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LAPD
Captain Ronald Sanchez,
our new Hollywood Division Commander, has gotten off to a stunningly
appropriate start. His attention to our problem of career drunks/ bums
infesting our streets has given immediate relief and renewed hope
to all residents and businesses that these ‘tourists’ no longer perceive Old Hollywood, as having the ‘welcome mat’ out for them.
It will take some time, since wiser communities with sensible Council
representation, have exported ‘em to us for more than a decade,
with the approval of such as the Goldberg crowd. Meanwhile,
bussed in daily, they occupy three parks to the distress of residents. (Yucca, Willoughby, & Selma, come to mind.)
Ron, uniquely to our
experience, has a more than competent perspective on those
broadly categorized as ‘homeless’ and he contemplates
appropriate action, and has engaged the CPAB in efforts to address the
conditions of the truly mentally ill, and those beset by domestic
violence.
In his address to the Coordinating Council, he made no bones about
action, rather than talk, citing our many great churches and their need
to resolve rather than to perpetuate these human problems. He reverentially mentioned his late father, to whom thousands had come to mourn his passing. The many who approached him then had said that his dad had visited and counselled them in prison and gave them hope and a vision of a good life. Captain Sanchez reflected that, whilst he was a full-time father, active in his
neighborhood, etc., and happy in his work at the LAPD, he had no expectations that he would rise to his Dad’s enduring achievements.
We are truly blessed to have such as he, with us. However, he makes many current folk uncomfortable and, face it, reasonably so. Ensconced, as they are, in artificial entities, anointed with social prominence, sans any expected real achievement, so to be presented with real tasks, is more than disconcerting, far more than their ‘job’ expectations, or, in truth, their capabilities. So, the “entitled elite” quietly snicker,
sneer, and defame..
Time will tell, if we deserve him.
PLANNING & PROJECTS
Since last writing, the Nederlander
family has proceeded with plans for construction in the vicinity
of it’s Pantages Theatre.
We wish them all success, and devoutly hope that at least one of the
famed restaurant chains is enticed to locate in Old Hollywood.
The Garcetti encouraged redevelopment schemes continue to confound all
reason and economic sense.
One would have thought that the failed Sunset
& Vine development would have given pause. The current owners, (i.e. public employees agencies) by seemingly covert designation, will take the hit.
The barren thought of siting yet more subsidized housing on fabled Vine
Street will make such dominant on the street. In all decency, the star themed sidewalks should be relocated.
Only in a dysfunctionally governed ‘community’ would anyone
propose to site subsidized housing for the socially diseased and
sexually confused, just opposite the local library. It simply beggars imagination.
With public parking for business and residents every day in greater
need, we hear that the Grant parking lot on Shrader Ave& (formerly
Hudson Ave) has been sold and that condominiums are to be built.
Ground has been broken in Studio City for the relocation of our
famed KNX, Channels 2 & 9, historically located on the full
block of Gower & Sunset Blvd. The land was sold by the multimedia owners, and continued tenancy depended upon affordable lease arrangements if this Hollywood signature business was to remain. But no one cared to raise an
alarm. Not the Hollywood Coordinating Council leaders, who had
long promised a letter to the Chamber urging coordinated action, but,
not so for almost a year. When called on about it, the president had no
explanation, and the members, all along, were unclear as to its presence [all elderly residents,] Whut kin one say? Duhhh & goodby.
The same with the Chamber, unlike the Downtown folk, all are employees
not innovators and developers.
‘Planning’ for the doubling of L.A.’s
population
With natural resources strained to
accommodate those of us here now, and none willing to ration such, or to pay for, or, heavens forefend, to site nearby the creation of new and dangerous power, new and polluting employment, greater and horrid sewage recycling, the
acceptance of ‘grey’ tap water, etc., and with AQMD and all
environmental forces militantly opposed to the effect of each, one wonders as to the popular mandate.
But then, popular mandates don’t come easily with dysfunctional
representation.
This overview obviously wasn’t evident at the ‘4th District Community
Congress’s June 8th’s panel discussion on land use and
transportation planning for this eventuality. So, we patiently heard decent, well-paid civic employees maunder on about increasing densities in
transit corridors, and employment in our increasingly unaffordable import trade
ports of Long Beach, L.A. Harbor, etc.
Bud Ovrum, then head of CRA, disappointed us in his defense of CRA’s
public housing architecture @ the S.E. corner of Hollywood Blvd. &
Western Ave. He is clearly in the deep and troubled sea of L.A.,
not the tranquil pond of Burbank.
To this observer, inevitably, costs will determine outcome, where
uncommon sense does not prevail. More simply put, rampant stupidity
always collides with the brick wall of reality. Thus the GM fire sale of their inventory of fuel thirsty autos. Similarly, the popular whinings about congested streets, evokes no demand for the curtailing of increasing the burden. Kids, we’re spoiled rotten, and as such, predictably, we won’t be appointing fingers at ourselves. Watch out, you may be fingered by youse neighbors wroth.
Ah well, its a pleasant sunny day......
