Metro LA career fair and transit discussion

People have powerful feelings about the traffic in Los Angeles. It says something that local officials warned motorists about a temporary roadwork closure on the 405 last year by calling it Carmageddon. Angelenos took the hint, and this weekend they're expected to steer clear of the latest 405 closure, named, of course, Carmageddon 2. That's how it is in L.A., a snarl of overstuffed freeways and commuters who keep their cool, except when they don't. KPCC's Stephen Cuevas has this profile of a punk rocker whose music expresses the insanity of L.A. traffic while extolling the virtues of public transit. Couple of things you need to know about Eddie Solis. He lives in L.A., loves the band Kiss, and does not own a car. Being someone who's from L.A., born and raised, and, you know, having a few cars in my past, I saw the city much differently through a different perspective through the eyes of a bus rider. Come on, just all the way to the back. Line 18, Wilshire, Western Station. Just steps from the front door of his home, across the street from a tortilla factory in L.A.'s Boyle Heights neighborhood, Solis catches a bus that connects him with the city's subway, and the commuter train he catches to his day job at an indie record label in Hollywood. It just opened me up to, like, little neighborhoods, galleries, clubs, bars, just everything. Just seeing what's out there, little pockets of the city. Solis' journeys aboard L.A. buses and subway cars informs a lot of the material on The New Los Angeles Part One, Through the Eyes of a Bus Rider, the latest release by the singer-guitarist band It's Casual. The New Los Angeles No one has learned much In Solis' vision of a new Los Angeles, people abandon their cars, climb aboard public transit, and, you know, have a good time. through the eyes of a bus rider. The latest release by the singer-guitarist band It's Casual. The New Los Angeles Part One, through the eyes of a bus rider. and rediscover their communities. One song extols the virtues of the L.A. County Metropolitan Transit Agency's Easy Pass, and the urban underbelly it introduces to the rider. And that's, like, a nod and homage to, you know, the people who know what you can even go cheaper, and really beat the system and really steer away from spending money on gas and oil profits and all that. Fifty dollars is all it takes for me to get to work. Fifty dollars is all it takes for me to get to work. It's not just for me to witness racial tension, for me to witness illegal aliens. It's not to paint a negative picture. It's just my perspective of what is seen. Off the bus and back on the street, we make our way past a jazz saxophonist playing for pocket change and down a long escalator to catch a train. So, where are we now? We're at the Red Line Station. The Pershing Square Station in downtown L.A. And what's our destination? We're going to go downstairs another tier, and in about five minutes, we're going to get on the Red Line going northbound. Okay, let's go. The Metro Red Line snakes from North Hollywood to downtown Los Angeles. It's the train that inspired its casuals' signature tune and spawned a viral Internet video. It was partly filmed late at night on a moving train as it hurtles from station to station. Solis thrashes away on his guitar and barks the lyrics. Which celebrate the Red Line and call out the congested freeways that coil around Los Angeles. This is a Metro Red Line train to North Hollywood. The 210, the 605, the freeways are not so nice. The I-5, the 210, the freeways are not so nice. The thread that comes out of the record that ties everyone together is just like, be alive, don't be a victim of having a car. The 210, the 605, the freeways are not so nice. The I-5, the 210, the freeways are not so nice. The Red Line, the Red Line. An MTA spokesman said he couldn't comment on Eddie Solis' furious pro-Metro message, but the Red Line video was a hit at the offices of Move LA. Eddie's done a good job. Thank you, Eddie. The public transportation advocacy group headed by former Santa Monica Mayor Denny Zane. He liked the juxtaposition of Solis blissfully riding LA public transit in one scene with scenes of the band raging against those notorious freeway jams. Eddie is all frantic when he talks about highways and so mellow when he's like grooving on his skateboard and on the bus and on the Red Line. There's a metaphor for the transformation. You know? From the, oh my God. got to get out of the traffic to, hey, this is cool. I can mellow out. Or you can blast the tune like too many people as you claw your way across Los Angeles by car, bus, or skateboard. Too many people could also be a motto for its casual. Over the years, the band whittled itself down to a power duo of solis and a rotating cast of drummers. So you may think the burly, bearded punk rocker just can't get along with freeways, with people, or his native L.A. Not true. I love it. I love everything about it. I've traveled throughout the U.S. many times, and I could never look forward enough to coming back. The weather, the different cultures, the landscape. I was just like, you know what? Now I know why everyone moves to L.A. Solis will bring the love and the volume. During a Redline mini-tour next month, its casual will play a different venue within walking distance of several Redline Metro stops from Union Street. From Union Station to West Hollywood. For the California Report, I'm Stephen Cuevas. I was my driver back then. And that's the California Report, a production of KQED Public Radio in San Francisco. Our director this week. Our director this week is Nina Thorson. Seal Muller is our technical producer. We had additional engineering from Danny Bringer and Howard Gelman. Thanks to Hank Hadley at KCBX. Our online team includes Lisa Pickoff-White, David Marks, and Don Clyde. Our interns are Katherine Borgeson and Rachel Johnson. Taiki Hendricks is our elections editor with production help from Tina Lauerberg. We had editing support from Paul Rogers. Victoria Malione is our associate senior producer. Ingrid Becker is our