the pride
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10.01.2023 – 10.31.2023 March 2025
LOS ANGELES 1
WWW.THEPRIDELA.COM
THE LOS ANGELES LGBT NEWSPAPER
L.A. City Mayor Council VotesBacklash on Chief Over Kristin Burbank Faces Playful Crowley’s Appeal, Council Members Video, Cites CriticsTwo Anti-LGBTQ+ Bias Break Ranks Mayor Konstantine Crowley Anthony Pushed DefendsBack on Bass’Amid Claims About Actions the Palisades Fire Controversy Over Response Video
The Los Angeles City Council voted Tuesday to deny former Fire Chief Kristin By Dolores Quintana Crowley’s appeal of her dismissal, marking theBurbank first timeMayor such an appeal hasAnthony been filed Konstantine is since facing2008. criticism from conservatives following 13-2 vote short of 10 theThe circulation of a fell videofarshowing himthe being votes to overturn Mayoran Karen spankedneeded by a drag queen during event on the decision weekend to of remove September 10. Anthony Bass’ Crowley from has responded that Councilmembers some of his criticsTraci are her post. Only motivated by anti-LGBTQ+ and that her the Park and Monica Rodriguezbias supported incident was harmless. reinstatement, while the majority declined the video, by the Wisenuts to In override theposted mayor’s authority to podcast, dismiss Mayor Anthony is with seen orbeing spanked appointed officials without cause.by a drag artist, backed by theCrowley Village People’s Mayor Bass dismissed on Feb. “Macho Man.” Anthonyover described the safety events 21, citing concerns public as “shenanigans” and emphasized that it was
all in good fun. He went on to reveal that a secretly made during and her recorded handling video of thewasPalisades Fire. the event subsequently shared with a The mayorandaccused Crowley of making prominent hate group. the controversial decision to send 1,000 In a post his Instagram account, Anthony firefightersonhome on the morning of Jan. stated, “For several days, extremist 7, despite National Weather right-wing Service organizations, includingfireFox News,duehave warnings of extreme danger to spread misleading information to Bass fuel also fear, hurricane-force Santa Ana winds. discrimination, and hate.refused I will always be a claimed that Crowley to conduct proud supporter of the LGBTQ+ community an after-action report evaluating the fire and drag performers.” department’s response. He added,however, “On a busy Saturday filledthose with Crowley, strongly refuted various independent gatherings, I attended allegations. the“ISanta Clarita Valley did not refuse to Democrats’ conduct an private afterfundraiser for their organization. Notably, action report,” she stated. “Let me be clear: there iswere no accusation.” officially endorsed candidates This a false or She statealso andpushed federal back political figures present. against claims that The event was open to young adults 15 she sent home 1,000 firefighters andages left 40 and above. However, there were no attendees available fire engines unstaffed, arguing belowmore 18. than Additionally, no children were that 100 fire engines and other present.” were already out of service due to vehicles While notissues, specifying theit particular mechanical making impossiblehate to group in question, it is possible deploy the additional personnel.that Anthony was referring hearing to the Twitter account, first now Tuesday’s was Crowley’s known as X, called “Libs of TikTok,” which
reposted the video and garnered over 8 million views. appearance since her removal. public In response to the video, the Libs TikTok Rodriguez, a vocal supporter of of Crowley, accounther claimed that children were present called firing “scapegoating” and argued at the Mayor had Anthony this that theevent. City Council a dutydisputed to examine assertion, stating that “actually, there weren’t the reasoning behind it. She noted that any $150,000 children at funding this private But of the for21+ the event. after-action course, had lyingnot is totally on brand for you.” report yet been approved by the While the accountthe correctly out that city, contradicting claimpointed that Crowley individuals aged 15 and older were permitted refused to participate in it. to Park, attend,thethesecond event’scouncil organizer, the Santa member who Claritato Valley Democrats, released a statement voted reinstate Crowley, questioned the clarifying individuals under theformal age of timing of that her no dismissal before any 18 were in attendance. investigations into the Palisades Fire were Mayor Anthony reiterated this point during completed. a “Accountability City Council meeting andjust expressed his doesn’t stop with concern that or theone video’s circulationPark had led to one person department,” said. city officials “some ofinvestigations the most vile “We need toreceiving let independent hate speech that I have seen.” guide our actions, not ever politics.” Anthony encouraged thoseHall, with Crowley concerns Speaking outside City about his actions to for communicate with him expressed gratitude the opportunity to directlyand viashare emailheratside kanthony@burbankca. appeal of the story. “I am gov. He stated, “IfI have you want to talk to me very grateful that the opportunity to about what happened over the weekend, send appeal and to speak my truth,” Crowley said. me an email. Send me an email. I will talk to
“There has been a tremendous amount of love and outpouring from the community.” you about it. There is no reason to involve all She also pledged to continue advocating of the other peopleand whoresources were not for at aLAFD public for better support event, not at a government-sponsored event. It personnel. wasn’t even in the city of Burbank.” “We're going to push and work to get a statement released on do Tuesday, the ourInpeople what they need to their jobs, and supportValley the community,” she added. Santato Clarita Democrats voiced their Following council’s decision, Los support fortheMayor Anthony and the strongly Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) issued denounced the sensationalized and inaccurate aportrayal statement thanking for her of their event forCrowley political purposes leadership. that promoted fear, homophobia, transphobia, “The Los Angeles City Fire Department and bigotry. The Democrats reaffirmed their is grateful for Chief Crowley and her commitmentduring to the LGBTQ+ leadership the time community she servedand as drag Chief,” performers, refusingsaid. to engage with what Fire the agency they referred to as “fake outrage.”
