Latest news with #LosAngelesUnifiedSchoolDistrict
Hamilton Spectator
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
Los Angeles' image is scuffed since ICE raids and protests, with World Cup and Olympics on horizon
LOS ANGELES (AP) — This isn't the image Los Angeles wanted projected around the globe. Clouds of tear gas wafting over a throng of protesters on a blocked freeway. Federal immigration agents in tactical garb raiding businesses in search of immigrants without legal status. A messy war of words between President Donald Trump and Gov. Gavin Newsom . Photos captured several Waymo robotaxis set on fire and graffiti scrawled on a federal detention center building, while videos recorded the sounds of rubber bullets and flash-bang grenades hitting crowds. In a city still reeling from January's deadly wildfires — and with the World Cup soccer championships and the 2028 Olympics on the horizon — Mayor Karen Bass has been urging residents to come together to revitalize LA's image by sprucing up streets, planting trees and painting murals so LA shows its best face to nations near and far. 'It's about pride,' she's said. 'This is the city of dreams.' Instead, a less flattering side of Los Angeles has been broadcast to the world in recent days. Protests have mostly taken place in a small swath of downtown in the sprawling city of 4 million people. As Trump has activated nearly 5,000 troops to respond in the city, Bass has staunchly pushed back against his assertions that her city is overrun and in crisis. Bass, in response to Trump, said she was troubled by depictions that the city has been 'invaded and occupied by illegal aliens and criminals, and that now violent, insurrectionist mobs are swarming our federal agents. I don't know if anybody has seen that happen, but I've not seen that happen.' The series of protests began Friday outside a federal detention center, where demonstrators demanded the release of more than 40 people arrested by federal immigration authorities . Immigration advocates say the people who were detained do not have criminal histories and are being denied their due process rights. An international city Much like New York, Los Angeles is an international city that many immigrants call home. The city's official seal carries images referencing the region's time under Spanish and Mexican rule. Over 150 languages are spoken by students in the Los Angeles Unified School District. About half of the city's residents are Latino and about one-third were born outside the U.S. Bass faulted the Trump administration for creating 'a chaotic escalation' by mobilizing troops to quell protests. 'This is the last thing that our city needs,' Bass said. Los Angeles resident Adam Lerman, who has attended the protests, warned that protests would continue if the Trump administration pushes more raids in the city. 'We are talking about a new riot every day,' Lerman said. 'Everybody knows they are playing with fire.' It's not the publicity LA needs as it looks to welcome the world for international sporting events on a grand scale. 'At this stage in the process, most host cities and countries would be putting the final touches on their mega-event red carpet, demonstrating to the world that they are ready to embrace visitors with open arms,' said Jules Boykoff, a Pacific University professor who has written widely on the political and economic impacts of the Olympic Games. The scenes of conflict are 'not exactly the best way to entice the world to plan their next tourist trip to the U.S. to watch a sports mega-event.' A mayor under pressure The federal raids and protests have created another dicey political moment for Bass, who has been struggling with a budget crisis while trying to recover from political fallout from the wildfires that ignited when she was out of the country. She's been careful not to discourage protests but at the same time has pleaded for residents to remain peaceful. The mayor will likely face backlash for involving the Los Angeles Police. And she needs to fight the perception that the city is unsafe and disorderly, an image fostered by Trump, who in social media posts has depicted Bass as incompetent and said the city has been 'invaded' by people who entered the U.S. illegally. Los Angeles is sprawling — roughly 470 square miles (750 square kilometers) — and the protests were mostly concentrated downtown. 'The most important thing right now is that our city be peaceful,' Bass said. 'I don't want people to fall into the chaos that I believe is being created by the (Trump) administration.' On Monday, workers were clearing debris and broken glass from sidewalks and power-washing graffiti from buildings — among the structures vandalized was the one-time home of the Los Angeles Times across the street from City Hall. Downtown has yet to bounce back since long-running pandemic lockdowns, which reordered work life and left many office towers with high vacancy rates. Trump and California officials continued to spar online and off, faulting each other for the fallout. At the White House, Trump criticized California leaders by saying 'they were afraid of doing anything' and signaled he would support Newsom's arrest over his handling of the immigration protests . If Los Angeles' image was once defined by its balmy Mediterranean climate and the glamor of Hollywood, it's now known 'primarily for disaster,' said Claremont McKenna College political scientist Jack Pitney. 'A lot of perception depends on images,' Pitney added. Right now, the dominant image 'is a burning Waymo.' ___ Associated Press writer Jason Dearen contributed. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. 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Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Los Angeles' image is scuffed since ICE raids and protests, with World Cup and Olympics on horizon
