Feds Take Down Glassell Park Gang Leaders in Morning Raid

What's Next for a Street Called Drew?
by Tom Topping

TAKEDOWN - Federal and local law enforcement officials proudly display poster showing about 76 people who were indicted for criminal gang activities who are part of, or associated with, the Drew Street “Clique” of the Avenues gang.

With a flurry of flash-bang grenades, armor clad federal agents, swat teams and local police last month descended on the Drew-Estara area of Glassell Park, busting down doors, pointing their guns and seizing their criminal prey. The 4:00 a.m. raiders, numbering about 500, were armed with warrants for the arrest of those described as gang members and criminals, and later that day, Deputy City Attorneys armed with briefcases filed lawsuits against the owners of ten problem properties in the area.
A meeting held by CD13 L.A. City Councilperson Eric Garcetti to inform the community about what had happened earlier in the day, and what would be happening in the near future was held at 7:00 p.m. June 26, at the Glassell Park Community Center. Francisco Ortega, from the L.A. City Commission on Human Relations, was the meeting facilitator. He introduced Thomas P. O'Brien, the U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, only on the job eight months since being sworn in in October after being confirmed unanimously by the U.S. Senate. (He had worked in that office for seven years previous and in the DA's office for seven years before that in the hard core gang division.)
He explained the arrests were resulting from a 120 page indictment the federal grand jury handed down several weeks ago naming about seventy members of the Drew Street gang (described as a clique of the Avenues gang). The indictments were acquired after months of wire taps, video surveillance, undercover drug buys and informants.
Some of the charges they were indicted for include racketeering, conspiracy to tamper with witnesses, attempted murder of police officers, home invasion robberies and narcotics peddling. He said that unlike state charges, the federal charges against these gang members carry serious time. Those that are convicted will go to federal prisons in places like Arizona, South Dakota, Alabama, Massachusetts and other locations throughout the U.S.
The federal charges and prisons, he said, circumvent the possibility that a prisoner might connect with the Mexican Mafia, and extends the sentences in some cases, from 16 months to 20 years. Some of the indicted federal charges even carry life sentences, and all who plea or are convicted will do at least 85% of their time, with no parole.

U.S. Attorney Tom O’Brien and police officials allege that Francisco Real was the ring leader.

"This, we believe, is the largest joint federal and local law enforcement take-down in the history of the city of Los Angeles, and I promise you, it won't be our last," explained O'Brien. "We've taken down about 70 (gang members), that's about a third of Drew Street, and if anyone on Drew Street gets this message, we're not gone, and if you don't believe me, try me, we're her to stay."
L.A.P.D. Deputy Chief Diaz was up next.
"What I want to reassure the members of this community of, is we're very much aware that in the past, we've done these kind of operations- we came in there with a big splash, arrested people, and then we pull out, and we're aware of that, and you're aware of that, too. We're not pulling out."
Deputy Chief Diaz explained that the new Northeast Captain, Captain Murphy, has people that are going to be stationed there as long as it takes. They will be manning a mobile substation most of the day and night, every day, right at ground zero, right at the corner of Drew Street and Estara. They also insist that the L.A.P.D. will be watchful and not allow other Drew street members or any other gang to come in and fill the void created by this days "removing the heads" of the Drew Street gang.
Chief Diaz seemed to almost be taunting the remaining gang members as he relayed his expectation that the caught members will quickly turn and rat each other out. "After all, these aren't very brave people, they have no morals, they're cowards and we're aware of that so we're going to continue to work this," Diaz said. It is clear that they intend to go after the remaining members of the gang.
The Drew Estara neighborhood has been riddled for years with violence and gang activity, and got a lot of extra attention recently when they had a shoot-out with police. The area is marked by run down apartments, and is, incredibly, within a quarter mile away from the Northeast L.A.P.D. station. Residents of the area have long been trained to look the other way, and not see or hear any of the activity that takes place there regularly. The intimidation of the area is complete.
In addition to the arrests, one of the other ways officials claim Drew Estara area will be impacted is by the lawsuits brought by the City Attorney's office against property owners of 10 of the apartments there. They say the lawsuits will work to hold landlords and tenants responsible, to be responsible landlords and tenants. One Deputy City Attorney, Liora Foreman Echols, said they will be going to court right away on some of the landlords to impose terms on them such as, making them live in their apartments, screening tenants more carefully (or at all) and hiring armed security guards. They announced the properties facing lawsuit are; 3218 Drew, 3253-3259 Drew, 3407-3411 Drew, 3351 Drew, 3320 Chapman and 3244 (Drew or Chapman?).
Another way they plan to clean up the area is to literally clean it up. Removing tennis shoes off the telephone wires, painting out graffiti, hauling away trash and bulky items, and planting new street trees for the beautification of the area is all part of the plan. (I ran into senior lead officer Red Falconer the next day. His face was redder than ever as he had spent his morning there assisting in the graffiti removal refuse pickup. A trip down there on Monday the 30th, showed that to be true. Almost no graffiti could be seen anywhere, and even the graffiti on the street surface was painted over.)
Councilman Eric Garcetti said, "For a long time there's a feeling among some that there's been a sense of abandonment from city government, not just from the police department but from officials across the board. This (action today) is so that you can restore your faith in the city. I want to leave office knowing that your only team that will protect you is not the Avenues gang, it's the Los Angeles Police Department. That is your team, they're here with you and they're here to stay."
The meeting was then opened to questions from the community.
One of the concerns was whether they would be going after illegal aliens. U.S. Attorney O'Brien said they would only go after illegal alien gang members who had been convicted of aggravated felonies, not simple ones.
"We're not going through Home Depot parking lots and sweeping up people, we're not picking up gardeners and we're not picking up hard working people who work in the community. We're going after illegal alien gang members," he declared.
Would the gang members be bailed out tonight? "No!" said O'Brien. "They're going to be in federal custody."
Finally, the checkered past and hurtful experiences that many in this community have with the L.A.P.D. came out. "Is the L.A.P.D. taking innocent people and making false accusations to make cases?" the question rang out.
"No," said Diaz.
"What about someone who has turned their life around? Will they be targeted just because they used to be in a gang?"