West Hollywood Plans Zoning Overhaul to Bomb Threat Temporarily Halts “Lil Nas Boost Housing, Community Input Needed
X: Long Live Montero” Premiere at TIFF Residents Can Weigh In Zoning Changes at Upcoming Meetings in World Premiere of March
Documentary Wasis The City of West Hollywood evaluating potential zoning updates aimed Screened at reducing barriers toAfter housing development and increasing affordability. The Zoning Improvement Program for Housing (ZIP) 20-Minute Delay will assess changes that could encourage diverse and affordable housing options, By Dolores Quintana
better align zoning policies with community demographics, support The premiere and of “Lil Nastransit-oriented X: Long Live growth. at the Toronto International Film Montero” Community Inputa momentary Sought in March Festival (TIFF) faced setback on Meetings Saturday night due to a bomb threat. City Lung, officials areVice inviting residents to Judy TIFF’s President of Public learn more and provide feedback at two Affairs and Communications, confirmed to upcoming CTV Newscommunity Toronto viameetings: a written statement In-Person Wednesday, that• the festival wasMeeting alerted to –an investigation March 2025, of at 6thep.m. the Plummer “in the 5,vicinity red atcarpet” at Roy
Park Community Center (Rooms 5 & 6), 7377 Santa Monica Boulevard. No RSVP required. • Online Meeting – Tuesday, March 11, 2025, at 12 p.m. viathe Zoom. Registration is Thomson Hall, where documentary was set available at: Zoom Meeting Registration. to be screened. The meetings on topics such Lung stated, will “Ourfocus standard security as housing affordability, accessibility, measures remained in place during this time, equity, environmental sustainability, and and the screening commenced with a slight neighborhood preservation. delay. To our knowledge, this was a general Zoning Reforms Address Housing Crisis threat and not directed at the film or the artist.” The ZIP initiative supports West Hollywood’s 6th-Cycle Housing Element, a state-mandated plan that outlines strategies to meet local housing needs. The program is part of a broader effort to address Los Angeles County’s ongoing housing crisis, which a mismatch between population growth and housing supply has exacerbated. Statewide legislative changes have put pressure on local governments to facilitate new housing construction, especially for vulnerable populations facing housing insecurity, overcrowding, and rising costs. West Hollywood officials are conducting
A spokesperson for the Toronto police informed CTV News Toronto that the threat had been conveyed to the festival’s private security by a passerby. “Out of an abundance of caution, the Toronto police and the private
security swept the scene and cleared it within 20 minutes,” noted Constable Victor Kwong. Toronto police also clarified that the threat had a general nature and did not specifically target any individual or entity.
mapping and data analysisBACK to assess OR the UNFILES transit stops. impact of zoning policies on land use and • Employment centers and public housing availability. Additionally, lot- facilities. level studies will evaluate the feasibility • Parks and recreational spaces. of different housing types based• ALL on lotTYPES City •planners emphasize that any zoning ALL FORMS ALL STATES size, zoning requirements, and financial changes will be incremental to maintain considerations. contextualCPA neighborhood design while SAMUEL B. MOSES, Future zoning updates will also focus on improving equitable housing access. the proximity of housing to key community For more information about the Zoning amenities,100 including: Improvement Housing, visit Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1753 • Santa Program Monicafor 90401 • Major transit hubs, such as the proposed the ‘Engage WeHo’ webpage at engage. Metro K-Line extension and existing public weho.org/zip.
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