Eagle Rock / Northeast Los Angeles News

Community Calendar for May 4-19, 2002

VOLUME VI ISSUE 1 MAY 4, 2002

In This Issue:

Letters

Local History

Music & Art

Calendar & Events

Gold (Blue) Line News

Here is the proposed change of Council District boundaries for Northeast L.A. If approved in June, Glassell Park and Mt. Washington will be part of Nick Pacheco’s 14th District. Speak now or forever hold your peace.

High School Disaster Narrowly Averted

A fire that raged across the hills behind Eagle Rock High School on April 22 burned right up to the back of school facilites and forced evacuation of students at around 2:00 pm. 4 water dropping helicopters were sent in to douse the blaze They were seen zooming back and forth across the Eagle Rock Valley to the Schol Canyon helipost where they were refilled with water.

27 fire companies attended the scene, on this warm, dry and windy April afternoon. There were no structures lost, no injuries and no dollar loss reported, according to Battalion 2 Fire department spokesman.

Watching from a hill nearby, Scoot Wilson of Northeast Trees said,"They're burning my trees!" It was not known how the fire started. The cause was undetermined and listed as suspicious.

Because of the wind direction it was assumed that it had sparked from the rearmost portion of Yosemite Recreation Center, a graffiti splashed section of the park, usually unattended by recreation center staff, and historically known to be a place local gang members frequent.

"Obviously, were looking at ... A group of kids were seen in the area previous to the fire, but there's no eyewitnesses," said Chief Franko in the community liason office. Initially, it was reported that one of the companies had suspects but later, that turned out not to be true. The fire was confined to approximately ten acres, and was extinguished in one hour and forty two minutes. A thirty five year old male employee of the High School was transported to a local hospital with moderate smoke inhalation.

Here to Assist Business

On Friday April 12th, business owners in Eagle Rock officially got a booster shot in the arm made available to them to enhance and support their efforts in to the new millenium, with the grand opening of the Northeast Business Assistance Center in Eagle Rock.

Fourteenth District Councilman Nick Pacheco outlined the process. "It's very important to us that businesses have assistance centers. This started in January 2000 ... working with the Targeted Neighborhood Initiative to put together $50,000 to get VEDC (Valley Economic Development Center) into the area and focus on Highland Park at that time. Since then we have numerous businesses seeking asssistance and really looking for a place to land here in the Northeast area. So through a little bit of manuvering, a little bit of taking advantage of our newer council members on committee, we were able to secure another $100,000 of block grant money for the program."

"We are one city," said Councilman Ed Reyes. Expressing his hopes for continued positive economic development he added, "The Blue Line, now the Gold Line, will hopefully become an economic engine for the area."

The newest recipient of the loan program was there to help celebrate the grand opening. Camilo and his wife Amelia, owners of Camilo's restaurant and catering (formerly located in Highland Park on York Boulevard) catered the event with many gourmet treats they have become well known for. Councilman Pacheco announced that, "Andrew (Barrera, the director of the center) was able to work with his resources and contacts and within 45 days of the initial meeting, I was able to secure a ($50,000) business loan for them." The restaurant is in the process of moving into the former location of the Harnsberger Coffee and Gift shop, located on Colorado Boulevard at Caspar.

People interested in starting a new business, improving their current one, or moving into the Northeast L.A. area are encouraged to call Andrew at the center. As the Councilman stated, he has many resources and contacts at his disposal to provide business assistance. Cal him at 323 340 1525 if you are interested.

Oran Asa,

owner and publisher of Northeast Newspapers was a newpaperman his whole adult life. He was a graduate of Occidental College and was President of the California Newspaper Publishers Association in 1978. He helped define the term "community newspaper" through 6 decades. He died on April 26, 2002 after a long period of ill health. He was 91.

(please See ASA page 2)

ASA cont.

According to Mort Tenure, past Principal of Franklin High School who eulogized him last Wednesday, he never turned down a request to print an acknowledgement of an achievement of a young person.

He did every job at the newspaper, first sweeping the floor, then as a pressman, then editor, and finally as owner and publisher.

The newspapers he published were so good that most people took them for granted, and only really appreciated them after they were gone.

Farmers Market Celebrates Third Anniversary

Pony rides, a petting zoo and a raffle where many expensive prizes were given away, made up the third anniversary celebration of the Eagle Rock Certified Farmers Market, which is every Friday from 5 to 9 p.m. located adjacent to the intersection of Eagle Rock and Colorado Boulevards.

