VOLUME XII ISSUE 10
News and Views
for Northeast Los Angeles go to EAGLE ROCK NEWS
February 2009
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Educator Morgan Odell, a graduate of Eagle Rock High School and veteran
volunteer with the Eagle Rock High School Scholarship Foundation's Dollars
for Scholars(r) chapter, was awarded the 23rd annual Henry Paley Memorial
Award by the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities
(NAICU) Tuesday (Feb. 3).
The award, presented at the association's national meeting in Washington,
D.C., recognizes individuals who have worked to advance educational
opportunity in the United States. Previous winners include The Rev.
Theodore M. Hesburgh, C.S.C., President Emeritus, University of Notre
Dame, and former New Jersey Governor Thomas H. Kean. Sharing the stage
with Odell was former U. S. Sen. John Warner, who received the annual
NAICU Award for Advocacy of Independent Higher Education.
Odell served as President of the Association of Independent California
Colleges and Universities for 18 years, retiring in 1985. Since then, he
has remained active in both the Dollars for Scholars program of
Scholarship America, and in work with educational foundations. Founded in
1958, Dollars for Scholars is a nationwide network of community-based,
volunteer-led nonprofit scholarship foundations, including the Eagle Rock
chapter. Dollars for Scholars' volunteers throughout California awarded
well over $2 million in scholarships to local students in 2008.
Dollars for Scholars is the founding program of Scholarship America, one
of the nation's largest nonprofit, private-sector scholarship and
educational support organizations. Its three primary programs - Dollars
for Scholars(r), Scholarship Management Services(r) and ScholarShop(r) -
are united in the mission to expand access to education. Scholarship
America has awarded more than $2 billion to nearly 2 million students
since its founding in 1958, and has been rated a 4-star charity by Charity
Navigator every year since 2001.
A Street Story
WHEN OUR
INFRASTRUCTURE FAILS
by Melody Peteson
It was early September when the water went off. I had just finished
cleaning up after a sick dog and was rinsing my hands. And then I wasn't.
It was 10:30 in the morning.
Over the next three days, life at home for north Townsend Avenue residents
would brim with hope and dim with desperation. Their daily routines now
depended on a crumbling water main and the dogged determination of
Department of Water and Power crews earnestly trying to fix the unfixable.
That the water main gave way in a jagged sequence of more than a dozen
breaks should hardly have surprised officials downtown. The 84-year-old
main was among the earliest parts of the urban infrastructure. Put down in
1924 (a year after Eagle Rock was annexed to the City of Los Angeles), it
was a construction of cast iron simply unable to take it any more. More of
the same may very well lie under your street.
"We'll have it fixed soon," one crew member told an agitated resident. "By
tomorrow" a more daring DWP worker ventured as the questions continued.
Then the water went on. Time for a shower, a cycle of the dishwasher, a
spin of the washing machine. Time to flush the toilets. Should we scrub
the rust off the tubs and sinks? Then the water went off. On the first
night, well after midnight, a 30-foot geyser soared at the corner of
Townsend and Colorado. Illuminated by street lights, it was really quite
beautiful. Beneath those lights, however, a vast network of men,
surrounded by equipment, scurried to stop the flow.
After several similar intervals, residents started filling containers and
drawing on earthquake reserves. I filled the bathtub at 3 a.m., bathed in
four inches of tepid orange water and was, by that time, grateful.
By the second day, anyone listening carefully could tell when the latest
break in the main occurred. A worker closed the hydrant nearest Hill Drive
with a giant wrench. The metal-on-metal screeching drove neighborhood dogs
wild. The water was off. Within 20 minutes or 95 minutes or three hours,
the same screech announced another fix. The water sputtered on, spitting
rust. Minutes or hours later, the ritual was repeated, and the water
stopped. Again.
At the end of the third day, hoses were laid and connected to household
lines along the length of the street. In the second week, residents found
notices at their doors. The water main would be replaced.
Now began five months of street destruction, laying of heavy temporary
water pipes curbside the length of the street, placement of monstrous
steel panels over the pipe at every driveway, and the entrances and exits
of dramatic heavies. Skiploaders, forklifts, long-bed pipe trucks, whining
cement cutters, jackhammers, rollers, personnel vehicles, and, finally,
fat blue cement trucks became a way of life. And over it all? Dust, dust,
and more dust.
It was Shakespearian. It was Faustian. And sometimes it was just funny.
Cones were placed at the curb on either side of each steel driveway plate.
One neighbor consistently flattened his as he backed out. "I think he's
aiming for them," someone joked as our friend squished yet another cone.
His vehicle lumbered off the steel and onto the street with an awful
thump.
And it was quiet.
After 3 p.m. when the workmen left, the atmosphere seemed old town. No
speeders or boomboxers. No parked cars lining the street. No brakes or
tires squealing. No sudden accelerations or running of stop signs. "STREET
CLOSED". For some of us, this was a lovely and unexpected trade-off to the
inconveniences of rebuilding.
As I write this, the workmen are almost finished, and through-traffic
activity reigns again. In my own experience, the DWP's water workers
answered questions amiably and patiently. They quickly moved machinery
when neighbors had to pull out of or into driveways. And they worked
zealously despite some of 2008's worst heat and humidity.
It's good to know there is a healthy pipe system on Townsend. But the
larger part of the ailing infrastructure is still out there. Soon, many
more people will have their own street stories to share.
Looking Back
This Month in Local History
This Month in Local History
This photo of 1800’s L.A.P.D. shows officers who
obviously mean business.
(visit the Police Museum in Highland Park on York Blvd. to see more)
by Joe Walker
For comments or questions, please E-mail me at joe_walker_2000@yahoo.com
80 Years ago this month,
February, 1929-Highland Park
Highland Park Division, (later named "Northeas Division") Officers John M.
Schomaker and William H. Marple were dispatched to make a notification of
a family illness on Wednesday, February 27, 1929. Driving westbound York
Blvd approaching Ave 45, the driver of the police car applied the brakes
and they malfunctioned, sending the brake lining off the rear wheels and
causing the vehicle to sideways for 200 before it struck a high curb,
flipped three times, and ejected both officers. Shomaker was found next to
the vehicle, while Marple was 20' away. Defective brakes and the moist
pavement were given as the cause of the accident. Marple, was single and
lived at 1232 Boynton, Glendale. He had been a Glendale motorcycle officer
prior to coming to the LAPD in September, 1926. Shomaker, who had been
appointed to the LAPD on December 31, 1926, left a widow and a small son.
He lived at 5126 Dahlia Drive, Eagle Rock.
70 Years ago this month, February,
1939-Cypress Park
Late on the evening of Feb 17, 1939 Paul Jackson, 21, of 2000 W.ave 38,
and Homer Fox, 18, 5127 Raphael St, along with Jackson's wife, Theresa,
were
driving northbound Figueroa St and ran a stop sign at Ave 37, (right near
where the well known and highly regarded "La Abeja" restaurant is today).