CD13 Councilman Eric Garcetti addresses the community at Glassell Park Community Center. Seated, from right, are U.S. Attorney Tom O’Brien, L.A.P.D. Deputy Chief Diaz, and Northeast Division Captain Murphy. Community members and media packed the room.

What would be a peaceful tree lined street is like an occupied war zone, as uniformed officers respond to one of the “problem” apartments. Down near the intersection you can see the L.A.P.D. mobile command center. Notice the trees with graffiti painted out.

Councilman Garcetti jumped right in and explained that previously there was no formal process to get a person removed from the list of known gang members. But the city council passed an ordinance that allows a former gang member to fill out a form, asking to be removed. Of course that only starts a process where the person is investigated to see if he or she is really out of the gangs or not. "We do do our homework," Garcetti said.
Assistant Chief Diaz, was not so accommodating, however.
Diaz said, "That last question was, 'what if the kid has turned his life around, he's not in gangs, but he's still hanging around.' Let's face it- he shouldn't hang around... I'm trying to lose weight; I don't hang around a bakery (which drew a big laugh), and if you're a gang member and you want to get out of gang activity, you gotta get out of the neighborhood; you gotta stop hangin' around!"
A youngish woman was concerned that she would be harassed as if she was a gang member, and that she would be targeted for speaking out. You could see the hurt and the mistrust of the police on her face. She was quickly interrupted by an intolerant pro-police community member, who basically tried to shout her down, and cut her off. The back and forth was allowed to go on for several minutes, until facilitator Ortega stepped in, assured the woman that she had a valid question, and then, in fact, did cut her off by reminding all that the meeting was about what happened that morning, and not about her issue of mistrust of the police (I'm not sure you can separate the two).
Behind the police and city officials was a board showing photographs of 77 of the people targeted for their various illegal activities. Under the name of each allegations are listed of what they are indicted for. Murder. Drugs. Threatening to kill witnesses. Robbery. Firearms. 67 men and 10 women. 3 are identified as associates of the Mexican Mafia. Four others as part of the Catalan family drug supplier. Another photo showed a for rent sign from one of the apartment buildings labeled "no snitches."
I went down to the intersection of Drew and Estara on Monday. I wanted to get a photo of the mobile command post there. Because of the mobile unit, and a black and white right up the street, I felt fairly safe, but not safe enough to look very closely at anyone, or any property there. My mind called up TV images of a post-surge war-torn Iraqi neighborhood. The tension was measurable, and uncomfortable. This is a place up for grabs between the forces of evil, and the not-so-evil.
But it is an improvement. Gone are the tennies thrown over the telephone wires to signify "drugs available here." Gone is the majority of graffiti. But these folks have seen it before. The natives, the little old men and ladies, walk the sidewalks keeping their eyes down. The little baby in the stroller smiles and looks all around as momma keeps her eyes trained on the little one. They've seen the police come. They've seen the police go. They're still here. They never left. Every other time, the gangs never left either.
At the end of the block, a hefty lad, looking not too bright, maybe 16, is dressed in an oversized new white t-shirt. He wears black pants, a shaved head, and with nothing else to do, looks emptily at me and my car as I head for Fletcher drive. He has a strange look on his face. It's not fear. It's not anger. It's more like confusion. It's a lack of direction. His heroes, his bosses, his neighbors, his friends, have vanished. Who's calling the shots now? What do I do next? Who is the role model now that I can copy? Just as I was learning the rules of this game, where do I turn to learn the rules for this brand new one?
The raid. The clean-up. The promise of multitudinous resources. But where does this leave him? What is he going to do now? Who is going to push him the right way? Will basketball 'til midnight be enough to do it? Will it take a whole lot more? Or will everyone again forget all about him and a street called Drew?

