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When “Sí Se Puede” director Sara Guerrero woke up on March 18 to breaking news of sexual abuse allegations against civil rights leader César Chávez, she was shocked. The entire production team was meeting that same day for the play’s final rehearsal at East LA College on Cesar Chavez Avenue. “It was so ironic,” said Guerrero, founding artistic director of Santa Ana-based Breath of Fire Latina Theater Ensemble, Orange County’s only Latina theater company. “The timing was insane, but it reinforced why we did this.” Commissioned last year by Center Theatre Group, “Sí Se Puede” is a call to action with Dolores Huerta at the forefront. Taking place in the 1960s and ‘70s, the play follows Huerta as she fights to improve conditions for farmworkers, organizing boycotts and marches, negotiating contracts and co-founding the United Farm Workers (UFW) in 1966. It also sheds light on the often-overlooked Filipino-American UFW co-founder Larry Itliong, who in 1965 demanded fair wages for farmworkers and started the Delano grape strike. “You can’t _not_ talk about César Chávez when you talk about the UFW,” said Guerrero, who made small adjustments to the production after the news broke. “We couldn’t completely erase him, but there were other people besides this icon we elevated. It was about pivoting and reinforcing Dolores’ role. A Chicana lobbyist in the ‘60s was like a unicorn. What a beautiful example of how people become active. We need that more today.” #### News for your neighborhood, our LA. Sign up to learn more about The LA Local and get stories worth telling delivered to your inbox. * The LA Local * Boyle Heights Beat * Koreatown, Pico Union and Westlake * Inglewood and South LA Sign up “Sí Se Puede” is a vibrant 40-minute rallying cry by playwright Eliana Pipes with music composed by Moises Vazquez, who weaves corridos de campesinos with popular farmworker anthems like “De Colores.” Inspired by Luis Valdez’s El Teatro Campesino, which performed actos or short skits on flatbed trucks and inside union halls to recruit Central Valley farmworkers to join the strikes, the mobile play brings theater to schools, libraries and community centers across LA. Most performances are open to the public. “Our purpose has always been to make theater part of people’s daily lives,” said Jesus Reyes, director of learning and community partnerships at Center Theatre Group, which returned to its touring roots after a 20-year hiatus. For a decade, the Boyle Heights native brought puppet-making, acting, writing and sewing workshops to parent centers, libraries and community centers throughout Boyle Heights. “The play is for all ages. It’s for the community. It’s not glossy. It’s Teatro style.” A cast of six actors and understudies, including Myrna Velasco, who plays Huerta, and Brandon Santos English, who plays Itliong, worked with Valdez’s son Lakin Valdez to learn about short comedic sketches that define Teatro Campesino, which uses exaggerated archetypes like the greedy pig-masked grower (Sol Joun) and oversized devil-masked politician. Choreographer Marissa Herrera taught a workshop on Chicano social dances, and props like grapevines, hand-painted farmlands and bags of money set the makeshift traveling stage. The play opens with an introduction and ends with a Q&A. An online study guide allows guests and teachers to take a deeper dive into historical facts and references. “Sí Se Puede” draws inspiration from El Teatro Campesino, which used exaggerated archetypes to help organize farm workers. (Courtesy Javier Vasquez / Center Theatre Group) Aimed at highlighting an unsung hero, the play touches on Huerta’s childhood and the domestic labor she did while organizing, then jumps to the present moment. There is no mention of Huerta’s recent accusation that Chávez sexually abused her in the 1970s. “The play has always been about Dolores,” Reyes said. “It wasn’t about capitalizing on current events. This is a woman that helped propel a movement. She may not be from Los Angeles, but she has deep roots here, and we see her in LA all the time. We need to continue to uplift her.” Playwright Pipes, who grew up watching free student matinees with her Culver City elementary school at Center Theatre Group’s Kirk Douglas Theatre, has a personal connection to Huerta. Her grandmother worked with the UFW for three decades as a member of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Santa Monica, a meeting space for labor leaders. “I grew up hearing stories from my grandmother about Dolores and feeling close to the movement,” said Pipes, who also inherited a copy of Valdez’s Teatro Campesino book with programs of plays her grandma saw in the ‘60s and ‘70s. “I remember her talking about the logistics, the unglamorous stuff like calling the senator and organizing marches. The UFW stayed at her house during one of their marches up the coast.” Playwright Eliana Pipes’ grandmother worked for UFW and the play aims to return Dolores Huerta to the center of the farmworkers movement. (Courtesy Eliana Pipes) Like Plaza de la Raza’s “Dolores” art show, which opened three days after the disturbing sexual abuse allegations, the play de-centers Chávez and uplifts women’s voices in the movement, including the sexism they faced and how Huerta was often referred to as the “girlfriend.” “The purpose of the play has always been to move Dolores to the center of the narrative of the United Farm Workers movement where she always belonged,” said Pipes, who made small edits like taking out some of Chávez’s lines after the news broke. “It was never about César Chávez.” The play, which premiered at Palms-Rancho Park Library on March 21, will stop at Boyle Heights City Hall on April 2 and