senior producer. The news director is Bruce Kuhn. I'm Rachel Miser. Thanks for listening and have a great weekend. This is the California Report. Funds for the California Report are provided by the James Irvine Foundation. Expanding opportunity for the people of California and supporting the California Report since its premiere in 1995. And the California Endowment. Health happens in schools. At Calendow.org. And Chevron. Investing in renewables, strengthening communities, and creating jobs. More information at Chevron.com. The 210, the 605, the freeways are not so nice. The I-5, the 210, the freeways are not so nice. The 101, the 405, the freeways. Are not so nice. The I-5, the I-10, the freeways are not so nice. The 210, the 605, the freeways are not so nice. The I-5, the I-10, the freeways are not so nice. The red line. The red line. The red line. The red line. The red line. The red line. The red line. The Red Line The Red Line The Red Line The 210 The 605 The freeways Are not so nice The I-5 The I-10 The freeways Are not so nice The 101 The 405 The freeways Are not so nice The 605 The 101 The 101 The 101 The I-10 The 210 The 605 The 101 The 405 The I-10 The freeways Are not so nice The Red Line The Red Line The Red Line The Red Line The Red Line The Red Line The Red Line The Red Line The Red Line The Red Line The Red Line The Red Line The Red Line The Red Line The red light Hello world, I'm glad to be here Eddie Awesome, awesome Always happy to have you guys because Episode by episode I highlight areas of SoCal Specifically Los Angeles County And really, you know, want to bring to life these amazing destinations And tell people about them, articulate history What's relevant and get people their car free And this is the infrastructure right in front of me The MTA So it's always a pleasure to have you guys on Thank you Yeah, you know there's A really cool thing happening It's March 22nd And we're going to be opening the Los Angeles Urban League Center Career, Career Center Right, and You guys have been working hard on this We have On next Saturday, this coming Saturday actually Will be the kickoff of the Construction Career Information Center This is being led by the Urban League They are a contractor on the Crenshaw LAX Project Working under the design builder Walsh Shea Wow Our constructor so We're happy to do this kickoff We're looking to have individuals that are interested in construction careers To come out, get the information and shake some hands and meet some people I mean that's, you guys are providing a platform Not only for possibilities but the people are going to be there The reason why this is so important Eddie Is that Metro is making a $2 billion investment of tax dollars Into the Crenshaw corridor line And in conjunction with that investment We want people who are interested in working in construction To come and learn how to get involved in this industry We expect over the next 30 years for there to be A numerable number of jobs for, or careers for people who are interested in that industry We will also be there with Metro for people who are interested in perhaps Becoming a, a one of us, you know, not just in the construction industry But also in the construction industry as well, so we're looking to be there for that as well Not just in the construction trades but in the transportation industry as well Metro offers a lot of jobs as bus operators, as professionals, engineers, architects There's a lot of professions that we need in Metro Now this job fair is not just for construction jobs It's for careers in the construction industry And as we say in other professions they are going to be available The inversion that we are doing here in Metro is going to be a lot of jobs And the expansion here in Crenshaw is huge And as I told you it's going to bring economic benefit for the community It's going to be incredible Right, I mean, you know, from, through my eyes and ears When I think of the MTA umbrella There would be jobs in the administrative department Mechanics, bus operators, subway operators Right, construction, in-house legal maybe? Absolutely There's openings for lawyers, there's outreach And of course, you know, a lot of funding outreach as well Being able to go out and raise money Yes, there's been a controversy on the numbers of jobs But what we're trying to tell the people is that it's not jobs, construction jobs It's more than that It's the direct and indirect jobs, these construction jobs That this light rail project will create And it's already doing it In Metro we hired a lot of more people now that this project is going And it's just not one project We are coming with more projects We're going to be opening soon Expo 2 We're going to be opening Foothill Where's, I don't mean to interrupt but I'm really excited about the Expo 2 Where's that going to be, the extension going to be? Well, the line now ends in Culver City Station Right All the way, almost to the beach It's going to be probably two blocks or three blocks from the Santa Monica Beach By the Sears Building Yes, exactly Yeah, that's the last stop That's the last stop That's the terminal station And it's going to be in 2016, the opening So that will bring more possibilities, more destinations to the public And more options to travel So it won't depend only on the car It's going to be people traveling from East Los Angeles To Santa Monica From Sierra Madre Village right now To Long Beach To Norwalk To Redondo Beach To San Fernando Valley or Hollywood The Lancashire Yes Any of those spots, those destinations Yes, and even more, we have the Orange Line Which is not a rail line but it works like rail stations And it takes people to Woodland Hills and to Chatsworth Right And it connects with Metrolink too So we're creating a very nice network of transportation Rail transportation in this county that never seen before And the modern way Because before it was the trolleys and it was a complete network But it's gone, now we're coming back stronger Absolutely, very exciting You know why? Because there's infrastructure in place And there's a plan There's the 2016 