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As much as we love a good old-fashioned Oscars watch party at home, maybe you don’t want to host this year. Or you’re looking for an excuse to dress up and hit the city. Read on for five different party options hosted at movie theaters around the city .
As much as we love a good old-fashioned Oscars watch party at home, maybe you don’t want to host this year. Or you’re looking for an excuse to dress up and hit the city. Or you and your friends just can’t agree if you’re teamThis 800-seat family owned movie theater in L.A.’s South Bay is hosting a FREE watch party. The space is vintage and decked out in velvet. Say hello to ownerand her wonderful team of volunteers! And if you become a “Friend of Gardena Cinema” — that’s a member of the theater’s nonprofit organization — you might be able to get a free “bubbly adult beverage.” Go get your party on!Theatre owner Judy Kim is a one-woman show at her venue, as she manages both the concession stand and all the daily tasks necessary to keep the theater running smoothly. Zaydee Sanchez/Laistin Eagle Rock is hosting a pay-what-you-can fundraiser screening of the Oscars in the iconic Eagle Theatre! Come for the speeches, stay for the commercial break raffles and bingo, and a red carpet photo-op.The Frida Cinema is an independent movie theater named after Frida Kahlo operating in Downtown Santa Ana. And they’ve got a couple of Oscars celebrations for you. Wanna revisit the pink existentialism of Barbie world? Catchthe night of March 9! There will be photo ops, costume contests, and custom cocktails. And if you’re ais hosting an Oscars watch party in their theater space in the arts district. They’ve been focusing on community events around movies and filmmaking, and what better way to bring folks together than dressing up and live-streaming the Oscars on their big screen! You will have to dress up and have fun at this event — there’ll be a red carpet step and repeat waiting for you! Ticket price includes catered appetizers and a glass of champagne, so this party’s 21 and up. Meet some fellow film lovers and fill out a ballot. You might just take home a prize …Can you name a better place to watch the Academy Awards — without being IN the ceremony? This is for folks who want to get capital-F fancy. The dress code is black-tie optional, and ticket prices include catering from Wolfgang Puck and wine from Clarendelle & Domaine Clarence Dillon. Admission to the museum’s galleries is also included in the $200+ ticket.Voters in Huntington Beach appear on track to approve two ballot measures that would allow the city to ask for voter ID and restrict which flags can be flown from government flagpoles.According to the Orange County Registrar of Voters' latest tally,"yes" votes on the voter ID measure, Measure A, were ahead by about 3,100 ballots, or 54%.These election results are being closely watched both inside and outside the city. The measures are one of the first big tests of residents' feelings about the city's sharp turn to the right under the leadership of an ultra-conservative city council majority, elected in 2022. Voters in Huntington Beach appear on track to approve two ballot measures that would allow the city to ask for voter ID and restrict which flags can be flown from government flagpoles.According to the Orange County Registrar of Voters' latest tally, from Wednesday at 5 p.m.,"yes" votes on the voter ID measure, Measure A, were ahead by about 3,100 ballots or 54%.This is the so-called Voter ID measure on Huntington Beach's ballot. It has been referred to in some corners as Measure A, and also as Measure 1.The measures are one of the first big tests of residents' feelings about the city's sharp turn to the right under the leadership of an ultra-conservative city council majority, elected in 2022. Huntington Beach Mayor Gracey Van Der Mark said the results were validating."It does, in a sense, give peace of mind that this is what the voters asked for, it's not just us on the dais," Van Der Mark said. When LAist spoke to her Thursday morning, Van Der Mark said she was at city hall waiting to speak with city attorney Michael Gates about the next steps toward implementing Measure A, which wouldn't take effect until the 2026 election. She said she expected a legal challenge from the state.Still, she said she's committed to implementing the measure. Connie Boardman, a former Huntington Beach mayor who is part of the Protect Huntington Beach group, told LAist she was disappointed in the results but that they were not unexpected."We knew it was an uphill battle," Boardman said, noting that voters in primary elections tend to skew Republican. Despite voters' approval of the voter ID measure, it's almost sure to face major hurdles to implementation. State officials have already warned the city that