1 00:00:03,250 --> 00:00:07,030 Speaker 1: Today on the LA Report, another wave of No Kings 2 00:00:07,030 --> 00:00:11,510 Speaker 1: protests sweep the country, including Southern California, and later, a 3 00:00:11,510 --> 00:00:14,149 Speaker 1: group of soccer players has been meeting for years at 4 00:00:14,149 --> 00:00:16,950 Speaker 1: an Altadena park. They say their matches have helped them 5 00:00:16,950 --> 00:00:19,870 Speaker 1: recover from the Eaton fire, but LA County has told 6 00:00:19,870 --> 00:00:22,829 Speaker 1: them to stop playing there. I think it's ridiculous, and 7 00:00:22,829 --> 00:00:25,169 Speaker 1: I'm going to keep playing here until they kick me off. 8 00:00:25,870 --> 00:00:29,180 Speaker 1: It's Saturday, March 28th. I'm Josie Huang. That's coming up 9 00:00:29,180 --> 00:00:33,560 Speaker 1: on the weekend edition of the LA Report from LAS 89.3. 10 00:00:33,830 --> 00:00:35,689 Speaker 1: But first, here's the latest news. 11 00:00:36,509 --> 00:00:39,520 Speaker 1: A 3rd wave of No King's protests is taking place 12 00:00:39,520 --> 00:00:42,560 Speaker 1: around the country today. More than 50 rallies planned for 13 00:00:42,560 --> 00:00:45,839 Speaker 1: the LA area alone. Our Daniel Martinez is at the 14 00:00:45,840 --> 00:00:47,778 Speaker 1: No Kings protests in Pasadena. 15 00:00:48,189 --> 00:00:51,599 Speaker 1: I would say the scene here is both boisterous and serious. 16 00:00:51,909 --> 00:00:55,069 Speaker 1: The plaza at Pasadena City College is filling up right 17 00:00:55,069 --> 00:00:58,750 Speaker 1: now with plenty of protesters bringing their signs. There's also 18 00:00:58,750 --> 00:01:02,380 Speaker 1: live music and tons of people honking their horns. Here. 19 00:01:02,389 --> 00:01:04,589 Speaker 1: I'm going to talk to a protester right now. My 20 00:01:04,589 --> 00:01:08,539 Speaker 1: name is Tatiana Becker, and I'm actually originally from Pasadena. 21 00:01:08,720 --> 00:01:10,830 Speaker 1: I'm back for a week to visit family. I live 22 00:01:10,830 --> 00:01:13,190 Speaker 1: in London, England now. What are you doing out here? 23 00:01:13,870 --> 00:01:16,598 Speaker 1: I thought it was really important in my time here 24 00:01:16,599 --> 00:01:20,319 Speaker 1: to show my support to everybody that's come out against 25 00:01:20,319 --> 00:01:23,839 Speaker 1: what the Donald Trump regime is doing, especially things like 26 00:01:23,839 --> 00:01:27,480 Speaker 1: taking away rights from trans people and sending people to 27 00:01:27,480 --> 00:01:30,910 Speaker 1: ICE detention. The Country is not one that I recognize, 28 00:01:31,080 --> 00:01:34,760 Speaker 1: and I remain an American voter, an American taxpayer. This 29 00:01:34,760 --> 00:01:36,800 Speaker 1: is the land of the immigrants. This is the land 30 00:01:36,800 --> 00:01:38,519 Speaker 1: of the opportunity, and we need to. 31 00:01:39,839 --> 00:01:44,330 Speaker 1: That's Tatiana Becker, a No Kings protester in Pasadena, speaking 32 00:01:44,330 --> 00:01:47,970 Speaker 1: to our Danielle Martinez. The largest protest of the region 33 00:01:47,970 --> 00:01:50,849 Speaker 1: is expected to start at 2 in downtown LA by 34 00:01:50,849 --> 00:01:55,290 Speaker 1: City Hall. In anticipation, Caltrans crews set up safety barriers 35 00:01:55,290 --> 00:01:58,319 Speaker 1: by several on and off ramps along the 101 downtown. 