Cypress Park Prevails
On November 19, 2002, the Board of Neighborhood Commissioners voted to remove the community of Cypress Park from the recently certified Arroyo Seco Neighborhood Council, and certify the Greater Cypress Park Neighborhood Council as number 57 on the list of Los Angeles' certified neighborhood councils. Like the other two hearings earlier in the year when the Arroyo Council chose to postpone certification while they tried to reunite with Cypress Park, and later, when over many Cypress Park objections the Arroyo group was certified, it was a very long night lasting over six hours.
Although Art Pulido was the official leader of the Greater Cypress Park NC in formation, observers close by had little doubt that the real driving force behind the effort is John Edwards (affectionately known as 'King" Edward because of his British accent). He took the lead in getting the Board of Neighborhood Commissioners (BONC) to reconsider their earlier decision to certify the Arroyo Seco Neighborhood Council that included Cypress Park.
In the BONC's deliberations, Commissioner Stone noted that the purpose of Neighborhood Councils was to promote more participation in government, and make the government more responsive to local needs. He said, "I come down on the side of Greater Cypress Park as the way to go for a number of reasons. First and foremost, the bylaws are more inclusive."
Commissioner Herrera-Duran added, "(it has). not always been for fairness the way in which the Arroyo Seco people have done their outreach."
Still, Commission President Bill Christopher said, "The way the Commission is split reflects the divisions in the community." He added, "I'm still convinced that the broader Arroyo Seco Council is the way that will serve the interests of Cypress park in the long run."
It was a real cliff hanger of a decision because with one commission member absent, and the board numbering six, the members were evenly split in their deliberations at 3 to 3. But when the vote was called for, Ms. Herrera Duran voted for the the removal of Cypress Park from the Arroyo Seco and the certification of the greater Cypress Park council, which passed by a vote of 4 to 2.
The story of Cypress park and the Arroyos may not be over yet, however. Jim Thompson, Pat Griffith, Louis Quirarte and Robert Nakahiro have sent a letter to Los Angeles City Council President Alex Padilla, asking him to assert jurisdiction under section 245 of the City Charter. They want the City Council to overturn the BONC's decision, and reinstate Cypress Park as part of the Arroyo Seco Neighborhood Council.

Holiday Event Calendar

Children's Old Fashion Christmas
On December 6, at 7:00 p.m., the Eagle Rock Chamber of Commerce's Children's Old Fashion Christmas will be held at the Eagle Rock City Hall. Come and celebrate with the community the Tree lighting with Councilman Nick Pacheco, and Assemblywomen Carol Lui. Performing will be the Patsy Metzger Dancers, and the Eagle Rock High School Youth Choir, under the direction of Rachael Lee. Sheduled are a visit from Santa courtesy of Fire Station 42, gifts for all the children and hot chocolate and cookies for everyone. In case of inclement weather, this event will be moved to the Eagle Rock Cultural Center.

Winter Fiesta
A joyous Winter Fiesta will be held on Sunday, December 15 from 1:00 to 5:00 P.M. at a grand, historic house in Highland Park. Join us at La Casita Verde at the Ziegler Estate, 4601 North Figueroa Street at Woodside Drive. The event will feature a historic house tour, a holiday jazz band and carol singing, a craft bazaar, baked goods and Santa Claus. Proceeds of the event will benefit the scholarship fund at La Casita Verde Center and Highlands Pre-School. For information, call 222-7001.

‘Tis the Season
to be... Melancholy?
by Diane Russon
"Tis the Season to be melancholy"; not familiar with this greeting? These sentiments are more common to hurried consumers than we would like to think. This season can be a wonderful time to celebrate for many, yet for others it's a time of year that feels like doing time. The acceptable behavior within our society is to put on a "happy face and be of good cheer." There is much societal pressure to lavish gifts upon your children and spouses, to decorate your homes abundantly, throwing the bills and payments up like confetti with the New Year. Indeed, at this time of celebration, many people are alone, whether through death of loved ones or disenfranchised family-the norm is far from the daily visions advertisers foist upon us.
If you find that at times you find yourself feeling guilty, sad or missing people and years gone by, you are definitely not alone. I won't offer you warm fuzzy tips, because quite frankly, alone and sad is a painful way to spend the holidays. I will however say that you don't have to just survive the holidays, but you may need to find new ways to celebrate as life brings change.
If you have children who.
are grown and far away, your table may hold a few less settings and you may choose to accept an invitation from friends or enjoy a meal at a nice restaurant. It's a simple skill of "reframing" what you now have in your life. Celebrations can be as unconventional and as fun as you like.
If you are newly bereaved, a quiet day may be most appropriate, after letting friends know to expect you for dessert only. Or a quick visit during appetizers is sufficient. Often times getting out of your own head and serving others can be as rejuvenating as a vacation; volunteer at a soup kitchen or to clean up at a friend's house. Allow yourself the freedom and space you will need to incorporate your grief and emotions.
We have an amazing resource for dealing with grief sitting right at the edge of Eagle Rock's community. Glendale Adventist Hospital has a very extensive bereavement program. These programs are for newly bereaved, within one year of a loved one's death. There are support groups for general bereavement, the loss of a spouse, and programs for children losing parents and parents who have lost children. Also offered is one on one counseling with professionals specifically trained in the field of loss and grief.
We can find that our journeys through loss, even with the holidays pulling at our heartstrings, are better faced with understanding friends and family. Communicate what you need and enjoy the holiday season for what they are, two days and two evenings of much anticipation and expectation. And then they are swiftly put up for sale with all of the left over bulbs and decorative knickknacks.
Then we are back to our normal schedules with one more year celebrated and one more year behind us. This leaves us only one place to look, and that is forward. Looking forward with hope, joy and cheer is a choice and finding the tools and ability to do that is a way to celebrate each day. The holidays don't need to overwhelm you.

