Talking Downey with Mayor Mario Guerra

In this episode of Talking Downey, Mayor Mario sits down with Lieutenant Colonel Steven Jay De Jesus, the newly arrived commander of the U.S. Army's Los Angeles Recruiting Battalion — five companies and 28 stations spanning Southern California.

Lt. Col. De Jesus enlisted in the Nevada Army National Guard in 2005 to pay for college, commissioned through UNLV ROTC into the Field Artillery branch in 2008, and later moved into Psychological Operations. He served as aide-de-camp to Under Secretary of the Army Camarillo, traveling internationally on trips to the Indo-Pacific and to Germany and Poland. Mario, who has served as a Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army (CASA) under four different Army Secretaries, shares his own perspective on that world. As a selected Olmsted Scholar, Lt. Col. De Jesus studied at the Defense Language Institute, was redirected from Vietnam to Singapore, and completed a master's degree in Strategic Studies there.

The conversation covers the Army hitting its active-duty and reserve recruiting missions for the first time in a decade, the misconceptions that keep some schools and counselors from letting recruiters on campus (including a story about the LA County Sheriff being called on a group delivering Porto's pastries to a counselor event), and the roughly 250 career fields available in the Army — only about 14% of which involve direct combat roles.

They also break down the PaYS Program (Partnership for Youth Success), which guarantees departing soldiers a job interview — not a job, but a guaranteed shot — with up to five of the 2,000+ partner companies, including Disney, the City of Downey, and the LA County Sheriff's Department. Lt. Col. De Jesus shares his family's story too: his father enlisted in the U.S. Air Force from the Philippines, and a dinner-table argument over joining JROTC in high school set him on the path to a 20-year Army career.

Have questions or thoughts? Mario's cell is 562-706-4114.

Thank you for watching Talking Downey.

In this episode of Talking Downey, Mario Guerra sits down with John McKinney — a 28-year Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney, veteran of over 100 jury trials, and candidate for Los Angeles City Attorney.

John shares his story: growing up in Passaic, New Jersey, losing both parents by age five, being raised by his eldest sister alongside four other children, and working his way through Rutgers University and UCLA School of Law. He talks about prosecuting the Nipsey Hussle murder case in the Major Crimes Division, being demoted under DA George Gascon for speaking out, and being brought back by current DA Nathan Hockman to lead the Bureau of Specialized Prosecutions — 300+ lawyers across eight of the office's most well-known divisions.

Mario and John go deep on the LA City Attorney race: the difference between the District Attorney and City Attorney roles, the contrasts between John and his opponent (experience, vision, ideology, and her ties to the Democratic Socialists of America), Ordinance 4118 and the fight over the city's anti-encampment law, and why five to seven people die on LA streets every day.

If you care about public safety, LA's homeless response, and who runs the second-largest municipal law firm in the country, this episode is for you.

Learn more or volunteer at McKinney4LA.com. Follow the campaign on Instagram: @johnmckinney_

Thank you for watching Talking Downey.

Like, comment, and subscribe for more local conversations that matter.

CHAPTERS

00:00 Intro and welcome with John McKinney, LA Deputy DA and City Attorney candidate

00:52 Growing up in Passaic, New Jersey — losing both parents young

01:22 Raised by his eldest sister on paycheck-to-paycheck values

01:55 The crack cocaine years and navigating around trouble

02:21 Rutgers University to UCLA School of Law

02:52 Why prosecution over criminal defense

04:47 28 years as a prosecutor and 100+ jury trials

05:36 The George Gascon retaliation and demotion from Major Crimes

06:12 Prosecuting the Nipsey Hussle murder case

07:34 Nathan Hockman brings him back — leading the Bureau of Specialized Prosecutions

08:12 The eight divisions he oversees today

10:09 800 lawyers, still 200–300 understaffed in LA County

10:45 DA vs City Attorney — how the two offices actually differ

13:47 The race — an incumbent who didn't make the top two

14:33 Objective contrasts with his opponent

15:03 34 years old, zero jury trials

18:34 Two different visions for what the City Attorney is

19:03 The "public interest law firm" framing problem

20:03 A nonpartisan role, and 40 years as a Democrat

22:19 Ordinance 4118 and the refusal to enforce the anti-encampment law

24:26 Five to seven homeless deaths on LA streets every day

25:07 The homeless approach — court-ordered treatment, not jail

26:23 Endorsements — three former DAs, former city attorneys, city council members

28:03 A business-friendly City Attorney for young entrepreneurs

30:37 McKinney4LA.com and how to volunteer

32:22 The DSA membership and the co-governance pledge

34:52 Closing: a paycheck-to-paycheck kid becoming your attorney

37:55 Closing thoughts and what's ahead — Downey council race and 14 propositions

Most people don't vote in judicial elections — but judges affect your life more than almost any elected official. On this episode of Talking Downey, former Mayor Mario Guerra sits down with David DeJute, candidate for Los Angeles Superior Court Judge, Seat #87.

