryant died, a piece of me died.”
Sabrina Ionescu, who plays college basketball for the University of Oregon, spoke about how Bryant helped her improve her game, helping her perfect her step back. Both Ionescu and Vanessa said Gianna, a basketball standout in her own right, was the future of professional women’s basketball and was motivated to change the way women are viewed in sports.
“She had the will and determination to be able to play wherever she wanted ... whichever school she would come to choose, it didn’t matter,” Ionescu said. “If I represented the present of women’s basketball, Gigi was the future.”
WNBA great Taurasi said it was Bryant’s greatness and competitive fire that “made this little girl believe she could be a Laker someday.” Taurasi recalled a time when Bryant brought Gianna into the locker room. She said she can still remember the look on the girl’s face.
“It was a look of excitement, a look of belonging, a look of fierce determination,” Taurasi said.
Rob Pelinka, the Lakers general manager, was Bryant’s best friend and godfather to Gianna. The two spoke every day, so it wasn’t unusual that Pelinka received a text message from Bryant the Sunday morning he died.
In typical fashion for Bryant, he was messaging Pelinka to try to arrange an internship for John Altobelli’s daughter. Moments later, the helicopter crashed, Pelinka said. Altobelli, his wife and their daughter, Alyssa, were on board the chopper with the Bryants.
“Kobe’s last human act was heroic,” Pelinka said. “He wanted to use his platform to bless and shape a young girl’s future. Hasn’t Kobe done that for all of us?”
During his remarks, Pelinka shared a message that Bryant had written for him in a Wizenard novel, a young adult fantasy sports book that Bryant created.
To RP, my brother. May you always remember to enjoy the road, especially when it’s a hard one. Love, Kobe.
“Kobe wrote these words just a few months ago. Now I realize these words were perhaps for us all,” Pelinka said.
Los Angeles residents and fans from across the country — many wearing Bryant jerseys with No. 8 or No. 24 emblazoned on the backs — descended on downtown Los Angeles in the chilly morning hours before the memorial was set to begin. The crowd outside was quiet, a stark contrast to the typical excited energy of a game day.
Ray and LaVonna King took the train from San Diego at dawn to celebrate the life of a family hero. The Kings picked up their programs, pins and T-shirts with Bryant and Gianna’s numbers on the back before they entered the arena.
“It is just an awesome honor to be able to be here,” said LaVonna King, clad in a T-shirt recapping Bryant’s career statistics.
“But it is a sad day for everyone to come together and say their prayers for the families,” Ray King said. “It is going to be a hard day for everyone involved.”
A month ago, the news of Bryant’s death stunned Los Angeles. For many, the reality of the loss had still not fully sunk in.
“I don’t know if the numbness will ever go away for L.A.,” Bun Garcia said. “At first, people thought maybe they are wrong. Maybe Kobe isn’t dead. Today really brings home the reality.”
Garcia and his mother, Berly Schwartz, stood together among the crowd outside the venue, sharing memories of watching Bryant beat competitors during his two-decade career as a Laker. Her voice broke as she recalled attending games with her late husband, Sam Schwartz, who died two years ago.
“I am just so emotional. I came to Kobe’s games with my husband. He loved Kobe and the Lakers,” she said. “I think of the families. It is so hard for them.”
Out of respect for the families of those who died in the Jan. 26 helicopter crash, fans were urged by police to stay away from Staples Center during the memorial unless they had a ticket. The massive video screens outside the L.A. Live complex were turned off.
More than 80,000 applied for the lottery for tickets — which ranged in price from $24.02 to $224, with proceeds to be donated to the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation. The event sold out quickly.
Jerrod Mustaf, 50, and his 14-year-old son, Jaeden, booked their flight from Maryland to bid Bryant farewell before they knew they needed tickets.
Mustaf, a first-round NBA draft pick for the New York Knicks in 1990, said he chose Bryant as a role model for his son, the leading scorer on his middle school basketball team. It wasn’t just because of Bryant’s athletic supremacy, he said.
“He epitomized great character,” Mustaf said.
Mustaf flipped through his phone to a photo of Jaeden at age 3 in a backpack with the words “Lil Kobe” on the back. Jaeden has worn No. 24 since he was a baby, his father said.
Ben Morrison drove to Staples Center from Newport Beach to attend the service, which he said felt extremely personal. The 21-year-old attended Bryant’s church and remembers seeing him often, but he said he didn’t talk to him as much as he wanted.
The one interaction he had with Bryant happened during a Fourth of July, when he saw Bryant buy $40 worth of fireworks. Bryant gave the cashier a $100 bill and told him, “Keep the change,” Morrison recalled.
“He was a baller,” Morrison said as he walked toward Staples Center in a yellow No. 8 Lakers jersey. Morrison got one of the $24.02 tickets and said it was important to come so he could get closure.
“I think it’s powerful to come here with so many different people who are feeling the same way I’m feeling,” he said.
California How to watch the Kobe Bryant memorial Today’s memorial service for Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna, who were killed along with seven others in a helicopter crash last month, will be steeped in symbolism.
