AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2014Issue 37

Watering Our Community for 6 Years!!

TNN EndorsesGeorge McKenna for

School BoardRead Why....

JOSHU SASAKI ROSHI 1907 - 2014

& SO MUCH MORE!

BACK PAGE: RETAILERS LOCATION MAP

Publisher/Editor/ReporterDianne V. Lawrence

Associate Editor/ReporterRenee Montgomery

Staff ReportersCarla Pineda,

Chelsee Lowe, Dawn KirkpatrickContributing Writers

Laura Meyers, Chin Thammasaengsri, Cindy Olnick, Sarah Von Alt

Photographer, Social Media/Website Assistant,Dawn Kirkpatrick

Layout & Design/Executive Ad SalesDianne V. Lawrence

CONTENT

TNN Staff L - R Back RowChelsee Lowe,Dawn Kirkpatrick,Carla PinedaL - R Front RowRenee Montgomery,Dianne V. Lawrence

4 George Mckenna for LAUSD District 1. 6 WAHA Living History Tour. 8 Earthquake! Prepare!

9 Renee Gunter. Daily Organics!

10 DWP Green for Lawns. Water Wasters. A Scary Bedtime Story. 12 David Raposa Wins Award. 13 In Memory Of: Joshu Sasaki Roshi.

14 Restaurants with Meatless Alternatives. 15 Green Grounds. Growing Gardens. 16 Free Spay and Neuter. Dog Poop!

17 Mid City's Finest. Conrad Jones.

18 Good Bye Fresh N Easy. Hello 99 Cent Only.

20 ReInhabit Inhabits Harvard Heights.

21 Seen on the Scene.

TO ADVERTISE OR SUBMIT IDEASContact us at: 323.871.8580

info@theneighborhoodnews.net

Cover photo of World City Center student William Goodney by Rebecca Bernard

Well dear Readers here we are at Year 6 and I do mean a Royal 'We'. My vision of this magazine as a place for

our Mid-City community to connect, discover and celebrate itself has come to fruition. TNN was in the right time and place and we have watched our area grow in businesses, creative resources, historic preservation, and community involvement. When we started few residents knew about Neighborhood Councils. TNN dedicated itself to growing awareness of this important community resource and now, at least 28 thousand people (2 average readers per magazine) read something about them in each issue. We shine a light on our history by featuring articles about illustrious past residents, local historic architecture and efforts of local preservationists in order to make sure our past is not buried but maintains a living breathing place in our present. We support businesses who in turn support us and we let our neighbors know they don't have to drive that far to fi nd a good place to eat or shop. We have an amazing staff of dedicated volunteer writers, Renee, Dawn and Chelsea who have hung in long enough to begin to share in some of the small profi t we are fi nally beginning to see. Local residents continue to contact us and contribute stories each issue. We have a robust website, an active Facebook page “Vintage Los Angeles Mid-City” and we Tweet! Like the beautiful summer garden on the cover, we are rooted in and have become a fruitful blossom in our community garden. Thank you dear Royal Loyal Readers for helping us grow. Now grab yourself a cup of delicious greek coffee at Papa Cristo's (and try the moussaka!) sit back and enjoy this stroll around our community.

YOU ARE INVITED TO OUR 6TH ANNIVERSARY PARTY AT PIPS ON LA BREAWEDNESDAY AUG. 27 8 pm

Order Food or just Drinks, visit with neighbors and listen to Jazz

from the 20's - 40's Come Alive withDianne Lawrence & Her Ex-Husbands

(see ad next page)

Keep our Local Businesses in Business. Use local Services!AUG/SEPT 20144

From Betty Pleasant:THIS IS IT! --- For the past seven months, the people of Los Angeles County have been engaged in a great war against the politicians we elected to represent us. For the most part, our battles have been pity-pat encounters to make our local politicians respond to our needs --- rather than to their own obsessions to reign over us as little kings doing everything they can to create and/or perpetuate rich dynasties for themselves, their kin and their sycophants. Well, nuclear war was declared this week when residents of

LAUSD’s District 1 received two sets of campaign mailings in support of the election of Alex Johnson, King Mark Ridley-Thomas’ chosen minion, to the district’s seat on the Board of Education. These mailings are the worst pieces of campaign literature I’ve ever seen in my lengthy career. They are full of boldface lies about the people’s candidate, George McKenna, and constitute the nastiest smear campaign money can buy. I did not believe King Mark could stoop that low. Sentinel publisher Danny Bakewell and I have not agreed on a single thing in almost 50 years --- until now. We both wholeheartedly support the election of McKenna --- who last week received the overwhelming endorsement of the Los Angeles County Democratic Party, and today was endorsed by LAUSD board member Monica Ratliff, who, like everyone else, maintains that McKenna’s “years of experience as a dedicated

Continued on Page 23

TNN Endorses George McKennaFor District 1 School Board

According to Jim Newton, Editor at the Los Angeles Times - the August 12th, District 1, LAUSD School

Board elections between Alex Johnson and George McKenna will have great consequence for many of the regions poorest communities who are "desperately in need of quality schools." He goes on to say "Of the two, McKenna, 73, has the clear edge in experience, having served for nearly half a century as a teacher, principal, administrator and superintendent. Johnson, 33, counters with energy and a commitment to education reform honed in his work for the New York City school system and as education aide to Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas."