LAPD officer Albert McMillan, on his way home from work in the Police
Communications Center in City Hall and driving his own car, honked his
horn at them to pull over. Either ignoring him or not knowing that he was
a policeman, they did not stop. Officer McMillan would have none of that,
and he drew his service pistol and fired into the car. A single bullet
passed through the ear of Fox, and also through he ear of Jackson, who was
sitting directly behind him. They were arrested for auto theft, even
though they later proved the car belonged to Homer Fox's brother and they
had permission to use it. (There are so many parts to this story that
contrast with today's strict regulations on when police officers can use
deadly force. If this happened in 2009, the occupants of the car would
have gotten a huge settlement from the city and Officer McMillan would
have been charged with a felony)
60 years ago this month,
February, 1949-Eagle Rock
Earl Stice, which the L.A.Times called "The Plumber From Eagle Rock" had a
long string of winning horses as a major player in the Santa Anita
Racetrack circle. As an owner, their horses, "High Resolve", "On trust",
and "Prevaricator". renowned jockey Johnny Longden was chosen to ride "On
Trust" in the $100,000 Santa Anita Handicap held on Feb 26, 1949. On a
muddy track, she did poorly,finishing ninth. "On Trust" retired in 1952 at
the age of seven, but came back in 1953 to win at Santa Anita again
50 Years ago this month,
February, 1959-Highland Park
The new $315,000 Arroyo Seco Library was slated to open this month at 6145
N. Figueroa, Highland Park. The new building, which stood where a previous
library, built in 1914, was located, was financed with a grant from the
philanthropist, Andrew Carnegie. The new library, paid for by a 1957
$6,400,000 bond, will have rooftop parking for 25 cars, with an additional
seven spaces on street level for library staff. The library will be 9000
square feet of reinforced concrete, with a unique "sunscreen of
porcelain-enameled aluminum will be placed over the windows on the
Figueroa St side of the building for shade from the outside glare" (Those
of us who spent many hours in that great old building can never forget the
strange sounds of that building, and those interesting aluminum shades.)
40 Years ago this month,
February, 1969-Mt Washington
On January 25, 1969 at 9:00 AM, residents of El Paso Drive in Glassell
Park witnessed a horror that is still remembered today. A massive wall of
mud and water came crashing onto a small house at 1279 El Paso Drive,
pushing it into the street. Nearby resident Jerry Hand, 30, dug through
the rubble and found Mrs. John Gonzalez buried under the rubble. She cried
out that there were still two of her children in the house. Responding
firefighters and Hand dug out the bodies of Joe Gonzalex, 2 years of age,
and his baby brother, 10 months old. Hand, who had lived at the home which
was destroyed for several years, said that it was common during rainy
seasons for mud and water to gather.
30 Years ago this month,
February, 1979-Eagle Rock
Councilman Arthur K. Snyder reported $243,000 in campaign funds. His
opponent, Ysidro Molina, had been disqualified from running due to issues
with his nominating petitions. For comments or questions, please E-mail me
at joe_walker_2000@yahoo.com
Veitch Named Occidental College President
Jonathan Veitch has been selected by the Occidental College Board of
Trustees as Occidental's 15th president. He succeeds Robert A. Skotheim,
who will retire on June 30.
Veitch served five years as dean of Eugene Lang College: The New School
for Liberal Arts in New York City, where he is currently an associate
professor of literature and history. Prior to his service as dean
(2003-08), Veitch served as the associate provost and chair of humanities
of the New School University, of which Lang College is a part. He joined
the New School faculty in 1997, having taught for five years in the
English Department at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. A 1981
Stanford graduate, he received his doctoral degree in the History of
American Civilization from Harvard.
"Occidental was looking for someone with proven leadership skills, a deep
commitment to and understanding of the liberal arts and sciences, and a
talent for attracting support for higher education. After a national
search, Jonathan emerged from a very strong field of candidates as the
ideal person to lead Occidental from strength to strength," said Dennis
Collins, chair of the Occidental Board of Trustees. "As an institution
whose history and identity is so closely intertwined with Los Angeles, we
are delighted to be able to name a native Angeleno as president – the
first in Occidental's history."
As dean of Lang, Veitch focused on expanding the size and scope of the
institution to take advantage of its status as an urban liberal arts
college. In five years, he doubled the size of the student body and hired
more than 60 new full-time faculty, introduced tenure and enhanced the
curriculum, including the creation of institutional partnerships with
premier cultural institutions such as the Guggenheim and the New York
Historical Society. Veitch also created new programs in civic engagement
including college readiness courses for disadvantaged youth, prison reform
and environmental projects, and launched new overseas studies programs in
Mexico, South Africa, India, and Poland. At the same time, he improved the
internal operations of the college, developing an academic advising team
and a career services program and boosting fundraising totals from $40,000
to $2 million annually.
"I am honored to become president of Occidental, a college with a
distinguished record of national leadership in the liberal arts and
sciences," Veitch said. "For the last quarter-century, Occidental has led
the way in undergraduate research, particularly in the sciences, and in
creating a rigorous, thoughtful, and diverse approach to education."
"One need only look at Occidental's most famous student, Barack Obama. Our
new president demonstrates the very best qualities of a liberal arts
education. It is evident in so much of what he says and does, and how he
thinks," he said. "Indeed, our 44th president not only embodies the
excellence and diversity that Occidental strives for, he exemplifies the
urgency and centrality of a liberal arts education as we face the
challenges of the new century. This is why I regard the liberal arts and
sciences as essential equipment for living, and why I am so excited to be
given this new opportunity."
Veitch has served as a visiting professor at NYU's Steinhardt School of
Education and Doshisha University in Kyoto; a consultant for Antioch
College; an outside evaluator for the New York Council for the Humanities;
and as a Fulbright senior specialist in Kazakhstan. The author of the
award-winning American Superrealism: Nathanael West and the Politics of
Representation in the 1930s (University of Wisconsin Press, 1997),
Veitch's fields of academic specialization include 19th and 20th century
American literature and cultural history, and American film. His latest
research has focused on the history of higher education in the United
States. Veitch currently lives in New York City with his wife Sarah and
their three children.
Rush Gym Gets Million-Dollar Makeover
Next season, Occidental fans will have a whole new reason to cheer on
Tiger athletic teams in Rush Gym. The facility is getting a $1.5-million
facelift.
"When fans show up next year, they'll see new bleachers, a new floor, new
paint, and new graphics," said Joe O'Hara, assistant director of plan,
design and construction. "We're pretty excited about it."
Renovations began in early June with removal of the existing floor and old
bleachers. Some demolition and electrical work will continue through June.
The month of July will be dedicated to the leveling of the gym's sub-floor
and the laying of the new floor. The gym roof will also be repaired to
prevent leaks.
The total seating capacity in the renovated gym will be 1,451. The entire
project is scheduled to be completed by mid-September.
Both Occidental's men's and women's basketball teams were 2008 SCIAC
conference champions. Next season, the women's volleyball team will
welcome new head coach, Mike Talamantes who has 12 years of high school
coaching experience and over 400 career victories with 15 League
Championships.
Built in 1965, the Frank Neill Rush Gymnasium honors a distinguished
athlete and alumnus, Class of 1909. Rush, nicknamed "Speedy," played
football and captained the track team before serving on the Occidental
Board of Trustees for 48 years, including two terms as chairman.
Highland Park Council Fireworks
Mister Mauro Makes a Mute Motion
by Tom Topping
The Historic Highland Park Neighborhood Council has been performing pretty
well (as neighborhood councils go) since its inception. They consider
neighborhood problems, advise the L.A. City Council and various City
departments on issues affecting Highland Park, and help to fund
neighborhood events and projects with their $50,000 per year budget. They
do have their darker moments however, as last month their desire to get
things done came into conflict with California State open meeting laws.
