EPIAn Ways February 2001

8/9/2019 EPIAn Ways February 2001

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People in Echo Park haveresponded sympathetically andgenerously to the recent localtragedy.

An Echo Park man died andnearly a hundred Echo Parkresidents were left homeless onFriday, December 8, 2000 when anaging apartment building facing thelake unexpectedly collapsed. JuanFrancisco Pineda, who lived at

1601 Park Avenue with his wife andtwo children, was crushed in theruins of the 24-unit stucco buildingas its walls suddenly buckledshortly after 8 a.m. Police andfirefighters responded quickly,helping the other residents tosafety. Several tenants were injuredas they climbed or jumped out.Fortunately most children livingthere were already at Logan StreetElementary School by that time inthe morning. The structure fell onto

the side wall of the apartmentcomplex next door at 1629 ParkAvenue, the residents of which hadto evacuate with two minutes'notice.

The Red Cross immediately setup a temporary shelter in the EchoPark Recreation Center on BellevueAvenue for those whose friends orrelatives could not take them in.Housing for the tenants at 1629Park Avenue was arranged byAngelus Temple.

Chr is tmas presents anddecorations were left in the rubble.The families lost most of their

belongings since itwas dangerous forthem to go back intothe building to getanything that wasnot broken ordestroyed. Firemenbrought out as muchas they could so allwas not lost.

Within three days

an account to collectfunds for the familieswas set up by theEcho Park Chamberof Commerce andU.S. CongressmanXavier Becerra.Donated food andclothing were swiftlyd i s t r i b u t e d b yvolunteers at St.Paul's CathedralCenter, 840 Echo Park Avenue,

under the supervision of ReverendErnie Medina. Community memberSandra Villalobos Barake, a low-income housing special ist ,volunteered to coordinate thesearch for replacement rentalhousing.To cheer everyone up, on December20th the community held aChristmas party for all thedisplaced residents as well as thefirefighters and police officers whorescued them. That Wednesday

evening seniors, parents, babies,children, uniformed firefighters andpolice officers crowded into the

dining room and its adjoining patio

at St. Paul's. Their plates wereheaped with hot, delicious fooddonated from the kitchens of ourlocal restaurants, Barragan's, LesFreres Taix, Celaya Bakery, PioneerMarket, Domino's Pizza andPhoenix Express. Colorful piataswere provided by Central CityAction Committee. L.A. CountySupervisor Gloria Molina andCongressman Becerra greeted theguests and promised their help.After the meal the children sat

waiting in a circle on the patio tilesuntil puppeteer Bob Baker came

(Continued on page 10)

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

Apartments Collapse but Echo Park Support is Strongby Susan Borden

Collapsed apartment building at 1601 Park Avenue.


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213-413-8444

10:30 - 12 Sunday - Thursday10:30 - 1 Friday & Saturday

(323) 634-0830


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(323)

The list of candidates running for Council District

1 and 13 in April's election is extensive and thecommunity forums have already begun. This is thepeople's opportunity to search for a person torepresent them in a truly democratic manner. But weneed to find the right person.

We know what we don't want. We don't want arepresentative who is convinced he or she alreadyknows what is best for our community. We don'twant a representative who will conceal opportunitiesfor new initiatives so they can initiate their ownpolicies. We don't want a representative who is ademagogue and has such deeply engrained beliefsthey will employ all manner of tactics to implement

their personal goals.We do want a representative who is eager to hear

from the people, synthesize their varied opinions andthen represent the people and not themselves. Wewant a representative who will rush to their

constituents with information about new

opportunities and seek input and citizenparticipation in the development of new plans. Wewant a representative who is open minded enough tolisten to dissenting opinions and not devisestrategies to shut opponents out of the politicalprocess. We must have a representative who iscapable of representing all of the people of thedistrict equitably, openly and fairly. This will happenonly if we, the people, pick the right person for thejob.

