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Ice Cube Lands Deal With CBS To Air Big3 Hoops League

LA FOCUS — CBS is set to air over 20 hours of Big3 basketball coverage—including a June 22 season opener and the September championship—as part of a new deal Ice Cube inked with the network. Additionally, the network will carry up to 25 hours of live action of the course of the Big3’s 11-week season.

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By LA Focus

CBS is set to air over 20 hours of Big3 basketball coverage—including a June 22 season opener and the September championship—as part of a new deal Ice Cube inked with the network.

Additionally, the network will carry up to 25 hours of live action of the course of the Big3’s 11-week season.

“This is a big deal,” said the rapper/actor and entrepreneur via press release. “Our first two years were about showing that our vision was credible. This year is about taking the game to a whole new level.”

That whole new level includes the addition of two big sponsors—Adidas and Toyota—as the league that was founded just two years ago expands from eight teams to twelve. The three-on-three, half-court basketball league presently features former NBA stars Gilbert Arenas, Amar’e Stoudemire, Lamar Odom and Chris “Birdman” Andersen. Average arena attendance for games exceeded 14,000 last year, up 27 percent from 11,000 its first year.

The new rights deal will officially kick off with CBS Sports’ live coverage of the league’s spring draft on May 1.

“Since day 1, BIG3 has always been about hard-nosed, fierce competition. Now we’re ramping it up with more teams, younger players and a shiny new TV deal with CBS Sports,” stated the rapper/actor and entrepreneur in a press release.

This article originally appeared in LA Focus.

Bay Area

Popular Chief LeRonne Armstrong Placed on Administrative Leave During Investigation of Police Misconduct

In a press statement, Mayor Sheng Thao said that placing Armstrong on paid administrative leave was not punitive but was a standard procedure when investigating possible officer wrongdoing. “We must do what we need to do to get out of that oversight,” she said, explaining that she wants to show the public and the court monitor that there will be no favoritism. A rookie officer or the top officer will face the same investigative process.

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In his remarks, Armstrong defended OPD’s internal affairs department and fellow officers who were criticized in an independent report that found “systemic deficiencies” in the police department.

“I did nothing wrong. I violated no policies,” said Armstrong, speaking at a press conference

By Ken Epstein

Refusing to accept administrative leave during a police misconduct investigation, OPD Chief LeRonne Armstrong fired back with a press conference of his own this week, organized by a high-profile corporate public relations and communications firm.

“I should be the chief of police and remain in my position,” he said. “I did nothing wrong. I violated no policies.”

Mayor Sheng Thao placed Armstrong on administrative leave with pay while his role in an officer misconduct cover-up scandal is investigated by internal affairs. The case involves a highly paid police sergeant who was involved in a hit-and-run automobile accident in San Francisco and is accused of later discharging a gun in an OPD freight elevator and disposing of the shell casings by throwing them off the Bay Bridge.

At a press conference Monday at the office of PR consultant Sam Singer’s office in Emeryville, Armstrong did not blame Mayor Sheng Thao for placing him on leave but instead denounced federal monitor, Robert Warshaw, who oversees the police department and evaluates its reform efforts as a representative for the federal court that has overseen OPD for two decades.

In his remarks, Armstrong defended OPD’s internal affairs department and fellow officers who were criticized in an independent report that found “systemic deficiencies” in the police department.

“This to me, clearly, is a last-ditch effort to destroy the credibility of me…and to make the community believe that Oakland police is involved in some shady business,” he said.

He blasted Warshaw’s “ulterior motives,” accusing him and his team of seeking a reason to continue to be paid over $1 million a year to oversee the department, which was potentially set to exit from federal oversight at the end of May.

“It’s hard to say a mayor who’s been in the seat for just a couple of weeks would be able to push back against a monitor at this point,” Armstrong said, adding that some city officials might be “intimidated” by Warshaw’s team.

City Attorney Barbara Parker said in a statement that her office agreed that the recent report on OPD deficiencies “revealed failures that call into question the integrity of (OPD’s) internal investigation processes.”

