EPIAn Ways February-March 2007

8/8/2019 EPIAn Ways February-March 2007

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Echo Park Improvement Association Meets at 7 p.m. the 1st Thursday of each Month

in Williams Hall at Barlow Hospital 2000 Stadium Way in Elysian Park

On December 18 2006, LA Superior Court JudgeDaniel Pratt, found in favor of the grass rootscommunity group The Right Sight Coalitionslawsuit to require the school district to perform anEIR for the proposed school sight on Alvarado/Marathon/Santa Ynez/and Mohawk Streets. Thismajor victory over the massive school district wasbittersweet as the district had already eminent

domained and evicted the residents. All of thebuildings nearly met with demolition prior to thecourt date, but the City of La and Council PresidentEric Garcetti would not allow permits to be issued forthe wrecking balls to get started until the lawsuit wassettled.

Now Echo Parks Community Center is a rapidlygrowing patchwork of mismatched paints, poorlydisguised graffiti, garbage and vandalism. The waythe district chooses paint colors, they may want to

recruit some kids on detention to go out and showthem how its done! Currently the previously terracotta La Fonda de Villa Restaurant is a patchworkof forest green, yellow, white and tan. This eyesore isunacceptable and Echo Park residents have a right toask for better. The Neighborhood Council will besending a letter requesting that LAUSD maintain thesight in a clean, graffiti and trash free condition and

to also:*Retain a resident manager and increase

security patrols (for example hire SelectPatrol)*Remove graffiti within 24 hrs usingMATCHING paint colors*Provide general maintenance and trashremoval.*Make the buildings available for occupancy.

Residents can contact CD 13 Field DeputyKabira Stokes, 323-957-4500 [email protected] withcomplaints. The council office is keeping tabson the sight and needs eyes in the

neighborhood to alert them when LAUSD is notmaintaining the sight in a blight free condition.

In this time of critical housing shortage andlack of affordable housing, families are leftwithout a place to go and have to leave EchoPark. Our local schools are reflecting that

crisis by the increasingly declining enrollments andreturn of school calendars to traditional track. Theneed for a new Elementary School in Echo Park hasalways been disputed but never has the need forhousing been more apparent. Lets hope to see thisproject cancelled and have our neighborhoods

community center restored to its designated useshousing and mixed use commercial developmentalong our transportation corridors.

LAUSD Gets an F in Art! by Christine Peters


2/12

NEWSLETTER CREDITS

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STEVEN M. ARTHUR

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Copyright by Echo Park Improvement Association 2007
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3/12

(323)

girls teen yoga

Pilates

A group has formed in the Historic Filipinotownalong the Temple-Beverly Corridor to the south ofEcho Park, that is attempting to organize aNeighborhood Council in that area. The proposedHistoric Filipino Town Neighborhood Council(HiPiNC) boundaries cross those of the GreaterEcho Park Elysian Neighborhood Council (GEPENC).The area desired is at the eastern portion of theproposed NC. At the western edge of the proposedcouncil other groups such as the forming RampartVillage NC have also been notified of the HiFiNCboundery intentions.

The GEPENC Outreach committee will bemeeting Saturday, February 10 to hear more aboutthe issues surrounding the forming NC. Thisdiscussion will benefit greatly from the participationof stakeholders living in the involved area.

If you have an interest, please visitwww.GEPENC.org shortly before the meeting on thetenth to find out the location of the meeting.Currently the meeting is proposed for theCommunity Room at the Echo Park Branch Libraryat 10 am but the EPIAn ways strongly suggests youconfirm the location and agenda.

H IF INC W ANTS TO ALTER GEPENC B OUNDERIES


4/12

1911 SUNSET BOULEVARDLOS ANGELES, CA 90026

(213) 484-1265

WWW.GEPENC.ORG

EPIA Annual Fruit Tree Giveaway Continues to Flourish

Laura from the Tree People showsAdam from Central City Action how toprepare a tree for taking back to theEPIA 2007 Fruit Tree Giveaway

EPIA volunteers Susan and Suzanne hold our banner high above some of the 150 bareroot apple, apricot, nectarine, peach and plum trees that were given to localresidents on Sunday, January 28.


