|
Monument Christening
Helen and David Gustafason, after about five years of planning and
building and shoveling and sweating, accept congratulations from 14th
District Councilman Jose Huizar. Here, they join the rest of the group of
community members who volunteered on the monument project at the
dedication ceremony last month.
Problems Parking on Townsend
Parking pilot program sets neighbors up..
Neighborhood Council lets ‘em down
by Tom Topping
It looks like the age old conflict between Eagle Rock residents and
businesses is starting to buck and roar again, after a group of neighbors
met last month to complain about their parking woes. In a meeting
organized by Eagle Rock Council area rep Craig Powell, residents from
Townsend Avenue, just north of Colorado, got together to complain about
what they say is excessive parking on their street, due to the recently
opened new businesses at Colorado and Townsend.
Eagle Rock Chamber of Commerce President, Michael Nogueira, attended the
meeting and reported residents complaining about not having a place to
park, about their driveways being blocked and their city trash barrels
being moved by folks parking to patronize the Cardio Barre workout studio
and the Loft hair Salon. Businesses were complaining, as well, with Craig
Powell, owner of Pollen Florist shop (in the same building) representing
he was losing places for his customers to park. (He was a tenant there
before the others) Their meeting adjourned with a goal to invite the
businesses involved to a round table discussion, hoping a solution could
be worked out to satisfy everyone.
Though conflicts between residents and businesses are nothing new in Eagle
Rock, this particular situation has only arisen now, because of recent
changes in local law that have allowed businesses to open without having
to provide any parking.
That change in law was an amendment to the Colorado Boulevard Specific
Plan in 2006. That amendment allows businesses needing parking to pay a
fee to the city instead of providing actual parking spaces for their
clients to park. In this case, it allowed a business that would have
needed about 30 parking spaces to open without any parking at all. It was
the "plan"..., the "Eagle Rock Community Parking Pilot Area" plan that was
created to allow businesses to come in, and because it is working, the
Townsend residents are unhappy.
Although in most cases, no notice to the public is required to buy these
spaces. Only an application and a payment is needed, but in this instance,
it required approval because the floor area of the business in question
was too large, meaning it would use up a lot of those scarce parking
credits. It would require a public hearing.
As in many issues having to do with Land Use in Eagle Rock, most of the
community groups get a chance to have their say. The Eagle Rock
Neighborhood Council (ERNC) is one that also must reach out to affected
stakeholders to get their input as well. They did that and considered the
Cardio Barre parking issue at their August 2008 land use committee
meeting.
Neighbors showed up and shared concerns about parking. Land use committee
members voiced concerns as well. According to Land Use member Clark
Thomas, the owners of the Cardio Barre, an attractive pair of sisters,
were sent away with the admonition that they provide nine (9) REAL parking
spaces before they could be allowed to open. Later, at the September 9
meeting of the full Neighborhood Council, that position was confirmed.
At both these meetings, stakeholders, committee and council members took
their time, energy and effort to show up, consider and comment on the
Cardio Barre proposal. They expected that they had had their say. Little
did they know their efforts would be for nothing.
It is still not clear what did happen, but what was supposed to happen was
that a recommendation letter from the Neighborhood Council was supposed to
have been written and forwarded to the powers that be, who would have read
and at least considered it before their decision was made. However, what
was supposed to happen never did. L.A. City Planning Department records
show that the letter of recommendation was either never written, never
sent or never received by the ones ultimately in charge of making the
decision.
So, because of this, a lot of efforts went for nothing, and, according to
Colorado Boulevard Specific Plan Design Review Board (DRB) member Frank
Parello, the decision makers, in this case that same DRB who hold their
meetings in this community, never even knew that the Neighborhood Council
had considered this application and made a recommendation.
Ironically, if even one of the people who came to speak at the meeting had
written a separate letter regarding the Cardio Barre, it would have had
more force and effect than all that work and time the Eagle Rock
Neighborhood Council and Land Use Committee had spent on it, because they
were completely silent as far as the DRB knew.
It may not have made any difference anyway though, as the DRB saw the
Cardio Barre a few giant pirouettes up from the last business to consider
that space, the Fat Dogg Lounge. The approval was granted to allow them to
buy the parking credits, costing about $700 a year, payable to the L.A.
City Department of Transportation, which allowed them to open.
Townsend Avenue residents, however, were still mad about something. So
mad, in fact, that one household appealed the approval. It did stop the
opening of the Cardio Barre for a while, but caused that Townsend
household a lot of pain, too.
Land Use Chair Aranaga was calling, and one of the Cardio girls was
knocking at the door, both trying to get the Paulsons to withdraw their
appeal. When Aranaga told community members it was fellow neighborhood
councilmember Virginia Paulson who was preventing the Cardio Barre from
opening, the pressure became greater. Then, when the sisters came up with
new conditions promising to direct their patrons away from parking on
Townsend, the Paulsons relented, and withdrew their appeal. Viginia said
she felt like she had been targeted and slammed for trying to protect her
Townsend Avenue neighbors. ERNC member Craig Powell reported that Aranaga
used the word 'despicable' in the ERNC meeting, referring to Mrs. Paulson,
a senior citizen.
How bad is the problem?
Townsend Avenue is not as free as it was in years past, the addition of
the dance class/workout studio and hair salon have made an impact. A few
hours of observation saw 8 to 12 people coming and going every hour on the
1/2 hour, during morning and afternoon dance class schedules.
They start arriving at about 20 minutes after the hour, and continue to
arrive until 35 after, at which time the previous class of students is
leaving. The majority of students were observed to park half on Colorado
and half on Townsend, with a few more parking in the liquor store lot, and
some walking in.
However, for that 10 minute period around the 1/2 hour mark when classes
start and end, both sessions of students are parked there at the same
time, half of them having just arrived, and the other half not having
quite left yet. This uses most, if not all, of the parking on lower
Townsend and Colorado Bl.
But the parking is not that bad. It's really not that bad. Not that bad
compared to Vincent Avenue when Casa Bianca is open. And not that bad
compared to noontime La Roda Avenue, when all the city workers are getting
their submarine sandwiches at the Italian Bakery. And not that bad
compared to La Roda Avenue on Friday evening when the Cafe Beaujolais and
the adjacent Thai restaurant are in full swing. Oh... Oh yeah... Maybe
there is a slight problem.
 |
| On Saturday morning at 8:35, there does not seem to be much of a
problem with parking on Townsend. The Cardio Barre client’s Toyota SUV at
right was parked the furthest up the street, and was only three houses up
from the alley |
For now, the status will remain the same. Cardio Barre's patrons will
continue to come and go in their luxury cars and late model SUV's. Minor
violations of their promised conditions of operation will probably be
ignored, although it would help things if they really did encourage their
clients not to park on Townsend, when plenty of spaces are on Colorado so
close by. It might help if they adjusted their class times, too. Do all
the classes really need to start and end on the 1/2 hour mark?
ERCPR President Linda Allen (mother of the parking pilot program) just
wants everyone to get along. ERNC member and Townsend resident Virginia
Paulson says the parking plan, "...wasn't worth the paper it was printed
on." ERNC President Stephen Early, responsible for seeing to it that the
ERNC recommendation gets to where it should go, maintains that it was
sent, but must it have got lost in the shuffle of paperwork downtown.
Unfortunately, he says he has to leave town tomorrow, and can't get me a
copy of the letter that he claims was sent.
Finally, Land Use Chair Bob Aranaga has resigned over the matter, and he
won't return my telephone calls asking about it. He e-mailed me a letter
that he says was forwarded to the Planning Department, and it could be
real, but I kinda doubt it. Interestingly, it was written with a
letterhead that was originally for a posted agenda, still headed by the
phrase, "Keep this official document posted until June 26, 2008." And it
has the wrong case number as well. Mistakes that might be made if someone
was in a hurry to put such a letter together.
His accompanying message states, "Attached is the copy of the letter
forwarded to the City of Los Angeles. Why it is not on file is a
discussion for the Planning Department." He was clearly trying to deflect
the blame onto them for it not being in the case file.
Just for fun, I asked if he could show me any evidence that he had not
just created the letter then. He then sent me a contract he wanted me to
sign and date affirming that I wouldn’t modify his evidence, which was a
Word document computer file, before he would send it to me.
Hmm... Why worry about somebody changing the creation date on a computer
file unless you knew how easily it could be done?
And by the way, copies of public records are public BY STATE LAW. And all
those Neighborhood Council Files are Public Records. To even ask for any
conditions before releasing a PUBLIC DOCUMENT is not allowed under the
California Public Records Act.
Tom Henry, a City Planner in charge of that case, stated that no letters
were received from the Neighborhood Council, only a couple of phone calls.
I personally examined every piece of paper in that file to confirm what he
told me. If you had known these two folks as long as I have, you would
know which one is the most believable.
But its really not about blaming some particular person. It doesn’t matter
who screwed up. The point is that they are all parts of the L.A. City
system- and because of someone’s incompetence, carelessness, arrogance or
dishonestly, a whole lot of folks wasted their time. It does, however,
cast a huge shadow of doubt over whether the time and effort you spend to
participate in a Neighborhood Council is worth it.
And now it's July. It's just another beautiful month in Eagle Rock.
P.S. As ERNC Land Use Co-Chair for a few years now, Mr. Aranaga should be
quite familiar with Planning Case File numbers. City records show that 24
days before the land use meeting, the Cardio Barre case file number
DIR-2008-3254-DRB-SPP was issued. From the suffix, he knew or should have
known that it would be decided by the Colorado Specific Plan Design Review
Board, and should have informed everyone of that and forwarded a copy of
the ERNC recommendation to the DRB chair, Kaye Beckham.
March a Success- Small Turnout
The Peace in the Northeast march, an event to draw attention to the crimes of
violence in Northeast L.A. was successfully held on Saturday Morning June 13.
Participating were CM's Jose Huizar and Ed Reyes, and Northeast Police Leaders
Captain Murphy and Asst. Chief Sergio Lopez. All the local Senior Lead Officers
were also present, but the participation was down from last year. Under a cloudy
and cool drizzly sky, the march started at Sycamore Grove Park and traveled down
North Figueroa to Cypress Bl., where it continued on Cypress before turning into
its conclusion at Rio de Los Angeles State Park on San Fernando Rd. (old Taylor
Yard)
Highland Park Council Member Targets Local
Businessman
Files unsanctioned complaint with Better Business Bureau
by Tom Topping
Kevin Conn, a Highland Park resident, local business person and loyal chamber of
commerce member, was alleged to be bad business person last month by a member of
the Historic Highland Park Neighborhood Council (HHPNC). Christina Amezquita,
who became part of the HHPNC only last year, threatened legal action and
complained to the Better Business Bureau, characterizing herself as complaining
on behalf of that council, which she was not authorized to do. This provoked a
grievance to be filed against her by HHPNC President, Dr. Richard Dyke, for
acting on behalf of the board without the authority to do so. It is a point
which she doesn't agree with, and believes that it is her right and duty as
chair of the Outreach Committee to do so.
The whole problem was started, not too surprisingly, by the Highland Park
Neighborhood Council back in about 2004, when Kevin was contacted by then Second
Vice President Dr. Dyke. At that time, the financial rules from the L.A.
Department of Neighborhood Empowerment (DONE) signified that any money they did
not spend in that fiscal year, they would have to forfeit.
