Pizzeria Mozza General Manager Arielle Chernin Forced To Leave Los Angeles

Arielle Chernin, the adorable, charming, hard-working general manager of Pizzeria Mozza - who apparently led a double life - must leave Los Angeles to avoid facing felony charges stemming from a August 1st bar room biker brawl in Echo Park that left six people injured, a spokesman for the Los Angeles County District Office said Wednesday evening. 

Chernin, who had publicly announced this week she was leaving Los Angeles and her job at the revered pizzeria to "take a management position" at a San Francisco restaurant, was given an ultimatum by District Attorney Jackie Lacey:: "Get out of town or face charges" -  for assault, malicious biting, destruction of city property, inciting a riot, and, the most serious of the offenses, HRV 21 of the California criminal code, which is the hoarding of raw vegetables during a drought.

"Normally", Lacey said. "Chernin would have been arrested, placed in county jail, given the opportunity to bail out and gone on to trial, but due to severe budget restraints and overcrowding in the jails, she was given the options of "getting out of Dodge". Based on what I know of Chernin, I think it's best for the city if she just gets the hell out." 

Nancy Silverton, Chernin's boss for several years, expressed a range of emotions when she was told of Chernin's lawless behavior. 

"I couldn't believe it at first," said Silverton when reached by email in Italy. "I mean, here is a woman who was the epitome of team Mozza spirit. She was fun. She was a leader. She had this great energy. She started the Employee of the Month award program. She was the first one blowing up balloons at parties. Then to learn she is a drunken bar fighting biter, well, I guess you never really know someone. She sure had me fooled."

Privately, Silverton expressed relief Chernin was leaving. "Mozza got hit with a $15,000 fine for using excessive water after midnight during a drought. You know who was using the water and why?  That crazy Arielle, after one of her crazy midnight runs, was using the hose in the manager's parking lot to wash her hair.  Don't print that. No one would believe it. But, think about it. Who the hell runs around Los Angeles in a skimpy outfit at midnight."

As news vans parked outside the Chernin family complex near Boston hoping to get a quote, Arielle's father Phil, drove up, ignored reporters and headed to the front door. Half-way up the porch, however, he tripped on a empty Svedka vodka bottle, remnants of a party his daughter hosted many years ago.

"Look," Phil Chernin said as he turned to address the media, "Why don't you parasites leave my family alone? We are going through a trying time."

While most of the reporters respected his wish, one did not. It was Morty Goldstein, Jr., the tenacious award-winning journalist from Los Angeles  who yelled out "Were you shocked when you heard that Arielle didn't really have a job offer in San Francisco, but was being ordered to get out of Los Angeles?"

Phil Chernin stepped toward the front door, but then shocking the hoards of media. stopped and told this story. 

"No, I wasn't shocked. I was saddened, yes, but, not shocked. I some ways I was, and you might not believe this. but i was strangely relieved.   Me and my wife, Alciia have known since Arielle was a toddler that she was a troublemaker. And we both felt it was simply a matter of time before  everyone else found out, too."

"Can you give us an example?", Godlsteien yelled out.

At this point, Phil was joined on the porch by his wife. Alicia.  Alicia spoke up

"Sadly, I can,", said Alicia. "When Arielle was in pre-school at Brookline Schools Staff Children's Center. she got into a fight with a girl named Paige ( not to be confused with Front Paige Handler ). Our little Arielle is kicking some royal ass, But, that's not enough for Arielle. A simple beat down wouldn't do. . Arielle moves in and bites Paige. Went Mike Tyson on her.  Took a piece of Pagie's ear out.  They said you could heard that girl scream all the way to New Hampshire."

"Afterward,", Phil interjected, "The girl's mother storms over hear and say "You people have raised a monster. You people have raised Arielle the Biter."

And that is how the kindly, sweet appearing Arielle Chernin became to be known as "The Biter".

Phil and Alicia. hugged briefly,  Not knowing there was a remote microphone on the porch, Alciia was heard asking Phil, "Do you think we should tell them about the time she sneaked all that vodka into the High School prom?" Phil shook his head and then addressed the media again.  "Please give us some time alone." They walked inside.

