Boulevard Sentinel

July 6, 2002

news for all of Northeast Los Angeles

Community Calendar by Genine Sauer

 

Local Projects in Process

At top, at the corner of Genevive and Colorado,

work is continuing on a senior housing project that will include retail spaces at street level. Below, in the tri-angle block next to Mc Donald’s, will be a new Savon Drug Store. Since the developer of the much maligned Walgreen’s has apparently given up, there should be plenty of business for this drug and discount store. 

 

 

Street Legal Racing

Marcelo Araujo

            It is exhilarating to find yourself-doing 90 m.p.h. down Eagle Rock boulevard.  It is also scary to see how close you were to wrecking when you drive through a light that just turned red. Worse, is when you go home and tell your parents or significant other how you got a ticket for speeding.

            A better solution that offers the same exhilarating feeling without the red lights or police is the Irwindale Dragstrip. It is open every Thursday night from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. You can race your car on an eighth of a mile drag strip for only $20 dollars and get in as many races as you can get in by 10 p.m. The Irwindale Dragstrip offers any car model and year a place to race with other cars of all classes and models. Even motorcycles are welcome. Prior to racing a vehicle one must show a valid driver's license and their car must go through a safety check by the Irwindale Speedway Tech Inspection staff.

            One fun part about the Irwindale Dragstrip is the return road back to the start of the drag strip. It is placed right in front of the crowd of 1,500 spectators that attend the races on a regular basis. Unlike other drag strips where the return road is placed away from the spectators, competitors can see the crowd's reaction and hear the cheers, or jeers, they have for your performance as you may your way back to the starting line. Another great incentive for racing is that you can have one of your friends sit in the passenger seat as you speed down the drag strip. As you make your way back on the return road you pick up your time slip. The time slip is printed with the information on who won, your m.p.h. and even the reaction time you took to get off the line.

            Doug Stokes, head of public relations at Irwindale Speedway and Dragstrip said, "Street racing has always been popular, but many people do not do it in a safe environment. The purpose of the Drag Strip at Irwindale Speedway is to provide drivers who race other cars, a safe environment to race in. Also to provide a safe environment for spectators watch the races."   

Drivers from many different lifestyles and ages come to race.  Drivers from Orange County and Ventura County come to race at the Irwindale Dragstrip. One of the youngest drivers is Steven Taylor of Arcadia. " It would be fun to see a lot of younger drivers come out to the dragstrip," said Taylor. "A lot of these older guys who have worked their car and modified them have the money to do so, which kind of takes away from the fun."

            The Irwindale Dragstrip also has import racing every Friday night. The price of admission to see the drag races is only ten dollars. Every Saturday night at the Irwindale Speedway there is NASCAR racing on the half-mile super speedway. Cars that race are the Jani-King  Super Late Models (stockcars), Grand American Modifieds and Ultra Wheels Super Trucks.

            To get to the Dragstrip take the 210 freeway east to the 605 South. Exit on Arrow Hwy and then turn left on Live Oak Ave.

 For feedback about this article Marcelo Araujo can be reached at Godzillanow@hotmail.com

 

Picking A New Chief

LAPD Leaders Report, Police Commissioners Hear Community on Picking a New Chief

by Terrye Munday

            A community Town Hall Meeting was held on Thursday June 27 at Occidental College. It was awesome to see about five hundred Los Angeles residents in attendance and I would like to share some of what I saw and heard with you. I will do my best to give you some insight into the people who spoke what they had to say.

            In the first half of the meeting we were introduced to our new acting chief of police and assistant chief. Also, captains from each of the six LA districts reported on the crime in their area and what was being done about it..

Acting Chief of Police Martin H. Pomeroy

            Chief Pomeroy is a 30 yr. Veteran of the Los Angeles Police Department. He had retired and begun an easy life in Montana when he received a phone call asking him to help build morale and pick a permanent chief we could rely on. He graciously accepted the position. He said, "these are difficult times but the very best part of LAPD is the people." "Who ever is chief it will still have the best people." His goal is "to return to the community what has been lost." Since there was no flag available for the 'Pledge of Allegiance', he had us face the North and recite the pledge anyway. How cool was that? I was in awe considering that same day it had been declared un-constitutional.