asking for voter ID and monitoring ballot boxes — also part of Measure A — would violate state law. In California, as long as voters show ID when they register to vote, they don't have to do it again at the polls.Measure A also faces a legal challenge from Mark Bixby, a former Huntington Beach planning commissioner. Bixby told LAist he plans to continue fighting implementation of the voter ID measure."I still remain firmly opposed to voter ID," Bixby said,"and so I'm expecting the fight will continue." The city is, in essence, already implementing Measure B, which restricts flying flags from city flagpoles to only government flags, the POW-MIA flag, and the Olympic flag during the summer games. Last year, the city councilMeasure B puts the restrictions in the city's charter, and allows other flags to be flown only by a unanimous vote from the city council. Measure C, which would implement a two-year budget and change the way city council vacancies are filled, still appears to be headed for a loss.Measure C is an in-the-weeds initiative that would guide the inner workings of the city government. For example, Measure C would allow the mayor or a majority of city council members to cancel a city council meeting. It also specifies that at least one city council meeting must be held each month. Currently, the city's charter requires the council to hold meetings twice a month. The measure would change the rules for filling city council vacancies, and require the city to adopt a two-year, or biennial, budget. Supporters say adopting a two-year budget cycle would give city departments greater stability and allow for longer-term planning.Keep in mind that in tight races particularly, the winner may not be determined for days or weeks after Election Day. In Orange County, the first batch of results released includes vote-by-mail ballots received before March 5, followed by early votes cast in-person at vote centers, then votes cast in-person on Election Day.The next update is scheduled for 5 p.m. on Wednesday and will follow at the same time each day until all votes are tallied. Note: In California, ballots postmarked on or before March 5 are counted toward the results as long as they arrive within seven days of the election, or by March 12. Results must be certified by county election officials by April 4.Early voters and mail-in ballots have fundamentally reshaped how votes are counted and when election results are known. Our priority will be sharing outcomes and election calls only when they have been thoroughly checked and vetted. To that end, we will report when candidates concede and otherwise rely on NPR and The Associated Press for race calls. We will not report the calls or projections of other news outlets. You can find more on NPR and The AP's process for counting votes and calling racesWhether it's about how to interpret the results or track your ballot, we're here to help you understand the 2024 primary election on March 5.LAist Uncovers New Details In OC Supervisor Investigation, "Rust" Weapons Supervisor Found Guilty & Barbie Hits The Road - The A.M. EditionThe armorer on the set of the movie"Rust" convicted of involuntary manslaughter.Happy Thursday. Today will be mostly sunny with a chance of light showers in the afternoon .Highs will be in the low to mid 60s from the coast to inland areas, up to 70 degrees in Coachella Valley but down to 58 degrees in the high desert.Tonight's lows will drop to 50s for the inland coast and down to the mid to upper 40s for the valleys and foothills. Now that the storm has moved on, high surf will pound our local coast. There's a high surf advisory out for Ventura and L.A county beaches, including the Malibu coast where high surf mainly affect west facing beaches — you can expect large breaking waves of 4 to 8 feet. Lookout for dangerous rip currents. This high surf event will last until 8 a.m. Friday.Head down to Redondo Beach – but really be transported to Spain – on Thursday night for an evening of flamenco guitar with “modern master” Tomatito and a dance performance from Karime Amaya. The fun continues at the Wilshire Ebell on Friday and Saturday.Inside the letter room of the theater, Kim searches for the letters she needs to complete the updates for the marquee.The single-screen Gardena Cinema has been owned by the Kim family since 1976, and has always figured out ways to serve its community — even through some very difficult financial times.This isn’t a story of stylish renovations, or of celebrity filmmaker intervention. This is the story of one family who fell in love with a movie theater and did everything to keep it up and running. Gardena Cinema is one of the last family-run movie theaters in L.A. Gardena Cinema is one of the last family-run movie theaters in L.A.After struggling through a pandemic and ill-fated efforts to bring people back