The greatest 10 cultural works which celebrate the (BRITISH WHITE) working class

Neil McCormick
Mon, 13 November 2023

Working class heroes


A working-class hero is something to be, sung John Lennon in 1970. This proclamation came after a decade which saw class boundaries dissolve like never before: it was a time when cinema and theatre in Britain was dominated by kitchen sink drama and British pop music not only ruled the world but also brought working-class culture unapologetically into the mainstream.

Yet these days, the notion of class, particularly when it comes to art and culture, is more diffuse, more slippery. The idea of social mobility, once something to be cheered, now has its naysayers and, in fact, a new book The Working Classroom by Matt Bromley and Andy Griffith suggests that lifting working-class kids from their roots is not the be all and end all that where they came from should be celebrated.

The book goes on to recommend a selection of books, music and films from Great Expectations by Charles Dickens to Ghost Town by The Specials that pupils should study. It’s a difficult path – much work, for example the films of Mike Leigh, tends to patronise the working class rather than be celebratory. So with this in mind, the Telegraph critics share their own cultural highlights which walk that line adroitly.

The Darling Buds of May (1958)

The cast of The Darling Buds of May - ITV/Shutterstock

The son of an illegitimate factory worker, HE Bates wrote five novels about Pop Larkin, scrap dealer and nominal farmer, and his enormous brood. Where most working-class folk in fiction lead miserable circumscribed lives, the Larkins live high on the hog, blessed with the cunning to outwit the tax inspectors and bureaucrats trying to put a dent in their income; and instead of submitting to middle-class values, they defy their prudish times to enjoy vigorous and varied sex lives. It’s a bucolic fantasy world, but at least it shows that not every non-posh character in fiction need be downtrodden.

Billy Liar (1959)

Yes, read the novels of the Angry Young Men – Sillitoe, Barstow, Braine – and nod along with the authors’ outrage at the stacking of the system against their working-men protagonists. Or perhaps read Billy Liar, by their contemporary Keith Waterhouse, and have a laugh.

Based on Waterhouse’s own teenage experiences as an undertaker’s clerk, the novel details the daydreams and pranks which make 19-year-old Billy Fisher’s trammeled existence bearable. There’s an undercurrent of sadness at Billy’s unfulfillable ambitions, but Waterhouse refuses to make a martyr of him, instead conferring on working-class life the dignity of being a fit subject for comedy.

By Jake Kerridge

Jerusalem (2009)

Mark Rylance in Jerusalem - Simon Annand

When Jerusalem arrived in 2009 with the force of an instant classic much was made of Jez Butterworth’s unfashionable interest in rural life. And there was inevitable admiration too for Mark Rylance’s rip-roaring turn as ne’er-do-well, drug-peddling Johnny Rooster Byron. Less celebrated was how the play struck a blow for those on the margins, battling the steam-roller of (middle-class) progress with a mix of hedonistic escapism and obdurate communality, with Byron their mobile-home dwelling focal-point. Modelled on a hard-living former builder, the character’s astounding complexity, what with his braggart wit, fierce individualism and mystical aura, made him a folk-hero and figure of self-ennobled authority: a V-sign flicked at the usual stale, male, pale order.

Beautiful Thing (1993)

Jonathan Harvey’s name-making, era-defining 1993 play (later a film) felt like a riposte to the 1980s vogue for upper-echelon homosexual confusions – such as Another Country and Maurice. Instead, Harvey took us inside the sprawling Thamesmead estate in south-east London and detailed the tender same-sex attraction of two lads living tough lives in neighbouring flats, one of whom faces domestic violence at home. The age of consent at the time was 21, but politics – and the horror of the Aids epidemic – were kept at bay in a feel-good, almost fairytale evening that celebrated the sweetly exuberant resilience of these archetypal under-dogs.

By Dominic Cavendish

Ian Dury: New Boots and Panties!! (Stiff Records) 1977


This was a glorious debut album from one of British pop’s great wordsmiths. The wit, pliancy and sheer exuberance inherent in Dury’s dazzling use of language offers a joyful vision of pride in his East End London roots. It is a world populated by amusingly sketched characters including the outrageously cheeky Billericay Dickie, the tongue tied Clever Trevor and sweary Plaistow Patricia. Dury’s unapologetically unreconstructed Cockney accent is artfully set against the limber sophistication of The Blockheads’ punk funk. Everything about this album is life affirming and romantic, brimming with an earthy sense of love for the people and surroundings, and touched by pathos on a tenderly understated account of his father’s life, My Old Man.

Madness: The Rise & Fall (Stiff Records) 1982

The much loved nutty boys have always celebrated their working class origins with joy and affection rather than punky rage. There is a spirit of life being lived to the full inherent in their ska energy and Music Hall humour. The Rise and Fall was conceived as a concept album about their childhoods in Camden, north London. It is rambunctious, mischievous fun, centred around a knees up pop masterpiece of ordinary family life, Our House. Playing it on top of Buckingham Palace at the Diamond Jubilee Concert in 2012 cemented its status as an unofficial alternative national anthem.

By Neil McCormick

My Beautiful Laundrette (Stephen Frears, 1985)

My Beautiful Laundrette - AJ Pics / Alamy Stock Photo

Against a backdrop of Neo-Nazi violence in Thatcher’s South London, this deft social comedy from the pen of then-little-known Hanif Kureishi forged a redemptive glow. Little does anybody know that business partners Omar (Gordon Warnecke) and Johnny (a peroxide-quiffed Daniel Day-Lewis), who step up to run the business of Omar’s uncle, are also paramours. In this collision of the Pakistani and punk worlds, they get away with a furtive relationship because no one could have dreamed it likely. Boundary-pushing in all sorts of ways, Stephen Frears’s breakout hit thrives on compassion, and a bruised optimism, for its star-crossed lovers.

Alfie (Lewis Gilbert, 1966)

Right after Zulu and The Ipcress File, Michael Caine reached a new echelon of fame as the womanising Cockney hero of Bill Naughton’s 1963 play. As charming as he is callous, he famously shoots the breeze straight to camera while swanning around on the make. Lewis Gilbert’s comfort with the working class, and consistently progressive casting, made him the ideal director for the job. It perfectly caught both the swinging zeitgeist and seedy underbelly of 1960s London for a global audience, and was a box office sensation, nominated for five Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Caine.

By Tim Robey

Brookside (1982-2003)

Brookside - Television Stills

In terms of TV drama, soap operas set the template for how working-class lies are depicted. In 1960, Tony Warren created Coronation Street, looking at the turbulent lives of the residents in Greater Manchester, yet for all its popularity, its quaintness and cast list of eccentrics has sometimes felt less than authentic. Brookside, on the other hand, was the real deal. Created by Phil Redmond for the then-brand new Channel 4, this slice of Liverpudlian life pulled no punches and was determinedly unsentimental (at least in its first decade). The fact that it was filmed in a real close with echoey walls gave a sense of cinema verite which has never been rivalled since.