Questions about the concerns of citizens of EchoPark are needed. Please send your questions to theEPIA mailing address so that we can have an

informative, enlightening and productive eveningwith the candidates.

You will have a chance to meet the candidates atEPIA's Town Hall Candidates Forum on March 15.Call EPIAs message phone, 323-882-4835 for time

EPIA Hosts Town Hall Candidates Forum


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6th ECHO PARK ARTS FESTIVALVolunteers are needed to help stage thesixth annual Echo Park Arts Festival,which will be held on October 13 & 14.It may seen a little early to start

preparing for the event. But the festivalhas emerged as one of Los Angeles largestneighborhood arts festivals and requires months ofplanning. Last year, for example, more than 45people devoted well over 1,000 hours in preparingand staging the event.

Last year, more than 1,000 adults and childrenattended the weekend-long festival, which featuredthe work and performances of an estimated 95artists, musicians and poets. The event was spreadover the entire neighorhood in 22 venues. An outdoorarts & crafts workshops for children was held indowntown Echo Park on Saturday and Sunday

afternoon.In addition to displays of visual art, the Echo Park

Arts festival included day and evening musical eventsand performances, as well as outdoor and indoorpoetry readings. The festival venues included twoneighborhood historic landmarks, the Echo ParkUnited Methodist Church and the recently restoredFirehouse No. 6. Most of the venues - including localartists studios and galleries - were connected to amain festival gateway by a fleet of four shuttle buses.

Residents and artists can participate in the festivalorganizing group, which is called Echo Park Arts, in a

variety of ways. In the months before the event, helpis needed in planning specific events, recruitingartists, selling advertising and generating publicity.During festival weekend, a small army is needed to doeverything from hanging art to leading studio tours tocleaning up.

People interested in participating in should call

(213) 250-4155.

ECHO PARK ARTS NEWSLETTEREcho Park Arts, the people who bring you the

yearly Echo Park Arts Festival, will soon start

publishing a quarterly newsletter focused on the localarts scene.

The newsletter will include features and profiles ofartists, galleries and other cultural related events inthe Echo Park area. In addition, the four-pagenewsletter will also include a useful calendar of eventsand listing of grants, educational programs and jobopportunities for artists. Local businesses and artistswill also be able to advertise their services in thepublication.

The newsletter is financed primarily by a generousgrant from the Los Angeles County Arts Commission.The commission will provided $2,000 during the next

two years to cover printing, mailing and othereditorial expenses. Echo Park Arts will also providematching funds generated by the festival, newsletteradvertising and donations.

Terri Lloyd, who is the graphics director for theEcho Park Arts Festival, will serve as editor of thenewsletter. Terri would like to eventually expand thesize of the newsletter as well as increase itspublication frequency.

Local residents are encouraged to submit storyideas, information and articles for the newsletter. Inaddition, volunteers are needed to distribute the

publication and to perform other duties.People interested in supporting the newslettershould contact Echo Park Arts at (213) 250-4155 orsend an e-mail to Terri at [email protected]

BOOK SIGNING EVENTMark your calendars. Ron Emler and Susan

Borden, authors of "Ghosts of Echo Park" will conduct

PARKARTS

EPIAn ways


5/12

Echo Park gets a lot of low flying helicopters thatare traveling through to other places. We're nottalking about helicopters dispatched for police or fireaction in the community. We all understand thisnoise. We're talking about helicopters that fly over thearea en-route to some other destination, or are flyinglow and slow over the area for no apparent reason(the shear entertainment of the pilot?) Most of theoffenders are LAPD aircraft, because LAPD's heliportis located just east of Elysian Park and the PoliceAcademy, and Elysian Park seems to also beattractive to them. Also, Dodger Stadium being avisual landmark, attracts all sorts of aircraft. Soothers like the Fire Department, news stations and theoccasional private helicopter are also guilty, but notas frequently. Since the flying altitude of helicopters is

not regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration,all pilots, at their own discretion, can be courteous orrude to us ground dwellers.

