LOS ANGELES – The Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to give Los Angeles County’s child welfare agency 60 days to explain how it will curb inappropriate spending on office supplies and other goods. Supervisor Hilda Solis suggested that the corrective action plan, based on an audit completed in July, could include oversight by another county…
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – The Board of Supervisors approved final adjustments Tuesday to Los Angeles County’s $29.9 billion budget for 2016-17. By way of comparison, that total exceeds the budgets of more than half of states nationwide and is more than the GDP of several small countries. However, it is also about $100 million less…
LOS ANGELES – The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to license immigration consultants in an effort to crack down on unscrupulous non lawyers who charge exorbitant fees and victimize immigrant families. Supervisors Hilda Solis and Sheila Kuehl called for an ordinance that would require licenses, set a maximum fee for preparing immigration forms and…
![Fall 2015 graduating class. [Contributed image]](http://theavtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Palmdale-Partners-Academy-2015-class-150x150.jpg)
PALMDALE – The city of Palmdale is accepting applications for the 2016 fall session of the Palmdale Partners Academy. The program begins Wednesday, Sept. 14, and continues on consecutive Wednesday evenings, from 7 to 9 p.m., through Nov. 2. “The eight week Palmdale Partners Academy is designed to present citizens with a first-hand look at…
LOS ANGELES – Federal officials refused requests for housing assistance in the wake of the Sand Fire, which forced some 20,000 people in Santa Clarita to evacuate and destroyed 18 homes, a county official said this week. “The last time they issued (housing) vouchers was for the Northridge earthquake in 1994,” Housing Authority Director Sean…
LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to rescind last week’s vote to put a marijuana tax on the November ballot to fund the fight against homelessness. Supervisor Sheila Kuehl recommended backing away from the tax proposal, saying she was concerned by a lack of support among homeless advocates. Kuehl…
![Sharon Runner [contributed]](http://theavtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Sharon-Runner-dies-1-150x150.jpg)
LANCASTER – Senator Sharon Runner (R-Antelope Valley) died Thursday morning at the age of 62, according to a statement from her family. “We are heartbroken to share that Sharon passed away today at the age of 62 following respiratory complications. She died peacefully at home, surrounded by family and friends,” the statement reads. “Through her…
LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 on Tuesday to ask voters in November to approve a special marijuana business tax of up to 10 percent of gross receipts to fund the fight against homelessness. “There’s an emergency,” said Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, who has unsuccessfully pressed Gov. Jerry Brown to…
LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to put a measure on the November ballot that would levy a one-and-a-half cent per square foot parcel tax on properties countywide to fund parks development and maintenance. If approved by voters, the parcel tax is estimated to raise roughly $95 million annually.…
EDWARDS AFB – If it’s one thing that has become very significant to our daily lives, it’s the use of social media. However, with a new federal policy in place, social media is now about to become significant to the federal background investigation process. The Security Executive Agent Directive 5 (SEAD 5) — signed into…
LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to extend a ban on growing marijuana in unincorporated areas of the county — including Quartz Hill, Littlerock and Lake Los Angeles — for one year. The ordinance — banning the cultivation, manufacturing, laboratory testing and distribution of medical marijuana while zoning officials…
PALMDALE – A proposal to align the city of Palmdale’s Planning Commission districts with its City Council districts will be on the July Palmdale City Council Meeting agenda for consideration. “Mayor Jim Ledford has asked our office to draft an ordinance for the City Council’s consideration which would align Palmdale’s Planning Commission districts with…
LOS ANGELES – Local immigration-rights activists expressed disappointment Thursday in the U.S. Supreme Court’s inability to reach a decision on President Barack Obama’s effort to expand deportation protection to millions of parents of U.S.-born children, but they vowed to continue fighting for change in immigration policy. “[The] Supreme Court decision blocking President Obama’s executive action…
LOS ANGELES – Dozens of voters and poll workers complained to Los Angeles County supervisors Tuesday about a lack of ballots and staffing, inaccurate voter rolls, malfunctioning voting machines, the widespread use of provisional ballots and the possibility of voter fraud during last week’s primary election. “It shouldn’t be harder to vote than it is…
![[Top row L to R] Steve Knight, Bryan Caforio, Kevin McCarthy, Wendy Reed. [Bottom row L to R] Scott Wilk, Johnathon Ervin, Tom Lackey, Steve Fox.](http://theavtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/June-2016-top-2-primary-election-results-district-150x150.jpg)
Voters across California headed to the polls Tuesday, June 7, for the Primary Election. In the June “top-two” primary, all candidates for a district office are listed on the same ballot and anyone can vote for any candidate running for Congress, State Senate and State Assembly, regardless of party preference. Only the two candidates who…
![Kathryn Barger [Twitter]](http://theavtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Kathryn-Barger-twitter-150x150.jpg)
LOS ANGELES – Kathryn Barger will compete in a November runoff election to replace Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael Antonovich, likely against entrepreneur Darrell Park. Barger easily led the field of eight candidates vying for the seat in Tuesday’s election, but she was well short of the 50 percent majority needed to win the Fifth…
LOS ANGELES – Eight candidates will battle on Tuesday to replace Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael Antonovich, who will have served the 5th District for 36 years before being forced out by term limits at the end of this year. The 5th District includes the Antelope and Santa Clarita valleys, along with a portion of…
LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday extended a ban on growing marijuana in unincorporated areas of the county for roughly a month, but stopped short of the more than 10-month extension requested by county planners. An ordinance banning the cultivation, manufacturing, laboratory testing and distribution of medical marijuana while…
LOS ANGELES – The Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to press for a change to state law that would allow the county to put a “millionaire’s tax” on the November ballot to fund the fight against homelessness. Supervisors Mark Ridley-Thomas and Sheila Kuehl proposed the legislative push last week, but were denied the three votes…