Bryant’s widow, Vanessa, previously noted on Instagram the significance of the date of the memorial: 2-24-20: Daughter Gianna wore No. 2 while playing basketball, while her husband wore No. 24. The “20” denoting the current year also is the number of years Bryant played for the Lakers.
Many standing outside Staples Center said Bryant’s death felt like the loss of a family member.
“It’s so hard to explain why we are so emotional about someone we never knew personally, but he was a part of our family life,” said Star Dodd of Rancho Palos Verdes.
Ozzie Arnold captured much of the crowd’s attention outside Staples Center as he drove his personalized golf cart with a lift kit and large tires with purple-and-yellow rims. The cart’s purple base had a Lakers logo and, on the hood, Nos. 32 and 24, the jersey numbers of Magic Johnson and Kobe Bryant.
Arnold, 66, said he was devastated the day Bryant died, but he hoped the spectacle would lighten the mood a bit.
“It’s Kobe Day,” he said. “It’s the last day we have to celebrate his life. It’s a sad day, but it’s a happy day.”
The memorial ended about 12:30 p.m. The venue was quickly turned around to prepare for a Clippers game against the Memphis Grizzlies at 7:30 p.m.
California How Los Angeles is remembering Kobe Bryant As news of the crash spread, people set to mourning collectively and individually. Paint dried, ink settled into skin, and a city speckled purple and gold.
Fans who couldn’t make it to downtown Los Angeles gathered elsewhere in Southern California, including Orange County — which Bryant and his family have called home for years — to watch the memorial and pay tribute.
After dropping off his wife at the airport, Scott Rubin decided the next thing he wanted to do was take a photo of a Bryant mural. His search brought him to downtown Santa Ana.
At 4th Street and Spurgeon Street, he took a selfie in front of a wall with a sprayed-painted portrait of Bryant and the Lakers star’s nickname, “Black Mamba,” spelled out in purple, yellow and black.
Rubin planned to watch the memorial with a friend at home. Though he doesn’t consider himself a Lakers fan, he said he was touched by Bryant’s death.
“He was more than a basketball player,” Rubin said. “He was human. He was a dad.”
Before the memorial came to an end, the crowd stopped to watch Bryant’s Academy Award-winning animated short film, “Dear Basketball,” which he narrated. Bryant transforms on screen from a child playing with his dad’s rolled-up socks to an NBA superstar.
“You asked for my hustle. I gave you my heart because it came with so much more.”


latimes--2020-02-24--Most California cities refuse to retreat from rising seas. One town wants to show how it's done

Ten miles north of Monterey and a world away from Santa Cruz , Bruce Delgado gazed up a towering sand dune .
Careful not to step on the beach buckwheat that protects rare butterflies or the sea lettuce that survives only in stable habitats , he wound his way toward the ocean .
At the top , slightly out of breath , he marveled at the sandy beach that stretched for miles along the bay .
Big surf broke into rhythmic cusps by the shore .
A red-tailed hawk soared over his town of Marina , where despite its name @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interrupt this view .
Not much of the California coast feels like this anymore , with no pavement or harbors or parking lots right up to high tide .
Home to sharks and coyotes , shorebirds and butterflies , this little town not far from Silicon Valley is a reminder that the beach itself used to be wild .
“ It ’ s the best-kept secret .
Living in Marina is a choice , ” said Delgado , a botanist turned mayor who has managed to pull off what many towns have not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the beach , you see vultures eating dead sea lions .
… There ’ s a lot of nature happening in these dunes.
” At a time when Del Mar , Pacifica and other coastal cities are fighting to defend their homes and roads from the rising sea , Marina has embarked on a path less traveled .
Here in this Army turned university town , residents are learning how to adjust with the ocean as the water moves inland .
Sea walls are forbidden , and sand replenishment projects seem unnatural @ @ @ @ @ @ @ native environment .
Officials instead are embracing ideas that have been political suicide elsewhere : Require real estate disclosures for sea level rise , move infrastructure away from the water , work with the private resort in town to relocate its oceanfront property — a policy known as managed retreat .
This small but lively town of 23,000 says it ’ s fought enough coastal issues over the decades to know that bad ideas must be stopped sooner than later .
A controversial sand mine on the beach is finally shutting down after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Residents are still fighting a large water company trying to build a desalination plant .
With sea level rise , the mere suggestion of making room for the ocean and turning prime real estate into open space has upended other cities up and down the coast — at least one mayor has been ousted .
But Marina is different , a city report declared , and instead will show the state and country how to adapt to a changing planet .
“ Marina is such a good test case , ” said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has advised numerous cities , including Marina , on sea level rise .
“ Here we have the precedent of a community who understands that … there has to be enough lead time to get things out of the way — before it ’ s in the way .
“ That is a really powerful message to the rest of California.
” Accepting the strength of the ocean has long been part of Marina ’ s history .
For decades , the region was defined by Ft. Ord , a sprawling Army base @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as 50,000 troops .