Philippine Village; Blocked-
but not Stopped

by Tom Topping
After two community meetings, two petition circulating efforts, many letters and e-mails from individuals, and lengthy discussions within various community groups, the "Philippine Village Movement" is still in progress. At two public meetings, local residents turned out in droves to express their views on the proposal.
The original proposal from the movement's organizers would have designated a portion of Eagle Rock Boulevard as "Philippine Village". The idea was not a new one. It had been talked about for years. Only recently did the proponents organize themselves into a steering committee and go into action.
Apparently, the committee approached 14th district City Councilman Pacheco and asked if they could have the "Village" designation. The Councilman explained that any request of that nature would have to brought before the community for their input, and petitions would have to be gathered. The committee may have thought he meant that if they did as he said, they could have their designation. In a flurry of activity, "Village " promoters were out gathering signatures door to door and at local churches. Meetings were scheduled and petitions were also published in a Filipino Newspaper that Steering Committee Chair, Oscar Jornacion, owns.
They really did a terriffic job, as over 5300 signed petitions were gathered. The petition that people signed, however, said nothing about what the actual proposal consisted of. "I support the Philippine Village movement to recognize the Filipino community in Eagle Rock and the surrounding communities," is how the petition read. It mentioned nothing about the actual proposal that would place official L.A. city signs to designate the area from Ave. 40 to Norwalk along Eagle Rock Blvd as "Philippine Village".
Meanwhile, the first notice that the rest of the community had about the proposal appeared in the October Issue 19 issue of the Boulevard Sentinel. Telephones of community leaders were ringing off the hook for days afterward. A petition opposing the "Village" was created and started circulating. Over 400 people showed up at the November 7 community meeting to have their say.
The hall at the Philippine Village Center building was already over half filled with Filipino Community members as the rest of the community showed up at 6:00 p.m. The former had come earlier and been treated to a free buffet dinner and native Philippine entertainment, which continued until past 6:30. As the meeting started, about a third of the Filipinos left the building. Councilman Pacheco was there to address the meeting, which he did. But coincidentally (and fortunately for him) the busy councilman was forced to leave immediately after his address to attend another meeting.
For many of the folks used to attending these local civic meetings, it was interesting to experience a different culture's way of doing things. Usually, after a short series of introductions, they get right to the heart of the meeting. In this case, the preliminaries had a distinctly ritualistic quality. After about 20 minutes, it seemed to drag on and on. When representatives of Philippine Consulate were introduced, the crowd got restless. They started to speak out. Mr. William Littlefield, who until now, had never been seen at any Eagle Rock meetings went first, "I don't like the Philippine Consul coming here dictating the way anything will go. I don't like this flag, and any flag that we have to sit here and be tolerant of someone singing their pledge of allegiance, we are all Americans!"
The meeting was intended to be a presentation of the village proposal, followed by a question and answer period. Community members had more to say than ask however. John Van Dyke, member of a family that has been in Eagle Rock for generations said, "Words like 'Filipino stronghold' is foreign to me. Or the fact of looking for empowerment. Taking power from who? I mean we all should be empowered.""We don't want any particular group singled out.""If there was some organization going on, or only caucasians were voting for a certain thing, I'd be very embarrassed of it"
The meeting was called off by Mr. James Santa Maria of Pacheco's office when Filipino members of the audience nearly came to blows with each other over the subject.
ROUND 2
Now it was becoming well known that there was an effort to rename all or part of Eagle Rock "Philippine Village." Scores of folks who have never gotten involved were gathering signatures, talking to their neighbors and soliciting others to show up at the Cultural Center to oppose the "Village."
Many folks wanting to know the date and the time of the meeting were calling Pacheco's field office for the information. The staff members who answered the phone, despite the issue being the most stirring to hit the community in years, claimed ignorance saying they knew nothing about the meeting or the issue.
One way or another people found out when and where the meeting was. 250 showed up, very few of them Filipino. Many people spoke opposing the "Village" although two people spoke in favor of it. The steering committe members, admirably steadfast in their endeavors, refused to back down in the face of the fiercest opposition. (quote)
Over 2500 petitions opposing the "Village" were presented to the councilman's office that night.
A week before this meeting took place, rumors had circulated that Councilman Pacheco was favoring a compromise that would give the Filipino's official city recognition with a plaque that read "Philippine Cultural Center" to be placed on private property in front of the Philippine Village Center building, home to the chairman of the movement, businessman, Oscar Jornacion.
Long time aid and staff member to Pacheco, Lloyd Montserrat, made it clear that the Councilman would only consider petitions from residents and businesses that are in Eagle Rock. He then presented this compromise to the crowd, saying, "The Councilman would like to challenge the leadership of this group (refering to the Village Committee) the leadership of the Chamber (of Commerce), TERA, ERCPR, and the Neighborhood Council to meet in a small group, 4 to 5 of them, with some of the leadership of Community Groups, and see is there room, not for a designation of boundaries, but is there a space for recognition at the existing building as a Filipino Community and Cultural Center."
At the November Eagle Rock Chamber of Commerce Board Meeting, Councilman Pacheco's Eagle Rock Deputy, Linda Herbert, reported that, so far the count of letters and petitions is 20% in Favor of the Village and 80% against. That means that if you assume all 2500 opposing petitions are from Eagle Rock, then only about 10% of the 5300 petitions submitted in favor of, were also from Eagle Rock.
The Councilman, although having more to do with starting this whole fiasco than he would like to admit, has now handed off this political "Hot Potato" to Eagle Rock Community Leaders. A "by invitation only" meeting where organizations of his choosing were to send two representatives each to attend will be held on Tuesday, December 10, 6:30 p.m. at the Eagle Rock City Hall. They are to discuss and decide if the suggested "recognition" is an acceptable solution to the "Village" dilemma.
Conspicuous only by their absence in this whole process was TERA(The Eagle Rock Association). Usually the most visible and loudest for any issue in Eagle Rock, they publicly sat on their hands and tried to steer clear of it. Sources communicating with TERA President Joanne Turner report she opposed the "Village" movement, but asked others to lead the opposition effort.

