I fell in love with Regina when she was rocking dookie braids in John Singleton’s Boys in the Hood checking Ice Cube on Crenshaw. Then she delivered in Poetic Justice and Higher Learning and I knew to keep my eye on Regina. Enemy of the State and This Christmas showed off her diversity and her dedication to fitness, nicely. How Stella got her Groove back with Angela. Say no more.

And then the crème de la resistance: BOONDOCKS. BOOYAH. I am hooked for life. There is no end to this Queen’s craft.

Southland earned Regina 2 critic choice awards spotlighting South Central.  Regina has also directed tons of episodes like Being Mary Jane, Scandal, and Insecure to name a few.    

In 2018, Regina’s performance as Sharon Rivers in the film If Beale Street Could Talk let the world know who they’ve been dealing with. This work of art earned her a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress and a nomination for an Academy Award. 

Regina grew up in View Park Windsor Hills, CA and attended Westchester High School, then later attended USC, a TROJAN MARVEL and a true Johnson in California History. We love you Regina.

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An instrumental player in the 90s rap explosion with his distinctive platinum vocal chords. The music industry has lost an incredible artist. Regulate was the 213 anthem for a decade. Dr. Dre The Next Episode with Snoop, Nate and Kurupt, Lay Low with Snoop, Where I wanna be with Shade Sheist and Kurupt, Girls All Pause, I’m FLY with Snoop and Warren G, WC The Streets featuring Snoop and Nate; a South-Central Classic, 213 Groupie Love with Warren G and Snoop, 21 Questions with 50cent video showcasing the beautiful Megan Gooding, Area Codes with Luda, Never leave Me Alone with Snoop, Nate with DJ Quik on the Head of State Soundtrack, Right Back Where You Are, and of course These Days, “Keeping it real until the day I die.” I GOT LOVE.  Say my name No Body Does It Better with Snoop. Nate Dogg.

Nathaniel began singing as a child in the New Hope Baptist Church in Long Beach, CA.

Snoop, Warren G and Nate Dogg connected in 1986 at Poly High School; 1600 Atlantic Ave, LBC.  

At the age of 17, Nate dropped out of high school, left home and enlisted in the Marines. Nate was stationed in Okinawa Japan as part of the Material Readiness Battalion of the 3rd Force Service Support Group, which served as the supplier of ammunition to most of the Pacific. Nate served three years as an ammunition specialist and was honorably discharged in 1989.

On Saturday, March 26th, 2011 rap legend Nate Dogg was laid to rest in his hometown of Long Beach. He was 41 years old. Nathaniel was born in the south, Mississippi, but the LBC was his home. RIP. "He wanted to go to heaven and hang with his boys,” “He loved Tupac. And now he can walk around heaven with his favorite artist of all time, Michael Jackson."

Major contributor to California Music History – An OG Johnson; Nathaniel Dwayne Hale.

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Sam BAM Cunningham's performance as a USC running back against Alabama where USC beat Alabama 42-21 in Birmingham September 12, 1970 turned the southern skies black. This eclipse helped pave the way for Civil Rights on a colossal level. I like to refer to SAM BAM as the Juggernaut for black men playing football in the south.  SAM the Juggernaut was a Trojan Letterman from 1970 thru 1972 as a Fullback AKA a Juggernaut. At that time SAM BAM was the biggest, the fastest, and the blackest the south had seen on a football field or at least in a jersey. Sam was an overwhelming unstoppable force to be reckoned with.  MARVEL in the Juggernaut #39

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The music began at 2:30 thru midnight with multiple platforms until around 4 then we migrated to the main stage. This was cool as it allows you to take in this old school architecture from the 1920s.  I gravitate to the Shrine just for my own personal history. My grandparents came to see Ray Charles here back on September 20, 1964 when Ray was recording his Live album a classic 1964 recording offering 12 vintage tracks.

The vibe is very chill, and the Trojans are representing nicely up in here. The Shrine and USC rub elbows sitting right next to each other so how can you not come thru for this event.      

Snoh Aalegra sung to me and the crowd sung back to her.  The cocktails were flowing, and I had a most generous server. Went from the front row center stage to up on the top floor and it’s a party, and everyone was most generous. Before I head back, I stop by La Barca on Vermont and Adams to balance out the night.   

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If you missed this year, please join weSPARK Cancer Support Center for their annual Run/Walk at Lake Balboa next year. This year celebrates the 9th run at this scenic location. Several folks grabbed their friends and family and got moving for a good cause. Whether you’re an avid runner or a self-proclaimed couch potato – there is something for everyone to do. It was 2 hours out my day and I walked away feeling really good about my time spent. And dogs are welcomed too.

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And enjoy the celebration. Make it á la mode - add a scoop of ice cream.

When I need a pie on the fly, Marie is the woman to go-to. The legacy of Marie Callender began in the early 1940s in Orange County, California, when Marie, an accomplished baker, first launched her legendary pie business. You don’t have time to order, you don’t have time to wait, MC is your sweet spot always freshly stocked.  

