EPIAn Ways April 2010

8/9/2019 EPIAn Ways April 2010

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May 2010July 2010

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

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

The Los Angeles city budget crisis has contaminated a proposedsolution for Elysian Reservoir. The Department of Water and Power staffis trying to renege on the previously decided 2008 DWP Commissionvote for landscaped buried tanks as the preferred alternative for theElysian Reservoir Environmental Impact Report. An April 6 staff reporthas recommended changing the preferred alternative to an aluminumcover with solar panels.However, the item has beendeferred because the

commissioners requestedmore information. There arethree new commissionerssince the 2008 vote.

This is a horrible insult toour community. Members ofthe Citizens Committee toSave Elysian Park and othercommunity groups citywideforming the Coalition toPreserve Open Reservoirsmet in mediation with DWPstaff for 18 years to findacceptable solutions for allthe open reservoirs. (StricterState and Federal Water Quality Standards mandate that DWP eithercover/enclose or build filtration plants for all its open drinking waterreservoirs. The cheapest solutions are floating or aluminum covers; themost expensive: buried tanks and filtration plants.)

The mediation process included community meetings at whichsurveys were handed in. DWP staff presented four options for thecommunitys consideration: a floating cover, an aluminum cover, analuminum cover with solar panels and landscaped buried tanks. Thereturned surveys were 99% in favor of the most expensive, time-consuming alternative of landscaped buried tanks because it is the only

solution that will preserve the beauty of the 40 acre park canyon and it willprovide 14 new acres of usable parkland. Our Neighborhood Council supportsthe landscaped buried tanks as well. All of the other reservoirs involved in the

(Continued on page 4)

LADWP Reneges On Reservoirby Sallie Nuebauer

Echo Park Security Associationannounces its monthly communitysafety meeting will return fromthe Edendale library communityroom to the former LAPD Stop Inlocation, now the offices of theGreater Echo Park ElysianNeighborhood Council.

The library on Sunset Boule-vard has been a comfortablehome while the Stop In was beingrefurbished for the NeighborhoodCouncil. However the library com-munity room is in great demandand the Neighborhood Councilhas kindly made its office avail-able at a time that fits EPSAsschedule.

The community safety meeting,which is open to all, will be heldon the third Wednesday of the

month at 2:00 p.m. The initialmeeting was on April 21. TheNeighborhood Council office is onthe southeast corner of SunsetBoulevard and Echo Park Avenue,behind the Bank of America.

The EPSA has sponsored regu-lar community safety meetings forseveral years to give residents achance to talk directly to theirLAPD officers as well as City At-torney representatives and Coun-cil deputies.

For more information aboutEcho Park Security Association,call 323-860-9914 or go towww.echoparksecurity.com.

COMMUNITY SAFETYMEETING RETURNS TO

ITS OLD HOME


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May 2010July 2010

NEWSLETTER CREDITSEDITORS:STEVEN ARTHUR & LYNN BARBE

ADVERTISING:DARREN HUBERT

PRINTING:DAVECO

Copyright by Echo Park Improvement Association 2009

The Echo Park Branch Library isa wonderful modern structure

located on the corner of Temple andDouglas Streets surrounded byattractive trees. The staff at thelibrary always welcomes theirclientele with a friendly smile as theyknow the regulars and, of course, awelcoming smile to their newpatrons. It is always a joy to see theinteraction between staff andpatrons. The library is constantlybuzzing with activities and programsto be enjoyed by the patrons fromlap sitting toddlers to adults.

While a lot of the programs aremeant for the young, adults alsobenefit from the various programsoffered at the library. Under theleadership of Erica Silverman, adultpatrons have been able to enjoyprograms such as a writing coursewhich is offered twice a month onSaturday's at 10:00am. Thisprogram has a large following as thepatrons learn how to put life'sexperience's onto paper. Theydiscuss issues and help each other

when someone encounters writer'sblock.

The camaraderie that is foundamong the group is a warm one andthey look forward to the next class.Other favorites are listening toauthors speak about their books andlistening to music.

A number of authors have come

to the Echo Park Library to speak tothe Adults, and they have brought

their books. One such author isPennny Mickelburg, a mystery writerof such books as Murder Too Close,Two Graves Dug, and One MustWait. Penny's reading was soenchanting that we wanted her tocontinue reading so that we could

learn who had committed the crime,but like all mystery writers, we wereleft to read the book. Another authorwas Reyna Grande who wrote Acrossa Hundred Mountains and Dancingwith Butterflies, which deal withmigration issues.