Soldiers coveted assignments here , but large waves , rip currents and unstable cliffs made the beach too dangerous to enjoy .
By 1994 , the Army had packed up and left — the largest military base closure in the United States at the time .
A sign today , where a building once stood , describes “ a coastal attack the Army couldn ’ t stop.
” “ Soldiers once guarded this shoreline against sea-borne attack , but one force proved too powerful to stop .
Coastal erosion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and beaches by ocean waves , has been steadily moving the coastline inland , ” according to the sign , which said that the bluffs at Ft. Ord erode landward 5 to 8 feet a year .
Part of the land was turned into a new university , Cal State Monterey Bay ; another swath was transformed into Ft. Ord National Monument .
California State Parks cleaned up the coastal stretch — about four miles of beach — and plans to construct new campgrounds for the public .
The city of Seaside owns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ figuring out how to develop more than 1,000 acres on the inland side of Highway 1 ( the site contamination and labor costs have not been the easiest sell to developers ) .
Delgado , a botanist for the Bureau of Land Management , moved here in 1996 to work on the restoration .
He got swept into local politics in 1999 , when he heard that city leaders wanted to turn open space into 3,500 large homes , positioning Marina as a bedroom community for a new corporate business park over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with neighbors and got Marina to create an “ urban growth boundary ” north of town for at least 20 years .
Much of the shoreline remains undeveloped — making decisions today a lot less complicated when it comes to planning for sea level rise .
The city points developers instead to parcels downtown and farther inland .
A new planned community , Sea Haven , is now advertising the benefits of “ homes near the sea.
” Delgado grew up in Southern California going to Laguna Beach and Dana Point and has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ homes and transform their shorelines into tourist destinations .
Marina could certainly use some of that tax revenue ( it just got enough money for a new firetruck ) , but Delgado doesn ’ t envy other mayors who now have to grapple with the politics of telling their wealthiest residents what to do with their oceanfront properties .
“ With sea level rise , as with development , cities like Marina are taking it seriously and logically , ” he said .
“ We ’ re not going to lament that our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We ’ re not going to wait until emergencies happen to take action.
” Marina ’ s coast has one of the highest rates of erosion in California — exacerbated by a Mexico-based company , Cemex , that for decades had been trucking away sand unchecked .
Scientists estimate the mine alone has eroded an average of 4 feet of coast each year .
High silica content in this region makes the sand valuable for sandblasting , filtration and surface finishing .
Other operations along Monterey Bay have shut down over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in horror the massive hole in its beach , where machines roar all day as they suck away sand .
Stopping this mine would dramatically slow down the impacts of sea level rise — giving everyone more time to adapt , said Layne Long , the city manager .
Marina ’ s dunes , even at 100 feet tall , are noticeably shrinking from a net loss of sand each year .
After years of controversy , Cemex will phase out operations by the end of this year .
The company has three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ land to a nonprofit or government agency that would preserve the property in perpetuity and provide public access .
Residents are now fighting California American Water ’ s proposal to use part of this site for a desalination project .
The water wouldn ’ t even serve Marina , they said , and building new infrastructure on an eroding coast just doesn ’ t sound like smart planning .
Long , on a recent walk to the mine , shook his head at the smell of machinery on the beach and the smokestacks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restored coastline with nature trails and overlooks , perhaps even signs teaching visitors about sea level rise .
Marina has long understood the consequences of coastal erosion , unlike other towns that are just starting to debate the trade-offs .
As more than 35 coastal cities and counties in California agonize over the difficult costs and choices , Marina stands out as a community enthusiastic about choosing managed retreat .
Years of fighting corporate interests , Long said , has unified the town on how to plan for sea level rise .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right.… Because of the way we developed , and didn ’ t develop , we have the ability to have a very good managed retreat process , ” he said .
“ Adopting this plan will ensure for our future generations that our coast is going to remain this way.
” The city ’ s sea level rise plan , now in its final stages , has received little resistance .
In a town where one-third of the community is low income and more than 60 % are not white , maintaining a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is top priority .
In meetings and surveys , residents urged city leaders to protect their beaches if pressure from private property owners or business interests takes hold .
At a recent public workshop , officials reaffirmed their commitment to banning sea walls and were wary of any suggestions that sounded unnatural .
They talked about their vision to protect the city from “ the negative impacts of urban sprawl ” while still growing economically as “ a desirable residential and business community in a natural setting.
” The plan lays out a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when office buildings , a sewer pump and an aging water treatment facility should consider moving away from the sea .
Beach amenities , such as a parking lot and public restrooms , might also need to relocate .
Triggers will be identified on when these decisions should be made , based on how much time it takes to permit new construction .
When the sea rises to a certain threshold or erosion gets within a certain distance , for example , park officials should begin plans to move the parking lot — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they collapse .
As for private property , city planners broached the Sanctuary Beach Resort about checking in every renovation cycle , about five to seven years , to consider when might be a good time to move nine oceanfront buildings without sacrificing the total number of rooms — perhaps by turning some of the resort ’ s single-story cottages into two-story accommodations farther inland .
