[KARAH RUCKER]

THE DEADLY LOS ANGELES FIRES THIS MONTH CAUSED BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN DAMAGE TO PARTS IN AND AROUND THE SPRAWLING AMERICAN CITY.

GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM SIGNED A BILL LAST WEEK DEDICATING TWO-AND-HALF BILLION DOLLARS TO REBUILD L-A.  NOW… HE HAS ANNOUNCED A NEW INITIATIVE THIS WEEK LED BY THE PRIVATE SECTOR IN COLLABORATION WITH STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS TO FURTHER THOSE EFFORTS.

IT’S CALLED L-A RISES AND ITS MEANT TO AID IN THE CITY’S RECOVERY FROM THE DEVASTATING FIRES THROUGH PHILANTHROPIC AND GOVERNMENT COORDINATION.

[CALIF. GOV. GAVIN NEWSOM]

“WE CAN’T LOSE HOPE. I KNOW PEOPLE FEEL HELPLESS. I WAS JUST AT ANOTHER COMMUNITY MEETING, QUITE LITERALLY, AN HOUR AGO. THE PAIN, THE TRAUMA, THE ANXIETY, THE LOSS OF COMMUNITY, LOSS OF IDENTITY, SELF, PLACE, TRADITIONS, LIFESTYLES, ALL OF THAT, CANNOT GIVE WAY TO HOPELESSNESS. AND WHAT L.A. RISES IS ABOUT, IS RISING OUT OF THAT AND PROVIDING A MINDSET OF OPTIMISM.

[KARAH RUCKER]

THE PRIVATE FUNDRAISING IS SUPPORTED BY THE LIKES OF SOME L-A SPORTS FIGURES LIKE MAGIC JOHNSON AND DODGERS CHAIRMAN MARK WALTER.

[MAGIC JOHNSON]

THIS CITY ALWAYS FINDS A WAY TO COME TOGETHER, AND IT’S DONE THAT. THESE FIRES THAT HAVE JUST RUINED SO MANY PEOPLE’S LIVES. AND I’M SO HAPPY THAT THE GOVERNOR HAS ASKED ME TO BE A PART OF L.A. RISES.

[KARAH RUCKER]

WALTER KICKSTARTED THE PROGRAM BY PLEDGING 100 MILLION DOLLARS TOWARD L-A’S REBUILD THROUGH HIS FAMILY FOUNDATION AND JOHNSON PUSHED FOR MORE PEOPLE TO FOLLOW WALTER’S LEAD.

[MAGIC JOHNSON]

I’M URGING ALL THESE BUSINESS AND COMPANIES AND INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE MONEY TO DO THE SAME.

[KARAH RUCKER]

L-A RISES WILL GATHER RESOURCES THROUGH PRIVATE COMPANIES ALONG WITH FEDERAL AND STATE SUPPORT TO SPEED UP THE RECOVERY PROCESS.

DESPITE PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP AND NEWSOM’S CRITICISM OF EACH OTHER, DURING THE ELECTION AND L-A FIRES, THE GOVERNOR SAYS HE’S BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THE WHITE HOUSE.

[GAVIN NEWSOM]

IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR ME TO MAKE THAT CASE ANEW WITH THE PRESIDENT, AND WAS WITH HIM JUST A FEW DAYS AGO, FOLLOWED UP AND HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THE WHITE HOUSE FOLLOWING UP FURTHER. TO THE EXTENT SITUATIONALLY, THERE ARE SOME ISSUES TODAY. TO ME, ALL OF THOSE ISSUES GET WORKED OUT AND WE’LL WORK THROUGH THEM AS IT RELATES TO OUR RECOVERY. AND I’M FIRMLY FOCUSED ON BUILDING THAT PARTNERSHIP AND STRENGTHENING OUR COLLABORATIVE SPIRIT.”

[KARAH RUCKER]

NEWSOM SAID THE INITIATIVE WILL HELP REBUILD NEIGHBORHOODS WHILE ALSO FOCUSING ON EXPANDING ACCESS TO MONEY FOR RESIDENTS AND KEEPING THEM UP TO DATE ON PROGRESS DURING THE REBUILD.

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FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS– I’M KARAH RUCKER.