The Los Angeles City Council convened on March 4, 2025, at 9:29 AM in the John Ferraro Council Chambers. The meeting addressed a range of items including routine approvals, a resolution on electric water heaters, a discussion on rent protections after the wildfires, and a contentious appeal of the termination of Fire Chief Kristin Crowley. After extensive public comment and debate, the council voted to receive and file the appeal, effectively upholding the mayor's decision to remove Chief Crowley.
And here's what's happening in LA this week. In honor of African American Heritage Month, Councilmember Kern Price directed our attention to Central Avenue. This geographical corridor has been pivotal in supporting black entrepreneurs and businesses from the very beginning of Los Angeles. Well, we're here in the rotunda of the Los Angeles City Hall. Today we have a celebration for African American Heritage Month. Specifically, we're celebrating Central Avenue. It's a long, beautiful history of people, pieces, and activities going on. Frequently, we associate Citroën Avenue with music and with jazz. But today we learned it is much more than that. Places of commerce, civic engagement, involvement. I am honored and just thrilled to be able to represent my family. My parents started the business in 1950, and I am second generation, and we are, if you do the numbers, 75 years strong. My husband and I, Greg Cowan, have been there for about 30 years as the owner operators now. So it is an honor. A lot of people today don't realize that the African American history began in Los Angeles from downtown all the way down to Slaussen around the Central Avenue Corridor in the early part of the state's formation in the early wave of migration during the 19th century, and then during the Great Migration, the early part of the 20th century. People really need to take a moment away from their phones to really look at the historic buildings on these streets, the amazing businesses, sweet potato pie. I mean, the bakery that makes that is just one of the most famous places in South LA. Record stores, funeral parlors, amazing architecture by people like Paul R. Williams, one of the most amazing architects that LA ever saw. Well, I hope they recognize that Central Avenue has a rich and long history of service and activities. And so these pictures certainly highlight pieces from the past, but I think they also underscore the hope for the future. Certainly underscores the kind of entrepreneurial spirit that exists on Central Avenue today. The Department of Recreation and Parks is celebrating African American heritage throughout the city. In South LA, St. Andrews Recreation Center is highlighting some previously hidden contributions that helped to shape black history. Here at St. Andrews Recreation Center, we have a Black History program. We have people coming out from all throughout the community, all walks of life to celebrate Black history with us. Not so much on the people that we do know, but black history of what we don't hear about or don't know so much. Just by working here, they've actually taught me a lot about uh just hidden black history facts. So it's a very strong month to kind of come together and learn about hidden facts. You can't really put a number on how many contributions were made by black people in history that revolutionized the world. We have to pass down this information about black inventors, engineers, entrepreneurs, doctors, lawyers, astronomers, some of everything. So if we honor the past, the future will be bright. Uh Google, go on the internet, find out all kind of information as you can about where you came from and know about your culture. This event is always coming together. We have great food here. Like, you know, it's like a family working here. Come through. Uh St. Andrews is a really great part. The more we come together, the more that we can accomplish. Black is loud, black is beautiful, black is everything. And thanks to St. Andrew's Rec Center for those highlights. STEM. Skills of science, technology, engineering, and math are foundational for building the future. To encourage the next generation to think of becoming engineers, Councilmember Eunice Hernandez led Engineers Week for Elementary Students. Councilmember Hernandez is hosting Engineers Week as the chair of the Public Work Committee. It's a week-long celebration to really encourage the next generation of youth to be engineers.