Highland Park Transit Village Proposed
Centers on H.P./Ave.57 Goldline Station

One of the artist renderings of the proposed “transit oriented” developments which will probably be built adjacent to the Highland Park Goldline station

If you're a Highland Park resident or a regular visitor to the area around the Avenue 57 Goldline Station, you may be seeing some big changes soon. The City of L.A. requested proposals for a "Transit Oriented" development adjacent to the Goldline light rail station in Highland Park. (part of the overall plan top get people out of their cars and onto public transit, I'm sure) McCormack Baron Salazar has come forward with a proposal. They are a nationwide developer and manager of retail and commercial spaces specializing in the revitalization of urban neighborhoods.
The proposal is to develop three existing public parking lots into condos, apartments and retail spaces. Those familiar with the Highland Park shopping district know the parking lots on the west side of Figueroa, stretching from Avenue 56 to Avenue 58. Another smaller lot, (my favorite one for riding the Goldline) on the corner of Marmion Way and Avenue 59 is also included in the plans.
The plan, so far, is to build 33 condos for sale, and 63 rental units for the housing part of the plan. A small percentage of the rental units are dedicated to low income and moderate income renters, with the condos planned to be priced from $300,000 to $500,000. The ground floor of one of the sites is tentatively earmarked to be a satellite location for East L.A. Community College.
At three separate meetings last month, interested community members heard the proposals, looked at the artist's renderings, and had an opportunity to comment and ask questions.
At the Highland Park Heritage Trust, Charlie Fisher informed the meeting, "I think it should be noted that those 221, roughly, parking spaces were purchased though a bond act between 1958 and 1988- the business owners, the owners of the property along Figueroa paid for those parking spaces, so they have to be replaced."
And, indeed the plan is to maintain the same public parking spaces in first level parking. The additional parking for the condos and apartments are proposed to be on the second level, not accessible to the public.
The first level parking would include accommodation for disabled vans that require a high ceiling, but no accommodation is planned for those who need to park high profile vehicles, like plumbing, electrical or construction vehicles driven by workers who are not handicapped.
Some "open space" is designed into the projects, but not for the use of the public. The open spaces are gated off only for the use of residents of the complex. The weekly farmer's market will still be accommodated, said developers.
The promoters of the development have contacted the Neighborhood Council and the Chamber of Commerce in Highland Park, but have not as yet systematically informed all the adjacent and nearby businesses about the proposed project.

Go for a Saturday Morning Hike?
Check out the Wilderness at Debs Park-

Practically in your own back yard.

A Saturday morning dog walker exercises with a brisk stroll around the pond. Debs Park is a well kept secret.

A nice morning hike is a great way to start a weekend. The new Eagle Rock Canyon trail is a nice one. Griffith Park is close by, and the Angeles National Forest is just a little further. But a great place for a Saturday morning hike can be found within minutes of Northeast L.A.
"Have you been to Debs Park?" I asked.
"Where?" he asked.
"Debs Park..., the Audubon Center?" I said.
"Oh... up on the hill off Monterey Road?"
"Right," I said.
"That Audubon place there off of Griffin Avenue?"
"Exactly," I said.
"No I've never been there."
I'm a little embarrassed to say I've been on both sides of that conversation. I've had it over and over again as I tried to tell my friends about the Saturday morning hike I had in Debs park last month.
I had finished my work for the week, and was looking to do a little exploring on a Saturday morning. As I headed down Ave. 50 toward the Pasadena freeway, I looked up to see that huge expanse of hill side that is Debs Park. The 'shortcut' I use to get to the Audubon Center is to go down Avenue 52, continue across the freeway (on Griffin now) straight ahead about a a quarter mile and enter the Audubon Center driveway on the left.
No, I admit I had never gone for a hike in this park that is so nearby and accessible. But since so many people I know have never been there either, at least I'm in good company.
With over 200 acres of Arroyo wilderness, Ernest E. Debs Regional Park is one of the best kept secrets in Northeast L.A. But this morning I'm finding that out first hand as I start up the road from the parking lot.
Almost immediately, I feel like I've been transported to a far off place. I see the trees, the birds and the mustard weeds, which tower over six feet high. Their bright yellow blooms sharply contrast the dark green trees behind. As I climb, the roar of the Pasadena freeway slowly subsides. I can see beautiful downtown Highland Park from a bird's eye view. I pick out the Presbyterian church, and the Highland theater. All the tree lined streets and hilltops giving way to Oxy hill, the Eagle Rock hills and behind that, the Verdugos above Glendale.
Every so often, another Saturday hiker, some with their dogs, and some without, pass by. Some are talking on their cell phones, mostly "en Español". We each give a pleasant nod and continue on our separate routes. I observe there's just enough traffic to feel safe from wild animals or criminally minded, but few enough to give a little solitude to help foster that connection to the earth.
I hear a bird. He's singing his song perched on a tree top at about eye level. He takes no mind of me as I watch and fumble with my camera. I can't help but just stand there transfixed as I watch him.
I crest the first hill, and am stunned by the view of downtown L.A. I spot the MTA building, the Library tower and Dodger Stadium all looking tidy yet impressive as they remind me where I actually am. To my right is a new view point on the Southwest Museum, and perched above, defining the top of Mt. Washington, protrudes the self realization center looking large and bright.
I veer off the road onto a smaller trail that goes up and up. As I near the top, the mustard is over eight feet tall, giving the feeling that you're in a corn field. (As high as an elephant's eye?) The trail opens into a meadow, and across from there, I ponder the row of cookie cutter stilt houses backing up part of a Montecito Heights neighborhood.
Straight ahead, a row of evergreens mark the crest of the hill. I enter and step onto a paved walkway that runs both ways along the summit.
Which way should I go?
I head downhill, looking for some kind of signage- any kind at all that can tell me what is up here and which direction it is. There's practically no signage anywhere in Debs Park. (NOTE: stop at the Audubon Center or go online first to pick up a map of the park with its many trails.)
As I wander down the road, I'm checking out views of Monterey Hills and South Pasadena.
Then I see it. It's a lake! Well, kind-of small for a lake- OK, it's a pond! Well, what it lacks in size it seems to make up for in aesthetics.
Surrounded by evergreens, strategically placed shapely boulders and a well manicured embankment, the mirror smooth pond is reflecting the trees and the sky and the skyline of downtown Los Angeles. Incredible.
"How could I have missed this for so long?" I'm thinking. It is really beautiful here.
I circumnavigate the pond, and two dog owners are moving quickly to leash their dogs up before they start a fight. Come to think of it, this is Dog Park Central- every single dog I saw was roaming free, followed by its owner holding a bundled up leash in her hand. (Not really a place for a 'cat' person I'm afraid.)
At the edge of the pond, I take in another completely different view. I'm overlooking El Sereno, Huntington drive, Fremont, Valley Boulevard, and all points south and east. I don't know what it is about finding such views, but I just love it, I could spend hours here.
As I complete my circle of the pond, I'm in an area so restful and relaxing it seems oddly familiar. It's Descanso Gardens! Not quite so tidy- not quite so nice- but it surely could be.
Heading back up the paved path, I'm not quite sure how to get to the Monterey Road Side of the park- again there are no directional signs anywhere. As the road climbs up and up, a little rest area appears at the crest of a hill. Just beyond is a gazebo with picnic area. No drinking fountain though. I wish I brought some water. At the turn around, the pine needles under my feet feel like a padded carpet. Again I feel as if I'm hundreds of miles away, standing in a forest, maybe somewhere near Gold country off highway 49.
The grade guides me back down to the Arroyo side of the park. The midday sun brings out the bees and butterflies. One of them poses for a snapshot, his gloriously colored wings soaking up the hazy sunlight.
My thrill-seeker inside unexpectedly comes out as I decide to take the steep and slippery trail straight down to the back of the Audubon Center parking lot. 30 yards down I'm thinking I should have stayed on the road. Pay attention to your next step, Tom. Don't worry what's down below. Wow! That's really steep! I told you not to look!
I make it down no worse for wear aside from a sneaker full of sand. FUN!
At the Audubon Center I get a drink of water and use the restroom. I check out the "Zone Five in the City" art installation, and get a map of the park as I'm leaving. I listen in as a local nature guide answers his tour group's questions.
There is a whole world of things to do and places to go in Northeast L.A. and Debs Park is one of them. Previously a county park, it was named after a L.A. County supervisor from years ago. Now owned by the City of L.A., its main draw is not so much the maintained areas, but the wilderness ones. I saw only a couple dozen using the park on this Saturday morning. It's like having your own private Griffith Park located right in the backyard.
Finding hiking adventures is surprisingly easy in our part of this big city. Here is a partial list with directions.
Debs Park Audubon Center-
Entrance is on Griffin between Avenue 43 and Avenue 52. From Highland Park, go south on Avenue 52 from Figueroa, cross the freeway, continue straight on Griffin about ¼ mile. Entrance on left.
Debs Park Main Entrance-
Continue south on Avenue 60 from the Pasadena freeway. Turn right on Monterey Road. The main entrance is about a mile down on the right.
Eagle Rock Canyon-
Drive East on Colorado Boulevard from the intersection with Figueroa. At the top of the hill turn left on Patrician Way and cross the freeway. Make an immediate left onto Eagle Rock View Drive. Park at the cul-de-sac, and enter just before the private driveway.
Eagle Rock Hills-
From the Harvey Drive exit of the 134 freeway- go north on Harvey, turn right on Glenoaks. At Sleepy Hollow, turn right. Park at the end of Sleepy Hollow Drive. Hike from there to the top.

