Good morning and welcome to our mandatory California newsletter. the Sunday. I’m your host, Andrew J. Campa. Here’s what you need to know to start your weekend:
Newsletter
Sign up for Essential California
Every morning, the most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox.
We sometimes receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
We asked for the text and things went into order
Shortly after the Palisade fire erupted on January 7th, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass jumped home.
She was about 7,000 miles away on a diplomatic trip to Ghana and faced a return trip of about 24 hours.
Meanwhile, her staff said they were in constant contact with the mayor.
However, what was told remains a mystery.
Coworkers Julia Wick and Matt Hamilton discovered that the base text messages during this period were not stored. They had a simple question: Why?
Textual story
City lawyer David Michelson told The Times that Bass calls are set to not store text messages and “there is no need for city officials or employees to do so.”
This is despite its own Document Retention Policy Most records should be kept for at least two years.
How did the textual problem arise?
The Times reporter submitted a request for public records to the city on January 10th.
They specifically asked for all text messages sent and received by the mayor when they returned from Africa on January 7 or January 8th.
Bass left Accra in Ghana at 9pm on January 7th (1pm local time), travelling the first leg by military plane, allowing him to call and text and email.
The next morning she would have flew commercials from Washington Dulles International Airport and could only communicate via email and text.
She arrived at Los Angeles International Airport at 11:24am on January 8th, according to itinerary and flight records.
It took about two months, but Bass’ Office eventually responded to a Times request, stating “there is no responsive record.”
Interpretation of textual obligations
Michaelson said on Friday that Bass’ calls will automate texting. He added that this is not new and that it has been set up for at least two years.
Michaelson advocated the city’s management laws, particularly regarding retention. Los Angeles Management Code Section 12.3(b)(6), It does not apply to text. The Act states that “most records shall be held for a minimum of two years unless a shorter period is permitted by law, or a longer period is permitted by law, or unless it is consistent with state law, unless a different period of retention is established by council order or resolution.”
However, that interpretation received some pushbacks.
Other agencies and officials have released numerous records from the beginning of the fire, responding to requests for public records. California law determines the release of this type of record unless there is a specific exemption.
First amended coalition chief David Roy argued that the text of the base should be preserved.
“When I read the plain language of LA’s own administrative law, the city imposed stricter record-keeping requirements than state law would otherwise require,” he told The Times.
For more information, see the full article.
The biggest story of the week
(Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times)
Trump administration policy and reaction
Los Angeles fire and recovery
The Last Day of Gene Hackman
South by Southwest and Entertainment News
A bigger story
Get unlimited access to the Los Angeles Times. Subscribe here.
Column 1
Column 1 is the Times’ House for Storytelling and Long-Term Journalism. This is a great piece to come past week:
(For Mark Boster / Delos)
In prison, Ahmed Verozo, who appears to be unable to escape the destructive cycle that began as a child, spent hours watching investigative journalism shows, educational documentaries, and Huell Howser’s homespan travelogue “California Gold.” He said it was a way to distract him from his pain.
A few years later, leaving prison and hoping for a dramatic change in his life, Verozo reinvented himself on social media as a star of “Tyraon” and turned his eyes to those shows for inspiration as a video series that is part of local landmarks, some investigative journalism, and some video series about fires and car accidents about empire communication and car communication that exists in his life.
More wonderful reading
How can I make this newsletter more convenient? Submit a comment to EssentialCalifornia@latimes.com.
For your weekend
(Lindsay’s illustration made this; photo by Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images on Atlantis Paradise Island)
Going out
stay
LA Affairs
Be enveloped in appetizing stories about dating, relationships and marriage.
(Kelsey Davis / for the Times)
The fire spread that night outside Eton Canyon. It was initially 400 uncontained acres, then 800 acres. She loved the canyon. It provided sanctuary after her divorce. It is where she built her life with her husband and children. Her house didn’t burn, but the wounds from the Eton Fire ran deep. Will she fall in love with Eton Canyon again, as she once did?
Have a great weekend from the Essential California team
Andrew J. Campa, reporter
Luke Money, news editor
please confirm Top Stories, topic and Latest Articles Above latimes.com.