But, just then. Arielle's brother came home, and he was either a very bad walker and stumbling drunk as he zig zagged up the driveway. 

Morty Goldstien yelled out again. 

"Yo, little bro. Do you think your sister is guilty.?

"I love my sister. But, she is more guilty than O.J.  She can be ruthless." 

Keith reached into his pocket and took a pull out of a "airplane" bottle of Svedka vodka and told a disturbing story about Arielle and that very ruthlessness.

"My sister and I used to spend a lot of time at our Popo (that's grandma in Chinese) 's house. She lived on the 9th floor of this tall building so we had to take the elevator up to her apartment. We were going up the elevator one day and Arielle (maybe 12 at the time) says 'Keith, (I was around 8 at the time), I bet I can kick my leg over your head'. She was confident she could do it cause she was pretty good at gymnastics. I didn't really have time to respond before she swung her leg up in the air and kicked me smack in the face.. As my eyes were starting to tear from the shock/pain she looked at me, shrugged, and walked out of the elevator as we arrived on the 9th floor. She kicked me in the face and ;never apologized."  

Court records show that Arielle first job was a bar maid at Matt Murphy's Irish Pub, that was owned by her best friend Cierra's mom. Old school drinkers still fondly recall the site of 13-year-old Arielle working the room, two mugs of beer in one hand, a shot of Jameson in the other.

Chernin's love - and sheer athletic talent - provided an outlet for the young outlaw. Sadly, even sports couldn't outrun the evil streak Arielle possessed. 

In her second Boston Marathon, around Mile 22, she had planned to "high five" Phil, Alicia, Keith and others It was her photo moment. But, just before she arrived at the pre-planned spot for the photo, another runner ran in the way. 

"I watched in horror as my very daughter wickedly pushed that poor, old  man out of the way so she could have her photo slash high five moment," said Alicia.  (For the record, that man was Frank Shorter, who won the 1972 Gold Medal in the marathon at the Mexico City Olympics.  Shorter, now 67, has never fully recovered from that shove, which has become known as the "Arielle Push".) 

Back in Los Angeles, reaction to the news the mild-mannered one was actually a hell cat was meet with a variety of reactions. 

"I hope she gets the help she needs," said Aex Munoz, director of Operations of Mozza. "As for Mozza, It's a tremendous loss. She's the best GM I've ever had" 

Still, Munoz, who once faced criminal charges himself for - in a desperate attempt to increase Osteria sales. - putting not only waterboarding on the secret menu. but Barolo-boarding as well, felt it would be the best thing for the restaurant if Chernin left. "The restaurant simply couldn¹t support her raw carrot addiction and , like i said, i really hope she gets the help she needs"

Former Mozza GM David Rosoff concurred about the vegetables. "That little Tupperware container of raw vegetables had to be soaked in hooch."

Kate Green, Silverton's assistant, said that she really wasn't stunned to learn of Arielle's other life. "Nobody's is that perfect. I will say she is quite ambitious. I wouldn't even be surprised to find out she will be running for the Republican nod for president.  She's  half Jewish. Half Chinese, right?  I mean half of her wants to build a wall around the Gaza Strip and the other half wants to build Cantonese take out joints next to the wall."

Kirstie Brittany Lee, a Pizzeria Mozza manager who worked under Chernin, said she was not "totally stunned" by the news that Chernin was trouble.

"Your talking about a cute 20-something woman who would go running at midnight. Midnight in Los Fuckin Angeles? Please. The only people running at midnight in Los Angeles are people who either want to get hurt or want to hurt someone. Maybe that's when she would go out an bite people. They should call her the MIdnight Biter. Hey, I want to play her in the movie." 

Mozza GM Will Simons said he "never bought those sweaty midnight runs, either."

"Bull shit if that was some Marathon training shit," Simons said. "It might be some type of so-called "training", but I bet it was, was.., Ya know what?  I don't even want to say." 