Many of us have had bad experiences over theyears with low flying helicopters such as:

a. Experiencing our houses shakeb. Having our young children woken from their

naps or sleepc. Needing to go into a closet to carry on a phone

calld. Finding a peaceful walk in Elysian Park

disturbed by circling helicopters not appearing

to be doing anything by joy riding or testing outtheir on-board sirens and load speakers

Now you can do something about it by contactingthe organizations at the end of this article every timethere is an incident that bothers you.

The Professional Helicopter Pilot's Association(PHPA) is an interest group that represents theinterests of, and interfaces the community on behalfof ALL professional helicopter pilots. A few monthsago the PHPA was called. Noelani Mars, from thePHPA and a helicopter pilot, said that with theexception of public safety action in the neighborhood,NO HELICOPTERS SHOULD BE FLYING SO LOW OVEROUR PARKS AND RESIDENCES THAT THEY ARE ANUISANCE. NO EXCUSES. She was surprised by thetype of activity that was described to her and said she

would make an announcement about ourneighborhoods concern at the Association Meeting inNovember. Since then, we HAVE actually have seensome improvement. Thank you Noelani! However, itis likely that the old habits will return if we do notremain vigilant.

Noelani said that the neighbors should contact thePHPA when there is inappropriate and intrusivehelicopter activity in the neighborhood and invitedmembers of the community to attend the PHPAmeetings held regularly in Burbank if they would liketo address members directly (see web site for

meeting details). She also suggested that

neighbors call the LAPD AirSupport Division whena helicopter noise incident occurs.In 1999, Santa Monica residents got together, andover the threat of a law suit, worked with thePHPA to institute restricted behavior coming inand out of their municipal airport. If we let LAPDand the PHPA know what's going on, we can havethe same effect, and hopefully without contactingthe lawyers. Let's keep the Echo Park area free ofunnecessary helicopter noise.

When Helicopter Noise Bothers You, contact:

[email protected] Warren, PresidentNoelani Mars, [email protected]

LAPD AirSupport Division213.485.2600

You Can Now Call To Report Helicopter Nuisances


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ECHO PARK CALENDAREvent Date Location CommentsEPIA Meetings 1st Thursday, 7 p.m.

March 1, April 5Williams Hall at BarlowHospital in ElysianPark

Call EPIA messagephone for additionalinformation

EPIA SteeringCommittee Meetings

2nd Monday, 7 p.m.

Feb. 12, March 12Taix French ResaurantTake an active part in

EPIA Join the SteeringCommittee

Chamber ofCommerce GeneralMeeting

3rd Friday, 1 p.m.

February 16, March 16Taix French Restauant EPCC information/

message 213-630-3032NODS MeetingNeighbors of Dodger Stadium 3rd Thursday, 7:30 p.m. 1949 Cerro Gordo St. Call 323-663-6356 orFAX 323-663-6361Citizens Committee toSave Elysian ParkMtg.

1st Wednesday, 7:30 p.m.,February 7, March 7

Call 213-666-9651 formeeting location

Echo Park CommunityGarden

Garden membershipmeeting 1st Sunday of themonth 10:00 a.m. all otherSundays open hours 10-2.

Echo Park CommunityGarden, 2223 SunsetBlvd. (Sunset atRosemont)

In case of rain call 213-882-4835 for meetinglocation

Echo Park Arts Not regularly scheduled Information at 213- 250-4155

Echo Park HistoricalSociety

Meets quarterly Call for Information 323-860-8874.