Councilman Pacheco was there to announce the first round of raffle winners, which culminated with the give-away of a 13” color TV. Market manager Michael Nogueira said, “All the hard work that we (the Eagle Rock Chamber of Commerce) have put into this market is well worth the effort. It’s been bringing families together on Friday evenings- and bringing life again onto our once empty sidewalks.” He hopes to put on a raffle once a month through the rest of the year.

Letters

Dear Mr. Topping,

I do not want to discuss all the inaccuracies in your article because I don't have that much time. But, I do want to make very clear that it is not my practice to meet with business owners for official business at their establishments. I do this so that I can also enjoy their establishment without worrying that it will involve work. Generally, the business people in Eagle Rock conduct themselves professionally and see me at my office.

Eric and Elda have always made appointments to see me at City Hall regarding any of their needs. You should also know that the bureacratic process cost them close to ten thousand dollars and is open to all businesses. Their case took over a year to process and it is still being processed.

In the future please feel free to request an interview to discover the fact.

Nick Pacheco

P.S. I would love to see any of those alleged business cards.

Editors Note:- While I appreciate the skill with which our former prosecutor-councilman attempts to dismiss and diminish the feature article from the April issue, readers should know that as a practice, calls to the councilman’s office from this paper are rarely returned, and when they are, seldom is any information provided. - Tom Topping

Letters

Bordering on Genius?

Maybe one of the reasons why there are so many border disputes, is

because the borders between our local communities seem to be arbitrarily drawn. The border between Eagle Rock and Highland Park meanders through north south side streets between York and El Paso, west of Ave. 50. It would make sense for Ave. 50 to be the border between Highland Park and Eagle Rock. It's a natural separation of communities. I would be curious to know how these boundaries were originally decided. And if they were logical "way back then" does that necessarily mean they make sense today?

Also adding to our lack of community is the way city council district 14 has gerrymandering borders splitting our community right through the middle.

-Seth E. Cutler

EDITORIAL

Wow! Was that five years already? It went right by in a flash. Anyway, today, I want to thank everyone who has touched this paper in any way. The advertisers, readers, columnists and cartoonists of course, but also a forgotten class of contributors, the newsmakers.

If you were doing something, saying something, or just happened to be at the right place at the right time (or wrong time) no matter how you got into the paper, I salute you.

You are the ones who made this paper. You are the ones who are really out there living life, not just watching it. You are the ones who put on the events, collect the signatures, walk the protest lines, attend the public hearings.

You are the people that create the concerts, the festivals, and the diverse array of cultural events that make Northeast Los Angeles a unique and interesting place.

You are the ones volunteering to serve the free Thanksgiving meals, collecting Christmas toys for the needy, running the food banks, washing cars to raise money for some worthy cause.

I want to tell you from the bottom of my heart that I appreciate you. Yes, even if I was critical here, not only do I appreciate you, I also applaud you.

Without people like you there would be nothing to report on. Without you there is no paper.

I especially want to thank these people without whose help I never would have gotten started.

Linda Allen, Ed Henning, Melody Peterson, Ann Marie Jones, Bob and Mary Anne Costa, and of course, my mom, Pat Topping.

Highland Park, CA April 29, 2002 - Although the proposed draft decision from the Public Utilities Commission recommends an at-grade crossing at Ave. 50, track laying is not yet permitted. Their official decision is expected within the next two weeks. Here, workmen are digging to improve underground utilities in preparation for Gold (Blue) Line crossing.

Letters

Bordering on Genius?

Maybe one of the reasons why there are so many border disputes, is

Also adding to our lack of community is the way city council district 14 has gerrymandering borders splitting our community right through the middle.

-Seth E. Cutler

News from Hollenbeck CPAB

by Dave Macpherson

(This is the first in a series of columns about the Community Police Advisory Board (CPAB) for the Hollenbeck area of the Los Angeles Police Department. Although this newspaper covers the area served by both the Hollenbeck and Northeast Divisions of the LAPD, this column will focus upon the Hollenbeck area. Future issues will have a similar report on the Northeast area police division.)

The mission of members of the CPAB is to promote and assist in the implementation of community policing. They represent the interests and concerns of all of the residents in the communities served. The goal is to work with the police to assure more effective and responsive law enforcement by improving communication between residents and the officers serving the community.

The board meets regularly in the community room of the Hollenbeck police station at 2111 E. First Street. Meetings are at 6:00 p.m. on the third Wednesday of each months. Residents are invited to the open meetings.