ERNC to Hold Elections
The Eagle Rock Neighborhood Council (ERNC) will hold its first community-wide elections Saturday, February 8, 2003 at Eagle Rock City Hall, 2035 Colorado Boulevard.
The deadline for registering as a candidate is Saturday, January 18, 2003.
Candidates will be given the opportunity to attend a Candidate's Workshop orientation to learn about eligibility, election rules, campaigning, and the responsibilities of being a Board member. Two workshops are scheduled: Candidate's Workshops will be held on Saturdays, December 21, and January 11, 2003. Both workshops will be held at the Eagle Rock Library, 5027 Caspar Avenue, at 4:00 p.m.
Interested parties may contact the ERNC or attend a council meeting for more details in advance. ERNC meetings are held the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the month at the Eagle Rock Library from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.

in memory of:
Byron Nelson 1913-2002
June 26, 1913 - October 5, 2002
Byron Nelson, age 89 passed away October 5 at Glendale Adventist Medical Center. He was born at home in Highland Park, June 26, 1913.
At an early age he had many jobs, delivering hand bills for grocery stores, helping the milkman on his route, was a "soda jerk" at the local drug store then as a mechanic and auto parts house manager.
After graduating from Franklin High School, he met and married Ardith Pearce. They moved to San Francisco where he became a painting contractor.
The Nelsons returned to Los Angeles during World War II. Byron, with his brother-in-law, opened the Highland Park Hardware Store in 1948, which he owned and operated for 30 years. He was a member of the Optimist Club and was always interested in Civic and community affairs.
After retiring, Byron and Ardith joined the Highland Park Friendly Senior Club and the Walk-a-diles walking club in Eagle Rock at the Westfield Shopping Town mall.
He is survived by his wife, Ardith, married 68 years, daughter Deanna Sevigny, son-in-law Ed Sevigny, son Vern Nelson, daughter-in-law Shirley Nelson, 8 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren and 4 sisters.
Byron was interred October 10 in Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale, California.

