Environmentally Efficient Civic Center Comes to Long Beach (Random Lengths, Dec. '18)

My article "Environmentally Efficient Civic Center Comes to Long Beach" was published in both the print and online versions of Random Lengths.
Date of the print version: Dec. 13-19, 2018 
Date of the online version:  12/13/18 (link is below)
https://www.randomlengthsnews.com/2018/12/13/environmentally-efficient-civic-center-comes-to-long-beach/?ct=t%28This+Issue+12-13-18%3A+Emptying+Harbor+View%29&fbclid=
IwAR3WQEiSi8tTJKjgT_VOm46BXIpL3-qtXmRcEDW101InPjiO-08eBIhVd_M

Here's the lead:

As part of a massive downtown civic center development, Long Beach is planning to shut down its existing downtown library on Jan. 19, in favor of a more environmentally-efficient one, scheduled to open summer 2019. The current civic center, including the main library, was built in 1976 in Lincoln Park, bordered by Ocean Boulevard on the south, Pacific Avenue on the east, Broadway on the north, and Magnolia Avenue on the west. The new project preserves the general location, but the existing city hall and library are being demolished to make room for retail and residential development along with what the city is calling a “re-envisioned” four-acre Lincoln Park.

School Safety Panel: More Counselors, Fewer Random Searches (Random Lengths, 12/6-12/18)

My story for Random Lengths News (the 12/6-12/18 print issue) reports on the findings of a recent "Blue Ribbon Panel on School Safety" in the Los Angeles Unified School District. The panel was convened, not by the district, but by Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer.  Here is a link to the online version:

https://www.randomlengthsnews.com/2018/12/06/school-safety-panel-more-counselors-fewer-random-searches/?ct=t%28This+Issue+12-6-18%3A+Wilmington+Winter%29&fbclid=
IwAR1V39Hh1ElHTBbl7hxElqrzw851dBgUt7zLsW-fUqZk3DVbmGvTxDxj8e8

Here's the lead:

Los Angeles Unified School District has a requirement that all middle and high schools must conduct “daily random” searches of students and lockers with hand-held metal detector wands in order to detect and seize weapons brought to school unlawfully. Schools with over 1000 students enrolled must have four metal detector wands, used daily, while schools with less than 1000 students need only have two--used daily.

This policy may be the most controversial finding by a panel, convened by Los Angeles city attorney Mike Feuer earlier this year, to address the issue of gun violence in Los Angeles district schools. In the aftermath of Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Florida in February, Feuer convened a “Blue Ribbon Panel on School Safety.” With the cooperation of the district, the panel spent several months examining district efforts to keep schools safe from gun violence. The final report and its recommendations were made public in August.

Asked for comment, Rob Wilcox of the city attorney’s office stated, “The most controversial aspect of the report had to do with LAUSD’s random handheld metal detector search policy (wanding) and our recommendation that it be suspended while undertaking a large scale audit of the program.”