Introduction to RajaYoga

Sundays, 5:00 p.m. 1300 Glendale Blvd. FreeDeadline for AprilEPIAn WaysNewsletter

Friday, March 23 Send submissions toEPIA, Attn: EPIAn WaysEditor

SPECIAL EVENTSNortheast PoliceDivision semi-AnnualBasic Car meeting

Thursday, Feb. 15, 7 p.m. Hillhurst CommunityService Center, 1965Hillhurst

Meet your Senior LeadOfficers, Division CaptainKyle Jackson andCommunity Relations

Candidates Forum forthe election of CityCouncil Member

March 15 Call 323-882-4835 fortime and location

Free Fruit Tree Volunteer: Saturday March25, 9 a.m., Reserved TreePickup: Sunday, March25,9 a.m. - 12 noon

LAPD Stop-In Locationbehid Bank of Americain Echo Park

Volunteer to help orreserve a tree call 323-882-4835, leave name &phone number


7/12


8/12


9/12

I thought that our readers would like to knowwhat is happening at CCAC. We have started a

project with youth from CCAC and SequoiaSchool in Pasadena. I asked the coordinator,Juan Devis to write a few lines and let everyoneknow of our achievements.

CCAC, OnRamp Arts and Sequoia Schoolhave joined forces to produce the videoinstallation, Autobiographies. Students fromboth organizations have come together, eachwith their own stories, to produce this video.

During the two months, students havecreated revealing video portraits of theircommunities and their families, exposing thecultural landscape of their own neighborhoods.With the help of myself, Juan Devis, thestudents have learned to use video equipmentand they have taken the camera to the streetsand their homes to record who they are and theway they live. The students meet two times a

week and alternate between CCAC andSequoia. Not only are the youth exploring their

own lives, but also they are gaining insight intoother youth and their families.

This project exemplifies the shared interestof CCAC and OnRamp Arts to educate youth inthe arts, in a most entertaining and innovativeway. If you would like to know more, give us acall at CCAC, we'd be glad to have you join usfor an afternoon.

1911 SUNSET BOULEVARDLOS ANGELES, CA 90026

(213) 484-1265

Central City Action


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out from behind a screen. All eyes were on hiscompanion, a little fellow about two feet high in a rednightgown who danced, waved and cuddled with thechildren, to their delight. Other puppets followed in a

Supporting Collapse Victimsskillful show that included twin dancing reindeer and apair of flamenco dancers. Even the firemen couldn'tresist watching. Festivities continued with a visit toSanta Claus who handed each child a new toy donatedby Mattel. Their parents received a sack of groceries asthey left.

Since then the community has continued its support.The fund for the displaced residents at 1601 ParkAvenue and the fund for the family of Juan FranciscoPineda are still open and accepting donations at: L.A.National Bank, 1912 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA

90026, c/o Juan Sandoval. The first checks to thetenants are expected to be distributed by February 1,2001 and it is hoped that the money will help peoplereplace some of what they lost. A list of neededhousehold goods is also being compiled as families findnew homes.

Echo Park may be missing one or two buildings butit still has a heart, and compassion for its neighbors'

(Continued from page 1)

History and Real EstateUnder the rule of Spain, all of California's real

estate belonged to the King of Spain and the right touse real estate came from the political and militaryagencies of the King.of Spain. Spain established fourgrants of rights in land under its Law of the Indies:they were missions or religious settlements; presidiosor military settlements; pueblos or civiliansettlements; and ranchos or private grants.

The missions were religious outposts for theCatholic Church and were operated by theFranciscans. The king granted use of the land to theChurch to convert natives to Catholicism andassimilate them into the Spanish culture.

The presidios were military outposts built toprotect the missions and pueblos and discourageother nations from encroaching on the territory ofSpain. There were four presidios in California: SanDiego, Santa Barbara, Monterey, and San Francisco.

The pueblos established civilian communities andbecame the urban centers in California. The two keypueblos were Los Angeles and San Jose. The mayor of

a pueblo had the authority to convey four squareleagues surrounding the settlement. Eventually the

pueblos were given city charters by the new State ofCalifornia.

