Capitol Weekly’s Top100: Melody Gutierrez and Alene Tchekmedyian

No. 100 Melody Gutierrez and Alene Tchekmedyian

​​Like Nick Gerda, these two intrepid Los Angeles Times investigative reporters produced work in the last year that has spurred legislation. In this case, Gutierrez and Tchekmedyian exposed an underground market of dogs and cats being brought into California by out-of-state mass breeders who then claim to be small local breeders. The series sparked the introduction of the three-bill “Stop the Puppy Mill Pipeline,” which as of this writing was well on its way to the governor’s office. All three sponsoring lawmakers (Sen. Tom Umberg and Assemblymembers Marc Berman and Steve Bennett) credited the Times for inspiring their bills. Newsom rarely comments on pending legislation, but his previous track record of supporting pro-animal bills bodes well for them should they reach him. Gutierrez is a longtime Capitol veteran, having previously covered state government for the Sacramento Bee and the San Francisco Chronicle. Tchekmedyian previously covered the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department for the Times and reported on crime and policing for the Glendale News-Press and Burbank Leader.