Topping Resigns from

Eagle Rock Chamber Board

Editorial
And thus, I stepped down. I've been a supporter of the Chamber for years. I've been a member off and on, but regularly attend their meetings and volunteer at many of their events like the concerts in the park, the farmer's market, the veteran's day parade and the annual Children's Old Fashioned Christmas. I was asked to be a board member by a long time Chamber officer who I greatly respect and admire, and I wanted to try and help.
I knew the closed sessions of their board meetings would be a problem for me. I guess they knew it, too, as a never before used agreement was created and distributed to all board members for their signature after the election & installation of new directors. It asked for a promise to keep the board meetings confidential. I knew it would only be a matter of time before my conscience would determine that the community's interest to know what their Chamber was doing and saying outweighed the Eagle Rock Chamber of Commerce's interest in having no one know. There was NO-WAY I could sign it! Plus, since it was given out after the election and installation, clearly it was an improper way to do things.
I avoided the closed session for a couple of months, avoiding what I knew I had to do. Finally, I pushed for the closed sessions to be either eliminated or held only to consider issues that are narrowly defined. Hey, I know it's not government, and open meeting laws don't apply, but for all the businesses that pay their $100 or so every year, they have a right to know what the directors are doing and saying during all of the meeting.
Right after my proposal was shot down, the closed session was held as usual. It was the first one I had attended. One of the subjects discussed in closed session was raising the price of drinks at the mixers. The speaker said he didn't want people to think it was him who was raising the price of drinks. I just couldn't believe my point would be proven at the very first closed session I attended. He brought up raising the drink prices in closed session so no one would think it was him who was raising the price of drinks. The closed session was being used by this person to avoid taking responsibility for his own words and actions. Unbelievable! MY POINT EXACTLY! (OK the person's name rhymes with Mr. Snap)
I do not doubt that something similar happens at every closed session. I simply cannot in good conscience be a part of a group that thinks it's OK to do that! The Chamber has a lot of sway with local government. None of those boardmembers should ever avoid responsibility for their actions when it can easily affect the entire community. No, they are not legally a government entity, but in effect, they are, and all of their meetings except for very limited circumstances should be open to the public.
The Chamber has done weird things lately. I still can't believe that last year they paid $1600 for 8 businesses to advertise in the L.A.Weekly. Guess what? Some of those businesses were not even Chamber members! UNBELIEVABLE!
That same group, led by Eagle Rock Neighborhood Council Land Use chair Bob Arranaga, even approached the ERNC to help fund that proposal. (Bob, if you can do this for your business consulting customers, please send me a rate sheet- count me in!) Luckily, some of those ERNC members were smart enough to know that you can't use government money to directly support specific businesses while you leave others out.
At that time, I was not a member of the Chamber, but if I was a member with a competing business to those who received the benefit I would not have been pleased to see my dues benefiting my competition and me not even given the opportunity to participate. President Denise Miller (who neither works in nor lives in Eagle Rock by the way) answered by saying, "We would consider similar proposals of any group that comes to us."
I'd say, "If you are going to do that with my dues, I'm not giving you any more."