Wabash Recreation Center on April 10, Huerta’s 96th birthday. “There’s a very explicit invitation to the audience to ask themselves, what cause is calling to them,” said Reyes, who hopes Huerta attends a show so they can sing her “Happy Birthday.” “I hope people feel a sense of hope and walk away feeling like it’s possible to change the world, feeling galvanized for whatever cause is most important to them.” ## Upcoming performances: **Boyle Heights City Hall ** 2130 E. 1st St. Los Angeles, CA 90033 Thursday, April 2 at 3:30 p.m. **Culver City Julian Dixon Library** 4975 Overland Ave. Culver City, CA 90230 Saturday, April 4 at 2 p.m. (sold out) and 4:30 p.m. **Wabash Recreation Center** 2765 Wabash Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90033 Friday, April 10 at 6 p.m. All performances are free and presented in English with some Spanish. * * * **Community-powered journalism for your neighborhood** The LA Local is a nonprofit newsroom rooted in neighborhoods across Los Angeles. We believe **everyone deserves access to clear, relevant reporting** —especially coverage that centers your daily life, your block, and your local issues. Become a **Founding Member** by donating today to support our mission. ### _Related_

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Small businesses struggling financially have another program they could qualify for to help pay the bills. The program is for businesses in Council District 1, which includes the neighborhoods of Koreatown, Pico Union, Westlake, MacArthur Park and Highland Park. Individual brick-and-mortar businesses can qualify for grants ranging from $5,000 to $10,000, while street vendors can receive about $3,000, according to city officials. A total of $400,000 is available through the program, and applications are now open. Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez announced the program’s goal, describing it as a way to support locally owned businesses navigating rising operating costs, shifting customer patterns, and the impacts of recent wide-scale events, like the ongoing immigration raids, along with wildfires, and broader economic uncertainty. Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez announces the launch of the Small Business Grant program at Delicias Bakery and Some in Highland Park on March 26, 2026. (Courtesy Council District 1) #### News for your neighborhood, our LA. Sign up to learn more about The LA Local and get stories worth telling delivered to your inbox. * The LA Local * Boyle Heights Beat * Koreatown, Pico Union and Westlake * Inglewood and South LA Sign up ### Who is eligible? The program is open to independently owned businesses and street vendors located within District 1. To qualify, businesses must have a valid Los Angeles business license and have been operating in Council District 1 since December 2020, with some flexibility for street vendors. They also need to show they’ve been financially impacted by any largescale events, like the COVID pandemic, immigration enforcement, or the broader economy. Businesses that changed owners can also apply if they’re essentially running the same operation. ### How can the money be used? Grants can be used for daily operational expenses, including rent, payroll, utilities, overhead and other business costs. Roochnik said the funding could also help businesses cover missed rent payments. ### Who is running the program? The grants will be distributed in partnership with the PACE Business Development Center and New Economics for Women. The two organizations provide support to small and immigrant-owned businesses across Los Angeles. ### How will recipients be selected? Funding will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, with applications remaining open until funds run out, Roochnik said. ### What’s the goal? Hernandez said the program is meant to help stabilize neighborhoods that have been affected by immigration enforcement and economic hardships. “These small businesses are the backbone of our neighborhoods,” she said, adding the funding is meant to help them “stay open, keep workers employed, and continue serving our communities.” Naomi Villagomez Roochnik, CD1 communications director, said the announcement was made during a press conference at Delicias Bakery and Some, a longtime Latina-owned business in Highland Park. The neighborhood has experienced significant rising rents due to gentrification and the location was meant to highlight the kinds of businesses the program is meant to support. ### How to apply: To apply, small businesses and vendors can complete the application at bit.ly/cd1smallbizsupport. ### Is this a one-time program or part of a larger effort? The grant is part of a pilot program, with the possibility of it expanding depending on demand and outcomes. The council office has launched similar aid efforts in the past, Roochnik said, such as food distribution and rental assistance. Businesses that may not qualify for this specific grant can be connected to other resources, according to Roochnik, including the city’s legacy business program, which is for businesses operating for at least 20 years. * * * **Community-powered journalism for your neighborhood** The LA Local is a nonprofit newsroom rooted in neighborhoods across Los Angeles. We believe **everyone deserves access to clear, relevant reporting** —especially coverage that centers your daily life, your block, and your local issues. Become a **Founding Member** by donating today to support our mission. ### _Related_