It seemed like a good idea to order about $6000 in items, paid for in full in
advance, with money that they otherwise would have lost. What business person
would not welcome a $6000 sale? An order list was drafted, and the check from
the city finance department was sent and received.
Within a few months, the order was put on hold, and Kevin was in charge of
hanging onto those funds indefinitely. That was in 2004. Five years later, the
current board, knowing nothing about this credit they had, were informed about
it and decided to use their credit for other promotional items. Five years
later, Dr. Dyke is now President. Five years later, the good doctor is also
Kevin's landlord.
He was not Kevin's landlord before or during the act of ordering the $6000 in
items. But now, other council members charge he has a conflict of interest
because of it. (He would be in a conflict only if official business before the
council directly relates to his tenant, Mr. Conn, and if so, he simply must
recuse himself from the discussion and the vote on that agenda item. However, he
is not prevented from carrying out board approved actions relating to Mr. Conn.)
Kevin Conn is a quiet, shy guy, who doesn't like to get embroiled in
controversy. He has lived in the community for years and regularly attends local
art, civic, and community events. He prides himself on the volume of repeat
business he gets from his numerous clients. When Amezquita sent an e-mail with a
threatening tone, he was insulted and hurt. He felt that from then on, he did
not have to make any arrangements with her and refused to reply. He instead
contacted Dr. Dyke, who told Kevin he did not have to communicate with Ms.
Amezquita anymore, that instead he should deal directly with the executive board
regarding the remaining funds and promotional items.
Amezquita, did not take kindly to this, and decided she had to take steps from
there. She officially complained to the Better Business Bureau, saying that
Kevin owed the council money, which is true, and that he had refused to respond
to her, which is also true. But what was not true is her inference that she had
authority to act on behalf of the board.
Unfortunately, as with many other things, the intricacies of government are
often lost in communication. (Remember Senator Kerry's, "I voted against war in
Iraq before I voted for it"? No one got that and he lost the election) The
Better Business Bureau did not distinguish whether or not a rouge council-member
was speaking without the authority of the overall group either. The complaint
stands for all to see on the Better Business Bureau's Website.
For now, Kevin just wants to get away from the council he now perceives as
disorganized, unruly, rude and insulting. He regrets trying to help the HHPNC
spend their money instead of letting them lose it back in 2004, and thinks it
would have been a good idea had he had them sign a contract that better defined
all of their rights and responsibilities back then. Maybe a contract including a
time limit or a no-refund clause would have been good for everyone, too. He is
communicating with city representatives above the neighborhood council level to
settle the dispute so all parties can move on, he refuses to deal with the HHPNC.
As all consumers need to be wary about who they do business with, businesses
should be wary of who their customers are as well, especially any L.A. City
entity like a Neighborhood Council. Firstly, because the City's office of
finance checks you out carefully with a colon-scope before they issue you a
check, and secondly, because you never can be sure that the person you are
talking to actually has the authority to enter into any business agreements with
you, because all too often, it is a case of, TOO MANY CHIEFS.
Burnell Appeal Granted
Daniel Marlos, VP Land Use, Mount Washington Homeowners Alliance
After 4 1/2 hours of listening to testimony and questioning speakers, the East
Los Angeles Area Planning Commission voted unanimously to grant the entire Mount
Washington Homeowners Alliance appeal on the "dirt" Burnell project. The
commissioners understood the holistic environmental mitigations needed for the
protection of not just the walnut trees, but of the entire walnut woodland
natural community of plants and animals. The commissioners also found the
substandard hammerhead turnaround to be highly problematic. In addition to
granting the appeal, they found the MND to be insufficient and are recommending
a full Environmental Impact Report (EIR) on the project.
Daniel Wright as the representative of the MWHA spoke eloquently on the
deficiencies of the MND and the proposed hammerhead turnaround.
Paul Habib from CD14 spoke on Councilmember Huizar's request from 2006 for a
full EIR. Suzanne Jimenez from CD1 indicated that the council office fully
supported the CD14
request. These two council offices' statements were a critical deciding factor
in the commissioners' findings. Thanks so much to Paul and Suzanne relaying the
council offices' position on this project.
Greater Cypress Park NC Chair Gus Lizarde provided a historical perspective on
the community requesting neighborhood council support. Glassell Park
representatives Helene Schpak and Alisa Smith also spoke on behalf of the
appeal.
Louis Mraz and Julian Donahue made important contributions. Residents Lucy
McCusker and Carlos Bishop provided critical perspectives based on their own
observations. Resident Phot Luisari and MWHA board members Janet Simms and Ruth
Mehringer supported the appeal but yielded their comment time to the appellant
so that I could speak for 6 minutes instead of three. Other community members
who attended the hearing and filled out cards supporting the appeal, but who
could not stay to testify included Michael Rickman and Nicole Possert. If you
were there and I forgot you, I apologize.
At the end of the hearing, Commissioner Sharon Lowe announced that she had
submitted her resignation, taking effect June 30. She will be missed on the
ELAAPC.
Mary E.Garson
1918-2009
Longtime Eagle Rock resident Mary Garson
passed away at her home June 2, 2009 after a short illness. A visitation
was held at Cabot Mortuary in Pasadena and burial was at Resurrection
Cemetery in South San Gabriel. She and her husband, midget racing legend
Bullet Joe Garson, lived in their Eagle Rock home for over 55 years.
Mary was born in 1918 in Bound Brook, New Jersey to parents Mary and
Nicholas Otto and was of Irish-German descent. A footnote in auto racing
history is that she was one of the first female race car owners in the
1930's. She and her older brother George owned a midget race car which
together they financed and built. This makes her a pioneer in the-then all
male dominated sport of auto racing. Female car owners were virtually
unheard of during that decade! That race car was later sold after the
driver, and her first husband, Canadian test-pilot Dave Champeau, was
killed in it. So ended her stint as a race car owner. But that didn't keep
her away from auto racing.
In 1947 she married Bullet Joe Garson, a favorite on the race circuit for
his strong but fair racing style and winning ways with the fans. They
traveled the midget race track circuit for several years before settling
down to raise a family of all girls in Eagle Rock. Joe continued to race
into his 60's. He died in 1984.
A beloved friend and neighbor who was famous for her cooking and baking,
she also worked most of her adult life and was proud to note that she
worked from ages 14 to 75. At one point she was a secretary to Jack
Warner, founder of Warner Brothers Studios. After her last daughter was
born, Mary embarked on a new career, something she had always dreamed of:
becoming a nurse. She attended nursing school at Behrens Hospital in
Glendale while working part-time at the Farmer's Mkt. in Hollywood, and
continued to raise her family. She did it all! The actual nursing career
began at age 50, at Glendale Adventist, as an LVN. She left that
profession at age 75.
Since that time she enjoyed gardening, cooking, walking, and weekly
outings to Santa Anita Race Track. An avid animal lover, she always had
cats and dogs and passed that respect and love of smaller creatures to her
children.
Mary will be missed by family, friends, and neighbors alike. She was the
person you could always count on to make a pot of vegetable soup, bring
home-grown flowers, or do any number of generous favors to anyone in need.
Mary is survived by daughters Barbara Jo Pinette, Mary Garson Amrhein, and
Maggie Ray, grand daughter Crystal Servillo, and great-grandson, Jeremy
Munoz. Her sons-in-law are Guy Pinette, Tom Amrhein, and Donald Ray. See
you at Santa Anita, Mary!
Congressman Xavier Becerra held a
coffee at the Glassell Park Community Center on Saturday morning, June 16, 2009.
He explained having a government run health care system compete against private
insurers for the same business. We are already spending the same amount of money
on healthcare now, and the plan congress is working on will save money in the
long run.
Jazz Optometrist
Bringing York Village back into focus - and music, too!
by Tom Topping
A man whose name may be familiar to many Boulevard Sentinel readers is
Elliott Caine. A familiar name it is, but if you're wondering why the name
sounds familiar, it could be for a variety or reasons.
Are you thinking Elliott Caine, whose lived around Highland Park for about
thirty years? If you are, you'd be right.
Or are you thinking of the Elliott Caine who speaks fluent Spanish, has
traveled the world, and has a special affinity for Spanish speaking art
and culture? Then you'd be right again.
Are you thinking Dr. Elliott Caine from Arroyo Vista Health Center, where
he practiced his profession of Optometry there for the last 18 years? If
you're thinking of that, you'd be right, also.
But if you're thinking of Elliott Caine, the famous Jazz Trumpet player,
who has recorded with such musical greats as Beck, the Beastie Boys,
Filter, Bobby Matos, the Estrada Brothers, Teddy Edwards or Barbara
Morrison, to name just a few, guess what? You would also be right.
The man who has done so many things in his life is embarking on a brand
new journey. He's going where he's never gone before. He's opening his own
optometry shop. And he's opening it right here in Highland Park.
"I wanted to be close to home," said the good doctor. "I have a special
affinity for Highland Park," he added.
Indeed, the Jazz playing Optometrist has found a suitable location on York
Boulevard, right next to the York nightclub. It is both a scary and
exciting proposition for him. But somehow, it seems the right move, at the
right time for Elliott, who did part of his medical education in Mexico
City. His bilingual skills are sure to help in what is considered a part
of East L.A., and his life philosophy should take care of the rest.
He reflected, "If you don't waste your time, if you don't want to spend
your evenings watching the boob tube, man, you can do a lot with your
life, man. You're on this planet a short time - it's much more interesting
if you're doin' things... if you're developing... personally developing...
it makes life... much more interesting."
Not what you'd expect to hear coming from a Jazz musician. That is, unless
you've known a few.
The little office at 5016 York Boulevard is coming together quickly, now.
He plans on opening in the next couple of weeks. His eye care services
will include general ocular and visual examination with regard to many
visual defects correctable with eyeglasses, contact lenses, and LASIK.
Additionally, Dr. Caine has much experience in the detection, diagnosis
and treatment of many ocular diseases such as diabetic retinopathy,
systemic hypertension, ocular hypertension (glaucoma), cataracts,
conjunctivitis, keratitis, and more.
The new office will have available many styles of eyeglass frames and
sunglasses as well as contact lenses.
He said, "I really want to make this office a comfortable place to be.
I'll have nice music goin' on, Jazz... Classical... I want to make it a
real homey place to be in."
Dr. Elliott Caine, the Jazz Optometrist, has it just about ready. The new
equipment is hooked up. The paint on the walls is fresh. The red headed
Spanish speaking Jazz man from Indianapolis is ready to do business. The
part time optometry gig has finally taken front and center on the stage of
his ever more vibrant and interesting life.
He added, "My philosophy is that everyone has a right to healthcare, and
I'll try to work with people as far as their budget is concerned."
I think if you check him out, you'll agree that Dr. Elliott Caine, Jazz
man Elliott Caine, family man Elliott Caine and philosopher Elliott Caine
are all welcome additions to our community and our local business
district.
Hey, isn't it about time you got some new glasses? For an appointment,
phone him at 323-258-2242.
Voice in the Eagle Rock Wilderness
WHITE ROOFS
AND
GARDEN-LAWNS
Christopher Nyerges
[Nyerges is the co-author of "Extreme Simplicity: Homesteading in the
City," and other books. He is the editor of Wilderness Way magazine, and a
manager of the Tuesday Highland Park farmers market. For more information
about his books and classes, contact him at Box 41834, Eagle Rock, CA
90041,
www.ChristopherNyerges.com, or www.wtinc.info.]