36 00:01:58,650 --> 00:02:02,029 Speaker 1: For a list of protest locations, check out LAS.com. 37 00:02:02,779 --> 00:02:07,099 Speaker 1: In Azusa, the police department has retained outside investigators to 38 00:02:07,099 --> 00:02:09,610 Speaker 1: look into the death of a man whose body was 39 00:02:09,610 --> 00:02:12,538 Speaker 1: found inside a patrol vehicle parked in front of the station. 40 00:02:12,699 --> 00:02:16,240 Speaker 1: Azusa Police Chief Rocky Renwick said in a statement yesterday 41 00:02:16,460 --> 00:02:19,179 Speaker 1: that the unlocked vehicle was awaiting maintenance when the body 42 00:02:19,179 --> 00:02:22,979 Speaker 1: was discovered on Thursday. The chief said to ensure an 43 00:02:22,979 --> 00:02:26,339 Speaker 1: independent review, the department had retained the investigative firm, the 44 00:02:26,339 --> 00:02:27,179 Speaker 1: JL Group. 45 00:02:27,788 --> 00:02:30,910 Speaker 1: Southern California gas prices are climbing fast, and the average 46 00:02:30,910 --> 00:02:33,460 Speaker 1: could top $6 a gallon in the next few days. 47 00:02:33,699 --> 00:02:37,630 Speaker 1: That's according to the Automobile Club of Southern California. Prices 48 00:02:37,630 --> 00:02:41,179 Speaker 1: rising a month into the U.S.Israeli war with Iran. The 49 00:02:41,179 --> 00:02:45,109 Speaker 1: current average for the LA Long Beach area is $5.97. 50 00:02:45,949 --> 00:02:48,769 Speaker 1: Auto Club spokesperson Candace Redd said in a statement that 51 00:02:48,770 --> 00:02:52,228 Speaker 1: gas prices are following a similar pattern to the spike 52 00:02:52,229 --> 00:02:55,110 Speaker 1: seen in the first month after Russia invaded Ukraine in 53 00:02:55,110 --> 00:02:56,869 Speaker 1: February 2022. 54 00:02:57,710 --> 00:03:01,039 Speaker 1: Did you know the California State Park system turns 100 55 00:03:01,038 --> 00:03:04,519 Speaker 1: next year? Stephanie Campbell is program manager for the state 56 00:03:04,520 --> 00:03:07,839 Speaker 1: park system. People think of California state parks as coastlines 57 00:03:07,839 --> 00:03:11,360 Speaker 1: and redwoods, but, you know, it's also 32 acres in 58 00:03:11,360 --> 00:03:13,788 Speaker 1: Chinatown in the middle of downtown Los Angeles at Los 59 00:03:13,788 --> 00:03:17,800 Speaker 1: Angeles State Historic Park. It's Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook, 58 60 00:03:17,800 --> 00:03:21,270 Speaker 1: acres in, um, Los Angeles, Culver City, California has the 61 00:03:21,270 --> 00:03:25,679 Speaker 1: largest state park system in the country, 280 parks in all. 62 00:03:26,279 --> 00:03:28,989 Speaker 1: This weekend, high school seniors in need of free prom 63 00:03:28,990 --> 00:03:31,470 Speaker 1: attire are invited to stop by at the Poo in 64 00:03:31,470 --> 00:03:35,110 Speaker 1: Pasadena from 10 to 4. The event is hosted by 65 00:03:35,110 --> 00:03:40,750 Speaker 1: Pasadena nonprofit Jazzy Jam for Empowerment. Jacqueline Snell is executive director. 66 00:03:40,830 --> 00:03:42,860 Speaker 1: She says giving people the space to look for what 67 00:03:42,860 --> 00:03:46,350 Speaker 1: they want takes a load off their shoulders. Students are excited. 