Many observers and police accountability activists are saying that the present scandal and subsequent community uproar over Chief Armstrong is best resolved by removing police misconduct investigations from OPD and instead turning the cases over to an independent civilian body.

Defending the department’s internal investigation, Armstrong said the investigation that was conducted was “consistent with the findings that were presented to me.”

“To work and get to this point and have it taken away from you hurts. It doesn’t just hurt me, it hurts my community because every day I come into this job to try to make Oakland better,” he said. Prior to this incident, Armstrong has been widely praised for helping make significant reforms at OPD and paving the way for an end to federal court intervention.

Armstrong said the sergeant involved in the case, who was identified in the media as Michael Chung, was placed on leave following the shooting incident, but that the chief was unable to review the case because Warshaw had taken over the investigation.

Sergeant Chung, one of Oakland’s most highly paid employees, received total pay and benefits of $492,779.77 in 2021, including regular pay of $160,828.84 and overtime pay of $276,959.38.

Armstrong, who has deep ties in the Oakland community, was born and raised in West Oakland, California, and was a graduate of McClymond’s High School. He joined the OPD as a police officer in 1999, after spending four years with the Alameda County Probation Department. He has a bachelor’s and master’s degree.

In a press statement, Mayor Sheng Thao said that placing Armstrong on paid administrative leave was not punitive but was a standard procedure when investigating possible officer wrongdoing.

“We must do what we need to do to get out of that oversight,” she said, explaining that she wants to show the public and the court monitor that there will be no favoritism. A rookie officer or the top officer will face the same investigative process.

“I want to make sure that everyone understands that, under our administration, that we take these findings seriously and it’s important that we look at taking the corrective action that is needed to make sure that we stay on track to make sure that we get out of the federal oversight,” she said.

“My belief is that, by holding ourselves accountable, we can be safer and a more just city,” Mayor Thao said.

At a federal court hearing Tuesday, Judge William Orrick, not addressing the criticisms of Warshaw’s role, said he was “profoundly disappointed” by the findings of the outside report conducted by attorneys hired by the City of Oakland, which revealed “significant cultural problems” that still exist after 20 years of court oversight.

The oversight began as a result of the negotiated resolution to a civil rights lawsuit in the Riders scandal in which plaintiffs alleged that four veteran officers, known as the ‘Riders,’ planted evidence and beat residents, while OPD turned a blind eye to the police misconduct.

“This is the third time since I’ve been overseeing the implementation of the (settlement) that the city has seemed to come close to full compliance,” Judge Orrick said, “only to have a serious episode arise that exposes rot within the department.”

Mayor Sheng Thao said she takes this case seriously, not a minor fender bender as some have dismissed it, and that said those involved will be “disciplined appropriately.”

“This particular misconduct is serious because it provides fertile ground for other misconduct to thrive,” she said at the hearing. “I will not tolerate toxic subcultures that try to demonize or deter officers who do the right thing.”

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Community

Councilmember Harris-Dawson and Mayor Garcetti Break Ground on Bridge Housing Facility for Homeless

LA FOCUS — Councilmember Marqueece Harris-Dawson and Mayor Garcetti broke ground on a new emergency bridge housing facility that will provide beds for 100 homeless Angelenos at a time, and offer on-site supportive services to help them transition into permanent housing. The project will be the first of Mayor Garcetti’s “A Bridge Home” sites to open in South L.A.

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By LA Focus

Councilmember Marqueece Harris-Dawson and Mayor Garcetti broke ground on a new emergency bridge housing facility that will provide beds for 100 homeless Angelenos at a time, and offer on-site supportive services to help them transition into permanent housing. The project will be the first of Mayor Garcetti’s “A Bridge Home” sites to open in South L.A.