The focus of the CPAB is "quality of life" issues, such matters as dumping of trash, clean alleys and streets and other matters that may or may not be of direct concern of the police. Police officers and CPAB members assist in contacting other city departments to deal with problems that affect the quality of life. They have recently, for example, provided information about locations where narcotics are sold, leading to actions by the city attorney and other city departments to abate the problem by moving against the property owner.

Future columns in this space will discuss some of the other concerns and actions by the CPAB, such as helping to establish Neighborhood Watch groups in the community and volunteer opportunities for direct assistance to the police. The CPAB's role is to advise the area commanding officer. They are an important source from which the commanding officer receives information. Additionally, CPAB members are to disseminate information received from the department back to the community.

To that extent, the CPAB welcomes residents to attend and observe the operation of the board, and for those who want to become involved to apply for membership.

For more information, call the Hollenbeck Community Relations Office at (323) 526-3188.

Little League Still Swinging

The Eagle Rock/Highland Park Little League is now enjoying its 44th year.

We have held our games at Yosemite park for all of these years and I still run into people who do not know there is Little League here, they think we are a Park sponsored League. There are three Major division teams, two Junior division, two Senior Division and one Big League team this year.

Opening Day was April the 6th and we are looking forward to an exciting season. This League has had some recent success such as, the 9 and 10 year olds wining the District Championship in 2000, Major All-stars won the district in 1995 and are looking to do well this year, Junior Division (13/ 14 yr. olds) have taken the Division in 87, 88, 89, 90, 96, 97, the Seniors (15/ 16 yr. olds) have won 6 years, 92, 93, 97, 98, 99 & 2000.

Just a little note: with all that is going on in our communities and around the world isn't nice to know that there is an established outlet for the youth today!

Come on out and support the youth by watching the games at Yosemite Park.

Thank you, David Lear

ER/HP Little League President

Dear Editor:

First let me congratulate the Eagle Rock community and the Eagle Rock Neighborhood Council upon their certification.

Second let me thank the Boulevard Sentinel for your coverage of the Nob Hill/Five Points issue boundary issue (Boulevard Sentinel/April '02/"Neighborhood Border Dispute"). The residents of that area - in their petition drive and repeated attendance at numerous meetings - have shown a neighborhood spirit and cohesiveness in their desire to be included within the Arroyo Seco Neighborhood Council that demonstrates the power of the neighborhood council concept.

I would like to correct one misunderstanding in your story: The Nob Hill/5 Points item was on the Board of Neighborhood Commissioners Meeting agenda of April 2nd (it was agenda item #3) - but it was incorrectly placed there by BONC staff.

Deputy City Attorney Gwen Poindexter ruled that the BONC had no legal power to act on the item at that meeting. This item should be resolved once and for all at the May 28th BONC hearing with the certification of the Arroyo Seco Neighborhood Council.

Which leaves us with a larger issue. The Northeast Community must quickly leave behind these fractious boundary disputes and band together in a Congress of Northeast Neighborhood Councils comprising Eagle Rock, Arroyo Seco, Glassell Park, Highland Park, Cypress Park, etc., to work together on those issues that bind us together as a greater community.

The very real issues of safety, quality schools, parks and playgrounds, community infrastructure, land use, etc., unite us more powerfully than the artificial issues of what side of the street is in which neighborhood divide us!

Thank you.

Scott Folsom

Trees for a Green LA

The city of Los Angeles through the LADWP is giving away free shade trees - up to seven per household - and they deliver them! You need to attend a 1-2 hour workshop before you can get the trees. Go to http://www.greenla.com/tree/index.htm for more information or call 1-800-473-3652 and ask for the Trees for a Green LA hotline.

A picture is worth a thousand words. Those who wish they had a picture of the “old” Eagle Rock High School are granted that wish this month. It is a postcard found in subscriber Edna Kunze’s archives. In the center was the “crossover” between the two main buildings where I and my co-hort would throw things at unsuspecting students that were entering or leaving

Do You Remember?

It is with interest that I have been reading about the pride of Eagle Rock. Sounds like a good title for a book or movie.

How many of your readers remember the Pioneer Market, just east of Townsend on Colorado? That building was changed too. It is now and has been for quite a while 'Trader Joes'. Not a bad looking building either. I remember the Pioneer Market – the entire front was open – produce displayed there; groceries were in the back, meat market, too. There was a bakery on the west side by the front. I know because I worked there in the 30's for a while after school.