High School in Taylor Yard Breaks Ground- Price Still Not Set by Tom Topping

School, State and City Officials are assisted by community members and Franklin High Cheer Team as they break ground, starting construction of the new High School in Glassell Park.

A good showing of community members showed up for the new Glassell Park/ Cypress Park area High School groundbreaking ceremony. They were joined by City Councilman Ed Reyes, Assemblywoman Jackie Goldberg and many LAUSD officials, some of whom actually had put a lot of hard work into bringing the vision of this School (officially called Central High School #13) into reality.
Boulevard Sentinel readers will remember that the road to acquiring the property for the new school was a rather bumpy one after property investor/ speculator Meruelo/Maddox company stepped in and purchased the property from under the LAUSD property negotiator's noses. Months of legal proceedings turned into years as the LAUSD slowly lowered the cage of eminent domain around the subject property and its masters.
Mysteriously, at one point, tons of toxic waste showed up on the land, the cleanup of which had to be completely covered by taxpayers through the LAUSD. All the while, the LAUSD property acquisition team of Susan Kline and Tom Calhoun plodded along and finally prevailed in their "Right to Take" challenge, finally giving the LAUSD possession of the property.
Laymen reporters, like me, took to thinking that the legal challenge would be over, and the only thing left to do was the construction. We were wrong.
Oh, they got the construction going sure enough, but like an elephant ready for a nap, or an earthquake waiting to happen, the inevitable crash may surprise everyone as final price is decided.
Final price? Isn't it decided?
No, my friends, the final price is not. The decision of that rests in the respectively fumbling and slippery hands of the LAUSD and Meruelo/Maddox. They are engaged in a court mandated mediation process, and if they can't come to terms, that is, agree on the price, they're going to go to trial to have the court determine the price.

Artist rendition of New High School

How high will it go?
LAUSD Superintendent David Brewer was there to participate in the days groundbreaking ceremony. I watched and listened as a local radio reporter got him to talking about how wonderful they all were doing, to build this new school, as well as many others. His animated and well rehearsed response, I'm sure, would have made the Mayor proud, but when I stepped in asking him how high the price might go, and would the citizens of L.A. be held hostage, he wasn't quite so glib.
"Oh no, we'll have a limit on the price, I don't have exactly what the price is right now, but we have a limit." With that he added, "Thank you," and he was gone.
At that point I was reeled in by LAUSD press handlers, who offered the fattened calf of the property team, Tom Calhoun, to assuage my blood lust for the scoop on the purchase price negotiations.
I persisted in my questioning about the citizens being "held hostage." Could it go as high as $100 million?
"I think that's a preposterous number, that you throw out there," Calhoun snapped. "I don't think that's reality- but I think what we're talking about is what's reasonable, what the court sees as reasonable, and that both sides will come to a mutual agreement, hopefully through a mediated settlement or if not it will go to trial." He paused and added, going back to his friendly PR voice, "We're very happy to have this school here and the community needs it."