Apparently either frustrated with the inconvenience of such laws
restricting the activities of government bodies, or simply determined by
sheer force of ego that he was right, board member Mauro Garcia, supported
by David Baird vigorously pushed for a vote that Chairman Richard Dyke
advised ran afoul of state law.
The subject was about voting on a proposed expenditure to purchase video
equipment with which to video board meetings which would be fine if done
properly and legally.
You see, state law requires that any actions a government body may take,
including a neighborhood council, be listed on an agenda, and for that
agenda to be posted in a public place where people can read it a minimum
of 36 hours before the meeting is to take place. This requirement helps to
ensure that people in the neighborhood have a chance to have their say
about a subject that could directly or indirectly affect them.
The camera issue was on the agenda, but there was a problem with it. It
was asking for an expenditure, and it had no amount listed for it. There
would be no problem in discussing the matter, but no action could be taken
to spend money unless the amount was posted on the agenda 36 hours in
advance.
During the discussion Mr. Garcia made a motion to buy the cameras, clearly
an action to spend money, and the chair refused to allow it, citing state
law and city rules that prevented it. This turned into a rather ugly
yelling match.
Then, board member David Baird joined in on Mauro Garcia's side, and Dr.
Dyke was out numbered, as the rest of the 12 or so council members sat
quietly, with no one supporting chairman Dyke.
It was a mute point anyway, as any neighborhood council expenditure must
be documented to L.A. City authorities before a payment can be made,
showing the agenda that publicized it, and the meeting minutes and vote
that approved it. There was no way cameras could get paid for until an
amount, specified on the agenda, could be again voted on.
Remarkably, one community member, who was participating in the meeting
with the help of the Spanish language translator, stood up and vouched for
the worthless vote to go through. Although it was understandable that she
was frustrated with the impediments that state law and city rules put in
the way of expediency, it was sad that she did not recognize that these
same rules existed to protect her and her neighbor's rights to be heard in
the actions and activities of local government, and that that was a very
good thing to have. Unfortunately, no one there tried to explain it to
her, either.
At 9:30 p.m., with the council only one quarter of the way through the
agenda, a motion to adjourn was made, seconded and voted on affirmatively,
sending everyone home until the next time.
The Historic Highland Park Neighborhood Council meets every first and
third Thursdays at the Franklin High School Cafeteria. A light meal is
offered at 6:30 with the meeting starting at 7.
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Frances Garretson (Frannie from the Yarn Store) poses for the camera with her creation. |
"Make Art" Trash Project
Reaches Milestone
A beautification project for the commercial boulevards in Eagle Rock
reached a milestone last month when ceramic panels created by local
artists to decorate trash receptacles were put on display in a local art
gallery. The installation of the panels and trash containers are still a
couple months off, but local artists and community members were able to
celebrate the progress of the project so far.
Artists Mary Clarke Camargo, Frances Garretson, Linda Johnstoneallen, Mary
Jean Mallman, Luz Mack-Durini, Dawn Mendelson, Suzanne Siegal, Kacy
Treadway, Kelly Witmer and more were on hand to showcase their ceramic
masterpieces. Their goal was to beautify and unite the rich cultural
heritage of the Eagle Rock area, and they did that with both mosaic and
fired ceramic creations.
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Editor Tom Topping shows his appreciation for Mary Jean Mallman's work. |
The Eagle Rock Association, the Arroyo Arts Collective and the Center for
the Arts, Eagle Rock, had created the project, given the moniker, "make
art, not trash," selecting local artists' designs and offering money to
cover the costs. Grant money was found to pay for the project, and Eagle
Rock Civic groups pitched in as well, donating thousands of dollars to
help pay for it. The various artists' visions ranged from reality to
abstract to whimsical.
The event may have been the only public showing where all the panels could
be viewed at once, and the viewing was well worth the trip. After they are
installed, only two sides will be able to be viewed at one time after they
are installed on rectangular receptacles.
The event, held at the Future Studio on Figueroa Street, was crowded with
a mix of the civic and artistic communities, who all enjoyed the company
and the refreshments.
WOMEN'S CLUB RINGS IN NEW YEAR
by Eugénie Nogueira
At the first board meeting of the New Year, Women's Club President,
Eugénie Nogueira, and her board, approves purchase of historical bell to
be placed on the grounds of the Women's Twentieth Century Club of Eagle
Rock. The ceremony will coincide with the 105 birthday of the Clubhouse
and Founder's Day.
Donations are being accepted and can be mailed to WTCC, P.O. Box 412218,
LA, 90041. If you are interested in donating money towards this historical
event, please send your check noting "Bells" on the memo portion. Anyone
that donates $100 or more will be honored on our memorial wall plaque with
the inscription of individual, family or business name. The plaque will be
hung inside the clubhouse for all those that enter our doors to view it
and read the names of those who made generous contributions towards this
project.
Originally, on August 15, 1906, the first bell was installed at the Pueblo
De Los Angeles Mission Church at Olvera Street where it still stands
today! It's been over 100 years since the first bell was hung in Los
Angeles. Additional bells can be seen along Highway 101 as a reminder of
our California culture and heritage. We are proud to say that members of
the California Federation of Women's Clubs installed these bells and a
Mrs. ASC Forbes designed the original historic bell.
The community is invited to witnesses this ceremony, on Thursday, February
12, at 12 Noon at 5105 Hermosa Avenue, Eagle Rock. The cost of lunch is
$10.00 Please RSVP to Lani Stapp at erlalaland@gmail.com. For further
information about the Women's Club see our www.wtcc-er.org.
Child Care Subsidies at Casita Verde Child Center
La Casita Verde, the child care center in the historic Ziegler Estate, is
now able to offer some additional subsidies for low- to moderate- income
families. La Casita Verde is a community non-profit, which provides early
childhood education and full-day care for Infants through Pre-K children
directly opposite the Southwest Museum Gold Line station at 4601 N.
Figueroa, LA 90065, and serves families of all income levels. If you are
interested in child care for your young child, please call Darlene Cabrera
at (323) 222-7001 and arrange to tour the center.
La Casita Verde's philosophy is to address the needs of the whole child by
nurturing physical, social, emotional, and cognitive growth while
fostering a sense of competence and self-worth. Caring teachers and staff
provide children with opportunities to explore, experiment, and discover
through a curriculum that focuses on hands-on, developmentally appropriate
activities.
Children may be enrolled two, three, four, or five days a week in one of
three programs:
• Infant Room (as young as six weeks old)
• Toddler Room (between 18- and 30-months old)
• Pre-School (between 2 1/2- and 5 years old)
www.lacasitaverde.org
VOICE IN THE EAGLE ROCK WILDERNESS
MEET THE TATAVIAM
Southwest Natives Once Regarded as "Extinct"
by Christopher Nyerges
[Nyerges is regular contributor to the Boulevard Sentinel, a manager of the Tuesday Highland Park farmers market, and author of "How to Survive Anywhere" and other books. He is a promoter of self-reliant lifestyles. He can be reached at Box 41834, Eagle Rock, CA 90041, or www.ChristopherNyerges.com]
It was a cool winter night as Rudy Ortega Jr. arrived at the Southwest Museum in Highland Park. Ortega entered the research library to speak to the small gathering, eager to hear Ortega speak about his people, the Tataviam.