Donna Gwyn 1936-2002
Donna Gwyn, 66, of Eagle Rock passed away Saturday, November 30. Donna was raised in Oklahoma until she moved to Eagle Rock in the early 1950's. She is survived by four sons, Darrell Evans (Lisa) and their 3 children, Jacob, Rebecca and Aubry, Eugene Evans, John Gwyn and Noble (Des) Gwyn all of whom went to Eagle Rock High School along with her sister Doris Scott and niece Tammy Gilmore, also from the Los Angeles area. She also has a Brother Noble D. Emberlin (Velma) and 2 sisters Sue Cottrell (Bobby) and Clarene Christian (Butch), and many nieces and nephews.
She had been battling emphysema for the last 14 years.
Her Sunrise was March 20, 1936, and Sunset was November 30, 2002. Services will be held Friday, December 6, 2002, at Highland Park Full Gospel Assembly. All who had the pleasure of knowing her will miss her.

Do You Know the Muffler Man?

by Nicole Speed
An auto repair shop set back from a half block of razor-wire topped fence does not easily capture the imagination of most passersby--that is, unless there happens to be a mustachio-ed metal man holding the mailbox, a colorful robot beckoning, or a tin cowboy on a fanciful steed galloping across the rooftop. These comical metal creations are known as "Muffler Men," or "munecos" (Spanish for doll or puppet), and some of the most charming ones are right here in the Eagle Rock/Highland Park area.
Crafted by self taught hands of the unexpected artist, Muffler Men emerge from the scrapheap of 20th century mass production. In the back garage of Colorado Boulevard's Arco Iris Muffler Shop, already home to three familiar Muffler Men, a new Muffler Man is being assembled. He begins with the traditional cast-off muffler for a body, gets a catalytic converter for a head, and glass packs for legs. His nose is a spring, his eyes are nuts from car wheels, and his mouth is a clamp. With the added distinction of some ingenious mechanical animation, he is sure to fulfill his promise of drawing customer attention.
"They're our main source for advertising," explains Salvador, of Hot Shot Muffler on York, which boasts perhaps the most inspired of the local mascots. Not only is there a cheerfully painted sentinel at the entrance to the shop, but poised over the rooftop is a magnificent cabellero mounted on his trusty tin horse. The idea for the body of the horse was sparked by a cast-off truck muffler.
"We got the truck muffler and worked from there, a little bit at a time," says Salvador. He estimated that the horse took ten hours to make, and the cowboy took about five or six hours of "down time." The sculptures are a definite draw, and reflect the friendly character of the shop. Salvador has already set out the large star and tree framework for the Christmas light display that will illuminate the rooftop rider after Thanksgiving.
These curbside creations haven't gone unnoticed by local folklorists. Muffler Men have been recognized as folk art and have been featured on art discovery tours, websites, and a couple years ago there was even an exhibition with 34 of LA's finest Muffler Men at UCLA's Fowler Museum of Cultural History (co-curated by Patrick Polk and Timothy Correll, who also wrote a book on the subject.) Muffler art dates back at least to the late 1950s in Los Angeles, and is practiced by muffler repairmen all over the world.
Keep your eyes peeled for local Muffler Men at the following repair shops (there are likely more to be discovered):
Arco Iris Muffler
1930 Colorado Boulevard
Hot Shot Mufflers
5507 York Boulevard
Lizarde's Auto Service
2821 North Figueroa
Hugo's Wrought Iron
4210 North Figueroa

