L.A. DIGEST
Staff and Wire Reports
LOS ANGELES — Three prominent art galleries will simultaneously present three separate art exhibitions featuring the photography of Emmy Award-winning cinematographer, photographer and artist John Simmons.
The three exhibits include: “In Focus: Protest” at the J. Paul Getty Museum through Oct. 10, Chronicles of Our Culture at the Aziz Gallerie in Leimert Park Village, through July 18 and Capturing Beauty: The Artwork and Photography of John Simmons at the Jean Deleage Gallery at CASA 0101 Theater in Boyle Heights through Aug. 31.
The Aziz Gallerie will host an artist talk and reception featuring Simmons July 11 from 2 to 4 p.m.
The Jean Deleage Gallery is open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Simmons began his career as a photographer for the Chicago Defender newspaper when he was 15. He studied cinematography at USC and has worked as a camera technician while shooting documentaries, commercials, features and music videos.
Officials hope for decline in violence
LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles County’s top prosecutor and the chief of the Los Angeles Police Department said they are hoping to begin to see a decline in violence within a few months as a result of a more proactive approach, including a program to embed prosecutors and investigators from the District Attorney’s Office in four LAPD divisions.
“Since the first quarter of 2020, violent crime has been going up nationwide,” District Attorney George Gascón said June 30. “We’re increasingly seeing more and more cases of violence. We’re seeing more mass shootings and, interestingly enough, it really doesn’t matter what the political orientation of the jurisdiction is. We’re seeing it in red cities, blue cities, red counties, blue counties.
The new program will operate initially out of the LAPD’s Foothill, Newton, 77th and Mission stations, with the goal for it to eventually be expanded throughout the county, Gascón said.
Gascón noted that “police will continue to arrest individuals who commit violent crimes” and that his office will continue to prosecute those cases.
LAPD Chief Michel Moore said he believes that approach “strengthens public safety” and enables authorities to focus on identifying finite resources on “those individuals that are preying upon others in our community” coupled with effective intervention from “peacemakers” outside law enforcement.
Solis becomes MTA board chair
LOS ANGELES — County Board of Supervisors Chair Hilda Solis has succeeded Mayor Eric Garcetti as the chair of the Los Angles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
Solis — whose term will run through June 30, 2022 — said her priorities as chair will be to support the MTA’s transit riders, ensuring the transit system recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic in an equitable way and reimagining the MTA’s highway investments.
The 23-member MTA board is made up of five L.A. County Board of Supervisors, four people appointed by the L.A. County City Selection Committee, the mayor of Los Angles and three people appointed by the mayor. The board position rotates between groups.
Woman found dead in apartment
SOUTH LOS ANGELES — Dozens of people attended a vigil July 5 to honor the memory of a slain 53-year-old woman found dead in her apartment July 4.
Fatima Johnson was found by her daughters about 12:05 a.m. after she didn’t show up for work and didn’t respond to text messages.
The daughters obtained a key from a relative to enter the apartment in the 7600 block of South Western Avenue and found Johnson unconscious and not breathing. Arriving paramedics pronounced her dead at the scene, Los Angeles police reported.
Family members told reporters at the vigil that Johnson’s killer also stole her silver Lexus, jewelry and cellphone. Police told City News Service they could not confirm the thefts.
Police said no suspects have been identified.
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