REYES HONORS BIKE OVEN WITH ENVIRONMENTAL AWARD
Councilmember Ed P. Reyes has awarded Bike Oven the Earth Day 2008 Environmental Award for its outstanding commitment to increasing environmental awareness in the City of Los Angeles.
"In a city like Los Angeles where the car is the most prevalent form of transportation, The Bike Oven is focused on promoting the use of bicycling as an environmentally friendly alternative," said Councilmember Ed P. Reyes. "The Bike Oven is a volunteerrun bicycle repair collective which started in a single car garage in Highland Park and grew to an improved and larger facility. With the combustion of fossil fuels as the leading cause of climate change, the Bike Oven's encouragement of a sustainable form of transportation like bicycling is a welcomed and much-needed resource."
The Bike Oven was one of 15 honorees, each representing a Council District, recognized for their contributions to working to sustain a good quality of life now and for future generations through their environmental efforts. "The whole idea was to offer up a place to share ideas and knowledge, and to socialize around and about bicycling," said Josef Ubray, who founded The Bike Oven in 2005. "I backed my car out of the garage on Wednesday nights, assembled a meager set of tools on some old shelves, and offered free pan dulce and boxed wine from Target for the first few months."
The Bike Oven received Reyes' award at the Earth Day ceremony today in the Tom Bradley Tower at City Hall, followed d by a formal presentation in the City CouncilChambers.
The Bike Oven is located at 3706 N. Figueroa in the Los Angeles community of Highland Park. For more information visit, www.bikeoven.com, or call 323-223-8020

GARCETTI HONORS NORTH EAST TREES WITH EARTH DAY AWARD
Organization honored for their commitment to the environment
Los Angeles City Council President Eric Garcetti today recognized North East Trees in City Council Chambers with the Council District 13 Earth Day Award. A community based environmental advocacy organization, North East Trees has planted more than 30,000 trees throughout Los Angeles and created the city's first "green street" along the Los Angeles River.
"North East Trees has led the way in making Los Angeles a greener and cleaner city," said Garcetti. "They have transformed Los Angeles' infrastructure to make it more environmentally-friendly while educating hundreds of students about the importance of preserving the Earth and its natural resources."
Known for its efforts to green the environment and educate Angelenos on the importance of a clean and healthy environment, North East Trees recently completed the Oros Green Street Project, which captures and cleans stormwater runoff through a series of filtration and treatment systems before it reaches the Los Angeles River. In recognition of Earth Day, the City of Los Angeles selects 15 individuals and organizations to honor in recognitions of their contributions to the environment annually.

Dear Tom,
The Collaborative Eagle Rock Beautiful thanks you for all the color photos and nice write-up of our Eagle Rock Canyon Hiking Trail Dedication event last month. We were gratified to see so many of our friends and neighbors turn out to celebrate our acquisition of this four acre parcel, the last-remaining open space in our area. We are also thankful for all the volunteers who made the development and ongoing maintenance of the botanical garden, hiking trail and trail signage all possible. Also we thank Councilman Jose Huizar, and the 14th Council District Office for providing refreshments for the day's events. It was truly a celebration of the spirit of community pride and volunteerism in Eagle Rock.
The Collaborative is committed to the development of a better Eagle Rock, through all agencies and volunteers working together. We invite the community to explore the trail and garden, designed to be a sanctuary of natural flora and trees such as the plein air painters of yesterday painted.
We continue to accept donations for the maintenance of the hiking trail and garden. Any of your generous readers who wish to donate may send them c/o Ursula Brown, 1551 Colorado Blvd., Eagle Rock, CA 90041, call Harry Chamberlin at 323-257-2233 for further information. The Collaborative Eagle Rock Beautiful is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and, as such, all donations are tax-deductible.
Thanks again, Tom for your support to the Collaborative. Your newspaper is a vital source of information that is most pertinent to our northeast Los Angeles communities.
Sincerely,
Angel Corral

LIVING IN A TEEPEE IN AN EAGLE ROCK YARD
How one woman seeks her Roots and Meaning
BY CHRISTOPHER NYERGES

Amy Woodruff has found that she can experience "being close to the land" right in her Eagle Rock yard in her teepee.

Amy Woodruff has found that she can experience "being close to the land" right in her Eagle Rock yard in her teepee. Woodruff, who is Chocktaw and Cherokee descent, grew up on a family farm in Norco, California, where they raised their own food.
"We had a year-round garden and orchard where we raised oranges, peaches and other fruit. We also raised and butchered our own chickens, rabbits, goat, sheep, and cows," she says. But she explains that it was hard to kill animals that had names, and she more recently chose to adopt a vegan diet.
Woodruff had been living in New York for four years doing photography and other jobs. Though she found New York exciting and fast-paced, she began to realize that there was also something missing. "I wanted to be close to the land. In New York, there wasn't even a front yard." When she moved to her current home in Eagle Rock, she was happy to have a place where she could grow a small garden, and do her Native American craftwork.
Woodruff began to get interested in outdoor skills and primitive living arts, and attended the Winter Count event in Arizona in February of 2007, a week-long gathering with classes in pottery, weaving, fire-making, wild plants, and other skills every day. "I began to realize how easy it was to live outdoors when I met people who lived in a traditional teepee," says Woodruff, who purchased her own teepee shortly thereafter.
The unique Native American teepee of the Great Plains has long been the focus of artists and even urban planners who recognize it as a uniquely economical shelter that is easy to cool and heat, and which provides an almost-religious experience to those who are inside it.
"I began to appreciate the teepee even more after I began to live in the teepee. It is really special to be able to see the stars at night through the top hole, and to be able to hear birds in the morning," says Woodruff as she glances around in her airy 16 foot diameter teepee. She uses it for a bedroom and living room, and also has a cooking grill in the middle where she can heat water or cook meals. She has only slept indoors for two months since she obtained the teepee over a year ago.
"I recently began to study kundalini yoga," she adds. "You really begin to find out who you are when you do yoga, and things from the past come up when you are working on your self," she explains. Woodruff has been taking classes at the Golden Bridge Yoga Studio in nearby Hollywood, taking classes five times a week.
"This has also inspired me to do research on my ancestry, and on Native American culture in general," she explains, pointing to many of the Native American books in her bookcase.
"In the big city of New York, it was different and there were things to explore, but it brought me back here. Being in New York made me realize that I already have it, it is all right here, now," she says, reverentially touching the grass floor of her teepee.
"I love it because I feel that I can be anywhere when I'm in here," she says. "I don't have to be in a front yard in Eagle Rock. I feel that this is sacred space,
(continued next page)
and I feel that it is so good to be out here on the mother earth," explains Woodruff.
"Even though I'm living in the city now, L.A. is good, and I'm only 20 minutes from the ocean and mountains, and only one hour away from the desert," she explains.
Woodruff creates Native American-inspired jewelry, such as leather belts, necklaces, purses and clothing which she sells at shops such as Scout in West Hollywood, Cactus on Eagle Rock Blvd., and Show Pony in Echo Park. She also sells on line at www.daughterofthesun.net.
She is currently working on building a "gypsy wagon" – an approximately 8 foot by 16 foot house truck which will be a workshop on wheels. It will allow her to travel to different art shows and other gatherings around the country where she displays and sells her work.
What do her neighbors think about her teepee?
"I had the teepee up since March of '07, but I didn't really get any reactions until Halloween of last year when the teepee was open for the trick-or-treaters. Everyone said they loved the teepee and they wanted their children to look inside. Everyone was very supportive of it."
Woodruff offers simple advice to other city folks who also want to experience a little of Woodruff's lifestyle. "Begin by doing simple things like composting your kitchen scraps to make good soil. And grow some of your own food, even in pots. Dry your clothes in the sun on a clothes line, and use cotton napkins that you wash. The most important thing is to educate yourself so you learn what you can do in your own home and yard," says Woodruff.
[Nyerges is a manager at the Tuesday Highland Park Farmers Market, the editor of Wilderness Way magazine, and the author of "How To Survive Anywhere." He can be reached at Box 41834, Eagle Rock 90041, or www. Christopher Nyerges.com]