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Rudy Ortega Jr. spoke of the history of his people before the Spanish priests established the San Fernando Mission in the heart of their territory.
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Ortega was neatly dressed in a black T-shirt, jeans, cowboy boots, and a
silver bear medallion around his neck. He is the son of the chief of the
Tataviam, Rudy Ortega Sr., also known as Standing Bear. Tataviam -- the
name means "people facing the sun," so-called because in the old days
their homes were built with the openings facing the sun to receive the
morning light.
Rudy spoke of the history of his people before the Spanish priests
established the San Fernando Mission in the heart of their territory. He
spoke of his traditional neighbors, the Serrano to the east, the
Gabrielino to the southeast (who occupied much of Los Angeles County,
including the Eagle Rock area), the Chumash to the west (who occupied much
of Santa Barbara County).
In the course of the evening, Ortega told a story about his father, who
was once told that the Tataviam people were extinct. "Then who am I?"
boomed Ortega Sr. (who claims to be one of only six pure-blood Tataviam
left). Ortega Jr. went on to explain the situation, when the Tataviam were
driven north to Fort Tejon in 1865, and eventually left of their own
accord in 1870. Years later, when the BIA saw that there were no more of
the Tataviam at the Fort, they declared the land uninhabited, the Tataviam
extinct, and sold the land to the El Tejon Corporation.
According to anthropologist Chester King, the Tataviam are clearly not
extinct. "The only thing extinct about the Tataviam is their language,"
says King. Rudy Ortega Sr. points out that young Indian children were
punished if they spoke their language. This was just one element of the
"forced assimilation" that many Indian children were subject to, which led
to not only loss of language, but loss of culture, and loss of their own
social cohesion.
In mid-November, the tribe submitted a petition to the Bureau of Indian
Affair's Office of Federal Acknowledgment to regain federal recognition.
Ortega Jr. and I met a few months later in San Fernando to visit one of
the Tataviam sites. We met at the office, and then drove to a canyon north
of San Fernando, located adjacent to the Interstate 5 freeway, just a
short distance from the popular Magic Mountain amusement park. It had been
a hot and dry day. But as we walked into the narrow side canyon, a cool
breeze flowed from the west. It felt good. We could see that the canyon
had burned in the previous season's wildfires that swept through many
parts of Southern California. The oaks were all blackened. The streamside
willows had been burnt to the ground and were now sprouting back up. The
stream was dry, and tall grasses swayed in the breeze.
Ortega seemed more relaxed now, as if he was more in his element here
among the oak woodland and riparian environment. He shared stories of
taking school children into this canyon to learn about the ways his people
lived in the pre-Mission days. "But why are you dressed like that?" one
child asked Ortega. Ortega laughed as he recalled the incident. "Some
third-graders still believe that all Indians lived in tipis and still wear
traditional clothing. But that idea is changing," he added.
Ortega adds that all the Tataviam put together probably numbered no more
than about 5000 in the old days. An average village may have contained
anywhere from 100 to 300 people. "Today there are about 1000 of us today,"
he says, "and it's a good turnout if we get 100 folks for an event."
Paul Campbell, author of Survival Skills of Native California, also
visited this canyon and found good specimens of red ochre lying on the
surface throughout the area. "Some of the best yellow ochre that I've ever
seen is here at this site," he commented.
The Tataviam currently commemorate four main ceremonies each year,
corresponding to the solstices and equinoxes. Only the summer solstice is
closed to the general public. Today, members still do sweats, typically in
private gatherings in backyards. Ortega Jr. works to follow in the
footsteps of his father. As the administrative director of the Tataviam
tribe, he assists with schooling, mentoring, anti-gang and anti-alcohol
programs. (There is a total prohibition against alcoholic beverages by the
Tataviam).
Readers who are interested in learning more about the Tataviam can check
out their web site at tataviam.org.
LA River Navigability & The Army Corps of Engineers
From FoLAR, (Friends of the L.A. River)
If you've heard about the River in the press lately, it has probably been
about the Army Corps and navigability of the mighty Los Angeles.
Astoundingly, the Army Corps has decided that most of the River is not a
"Traditionally Navigable Waterway" (TNW), but they also say that the
entire length of the LA River is navigable. The legal definition of a
"Traditionally Navigable Waterway" is that it must be accessible, you must
be able to float a boat on it, and it must have the potential to be used
for commerce (even if that means kayak tours). The Army Corps' ability to
enforce the Clean Water Act is based on TNW status.
Why do we care? Besides our dreams of boat tours, this decision will
effect the permitting process of the Army Corps. Developers within the
watershed continue to ask the Army Corps for permits to develop on top of
ephemeral streams or in areas where they could contaminate the River. The
Total Maximum Daily Load of effluents and toxins allowed in the River is
determined by the status of the River - in other words, if the River is
deemed to be a "Traditionally Navigable Waterway", it is afforded extra
protections under the Clean Water Act and the Army Corps would restrict
permits accordingly.
The Army Corps declared only two sections of the River are TNWs, totaling
about four miles: two miles in the Sepulveda Basin and two miles from the
River's mouth in the Port of Long Beach to the Estuary in Long Beach. Our
fear, and the fear of other River organizations across the country, is
that this will mean that developers will be given permission to pave over
ephemeral streams and can pollute regardless of levels of toxic runoff
they might create. This decision by the Army Corps sets a standard that
may effect stream and river systems across the country.
Many environmental organizations, including FoLAR, the NRDC, Earth
Justice, and American Rivers, are coming together to fight this decision.
The Army Corps has said that they are willing to consider any evidence
that would help them determine that more of the River meets the TNW
criteria. However, the Glendale Narrows section was not deemed navigable
after the Corps was presented with evidence that fit the TNW criteria.
FoLAR will keep doing all we can to ensure that developers are not allowed
to destroy natural habitat and that the water quality of the River is not
further degraded. The US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) has the
power to overturn this decision, and if we have to go to Washington, DC to
discuss this with the EPA, we will.
The Army Corps seems to be ignoring the implications of filling in
ephemeral streams, which will continue to flow seasonally and will have to
find another way downhill if their traditional flow is altered - whether
this is considered in the permitting process is yet to be seen. They have
also ignored the fact that the Santa Susana site in the Valley, also known
as Rocketdyne, continues to be a tremendously contaminated site from the
nuclear testing that used to be held there. For more information on
Rocketdyne, see www.cleanuprocketdyne.org. And to understand just how
navigable we think the River is, see the LA Times article on our friend
George Wolfe (CleanUp kayaker extrordinaire) and his adventures on the
River.
Feel free to contact us at mail@folar.org with comments and questions.
City Council Approves Bag Ban
City Council unanimously approves Reyes' motion to ban plastic bags in
City by 2010, and polystyrene in City facilities by July 1, 2009
Councilmember Ed P. Reyes' motion to ban polystyrene food containers in
all City facilities beginning July 1, 2009 was unanimously approved by the
City Council.
The City Council, by a 13-0 vote, also approved an amendment introduced by
Reyes today that bans plastic bags by July 1, 2010, if the State has not
imposed a fee of at least 25 cents by then.