through its doors, Gardena Cinema finally hit some recent success after it stopped dealing with first-run releases and pivoted to repertory films. Many nights at this South Bay theater, you can catch a newish — or oldish — classic, from#250: As we continue our series"Revival House," How To LA producer Victoria Alejandro is taking us to the South Bay of LA. We're checking out the Gardena Cinema, which pivoted to revival screenings relatively recently. The theater has been owned by the Kim family since 1976, and is now a non-profit run by Judy Kim and a team of 40 volunteers. Kim's saved the cinema from closures a handful of times now, and has also built up an incredible community of folks dedicated to keeping the cinema running.LA’s New Beverly Cinema And The Magic Of Being 'Always On Film'#250: As we continue our series"Revival House," How To LA producer Victoria Alejandro is taking us to the South Bay of LA and the Gardena Cinema. The theater has been owned by the Kim family since 1976, and is now a non-profit run by Judy Kim and a team of 40 volunteers. Kim has saved the cinema from closures a handful of times now, and has recently pivoted to showing repertory films at the theater. This isn’t a story of stylish renovations, or of celebrity filmmaker intervention. This is the story of one family who fell in love with a movie theater and did everything to keep it up and running.has been owned by the Kim family since 1976, and has always figured out ways to serve its community — even through some very difficult financial times. After struggling through a pandemic and ill-fated efforts to bring people back through its doors, Gardena Cinema finally hit some success after it stopped dealing with first-run releases and pivoted to repertory films. Many nights at this South Bay theater, you can catch a newish — or oldish — classics like, and operated consistently through the years showing first and second run feature films until it went up for sale in the 1970s. That’s where the Kim family comes in. John and Nancy Kim immigrated from South Korea and had the goal of operating their own business. They dabbled in a few different industries when Nancy found the theater. “My mom fell in love with it as soon as she came and saw it,” says current Gardena Cinema owner Judy Kim. It's an incredible space, tucked between a gym and a Superior Grocers on Crenshaw Boulevard. It’s way bigger inside than it looks — at 800 seats, it’s easily one of the biggest theaters in the city. For comparison, There are still fireproof window covers in the projection room, a holdover from old film screening safety practices. And there are “cry rooms” upstairs from the 1940s, balcony seating with speakers and a glass window where patrons could sit with a crying baby and not interrupt their viewing experience. Kim reminisces about her father using a pole hand to change the letters on the marquee. However, she admits that she lacks the arm strength for such a technique, which led her to invest in a scissor lift.Kim updates the marquee letters approximately once a week to reflect the upcoming movies that will be showing at the theater.People always comment on how nicely preserved the theater is as it was from 1946, and I tell people it's only preserved because my parents never had enough money to upgrade it.“Now it's cool! It's really cool!,” says Kim. “Now that I have dreams of trying to raise money to make changes, people are like, don't change anything!”Kims bought the theater, they saw an underserved audience in Gardena. There was a drive-in theater nearby in Torrance called the Roadium that played Spanish-language movies every Wednesday, and the place would be packed. One day, Judy Kim says, her parents decided to change the format of the theater from English speaking second-run movies from Hollywood to second-run Spanish language movies. In the 1970s and the 80s, the Kims named the theater Teatro Variedades — “variety theater” in Spanish — and focused on Spanish-language films and live events with Latino filmmakers and actors. If the Torrance drive-in was ever rained out, or if folks wanted to catch a movie in Spanish on another day of the week, they’d head to the Gardena. “It was meant to be like a neighborhood theater that was typical in the post-war era,” says Kim. “There was always a neighborhood movie theater that you could walk to from your home, just a few blocks away … all of those theaters are now gone.”Kims held on to their theater and in 1995 renamed it the Gardena Cinema. Judy Kim and her brother helped run the theater and neighborhood kids showed up too, offering to clean or help out in other ways in exchange for a movie ticket.We were almost kind of like a Boys and Girls Club,” recalls Kim. After the movie, kids “would hang out in the lobby, and we would play video games, or talk about what was cool and what was