I also remember the southeast corner of Colorado at Hermosa. I believe this was a Ford agency. Chevrolets were sold at Colorado and Maywood – now a flower shop. Also on Colorado across from our original library was a Chrysler Auto Salesroom and garage. I bought my first car there – a 1936 Plymouth Coupe. Wish I still had it. Now we have Crusin' with Conrad.

How about the original Baptist Church at the corner of Loleta and Colorado. It resembled a California Mission but has also been rebuilt into a very popular church.

How about the Martha Washington tea Room – Long a landmark – now an electronic entertainment company – next to a large motel.

As I drive down Yosemite Drive I can still see Eagle Rock High School as it was years ago. I graduated in the auditorium in 1935; my son in 1960, my daughter in 1964. We had pride in our alma mater, our teachers just as the present student body has pride in the new Eagle Rock High School – FIGHT ON EAGLES!!

Remember the original Dahlia Heights School? So buildings change – the population changes, but the Eagle Rock people who have lived here then and now – have pride each in their own way. Pride is no fixed product. It comes from one's feelings and one's heart. Hurrah for Eagle Rock – Long may it survive – with pride.

Max Norris said it straight from his box-boy's heart.

Edna Kunze

Resident since 1922

cruisin' with conrad

Hello Eagle Rock,

Well another month has passed, sure goes faster as you get older.

Here is something that is a little disturbing, Wagner Brakes is having a recall on some of their brake hoses. These hoses were made between August 1, 1999 and May 2, 2001. The suspected hoses have date codes stamped on one of the fittings. Codes are: WAG9931 to WAG9952, WAG99031 to WAG99052, WAG001 to WAG0052, WAG00001 to WAG00052, WAG0101 to WAG0118, and WAG01001 to WAG01018.

Now some of these were included in brake conversion kits for the Hot Rod industry, and the rest were normal replacement hoses. If you think or know that you replaced a hose from the first date, check it out. They will be replaced. Sort of scary?

Had a very good cruise night at Jim’s Burgers, this month. Lots of goodies for the raffle.

Two 57 Chevys came, one a pristene red convertible, and a white 2dr. sedan, that was very straight and pretty.

Two more cars that caught my eyes, were two original, bone stock cars. The first was 56 Dodge Lancer 2 dr. hardtop. This car looked almost straight of the showroom floor. Had one of the medium size V/8's of that era. This was back when a heater was an option. First owner elected not to have a heater. Seems strange to us in this day and age.

The other car was a 42 Ford Super Deluxe business coupe. The man that owns this car, has had it for forty years. Bought it in Wisconsin. The business coupes did not have a back seat, with a shelf from the top of the seat to the rear window. This gave a big storage area for the traveling sales men to store their sample cases. Car is equipped with a Southwind heater. These heaters ran on gasoline instead of heated water from the engine. Got hot very quickly, and dropped your gas mileage.

All for now.

Just crusin, Conrad

Marisela Chavez

Occidental College graduate Marisela Chavez '94, a doctoral candidate at Stanford University, is among 15 Ph.D. candidates nationwide to receive a grant from the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation for doctoral dissertations in women's studies.

The $3,000 award covers travel and research expenses connected to Chavez's dissertation, which is preliminarily titled "Gender and the Emergence of Chicana Feminisms, 1967-1981." Chavez plans to consult oral histories, newspapers, journals, visual media and government documents to investigate racial and gender identities that surfaced within the Vietnam War era's Chicano movement.

Chavez graduated from Occidental with degrees in American studies and Spanish. She is an Eagle Rock resident and graduate of Wilson High School.

The Women's Studies Dissertation Grants, which date back to 1974, remain the only national grant program of its kind.

Cinco de Mayo Parade

On May 4th, 2002, the Cypress Park Chamber of Commerce and Los Angeles Councilman Ed Reyes, of Council District 1, will co-host the 9th Annual Cypress Park Cinco de Mayo Parade and Celebration.

The event will begin at 11:00 a.m. with the parade at the corner of Cypress Avenue and Future Street. The celebration at the Cypress Park Recreational Center, 2650 Pepper Street, will follow at 1:00 p.m. and will include lots of food and entertainment.

Please join us on this great day of Mexican and American history, as we all come together as one. For more info, Patsy Alfaro 323 / 225-7710

Margaret Evans Tice

(1961-2002)

Eagle Rock native Margaret Evans Tice unexpectedly passed away at home on April 20. Margaret was a graduated of Eagle Rock High (79) and the University of Redlands with a degree on Psychology.