School Board member Yolie Flores Aguilar, District 4 Superintendent Richard Alonzo, and CD 1 Councilman Ed Reyes each had their turns at the microphone, all saying about what we would expect them to say. The Franklin High School cheer team performed to liven things up a bit, and nice food was provided by some local restaurants.
But the best was saved for last. David Tokofsky, former school board member took to the microphone and acknowledged Jackie Goldberg for her role in this. Through this process she had been first a School Board member, then an L.A. City Councilperson, and then a State Assemblywoman.
Tokofsky said, "When this became a controversial battle, she (Goldberg) brought us all together, kept our eyes on the prize, helped us divide up the responsibilities, and kept us focused on what was needed in this area to relieve (the overcrowded adjacent schools.)"
He acknowledged a few others, but it seemed less of an acknowledgment and more of a contrived segway to try and light a fire under the LAUSD inspector general's office to find out which insider helped Meruelo by giving him inside information about the pending sale, which helped him out maneuver the LAUSD for the property in the first place. (Local blogger's have their own guesses about who did the deed- you have to check out that out for yourself).

Tokofsky then ended his comments in his typical maverick style by saying in Spanish, "A todos padres y todos de la comunidad... ," (I couldn't get the rest) and added, "And for those of you that don't speak Spanish, learn it... even though LAUSD does not require it, it should be a requirement, just the same as math, science, history and language."
The new High School is scheduled to be completed in 2011, will serve about 2250 students. It still does not have an official name other than Central High School 13, and at least one group, the Highland Park Heritage trust is propelling the idea of it being named Charles F. Lummis High School, after perhaps the most notable of Northeast Los Angeles' early residents.

Early Morning Fire on Eagle Rock Bl.
On Saturday, June 21, 2008 at 5:43 PM, 9 Companies of Los Angeles Firefighters, 2 LAFD Rescue Ambulances, 1 Arson Unit, 1 Urban Search and Rescue Unit, 2 EMS Battalion Captains, 2 Battalion Chief Officer Command Teams, 1 Division Chief Officer Command Team, all under the direction of Battalion Chief Gerry Malais, responded to a Greater Alarm Structure Fire at 4567 N. Eagle Rock Bl. in the Eagle Rock area.
The first Firefighters arriving on scene found smoke coming from the rear of a 2 story apartment building. Further investigation found the laundry room fully engulfed in flames, exposing an adjacent 1st floor apartment. Firefighters expeditiously advanced hose lines to confine the fire to the room of origin and the exposure, while the roof top ventilation team focused on a small amount of fire which had gotten into the attic. During the fire fight, an Emergency Traffic message was transmitted warning Firefighters of a possible electrical hazard, power lines from pole into the apartment complex, had dropped into the immediate area. DWP was requested to assist with the electrical hazard.
62 Firefighters took 17 minutes to call a knockdown on the fire. 2 people were transported at the conclusion of the incident. A female 73, was transported in stable condition for smoke and heat related symptoms and a child was transported from the scene with symptoms unrelated to the incident. The cause of the fire is undetermined and the dollar estimate will be tabulated at the completion of the fire investigation. The Red Cross was called to assist a family of four ( 2 adults, 2 children) with their housing needs. The fire involved unit did have functional alarms which enabled them to safely exit the building.

Occidental Plaza Opens - Eagle Rock and Highland Park Chamber representatives assist Councilman José Huizar and developer Paul Pagnone at the grand opening of the Longs drugstore and Occidental Plaza at York and Eagle Rock boulevards.