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Over several decades, Jackie Wilson has seen downtown Inglewood transform from a promenade where locals shopped for clothes and goods into an entertainment hub — with restaurants, bars and, of course, three massive venues nearby: the Kia Forum, the Intuit Dome and SoFi Stadium. Soon the world’s attention will turn to downtown Inglewood as some of the biggest global events arrive in quick succession — first the FIFA World Cup this summer, then the Super Bowl next year and finally the 2028 Summer Olympics. A part of the Olympic opening ceremony will be held at SoFi Stadium, just down the street from CoquetteKouture, the small African clothing store where Wilson works. What that means for the economic impact on the store remains unclear. “The vision right now is not in the future, it’s like survival right now,” Wilson told The LA Local, gesturing toward racks of vibrantly colored Senegalese shirts and dresses hanging below signs advertising 50% to 60% discounts. * Aicha Lo at her store, CoquetteKouture Top Diversified African Fashion, in Inglewood. (Sam Ribakoff / For The LA Local) * Bass Lo at his store, CoquetteKouture Top Diversified African Fashion, in Inglewood. (Sam Ribakoff / For The LA Local) * Racks of clothes for sale at CoquetteKouture Top Diversified African Fashion in Inglewood. (Sam Ribakoff / For The LA Local) * A dress for sale at CoquetteKouture Top Diversified African Fashion in Inglewood. (Sam Ribakoff / For The LA Local) One of the store’s owners, Aicha Lo, told The LA Local that the gentrification in Inglewood has already significantly hurt sales and that the 2028 Games will likely worsen that trend. “Right now, in Inglewood, as an African clothing store, there’s no business, I don’t know if we’ll be here in 2028,” she said. “Honestly I hope I’m not here, because that would be painful, because (Olympic tourism) is not coming here for us.” A few weeks later, that uncertainty became reality when Lo announced she and her husband will close their store on April 30 after more than 36 years. Her story cuts to the heart of what the 2028 Games could mean for the Angelenos who will live through them: Is it a windfall or a reckoning? For many in the City of Angels, the stakes vary from financial to personal safety and privacy concerns stemming from surveillance and so-called “sanitation sweeps.” And all of it can be traced back to the last time Los Angeles hosted the Olympics. ## Highs and lows from the 1984 Games Yugoslavian referee Gligorije Novicic, center, raises the hand of boxer Kevin Barry of New Zealand as a dejected Evander Holyfield of Atlanta, Ga., looks on, at the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, Calif., Aug. 9, 1984. Holyfield had earlier knocked Barry through the ropes, and had the fight well in hand until Novicic disqualified him at the end of the second round for hitting on the break. (AP Photo) The 1984 Games in Los Angeles revitalized the Olympics after a troubled decade — including the 1972 Games in Germany, where members of a Palestinian armed group called Black September killed 11 members of the Israeli Olympic team; the 1976 Montreal Games, which ran billions over budget; and the 1980 Games in the Soviet Union, which the U.S., China, Iran and other countries boycotted. The ‘84 Games generated millions in surplus revenue and created a template for private organizing committees — largely free from public accountability — to run future Games. They also set the framework for dragnet policing and surveillance tactics that law enforcement would later use across the country. According to a news report from the Christian Science Monitor leading up to the 84 games: “The LAPD has set up a very active intelligence network, formed liaisons with antiterrorist agencies at all levels in the U.S., and sent officials abroad to confer with foreign agencies, including, reportedly, the West Germans, the British, and the Israeli intelligence service, Mossad.” After sending officials abroad to consult with foreign counterterrorism agencies — with federal funds and Mayor Tom Bradley’s support — then–Police Chief Daryl Gates launched large-scale sweeps of unhoused people and Black and brown residents in South LA ahead of the 1984 Games. Following a sweep of unhoused people in downtown and Skid Row, a police captain said the goal was to “sanitize the area.” ## LA showcased a “culturally diverse society” Photos from a ceremony commemorating LA’s “ethnic diversity” during the 1984 Summer Olympics sit in a display case at City Hall, March 24, 2026. (Erick Galindo / The LA Local) It remains the most financially successful modern Olympics, generating more profit than any Games before or since. According to the International Olympic Committee, 40% of that $233 million surplus was invested to create the LA84 Foundation, which supports youth sports programs and public education across the city. The spectacle matched the finances. A record 140 nations competed — and the atmosphere was so festive that at the opening ceremony, athletes broke ranks to join in spontaneous dancing, something usually reserved for the closing ceremony. #### News for your neighborhood, our LA. Sign up to learn more about The LA Local and get stories worth telling delivered to your inbox. * The LA Local * Boyle Heights Beat * Koreatown, Pico Union and Westlake * Inglewood and South LA Sign up Los Angeles and the 1984 Summer Olympics were framed around a diverse, citywide and unifying image, especially through the Games’ colorful design and messaging about bringing together the city’s many neighborhoods. Ronald Reagan also described Los Angeles as part of a “culturally diverse society” in remarks to American athletes at the Games. “There is a new patriotism spreading across our country. It’s an affection for our way of life, expressed by people who represent the width and breadth of our culturally diverse society,” he said at the time. “And the new patriotism is not