Margaret enjoyed spending her free time Caring For Babies with AIDS and contributing to such charities as the Phoenix House (A Shelter for battered women). Margaret was fun-loving, sensitive, witty and caring.

Margaret is survived by her first-grade sweetheart Matthew Tice, her precious daughter Emily Lane Tice (6), mother Jane Evans, and siblings Kaitlin Bell, Timothy Evans, Mary Jane McClarty, and Damian Evans.

Donations in Margaret's memory can be sent to: Caring for Babies with AIDS, PO Box 351535, LA, CA

Museums of the Arroyo

"Life in the Past Lane"

Stroll back in time with other Angelinos, Sunday, May 19th, when five museums open their doors (from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) to visitors (free of charge) as part of the 13th Annual Museums of the Arroyo (MOTA) Day.

Celebrating art, architecture and history, MOTA Day features five unique museums from Highland Park to Pasadena that preserve and perpetuate Los Angeles life before freeways, condominiums and urban sprawl.

The participating museums are: Gamble House (4 Westmoreland Place, Pasadena, 626-793-3334), Heritage Square Museum (3800 Homer St, LA, 626-449-0193), Lummis Home and Garden (200 East Ave 43, LA, 323-333-0546), Pasadena Historical Museum (470 W. Walnut St., Pasadena, 626-577-1660), and Southwest Museum (234 Museum Dr., LA, 323-221-2164, x221) - each featuring a distinctive slice of architectural and cultural history. With all the events, special exhibits and art projects created by local school children, MOTA Day is an all-around celebration of creative life in Southern California.

The MOTA Day shuttles will operate two free routes. One will run between Pasadena and Highland Park with stops at the Pasadena Historical Museum, The Gamble House and The Lummis Home and Garden. The other will shuttle guests from The Lummis Home, Southwest Museum and Heritage Square. The City of Pasadena and the City of Los Angeles provide shuttle service.

Parking will be available in Pasadena at Avery Dennison on Walnut (near Pasadena Historical Museum) and surrounding streets. In Highland Park, parking will be on Carlota Street (near Lummis Home) at Heritage Square and Southwest Museums' parking lots and surrounding streets.

For more information, please call the MOTA hotline at (213) 740-TOUR (8687).

Highland Park Art Trek

To Celebrate Highland Park Art and Culture

Paseo Figueroa Art Trek, featuring a day of festivities and a night of art openings, music and performance, will highlight the cultural designations in the Highland Park area.

The event will take place in the 2600 block of Figueroa with side trips on Avenue 50, Monte Vista and Avenue 66. This is free to the public and will be open to the public from noon to 11 p.m.

In Memoriam

Michael Haskins Olsen passed away tragically at the age of 20 on April 23. The years spent at Eagle Rock Covenant Church Youth Group, Michael found the strength he needed to face the countless obstacles in his short life; he was always able to find the time to help others and was loved and adored by many within the Eagle Rock Community. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 P.M. Saturday, May 4 at Forest Lawn in Glendale.

“Plein Air”

Art Exhibition

How many mothers have told us, "What is old is new again?" Well, in Eagle Rock, the saying is as true today as in yesteryear. The Plein Air style of painting, often referred to as California Impressionism, was popular in the early 1900's, and was epitomized by local artists Conrad Buff and Hanson Puthuff. Today, a resurgence of Plein Air painting is taking place and Eagle Rock is in the thick of it!

During the last couple of months, over 50 Plein Air artists have been painting Eagle Rock's scenic vistas, landmarks, and homes. Their efforts will be exhibited in a juried show, "Eagle Rock Renaissance of Plein Air," from May 5 through May 26 at the Eagle Rock Community Cultural Center, an historic former Carnegie Library built in 1914. An opening reception will be held on Sunday, May 5 from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.-all are invited to attend.

The Eagle Rock Community Cultural Center is located at 2225 Colorado Boulevard, just west of Eagle Rock Boulevard in Eagle Rock. Its hours are Monday through Friday from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., and Sundays from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. For information about the Cultural Center, call 323-226-1617.

The "Eagle Rock Renaissance of Plein Air" exhibition is made possible by the collaborative efforts of the Eagle Rock Valley Historical Society, the Eagle Rock Community Cultural Center and the Eagle Rock Chamber of Commerce.