5/12

Never before recorded at Echo Park Lake, a maleRedhead cavorted with ring-necked ducks and otherson New Years day, 2007, exciting the eight countersduring the annual 2006-2007 Christmas Bird Count.This redheaded diving duck, about 19 long, waseasily distinguished from other waterfowl. Happily forbirders, it remained at the Lake for four more days.

It was a good day for birding: clear and cold.During a three hour walk, birders identified 30species and 913 individual birds. These totals weresignificantly higher than last years when cold weatherand heavy rain held the totals down.

Other species seen on count day included aLesser Scaup, not seen at the lake since 2001, white-throated swifts, yellow-rumped warblers and a spotteddove. A single Rosss goose that has been at the lakefor over a year was also counted. Birds seen moreoften included double-crested cormorants, Mallardducks, pied-billed grebes, American wigeons,American coots, western gulls, and black-crownednight herons. Seen during count week, but notcount day, was a great blue heron.

The tallies are submitted to Los AngelesAudubon which coordinates counts in a wide swathof the city. The master count is conducted by theCornell University Lab of Ornithology, which getsdata from every state and a number of areas in theAtlantic and Pacific Oceans. Information gatheredfrom the annual counts allows researchers todetermine the health of our bird populations. TheCBC began over 100 years ago as an alternative totraditional New Years shooting days. Over 50,000volunteers take part.

This years participants were Susan Borden,Mary Brooks, Judy Raskin, Diane Smithe, ElaineHarvey, Dave Surtees, Kate Unterman and AndrewSackett.Coming up soon: the Great Backyard Bird Count.Birders will meet at the Echo Park Lake Boathouseon Saturday, February 17, 9:00 a.m. Counts canalso be done in your own backyard, a park, or anyplace you happen to be during the weekend ofFebruary 16-19. For more information call Judy,(323) 663-6767 or email [email protected] .

Bennett has always been a passionate andtireless advocate for education, social justiceand community participation.

He deserves your vote for School Board.

Vote for the Kids

Vote for the Schools

Vote for the Teacher

Bennett Kayserfor School Board

Bennett Kayser for School Board, Box 26514, Los Angeles, 90026Mary Ellen Padilla, Treasurer

By Judy Raskin

FIRST SIGHTING OF REDHEAD EXCITES BIRDERS

Yes, this is the male Redhead. Sure we publish in black andwhite so you cant see his bright red head. Go down to EchoPark Lake and look around, youll see him.
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


6/12

ECHO PARK CALENDAREvent Date Location Comments EPIA Meetings 1 st Thursday, 7:00 pm

Mar 1, Apr 5 Williams Hall at Barlow

Hospital, 2000 StadiumWay in Elysian Park

Call EPIA message phone for

additional information.

EPIA SteeringCommittee Meetings

2nd Monday, 7:15 pm Feb. 12, Mar 12,Apr 9, May14

Call (323) 882-4835 for location

Take an active part in EPIA.Join the Steering Committee

Community Safety Meeting

2nd Thursday, 3:00 pm Feb. 8, Mar 8

LAPD Stop-In Center,Echo Park Avenue andSunset Boulevard

Hosted by Echo Park SecurityAssociation. Call (323)666-3228 for more info

CitizensCommittee toSave ElysianPark

1 st Wednesday, 7:00 pm Feb. 7, Mar 7

Williams Hall at BarlowHospital, 2000 StadiumWay in Elysian Park

Call 213-666-9651 for meetinglocation

Echo ParkChamber of Commerce

3rd Thursday, &:00 pm andevery Wednesday 1:30 pm

Taix Restaurant. Call 213-630-3032 for further information.

Greater EchoPark ElysianNeighborhoodCouncil Meeting

4 th Tuesday, 7 pm Feb. 27, Mar 27

Logan Street SchoolAuditorium, 1711 W.Logan Street

Call (213) 413-3196 for info or visit www.GEPENC.org

EdendaleLibrary FriendsSociety

>=> ELFS


7/12

[email protected]
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


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LIBRARY COMPUTER CLASSES (At press time the EPIAn ways did not have the schedule for theFebruary and March computer classes for information please,call the Echo Park Branch at (213) 250-7808 ).Computer ComfortThursday, 4pm.Learn to use the Librarys electronic catalog to search for materials, renew items, and place your own holds. Learnthe basics of surfing the Internet. Introduction to variousdatabases and search engines. For adults only.Familiarity with the keyboard and mouse is recommendedbut not mandatory. Reservations required. Please arrive10 minutes before class begins.Computer Class for Improving Your EnglishTuesday, 4pm.