Optimist Adoption Services Welcomes Prospective Foster Parents
Optimist Foster Family & Adoption Services Welcomes Prospective Los Angeles foster parents to a special, four-week orientation series starting Saturday, May 31 (9:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.) at its main campus in the Highland Park area of Los Angeles (7003 N. Figueroa Street, 2nd floor).The orientations provide an overview to the process and requirements of becoming a foster parent and the importance of helping children and families in the community.
Through a series of three subsequent Saturday classes, the agency formally trains participants to become foster parents for at-risk children and youth. Once certified, Optimist provides follow-up services and resources to foster parents, who will receive financial support for the child's food, clothing, medical care and other needs.
Optimist Foster Family & Adoption Services, a division of Optimist Youth Homes & Family Services, addresses the increased need for quality foster homes for abused, abandoned and neglected children, and has placed more than 5,000 children in loving and caring foster homes throughout Los Angeles County since 1993.
For additional information and to enroll in the orientation classes, please call (800) 454-5561 and ask for a foster care coordinator or email kids@oyhfs.org.

Cruisin’ with Mary

Fuel Injected Hemi - Any Questions?

You know why they call this month May? Because it May be hot, and it May be cold, and Maybe we just don't know. Hello Eagle Rock! The Eagle Rockin' Rodders had a successful cruise this past Saturday night at Oinkster. This makes 2 months in a row with wonderful warm weather and lots of hot rods and friends. After so many months of poor weather and small attendance, our charity raffles are off to a great start. I do want to remind everyone that all of the raffle monies collected all year long from our raffles are given back to needy families or charitable local organizations in November. So it's important to not only participate in the raffles, but to also patronize our generous sponsors, without whose donated raffle prizes this would not be possible. Don't forget to patronize Oinkster, Tritch Hardware (they gave us a very cool paper shredder that also shreds credit cards), Sir Michael's, Verdugo Hardware, and anyone else I forgot to mention and thank this month!
Attendance counted was an ongoing procession of hot rods, usually rounding off to about 30 at peak hours. Oinkster was full of regular patrons as well as hot rodding customers. A good time was had by all. And the music on the radio was a big improvement!
Speaking of Oinkster, I had a chance to meet the night manager, Derrick, on Saturday night. I had a very interesting conversation with him which I feel is important to share with you, so that everyone knows small-town spirit and good-neighborliness is still alive in Eagle Rock. Recently, several women came in to have dinner and get a pitcher of beer. It was near closing time, the women had been out celebrating a birthday, and already had quite a bit to drink. Derrick was the on site manager that evening and helped the women celebrate by turning the music up loud so they could dance and generally have a good time. They were more than a little tipsy when it was time to leave. He suggested they take a cab home, but they were not receptive to the idea. He was finally able to persuade them to leave their car in the parking lot where it would be safe, and he called & paid for a cab for them. In my mind, this was above and beyond his call of duty.
Of course, good common sense dictates it's not smart to drink and drive, but when you are partying, who has good sense? I feel like this is an example of good people - and businessmen in Eagle Rock not only caring about providing a quality service or product to the area, but also caring about the customers - and anyone else who may have been out on the road that night. It was a kind, wise, and generous thing for Derrick to do. Normally my Pick-of-the-Month is a car. This month Derrick is the Pick of the Month for his community minded decision. PS - this is Not an invitation to go into anyplace and expect a free cab ride home! Come on, you guys!
One other thing that's been bothering me, and since this article is not so car-oriented this month, let me continue: The past few months I have found it increasingly difficult to easily find a copy of the Blvd Sentinel. It used to be carried at Trader Joe's, Oinkster, and The Coffee Table, to name a few.
I know it can still be found, thankfully, at Tritch Hardware, ER Lumber, and JoAnne's Hair. I don't understand the mentality of these establishments consistently carrying Pasadena Weekly, but not our own local paper, the Blvd. Sentinel. I was told that some of these establishments decided to stop carrying it after they were misinformed by community members who stated that the paper was "inappropriate!" To me, that almost appears to be some sort of witch-hunt and I for one, have a problem patronizing any business who subscribes to that way of doing business. It just seems to me we all need to have easy access to our little local paper, whose main focus is to inform and educate us about community events and news. If you can't find our paper easily, complain to our local businesses and maybe they will reconsider! Thanks and til next month, Keep on Cruising!
(Author Mary Garson is an ERHS alumni and resides in our fair community.)

City Budget to Close Arroyo Seco Library on Sundays
Citizens using the tools provided by the SaveLAPL website I helped launch have already made a difference in the future of the Los Angeles Public Library: the proposed $1-per-book inter-branch transfer fee has been withdrawn in favor of a nickel increase in daily late fines, and a book buying fund was created by the Library Foundation.
But the Library's funding still faces drastic cuts when Mayor Villaraigosa's budget goes before City Council's Budget & Finance Committee on May 1st. As citizens of Los Angeles or interested outsiders, you have one week in which to tell the Mayor and members of this Committee how important the Library is to you, and to urge them to reconsider some of the more serious cuts facing this essential educational institution; 'then we'll have until May 19 to get the word out to the full City Council.
Please use the SaveLAPL site to email the Mayor and the members of the Budget & Finance Committee, urging them to find additional money in the budget to fund the Library as befits the primary free intellectual resource of this great metropolis. City Librarian Fontayne Holmes will address the Committee and ask that the Library's book budget be restored and regional branches remain open on Sunday to serve their communities.
These are the threats facing LAPL if the budget goes through without change:
1. The eight regional branch libraries would be closed on Sundays, eliminating 36.5 staff positions. The branches effected are North Hollywood, Mid-Valley Regional, Arroyo Seco, West Los Angeles, Hollywood (Goldwyn Branch), Exposition Park, San Pedro and West Valley.
2. The book buying budget will be slashed by $2 million, to $7.7 million for all branches for the entire fiscal year (July to June). This represents a 22% cut from last year's book budget of $9.8 million (which ran out in February), and a 33% cut from the $11.4 million book budget of two years ago. Please note that as of 2006, before these cuts, Los Angeles was already among the poorest performing North American cities with populations over one million when it came to library expenditures per citizen, spending just $2.56 per capita. Since 2006, LA has fallen from #19 to #23 on this list of 25 cities. Compare LA to New York ($3.90), San Diego ($3.92), Broward County ($4.14), Chicago ($4.29), Hawaii ($4.92), Philadelphia ($5.13), Las Vegas ($6.73) and King County, WA ($8.84) and it's obvious how woefully under-funded LAPL has been and continues to be.
3. All civilian city employees, which includes Library staff, will be subject to "short-term layoff," which according to the Mayor, "could take the form of mandatory furlough days or reduced work weeks." In light of this plan, an additional $1.4 million is being deducted from the library budget. The Mayor's budget goes before City Council's Budget & Finance Committee beginning April 28. The Library's budget hearing is scheduled for May 1, and it may be continued to May 2. The budget, with the committee recommendations, will go to the full Council the week of May 19. June 13 is the deadline for adoption of the budget by the Mayor and Council. Save.LAPL.org is once again urging people to contact the Mayor and Budget & Finance Committee members, this time to restore funds to the Library budget, keep branch libraries open on Sunday, and to protect the jobs of the librarians and support staff who keep the Library running. thanks for reading, signing and passing this along,
Kim Cooper, SaveLAPL, www.saveLAPL.org