Jeroen Gerrese , the resort ‘ s general manager and chair of the Monterey County Hospitality Assn.
, said he is open to further discussions on how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ makes the resort special .
Unlike other resorts along the peninsula , which are closer to attractions such as the Pebble Beach golf course and the Monterey wharf , his is the only one that can offer beach walks and sunset bonfires and direct access to the sand .
“ Everyone else can look at the ocean , ” Gerrese said , “ but they can ’ t get there from their resort.
” Walking along an unpaved path , he pointed to the bocce ball court made from recycled oyster shells , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the limited use of plastic .
Born in the Netherlands below sea level , Gerrese says he respects the water a great deal .
Now a resident of Marina , he jumps at opportunities to recruit from the local university and plants trees around town .
Taking care of the environment is part of the business plan and a shared duty , he said , stooping down to pick up a rogue candy wrapper .
“ If you don ’ t think about working with nature , you ’ re not true to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ true to your community that you reside in.
” He looks up and admires the surf crashing onto shore .
There ’ s no point fighting , he said , a force as powerful as the ocean .

Ten miles north of Monterey and a world away from Santa Cruz, Bruce Delgado gazed up a towering sand dune. Careful not to step on the beach buckwheat that protects rare butterflies or the sea lettuce that survives only in stable habitats, he wound his way toward the ocean.
At the top, slightly out of breath, he marveled at the sandy beach that stretched for miles along the bay. Big surf broke into rhythmic cusps by the shore. A red-tailed hawk soared over his town of Marina, where despite its name, no dock or pier exists to interrupt this view.
Not much of the California coast feels like this anymore, with no pavement or harbors or parking lots right up to high tide. Home to sharks and coyotes, shorebirds and butterflies, this little town not far from Silicon Valley is a reminder that the beach itself used to be wild.
“It’s the best-kept secret. Living in Marina is a choice,” said Delgado, a botanist turned mayor who has managed to pull off what many towns have not. “Sometimes when you go jogging on the beach, you see vultures eating dead sea lions. … There’s a lot of nature happening in these dunes.”
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At a time when Del Mar, Pacifica and other coastal cities are fighting to defend their homes and roads from the rising sea, Marina has embarked on a path less traveled. Here in this Army turned university town, residents are learning how to adjust with the ocean as the water moves inland.
Sea walls are forbidden, and sand replenishment projects seem unnatural in a city so proud of its native environment. Officials instead are embracing ideas that have been political suicide elsewhere: Require real estate disclosures for sea level rise, move infrastructure away from the water, work with the private resort in town to relocate its oceanfront property — a policy known as managed retreat.
This small but lively town of 23,000 says it’s fought enough coastal issues over the decades to know that bad ideas must be stopped sooner than later. A controversial sand mine on the beach is finally shutting down after a century of dredging away the coast. Residents are still fighting a large water company trying to build a desalination plant.
Bruce Delgado, the mayor of Marina, looks out at the sandy beach that stretches for miles. (Rosanna Xia / Los Angeles Times)
With sea level rise, the mere suggestion of making room for the ocean and turning prime real estate into open space has upended other cities up and down the coast — at least one mayor has been ousted. But Marina is different, a city report declared, and instead will show the state and country how to adapt to a changing planet.
Advertisement
“Marina is such a good test case,” said David Revell, a coastal geomorphologist who has advised numerous cities, including Marina, on sea level rise. “Here we have the precedent of a community who understands that … there has to be enough lead time to get things out of the way — before it’s in the way.
“That is a really powerful message to the rest of California.”
::
Accepting the strength of the ocean has long been part of Marina’s history. For decades, the region was defined by Ft. Ord, a sprawling Army base that once was home to as many as 50,000 troops. Soldiers coveted assignments here, but large waves, rip currents and unstable cliffs made the beach too dangerous to enjoy.
By 1994, the Army had packed up and left — the largest military base closure in the United States at the time. A sign today, where a building once stood, describes “a coastal attack the Army couldn’t stop.”
“Soldiers once guarded this shoreline against sea-borne attack, but one force proved too powerful to stop. Coastal erosion, the wearing away of these bluffs and beaches by ocean waves, has been steadily moving the coastline inland,” according to the sign, which said that the bluffs at Ft. Ord erode landward 5 to 8 feet a year.
Part of the land was turned into a new university, Cal State Monterey Bay; another swath was transformed into Ft. Ord National Monument. California State Parks cleaned up the coastal stretch — about four miles of beach — and plans to construct new campgrounds for the public.
Advertisement
The city of Seaside owns a portion, and Marina is still figuring out how to develop more than 1,000 acres on the inland side of Highway 1 (the site contamination and labor costs have not been the easiest sell to developers).
Delgado, a botanist for the Bureau of Land Management, moved here in 1996 to work on the restoration. He got swept into local politics in 1999, when he heard that city leaders wanted to turn open space into 3,500 large homes, positioning Marina as a bedroom community for a new corporate business park over the hill.