During a climate-change symposium back in May, the U.S. Energy Secretary
Steven Chu said that the Obama administration wants everyone to paint
their roofs white. White roofs would keep the houses naturally cooler, he
said, and would reduce the need for air conditioning, and if all houses
had white roofs, it would have the equivalent energy savings of removing
all cars in the world from use for 11 years!
Wow, that would be quite an energy savings, though I'm not certain how Chu
came up with that statistic.
Nevertheless, this is one of those old-fashioned ideas which should have
caught on decades ago. When Dolores and I moved into our new Highland Park
home in 1987, we struggled to pay the mortgage and just didn't have the
money for the needed new roof. When it rained that first years, we had
pans all over the living room collecting the water.
Our short-term solution to the bad roof was to purchase a white "liquid
rubber" product which I brushed on over the failing asphalt shingles. This
cost a fraction of the cost of a new roof, sealed all the leaks, and left
the roof brilliant white, which meant that our home would probably be
highly conspicuous to any helicopter passing through the neighborhood. We
learned that this product was ideal for sealing up all the small leaks,
and was specifically manufactured for trailer dwellers who have metal
roofs which get very hot in summer.
It turned out that our overall inside temperature dropped a minimum of 15
degrees in the summer. Whereas the beastly inside summer heat required a
few weeks of using the air conditioner, we found that once the roof was
white, we barely turned on the air conditioner all summer. Since then, we
have strongly recommended such a roof to anyone wanting to naturally keep
cool in the summer. It really works. There are several products currently
available for this use, made by Henry's and available at Home Depot and
other home improvement stores.
We wrote about this white roof experiment in our 2002 book, "Extreme
Simplicity: Homesteading in the City," which I assume all readers of the
Boulevard Sentinel already possess. Though our experiment taught us that a
white roof definitely reflects heat from the roof, and keeps the house
cooler, we found that many visitors found the white color unattractive.
Still, such a simple solution to one aspect of our energy problem should
be given much more attention by our current administration, and should be
taken to heart by home-owners
LAWNS
I have never been a big fan of lawns. Though on certain rare occasions
they can provide a place to play ball with family members, they are
typically a patch of soil in which we toil to create what we regard as an
aesthetically pleasing area, but which is otherwise not usable. When
Dolores and I moved into our new Highland Park home in 1987, one of our
first tasks was to have a tree pruner dump an entire truck-load of wood
chips onto what was the lawn area. We gradually turned the area into a
combination wild food, fruit orchard, and fragrant plant area. It requires
minimal maintenance, and produces food and herbs for daily use. Water from
our washing machine drained into that area, and one of our kitchen-scrap
composter was also located there.
We have noted over the past decades that more and more people are wisely
recognizing that the front lawn area is far more useful for vegetables,
fruit trees, and drought-tolerant native plant gardens that can be left
alone to survive on their own.
If you are undecided about the use of your lawn, the DWP is trying to
convince you to give up your lawn. And now we have a drought – look —we've
got way too many people trying to use a limited resource here in this
coastal desert plain. So the DWP will give you a monetary rebate if you
convert your lawn to drought-tolerant plants – things like jade, cactus,
Peruvian mint, etc.
Dolores and I devoted nearly the entire first chapter of our "Extreme
Simplicity" book to our converting of the lawn into a mini-self-sustaining
eco-system. We did it because it was right to do so, and it made so much
sense, ecologically and economically. Finally, 20 years later, the DWP see
such practicality in this that they are willing to give you money if you
do likewise. There are no more reasons for excuses!
CD 14 Councilman
Jose Huizar Honors Top Students in District
Nearly 90 students from Northeast L.A., El Sereno, Boyle Heights and
Downtown were honored today by Councilmember José Huizar after being
selected as Adelante (Onward) Award recipients for academic and community
achievement.
"A lot of these kids are excelling under challenging circumstances," said
Councilmember Huizar. "So when I say these young people are the leaders of
the future, I really mean it. And today we're here to give them the
recognition they deserve and to let them and their families know that
they're efforts are not going unnoticed."
The 87 students come from schools throughout the 14th District and are
selected by the participating schools themselves.
The Adelante Awards, now in its sixth year, were created by Councilmember
Huizar, a Boyle Heights native, while serving as a Los Angeles Unified
School District Board Member to encourage highachieving students involved
in improving their communities to continue their efforts, all in the hopes
of fostering leadership among youth.
At Saturday's breakfast at Our Lady of the Angels Cathedral, the
elementary, middle and high school students and their parents enjoyed
magic performed by Joseph Tran. They also heard encouraging words from
Councilmember Huizar, Assemblymember John Perez, LAUSD Vice President
Yolie Aguilar Flores and Victor Franco, Vice President, Community Affairs
and Media Relations for the Telemundo Network.
Below are the names of the students in Northeast area:
1. Aldama Elementary- Anthony Wong & Valerie Mendez
2. Burbank Middle School-Antonio Maldonado & Susan Arevalo
3. CALS charter-Sabino Reyes & Janet Zuniga
4. Dahlia Heights Elementary-Katherine Cecconi & Joshua Hadley
5. Eagle Rock High School- Kevin Guihama & Angelica Sagum
6. Eagle Rock Jr. High (8th)-Angela Lagassie & Jameson Badi
7. Eagle Rock Elementary- Erik Lopez & Carmela Mesina
8. Garvanza Elementary-Andrea Cantos & Jesse Garcia
9. Mt. Washington Elementary-Donn Flores & Jocelyn Keipp
10.Rockdale Elem.- Andrei Liwang & Monique Vasquez
11.Toland Way Elementary-Bener Pinlac Jr. & Lilianna Estrada
12.Yorkdale Elementary- Nathaniel Valencia & Karina Sosa
97 Years Old and After 40 Years Still Patrolling the Arroyo
by Stan Moore
Three times a week he takes a taxi to the San Pasqual Stables in Highland
Park. He saddles Maca, a retired polo house, and then mounts her and
patrols the Arroyo, often riding nearly to the Rose Bowl. He is Don
Zimmerman. He will be 97 on July 28, 2009. He has been riding since he was
a child of five. In fact, he does not remember when he did not ride. And
since 1969 he has been a volunteer ranger with the Pasadena Police
Department. Fully dress in his uniform, with an appropriate white hat, for
he is one of the good guys, he starts in Highland Park, rides briefly
through South Pasadena and then rides a loop of several miles through
Pasadena.
Don greets everyone along the trail. He is always the gentleman. He kindly
reminds all of the dog owners that their dogs should be leased. He answers
the questions of new visitors to the Arroyo, giving directions, informing
them of other trails and directing them to other exits from the Arroyo. He
takes a pair of pruning shears and cuts off low hanging limbs that might
hit the heads of the others riding the trail on horseback. When the
weather is cool and comfortable Maca does not want to stand in place while
he trims back the branches, but, when it is really hot in the middle of
summer, she is content is stand in the shade while he trims branches. And
he does this every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
On Saturdays he is often joined by two or more other rangers, such as
Victoria, a school secretary who rarely misses a Saturday patrol. But
always he saddles his own horse, lifting the heavy saddle in place and
tightening the stapes. He rides alone on Tuesdays and Thursdays unless he
is joined occasionally by his son, who lives in San Diego and is a
horseman as well. For four months this Spring Don couldn't ride because
Maca had a foot injury. Impatiently Don waited while she healed. He
requires a horse that will not jump or respond suddenly to barking dogs,
or a cougar suddenly running across the trail or to any other situation
such as a Public Works truck being driven along the trail. At his age it
would not be good to be thrown from the back of his horse!
He cares for the homeless who often sleep at various places in the Arroyo
but away from the trail. One, a veteran of the Korean "Conflict"-it was
never declared a war-is encouraged to take his medications. When a
"regular" homeless resident disappears for a considerable time he will ask
the everyday dog walkers whether they have seen "John" and, if so, where,
and did he seem okay. Unable to get off Maca and go up behind the pillars
of the bridges of the Arroyo, he has asked this writer to check and see
whether that person's belongings are still stashed in a certain place.
Don regularly attends the Pasadena Methodist Church on Colorado Blvd., and
he is always a Christian gentleman has he patrols the Arroyo. Happy
birthday Don. Your many friends pray you have many more!
Men's Choir from Saudi Arabia
Performs at Eagle Rock Presbyterian
by Jon Longworth
On June 20th a 25 member men's choir from Saudi Arabia performed a very
beautiful concert at the Eagle Rock Presbyterian Church. The Prime Note
Ensemble is here to compete in a coral competition in San Luis Obispo on
June 17th. Members of the group all work in various different fields but
for the love of music they gather together each week to practice their
songs. They enjoy singing spiritual music but have to do so in privacy as
it is frowned upon if not illegal in Saudi Arabia.
The groups leader, is Novem Cabios, who also arranged some of the songs
they sang. For the most part the choir sings acappella, or without any
instrumental accompaniment.
Mr. Cabrios did play the piano supplying musical support for two songs.
The program included several spirituals, Filipino, opera, show tunes and
other assorted popular music.
After the California competition they will travel to Italy to take part in
another competition. They have won bronze and silver medals in prior
competitions in Austria and China.
Those attending the concert were overwhelmed with the spark and beauty of
these very talented music loving musicians. They were extended an
invitation to return in the future any time they are in California. Many
members of the choir are self-taught and have learned by listening,
concentrating and imitating their leader. They have recorded a CD entitled
"Desert Voices" which they sell at their concerts to help with the
expenses of travel.
Our many thanks and hardy salute to these fine musicians for sharing their
remarkable music.
Those folks interested in future concerts can get on an email mailing list
at erpcconcerts@sbcglobal.net. For those not having an internet connection
you can leave your phone number at 323-344-8812 to be notified when future
concerts will take place.
Reunion Memories are Elementary -
Delevan Drive
by Bob Thorpe
Marty Giffen had a great idea. The former Martha Jane Carriger was going
to her 45th Eagle Rock High School class reunion, and classmates from all
over the country were assembling in Arcadia for the party.
Why not, she thought, get together a group of classmates who had not only
spent three or four years at Eagle Rock High School, but had started
school with her 57 years ago at Delevan Drive Elementary?
A few e-mails established who among the Delevan class of 1958 would be in
town (or had never left) and could attend a barbecue dinner at her home in
Altadena. A group of 22 including spouses and two mothers of classmates
expressed an interest.
In the time that had passed since graduation, the old brick elementary
school had been torn down, a victim of the February, 1971 earthquake. Only
the cupola and weather vane remain as a reminder of the original 1920s
structure. Although the original plan was to place the cupola on the
ground next to the new building, it now enjoys a perch atop a
bungalow-like building.
The Delevan Office tech Juana Bermudez made a scrapbook available with
pictures of the old building, its demolition and replacement, and Office
Manager Rita Ramirez supplied historical photos which had just been used
at the retirement party for Principal Yolonda Hamilton.
Susan (Phillips) Cox brought a basket with all the class pictures, and a
few of the handicrafts that were created in school when she was a child of
7. One project that both boys and girls made was a picture made out of
burlap stitched with yarn. When the principal decided that large yarn
needles were unsafe for children of that age to work with, the craft
assignment was discontinued.
Cheryl (Brown) Gilmore brought an autograph book from the sixth grade
which put names with the faces of all the classmates. I remember signing a
stuffed toy dog called an "autograph hound".
Eagle Rock (and originally Delevan Drive was in Eagle Rock) was a nice
place to live in 1958. At that time, City of Los Angeles employees were
required to reside in the City as a condition of employment.