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We’ve had 3 storms back to back, and today is our first dry day in close to a week. The weather is spectacular.  I decide to take the Sepulveda pass to slowly take in the journey which was only a 30-minute commute today. I exit on Arlington to just enjoy all the historical craftsman homes along the way. I have family members who lived near the starting point of today’s 34th annual Kingdom Day parade at Western and Martin Luther King Blvd so that is where I parked.

There is lots of music and there are numerous grills going as far as my nose can detect offering up all kinds of BBQ delights. This is home away from home for me, so I partake in plenty.

As I took it all in and walked a mile along the parade path on MLK I could see a ton of folks out having a good time and a sea of diversity all excited to share their culture, their food and community.

There has been some new construction in the last decade or two, but I could not stop noticing what I left in the burbs and what is not here in South Central LA. The options to many amenities are lacking immensely.

USC, the oldest private research university in California has waited patiently over 100 years for some neighborhood perks. Perks like Target, Chick-Fil-a and ULTA finally adorn the Trojans backyard. But from Vermont to Crenshaw as I walk the distance of the parade,  I don’t see these options here on MLK Blvd.

Law enforcement is multi-layered throughout the neighborhood like in an old school Ice Cube video, but the kids are not distracted at all by their presence. Their attention is solely on the horses, the bands playing, the cotton candy, and cherishing this amazing celebration of a beautiful peaceful man.

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Ladies, we are here with you.

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There were 40 kids in a class in the 60s and there are 40 kids in a class now. Did I hear no nurse on some campuses? What?  Some nurses rotating from 4 different schools. Wow. This is criminal. The nurse is only available on Wednesday and a student cracks their head open on Thursday, how does this scenario play out? What is the role of the superintendent?  It’s been 30 years since a teacher strike of this magnitude. The LAUSD Headquarters is in DTLA.

The crust of the walk out is over pay, staffing and classroom size, all of which are embarrassing. For 12 years I observed parents donating to their teachers to keep them afloat.

Can we talk about PROPOSITION 37 and the allocation of the proceeds from the lottery sales?

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Seven days in 2019 and all feels right. Nice

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It was an emotional Celebration of Life at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in downtown Long Beach for Bruce Mulhearn. If you did not know, Bruce exemplified the term beast mode in the Southern California real estate industry for half a century.   

Mulhearn’s strong competitive spirit and business creativity helped him to not only survive but thrive through five major economic downturns and a firebombing of his office in Bellflower because he was selling homes to minorities.

Bruce like to preach perseverance, never giving up, never getting discouraged and valuing good friendships and relationships. Bruce was a captivating force in Cali.

By the time he died at 80, the small, 600-square-foot office he started in Bellflower 52 years ago with one salesman – himself – had grown into Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties with more than 800 sales associates and one of the top real estate brokerages in the nation. Like I said, always in beast mode.

His last words on the big screen was to embrace each of the 86,400 seconds we will face each day. “Remember to enjoy every second of your life because time races by so much more quickly than you think,” he said. “So, take care of yourself, be happy, love deeply, and enjoy life.” He was a mover and shaker and coach till his last breath.

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Running after overindulging in holiday themed cake I only get to eat once a year, so I’ll have two, makes me feel so much better about all those tasty treats. It does not feel like a chore at all. The air is calling me, and I am free to start brand new.  

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Something about walking along the beach with family makes you want to express your gratitude. Everybody is doing their own thing, but the looks on passerby faces is a look of appreciativeness and contentment.

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I can hear the waves, the birds above me and the frequent shutter of camera lenses. No fires nor floods seems to have deterred our tourism.  This week at the beach has been relaxing and revitalizing. After a day of rain everything looks beautiful and renewed.



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It has been a roller coaster ride of recklessness amongst strange allies with warring hearts. Hope and happiness is in the air today despite the space between us and the ugly.

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Optimistic, enthusiastic, and full of energy.

Truthfully hopeful. 

Keep on laughing, keep on living. Keep on dreaming, keep on achieving, keep on believing. JS

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Priceless

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As we come to the close of 2018, this has been the most profitable seasonal shopping spree in over 5 years. Billions spent on trinkets. Santa AKA Amazon was very busy this year. Years prior it was primarily millennials and generation Z, now our grandparents are on-board to have their gifts drop-kicked to the front porch. Time is money and it is about convenience. But what is the destination for the monster size mass-market retailers like Macys and Bloomingdales?  We have vacant Borders, Sport Chalet, Kohls just collecting dust. What is to become of jumbo retailer now that on-line is running it?    

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As we learn to display genuine positive healthy works in our hearts through the ways we live in this world, the portions of the world that we aid will start to flourish more fully.

However only personal regeneration can save us in a way that makes the world more like it should be and sharing those honest helpful experiences with our neighbors.

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Not many can compete with abuela’s tamales, but Cali is running the tamale sector. Some packed with chili and cheese is first choice for me, but chicken, pork, beef, sweet corn all works for me too. Most indulge on Christmas Eve and I will indulge too, but Christmas morning outside on the patio with a cup of coffee is the way to do it. Enjoy 

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