Rosetta Stone An introductory self -paced class to beginor improve your English language skills. Computer experience is mandatory.Introduction to Basic Web Design Tuesday, 4pm.Learn about HTML codes to create a simple web page.Computer experience is mandatory.

EVENTS Call (213) 250-7808 for information.

J UST FOR TEENS OngoingEcho Park Branch holds many teen activities andprograms, including film screenings, art workshops,readings and skills-building activities. To learn about thecurrent schedule of events, call or email Wendy at

(213) 250-7808 or [email protected] . College ClubTuesdays, 4-6pm.For high school students who want to go to college.Topics covered during these informal sessions includefinancial aid options, how to choose a college, study skills,and important things you should be doing NOW in highschool to get yourself into college. Refreshments alwaysserved. Call Wendy for information at (213) 250-7808.

FUN FOR KIDS Saturdays GAB. Echo Park Branch, call 213/250-7808for times .MONDAYS Bilingual Storytime Call 213/250-7808. EchoPark Branch, 4pm.THURSDAYS Game Day Board & card games. Call(213) 250-7808. Echo Park Branch, 4pm.

E CHO P ARK L IBRARY H APPENINGS Library Hours Mondays 10:00 am - 8:00 pmTuesdays 12:00 pm - 8:00 pmWednesdays 10:00 am - 8:00 pmThursdays 12:00 pm - 8:00 pmFridays 10:00 am - 6:00 pmSaturdays 10:00 am - 6:00 pmSundays CLOSED Library Address Echo Park Branch Library1410 W. Temple StreetLos Angeles CA 90026Phone 213.250.7808

FAX 213.250.3744 World Wide Web Addresshttp://www.lapl.org

24 Hour Renewal: 888-577-LAPL

Who responds to your alarms?

Experience does matter.

With so much at risk why take chances?

Count on the experience of Select Patrol.

For more information about our 24 - hour alarm response service, call us today.

Select Patrol A superior level of service since 1984

323.644.1014 Lic. PP0-92292150 W. Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, 90026 CA
http://mail.lapl.org/cgi-bin/webmail.cgi?cmd=msg_new&[email protected]&utoken=nflores!40smtp3.lapl.org!3A110_!7E2-febd496f9e14ec9e05e400_0http://mail.lapl.org/cgi-bin/webmail.cgi?cmd=msg_new&[email protected]&utoken=nflores!40smtp3.lapl.org!3A110_!7E2-febd496f9e14ec9e05e400_0http://mail.lapl.org/cgi-bin/webmail.cgi?cmd=msg_new&[email protected]&utoken=nflores!40smtp3.lapl.org!3A110_!7E2-febd496f9e14ec9e05e400_0


9/12

From the ELFS

The Edendale Library Friends will be having their BigSaturday Preowned Book Sale on Saturday February3rd, 2007 from 10:30am to 2:30pm in the CommunityRoom. The ELFS will continue to have the verysuccessful weekly Wednesday Book Sale, 2pm to 5pm.The ELFS will be busy working on a membership drivethis spring and, as always, we love getting any usedbook donations you may wish to give us. If you havebooks to donate, please drop them off at the main deskin the Library and be sure to ask for a "DonationReceipt" if you need it for your tax purposes.

Note the new Library HoursAs of March 1st. the Library will be extending it's

operating hours. Take a look in our schedule to seewhere you can find some additional hours.

E DENDALE L IBRARY H APPENINGS Library Hours (starting March 1, 2007)

Mondays 10:00 am 8:00 pmTuesdays 12 noon 8:00 pmWednesdays 10:00 am 8:00 pmThursdays 12 noon 8:00 pmFridays 10:00 am 5:30 pmSaturdays 10:00 am 6:00 pmSundays CLOSED Library Address Edendale Branch Library2011 W. Sunset BoulevardLos Angeles, CA 90026Phone (213) 207-3000FAX (213) 207-3097 24 Hour Renewal: 888-577-LAPL

Echo Park Farmers' MarketFridays, 3-7pm, rain or shine

Sunset Blvd. & Logan St. (public parking lot)

Featuring 15 vendors including farmers with locallygrown,farm-fresh produce, hot and deliciousprepared foods, honey, flowers and a variety ofartesian wares.