Auf Wiedersehen, Pet (1983-2004)

Ever since Steptoe and Son took existential angst to new levels, the British sitcom has always been socially diverse. But this series, written by Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais, broke new ground. Following the lives of seven construction workers who travel to Düsseldorf to seek employment, it never gave you the sense that these were a bunch of thespians finding their motivation. Rather, you often got the impression that the cast had walked off nearest construction site. Jimmy Nail who played Oz had worked in a glass factory and got his “surname” when a six-inch spike went through his foot. It could be downbeat, but ultimately the show was underpinned by a sense of optimism.

By Ben Lawrence

MISSED THIS CLASSIC FROM 1959

What to Expect During SpaceX’s Second Starship Test Flight

George Dvorsky
Mon, November 13, 2023

Starship during its inaugural test on April 20, 2023.


Later this week, SpaceX is poised for a highly anticipated, and undoubtedly exciting, second test flight of its Starship megarocket—provided it receives the final regulatory approvals. Here’s what you need to know about this critically important test.

The Elon Musk-led company is targeting Friday, November 17 for the second test flight of its Starship megarocket—pending the final go-ahead from regulatory bodies. The upcoming flight follows the first test on April 20, which ended with the rocket’s destruction over the Gulf of Mexico. Since then, SpaceX has undertaken 63 corrective actions as mandated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).


Starship during its maiden flight.

The newly implemented water deluge system is being scrutinized by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the FAA for potential environmental impacts; this represents the final regulatory hurdle for SpaceX. The fact that SpaceX has chosen November 17 as the tentative launch date implies that the company expects to receive the necessary launch license soon. Or it could be a way to pressure the regulators into issuing the license.

Another area of focus is the rocket’s self-destruct mechanism. During the first test, the rocket failed to respond immediately to the self-destruct command, leading to a dangerous delay. SpaceX has since refined this system to ensure a more rapid response.

A crucial technical advancement for the upcoming flight is the implementation of a hot-stage separation system. This system involves igniting the Starship upper stage prior to the separation from the lower stage, ensuring a smoother transition during ascent (stage separation did not go as planned during the inaugural flight, contributing to the rocket entering into a fatal tumble). Additionally, a new electronic Thrust Vector Control (TVC) system has been implemented for the Super Heavy Raptor engines.
Countdown and flight test timeline

The process of loading the propellants—liquid oxygen and liquid methane—will commence 1 hour and 37 minutes prior to launch. As the countdown progresses at the south Texas Starbase facility, the Raptor engines on both the Super Heavy booster and Starship will undergo a pre-launch procedure known as an engine chill, commencing at T-minus 19 minutes and 40 seconds. This process is crucial for conditioning the engines to handle the super-cold propellants during ignition and flight.

The flame deflector will kick in at T-minus 10 seconds, with the Raptor ignition sequence beginning at T-minus 3 seconds—a modification from the previous T-minus 8 seconds. This change aims to minimize potential damage to the launch infrastructure caused by the engines’ intense power.

Two seconds after the mission begins, the rocket will lift off the pad, marking the start of its ascent. Max Q, the point of maximum aerodynamic pressure, is expected to occur 52 seconds into the mission. This phase challenges the structural integrity of the rocket as it travels through the atmosphere at increasing speeds.

The mission profile.

At 2 minutes and 30 seconds into the flight, an event termed MECO, or Most Engines Cut Off, will occur. This is a variation of the traditional Main Engine Cut Off, signifying the point when, presumably, a majority of the Raptor engines will shut down. Following this, at 2 minutes and 53 seconds, the booster will initiate its boostback burn startup. This maneuver involves a flip of the booster, setting it up for a rapid descent back to Earth. As part of this test flight, the booster will simulate a landing in the Gulf of Mexico, which is expected to happen around the seven-minute mark. This procedure is a precursor to future tests in which the booster will return to the Boca Chica site for vertical landings. The two-stage Starship is meant to be a fully reusable rocket.

Meanwhile, the Starship upper stage will continue along its journey, performing an engine cut-off at 8 minutes and 33 seconds into the mission. Its path will take it over the Caribbean, southern Africa, the Indian Ocean, and New Guinea, before making a planned splashdown in the Pacific near Hawaii. A critical phase of this journey will be the reentry maneuver at 1 hour and 17 minutes, followed by a simulated ocean landing at the 90-minute mark. It’s important to note that Starship will not complete a full orbit of Earth during this mission.

The success of each of these phases and stages, especially the hot staging and the reentry maneuvers, will be closely monitored, as they are crucial for the overall objectives of the test flight. Key questions include whether the 16 million pounds of thrust produced by the Raptor engines will damage the launch mount despite the water deluge system, if all 33 Raptor engines will ignite successfully, whether SpaceX will achieve hot staging on its first attempt, and if Starship can survive reentry.

SpaceX will take whatever happens with its second mission, learn from it, and use those lessons to improve the third. The idea that problems will arise is practically a certainty, given the company’s devotion to “rapid iterative development,” an approach that’s “been the basis for all of SpaceX’s major innovative advancements, including Falcon, Dragon, and Starlink,” according to the company.

The second Starship mission may or may not succeed, but one thing is for certain: It will not be a dull affair, for better or worse.

Gizmodo

NASA Built a 'Tire Assault Vehicle' From an RC Tank to Explode Space Shuttle Tires

James Gilboy
Mon, November 13, 2023 

CR-990 Tire Assault Vehicle in action


Outside of baseball and apple pie, there are two things we as Americans all consider a part of our national identity: Going to space, and redneck engineering. Normally, those two things don't overlap at all, but they did for a moment under NASA's Space Shuttle program. That's how we got the CR-990 Tire Assault Vehicle, which was built to blow up Space Shuttle tires that were too dangerous for a human to touch.

The TAV's story begins in 1993, when NASA was upgrading the Space Shuttle's landing gear. After gliding down through the atmosphere, the 240,000-pound Space Shuttles would land at speeds up to 288 mph, placing enormous stress on their tires. They had to endure triple the load of a Boeing 747 tire, so they weighed 230 pounds apiece according to Michelin, and were nitrogen-filled to as high as 373 psi.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyfV3u4KKYo

That'll make anyone who has worked with truck tires shudder—semi tires can kill you when they blow out. Bigger, more pressurized Shuttle tires were even more dangerous, bursting with force equivalent to 2.5 sticks of dynamite, according to NASA. That's enough to injure people as far as 50 feet away, or deafen you from 100 feet. NASA's test process of landing a modified airliner on one of the tires could make them pop on landing, but the ones that didn't were more dangerous. Apparently, even a person's touch could be the straw that breaks the camel's back, so to speak.

NASA tried multiple ways of popping dangerous tires, notably a bomb disposal robot, but it was imperfect. The bot was expensive, too bulky to drive easily under the test plane, and it wasn't always available. At some point though, a NASA radio contractor by the name of David Carrott had an idea—presumably while browsing a toy catalog.

Tamiya 1/16-scale Tiger II remote controlled tank. Tamiya

Carrott proposed using a homemade contraption he called the CR-990 Tire Assault Vehicle, or TAV. The Online Tank Museum indicates it was built from a 1/16 scale Tamiya remote-control Tiger II tank (seen above), using the kit's lower hull, suspension, tracks, and rear plate. But 75 percent of it was custom: The sides and roof of the hull, side skirts, and upper glacis (front armor) were all custom-fabricated from metal.