not and, as an adult at that time, I made sure that all the kids that were here did their homework.”Despite the joy found in the theater, like most teens, Judy Kim wanted to get away from her parents and spread her wings, so to speak. She left for college out east and had dreams of moving to New York and becoming a Broadway producer. Then the calls started coming — a lot of calls from her parents. Sometimes twice a day, begging her to return to L.A. She didn’t really understand what the urgency was all about, but she came home and found her parents — and the theater’s — finances in disarray. “I realized that they were under extreme financial hardship, and they were embroiled in lots of legal problems,” she says. Kim explains that her parents had been defrauded multiple times. The Kims lost their house, their car. To help, Judy Kim went to law school, became a lawyer and dug in to help untangle them. It took almost 15 years to get everything sorted. “We were basically surviving off of, like, 99 cent hamburgers,” she says. The upside in all of this — and the part of this story that might be the reason Gardena Cinema is still around — is that about five years ago, Kim negotiated the purchase of a parking lot. It was a big-time play. Gardena is one of very few independent theaters in L.A. with its own parking and, says Kim, “it saved our butt when the pandemic came.” “Nobody was open and I had this big parking lot that I could show movies outdoors where people could sit in their car, safely, away from other people and watch a movie,” she says. “All they had to do was tune into the FM station that I told them to tune into.”As theaters in the city started welcoming folks back inside, the Kim family then had to navigate another major loss. “That time period is when my mom was fighting cancer,” says Kim. Nancy Kim died in 2022. An altar of Kim's mother, Nancy Soo Myoung Kim, is placed in the lobby of the theater in remembrance of her beloved mother.John and Judy Kim closed the theater and took a few months to grieve. Judy Kim sold her condo and moved in with her father, putting that money towards the cinema.expecting it to be a huge hit. But only 10 people showed up to the first screening. Reopening the cinema with first-run movies meant that Kim was actually losing money. New releases are “loss leaders” for movie theaters. Most of the ticket price is going straight back to the film’s distributor, and contracts mean that new films have to be shown for a certain number of weeks. If a theater isn’t bringing in enough audience members to turn a profit on concessions, theater owners are spending more than they’re making by running a first run film. “So 2023, I’m running out of money,” says Kim. She says her father was ready to retire and use his “senior citizen card for all the national parks.” Why not sell the theater? Neither Kim nor her brother have children, so “there’s nobody to leave the theater to,” she says.Judy Kim made another last ditch pivot and came up with another plan: “I’m going to set up a nonprofit organization.” With her father’s blessing, Kim began the process in April of 2023. The theater got official recognition as a nonprofit in July. Between that and the success of summer films likeJudy Kim was now running a theater and a nonprofit entirely on her own. But, as she learned years earlier, you can’t underestimate the number of people willing to trade work for a free movie. It took months, but Kim now has a team of 40 volunteers who help her run the theater.It’s those volunteers who convinced Kim to move away from first-run movies and start programming repertory screenings. Without the strict scheduling and tiny profit margins of a first-run movie, Kim suddenly had a lot more flexibility. If she needed to step away and take care of her father, or just close the theater on a slow night, those options were now on the table.The Gardena Cinema volunteers are invaluable to the space. They run concessions, clean the theater, sell tickets, run the projector — and this past November, Kim left the theater in their hands entirely to take a trip with her father. “They did a fantastic job … it’s still standing,” she says.— Conor Holt, a volunteer at the Gardena Theater Cifen, a local filmmaker, helps organize events in the theater. He put together a singles’ night and a screening of his independent film, Conor Holt makes the drive to Gardena from East Hollywood. A former ArcLight Cinemas employee, he says he cares about making sure cinemas stay open. “If you care about something, you gotta go the extra mile.” Adela Tobon used to manage a single-screen movie theater in Northern California. A friend told her about the Gardena Cinema and she says, “I just lost it. I’m like, this is exactly where I belong.” And Bill DeFrance has taken over a lot of John Kim’s duties in the cinema — cutting trailers, ripping tickets at the box office, building the show in the projector.