Assistant Chief Margaret A. York

            I was so impressed with the way this woman spoke and handled herself. She is a 27 year veteran who started as a detective and worked her way up the ranks of the department. You could sense from the captains who spoke about their districts how much respect they had for her and her support of them. She thanked the community and said she was "touched by the outpouring (of support)." She also reported that the significant increase in violent crime since the first of the year has caused them to deploy 38,000 additional officers from outside areas to come to our rescue. She thanked those departments and said, "If not for their help it would have been impossible to get through this difficult time without a chief of police."

Captain William Sweet (Central Traffic Division)

            Traffic fatalities have been cut in half this year and he attributes that to people not driving while drinking. He encouraged all to slow down a little, obey the traffic laws, and keep a lid on road rage so we can lower those numbers even greater.

Captain Charlie Beck (Central Division)

            Central division covers from downtown to the Staple Center. Their biggest problems are drug addiction and the homeless. They have teamed up with the large private security forces in that area and arrests are up six percent because of it. With more police presence and arrests going up they have noticed the crime stats going down the same amount and will continue this effort.

Captain Thomas G. Runyen (Rampart Division)

            Rampart has a new "jeopardy  program" for at risk youth and their families. The program is having much success. This officer was honored for his commitment to community relations and together they have achieved success abating and seizing drug houses and turned those areas into mini-parks with officer friendly programs in place.

Captain Paul Pesqueira (Hollenbeck Division)

            They are currently funding the "Delores Mission Project" which is a community involved effort to develop strategies and methods to fight violent crime. They have community meetings every Monday night and encourage all of us to reach out to other members of our city and get them involved. They are also having success and their goal is to eventually get their meetings down to once a month.

Captain Kyle Jackson (Northeast Division)

            Northeast Division is shaped like a V.  The area is made up of 14 communities including Eagle Rock, Highland Park, Mt. Washington, Cypress Park, Silver Lake, Atwater, and Griffith Park. The state of this division was rated highest in LA and Captain Jackson thanked all the neighborhood support groups including BLEND, TERA, and the Neighborhood Councils. He is very proud of our Explorer Program and the diversity of the youth involved. He is particularly proud of our community surveillance team. This is a group of citizens who sit at designated posts sometimes late into the night and report graffiti and gang activity. They use police issue two-way radios and alert police so they can move in to make arrests. Listening to him speak made me feel proud to be a resident of Eagle Rock.

Captain Reggie Maeweather (Newton Division)

            Newton is 8.9 miles south of downtown. Including the Washington and Slauson area. They have approximately 5,000 gang members. Their main focus is "Project Violent Crime Strategy." This is geared toward protecting the young people, since he feels most violent crime is committed by gangs. He described a new explorer program for youth. What they have done is located their community relations offices in local parks where the kids are actually challenged by the officers to games of basketball, baseball, soccer, etc. This has allowed the kids to get to know the officers in a new light and vice versa. They even play golf with some of the senior members of the gangs. So far the results have been extremely positive, and seems to be setting a great example to the younger 'want to be' gang members.

            The second half of the meeting consisted of a three-member panel of the Police Commission who opened the floor to community members who had requested to speak in advance, expressing what they hoped the commission would be looking for in a permanent police chief.

What the community said:

            Choose from within our own department. Not an outsider from another city and state that may not know our needs. Someone with integrity who would bring back honor, pride, and respect to Los Angeles. Someone who would understand the multi-cultural and diverse needs of our community. A chief with a zero-tolerance policy for sworn officers, who is not willing to sweep issues "under the carpet." A chief willing to do occasional ride-a-longs and see what our fine officers face on a day-to-day basis. Last but not least, a chief that would rebuild the moral and stand behind their officers when the going gets tough.

Also, the importance of keeping the program of "senior lead officers" in each neighborhood was stressed at length.

 

NICK PACHECO TO SPEAK AT NEXT ERNC MEETING

            The Eagle Rock Neighborhood Council (ERNC) announces its next meeting to be held on Tuesday, July 9th at the Toland Way Elementary School at Toland Way & Ave. 46 from 7 pm to 9 pm. 

The topic of the meeting will be "PUBLIC WORKS AND YOUR STREETS."  Besides the Dept. Of Public Works, we have also invited the city Departments of Public Safety and Public Transportation.

            The featured guest speaker, Councilman Nick Pacheco, will offer his vision for the Eagle Rock community and possibly answer some questions.