It's a tough fi ght and recently TNN's editor received some campaign literature against McKenna from the pro-Johnson camp that seemed extremely damning and would give anyone pause. But then...we also received information that shed a glaring light on the ugly tactics of the Johnson campaign and the literature. After some additional research, TNN feels confi dent in supporting McKenna

Why We Suggest you Vote For MckennaAugust 12

for the post. We present here a column from the popular columnist, Betty Pleasant, which was rejected by one of her regular publishers, The Wave. It is very No Holds Barred but perhaps an appropriate response to the McKenna smear by

the Johnson camp. It has since been published in several other places and we provide you with a copy. We also provide you with some quotes from Los Angeles Times journalist Sandy Banks whose comments in one of her columns was taken out of context and used in the Johnson campaign literature against McKenna. She clarifi es for the record.

D. V. Lawrence

5w w w.thene ighborhoodne ws .ne t AUG/SEPT 2014

6 w w w.thene ighborhoodne ws .ne tAUG/SEPT 2014

At the Angelus Rosedale Cemetery, History Comes to Life on Saturday, September 27, as the annual Living History Tour commemorates the 150th Anniversary of the Civil War, with stories told by those who witnessed it.

The War Between the States remains a touchstone event for Americans. The confl ict began on April 12, 1861, when

the Confederates attacked Fort Sumter in South Carolina, and ended on April 9, 1865 when Robert E. Lee surrendered at Appomattox, Virginia – just a few days before President Abe Lincoln’s assassination. The Civil War’s sesquicentennial has been remembered across America with events and exhibitions.

At this year’s Living History Tour, visitors will “meet” a variety of Civil War era personages, all of whom later made Los Angeles their home. These war veterans include both Union and Confederate soldiers, including two who fought at Gettysburg; along with a Civil War “Florence Nightingale” who became the oldest surviving Union Army nurse, a former slave who served as a Union chaplain, an actor, the founder of the

Union Rescue Mission, and a fl amboyant Wild West pioneer (and former Confederate soldier) who was friends with Doc Holliday, mentored the “Apache Kid” (later a renegade), and captured Geronimo. Not all of this year’s portrayals will be of men who fought at war. A Confederate generate killed at Shiloh left behind in Los Angeles his children and his widow, a strong Southern woman who witnessed how the war tore asunder relationships in the former Pueblo. And visitors will also meet the female cousins of President Abraham Lincoln, and Confederate President Jefferson Davis, who, like the others portrayed this year, are buried at Angelus Rosedale Cemetery. Because the battles largely took place east of the Mississippi River, few people today realize that there’s Civil War history right here in Southern California. Secessionists were likely in the majority in pre-Civil War Los Angeles, where Abe Lincoln

It's That Time of the Year Again!The Living History Tour

Commemorates the 150th Anniversaryof the Civil War

Laura Meyers

garnered just 350 votes in the 1860 election. Once the war began, armed skirmishes played out on Los Angeles’s dusty streets. In response, the federal government built Camp Drum in Wilmington; the remaining Union Army barracks is now a Civil War museum. Federal troops were also sent to Catalina Island, responding to rumors that Confederates planned to

seize the island for a base to strike at and loot ships hauling gold. In Pasadena, two streets remind us of the Civil War heritage: Fair Oaks was named for southern sympathizers, while Union Street gives a nod to northern sympathizers. Angelus Rosedale Cemetery was founded in 1884, and is now home to many generations of Los Angeles's citizens, representing every race, faith, and creed. Along with family plots that are the permanent resting places for both Confederate and Union veterans, some 450 Union soldier veterans are buried in a plot at Angelus-Rosedale Cemetery dedicated to the Grand Army of the Republic. Each year, West Adams Heritage Association (WAHA) tells some of their life stories while touring the historic grounds and elaborately-carved monuments of L.A.’s fi rst lawn

Allen Allensworth

Margaret Meseroll Hayes

Continued on Pg.24

AUG/SEPT 2014 7Keep our Local Businesses in Business. Use local Services!

Dharma Yoga LA opened its doors on the corner of West Adams and

Burnside in August 2008 with the aim of bringing high quality yoga instruction to an underserved community. Opening at the onset of the economic recession, staying afl oat selling only yoga classes in mid city Los Angeles has been challenging, but thanks to owner/director Sonya Enchill Kendall, the dedicated staff and devoted students, this year Dharma Yoga LA celebrates its six year anniversary at its current location, 4567 Washington Blvd. at the intersection of Vineyard & Washington.

Veteran Dharma LA community members affectionately refer to the center as “DMYLA” as it was originally titled Dharma Mittra Yoga LA, named for yoga Master Sri Dharma Mittra who has been disseminating teachings of classical yoga in New York City for the last fi fty years.

Alongside the Dharma lineage the center also offers classes in Kundalini Yoga, Kirtan (devotional chanting), Reiki- both treatment and attuning practitioners and Qi Gong. There is certainly something for everyone at Dharma Yoga LA.