— his and his wife’s favorite movie. “I programmed it for Valentine’s Day so I could be at the theater and on a date at the same time.” A sign his daughter made hangs on the side of the ticket booth, and boldly states in red crayon: “NO PRANK CALLS!” “For a long time, my dad was like, well, we don’t need to leave a legacy. There’s no grandkids,” says Kim. But the volunteers pipe up with a chorus: “We can be your grandchildren!”Judy Kim is now planning on leaving an endowment for the theater, so it can continue after she and her family have moved on. And intentional or not, the Gardena Cinema now has a legacy of community building and a fighting spirit.LA’s New Beverly Cinema And The Magic Of Being 'Always On Film'Warner Wellness Center’s office in Huntington Beach on Nov. 8, 2023. It’s a few doors down from Do’s private law office in the same building.Orange County officials say they are scrambling to understand what’s happening at a county-funded nonprofit led by O.C. Supervisor Andrew Do’s 22 year-old daughter, which the county says has failed to account for millions in taxpayer dollars.The latest concern comes after the nonprofit’s management announced it was shutting down immediately late last week — and laying off its employees — before reversing course and saying employees would return on Monday, according to county contractors who pay the group.Messages for comment were not returned by Supervisor Do or Viet America Society’s leaders, including Do’s daughter Rhiannon Do and its founder, Peter Pham.that it may have to repay millions of dollars it has failed to account for. The specific money in question, some $4 million, was paid by the county to help feed needy residents using federal coronavirus relief funds.for more details on the latest developments and for the backstory on the investigative reporting on this group LAist has been doing since November.Orange County officials say they are scrambling to understand what’s happening at a county-funded nonprofit led by O.C. Supervisor Andrew Do’s 22 year-old daughter, which the county says has failed to account for millions in taxpayer dollars. The group suddenly announced last week it would be closing immediately and laying off its employees — including those who staff the county’s Vietnamese mental health support hotline, according to the O.C. chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness , which manages the group’s $1.25 million per year subcontract for the hotline work. Do’s daughter’s group then reversed course, saying its employees would return to work, according to NAMI CEO Amy Durham. NAMI took action and suspended the nonprofit from its county-funded hotline work late Tuesday because it failed to turn in overdue administrative documents, Durham said in an email.The nonprofit, which has used both the name Viet America Society and Warner Wellness Center, was warned by the county last month that it may have tothat it has failed to account for. The specific money in question, some $4 million, was paid by the county to help feed needy residents using federal coronavirus relief funds.Then, last week, the contractors who pay county mental health funds to the group say they got word the group was shutting down.The Huntington Beach nonprofit, which uses the names Viet America Society and Warner Wellness Center, has been run on and off by O.C. Supervisor Andrew Do’s 22-year-old daughter, according to county and state records.Supervisor Do never publicly disclosed his close family ties. Most of the money was awarded without ever appearing on public agendas, according to county records and a search of county agendas.Officials gave them until mid-March to respond and warned that the group could be forced to pay back the money.According to multiple people with knowledge of developments, Viet America Society staff were informed late last week the group was closing and that staff were laid off — including employees who operate the Vietnamese-language service for the county’s mental health hotline, known as the WarmLine. That hotline is meant to provide emotional support for people struggling with grief, sadness, anxiety, anger, fear or loneliness. The hotline averaged over 10,000 monthly calls in recent years for all languages supported, according to a county report. But NAMI says it later learned the layoffs had been reversed, with employees set to return Monday — and that Do’s daughter’s group “was only undergoing reorganization.” NAMI President Steve Pitman told LAist over text message that he learned a “restructuring” is taking place at Viet America Society. Asked what the restructuring means, Pitman said a meeting is scheduled for next week to discuss it. Pitman did not respond to a request for an interview, but did reply to written questions.Messages