GARDENERS SEE MAYOR MUNCH OUT; HUNGER STRIKE GOES ON.Byline: Patrick McGreevy Daily News Staff Writer At a hastily called meeting Wednesday with hunger-striking gardeners to announce his intention to approve a leaf-blower ban, Mayor Richard Riordan Richard J. Riordan (born May 1, 1930) is a Republican politician from California, U.S. who served as the California Secretary of Education from 2003–2005 and as Mayor of Los Angeles from 1993–2001. Riordan ran for Governor of California unsuccessfully in 2002. showed up eating a large hamburger, at one point wiping mayonnaise from his mouth to speak. The gardeners, 10 of whom have been without food since Saturday when they launched the liquids-only strike to protest the ban, are experiencing headaches, cramps and nausea, and are under doctor's orders "Doctor's Orders" is the title of an episode from the third season of the television series . Its episode number is 068, and it first aired on 18 February 2004. Plot summary This is a summary of the beginning portion of the episode. not to walk. Adrian Alvarez, a leader of the Latin American Gardeners Association, expressed surprise when Riordan showed up with his lunch and a soft drink from Bob's Big Boy. ``You didn't tell me he was eating. We're on a hunger strike hunger strike, refusal to eat as a protest against existing conditions. Although most often used by prisoners, others have also employed it. For example, Mohandas Gandhi in India and Cesar Chavez in California fasted as religious penance during otherwise political or ,'' Alvarez told the mayor's aides as Riordan chowed down on the greasy burger. Trying to lighten the moment, Olvaro Huerta warned the mayor that the next day's headlines might read, ``Mayor Tempts Hunger Strikers.'' Riordan did tempt tempt v. tempt·ed, tempt·ing, tempts v.tr. 1. To try to get (someone) to do wrong, especially by a promise of reward. 2. the gardeners, encouraging them to end their hunger strike and offering them a free dinner at The Pantry, a restaurant he owns. The gardeners rejected his entreaties, vowing to continue their strike to the death if he doesn't veto the measure. Riordan met with the gardeners over his lunch hour outside Parker Center Parker Center is the headquarters for the Los Angeles Police Department, and is located in Downtown LA. It is named for former LAPD chief William H. Parker. Originally with the prosaic name, the Police Administration Building, ground for the center was broken on December 30, 1952 police headquarters downtown to explain his plans to sign the measure, which initiates enforcement of a ban approved last year but imposes lighter penalties. Riordan said he would sign the new enforcement measure, making use of leaf blowers A leaf blower is gardening tool that propels air out of a nozzle to move yard debris such as leaves. Leaf blowers are usually powered by two-stroke engine or an electric motor, but four-stroke engines were recently introduced to partially address air pollution concerns. in residential areas an infraction Violation or infringement; breach of a statute, contract, or obligation. The term infraction is frequently used in reference to the violation of a particular statute for which the penalty is minor, such as a parking infraction. INFRACTION. and carrying a fine of $270, because a veto would lead to enforcement of an alternate measure that carries harsher penalties, including jail time. ``I'm not going to veto it because I can't in good conscience send gardeners to jail,'' he told Huerta. During a short demonstration, a gardener ran a leaf blower on the lawn in front of Parker Center while Riordan listened inside the building. The mayor said he couldn't hear the device. Riordan agreed to wait until today to sign the law so that a study group could meet to discuss alternatives, including a city loan program to help gardeners buy quieter, less-polluting blowers or vacuums. Alvarez said he appreciated the offer to meet on alternatives but would not accept Riordan's plan to sign the measure. ``I really regret to hear that,'' he told the mayor. ``Unfortunately, this won't end the hunger strike.'' Huerta told Riordan that approving the ordinance would be seen as a sign that Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. officials are catering to the city's affluent residents, to the detriment of the working poor. Riordan tried to deflect the gardeners' criticism of the ordinance to the City Council, which enacted it. Riordan chided Councilman Jackie Goldberg Jackie Goldberg (born June 16, 1937) is an American politician and teacher, and a member of the Democratic Party. She is a former member of the California State Assembly. , who voted for the measure, saying, ``It's OK to have sex clubs, but don't have blowers'' - a reference to Goldberg's support for a sexual-encounter club in her district that Riordan ultimately nixed with a veto. He also criticized Councilman Mike Hernandez, who voted against the ban and asked for the mayor's veto, charging, ``He doesn't mind if gardeners go to jail.'' The council and mayor approved an ordinance last year that would make use of a leaf blower a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail. But the council suspended enforcement. On Tuesday the council approved the lighter penalties and reinstated enforcement of the ban, making it an infraction punishable by a $270 fine and no jail time. Alvarez said members of his gardeners association are willing to risk jail to challenge the ordinance if the mayor vetoes the current measure, causing the stiffer penalties to take effect. Although Riordan said he would consider an alternative ordinance that phases out the leaf blowers, Alvarez told the mayor he is not hopeful that such a proposal would be approved by the council, where it already has been proposed and rejected. ``If we just accept the ordinance as it is and leave it to the good will of the council, nothing is going to change,'' Alvarez told Riordan. Councilwoman Cindy Miscikowski Cindy Miscikowski represented the 11th District on the Los Angeles City Council for two full terms from 1997 through 2005. Previously, she was an aide to Councilman Marvin Braude and the Executive Director of the Skitball Cultural Center in its beginning stages. , a leading proponent One who offers or proposes. A proponent is a person who comes forward with an a item or an idea. A proponent supports an issue or advocates a cause, such as a proponent of a will. PROPONENT, eccl. law. of the ban, said later that she was glad the mayor intends to approve the new law. ``I'm very pleased and gratified grat·i·fy tr.v. grat·i·fied, grat·i·fy·ing, grat·i·fies 1. To please or satisfy: His achievement gratified his father. See Synonyms at please. 2. ,'' Miscikowski said. ``It is a softening of the penalties.'' She also agreed to have an open mind in considering other ideas, including a city loan program to help gardeners transition to less-obnoxious leaf blowers. As the strike wears on, the health of the hunger strikers is becoming an issue. Late Wednesday, one of the strikers, Jaime Perez, was hospitalized and ended his strike, said Adriana Velazquez, a spokeswoman for the Latin American Gardeners Association. |
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