Long-time Dharma LA student Louie Smith shares his admiration for the center:“DMYLA is located in a solid working class neighborhood. This distinguishes it from most other studios that are located in high rent areas. This is important because it exposes the benefi ts of yoga to a broader group of people who would otherwise not have access to it. In the past I drove my car from the Crenshaw district to the Larchmont area for instruction. Now I take a 15 min bike ride to class.”Classes at Dharma Yoga LA are more

Six certifi ed Dharma Yoga instructors, all of whom trained with the master himself, share Sri Dharma’s teachings with students of all levels and ages from beginners to advanced practitioners in classes called “Dharma” Gentle, Dharma 1, 2, 3, 4 and Youth Yoga. Each class involves vinyasa (postures which fl ow together with breathing promoting cardio vascular fi tness) stationary poses involving balance, fl oor poses, relaxation, pranayama (breathing exercises) and meditation. In a city of “celebrity yogis” and “trendy” yoga studios, Dharma Yoga LA espouses classical yoga for physical, mental and spiritual vitality.

In 2013 Dharma Yoga LA transitioned into becoming a 501(c) 3 nonprofi t organization- S Enchill Wellness (“Essential Wellness”) with the hope of expanding its programs. The certifi ed nonprofi t enables the center to receive donations and grants, and in turn provides tax benefi ts to donors.

affordable than anywhere else in town. Clients who purchase class cards and monthly packages primarily support the center although those who cannot, pay whatever they can. As a nonprofi t, the center has demonstrated solid commitment to providing yoga to youth since opening and currently offers classes to a local battered women’s shelter. Owner/director Sonya E. Kendall left the practice of law after becoming “depressed by the injustice in the legal system” longing to work for social justice in a meaningful way. At the same time she was tired of being “the only person with brown skin” in the advanced yoga classes she was taking in Santa Monica. “Yoga is a system of divine techniques specifi cally designed for self improvement and wellness through physical, mental and spiritual health”- Sonya explains- but like other valuable resources Yoga is generally only available in affl uent communities. Yoga should be for

everyone. Dharma Yoga LA is also unique in Los Angeles in that the instructors, desk staff and clients truly make up an ethnically diverse, international community. You will meet people from all walks of life at Dharma LA including retirees, college and graduate students, kids, those with tattoos, athletes, professionals, people with weight issues etc. – all doing the same thing: improving their health and fi nding inner peace.YOU'RE INVITED!Come immerse yourself in the joyous energy and vibrations at Dharma Yoga LA to celebrate our 6th YEAR ANNIVERSARY on Saturday August 30th! The schedule:9:30-10:45am Dharma 1-2 class10:45-11:55 Yoga demonstration, chanting, blessings, celebration! 12:00-1:30pm Dharma 3-4 class

1:30-1:55pm Yoga demonstration, continued celebration!2:00-3:30pm Dharma 1 classSpecial Anniversary Packages- New Student Specials!Unlimited classes within 8 consecutive days-$25Unlimited classes within one month-$60

INQUIRIES:dharmayogala@gmail.com

subject line “Sonya”. VISIT US

4567 W. WASHINGTON BLVD. 90016CALL

323.937.9642www.dmyla.com

Advertorial

DHARMA YOGA LAKeeping Our Community

Tuned Up & Tuned In

Class schedule- open 7 days a week, see website for more details: www.dmyla.comMonday; Gentle Yoga 7:15am, Dharma 2 9:30am, Dharma 1 6:30pm Tuesday; Kundalini Yoga 7:15am, Dharma 3-4 6:30pm, Dharma 8:30pmWednesday; Dharma 1 7:15am, Dharma 3 9:30am, Qi Gong 6:30pmThursday; Kundalini Yoga 7:15am, Gentle 5:00pm, Dharma 1 6:30, Dharma 2 8:30pmFriday; All Levels/ Rise 'n Shine 8:15amSaturday; Dharma 1-2 9:30am, Dharma 3-4 12 noon, Dharma 1 2:00pmSunday : All Levels 11:30, Gentle Yoga 1:30

8 AUG/SEPT 2014 Keep our Local Businesses in Business. Use local Services!

Saving this date will save lives! - is the slogan being spoken by the

organizers of a Disaster Awareness Course that will take place on Saturday September 27, 2014 from 730 A.M. to 12 P.M. at Iglesia Cristiana Antioquia 3501 West Adams Boulevard. This three hour course is "Disaster Prep 101" for individuals and families who need to prepare for the next major disaster (most likely an earthquake) that will hit Southern California. In 2014, we experienced fi ve signifi cant earthquakes and experts are begging us to get ready. Starting promptly at 9AM, attendees will fi nd out how to prepare their home for the event, cut on/off important utilities, store provisions like food, water, and personal hygiene items for UP TO 7 DAYS of self-reliance. Attendees will be given basic search and rescue skills, remedial fi rst aid techniques, and even see how to determine if a building is safe or not

for entry. The course curriculum is derived from the LAFD's CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) training, but is designed for individual/family unit use. Hosting the event is The Disaster Planning Group which is composed of block clubs, area stakeholders, churches, CERT Battalion 18, and others. The group is chaired by Debra Varnado (5th Avenue Block Club/CERT) with Chin Thammasaengsri (Lafayette Road United Neighbors/CERT) as vice chair. The course will be taught by LAFD Captain Stacy Gerlich and is FREE OF CHARGE to those attending. The emphasis for this training is aimed specifi cally at the Mid-City, West Adams, and South L.A. communities where preparedness training is sorely needed. The morning will begin with a tasty “Morning Eye-Opener” beginning at 7:30 A.M., followed by appearances by local offi cials, safety themed tables, and more. YOU MUST R.S.V.P. FOR THIS EVENT AT DAC92714@gmail.com, so we can have a proper count of who is attending. You may also use this address for questions or more information on the event itself. Also, join our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/groups/ladisasterplan.