DeJute is a former Assistant U.S. Attorney, a Harvard Law graduate, a law professor at Pepperdine/Caruso School of Law, and someone who took a significant pay cut to run two disaster relief clinics — one after the Woolsey Fire in 2018 and another after the Palisades and Eaton Fires in 2025 — providing free legal help to victims targeted by predatory contractors.

He also happens to be an openly gay man who's been with his partner for 40 years. He didn't put that at the top of his campaign. But it's shaped how he sees fairness, tolerance, and who deserves to be heard in a courtroom.

This isn't a political episode. It's a conversation about integrity, what makes a good judge, why the court system matters to every single resident of LA County, and why one candidate says his job — if elected — is simple: call balls and strikes.

💬 To reach Mayor Mario: 562-706-4114

🔔 Subscribe — more election coverage coming, including all 14 propositions on the ballot.

00:00 – Welcome & Why Judges Matter to Your Life

00:34 – Meet David DeJute: Former AUSA, Law Professor, Seat #87

01:43 – Why He's Running: The Path to the Bench as a White Male

02:43 – "I Bring Diversity" — Married 40 Years, Raised a Son

03:15 – Growing Up Catholic in Ohio: Sexual Orientation & Becoming More Tolerant

03:58 – What Made Him Pursue Law: His Father Was a Judge

04:31 – Career Breadth: Trial Lawyer, AUSA, Sony Pictures, Pepperdine

05:27 – Pepperdine Disaster Relief Clinic: The Woolsey Fire (2018)

06:28 – The Palisades & Eaton Fires (2025): He Took a Pay Cut to Help

07:02 – Teaching Law Students Empathy — Practical Skills They Don't Teach in Class

08:10 – How Predatory Contractors Exploit Fire Victims

09:30 – "Sit Next to Them" — What Fire Victims Really Need From a Lawyer

11:25 – What Makes a Good Judge: His Father's Legacy on the Bench

12:36 – Fairness in a Divisive Time — Civility in the Courtroom

13:54 – His Time at the U.S. Attorney's Office: "Lying Was Not an Option"

14:15 – The Plaintiff Who Lost — and Still Shook His Hand

15:58 – Federal Grand Jury: He Served as Foreman

18:31 – The Grand Jury System & Why Prosecutorial Integrity Matters

20:09 – His Dad Said He Was "Too Nice to Be a Lawyer" — He Disagrees

22:09 – Real Advocacy: How You Treat Opposing Counsel Comes Back to You

23:46 – What Cases Go Before a Superior Court Judge in LA County

25:07 – New Judges Start at the Bottom: Traffic Court in Lancaster

26:17 – Final Pitch: Why Voters Should Choose DeJute

26:33 – Notre Dame, Harvard Law, Harvard Legal Aid Bureau

28:32 – The Baseball Analogy: "A Judge's Job Is to Call Balls and Strikes"

29:34 – Mario's Endorsement & Why These Judicial Races Matter

30:10 – Closing: 14 Propositions Coming — Stay Informed

In this episode of Talking Downey, Mario Guerra sits down with Donna Tryfman for a deep conversation on justice, courtroom experience, and public service.

Donna shares her path as a senior public defender, her work in death penalty litigation, and what people often misunderstand about criminal defense. They also discuss judicial temperament, courtroom fairness, jury selection, election realities, and why she is running for judicial office.

If you care about local courts, due process, and how legal decisions impact everyday life in our communities, this episode is for you.

Thank you for watching Talking Downey.

Like, comment, and subscribe for more local conversations that matter.

CHAPTERS

00:00 Intro and guest welcome

00:43 What a senior public defender does and how Donna got there

01:11 Death penalty defense work and the stakes of criminal litigation

03:50 Why she chose public defense over becoming a district attorney

05:03 Mitigation work, family background investigations, and jury trial volume

06:20 Biggest misconceptions about public defenders

08:38 Defending clients when guilt is assumed: ethics and mindset

10:00 Why Donna decided to run for judge

12:09 Why she chose this specific judicial seat (Office 131)

14:28 Election context, voter turnout, and what voters are looking at

17:09 Family roots, survivor values, and motivation for public service

20:38 Compton courthouse story and how juror questioning works

22:31 Central Grand Jury process and what makes it different

25:59 Peremptory challenges and how jury selection works in felony trials

27:55 Final thoughts to the audience

29:12 Where to find Donna online and follow the campaign

29:58 Closing remarks and episode outro

In this episode of Talking Downey, Mario Guerra sits down with Staff Sergeant Tracy Duran, a proud Downey native serving at the Norwalk Recruiting Station.