"Plastic bags have been the graffiti of the L.A. River for decades," said
Reyes, who chairs the L.A. River Ad Hoc Committee.
The plan requires officials to replace food containers made of polystyrene
— commonly known by the brand Styrofoam — at city-owned facilities such as
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), public libraries, the Convention
Center and City-sponsored events.
"We've gotten to a point where we need to act as a city, where we can have
real results. We're trying to do it in a way where we can educate and
inform the public of what we're doing," Reyes said. "It's going to take
time to change."
After the citywide ban of plastic bags July 2010, consumers will have to
use their own canvas bags or pay 25 cents for a paper, compostable or
biodegradable bag. Of that fee, 3 percent would go to the retailer, 3
percent will go to the state, and the rest of the money will go back to
the city to fund an education campaign.
The plastic bag and polystyrene bans complement the ongoing Los Angeles
River Revitalization Master Plan, spearheaded by Reyes, which proposes
transforming 32 miles of the concrete-lined River into a greenbelt linking
communities.
Local Congressman Becerra Supports Recovery Plan
The House of Representatives passed H.R. 1, the American Reinvestment and
Recovery Plan to jumpstart the economy, by a vote of 244 to 188.
Representative Xavier Becerra, Vice Chair of the House Democratic Caucus
and senior member of the Ways and Means Committee, voted for the bill.
"Today America faces an economic landscape more perilous than any we have
seen in a generation," Rep. Becerra said. "Working families are losing
their jobs, their homes and their savings — and it is incumbent upon us to
act swiftly and prudently to reinvest in our country and jumpstart the
economy.
"We will overcome this challenge, not simply through the investments we
are making today, but through the creativity, hard work and perseverance
of the people who will put this plan to work. Not only will we survive
this crisis, we will be stronger than ever with better infrastructure, a
cleaner environment, renovated schools, more college graduates, and an
improved healthcare system."
H.R. 1 is an $850 billion nationwide effort to create jobs, stimulate
growth and equip America to compete in the 21st Century global economy.
The legislation makes major investments in clean energy, education,
infrastructure and transportation, health care, and gives 95 percent of
Americans a tax cut while bolstering unemployment and food stamp safety
nets. Economists across the ideological spectrum agree that the
legislation will create or save 3 to 4 million jobs over the next two
years, 90% of which will be in the private sector.
Three quarters of the spending will occur within the first 18 months after
it is signed into law. Unprecedented accountability and oversight measures
have been built into the legislation to ensure funds are used
appropriately.
Among the bill's targeted efforts, it will:
* Give a tax cut of up to $1,000 to 95 percent of all Americans
* Modernize roads, bridges, transit systems and waterways, creating 1.5
million jobs
* Make an historic investment in school modernization, funding the
renovation of at least 10,000 schools and improving the learning
environment for over 5 million students.
* Increase college affordability for 7 million students by increasing
funding for Pell Grants and increasing the maximum award by $500.
* Expand the number of children and families receiving quality preschool
services through the Early Head Start program, creating at least 15,000
new teaching jobs.
* Prevent thousands of teachers, police officers, and firefighters from
being laid off.
California will receive over $32 billion in economic recovery funding
under the bill, including:
* $7,854,800,000 in state fiscal stabilization funds
* $5,853,037,000 in education funding from school construction and
renovation to Head Start.
* $44,818,000 for low-income home energy assistance
* $4,457,289,000 for infrastructure, transportation and waterway
improvements
* $1,466,000,000 for supplemental nutrition assistance.
What's Happening at the Southwest Museum -- February 2009
NELAart Second Saturday Gallery Night:
Ramón Ramírez, Badlands Opening Saturday, February 14 7—10 pm
Bring your Valentine to meet painter Ramón Ramírez and see a selection of his colorful and thoughtful paintings. Enjoy hearty conversation, pan dulce and Mexican chocolate. Ramon Ramirez was born and raised in East Los Angeles, where he displayed signs of artistic talent, as demonstrated by his chalkboard murals that could be found in classrooms throughout his high school campus. Ramon draws his inspiration from a variety of sources—Mexican muralists, American abstract expressionists, Chicano and Mesoamerican art. Music, from the energetic sounds of the Mars Volta to the eclectic tapestries of Manu Chao, also inspires Ramon's visual exploration. Show and sale runs through March 8, 2009. Part of the NELAart Second Saturday Gallery Night art crawl.
A View From the Braun Lecture Series Wikikmal:
Cahuilla Bird Songs of Native Southern California Saturday, February 28,
1—2 pm
Dr. Paul Apodaca, Associate Professor at Chapman University, examines the
performance aspect of bird songs, as well as their context in Cahuilla
tribal culture. Listen to historic and modern songs of the Cahuilla
people—first inhabitants of the Coachella Valley area.
Family Programming Every Weekend
Let's Make History at the Southwest! Turtle Rattles - Sunday, February 8
1—2 pm
Rattles have been used throughout the world to help keep rhythm during
tribal dances and ceremonies. Fashion your own turtle shell rattle and
make some music.
Kit and Kaboodle, Make your own Ukulele! - Saturday, February 21 1 pm
Make a ukulele. Kits are $40 and all supplies will be provided. Find out
how this fun musical instrument is made and learn about its history. For
ages 10 and up: continues next month on March 24.
ABOUT THE SOUTHWEST MUSEUM
During repair work on the building and conservation of the collections, the Southwest Museum is open to the public Saturdays and Sundays from 12 Noon to 5pm. Innovative family programs, informative lectures, monthly artists' shows and sales, the Museum Store continue to be offered throughout the year. The Southwest Museum Store remains an exciting shopping destination, with Los Angeles's best selection of Native American art, jewelry, baskets, pottery, publications and more. The ethnobotanical garden provides a beautiful array of native California plants used for food, medicinals and baskets, by Native Californians.
Vicky in his hallway, Mexico City 1997
Joseph Rodríguez
drkrm.gallery is pleased to announce the first Los Angeles exhibition of
Flesh Life: Sex in Mexico City, the work of New York-based photographer
Joseph Rodríguez, from February 14 through March 15, 2009, with an opening
reception on Saturday evening, February 14, from 7-10 p.m.
From Nezahualcoyotl, the largest working-class suburb on Earth, to La
Condesa, Mexico City's hipster hangout, putas and putos stroll the
streets, cruising for johns and surviving on their wit, born out of true
desperation. These men, women, and everyone in-between are sex-workers in
a country where extra-marital sex is considered a mortal sin, and,
confoundingly, where they ply their trade without official reprisal. In
Mexico, macho husbands consort with other men, and virgencitas are
anything but.
Joseph Rodríguez confronts these contradictions head-on in Flesh Life: Sex
in Mexico City. In Rodríguez's series of startlingly intimate
black-and-white photographs we encounter a re-sexualized and
re-spiritualized country in flux, embracing religious dogma while
discarding taboos that once shrouded sex in a haze of artifice, euphemism,
and history. Rodríguez's beautiful and brutally honest images suggest a
culture in which spirit and flesh have always been inextricably
intertwined.