In place of its turret, he installed a small camera next to a DeWalt drill motor with a 3/8-inch bit. It drew power from a Black and Decker battery that also powered drill motors on the treads, and transmitted a video signal to a portable black-and-white TV. In all, the doohickey cost less than $3,000 to build, where NASA's previous bomb disposal bot used for deflation duty apparently cost $100,000.


CR-990 Tire Assault Vehicle in action. Dennis Taylor via NASA

Though the TAV arrived toward the end of the tire test program, it managed to successfully detonate nine dangerous tires in service of NASA. That a modified model tank survived one of the blasts, much less several, is impressive in its own right. In fact, the TAV still exists today: It's on display at the Mojave Air and Space Port in California. Space travel may be an expensive endeavor, but there are times when the simplest, cheapest solution is the best one. Especially if it's as funny as a kitbashed RC tank with a drill on top.

https://twitter.com/DutchSpace/status/963923603916980224

Got a tip or question for the author? You can reach them here: james@thedrive.com

US Supreme Court liberals dissent in 'unusually severe' solitary confinement case

John Kruzel and Andrew Chung
Mon, November 13, 2023 


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court's three liberal justices on Monday sharply objected to the court's refusal to hear an appeal by a former Illinois inmate who was kept in solitary confinement in a state prison and virtually deprived of any exercise for about three years.

The court takes up appeals when at least four of its nine justices agree to hear a case. None of the six conservative justices joined with the liberal justices to provide the fourth vote needed to hear former inmate Michael Johnson's appeal of a lower court's ruling rejecting his 2016 civil rights lawsuit accusing prison officials of violating the U.S. Constitution's Eighth Amendment bar on cruel and unusual punishment.

Johnson was incarcerated after being convicted of home invasion and subsequently was convicted while in prison of two instances of aggravated battery against a peace officer.

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, in an eight-page dissent joined by fellow liberals Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan, said the lower court applied the wrong legal test to determine whether Johnson's treatment violated the Eighth Amendment.

Jackson described Johnson's solitary confinement as "unusually severe," noting that "prison officials completely deprived Johnson of exercise for nearly all of his incarceration" at Pontiac Correctional Center.

"The cramped confines of Johnson's cell prevented him from exercising there," Jackson wrote. "Thus, for three years, Johnson had no opportunity at all to stretch his limbs or breathe fresh air."

Illinois Democratic Attorney General Kwame Raoul had urged the justices to reject the appeal.

Johnson, 42, is currently released on parole, according to his lawyer Daniel Greenfield. Johnson has a history of mental illness, including depression and bipolar disorder, and suicide attempts, according to his lawyers.

During his roughly 3-1/2 years at the Pontiac facility, Johnson was found to have committed 46 violations of prison rules arising from 30 incidents, with 16 of those incidents resulting in "yard restrictions," limiting an inmate to one hour of outdoor yard access per month, Illinois officials said in court papers.

He has claimed that on multiple occasions he was denied his monthly one hour of yard access, and that from June 2015 to June 2016 he was not permitted a single hour of exercise.

The deprivation compromised his physical and mental health, according to his lawsuit.

"His muscles withered, he repeatedly smeared feces on his body, endured hallucinations and compulsively picked at his own flesh, and he required 'suicide watch' time and again," his lawyers said in court papers.

Johnson sought monetary damages, medical treatment and other relief in the lawsuit accusing prison officials of violating the Eighth Amendment by denying him exercise for a prolonged period. A federal judge rejected his claims, finding that Johnson "cannot show that he suffered adverse health consequences as a result of the denial of access to the yard."

The Chicago-based 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the judge's decision in 2022, concluding that yard privilege denials as punishment for prisoner misconduct are legal unless meted out for "some utterly trivial infraction" of prison rules. Despite the lengthy deprivation, Johnson's infractions, "including spitting on inmates or guards and throwing urine and feces," were serious, the 7th Circuit concluded.

Jackson faulted the 7th Circuit's analysis, saying that instead of assessing the triviality of Johnson's prison infractions, it should have applied the Supreme Court's test assessing whether prison officials have acted with "deliberate indifference" toward an inmate's health or safety.

There was "more than enough evidence to support a reasonable jury finding that the overall three-year deprivation of yard time that Johnson was subjected to was the result of unconstitutional deliberate indifference," Jackson wrote.

Johnson's lawyer commended the liberal justices for recognizing the 7th Circuit's "indisputable legal error," but expressed regret that "imposing such cruelty - let alone on a person known to suffer from mental illness - is acceptable to any federal judge."

(Reporting by John Kruzel in Washington and Andrew Chung in New York; Editing by Will Dunham)

Liberal justices object as Supreme Court rejects prisoner's exercise claim

Lawrence Hurley
Mon, November 13, 2023 


WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Monday refused to weigh under what circumstances prisoners in solitary confinement have a constitutional right to exercise, turning away an Illinois inmate's claim that he was denied the opportunity for three years.

The court's three liberal justices disagreed with the decision not to take up the case, with Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson writing a lengthy dissenting opinion in which she called the inmate's treatment "unusually severe." The court has a 6-3 conservative majority.

Michael Johnson, who initially represented himself in legal proceedings, was barred from the normal one hour of exercise in an outdoor yard, typically available five days a week, between 2013 and 2016, his lawyers said in court papers.

Under prison rules, exercise privileges can be withdrawn temporarily for violations. Johnson, who has mental health issues, was cited more than 70 times between 2008 and August 2016 for his conduct.

Johnson, 42, claims that the refusal to allow him to exercise as a result of his repeatedly disobeying prison rules violated his right not to be inflicted with cruel and unusual punishment under the Constitution's 8th Amendment.

He appealed to the Supreme Court after the Chicago-based 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the state in March 2022 and subsequently declined to reconsider the case, with the judges split 5-5.

In an opinion joined by Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan, Jackson said Johnson should have been allowed to pursue his claim that officials were deliberately indifferent to his health needs.

"The consequences of such a prolonged period of exercise deprivation were predictable severe. Most notably, Johnson's mental state deteriorated rapidly," Jackson wrote.

Lower courts, she added, failed to "consider the impact of cumulative exercise deprivation on Johnson's physical and mental health, or what was known to prison officials about the risks of such deprivation."

Daniel Greenfield, one of Johnson's lawyers, said that while he was grateful for Jackson's opinion, "we are saddened to live in an era where imposing such cruelty — let alone on a person known to suffer from mental illness — is acceptable to any federal judge."

The actions of prison officials served to exacerbate Johnson's mental health issues, his lawyers said in court papers.

"His muscles withered, he repeatedly smeared feces on his body, endured hallucinations, and compulsively picked at his own flesh, and he required 'suicide watch' time and again," they wrote.

Illinois Solicitor General Jane Notz, representing the state, said in a court filing that the appeals court ruling followed precedent, saying that yard restrictions do not violate the Constitution as long as they are supported by valid prison management policies.

Johnson has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and severe depression. He was eventually moved to a mental health unit in 2016.

After serving his sentence, Johnson was released in 2019, but after being convicted of battery he was until last month serving a new sentence in a facility that provides psychiatric care.

Ancient settlement hidden under French city had warehouses and pipe systems.