 JUETT CLEMENTS LENNEY
A Legacy of Service

by Rick Clements
In the summer of 1950, at the age of 12 and grossly overpaid at 15 cents an hour, I began working at the Texaco Station and Garage on the corner of Colorado Boulevard and Shearin Avenue in Eagle Rock.
My employers were my father and Fred Lenney, owners of the business since 1928.
A lot had changed in the previous 22 years. The streets were now paved; Mr. Lenney no longer overhauled engines and transmissions; and my father no longer vulcanized retreads.
One of the original owners, Mr. Juett, had gone on to pursue a teaching career, but the name, Juett Clements Lenney, never changed. During the war, they sold refrigerators and washing machines out of the west wing of the property, and before that they repaired bicycles. But if there were changes from 1928 until 1950, they were nothing compared with the changes that have taken place in the industry since then.
In 1950, self-service gasoline was illegal in Los Angeles so we washed windshields; checked tires, oil, water, battery; and pumped the gas. There were no such things as gasoline nozzles that automatically shut off when the tank was full. Instead, the attendant had to bend an ear to the fill pipe and listen for the gurgling sound that indicated the tank was getting full.
As a neophyte attendant, I got more than one earful of regurgitated gasoline until I got the hang of it. Fortunately, about half the customers declined a fill-up and requested something like $2 worth or five gallons
. When it came time to pay, plastic credit cards with magnetic strips had yet to be invented. Credit cards in those days were cardboard. The attendant wrote the credit card number, customer name and address, and the amount charged in an invoice book and gave the customer his receipt (often smudged from greasy fingers). Juett Clements Lenney even carried the credit of a few customers, a practice begun during the lean years of World War II.
During the war, gasoline was rationed and the hours of operation were pared back to 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, closed Saturday at one in the afternoon, and closed on Sunday. After the war, my father and Mr. Lenney saw no reason to expand the hours. They valued their time at home with their families, and the customers seemed to accept that.
There were only two grades of gasoline then and, of course, they both contained lead. At Texaco, the regular and ethyl were called Fire Chief and Sky Chief, and the price differential was three cents. Unless there was a gas war, the prices were 26.9 and 29.9. Motor oil was quite often sold at the gas pumps, and ours was in one-quart bottles that we refilled from 55-gallon drums. It was several years later that we began using oil in cans.
One of the most unfortunate changes that has taken place today is the impersonal nature of the business. In 1950, most of our customers were regular. By the end of that first summer, I knew many of them by name and a little about their lives, and they knew me. The buying and selling of gasoline was a friendly and pleasant transaction.
Cars in those days had service intervals that seem unbelievable today. Oil change and lubrication were recommended every 1000 miles or 30 days, whichever came first. Oil filters were changed every other time.
Lubrication service consisted of pumping grease into fittings on the suspension system, oiling the rear leaf springs, checking all fluid levels, removing squeaks from doors and other moving parts, and cleaning all windows and vacuuming the interior. For this we charged $1.25. Oil was 35 cents per quart.
Front wheel bearings were cleaned and repacked every 5000 miles for $3. Instead of air filters, there were devices called air cleaners that
trapped foreign particles in an oil bath. These were usually serviced every 4000 miles depending on the type of driving that had been done.
The differential and manual transmission fluid was changed every 10,000 miles. Lubrication was such an important part of our business that our longtime employee, Howard Basham, did nothing else, and my mother [Frances], who acted as our bookkeeper, set up a system that enabled her to send out reminder postcards to our customers.
The garage was located on the east portion of the property and could accommodate six cars. Fred Lenney, the most cheerful person I have ever known, was the master mechanic.
The most frequently performed services were tune-ups and brake relines. Brakes wore out on cars at about the same rate they do today, and brake mileage was completely a function of driver habits, as it is today.
Cars needed tune-ups about once a year for maximum performance. To do engine diagnosis and tune-ups, the only specialized tools required in addition to the normal wrenches and screwdrivers were a feeler gauge, timing light, and a tool to set the gap on spark plugs. Today, with computer-controlled engines and the extra requirement to perform smog certification, specialized tools can run a mechanic over $70,000.
In addition to being responsible for the business operation, my father sold the tires and repaired flats. If a customer drove carefully, he could expect to get around 30,000 miles on a set of tires that cost about $30 each for the better ones. Of course, one also had to purchase a tube (tubeless tires were a few years off). Tires did not have the interior steel belts they do today, and tire fractures were somewhat common, particularly if cars were driven on dirt roads. Sadly, they were only repairable in about half the cases.
I worked at the station that summer of 1950 and every summer through college. After I got out of the Marine Corps, I worked there fulltime for about a year trying to figure out what I wanted to do in life.
Mr. Lenney retired in the early '60s, and my father finally retired in 1970 and sold the property. The old Spanish-style adobe buildings were razed and an eating establishment [Jim's Burgers] was built. Over the years, there have been incredible changes in the gasoline and automotive service business. But the one thing that never changed at Juett Clements Lenney in its 42 years in Eagle Rock was the commitment on the part of the owners and employees to provide customers with the best possible service at the fairest prices and to participate in the affairs of the community.
Rick Clements now lives with his wife Marcie in Claremont, California. Both enjoy an active outdoor lifestyle and a retirement which includes travel all over the world.

WHO

IS

SHE?
Eagle Rock Business Woman Takes the Worries out of Rental Properties

By Denise Lindsey
The phone is ringing as Ursula turns the key to her office door. She answers the phone, on the other side of the line a woman is frantic; her tank is leaking in the bathroom. The phone rings again, Ursula has to put the frantic woman on hold as she answers the next call. This time it's a young man wanting to set up an appointment to have his carpet measured. She handles both situations with the finesse of Dr. Phil.
Who is she? A plumber? A carpet installer? No, actually, she is a very capable property manager. Ursula is owner of Brown Property management. This job comes with many hats, since it entails filling rental apartments, single family homes and store front vacancies.
The job also includes collecting rents from tenants, keeping detailed financial records of each property owner, handy person jobs, coordinating contractors and quelling neighborly complaints. There isn't a day that goes by that one of these jobs is not on her list of things to do. The application screening process and showing of the vacant properties, are just two of the many details it takes to ready an apartment for a new tenant. Once a vacancy is given to her, she makes sure that the painting, plumbing, heating, carpeting and electrical is complete before the new tenants move in.
Coordinating these jobs with each contractor is almost a job in itself, "It is very hard for me to find reliable contractors, who will show up when they say they will" Ursula says in a very distinct German accent. She goes on to explain that tenants get very agitated with her when they have to wait around or take time from work for a repair, when a contractor fails to show up. If the property is vacant, it's just a matter of getting it done. During this fix up stage of the process, she has to advertise the property and show it.
Finding good potential tenants is very important, "It makes my job much easier if I find the right person or persons the first time, so that I'm not chasing after their rent each month," "Owners don't want to hear about problems or excuses, it's my job to make it happen." And she does make it happen, I know, because I am a tenant in one of her many properties she manages and I've seen her in action. The door opens to her office, a young woman and her elderly aunt walk in, "Hi, we were hoping you could tell us what exactly a property manager does?" and she graciously obliges.