a negative force that excludes, but a positive force, an attitude toward those things that are fundamental to America, that draws together our freedom, our decency, our sense of fair play as a people. On the track, Carl Lewis entered the history books by matching the 1936 achievement of Jesse Owens, winning gold medals in the 100m, 200m, 4x100m relay and long jump. The Games also marked milestones for women’s sports as synchronized swimming and rhythmic gymnastics debuted and women ran the Olympic marathon for the first time. The ’84 Games also marked the beginning of what some still see as a dark era of LAPD tactics. ## LAPD’s legacy from the era Former Los Angeles police officer Jimmy Wade Pearson, seen here during an arraignment in Los Angeles Aug. 16, 1984, was hailed as a hero for finding a bomb during the 1984 Olympics until he was arrested for placing the bomb. (AP Photo/Files) The Games put enormous pressure on residents and police officers alike. One strange parable that illustrated the highs and lows of the era involved LAPD officer Jimmy Wade Pearson. On August 1984, as the closing ceremonies wrapped up, Pearson discovered a pipe bomb on a Turkish Olympic bus at LAX. He quickly ripped apart its wiring and sprinted 50 yards to hurl it onto the runway. Police Chief Daryl Gates cited him for heroism — the moment seemingly proof that the special international training paid off. Then the truth came out. Pearson himself had planted the pipe filled with gunpowder in the wheel well of the team’s baggage bus before pretending to discover it. He was arrested the next day after failing a polygraph test. He later pleaded guilty to possession of an explosive and wrote in a letter to his probation officer that he staged the hoax so he could transfer out of the elite Metro Division — a unit he described as throwing parties when officers were involved in shooting deaths and maintaining a “kill board” of officers who had killed someone. Officers of the Los Angeles Police Department set up a mobile booking unit at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, April 7, 1988, launching a new enforcement sweep against gang members whose violent behavior has shocked the nation’s second largest city in weeks. Officers processed dozens of people arrested for a variety of suspected offenses, including parole violation and weapons possession. (AP Photo/Doug Pizac) The incident captured something essential about the contradictions of the ’84 Games: a moment of manufactured heroism, inside an institution ramping up for future security threats. After the Games ended, Gates used militarized equipment, surveillance tactics and city-backed authority to continue harassment campaigns and sweeps in South LA. Dubbed “Operation Hammer”, the LAPD continued to indiscriminately arrest thousands of Black youths in weekend raids, often for minor offenses such as curfew violations or old traffic tickets. New surveillance efforts are already underway ahead of the World Cup, including Real-Time Watch Centers, where law enforcement can monitor CCTV cameras and license plate readers around the clock, said Hamid Khan, co-founder of the Stop LAPD Spying Coalition. ## The funding of a “Real-Time Crime Center” A protester scuffles with LAPD officers during a demonstration in front of the Metropolitan Detention Center calling for an end to federal immigration enforcement operations and U.S. attacks on Venezuela, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jill Connelly) In 2025, LA28 leaders toured Beverly Hills live-feed camera system for monitoring public spaces, explicitly in the context of 2028 Games planning. A City Council motion filed March 24 shows that infrastructure is already being funded. The motion authorizes a transfer of $452,135 from the Police Department budget to the General Services Department to build out a Real-Time Crime Center on the third floor of the Police Administration Building — combining live camera feeds, license plate readers and advanced analytics into a single command hub where officers can monitor the city around the clock. Its stated deadline is the FIFA World Cup this June — underscoring how each successive mega-event is being used to layer in surveillance infrastructure that will still be standing long after the closing ceremonies. Critics like Khan have warned that this is precisely the pattern: security measures justified by one event become permanent fixtures by the next. We asked Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts whether he was concerned about a repeat of 1984‑style sweeps targeting Black and brown residents, and about gentrification driven by the city’s new stadiums and major events. He did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Representatives for LA Mayor Karen Bass and several City Council members did return requests for comment. Just as the ’84 Games permanently expanded the LAPD’s surveillance and tactics, Khan said he’s concerned the Games will normalize extraordinary policing and surveillance once again. “So the mayor could actually listen to the people,” Khan said, referring to efforts to stop further militarization of local law enforcement. “They can take action, but they need courage.” “In essence, it’s a big clusterfuck,” he added. ## **Security perimeters planned at venues** U.S.A.’s Matthew Dryke of Columbus, Ga., competes in the International Skeet shooting event for which he won the gold medal in Los Angeles Saturday, Aug. 4, 1984. (AP Photo/Doug Pizac) The Olympic Games often operate on an internal logic that deems any security, policing or surveillance measure necessary — and those measures often continue long after the games end, Chris Tyler, spokesperson for Strategic Actions for a Just Economy (SAJE), said. As