plan with the Expo 2, right? And the Sierra Madre Foothill Gold Line What is the ETA on that? They are almost finishing the construction Of the six stations It's going to be 11.5 miles And it's going to open as I told you 2016 That's when we expect to have it on service That will add more stations, more possibilities To the people in the San Gabriel Valley To travel and connect with other cities And build a network in the county That's really exciting I mean, the actual consistency and infrastructure That's in place here in Los Angeles now Was the catalyst for me to go car free Because I can make it work in my routine Working, you know, living where I was at the time In Pico Rivera and commuting to Hollywood for work Now, living and working in downtown It's still useful because downtown is the hub To connect to everything And you can create a day Whether it's pleasure or professional obligations And be able to go car free And I mean, it's just amazing I mean, yesterday I drove from the Walnut area To Whittier and back and it was like $10 In an economy car I buy, I had to go, you know I want to go see a family member play A nephew play a game In his kids sports And that's just there I mean, imagine people who do a lot of driving Commute 30 miles each way I mean, we've all done it, you know Some still do it But I mean, I always buy the E-ZPass for $84 You divide that by 30 days and it's $2.85 a day Unlimited Yeah, that's perfect And we just signed the full funding agreement With the federal government To begin construction on the original connector And again, that's going to bring jobs And other careers Opportunities And that's why Mimi and JC Lacey Are here to inform the public What's going to happen Saturday Let's get into the format Of what's going to go down, JC As far as the event on the 22nd Okay, so the event will start at 10 o'clock in the morning And go till 2 o'clock It's a mix between a program Where there'll be presentations And information presented And actual networking So 30 minutes program, 30 minutes networking And we'll go for four hours There'll be vendors representing other entities Not just Metro Sure So there's other projects You know, we're talking about the Metro projects But there's There's a huge spectrum that's going to be provided, right? Because when you guys say careers It's longevity Yes Absolutely And we like to distinguish between careers and jobs Especially as it relates to construction Because construction work Because the nature of it is somewhat short term It's not, you know, a long career on one project Once the project is over You move on to the next And so the networking piece is very important Right We'll also have some prime contractors there That will have work That will be under the PLA The Project Labor Agreement Which is critical to what we're doing in terms of Having a diverse workforce And being able to employ people from the areas Where the projects are going on I think Miriam, you want to share a little bit about PLA She's done lots of great work on the PLA I know a lot I know Eddie knows a lot about the Project Labor Agreement It is so important to understand that In order for us not to have any strikes over the next years While we're trying to build this infrastructure We have in place something called the Project Labor Agreement It's an agreement between the Metro and all the trades So we can look forward to this And we can look forward to these projects getting done in a timely and efficient manner You know Eddie that the main project Or the main interest of Metro is that people be safe That's our primary goal So I'm so excited about the fact that you're teaching people How to get places and get out of their cars Because it's important that you realize That Metro is a mighty big I mean Los Angeles is a mighty big place And unlike in the past You will be able to With the regional connector happening You won't have to change trains so often You'll be able to get places all over That's amazing That is the message that we want to make sure people understand We have a long term view And we want people to come out and find out how they can take advantage of this investment Yeah I mean I think everything is You know you guys are connecting physically You guys are connecting cities and infrastructure And people's lives And I think that the physical The physical The physical vision of seeing all these new trains in place And you know the orange line acting as you know a connector Kind of you know doing what a train does in its own private lane I mean there's all this All this pathway to different areas And I use it as inspiration It's The city is so big It's rich in history and culture geography There's nowhere else like it When I've toured the US many times over with my band I love being out there But I can't wait to come back to LA I've made that decision no matter what I will always live here It's not just the weather either No It's the people It's the people We are the world LA is diversity capital of the world I really think so I really think so All of our projects have to reflect the diversity And wonderful diversity that Los Angeles represents And you know I think that everyone's being It's areas are being connected Trains are connecting And I think people's lives could be connected If they use it And I think that there is a sense of inspiration Looming over the air right now That is waiting to be grasped by the population If they're willing to just do it And work it into their routine Now people have kids People live in certain areas And it's not always going to work But if you can't use it daily How about going out on the weekends Via public transportation It can be done And Eddie the reason why you're such an inspiration to us at Metro Is because of the fact that we're all connected to the city And I want you to understand how important it is to us That you're getting the message out One of the things that this uniting our city And making it a world class city By making these trains and buses work together Is that whatever your stereotype used to be About wherever you don't live Now you