EARTHQUAKE COMING!Seriously...it Reeeally IS!

Chin Thammasaengsri

9w w w.thene ighborhoodne ws .ne t AUG/SEPT 2014

Many of you have seen Renee Gunter at events in our community. Tall, beautiful, commanding, (she had a

previous life as a European runway model for Balenciaga and Givenchy) Renee has always looked like a woman on a mission. Aware of our potential drought issues as far back as the early 90s, Renee developed a landscaping business which focused on drought tolerant gardens. More recently, concerned that the

community she was raised in, South L.A., was suffering from a lack of healthy organic produce, she rolled her sleeves up, purchased a beat up old truck, restored it to vintage perfection, christened it “Roscoe” and now has a thriving mobile organic produce service called “DO! Daily Organics” Daily Organics regularly offers up seasonal organic fruits and vegetables sourced from small farm Co-ops and a local distributor that specializes in USDA and CCOF certifi ed Organic produce. She also provides whole grain breads from a local artisinal bakery, locally made jams and small batch locally roasted coffee.

Renee GunterChanging Our World

One Organic, Juicy Peach at a TimeD.V. Lawrence

LOCATIONS:SATURDAY8:30 - 10:305401 W. Pico at Ridgely11:30 - 2 pm 801 N. Fairfax (1 blk. n. of Melrose)SUNDAY10 - 1 pmCorner of 29th and Cimmaron

To fi nd out what's on the weekly menu:www.dailyorganicsla.com

or follow on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. Sign up on Website for weekly email menu items and updates. Or call 323-250-9931

10 AUG/SEPT 2014 w w w.thene ighborhoodne ws .ne t

To encourage more outdoor water conservation, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) has

increased its Cash In Your Lawn incentive to $3 a square foot from $2 a square foot for residential customers to replace their water-thirsty grass with California Friendly plants and other water-wise landscaping. (Of the 600 million gallons of drinking water delivered daily in the City of Los Angeles, about half is used for watering outdoors.)

LADWP water customers must adhere to the current, mandatory Water Conservation Ordinance that limits watering with sprinklers to three days a week. Making the additional switch to gardens featuring native California Friendly plants is voluntary, but encouraged, as Los Angeles and many other water utilities are looking to longer-term solutions in dealing with dry climate cycles.

All LADWP customers interested in the Cash In Your Lawn Program must pre-apply for a rebate and receive LADWP approval before starting the turf replacement project. The Department will rebate up to 2,000 square feet of lawn replaced, for a maximum cash repayment of $6,000. LADWP may also inspect the lawn before it is removed, and return when the project is completed.

Get Rid of Your Water-Guzzling Grassand Make Some REAL Green!

The California Friendly plant palette is rich and diverse, with a wide variety of beautiful trees, perennials, vines, succulents and shrubs from which to choose. To help customers transition to water-wise gardens, LADWP, through its partnership with the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, offers California Friendly landscape and gardening classes for customers to attend in person or take online. Classes include tips on drawing a site plan, installing drip irrigation, utilizing water permeable ground cover, selecting a water wise planting palette, and other elements of a sustainable garden. Information can be obtained by visiting http://www.socalwatersmart.com/.

Since LADWP implemented the California Friendly landscaping incentive program in 2009, more than 8 million square feet of turf has been replaced, resulting in 250 million gallons of water saved.

The Water Wasters! A Scary Bedtime Story

There once was a small thriving town in the middle of a desert. The only source of water was a large tank fi lled to the brim

with water that came from a source far, far away. The townspeople could use the water as they liked since the tank magically fi lled right back up again. But one day, a young woman climbed up the ladder on the side of the tank and look down. It wasn't fi lled to the brim anymore! The tank was half was empty! She rushed

D. V. Lawrence

11AUG/SEPT 2014Keep our Local Businesses in Business. Use local Services!

back to the town and organized a town meeting. It was agreed the only way to save the town, was to change their water habits. But some folks hadn't bother to come to the town meeting, others attended but refused to believe it was really happening, others thought they didn't need to heed the warnings because...well...just because. Still others believed that everything would work

Continued on Pg. 22

12 Keep our Local Businesses in Business. Use local Services!AUG/SEPT 2014

When the Los Angeles Conservancy, which recognizes outstanding achievement in the fi eld of historic

preservation, announced the recipients of its 33rd Annual Preservation Awards in June, West Adams’ own David Raposa received one of the awards for the restoration of the Joseph Lee Starr Dairy Farmhouse located on Arlington Avenue in Jefferson Park.