He went door to door with neighbors and got Marina to create an “urban growth boundary” north of town for at least 20 years.
Residents of Marina say they value their sandy beaches and dunes, urging officials to protect them from coastal erosion and sea level rise. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Invasive, nonnative ice plant grows alongside native species in Marina’s towering sand dunes. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Much of the shoreline remains undeveloped — making decisions today a lot less complicated when it comes to planning for sea level rise. The city points developers instead to parcels downtown and farther inland. A new planned community, Sea Haven, is now advertising the benefits of “homes near the sea.”
Delgado grew up in Southern California going to Laguna Beach and Dana Point and has watched those sleepy beach towns greenlight multimillion-dollar homes and transform their shorelines into tourist destinations.
Marina could certainly use some of that tax revenue (it just got enough money for a new firetruck), but Delgado doesn’t envy other mayors who now have to grapple with the politics of telling their wealthiest residents what to do with their oceanfront properties.
“With sea level rise, as with development, cities like Marina are taking it seriously and logically,” he said. “We’re not going to lament that our predecessors didn’t take this seriously. We’re not going to wait until emergencies happen to take action.”
::
Marina’s coast has one of the highest rates of erosion in California — exacerbated by a Mexico-based company, Cemex, that for decades had been trucking away sand unchecked. Scientists estimate the mine alone has eroded an average of 4 feet of coast each year.
High silica content in this region makes the sand valuable for sandblasting, filtration and surface finishing. Other operations along Monterey Bay have shut down over the years, but Marina continues to watch in horror the massive hole in its beach, where machines roar all day as they suck away sand.
A dredging vessel on the beach in Marina, where a sand mine has operated for decades. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Idle dredging equipment from the Cemex sand-processing operation in Marina. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Stopping this mine would dramatically slow down the impacts of sea level rise — giving everyone more time to adapt, said Layne Long, the city manager. Marina’s dunes, even at 100 feet tall, are noticeably shrinking from a net loss of sand each year.
After years of controversy, Cemex will phase out operations by the end of this year. The company has three years to move out and sell the land to a nonprofit or government agency that would preserve the property in perpetuity and provide public access.
Residents are now fighting California American Water’s proposal to use part of this site for a desalination project. The water wouldn’t even serve Marina, they said, and building new infrastructure on an eroding coast just doesn’t sound like smart planning.
Long, on a recent walk to the mine, shook his head at the smell of machinery on the beach and the smokestacks in the distance. He envisions a restored coastline with nature trails and overlooks, perhaps even signs teaching visitors about sea level rise.
Marina has long understood the consequences of coastal erosion, unlike other towns that are just starting to debate the trade-offs. As more than 35 coastal cities and counties in California agonize over the difficult costs and choices, Marina stands out as a community enthusiastic about choosing managed retreat.
Years of fighting corporate interests, Long said, has unified the town on how to plan for sea level rise.
Advertisement
“We have a shot to do it right.… Because of the way we developed, and didn’t develop, we have the ability to have a very good managed retreat process,” he said. “Adopting this plan will ensure for our future generations that our coast is going to remain this way.”
::
The city’s sea level rise plan, now in its final stages, has received little resistance. In a town where one-third of the community is low income and more than 60% are not white, maintaining a coastline that can be enjoyed by all is top priority. In meetings and surveys, residents urged city leaders to protect their beaches if pressure from private property owners or business interests takes hold.
At a recent public workshop, officials reaffirmed their commitment to banning sea walls and were wary of any suggestions that sounded unnatural. They talked about their vision to protect the city from “the negative impacts of urban sprawl” while still growing economically as “a desirable residential and business community in a natural setting.”
The plan lays out a framework over the next few decades for when office buildings, a sewer pump and an aging water treatment facility should consider moving away from the sea. Beach amenities, such as a parking lot and public restrooms, might also need to relocate.
David Revell, a coastal geomorphologist who has consulted for a number of cities, including Marina, admires the coastline at Marina State Beach. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Triggers will be identified on when these decisions should be made, based on how much time it takes to permit new construction. When the sea rises to a certain threshold or erosion gets within a certain distance, for example, park officials should begin plans to move the parking lot — rather than just cornering off sections when they collapse.
As for private property, city planners broached the Sanctuary Beach Resort about checking in every renovation cycle, about five to seven years, to consider when might be a good time to move nine oceanfront buildings without sacrificing the total number of rooms — perhaps by turning some of the resort’s single-story cottages into two-story accommodations farther inland.
Jeroen Gerrese, the resort‘s general manager and chair of the Monterey County Hospitality Assn., said he is open to further discussions on how to accommodate the environment and preserve what makes the resort special.
Unlike other resorts along the peninsula, which are closer to attractions such as the Pebble Beach golf course and the Monterey wharf, his is the only one that can offer beach walks and sunset bonfires and direct access to the sand.
“Everyone else can look at the ocean,” Gerrese said, “but they can’t get there from their resort.”