have a chance to come and see You'll be safe You'll be welcome Our city is coming alive even more Absolutely And we expect that this infrastructure Will make that even more possible Let's not forget that one of the reasons We are building so much rail projects At the same time that never happened in the history of Los Angeles Is because of Measure R Measure R was approved by the voters of LA County in 2008 Thanks to that money we're working And we're transforming the landscape of Los Angeles And like Mimi just mentioned A lot of people now can go and be able to visit Other parts of the city They never dare to go Absolutely And learn culturally what is there What does the community offer In culture, in history, in traditions, in food It's wonderful Food, architecture I mean, JC are you from LA? I've been here for a while I've been here for over 10 years This is home then This is home And you know I'm just relatively learning first hand The pleasure of this place Live, work, play Idea It's great right Vision for LA I walk to work now Really? Yes Good for you And I can't see commuting anymore So I think once people experience The benefits It's so convenient And what you can do in your down time If you're on the train Reading, catching up on emails or texts The sky's the limit I love it And I don't think I can go back to commuting anymore myself I'm with you Eddie Thank you, go ahead I want to say something about this unprecedented effort That we're making on the 22nd We are coming to the Baldwin Hills Mall Because Crenshaw is the first Measure R project We are coming with Metro, with Walsh Shave With PV Jobs, with all kind of people Employment Development Department, Urban League Because we want to make sure that if you're interested in this industry Or if you have a question about where you might feel like you're going to be in the future We are bringing all of our resources into the community In an unprecedented fashion At the request of our CEO, Art Leahy Go into the community and make them know who we are So we are really excited at Metro To be able to do these kind of things And to let your audience know That Metro's in full effect Here we come Please come and join us on the 22nd Come to the Baldwin Hills Mall Which happens to be at the corner of Crenshaw Boulevard and Martin Luther King Boulevard Both of which are accessible by public transportation Come and meet us We'll be there Come and see That's great I mean, how easy How much easier can it get If you want to network your way into the MTA You guys are It's like a pop-up It's like a pop-up headquarters And say we're here Just come talk to us That's what it is One thing I want to touch on Is before we go on to some questions I have for you Is just sharing some of your stories Is just sharing some of the inspiration That I wanted to finish talking about When I'm talking about being able to be car free It's also There's a trickle-down effect You save money You lose weight because you're walking Oh, 10 points for that You know what I mean You're getting more sunlight You're out there You're not binded by the car And I think Okay I believe that my theory is fully accurate And you could You could Correct me if I'm wrong Now, I think that Los Angeles is such a car culture That people are used to designing their day in a car So when you say you have to go here and there Like I'm not going to do that Because it's just going to be too much They don't understand that If you park your car at the Gold Line Station On Atlantic and the 60 All you got to do is jump on the Gold Line And get to Union Station in 18 minutes And go from there So I mean Every direction has an artery to get to Union Station It's so easy, right, Jose? And don't forget the free parking on Atlantic Station It's free parking Yeah And so I think I think once you're in the routine Of being able to commute And live, work, and play Or maybe one of the three Either work or live or play Because again, not everyone could install that quickly into the routine Because you know, life happens And you know, you live here, you work there, etc. But I truly think that Once people try it It works And for me I mean, I have a lot of friends and listeners That I've inspired to give it a try And it's always a smile on their face It's always, look We saw more We connected with the city We connected with people You know, just the feeling Just the feeling to get off and walk And see what's between the buildings You know, sometimes you'll see like A nice piece of architecture And it just kind of gravitates you into different places And don't forget the health factor We Latinos and African Americans Have more incidence on diabetics So this is incredible for your health You don't need to go to the gym You just walk a little every day I agree, completely And you don't know how much it will help your health I agree You're right, Andy I agree with what you're saying You, it's possible for someone to live in LA Depending on their work schedule But not really be plugged in Not really be connected Right It's like you have to get out there and smell the air We just took the transit over here today And just in the short walk We were commenting It's so nice outside There was a St. Patrick's Day Band playing Beautiful day Beautiful day And so you're right It's a culture change It's hard to change behavior But it's worth it In terms of seeing how you can use the system So you may mix with driving And using the system Right You know, one of my new missions That I'm working on with the show And my music Is to inspire single parents That are maybe low income And don't have a vehicle And get them informed And get them feeling safe About taking their children Out of the neighborhood And into the city Whether it's Olvera Street Or the museums Or the cathedral downtown Or the Disney Center Absolutely Or come to see the Metro Headquarters And see all of our art All that kind of stuff is free Yeah, all that's free Grand Avenue Park And I think sometimes Maybe a single parent will feel stuck Because they got a lot going on With the children Maybe they don't have a car at the