March of Peace in the Northeast - August 16
by Stan Moore
On April 4, at its monthly meeting, the Church of The City/NELA Ministerial Association (50 plus churches/denominations meeting together for changing Northeast Los Angeles and increasing justice) first learned about the problems of violence and gang recruitment at Luther Burbank Middle School. Captain William Murphy, the new LAPD leader for the Northeast Division, said "You should sponsor a 'Peace in the Northeast' march. If you do, I will march with you." Quickly the idea grew. At its May meeting by consensus the NELA/Highland Park churches agreed to have a march for peace on August 16 and a week later on Saturday, August 23, to have a "Back to School Backpack Give-A-Way" at Avenue 54 and Figueroa.
Many community groups are joining in, including the Anahauk Soccer Asso., the Historic Highland Park Neighborhood Council, the HP Kiwanis Club, the HP Chamber of Commerce, City Councilmembers Eric Garcetti (president of the City Council), Jose Huizar and Ed Reyes. L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's office is trying to place it on the Mayor's schedule for August 16 at 10 a.m.
A core group of about 14 are the planning the march. The next meeting is at Victory Outreach at 42nd. and Eagle Rock Blvd. at 5 p.m. New groups and new planners from the present coalition are welcome to join in the planning for the day.
Present plans are to begin gathering at 9:30 a.m. at the Senior Citizen Center and Veterans Memorial at York and Figueroa. At 10 a.m. some of the gathered political officials will speak briefly and by 10:30 a.m. the march will begin. We will need money for flyers and posters, for water and food for the anticipated 2,000 marchers when they arrive at Victory Outreach between 11:30 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. Present plans call for booths informing the marchers of community resources available to the Northeast communities, a 15 car exhibition, and music (community bands). The planners hope that the participating groups will march behind banners identifying themselves. After the march is over, and while people are being refreshed with food and punch, we hope that there will be a time of networking within and between the participating organizations.
Any contributions to help cover expenses will be gratefully received. We want to make this an event that will encourage togetherness within our communities in northeast L.A. It is easy to feel lost, detached and worse, disengaged in our huge city. We hope that this will not be a one time event. Next year we hope for a later date to avoid summer heat and a different route. For more information please call (323) 258-7878.

VOICE IN THE EAGLE ROCK WILDERNESS
Wild Food in Eagle Rock
by Christopher Nyerges
A reporter once asked me whether or not the collection and use of wild foods is truly a viable activity in and around urban areas. "Would there really be enough food if everyone tried to simply live off the land today?" he asked with sincerity. Such a question implies that the only reason to learn about wild foods is so you can make a meal if and when you happen to survive a massive catastrophe which wipes out stores and the transportation system.
Nevertheless, if we in Eagle Rock should suffer a major disaster of some sort, the answer to the reporter'S question is No, there is not enough food growing wild here with all the paved-over highways and homes to support such a massive population for much more than a few days -- if that. This is a theoretical answer since the majority of urban dwellers are not likely to know what to eat and not eat from the wild. Furthermore, since many regard "eating weeds" as a fate worse than death, they'd not likely resort to eating from the wild unless they really were close to death.
Southern California is an ecological anomaly. There are so many people packed in so little space that there is insufficient local water supplies to deal with the needs of these people. This is why at least 85% of the water needs of Southern California come from hundreds of miles away.
Sometimes, this point leads us to a discussion of over-population which drives all other ecological crises. But generally, when discussing such topics with reporters, I attempt to steer the conversation into more practical here-and-now topics.
For example, there need not be an 8.0 earthquake, or a major flood, or widespread blackouts, in order to find reasons to learn about the benefits of wild plants.
I have been getting more and more queries from folks who want to start using wild foods. They are driven by economic hard times, but are also very interested in the nutritional value of wild foods.
According to data from the FDA, the nutritional content of most of the "common wild edibles" far exceeds that of the common domestic vegetables. This information can be found in Analysis of Food, published by the FDA.
Some examples of the great nutritional value of wild foods: purslane is the richest plant source of Omega 3 fatty acids. Dandelions are the richest source of beta carotene (more than carrots, pound for pound). Curly dock, regarded as an agricultural pest, is one of the richest sources of vitamin A. Lambs quarters (the leaves and seeds) is a rich source of vitamins and minerals. When you consume the greens, it is as if you are eating a natural "mineral tablet." Carob pods, common on Southern California streets, are about three times richer in calcium than the equivalent amount of milk. Chickweed -- the bane of gardeners, including Martha Stewart who suggests you rid it from your garden as soon as you see it -- is actually a vitamin C rich leaf which is delicious in salads. These are just a few examples!
Not only that, quite a few people are amazed how flavorful and delicious a wild food salad can be. Commercially farm-grown food seems to have lost more and more of its flavor as the "scientists" seem more concerned about developing commercial crops that resist bugs and can be transported without bruising. Nutrition and flavor have taken a back seat to these more pragmatic concerns of the "food industry."
If these were not enough good reasons to learn about wild foods, there is also the good feeling that comes with knowing you are just a little bit more self-reliant. I began my own pursuit of ethno-botany when I wanted to reduce the weight of the food in my backpack, and simultaneously wanted to experience first-hand how generations of people lived in past centuries. I could not help but smiling when I ate wild food meals, knowing that I "ate for free," and that the nutritional content was really higher than anything in the local supermarket.
The same applies to whether or not there is sufficient wild food (and backyard food, for that matter) to feed everyone in the city. IF we plan to have food, and IF we know how to improve the soil, everyone in the city could certainly provide some of their food, all the time.
This means you plant fruit trees, not exotic ornamentals. This means you don't pave everything over. This means you forego the pointless front lawn for a combination vegetable, herb, and wild food garden. This means you quit tossing away all your kitchen and yard scraps, and begin making compost so you're constantly improving your own soil. It means you learn about wild foods, and you treat them not as "weeds" but as the valuable plants they are.
[Nyerges is a manager at the Tuesday Highland Park Farmers Market, editor of Wilderness Way magazine, and author of "How to Survive Anywhere." He can be reached at Box 41834, Eagle Rock, CA 90041, or www.ChristopherNyerges.com]

