NELA Live

Regional Congress of Neighborhoods - The Gathering, Sat May 17

You are invited to take part in the "Gathering." This is the first ever Regional Congress of Neighborhoods. The Gathering will take place at the West Adams Preparatory High School on Saturday, May 17, 2008, from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm.

The Gathering was organized by the Empowerment Congress, the South Area Alliance of Neighborhood Councils and the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment. This event represents a new phase in the
evolution of Congress of Neighborhoods events designed to unite regional voices for advocacy and cooperative work. The Gathering is rganized around issues of the gang violence and the revitalization of
the South Los Angeles Area. But, the lessons are applicable for communities throughout Los Angeles.

Go to http://www.LACITYNEIGHBORHOODS.com to register. Just click where indicated on the Gathering.

Sidewalk Astronomers

On Wednesday, February 13th from 6 pm till 8 pm, the Sidewalk Astronomers will have telescopes available to view the night sky in front of Arroyo Seco Regional Branch Library. The library is located at 6145 N. Figueroa in Highland Park.

The Occasional Doo-Dah Parade on Sunday, January 20, 2008

The Occasional Doo-Dah Parade on Sunday, January 20, 2008: The parade entry from former NELA  friends, neighbors and supporters of the Mayor will involve a "costume" to convert all dancers into a buxom curvy chorus line. Other marchers will play the role of City Hall lobbyists with lots of money to toss in the air. A clever little ditty about the Mayor's tendencies toward "Photo Ops and Broken  Promises" has been recorded. 

The Doo Dah will step off from Memorial Park at Raymond Avenue and Holly Street at 11:30 a.m. and turn west along Colorado Boulevard to Pasadena Avenue. 

This parade entry is organized under the auspices of the Doo-Dah Silliness Division of the Friends of the Southwest Museum Coalition -- a normally studious group! See you there!

Olga Hall

New SW Museum Agreement: Another Broken Treaty?

Community Split Over 'New' Plan

by Edward Rivera
A recently announced agreement between 14th District Councilmember Jose Huizar and Autry National  Center President John Gray over the future of the Southwest Museum has been met by a storm of  protests in Northeast LA, and seemingly raises more questions than it answers. In addition, the agreement, which consists of a memo from Gray to Huizar, creates a new organization-The Southwest Society-made up of elected officials and various local citizens who will meet to direct fundraising for the Autry Center and Southwest Museum. Curiously, no current members of the Friends of the Southwest Museum Coalition, made up of 70 local community groups ”including neighborhood councils” who have led the fight to keep the Museum open on a full-time basis, were named to the group.

A local ad hoc group, the Northeast Progressive Alliance, kicked up a wave of protests, both public and private, when it announced its support of the "agreement," hailing it as a "victory." Most community members did not know any agreement or plan was forthcoming and were put off by being left out of whatever negotiations took place. .......

Full story available in the October Arroyo Seco Journal. On the streets now, and online at http://www.arroyosecojournal.blogspot.com

Garvanza ICO: Update

Last week at City Hall, Garvanza residents had another sweep of votes, from the PLUM committee, for approval of the Garvanza ICO. We are now going forward to the city council, which will be scheduled  shortly. CM Huizar has championed for our community at a much needed time. We nearly had an illegal demolition just last week over a property still in mitigation with the community. Luckily we were able to stop such an act and work to continue to resolve this issue. We are very happy with our progress so far!

Posted on behalf of:  Tina Gulotta-Miller
Garvanza Improvement Association

Trouble in Glassell Park

Conflicts of Interest. Embarrassing Videos.  Hostile Leadership.  Is This Any Way to Run a Neighborhood Council?

by Edward Rivera
Maybe the community should have seen this one coming. Or maybe they did. In a  December 2006 Arroyo Seco Journal article, news editor Margaret Arnold detailed the way in which members of the Victory Outreach church along with advocates of a pro-development organization were elected to the Glassell Park Neighborhood Council  (GPNC) board.

A worrisome neighborhood’s predictions for dissension seem to come true. If you are a follower of local Internet bulletin boards and blogs, you know this story. If not, it is an eye-opening tale of what can happen when a calculated attempt to take over a neighborhood council actually happens......

Read the Full Story (and comment!) at http://arroyosecojournal.blogspot.com/

14th District Race

Los Angeles Times looks at the race for the 14th  District Council Seat

Huizar V. Parra: The Fallout and the Follow-up

Huizar Response to Article Prompts New Questions; New Details Emerge

By Edward Rivera

Last issue's article on 14th District Councilmember Jose Huizar ("Breach of Faith: Who is the Real Jose Huizar") elicited a bizarre response not only from the Council office, but a wide swath of  bloggers and callers who contacted the newspaper with more details. Calling some accusations "outrageous and blatantly false," the councilman responded with a letter to the Arroyo Seco Journal to address the major points of the story. The letter, sent by campaign consultant Parke Skelton, took issue with three allegations against Huizar leveled by his opponent Alvin Parra, and  subsequently investigated by the newspaper.

The three allegations were that: Huizar failed to act when Henry James Lugo, a convicted child molester was at a Council-sponsored event, in violation of his parole, even after Lugo attempted to molest a Huizar staffer's child; that Huizar failed to stop the expanded permit of a Boyle Heights toxic waste transfer station; and that he signed misleading documents while making illegal improvements to a home he owned in El Sereno. While addressing the charges, the letter raised new questions, and new details have emerged which contradict some of Huizar's responses.

(The full text of Huizar's response is available at http://www.asjournal.net )

A Breach of Faith: Who is the Real Jose Huizar?

Exclusive to the Arroyo Seco Journal
by Edward Rivera

When Jose Huizar filed in 2005 to run for the vacant 14th District seat of newly elected mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, many political observers were as yet unaware of the surprising power the mayor could wield in seemingly "anointing" a successor. As Villaraigos's pick, Huizar overwhelmingly defeated incumbent Nick Pacheco. It was the first time that most could remember a sitting  Councilmember being defeated so soundly.

Now, however, as Huizar faces an election challenge from his former field director Alvin Parra, and a loosely organized revolt from former staffers, it seems many in the district find themselves wondering exactly who it was they voted for.

An Arroyo Seco Journal investigation has revealed a wide dissension within the Councilman's Office, and has uncovered several new allegations. Among them: Huizar refused to act when his staff urged him to take action against a convicted child molester who had attempted to prey on the children of Huizar's own staff.

For the full story, go to http://www.asjournal.net