The Echo ParkFarmers' Marketopened in October2006 and has beenwell received by theEcho Park commu-nity. Stop by on Fri-days to shop forfresh seasonal fruitsand vegetables. TheMarket also hostsweekly events foradults and children,

including live music,craft workshops,cooking demonstra-tions and free raffles!


10/12

MonThur 11am11pm Fri 11amMid Sat 8am Mid Sun 8am 11pm Brunch served 8am3pm Saturday & Sunday

Free Delivery for Echo Park on $15 minimum order 1800 West Sunset Blvd 213.989.1558

Regarding Big Belly

The executive board of the Echo Park Chamber ofCommerce has major and minor reservations aboutthe big belly, mainly its price tag. First the majorreservation -- we all feel that spending $5,000 of thecitys finances on an unproven, one -off is notsomething we can really support. Primarily, we feelthat in order to clean up this Echo Parkneighborhood, we would need 15 -20 of these solartrash compactors. Finally, we would hope The City ofLos Angeles would do more for recycling efforts thanhave a machine that grinds glass and prevents anypossible recycling systems to occur.

We would however, prefer to use the $5,000 to getour neighborhood what we feel is absolutelyimportant, like additional: trashcans; trash pickups;clean up crews; city services; bulk item removals,street cleaning; parking lot cleaning; pressurewashing sidewalks, etc. All these items listed in thelast sentence, the chamber would certainly fullysupport.

So you know, we are planning a massive springcleaning on March 10 th , 2007 which we wouldappreciate your participation and leadership on. Weare planning to get crews from all over the city tohelp us. If this works out with all of the groupsinvolved we would like to make it a quarterly function.

We are sorry that we do not share the same viewson the big belly, but Im sure we can find manycommon ground areas that we agree on as there is alot to clean up in our neighborhood!

Chamber Chat The Chamber's new officers, who were formally

installed on January 18th for a two-year term, are avibrant young team determined to make the businessdistrict an exciting, dynamic destination in 2007.

President Mitchell Frank (The Echo nightclub) has

already selected Saturday, March 10 for a hugeSpring Clean-Up along Sunset Boulevard.

The focus of Vice President Julio Douglas (SilverLake Silver Lining) will be his plans to work closelywith our many local churches and religiousinstitutions.

Incoming Treasurer Juan Sandoval (L.A.NationalBank) expects to put a system in place soon so thatChamber members can pay their dues via the

Internet. Ably supporting these plans is SecretaryCynthia Merino (The Echo) who will soon be sendingout member renewal notices for 2007.

Interested in getting involved? The officers wouldbe pleased to have you join them any Wednesday at1:30 p.m. when they meet at Les Freres TaixRestaurant. Or call the Chamber's message phone at213-630-3032 for more information.

SaturdaySpecial

TypicalHaitian

Food

Mon Sat11 am 7 pmSundays Group of 10or more byReservation Wood Burning Rotisserie

309 N. Glendale BlvdLos Angeles, CA 90026

www.tigeorgeschicken.comEmail: [email protected]

By Mitchell Frank Echo Park Chamber of Commerce President


11/12

Thanks to the Los Angeles Kings our youth havebecome fairly good skaters. Remember that fallingdown is part of being a good skater. We were able

to take the kids skating almost every week. Afterbeing on the ice for a few hours, the kids wouldcome back to the center. We had hot chocolate andcookies, cookies and more cookies.

After removing the Christmas decorations fromthe walls, taking down the Christmas tree andputting Glorias many Christmas decorations away,the kids deserved a day out. So, off we went to themovies. They went to view Night at the Museumand left Gloria for a Night at Central City. Thekids enjoyed themselves and were all jazzed up afterthe movie. Some of our kids were still off-trackwhile others had three weeks off for the holidays.So one afternoon they had a rummage sale andmade such a good profit they were able to financeanother trip to Knotts Berry Farm. Despite the coolweather, all who went on the trip did not want tocome home until late. Have you ever heard ofFrisbee Golf? Neither had I until Michael found apark in La Canada that has a course. The kidsthrow a frisbee disc towards a chain link basketabove the ground.