a member of NOlympics LA, a coalition of community organizations around LA and throughout California that wants the city to back out of hosting the upcoming games, Tyler said the group has learned that plans call for concentric security perimeters around Olympic venues. Those zones may require TSA-style body scans not just for people entering venues but also for residents and workers several blocks away. The perimeters would reportedly be coordinated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, including U.S. Customs and Border Protection. We reached out the Los Angeles Police Department to ask if they planned on implementing “sanitation sweeps”, surveillance networks or security perimeters. We also asked if they would be collaborating with Homeland Security. Officer Norma Eisenman, an LAPD spokesperson, told The LA Local in an email that, “The Department does not discuss tactics.” ## Can the Olympics help the LA economy? Los Angeles City Council President Herb Wesson stands at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum as the Olympic torch is lit Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel) Reynold Hoover, CEO of the LA28 organizing committee, outlined a bold vision during testimony before a California Senate special committee. Hoover projected the 2028 Games will generate an $18 billion economic impact, create 90,000 full-time equivalent jobs and produce $700 million in state and local tax revenue. The organizing committee, he said, is operating on a $7.1 billion budget funded entirely by private sources, including sponsorships, broadcasting rights, and ticket sales. Hoover also told the City Council that LA28 had raised about $1.7 billion of its $2.5 billion domestic sponsorship goal. The figure, he said, surpassed what Paris had raised at the same stage ahead of the 2024 Games. Hoover also noted that LA28 has already secured corporate partnerships with Google and Starbucks. Sponsors related memorabilia from the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles sits in a display case at City Hall, March 24, 2026. (Erick Galindo / The LA Local) Cities that host the Olympics often expect a short-term surge of wealthy visitors who spend heavily, but Los Angeles already has a robust summer tourism industry. Hosting the Games here might just displace regular tourists, said Victor Matheson, a sports economist at the College of the Holy Cross. That is, if people come to the Games at all. ## Could international fans stay away? U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) field officers guard a federal building during ICE deportation protests in Downtown Los Angeles, California, USA on June 10, 2025. (Matt Gush / Shutterstock) President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” signed last July, not only included a $90 billion increase in funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, but also a $1 billion allocation for federal security for the Olympic Games in LA. It has been common practice since 1998 for federal law enforcement to work with local police to coordinate security for big events under what’s called a National Special Security Event (NSSE). But the memory of large dragnets of Black and brown youth during the 1984 Games in LA — and today’s reality of federal law enforcement agents detaining undocumented Angelenos — worries Matheson. Matherson believes this could keep many international fans from traveling to the Games. “Trump has made the United States an unpleasant and risky place for foreigners to visit and has actively reduced the number of people who are even able to come to the World Cup or the Olympics,” Matheson said. Matheson noted that while other host countries, such as Russia, China, Qatar and Germany, have used international sporting events to “whitewash” their governments’ human rights records by welcoming the world and quieting police during the Games, the Trump administration does not seem to care about how the United States and its government are perceived — a stance that could keep both local and international visitors away and depress ticket sales. ## “A pretty bad deal” — LA is on the hook for financial losses Casey Wasserman, Chairman of the Los Angeles Organizing Committee for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games speaks during an IOC meeting ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno) Earlier this month, SAJE published a report authored by sports economist and journalist Neil deMause questioning whether the city should pull out of hosting the Games — even if it means facing billions of dollars in potential legal fees. The report cites the fact that Los Angeles has agreed to cover the first $270 million of any shortfall from Olympic revenues. The state covers the next $270 million and anything beyond that falls back on the city. With the city serving as a financial backstop and with the risk of more federal immigration agents in the city, Tyler said, “what it comes to is this is a pretty bad deal whether or not we host. The question now stands: Which is the worst deal for us?” He also noted the potential negative economic impact of reports linking Casey Wasserman, head of the organizing committee, to convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell. According to Tyler, this is “a moment of intense distrust” in Wasserman. Wasserman did not reply to our request for a comment. “I think it will make it harder for them to execute these Games in the way they wish to,” he added. Tyler also believes that we need to look at how the whole Olympic planning and hosting system itself encourages or enables certain kinds of harm and exploitation against Los Angeles residents. “I think it’s really important that we start to have frank economic conversations about how much more we are willing to throw on the fire when we have trouble repairing sidewalks and changing streetlights,” Tyler said. _Erick Galindo contributed reporting to this story._ * * * **Community-powered journalism for your neighborhood** The LA Local is a nonprofit newsroom rooted in neighborhoods across Los Angeles. We believe **everyone deserves access to clear, relevant reporting** —especially coverage that centers your daily life, your block, and your local issues. Become a **Founding Member** by donating today to support our mission. ### _Related_