David Raposa Wins 2014 Los Angeles Conservancy Preservation

Award for Starr Dairy FarmhouseIn Jefferson Park

Cindy Olnick

Laura Meyers served as the historic consultant for the project, and Derek Japha was the architectural designer. Restoration architect Martin Eli Weil had also consulted on the project before his death in February 2009. Carpenters Taidgh O’Neill and Bob Gangl, among other talented craftsmen, rebuilt the Victorian era farmhouse, which is the oldest house in Jefferson Park and the last remnant of the neighborhood’s agricultural history. The Joseph Lee Starr Dairy Farmhouse was built in 1887 for a dairy operation started by Texas cattleman J. L. Starr. At that time, the dairy spanned twenty acres on what was then the western edge of Los Angeles. The farmhouse was designed in

the Folk Vernacular Victorian style by fellow ex-Texan Jasper Newton Preston. The well-known architect had moved to Los Angeles to complete commissions for the County Hall of Records (1887), the Andrew Glassell residence (1887), and Los Angeles High School (1890). He is also known for many works in Texas, such as the Driskill Hotel in Austin (1886). By 2008, after decades of neglect, the house stood vacant, had been partially demolished, and was rapidly deteriorating. The City of Los Angeles deemed the home a public nuisance, and it was in danger of being razed. During its vacancy, the building was occupied by drug users and vagrants. Then a subsequent

owner demolished not only a garage and out-building, but also the farmhouse’s early service porch addition and many interior elements. It had decayed rapidly to the extent that the public questioned whether the site could, but more importantly, should, even be saved. According to the Conservancy’s description of why he won an award, Raposa “rescued it from the brink of demolition, painstakingly restoring it in an effort that redefi nes determination. He even used the project to educate the community, providing public access then and now to promote the value of preservation.”

Continued on Pg. 22

Laura Meyers, David Raposa, Derek Japha

D.V

. Law

renc

e

13AUG/SEPT 2014w w w.thene ighborhoodne ws .ne t

Joshu Sasaki Roshi, founder of the Rinzai Ji Zen Center in West Adams and esteemed teacher of countless Zen monks

and practitioners throughout the world, has passed away at the age of 107. Roshi was born near Sendai Japan in April 1907. At 14 years he began his life as a Zen student, at 21 he was ordained an Osho (priest) and at 40 became a Roshi (an honorifi c given to one who has mastered the practice of Zen).

On July 21, 1962, at age 55 he arrived in the United States with an English translation book and a vision of establishing a Rinzai Zen practice in America. By 1968 and with 200 students he celebrated the opening of the Rinzai-Ji Temple on Cimarron at Adams, establishing the fi rst of several Rinzai Zen Centers in America. Sasaki Roshi was also the teacher of the celebrated musician/songwriter, Leonard Cohen, who became a monk in the Rinzai order.

The following excerpt is from my notes of one his teishos or talks given 7 years ago at the temple:"Such lucidity and power in his voice at his 100-year-old age! And so funny. Today, the last day of Sanzen, the bell went off to give him his "wrap it up" signal and usually he fi nishes his talk within 5 or 10 minutes but this time he kept going like a train speeding past the stations. He was bursting with information

about “positive and negative” a consistant theme in his talks. I thought, "This may be his last teisho! He must be feeling the need to get it into our thick heads while he still can." He kept going and going and you could hear the benches creak as people started shifting around. But it didn't deter him as he continued to illuminate his point from every angle. Outside the gardeners were cutting hedges with their loud saws but the noise just seemed to spur Roshi on. He told the story of a man and woman "shaking hands." Afterwards they peacefully lay together. Suddenly the woman jumps up. He asks her what she is doing and she tells him she has work to do! In my limited understanding, I took this as a metaphor for the activity of positive and negative, opposites joining to manifest "0" A state of tranquility, balance, no here, no there, nothing to run from, nowhere to run to. Stillness, presence, fullness, No Thing, then…. up and at em! Time to get things going! Activity! Manifestation! Finally he admits he has gone on longer than usual and he could continue to go on much longer, there is so much to be said but he thinks maybe some people have to go to the bathroom (a few giggles) so he will stop his talk....an hour and a half after he

JOSHU SASAKI ROSHI1907 - 2014

D.V. Lawrence

began. After his talks I always feel full, saturated, my mind

Photo by D.V. Lawrence

connected to something within me that has been allowed to blossom." A tireless teacher deeply loved and grieved.

Deep SorrowDeep BowPositiveNegativeZero, Now.

Keep our Local Businesses in Business. Use local Services!AUG/SEPT 201414

More and more people are eating less meat (fi sh is meat) – with A-list celebs, like former president Bill Clinton

and J. Lo making headlines on a regular basis. Even Beyonce and Jay Z gave it a shot, with a recent 22-day ‘cleanse.’ But it’s not just celebs; millions of people in the US are vegetarian, and restaurants are seeing a surge in people looking for vegan options. And it’s no surprise. Many of our top killers in the US are directly linked to what’s on our plates, including heart disease, diabetes, and cancer - and vegetarian diets have proven powerful in preventing these diseases, and maintaining a healthy weight. But eating less meat will not only benefi t your own health, it also spares the lives of countless animals suffering from abuse and neglect on today’s factory farms. With vegan-friendly dishes all over LA, there’s never been a better time to ditch meat. Here are just a few of the great vegan options in our neighborhood:The Grain Café 4222 W Pico Blvd. (w. of Crenshaw)This entirely plant-based café makes a mean smoothie, has an

Looking for Meatless AlternativesIn Our Community?