LOS ANGELES (AP) — This isn't the image Los Angeles wanted projected around the globe. Clouds of tear gas wafting over a throng of protesters on a blocked freeway. Federal immigration agents in tactical garb raiding businesses in search of immigrants without legal status. A messy war of words between President Donald Trump and Gov. Gavin Newsom. Photos captured several Waymo robotaxis set on fire and graffiti scrawled on a federal detention center building, while videos recorded the sounds of rubber bullets and flash-bang grenades hitting crowds. In a city still reeling from January's deadly wildfires — and with the World Cup soccer championships and the 2028 Olympics on the horizon — Mayor Karen Bass has been urging residents to come together to revitalize LA's image by sprucing up streets, planting trees and painting murals so LA shows its best face to nations near and far. 'It's about pride,' she's said. 'This is the city of dreams.' Instead, a less flattering side of Los Angeles has been broadcast to the world in recent days. Protests have mostly taken place in a small swath of downtown in the sprawling city of 4 million people. As Trump has activated nearly 5,000 troops to respond in the city, Bass has staunchly pushed back against his assertions that her city is overrun and in crisis. Bass, in response to Trump, said she was troubled by depictions that the city has been 'invaded and occupied by illegal aliens and criminals, and that now violent, insurrectionist mobs are swarming our federal agents. I don't know if anybody has seen that happen, but I've not seen that happen.' The series of protests began Friday outside a federal detention center, where demonstrators demanded the release of more than 40 people arrested by federal immigration authorities. Immigration advocates say the people who were detained do not have criminal histories and are being denied their due process rights. An international city Much like New York, Los Angeles is an international city that many immigrants call home. The city's official seal carries images referencing the region's time under Spanish and Mexican rule. Over 150 languages are spoken by students in the Los Angeles Unified School District. About half of the city's residents are Latino and about one-third were born outside the U.S. Bass faulted the Trump administration for creating "a chaotic escalation' by mobilizing troops to quell protests. "This is the last thing that our city needs," Bass said. Los Angeles resident Adam Lerman, who has attended the protests, warned that protests would continue if the Trump administration pushes more raids in the city. 'We are talking about a new riot every day,' Lerman said. 'Everybody knows they are playing with fire." It's not the publicity LA needs as it looks to welcome the world for international sporting events on a grand scale. 'At this stage in the process, most host cities and countries would be putting the final touches on their mega-event red carpet, demonstrating to the world that they are ready to embrace visitors with open arms,' said Jules Boykoff, a Pacific University professor who has written widely on the political and economic impacts of the Olympic Games. The scenes of conflict are 'not exactly the best way to entice the world to plan their next tourist trip to the U.S. to watch a sports mega-event.' A mayor under pressure The federal raids and protests have created another dicey political moment for Bass, who has been struggling with a budget crisis while trying to recover from political fallout from the wildfires that ignited when she was out of the country. She's been careful not to discourage protests but at the same time has pleaded for residents to remain peaceful. The mayor will likely face backlash for involving the Los Angeles Police. And she needs to fight the perception that the city is unsafe and disorderly, an image fostered by Trump, who in social media posts has depicted Bass as incompetent and said the city has been 'invaded' by people who entered the U.S. illegally. Los Angeles is sprawling — roughly 470 square miles (750 square kilometers) — and the protests were mostly concentrated downtown. "The most important thing right now is that our city be peaceful," Bass said. 'I don't want people to fall into the chaos that I believe is being created by the (Trump) administration.' On Monday, workers were clearing debris and broken glass from sidewalks and power-washing graffiti from buildings — among the structures vandalized was the one-time home of the Los Angeles Times across the street from City Hall. Downtown has yet to bounce back since long-running pandemic lockdowns, which reordered work life and left many office towers with high vacancy rates. Trump and California officials continued to spar online and off, faulting each other for the fallout. At the White House, Trump criticized California leaders by saying 'they were afraid of doing anything' and signaled he would support Newsom's arrest over his handling of the immigration protests. If Los Angeles' image was once defined by its balmy Mediterranean climate and the glamor of Hollywood, it's now known 'primarily for disaster,' said Claremont McKenna College political scientist Jack Pitney. 'A lot of perception depends on images," Pitney added. Right now, the dominant image "is a burning Waymo.' ___ Associated Press writer Jason Dearen contributed.