Normally you are allowed six throws but we allowthe younger kids10 throws. Each

basket has athree par. Ittakes about twohours to finishthe course andbest of all it isfree.We areparticipating inthe preparationof the fruit treegiveaway onJanuary 27,2007. Alsocoming up is the

Chinatown 10K on February 11, 2007. It istraditional for us to participate in this annual event.The race is a good lesson in teamwork for our kids.

Today, I was instructing a young man named

Ronald to use the computer keyboard. He wasdoing a good job of learning so I went about myother duties, one of which was going out to thebackyard to check the license plates on one of thevehicles. First of all I locked myself in the back ofthe fire station and did not have any keys. Ipounded on the walls, and even set the alarm on theelevator to go off. Nobody heard me. No onenoticed I was missing. Then I decided to go backoutside and press the intercom. The only thing was,Ronald was the only one in the office and he thoughtthe noise from the security screen was a cat. Finallyafter I was preparing to throw a rock at the upstairswindow, Ronald came laughing down the stairs. Justanother normalday at CCAC.

On a more

personal note--Our fearlessleader,MaryanneHayashi, will havealready had herhip operation.Hopefully she willbe back at workby the time thisgoes to press.Thanks toeveryone for theirconcern.

Central City Action by Gloria

BROCK

BROCK REAL ESTATE

IDA POTASH

Echo Park Since 1949

Breakfast Lunch Dinner Late Night

1918 Sunset Blvd.Los Angeles, California 90026

213.484.9800 213.484.5187 fax [email protected]


12/12

The cupcakes are here! Echo Park got itself anew bakery for the new year with Delilah, a fine littlecoffee-and-cake joint that opened in a space onceoccupied by a storefront church. The modest rains oflate January didn't stop customers from lining up forbanana nut bread, cinnamon rolls and chocolatecupcakes and coffee. As if on cue, Chango thecoffee place one block south of Delilah posted anotice promising to provide better service in the newyear.

Delilah fills up a modest cinderblock hut thatused to serve as a tiny storefront church. You'll knowyou're there when you see the little blue folding chairsat the corner of Echo Park and Lucretia.

***

Speaking of Lucretia Avenue, neighbors are up inarms over the demolition of a single-family house onthat street, perched right at the top of the DeltaStreet steps. No one knows who did it, since therewas no building permit posted outside. Irritatedneighborhood council members say the owner neverfilled out a permit for the work yet another sign thatEcho Park is the wild west, when it comes to realestate development.

Grousing over the teardown soon showed up onL.A. Observed, the blog that gives a lot of space toEcho Park, courtesy of its mini-blog, Chicken Corner .

One of the biggest beefs raised on the blog is thelarge number of empty buildings that dot Echo Park

the work of fix-n-flip artists who evict tenants andquickly get in over their heads, leaving buildingsvacant for a year or more.

Echo Park is showing up in the news quite a bitthese days. LA Times columnist Meghan Daum

wrote about her experience volunteering with theEcho Park Animal Alliance. The LA Weekly wroteabout The Machine Gallery, the art space on AlvaradoStreet. And Los Angeles Magazine offered up ashopping guide to Echo Park, hitting the usual spotson Sunset and Echo Park Avenue.

***

The neighbors of Angelino Heights took to thestreets last month after the tragic shooting ofCharupha Wongwisetsiri, the nine-year-old who wasshot and killed on Kensington Road. Dozens of

residents showed up for a candlelight vigil, marchingto the home where Charupha was killed. Charuphawas struck down by bullets that entered her homeduring a gun battle between various gang membersout in the street. No one has been charged with thecrime, and gang members continue to live rightacross the street from Charupha's home a situationthat has appalled everyone who cares about EchoPark.

Opinions expressed in this newsletter are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the position of the Echo Park Improvement Association

L OTUS PAD N OTES N EWS AND I TEMS OF I NTEREST FROM E CHO P ARK & A NGELINO H EIGHTS by E.P. Lagoso

EPIAn Ways February-March 2007

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