Metro Gallery Presents

The Metro Gallery is proud to present the works of Michael Rosenfeld. Box Top Heroes is a collection of thirteen paintings be exhibited at the Metro Gallery in Old Pasadena thru June 9.

An opening reception will be held on May 11 from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. at 64 North Raymond Avenue. For information and gallery hours, please

call (626) 440-7379.

Sangeet Ensemble Concert

Arohi Ensemble: Paul Livingstone, Pedro Eustache, Leonice Shinneman, Anand Bennett and guest artists, Geetha Bennett, John Bergamo, Miroslav Tadic, Randy Gloss, Leticia Meza, and Evan Fraser.

McKinley Auditorium, Pasadena Saturday, May 18th, 8pm

for more info please call Sangeet School of World Music (323) 258 1424

or email: ragajazz@bigvalley.net

Rock Rose Art Gallery Presents.

Opening May 4 from 4 to 6 pm and running thru June 15, the Rock Rose Art Gallery is proud to display 'From Rags to Riches – From the Scrap Yard to the Gallery". Ellard Alfred fabricates whimsical birds, animals and figures out of parts from motorcycles, typewriters and stoves. Joyce Kohl works abstractly, combining parts from farming with stabilized adobe to form lyrical wall works and sculptures many which are interactive.

The Gallery is located at 4108 North Figueroa, in Highland Park. For information please call Rosamaria Marquez at 222-4740.

Spring Carnival

A Community Carnival for our families and youths with rides, games, kiddy areas, food booths, live entertainment, music, dancers, will be held May 10, Friday 6pm-10pm, May 11,12 Saturday and Sunday 12pm-10pm at Glassell Park Recreation Center 3650 Verdugo, one block east of Eagle Rock Blvd. This year's carnival will feature great new rides, free dental and health exams on Saturday, and on Mother's Day, discounts, specials and giveaways for all attending Mother's.

Bring the whole family to the park for fun and thrills, at our "SPRING FAMILY CARNIVAL". For more info on times, schedule of events call Glassell Park Recreation Center at 323-257-1863.

Cultural Center Events

On Sunday, May 5th from 2 - 5 p.m., please come to the opening reception for the exhibition Eagle Rock Renaissance of Plein Air. This show will spotlight contemporary landscapes juried by some of the area's finest experts. We're all looking forward to seeing what masterpieces our local artists will create for this very special exhibit.

Dahlia Days

Mark your calendar for the Spring Arts Festival; Dahlia Days which will be held on Saturday, May 18th from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Caspar Street just south of Colorado Boulevard. The festival is a fabulous community event. A special feature started last year will also be presented again this year - the Art Tent which provides an opportunity for artists to display some of their work for a nominal fee. We are accepting applications from vendors and artists. If interested please call us at 226-1617.

Festival Searching for Bands

The 2nd Annual Highland Park Performing Arts Festival© is seeking at least 4 bands to perform this summer in the Sycamore Grove Bandshell JULY 14-15, 2002. First priority will be given to bands based in Northeast LA.

Rock, Salsa, Latin Jazz, Country, Blues, Singer/Songwriter, Rockabilly are all welcome. Death/Speed/Thrash metal bands and Limp Bizkit/ Tool/ Rob Zombie wanna-bes probably won’t make the cut. It's a family show, ya know.

This is a paid gig. Public Auditions are being scheduled now. Send tapes, CD’s, pictures bios etc. to:

HP Performing Arts Festival, PO Box 41985, LA Calif 90041.

Earth Alchemy

The Arroyo Arts Collective will present Earth Alchemy, an annual exhibition of members' work referring to the environment in innovative, transformational ways. Patricia Watts, juror.

Who: The Arroyo Arts Collective

What: Earth Alchemy, an exhibition of work referring to the environment

Where: Avenue 50 Studio, 131 N. Avenue 50, Highland Park

When: Now thru May 19. Gallery hours Tuesday - Thursday 10 am - noon, Saturday and Sunday 10 - 4, or by appointment. For information: ArroyoArtsCollective.org or 850-8566

Earth Alchemy, an exhibition of work creatively referring to the environment by members of the Arroyo Arts Collective, will hang at Avenue 50 Studio gallery as an interesting adjunct to the Collective's biennial site-specific installation project on the Los Angeles River. During a run extending through May 19, Earth Alchemy will include work of Collective artists in media other than installation that embodies a process of re-envisioning one's surroundings in innovative and environmentally sustaining ways.