A big favorite for programs isMusic. The Echo Park BranchLibrary has a big multi-purposeroom and its acoustic serves allmusic well. The UCLA Gluck -Strings, Winds, Brass Quartet haveplayed and commented how nice the

music sounds in the room. Children,also go to hear wonderful music and

some of them say that they playinstruments, and why not? Several ofthem attend Placensia Elementary,which has an excellent orchestraprogram.

Gardening has been offered, ashas Jewelry making which was such

a big hit with everyone that threeworkshops have been offered. Theseare some of the programs that beenoffered at the library for Adults and

which the Branch hopes to continueto offer, but due to City budget cuts,the staff hours are being cut.Nevertheless, it can be assured thatthe Echo Park Library with its staffat the helm will continue to bebuzzing with activities excitement asthe patrons continue to utilize thelibrary.

Echo Park Branch Library Buzzing with Activityby Margarita Fernandez, Library Patron


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May 2010July 2010

THIS SPACE ISWAITING forYOUR AD

Contact EPIA (323) 882-4835 oremail [email protected] for info

Hollywood Production SoundAudio Services & Equipment Rental for the Industry

In Echo Park since 1998 Motion Picture

Broadcast

hpsound.com New Media

213 250 5550 Theater

Music

(323)

Blue Ribbon School Now offering 6th grade and Pre-School!Clifford Street School is now enrolling 6th graders for the 2010-2011 school year as well as gradesKindergarten through 5th as always. We are also taking applications for pre-school for all studentswho turn 3 or 4 by December 2nd, 2010. Feel free to call us @ (323) 663-0474 or stop by ouroffice located at 2150 Duane Street, Los Angeles, CA 90039.

Clifford Street is a Blue Ribbon School, part of the federal NCLB law, recognized as academically

superior and having demonstrated dramatic gains in student achievement. Our staff provides anoutstanding educational program. We are a small school of 200 students, tucked against the hill-side in Echo Park.

We look forward to getting the opportunity to showcase our programs.


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May 2010July 2010

mediation process to date have been resolved in a manner

acceptable to the surrounding communities.Elysian Reservoir is the only reservoir located in a park.

Elysian is an extremely important regional park for many innercity families. It is also historically significant in that it is part ofthe original Pueblo de Los Angeles, and our citys oldest park.

Please reiterate your support for the landscaped buriedtanks. Our communities deserve nothing less.

Address your letters to:

Lee Canon Alpert, President

Board of Water and Power Commissioners

Department of Water and Power of the city of Los Angeles

111 North Hope Street, Room 1555-H

(Continued from page 1)

TAKE ACTION ON ELYSIAN PARK RESERVOIR


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May 2010July 2010

by Susan Borden

Local residents know that streets in ElysianHeights are some of the steepest in California.These hilly streets are paved with concrete, deeplygrooved and scored to increase traction on narrowroadways. When it rains, sometimes water getsunder the concrete and washes away underlying soil,leaving only a crust of pavement above a concealedsinkhole.

My husband John acted as contractor when hebuilt our home in hilly Elysian Heights several yearsago. Ordering a concrete delivery for the foundation,he warned the truck driver to follow our directions.Dont take Baxter Street, even though it looks likethe most direct route on the map, John said. Your

truck wont make those grades. Most sub-contractors rely on their Thomas Guide to get themto the work site on Valentine Street. But you canttell how steep Baxter Street is by consulting themap.

Well, we waited in vain for that cement truck.The confused driver had turned on infamously steepBaxter Street. Unfortunately the cement mixer truckone of the heaviest vehicles on the road brokethe street just west of Echo Park Avenue and fell intoa cavity that swallowed it all the way to its axles!

Although well and truly stuck, the truck didntfall over as the driver feared (and as the kids whocame running out hoped). It was safe to keep themixer churning.

Could our concrete company locate an oversizedtow truck and get the huge broken-down mixer truckout of its six-foot deep hole before all that concretedeteriorated into expensive uselessness? If the

concrete took too long to reach us, it would beweakened and our foundation could collapse lateron.

As well as paying for the concrete, we were alsoon the hook for thepumper waiting at ourhouse.

At long last thecement company gotthe truck towed. Threehours late the mixerdrove the couple of

blocks to our hillsidehome. Our concretewas pumped as fastas humanly possible.