As a result executives like Thad Brown, LAPD Chief of Detectives and later
Police Chief after the death
of William Parker, chose the neighborhood to raise their families. His son
and granddaughter were in the Delevan class of 1958.
The Chief Architect of the Los Angeles City School District, Norman Kocher,
was in the neighborhood, and his daughter Kim was in the class. When the
new Delevan Drive School was built, Norman and Kim's sister Dina turned
the first ceremonial shovel of earth for the new main building.
Linda (Holton) Brown attended the reunion with her mother. Mrs. Holton was
the Girl Scout leader for the Troop based at Delevan, and many of the
"girls" remembered her fondly.
Many classmates had traveled far to attend the reunion: Linda (Holton)
Brown was in from Tampa, Florida, Esther (Garcia) Doran had arrived from
Hilton Head, South Carolina, Paul LaFleur came from Carson City, Nevada,
and Kim (Kocher) Marsh had traveled from Parker, Colorado. Gary Steiner
was down from Rohnert Park, California, and Susan (Phillips) Cox was in
from Morro Bay.
Most of the class had a favorite teacher, and Mrs. Simpson, Mrs. Brown,
Mrs. Greenwalt, Miss Connor, Mrs. Westphal, Miss Alberts and Mrs. Van Noy
were mentioned. Mr. Rossell led the School Orchestra.
A surprising number remembered Mr. John Nelson, who created the School
Garden and Science Center. Mr. Nelson's students also learned lapidary and
made jewelry from tumbled stones.
A building on the Delevan campus still stands as a testament to Mr.
Nelson's most ambitious project. No one at the school knew what the
structure was originally intended for when this picture was taken, but
Cheryl (Brown) Gilmore and this writer remembered the telescopes we made.
Mr. Nelson encouraged his students to build their own telescopes to study
astronomy, and when they had polished the mirror blanks to be installed in
the tubes that made up the telescopes, the angle of reflection was tested
in the cinder block tunnel, painted black on the inside, with a source of
light at one end.
The reunion was enjoyed by all, and a common remark was that it was so
different from a high school reunion because we had known each other for
so long. The other thought was that we should do it againat the time of
the Eagle Rock High 50th Reunion in 2014.
Mr. LaDell Stapp
Outstanding Community Member
from Captain Murphy’s Northeast Blog
Northeast Area is proud to recognize Volunteer LaDell Stapp for his
outstanding community service. Mr. Stapp's involvement with the Northeast
Police Department has spanned over a decade of dedicated service, during
which time he has unselfishly served the officers and the community and
has proved himself dependable as a volunteer.
Stapp began his dedicated volunteer community service as a member of the
Northeast BLEND, a non-profit organization dedicated to assist Northeast
Personnel with the purchase of needed equipment that the City does not
otherwise provide. As a Board member, Stapp's assisted in identifying
issues of concern to the community and worked with the police to resolve
those issues. His positive and humble attitude made him an outstanding
Board member and President.
During his tenure as President of BLEND he oversaw a large budget, which
mostly came about under his direction outstanding fundraising efforts. As
a result, they were able to install a COMSTAT room in the detective's
section, complete with high quality furniture. In addition, they
refurbished the officer's report writing room with three new Dell
computers, printers, chairs and tables. They have purchased six digital
cameras, printers, fax machines, copy machines and a host of other
office-related equipment. In the past year the BLEND Board assisted the
Northeast CAT team with their ability to apprehend the most notorious
suspects with the sponsorship of Nextell Cell phones. These phones have
allowed the CAT officers to communicate effectively during their
operations, ensuring the safety of the officers during the apprehension of
dangerous suspects.
Every Year Northeast Hosts an Open House and Safety Fair. Stapps is always
there to assist with the event to ensure a quality event. He assisted with
the set up of the event and at the end of the day with the clean up. He
turned the Open House Safety fair into a fundraising opportunity to raise
money for the Northeast Area personnel.
Another event that is a favorite among the officers is the Annual Police
Appreciation Day. On this particular day, Stapps volunteers his time to
help coordinate the feeding of all of the officers on all watches in order
to show his appreciation for their good efforts. He usually stays
throughout most of the day to ensure the event does not run out of food.
In addition to serving as the President of BLEND, Stapps volunteers with
the Northeast Volunteer Surveillance Unit. In this capacity, he assists
officers with plain-clothes surveillance that focuses on Graffiti, Truants
Burglary from Motor Vehicle Suspects and Grand Theft Auto suspects. He is
always on hand to assist with the details day or night and is always found
mentoring fellow volunteers.
Although Mr. Stapp's involvement with the Northeast Police Department has
spanned over a decade of dedicated service, he has not missed an
opportunity to serve those who protect the city. Day in and day out, he
consistently and effectively served the officers of Northeast and the
community. Therefore, it is with great pride and pleasure that Northeast
Area proudly nominates Mr. LaDell Stapp for the 2006 Outstanding Volunteer
Recognition Award.
Mount Washington Assn "Summer Fun Meeting," July 19
Offers Free Tamales, Music, Crafts for Kids
And Behind-The-Scenes-Tours of SW Museum Tower
Gourmet tamales, great music, crafts activities for kids and
behind-the-scenes tours of the historic and newly repaired "caracol tower"
of the Southwest Museum are are all on tap at the Mount Washington
Association's annual "Summer Fun Meeting" on Sunday, July 19 from 2pm-4pm
in the Museum's shaded courtyard (234 Museum Drive).
The Mount Washington Association has partnered with the Southwest Museum
and the Southwest Society to offer an up-front look at the restoration
efforts that are ongoing in the Museum's tower, including a climb up the
spiral stairway to museum founder Charles Lummis' former office, with its
sweeping, 360 degree views of Los Angeles.
The museum will also offer the exhibit, "Sounds of the Circle: Wax
Cylinder Recordings of Charles Fletcher Lummis," a look at the orginal
recordings that Lummis used to preserve the early California music
performed by musicians he encountered and gathered into his circle, music
that would otherwise have been lost to our history.
Food will be provided by Mom's Tamales, whose Lincoln Heights restaurnant
on Pasadena Avenue has become a mecca for lovers of Mexican delicacies,
offers tamles made from by Maria Morales and her family, to be featured
this August the Food Network show, "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives."
Guitarist Mateo Stoneman,whose repertoire of boleros has been featured on
radio station KPCC, will perform.
As always, admission, food and entertainment are free to all our Northeast
L.A. neighbors.
For updated Mount Washington info, news and weather, visit
www.mtwashington.org
Eagle Rock Block Captains Meeting
Stolen cars
Hard times cause crime
Medical marijuana shutdowns
Board up empty homes
by Tom Topping
Craig Orange held his regular monthly meeting last night, and gave the
report about his involvement in the Northeast Peace march held last
weekend. He was most concerned about what he called the "limited
opportunity for youth " He was trying to make the point that due to the
poor economic climate, and the lack of summer school, there would be too
many youths without anything to do this summer, leading to an increase in
gang recruitment efforts.
He encouraged all to organize Neighborhood Watch meetings in their
neighborhoods.
He also reminded all to report suspicious activity, like if community
members think there is illegal narcotics activity on their street.
He had a report about the infamous medical marijuana facilities,
specifically talking about one on the corner of Colorado and College View.
He had visited the place talking to the owner, when 3 customers came in,
all between the ages of 18 and 25, whom he was quite sure they did not
have chronic diseases the medical marijuana is prescribed for, but could
not do a thing as they all had the appropriate medical marijuana ID cards.
Community members were surprised to learn that anyone possessing a medical
marijuana card cannot be arrested for driving under the influence of
mariuana.
18 such dispensaries are doing business in Northeast L.A.P.D. division.
After the law is changed, the police will be able to shut down these
facilities,and he mentioned a few in Atwater have ben shut down already.
He had the typical information about shoplifters at the Eagle Rock plaza,
and the typical cars being stolen, late 80s to early 90s Toyotas and
Hondas, and of course graffiti.
Two ongoing items were of great interest, however. He asked all to keep
their eyes open for houses that have been foreclosed on, and not boarded
up. It seems that homeless folks will become squatters, move in, and it is
a long legal process required to get them out. Another problem with an
empty foreclosed-on house is that teenagers will break-in and then
advertise and hold a "rave" party there. Contact the Northeast Station so
they can send a creww to board up all the windows and doors of a vacant
house.
Lastly, he explained about a recent bust, right in the heart of Eagle Rock
where Craig's list prostitutes were meeting there Johns every hour from 9
pm to 3 am in the morning. He said it was Asian organized crime, who were
importing basically indentured girls from across the pacific, and putting
them to work as prostitutes.
Finally, a community member told about an Eagle Rock house, that
previously was a Mongols Motorcycle gang hangout. He said they now were
using cars instead of motorcycles and renamed their club "Black and White
Nation" with identifying T-shirts.
Huizar Plan
to Tie Autry Expansion to Agreement on Southwest Museum
LOS ANGELES (June 30, 2009) - Councilmember José Huizar's proposal today
to link the Autry Museum's planned 79,000 square-foot expansion in
Griffith Park to a legal agreement to restore and reopen Mt. Washington's
Southwest Museum enjoyed unanimous support today at a Board of Referred
Powers hearing, chaired by Councilmember Janice Hahn.
Speaking to a standing-room only crowd gathered in Council chambers to
listen to arguments regarding the Autry's proposed lease agreement and
Environmental Impact Report for the Griffith Park expansion, Councilmember
Huizar praised the Autry for demonstrating its commitment to the
restoration of the Southwest Museum, including investing more than $7.5
million in building renovations and upgrades since purchasing it in 2003.
But the Councilmember said the time has come to put those commitments in
writing by agreeing to a legally binding document attached to a lease
agreement the Autry is seeking in order to expand its Griffith Park Autry
Museum.
"While I believe that the Autry is acting in good faith when it says it is
committed to renovating the Southwest Museum, I think the community
deserves to have a binding commitment in writing to ensure that they and
future generations enjoy one of Los Angeles most treasured cultural
institutions," said Councilmember Huizar.
The Councilmember pointed out that much of his request would merely be a
formal adoption of a commitment memo sent by the Autry to the
Councilmember in 2007, listing among other things: a promise to restore
and reopen the Southwest Museum as a fully accredited museum; conduct
major repairs to the Southwest and adjacent Casa de Adobe and restore and
care for the more than 250,000 mostly Native American artifacts.
The Councilmember also called for the Autry to work with his office and
the community to produce a Master Plan for the Southwest Museum that would
address the issue of exhibition space and provide a firm timeline for the
reopening of the museum.
Many speakers at Tuesday's hearing who were opposed to the Autry expansion
plans because they felt it would come at the expense of the Southwest
Museum, supported Councilmember's Huizar proposal to put teeth into the
earlier Autry commitments regarding the Mt. Washington museum.
The Board of Referred Powers, which consists of Councilmembers Hahn,
Reyes, Parks, Rosendahl and Cardenas, voted unanimously to call on the
Autry to negotiate with Councilmember Huizar and produce a binding
document when the matter is reheard in four weeks.
Slurry Seal
Ridgeview Street in Eagle Rock gets a coat of slurry seal. Despite city
budget woes, they have enough money to put sealer down on streets that
have been paved only two years ago.
Greuel Scolds Transpo Dept.
for Dissing the Public
by Stephen Box
Transportation Committee Chair Wendy Greuel chastised representatives from
both the Transportation and the Planning Departments, saying "We've got a
room full of people, all claiming to have been left out of the Bicycle
Plan Update process. You can't call that the result of effective
outreach!"