68 00:03:46,535 --> 00:03:48,865 Speaker 1: About it because they don't want their parents to worry 69 00:03:48,865 --> 00:03:51,065 Speaker 1: about having to come up with that. Or even if 70 00:03:51,065 --> 00:03:53,255 Speaker 1: you can afford to do it, just having the time 71 00:03:53,255 --> 00:03:55,345 Speaker 1: to go and do it because of all that's going 72 00:03:55,345 --> 00:03:58,095 Speaker 1: on with being displaced because of the fires. Teens can 73 00:03:58,095 --> 00:04:02,065 Speaker 1: also pick up free makeup, ties, and shoes. Those interested 74 00:04:02,065 --> 00:04:04,585 Speaker 1: are being asked to RSVP ahead of time. Find out 75 00:04:04,585 --> 00:04:06,445 Speaker 1: how on Elias.com. 76 00:04:07,389 --> 00:04:10,389 Speaker 1: Coming up, how a group of Altadena fire survivors are 77 00:04:10,389 --> 00:04:13,929 Speaker 1: fighting for their right to play soccer at a local park. 78 00:04:14,190 --> 00:04:15,550 Speaker 1: More after this break. 79 00:04:18,029 --> 00:04:20,799 Speaker 1: You're listening to the weekend edition of the LA Report. 80 00:04:20,988 --> 00:04:21,950 Speaker 1: I'm Josie Huang. 81 00:04:27,350 --> 00:04:30,170 Speaker 1: It's been more than a year now since the Eaton 82 00:04:30,170 --> 00:04:34,868 Speaker 1: fire devastated Altadena, destroying more than 9000 structures and taking 83 00:04:34,869 --> 00:04:38,589 Speaker 1: 19 lives. A group of about a dozen fire survivors 84 00:04:38,589 --> 00:04:41,029 Speaker 1: were excited to get back to something they've been doing 85 00:04:41,029 --> 00:04:45,170 Speaker 1: together for years pick up soccer matches at Loma Alta Park. 86 00:04:45,470 --> 00:04:48,320 Speaker 1: But as Robert Grover reports, what they found was a 87 00:04:48,320 --> 00:04:50,950 Speaker 1: ball field battle they weren't expecting. 88 00:04:52,070 --> 00:04:55,549 Speaker 1: It's a sweltering Sunday afternoon here at Loma Alta. The 89 00:04:55,549 --> 00:04:58,429 Speaker 1: park is abuzz with life. There are kids playing on 90 00:04:58,428 --> 00:05:01,390 Speaker 1: a large jungle gym and parents sitting and talking in 91 00:05:01,390 --> 00:05:05,329 Speaker 1: the grass. The park is just a bubble of normalcy though. 92 00:05:05,428 --> 00:05:08,269 Speaker 1: All around are the stark reminders of the fire that 93 00:05:08,269 --> 00:05:11,988 Speaker 1: tore through Altadena, rows and rows of flattened and dusty lots, 94 00:05:12,309 --> 00:05:14,269 Speaker 1: melted gates, and charred trees. 95 00:05:14,850 --> 00:05:17,049 Speaker 1: I'm here to catch up with a group of Altadeans 96 00:05:17,049 --> 00:05:20,010 Speaker 1: who say they've been meeting here for the past 8 years. 97 00:05:20,329 --> 00:05:23,250 Speaker 1: As the time approaches, they appear from different corners of 98 00:05:23,250 --> 00:05:26,670 Speaker 1: a grass field, empty save for a few signs that read, 99 00:05:26,928 --> 00:05:30,510 Speaker 1: This field is designated for baseball and softball only. 100 00:05:31,070 --> 00:05:34,290 Speaker 1: But this group that includes several dads tells me they've 101 00:05:34,290 --> 00:05:37,369 Speaker 1: bonded playing soccer here. Finding these guys in this game 102 00:05:37,369 --> 00:05:41,470 Speaker 1: was really sort of what brought me into the Altadena community. 