            All "stakeholders," (residents, managers and owners of businesses, properties and institutions and allied participants in the greater Eagle Rock area) are invited to attend this informative meeting.

            Since April 2, 2002, when the ERNC became certified by the LA Board of Neighborhood Commissioners, they have been meeting regularly on the 1st and 3nd Tuesday of each month at the Eagle Rock Library at Caspar and Merton Streets from 6pm to 8pm. The ERNC is comprised of an interim board of seventeen plus members (volunteers) that have been working diligently for almost one year to organize the ERNC, gain city certification and to reach out to the Eagle Rock community. 

They want to hear your individual neighborhood and community needs, so that they can work towards their goal of more expedient city services and a safer and more cohesive community.

            If you attend the meetings, you can be an influence on decision making, thereby helping your neighborhood and community. It's also a nice way to meet other Eagle Rock community neighbors.

 

Shopping Destination: Eagle Rock?

Kathy Kroner of Owl Talk Clothing shows her merchandise.

 
 

 


by Chockie Tom

            Now that you know where you're going on your date, one question remains, "What should I wear?" If you are on a tight budget like me, you'd like to look great without spending more than $20-30 dollars. Instead of wandering through the overwhelming malls in other cities, you can find everything you need along Eagle Rock Boulevard.

             One of my favorite shopping stops is Owl Talk, has used clothing, both vintage and contemporary, and they also have some men's button down shirts.  I really like the selection of tasteful summer dresses and lovely blouses that can be mixed and matched.  If you're down in the area, make sure you check out Twerps, which is right next-door and carries natural personal care products, including Burt's Bees. I recommend the lipsticks and baby care products, which I personally use. Since Twerps is a children's clothing store, it's the ideal for finding cute little boy tees to customize. Children's tee-shirts are usually a lot less expensive than women's are.

            Xica carries some vintage as well some unique clothing with a punkish flair to them. They also carry band tees and cute shirts for the summer. The prices are very affordable, and the clothing is perfect for the high school- twenties range or anyone looking for something fun to wear. Savvy carries mainly high-end contemporary clothing and a few select vintage accessories. The prices are about mid-range. There is a great assortment of current fashions and a beautiful selection of affordable formals. Savvy is a great shopping stop to make around Halloween; they have a lot of great costume ideas.

Mike's Beauty Supply and Salon carries many high-quality make-up and hair product brands. Mike's is a convenient stop for those that are particular about brands; you can find what ever you want, right in the neighborhood. As far as the clothing goes, I found a lot of stylish and unique attire, for great prices, located within walking distance of each other. Had I bought everything that I found, I wouldn't have spent more than $20-30 dollars. The best part was not having to drive to an over-crowded mall. I found everything right here, in good ol' Eagle Rock.

Owl Talk  5060 Eagle Rock Blvd, 323 258-2465

Twerps 5060 Eagle Rock Blvd 877-489-3777

Mike's Beauty Supply and Salon  5014 Eagle Rock Blvd., 323-258-4030

Savvy  5054 Eagle Rock Blvd., 323-344-1819

Xica  4974 Eagle Rock Blvd.

 

Earthwatch for Local Teacher

            Caroline Gonzales, a kindergarten teacher at Eagle Rock Elementary, will be participating in an Earthwatch Expedition. The one-week expedition, which will be held this month, which is made possible from a grant from the Helen and Peter Bing Foundation, will investigate the historical development and lifestyle of the Spanish Empire of San Jose de las Huertas, New Mexico. The Earthwatch Institute sponsors scientific and cultural research expeditions around the world and sends volunteers into the field to provide support.

 

United Northeast Chamber of Commerce

            United Northeast Chamber of Commerce serves as a mechanism for the Chambers of Commerce to collaborate for the betterment of Northeast LA. The Boyle Heights Chamber of Commerce will host the next Board of Directors meeting on Wednesday, July 16 at noon. For more information, call 323-888-2685.

 

Awarded Approved

            The Public Safety Committee approved the release of $500 reward to Fernando Hernandez for his tip on a graffiti vandalism incident that occurred late night on March 29. Hernandez witnessed as a juvenile committed graffiti vandalism along 5th & Spring Street and reported it to passing police officers, which apprehended the suspect.

            Occurring in Council District 14, Councilmember Nick Pacheco stated, “I applaud Mr. Hernandez and I encourage residents of our City to participate in stopping graffiti vandalism. Taking pride in one’s community is just one more step in preventing crime throughout our city.”