And the deep hole thatremained on BaxterStreet? Until the citystreet divisionrepaired it, thetransportationdepartment posted awatchman to stand by

the gap and warn carsaway. Today you canstill see outlined onBaxter Street theedges of the patchedhole, a few feet westof Echo Park Avenue.

The Hard Streets of Elysian Heights

4th Annual

Citizens Committee to Save Elysian Park Fundraiser Banquet

Sunday, June 6, 2010

TIME5:00 pm Cocktails and Hors doeuvres. No-Host bar. Music on the green: I See Hawks in L.A.

6:30 pm DinnerAfter dinner: Dessert and coffee, and CCSEP Raffle with the best prizes in town!

LOCATIONGrace E. Simons Lodge, Elysian Park (free parking)

MENUGREEK THIS YEAR! (catered by Bar-B-Que Express)

Hors doeuvres: Tapanande Brucheta, Tyropitas/spanikopita, and Dolmades

Entrees: Gyro Lemon Chicken and Mousaka (Greek Lasagna)

With Greek Rice Pilaf, Pita Bread, Tzatsiki and Humus, and Dessert

(Dinner will be served with Compostable plates, cups, and utensils)

TICKETSReserve you tickets now! Capacity of the Lodge is 200 and the event always sells out!

$35 ea Children 5-12: $15 Toddlers: free

To purchase a table for 8 or 10, send in your check with your name and the name of your

guests. All tickets will be on a first come first serve basis, and must be purchased in advance.

Send checks to:

CCSEP c/o Mike Kogan, Treasurer

1401 Calumet Avenue

Los Angeles, CA 90026


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May 2010July 2010

Event Date Location CommentsEPIA Meetings 1st Thursday, 7:00 pm

Jun 3, Jul 1, Aug 5

Williams Hall at Barlow

Hospital, 2000Stadium Way inElysian Park

Email EPIA to get monthly

reminders of meetings and tobe on email list.

EPIA SteeringCommitteeMeetings

2nd

Monday, 7:15 pmMay 10, Jun 14, Jul 12

Call (323) 882-4835for location Take an active part in EPIA.Join the Steering Committee

CommunitySafety Meeting(EPSA)

3rd Wednesday, 2:00 p.m.May 19, Jun 16, Jul 21

GEPNECCommunity room2011 W. Sunset Blvd.

Hosted by Echo Park SecurityAssociation. Call 323-860-9914 for meeting location.

Citizens Committee toSave Elysian Park 1

st Wednesday, 7:00 pmJun 2, Jul 7, Aug 4

Williams Hall at BarlowHospital, 2000

Stadium Way inElysian Park

Call 213-666-9651 formeeting location

Echo Park Chamber ofCommerce 3

rdThursday, 7:00 pm and

every Wednesday 1:30 pm Taix Restaurant. Call 213-630-3032 for furtherinformation.Greater Echo ParkElysian NeighborhoodCouncil Meeting

4th Tuesday, 7 pmMay 25, Jun 22, Jul 27

St. Paul Cathedral CenterGreat Hall840 Echo Park AveLos Angeles, CA 90026

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

Edendale LibraryFriends Society

>=> ELFS


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May 2010July 2010

[email protected]

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


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May 2010July 2010

ECHO PARK LIBRARYLibrary HoursMondays 10:00 am - 8:00 pmTuesdays 12:00 pm - 8:00 pmWednesdays 10:00 am - 8:00 pmThursdays 12:00 pm - 8:00 pmFridays 1:30 pm - 5:30 pmSaturdays 10:00 am - 6:00 pmSundays CLOSEDLibrary AddressEcho Park Branch Library

1410 W. Temple Street

Los Angeles CA 90026Phone 213.250.7808FAX 213.250.3744

EDENDALE LIBRARYLibrary HoursMondays 10:00 am 8:00 pmTuesdays 12 noon 8:00 pmWednesdays 10:00 am 8:00 pmThursdays 12 noon 8:00 pmFridays 1:30 pm 5:30 pmSaturdays 10:00 am 6:00 pmSundays CLOSEDLibrary AddressEdendale Branch Library2011 W. Sunset BoulevardLos Angeles, CA 90026Phone (213) 207-3000FAX (213) 207-3097

World Wide Web Address http://www.lapl.org 24 Hour Renewal: 888-577-LAPL

If the present budget submitted by Mayor Antonio

Villaraigosa should pass, our libraries may shrink to afive-day schedule starting as soon as June 15th. Ifyou feel that five-day-a-week library service isunacceptable, then write a letter or postcard to yourcouncilmember before the May 10th budgetmeeting. Or write to the President of the CityCouncil, Eric Garcetti, City Hall, 200 N. Spring St.Los Angeles, CA 90012. Mr. Garcetti is also theCouncilmember for Edendale Library.