time And I think there's The MTA infrastructure right now Just with what exists That I use I use all the lines I know for a fact that You will get cultured You'll get refreshed Because you're getting out of your area Doesn't cost much And you're going to get the exercise Without even wanting to get the exercise You're just going to go out and be and learn And it's there Eddie, I want to make sure That your listeners understand too That our system is safe And by safe I mean The sheriff's patrol You'll never be alone You'll have cameras You've got people who care There are ambassadors At every light rail stop to help you If you want to find that USC over there If you want to go to the museum It's that way Come on and give us a try You'll be safe You'll be cared for And we want you to love your city The way we do Right And you know For someone who's traveled 200,000 miles On public transportation Like myself Wow And more points, Eddie In the last, you know, 12 years I've never seen an issue You know, humans are humans You'll see, you know Little things here when you get on You know, in a crowded area But guess what? The same thing happens You know, when you have an expensive ticket To the Laker game So it happens anywhere You know, there's little friction I mean, you know It's human nature Yeah, it's human nature I've never seen anything negative I've never seen any problems That would make me say, you know This isn't safe Because that's not the truth It is Safety is our most important product Safety is something that we speak about At every meeting Safety is something that's on every one of our minds Especially our operators We want everyone to be safe Not just the passengers We have to make sure that our employees are safe too We don't play about that So if you get on our train Or bus You're gonna be safe Let's go back to the event on March 22nd I wanted to articulate what I see As a public transportation enthusiast With the MTA You guys were talking about How you're providing a platform And I'm calling it like a pop-up job fair In a way Because you're providing information From other entities As well as yourselves, right? Yeah So I'm gonna ask you What's your take on that? I mean, you know You know, I'm a public transport enthusiast So you know When you JC used the word Career Not job From what I know I don't work for you guys But I use the I use the infrastructure As you know I see, you know Operators becoming What CEOs like Art Yes Right? I mean Art Mahe is a former bus driver Down Quenshaw Boulevard The 40 Line That's awesome And out Florence Boulevard line huh that was in the 70s yes yes and now he is the chief executive office ceo i mean there are um opportunities that exist at the mta i mean uh you know people could just go to the website and see some of the job openings right what's the website metro.net right and as far as uh the jobs page is it just jobs slash under human resources human resources so i mean you guys are really uh installing career-long jobs where there's room for growth i mean operators can move out of that position and move on to something else yes indeed they can and we have many many success stories people who've done just that and we have a pipeline of projects so you know and a schedule for the funding of those projects and so um metro will be a a big employer for a long time we've hired we hired a thousand people last year and i believe they're scheduled to hire another thousand in the coming year so approximately 10 000 employees and uh it's a big number and it is growing with a commitment to have the employee base represent the diversity of los angeles county so people should come out and give us a look check us out you know what i'm really excited because um you know you you read the you read the paper you hear the news and you see uh reports job placement economy the same old song and dance i always look at the glass half full instead of half empty and um without even trying to look at it half full the mta glass is half full you guys i mean you guys are having a pop-up fair basically and saying come come check us out because there's jobs available come the issue is about your career it is not about having a job for a week or two weeks or a year we're talking about plan yourself a career so that in 30 years when you retire, you can look back and say, you know, that Eddie Solis, he turned me on to something really important. That is our goal today, Eddie, to let people know that Metro and Metro, Walsh, the airport, who else is going to be there? We're going to have a lot of employment development will be there. We're bringing everybody together to say, yes, the economy is tough. This is how you prepare yourself to take advantage of these opportunities though. Let's talk about the LAX Crenshaw Corridor. Finally, there's access to the LAX airport through this line. When is the ETA for this to be up and running? The Crenshaw line is scheduled. We expect to be up and to the breakfast. We expect to breakfast. We expect to breakfast. We expect to breakfast. We expect to to be up and running? The Grange Line is scheduled, we expect to be open to the public by the end of 2019. Now, we are working with the airport in a different project, separate. They will connect somehow the Century Station to the LAX. There are several proposals. We don't know which one is going to work, but there are several proposals on the table and we are working with them to see which one is going to be the best and they will work for them, we will work for us. So that's going to be the connection. But we are in that stage. We are studying the possibilities with the analysis. So we are a little far from that there, but we're working. Absolutely. I mean, there's forward moving progress on it. How many stops is there going to be? On the Grange Line, there are eight stops starting at Grange Line Exposition. And going down the boulevard, there will be eight stops. It's going to be Grange Show and Expo. Grange Show and Martin Luther King. Yes. Grange Show and Vernon. Leimert Park. Leimert Park. Leimert, okay. It's going to be Florence. Grange Show