Highland Park- Monte Vista Street Fire
On Thursday, June 26, 2008 at 8:01 PM, 15 Companies of Los Angeles Firefighters, 5 LAFD Rescue Ambulances, 1 Arson Unit, 2 Urban Search and Rescue Units, 1 Rehab Unit, 1 Hazardous Materials Team, 1 EMS Battalion Captain, 4 Battalion Chief Officer Command Teams, 1 Division Chief Officer Command Team, Emergency Air 1, DWP, LAPD, DOT and Building and Safety, all under the direction of Assistant Chief Terrance Manning, responded to a MAJOR EMERGENCY Structure Fire at 5233 E. Monte Vista St. in the Highland Park area.
The first arriving Firefighters on scene, found a 4 story, "C" shaped, center hallway apartment building with heavy smoke and fire showing from a unit on the 4th floor. Occupants of the building were self evacuating "out" as Firefighters raced "in" to establish hoselines in the fast growing fire. Reports from the roof team indicated the first heat holes were emitting large amounts of fire, prompted the Incident Commander to increase firefighting efforts with additional companies. The roof team provided an aggressive ventilation effort, cutting several heat holes and eventually creating a strip to gain control of the fire. The roof team also initiated an offensive fire attack with hoselines from the roof after interior Firefighters were withdrawn from the immediate area, knocking down the bulk of the fire, enabling interior handlines to be re-established. 34 minutes into the fire fight there was a partial roof collapse and a PAR (Personnel Accountability Report) was initiated.
It took 111 Firefighters 1 hour 10 minutes to call a knock down on the fire. There were 11 units deemed uninhabitable for residents and the Red Cross was requested for rehousing assistance for the displaced families. The cause and dollar loss estimate will be determined at the completion of the investigation. There were no reports of injury.

Annual Highland Park Car Show

The 25th Annual Highland Park Car Show was fun, trouble-free and attracted all the right kind of people, as this photo plainly shows.

Cruisin’ with Mary

Hello fans, foes, and friends, or as I call you, the 3-F's…! This past month has been a sad and painful one for the Eagle Rockin' Rodders, whose members sustained losses of all kinds, all the way around. It was also a test of friendship to see who our real friends really are!
Former club President, Kirk Munday and his wife Terrye, had a devastating garage fire resulting in a major loss of tools, camping gear, irreplaceable family memorabilia, a lawn mower and edger, as well as various items owned by the club, including our Cruise-In sign. This doesn't even begin to describe all that was burned, melted, or smoke, water, or foam damaged. The fire started in the green yard clipping trash bin which had grass clippings that composted down and then combusted into flame, melting both the green & blue bins and catching the garage and pine tree on fire. This is the official finding of the Fire Dept. We had fire trucks from three local stations: Colorado Blvd., York Blvd., and San Fernando Rd. There were about six fire trucks and as usual they did a fast, efficient job of putting out the fire and keeping it from spreading to Kirk's house as well as the neighbors. Thanks to the awesome Fire Dept. for all their hard work as well as DWP for restoring the power to the house quickly. Both of them were more than wonderful!