ORGANIZATIONS
Neighborhood Councils
With but two residents in attendance for it’s significant and long
heralded June meeting, HHWNC is meeting with the fate, inevitable
to the weird construct cobbled together to thwart effective governance
by the ‘gang in charge’. Astounding, simply astounding.
The City Council members, despite reality, choose to conveniently hail
them as successes and allot trebled amounts to their annual accounts. They are a ripe instrument for manipulation and corruption of process which is currently hampered by the Brown act, and efforts to legislatively ditch this elemental need, are finding some difficulty.
INDIVIDUALS
Virginia Charon
Founder and long time leader of The
Cherokee Sentinals, a neighborhood protective organization
devoted to their needs of street and community peace &
security. Member, from inception of the umbrella coalition
of neighborhoood groups known as United
Streets of Hollywood.
At this writing Virginia remains in Cedars/Sinai Hospital intensive care, with staff dealing with the physical consequences of her lifelong defence of elemental civic values. Values deemed ordinary by much of America, but regarded as ‘extreme’ by the profligates whom we ‘anointed’ to office both local and statewise.
She has achieved many of the civic goals she vigorously advocated. Emphasize ‘vigorous’.
If Virgina’s counsel is to be emulated, as that of others similarly
motivated: it is that; persistence and ever ‘prominent’ presence are fundamental aspects, if one is to be part of the ‘process’. Virtue gains respect only to the extent that it is regarded by differing contentions as both historically
reliable and inevitable. The least heard is unheard..’
Gene LaPietra Historic
Enthusiast for Old Hollywood, Generous host of innumerable civic events, Gene quietly originated, supervised and realized so many major Hollywood events and funded or generously assisted so many causes so as to beggar any specific mention or comparison, in a diverse illustrious lot.
As they, he sought; not pedestrian nor contemporary praise, nor wall adoning plaques, but the rebirth of that Old Hollywood which he so esteemed.
Thus, when the movement began to separate disparate areas from the City
‘proper’, he joined, and fully engaged his reputation and his
fortune in the contest.
Opposed, were the massive forces, now historically in control. Confronted with this fundamental challenge to their economic and political dominance, their response natural,
i.e., total warfare. i.e., any mainstream candidate for office or
advocating the reform would be forever a renegade from the labor/public
union & party entities.
This naturally, resulted in a prudent withdrawal of decent public
men from a patently impossible situation.
Thus remained; the ‘amateurs’, which is to say those still held fast to our founding heritage of the citizen legislator in California
till the mid 60’s when the professional ‘mob’
triumphed in the pretext: ‘that citizens were incapable of devoting
their broad civil skills to legislation, rather that the
‘times’ required ‘professional’ public servants.
Thus, the following defeat of the remaining ’innocents’ was
without doubt. But, the ire of the machine following victory, was vindictively expressed in the classic mode, tho rare in contemporary U.S. politic, in that they sought to defame and economically destroy the ccourageous opponent.
That they failed in their conspiracy was not due to any lack on their part, but, solely following a confrontation with facts by neighboring resident.
Thankfully, no crucifiction ensued. But the inquisition was
message enough.
UNITED STREET OF HOLLYWOOD has prepared a plaque celebrating the contributions of Gene LaPietra and a luncheon with friends, celebrating his contributions and courage is in process as of this writing.
VIRGINA CHARON, a past recipient of U.S.H honors, is similarly saluted and, will attend festivities, health permitting.
UNRESOLVED ONGOING
GREVIOUS CIVIC PROBLEMS,
Disastrous competition for both street and off
street parking for both residents and businesses in the Central
Hollywood district.
Comment:
Residents desperately need to regain the on and off street parking resources if they are not to continue to leave.
Blvd. merchants desperately need the ability
ot offer vehicle parking in some reasonably immediate vicinity.
CONCLUSIONS &
RECOMMENDATIONS
A.
Residential and Blvd. parking
Proposed use of extant massive parking structures serving the ArcLite and the Highland Complex for the local needs via special transit, are absurd.
Preferential parking zones are but an ineffective
panacea in view of the massive need, in isolate.
The vast ‘Galpin’ Rental Lot on the 1700 block of Cahuenga Blvd. presents the optimal resource. Both for Blvd. Commerce and Residents. The Galpin and Smith families are most civicly engaged historically and thus open to proposals amenable to both their and public needs.
B. The stampede to
accomodate a ‘fad’ of wall-to-wall ‘niteclubs’ as a preeminent Hollywood motif.
We regard this as such: i.e., a stampede, by naive opportunists and supported by incompetent employees howeverer well placed..
Urge shunning yet more liquor linceeses. If we wish a desirable enduring daily destination for our main market, our hillside neighbors, and our well to do Hancock park residents , we should again attempt to provide for their upscale food desires and retail venues. As of now, all continue to wend their ways to West Hollywood & Pasadena.
All the above: evidence of of our total lack of of
competent governance.
Yours, still, for a nicer Hollywood
John
Ehretz
co-Chair, Steering Committee
ph 323 465-3505
fax 323 465-3525
email ehretz@pacbell.net
postal 1811 Wilcox Avenue
Hollywood, CA 90028
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