            Under the Graffiti Apprehension Reward program, if a witness’ report on graffiti vandalism results in the arrest and conviction of the suspect, then the witness is entitled to a $500 reward from the City

 

Gold Line News

            It was announced by Jim Leong on June 20 that the Mt. Washington Homeowners Alliance filed a "joinder" with Mount Washington Association, in applying for a rehearing with the California Public Utilities Commision to obtain a "no horn" decision regarding the Gold Line rail crossings at Avenues 45 & 50. Mr. Leong stated in his e-mail to "transit enthusiasts", "We have had a "Quiet Zone" for 27 years. We should not accept or deserve anything less today." Continued cooperation between MWHA & MWA seems to foretell a possible reconciliation between the two Mt. Washington neighborhood organizations.

 

FDIC Expands Money Smart Alliance Program

            The FDIC announced June 27, that one million people will be taught basic financial education through the Money Smart Alliance Program in the next five years. The curriculum will be supplied free of charge to organizations and institutions who join the alliance.

            Since the introduction of the Program in English in July 2001, more than 9,000 copies of the curriculum have been distributed. The curriculum is an integral part of efforts nationwide to address the issues of predatory lending and low and moderate income individuals’ lack of access to mainstream banking services.

            Anyone interested in financial education can use Money Smart. The materials are easily reproduced and have no copyright restrictions. Copies can be obtained from the FDIC and are free to the user.    

 

EDITORIAL

If you are a member of TERA you need to know this!

I would never say I was an expert on community organizations. Yes, I belong to a few. I even helped start a couple. But today I can only relay to you what I have observed and learned, and you can check it out and see for yourself. In case you haven't been reading this paper for very long, I have to tell you about the Eagle Rock Association, or TERA as it is known.

            The leaders of TERA are the only ones who can decide what issues the organization will take on and what actions to take. Now these are basically good people. Smart, educated and very savvy politician's. They are very sophisticated and experienced at what they do.

            They also have the time to be activists. Somehow they can afford to walk the streets, and gather up to 2500 signatures in support of whatever the issue of the day is. I think that is great and I support the right of all people to grab the reins of democracy and hang on for what they're worth.

            The only problem I have with TERA is that, as an organization, they have a conspicuous gap in their collective intelligence. They don't know what it is to have to make a living as a boulevard merchant. And they surely cannot see how they are perceived by those folks that do. To demonstrate I give you a statement made recently by a lady

who is a very visible TERA Board member. "We want to support appropriate businesses in Eagle Rock." (By her offensive statement she inferred that 'the persecution of businesses deemed inappropriate would continue.)

            Many of the good Eagle Rock folks who are unhappy with the TERA agenda have suggested that they join TERA to "take them over from the inside."

But...

If you are a member of TERA you need to know this. YOU HAVE NO SAY! Yes that is right. The members of TERA who join to "improve" the community are never told that they have no binding say-so on what the board of TERA deems best for them or our community. Not only that, but TERA members cannot even nominate new board members you see, it is just a closed system.

            Your membership gets you two things: an occasional newsletter, and the right to be counted as one of their supporters. Go attend one of their meetings. You will see that there is no opportunity for either TERA members or the general public to be heard.

If you have any ideas to share about this ongoing abrogation of democracy, please call or write to this paper.

Tom Topping

 

 

LESSON IN BUSINESS

Two young entrepreneurs selling fresh squeezed lemonade in front of the Eagle Rock City Hall were swiftly put out of business by city officials. They've learned early how the city treats business.

 

The New Eagle Scout

            Christopher Lewis Curtis, better known as Chris is a second generation resident of Highland Park. On Sunday, July 7th, 2002 he received the "highest award" in Boy Scouting. He became an Eagle Scout. Chris is a Summer 2001 graduate of Eagle Rock High School. he has been involved in scouting since 1993. He is currently a member of Troop 5, Hillside Village, Los Angeles Chapter.

            The ceremony was attended by local scout dignitaries, a multiple of already awarded Eagle Scouts and young men striving to reach the rank of Eagle. The guest speaker was Glen Laird, an instructor at ERHS and a scout master. Chris is the son of Larry and Mechelle (nee Cross) Curtis. He is the grandson of Barbara Cross and the late Lewis Cross and Fred Curtis and the late Esther Curtis.