Eagle Vista Seniors
The holiday season for the Eagle Vista Seniors began on December 3rd with birthday cake being served to honor those members born in December.
On December 5th (Thursday) - A luncheon and show will take place at the Candlelight Pavilion in Claremont on this trip. The bus leaves from Eagle Vista at 10 a.m. and returns at 5:00 p.m.
On December 10th (Tuesday) is the last meeting of the year. Luncheon will be catered, with entertainment by the tap-dancing Gingersnaps, under the direction of Ruth Wilson. (Each member is asked to bring a wrapped gift (limit $5.00) for the gift exchange. Before the luncheon, the installation of the following officers for 2003 will be held: Mildred Veliz-President, Christine Lomosad-Vice President, Betty Kleinbach-Recording Secretary, Joanne Hartman-Treasurer, Patricia Sand-Corresponding Secretary.
December 17 (Tuesday) No meeting. The bus departs from Eagle Vista at 8:00 a.m. (and returns Dec. 19 at 6:30 p.m.) for the 3-day Laughlin trip.
The Eagle Vista Seniors meet every Tuesday, 10 a.m., at the Eagle Vista Recreation Center, 1100 Eagle Vista Drive, unless noted above.

Sell to the City!
Would you like to learn how to do business with the City of Los Angeles? Did you know the City of Los Angeles spends close to $500,000,000.00 a year in supplies? You're Invited to Network & Learn! Mayor James K. Hahn's
Office of Economic Development, Councilman Ed Reyes Council District 1 invites you for a dynamic event.
This "Meet and Greet" event will be Thursday, December 12, 5:00pm at Ramona Hall, 4580 North Figueroa Street. Representatives from The Mayor's Office, Harbor Department, Department of Water and Power, World Airports, General Services Department, Office of Contract Compliance and Community Development Department will answer questions & tell you about contracting opportunities with the City of L.A. City Department speakers will give five minute presentations and remaining time will be spent networking. Don't miss this opportunity to promote your company and/or products! Light refreshments will be served. Please R.S.V.P. with Richard Wuerth (213) 978-0695.

Teen Club Citizens Seek Help
Teen Club Citizens at Cypress Park Recreation Center are looking for committed volunteers to help run their programs. Funding has been cut and without help the program will not be able to continue to offer "life affirming recreational experiences." The program is looking for mentors and instructors to teach life skills.
For information contact Bobbi Boudman 213 485 5384 at the Cypress Park Recreation Center, 2630 Pepper Avenue in Cypress Park


LOS ANGELES 3-1-1 Have you heard
the 3-1-1 on L.A.? Instead of sorting through hundreds of listings in the phone book or having to know which City department handles potholes, lighting or any other service, LA residents and businesses can now dial 3-1-1 to access city services. An online directory is also available at http://www.lacity.org.

R.O.C.K Awards
Recognizes Youth Role Models
by Marcelo Araujo
Reach Our Community Kids, better known as the R.O.C.K . presented its 2nd annual "Passion for Youth" awards on Nov. 8th. The two recipients this year's Passion for Youth Awards were Pastor Paul Ferguson, former pastor of the Eagle Rock Baptist Church, and to the late Coach Gil Espino of Eagle Rock High School.
One of the events of the night was to honor financial contributors and benefactors to the R.O.C.K. Teen Center. Contributors received an award titled "Friend for the Millennium" for the recognition of commitment to the youth of Northeast Los Angeles through support of the ROCK Teen Center. In addition to receiving that award, the R.O.C.K. placed their names and organizations on a perpetual plaque that will hang in the Teen Center.
The event ended with presentation of the "Passion for Youth Award." Donna Robey-Sullivan headed the panel for the award. To be eligible for the award one must be nominated by anyone from the community. In the nomination application the person must show why and how the nominee goes above and beyond as a role model for the youth of the Northeast LA area. Pastor Paul Ferguson was the first to receive the award. Ferguson played a key role in acquiring the land and remodeling where the Teen Center now sits. The last recipient was for Coach Gil Espino of Eagle Rock High School. Oscar Valrade, a junior at Eagle Rock High School, presented the award to the widowed Eleanor Espino.
The R.O.C.K. Teen Center is located on Yosemite Drive and on Townsend Avenue. They are open on school days 3 to 6 p.m. Everyone is welcome to see the Teen Center. Marcelo Araujo can be reached at Godzillanow@hotmail.com for comments, critiques and suggestions.