“We are investing on an unprecedented scale to build the supportive and affordable housing that will end this crisis. But our homeless neighbors can’t wait — they need a place to sleep right now, and that’s why we’re pushing hard to provide them with A Bridge Home,” said Mayor Eric Garcetti. “This new facility will add badly needed emergency beds and services for Angelenos in South L.A. I am grateful to Councilmember Harris-Dawson for his leadership, and our County partners for their investment in the supportive services we need to make this initiative successful.”

The new bridge housing site on St. Andrews Place in South L.A. will continue utilizing the place-based emergency housing model that defines the Mayor’s A Bridge Home program. The beds will be filled through exhaustive outreach in the area immediately surrounding the facility. Residents will have access to resources like mental health services and addiction counseling on site, and storage space for their possessions.

“Chesterfield Square and Hyde Park have long had many families and individuals living in cars and RVs- this is the prime location to launch our first Bridge Home facility to provide a safe and secure location to receive services while being connected to permanent housing, ” said Councilmember Harris-Dawson. “Later this year, we’re slated to break ground on several PSH developments throughout the district as well as a Navigation Center that will act as a one-stop shop in service provision, life skills training, counseling, laundry and restroom facilities.”

Services at the facility will be provided by the County through funding from Measure H, the landmark homeless services initiative approved by voters in 2017.

“Thanks to the services provided at this site, about 100 women and men who currently sleep on the streets of South LA will be put on a path to stable and supportive housing,” said Supervisor Mark Ridley Thomas. “This is Measure H at work and public-private partnership at its best, bringing Everyone In and transforming lives.”

The is the first of four A Bridge Home sites that will break ground in South L.A. Three sites are already open in locations across the City, with several more expected to open in the coming weeks. The site in L.A.’s historic El Pueblo neighborhood, which has been open the longest, has already demonstrated the success of the model.

Since the facility opened in October 2018, crime has dipped in the surrounding area by two thirds, and the number of encampments has diminished from 100 to 37.

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Entertainment

Hip Hop Superstars Call For Firing Of Laura Ingraham

LA FOCUS — Snoop Dogg, The Game, and T.I. are among the rappers who have called on the Fox News Network to fire anchor Laura Ingraham after a segment where she appeared to be mocking late rapper Nipsey Hussle.

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By LA Focus

Snoop Dogg, The Game, and T.I. are among the rappers who have called on the Fox News Network to fire anchor Laura Ingraham after a segment where she appeared to be mocking late rapper Nipsey Hussle.

Ingram sarcastically referred to Hussle as “this dear artist” before playing a clip of a protest song Hussle did with fellow L.A. rapper Y.G. titled “FDT” released during the 2016 presidential campaigns.

“Ok, that’s a very creative refrain,” Ingraham said of the chorus which includes the lines “F– Donald Trump”. “The chorus goes on and on, is that related to the lowest unemployment ever, basically for African Americans?”

Compton rapper The Game spoke out on Instagram saying calling for her to be fired.

“We are NO LONGER laying quiet while you continuously disrespect our brother, culture African Americans as a whole,” he wrote. “I will use my platform & call on my peers to do the same. Nips passing nor his legacy is to be taken lightly as there will be consequences for any disrespect now or in the future as long as I have a voice!!!”

Snoop Dogg commented on Games post saying, “I’m in.”

“This is Disgusting! You both are vile despicable, poor excuses for people.” said T.I. who also shared the segment. “My expectations have already decreased so much for mankind in the past couple weeks that this hardly surprised me… especially from @foxnews. But rest assured that sooner than later you’ll BOTH see… WE ALL GET OUR TURN TO LIVE THROUGH OUR OWN PERSONAL TRAGEDY… and watch how many people dance in the streets, laugh and crack distasteful inappropriate jokes when it’s YOUR TURN!!!! Karma is constant & the laws of reciprocity ARE IN ORDER!!!! Neither of you WILL EVER know or experience the level of love, appreciation and respect that Nip has… EVEN IN DEATH!!! So let that sizzle in ya lil hateful, demonic spirits. And with that… I’m logging off IG at least a month or so…”

This article originally appeared in the LA Focus

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