This took place at a "Special" meeting of the Transportation Committee
scheduled for 8 am on what turned out to be Laker Celebration Day. A
glance at the agenda indicates that it must have been Greuel's intention
to wrap up all of the cycling issues in one big meeting, as she approaches
the conclusion of her reign as the Transportation Committee Chair and
prepares to take over the City Controller helm.
When it came time for the LAPD to report on their training for LAPD
officers on cycling rules and regulations and to report on recent
incidents between the LAPD and cyclists, Greuel called for the LAPD to
step up and ... they weren't there. Somehow it was the LADOT who knew the
LAPD weren't going to attend the meeting, not the Councilmembers, an
interesting revelation in the realities of our City Government.
Greuel at first moved the item to another date but the room erupted in
protests from people who wanted to be heard. She took public comment on
the item and heard from a long list of people who called on the LAPD to
support cycling as a transportation choice and who called for better
education of the LAPD on the specifics of the California Vehicle Code that
cause so much confusion on the streets.
Attending the standing room only meeting were cyclists from all over the
city representing a wide range of cycling interests and expressions but
united in their desire to see the City of LA support cycling as a
transportation solution. They were joined by representatives from
homeowners associations and neighborhood councils, as well as cycling
organizations and a variety of advocacy groups.
When speakers complained of the consultant-driven process that has kept
the public from participating, Rosendahl sat up and called for the
consultants to step forward. Nobody moved. Not the consultants in
Portland, not the consultants in Berkeley, not the consultants in
Colorado, and not the consultants in San Francisco. They just couldn't
hear the call.
Rosendahl found this to be disturbing and he began digging into the money.
"How much have we paid these consultants?" he asked the Transportation and
Planning representatives. When he heard that the City of LA has already
paid out 80% on a plan that all at the table profess they have not yet
received, he was not happy. He called for the consultants to show up next
week at the regularly scheduled Transportation Committee meeting to
account for the money, the
contract and the Bike Plan.
The Department of Transportation was well represented at the meeting, in
spite of their claim that this is a Planning Department process. Rita
Robinson, General Manager of the LADOT was flanked by Haripal Vir, Michael
Uyeno, and Carolyn Jackson, all of whom were there backing up a Bikeways
staff that claimed not to have the Bike Plan. As for the Planning
Department, GM Gail Goldberg, who said last month "The Bike Plan will be
out in two weeks!" was nowhere in sight and in her stead were two Planning
reps with a feeble PowerPoint presentation that should have been entitled
"Smoke and Mirrors."
In a meeting that stretched for three hours in spite of the 60 second
limit on public comment, cyclists took opportunity after opportunity to
share their experiences riding the streets of Los Angeles and stressing
the need to address the significant safety issues that cyclists confront
every time they roll onto the streets, it was a comment overheard after
the meeting was adjourned that was the most revealing.
"Well, I guess we survived that one!" said one LADOT staff member to
another … demonstrating clearly that from their perspective … it's
meetings such as this with calls for accountability that pose the most
significant threat, not the streets of LA. (Stephen Box is a
transportation and cyclist advocate and writes for CityWatch. He can be
reached at
Stephen@ThirdEyeCreative.net
Nite Out w/ Steven E.
Music Editor's Note: Well, was June as good for you as it was for me?
Did you have those flag waving Grad's & Dad's have the time of their
lives? Me too. If you have an upcoming event within the vicinity of Eagle
Rock send an e-mail if you would to Steve Estrada @ entertainment@boulevardsentinel.com).
Thanks.
At Colombos
Stephan Oberhoff Trio
This was an unexpected pleasure. I had no prior knowledge of this
performance other than two hours earlier, nor what to expect. From the get
go the set had an unmistakable European flavor and it didn't stop there. A
multi-faceted keyboardist, (two to three synthesizers plus the acoustic)
he was not timid in his delivery throughout the night. His singing (Girl
from Ipanima in Portuguese) and other tunes complimented to the night's
surprises. Backed by Peter Boskovich (bass) and Mike Hughes (drums) who
displayed varied styles and techniques, a sturdy foundation on which to
allow many incursions into improves. A little samba, a lot of melodic
style and a little Miles (All Blues) rounded out the evening nicely. That
was the first performance in the month.
The second one, an all acoustic set, that opened up with a few originals
from his latest CD "Conversations' with My Father" which is a first rate
piece of work. He displays great finger work on each tune. Not flashy,
just proficient and that allows the rest of the trio to free form. They
showcased three standards; "Summertime", "Maiden Voyage" and Moondance"
that should have been recorded LIVE. Along with all the improvisational
twists that were going on, it was that tight. These guys have a great
communication, period.
Should you indulge yourself you'll find this twelve song CD has a little
if not more than enough for each taste,( I tend to lean towards
"Venezuela", in its sly little way its killer) and along with some very
talented musicians backing him up along with a little help from a guy
named Joe Vanneli, it hits you from all fronts. These gent's will be back
for sure. For a listen try: myspace.com/Stephanoberhoff. contact:
safesoul2@aol.com.
Apples and Onions
Here's a first for Colombos. They hosted their first CD party, much to the
chagrin of a few (older) patrons. Apple and Onions are a quartet of young
lads from the La Cresenta/Pasadena area full of promising talent from
lyrics, performing and interesting injections of a variety of instruments
(horns, kazoo's, etc.) along with other oddities too numerous to recall.
Up front you have Richard Steenken and Corey Coleman (guitar/vocals) who
deliver the current sound of desperation angst across a love torched
avenue. They do have some cleaver lyrics which come through in their
performance.
Richard Bay (drums) and Brandon Bateman (bass) solidify the groups sound
and present enough showmanship that their just not ideal pieces. Brandon
showed some versatility throughout the performance which also comes
through on their CD, all originals by the way. The crowd was on the young
side which kind of isolated the dinner crowd who were trying to finish
their last drinks while all this fresh testosterone was flowing in. It was
great. You had to see it. It's too bad that there aren't any Indie
stations around to hear them because they fill that niche nicely ("Twanger",
"California", "Duderonomy" and "Leave This Town") which culminates all
their influences. You can tell each member have their ears in everything.
Their songs entwine with at least three styles in just about every tune.
Boring they are not. myspace.com/applesandonions.
So you know for July:
A Thousand and One Arabian Knights of the Living Dead at Occidental
College, starting July 8th thru August.
For the Month: Sunday's Jazz evening @ the York at 6:00, last Sunday of
the month, Metal Nite @ ER All-Star Lanes, Monday's Jazz Jam @ Colombos at
9:00, last Tuesday of the month, 80's Retro @ the Little Cave at 10:00,
Wednesday's Movie Nite at the Coffee Table Lounge, Open Mike @ ER All-Star
Lanes at 9:00, Thursday @ Casa Princesa Open Mike at 7:00. Enjoy.
Museum, 3800 Homer Street.
 |
 |
Lummis Day
Carlos Guitarlos, one of the headline acts performs at the 4th Annual
Lummis Day Festival at Sycamore Grove Park in the Arroyo Seco. |
Lummis Day
June 7, 2009.
African dancers WOW the crowd as the 4th annual Lummis Day winds down,
late on Sunday afternoon, |
Mariachi Divas to
Headline
Concerts at the Square
On July 16th, Mariachi Divas will be the headline act. Founded and
directed by trumpet player Cindy Shea in 1999, the all-female Mariachi
Divas are making big waves on the national music scene. In 2009, the group
won the American Grammy award for Regional Mexican Album for their latest
CD, Canciones De Amor. Mariachi Divas are a unique, multi-cultural
ensemble imbued with the true flavor of Los Angeles and have been
represented by women of Mexican, Cuban, Samoan, Argentinian, Colombian,
Panamanian, Puerto Rican, Swiss, Japanese, Honduran, Peruvian, Tongan and
Anglo descents. Cindy Shea states, "Music is a way of uniting our cultural
backgrounds."
Mariachi Divas have appeared at Southern California venues such as the
Arrowhead Pond, Universal Amphitheater, Staples Center, the Greek Theatre,
the Santa Barbara Bowl, the House of Blues, the LA Forum for the 2005
Premio La Gente live TV awards show and the Shrine Auditorium for the 2006
Alma Awards. They have also accompanied Grammy- winning artists such as
Joan Sebastian, Jenny Rivera, Marco Antonio Solis, Pablo Montero, Graciela
Beltran and Paulina Rubio and Mariachi Vargas.
The Concert is on Thursday, July 16, 2009, from 5:00pm to 8:30pm, at
Heritage Square
"Words With A Purpose"
Reading, July 11
At Imix Bookstore
To Raise Funds for Arroyo Seco Public Library Branch
Five noted Los Angeles writers will read their work at an event aimed at
supporting a book fund established by Imix Bookstore for the Arroyo Seco
branch Of the Los Angeles Public Library at 7:30 pm on Saturday, July 11.
The event will take place at Imix Bookstore, 5052 Eagle Rock Boulevard in
Eagle Rock and is organized by the Words With A Purpose Writers
Collective.
Admission to the event is free, but donations are requested for the new
library fund.
The reading will feature writers Olga García Echeverría, liz gonzález,
reina alejandra prado and Frankie Salinas with special guest Gloria E.
Alvarez
Gloria E. Alvarez is the recipient of a 2009 City of Los Angeles Artist
Award, among many other awards. Her books of poetry include La Excusa/The
Excuse and Emerging en un Mar De Olanes.
Olga García Echeverría has appeared throughout the Southwest, Nueva York,
Minneapolis, North Carolina, Mexico City, Cuba, & France. Her first book
is Falling Angels: Cuentos y Poemas (Calaca Press and Chibcha Press,
2008). For more info: mariposa@datapillar.com
liz gonzález' poetry and fiction recently appeared in BorderSenses,
Cooweescoowee, and Women on the Edge: Writing from Los Angeles. Her
collection of poems is Beneath Bone (Manifest Press, 2000). For more info:
www.lizgonzalez.com
Reina Alejandra Prado's poetry challenges taboos imposed on Latinas by
delving into the realm of the erotic Her collection of poetry is Santa
Perversa and Other Erotic Poems (Calaca Press, 2001). For more info:
www.santaperversa.com
Frankie Salinas has performed her poetry and memoirs and taught workshops
all over the country. She is currently working on an anthology entitled
Most Likely to Fail–Extraordinary Success of Ordinary People.
Words with a Purpose Writer's Collective is a Los Angeles County-based
group of writers dedicated to making a difference in communities. For more
info: beneathbone@yahoo.com
Ash and Portraits of
Contemporary Cuba 7/11
Blessings, Energy, Power "Obatala"
Wendell Wiggins
Katie Elizabeth Brown, Eddy Bello-Sandoval,
Viredo, Ricardo Silvereira Mir, Wendell Wiggins, Susan Matthews, Betty
Kano, Lili Bernard, Gloria Longval, and an Elegua altar by Jorge Luis
Rodriguez
The Yoruba religious beliefs and practices originated in Africa in Nigeria
and Benin. This is an ancient culture thousands of years old. Brought to
the New World through slavery, it gave birth to Santeria in Cuba. Because
of religious persecution, the Yoruba syncretised their religion with
Catholicism to form what is now known as Santeria.