Hathaway Students Trophy in Flag Football Tournament
by Aries Santiago
In mid-April, hundreds of families and spectators gathered around Franklin High School's famous Panther football field and witnessed an amazing flag football competition among local teams from East Los Angeles. The "Bears," made of up Luther Burbank Middle School students ages 10 to 14, who are part of the L.A. Bridges After-School program at Hathaway-Sycamores Family Resource Center in Highland Park, took home the first-place championship trophy in the first-ever East Sports League Flag Football Tournament. The win qualified the "Bears" for the "Tournament of Champions" held the following weekend at Liechty Middle School in Los Angeles.
The "Bears" were the first-ever L.A. Bridges After-School-East Los Angeles team to qualify for the "Tournament of Champions." Abraham Nunez, case manager for the LA Bridges Program, coached the "Bears" with assistance from Jesus Sotelo and Jerson Portillo, students from Occidental College, giving these young athletes an opportunity of a lifetime! They spent months of sweat, countless strategic plays and vigorous training in preparation for the competition.
Team participants included: Irán V. Castro, Mario Flores, Jacqueline Hernández, Ulysses Hernández, José Henríquez, Luís Nieto, Carlos González, Bryan Sánchez, Daniel Ayard, Ricardo Fuentes, Magali Soto, and Guillermo De La Torre.
The goal of these events was to provide L.A. Bridges youth and their families the opportunity to participate in organized sports that build character and self-esteem, offer exposure to different communities, and to teach life skills, values and leadership skills that encourage academic achievement.
LA Bridges After-School Gang Prevention Program is open to all students between the ages of 10 to 14 years old who live within a 1.5 mile radius of Luther Burbank Middle School in Highland Park. LA Bridges is paid for by the City of Los Angeles and is a gang prevention program to get kids off the streets, and into productive environments after school from 3:00 to 6:00pm. The after-school youth activities are available Monday through Friday at the Hathaway-Sycamores' Family Resource Center, located at 840 North Avenue 66, and are free of charge. For information about LA Bridges after school programs and events, please contact: Aries Santiago, Youth Program Coordinator at (323) 257-9600 Ext: 7133.
(Aries Santiago is a Youth Program Coordinator at Hathaway-Sycamores Family Resource Center in Highland Park.)
 

Optimist Homes Annual Career Day
Hundreds of at-risk teens will have the opportunity to explore a wide array of careers and opportunities at the "Movin' Up to Greatness 6" Annual Career Day, Thursday, May 15 (10:00 a.m. to noon) hosted by the Optimist Youth Homes & Family Services at its Highland Park campus ( 6957 N. Figueroa Street ).
The event introduces nearly 200 youth served by the Home, one of the region's largest education and treatment centers for at-risk youth, to community representatives from 35 companies and businesses representing a broad spectrum of career paths.
Participants scheduled to attend include Apple One Employment Agency, the Art Institute of California, Boeing- Aircraft Operations, Brooks College, Burbank Airport Authority, Los Angeles Job Corp Center, Kaiser Permanente, Los Angeles County Fire Department and Forestry Division, Los Angeles Police Department, Los Angeles Trade & Technical College, Pasadena City College, Ritz Carlton Huntington Hotel and Spa, and the YWCA of Great Los Angeles Job Corp. Additional occupations and professions represented at Career Day include representatives from accounting, architecture and real estate, automotive, computer information systems, construction, entertainment, fitness, insurance, manufacturing and medical disciplines.
Founded in 1906, Optimist Youth Homes & Family Services operates a residential program for 99 teenage boys on its main campus, and a diversity of family and comprehensive mental health programs for community children and their families.
For more information about participation and to RSVP, contact (323) 443-3129 or isingletary@oyhfs.org.

HERMAN GOERING SAID...
"Naturally the common people don't want war; neither in Russia, nor in England, nor in America, nor in Germany. That is understood. But after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country."

Drawing Los Angeles- Center for the Arts Eagle Rock
Center for the Arts, Eagle Rock will host "Drawing Los Angeles," a juried exhibition examining the trends, themes, and terrain of drawing in Los Angeles today.
Selected Artists: Emily Araujo, Don Chafey, Howie Cherman, Joe Davidson, Chris Green, Ric Heitzman, Peter Hess, John P. Hogan, Ronald J. Llanos, Linda Lyke, Melissa Manfull, Jason Manley, Lynne McDaniel, Juanita Menses, Justin Moore, Claudia Nieto, Chris Oatey, Roberto Palazzo, Aili Schmeltz, Stephanie Washburn, Christine Weir.
The exhibition of work selected by Center for the Arts, Eagle Rock Exhibition Committee will take place May 10 - June 14, 2008 at 2225 Colorado Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90041, a unique exhibition venue located in a historic 1913 Spanish Colonial Revival building in the heart of a strong arts-based community. Exhibition Committee members include Jay Belloli, Noel Korten, Peter Carrillo, Julie Deamer, Steven Irvin, Julie McManus, Sonja Sung, and Espie Valverde.
Center for the Arts, Eagle Rock is a nonprofit 501(c) 3 arts programming organization.
The mission of the Center is to provide innovative and multicultural arts programming to the communities of North East Los Angeles.
For more information please visit www.centerartseaglerock.org or call 323-226-1617.
Gallery Hours Monday – Friday 11am–5pm
Saturday 11am-3pm
Center for the Arts, Eagle Rock
2225 Colorado Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90041
323.226.1617

