★ The Sports Examiner: Chronicling the key competitive, economic and political forces shaping elite sport and the Olympic Movement.★
★ To get the daily Sports Examiner Recap by e-mail: sign up here! ★
≡ LOS ANGELES FIRES ≡
California Governor Gavin Newsom announced the creation of “LA Rises” on Tuesday, described as a “unified recovery initiative that brings together private sector leaders to support rebuilding efforts led by the city of Los Angeles, Los Angeles County and the State of California.
“The Governor has enlisted Dodgers Chairman Mark Walter, business leader and basketball legend Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson, and Casey Wasserman, LA28 Chairperson and President to lead and recruit others to this private sector and philanthropic effort.”
The project was immediately seeded with a $100 million commitment from Los Angeles Dodgers Chair Walter, the Mark Walter Family Foundation and the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation.
Said Wasserman:
“I’ve been a lifelong Angeleno, and what I admire most about this city is its resilience and unity. There’s nothing Los Angeles can’t achieve. LA Rises will channel the unmatched creativity, resources, and generosity of the private sector to rebuild our city and pave the way for a stronger future.”
Said Johnson, a member of the original “Dream Team” at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona:
“This is a time for bold action. We’re bringing together the best resources and biggest hearts across California to ensure that every Angeleno — no matter their race, socioeconomic status, or neighborhood — has a chance to rebuild and thrive. This isn’t just about recovery; it’s about restoring communities while also making them more resilient and better than before.”
The task was described as “LA Rises will contribute through collaboration, access to capital and financial tools, leveraging innovation and private-sector investment to drive a faster recovery.” This expected to include fundraising, collaborating with other organizations to maximize rebuilding efforts, and providing current and correct information on resources and rebuilding.
¶
Those with long memories of Los Angeles will immediately see an echo of the “Rebuild LA” effort undertaken in the city in the aftermath of the April-May 1992 riots following the acquittal of officers in the Rodney King arrest and beating incident in 1991.
The rioting, violence and property damage in the mid-town Los Angeles area was linked to 63 deaths, damage estimated at as much as $1 billion, with more than 12,000 arrests made.
Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley assembled a “Rebuild LA” effort in May, with 1984 Olympic organizing committee President Peter Ueberroth as Chair. The rebuilding effort – which added Tony Salazar, Linda Wong, Barry Sanders and Bernard Kinsey as co-Chairs over the next few months – had mixed success, but brought new businesses and financing to the area. Ueberroth left as Chair in May 1993, but remained on the board. But it was quickly overshadowed just 21 months later when the Northridge Earthquake hit on 17 January 1994, causing damage estimated at more than $13 billion and perhaps as much as $50 billion.
The rebuilding effort in Altadena and Pacific Palisades will take years, and residents are just now being allowed back to their property in multiple areas, owing to the hazardous waste removal needed to make the areas safe.
It took years, but the areas hit by the 1992 riots have moved ahead. It will be the same in Altadena and the Palisades, but it will take time. And it will not be done by 2028.
¶
★ Receive our exclusive, weekday TSX Recap by e-mail by clicking here.
★ Sign up a friend to receive the TSX Recap by clicking here.
★ Please consider a donation here to keep this site going.
For our updated, 895-event International Sports Calendar for 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!