Winnipeg Free Press
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Los Angeles' image is scuffed since ICE raids and protests, with World Cup and Olympics on horizon
LOS ANGELES (AP) — This isn't the image Los Angeles wanted projected around the globe. Clouds of tear gas wafting over a throng of protesters on a blocked freeway. Federal immigration agents in tactical garb raiding businesses in search of immigrants without legal status. A messy war of words between President Donald Trump and Gov. Gavin Newsom. Photos captured several Waymo robotaxis set on fire and graffiti scrawled on a federal detention center building, while videos recorded the sounds of rubber bullets and flash-bang grenades hitting crowds. In a city still reeling from January's deadly wildfires — and with the World Cup soccer championships and the 2028 Olympics on the horizon — Mayor Karen Bass has been urging residents to come together to revitalize LA's image by sprucing up streets, planting trees and painting murals so LA shows its best face to nations near and far. 'It's about pride,' she's said. 'This is the city of dreams.' Instead, a less flattering side of Los Angeles has been broadcast to the world in recent days. Protests have mostly taken place in a small swath of downtown in the sprawling city of 4 million people. As Trump has activated nearly 5,000 troops to respond in the city, Bass has staunchly pushed back against his assertions that her city is overrun and in crisis. Bass, in response to Trump, said she was troubled by depictions that the city has been 'invaded and occupied by illegal aliens and criminals, and that now violent, insurrectionist mobs are swarming our federal agents. I don't know if anybody has seen that happen, but I've not seen that happen.' The series of protests began Friday outside a federal detention center, where demonstrators demanded the release of more than 40 people arrested by federal immigration authorities. Immigration advocates say the people who were detained do not have criminal histories and are being denied their due process rights. An international city Much like New York, Los Angeles is an international city that many immigrants call home. The city's official seal carries images referencing the region's time under Spanish and Mexican rule. Over 150 languages are spoken by students in the Los Angeles Unified School District. About half of the city's residents are Latino and about one-third were born outside the U.S. Bass faulted the Trump administration for creating 'a chaotic escalation' by mobilizing troops to quell protests. 'This is the last thing that our city needs,' Bass said. Los Angeles resident Adam Lerman, who has attended the protests, warned that protests would continue if the Trump administration pushes more raids in the city. 'We are talking about a new riot every day,' Lerman said. 'Everybody knows they are playing with fire.' It's not the publicity LA needs as it looks to welcome the world for international sporting events on a grand scale. 'At this stage in the process, most host cities and countries would be putting the final touches on their mega-event red carpet, demonstrating to the world that they are ready to embrace visitors with open arms,' said Jules Boykoff, a Pacific University professor who has written widely on the political and economic impacts of the Olympic Games. The scenes of conflict are 'not exactly the best way to entice the world to plan their next tourist trip to the U.S. to watch a sports mega-event.' A mayor under pressure The federal raids and protests have created another dicey political moment for Bass, who has been struggling with a budget crisis while trying to recover from political fallout from the wildfires that ignited when she was out of the country. She's been careful not to discourage protests but at the same time has pleaded for residents to remain peaceful. The mayor will likely face backlash for involving the Los Angeles Police. And she needs to fight the perception that the city is unsafe and disorderly, an image fostered by Trump, who in social media posts has depicted Bass as incompetent and said the city has been 'invaded' by people who entered the U.S. illegally. Los Angeles is sprawling — roughly 470 square miles (750 square kilometers) — and the protests were mostly concentrated downtown. 'The most important thing right now is that our city be peaceful,' Bass said. 'I don't want people to fall into the chaos that I believe is being created by the (Trump) administration.' On Monday, workers were clearing debris and broken glass from sidewalks and power-washing graffiti from buildings — among the structures vandalized was the one-time home of the Los Angeles Times across the street from City Hall. Downtown has yet to bounce back since long-running pandemic lockdowns, which reordered work life and left many office towers with high vacancy rates. Trump and California officials continued to spar online and off, faulting each other for the fallout. At the White House, Trump criticized California leaders by saying 'they were afraid of doing anything' and signaled he would support Newsom's arrest over his handling of the immigration protests. If Los Angeles' image was once defined by its balmy Mediterranean climate and the glamor of Hollywood, it's now known 'primarily for disaster,' said Claremont McKenna College political scientist Jack Pitney. 'A lot of perception depends on images,' Pitney added. Right now, the dominant image 'is a burning Waymo.' ___ Associated Press writer Jason Dearen contributed.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Los Angeles school officials say campuses will operate as normal amid immigration raids, violent protests
