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.
—The local Republican Party is blasting a proposal by three Los Angeles City Council members to make Los Angeles a "sanctuary city," calling the effort to bar the use of municipal resources for federal immigration enforcement a threat to public safety. Council members Eunisses Hernandez, Nithya Raman, and Hugo Soto-Martinez put forward the proposal Tuesday. It would officially bar any municipal resources, property, or personnel from being used for federal immigration enforcement. Tuesday's action was the first step toward creating an ordinance that would permanently enshrine sanctuary policies into municipal law," Hernandez's office said.
—Corona: A 38-year-old Corona woman serving a life sentence for murder has pleaded guilty to running a two-million dollar unemployment insurance benefits fraud scheme from behind bars that used stolen identities, some of which belonged to other inmates. Natalie Le Demola entered her plea to federal charges of bank fraud, aggravated identity theft and conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud, according to the U-S Attorney's Office. A sentencing date was not immediately available.
—Monterey Park: President Joe Biden will visit Monterey Park Tuesday to discuss his efforts to reduce gun violence. Biden made reference to the January 21st mass shooting in Monterey Park that left 11 dead in his State of the Union address February 7th, calling for a ban on assault weapons, and saluting Brandon Tsay, the hero who wrestled a gun away from the Monterey Park mass shooter and likely prevented a second tragedy from occurring in nearby Alhambra. The visit will be Biden's first to the Los Angeles area since mid-October when he visited a Metro construction site, spoke at a political fundraiser and at Irvine Valley College.
—Rain is on the way and forecasters are warning today that the incoming storm could lead to floods and more snow in mountain communities still trying to dig out of the last storm. It will be cool and windy Thursday in Los Angeles and Orange counties with gusty conditions in the deserts and mountains through Saturday. There is a chance of rain on Friday and snow levels will be at 9,000 feet. West winds between 30 and 40 miles per hour are in the forecast across the mountains, desert slopes and passes. Gusts will be strongest through the San Gorgonio Pass, the National Weather Service said.
—Lincoln Heights: Three Los Angeles Police Department officers injured during a gun battle with a parolee in Lincoln Heights were recovering today, while an investigation continued into the police operation that led to the gunfire and left the suspect dead. The deadly confrontation unfolded around 4 p.m. Wednesday when officers from the Hollenbeck Community Police Station arrived at the 3800 block of North Broadway, between Lincoln Park Avenue and Mission Road, regarding a parolee at large.