A Message from Susie Hansen
I want to invite everyone to celebrate Cinco de Mayo with my band, the Susie Hansen Latin Band, this Saturday, May 3, 2008, at the Cypress Park Cinco de Mayo Parade and Festival. We'll be playing Salsa and Latin Jazz live on stage from 2pm to 4pm. The festival will be held at the Cypress Park Recreation Center on San Fernando Rd at Pepper Ave.
The parade begins at 11am at the corner of Cypress Ave and Future St, and ends at the Recreation Center. The festival and carnival continue until 10pm Saturday evening.
There will be lots of great live entertainment at the festival besides the Susie Hansen Latin Band, including mariachis, an Elvis impersonator, a magic act, folklorico music and dancers, and more. There'll be a carnival with rides, games and good food. There will be classic cars, boxing demonstrations, and horses and cowboys.
It's all happening this Saturday, May 3, 2008.Don't miss it! Regards, Susie Hansen

The Black/Brown Dialogues Part II:

at Ave. 50
I n s p i r a t i o n H o u s e

P o e t r y C h o i r
Curated by Peter J. Harris, artistic director, Inspiration House
Featuring spoken word & music by: Tchikonsase Ajé, Gloria Alvarez, Peter J. Harris, María Elena Gaitán, Chola con Cello, Derf Reklaw, percussion, Alan Mark Lightner, steel pan, Saturday, May 3, 2008 starting at 7:00 pm
"The Black/Brown Dialogues", featuring Inspiration House PoetryChoir, honors healthy and ethical cultural dialogue between the African and Latino communities, at one of Latino LA's most important independent galleries. Using the Inspiration House PoetryChoir format, poets read their work while master musicians improvise musical responses to the poetry, blending words, intonations, audience responses, and dynamic silence into a sonic tapestry that's entrancing and exhilarating. The poetry series is curated by Peter J. Harris, artistic director, Inspiration House, which produces work dedicated to leaving its audiences renewed and recommitted to cultural work that contributes to the creation of a humane society.
Avenue 50 Studio, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit art gallery
131 No. Avenue 50
Highland Park, CA 90042
323/258-1435
www.avenue50studio.com

LUMMIS DAY
POETRY READINGS, POETRY WORKSHOPS
Northeast L.A. libraries will partcipate in the Lummis Day Festival program with a series of poetry readings and workshops with noted authors who will provide feedback to aspiring writers and insight for lovers of contemporary poetry.
The library poetry events will be held consecutive Saturdays through May--including a May 10 reading at the Eagle Rock libary branch--and will lead into the Lummis Day Festival's gala morning poetry reading on June 1 at Lummis Home, where poets Steve Kowit, Liz Gonzalez and Cathie Sandstrom will read their work.
For the Lummis day library program, poets William Archila, Lory Bedikian and others will read their work at afternoon library gatherings in April and May. On alternating weeks, Archila and Bedikian will also be conducting free writing workshops -- giving poetry lovers and library-goers a chance to find their own artistic voices. Finally, at a wrap-up party at the Braun Library of the Southwest Museum, emerging writers will share their work in company with more established poets and other artists.
All events are free and open to the public. Saturday, May 3, 3 PM: Poetry workshop, Arroyo Seco Regional Branch Library 6145 N. Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, CA 90042 - (323)255-0537 Saturday, May 10, 3 PM: Poetry reading, Eagle Rock Branch Library 5027 Caspar Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90041 - (323) 258-8078
Saturday, May 17, 3 PM: Poetry workshop, Cypress Park Branch Library 1150 Cypress Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90065 - (323) 224-0039 Saturday, May 24: Braun Library party. Music, poetry, open mic, refreshments, books for sale, and more!
The Lummis Day library program was designed and organized by Lummis Day Community Foundation members Kate Gaidos, a librarian at the Los Angeles Public Library Arroyo Seco Branch; Elizabeth Garcia, field representative for Anthony Portantino, Assemblymember, 44th State Assembly District; Suzanne Lummis, founder, Los Angeles Poetry Festival; and Anna Liza Posas, reference librarian, Braun Research Library of the Autry National Center.
Lummis Day: The Festival of Northeast Los Angeles will take place on Sunday June 1.
Lummis Day information can be found at www.lummisday.org.
Lummis Day is presented by the Annenberg Foundation and the Autry National Center and is sponsored by the Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks, the Arroyo Seco, Eagle Rock, Greater Cypress Park and Historic Highland Park Neighborhood Councils, City Council Districts 1 and 14, the Angeles County Arts Commission, public radio station KPFK 90.7 and KMEX Univision 34. The Lummis Day poetry programs are sponsored by Poets & Writers Inc. with a grant it has received from the James Irvine Foundation.

MOTA Day!
May, 18
Local Museums to Celebrate Arroyo Culture on May 18, 2008
With Free Admission, Exhibits, Events, Crafts and Family Fun
Imagine a Sunday where fashion-hounds can check out period costumes, music-lovers can enjoy Native American performers, history buffs can observe a Spanish American War encampment and kids can be "locked" in a real jail cell. All this and more awaits visitors at the 19th annual Museums of the Arroyo (MOTA) Day.
Taking place on May 18, 2008 , MOTA Day features six museums located along the celebrated Arroyo Seco in Los Angeles and Pasadena that open their doors for a free day of music, storytelling, art, crafts and entertainment. With so much to do and see – and only a few hours to do it – visitors are encouraged to best plan their visits.
MOTA Day is from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Special events this year include:
* The Gamble House. In celebration of its centennial this year, the historical landmark will feature mannequins dressed in period clothes representing the Gamble family, friends and staff (courtesy of the Fashion Institute of Design in Los Angeles ). Visitors can enjoy performances by Grammy-awarding® winning musicologist Ian Whitcomb and his Bungalow Boys; children can do crafts in the backyard.
* Heritage Square Museum. Visitors can tour the current exhibition "Fashion on a Plate" which features more than 40 rare fashion images, vintage clothing and accessories form the 1880s through the 1930s. Guests can also observe a Spanish American War encampment, watch traditional woodcarving demonstrations and listen to historical storytellers as well as enjoy music. Children can play with Victorian toys and do crafts. Costumed docents will lead tours of the houses.
* The Los Angeles Police Historical Society Museum . Visitors can tour the facilities, which feature private collections and historical memorabilia dating back to the late 1800s. Kids can climb into a retired police helicopter, try on police gear and get "locked" in a real jail cell where adults can snap their own free police booking photos. Vintage police uniforms will be modeled throughout the museum.
* The Lummis Home and Garden. Tours of the Lummis home and gardens will be available. Local artists will display sculptures in the gardens and musicians and dancers will provide entertainment. Everyone can join in a workshop: "Cyanotypes (Sunprints) for all Ages."
* The Pasadena Museum of History. Guests can tour the museum's current exhibitions "Souvenirs From Mt. Lowe" and "Curators' Choice" as well as watching lace making demonstrations. Young and old can make their own "Souvenir of Pasadena" at the crafts area. Guests can visit the Museum's 100-year-old Fenyes Mansion for up-close encounters with specific art items. Costumes, such as Chinese gowns, will also be on display. The Finnish Folk Art Museum will also be open for visitors.
* The Southwest Museum. Visitors can enjoy Native American performers and storytellers. Craft making will be available for children. Guests can also take tours of the botanical gardens as well as director's tours of the construction and current renovation process of the museum. Historical films will be shown in the Braun Research Library. - For more information call the MOTA hotline (213) 740-TOUR (8687) or go to www.museumsofthearroyo.com.