Violent protests over federal immigration raids erupted across the L.A. region over the weekend, and as the week begins and kids go back to school, Los Angeles school officials are looking to ease parents' concerns over ICE activity on campuses. All schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District are expected to operate as normal on Monday, the district said. There are just two days left in the school year. LAUSD released a statement on Monday morning saying that officials are 'aware of the stress, disruption and fear recent immigration activity has caused' in school communities. Attendance is said to have dropped since the raids began. 'We recognize the emotional toll this has taken on many of our students, families and staff, particularly in areas directly impacted by these events,' the statement reads. On June 6, LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said he was 'dismayed' by the recent immigration activity occurring near schools; in April, Homeland Security agents tried to enter two LAUSD elementary schools but were denied entry by school administrators who were following district protocol. ICE agents were not involved in that incident, the district later confirmed. 'These actions are causing unnecessary fear, confusion and trauma for our students and families – many of whom are simply trying to get to and from school and work, and to live with dignity,' Carvalho said. 'Our schools must remain safe havens – places where every child can learn, grow and thrive without fear of being separated from their loved ones.' Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass speaks to KTLA on ICE raids, protests and federal response: 'This is just political' 'Children deserve support, not surveillance,' he added. A notable case involving a child deportation is that of Martir Garcia Lara, a 9-year-old elementary school student in Torrance who was detained and separated from his father after they attended a regular immigration hearing on May 29. Martir and his father were transported to a facility in Texas the next day and were eventually ordered to be deported to Honduras. LAUSD officials are slated to hold a press conference at 9:30 a.m. Monday to publicly address concerns and provide information to community members. In the coming days, the district will continue to monitor demonstrations near schools while offering mental health services and restorative justice activities. A hotline for LAUSD family members and staff has been set up to assist those who need it with resources, information and support: 213-443-1300. Additionally, United Teachers Los Angeles has released guidance for teachers and administrators in the event of ICE activity on school property, which includes school buses and also applies to students doing official school activities in public places, such as a field trip. Earlier this year, LAUSD began distributing 'red cards' — also known as 'Know Your Rights' cards – and other resources that reminded immigrant community members and their families what their legal rights are. The cards are available to citizens and non-citizens alike in 16 languages. The distribution of the cards was prompted by President Donald Trump's January announcement that his administration would allow ICE and CBP officers to conduct arrests in sensitive areas, including schools and churches. That policy change reversed a 2011 ruling that prohibited arrests being made in those places. Late last year, LAUSD, the nation's second-largest school district after New York City Public Schools, declared itself a 'sanctuary district' and safe zone for families threatened by immigration enforcement. California lawmakers, immigrant advocates denied entry to Adelanto ICE facility The opening of schools coincides with the fourth day of planned demonstrations over ICE raids that started taking place in downtown L.A. and the Westlake District on Friday. A large group of people quickly assembled and unsuccessfully tried to stop agents from detaining dozens of individuals at several businesses throughout those two neighborhoods. On Saturday, an ICE raid in Paramount spurred protests there, in neighboring Compton and in downtown. Late that night, President Donald Trump ordered the National Guard to be deployed, a move that angered both L.A. Mayor Karen Bass and California Gov. Gavin Newsom and set off a chain of political back-and-forth between the two Golden State-based leaders and the president. Man protesting Paramount ICE raid added to FBI's 'Most Wanted' And while some property was set on fire and protesters threw projectiles at authorities on Saturday, these demonstrations were nowhere near as violent as the ones that took place Sunday. Sunday's protests in DTLA spun out of control as the evening progressed, with businesses being looted, cars being torched, law enforcement being targeted with projectiles, and even a driver going on a dangerous rampage. A total of 42 people were arrested on various charges by the Los Angeles Police Department, the L.A. County Sheriff's Department and the California Highway Patrol, an LAPD official confirmed to KTLA early Monday morning. A fourth day of protests is expected Monday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ameresco Drives Cost Savings for Los Angeles Unified School District With Over 2.7 MW in Solar PV Projects