and Slauson. Slauson. Henry. No, that's too far. Well, yeah. Florence and Henry. Florence and West. Florence and La Brea. Aviation. And San Francisco. San Francisco. San Francisco. And I think that's it. That's where it ends. Aviation and San Francisco. There are eight stations. It's eight and a half miles. Approximately a mile between each station. And it's going to be some segment. It's going to be underground. Other segment is going to be on street level. And other is going to be aerial. So it's going to be 55% in different levels. So it's all three. Underground, surface, and aerial. Yes. Wow. So it's mainly. grade separated? Grade separated, yes, correctly. Oh, wow. Each one of these stations represents an opportunity for massive economic development. That's what we're looking for. We're bringing the infrastructure, businesses who are located near us, housing, etc., will be able to thrive because they'll be able to use the system as a source for not only transportation, but for customers coming up to your business, taking the train right to your door. So we hope to see everybody benefit. That's called transit oriented development. So transit oriented development is simply independent businesses popping up, not even independent, I mean chains as well, but I mean because there is going to be a proven number of foot traffic coming off each station. Yes, and what happens is when we get the property, we buy land close to the stations and we see on the feature to create housing and retail and business that we can list later. That's working with different companies who bid on the project and they can be built later housing. Sometimes it's income for people with low income. Sometimes it's market, the value of the market. Right. So it's a lot of business and retail. It depends on the nature of each station. But we work towards developing the area so the public can live there by two stations. And it's happening already and several of our stations it creates a new landscape for the city of Los Angeles. You see that in Hollywood and Vine. You see that in Long Beach and North Hollywood. The new North Hollywood is incredible. It is. And that's a big thing. It is. And that's a big thing. And that's a big thing. And that's a big thing. So one of the reasons one of the main reasons is the red line. Absolutely. So what you're saying is when there's a new line like the LAX Crenshaw Corridor whoever bids on it that property they could list it later for market or make it lower income kind of housing and tailor it to the area. It's tailored to the area but according to metro policies. They have to comply with certain regulations that we want to have. And it depends on the market and depends on the area. The emphasis is not on low-income housing. It's on housing. Yes. And affordable housing. There will be mixed-use housing opportunities, et cetera. But also businesses. You see what happened to Hollywood. Absolutely. And this is part of the ripple effect. Outside developers coming along. This is directly related to the project. But, you know, it doesn't count towards the construction jobs per se. But it's certainly on account of the project being there. And, you know, that's one term, transit-oriented development. You'll also hear transit-adjacent development, which is another term that may come up. And it's the same idea just on adjacent properties, properties that Metro does not own, land that Metro doesn't own. And so, again, part of the ripple effect. And because I think so, JC can talk to us. One of the barriers. Sample is the development that is happening next to the Expo Crenshaw line. We haven't even begun and they're already building. And it's incredible. It's like a wow. So it's a trickle-down effect. Even though you guys have to start building, but the plans are confirmed. There's definitely a trickle-down effect of developers saying they want to develop, you know, maybe condos or, you know. Retail. Retail. Both. Top and bottom. However, I mean, because that's just going to. It's a proven fact that that will be an artery to bring foot traffic car-free. People not spending as much money, so they're going to spend more. And the community gets benefits, not only in the jobs, but in the service they will receive from this business. What kind of business is going to be there in Crenshaw and Rodeo? Yes. There's a retail development going on there. Huge. Much needed. Much needed. Bring some clothing retailers. I think there's a target planned. That translates into jobs. It does. Absolutely. It makes it a destination too, Eddie. And how cool would it be that you could walk outside, hop on a train, take a train to a restaurant, to a bar. You can go buy clothes. You can go to the cleaners. The things that you now have to spend $4 a gallon to do, you'll be able to do it on your tap card for $2.85 a day. If you're buying an E-ZPass. Hey, man. Yeah. I mean, there's so many. If you could install a car-free lifestyle, even if it's a few days a week, you don't have to just do it all at once. It's just you get more out of it than you don't. Yes. It's pros versus cons. More pros than cons. And people understand it. It's not just on the commercial development side. Residential. You see new people coming in and buying up properties where the train is going. And the parking at our stations is totally free. Every station, right? Yeah, man. Even if you can't get there currently from your house, drive your car to, say, Crenshaw and Exposition. Park there for free. Secure parking. Take the Crenshaw line. Go to USC for a ball game, a party. Come downtown. LA Live. LA Live. LA Live. You don't have to pay. You can come and see a Lakers game. Exactly. Exactly. JC, we were talking about sports before we came on. Now, do you have a favorite? Now, LA doesn't have a football team, and I know you're a football guy. Yes. Okay. So, let me ask you. That leads us to baseball or basketball. Like, what do you follow? Do you follow any? I follow it, but I have to admit, more in the playoff season. Of course. Once it gets juicy. When the heat is on. When the heat is on. I'm a fair, I can't