"Spirit, flesh: in the end the same quest, born of a crumbling economy and
identity. The single most apparent sign is the proliferation in
prostitution, an 'outing' of what has always existed, but furtively. The
government has officially admitted that it is impossible to rein in the
sex trade; Mexico City is not busy busting working women and men, but
formulating legal and health guidelines for sex-workers." -- Rubén
Martínez, Los Angeles based writer and Loyola Marymount University
professor, from the introduction to the book Flesh Life: Sex in Mexico
City
Internationally recognized photographer Joseph Rodríguez was born and
raised in Brooklyn, New York. His work has appeared in such publications
as The New York Times Magazine, National Geographic, GQ, Newsweek,
Esquire, and Der Spiegel. He has received awards and grants from the Open
Society Institute, National Endowment for the Arts, Rockefeller
Foundation, and New York State Foundation for the Arts. He was awarded
Picture of the Year by the National Press Photographers Association in
1990, 1992, 1996, and 2002. Rodríguez teaches at New York University and
the International Center of Photography.
drkrm. gallery is an exhibition space dedicated to fine art and
documentary photography, cutting edge and alternative photographic
processes and the display and survey of popular cultural images.
Regular gallery hours are Tuesday - Saturday, 11 am - 5 pm. Sunday 1-4pm
drkrm. is located at 2121 N. San Fernando Road, Suite 3 in the Capitol
Studios Building in the Glassell Park section of Northeast Los Angeles,
just minutes from Chinatown and down the road from The Brewery Art
Complex. Drkrm. is about a mile from the San Fernando Road exit off the
Glendale Freeway (Interstate 2) or the Figueroa Street Exit off the 110 N
(Pasadena Freeway)
Questionable Business Practices in Eagle Rock?
I was attracted to the Valero gas station at 1871 Colorado, by the large
sign displaying the prices: $2.01 per gallon. A printout taped to the pump
had instructions for using your debit card to get that price. If you
choose to use a credit card the same gas will be charged at $2.06 per
gallon. One starts by pressing a button on the pump indicating you are
making a debit card transaction, followed by entering your PIN. I pressed
the correct button, ran my card, but when prompted by the display, I
entered my zip code, partly because the display said, "enter your zip
code." By missing that one step, a step that requires consumers to ignore
instructions provided by the display, the price of gas was now a nickle
per gallon more expensive. While the hose was still attached to the car, I
brought this to the attention of the manager who made it very clear there
was nothing he was going to do; don't waste his time.
"Charging a separate price based upon your type of card is misleading,"
said a MasterCard representative. By initially pressing the button marked
"pay by debit card," one is stating up front that's the type of
transaction desired. Any further step required like entering a zip code or
PIN merely verifies the card is valid. But this independent Valero dealer
allowed his customer to be misled, the end result being to the dealer's
benefit. Let the buyer beware!
Steve Hirsh
Eagle Rock
Dear Boulevard Sentinel,
I'm curious to know if any other residents have asked you about this: has
the timing on the traffic lights at the 2 / Verdugo exit been changed? For
the past few weeks the exiting traffic on the 2 at Verdugo has been backed
up onto the freeway! The greenlight seems much shorter than it used to be.
Also, the same thing seems to be happening at York & Eagle Rock Boulevard.
Is it just my imagination...or my increasing impatience / road rage?
On a separate topic, thank you for your newspaper! I always look forward
to the new editions and the community news it brings.
Best regards,
Elizabeth
Higger?! What about Naiditch?
I don't want to detract from Lee Higger, who you highlighted for his
impressive and pioneering work in bringing computers to Eagle Rock High
School circa 1984 (Boulevard Sentinel, Volume XII, #9, page 1). However,
when I attended the Area H Alternative School (aka: Area 7 Alternative
School, aka: Arroyo Seco Alternative School) in Highland Park, I took
computer classes as early as 1980 under math teacher David Naiditch. We
too had Radio Shack computers (i.e., TRS 80s, which we referred to as
"Trash 80s"), and I remember saving my assignments on audio cassettes.
This was my first exposure to personal computers, and I'm sure many fellow
alumni would say the same.
We never did anything as elaborate as what Mr. Higger implemented (partly,
I imagine, because the Alternative School was much smaller than Eagle Rock
High). He certainly was a pioneer in his community--but your paper also
serves Highland Park, and there were pioneers there, too.
Sincerely,
Ross Plesset
SAVE the 256 Bus
The one and only form of public transportation that services Hermon (and
Monterey Hills, plus a large part of El Sereno) -- the #256 bus line, is
being threatened with cancellation by the MTA, for the second year in a
row.
This would be second critical bus line through Northeast L.A. cancelled in
the past two years - including the earlier #176 that serviced portions of
the central part of that same area.
The Arroyo Seco Neighborhood Council board voted to oppose the
cancellation at its first meeting of the year and sent a formal letter to
MTA noting, among other concerns, that the 256 "keeps hundreds of our
residents from becoming homebound and allows reasonable access to vital
life services not found here -- shopping, schools, colleges, medical."
Very concerned Hermon residents have been circulating their own petitions.
As with anything involving local government, this is a "numbers" game, and
the MTA -- not a part of L.A. City -- will treat the ASNC letter as just
one contact in opposition. Here's where all our good friends can play a
big part.
Whether you ride the bus now, did once, or never have, it's important that
all let MTA know that they care about our community's quality of life.
Even if you can only send a single sentence, like: "I oppose the
cancellation of the MTA 256 bus line, which will leave my neighbors in
Northeast L.A. without nearby public transportation," that's a vote.
So, please write, e-mail, fax, and/or attend the Feb. 9, 6 p.m. hearing if
possible, to object to this service cancellation. Within the areas the 256
serves are two senior living facilities housing hundreds, Northeast Mental
Health, a charter high school, and several public and private elementary
schools. This bus line provides the general population of our area its
only connector to the Goldline and other transit lines via Figueroa St.
and Huntington Drive and student transportation to Franklin, Burbank, Cal
State L.A., Pasadena City College, and other educational venues.
Ridership on weekdays averages 2,000 for the entire line, based on MTA's
own reports, and during rush hour the line is standing-room-only through
Northeast L.A.
Write to Metro Customer Relations, One Gateway Plaza, 99PL4, Los Angeles,
CA 90012-2932 - Attn: Service Changes June 2009. E-mail with "SERVICE
CHANGES JUNE 2009" as the subject line to: customerrelations@metro.net.
Fax your leters to: 213-922-6988
The location and date of the public hearing is February 9, 2009, 6 PM at
the San Gabriel Valley Sector Office, located at 3369 Santa Anita Ave, in
El Monte.
Persons unable to attend the hearings can submit written testimony
postmarked through February 14, 2009 (midnight).
York Village West Gets Going
by Tom Topping
A somewhat neglected part of York Boulevard between Eagle Rock and Ave. 50
showed signs last month that years of neglect may soon be ending, as about
40 interested residents and business folks joined together for a
Neighborhood Watch meeting on the evening Tuesday, January 27. Held at
Casa Princesa, the meeting was organized jointly by the Highland Park
Chamber of Commerce leaders and the Ave. 52 Neighborhood Watch, led by
activist and local jazz performer Tommy Dodson. Together, they brought out
many city representatives to help inform those in attendance.
 |
Tommy Dodson of the Ave. 52 Neighborhood Watch, was at home on the microphone as he facilitated a good meeting.
|
Of particular interest was Rogelio Flores, from North East Graffiti
Busters, who told about how his team worked to keep graffiti painted out
quickly. He said a 311 call would usually get the graffiti in his areas
covered within 24 hours, but that there were things preventing them from
handling it quickly. One of the things was rain. Graffiti simply cannot be
painted out during a rainstorm. The other thing was the location.