Still, despite suspicions, on the job at Mozza, Chernin was on top of things. She set a record of picking up 61 napkins in a single season ( 2013) and was the staff biggest cheerleader. (In comparison, Sam Schramberg once picked up a single napkin in 2010, but dropped it when a leggy blonde walked in.)  

"Arielle was tireless," said "Front" Paige Handler, ( Not the Paige who was bit,)   "The only times she slacked off working when was when there was a cute guy at one of the bars eating. "

"Yeah," Adam Boardman concurred. "She had this unique way of seeing if the guy was interested in her.  She called it her "Man Test". Arielle would come to me and say "Watch that guy I've been talking to. I'm gonna drop a napkin and then bend over to pick it up. Let me know if he looks at my ass. If he doesn't, well charge him for all the drinks.."

So Arielle Chernin will be leaving Los Angeles and leaving Mozza soon. And while law enforcement officials are relieved she is moving out, at least one Mozza regular is sad. 

Michael Krikorian, the restaurant's unofficial chief of security,  said he would deeply miss Arielle. 

"I knew if there was ever any trouble going down at Mozza,  Arielle would be right there in the thick of things and have my back," Krikorian said.  "But, the other thing i feel kinda bad about?   All those years  I knew her, she never once bit me."

"You want some, motherfucker?"

Nancy Silverton to Massimo Bottura, Who the Hell Do You Think You Are?

UPDATE - June 14, 2016 - Editor's Note - Further proving American chef Nancy Silverton's point, last night Bottura's Osteria Francescana was named #1 on the World's 50 Best Restaurants list.

Three courses into a lunch this week at the renowned Osteria Francescana in Modena, Nancy Silverton put down her spoon after contemplatively savoring its hyper green contents, took a long sip of leggy red wine, slowly shook her head, scowled and said "Just who the hell does Massimo Bottura think he is..."

"You don't like this food, Nancy?" interrupted Danielle Bernabe, a fellow diner who clearly didn't know Siverton well.  Nancy ignored the question and continued with her thought. 

"That he can just go ahead and make food that is so much better than everybody else's.  Clearly, he has left the brotherhood of chefs. He's not a team player. I hope aspiring chefs don't taste this food. They'll give up the profession. Who the fuck does Bottura think he is?" .

That particular comment - profanity included - was broadcast on news stations throughout Western Europe and initially drew outrage toward Silverton on both traditional news outlets and social media. In addition, many food critics who have adorned Osteria Francescana with every possible restaurant accolade, criticized Silverton for being not only jealous of Bottura's talents, but crass. "Nancy Silverton is simply an American PBC", said Sir Charles Dillingsworth, food critic for the London Herald who used the acronym which means Pretty, But Crass.

But, Silverton's fellow chef cadre quickly came to her defense and stunned the restaurant world when they agreed with her assessment of Massimo Bottura.

"I'm with Nancy. Fuck that guy," said Mario Batali, the famous American chef based in New York City and partners with Silverton in the Mozza kingdom based in Los Angeles, Stalingrad, Newport Beach and Singapore. "Just because Massimo's aunt invented tortellini and his grandma invented milk and his great, great grandfather domesticated the pig, does not mean that Massimo does not have to work like the rest of us."

In San Francisco. Dominque Crenn, the impassioned chef of Atelier Crenn who shares some of Bottura's wild -if not downright hallucinogenic - imagination, weighed in..  

"Look, I don't even know Massimo, but I think he is a genius," said Crenn, whose two Michelin star restaurant in San Francisco is considered one of America's best.  "I know Lara [Gilmore, Bottura's American wife] and I am inspired by their story.  But, as for him, well, umm, well, I better not say anymore. I am French and I don't want to make Franco-Italian relations any worse than they already are."

Crenn walked away from the interview, stopped, turned around and said "But, I think Nancy is right. Nancy is always fuckin' right."

In Los Angeles, Roy Choi, L.A.'s "Takin it to the Streets" chef, said he considered Bottura a "brother", though he had not been to his restaurant. 

"I love him a a human though I've never had his food in Modena.  I can't get a reservation. Who the hell do you need to know to get a damn table at Osteria Francescana?".