Walking along an unpaved path, he pointed to the bocce ball court made from recycled oyster shells, the pastel-colored bikes offered to guests, the limited use of plastic. Born in the Netherlands below sea level, Gerrese says he respects the water a great deal. Now a resident of Marina, he jumps at opportunities to recruit from the local university and plants trees around town.
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Taking care of the environment is part of the business plan and a shared duty, he said, stooping down to pick up a rogue candy wrapper. “If you don’t think about working with nature, you’re not true to yourself as a business owner and not true to your community that you reside in.”
He looks up and admires the surf crashing onto shore. There’s no point fighting, he said, a force as powerful as the ocean.


latimes--2020-02-24--Police unions, justice reformers battle for dollars in bitter L.A. County D.A. race

For most George Gascón supporters knocking on doors in South Los Angeles , the race to determine the county ’ s top prosecutor is extremely personal .
Among those involved in the $ 1-million get-out-the-vote effort is Linda Gomez , who as a teen was sentenced to 14 years in prison for assault with a gang enhancement .
She was released after criminal justice reform laws such as those championed by Gascón changed parole eligibility for juvenile offenders .
“ At 17 , I just remember sitting in that courtroom scared to death , ” she said .
“ Most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ SATs , and I ’ m looking at spending the rest of my life in prison.
” Just a few miles away , near downtown , is the Los Angeles Police Protective League , the union representing rank-and-file LAPD officers that has long supported more traditional law-and-order policies , which poured $ 1 million into two outside committees supporting L.A. County Dist .
Atty .
Jackie Lacey .
An outside committee organized by the union recently released an ad depicting Gascón as a “ con man ” scurrying out of San Francisco to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ district attorney there .
As the combative district attorney ’ s race hurtles toward a March 3 primary , the ideological split between Lacey and her two challengers is starkly represented by the people and organizations pumping a combined $ 4.3 million into the race through contributions to outside committees .
A Times analysis of public records found that nearly all of the $ 2.2 million in contributions to outside committees benefiting Lacey has come from law enforcement unions , while three-quarters of the $ 2.1 million spent to bolster Gascón ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Northern California benefactors with a history of donating to progressive causes .
Though she has been a force at some recent debates , painting herself as an alternative to two candidates with law enforcement backgrounds , records show public defender Rachel Rossi has generated little in the way of financial support .
Political observers say the sheer amount of money flowing into the race is unusual for a law enforcement election , and the heavy-handed contributions illuminate the high stakes : The winner will lead the largest prosecutor ’ s office in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ influence policy agendas across California and the United States .
Though Lacey has championed a diversion program for defendants with mental illnesses , she is still seen as a typical “ tough on crime ” prosecutor compared with Gascón and Rossi , who both espouse platforms focused on restorative justice and maintaining public safety while lowering the prison population .
“ You got the progressive against the more traditional — I don ’ t want to say conservative , but that ’ s really what it is , conservative — pro-law enforcement Jackie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Los Angeles attorney and political consultant .
“ Society has moved past that , and now we ’ ll see if Los Angeles has moved past that.
” Lacey , whose reelection committee was formed in 2018 , leads the way in direct fundraising , having collected $ 810,000 , records show .
Gascón has tallied $ 341,000 , though he entered the race only in late October .
Rossi has received $ 67,000 in direct donations , but failed to attract any money from outside committees .
Donors can contribute an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which can not coordinate with a candidate ’ s campaign .
That has played well for Gascón .
The outside committee Run , George , Run received $ 1 million last month from Patty Quillin , the wife of Netflix Chief Executive Reed Hastings .
Quillin has donated to progressive candidates in Alameda County in the past , records show .
Her husband had previously dumped more than $ 2 million into efforts such as Proposition 47 — the measure co-written by Gascón that turned low-level drug use and other offenses from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ efforts to repeal the death penalty in California , according to filings with the secretary of state .
Attempts to contact both Hastings and Quillin were unsuccessful .
Outside groups supporting Gascón also took in a combined $ 585,000 from Elizabeth Simons , who has donated tens of thousands to anti-death-penalty efforts and other criminal justice reform measures in recent years , records show .
An email to Simons ’ Bay Area-based clean energy foundation was not returned .
The outside group Gomez is volunteering for , Imagine Justice , has also said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help turn out voters for Gascón in South L.A .
The truckload of money from outside L.A. County would seem to bolster critics of Gascón who have tried to brand him as a carpetbagger , even though he grew up in Southern California and rose to the rank of assistant chief in the Los Angeles Police Department .
Max Szabo , Gascón ’ s campaign spokesman , said the heavy dose of money from Northern California only serves to solidify his record on criminal justice reform .
“ Those who care about injustice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can make the biggest difference , and the biggest difference can be made in Los Angeles because it ’ s the mass-incarceration capital of the world , ” he said .
Groups boosting Lacey have almost entirely received funding from law enforcement unions .
In addition to the $ 1 million poured in by the Los Angeles Police Protective League , the union representing L.A. County sheriff ’ s deputies contributed $ 800,000 to a pro-Lacey committee that consists mostly of law enforcement groups .