Graffiti on billboards, school properties, Caltrans (freeway) properties,
and city park properties are not covered by his organization. Rogelio said
he was only responsible for the northern portion of City Council District
14, but that another group handled graffiti paint-out in the adjoining CD
1 district of Councilman Ed Reyes.
The subject of the dreaded "glass etching" graffiti was brought up as
well. Rogelio explained that only replacing the glass could fix that, and
Highland Park Senior Lead Officer Mark Allen took over, explaining about
the method used by the glass etching graffiti vandals. Often the vandals,
usually young men, will carry a "Big Gulp" cup, that looks perfectly
harmless on the outside, but contains the glass etching solution and a
brush to write their message with.
One person asked, "Why don't they lock it (glass etching chemicals) up
like they do the spraypaint cans?"
 |
Highland Park Senior Lead Officer Mark Allen
|
Allen responded, "That's something that you all can do! Legislation-
numbers speak! You want something changed, get together with your friends
- I'm only one person, but you guys as you speak as a whole, you can move
a mountain. I can't move a mountain by myself."
Neighborhood prosecutor Donna Wong spoke there as well. She warned about
something quite interesting, and current, as it is tied to the flagging
economy. It is a situation where homeless people exercise squatters rights
by moving into an empty house that has a "for sale" sign. She said it
takes quite a lot of time and resources for such squatters to be removed.
She offered her phone number and e-mail for anyone that has neighborhood
issues that need to be worked out. Donna Wong, Deputy City Attorney,
213-847-8045 - donna.wong@lacity.org.
Curves of Eagle Rock Offers Free Weight Management Classes
Classes open to members and non-members
Los Angeles, Ca (Grassroots Newswire) January 10, 2009 -- Curves of Eagle
Rock is offering free weight management classes to teach its proven method
for losing weight and raising metabolism. More studied than any other
program, Curves' classes are based on the groundbreaking new research
findings of the Exercise & Sport Nutrition Laboratory at Texas A&M
University. Now, the women of Eagle Rock can learn the powerful secret
that has helped millions of women lose millions of pounds and keep them
off for good. Classes are open to members and non-members.
Classes include:
* Start-Up Class (90 minutes) for first-time participants.
* Phase 3 (30 minutes) to teach the last and most important stage of the
Curves Weight management Plan and the secret that makes the plan work.
* Special Topics Classes (30 minutes) will cover a different topic each
month, including Smart Grocery Shopping, Choosing the Right Carbohydrates,
Eating Out, Emotional Eating and more.
Classes will be taught by Curves' Registered Dietitian, Nadia Rodman, and
facilitated by weight management coaches from Curves of Eagle Rock,
through a series of DVDs that will alternate teaching with hands-on
activities. Participants will be encouraged to make a weekly appointment
to weigh in with their weight management coach, who will provide
accountability.
All classes are free to members and non-members, but participants will be
able to take advantage of special pricing on essential tools that will
enhance their success. For just $49.95, participants can purchase a bundle
including: a bottle each of Curves' multivitamin and Curves' calcium
supplements, a can of Curves' protein shake, and a copy of the new book
"The Curves Fitness & Weight Management Plan." Products are available for
purchase separately and no purchase is required to attend classes.
"We're excited to be offering free weight management classes," said Lynda
D'Angelo, owner of Curves of Eagle Rock. "This dynamic program and the
book are brand-new, and packed with cutting-edge information and lots of
practical advice that women can use immediately. Every woman who is even
thinking about losing weight should definitely check out the free
classes."
Curves of Eagle Rock will be offering classes the first Saturday of every
month at 1:00pm. Call to reserve a spot for our February 7th class or for
more information, contact Lynda D'Angelo at 323-259-5800 or
curveserock@sbcglobal.net.
About Curves
Curves works every major muscle group with a complete 30-minute workout that combines strength training and sustained cardiovascular activity through safe and effective hydraulic resistance. Curves also works to help women lose weight, gain muscle strength and aerobic capacity, and raise metabolism with its groundbreaking, scientifically proven method that ends the need for perpetual dieting. Founders Gary and Diane Heavin are considered the innovators of the express fitness phenomenon that has made exercise available to around 4 million women globally, many of whom are in the gym for the first time. With nearly 10,000 locations worldwide, Curves is the world's largest fitness franchise. For more information, please visit: www.curves.com.
Congratulations
to the following 20 Northeast LA students who successfully completed
American Red Cross' CPR and AED certification class on Jan 10 in Hermon:
Maria A.
Cynthia B.
Aimee D.
Lisa D.
Christina F.
Anthony H.
Adam K.
Barbara M.
Heather M.
Andrew M.
Jill M.
Ian R.
Maria R.
Hans R.
Marion S.
Michele U.
Veronica V.
Gayle W.
Patricia W.
Roberto Y.
Certifications are good for 2 years and valid on both adults and infants.
Northeast LA communities including Hermon, Highland Park, Eagle Rock and
Silver Lake are now *much safer* because of your dedication and hard work!
Thanks again for your attendance of this important training class. Mark
Legassie Hermon CERT Team Coordinator
Cruising with Mary
by Mary Garson
Greetings Eagle Rock and welcome to Cruising with Mary. The Eagle Rockin'
Rodders first cruise-in of the new year was successful with good
attendance of about thirty hot rods throughout the evening. The mild
weather certainly was a plus, bringing guests from several other car clubs
including the Road Kings and the Trompers. One person even showed up in a
taxi cab. Two Corvairs made an appearance, reinforcing the sentimental
memories that many people have, despite what Ralph Nader said 40-odd years
ago. If anyone is curious, find a copy of his book "Unsafe at Any Speed."
I cannot tell you, how many people over the years have come to me with
stories about their first car, a Corvair; or a first date in a Corvair.
Numerous Corvair clubs abound as well.
 |
Tom Amrhein put a Corvair body on a Firebird Chassis- It fit pretty well!
|
Our raffle got off to a great start for 2009 and I want to thank our
sponsors and everyone who participated and spent money. Remember, you help
the Eagle Rockin' Rodders give back to our community. More than ever, this
will be so important this year.
Some of you may remember back to when Oinkster was Jim's Burgers. Jim, the
old owner and his staff, made the Eagle Rockin' Rodders very welcome
there. Indeed, for many years, Jim's was almost like a clubhouse for us,
complete with photos of our club members and cars on the walls, as well as
copies of awards we received from the City Council and local Chamber of
Commerce. We had been written up in Sunset Magazine, and a large copy of
that article was on the wall as well. There was an old shed at the back of
the parking lot which Jim let us use to store our infamous "Cruise In
Tonight" wood sign, our large banner with the club logo, chairs, tables,
cones, and other cruise-in items. The shed is right next to the dumpster
and at one point rats had become a problem. Most of you have seen rats
running across wires at night around here. Anyway, we found a dead rat in
the old shed with our stuff. Jim allowed the ERR men to rebuild and secure
the shed so our belongings would be "safe." Our members bought the
materials for the shed and rebuilt it, everyone volunteering their time. I
have photos of that work in progress. Our guys did a beautiful job making
the shed rain and rat-proof. So for years there was no problem with us
storing our belongings in the shed.