Mexico became independent from Spain in 1821and fully secularized the missions. By 1848 theUnited States obtained California from Mexico as aresult of the Mexican-American War.

The ranchos were private grants of land. Ranchoswere the beginning of the ownership of privateproperty under Spanish rule. A rancho was obtainedby written petition to the Spanish governor along witha map and legal description of the real estate. Theland was surveyed to verify any other claims. Thegrant and documents were called an expediente.

Upon American rule the United States agreed toacknowledge the existing land grants conveyed by theSpanish and Mexican governments. All land not undervalid claim became part of the public domain of theUnited States. In 1850 the U.S. granted part of theunclaimed real estate to the state of California andretained the balance for the federal government.

S.M.ART Systems, Inc.Bought a computer and dont know how toget the benefits you expected?

WE CAN HELP YOUYour Community Computer Helper

Training & Tutoring

Upgrades & Installations

Flyers & Newsletters

Network Systems DesignInternet AssistanceCall Us at [email protected]

ECHOESFROMTHEPAST


11/12

The library card catalog as we knew it is over.Only question remains: What are you going to do

about it?One-hour class on how to use the librarys

exciting on-line computer catalog continues inJanuary and February. Learn how to browse the vastholdings of your Los Angeles Public Librarys 68branches and Central Library from any on-linecomputer anywhere! Learn how to order materialsfrom far-flung libraries across the city and havethem delivered to your neighborhood branch, or howto check your record and confirm your latest duedates, and many other functions of the flexibleVirtual Library. If you can use an ATM, you can use

your library catalog! One-hour classes are scheduledfor all Monday evenings from 6pm-7pm. Noappointment necessary, but dont leave homewithout that library card!

And for the children its Winter storytime andcrafts! Every Monday (2:30-4pm) the library featuresAuntie Stephanie, every Wednesday (3-4pm) storiesby Abuela Silvia, and every Saturday (11-12) hearAuntie Femie. Also, on Thursday, February 8 (3:30-4:30) local artist David Orozco will presentValentines Arts and Crafts/Arte para Dia de San

Valentin. All materials are free.The Library would like to recognize and thank its

Winter 2001 Service Volunteer class. SVs, as theyare known at the library, help the staff serve thepublic. Former SVs report a tremendous advantagein competing for paid part-time jobs when theyattach their SV letter of recommendation to theirapplications. The Winter 2001 class is:

Benton Tong Sandra CuevasMaribel Lopez Erika Gomez

Kim Kam John OnAdrian Padilla

SVs are high school students who volunteer at thelibrary to satisfy school community servicerequirements, to fulfill confirmation classrequirements, to gain valuable work experience, andto earn letters of recommendation for college. Thelibrary launches four classes annually. Priorregistration is required.

And mark your teens calendar for Thursday April19, from 10am-2pm. Thats the date of the EchoPark Branch Librarys Gigantic College and CareerFair. Youth will meet college and trade schoolrecruiters and potential employers in person to

LIBRARY HAPPENINGS

Library HoursMonday 12:30-8:00 p.m.

Tuesdays 10:00 a.m. 5:30 p.m.

Wednesdays 12:30 5:30 p.m.

Thursdays 12:30-8:00 p.m.

Fridays 12:30 5:30 p.m.

Saturdays 10:00 a.m. 5:30

p.m.

Library Address1410 W. Temple Street

Los Angeles CA 90026

Phone 213.250.7808FAX 213.250.3744World Wide Web Address

http://www.lapl.org

24 Hour Renewal: 888-577-LAPL

Options open to the Council are either to appoint atemporary Councilman themselves, or, to hold aspecial election. As of now, they do not seem inclinedtoJebs Viewmake an appointment. The next best option is to holda special election at the same time as the April 10 cityprimary election. The Government Efficiency

Committee will recommend one or the other to theCouncil.