This upcoming July, the Avenue 50 Studio will present an art exhibition
celebrating the Yoruba traditions known as Santeria. Our exhibition will
include visual art, bata drumming, and a lecture on the history and
practice of the Yoruba traditions. Reception: Saturday, July 11, 2009 from
7-10 pm and the exhibition runs from July 11- August 2, 2009. Avenue 50
Studio, Inc., 131 North Avenue 50, Highland Park, CA 90042, 323-258-1435
"Community Wednesdays"
Pasadena Museum of History Offers Free Admission
to Local Residents/Employees/
Students
On July 1, Pasadena Museum of History will inaugurate "Community
Wednesdays," offering free admission each Wednesday through January 6,
2010 to the Family Stories exhibition for persons who live, work, or go to
school in our community. Visitors should mention this offer and verify
their "local" status by showing some form of I.D. in the Museum Store.
The groundbreaking exhibition Family Stories: Sharing a Community's Legacy
features the personal, multi-generational chronicles of six longtime
Pasadena families. The stories of the Duncan, Gertmenian, Lowe, Stevenson,
Kawai, and Mejia families shed light on the experiences of our
African-American, Armenian-American, Chinese-American, Euro-American,
Japanese-American, and Latino communities, respectively. For additional
exhibit information, please visit www.pasadenahistory.org.
It is the Museum's hope that this exhibition will inspire everyone to
reflect on how their own family's lives and experiences are contributing
to the ongoing creation of history and community. Family Stories is on
view Wednesdays through Sundays from 12:00-5:00 pm in the History Center
Galleries, located on the PMH grounds at 470 W. Walnut St. (corner Orange
Grove Blvd. and Walnut St.). Free parking is available in the Museum lot.
To be eligible for this free offer, visitors must live, work, or go to
school in one of the following cities:
Alhambra, Altadena, Arcadia, Bradbury, Duarte, Eagle Rock, Glendale,
Highland Park, La Canada Flintridge, La Crescenta, Monrovia, Monterey
Park, Pasadena, Rosemead, San Gabriel, San Marino, Sierra Madre, South
Pasadena, Temple City
INFORMATION: 626.577.1660, ext. 10 / www.pasadenahistory.org.
EAGLE ROCK
NEWS
|
|
The yellow Los Angeles
streetcar crosses Avenue 50 on York Blvd. This 60 year old photo shows many of
the same buildings that exist today.
Photo courtesy of Doug Brown
at Highland Park Music
Looking Back
by Joe Walker
80 years ago this
month-
Eagle Rock
A social gathering was
organized by the local women's clubs in what was called the "Argus Bowl"
and "Argus Gardens" on July 7, 1929, when a Russian musical troupe
entertained the local ladies. Dr. Sonia Poushkareff claimed to be related
to Russian nobility as she regaled the group with the story of her life
and entertained the audience with music from her 25 piece orchestra.
Poushkareff stayed active in local affairs for many years after that,
alternating from appearing at social functions to taking
anti-Soviet/anti-Communist stands. She made a living as a dentist after
arriving in the U.S. in 1924, and carried several scars from bullet wounds
she suffered in the Russian Revolution.
80 years ago this month-
Highland Park
The West Highland Park Improvement Association, led by Mrs Helga Qually,
organized a meeting at Aldama School at Ave 50 and York Blvd. The topic of
the meeting was police protection in Highland Park. Capt. R.H Scholfield
and Sgt Cyrus Johnson were the speakers, and read a letter from Chief
James E. Davis at the July 29, 1929 meeting.
70 years ago this month-
Glassell Park.
A new tract of homes was developed at 4316 Verdugo Road in July, 1939.
Prices ranged from $3250-$6700 for a new home.
70 years ago this month-
Eagle Rock
$.25 got you a seat at the Eagle Theater on July 3, 1939, where you could
have seen "Dodge City" with the lovely actresses Olivia de Havilland and
Ann Sheridan and the notorious Errol Flynn. The second half of the double
feature had Fred Astair and Ginger Rogers dancing their hearts out in:
"The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle"
70 years ago this month-
Highland Park
Verne Tieman, a Junior Middleweight boxer who came from Franklin High
School, continued to be put in matches for several years following his
debut to professional boxing several years earlier. Tieman, a former
laundryman who built up his muscles no doubt hauling 50lb bags of wet
laundry, boxed on a long night at the Olympic Auditorium on July 17, 1939
70 years ago this month-
Eagle Rock
Campbell Electric, at 5062 Eagle Rock Blvd, offered a great deal on
General Electric six cubic feet refrigerator. At $154, you could finance
it with $5 down and just $5 per month. See Picture. This was the year that
GE introduced a fridge with a butter keeper. Heat controls allowed
consumers to set their desired level of softness. This electrical feature
wasn't grounded, however, and it was known to shock people.
60 years ago this month-
Eagle Rock
The Rev Robert Honette watched carefully as his new church, the Community
Covenant Church at 1649 Yosemite Way, had a beautiful stained glass window
installed. Measuring 5 x 7, it was stained glass and had the image of the
head of Jesus Christ engraved. Out of 173 members of the church, 40 of
them pitched in to cover the $300 window, part of which was made in Europe
and part in Virginia. The new building, started in August, 1948, would
seat 250 persons when completed at an estimated cost of 30,000. The
church, now known as the "The Eagle Rock Covenant Church," still stands
and is an important part of the Eagle Rock community.
60 years ago this month-
Eagle Rock
Harry J. Bolin, the 47 year old president of the Eagle Rock Chamber of
Commerce, participated in a stunt to publicize an upcoming western day's
event in Eagle Rock. He pretended to be a old west outlaw, who was about
to be hanged in a makeshift gallows. A portable crane located at 2201
Colorado Blvd picked him up in front of 200 spectators. Something went
wrong, however on July 30, 1939, when Bolin fell from his harness, landing
with a thud 10 feet underneath him. He was treated for a gash on the head
and a fractured left ankle.
50 years ago this month-
Eagle Rock
The new fire station at 2021 Colorado Blvd was opened around July 19,
1959, replacing an older building that had stood there for many years and
was torn down. The building, constructed by Packard
Construction was the lowest bid of 10 offers, and well below the city's
$200,000 estimate. the final cost was $122,538. The single story building,
at 6800 square feet, included a kitchen, recreation room and 16 bed
dormitory. It was built to have one dual pump-hose carrier truck.
50 years ago this month-
Mt Washington
The strong sense of neighborhood activism in Mount Washington did not
suddenly emerge with all the twists and turns of the life of the Southwest
Museum. %0 years ago, in July, 1959 local residents won a major victory
when the L.A. Bureau of Sanitation abandoned its plans to establish a dump
in the Sea View Canyon area. First proposed in the fall of 1958, local
residents cited the narrow streets and a major factor for why the area was
inappropriate for a trash dump. The Scholl Canyon dump was later approved,
eliminating the Sea View Dump plan.
Also, in the same month in Mt. Washington, imagine the surprise when Ann
and Beverly Kitson, mother and daughter, who lived at 4853 Lynn St, (off
Avenue 50 at the base of Mt. Washington) looked on their front lawn one
warm summer evening and saw a large black panther perched on a tree branch
behind their home. Their collies surrounded the big cat, barking
furiously. Eventually, the big cat slithered back into the brush and
disappeared.
50 years ago this month-Highland Park
Helen Cordell Terzo, former opera star, passed away in July, 1959. Two
years earlie, she was honored for her 20 years of service as
founder-president of the Highland Park Symphony Assn. She live at 127 S.
Ave 58.
40 years ago this month-Highland Park
Councilman Arthur Snyder introduced a resolution to the L.A. City Council
to rename the Highland Park Division to Northeast Division. The council
was expected to approve it the following month.
30 years ago this month-Highland Park
13 teachers at Franklin High School were to be transferred on July 7,
1979, in order to provide racial balance in teachers. This little known
part of the integration battles of the late 1970's involved trying to
achieve a racial balance between the teachers and the students they
taught. With 67% of Franklin High School's students being Hispanic, they
planned on moving Caucasian teachers out and Hispanic teachers in. If this
was not done, the LAUSD risked losing huge amounts of Federal
desegregation dollars.
The vintage magazine ad for GE refrigerators shows the same appliance that
Campbell Electric in Eagle Rock once sold.
Gregory Makes Plea Bargain-
Takes Six Years in Prison
by Tom Topping
34 year old Patrick Gregory, took a plea bargain last month. Last December he
assaulted me, Boulevard Sentinel editor Tom Topping, and injured the two
officers who arrested him inside of Colombo's restaurant. He pled guilty and
agreed to a sentence of six (6) years in State Prison.
I didn't publish any coverage of the case in the last 6 months since the
original report was in the January issue of the Boulevard Sentinel because legal
proceedings were delayed again and again, and I didn't really know anything new.
It was on the day jury selection was scheduled to start, June 23rd, that Mr.
Gregory finally agreed to the plea, avoiding a trial and possibly a much longer
sentence.
It took a few weeks in January for my fractured cheekbone to heal. I am left
with some ongoing facial and dental nerve damage and a permanent part-time
double vision problem, which luckily can be alleviated somewhat with special
glasses. When I returned to Colombo's, assistant manager Edgar made a copy of
the surveillance video for me. I watched it with friends, and was amazed and
haunted by what I saw. Although some community members still believe wrongly
that I was in a fight, the video clearly shows Mr. Gregory standing behind me,
and punching me from behind. I never saw it coming. I was knocked down and I hit
the floor.
The video shows Gregory pounding my face repeatedly. I was unconscious, laying
on the floor, giving no resistance at all, and he picked me up and hit me over
and over again. Remember, this was all over a discussion of Eagle Rock
historical trivia. It just didn't make any sense. On the video, I counted about
8 hits in those few seconds.
3 seconds after the first punch, Oscar the waiter jumped in and tried to pull
Gregory off of me. 2 seconds after that, officer Leticia was there trying to
subdue Gregory. Officer Silva joined a second later. Gregory can be seen on the
video resisting arrest the entire time, both officers on top of him. You can
seen him keeping his hands in front of him, not letting himself be handcuffed.
Two minutes and sixteen seconds after the first punch, a parade of police
officers rushed in at full speed. How could they all get there that fast?
Stepping right over me, the officers quickly over powered Gregory. I am still
laying there and a few minutes later a friend is seen trying to get me to sit
up.
I am haunted by the video image of Gregory following me around the inside of the
bar, waiting for his best opportunity to strike. I never knew it, but as I
walked back and forth, he was right on my tail, and when I'd turn around, he'd
turn too, so I wouldn't realize he was stalking me. I feel so dumb for not
paying attention to what he was doing- but I guess I shouldn't be too hard on
myself. Colombo's, after all, has always been a pretty safe spot.
Overall, I learned a little bit about how the system works from a victim's
perspective, and although the result seems all right at the end of the process,
I am amazed the system works at all. Right from the start I had my doubts.
I was still on the prescription pain killers when the police investigator had
called wanting copies of my medical record that showed my injuries. She wanted
them right away. I did not have anything except the discharge papers. I told her
those papers did not say anything about the extent of my injuries, but she
wanted me to send them anyway. She did not ask me to send anything else.
When I finally met the investigator, she seemed surprised as I told her about my
injuries. It was the first time she had heard about them.
"The papers you faxed didn't say anything about that," she said.
"I told you it didn't," I replied. "You didn't ask me for that." She told me to
get copies of the medical records and send them to her. I got the records, but
when I tried to contact the investigator, the detectives at Northeast Station
said she had been transferred and another investigator would be handling my
case. I left a message for that investigator, and he never even called me back.