When Jim's was sold and Oinkster took over, we had the same agreement with
Andre, the new owner. We were told there was no problem with us continuing
to use the shed. While Oinkster was being remodeled, some of the items had
been taken home by members for safe-keeping, but that doesn't always work
out so well, either. The wood "Cruise In Tonight" sign was lost in a
horrible garage fire last June at Terrye and Kirk Munday's home. We
certainly need a nice new sign to put out on cruise-in day but haven't
purchased one yet (do any sign painters or artists in Eagle Rock wish to
step up?) The club decided to temporarily use the old plastic banner,
which was about twenty feet long, had our club logo on it, and hung from
brackets and poles made by the club. This banner was stored in the shed.
President Amy Peters went to get the banner out and found that all of our
club belongings had been disposed of! No explanation was given by the
manager at Oinkster. No one in the club was ever notified they wanted us
to get our stuff out, and they never even gave us the courtesy of a phone
call to say they were throwing everything, including that banner, in the
trash. It's a very lucky thing we decided not to store photos and
documents there. Because all of those would be lost forever. Now, should I
go on about how this makes me sad to have lost another piece of Eagle
Rockin' Rodder history by that banner being trashed? Or should I go on
about the insensitive lack of consideration they gave us? Or should I go
on about the fact that all those items cost us money? Or should I go on
about how bad PR in the community can affect business? You pick! I feel,
and I do not speak for the club, I speak from the heart and for myself
only, that the whole situation should have been handled differently. Until
next time, drive safely but keep on cruising!
(author Mary Garson has lived in Eagle Rock for over 50 years and is an
alumni of ERHS)
Night Out with Steven E.
by Steve Estrada
(Editor's note: This month Steven visits the opening night entertainment at Juanita's, before attending the Santa Cecilia Orchestra's Performance at the Center for the Arts, Eagle Rock, and stops at Colombos Jazz night in-between. If your have an upcoming performance scheduled for the communities of Eagle Rock, Highland Park, Cypress Park, Glassell Park, Mt. Washington or Hermon, send an e-mail to our new music editor, Steve Estrada at, entertainment@boulevardsentinel.com.)
Monday Night Jam Session
It comes as no surprise that for the last eight years Monday nights have
not gone quietly into the night. Around 9:30 till closing at Colombo's
there is usually an array of talent boarding from the skittish rookie to a
thorny vet. They arrive from near and far. Along with the Eric Ekstrand
Trio (Erik on Piano, Leslie Baker on bass and Frank Wilson with drums),
they are the basis from which they maneuver these musicians that sign up
with their various artillery, get there starting point.
Much like the versatile pianist Hayan Jang. A slight frame, walking among
tall trees, in command with undo force. Classically trained (Musicians
Institute in Hollywood ) and not surprisingly the top student of her
class. And it's glaring. She carries the tempo from tune to tune with
facial expression down to a minimum, just the nod and the "look" makes the
connection.
Since arriving just three years ago from Korea her musical direction has
since been a skew after being exposed to likes of Keith Jarret, Brad
Mehldau and Joey Caldrachow. She's a member of Off the Island, who's
played recently at House of Blues, and is contemplating starting up an
experimental jazz trio of her own.
So you never know what will cross your path on Monday's, it could be
singer or a mixed horn section of eight (sax, trumpet, flute, fugal horn
and trombone) or a Japanese madman of guitar, you just never know.
Santa Cecilia Orchestra
Prelude to Passion
For all you long hairs in the area you don't have to go to the Music
Center Downtown L.A. to get your classical gas, it's just around the
corner. With the locally grown Santa Cecilia Orchestra here at the Center
for the Arts in Eagle Rock, it's at your beck and call.
Just another cheesy community performance? Hardly. The venue is full. They
were running out of seats. Some guys gave up their seats for women. Who
said chivalry is dead! And it was twenty minutes before show time. A real
diverse crowd gathering on all levels from family to supporters and a few
Music 101 students doing a required report. Now on to the show.
The first piece "Fragmentos del Pasado" was written by Orlando Jacinto
Garcia from Cuba. Guitarist Michael Kudirka is the featured artist on this
piece. He is a no nonsense performer who does not waver from his classical
roots, which means he doesn't sneak off to some dive to dwell in jazz or
hard rock, though in the first quarter of the piece he does a technique
known as finger tapping to address the note and not to place it much like
Al DiMeola of Return to Forever does. This is a quite daunting piece that
holds the phrases suspended for a moment then continue. As it plays
there's the precision of but not quite question and answer between
musicians as much as one picks up the next note and passes it to the
other. Very cool.
"The Dreams and Prayers of Isaac the Blind" is written by Osvaldo Golijov
from Argentina. Coming of Jewish heritage, of course it has a lot of
Middle-East overtones. Some Aramaic, Yiddish and Hebrew. Yes Jane, there
is a difference. So harmonious and yet … ah you call it. A lot of Chopin
influences (strong soaring rhythms) interacting with soft melodies, strong
fiery interludes directed by bass clarinetist and chamber music virtuoso
James Sullivan.
It's those low tones like Eric Dolphy or Gerry Mulligan very much makes
this a cross-cultural piece from all aspects. From all equators. Take your
pick. In one prelude, he creates an aura of the bass clarinet to sound
like three different instruments in one piece. As it continues you go with
the ebb and flows through out catching one at odd points with its up-swing
and turns in to a drowsy melodic mood and end in a finite crescendo.
Backing these two is the Formalist Quartet. Violist Mark Menzies,
violinist Andrew Tholl, cellist Ashley Walters and violinist Andrew
McIntosh are world class musicians. Carrying all their degrees would give
you a hernia. Let me give a brief perspective of chamber music. We all
know the masters. These are presentations of new pieces and
interpretations not heard before much akin to an open mike at a club.
There are no boundaries. Don't miss the next local performance of the
Santa Cecilia Orchestra, which will be at Occidental College, Thorne Hall
on Sunday February 8 at 4 p.m. Violinist Elena Uricoste is featuring the
3B's (Beethoven, Bruch & Brahms); and she can really bust a cat gut.
(Thorne Hall is at Occidental College, 1600 Campus Road, Los Angeles,
Prices: $26, $20, $7 youth)
Be a Descanso Volunteer;
Want to join a group of fun people who are devoted to care for one of the area's outdoor treasures? As a Descanso volunteer, your talents can be put to use, you can learn new skills and enjoy the company of like-minded folk. Upcoming volunteer orientations are scheduled for Saturday February 7; adults meet at 9 a.m. and youth ages 14 and older, meet at 10 a.m. Orientations are free and interested volunteers should RSVP to Tali Arnold at (818) 949-7978.
About Descanso Gardens
Established as a public garden in 1954, Descanso Gardens is at 1418
Descanso Drive, La Cañada Flintridge, near the interchange of the 2 and
210 freeways. A popular setting for weddings, parties and meeting in
addition to being a location for numerous feature films and television
shows, the Gardens are open 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily except Christmas
Day. Parking is free. Admission fees are $8 for adults; $6 for seniors and
students; $3 for children 5 to 12, and free for members and children 5 and
younger. Fees for classes and programs include Gardens admission.
For information, call (818) 949-4200 or visit www.descansogardens.org.
Descanso Gardens is accredited by the American Association of Museums.