be, I'm not a diehard fan. But I do love the Dodgers. I go to games every year. Right. It's a great time always. It's a great time. It's a special place. Well, let's talk about college football then. Do you follow any LA college football? Have you gone to the Rose Bowl or the Coliseum to see USC and UCLA? I mean, when you're not playing in the Rose Bowl. Oh, no. Miriam always embarrasses me in public. I did play football in college. We're proud. Yes. And you played at the Rose Bowl. I did. Wow. It was the 2000 Rose Bowl at Stanford. I played for Stanford. Well, congratulations. That's awesome. Thank you. Yeah, we had been on a law 28 years. Since we went to the Rose Bowl and we made it my senior year. They're doing well now. So definitely get to the Rose Bowl any chance I get. Also, USC. I mean, it's great. It's right there accessible from the Metro. Right. And now as far as checking out the Dodgers, have you used a Dodger shuttle? I have. I have. Double thumbs up. Amen. Not just thumbs up. Get a Dodger dog. Get a shuttle. All good shit. Well, you know what's funny is, I mean, um, you know, who would think 10 years ago or, you know, let's say 15 years ago that I could, you know, text a friend that's taking an orange line from Warner Center yes into Lankershim red line. And I got all my friends from East L.A. and Whittier meeting in my house. And then we're just going to like take the line 18 over the bridge. Oh. 722. Yeah. That's the last line. Right, right. You know, I always just go with whatever comes first. Yes. Right? And then, because they're both on the same line, right? And then friends from Long Beach, and I'm just saying, this is me at Union Station, and we're taking the Dodger shuttle. I mean, the Dodger shuttle having such a great intent, it not only acts as a pro, the whole pro versus con thing, it's a component in the pro section because it's free, and it's not just one car, but it brings people together. Yes, it does. You're building community, and you're bringing friends and family together. I want to say, too, Eddie, that Union Station is a sight to behold. Back in the 40s, when my mother moved from Birmingham, Alabama, out here to California, she used to go through Union Station. And the Union Station today has been renovated to look just like it looked when my mom was a kid. I mean, if you can walk through there, it is absolutely magnificent. We've had dinner there. There's a great bar there. There's a great venue. Yeah, there's a great venue for if someone wanted to rent for a party. I mean, it's just right out of the 40s. It's, you know, a cafe noir. It's a classy place. It's a gorgeous place. And it's a place worth seeing. So you invite people down, have some food or a drink, meet up at – we've got a subway. We've got a Starbucks. We've got all kind of places for you to meet. Yeah. And then go see the Dodgers. And then the 75th anniversary is coming in May of Union Station. So it's going to be a great celebration. The Metro is going to do since Metro owns the place now. So MTA owns the building. Yes. The Union Station. Yeah. Wow. And it is beautiful, Eddie. Please tell – I want all of your listeners to know that is a destination in itself, just to walk around and look at what is happening in our city. And, you know, LA is so spread out. It's a car culture. And a lot of people don't break out of their areas because of time, you know, and maybe they just think, you know, I'm specifically talking about people in the suburbs. And I want to turn those people on that maybe feel like, ah, going to LA is such a racket. Going to the Clipper game or basketball game or Dodger game and, you know, traffic, paying for parking, time. Then it's like it becomes a turnoff. But everyone that I've turned on to – I say just, you know, if you're coming in from the east side, whether it's inland, Corona, Montclair, Walnut, or you live right there in Whittier or East LA Park at the Gold Line Station where it starts, buy yourself a day pass and just take it 18 minutes to Union Station. And that's the first thing. Just get off and just go and just take it in because the architecture, it's just so pristine. And it's just so beautiful. It's so – I mean, for me, I mean, it's phenomenal. The stained glass, you know, even the aquarium is pretty cool. It's beautiful. I love that. And then you could grab a coffee and sandwich and walk around, take it in. And, you know, there's the Harvey Room where they have private events. I've been there. I've been there for a Move LA event a couple of times. And I was blown away. I was like, wow. Isn't it beautiful? Yeah. I mean, just to go and see something new, get turned on to what exists that you haven't – I mean, just to go and see something new, get turned on to what exists that you haven't – I mean, just to go and see something new, get turned on to what exists that you haven't – I mean, just to go and see something new, get turned on to what exists that you haven't – in your hometown is – to me, it's a part of being cultured and educated. I agree with you. And refreshed. And, you know, the other thing that's really cool about Metro now and social media, if you're waiting for a bus, we've got a bus Metro app now that you can go on on your smartphone and it'll tell you how long before the bus gets there. It's awesome. I use it all the time. Eddie, I mean, it's a new day. It is a new day. And thanks to social media, people like you, and a forward-looking, vision for how wonderful our city is, I'm telling you, we're on a roll. Yeah. And that's where my enthusiasm comes from. It's, you know, the spectrum. It's using it and being able to take from it the positive things, the saving money, the connecting with your city, you know, walking more, discovering Los Angeles, and then being able – to take inspiration and create like I do with my music and this show. Wow. And then use it as inspiration, okay? Yeah. And it's funny because the city's there. You just got to go do it. And it doesn't have to be difficult. It doesn't have to be so rigid. You know, if you can only do it twice a week, give it a shot. However, I