Author: The Argonaut

West L.A. Stand Down reminds hundreds of homeless military veterans that they matter By Bliss Bowen To “stand down,” in military parlance, means to relax. During combat operations, a stand down is a safe physical base to which military members can retreat and rest, receive medical care, clean up, eat, read, write letters, change uniforms, hang out with friends, and decompress. The concept is also applied to community-wide gatherings such as the 5th Annual Veteran Stand Down, held in late October at the West Los Angeles VA Medical Center campus. VA Greater Los Angeles holds about 30 stand downs each...

Minnesota lawyer goes after L.A. and S.F. archdioceses as well as Catholic high schools over abuse claims against clergy By Danny Karel From Dec. 26 to Jan. 2, attorney Jeff Anderson’s firm filed a flurry of lawsuits against all but one Roman Catholic bishop in California, the archdioceses of Los Angeles and San Francisco, and a number of Catholic high schools, including St. Francis High in La Cañada Flintridge and Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana. “That’s just the beginning,” said the Minneapolis-based Anderson who has spent nearly four decades representing survivors of sexual abuse committed by clergy....

Santa Monica’s economic redevelopment proposal for historic Pico Neighborhood aims to expand local workforce housing and hires By Gary Walker For decades the historic Pico Neighborhood in Santa Monica has lagged behind other parts of the affluent coastal community in economic prosperity. That could soon change through an economic redevelopment proposal targeting the racially diverse neighborhood along with the creation of a community development corporation, expanding local hiring and purchasing preferences and streamlining the business permitting process. The proposal would also include a push for workforce housing and increased coordination with local businesses and schools on career development. Santa...