William Tell Darnall

NEW: A 42-year-old Culver City man who works for PATH was arrested on a federal fentanyl distribution charge after authorities say they found 142+ grams of fentanyl and nearly 46 grams of meth in his BMW near MacArthur Park.

MacArthur Park Update: Christopher Barret Johnson, a 42-year-old Culver City resident who works for the nonprofit People Assisting the Homeless (PATH), which distributes syringes to drug users at L.A.’s MacArthur Park and elsewhere, was arrested today on a federal criminal complaint charging him with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. On May 5, law enforcement pulled Johnson over near MacArthur Park after he abruptly made a U-turn in front of them in his BMW. LAPD officers saw methamphetamine in a plastic baggie in plain view in Johnson’s car. Additional searches of Johnson’s person and his BMW resulted in the seizure of at least 142 grams of fentanyl and nearly 46 grams of methamphetamine. If convicted, Johnson faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison and a maximum of 40 years. His initial appearance is expected tomorrow afternoon at the Roybal Federal Building in DTLA. Residents and businesses in MacArthur Park and elsewhere have long complained about the wisdom of distributing syringes to homeless drug addicts where law-abiding citizens live and work. They call these policies “harm reduction.” I consider them “harm enabling.” Giving drug-addicted users needles to shoot up meth and fentanyl is never a good idea.

For once, we agree with Spencer. Vote for the policy. Nithya is the only candidate with realistic plans to make Los Angeles more affordable, rebuild our infrastructure, house the homeless, help small businesses, and bring back Hollywood jobs.

NEW ALL-TIME LOW: Nithya Raman now has a 13% chance to win the Los Angeles Mayor election, down from a high of 59% in late April

Opening a business in LA means navigating a maze of agencies that don’t talk to each other, each with their own timeline, their own requirements, and no obligation to move quickly. No wonder new business formation is at a 20-year-low. I’m looking to fix that. With a detailed plan that includes a shot clock for permitting and free and simple outdoor dining, I want to change the way it feels to run a small business in Los Angeles.