Moira Ritter
Mon, November 13, 2023 

During the 19th century, as the wine trade industry in France developed, an intricate commercial district was constructed on the outskirts of Narbonne.

Now, archaeologists are learning that ancient people had the same idea for the area more than a millennium earlier.

Experts were conducting preventative excavations in the area ahead of a construction project when they discovered the ruins of an older city dating to sometime between the first and fifth centuries, according to an Oct. 31 news release from the Institut national de recherches archéologiques préventives (INRAP). The ancient ruins indicate the site was also a commercial site for an older city.

Archaeologists said some of the buildings had crawl spaces created by horizontal jugs.


The ancient district was composed of several blocks cut by two streets and an alley, officials said. The blocks were equipped with an advanced hydraulic system, including pipes for the removal of rain and waste water.

Numerous pipelines for removing rain and waste water were discovered, officials said.

Intersecting pipelines indicate modifications to the system, according to archaeologists.

At the site, archaeologists have partially uncovered at least three warehouses during three excavations, INRAP said. There were likely homes and shops surrounding the warehouses.

The remains of several walls, some made of stones, indicate the presence of building with earth or concrete floors, according to experts. Some of the buildings have crawl spaces created by amphorae, or large jars, placed horizontally.

One especially large building, including a crawl space, appeared to have been built for the storage of various goods, archaeologists said in the release. The upper floor of the building likely served as an office or home, which was evidenced by mud brick walls covered with paintings. The walls appear to have collapsed in a fire.

Experts believe the large building collapsed following a fire.

Collapsed wall paintings indicated that the large building contained an office or home, experts said.

Researchers said the discovery indicates the presence of a river port located along the Robine, which runs through southeast France.

Why I stood up and asked Biden to demand a ceasefire in Gaza

Opinion by Jessica Rosenberg

Mon, November 13, 2023

Jessica Rosenberg is a Minneapolis-based rabbi and serves on the Jewish Voice for Peace Rabbinic Council. She is the co-author, with Rabbi Ariana Katz, of “For Times Such as These: a Radical’s Guide to the Jewish Year,” which is due to publish next year, and author of an ”Introduction to Trauma, Healing and Resilience for Rabbis, Jewish Educators and Organizers.” The views in this commentary are her own. Read more opinion at CNN.

For days, I’d been marching in the streets of my hometown of Minneapolis, one of thousands of protesters expressing anger and heartache over the deaths of Palestinians in Gaza.


Rabbi Jessica Rosenberg - Erin Bree

Then, I had the sudden inspiration to buy a ticket to a campaign fundraiser for President Joe Biden, who I knew would be coming to town. It was one venue, I thought, where he’d have to hear my appeal.

The ticket to the fundraiser cost me $1,000 — the entry level rate. It’s a lot of money, but it was a small price to pay for the chance to share my thoughts with the president.

I had just one message for Biden: We need an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Israel must be compelled to stop the shelling of homes and businesses that has claimed more than 11,000 Palestinian lives. As the leader of Israel’s closest ally, Biden is in a unique role to compel the country to comply with a ceasefire.

To be honest, I was worried about how accosting the president could alienate me from Jewish community and my rabbinate. After standing up and challenging the president, where would I be able to pray? What synagogue would have me at the next Shabbat?

But with bombs falling in Gaza, with thousands of Palestinians and Israelis dead and missing, with hostages and prisoners still held in captivity, I knew I had to overcome my worry about the impacts on the people in my social and religious circles.

I summoned my courage as I rose in the gathering of 200 people earlier this month, where Biden addressed the crowd from the stage.

“Mr. President, if you support the Jewish people, as a rabbi, I need you to call for a ceasefire right now.”

The room filled with gasps of surprise, then with jeers and demands that I “sit down.” Some people in the room even broke into chants of “Four more years!” I suppose that at forums like that, people expect to hear only unconditional support for the candidate.

I was surprised to hear Biden’s calm reply.

“Do you want to hear my answer?” he said. “I think we need a pause. A pause means we give time to get the prisoners out.”

A humanitarian pause in Gaza remains one of the most hotly debated issues of the past several days, even as Israel has commenced with instituting such breaks in its bombardments. Israel last week finally agreed to “tactical” pauses for a few hours each day to allow Gazans in the north to flee south.

Humanitarian aid is direly needed in Gaza right now, as hundreds are dying every day, while others struggle to survive without sufficient food, clean water, electricity or medical supplies.

What those advocating for humanitarian pauses had said is that these breaks in bombing would provide an opportunity for desperately needed food and medical aid to get to the people of Gaza. Pauses in the bombardments could also be the moment that Israelis and foreign nationals held hostage by Hamas might be freed and allowed to go home.

We now have evidence of just how little difference a daily pause has brought about: So far the humanitarian aid reaching Gazans is still a relative trickle, and only a handful of hostages have been freed since the Hamas attacks of October 7.

Biden’s words to me at the fundraiser that he supported a pause had given me some measure of hope, but in the days since it’s been replaced first by disappointment and now by horror as I see images of the continuation of death and destruction in Gaza.

After pauses last week, the bombing continues with renewed ferocity and the casualties in Gaza continue to rise. It has become clear that a “pause” offers only a brief reprieve before a resumption of the cruelty. Such a pause, when more violence is coming, cannot truly be called “humanitarian.”

This violence hits me deep in my soul. I was raised in a home where Jewishness was woven into the fabric of our lives, where Judaism was a vibrant, life-giving tradition. I was taught that Jews are not “chosen people” — all people are chosen for unique and powerful relationships to what is sacred. All lives are equally worth saving.

It has caused me profound anguish to see how centuries of anti-Jewish violence are being used to support a violent political agenda in the form of Israeli militarism. We have seen that decades of war in Afghanistan failed to eradicate al Qaeda and the Taliban. Killing civilians and destroying homes and communities won’t be any more effective against Hamas in Gaza.

Some human rights experts have described the wiping out of entire Palestinian families as genocide. The idea that we will get to peace by a military bombardment is a fiction that lines the pockets of weapons manufacturers and guarantees that Israel will remain in a never-ending cycle of war.

In the meantime, Biden and others in his administration have continued to mince their words, calling time and again for a pause, instead of speaking out loudly and unambiguously for the one thing in Gaza that will truly end the suffering and save innocent lives: a ceasefire.

It was important to me to tell the president that I believe to the core of my being that only a ceasefire — a full and permanent end to the violence — will bring true safety to both Palestinians and Israelis. The overwhelming outpouring of support that I’ve received since taking my stand and addressing the president has invigorated my conviction.

I spoke up earlier this month to amplify the voices of like-minded people whose calls for a ceasefire are echoing around the world. The president once and for all must take the courageous step of answering it.

Jewish protesters and allies block Israeli consulate in Chicago, demanding a cease-fire in Gaza

CLAIRE SAVAGE
Mon, November 13, 2023

Jews supporting Palestinians demand an immediate ceasefire in Gaza at Chicago's Ogilvie Transportation Center on Monday, Nov. 13, 2023.

 (Antonio Perez//Chicago Tribune via AP)

CHICAGO (AP) — Hundreds of Jewish peace activists and their allies converged at a major train station in downtown Chicago during rush hour Monday morning, blocking the entrance to the Israeli consulate and demanding U.S. support for an Israel cease-fire as battles rage in northern Gaza.