EAGLE ROCK NEWS

ERHS Principal Holds Out-
LAUSD Not Helpful
Community Concerns Increase;
Principal's Credentials Questioned

Unfazed by parent and community calls for his removal, it was business as usual last month for embattled Eagle Rock High School Principal Salvador Velasco. A growing number of activists seeking his removal have been working, compiling evidence to aid in their efforts to have him removed.
In a recent e-mail, a four page outline specifying the problems attributed to Mr. Velasco was blasting across the internet into the homes of Eagle Rock Community members. Some of the verified, yet unbelievable complaints are that parental notes for absences are no longer accepted at Eagle Rock High School, unless accompanied by a personal visit by the parent to the Principal. Telephone calls are not accepted for excusing absences either. Absences for illness are only accepted if verified by a doctor. Without the verification, students receive a truancy. (Observers wonder if he is trying to alleviate overcrowding by expelling as many students as possible- legitimately or not.)
Also, an absence to attend a family funeral will likewise not be excused without bringing a funeral card to show as proof. Here also, a parental note will only be accepted if accompanied by a personal visit to the Principal.
The outline continues to explain the problems with Velasco's actions regarding the firing of coaches, his orders that they not talk to the media, his illegitimate removal from campus of a reporter, and one after another claim that he violates state law and district policies regarding teacher overtime pay issues, constitutionally protected speech, improperly restricting legal access to the campus, harassment and retaliation of student protesters and the parents who support them, and the apparent conflict arising from teaching and classroom assignments of Drew Lord made by his wife, assistant Principal Janet Lord.
A steady flow of letters and E-mails have been received by this paper confirming some complaints, but insisting on anonymity for fear of retaliation against their children who attend school there. Ad space purchased by a community member describing school problems that a bad administration creates, referred to as the "Dance of the Lemons" appears elsewhere in this issue.
The question of credentials came up as well, when someone thought to search the State of California Website that allows every teacher in the State to be looked up. The California Commission on Teacher Credentialing is the issuing body for state teaching credentials, administrative credentials, services credentials and a few others that Mr. Dixy, a credential officer, rattled off in a telephone interview.
We could not find any administrative credential for Principal Salvador Velasco. The credential officer on the telephone said he did not have one. We did find he has an occupational teaching credential for computer applications, computer systems and information processing.
This information seemed like a rattlesnack ready to bite as I was not sure how accurate it was.
"How likely is it that your system does not show everything?" I asked. The credential officer, insisted that if they did not have a record of a California educator possessing a state credential, there wasn't one. I called the commission twice and twice got the same answer.
The LAUSD press office responded and said that Velasco did indeed have an administrative credential, but twice I asked them to show me some verification of that other than their say-so, and they never answered.
The second call to the State Credential Commission provided some answers to bring the two stories together. Does Mr. Velasco have a California State administrative services credential that we all assume any principal would need? Mr. Dixy said no, but added that each school district can have different requirements for its principals. For instance, said Dixy, he may have one issued by L.A. County to those in administrative training programs. It is not known whether LAUSD routinely hires Principals without California State administrative credentials, or if this is a special case.
BUT... Judging by the protests, complaints and calls for his removal, perhaps three years of administrative training while principaling at Eagle Rock High School may not have been enough for Salvador Velasco to get his state administrative credential.
However, community voices in Eagle Rock seem to agree they have had enough of him.

3rd Annual Lummis Day Entertainers to include Jackson Browne, Culture Clash, Mariachi Divas and Chapin Sisters

The 3rd Annual Lummis Day Festival will include events at three venues, all within walking distance (and serviced by a city-provided shuttle bus), performances by such stars as Jackson Browne and Culture Clash as well music by neighborhood favorites. There will be poetry, art, food, dance and children's theater, a smorgasbord of the cultures, the traditions and the lifestyles that make Northeast Los Angeles an exciting place to live, work or visit

Chapin Sisters

The Festival expands this year to three venues along North Figueroa Street and will involve artists and organizations from every Northeast L.A. neighborhood. All events are free and open to the public.
Morning poetry readings featuring noted Southern California authors Steve Kowit, Cathie Sandstrom,and Liz Gonzalez will begin at 10:30 am at Lummis Home, 200 East Avenue 43. Music by L.A. legend, Carlos Guitarlos and a reading by "Mike the Poet" will get the Festival underway.
Music, dance, puppet show, storytelling and other kids events begin at 12:30 pm on three stages at Sycamore Grove Park, 4700 N. Figueroa Street. Activities at Sycamore Grove Park include free concerts by Jackson Browne, the Chapin Sisters, the Mariachi Divas, Cava, Artichoke and the mysterious "Arroyo Seco All Stars," appearances by members of Culture Clash and personalities from KMEX Univision 34 and KTTV Fox 11, shows by the Puppets and Players Little Theater and the We Tell Stories group, folkloric dance performances representing Filipino, Mexican and Native American cultures and more.
For the first time this year, the historic Casa de Adobe, a part of the Southwest Museum, 4603 N. Figueroa Street, will serve as a Lummis Day Festival venue. Art exhibits displaying work from local galleries and individual painters and sculptors will be on display there from 1:00-6:00pm.
The Lummis Day events are within easy walking distance of the MTA Gold Line's Southwest Museum station. Plenty of free parking is also easily available. The 3rd annual Lummis Day Festival is presented by the Annenberg Foundation and the Autry National Center. Lummis Day sponsors include the Department of Recreation and Parks, the Arroyo Seco, Eagle Rock, Greater Cypress Park and Historic Highland Park Neighborhood Councils, KMEX Univision 34, public radio station KPFK 90.7, SIPA, the North Figueroa Association, Councilmember Ed Reyes and Los Angeles City Council Districts 1, Councilmember Jose Huizar and Council District and 14, the Highland Park Heritage Trust, the Mount Washington Association and the L.A. Poetry Festival. This concert is sponsored by the Los Angeles County Arts Commission. The poetry event is sponsored by Poets & Writers Inc. with a grant it has received from the James Irvine Foundation.
For information, call 818-535-9178 or log on to www.LummisDay.org