for comment were not returned by Supervisor Do or Viet America Society’s leaders, including Do’s daughter Rhiannon Do and its founder, Peter Pham. In an interview with another media outlet published Nov. 30 and a Dec. 1 op-ed, Do said he did nothing wrong. He hasn’t responded to over a dozen requests for comment from LAist since November. LAist called Warner Wellness Center’s main phone number, and asked about the layoff and shut-down announcement. The person who picked up said they didn’t know anything about it, and that they did not have authority to answer the question.suspended Viet America Society’s WarmLine operations “to maintain program integrity, until both parties could meet and outstanding issues could be resolved,” wrote Durham, the NAMI CEO. An O.C. Health Care Agency spokesperson confirmed Wednesday evening that the group’s hotline work is suspended, and that work is being “absorbed” by NAMI.“We can effectively manage the current Vietnamese community demand with our expanded bilingual team,” Durham said. She said NAMI learned of the planned shutdown from an email at 11:23 p.m. last Wednesday. The exact wording, she said, was that Warner Wellness Center would “close down our office for business effective immediately.”The other county contractor who pays Viet America Society for mental health work says they’ve been trying to get answers but that Rhiannon Do and Pham have been unreachable for days.— Mary Anne Foo, Orange County Asian and Pacific Islander Community Alliance “We’re not sure what’s going on. We’ve tried to reach out to their leadership and haven’t heard from anyone,” said Mary Anne Foo, executive director of the OCAPICA pays Viet America Society for mental health outreach under a $625,000 subcontract funded by the county. “We’ve emailed and called,” Foo said. “Someone did finally answer and say they’ll give them the message we’re trying to reach them.”“There’s so much more for nonprofits to dissolve and that’s why most need 90 days to close out for compliance as well as you have to keep all the backup for at least 7 years post contract,” she said.on key government services like public health, mental health, law enforcement and child protective services.They’re also the bosses of public health officials and can have a major impact on things like mask requirements during a pandemic and how much information — or Over the few years, the supervisors have granted themselves at least $13 million each that they distribute in their districts as they see fit without public votes on the spending. The vast majority came from federal coronavirus relief dollars.LAist asked NAMI leaders if Warner Wellness gave them 7 days' advance notice of staffing changes, as required by its subcontract.The group’s subcontract with OCAPICA has the same requirements.“I know they have liability and directors and officers insurance,” she said. “So if they don’t comply, then funders and others have to deal with their insurance company regarding compliance and unaccounted expenditures.”Multiple county officials told LAist the county has been trying to find out what’s happening. “The information we received from NAMI is is currently restructuring,” said Ellen Guevara, spokesperson for the county Health Care Agency, which oversees the mental health funding that flows to Viet America through NAMI and OCAPICA. “NAMI is monitoring the situation closely and will keep us updated on any changes. We are continuing to remain in contact with NAMI,” Guevara said.but did not publicly disclose his close family connection. His daughter Rhiannon Do became business partners with Viet America Society’s founder in 2021 and has been listed on and off as the group’s president on state and county records since late 2022.One of the best things you can do to hold officials accountable is pay attention. Your city council, board of supervisors, school board and more all hold public meetings that anybody can attend. These are times you can talk to your elected officials directly and hear about the policies they’re voting on that affect your community. Most of the money was directed to the group by Do without disclosing the funding on public meeting agendas — meaning the awards were made outside of the public eye. Regardless of Viet America Society’s next steps, Pitman said Tuesday that the Vietnamese WarmLine will continue to operate and the nonprofit’s doors remain open. “Rest assured,” he said via text message, “we remain committed to serving the Orange County Vietnamese community, both independently and with support from Warner Wellness!” By the end of that day, NAMI suspended Warner Wellness from working on the hotline due to the overdue documents, according to Durham, the NAMI CEO.warned Viet America Society it was delinquent on its state charity status The delinquency stems from failure to submit filings due on May 15 of