Midwestern Jews and allies traveled to Chicago from Iowa, Missouri, Minnesota, Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin and Illinois for the demonstration, organizers said.

The Israeli consulate in Chicago is in a building connected to the Ogilvie Transportation Center, a major commuter rail station.

Over 100 protesters who had blocked escalators leading to the consulate were arrested for misdemeanor trespassing and escorted out of the building, according to Ben Lorber, who helped organize the protest led by Chicago chapters of Jewish Voice for Peace, IfNotNow, and Never Again Action. That information was not confirmed by Chicago police, who could not immediately provide information on the number and reasons for arrests, and how many demonstrators participated.

The fighting was triggered by Hamas’ Oct. 7 surprise attack on Israel, whose response has led to thousands of deaths — and much destruction — across Gaza.

Advocacy group Jewish Voice for Peace led a similar sit-in in New York City’s Grand Central Station on Oct. 27, where a sea of protesters filled the main concourse during evening rush hour, chanting slogans and unfurling banners demanding a cease-fire as Israel intensified its bombardment of the Gaza Strip. At least 200 demonstrators were detained by New York police officers.

And more than 300 people were arrested in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 19 for illegally demonstrating, and three people were charged with assaulting police after protesters descended on Capitol Hill to call for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas.

The Chicago rally is unique from the previous Jewish Voice demonstrations because in the Midwest, “progressive Jewish communities are far smaller and separated by distance,” according to an emailed press release from organizers.

Chicago protesters cheered Monday as police led demonstrators from the building with hands zip-tied behind their backs, many in black T-shirts that read, “Not in our name.”

“We will not let a genocide happen in our name,” said Clara Belitz of IfNotNow Chicago during an Instagram livestream of the protest. ”Our Jewish values compel us to speak out." IfNotNow describes itself as a movement of American Jews organizing to end U.S. support of “the Israeli government’s apartheid system.”

A spokesperson for Metra, the city’s commuter rail system, said that trains continued to run normally, but protesters blocked the southern exit and commuters were forced to leave the station through other doors.

“They shut down access to our platforms from the 500 West Madison building,” where the consulate is located, said Meg Reile, a spokesperson for Metra. “Trains continued to run throughout.”

The Israeli consulate in Chicago did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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Savage is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

Rupi Kaur calls White House’s response to her Diwali invitation rejection ‘saddening’

Michelle De Pacina
Mon, November 13, 2023 


[Source]

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre responded to Canadian poet Rupi Kaur declining a Diwali event invitation to Kamala Harris, stating that the White House respects her opinion.

Kaur’s rejection: Last week, Kaur rejected the Biden administration’s invitation, citing its support for Israel during the Gaza bombardment as the reason for her decision.

“I decline any invitation from an institution that supports the collective punishment of a trapped civilian population—50% of whom are children,” Kaur wrote, announcing her decision on X.

Instead, the 31-year-old poet called out the U.S. government for “funding the bombardment of Gaza” and continuing “to justify this genocide against Palestinians.” Kaur called on the South Asian community to hold the administration accountable and demand a humanitarian ceasefire by signing petitions, attending protests, boycotting and calling representatives to say “stop the genocide.”

“As a Sikh woman, I will not allow my likeness to be used in whitewashing this administration's actions…As a community, we cannot remain silent or agreeable just to get a seat at the table. It comes at too high a cost to human life…We must be brave. We must not be tokenized by their photo-ops,” Kaur wrote in a statement shared on X.

I received an invite from the Biden administration for a Diwali event being held by the VP on nov 8. I decline any invitation from an institution that supports the collective punishment of a trapped civilian population—50% of whom are children. pic.twitter.com/J3V5om89Se

— rupi kaur (@rupikaur_) November 6, 2023

Jean-Pierre’s response: During a recent press briefing, Jean-Pierre told reporters that the White House “respects” Kaur’s decision to decline the Diwali invitation.

“Everybody has their own opinion. We respect folks’ opinion and that is her opinion,” Jean-Pierre said.

Trending on NextShark: Park Seo-joon addresses complaints of short screen time in ‘The Marvels’

Kaur’s statement: However, Kaur found Jean-Pierre’s response “saddening.” In a lengthy statement posted on X, she expressed disappointment with the White House’s reply, emphasizing her stance against collective punishment and the need for compassion for both Palestinian and Israeli lives.

“‘Everyone has their opinion.. and that is her opinion’ is a disingenuousness, gaslighting response to ‘Your government is helping to enable a Genocide with American tax dollars and we are asking you to stop,’” Kaur wrote.

"Yesterday, when President Biden was asked, 'What are the prospects of a Gaza ceasefire?' He replied, 'None. No possibility.' Shame that this administration does not have compassion for both Palestinian and Israeli lives lost. The children of all communities are worth our love and compassion. Collective punishment is a war crime, it is inhumane and cannot be a solution."

Trending on NextShark: Video of S. Korean train station’s plus-size sign sparks 'fatphobia' discussion

Kaur added that there is a need to “keep applying pressure.” “Let us sign petitions. Keep posting. Boycott. Call our reps and demand—Stop the Genocide,” she concluded.

Latest update on the Israel-Gaza conflict: President Biden recently declared that Israel agreed to implement a daily four-hour humanitarian pause in combat operations. However, conflicting reports indicate that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has denied such an agreement.

Around 80,000 individuals have reportedly evacuated northern Gaza as Israeli forces intensified their offensive against Hamas militants on Thursday last week. As of the latest update from the Palestinian Health Ministry, the death toll among Palestinians in Gaza has reached 10,818, including 4,412 children and 2,198 women.

‘Bad actors’ used state program to 

store pallets, hand sanitizer under 

10 Fwy. before arsonist struck, 

Newsom says

Cameron Kiszla

Mon, November 13, 2023 

This weekend, a large fire damaged the 10 Freeway in Los Angeles, shutting down a primary transportation route for hundreds of thousands of people.

State Fire Marshal Daniel Berlant said investigators “have been able to confidently determine” that the blaze was caused by arson, though the person or persons involved have not been identified.

The investigation is ongoing into “what we believe to be malicious and willful intent of starting a fire,” Berlant said.

But how did those flammable materials end up under the freeway? It’s part of a government program that leases that space to private citizens and companies.

Caltrans’ Airspace and Telecommunications Licensing Program — often called simply Airspace — “is responsible for leasing and managing those properties or sites held for a transportation purpose that can safely accommodate a secondary use,” the agency said on its website.

“More simply put, Airspace leases specific areas within state highway right of way,” Caltrans added.

Federal authorization is also required before a lessee can be approved, according to Gov. Gavin Newsom.

In this case, the space was being leased to a company called Apex Development Inc., though the lease has expired and that entity is involved in litigation with the state. Newsom expects the case to be heard in court in early 2024.

“This guy and this organization, whoever the members of that particular organization are, have been bad actors,” Newsom said. “We’ve been in a litigious posture for some time. They stopped paying their rent, they’re out of compliance, and as was stated yesterday … they have been subleasing this site to at least five, maybe as many as six tenants, without authorization from Caltrans or authorization from our federal partners.”

