NEWS TODAY

WESTWOOD VILLAGE ROTARY CLUB

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Speaker for the Day Los Angeles City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto is a force of nature the City Attorney’s office is grateful to have. Being the first female (and she bets the shortest one too) to hold this four-year term office, Hydee comes to LA via San Juan Puerto Rico. She went to college at Swarthmore followed by Columbia University for her law degree. She is the City’s 43^rd city attorney.

Hydee told us she is primarily an attorney. She ran for office because she was sick and tired of being sick and tired of LA’s City Attorney’s Office not getting things done. Once she took office though, she found it is incredibly huge and busy. Her office is responsible for the LA World Airport; LA Harbor & Port Authority; DWP, Board of Public Works, Police and other entities that make up the City of LA. She oversees 1100 city employees of which 500 are lawyers.

Hydee’s office engages in competitive bidding enforcement; she is reforming the RFP process to make it friendlier for small business owners and minority owned businesses. The office is also the legal advisor to the Mayor, City Council and Police. She is a criminal prosecutor for misdemeanor violations prosecuting felonies. The office is responsible for defending and filing lawsuits on the city’s behalf, either directly or through oversite of outside council.

The office does not perform juvenile prosecution although kids are a priority to the Department, especially as regards to trafficking. Hydee then told a story about how the US Attorney’s Office, Homeland Security and the FBI all worked together on a trafficking case near USC on South Figueroa. Apparently, this is a huge area in LA where trafficking of children is well known.

Hydee has her own 4 Way Test that she shared with us in reviewing cases especially Hate Crime. It goes as follows:

Is it legal?

Is it moral?

Does it further the Public Good?

Is it transparent?

Particularly good presentation. It will be interesting to see how she does over the next four years.

Special shout out to PP Chris Bradford for leading the pledge, IP Steve Day for Thought of the Day.

• This Thursday's meeting will be at Persian Gulf Restaurant on Westwood Blvd. where LAPD Captain Craig Heredia will be our speaking. Captain Craig will be bringing us up to date on security matters in Westwood and in West LA. Come prepared with your questions!! Social hour begins at noon with the program starting at 12:30pm.



• May 20th is the District Assembly at the new and impressive Da Vinci High School in El Segundo from 8am to noon. Come learn what District 5280 has planned for the new year. You can register on the district website.

• May 27-31st is the Rotary International Convention in Melbourne, a beautiful location if you are ready for a vacation. Go to Rotary International website to register.

• SAVE THE DATE!! June 25th is the world-famous Westwood Village Rotary Club Demotion Party. This will be your opportunity to bring an awful joke to tell President Chris!! This event will once again be a Whiskey Red's in Marina Del Rey. Look for your invitation by email to RSVP for this always fun event!!

• MAY MEETING SCHEDULE

May 18th: Persian Gulf on Westwood Blvd

May 25th: ZOOM

WVRC 2022/2023 Leadership Team