Max Paul Runstedtler, professor of food history at the American University in Washington, D.C., said that Bottura was at the "classic crossroads" of his career. 

"Massimo Bottura is at that well-known intersection where he is in front of the pack. and he can choose to wait and have everyone catch up .- the few that can, at least - or he can continue on his Monza-speed path and go on increasing his lead," said Runstedtier, who was an associate producer of the documentary "Chefs Gone Wild",  "Right now, it looks like Bottura is not stopping. I had the "Sensatons" menu for lunch at OF the other day and it was well-named."

It is that very "increasing the lead" impression that is troubling for many. And those accolades are becoming problematic, as well.

Most troubling of the honors bestowed on Bottura and Osteria Francescana has been the never-before-garnered rating of 19.75 in Le Guide de L'Espresso's I Ristoranti D'Italia. The reason for the backlash of that rating is that 19.75 is - clearly - a figure greater than 19.72, a number that is dear to millions of Italians. In a February, 24, 2012 interview, just a week before he died, colorful Italian sports reporter Germano Mosconi explained the importance of 19.72.

"19.72 is the beloved number of seconds that Barletta, Italy-born sprinter Pietra Mennea took to famously win the gold medal in the 200 meters at the 1980 Moscow Olympics,"  said Mosconi, the late Telenuovo sports reporter based in Verona.  Mosconi was quiet for a few seconds, than released a torrent of expletives in ascending volume before straight out screaming "Pietra Mennea set a world record with that 19.72 and it held for over 16 years, goddamnit. For Bottura, or anyone, to mess with 19.72 is cazzo scopata!"

So will Massimo Bottura slow it down and have the other great chefs of the world catch up? If his Four-door Maserati Quattroporte is any indication, then the answer is resounding, unmuffled "No".  The Maserati sedan is normally equipped with a V-6, 410 horsepower engine. Bottura's Maser? 490 horsepower. Massimo Bottura is not slowing down at all. Floor that baby. 

(To see sports caster Germano Mosconi in action check this  -  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRG2LlBfCn8

Dropping Lonnie's Name in Piedmont

On our third and last night in the Piedmont region of Italy, we went to the town of Isola d'Asti to dine at chef Walter Ferratto's acclaimed restaurant Il Cascinalenuovo. Our L. A. friend Lonnie Bishop - a friend of the chef's - had made us a 7:30 reservation.  

The problem was it was not in the town of Isola d'Asti as my guidebook indicated,  but on a obscure stretch of two-lane highway about four kilometers away. This resulted in several errors on my part being exposed. I hadn't brought that guidebook so I didn't have the phone number or the exact address.  I hadn't put the info in my phone. I couldn't correctly pronounce the name of the restaurant. When I stopped to ask humans ( my personal GPS), I butchered it and the first four people asked didn't know what i was talking about. 

By now, it was 8:15 as we drove around the town in search of a human being who looked like they would know where a fine dining place was located.  Arguments flared, The driver was called an idiot.  The lady in the passenger seat was called he world's worst co-pilot. The driver was called a moron.

Finally, at a bar ( of course) I stumbled upon a party where three giddy people excitedly pointed the way. Something about a series of left turns back toward Alba, tre kilometers, and the ristorante being right next door to a nightclub called Mediterranean.

"Okay, it's 8:35 o'clock. Let's just hope they don't have a reservation policy like Mozza," Nancy said. For the Mozza unaware, the reserved tables there are held for 15  minutes then released to the waiting.

After hitting 185 kph ( over 114 mph) on the lonely two-laner, we spotted the "Club Mediterraneano". I pulled into the next driveway. Il Cascinalenuovo. 8:42. Seventy two minutes late.

The place was packed. The lady at the host stand slowly shook her head. Bad.  In beat up English, she told us they only hold the tables for one hour. I thought of Lance and Eve and Maria and Uzma and all the excuses they hear: "The traffic was bad"; "We just came in from the airport"; "My sister is pregnant and very hungry" and other weak-ass excuses. So I said nothing.  

But, I did turn to Nancy and said a bit-on-the-loud side, "Lonnie is going to be disappointed."