103 00:05:41,649 --> 00:05:43,290 Speaker 1: This was kind of my backyard. I came here with 104 00:05:43,290 --> 00:05:45,730 Speaker 1: my son, and so you know how happy I was 105 00:05:45,730 --> 00:05:48,309 Speaker 1: to bring my kids back here. It got me through 106 00:05:48,309 --> 00:05:50,928 Speaker 1: a couple of hard times already before the fire. That 107 00:05:50,928 --> 00:05:55,078 Speaker 1: was Graham Fortier, Patrick Connor, and Mike Lazareski. All of 108 00:05:55,079 --> 00:05:58,089 Speaker 1: their families lost their homes in the Eaton fire. Bryce. 109 00:05:58,230 --> 00:06:01,760 Speaker 1: Nicholson's family's home was spared. One of his children was 110 00:06:01,760 --> 00:06:04,399 Speaker 1: just 2 months old when the family had to evacuate. 111 00:06:04,519 --> 00:06:09,239 Speaker 1: There's something kind of symbolic and hopeful about coming to 112 00:06:09,238 --> 00:06:13,070 Speaker 1: your only park left and talking about where people are 113 00:06:13,070 --> 00:06:15,869 Speaker 1: at with their rebuilds or what's going on at the 114 00:06:15,869 --> 00:06:19,200 Speaker 1: local school district or just to make fart jokes. The 115 00:06:19,200 --> 00:06:21,390 Speaker 1: group tells me they were excited to get back to 116 00:06:21,390 --> 00:06:25,399 Speaker 1: their weekly tradition last summer, months after the fire was extinguished. 117 00:06:25,920 --> 00:06:29,019 Speaker 1: But in December, they say an LA County Sheriff's deputy 118 00:06:29,019 --> 00:06:31,690 Speaker 1: told them they couldn't play soccer on the field anymore. 119 00:06:32,089 --> 00:06:35,049 Speaker 1: They were shocked. Fortier tells me they feel like the 120 00:06:35,049 --> 00:06:38,049 Speaker 1: goalposts have been moving on them as far as justification 121 00:06:38,049 --> 00:06:38,969 Speaker 1: from LA County. 122 00:06:39,359 --> 00:06:43,039 Speaker 1: They say officials have cited reasons including grass mutilation, needing 123 00:06:43,040 --> 00:06:45,839 Speaker 1: a permit, and that use is ultimately up to the 124 00:06:45,839 --> 00:06:49,720 Speaker 1: park director's discretion. We don't agree with the position they're 125 00:06:49,720 --> 00:06:52,700 Speaker 1: taking at all to tell us that we can't play 126 00:06:52,839 --> 00:06:54,469 Speaker 1: a game that we've been playing in 8 years at 127 00:06:54,470 --> 00:06:56,899 Speaker 1: our park, our only park that didn't burn down. 128 00:06:57,369 --> 00:06:59,410 Speaker 1: You know, I think it's ridiculous, and I'm going to 129 00:06:59,410 --> 00:07:02,368 Speaker 1: keep playing here until they kick me off. In an 130 00:07:02,369 --> 00:07:05,969 Speaker 1: emailed statement, LA County Parks said baseball fields are for 131 00:07:05,970 --> 00:07:10,489 Speaker 1: the exclusive use of baseball, softball, and youth sports. They 132 00:07:10,489 --> 00:07:14,010 Speaker 1: are not soccer fields, the county said. The county also 133 00:07:14,010 --> 00:07:16,010 Speaker 1: said that organized group use requires 134 00:07:16,059 --> 00:07:19,100 Speaker 1: A permit, but because their informal gathering is only a 135 00:07:19,100 --> 00:07:22,179 Speaker 1: dozen or so players, Patrick Connor and others don't think 136 00:07:22,179 --> 00:07:26,929 Speaker 1: that rule applies. You can't accommodate 14 families, most of 137 00:07:26,929 --> 00:07:30,140 Speaker 1: which whose houses burnt down. The group says they have 138 00:07:30,140 --> 00:07:33,489 Speaker 1: a meeting with Supervisor Katherine Barger's office next week to 139 00:07:33,489 --> 00:07:37,220 Speaker 1: discuss their situation. In the meantime, they've circulated an online 140 00:07:37,220 --> 00:07:41,820 Speaker 1: petition that has over 1100 signatures. Nicholson says he's digging 141 00:07:41,820 --> 00:07:44,500 Speaker 1: his heels in because he wants a better explanation from 142 00:07:44,500 --> 00:07:45,140 Speaker 1: the county. 