Avenue 50 Studio gallery hours: Tuesday - Thursday 10 am - noon, Saturday and Sunday, 10 - 4, or by appointment. Contact Avenue 50 Studio at 258-1435 or ave50studio@msn.com. Avenue 50 Studio is located at 131 S. Avenue 50 in Highland Park.

Mendelssohn's "Elijah"

May 17 at Occidental College

The Occidental College Glee Clubs will join the Occidental-Foothill Master Chorale and Orchestra Camerata in a performance of Mendelssohn's "Elijah" at 8 p.m. Friday, May 17 in the college's Thorne Hall. Jeffrey Bernstein, Oxy's director of choral music, will direct.

Tickets for the concert are $35, $25 and $15 and may be reserved by calling (323) 259-2879 or by e-mailing gleeclub@oxy.edu . Half-price tickets for students and senior citizens are available in the lower two price categories. Occidental is located at 1600 Campus Road in Eagle Rock. Directions to the college and a campus map can be found at www.oxy.edu/oxy/welcome/directions .

First performed in 1846 - the year before Mendelssohn died at age 38 - "Elijah" is a historical narrative of the fierce biblical prophet and of the conflict between the followers of Jehovah and those of the pagan deity Baal. "Elijah" is an oratorio - a work written for solo voices, chorus and orchestra, but performed without action, costume or scenery - sung in two parts.

Featured soloists will include baritone Ralph Wells, soprano Elin Carlson, and mezzo-soprano Heather Henderson, an Occidental senior.

The Occidental-Foothill Master Chorale is a large oratorio chorus dedicated to the performance of major choral works with orchestra. It is open by audition to all singers with choral or instrumental experience from the local community.

The 95-year-old Occidental Glee Club has enjoyed a national reputation for choral excellence since the 1950s. Throughout the 1940s and 1950s, Robert Shaw held regular choral workshops with the Glee Club, and in 1959, when there were separate men's and women's ensembles, the group made a recording with Bruno Walter at the maestro's request. In 1969, the Glee Clubs were chosen to represent the United States at the Second International Collegiate Music Festival, which was sponsored by the Lincoln Center.

Eagles Events

The Fraternal Order of Eagles Auxiliary invites you to come to their monthly breakfast on May 5th (Cost $4) and then purchase a $1 raffle ticket for lively gift baskets (suitable for Mother's Day). The baskets will be on display from 9 am – 3 pm and the winners need not be present). On May 18 from 6-9 pm for a fundraiser to benefit R.O.C.K. (Reach Our Community Kids). Eagle's hall is located at 1596 Yosemite Drive. For information please call 257-8869.

Time Management for Toys

By Genine Sauer

It never fails – so many toys – yet nothing to play with! Here is a way to keep the toy syndrome happy and organized at the same time.

Purge: Many kids are in total toy overload. But as sentimental as each gift from a doting grandparent may be, kids outgrow toys. Keeping extra or obsolete toys encourages bad habits and wastes space. Take the plunge and purge the playroom today. But remember to approach the task gently: Never make children get rid of toys before they're emotionally ready.

Contain: Enclosing toys in containers keeps them from becoming clutter and accustoms kids to looking for things in their place and putting them back later. Match the container to the type of toy and age of the users. Colored open crates can hold large toys for small toddlers.

Rotate: Even after your purge, you'll probably have more toys than your children can play with at once. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, so prolong the appeal of toys and games by rotating your active stock. Enlist kids to pack up the old toys before bringing out the new batch, or make the change quietly yourself one night.

New Crisis in Health Care

MAY 7 AT OCCIDENTAL POLICY FORUM

Leading health care experts from the public, private, and non-profit sectors will discuss "The New Crisis in Health Care" on Tuesday, May 7 in the latest Occidental College Policy Forum on the Occidental campus.

The distinguished panel includes Grantland Johnson, secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency; David Lawrence, M.D., chairman and CEO of Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Hospitals; Robert Ross, M.D., president and CEO of The California Endowment; and Susan

Fleischman, M.D., medical director of the Venice Family Clinic, the country's largest free clinic.

Occidental Senior Fellow Matt Miller, a syndicated columnist and host of KCRW's "Left, Right & Center," will host the 4:30 p.m. discussion in Occidental's Keck Theater. The event is free and open to the public with seating available on a first-come, first-served basis. A question-and-answer session will follow the panel discussion.