think, you know, when I went – before we were talking here, I was talking about baseball season. I'm a huge baseball fan. I'm a huge baseball fan. The fact that – you know, there's a shuttle leaving from Union Station to the Dodger games, you know, it just makes it so easy to get friends from the Valley, Long Beach, East L.A., Hollywood to come in. Crenshaw. Yeah. And I've done that. And it's just like I stop on my tracks and I think, you know, the MTA is bringing people together also. It is. It's a very social – It can be a very social thing. You're right. It brings people together. And, you know, you can make a day out of – Right. Right. Right. Right. Or something simple. Absolutely. And have a great time doing it. Metro has a program. Check out Destination Discounts. Awesome. Destination Discounts. It's a grouping of businesses, venues, different events that are, you know, very close to the line. So it tells you how to get there. You can use our trip planner tool. Check out the Destination Discounts. Make a day of, you know, getting together with friends and using the system. And the program also offers discounts or coupons for if you go to a museum, you get a coupon, they reduce the price or other discounts in restaurants or any other event that's happening in Los Angeles and we get a cross promotion with them. That's fabulous. And on that same note, Eddie, I'd like to give a quick commercial, if I may. Do it. So the Destination Discounts is a program that we just talked about. There's also Project Area Discounts. Project Area Discounts helps to highlight the local businesses where we are constructing the system. And so you can't use the system to get there yet. Obviously, we're still constructing it. But we do want to put a plug out there for supporting local businesses, supporting the small businesses, the micro business, the independent guys, you know, one or two employees that are within our project areas because we do want to support them. And we want to see them survive the construction and be there to benefit after the construction is complete. So if you check out for the Crenshaw Project, that's our current project now. We have a Project Area Discounts page. So I'd encourage your listeners to check that out and support those local businesses if you have the opportunity. That's very cool. I think that's very admirable and considerate because, let's face it, once these stops are up, you know, for the new lines, when there's people walking. And they see businesses dark or for lease or for rent signs, what looks appealing is those storefronts being occupied. So if the little guys are reinforced and, you know, kept in the limelight as well, then everyone, it just creates a great image for everybody and everybody's head as far as seeing everyone flourish. Everyone benefits from it. They do. Small businesses make up the backbone of the economy in some ways. And so it's very important. Thank you. Thank you. The information is at metro.net slash Crenshaw. A couple of the things I want to go and touch on really quick is tell us about the Senior Citizen Program you guys have. I've seen a few things. Now, I know more or less what it is, but I wanted to know if you guys had any insight on it. But it's more like helping. It's like a hub where seniors go. And they're able to get spoon-fed the information. Yes. We're trying to empower the senior citizen. They don't have a car or it's difficult for them to drive. So they can go places, destinations, medical appointments, especially medical appointments, and use the system. Especially, I mean, there's a senior discount as well. Of course. So, you know. Yes. In some instances, it's necessary for, you know, maybe the elderly or small business. As we just mentioned, that are working all the time. Right. To bring info to them directly so that no stone is left unturned. Right. I mean, you got to include everyone because that's what this is about. It's the whole population. Right. I've thought about it. Yeah. So I'm going to get in my pitcher stance and wind up and throw a curveball to you guys really quick. You ready? Ready. Yeah. Will the infrastructure, meaning the red line, blue line, green line, gold line, ever be 24 hours? And can we make that happen tonight? No, not tonight. But we have a special service on weekends, Friday night, Saturday night, that we extend the hours until 2 a.m. It depends on the demand. It's just as simple as demand. If the public is there, they want to use the system, and it's a lot of public use, and we will extend. But for now, we have the weekends until 2 a.m. in the rail system. And the bus system, there's all service, which is 24 hours. But I think so the attraction that you are mentioning is going to be the rail system. It's a funding issue. And also, if there is public who needs to ride after 2 a.m. and weekends, and it depends on the public. But if it's possible, this is going to be very good for everybody, for the community and for us. It just seems like it's only a matter of time. It is a matter of time. Okay. So before we wrap it up, let's give the information for this Saturday again. Okay. That's the 22nd, correct? Yes. Once again, that's this Saturday, the 22nd. It's the kickoff to the Construction Careers Information Center. And that offers individuals seeking careers in the construction industry a full range of self-service information and development opportunities. So we invite everyone to come out to the Crenshaw Baldwin Hills Mall on the corner of Crenshaw and MLK. We will have entities like Metro and others, as well as information about joining the union. So the trades. The trades will be there. And this is very important to our project on Crenshaw and the other projects that Metro will be taking part in. Yes. Very well done. Thank you. Well, Jose Ubaldo, J.C. Lacey, and Miriam Long of Metro Los Angeles, thank you for being a part of Los Angeles Nista episode 124. Thank you for having us. Thank you for having us. Many, many, many, many more episodes to come. And thank you so much. Have a great afternoon. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.