## What's at stake? The departments facing the biggest budgetary hit include public health, behavioral health and social services departments. President Donald Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” punctured a nearly $300 million hole in Fresno County’s budget for the coming fiscal year. The most immediate effects of the federal bill will lead to millions of dollars in losses to funding for social services like Medi-Cal and CalFresh — two of the country’s premier social safety net programs for low-income residents. CalFresh will lose half of its usual federal funding contribution, a loss of about $7.5 million for Fresno County residents. The projected deficit — first shared with the board of supervisors at its March 17 meeting — is still being refined, though early estimates range anywhere between about $69 and $295 million. The departments facing the biggest budgetary hit include public health, behavioral health and social services departments. Tania Pacheco-Werner is the executive director of the Central Valley Health Policy Institute at Fresno State, a research organization that tracks the state of healthcare in the region. She said the magnitude of these cuts are by design. Never miss the top stories in Fresno — sign up for our free, daily newsletter. Subscribe “These changes were done on purpose,” Pacheco-Werner said. “This is not a mistake, and that’s important for people to remember now when we’re faced with the consequences of it.” The “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” formally known as H.R. 1, was signed into law last year. The bill largely slashed federal spending, a longtime goal for the newly elected conservative congressional majority, by either cutting funding for safety net programs, or by altering funding obligations for those programs to have states and counties pick up more of the bill – a policy change dubbed “The Big Shift’. The impacts of the bill may be felt as far out as 2034, as parts of the policy kick in on a staggered basis. A news release shared by Fresno County last week announced that they, alongside a coalition of counties across the state, will continue to lobby state lawmakers to cover the expected budgetary shortfall caused by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. But with a volatile fiscal climate currently clouding both the federal and state governments, it’s far from a guarantee that Fresno can remain insulated from a range of consequences that could overwhelm a laundry list of local services. ### The federal cuts will affect pretty much everyone The county highlighted, among other core community services, “election administration” as being at risk. James Kus, the Fresno County Clerk/Registrar of Voters told Fresnoland that “the public would experience these reductions through reduced County Voter Information Guides, reduced staffing at Vote Centers potentially causing much longer wait times, and slower election results tabulation and reporting.” Kus added that the elections office’s budget is settled for the next two fiscal years, but impacts could start being felt between 2027 and 2029 — which coincides with the next presidential election. County staff said at the March 17 meeting that they’re already feeling the changes as work gets underway to craft the next budget. And while it remains too early to tell how many recipients may be barred from CalFresh following new requirements, thousands are bracing for impact. Sanja Bugay, director of the county’s department of social services, said that data, and a clearer picture on the projected budget shortfall overall, might not come until the new requirements kick in on June 1. “That’s when we’ll really know who falls in and who falls out,” Bugay said at the March 17 meeting. New federal requirements for CalFresh mandates recipients ages 18-64 to serve a minimum amount of hours on a job to stay eligible for the program. The new requirement, which has few exceptions, could impact over a million residents across the state, according to a report shared by the Public Policy Institute of California last year. Over a quarter of a million Fresno County residents were enrolled for CalFresh in 2025, according to a report released last year by the California Association of Food Banks. On top of that, the county will need to allocate resources to more closely monitor their error rates because of higher penalties for mistakes in payment amounts. Bugay said that the most recent error rate was about 4%. That rate was an improvement for the county, but she added that she believes “we are going to have a higher error rate just on the natural because of H.R. 1 implementation.” Other changes to Medi-Cal, like newly established work requirements, could also lead to as many as 30,000 residents losing coverage, according to Tuesday’s presentation. Pacheco-Werner said that requirements like these can sometimes pass by nationally through a narrative that “lazy” workers are taking advantage of these programs. But she added that those narratives typically ignore the struggle prospective workers have in finding a job, “especially the disabled.” “Requirements like these will always have a stronger burden