Bilingual black church in LA puts the ‘hola’ in holy

May 19th, 2010 § 0

AP Photo/Jae C. Hong

AP Photo/Jae C. Hong

Blacks, Latinos pray together at traditionally African American Pentecostal church in changing LA neighborhood

By RAQUEL MARIA DILLON | Associated Press Writer

LOS ANGELES – The black choir clapped and swayed, propelled by the organ’s groove and drums’ beat as gospel music filled the tiny New Life in Christ Church on Compton Avenue.

The rhythm came naturally, but when it was time to sing, the choir had to turn to sheet music to keep from stumbling over the Spanish lyrics.

Two years after this African-American Pentecostal congregation of about 100 people welcomed their Latino neighbors, the two groups are still trying to stay in tune in a part of the city that has not always lived in harmony.

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A fish story and a whale of a tale

March 10th, 2010 § 0

Two fish tales:

whalesushi

Sushi chef charged with serving illegal whale

March 10, 2010

AP Photo

7 charged in LA with smuggling endangered fish

May 11, 2010

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Mudslide evacuees clean up, with deadline video

February 7th, 2010 § 0

I shot the video and edited a loose cut, while dictating, filing and editing copy throughout the day. A producer in DC read the script and voiced the piece.

By RAQUEL MARIA DILLON | Associated Press Writer

LA CANADA FLINTRIDGE, Calif. (AP) _ Residents evacuated from foothill communities deluged by weekend mudslides north of Los Angeles were allowed to return home Sunday as crews moved debris and cleared catch basins in anticipation of more rain later in the week.

VIDEO: L.A. Suburbs Dig Out Following Mudslides

The final evacuation order was lifted for about 70 homes in the Paradise Valley area of La Canada Flintridge, said Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy Guillermina Saldana. Only residents with valid identification were allowed back into the neighborhood that was choked with a thick layer of mud and debris during a pummeling rain early Saturday.

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Outlaw Urban Farmers, with video

February 5th, 2010 § 0

VIDEO: City chickens in the shadow of downtown LA

Urban farmers fight nationwide to sow green biz

By RAQUEL MARIA DILLON | Associated Press Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP) _ Tara Kolla fancied herself a green thumb-turned-green businesswoman when she planted an organic flower plot in her yard and sold poppies, sweet peas and zinnias at the local farmers market. For her neighbors, it was an eyesore.

Where Kolla saw her efforts as creating a lush sanctuary, her neighbors witnessed dusty pots, steaming compost, flies and a funky aroma on their tiny cul-de-sac in Los Angeles. They complained to zoning officials — and prevailed.

Kolla and other urban farmers are fighting back by challenging city halls across the country to rewrite ordinances that govern residential gardens. They believe feeding their fellow urbanites homegrown tomatoes, fresh eggs and sweet corn will change the world one backyard at a time.

Seattle has loosened its rules for backyard goats, New York City’s health department is taking steps to legalize beekeeping and Detroit is looking into regulating compost and greenhouses.

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Trojan football, my new beat?

January 13th, 2010 § 0

Lane Kiffin takes over at USC

The sports side of AP’s Online Video has kept me busy since Pete Carroll announced his departure.

I shot the presser, using my sharpest elbows to earn a spot next to the veteran cameramen. They have better gear, years of experience and 50+ lbs. on me – yet they still couldn’t cut me a break. Then I dashed back to the bureau to send b-roll and bites to NY, where a producer edited and voiced the piece.

I also shot OVN’s previous story on Pete Carroll: » Read the rest of this entry «

I love a parade: Video and deadline print

January 1st, 2010 § 0

I shot and edited the video, then I woke up ungodly early on New Year’s morning to cover the parade and write the story below.

‘Real hero’ Sullenberger leads 2010 Rose Parade

By RAQUEL MARIA DILLON | Associated Press Writer

PASADENA, Calif. – After a run of celebrity grand marshals, a real American hero led the Rose Parade on Friday.