For your convenience, ELFS has preaddressedpostcards that you are invited to use to jot down yourcomments to the City Council. ELFS will take care of

postage and handling. The postcards are availableat the ELFS Wednesday book sale or look forpostcards at the Edendale Library volunteerdesk. Please come in , write your postcard and leaveit with the ELFS.

Some facts that might help you in composing yourletter:

* 17.3 million items were checked out

* 1.3 million citizens have library cards with

191,000 new cards this year alone

* The Library provides the best value for taxdollars - providing free access to computers, books,online homework assistance, job search assistanceand countless other services to provide entertainmentand education

* The Library provides the largest afterschoolprogram in the city offering a safe environment.

* If the library has to go to 5 days per week- it willbe the first time in its 138 year history. The Libraryhas already twice taken service hour cuts

* The citys budget is $6.7 billion. Returning only$8 million to the library budget can restore 6-day-a -week service at all libraries.

* The proposed budget eliminates nearly 30% oflibrary staff

Many loud voices are needed at this time. Youmay get more information, petitions, postcards,bumper stickers and buttons fromwww.SaveTheLibrary.org.

Time is critical so please act NOW!

SAVE the LARGEST AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM IN THE CITY OUR: LIBRARIES

by Joelle Dobrow, President Edendale Library Friends Society (ELFS)
http://www.savethelibrary.org/http://www.savethelibrary.org/http://www.savethelibrary.org/


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May 2010July 2010

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call for a

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MAKE YOUR OWN ELECTRICITY

Heres a list of seemingly unrelated hard-workinglittle corners around Echo Park and its environs: FIX

Coffee, Starbucks in the Ralphs shopping center, thetriangular lot on Montana Street opposite KFC, the newSilverlake library, the former pottery shop on Echo ParkAvenue and Avalon, and the Montana Street mini-mallwhere a recent fire damaged the laundromat.

What do these half dozen nooks and crannies of EchoPark have in common? Well, the tip-off is that theyre allstreet corners. Street corners are the idealconfiguration for gas stations. Yes, every one of thelocations mentioned above was formerly a corner gasstation.

Today all those small

businesses are gone. Theindependent gas station ownerhas been replaced by a fewcorporate behemoths situatedalong the main boulevardswhere they can best servedrive-through commuters.

There is one exception, however. Echo Park still hasa last holdoutMagic Gas, run by Zina Mikyelyan andArt Bagousky, is the only mom-and-pop gas stationremaining in our neighborhood. Residents should beproud of the fact that, at the corner of Morton and EchoPark Avenues, Magic Gas is a convenient (and mostly

locals-only) place to fill er up!

A Little Bit of Magicby Susan Borden

Quick Real Estate UpdateShort sales are finally catching on as a foreclosure alterna-

tive as lenders and servicers deal with a huge inventory ofmortgage defaults that will continue to grow over the shortterm.

There are an estimated three million mortgages in sus-pended animation with troubled borrowers living home and

who havent made a payment for six months or more.In addition, there is a large pipeline of loan modifications

and foreclosures in progress. It has been expected that thesale of this huge inventory would overwhelm demand and drivedown home prices, but it hasnt happened yet. And now it isbelieved that it may not happen at all.It seem like all the actions the banks and government have

taken is to avoid a fire sale, according to Robert Young of(Continued on page 10)

No Fire Sale Any Time Soonby Darren Hubert
http://www.eesolar.com/http://www.eesolar.com/http://www.eesolar.com/http://www.eesolar.com/http://www.eesolar.com/


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May 2010July 2010

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No Fire SaleCitigroup. Despite the carryingcost, the government and thebanks are managing liquidations

to avoid this.As a result home prices may

remain relatively stable for sev-eral years. But there is a trade-off, Mr Young said. We aentgoing to see a rebound (inprices) either.

We can expect to see a largeincrease in short sales, wherethe distressed borrower sellsthe property (for less than theoutstanding mortgage) with theapproval of the lender/investor

and walks away debt free.The Echo Park real estate

market has been quite resilientthrough these tough times. REOhomes that list in the $300,000to $400,000 range usually sellwith multiple offers well overasking.

(Continued from page 9)
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May 2010July 2010

Gosh, hate to see this little paper dissolve as itis always been filled with tidbits from theneighborhood. Soooo, lets see, what has CCACbeen up to lately?