Behind the host stand, a middle-aged man who would turned out to be the sommelier and the brother of chef Walter, stopped in his tracks like he had seen a Siberian tiger. "Lonnie, you say? Are you friend of Lonnie?" 

Hell yeah,

In even seconds Walter appeared, hugged Nancy and lead us to a table.. We talked a bit about Lonnie and then he said the good words - " I would like to cook you a meal"

Hell, yeah.. 

Walter Ferratto lit it up. 

WAlter Ferratto and Guest

Start

Pork with onions 

To get a reservation at Il Cascinalenuovo, go to Pizzeria Mozza on just about any Sunday. at around 12:45 p.m. and look at the end of the wine bar. At Seat 12, closest to the bathrooms, there will likely be a handsome white man about 47 or so with a cap on and crossword puzzle next to his glass of wine. Tell him "Blue Note" or "Wrecking Crew" or  "Place it on Lucky Dan".  He'll understand and then tell him when you want to go to Il Cascinalenuovo and he'll make it happen.  

ITALY MMXV, PART I, Three Days in Piedmont, Dining Highlights and The War in Heaven

I can't think of a clever way to start writing about the dining highlights of Italy 2015 which began in Piedmont, other than to just list the top dishes. Here they are. 

Porcini and Peaches. at Ristorante da Cesare  in Albaretto. -  This dish is also known as "Il muschio terra Il terra dolce" ( the musky earth.the sweet earth)  The best way to say how good this was is to tell you to look at that photo below and know that it tasted that good. One of those lookers who backs it up.  Are mushrooms and stone fruit a classic paring. I don't know. Should they be? Uh, yeah. 

The restaurant of Cesare Giaccone is one of the most pleasurable restaurants I have been to.  There is something so refreshing about this place.and Cesare.  Part of it stems from a story his friend  - and ours. - Gino Angelini told us. It goes something like "Cesare only opens when he needs some money."    The thing is.da Cesare is probably the least money-hungry restaurant I know. There's eight seats. He won't open for two people. Nancy suggested he put up a sign out front that reads "gone fishing".   For a reservation here. get a hold of Gino.

Much of the art work that hangs here is by Giaacone. Check out this mushroom painting by him.

I'm raving about this guy so much, you might as well get a look. That's goat on the shish. 

Here's the site.   http://www.cesaregiaccone.it/

Millefoglie di Lingua di vitello e foie gras con gelatina al porto at  il Cascinalenuovo - near Isolo d' Asti 

This is one of several dishes we had at Walter Feratto's outstanding restaurant.  This is veal tongue and foie gras layered into a triangle.  Rich.  For more on our night here, a report is coming.

For a reservation here, get a hold of Lonnie.

Here's the site. http://www.walterferretto.com/

Semplici ravioli quadrati di faraona  at All'Enoteca in - Canale.

Simple ravioli stuffed with guinea hen.  Now, unlike that photo of Cesare's porcini and peaches, this photo looks like just about any ravioli in the world. Nothing special. Didn't your local cafeteria make some ravs that looked like this? But, they didn't taste like this. The depth of flavor was rated at 467-foot pounds of torque and the zero to 100 kph (62mph) was times at 3.6. both marks are tops for a ravioli, so far in the 2015 season.  And just to emphasize this, I'll let you in on something; Though this was the first dinner of Italy XXMV, there was a movement to declare this dish as pasta of the trip. It was that right.

We had a pigeon in black truffle crust that was good. And a trolley was wheeled by at the end of the meal with about 8 different dried fruits. I cannot confirm this. but two people said it was rated best dried fruit trolley in Piedmont. 

Here's the site. http://www.davidepalluda.it/

Crisp pork with sweet onion sauce  at Il Cascinalenuovo  near Isolo d'Asti

The skin is crisp. the meat part is tender. Those onion get ups on the side?  As McNulty says in his fake accent at the whore house, "Spot on." The overall effect of this dish is very good.  Now, if you ever wanted a really impressive food review, that was it right there.  You know what?  Try this instead. If you ever out this way in Piedmont, just order this and thank me. 