on places like the Valley,” Pacheco-Werner said. “We are talking about a region that is already economically depressed, where people already have a hard time finding a job, any job…” Fresno County has an unemployment rate of about 8.5%, according to data from the Federal Reserve Bank. That’s higher than the state’s rate, and almost double the nation’s average. Early last year, the Trump Administration cut $12 billion in funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The effect of those cuts trickled down to Fresno by way of an $11 million loss in federal grants, leading to job losses and early contract terminations. The West Family Fresno Resource Center was among the local organizations affected by those cuts. Yolanda Randles, the Center’s executive director, said there are losses that happen beyond the reported loss of jobs and funding. “We’re that trusted entity that folks rely on for support,” Randles said. “If we’re not there, then where can those people turn to?” When asked how many people were affected by last year’s fiscal cuts last year, Randles did not have an exact number to share, but she was comfortable enough to say that the number was in the “thousands.” Last fall also saw multiple local leaders and organizations financially step up to cover a brief stop in CalFresh funding during the federal government shutdown. Natalie Caples, co-CEO of the Central California Food Bank, told Fresnoland that they saw more than 67,000 new* visitors between October and November last year during that stretch. Though the shutdown ended in early November, Caples added that the increased services for the food bank lasted until December. Caples said the food bank is preparing to see an influx of visitors impacted by the changes from H.R. 1 starting in October, and is already lobbying with state lawmakers to help as a result. Alongside the California Association of Food Banks, they’re lobbying for among other things, an extra $50 million in one-time funding to help mitigate the effects of the federal policy. Since the state legally requires counties to provide basic and necessary health coverage to many of these individuals, Fresno’s health departments could see an exponential increase in health costs. Fresno County Administrative Officer Paul Nerland said that among the county’s future considerations will be to decide if they should reevaluate Fresno’s eligibility criteria for indignant care following an anticipated increase in the population, and considering how to financially handle the hiring of new workers necessary to monitor Medi-Cal’s updated work requirements. Over the next 12 months alone, immigrants living lawfully in the U.S. will lose their healthcare coverage, and the work requirements will kick in — both moves that will surely affect health providers across the state. ### Is the state government likely to help ? Last week’s news release shared that the counties are asking the state for a commitment of more than $6 billion dollars over the next two years. California Gov. Gavin Newsom released his proposed budget plan in January. The plan included investments that would cover an estimated amount anticipated to be lost in state funds due to the Big Beautiful Bill. However, state budget analysts believe the governor’s estimates are off by billions. The next state budget revised proposal will be released in May. ### Does the county have funding alternatives to shore up these losses? Fresno County staff says there are some tools at their disposal that could help bring in more revenue, money that could partially offset some of these changes. Earlier this year, board supervisors initiated the process of introducing a transient occupancy tax to the county, a move that could bring in millions in annual revenue. An ordinance in April would put that tax on this year’s ballot. Starting in 2027, new solar projects will be subject to property taxes following the end to a state incentive policy. Offsetting measures like these, however, are not guaranteed to cover the sizable hole created by the federal government. The county will resume budget discussions in June following the unveiling of their recommended budget, which should also include more accurate revenue estimates for the next fiscal year. Budget hearings will begin on Sept. 14 for the final plan. Randles and her organization were advised to try and maintain multiple streams of revenue following the cuts. The Center regularly holds fundraisers, including one planned for this fall to celebrate its 25 years of service. Those fundraisers happened often, but Randles said following last year’s experience, the success of those fundraisers are “extremely important. Now more than ever before.” When asked how other local organizations might want to prepare for their own worst-case scenarios following these funding cuts, Randles said it was virtually impossible. “You can’t,” Randles said. “I don’t know how you can…that was a hard lesson to learn.” * * * ## Support our hyperlocal reporting with a donation today. Every week we bring you deeply reported stories about the essential issues facing our region. Please help us continue our work by becoming a monthly member. One-time Monthly Annually One-time Donation amount $ Monthly Donation amount per month $ Annually Donation amount per year $ Thank you for supporting local, nonprofit news! Donate ### _Related_ ← Back #### Thank you for your response. ✨ Did this story have an impact on you? If so, please tell us how. 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## Up to 93K Contra Costa County residents could lose health insurance under Trump cuts Undocumented residents would especially be impacted by the loss of Medi-Cal coverage. County leaders are scrambling to find a solution.