143 00:07:45,609 --> 00:07:48,429 Speaker 1: Because this is a good space for people that don't 144 00:07:48,429 --> 00:07:51,809 Speaker 1: often have many spaces, and a community that has been 145 00:07:52,010 --> 00:07:54,690 Speaker 1: through so much, why can't they just meet up at 146 00:07:54,690 --> 00:07:57,049 Speaker 1: a park and play a game like they have for 147 00:07:57,049 --> 00:08:00,309 Speaker 1: a long time? Connor says it's painful to be turned away, 148 00:08:00,649 --> 00:08:03,450 Speaker 1: and he says he feels like it's intervening in his healing, 149 00:08:03,570 --> 00:08:06,850 Speaker 1: his recovery from the fire. People ask me, how you doing? 150 00:08:06,970 --> 00:08:10,140 Speaker 1: I'm not doing that great. For me personally, dude, I 151 00:08:10,140 --> 00:08:13,850 Speaker 1: have to say this, I had like serious insomnia after 152 00:08:13,850 --> 00:08:14,450 Speaker 1: the fire. 153 00:08:14,779 --> 00:08:17,100 Speaker 1: And I, I, I had like a psychologist and I 154 00:08:17,100 --> 00:08:20,179 Speaker 1: got on some meds and I had a counselor, and 155 00:08:20,179 --> 00:08:23,959 Speaker 1: the thing that was really good for me was exercise 156 00:08:24,339 --> 00:08:26,160 Speaker 1: and being with the fire victims. 157 00:08:27,559 --> 00:08:30,359 Speaker 1: After speaking with me, Connor, and several others in the 158 00:08:30,359 --> 00:08:33,280 Speaker 1: group were cited by the sheriff's department for playing soccer 159 00:08:33,280 --> 00:08:38,559 Speaker 1: on the field. Robert Garova, LAS News. Read Robert's story 160 00:08:38,559 --> 00:08:40,189 Speaker 1: on LAS.com. 161 00:08:43,388 --> 00:08:46,169 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening to the weekend edition of the LA Report. 162 00:08:46,278 --> 00:08:49,278 Speaker 1: The Weekend LA Report is hosted by me, Josie Huang, 163 00:08:49,439 --> 00:08:52,637 Speaker 1: and produced by Danielle Martinez. Our engineer this week is 164 00:08:52,638 --> 00:08:56,919 Speaker 1: Hasmik Pahoian. The podcast is edited by Fiona Ing. Catherine 165 00:08:56,919 --> 00:09:00,078 Speaker 1: Milhouse is the director of content development. Join us back 166 00:09:00,078 --> 00:09:03,138 Speaker 1: here tomorrow. You can read more at LAS.com and listen 167 00:09:03,138 --> 00:09:06,039 Speaker 1: live on the LAS app or on the radio at 168 00:09:06,039 --> 00:09:07,838 Speaker 1: 89.3 FM. 169 00:09:15,650 --> 00:09:20,150 Speaker 2: LAS Studios operates within the homelands of the Gabrielino Tonva people. 170 00:09:20,359 --> 00:09:24,760 Speaker 2: We recognize the painful history of displacement, settler colonialism, and 171 00:09:24,760 --> 00:09:29,280 Speaker 2: erasure of the people, their language, and their sovereignty. Visit 172 00:09:29,280 --> 00:09:34,880 Speaker 2: LAS.com/land for more information. We encourage you to get curious 173 00:09:34,880 --> 00:09:37,500 Speaker 2: about the land on which you live and work.