Tajarin “40 tuorli” al burro e salvia  at Osteria del Boccondivino in Bra

The town of Bra, 15, 20 clicks outside of Alba, is where the Slow Food movement started. It's meant to be anti-fast food. Other than Ferraris and Lamborghinis and some Maseratis,  I didn't know there was anything fast in Italy. Food, cashiers, justice, the army. Even the air force here seems kinda slow.

But, the restaurant we heard about was this Osteria Boccondivino. And there I  had this tajarin, a pasta here made with 40 egg yolks,  and mixed butter and sage. Superb.  

Here's the site. http://www.boccondivinoslow.it/boccodivino/ita/osteria.asp

Bra has a beautiful church called Saint Andrea. Nancy says it might be her favorite church in the world. If you are in Bra, check it out. 

in the city of Nieve we went to another church  In this one, there is a statue of my namesake, the archangel Michael. It was here that I famously described "The War in Heaven" to Nancy.  A recap. Archangel Michael fights the devil in heaven. Mike wins and the devil gets banished to hell. 

So I tell Nancy this an she  says  "So that's how hell got started. Thanks to you."  

Me and my angel 

.

Donald Trump Soiled Pants After Getting Threat From Chapo, Dry Cleaners says "Trousers Totally Ruined"

Republican presidential candidate and television personality Donald Trump was talking tough when Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman-Loera escaped Mexico 's highest security prison Saturday, but he changed his tune dramatically - and most foul - when the drug lord threatened him on Twitter

According to sources in the businessman's  camp, Trump turned a shade of "very light pink" and then began making "a series of high-pitch toots" from his buttocks area and then a "painfully loud :gasp emerged followed by a stench of usually bad proportions". The account was confirmed by two others in the room at the time, one who was briefly hospitalized for fart inhalation. 

Trump, another sources said, then whimpered "I think just ruined these Paul Smith pants" and ran "awkwardly" from the room.

After Trump had threatened Guzman, the man from Sinaloa  tweeted  "Sigue chingando y voy hacer que te tragues todas tus putas palabras pinche guero cagaleche" which translates roughly into  "And I still fucking make you swallow all your fucking fucking punk ass  words"

A dry cleaner speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the trousers "rear end looked like they had been through a Dresden fire bombing." 

Guzman, known as "El Chapo" is perhaps best known for being the world's best drug lord, a titled he has had for over a decade.   Most drug trafficking reporters usually rate him second only to Colombian  Pablo Escobar as the greatest drug dealer of all time.

A Huffington Post piece recounts the Tweets.  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/07/13/donald-trump-el-chapo_n_7788128.html

Joyce Mitchell Seen At Taco Truck Near Prison Where Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman Escaped

Joyce Mitchell, previously best known for her role in the escape of two New York state prison inmates, was spotted late Saturday afternoon at the Luis Ramirez Taco Truck in La Manera which happens to be located two miles northwest of the Mexican prison where Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman escaped Saturday night.

Mexican authorities initially dismissed speculation that Mitchell, 51, had anything to do with the infamous drugs lord's escape, but admitted Sunday to being stupefied when they learned the former prison employee had ordered chicken enchiladas at the truck. The Luis Ramirez. truck is known solely for its tacos, consistently listed among the top 25 in North America.

"That Joyce was at the truck near the prison where Chapo escaped would not normally be of an issue to us," said an Mexican federal law enforcement officer speaking on the condition of anonymity and fifty dollars. "However, that she ordered the enchiladas at Luis'  truck, well, that raises some concerns. I've had the enchiladas there."

Five members of Guzman's Sinaloa Cartel, dining at El Pollo Hermanos in Culiacan,  denied any knowledge of Chapo's whereabouts and claimed to have never heard of Mitchell. 

Tavin Price Gets His White Picket Fence; LAPD Gets His Killers

Three Los Angeles street gang members are in custody for the killing of Tavin Price, the 19-year-old mentally handicapped  man shot to death May 29 in front of his mother at a car wash on Florence Avenue near Crenshaw Boulevard. 