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Imagine MacArthur Park without a road running through the middle. That’s what most residents who live around the park say they want. This is according to preliminary findings from the Reconnecting MacArthur Park project, an effort studying whether the busy roadway between Alvarado Street and Carondelet Street should be closed off permanently. Under this proposal, the park’s north and south sides would be rejoined to form one large green space. The idea is to turn the major traffic corridor into usable park space in one of the most densely populated neighborhoods in Los Angeles. Maria Ortiz, 59, who has lived near MacArthur Park for 30 years, welcomes closing off Wilshire, if it improves the area for families like hers. She is a grandmother to three granddaughters. “Hopefully they can close it so there’s more space for kids to play, more surveillance and fewer homeless people,” Ortiz said. “Right now, the traffic is also bad, it gets really congested. People also don’t respect when the buses are coming.” For her, the park is important because it’s the only one she has close by. But she added that changes should go beyond closing the road. She remembers a different MacArthur Park when she was raising her children, one that felt more welcoming for families. “There were a lot more events at MacArthur Park before, there were contests, they would give gifts to kids,” she said. She joined her neighbors to participate in a public forum to explore the proposal. #### News for your neighborhood, our LA. Sign up to learn more about The LA Local and get stories worth telling delivered to your inbox. * The LA Local * Boyle Heights Beat * Koreatown, Pico Union and Westlake * Inglewood and South LA Sign up The Central City Neighborhood Partners surveyed more than 1,500 people from August to December and asked them to weigh in on five possible options: * Remove Wilshire entirely through the park and expand green space * Remove Wilshire entirely and keep the short block between Park View Street and Carondelet Street open to cars * Close Wilshire to all cars and turn it into a public space * Close Wilshire only on weekends * Allow only buses through Wilshire Boulevard More than six in 10 survey respondents supported removing Wilshire and reconnecting the park. Keeping things as they are drew the least support. The project now moves into the next phase, where the five concepts will go through an environmental review. The city and project partners will also develop design concepts and estimate costs to build. At this juncture, there is no available funding for any construction. “What we’ve been able to hear from the community was really that everyone wants to see a change in MacArthur Park,” said Diana Alfaro, associate executive director of Central City Neighborhood Partners. “Everyone in this community is excited or wants to be able to see new amenities,” she said, including better lighting and park infrastructure. In a February interview, Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez said the neighborhood doesn’t have enough parks or green space, adding that MacArthur Park alone isn’t enough for a densely populated neighborhood like Westlake. “And that’s why I’ve been moving with my team and pushing for reconnecting MacArthur Park and closing down Wilshire Boulevard in that area to begin to create more spaces, more pedestrianized spaces, more opportunities for green space,” she said. At the same time, the city is moving forward with a separate plan to install fencing around MacArthur Park. The plan would add a wrought-iron fence around both halves of the park. Officials say the fence will allow the park to close at night and give them time to clean the space overnight. Their goal is to address safety and quality-of-life concerns. That fencing project is not part of the reconnection study, but Alfaro said it will affect it. According to a report of the survey findings, any redesign of the park will have to factor in where the fence goes, and whether parts of it would need to be removed or rebuilt if the park is eventually reconnected. City officials have not decided which option, if any, will move forward. “At the end of the day, there are a lot of changes coming to MacArthur Park,” Alfaro said, “and I think it testifies why there needs to be some more attention around reconnecting or really just adding more green space for the community.” Alex Lacayo, 35, supports closing Wilshire if it helps improve conditions at the park. The lifelong Westlake resident often feels the park is “dirty and filthy” when he passes through. “If there’s a way to make the park a better place for more people to come, then I feel like it’s a good project,” Lacayo said. “We get a lot of tourists, so improving the park I think will improve the image of Los Angeles.” Because of ongoing concerns around homelessness and drug activity, Lacayo often avoids walking through the park. But if conditions improve, he said that could change and he would visit more often. Alfaro believes the fencing plan and the reconnection project are both responses to those same concerns. “The purpose of it is to ensure that the park is being well kept and maintained,” she said of the fence. “I think all of it kind of adds to the same reason why we are doing this project to begin with,” Alfaro added. “Which is to ensure that the park itself is a park that families could use, youth can use, seniors can use.” * * * **Community-powered journalism for your neighborhood** The LA Local is a nonprofit newsroom rooted in neighborhoods across Los Angeles. We believe **everyone deserves access to clear, relevant reporting** —especially coverage that centers your daily life, your block, and your local issues. Become a **Founding Member** by donating today to support our mission. ### _Related_