The Peace Officers Research Assn .
of California @ @ @ @ @ @ @ efforts , while the union representing L.A. County prosecutors funneled $ 50,000 into the race .
Critics of Lacey have been quick to link her broad support among law enforcement unions to her record of rarely prosecuting use-of-force cases .
Robert Harris , a director on the board of the LAPPL , scoffed at that notion and argued that the blitz of support is aimed at stopping Gascón , who many in law enforcement believe represents a brand of criminal justice policy that endangers public safety .
“ We knew we were going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that influence from outside our area who were going to try and sell this fake image of Gascón .
We know who he really is , ” Harris said .
“ We don ’ t need a D.A .
to have an extreme makeover .
We really want to support Jackie Lacey because she has that proven record of addressing some of the issues public safety-wise that we know are important to the communities that we serve.
” The committee donations have also raised questions about potential conflicts of interest in connection with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Los Angeles : Harvey Weinstein .
Jury deliberations are ongoing in Weinstein ’ s New York trial on rape allegations .
In Los Angeles , Lacey filed multiple counts of sexual assault against Weinstein last month .
Records show that Blair Berk , Weinstein ’ s lead defense counsel in Los Angeles , donated $ 1,000 to Lacey ’ s campaign in 2018 .
Gascón ’ s campaign has attacked Lacey over the contribution in the past .
Berk declined to comment , and Lacey ’ s campaign said the appearance of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ every D.A.
, including both George Gascón and D.A .
Lacey , takes campaign contributions from defense attorneys , because these contributions do not represent a conflict of interest , ” said Mac Zilber , a consultant for Lacey ’ s campaign .
“ Blair Berk first gave to D.A .
Lacey eight years ago , years before the Weinstein case.
” Gascón ’ s campaign received a donation from Holly Baird , a public relations professional who has acted as a spokeswoman for Weinstein since the beginning of his New York criminal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ return her $ 250 donation “ to avoid even the slightest appearance of a conflict.
” In an email , Baird said she was “ offended ” by the Gascón campaign ’ s decision to return her contribution and said her personal views do not always align with those of people she works for .
“ It ’ s antithetical to the # MeToo movement for the Los Angeles Times or anyone to misconstrue or question my intentions of donating $ 250 to attend a fundraiser for someone who is committed to criminal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrote .
Though the dollar figures being thrown around in the race may have surprised some observers , Harris said bills add up quickly when an election affects voters from Palmdale to the South Bay .
“ L.A .
County is huge , ” he said .
“ There are a lot of voters we have to communicate within a short amount of time .
”

Donations to committees backing challenger George Gascón, left, have come from progressive donors. For Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey, it’s law enforcement unions doing the big spending.
For most George Gascón supporters knocking on doors in South Los Angeles, the race to determine the county’s top prosecutor is extremely personal.
Among those involved in the $1-million get-out-the-vote effort is Linda Gomez, who as a teen was sentenced to 14 years in prison for assault with a gang enhancement. She was released after criminal justice reform laws such as those championed by Gascón changed parole eligibility for juvenile offenders.
For the record: An earlier version of this article misstated the amount of donations collected by Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. candidate George Gascón and when he entered the race. Gascón announced his candidacy in October and has amassed $341,000 in direct fundraising.
“At 17, I just remember sitting in that courtroom scared to death,” she said. “Most girls are getting ready for prom or SATs, and I’m looking at spending the rest of my life in prison.”
Just a few miles away, near downtown, is the Los Angeles Police Protective League, the union representing rank-and-file LAPD officers that has long supported more traditional law-and-order policies, which poured $1 million into two outside committees supporting L.A. County Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey.
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An outside committee organized by the union recently released an ad depicting Gascón as a “con man” scurrying out of San Francisco to escape criticism for his alleged failings as district attorney there.
As the combative district attorney’s race hurtles toward a March 3 primary, the ideological split between Lacey and her two challengers is starkly represented by the people and organizations pumping a combined $4.3 million into the race through contributions to outside committees.
A Times analysis of public records found that nearly all of the $2.2 million in contributions to outside committees benefiting Lacey has come from law enforcement unions, while three-quarters of the $2.1 million spent to bolster Gascón’s candidacy was offered up by a pair of Northern California benefactors with a history of donating to progressive causes.
Though she has been a force at some recent debates, painting herself as an alternative to two candidates with law enforcement backgrounds, records show public defender Rachel Rossi has generated little in the way of financial support.
Public defender Rachel Rossi takes part in a debate at the California African American Museum on Dec. 11. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
Political observers say the sheer amount of money flowing into the race is unusual for a law enforcement election, and the heavy-handed contributions illuminate the high stakes: The winner will lead the largest prosecutor’s office in the nation with an outsize ability to influence policy agendas across California and the United States.
Though Lacey has championed a diversion program for defendants with mental illnesses, she is still seen as a typical “tough on crime” prosecutor compared with Gascón and Rossi, who both espouse platforms focused on restorative justice and maintaining public safety while lowering the prison population.