The alleged shooter, Kanasho Johns, 27, was taken into custody today near Houston, Texas  and will be transported to Los Angeles within a few days.  Dwight Kevin Smith, 30 and Kevin Deon Johnson, 24, who allegedly confronted Price over his red Chuck Taylor Converse tennis shoes,  were both arrested and charged on suspicion of murder last week and are being held in lieu of more than two million dollars bail.   A 27 year-old woman, Antheyst Jarrett, was arrested shortly after the homicide on charges of witness intimidation and accessory after the fact to murder. Her bail is $500,000.

"These people murdered my child in front of my face," said Jennifer Rivers, Tavin's mother who broke down once during Tuesdays's press conference announcing the arrests. "I'm going to be seeing my son shot  in front of me and asking me "Am I gonna be Okay?" and then telling me "Mommy, I don't want to die"  for my while life. This is just torture." 

LAPD homicide detective Chris Barling, coordinator of the 77th Street Division's busy homicide unit,  applauded Rivers' for her relentless efforts to help find the killers of her son. 

 "I want to thank her because she helped keep this in the public's eye," Barling said in the 77th's press room which was packed with local television news cameras.  "I also want to thank LAPD's Metropolitan SWAT unit, the FBI/ LAPD Fugitive Task Force, Houston Police Department, Montgomery County Sheriffs, the local media and, mostly, the community for their help."

Tavin Price, who was, in the correct term, "intellectually disabled",  was at the Simms Car Wash on Florence at 11 a.m. with his mother and a family friend when he walked into the adjoining smoke shop. Price, not a gang member, was confronted over his "red Chucks", the symbolic color of the confederation of street gangs known as the Bloods. Price did not reply and returned to his family vehicle. Soon after, allegedly, Johns, who was not in the smoke shop, ran from across the street to the car and shot him multiple times.

Johns is a member of the 58th Street Neighborhood Crips. Both Smith and Johnson are members of the Rollin' 60s Crips, one of the city's most infamous. Both gangs have been widely criticized on the streets for not only killing the diminutive Price in front of his mother, but for shooting a 4-foot, 11-inch, 100-pound mentally handicapped young man in the first place. According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Inmate Locator website,.Smith is 6-foot, one-inch, 170 pounds and Johnson is five-foot, five-inches 140 pounds.  "Why couldn't they just go toe-to-toe with the guy if they thought he was a Blood?" several people have said.

"Who would do that?" Jennifer Rivers asked. "I don't get it. But, I'll be in court everyday."    

Los Angeles City Council member Bernard Parks, the former LAPD Chief of Police, said their arrests should provide some comfort to the family, but won't stop the pain.

"There is never closure when you lose a loved one," said Parks, who has known Tavin's family since the 1960s. Parks noted that near the same car wash where Tavin was shot, LAPD police officer Daniel Pratt was killed in a drive-by shooting on September 3, 1988. (Kirkton Phanor Moore, now 54, was convicted of the murder in 1990 and is serving life at Kern Valley State Prison.) 

After the press conference, at the  Inglewood Park Cemetery where Price was buried last Saturday, family and friends gathered at his grave site. Tavin's brother James clowned around, getting laughs for his impersonation of Tavin walking when he was upset. 

The grave was surrounded by a white picket fence.  

"Tavin loved white picket fences," his mother said as she looked on from afar. "We used to have one when we lived on the Eastside. Now, Tavin has his own."

$50,000 Reward For the Killers of Tavin Price, Man Shot at Car Wash in Front Of Mom

Of all the posts on this site, none have garnered more page views than the story about recent killing of Tavin Price, the 19-year-old mentally handicapped, 4-foot, 10-inch, 100-pound man shot to death by gang members in front of his mother at a car wash on Florence Avenue near Crenshaw Boulevard.

His last words, "Mommy, I don't want to die", made this already-maddening story incomprehensible. Even the hardest gang members in Los Angeles were disgusted by this killing.

Today,  Los Angeles City Councilmember Bernard C. Parks introduced a $50,000 reward motion to help solve the death of Tavin Terrell Price.  The reward motion is expected to be officially heard and voted on at the Wednesday, June 24 Council meeting. The reward is for information leading to arrest and conviction. 