That same evening there was also a publiccandidates forum for mayoral candidates. I heard thatVillaraigosa was strongly in favor of appointingDelugach. Becerra favored an open and fair processwith public meetings to develop a consensus. Wachswas opposed to the closed and authoritarian nature ofimposing an appointed Council member on the 13th

(Continued from page 12)


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We got a rare look into the sordid bowels of 13thCouncil District politics on Jan. 23. This is wheremoney and political power are at stake. These are theonly things that really count. Everything else is puffand nonsense.

The Council had a motion by Councilwoman Chickto appoint Sharon Delugach to the Council torepresent the 13th CD until next July 1. Ex-Councilwoman Goldberg had asked Chick lastNovember to do this, so Chick did. This would giveState Assemblywoman Goldberg two political offices,in effect. Delugach has been Goldberg's Chief Deputy

since she joined the Council and can be expected tocontinue to take her orders. Even if these orderscome from Sacramento and Goldberg's former job isvacant. Delugach and her staff have continuedoperating the 13th CD office as if nothing haschanged. But, in fact, there is a "caretaker" from theChief Legislative Analysts Office, Ron Deaton.

The real political significance of this was revealedby the group speaking in favor of appointingDelugach. They were two types mainly, organizedlabor and non-profit groups that get money orfavoritism or both. They pretended to want continuedrepresentation for the people of the 13th CD. In fact

they wanted support and a favorable vote in theupcoming negotiations for city labor contracts, and inthe distribution of money from CommunityDevelopment Bloc Grants. This money (CDBG grants)has gone to Goldberg's favorite non-profit groups thatare her main political power base. Together, thesecan be thought of as the Jackie Goldberg Gravy Train.They want to continue getting the money andprivileges her power has brought them. The unionscontribute lots of money as do the non-profits andtheir friends. These contributions have insulatedGoldberg from being accountable to the larger

population in the

13th CD. Andthey have madeit possible forGoldberg toindu lge heranimosity towardeverybody whodoesn't go long

with her. So in effect, the politics of the 13th CD isdivided into the Goldberg Gravy Train, and everybodyelse.

Several people speaking on behalf of everybodyelse opposed the motion to appoint Delugach. Theypointed out that Goldberg had abandoned the 13thCD by resigning and going to the State Assembly.Now we have a clean slate and whoever may beappointed must be politically neutral and not ahandmaiden to these self-serving special interests.There may be many other people interested in thistemporary job, and they deserve to be considered on

an equal basis. But holding a special election is abetter option. We are now very sensitive aboutpoliticians appointing other politicians to publicoffice. That would be the wrong precedent toestablish under the new city charter.

The debate among the council members showedwhat they were concerned about. The new citycharter requires them to fill a vacant office through aspecial election or by appointment. They need to doso, and they want to do it in an honorable anddemocratic manner. Councilman Joel Wachs saidappointing Delugach would be a sleazy insiders dealfavoring the well connected. The Council must not

take action that would be another autocratic "weknow what's best for you." The discussion gave noindication that they would sell us out to the GoldbergGravy Train.

The motion had not gone through a committee,which is the normal procedure. They voted onwhether or not to act on it today. The vote wasdecisive against acting at all, which meant that themotion would be referred to committee. This was thebig setback for Goldberg and the self-serving specialinterests on her Gravy Train. There will be two moreopportunities to give presentations, in committee andbefore the full Council again.

The motion was sent to the Government EfficiencyCommittee, chaired by Councilwoman Chick. In orderto find out when and where the Committee willconsider this issue, call Jacqueline Shelton inCouncilwoman Chick's office, 213-485-3486. Thematter will go back to the Council after theCommittee hearing.

(Continued on page 11)

JEBSVIEW

Opinions expressed in this

newsletter are those of the

writers and do not necessarily

reflect the position of the Echo

Park Improvement Association

Opinion by Jeb Brighouse

CITY COUNCIL GIVES JACKIE A SETBACK

Documents

EPIAn Ways February 2001