“You got the progressive against the more traditional — I don’t want to say conservative, but that’s really what it is, conservative — pro-law enforcement Jackie Lacey,” said Dermot Givens, a Los Angeles attorney and political consultant. “Society has moved past that, and now we’ll see if Los Angeles has moved past that.”
Lacey, whose reelection committee was formed in 2018, leads the way in direct fundraising, having collected $810,000, records show. Gascón has tallied $341,000, though he entered the race only in late October. Rossi has received $67,000 in direct donations, but failed to attract any money from outside committees.
Donors can contribute an unlimited amount of money to outside committees, which cannot coordinate with a candidate’s campaign.
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That has played well for Gascón. The outside committee Run, George, Run received $1 million last month from Patty Quillin, the wife of Netflix Chief Executive Reed Hastings.
Quillin has donated to progressive candidates in Alameda County in the past, records show. Her husband had previously dumped more than $2 million into efforts such as Proposition 47 — the measure co-written by Gascón that turned low-level drug use and other offenses from felonies to misdemeanors — as well as efforts to repeal the death penalty in California, according to filings with the secretary of state.
Attempts to contact both Hastings and Quillin were unsuccessful.
Outside groups supporting Gascón also took in a combined $585,000 from Elizabeth Simons, who has donated tens of thousands to anti-death-penalty efforts and other criminal justice reform measures in recent years, records show. An email to Simons’ Bay Area-based clean energy foundation was not returned.
The outside group Gomez is volunteering for, Imagine Justice, has also said it will spend $1 million to help turn out voters for Gascón in South L.A.
The truckload of money from outside L.A. County would seem to bolster critics of Gascón who have tried to brand him as a carpetbagger, even though he grew up in Southern California and rose to the rank of assistant chief in the Los Angeles Police Department. Max Szabo, Gascón’s campaign spokesman, said the heavy dose of money from Northern California only serves to solidify his record on criminal justice reform.
“Those who care about injustice are going to get involved where they can make the biggest difference, and the biggest difference can be made in Los Angeles because it’s the mass-incarceration capital of the world,” he said.
Groups boosting Lacey have almost entirely received funding from law enforcement unions. In addition to the $1 million poured in by the Los Angeles Police Protective League, the union representing L.A. County sheriff’s deputies contributed $800,000 to a pro-Lacey committee that consists mostly of law enforcement groups. The Peace Officers Research Assn. of California has also contributed $107,500 to pro-Lacey efforts, while the union representing L.A. County prosecutors funneled $50,000 into the race.
Critics of Lacey have been quick to link her broad support among law enforcement unions to her record of rarely prosecuting use-of-force cases. Robert Harris, a director on the board of the LAPPL, scoffed at that notion and argued that the blitz of support is aimed at stopping Gascón, who many in law enforcement believe represents a brand of criminal justice policy that endangers public safety.
“We knew we were going to have to ward off some of that influence from outside our area who were going to try and sell this fake image of Gascón. We know who he really is,” Harris said. “We don’t need a D.A. to have an extreme makeover. We really want to support Jackie Lacey because she has that proven record of addressing some of the issues public safety-wise that we know are important to the communities that we serve.”
The committee donations have also raised questions about potential conflicts of interest in connection with one of the highest-profile individuals facing charges in Los Angeles: Harvey Weinstein.
Jury deliberations are ongoing in Weinstein’s New York trial on rape allegations. In Los Angeles, Lacey filed multiple counts of sexual assault against Weinstein last month.
Records show that Blair Berk, Weinstein’s lead defense counsel in Los Angeles, donated $1,000 to Lacey’s campaign in 2018. Gascón’s campaign has attacked Lacey over the contribution in the past. Berk declined to comment, and Lacey’s campaign said the appearance of a conflict was overblown.
“Virtually every D.A., including both George Gascón and D.A. Lacey, takes campaign contributions from defense attorneys, because these contributions do not represent a conflict of interest,” said Mac Zilber, a consultant for Lacey’s campaign. “Blair Berk first gave to D.A. Lacey eight years ago, years before the Weinstein case.”
Gascón’s campaign received a donation from Holly Baird, a public relations professional who has acted as a spokeswoman for Weinstein since the beginning of his New York criminal trial. Szabo said the campaign would return her $250 donation “to avoid even the slightest appearance of a conflict.”
In an email, Baird said she was “offended” by the Gascón campaign’s decision to return her contribution and said her personal views do not always align with those of people she works for.
“It’s antithetical to the #MeToo movement for the Los Angeles Times or anyone to misconstrue or question my intentions of donating $250 to attend a fundraiser for someone who is committed to criminal and social justice reform,” Baird wrote.
Though the dollar figures being thrown around in the race may have surprised some observers, Harris said bills add up quickly when an election affects voters from Palmdale to the South Bay.
“L.A. County is huge,” he said. “There are a lot of voters we have to communicate within a short amount of time.”