"Hopefully the money will, with the grace of god, help get someone to come forward so they can catch the people who killed my son," said Tavin's mother, Jennifer Rivers. 

On May 29, at 11 a.m, Price was at the Five Minute Car Wash, located at 3312 West Florence Avenue, with his mother and a family friend. Price walked about 25 feet away to the adjoining smoke shop and was confronted by "Suspect-1" over gang affiliation.  The suspect made comments about Price's "red Chucks", his Chuck Taylor Converse sneakers.  Price did not reply and returned to his mother's vehicle. "Suspect 2" walked up behind Price and fired multiple times striking Price in his torso

A 27-year-old woman, Antheyst Jarrett was arrested shortly after and charged with accessory to the murder of Price as well as two counts of witness intimidation. She is being hel ind the county jail facility in Lynwood on $500,000 bail. She is expected in court tomorrow, June 18.  

Anyone with information is urged to call Detectives Eric Crosson or Fernando Cuevas the Criminal Gang Homicide Division at (323) 786-5100 or (323) 786-5113.

To read more on the death of Tavin Price check these links.

http://krikorianwrites.com/blog/2015/6/1/son-dies-in-his-mothers-arms-after-being-shot-at-car-wash-on-crenshaw-and-florence

http://krikorianwrites.com/blog/2015/6/11/4vfs7n6zmv7g036k8lrjivb5x6f20

Tavin Prce

Carl Betts Remembered as "Cornerstone of his family" as 1,000 Pay Tribute

More than 1,000 people gathered Saturday morning to pay tribute to Carl Sebastian Betts at the Bethel A.M.E. Church on Western Avenue, recalling him as a "cornerstone of his family" and "a friend who was always there when you needed him."

Betts, 51, was shot to death on the night of May 31st on St. Andrews Place and 85th Street by some lost soul who asked him those three notorious words "Where you from?"

The accurate answer to that question from Carl would have been Florence, Arizona, and - if he got particular - to James and Barbara Betts on June 29, 1963. His large family moved to South Los Angeles and he attended La Salle Avenue Elementary, Brette Harte Middle School and Washington and Gardena high schools.

Betts married the love of his life, Jessa Weaver, in 1992 and was a father to eight and a grandfather to nine. 

"Carl was the cornerstone of his family, a man who made other people feel good about themselves," said Kevin "Twin" Orange who had known Betts for nearly 40 years. "He was all about family."

Several of the mourners talked of Betts love of sports and his nearly fanatical love of the Dallas Cowboys. Several men attending the funeral wore Cowboys jerseys.

"Somehow, even if the conversation wasn't about sports, Carl would find a way to bring up the Dallas Cowboys," said one man.  

On his last night on earth, Betts visited his mother Barbara, gave her a gift, told her he loved her, and went out to get some food with two friends. By 10:30, he was dead.,Detectives have surmised Bett's assailants may have thought he was "from" Eight Trey Gangster Crips, the gang that has dominated that Manchester Square neighborhood for decades.

Wednesday around 12:30 p.m.,  an Eight Trey Gangster known as "G Witit" was shot to death by the liquor store on 88th Street and Vermont Avenue. 

And, as Betts was being eulogized, so too was Tavin Price,  the intellectually disabled 19-year-old who was shot to death in front of his mother at the car wash on Florence Avenue and Crenshaw Boulevard. To read more on Price check here - http://krikorianwrites.com/blog/2015/6/11/4vfs7n6zmv7g036k8lrjivb5x6f20t  

Twin, speaking from the church podium, passionately urged the crowd to get involved with ending the gang violence.

"We should be ashamed of ourselves because we are creating a genocide. We have become expert marksmen on each other, We need to stop this and make our neighborhood a community like we had in the '70s."

After the funeral, on Vermont Avenue and 88th Street, Raymond Lockett slowly shook his head as he spoke of his old friend Betts who had the nickname "Straw Dog". 

"Man, Straw Dog was good people. And they killed him for nothing."  

carl betts was loved by a whole lotta people.