I met the Deputy D.A. at the courtroom, and I was shocked to discover that she
was just temporary, and was there to handle all the cases that morning. I
learned that for preliminary hearings, they assign a D.A. to the courtroom, not
the case, and that that person may change all the time. How, I wondered, can
this system work at all?
I was completely disillusioned and feared this case would just fall through the
cracks like I imagined many others did. After calling the District Attorney's
office, Deputy D.A. Lisa Kassabian called me back. She would be the one
prosecuting this case.
After talking to her, I sent stacks of medical records and copies of photos. At
the preliminary hearing, I met her and could see she was a pretty sharp lawyer.
I felt reassured. After that, it was a matter of hurry up and wait. Time after
time, I'd get a subpoena, and then it would be delayed.
I am left with a bunch of bills that the State Victim assistance is supposed to
pay for, but they seem to relish finding any chance to deny payment. At least I
had health insurance. With out that my bills would have been upwards of $20,000
instead of the $1500 or so it cost me out of pocket.
Patrick Gregory wrote me a letter from jail asking for more coverage of local
youth sports. He knew he wasn't supposed to contact me, and singed the letter
with his middle name, Harold. He included his booking number in the return
address which was easy to look up on the Sheriff Department web site.
Deputy D.A. Kassabian recommends that I get a civil restraining order against
Gregory after he gets out of state prison, which could be as soon as 3 years
from now.
Eagle
Rock Valley Historical Society Welcomes the Community
Let's beat the heat together at the Historical Society's 8th Annual ICE CREAM
SOCIAL on Sundae, August 2nd from 1pm 4pm at the Center for the Arts, Eagle
Rock 2225 Colorado Blvd. FREE admission for ALL, DOLLAR-A-SCOOP ice cream,
"endless" toppings, and luscious baked goods await you!
We will again have family entertainment, Peter Breede and his street organ music
(it wouldn¹t be an ice cream social without him) and New this year: Folkdance
favorites "Fifth Friday Folk Band" (maybe they'll teach you a thing or two!).
Headlining will be the Eagle Rock High School Latin Jazz Band! Fabulous prizes
donated by local merchants will be won by a lucky few!
As usual our lovely old library is AIR CONDITIONED !
Highlights from the archive will be shown!
Historical society postcards and notecards will be available!
As a special thank you to all Historical Society members who make it possible,
with their membership fees and personal interest in this community's history,
for us to sustain and continually add to our already rich archives. A FREE
Historical Society T-shirt to all new and current members at the door!!! (Of
course, supplies and sizes are on a first come, first serve, one per membership
basis).
Be sure to stop by the event with friends and the whole family! We look forward
to seeing new and old friends! See you then!
BONC Commission Applauds ASNC for
"Best Practices"
JUNE 2009 – Northeast Los Angeles –
The Arroyo Seco Neighborhood Council's 2009-2010 budget preparations earlier
this year – and its extensive steps to involve large numbers of local
stakeholders in the process – were declared a "best practice" among the City's
neighborhood council organizations, one of only a handful noted this year, by
the Los Angeles Board of Neighborhood Commissioners (BONC) at a recent
commission meeting held in Northeast L.A. Details of the ASNC's exemplary work
were then transmitted to leaders of all of the nearly 90 other City neighborhood
councils by the L.A. Department of Neighborhood Empowerment (DONE), in a
citywide news blast, with details showing how they could use similar surveys for
future years' planning (Survey shown attached).
Mark Legassie, the ASNC's elected treasurer for 2009 and responsible for
chairing the neighborhood council's Budget and Finance Committee had worked to
orchestrate an online and offline survey collection method to "ask" stakeholders
(for the first time), how the largest portion of the council's City-provided
funding should be spent next year.
Legassie, a first-year member of the ASNC's Board of Representatives elected
last November to serve until mid-2010, is a Hermon stakeholder who also serves
as the board's At Large Community Non-Profits Representative.
Throughout the process of collecting the surveys, Treasurer Legassie continued
reporting to the ASNC's nearly 1,300 registered stakeholders -- through e-mail
news outlets and at meetings -- how the tallies were progressing, encouraging
additional "votes" on how to spend money being provided by the City of Los
Angeles.
Nearly 1 in 10 stakeholders now registered in the City-certified ASNC –
representing all five communities -- completed the survey, either online (via
www.asnc.us), or using paper copies supplied at local meetings. The council area
is made up of the communities of Sycamore Grove, Mount Washington, Hermon,
Monterey Hills and Montecito Heights.
An immediate result of the input was significant changes in the way the ASNC
budgeted for community project funding for the fiscal year just now beginning.
In past years, ASNC treasurers primarily used the previous years expenditures to
determine how much to budget for a more general "community projects" line item.
With neighborhood council funding being decreased this year by at least 10
percent due to the City's current budget shortfalls, more detailed budgeted
seemed appropriate.
This fiscal year (July 2009 – June 2010), as a result of the surveys, the ASNC
expects to use the largest single portion of its funding – nearly one-quarter --
in the area of Environment and Beautification, versus last year's larger funding
for Festivals and Recreation (which fell to third place in priority, based on
stakeholder input).
"It's important to set up an annual budget for your neighborhood council that
reflects the desires of all stakeholders -- and not just the wants of board
members and lobbyists," explained Legassie, who extended the budget survey
collection process for several additional weeks last spring to allow an even
larger sampling of community feedback.
In the surveys, stakeholders were asked to rank seven types of expenditures in
order of their importance to the ASNC area (1 = most important, 7 = least
important), and then suggest how much of the council's nearly $25,000 for
funding community projects should be spent in each area. In addition to the
Environmental and Festival areas, the categories included: Public Safety,
Education, Culture & Arts, Health, and "Other" (where stakeholders could make
new and different suggestions).
The ASNC's Budget and Finance Committee initially worked to keep the
online/offline form simple to encourage greater participation. The short,
two-question survey used in 2009 helped the Board formulate and approve a more
detailed budget that reflected actual community values.
Results of the budget surveys are available online at the ASNC Website, at
http://www.asnc.us/2009-archives/05-May/_0509archives.htm along with the details
of the approved annual budget.
At the same local meeting of the City's neighborhood commissioners, ASNC
representatives reported to BONC on stakeholder outreach, the running of board
meetings, and how community members can likewise suggest non-financial areas on
which the Board should concentrate. BONC also presented the ASNC with a
certificate recognizing the fifth anniversary of its certification -- some
months earlier.
The ASNC was certified as a City neighborhood council for six interconnected
communities in the fall of 2002, until one was removed by the same City
commission a few months later.
ASNC "stakeholders" are individuals, anyone at least 18 years old, who "live,
work, own property, or are parents or guardians of students attending school
within the ASNC boundaries, or who declare a stake in any one of the five ASNC
communities and affirm the factual basis for that claim. . ."
The neighborhood council's five member communities are estimated to include a
potential of 30,000 potential stakeholders, and ASNC registration has increased
each years since certification by about 15 percent.
For additional information on the ASNC, visit www.asnc.us online, e-mail
ASNC_Outreach@earthlink.net, or leave voicemail at (323) 550-8105.
Cruising with Mary
How many times have you seen a
customized car and said "What is that?" If you are honest, probably lots of
times. I had a recent occasion to ask just that question at the Burbank Road
Kings picnic/car show last month.
This car, which at first sight, looks like a modern but scaled down version of
the Batmobile, prompted the "What is that?" question and indeed the personalized
license plate reflects this all too obvious question.
What it is: (beside my pick of the month): a 1984 convertible Camaro with a
stock 350 engine that is owned by Bill and Enid Logan. Bill has a strong
background in composite layups in the aerospace industry (look it up...) and
calls this piece of portable art "Dream Ryder." Let me do my best to describe
this 15 year project, keeping in mind I am neither a scientist nor a fabricator:
the hand formed fiberglass body was built piece by piece using molds, hand
tooling, and high-density foam that was carved and sanded. All of the individual
pieces were then bolted or bondoed right to the Camaro body, adding 500 lbs.
Bill made back-up molds of all the pieces, except the side pipes, which are
non-functional.
While many people see and comment on the sharp bat or birdlike features of the
car, Bill takes a more metaphysical approach, pointing out that the front of the
car does indeed have a face, mouth, and sharp teeth, while the rear end looks
like, well uh, the rear end of an animal, tail included. The silver, gray,
black, and yellow colors of the car lend themselves to the natural feel of a
bird, but the interior is all wild beast done in various fur patterns found in
nature. All in all, it's a beautiful and curious piece of rolling art. Thanks
for sharing with me, Bill and Enid.
Out June cruise-in was wonderful, with several new hot rods visiting, including
a gorgeous 1966 baby blue Cadillac. The Eagle Rockin' Rodders will be sponsoring
the car show at Concerts in the Park, Sunday, July 12 at Eagle Vista Recreation
Center. The free 50's concert is at 6 p.m. with Ronnie and the Classics. Bring
your hot rod and a picnic lunch in at 3:00 for lots of family fun. Thanks to Sir
Michael's Limousines for sponsoring this concert.
In closing, the Eagle Rockin' Rodders send sincere good wishes to our friend,
Tromper, Max Norris, who has been hospitalized for several weeks with a very
serious illness. He has been a strong supporter of all of our club events and
charities. You will never meet a man with a bigger heart. Get well soon, Max!
Until next month, keep on cruising, and bring those pets in 4th of July!
Taco
Krawl
by Linni Kral
Not many things can bring a smile to my face in L.A. traffic. The right song on
the radio, maybe, or perhaps a particularly humorous billboard. My favorite rush
hour pick-me-up, though, is a taco truck in motion. Something about spotting
these epic beasts on the go just makes my day. Daydreaming of all the spicy
sauces, chunky guacamoles and greasy meats in tow has brought me pretty close to
a fender-bender on more than one occasion.
Last year, though, those dreams were served with a side of fear as L.A.
politicians proposed an ordinance to bring these vehicular vendors to the
ground. The ordinance struck terror into the hearts of taco lovers city-wide as
websites and Facebook groups sprung up to assert that "Carne Asada is Not a
Crime."
To the relief of thousands of drunken night owls, the ordinance was ruled
against, though the appeal process has already begun. So while our collective
sigh of relief may be premature, I still thought this seemed like a good time to
highlight the cream of the taco crop.
But with literally hundreds to choose from, I needed a smaller sample than L.A.
What better microcosm than Eagle Rock? This region is actually known all over
the city as having some of the best taco trucks in L.A., and although most of us
have done Leo's before, there are many gems nearby. For the sake of precise
taste tests, I stuck to the establishments' namesake-tacos. Carnitas, al pastor
and carne asada tacos, to be exact.
First stop, El Pique. This place had the most decorative and extravagant menu of
the five I visited. They also have the most extensive menu, but that's no
indicator of good food-sometimes focusing all your efforts into one dish yields
the best results. Maybe this lack of focus was El Pique's downfall, since these
were the worst I came across in our neighborhood. At York and Avenue 53, just
100 feet from the superior La Estrella, El Pique's al pastor lacked flavor and
their asada was dry. Their carnitas were their saving grace, with arguably the
most flavor of any I tried, but they were also very oily. But hey, they were
only $1.10 each.
Just a hop, skip and a jump away from El Pique, the La Estrella truck is a very
different experience. With hardly a menu to speak of and certainly no
brightly-colored signs, I wasn't even sure if they had all three types of tacos.