Onlookers stood and cheered as Capt. Chesley B. “Sully” Sullenberger III rode down Colorado Boulevard in a vintage 1928 Pierce Arrow with his wife, Lorrie, and two daughters as part of the annual armada of flower-draped floats, marching bands and prancing horses.

Sullenberger said he did not hesitate when asked to serve as grand marshal because his family has watched the parade when he was growing up in Texas.

“It’s really an American institution, a celebration of American values,” he said after the parade. “I think people see those in me, and I’m glad.”

Parade-goer Hilda Roy held a hand-painted, fluorescent sign that read, “We (heart) you Sully!” She waved and screamed the name of the man who landed a stricken jetliner on New York’s Hudson River and was thrilled when Sullenberger waved back.

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Juan Gabriel, Calle 13 y los Latin Grammys

November 5th, 2009 § 0

I covered El Divo’s antics at his special dinner the night before and still had energy to bailar hasta la madrugada. Ojalá que todos las asignaciones sean diversiones como ésta.

Puerto Rico’s Calle 13 wins 5 Latin Grammys in Las Vegas

By RAQUEL MARIA DILLON | Associated Press Writer

LAS VEGAS (AP) – Puerto Rican duo Calle 13 won all five awards it was nominated for Thursday at the Latin Grammys in Las Vegas, including two of the top awards of the night and honors in both urban and alternative categories.

The awards show ran late because Mexico’s “Divo of Juarez,” Juan Gabriel, sang for 40 minutes straight while mariachis stomped on stage and the audience clapped and sang along.

Calle 13 won album of the year for its innovative collaborations and politically charged reggaeton. Left with little time to accept the golden gramophone for the top honor, lead singer Rene Perez, who raps as “Residente,” dedicated the award to Argentine folk singer Mercedes Sosa, who died in October at age 74.

“May she rest in peace. An applause for Mercedes Sosa, please,” he said in Spanish.

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From Impressionism to Pop Art: 2 art stories in one week

September 12th, 2009 § 0

Warhol’s sports superstars stolen from LA home

September 12, 2009

one of the stolen paintings

one of the stolen paintings

Court: Holocaust survivor can sue for painting

September 12, 2009

In Madrids Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum

In Madrid's Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum

‘All hell broke loose’: 30,000 flee California wildfire

May 8th, 2009 § 0

‘All hell broke loose’: 30,000 flee Santa Barbara wildfire

By Raquel Maria Dillon | ASSOCIATED PRESS

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (AP) _ Turning the horizon a lurid orange and raining embers on roofs as it advanced, a wildfire that has destroyed scores of homes in the hills menaced the celebrity enclave of Santa Barbara and other coastal towns Friday, and the number of people ordered to flee climbed to more than 30,000.

AP Photo | Keith D. Cullom

AP Photo | Keith D. Cullom

Authorities warned an additional 23,000 to be ready to leave at a moment’s notice.

Columns of smoke rose off the Santa Ynez Mountains as the 4-day-old Jesusita fire — fanned by “sundowner” winds that sweep down the slopes in the evening — blew up from 2,700 acres to 8,600 in less than a day, creating a firefighting front five miles long.

“It’s crazy. The whole mountain looked like an inferno,” said Maria Martinez, 50, who with her fiancé fled her home in San Marcos Pass, on the edge of Santa Barbara. The couple went to an evacuation center at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

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3 sidebars in 3 days: Santa Barbara wildfire

May 7th, 2009 § 0

While I covered the progress of the fire for the mainbar, I filed three sidebars:

Firefighters trapped in burning house

How the other half evacuates (after jump)

Evacuees long for normalcy of home (after jump)

Malibu firefighters trapped while battling Santa Barbara wildfire

By Raquel Maria Dillon | ASSOCIATED PRESS  5/7/09

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (AP) _ Battalion Chief Scott Smith’s yellow jacket reeked of wood smoke and his eyes were red with exhaustion at the Emergency Operations Center.

Earlier, one of his crews nearly lost its engine to the flames and Smith fetched them out of a burning home where they had taken shelter Wednesday amid a wildfire near Santa Barbara that had charred 500 acres and driven thousands from their homes.

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