Local leaders pan Trump's DHS pick, Monterey Park data center vote, LA could reform LAPD oversight — Evening Edition

LAS and the Moth are joining forces for a new live show and you have two chances to see it.

The Moth main stage shows are on Wednesday, April 15th in LA, and Thursday, April 16th in Orange County.

Get tickets now at laas.com slash events.

Here at LAAS, you ask, we answer.

Our reporting helps you understand what's happening in your community and why it matters.

Check out our reporting on climate, original investigations, food, culture,

and all things Southern California, all on laas.com.

Tonight on the LA Report, evening edition.

Sokel lawmakers respond to President Trump's pick to lead Homeland Security.

Monterrey Park voters will decide whether to allow big data centers.

And the city's power to oversee LAPD could change under a new committee's recommendation.

It's Friday, March 6th. I'm Julia Paskin, and this is the LA Report, evening edition from LAAS News.

California leaders are condemning President Trump's new appointee to lead Homeland Security.

Governor Newsom calls Oklahoma Senator Mark Wayne Mullin, a, quote,

erratic, unstable man. And LA Congress member Laura Friedman tells LAASD that he's just

more of the same. It's another day, another MAGA Republican who's going to do Donald Trump's bidding.

The ice is out of control, and it needs to be completely top down the stop.

Do we need ice out of LA? And I don't see Mark Wayne Mullins being the person to do that.

Mullin is replacing Christy Nome, who was fired yesterday.

Mullin will need to be confirmed by the Senate, no word yet, on when those hearings will start.

The LA Charter Reform Commission on Thursday recommended increasing the power of the LA City Council

over the police department. Frank Stoltz reports.

Right now, the council has no direct authority over the LAPD instead of five member police

commission appointed by the mayor oversees the department. Under the proposal,

the council could enact ordinances that change police policy subject to review by the commission.

If the commission doesn't act within 60 days, the ordinance becomes law.

The city council has to decide whether to place the reform on the November ballot.

Frank Stoltz, LAS News.

Coming up in a moment as blooms of flowers spring up around the state,

the Wildflower Hotline returns today.

Hey everybody, it's Kai, Rizdal, the host of Marketplace inviting you to come see me live on

stage at the Aratani Theater on Sunday, March the 29th for an afternoon of digging into the headlines

of this economy and this moment. The only thing that's going to be missing is you,

unless you're good to tickets right now at laist.com slash events. Hope to see you there.

Have you checked out the LAS app recently? Because it has really been upgraded.

I'm LAS host Julia Paskin here to let you know that the LAS app has everything you need in one

place from the radio live stream to the top stories from LAS.com to news alerts if you want them.

And it's got all the LAS programs and podcasts in one place. So I have all my favorites from LAS

and NPR when I'm ready to listen. Download the LAS app because it's a good app, like a really,

really good app. Welcome back to the LA Report Evening Edition. I'm Julia Paskin.

Monteray Park voters will weigh in on whether the city should ban construction of data centers.

Josie Huang says the city council voted this week to place the measure on the June ballot.

The decision follows months of backlash over a proposal to build a 250,000 square foot

data center in a local business park. Residents say the project from developer HMC Strat Cap

would bring high energy use noise and limited economic benefit. Pending the June election,

the council extended a moratorium on data center development through January. HMC Strat Cap says

city officials had previously signaled data center development would be welcomed in Monteray Park

and has threatened legal action. Josie Huang, Elias News.

LA County broke ground today on a project that will bring dozens of new mental health

beds to the Metropolitan State Hospital campus in Norwalk. Here's Robert Garova.

Run by the state, the psychiatric hospital opened in 1916. These days with its 162 acres and

boarded up buildings, the place feels mostly abandoned. Led by supervisor Janice Hahn,

the county will renovate some of the decaying buildings into 32 locked treatment beds.

Thanks to money from Prop 1. That's the state's mental health funding bond.

This care village really is a big step forward showing people that there's a different way

that we can get help to the people who need it most. The county also plans to have 60 permanent

supportive housing apartments on the site. Robert Garova, Elias News.

And the seasonal wildflower hotline returns today. A service of the Theodore Payne

Foundation since 1983, wildflower hunters can call in every Friday from March through May to hear

locations of blooms in Southern and Central California, along with poetic descriptions of spring sites.

You can also listen to the wildflower hotline as a podcast.

Thanks for listening to the LA Report Evening Edition. I'm Julia Paskin.

This podcast is produced by Kevin Tidmarsh. Our engineer is Tui Mao.

Check back here tomorrow for the next edition of the LA Report.

You can read more at LAS.com or listen live anytime on the LAS staff or on the radio at 89.3 FM.

Listeners like you help make the LA Report possible. So please donate at LAS.com slash join.

The LA Report is supported by Gordon and Donna Crawford who believe quality journalism

makes Southern California a better place to live.

The stories you need from LAists award-winning journalists

today on the LA Report in less than five minutes. Catch the morning edition with me before 8 AM.

Good morning. I'm Austin Cross. The afternoon edition at one with me in Eita Moreno

and the evening edition at six with me Julia Paskin.

Welcome back to the LA Report. The LA Report now three times a day on weekdays.

Subscribe wherever you get podcasts.