While that investigation is ongoing, appraisals into what will be needed to reopen the roadway showed some positive signs, Newsom said Monday afternoon.

“The structural integrity of the deck appears to be much stronger than originally assessed,” Newsom said. “That does not mean that we are moving forward without consideration of a demo[lition]. Quite the contrary. We are assessing additional samples, but the preliminary samples show more positive results than initially anticipated.”

A potential window for reopening has not yet been determined.

Arson likely caused fire that damaged vital artery of Los Angeles freeway, governor says

JOHN ANTCZAK, JULIE WATSON and JEFF McMURRAY

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Arson was the cause of a massive weekend fire that charred and indefinitely closed a vital section of a Los Angeles freeway, causing major traffic headaches for hundreds of thousands of commuters, California authorities said Monday.

Gov. Gavin Newsom said investigators were trying to determine if one person or more were involved. He gave no other details.

“I have to stress that we have determined what started the fire,” Newsom told reporters.

The fire erupted Saturday in two storage lotsf under Interstate 10. Construction materials combusted quickly and the fire grew. It left many columns charred and chipped and the deck guardrails twisted. Crews shored up the most damaged section for the safety of workers clearing the debris. It’s still unclear what structural damage, if any, the blaze caused to the freeway.

Beyond a massive traffic headache, the closure is expected to be felt well beyond the metropolis, including possibly slowing the transport of goods from the twin ports of LA and Long Beach, federal officials have said. The ports handle more than half the goods coming into the country. President Joe Biden had been briefed on the fire.

“It’s disrupting in every way, whether you are talking about traveling to and from work or your child care plans and the flow of goods and commerce, this will disrupt the lives of Angelenos,” LA Mayor Karen Bass said.

Los Angeles residents were urged to avoid travel to the area Monday and to work from home if possible.

“Our streets cannot handle 300,000 cars,” Bass said, referring to how many vehicles use the I-10 stretch daily.

Officials have said the damage is reminiscent of the 1994 Northridge earthquake that flattened thoroughfares. After the quake, it took more than two months to repair Interstate 10 — and that was considered significantly fast.

Newsom said early tests show that the deck “appears to be much stronger than originally assessed." Concrete and rebar samples taken Monday from the superstructure, decks and columns will help determine “whether or not we’re tearing this down and replacing it, or we’re continuing the recovery and repairs,” he said.

“This isn’t going to be resolved in a couple of days, and it’s not going to take a couple years," Federal Highway Administrator Shailen Bhatt told The Associated Press. "But whether it’s weeks or months, we’re still too early to tell.”

Bhatt said the fiery June 11 crash of a tractor-trailer hauling gasoline in Philadelphia that collapsed an elevated section of Interstate 95, snarling traffic and hurting area businesses, highlights the impact of such disasters not only on a city but on the nation.

“The ports are still open and the goods will still flow, but when you remove a section of the interstate that carries 300,000 vehicles a day, there’s going to be spillover impacts,” Bhatt said. “The concern there is the quicker we can get this open, the faster we can remove an impediment.”

Drivers were tested Monday during the first weekday commute since the raging fire. Some freeway exits backed up as drivers were forced to use crowded surface streets to bypass the damaged freeway stretch south of downtown.

Some routes, however, had lighter traffic, suggesting drivers heeded warnings from the city to make alternate plans. Cellphones blasted Monday with a predawn reminder for residents to plan different routes or expect significant delays.

“Our businesses are just bouncing back from the Covid shutdowns. Business was just getting good,” said Blair Besten, director of LA’s Historic Core business improvement district. She's worried about the lingering effects of this closure.

Flames reported around 12:20 a.m. Saturday ripped through two storage lots in an industrial area beneath I-10, burning parked cars, stacks of wooden pallets and support poles for high-tension power lines, city fire Chief Kristin Crowley said. No injuries were reported.

At least 16 homeless people, including a pregnant woman, living underneath the freeway were brought to shelters. More than 160 firefighters responded to the blaze, which spread across 8 acres (3 hectares) and burned for three hours.

California Fire Marshal Daniel Berlant said investigators have identified where the fire started and what the cause was after sorting through the rubble for evidence but did not specify what they found. He said there is no suspect information yet. He said they are talking to witnesses, including homeless people and nearby business owners.

Storage yards under highways are common statewide, with the money from the leases going to public transit. Newsom said the practice would be reevaluated following the fire.

The governor said California has been in litigation with Apex Development, Inc., the owner of the business leasing the storage property where the fire started. The lease is expired, Newsom said, and the business had been in arrears while illegally subleasing the space to five or six other entities. “They’ve been out of compliance for some time, that’s why we’re going to court” early next year, he said.

Mainak D’Attaray, an attorney for Apex Development, confirmed the company was in litigation with the state.

“We are currently investigating ourselves what happened at the yard under the freeway. As such, we are not prepared to give an official statement or answer questions until we have determined what actually occurred,” D’Attaray said in an email.

Ertugrul Taciroglu, chair of the civil and environmental engineering department at the University of California, Los Angeles, said part of the challenge is how expensive real estate has become.

“Every piece of land is being utilized, so I can see the pressure or the incentives for making use of these spaces under these highways,” he said.

Two contractors have been hired to clean up the hazardous material and to shore up the freeway, according to California Secretary of Transportation Toks Omishakin.

Repairs will require environmental waivers and federal funding, officials said.

In 2011, a fire from a poorly maintained fuel tanker that burst into flames damaged a stretch of State Route 60 — a key freeway connecting LA with its eastern suburbs — and took six months to reopen at a cost of $40 million.

The city and county of Los Angeles in 2020 agreed to provide housing for almost 7,000 people living under freeways and near exit and entrance ramps. In approving the deal, a federal judge said unhoused residents in those areas face particularly deadly hazards.

_____

Watson reported from San Diego. Associated Press writer Christopher Weber in Los Angeles contributed to this report. McMurray reported from Chicago.

Arson is behind the massive fire that shut down the 10 Freeway, officials say

Nathan Solis, Ruben Vives, Richard Winton, Brennon Dixson, Ashley Ahn
Mon, November 13, 2023

The massive fire that has shut down a crucial section of the 10 Freeway in downtown Los Angeles was caused by arson, officials said Monday as they raced to assess the extent of the damage and determine how long it would take to reopen.

More than 100 columns along the swath of the freeway were damaged — nine or 10 of them severely — Gov. Gavin Newsom said.

It's still unclear, pending the results of official tests at the site, if the entire overpass will be torn down or retrofitted.

The situation poses a commuting challenge that L.A. has not seen in years, with hundreds of thousands of commuters facing detours and heavier-than-normal traffic. Starting Monday, some worked from home and others took mass transit, but many simply endured the delays.

The closure caused gridlock in some areas, but there was general sentiment that L.A. survived the first morning and evening commute without too much chaos thanks in part to warnings sent to residents' cellphones.

The fire began under the overpass at Alameda Street early Saturday morning, fueled by wood pallets stored there.

Although the exact cause of the fire has not been revealed, "there was [malicious] intent," Newsom said at a news conference Monday afternoon.

