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Headlines: Rapper Big Freedia Releases Cannabis Strain; Selena and Kobe Dine Together On Restaurant’s New Mural

9:30 AM PDT on August 23, 2022

Jonas Never’s new mural at Fia Steak in Santa Monica

Welcome to L.A. TACO’s daily news briefs, where we bring our loyal members, readers, and supporters the latest headlines about Los Angeles politics and culture. Stay informed and look closely.

—There are allegedly big COVID outbreaks at Google's Venice Beach and Playa Vista offices. [Deadline]

—Video purports to show George Yu, president of the Chinatown Business Improvement District, assaulting anti-gentrification activists at Chinatown Summer Nights. [CCEDLA]

—Journalist Fredid Román, who ran the online news program, "The Reality of Guerrero," was shot to death Monday in southern Mexico, the country’s 15th media worker to be killed this year. [CBS]

—Ducks keep being found in Orange County's Mile Square Park with their bills cut off, leading to their euthanization. [LAT]

—Calabasas-dwelling celebrities like Kevin Hart, Sylvester Stallone, Dwayne Wade, and Kim Kardashian are accused of exceeding a drought-stricken L.A.'s water allocations. [NBC]

—An online petition is circulating in an attempt to save Santa Ana's Tianguis Market. [Change.org]

—Bellflower's Mr. Menudo is holding a contest in which you can win "free menudo for a year." [Mr. Menudo Oficial]

—New Orleans rapper Big Freedia has a new cannabis line debuting this week called Royal Bud, available now only at Downtown's QTBIPOC-owned Green Qween and to be followed by a meet-and-greet and short performance later this week. [Royal Bud]

—Qatar has detained over 60 workers who protested not getting paid for construction projects in the ramp up to the World Cup. [Middle East Eye]

—Santa Monica's Fia Steak has debuted a new mural by artist Jonas Never, showing a last supper among departed celebrities, including Selena, Jackie Robinson, Kobe, James Gandolfini, DJ A.M., and Patrick Swayze. [FIA Steak]

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