Tracy shares her journey from local student to Army leader, why she chose to serve, and what she has learned in 13 years of military experience. They discuss education benefits, JROTC impact, recruiting realities, misconceptions about military service, and how families can make informed decisions.

This conversation is about leadership, discipline, opportunity, and giving back to the next generation.

If this episode helped you, please like, comment, and subscribe for more community-centered conversations.

CHAPTERS

00:00 Intro and welcome with Staff Sergeant Tracy Duran

00:53 Tracy’s path after high school and joining the Army

01:55 College and education benefits through military service

03:19 Working with Downey and Warren JROTC students

05:35 Mentors and leadership at both high schools

07:16 Advice to young people considering enlistment

08:29 Why Tracy loves recruiting and serving locally

09:40 Returning home to Downey and giving back

11:12 Challenges youth are facing today and social media pressure

12:41 What’s next in Tracy’s Army career path

14:29 Battalion leadership and recruiting coverage across the region

16:11 School access challenges and military presence on campus

18:13 Counselor visit in San Antonio and changing perceptions

19:41 Why exposure and information matter for students and families

22:08 Biggest misconceptions about Army service

24:06 What Tracy tells families and students before signing

25:56 Legacy: how she wants recruits to remember her

26:37 Downey High memories and mentors that shaped her

29:57 Recruiting reality: hard work behind every contract

30:29 Closing thoughts and support for service members

Paul Granata — longtime Downey business owner and co-founder of the Downtown Improvement Association — sits down with Mayor Mario to talk Granada's Italian Villa, a 25-year-old letter that started a movement, and what downtown Downey looks like now vs. then.

0:00 Pre-show

0:59 Show intro – "Hi, I'm Mario Guerra"

1:23 Welcome Paul Granata

2:30 Paul's history as a Downey business owner

7:55 The 25-year-old letter that started the DIA

8:32 How Porto's changed downtown forever

9:27 Paul on Mario's passion & the slow process of getting things done

10:26 The Gateway Sign — 15 years in the making

11:17 Mario gets thrown out of a 7th grade basketball game (they still won)

13:23 Paul selling the buildings & his legacy in downtown Downey

13:53 Remembering Paul's dad & the Granada's family legacy

14:57 Downtown today — nightlife, the DIA, and keeping things clean

17:16 The graffiti hotline & zero tolerance policy

17:58 What's coming to the old Granada's spot

19:14 Paul's retirement — boat, golf, grandkids & a 94-year-old mom

19:56 The real pressure of running a restaurant (ft. Clark Bruner)

22:42 Granada's outdoor patio — ahead of its time

23:18 Final thoughts on Downey's growth and traffic

25:11 Outro & Mayor's Corner every Friday at 3pm

📍 Talking Downey with Mayor Mario — Stories from the heart of Downey, CA.

📞 Mario: (562) 706-4114

Carrie Uva is a lifelong Downey resident, Planning Commission Chair, and real estate attorney — and she just announced she's running for City Council. Mario Guerra sits down with Carrie to find out why she's running, who's backing her, and what she plans to actually change in Downey. Topics: • Why she's running for Downey City Council District 4 • Cross-party endorsements from both sides of the aisle • Trip to Sacramento • Campaign priorities • What makes her different from her opponent

After being publicly mentioned multiple times during recent meetings and political discussions involving Downey Councilmember Mario Trujillo, former Mayor Mario Guerra says enough is enough.

In this special commentary episode, Mario responds to recent criticisms, addresses comments made publicly, discusses ethics conversations, commissioner controversies, public conduct, and shares why he believes it was finally time to set the record straight.

Topics discussed include:

• Commentary regarding discussions involving Mario Trujillo

• Ethics reform and public accountability

• Commissioner appointments and controversies

• Recent political disagreements and public criticism

• Leadership, representation, and community engagement

• Why local government decisions matter to residents

Downey’s legacy in space exploration is bigger than most people realize—and it’s about to get even bigger. In this episode, Mayor Mario and his guest dive into the incredible story behind the Columbia Memorial Space Center and the ambitious new “Inspiration” expansion. From a historic NASA mockup nearly being given away… to becoming a hands-on, immersive exhibit for future generations—this conversation reveals how passion, leadership, and community collaboration brought this vision to life.They also explore how this project goes beyond history, aiming to inspire careers in STEM, boost the local economy, and position Downey as a hub for innovation across the region.

What does it take to grow a small cooperative into a multi-billion dollar financial institution? In this episode of Talking Downey, Mayor Mario sits down with the CEO of Financial Partners Credit Union to unpack a remarkable journey of leadership, resilience, and community impact. From its humble beginnings in 1937 with just $800 to becoming a financial powerhouse, this conversation dives into how credit unions really work—and why they might be the best-kept secret in banking. Plus, a behind-the-scenes look at Downey’s transformation and the role community partnerships played along the way.