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NO. 187
VOL. 13,
OC supervisors ratchet up calls for Andrew Do’s resignation By City News Service
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range County Supervisors Katrina Foley and Vicente Sarmiento are calling for Supervisor Andrew Do to resign Wednesday as authorities investigate allegations of fraudulent spending of COVID-19 relief funds by a nonprofit that employed Do’s daughter. At the county board’s next meeting on Sept. 10, Do is expected to be stripped of his committee assignments. Orange County Board Chairman Don Wagner put the matter on the agenda for the September meeting and said he expects it will pass. Do, who did not attend Tuesday’s board meeting, declined comment. Wagner issued a statement Monday saying he hoped Do would “seriously consider his future” on the board. But Supervisor Doug Chaffee said in a statement that, “The lawsuits and investigations that are
occurring must be allowed to continue without disruption or intervention by any member of the board of supervisors. The board is not judge or jury and it is our constitutional duty to uphold the principle of separation of powers. This case is now in the hands of the courts. We must let the legal system take its course in a fair and unbiased manner.” Foley said at Tuesday’s board meeting that Do “has shattered the public trust and each day he remains in office is one more day we have to wait to start rebuilding the trust of the public.” Foley predicted, “This is just the first strand in a giant hairball that will unravel over the coming months. Everything I’m learning over the last few weeks leads me to believe that we are just touching the surface.” Foley spoke directly to Do in case he was viewing the board meeting.
Supervisor Katrina Foley. | Photo courtesy of Katrina Foley for Supervisor
Supervisor Andrew Do. | Photo courtesy of Orange County
“Andrew, please resign,” she said. “Resignation is not an admission of guilt. You are entitled to due process. However, your position on the board is untenable and will only cause harm to the
If Do will not resign, Foley added, “I will continue to pursue every legal avenue available to have him removed from office.” Do, who is termed out this year, could miss nearly
good work of the county. If you truly care about this county as you have claimed many times in the past then you will step down so we can begin to heal the wounds you have caused us.”
every meeting until the end of the year without being removed for abandoning office. See Supervisors Page 28
LA County grants $4M to 363 small businesses in entertainment By Staff
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undreds of small businesses in the entertainment industry received a total of $4 million in grants from Los Angeles County agencies, officials announced Wednesday. The Department of Economic Opportunity and the LA County Film Office awarded Business Interruption Fund grants to 363 small and micro businesses affected by shutdowns in recent years of film and TV production. The funding provided grants of $10,000 or $25,000 to businesses including prop houses, printers, transportation, food caterers, small
production companies and other companies that assist with film and television production. Dollars from the federal American Rescue Plan Act that the LA County Board of Supervisors approved for distribution in July 2023 funded the grants. “The Third District is home to more studios and production companies than anywhere else in Los Angeles County. We’re committed to showing up for the entertainment industry — and the vital businesses that power it — in every way we can to ensure its continued success and growth,” Board Chair
Lindsey P. Horvath said in a statement. “I’m proud to have established the Entertainment Business Interruption Fund with Supervisor Barger to support the small, essential businesses still grappling with the economic impact of the slow return of local film and TV productions.” Supervisor Kathryn Barger said in a statement, “The mom-and-pop businesses behind our most cherished films are a vital part of our local economy yet have been hardest hit by ongoing disruptions from the pandemic to the historic double strikes of
2023. The County of Los Angeles remains steadfastly committed to supporting the industry, its workers, and small businesses with timely and innovative solutions such as removing excessive permitting fees, countywide Student Fee Waiver programs, studies on how the County can better attract and retain film, TV, and commercial production — most of which occurs in the Fifth District. We hope those that support the industry found some relief through our $4 million grant program.” The COVID-19 pandemic stopped all permitted film
and tv production in the county, and the effects are still felt throughout the industry today. Combined with the writers and actors strikes and other disruptions, the entertainment business is still in a recovery phase. “(The Department of Economic Opportunity) and our County Film Office recognized the urgency in providing immediate capital support to the small businesses that serve the entertainment industry, quickly standing up a $4 million business interruption fund in response — unlike anything seen or done before by a
local County agency,” said , DEO Director Kelly LoBianco said in a statement. “Faced with a dramatic drop in film productions and the loss of thousands of jobs, our creative economy continues to experience ongoing effects from the pandemic and the historic double strikes. We hope the grant funds have provided much needed relief during moments of crisis and remain committed to mitigate the continued economic fallout on our locally housed, internationally renowned industry.” See Grants Page 27