"This month's announcement by the California Public Employees Retirement System that premiums will increase 25 percent next year was just the latest indicator of the crisis of affordability in health care," says Miller. "With the number of uninsured in the United States at 40 million and growing, new cutbacks in Medicaid due to state budget shortfalls, and the increasing fragility of trauma networks, our panel's examination of the health care industry couldn't be more timely."

The Occidental Policy Forum was created to give senior fellows the means to convene leading cultural, political and economic figures to address vital public issues. The position of senior fellow at Occidental was created through an innovative grant from the J. Paul Getty Trust to support solution-oriented public journalism.

Revlon Run/Walk for Women

It's that time again, the Revlon Run/Walk For Women at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Exposition Park. You, family, friends… can join us in the fight against breast and ovarian cancer by joining us.

On May 11th after the Revlon Run/Walk – For the 2nd year in a row The Dragon Chinese Restaurant located at 5018 York Blvd., Highland Park will be sponsoring a buffet lunch for those of us who participated in the Run/Walk. They have excellent food! A great way to relax after doing our good deed.

Eagles Sock Hop

Promised is an evening of nostalgia. Music of the 50’s and 60’s will take us back to High School Friday nights after the football game. Those sweet memories will come flooding back as we start going through our old boxes and hitting the vintage shops for letterman jackets, poodle skirts, pedal pushers, argyle sweaters, penny loafers and saddle shoes.The Hop will be on Saturday May 11th from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. at the Eagles Lodge, located at 1596 Yosemite Drive. Tickets will be sold in advance as seating is limited. The organizers might even persuade Elvis to attend. To buy your tickets in advance call Dee at 323-254-7071.

Cesar Chavez Stamp

In council session early last month, Councilmemnber Pacheco presented a resolution to have the city of Los Angeles support the creation of a U.S. Postal service commemorative stamp honoring labor leader Cesar E. Chavez.

“Cesar Chavez was a great American leader, Pacheco. “From humble beginnings in 1927, Cesar Chavez rose to be a major force in American History, leading millions of people to better lives, inspired by his message of a nonviolence fight for peace and justice.”

“There is currently an organized effort to honor Cesar Chavez on a United States Postage Stamp.” Pacheco said, “The City of Los Angeles hereby includes in its 2001-2002 Federal Legislative Program Sponsorship and Support of legislation urging the United States Postal Service to commemorate the late union leader Cesar F. Chavez on a United States Postage Stamp.”

Any official position of the City of Los Angeles with respect ot matters pending before a local, state or federal agency must first be adopted in the form of a resolution by the City Council and Mayor.

Gold Line Progressing

Still may be stunted by protesters, but not yet singing the blues.

The LA to Pasadena Gold Line (previously blue) is progressing right on budget and schedule. The giant S shaped viaduct that snakes from union station to chinatown is nearly complete, as well as about 50% of the tracks and crossings that span the route. If all goes well, trains will be running on the tracks by January or February of next year. But all is not set for go yet. The construction authority, as well as protesters seeking to get certain grade crossings separated, are waiting for the axe to fall. The long awaited decision of the PUC (public utilities commission) will be coming in May. Then we will all find out if the modern, clean and efficient light rail system will run over grade crossings as planned, or if they will be required to spend multi millions more to separate a handful of crossings by bridge or tunnel. If the latter occurs, completion of the Gold line will be delayed for years.

Breaking Gold Line News!

Pasadena-Monterey crossing approved

On Thursday afternoon, May 2, the South Pasadena City Council voted to approve the Monterey-Pasadena Avenue grade crossing design meeting the criteria of the CPUC (California Public Utilities Commission).

Because of the previous design, the tracks would have had two street crossings at that location, which would have necessitated the separation of the grade crossing by bridge or tunnel. The commission said that an at-grade crossing would be allowed there if the dual crossing were changed to a single crossing.

When work is completed, motorists traveling on Pasadena Avenue will have to make a slight ‘jog’ and make the crossing of the Gold Line Route on Monterey Road. This clears the way for construction to begin on that intersection and crossing.

May 16 is the day that is much anticipated. That is when the final decision of the CPUC on all the grade crossings will be made. You can read about it here on May 17 in our inaugural mid-month issue.

Planning Staff go to D.O.N.E.

Planning Dept Staff may be transferred to DONE

According to Terry Speth, from the Los Angeles community planning department, as more and more neighborhood councils get through their formation and certification, more city staff from community planning will be transfered over to the Department of Neighborhood empowerment to fill the needs of that department. This, apparently, parallels the changeover of juristiction from the community planning advisory committee to the local neighborhood councils.