            For his community service project to attain his Eagle Rank he volunteered in excess of 800 hours refurbishing trails in the Angeles National Forest. This involved general trail grooming, making steps where needed, water bars and French drains in addition to general brush clearance.

 

Foster Families Recognized

            Optimist Foster Family and Adoption Services has honored eight foster couples with its Helping Hand and Guardian Angel Awards as parents offering exceptional service in providing nurturing homes to abused and neglected children.

            Maria and Jose Arredondo from Highland Park received the Helping Hand Award for their contributions in working in partnership with the agency, birth families and others in the community.

            “All our foster parents deserve accolades for their work, but each year we choose special families to honor for absolutely outstanding contributions,” said Joan Probst, director of community based programs. “We are proud to recognize them.”

            The Arredondos were commended for nurturing academic growth and involving their foster kids in athletics and extracurricular activities.

 

Fire Season Alerts

            An arsonist set fires on four lots in the Mount Washington/Nob Hill area on June 21. Two blazes were set on Oneonta Drive and two were set around Cleland Avenue near Division Street. Considerable areas of dry brush and trees were burnt. Luckily, no structures seem to have been damaged, although they came very close. The fires could have been much larger and life threatening was it not for brush clearance on adjacent properties and drizzly, humid weather.

Eyewitnesses reported seeing someone on a motorcycle setting the fires and a spent hairspray can was found discarded in some nearby ivy.          

            But, Mount Washington isn't alone.  Highland Park has recently suffered arson attacks.  In the early-morning hours of June 21, a fire was set in a vacant lot near the corner of Marie and Saylin. The fire department was called and while that fire was being put out, another fire was set in the front yard of a house on Saylin and Lewis. Both fires were put out. Immediately following these two incidents, a fire broke out nearby on Figueroa, then to the front yard of a house on Mesa and Ave. 61. All reports given by neighbors matched the description one our neighbors gave police--a male in a dark compact car leaving the scene.  We all need to be vigilant and look out for each other.  Our neighborhood is gathering concerned homeowners and renters to meet and discuss what we can do, how we can look out for each other, phone trees, etc.  Perhaps other neighborhoods should do the same if they haven't done so already.  Let's look out for each other!

            This is especially alarming considering the recent Griffith Park arson fires. Please be alert to any suspicious activity in your neighborhood and call the Los Angeles Fire Department in your area if you have any information or suspicious activity.

 

 

Boulevard Sentinel Business Person of the Month

            By a sizable margin, this month the Boulevard Sentinel Business Person of the Month Advisory Board has selected Allen Yap of ETY Auto Parts Imports INC. as Business Person of the Month. Now the CEO of the Auto Parts business started by his father Keith,  last month Allen was selected as one of the newest Eagle Rock Chamber of Commerce Board members.

            He laughs when he talks about his start in Auto Parts. "I was never a car person,. I spent the first two years sitting in the library, reading through all those Chilton manuals just so I'm familiar with what's what. From a lug bolt to a brake master (cylinder), I didn't know anything (about cars) until I started working here."

            He may not have known cars, but with double college degrees of Psychology and Economics, you can bet he knows a few things. He was accepted to Oregon State for a Masters/Doctorate in Psychology but he turned it down. He didn't want to do it and instead signed a two year contract to work with his father in the family business. "During that (time) I did an MBA (Masters in Business Administration) which has helped a lot. Everything I did there (Pepperdine University) was applicable to the business- if it wasn't at that time, over the next couple of years it has been."

            You may wonder, what is the secret to their success? "First and foremost, probably my dad," said Alan. "(It's) just his philosophy in business. You're straight with your customers, you give 'em what they need, the best possible price, the best possible quality, everything else will take care of itself." "All I do is take what he does and build on it."

            Alan of ETY was chosen for his continuation of delivering a high level of service and quality to its customers and for recently accepting the position of Board Member of the Eagle Rock Chamber of Commerce. "One of the reasons I agreed to (accept a directorship) on the Chamber of Commerce is I didn't understand how the politics in this town worked. And when you make a commitment of staying in a business and buying property within a city you'd be a fool not to understand the underlying political groups here. From an outsiders point of view, running a business in Eagle Rock, there's a whole lot of stuff going on all the time that affects the community residential as well as the business community. I'm not well versed in it and I'd be a fool not to dive into it. My main concern is that our business still flourishes whatever groups run the town."