Outrage and Fear of Retaliation

April 22, 2008
Mr. Salvador Velasco Principal
Eagle Rock Junior/Senior High School 1750 Yosemite Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90041

Dear Mr. Velasco:
There has been a great deal of media coverage surrounding certain coaches and you at Eagle Rock High School. Because of this, there has been a lot of disruption within the school. The students are subjected to it all and even to the opinion of their teachers on this matter. With all due respect, l feel that this entire situation was handled very poorly and has spiraled out of control. I believe a far better outcome could have been attained through mediation. It seems to me that now it is a war of egos. Instead of showing our teenagers the proper way of handling a disagreement involving two parties, the parties are displaying behavior akin to immature adolescents. Some of us may have observed this type of conduct in organizations or companies, but it should ~ be allowed within our schools. What about the students of Eagle Rock High School? What is this teaching them?
You, sir, are the principal of this school. Your position requires you to be ~ role model for the students as well as for the employees of the school. Regardless of what went on between you and the coaches, the situation should have been handled with diplomacy and professionalism.
Good coaches are more than just people who teach a sport. They can playa big part in a student's life. They not only teach them how to play the sport well, but they teach them about perseverance, setting goals, and life in general. Teenagers need people whom they can trust and with whom they can truly communicate. Some coaches fill that role.
Would it not be more beneficial for you and the students if you organized a mediation in order to arrive at a resolution, pushing aside all egos and self-interest? And then, out of respect to the students, should they not receive an explanation from you? It takes courage to do this, but it would be a valuable lesson for our teenagers - to admit a mistake and rectify it, and to do so with integrity. The alternative would be for you to step down as principal, since there needs to be an end put to this folly -- soon.
If you desired the position of principal because of a genuine interest in guiding the school to a level of which we would all be proud, then I trust you will do what is right. Should not all decisions made within the school have, first and foremost, our students' well being in mind?
A Concerned Parent
cc: Janet Lord, Assistant Principal, ERHS
David L. Brewer III, Superintendent of Schools I Yolie Flores-Aguilar, LAUSD Board Member, District 5

NOTE (included in envelope with above letter)
"I am outraged by the actions of this "principal" and those of District 5 Board Member Flores Aguilar. How they could let this linger on for so long infuriates me. It's never for the students, is it?" (I would otherwise proudly sign my name to this letter; however, I fear retaliation, especially against my son, a student at ERHS)

Cypress Park Memorial Celebration

May 24
The Friends of Cypress Park Community Improvement Association will again host special Memorial Day observances in Northeast Los Angeles on Saturday, May 24, 2008, beginning at 11 a.m. Activities start at the Cypress Park Veterans Memorial (at the intersection of Cypress Avenue and Pepper Avenue), in recognition of local veterans.
This traditional ceremony honoring all those who have served will also include a moving tribute to POW/MIA veterans, special speakers, music, and the raising of new flags over the Veterans Memorial.
Guest speakers are expected to include District 1 Los Angeles City Councilmember Ed P. Reyes and -- acting again as Master of Ceremonies -- L.A. County Military Veteran's Affairs Commission chairman Bob Archuleta.
Additional participants will include active duty members of the Army National Guard and the Franklin High School ROTC cadet squad.
The Memorial Day commemoration event at the Cypress/Pepper median is open to all. A light lunch will also be served for veterans and their guests at the nearby Cypress Park Recreation Center immediately following the event, hosted by the Friends of Cypress Park Community Improvement Association.
The Cypress Park Veterans Memorial is the product of large-scale volunteer work project completed by the Friends of Cypress Park in 2003 -- funded by a Los Angeles Neighborhood Matching Funds grant -- that converted a blighted concrete traffic median into a neighborhood garden and memorial site with new trees, flagpole and engraved bronze plaque honoring all local veterans. Friends of Cypress Park volunteers also regularly maintain the landscaping on the now five-year-old memorial site.
The Friends of Cypress Park Community Improvement Association, Inc. is a 501(c)3 non-profit service organization that welcomes new members and community volunteers. The group meets at 6:30 p.m. the first Monday of each month in the Los Feliz Room of the River Center in Cypress Park (570 W. Avenue 26, Los Angeles). The Friends oversee community improvement efforts working with Los Angeles city and county governments as well as other local community groups. For additional information on the May 24 event, or to be included on the list of Cypress Park veterans honored at each ceremony, please call John Ramirez of the Friends of Cypress Park at (323) 262-4570.

Northeast Blend
8th Annual Police Appreciation Day
On May 7, 2008 from 10:30am – 6pm, the Business for Law Enforcement Northeast Division (BLEND) is hosting the 8th Annual Police Appreciation Day to honor the Northeast Division Police Officers in our communities that place their lives on the line to protect and to serve. The Police Appreciation Day will be held at NE LAPD Station located at 3353 San Fernando Road. Over the years, BLEND has been a vital source of police, business support, and CPAB support for a variety of needs and continues to develop relationships with businesses and improvement districts to educate and inform business leaders on crime suppression in and around our area.
We hope to serve breakfast, lunch and dinner for the hard working officers and all personnel at Northeast as a way to say "Thank-you" for your commitment to the Northeast Community. We need your help with any assistance, food, donations, and time to make this annual event a success. Please contact Lucy Spurgeon at (323) 254-3725 to contribute a financial donation or to offer your assistance with Food, Refreshments, and delivery assistance. It is important to give generously with your support and appreciation of our finest officers in blue.

Captain's Message
As we begin the month of April, we have a slight decrease in violent crimes as compared to last month. Property crimes such as burglary, grand theft auto, burglary/theft from motor vehicle continue to be a big problem in our area. It is important to use some precautions in order to reduce these crimes. Do not leave valuables in plain view inside your vehicle. Remove any global positioning systems (GPS) from inside your vehicle. Never leave your keys in the ignition or your car running unattended. Consider purchasing an anti-car theft device such as an alarm or steering wheel lock. Please report any unusual behavior to the police.
It is with great pleasure that I announce the following Northeast Area personnel who were selected as Employees of the 1st Quarter of 2008:
Civilian of the Quarter- Sr. PSR Joanne Walsh Supervisor of the Quarter Sergeant I Sal Apodaca Detective of the Quarter Detective Ana Melara Officer of the Quarter Police Officer II Steven Aguilar These individuals are to be commended for their work ethic, commitment and dedication to their fellow employees, community and Department.
Finally, I would like to welcome Captain William A. Murphy from Training Division who has assumed the duties of Commanding Officer for the Northeast Area. I look forward to working with him and I wish him the best.
Sincerely,
Lance C. Smith, Captain
Patrol, Norheast Police Station