In addition to pallets, sanitizer accumulated during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic was stored under the overpass and helped fuel the flames, according to sources familiar with the probe who were not authorized to discuss details of the investigation.

Read more: 10 Freeway closed: How to deal with the traffic nightmare in downtown L.A.

State Fire Marshal Daniel Berlant appealed for witnesses to call a tip line with information and noted those tips could be given anonymously.

"We have identified the point of origin of the fire," Berlant said. He would not provide further detail, saying the investigation was ongoing. Berlant said investigators had dug through the rubble for evidence and canvassed the neighborhood for witnesses.

Officials said the property where the fire broke out was being leased by Calabasas-based Apex Development Inc., which was subleasing the storage site under the overpass without permission from state and federal agencies. The company stopped paying rent, according to Newsom, and had been out of compliance with its lease agreement.

Federal, state and local agencies are scrambling to determine what happens next after the sudden closure of the mile-long section of the heavily trafficked freeway between Alameda Street and the East L.A interchange, a key east-west route through downtown. Mayor Karen Bass said that U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg called and reassured her that federal officials were aware of the impact from closing one of the busiest freeway corridors in the country.

"Losing the stretch of the 10 Freeway will take time and money from people's lives and businesses," Bass said. "It's disrupting in every way. Whether you were talking about traveling to and from work, or your child care plans, and the flow of goods and commerce, this will disrupt the lives of Angelenos."

Mitigation of hazardous materials at the site is ongoing, but most of the site has been cleared for structural engineers and maintenance crews to start their work, California Transportation Secretary Toks Omishakin said. They have taken samples of the freeway columns and bridge deck.

An initial influx of federal emergency funds has been secured, said Tony Tavares, director of the California Department of Transportation. Contractors have installed shoring underneath the overpass and in the most heavily damaged areas. Video footage from the scene shows the charred underbelly of the overpass and what appear to be sections of columns chipped away.

The fire was reported early Saturday, shortly after midnight, in the 1700 block of East 14th Street after a pallet yard under the freeway caught fire and spread to a second pallet yard, damaging the freeway overpass and destroying several vehicles, including a firetruck, authorities said.

Timothy Garrison, 55, was sleeping behind a nearby Shell gas station near the overpass when he heard explosions, he said Monday morning as he sat against a wall near 14th and Elwood streets, around the corner from the site of the fire.

When he peeked out of his makeshift tent made of plastic trash bags, he saw giant flames flickering out of the overpass.

“The heat was so intense,” he said. “I thought the overpass was going to crumble.”

Garrison heard about 10 to 15 pops and explosions as the fire continued to rage, and he moved to escape the heat, he said.

He knew of some people who lived underneath the freeway but said he had not seen them.

Bass said 16 people were living in the encampment, and all had been moved into hotels and motels.

A row of blue tarps, trailers and wooden shacks sat along 14th Street on Monday among piles of wood from pallets and metal debris. Wooden pallet yards are common along the 10 Freeway in the industrial center near downtown.

Not far from Santa Clara Street, a group of men had set cardboard and wood on fire to cook several feet from a pallet yard.

CalFire officials said they were taking all elements into consideration in their investigation, including the presence of homeless people in the area. But on Monday afternoon, Bass said there was "no reason to assume the reason this fire happened was because there were unhoused individuals nearby."

Read more: Rain is coming to Southern California: How much and when?

Workers in the area said firefighters frequently come to put out fires caused by people living on the streets.

It's why Antolín Padilla, 34, installed fire extinguishers at the entrances of his business Jaz Pallets, which sits along the railroad tracks near Santa Clara Street. He and another pallet yard owner on 14th Street agreed to enforce a "no camping zone" around their businesses, often telling people to camp elsewhere, after a fire spread to the wall of Padilla’s pallet yard a few months ago.

“The workers grabbed the extinguishers in time and were able to put it out,” he said, pointing to a charred corner of the wall. “The city needs to move people from this area.”

Nearby, David Cortez, 34, owner of D&G Pallets, said the fire shows why he’s often on edge.

Standing outside his business, he pointed to a pole where a thin green wire dangled from the power line above, saying he worried about homeless people tampering with lines to tap into the electricity.

“I’m not even sure if that wire is energized or not, but it’s dangerous,” he said. “And the fire hydrants have been damaged from people attempting to use pliers to get water.”

Derrick Smith, 39, walked nearby pushing a cart filled with metal debris. He had been staying near the overpass when the fire broke out. At least five or six people were living around him, he said.

Smith said he was in a deep sleep when he started to hear people banging on his trailer to warn him of the fire.

“They kept saying there’s a fire and get out,” he said. He ran away, leaving all his belongs behind.

“The heat was intense as hell,” he said.

Wearing a blue hoodie, black shorts and dirty Crocs, he said he had no change of clothes and is not sure whether he lost his trailer.

“I probably did,” he said, stuffing his hands in the pockets of his sweater.

Monday's commute was the first weekday for Angelenos encountering the disruption. The mayor's office sent an emergency advisory Sunday evening alerting residents about the detour, and officials encouraged employers to let their employees work remotely if possible. Nearby L.A. Unified schools remained open, though traffic was expected to be worse, especially in Boyle Heights and south of downtown.

At Grand Central Market, Maria Behringer scrambled Monday to set up the pastries for Bastion Bakery after she left her apartment near USC around 6:40 a.m. and arrived around 7:15 a.m. Though the market opens at 8 a.m., she needed time to set up her station before customers started trickling in.

“I was definitely rushing more than I usually do, so it was little a bit of a stressor,” said Behringer, 30. “I didn’t realize how close the fire was to downtown and I didn’t realize it would affect my commute.”

Her partner, Brandon Walsh, who rode in with her, said their usual commute takes them east on the 10 and then onto the 110 Freeway. But this time, the GPS rerouted them to side streets.

“I think so much was diverted to 110 [because of the fire] so the GPS just told us to get off at Grand and go into the city,” said Walsh, 32.

Officials encouraged car commuters to try alternatives, such as Metrolink, rail lines and local bus services, which are all expecting an increase in daily riders.

Metro Chief Executive Stephanie Wiggins told Angelenos to "plan ahead, share the ride, and keep up to date" on the disruption. She said there was a noticeable increase in cars parked at Union Station on Sunday, indicating people are taking advantage of public transportation. Officials directed drivers to check the detour status online at emergency.lacity.gov, and commuters can call 511 or check Metro.net for alternative routes.

"This is our litmus test," Omishakin said Monday. "Did we reach everyone and convince them that they need to plan ahead and plan alternate routes?"

At Union Station, Metro ambassadors said foot traffic was lighter than usual.

Brian Lin, 45, of Anaheim was sitting in heavy traffic on the 5 Freeway when he decided to park his car at Atlantic station in East Los Angeles and take the train into Union Station.

He admitted he doesn’t typically take the train to work, but Monday’s congestion called for a change — at least for one day.

“Luckily, it was just a quick meeting that I had to do in the office,” Lin said before an incoming Metro train chimed in the distance. “I think my ride is here.”

Claire Stolwyk, 27, waited for the J line bus at the Civic Center/Grand Park station while reading a book when she realized she had forgotten to check whether her commute to Cal State L.A. would be affected.