Yoga Studio Leads Holiday Giving
Yoga Essence is collecting toys, clothes & food for The Women's Care Cottage (WCC) of Los Angeles, dedicated to helping homeless women and children find homes and jobs. The WCC is looking for volunteers for the holiday season and beyond. Contact Phillip Latham at 323.550.8182 for more info
. Also, we are offering two (2) Yoga Teacher Training Scholarships per year to the WCC and one women will be chosen for our upcoming training program in February.
The University of La Verne Psych Dept. Students and Yoga Essence Studio are holding a Holiday Charity Drive. Donate new/used clothing, new and gently-used toys, toiletries and non-perishable food items. All Donations will be provided for "Friends in Deed" and the "Union Station Shelter"
Occidental College Students are gathering "Shoes for the Poor of Southeast Asia" The shoes need to be closed toe, sensible, in good shape and delivered by Dec. 13.
All items can be dropped off at Yoga Essence Studio 1577 Colorado Blvd Eagle Rock, Ca. 90041 323.550.8182
Total Life Exhibition
The Eagle Rock Community Cultural Center (ERCCC) and the Uptown Gay and Lesbian Alliance (UGLA) will host a reception for the artists of Total Life: The Exhibition, on Sunday, December 8th between 1pm and 4pm. The reception will include live entertainment and refreshments. Admission is free.
This World AIDS Day Art Exhibition will honor seven artists of different disciplines. World AIDS Day is an international collaboration of events that recognizes the impact of AIDS on individuals and cultures throughout
the world. Among the artists featured will be Albert Winn and Jeffrey Neale. Entertainment will be provided by Project Accidental and harpsichord music performed by William Neil Roberts. The Eagle Rock Community Cultural Center is very proud of these artists and would be pleased for all to come and celebrate their work.
The ERCCC is a non-profit organization, supported solely by grants and donations, providing low cost art, music, dance and computer classes to children and adults of surrounding areas and communities.
For more information call the Eagle Rock Community Cultural Center, 226-1617.

Holiday Carols at OXY Dec.6&7
The Occidental Glee Club and the Women's Glee Club will sing seasonal masterpieces and traditional Christmas carols during a pair of holiday concerts scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 6 at Occidental College's Herrick Chapel, and at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7, also at the chapel.
Ticket prices are $12 for the general public and $6 for Occidental students. Staff and faculty are free. Tickets may be purchased by calling 259-2879. The college is located at 1600 Campus Road in Eagle Rock. For maps and directions to Occidental, visit www.oxy.edu/oxy/welcome/directions. For more information, call the music department at 259-2785.
The 42-member Occidental Glee Club has a national reputation for excellent choral music making that dates back to the turn of the century. The men's club started in 1906, and the women's club was founded in 1913. In 1959 Maestro Bruno Walter invited the ensemble, then under the direction of Howard Swan, to record with him, and in 1969 the Glee Club was chosen to represent the United States at the Second International Collegiate Music Festival. More recently, under the leadership of Jeffrey Bernstein the group has released two CD recordings
and toured the East Coast.

New Park Ceremony
On Friday, December 13, 2002 at 4:00pm, join us for the "Opening Ceremony" of the new park dedication at Washington-Irving Middle School in the Community of Glassell Park. Washington-Irving Middle School, 3010 West Estara Avenue, Los Angeles.
Many VIP guests are scheduled to attend.
For more information, contact the Council District 13 Field Office at 913-4693.

St. Vincent de Paul Books
New book department to open at Society of St. Vincent de Paul thrift store in Los Angeles; Opening to benefit children's reading program
Door prizes and refreshments will be part of the mix as the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Council of Los Angeles unveils its new 'book department' at its Los Angeles thrift store from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 30 at 210 N. Avenue 21 in the Lincoln Heights area.
This event allow the public to find a wide variety of books for children and adults alike, and it will also include a 10 percent discount on all book purchases for those who bring in new or gently-used kindergarten to third-grade books for a children's reading program which the Society is helping to sponsor.
To donate books, or for more information, contact the Society of St. Vincent de Paul at 1-800-974-3571 or by e-mail at Books@svdpla.org