Sarah Von Alt

Continued on Pg. 19

15w w w.thene ighborhoodne ws .ne t AUG/SEPT 2014

One man’s trash is another man’s treasure and in the case of L.A. Green Grounds (LAGG), a group serving South

Los Angeles, one man’s dirt patch is an entire neighborhood’s delicious produce garden. This is exactly what LAGG is all about - transforming empty yards into edible gardens, particularly in areas where fresh, affordable food is scarce. The all-volunteer group was established in 2010 by Florence Nishida, Vanessa Vobis and Ron Finley (who has moved on to pursue The Ron Finlay Project). By the end of 2013, the group had installed a total of 27 edible gardens. LAGG encourages growing your own food, maximizing the use of open space, and overall wellness for the South Los Angeles region. The group also educates the community on all issues related to hunger, poverty, and the environment, including advocating at all civic levels.

The garden at World City Center Preschool falls outside of L.A. Green Grounds’ traditional projects but its execution and outcome is aligned with the group’s goals. Although this preschool is different than the typical garden install, LAGG helped install a full edible garden, dug by a team of volunteers, that will serve the neighborhood. The garden will be host to cooking classes

and gardening classes for students and the community. According to Rebecca Bernard, co-founder of the school,“If the [kids] see a strawberry that’s ripe, they pick it. They go home and teach their parents… they’ll tell them ‘That

watermelon isn’t ripe yet.’” As the last dig-in of the season, co-founder Florence Nishida planned the garden with the same strategic vision used for larger projects, taking the size and purpose into consideration. The

result had fun elements, such as Native American crops and a bean teepee, along with a mud hole/kitchen where the kids can whip up mud pies.

Bernard, a garden enthusiast herself, heard about the project through a friend. She loved the idea of a grassroots organization that fosters community integration and not only educates neighbors about the fi nancial and health benefi ts of growing your own food, but also yields an alternative to processed foods. She believes South Los Angeles is ready and hungry for healthy food choices.“We live in a food desert. It sucks that large corporations like Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s, which provide produce, don’t come into our neighborhoods,” she said. While boycotting such grocery chains, she keeps up a very active garden and claims her garden is worth every minute she spends on it. Flush with greens and seasonal goodies, her winter

LA GREEN GROUNDSGrowing Healthy Neighborhoods

Carla Pineda

Continued on Pg. 18

16 w w w.thene ighborhoodne ws .ne tAUG/SEPT 2014

78.2 million dogs deposit 30,000 tons of waste every day, 10,000,000 tons of waste a year. That’s 267,000 tractor

trailers fully loaded with doggie doo, lined bumper to bumper that would stretch from Seattle to Boston.According to the EPA, dog waste is considered non-point source pollution along with herbicides, insecticides, oil, grease, toxic

DOG POOP!A HEALTH HAZARD

chemicals from urban runoff and energy production, salt from irrigation practices and acid drainage from abandoned mines. Bacteria, worms and other parasites thrive in waste, eventually washing away into the water supply.

Two or three days worth of droppings from a population of about 100 dogs can contribute enough bacteria to temporarily close a bay and all watershed areas within 20 miles to swimming and shell fi shing.

Dog feces are common carriers of heartworms, whipworms, hookworms, roundworms, tapeworms, parvovirus, giardia, salmonella and e.coli. These parasites are added to water pollution through lawn runoffs and street drains and can be transmitted to humans.

The longer dog waste stays on the ground, the greater the contamination. Roundworm is one of the most common parasite found in dog waste and can remain infectious in contaminated soil and water for years. A recent CDC study found 14% of Americans tested positive for roundworms.

SO PLEASE TAKE THOSE BAGGIES AND PICK UP AFTER YOUR DOG FOR THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF OUR COMMUNITY.

Prior to 2013 between 19 and 20,000 feral and dropped- off family dogs and cats were euthanized at animal

shelters. June and July are the worst months as boxes and boxes of kittens are brought to the shelter. Thanks to the mobilization

FREE SPAYING & NEUTERING!at South Los Angeles Animal Shelter

D.V. Lawrence

of many rescue organizations, L.A. County’s commitment to reducing the need to euthanize to Zero with its resulting programs like mobile spay units and vouchers - and along with pet owners becoming more aware and responsible, the numbers dropped sharply in 2013 to approximately 14,000.