last year, according to a spokesperson for the AG’s office. “An organization that is listed as delinquent is not in good standing and is prohibited from engaging in conduct for which registration is required, including soliciting or disbursing charitable funds.”to a mental health center where his daughter, Rhiannon Do, was president. That was over the course of the previous year. A major trial over an Orange County homeless service center was suddenly derailed in November when Do, who was testifying as a witness, additional $6.2 million in taxpayer dollars In February, LAist reported that O.C. officials said millions on funding were unaccounted for by the group and warned it could be forced to repay the funds.We are here to investigate abuse of power, misconduct and negligence in government, business, and any venue where the public is affected.Richard Rushfield released his eighth annual State of the Union address to the industry, striking a note of optimism for entertainment’s enduring popularity amid the larger industry crises.Hollywood has been wallowing in doom despite many bright spots, such as nine streaming services attracting tens of millions of subscribers apiece, each making progress in building distinct identities. In addition, a wide variety of films broke through in the last year, not only"Barbenheimer," but also “smaller” movies, such asRushfield urges entertainment industry leaders to step up in addressing such pressing issues as on-screen gun violence, the relative dearth of new stars, and appealing to younger audiences.is the favorite to win not only Best Picture but also most of the 13 Oscars for which the Christopher Nolan film is nominated.The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King . Twenty years ago, the third film in the Lord of the Rings trilogy grossed $379 million domestically and almost $1.2 billion worldwide. By comparison,) it is possible that Academy voters choose to anoint Nolan Best Director but then look elsewhere for a surprise Best Picture winner.) for Best Actress is a compelling matchup. If Gladstone wins, she’ll be the first Indigenous person to do so.The state has matched fruit and vegetable purchases at farmers markets for low-income residents for seven years. That may soon end., an innovative state program, matches dollar-for-dollar CalFresh spending at farmers markets and farm stands. In early January, Gov. Gavin Newsomto cut approximately $37.8 billion dollars in the 2024-2025 state budget, including $33.2 million of Market Match’s $35 million budget — effectively eliminating the program.... for a better idea of how we got here and to hear from some of the people the loss of this program would most affect.in Southeast Los Angeles. Oliveros works as a barista at a hotel in downtown Los Angeles; Sanchez delivers for DoorDash. Both qualify for, an innovative state program that matches dollar-for-dollar CalFresh spending at farmers markets and farm stands. Oliveros said the extra $20 from Market Match allows him to get fruit and vegetables, freeing up CalFresh funds so he can buy 32 eggs for $18.to cut approximately $37.8 billion dollars in the 2024-2025 state budget, including $33.2 million of Market Match’s $35 million budget — effectively eliminating the program. Asked how Newsom’s decision would affect them, the couple responded quickly.Since 2017, California has matched CalFresh money spent at participating farmers markets across the state through Market Match. CalFresh — which used to be called food stamps — offers up to $291 monthly to individuals who earn less than $18,954 annually. People with CalFresh EBT cards can go to a participating farmers market and find the Market Match table. At the table, they run their card through an automated teller, decide how much to spend and get vouchers for the selected amount. Market Match managers will offer coupons matching up to $20 withdrawn from CalFresh recipients’ EBT card, which can be presented to vendors and at farm stalls. Cardholders leave with fresh fruits and vegetables while the farmers later redeem the coupons for money. Cardholders can use the funds once a day at a participating farmers market.of farmers, food policy organizations and farmers market managers. Minni Forman, who leads the California Market Match Consortium, said more than 500,000 people use the program, often feeding multiple members of their families. The consortium estimates the program led to $19.5 million spent on California farm produce in 2022. That money went back to farming communities in places like Fresno, Monterey and Tulare counties.The initial Market Match pilot program began with private funding at 14 markets in 2009. Last year, Market Match was available at 293 farmers markets and farm stands and supported through state and federal funds. Karen Ross, California’s secretary for the Department of