Book Sale Art Exhibit and Signing Party
The Avenue 50 Studio and the Mundo Gallery present a Book Sale Art Exhibit and Signing Party For: "Contemporary Chicana and Chicano Art: Artists, Works, Culture, and Education" Saturday, December 7, 2:00 - 5:00 pm.
The Avenue 50 Studio and Mundo Gallery present a book sale, art exhibit and signing party for the newly released art book, Contemporary Chicana and Chicano Art: Artists, Works, Culture, and Education by Gary D. Keller, Mary Erickson, Kaytie Johnson and Joaquin Alvarado from Bilingual Review/Press.
The art exhibit and book signing will feature many of the artists and their work from the full-color, coffee-table quality book. This two-volume set will be available for purchase with many of the artists featured in the book present to sign copies.
Where: The Avenue 50 Studio, 131 No. Avenue 50, Los Angeles, CA 90042 and Mundo Gallery, Avenue 42 and Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, CA (323) 258-1435
When: Saturday, December 7, 2:00-5:00 p.m.

Holiday Bazaar Openings
Gallery Figueroa will host our annual Holiday Bazaar on Dec. 13, 14, and 15. We're looking for unique, functional art objects that can be sold for $5 to $100. If you are an artisan who creates beautiful gift-worthy pieces or if you know someone who does, please email us (or have your friend email us) with a description of the work, photos if you have them, and your phone number. Thanks for your help. Jennifer Rowland and Michael Gullberg at Gallery Figueroa art@galleryfigueroa.com
LAUSD Debate
The Eagle Rock Neighborhood Council will be sponsoring a debate between candidates for LAUSD District 5 School Board Member on Monday Dec. 9, 2002 at the ERHS auditorium beginning at 7:00 p.m.
The candidate who wins the high-stakes race will be a powerful player in policy-making for the school district, representing over 600,000 people. All four candidates will participate in the debate: David Tokofsky, Maria Lou Calanche, Nellie Rios Parra, and Jose Sigala.
The event will have two parts: A moderated debate and a "quick-question session," wherein each candidate will speak face-to-face with members of the community, one at a time, for three minutes each. Issues expected to be covered in the debate range from school performance and policy-making, to bilingual education, education reform and more. This may be your only opportunity to get to know the candidates and have your questions answered. Please attend and spread the word! For information contact: Jessica Wethington Eagle Rock Neighborhood Council at 256-6221.

Rock Rose Events
The Exhibition opening of Honorio Roblego: El Cucuy! will begin on December 7th at 6:00 p.m. and end on January 4th, 2003. This is an exhibit of 24 paintings based on the artist's recollection of life as a child in Verzcruz, Mexico. 15 are award-winning illustrations from the bilingual children's book "El Cucuy", reading, signing and music included.
The Rock Rose Art Gallery is located at 4108 North Figueroa Street in Highland Park. For additional information contact Rosamaria Marquez at 222-4740.
Handel’s Messiah by OXY Chorale
The Occidental-Foothill Master Chorale will perform Handel's "Messiah" at 8 p.m. Saturday, December 14 in Occidental College's Herrick Chapel. Perhaps the most popular and recognized choral music in English, "Messiah" stands alongside Bach's "Passions" as a masterwork of the Baroque period.
First performed in Dublin in 1742, "Messiah" is considered Handel's greatest work and includes the widely recognized "Hallelujah Chorus." "Messiah" is an oratorio -- a work written for solo voices, chorus and orchestra, but
performed without action, costume or scenery -- sung in three acts. The composition celebrates both Christmas and Easter, beginning with the Nativity, continuing with the stories of the Crucifixion and redemption, and then culminating in an affirmation of faith. Handel wrote his masterpiece in just 24 days.
General admission tickets for the concert are $20 and may be reserved by calling 259-2879. Student tickets are $10. Occidental is located at 1600 Campus Road in Eagle Rock. For more information, call the music department at 259-2785.

Friends of ArroyoFest
On Sunday, June 15, 2003 people will bike, walk and ride horses on the Historic Arroyo Seco Parkway (a.k.a. Pasadena Freeway) to show support for creating more livable communities in the Arroyo and across Southern California.
The event also includes a community festival celebrating the Arroyo Seco -- the stream and canyon that connects La Canada Flintridge, Altadena, Pasadena, South Pasadena and Northeast Los Angeles.
Find out how you can become a Friend of ArroyoFest at this meeting!!
Date: Monday, December 9th
Time: 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.
Location: Los Angeles River Center and Gardens, Los Feliz Room, 570 W. Avenue 26, Los Feliz Room.
At the meeting, you'll be able to find out the latest on ArroyoFest and learn what you can do to help. Refreshments will be served. Tell your friends!
For more information, call Marcus Renner at 341-5093, email arroyo@oxy.edu or go to our web site at www.arroyofest.org