Staff and Wire Reports
GARDENA — Assemblyman Mike Gipson D-Gardena, has announced his candidacy for the California Board of Equalization District 3 in the 2026 election. The announcement, accompanied by a statement, marks the start of a campaign that aims to tackle uncertainty related to California’s tax system, Gipson said.
Gipson also emphasized the need for effective leadership in California, especially as the state faces challenges such as devastating wildfires and the potential impacts of a second Trump administration.
“It is critical that our state has proven, effective leaders who will be diligent watchdogs of California’s tax system,” he said.
“I’m running for the Board of Equalization to ensure our state has the resources needed to provide for the safety, security, and prosperity of all Californians,” Gipson said.
Gipson has served in the Assembly since 2014 and was the longest-serving Democratic Caucus Chair in California history. He currently chairs the Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee.
City clerk retires
after 37 years
LOS ANGELES — The City Council honored City Clerk Holly Wolcott Jan. 24 to mark her retirement and a career spanning 37 years at City Hall.
Wolcott started her career with the city in November 1987 as a management assistant in the City Clerk’s Office, later serving as a management analyst for the fire, aging and police departments.
From 2000 to 2004, she served as chief legislative analyst for the council’s public safety committee. She returned to the City Clerk’s Office as chief management analyst, overseeing the administrative services division, and subsequently as the executive officer in 2008.
In 2013, Wolcott was appointed as interim city clerk, and formally appointed to the position in 2014 by then-Mayor Eric Garcetti.
During that time, she developed the city clerk’s first strategic five-year plan, supervised municipal, special and neighborhood council elections, managed the city’s business improvement district program and preserved L.A.’s history through records management and archives.
“I really want to thank my staff. I want to thank each one of you, each of the mayors that I work for, anybody who’s given me both the bad or good times because those challenges have brought me here today,” Wolcott said.
“My final thoughts that I’m going to leave you with … do be truthful to yourselves and to your constituents,” she added.
Gunman reported
at Dorsey High
CRENSHAW — Two people were in custody Jan. 29 after a report of a gunman at Susan Miller Dorsey Senior High School.
Reports of an armed suspect were received around 10:20 a.m. at the campus at 3537 Farmdale Ave., near the Farmdale MTA Station on Exposition Boulevard, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Two suspects were detained in connection to the reports but there was no evidence of firearm possession, police said. It was unclear what led to the suspects being detained and whether they were students who attended the high school. No victims were reported.
The school was briefly placed on lockdown following law enforcement activity.
The incident came just after an apparently unrelated bomb threat led to a lockdown at Stella High Charter Academy in the West Athens area.
Man on skateboard
shot to death
SOUTH LOS ANGELES — A man riding a skateboard shot and killed another man Jan. 27.
Los Angeles Police Department officers from the Newton Division responded to the 5700 block of South Fortuna Street, between East 57th Street and Slauson Avenue, at 6:35 p.m. regarding a shoots fired call.
When they arrived at the scene, witnesses told police a man on a skateboard was riding by the victim when he opened fire and shot the victim several times, LAPD Officer Kevin Terzes told City News Service.
The victim was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, Terzes said. The suspect rode away from the scene in an unknown direction.
Metro Digest is designed to help promote events, activities and initiatives that are serving the interests of residents in L.A. To submit an item, send emails to newsroom@wavepublication.com.