            Alan has strong local ties, growing up in Glendale and graduating from nearby Glendale High School. He may not realize it, but he is also one of the first local business people of pacific Asian heritage that has become an Eagle Rock Chamber of Commerce Director. In that sense, some may consider him a pioneer, but to those of us who know him best, he's still just our friend Allen.

 

Glassell Park Mural

On Saturday, June 29 at 10:00 PM a new mural was dedicated in Glassell Park at the intersection of Fletcher Drive and Estara Avenue.  The mural was dedicated to the Anahuak Soccer League by Councilman Eric Garcetti of the 13th district.  The event was attended by about 45 individuals including several Anahuak soccer players!

            The mural is titled "Field Day" and depicts children playing soccer in a park surrounded by trees and watchful family members.  It runs the entire 50 foot span of the El Ranchito Market accross the street from Washington Irving middle school and Fletcher Drive elementary.  It was designed and installed by local artists Ricky Manginsay, Josef Calvento and Alfred "Tops" Cruz. 

Unfortunately the artists were unable to attend the ceremony due to a last minute work assignment.  They are all animators in the film and television industry.

            The Glassell Park Improvement Association (GPIA) sponsored the mural along with Washington Irving middle school through the Neighborhood Matching Fund Grant program, admisistered by the Los Angeles Board of Public Works.  GPIA

beautification chair Ruby de Vera served as the project coordinator and the application was submitted by Eric Garcetti. 

Mitch O'Farrell

 

Adopt-a-Median

The R.O.C.K. (Reach Our Community Kids) Youth Council, have elected to participate in an Adopt-A-Median Project in honor of Cesar E. Chavez.  Their project goal is to work to convert the current concrete median in front of the Eagle Rock City Hall.  The students have been working with local landscape architect Lynne Dwyer  and the Eagle Rock Beautiful Collaborative to gain advice on planning and landscape design.  The youth will also be installing a tile mosaic that they created commemorating the life of Cesar E. Chavez.  On Saturday, June 29th, organized teams of volunteers to re-landscaped the median by preparing soil, planting, and installing the tile mosaic.  The event ended with a ceremony honoring all of the workers with certificates from Nick Pacheco’s Office.

 

Eagle Vista Seniors

            If you missed the Eagle Vista Seniors Annual Fourth of July Picnic, it’s probably because it was held on July 2 – that’s their regular Tuesday meeting day. (Keep that in mind for next year)

            July 9, a speaker from SCAN Health Plan will speak on the subject of “Health Insurance”.

            No regular meeting will be held on July 16 due to the trip “Day in the Orient” taking place on July 18. This guided tour of Pasadena’s Pacific Asia Museum features the Asian-Pacific Rim collection of costumes and textiles from the 11th to the 20th Century. Following lunch in downtown Chinatown, a guided tour of the Japanese American National Museum will occur. (There will be time for visiting some shops in Little Tokyo, also).

            July 23 – BINGO! – With Mel Paulson as caller.

            No meeting on July 30 as many members will be away on the San Francisco-Reno trip.

            For any further information call Phyllis Mejia at 256-7145.

 

Attention Art Lovers!

            This weekend is the tenth annual Absolut Chalk Festival in Pasadena. Over 600 artists will be creating chalk mural on the streets in front of the Pasadena City Hall. The exact location is at the intersection of Holly Street and Garfield in Pasadena. The Gallery Figueroa team will be creating our own mural - we hope to see all of you there. This is a great art event and this year, in celebration of their 10th anniversary, admission is free! You will be able to find us amongst the crowd by using the maps that will be up around the venue. We look forward to seeing you there!

 

20 Eyes/10 Cameras: A group show of conceptual photography
            In "20 Eyes/10 Cameras," a group of 10 women artists use photography as a vehicle to convey highly conceptual ideas that transcend their images and challenge our imaginations. Sometimes poignant, sometimes witty, and always intelligent, the photographs explore diverse themes of memory, mystery, and the fragile nature of being. "20 Eyes/10 Cameras," which opened June 22 will run through July 21.
            Who: 10 Los Angeles-area artists: Nancy Popp, Luisa Miller, Bia Gayotto, Gili Wolf, Lesley Krane, Kaye Goldman Clark, Marisa Murrow, Joanne Chase-Matillo, Kireilyn Barber, and Haruko Tanaka. Where: Gallery Figueroa, 6122 N. Figueroa St., Highland Park, 258-5939. Gallery hours: noon to 6 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, and by appointment.