Our staff is finally getting adjusted to thetraditional school year. Instead of the kids comingin at all hours of the day, they all come in at thesame time. The center quickly fills up with kidsdoing homework, playing games and doing researchon the computer. We have about 10 new kids fromvarious junior high schools. To me they all look as ifthey are related and guess what? They are related.Most of them are boys, OMG boys in junior highsometimes have to be watched more closely.

Sam is doing his best to indoctrinate the new

kids regarding rules of the road around CCAC. Still,keeping them inspired is more than a full time job.Some of the kids who come here have never beenanywhere outside their neighborhoods. We havealways provided field trips to interesting places aswell as to local sporting events. If a lunch is neededwe always send home a field trip permission slipexplaining. We went to a Dodger game recently witha lot of our new kids. Sam likes to take them to MacDonalds before we go as the food at the stadiumcan be expensive.

One of our new kids said he was going to pay forfood at the stadium. So when the youngster wantedto go and buy some food, Sam went with him tomake sure he could find his way back. They went tothe regular hot dog vendor and no, he did not wanta hotdog. He told Sam he wanted a hamburger sooff they went to Carls Junior. As the center memberin training looked and looked at the menu

quizzically as he walked up to the counter. Helooked up; he looked down and looked over thecounter until finally Sam asked him what he waslooking at. The youngster replied the 99 centshamburger so Sam told him that they did not havethem at Dodger Stadium food concessions. Samthen asked how much money do you have and hereplied $1.00. He thought he could get one after all

it was a Curls Junior. AHHHHH, another youngsterlearned a valuable lesson-eat before you go toDodger Stadium!

While the kids were off for the Spring Break, weheld a rummage sale for one day. It was veryprofitable as the kids went to the movies, arcadesand had pizza and cake on their last day ofvacation. The kids will all be off school thissummer. The staff is already thinking about whatwe are going to do for the summer.

I would like to mention that we are acceptingused inkjet cartridges, laser cartridges, used cellphones and laptops. Just drop them off at thecenter and thank you in advance.

Central City Action by Gloria


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May 2010July 2010

Opinions expressed in this newsletter are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the position of EPIA.

We need your helpThis year we had donations from printers, other community

groups and residents that has allowed us to continue toproduct our newsletter. Due to the cost of printing we run adeficit with each newsletter produced. This is not somethingthat the EPIA can sustain for a long period of time ifdonations stop coming in. Therefore we are attempting toraise funds for continued support of the newsletter.

Thank you in advance for your Support.

Donation Amount:_______________________________________All contributions are appreciated equally

For Newsletter Only

For any EPIA community project or event

Send your Tax Deductible Check Payable to:Echo Park Improvement Association (EPIA)

PO Box 261021, Los Angeles, CA 90026

In a letter to all neighbors, Noel Pallais,Manager, Neighborhood Relations, for the LosAngeles Dodgers wrote that the Dodgerorganization had been approached by an antiqueand collectibles promoter about the possibility ofthe parking lot handling a flea market. The Dodgerstaff conducted a thorough and extensive reviewand were pleased to discover that his events havebeen well received in other communities.

With the review the Dodgers decided to moveforward with a once a month flea market. The

markets are scheduled for the third Sunday of everymonth (as long as there isn't a game scheduled)commencing on July 18th and going throughFebruary, 2011.

Pallais wrote that we cannot stress enough thatwe made it abundantly clear to the promoter thatthe event must be first rate and in good taste. Allvendors interested in participating must be clearedand approved by the promoter through an extensivevetting process.

In an effort to minimize any impact onneighbors, the set-up for the event will take place

on Saturday during the day with the starting timeson Sunday scheduled for7:00 AM for VIP's and at 9:00AM for the general public.

Also, according to Palais,it is the Dodgers intention toadequately address anycommunity traffic concerns,all incoming traffic will bedirected to enter the Stadiumthrough EITHER the Sunset

Gate (Stadium Way/ElysianPark Avenue) or theDowntown Gate (adjacent to the 110 south exit/Stadium Way). Additionally, all eventannouncements will make specific notation thatthese will be the only two gates that will be open. Tothat end, there will be an appropriate number ofDodger security and transportation personnel onhand to help manage the event.

Pallais invited those with any questions tocontact him at (323)224-2636.

FROMTHEDODGERS

Monthly Flea Market at Dodger Stadium

Documents

EPIAn Ways April 2010