Boy, did they ever. Their tacos had more meat and overall bulk to them, at only
a 15 cent difference from El Pique. The al pastor was delicious, with a sweet
flavor much like American barbecue sauce, and their green sauce packed a little
more spice than other area varieties. The carnitas, on the other hand, were a
little dry, and the asada, though better than their neighbor's, was not the best
I've had.
Next up, Rambo's. I know this place often gets overlooked by all the Leo-hypes
of the world, but hold the phone-it's delicious. For starters, Rambo gets an A
for effort by having a giant mural painted on the side of his truck. He also
manages to pull off having a varied menu and staying on top of the basics. Take
the green sauce, for example-often times, it doesn't seem like much thought goes
into this concoction. Rambo's, however, has a darker color and smokier flavor,
that I'm willing to bet comes from chipotles. Impressed yet? His carne asada
also blew me away-no doubt marinated for hours, it was extremely juicy, yet had
no fatty chunks. The al pastor was perfectly subtle, retaining its flavorful
Mexican roots without an overpowering sweetness. With the same $1.25 price as
Leo's, Rambo's only downfall comes from his dry, tasteless carnitas. I guess you
can't get everything right.
My next visit was to Freddy's on Colorado and La Roda, also known as White Guy
taco truck. Yes, he is white. No, he does not have carnitas or al pastor. Yes,
his tacos are the cheapest at one dollar each, and his asada tacos are pretty
great. The steak was cubed, yet had a Worcestershire-hamburger taste to it. He
really piles the toppings on, with tomatoes, lettuce and guacamole, proving that
Leo is not the only guacamole purveyor in this hood. I've also heard his
all-meat burrito is heaven on earth.
Near Freddy's, there sits a brilliant new addition that has come to be known as
Flashy Truck-or Flash Truck, or That One With The Bright Flashing Lights. If you
haven't eaten it, you've definitely seen it. The marketing gimmick is key here,
because I might never have stopped if the words "lengua" and "carnitas" weren't
flashing at me. I pulled up knowing something special was going on, and found a
full menu of meats and a medley of masa bases, including huaraches. Their meat
selection is unparalleled in this hood, and the quality goes right along with
it. The carnitas aren't perfect, but are moist and greasy enough to satisfy my
cravings. The asada, seared into submission in a heaping mound in front of the
truck's big glass window, will tempt you regardless of whether or not you
arrived with it in mind. The al pastor was chunky, not shredded, and felt a tad
grainy, and the avocado on top easily overpowered the flavor. But hey, they have
avocado! For free! And at a buck and a quarter per taco, that's something to
celebrate.
In the home stretch, I decided to revisit the old standard, Leo's, with the
other options fresh in my mind. He doesn't do carnitas, but the al pastor was
spicier than any of the others I tried and had great flavor. My only qualm was
the chunked meat-al pastor is supposed to be made gyro-style on a spit, but this
definitely did not look shaved (this quality is apparently hard to come by in
these parts). The carne asada was also a let down-the taste was enjoyable, but
the meat cubes were a light grey color that made me kind of nervous. For $1.25
each, these were definitely not the best in town.
I've learned from this journey that no one truck gets it all right-perhaps
that's why there need to be so many. I may be able to find the best chorizo or
the best al pastor, but there is really no such thing as the best tacos, and
good luck finding decent carnitas. For what it's worth, there's a little hole in
the wall in San Diego called Las Cuatro Milpas, serving up carnitas to rival
Mexico's, not to mention blow L.A.'s out of the water. But if the trek to San
Diego's too far, and you're looking to gobble up as many shady roadside tacos as
you can before food nazis make that impossible, head to Rambo's, La Estrella or
Flashy to really get your money's worth.
Tropicana w/ Liquor Sales? -
Here's my Opinion - What's Yours?
by Christina Amezquita
La Tropicana market applied last month for a zone variance to permit the sale of
beer and wine at their store at 5200 East Monte Vista St. The hearing was
continued for another 30 days, so there is still a chance that you can have your
voice heard. Here is the situation.
When La Tropicana applied for an alcohol license the first step was to have a
hearing by ABC (Alcoholic Beverage Control Department). I spoke to Sonia Battle
who is handling this case and she says the department sent out notices to those
that live, own property, and businesses in a 100 ft radius on February 19th. She
also stated that it was the applicant's responsibility to notify residents,
businesses, and property owners within 500 ft. radius. According to Ms.Battle
this was done by Rana Silyan, the applicant, on February 17.
I live in a 500 ft. radius and so does everyone else in my building. None of us
received a notice of the ABC hearing. I contacted the Historic Highland Park
Neighborhood Council (they were on the ownership mailing list I found in the
case file) and they didn't receive one either. The only notice I received was
from the Office of Zoning Administration. By this time it was the first week of
June and the hearing was scheduled for June 22nd. Again, I contacted the council
and they had not received this notice either.
When you apply for an alcohol license you must post a notice outside of your
business for 10 days prior to the hearing. There are several witnesses that
confirm this was not posted for 10 days. A representative of La Tropicana stated
that they posted it and that they can't do any thing about it if it fell off.
State law requires that it be posted for 10 consecutive days rain or shine!
In the case file, No. ZA-2008-4317(ZV), I found a petition that states "As a
resident of the Highland Park area I support La Tropicana in it's effort to
obtain a license to sell beer and wine." Out of the one thousand signatures only
75% were actually residents. I saw that one person had signed this petition 5
times.
As Captain of my Neighborhood Watch I recognized many of the signatures. I saw
one that I knew would not have signed this petition. I asked her if she signed a
petition. She said yes. I asked her what it was for, she said she was told it
was to show support for an expansion. Then I realized the petition was in
English and this is Spanish speaking community.
I also saw the support of people in my community who are alcoholics. However,
the most impressive signature of support I saw was that of Barac Obahma. The
credibility of this petition needs to be seriously evaluated.
The residents of Highland Park are all different. However, many of them had
financial problems and now they are worse off with our current economy. Captain
Murphy of the Northeast Police Department sent out an email that clearly stated
that along Monte Vista from Avenue 50 to Avenue 60 there was a significant
amount of crime. That store is on the corner of Monte Vista and Avenue 52.
There, we have a significant amount of gang activity, robbery, and aggravated
assaults. Under these conditions and with either little or no help from the
local government (consider budget cuts) it is a challenge to raise children
here. There is so much stress that can lead folks to self medicate with alcohol.
Although the most effective answer to problems is counseling, what's easier
counseling or drowning your sorrows in alcohol? It's no accident that ghettos
are overflowed with liquor stores. Business owner's can count on cashing in on
our communities with no concern for the reasons and causes behind their profit.
Rana Silyan, owner of La Tropicana stated during the Office of Zoning
Administration hearing on June 22nd that she was doing this for the
"convenience" of her customers.
Don't church it up lady. People apply for liquor licenses to make money- period.
This is high crime area, with too many people living under one roof, and
poverty. Therefore we need real affordable housing, more teachers, more gang
prevention programs, more health resources, more parks, more adult education,
etc.
What we need is not sold in any store, much less in a bottle of beer. What we
need happens through community activism, education, and working together to make
Highland Park reach the potential it clearly has.
The hearing was continued for 30 days. Please come to the hearing and voice your
opinion. My opinion is clearly no, but of course all opinions are encouraged.
For more information on the time and place of the next heariong please contact
Christina Amezquita 323.348.7762 or c_b_amezquita@yahoo.com.
Debs Park Work
The Audubon Center at Debs Park is beginning a grading project just north of the
Audubon Center site. This project is being funded by Audubon and is part of our
lease agreement with the City of Los Angeles.
Over the next few weeks, a hill made of construction fill will be graded into a
more natural slope. Swales will be installed to help prevent erosion. The whole
site will be hydroseeded with a native seed mixture. We will be improving
habitat and creating a new usable park area. Access to the park remains open,
but please be mindful of equipment operating in the area. Work begins around
7:00 am and will continue into mid afternoon, during weekdays.
We anticipate this project will be completed by early to mid August. Please
contact me if you have any questions or comments about this project.
Eagle Rock Community Fair at Oxy
On Saturday, August 29, Occidental will welcome over 600 new students and
families during the New Student Orientation. As new members of the College, they
are also new members of the Eagle Rock Community.
Assist Oxy in welcoming these patrons by participating in the Eagle Rock
Community Fair. You'll have the opportunity to provide information about your
business and advertise the services you provide. You are welcome to bring
flyers, business cards, coupons and a map. Unfortunately, you may not bring any
food sample.
For your convenience, 1 table and 2 chairs will be provided. Bring your own tent
as this may be a hot day. Your tent should not exceed more than 10'x10' in size.
Should you be interested, please send me an email with your contact information
(name, business, phone number and email) and RSVP by Monday June 29, 2009. Feel
free to contact me if you have any questions.
SAVE THE DATE
Occidental College
Eagle Rock Community Fair
Saturday, August 29, 2009
11am-1pm, Johnson Student Center Quad
RSVP by Monday, June 29
Jose Huizar Extending his Realm?
CD 14 Councilman Jose Huizar was raising money for his campaign in the San
Gabriel Valley last weekend. Other notable SGV leaders were there. He has
recently become an MTA board member, and was described by the Pasadena Star News
as an up and coming star. He will serve on the MTA board with Mayor Villaraigosa,
and all five of the County Supervisors among many other local leaders, but is
the only L.A. City Councilman currently on the board.
He is the one pushing to close the loophole called the hardship exemption that
allowed many medicinal marijuana dispensaries to open in the city of L.A.
He recently stepping down from the board of regents at Princeton University, his
alma mater, where he served with now in the news Supreme Court nominee Sotomayor.
Summer Concert Series: Warm Nights, Cool Sounds
Twilight Thursdays at Descanso Offer High Energy Latin Sounds
Descanso Gardens welcomes great outdoor entertainment for this year's Summer
Twilight Thursdays with a concert series that aims to get everyone moving and
grooving to the beat.
"Warm Nights, Cool Sounds" features top local talent who will perform at the
Under the Oaks Theatre. Concertgoers are encouraged to bring blankets and
picnics (normally not allowed) and settled back to savor the music from some of
the SoCal's finest Latin jazz artists.
Concerts are from 5:30 to 7 p.m. and the line-up includes:
July 9
The Elliott Caine Quintet plays jazz standards and original compositions
influenced by Afro-Latin jazz and the 60's Blue Note sounds.
July 23
The Robert Kyle Brazilian Trio performs instrumental bossa novas and Brazilian
jazz classics.
July 30
The Louie Cruz Beltran Ensemble blends high energy salsa with jazz, R&B and pop.
Aug. 6
The Mitchell Long Group features Afro-Brazilian arrangements with Mitchell
singing in Portuguese.
The summer concert series is free with Gardens admission: $8 adults, $6
seniors/students and $3 children 5-12 and free for children 4 and younger.
Descanso members are free. For more information, call (818) 949-4200 or visit
www.descansogardens.org.
GIRLS! GIRLS! GIRLS!
Please join us for a huge group show featuring - hubba, hubba - GIRLS!
Curated by Douglas Alvarez for Cactus Gallery this group show promises to
be hot. More than 20 new artists to the Northeast L.A. area will be
showing for the first time ever at Cactus Gallery.
Opening reception is on Saturday, July 11th from 7 to 10pm (IN CONJUNCTION
WITH SECOND SATURDAY GALLERY NIGHT). The closing party is Friday, July
31st from 7-10pm.
|
|
|