Quick thinking and action on the part of Kirk and Terrye's oldest kids, Craig and Lacey, saved the life of the bunny, Mr. Floppy Ears, who was housed very near where the fire started. Four garden hoses (with poor water pressure!), two neighbors and the kids saved Kirk's Nova and truck from going up in flames. Like many hot rod families, the majority of the "family jewels" were in the garage, driveway and backyard. The fire was so hot it cracked the windshield of Kirk's Nova, which sustained some damage but is still drivable!
Luckily, no one was hurt, the two cats and bunny were very scared by all the noise and smoke but basically were OK. We all are so grateful because it could have been so much worse. Within hours, friends, neighbors, and club members came forward with food, water, ice, drinks, gifts, and gift cards as well as actual man power to help clean out the garage and start sorting stuff out. The Eagle Rockin' Rodders gave the family a generous cash donation as did the Trompers car club. It was interesting to observe who was kind, generous, or just basically sympathetic, as well as who was nasty and petty. Then you have the mean neighbor who called the Fire Inspector to report their backyard was a "fire hazard!" Excuse me, the fire had already happened and the piles of debris in the backyard were being sorted out for saving, recycling, or just hauling away. Imagine having to deal with all this chaos and mess and the Fire Inspector knocks on your door to say someone turned you in. He had been there the night of the fire, told Terrye she had time to remove the debris and was furious that a vicious neighbor wasted his precious time.
Amy Peters, former club secretary, lost her dad last month after a lengthy illness. Our thoughts, prayers, and sympathy go out to Amy, her mom, and daughters, Maddie and Misty. While not on the loss-scale of a fire or death of a parent, Hemi Tom and I also took a hit, with the death of our 14 year old Great Dane/Greyhound mix, Moot. Everyone who know this sweet dog agreed she was more human than dog, and she is truly missed.
OK, to car club news, however brief. Our June cruise in had fairly low attendance. The weather was hot but not as unbearable as it had been the prior week. I'm not sure what is going on with cruise-in attendance.

The majority of the Eagle Rockin' Rodders participated in the Burbank Road Kings Car Show and picnic on June 8. It was a fun, mellow day, which we spent in lawn chairs under the big shady trees.
Concerts in the Park kicks off Sun. July 13 with a live 50's concert with Ronnie and the Classics and a car show hosted by the Eagle Rockin' Rodders. Bring your own picnic and blankets and party on the lawn at Eagle Vista Park. This is always lots of family fun, with vendors, food, music, and hot rods. What's not to love? See you there- have a safe, fire-free Fourth of July - and keep on Cruizin'!
(Author Mary Garson is a life-long resident of Eagle Rock)

In Consideration
of Woman
Daniel F. Martinez
Solo Exhibition -
July 5th to July 31st
José Vera Fine Art & Antiques is pleased to present a solo exhibition, "In Consideration of Woman", featuring artwork by established California artist Daniel F. Martinez, from Saturday, July 5th to Thursday, July 31st. The opening reception is Saturday, July 12th, from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Martinez is a fine artist, muralist, fashion illustrator, and designer. He was the Artist-in- Residence at the Museum of Latin American Art in Long Beach for four years. His main thematic focus is the woman, whom he respects and reveres. He depicts her in vibrant color using a variety of media. He examines and celebrates women of diverse ethnicities on multiple levels and in different settings. She is powerfully portrayed in romantic, exotic, and mundane environments.
We see her swaying and dancing to Latin rhythms. We find her on a solo vacation; shopping with unlimited purchasing power; dining and dreaming of past lovers and recent secret encounters. Martinez also sensitively probes the female psyche, a woman's innermost dreams and desires, her complicated and unpredictable spirit, attitude, frustrations, passions, and fantasies. In other works, Daniel deliberates upon the woman in a social context, such as in "Service With a Smile", where a cocktail waitress serves drunkards at happy hour. She endures their gestures and bawdy comments to pay for her college education. In his "Garden of Love," a montage of textured fabric materials that portray one of Martinez's female friends, the layers of fabric represent the inner tiers of her personality and her transformation through the years that he has known her.
Daniel is perhaps the most famous muralist in Long Beach, CA. His murals most often focus on diverse ethnicities and cultures, with an emphasis on non-dominant cultures of the Americas. Martinez says, "I love the community in which I live, the ability to share my artistic talents with the public, the cultural traditions of my heritage. Experiencing the cultural differences of the ethnicities in Southern California makes my life more enriched."
Special Children's Hands On Art Event On Saturday, 7/26, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Daniel Martinez will engage children in painting a mural, and in other supervised art activities. All children and their parents are invited to participate.
For Visuals Or Further Information Please Contact:
José Vera Fine Art & Antiques
2012 Colorado Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90041
In Historic Eagle Rock. The cross street is Maywood
Avenue. Ample street parking is available.
323.258.5050
http://www.joseveragallery.com/
Gallery Hours: Wednesdays to Sundays, 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Moryork Gallery Presents:
MORYORK GALLERY PRESENTS NEW CERAMIC AND ASSEMBLAGE WORK BY PASADENA ARTIST DAVE LOVEJOY.
MorYork Gallery presents Out of Order – Artifacts of an Alternate Reality, an exhibition of ceramics and assemblage works by Pasadena artist Dave Lovejoy. Lovejoy is a maker, utilizing whatever materials fit the need. Trained as a ceramic artist, his recent work includes mixed-media and assemblage. He has won several awards, most recently a grant from the City of Pasadena, and has been named one of the "Art Stars of California" by Art in California magazine.
About the Exhibition
Out of Order – Artifacts of an Alternate Reality is a collection of new and recent work by Dave Lovejoy, both in clay and assemblage. As an artist working in two media linked to different traditions of artmaking, Lovejoy seems at ease with the juxtaposition of clay and assemblage. "I appreciate old, weathered surfaces - the textures and colors of forgotten warehouses and old industrial structures - and the stories contained in everyday things, through years of use," Lovejoy says. "My artistic direction has always involved an exploration of these aged finishes, primarily in clay.
Likewise, his assemblage works hint at some unknown purpose, as if they're relics of an alternate past. "I think on some level it must be annoying to people because it looks like it should do something," Lovejoy says. "But to me, it's just whatever action you would imagine, frozen in time."
Lovejoy is an artist in residence at the Gallery at the End of the World in Altadena, where he teaches ceramics classes in raku firing techniques.
Location and Hours: MorYork Gallery is located at 4959 York Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90042. The opening reception will be Saturday, July 12th, from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM as part of the NELA (North East Los Angeles) Second Saturday Art Night. The exhibition is viewable by appointment through August 2nd.