 

Southwest Museum Events

On Sunday, July 14, 2002 at 2 p.m. in the Sprague Auditorium come see a informative discussion in the GARDEN SERIES PROGRAM: "A Distinct Lack of Formality", Michael Wagner. Mr. Wagner, Braun Research Library assistant and graduate of UCLA's Landscape Architecture Program, will take an informal look at the use of native plants from a design perspective.  The talk will include an historical overview and examination of contemporary applications for native plants in designed spaces. Program is Free with admission to the Museum.

            On Saturday, July 20 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Museum Patio, GOURD DESIGN WORKSHOP: Nadiya Littlewarrior, Citizen Potawatomi/Cherokee Nadiya Littlewarrior's beautiful gourds are found in galleries and shops from China to Spain. Ms. Littlewarrior, owner of Spirit Vessels Studio, will lead the class in the creation of a personal gourd that represents each participant's individual designs and paintings.  Join the class and create a memory. Members $20.00, Guests $30.00, all supplies are included with registration.

            The Southwest Museum is located at 234 Museum Drive in Mount Washington.

 

Gallery Ophelia

            “Places of my familiar” is the new works for local artists Candance Jeanette Allen at the Gallery Ophelia. The display will run through July with an opening reception set for July 12 at 7 p.m. The gallery is located at 2144 Colorado Boulevard. For information, please call 982-9945.

 

"Guateque/Guazábara"

            The Puerto Rican Experience Through Art will be displayed until mid July, contemporary works by Poli Marichal, Ivan Camilli Rivera, Carlos Cancio and Kahlil Jacobs-Fantauzzi whose works express the cultural, political and spiritual Puerto Rican experience. Symbolic of a nation of people whose ethnic and cultural identity is a mixture of African, indigenous and Iberian roots, the works produced for this exhibit demonstrate this amalgam and links Puerto Rico with its struggle for cultural identity with its colonial status. On July 15, closing Party. Exhibit sponsored by Rums of Puerto Rico, Goya Products and Commonwealth of Puerto Rico – Federal Affairs Administration. For information please call: 258-1435. This event is free to the public.

 

Irene Elizabeth Watson

of Highland Park, passed away June 14, 2002 at the age of 67. Born in Chattanooga, Tennessee on January 4, 1935. Survived by daughters Diane Baxter, Vicki Graves, Kathy Lira, Melody Herring, sons Steve Donovan, Gary Donovan, Michael Donovan, Charles Watson, Christopher Watson, 16 Grandchildren and 21 Great Grandchildren. Irene will be dearly missed, but never forgotten. Irene will always be in our thoughts and prayers forever.

 

NELA Eats

             As a boy in the late 1960's, I watched with interest as an old gas station was torn down next to the Wooden Shoe restaurant in Highland Park. Another restaurant was going to go in there, and the neighborhood buzz was that it would never be able to compete with the popular coffee shop next door. The first weekend the new business was open my sister and I went there. I could barely read the sign at the top of the building. I was only seven years old, after all. At the top of the tall signpost I finally made it out..."Pennys"

             Through the 1950's until the 1980's, most independently owned fast food restaurants in the Los Angeles area were started and run by Greek families. No one can say exactly how and why this happened, but most likely it is the way any type of immigration or ethnic trend gets started; one person from a group tries something, and the word spreads.

             Pennys Restaurant at York and Figueroa is one of these original eating places. First opened in 1968, it is now under only its second owner in 34 years. A couple of years ago the original family sold it to the current owners. The quality and ambiance have actually improved lately, and for a seasoned N.E.L.A. eater like me, it deserves a visit.

            Pennys seats about 60. 15 or so seats outside on the extremely noisy intersection and 45 more inside. Unless you are a 15 year old Franklin High School student wanting to "be seen", I highly recommend you sit inside.

            When the new owners took over, they remodeled the inside eating area and it has a nice feel to it now. Pennys ALWAYS has customers, from large families to seniors to young couples. 