That is still 14,000 too many so recently the ASPCA has provided a grant to the South L.A. Animal Shelter to fund spaying or neutering of dogs and cats, allowing for FREE SPAYING AND NEUTERING with no qualifying requirements. Anybody can get their animals fi xed FOR FREE!. To get more information just call the ASPCA, Tuesday through Saturday, at 855-772-9752. (The Animal Shelter is located on West 60th Street, just west of Western Avenue.) Besides reducing the number of animals that end up euthanized, fi xing your pets solves other problems as well. It reduces testicular cancer in male dogs and stops their frantic efforts to escape your property when they smell a female in heat (which they can do up to 2 miles away). Females avoid monthly bloody menses and owners don’t have to deal with male dogs sitting on the sidewalk waiting for the female to make an appearance. Contrary to a popular myth, it does NOT make dogs fat. Too much food and not enough exercise is responsible for fat dogs. It also doesn’t make them lethargic or change anything about their personality. Be an educated and responsible pet owner and take advantage of this wonderful opportunity! Another good reason? Intact dogs cost $100 and more a year for a license. Only $25 for fi xed dogs. You can also call animal activist and shelter volunteer, Margaret Gascoigne at 310-963-0195 for additional information and assistance.

17Keep our Local Businesses in Business. Use local Services! AUG/SEPT 2014

They practice Saturdays at Queen Anne Park in Mid-City. They travel to events at various recreation centers

throughout Los Angeles after being challenged by other teams. They are Mid-City’s Finest, a multi-ethnic basketball team composed of eleven 9 and 10-year olds and one 11-year-old - Johnny Alvarado, Deshawn Dow, Paul Estes, Joshua Huezo, Khomani Jones, Paul Kim, Korion Steen, Erick Marquez, Diego Mullins, Michael Rodriguez and Harrison Ward.

Head Coach, Conrad Jones, 32, founded Mid-City’s Finest about a year ago after coaching the adult league at the Park and noticing a number of children playing basketball without a clear sense of some of the fundamentals of playing the game. “I started the team after coaching some of the players in the younger division. After that I just started searching for all the best players at age nine and 10 from the Park at Queen Anne,” Jones said. The team is open to both boys and girls. As long as

Jones thinks a player has talent, he or she can join the team. Once Jones, who played basketball growing up, found the best players in the Park, he created Mid-City’s Finest. (Until recently Jones had an assistant coach, William Hylton, who recently left to live in Las Vegas.)

Mid-City's Finest is a traveling team and plays at different recreational centers, which like Queen Anne Park have teams composed of their best players. When a team challenges Mid-City’s Finest to a game, Jones, the team and its supporters travel to such recreation centers as Saint Andrews at 8701 S St Andrews Place and the Jesse Owens

Mid-City's FinestHow Conrad Jones is Making a Difference

Dawn Kirkpatrick

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18 Keep our Local Businesses in Business. Use local Services!AUG/SEPT 2014

Join us on twitter@midcityla_tnn

garden did so well that she hardly spent money on groceries at all.“As a mother of two children under six years old, I don’t want them to eat crap,” Bernard said.LAGG ended its fourth consecutive season with seven edible gardens, including three workday events at Crenshaw High School. During its summer hiatus, the group keeps busy with community outreach to fi nd candidate gardens and volunteers for the September 2014-June 2015 season. If you’re interested in transforming your front yard into a bountiful garden, they bring the tools, seedlings, fruit trees, native plants, and their neighborly, friendly smiles to make it happen. They also do follow ups to check in with their garden hosts and teach them how to harvest and maintain their urban gardens. For more information, email lagreengrounds@gmail.com.

A decade ago developers acquired the property at Jefferson and Crenshaw which also included the Union Bank, originally

known as the Bank of Tokyo. They attempted to develop a large project which would have included demolishing the bank but fortunately, for preservationists, this project fell through. A few years ago the developers proposed a smaller project with a Fresh n Easy grocery as its anchor tenant. The community was thrilled as Fresh n Easy offered healthy pre-made meals, fresh produce and an alternative to other supermarkets. With the new project, preservationists were able to make the case to keep the Bank of Tokyo, an historically important building, but only the front half survived with the back half removed.

Unfortunately Fresh and Easy went bankrupt and the building was left languishing for a year before the 99 Cents Only store came along. Disappointment from the community wasn’t the only issue the store faced. The new owners were not told that Crenshaw Boulevard had a specifi c plan which determined what they could and could not do. Project approval depended on certain requirements being met - including transparent windows for 40% of the building. Unaware of this, a fl oor to ceiling wall was built behind the windows along Crenshaw revealing wall studs to passersby. Neighbors complained to their local neighborhood council, UNNC, which immediately jumped into action. After several meetings the Planning Department admitted it had made a mistake and rescinded the approval for the wall, which is now gone. At press time the date for the opening is unknown but imminent.

Good Bye Fresh n Easy Hello 99 Cents Only Store

D.V. Lawrence

GREEN GROUNDS. Cont. from Pg. 15

Think Globally Shop Locally

What's orange and sounds like a parrot?