Sangeet Student Recital
Sunday, June 29th, 4pm
Hear talented students of sitar,vocal, cello, bass & tabla!
Performances by disciples & students of Sruti Sadolikar, Rajeev Taranath, Jagan Ramamoorthy, Ramesh Kumar, Paul Livingstone, & Hemant Ekbote.
Featuring:
Aakash Pujara, Casey Farman, Courtney DuCaine, Dana Harlow, Frances Pulone Kent Kruse, Neal Kumar, Pete Jacobson, Ritika Dutta & Sandeep Sriram
Special accompanists: Ramesh Kumar, Jagan Ramamoorthy, Anthony Baray, Paul Livingstone & Chris 'Khal' Moore
Guest of Honor:
Mala Ganguly
Location: Hathaway Family Resource Center, 840 North Ave 66, Los Angeles CA 90042.

Free Food, Music and Kids'Games At
Mt. Washington Assn July 20 Meeting
A concert of boleros by Mateo Stoneman, prize-winning cuisine by James Beard Award-nominated chefs Jaime Ramirez and Ramiro Aryizu plus plenty of activities for families and kids will be featured at the Mount Washington Association's annual "Summer Fun" meeting, on Sunday July 20. The festivities will take place noon-2pm in the shaded courtyard of the Southwest Museum, 234 Museum Drive.
Mateo Stoneman, a frequent guest on public radio station KPCC's popular "Offramp," had developed a repertoire of classic boleros from the 30's, 4-0's and 50's. Self-accompanied on an acoustic guitar, his repertoire will be a perfect complement to the cuisine of Chefs Jaime Martin Del Campo and Ramiro Arvizu, nominated as "Best Chefs, Pacific" by the James Beard Foundation and hosts of a regular cooking segment on Univision's Channel 34. (The other 2008 Los Angeles James Beard nominees include the chefs of famed high-end restaurants, Providence, Sona and Joe's)
Chefs Del Campo and Arvizu have been operating the tiny Casita Mexicana in Bell, Ca, for the past five years and, despite their out-of-the-way location and modestly appointed setting, have drawn a fanatically loyal clientele and rave reviews from major publications. They will be opening their second restaurant closer to Northeast L.A. (on Rowena Avenue in Silverlake) in just a few months.
In addition to the food and music, the afternoon's program will feature a full slate of kids' activities, including apple bobbing and "Marco Polo." Admission, food and entertainment is free to all Mount Washington residents and our Northeast L.A. neighbors.
For information, call 818-535-9178.

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