The $20 million bond funded projects will install EV chargers and PV shade structure technology at five middle schools as part of an initiative to build energy resiliency across Los Angeles FRAMINGHAM, Mass. & LOS ANGELES, May 28, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ameresco, Inc. (NYSE: AMRC), a leading energy solutions provider dedicated to helping customers navigate the energy transition, today announced its partnership with the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) to develop and install solar shade and carport structures at five middle school campuses in the district. Ameresco is developing over 2.7 MW of solar carport and shade structure PV systems, and electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure, for five middle schools in LAUSD: Northridge Middle School, Pacoima Middle School, Sherman Oaks Center for Enriched Studies, Sun Valley Magnet School and Sutter Middle School. The projects will provide shaded parking for faculty, staff, parents, and visitors to the schools, and EV charging stations to support city- and state-wide goals of widespread EV adoption over the next decade. "We're looking forward to working with Ameresco to reduce the district's carbon footprint and lowering our operating expenses for utilities," said Alberto M. Carvalho, Superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District. "Our K-12 school communities will benefit not only from the recurring cost savings from these projects, but also from the firsthand experience watching energy systems of the future installed at their own schools. It's a terrific way to prepare our students for the world they are going to inherit." In addition to project development and installation, Ameresco is providing operations and maintenance (O&M) of the installed systems, and a 25-year performance guarantee. The $20.7 million project being implemented by Ameresco is part of larger program to install solar at 21 LAUSD schools. This program supports the LAUSD Board of Education 2019 Clean Energy Resolution to provide 100% clean energy by 2040. "Our team is always thrilled to have the opportunity to support school districts in their transition to clean energy solutions," said Louis Maltezos, President of Central & Western USA, Canada Regions at Ameresco. "And, in light of the challenges faced by the community in and around the Los Angeles area during the recent wildfires, Ameresco is proud to partner with LAUSD to implement these clean, renewable energy projects that will provide direct benefits to the district while contributing to improved energy resilience in the area." LAUSD's solar PV program also supports a larger effort to achieve 100% renewable energy by 2035 in alignment with the City of Los Angeles' commitment to achieving the same goal. In 2021, the City and the LA Department of Water and Power (LADWP) adopted this goal based on a study from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the LA100 Study. The study demonstrated the benefits of targeting an ambitious goal to rapidly deploy wind, solar and storage technologies to modernize the city's electricity infrastructure, build resiliency via diversified energy sources and increase equity in both participation and outcomes. Further incentive for LAUSD to install PV technology, besides aligning with LA100 goals, is the net cost avoidance the project is expected to deliver. Including implementation, O&M and Performance Guarantee costs, the net cost avoidance from the 21-school program is expected to total up to $45.7 million. The utility cost avoidance delivered by the entire 21-school program is expected to amount to up to $168 million in general fund relief over the 25-year project term, allowing LAUSD to focus resources on student achievement and other core initiatives. To learn more about solar and electric vehicle infrastructure project offerings from Ameresco, visit About Ameresco, in 2000, Ameresco, Inc. (NYSE:AMRC) is a leading energy solutions provider dedicated to helping customers reduce costs, enhance resilience, and decarbonize to net zero in the global energy transition. Our comprehensive portfolio includes implementing smart energy efficiency solutions, upgrading aging infrastructure, and developing, constructing, and operating distributed energy resources. As a trusted full-service partner, Ameresco shows the way by reducing energy use and delivering diversified generation solutions to Federal, state and local governments, utilities, educational and healthcare institutions, housing authorities, and commercial and industrial customers. Headquartered in Framingham, MA, Ameresco has more than 1,500 employees providing local expertise in North America and Europe. For more information, visit The announcement of a customer's entry into a project contract is not necessarily indicative of the timing or amount of revenue from such contract, of Ameresco's overall revenue for any particular period or of trends in Ameresco's overall total project backlog. This project was included in Ameresco's previously reported contracted backlog as of March 31, 2025. View source version on Contacts Media Contact: Ameresco: Leila Dillon, 508-661-2264, news@