She pulled out her phone and saw a notice from Metro on Google Maps, but it looked like her route was in the clear. The bus pulled up to the stop on time.

Fire under 10 Freeway in downtown L.A. upends traffic with no reopening in sight

Daniel Miller, Andrew Khouri
Sun, November 12, 2023

The 10 Freeway in downtown Los Angeles will remain closed indefinitely as the California Department of Transportation moves to repair an overpass badly damaged by an intense fire early Saturday at two storage yards in an area with multiple homeless encampments.

The incident, which closed westbound and eastbound lanes of the busy freeway between Alameda Street and Santa Fe Avenue, will significantly affect traffic in the area, officials said at a news conference Sunday, without offering a timetable for reopening.

“Unfortunately, there is no reason to think that this is going to be over in a couple of days,” L.A. Mayor Karen Bass said. "We will need to come together and all cooperate until the freeway is rebuilt."

Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency Saturday to help expedite the work. Acknowledging "the anxiety of millions and millions that live in this region," Newsom noted that 300,000 vehicles travel through the freeway corridor daily. And he said he knew the question many are asking: "When the hell is this going to get reopened?"

Gov. Gavin Newsom, left, and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass attend a news conference Sunday at Caltrans headquarters in downtown Los Angeles. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

Several things must occur before construction can begin — starting with an investigation into the cause of the fire. It is expected to be finished by 6 a.m. Monday. Mitigation of hazardous materials also needs to be completed before a detailed structural analysis of the damaged portions of the freeway can commence. Engineers will be inspecting the freeway's columns and bridge deck.

"I am not going to understate the challenge here — it is significant," California Transportation Secretary Toks Omishakin said. "This is not going to be an easy task for our structural engineers at Caltrans."

Commuters were encouraged to take alternate routes, avoid the area altogether or use public transit to help ease traffic flow through the downtown area as work on the freeway continues.

This could be the most notable freeway closure in the Southland since the 1994 Northridge earthquake buckled portions of the 10 and other routes. The shutdown is expected to increase congestion on adjacent freeways where traffic is being diverted, among them the 5, 110 and 710.

Los Angeles firefighters continue to assess the damage from a fire under the 10 Freeway near downtown Los Angeles. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

The faint scent of smoke hung in the air Sunday morning as Caltrans workers examined a stretch of the freeway near 14th Street. Black marks were visible on the overpass where the Los Angeles City Fire Department responded to a reported rubbish fire at 12:22 a.m. a day earlier. The department said its first responders arrived to find a storage yard with pallets, trailers and vehicles "well involved in fire."

Ultimately, firefighters from 26 companies and one helicopter responded to the scene; they were able to keep the blaze from spreading into nearby structures, though a firetruck was badly damage.

Newsom said officials are investigating whether anyone was living under the overpass at the time of the fire, but at the moment there are no known deaths from the incident. Bass said some homeless people living nearby evacuated because of the fire and that at least 16 have since been housed.

On X, the service formerly known as Twitter, users posted images that purportedly showed homeless encampments beneath the freeway at 14th Street. Newsom said that he and other officials cleaned up an encampment there in August 2022.

“I am intimately familiar with this site,” he said.

The incident could lead officials to study the safety of homeless encampments near freeways across the city. Pete Brown, a spokesman for L.A. City Councilman Kevin de León, whose district includes the site of the fire, said he believed the incident would "trigger a review" of such properties.

"We just want to make sure folks are as safe as possible," Brown said. "Nine freeways crisscross through [de León's] district."

Since January, Brown said, the councilman's office had conducted six "cleanup operations" of sites under the 10 Freeway that had moved 36 people into housing in the downtown area. Two of the visits were at the property where the fire occurred, he said.

The area around the burn site is home to many homeless encampments. A man named Enrique who has been living in his car near the now-damaged overpass for most of the last year said that he woke up early Saturday to police shouting for people to clear the area.

“They were big flames, higher than that building,” the 58-year-old said, pointing to a two-story structure on 14th Street.

Behind Enrique, who declined to give his last name, there was a series of makeshift dwellings. A woman walked out of one and wandered the streets with no pants or underwear.

Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin M. Crowley said that “as for any of the encampments in that area, we do not have any direct correlation at this point as to if that’s where it did start or didn’t.”

“We are going to have to standby and wait for the active investigation to be completed,” she said.

Homeless encampments have been the source of fires under and around freeways up and down the West Coast in recent years. In July 2022, a major blaze struck an encampment underneath the 880 Freeway in Oakland, destroying vehicles, snarling traffic and requiring the work of 60 firefighters to extinguish it. And in March, a fire in Tacoma, Wash., broke out in a tent beneath the 5 Freeway, leaving one person dead.

The 14th Street property where the fire occurred Saturday is owned by Caltrans, a spokesman for the agency said. Newsom said that site had been leased to an entity he declined to name. But the lease is expired, the entity is in arrears and it has been cited by state investigators, Newsom said.

He added that the state is in litigation with the lessee and believes it has been subleasing the space.

Omishakin said it’s common practice across the country to lease space under freeways. “This is something that is going to be reevaluated from a safety standpoint,” he said, including what is allowed to be stored underneath overpasses.

Southern California is no stranger to freeway closures. Far from it.

Mudslides, wildfires and snow storms have routinely shut down portions of freeways, highways and state routes — but those closures often are quickly resolved. The 5 Freeway, for example, was briefly shut down along the Grapevine a dozen times from 2018 to 2022 due to snow, Caltrans said. Some natural disasters have caused notable problems: In 2018, Highway 23, which connects Pacific Coast Highway and the 101 Freeway, was closed for about six weeks starting in November after the Woolsey fire ripped through nearly 100,000 acres in the Santa Monica Mountains.

Man-made fires have also taken their toll on Southern California's freeways. In 2013, a tanker truck carrying 8,500 gallons of gasoline crashed and caught fire, severely damaging a tunnel connecting the 5 and 2 freeways in Elysian Valley north of downtown. The conflagration burned through almost three inches of concrete and caused chunks of it to fall from the tunnel walls, necessitating a $16.5-million repair. The work wasn't completed until January 2014.

But the biggest disruption to the freeway system occurred after the magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck L.A. on Jan. 17, 1994, killing dozens and causing tens of billions of dollars of property damage. Parts of one highway and six freeways, among them the 5 and the 10, were closed after the temblor collapsed overpasses and buckled roadways, The Times reported.

An accelerated construction effort — one spurred by round-the-clock work — led to reopenings ahead of schedule. In the case of the 10 Freeway, which saw two sections flattened by the quake, contractor C.C. Myers Inc. finished the project 74 days ahead of schedule, allowing it to reopen in April. The company had been offered a $200,000 bonus for every day the work was finished ahead of schedule, The Times reported.

Bass invoked that push on Sunday.

“For those of you that remember the 1994 Northridge earthquake, Caltrans worked around the clock to complete the emergency repairs to the freeways, and this structural damage calls for the same level of urgency and effort,” she said.

Newsom said the state is now determining whether to offer contractors incentives to finish repair work quickly.

“We are sober and mindful of the urgency to get this open,” Newsom said. “It is safety first, it’s speed second.”

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Editing by David Gregorio)