Food and Agriculture, said the program was specifically meant to benefit communities identified as food deserts — communities suffering food apartheid through the lack of markets with fresh fruits and vegetables and the abundance of unhealthful processed food — by connecting them with small farmers. Ross estimates Market Match has delivered $90 million in benefits over the life of the program to California small farms., who owns Irish Ridge Ranch in Half Moon Bay and helped start farmers markets in Half Moon Bay and Pacifica, said farmers can earn about $6,000 from Market Match at the“Countless numbers of people are better nourished and kept out of poverty because of this program,” Tormey said. When Newsom announced the proposal to cut $33.2 million of the program’s $35 million cost — effectively ending the program — many food policy organizations were surprised that such a successful program was targeted. But Ross explained the program is supported through onetime appropriations, grants, matching federal funds —“It was a hard decision,” Ross said. “We were clear-eyed; this reduces our chance of applying for federal funds this year.”California has been able to maximize support for Market Match through federal grants. But if the state doesn’t commit funds, it cannot qualify for matching grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. That California would forgo matching federal funding to help feed people who qualify for food aid is “unconscionable,” Tormey said.Newsom’s announcement in January was tentative. Budget negotiations will continue until May. By June, the state has to adopt a final budget for the next fiscal year. In the meantime, Ross notes there is a strong coalition of elected officials, farmers, customers and food policy experts who will advocate to save Market Match., encouraging people to sign their petition and contact state legislators. The managers of the Huntington Park Farmers Market are creating a QR code and petition for residents and customers like Oliveros and Sanchez. Oliveros noted that farmers markets that offer Market Match are often in low-income communities of color.TwitterThe International Association of Theatrical Stage Employees and Hollywood Basic Crafts have started talks with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers to The unions represent more than 60,000 film and TV workers. They are initially seeking an agreement on pension and health benefits. Then IATSE will negotiate additional issues with AMPTP. After last year’s WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes put crew members out of work for six months, the stakes are high for avoiding another work stoppage.The union is seeking increased compensation and worker protections, from safety on set to mandated rest periods to rules governing AI uses. Mike Miller, an IATSE vice president, said: “We have to put our members in a position to feel like they have some job security...that they're not going to be replaced with machines or robots.”One studio executive told The Ankler that they’re worried about the higher production costs that would stem from accepting IATSE’s demands. “Where do you save that money? Shoot less days? With simpler scripts?” the executive said.
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49ers vs. Chiefs: Valley watch parties, deals, and restaurant specials for the Super BowlNicole Gutierrez is ABC15's ‘Things to Do’ reporter, focusing on stories highlighting local community gems, family attractions, restaurants and local haunts.
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Super Bowl Sunday: The game, the parties, the teams—what's America's favorite part?A CBS News poll on the 2024 Super Bowl finds rooting is split over Chiefs and 49ers teams.
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Swifties Are Hosting Taylor Swift-Themed Super Bowl PartiesThe 49ers are playing Taylor Swift’s Boyfriend (Travis Kelce) and Swift’s fans are celebrating accordingly. (With friendship bracelets and “Gaylor Guac.”) Here’s a look at a few Swiftie Super Bowl parties happening today.
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Where to Watch the 2024 Oscar NomineesPrepare for the 2024 Oscars by watching all the nominees from the comfort of your own home. Here's where to watch the 2024 Oscar Nominees:
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An unofficial ranking of all the modern Super Bowl halftime showsSome people watch the Super Bowl for only the football, some watch it for only the commercials and some watch it only for the half time show.
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Dozens of Wealthy Republicans Are Self-Funding Their CampaignsSeveral wealthy candidates from both parties stood out in 2023, breaking patterns amongst parties and challengers.
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