Anti-gang program to extend hours at L.A. parks

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Our post yesterday covered the problems caused by warring Latino gangs in Orange County. This morning, we report that eight Los Angeles parks will stay open until midnight from the Fourth of July to Labor Day under Summer Night Lights, an anti-gang program launched Monday by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, writes the Los Angeles Times’ David Zahniser.

The $950,000 program, part of the mayor’s plan to bring social services to high-crime neighborhoods, will run from Wednesday to Sunday starting at 4 p.m.

‘This program will usher in a summer of hope, safety and opportunity for local youth, and it will serve as a model for combating gang violence nationwide,’ Villaraigosa said in a statement.

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-- Deborah Bonello in Mexico City