            A fast food restaurant lives and dies by its one most popular item-French fries... Pennys fries are near perfect. They are just brown enough, and are most likely cooked in good quality oil. The fries are not skinny like McDonalds, and they are not extra crispy like Tops in Pasadena, (which many people consider to have the best fries in the San Gabriel Valley- I'll save that for another issue!) It is obvious that Pennys cuts its fries on its own from fresh potatoes, and doesn't just open up a plastic package of frozen pre-cut potatoes. The same goes for  their onion rings. The rings at Pennys are huge, and well known places like Black Angus and Outback Steakhouse which are famous for their huge onion rings "ain't got nothin" on Pennys

            Of course, a fast food restaurant cannot live on appetizers alone. Hamburger and good old red meat are what most people order, and there are no disappointments here.  My 10 year old son Genya always gets the $3.75 hamburger special which comes with a quarter lb. burger, lots of lettuce, a piece of tomato as thick as my thumb, a large order of those great fries, and a large drink. It is almost enough for two people.        My friend Angela always gives me good local eating tips. She raves about Pennys steak breakfast sandwich that is served on a French roll, and loves the crispy taquitos that are served with that weird green sauce that is sometimes called guacamole. All the local restaurants serve the same sauce, and she loves it. It's exact ingredients, and where it comes from, is one of life's mysteries.

             I've always loved fish sandwiches, and mourn often over the demise of the Moby Jack. Just about every fast food chain carries them, and I like them all. Pennys fish sandwich is huge. It is served steaming hot and has a huge chunk of lettuce and an equally large slice of tomato. The bun is fresh and soft. The only thing I would change is that they do not serve tartar sauce on their fish sandwich. Instead they put a generous amount of mayonnaise. Good, but not the same as tartar sauce.

            We tried Pennys for breakfast on a recent Saturday and the place was packed. Their pancake special ($2.99) comes with two flapjacks, two eggs, and sausage or bacon. The sausage links were nice and crispy.  The chorizo and egg breakfast was also very good. The chorizo was not very greasy, and was cooked just right.

             Almost everything at Pennys is under $5, and a family of four can pretty easily eat there for about $20.00. Lots of parking in the $.99 store parking lot to the rear of the building. They open early and stay open late.

NELA Eats@AOL.COM

 

USC Study on Arroyo Seco

A case study published by the School of Policy, Planning and Development at the University of Southern California cites the role played by the Arroyo Seco Neighborhood Councils community activists as providing the impetus behind the Northeast Los Angeles neighborhood council formation process, describing the groups efforts as notable for their outreach and education activities, their attempt at building a regional consensus on border issues and for the use of professional facilitation to defuse conflicts within the community.

            The case study, titled Issues and Practices in Neighborhood Council Organizing: Community Case Studies was published by four USC researchers and professors who have followed the Los Angeles neighborhood council formation process for the past three years. The researchers observed meetings and conducted interviews throughout the city as Los Angeles neighborhoods acting in accordance with new Los Angeles City Charter, adopted by voters in June 1999 began to organize stakeholders and define boundaries.

            According to the case study, the movement to form neighborhood councils in the Northeast was initially identified with the Mt. Washington Association, a longstanding homeowner and residential group that serve 956 members living in the hills of Mt. Washington. The association became involved in the neighborhood council formation process as a means to better connect Mt. Washington to neighboring communities. The study details a broad regional outreach effort aimed at assembling stakeholders from 10 Northeast communities, including Mt. Washington, Cypress Park, Monterey Hills, Montecito Heights, Glassell Park, Eagle Rock, Highland Park, El Sereno, Lincoln Heights and Atwater Village. According to the report, the organizers opted to conduct outreach on a regional scale out of a desire both to be as inclusive as possible and to avoid imposing de facto boundaries by outreaching too narrowly. The study notes that seven meetings were conducted over a 22-month period before the regional group made its first substantive decision regarding boundaries.

            Regional neighborhood council organization has given way to community-based efforts although, according to the USC study, the local mobilizations were undoubtedly sparked by momentum created by the regional organizing effort.  To date, the City-certified neighborhood councils in the Northeast include councils in Glassell Park, Eagle Rock and Highland Park, Lincoln Heights and El Sereno. Many of the original Northeast Los Angeles neighborhood council activists from Cypress Park, Mt. Washington, Monterrey Hills and Montecito Heights have joined with stakeholders representing Hermon and Sycamore Grove to form the Arroyo Seco Neighborhood Council, whose certification application is still pending.