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19w w w.thene ighborhoodne ws .ne t AUG/SEPT 2014

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extensive breakfast menu, and will deliver within 2 miles. Try the ‘Chicken’ Tacos, Chilaquiles, Cobb Salad, or one of the many mouth-watering sandwiches, including the Reuben, Club Sandwich, and ‘Tuna’ Melt. Palm Grove Ethiopian Rest. 1905 S. Western Ave #11. (s.w. corner of Western)This unassuming restaurant is neatly tucked away in a strip mall. But don’t let that fool you! Palm Grove is known for their excellent service, and always fresh, aromatic ingredients. Served with fresh baked injera, the Vegetarian Special is always a hit, and enough to share with a friend or two.The Blu Elefant Café 2024 W. Washington Blvd. (w. of Crenshaw)A tiny café that has turned into a neighborhood favorite, Blu Elefant offers a multitude of milk alternatives like soy and almond, as well as a few veggie sandwiches. Try an almond milk latte, with the Veggie Panini, Sesame Salad, or the local Hummus Plate. Pizza Rev 4550 W. Pico Blvd. (at San Vicente Blvd.) This isn’t your typical pizza place, with a special oven that can cook pizzas in 3 minutes. Build your own personal pizza that starts with homemade dough, and choose from a lineup that includes tons of veggies, (as well as fennel seeds, olives, mushrooms), and a dairy-free cheese. Sky’s Gourmet Tacos 5408 W. Pico Blvd.Of course you can get bean tacos at a bunch of places around town, but Sky’s offers non-dairy sour cream and cheese, as well as meatless meat. Try the Potato or Wild Rice & Yam tacos, the Vegan Signature Burrito, the Veggie Torta or a Quesadilla -- or you can just ask for anything ‘vegan style’.Papa Cristo’s Greek Restaurant 2771 W. Pico Blvd (and Normandy)This Greek restaurant, market, and bakery is a neighborhood gem, and has a separate vegetarian menu. Try the Grilled Eggplant, Baba Ghanouj, Lentil Soup, and the Falafel or Veggie Kebab Sandwich (hold the tzatziki!) served on a Greek pita. And their crusty delicious baguettes. Vien Café 6118 W. Pico Blvd. (E. of La Cienaga)Love Vietnamese? This place uses tons of fresh, colorful ingredients, and won’t break the bank.Try the Vegetarian Pho, or Vegetarian Tofu Banh Mi Sandwich, with the Nuoc da Chanh (homemade lemonade).Mateo’s 4234 W. Pico Blvd. (Next to Grain Cafe)With a few locations around town, Mateo’s has built a name for itself with delicious frozen treats. Try the Fresh Juices, Smoothies, and the Real Fruit Bars, in fl avors like lemon, guava, tamarind, jamaica, mango, and yellow cherry.Bloom Café 5544 Pico Blvd.This local favorite offers a variety of fresh juices, coconut water, and fresh squeezed lemonade, as well as several vegan-friendly food options. Try the Three Grain Vegetable Burger, the Gorgeous Green salad, or the Vegetarian Curry on Brown Rice.Still hungry? For more options near you, check out HappyCow.net, or download their app.

MEATLESS OPTIONS. Cont. from Pg. 14

AUG/SEPT 2014 Keep our Local Businesses in Business. Use local Services!20

Describing itself as a “boutique real estate development fi rm whose main goal is to enrich Southern California

housing by integrating mature homes back into the current market,” Re-Inhabit focuses on rehabilitating dilapidated period homes.

Previously focusing on the communities of Atwater Village, Silver Lake, Los Feliz, Hollywood Hills, Glassell Park, Highland Park and Echo Park, Re-Inhabit recently discovered the beauties of West Adams while developing a residential property at 1700 S. Harvard in Sugar Hill. Work crews started in February 2014 and before the renovations were completed, the single-family dwelling sold by early May.

Features of this two story Craftsman house located between Venice and Washington Boulevards., include a gabled roof, clapboard siding, and four pairs of noble columns supporting the overhang of a full-length porch. Work included removing awnings, knocking down un-original walls and tearing up rotted fl ooring, all per Harvard Heights HPOZ standards. As Re-Inhabit founder and President Rudy Dvorak describes, “We’re careful to preserve a home’s character . . . and deliberate about the

Re-Inhabit Inhabits West Adams

Re-Inhabit looks at overall potential of a property rather than specializing on a certain price range. Dvorak points out though that developers are hard pressed to realize sizeable gains in historic neighborhoods however, because of the high cost of careful restoration. A native of Laguna Beach currently living in Orange County, Dvorak developed a love for historic homes and West Adams when attending USC.

In fact Dvorak is so high on West Adams, he’s closing on another property on Hobart Boulevard near Washington Boulevard, which he will soon call home for himself, wife, three tweener/teens and beagle mix named “Nike.” While there were many surprising challenges with the fi rst Harvard Street house, Dvorak’s best news was how gracious and welcoming the neighbors were. TNN says "Welcome to our community!"

materials we choose.” The Harvard exterior was painstakingly scraped, sanded and scrubbed of its 1970s textured paint coating inch-by-inch. However the fi rm is realistic about the modern day expectations of buyers. “We’re decisive about what needs to be done to increase the value and function of a property.” One and ½ baths were added and the kitchen was upgraded to contemporary standards while leaving charming original details, like the original wood cabinetry.Re-Inhabit integrates green standards into their projects, and uses reclaimed materials.

What is most exciting is the attention this chic fi rm brings to the area. As their stylish promotional materials announce “. . . if you abandon your normal route, get off the freeways and cruise the surface streets you’ll discover neighborhoods throughout LA that are absolute gems. These areas are rich in history, fi lled with beautiful homes, and have managed to sneak under the radar of yet another frenzied real estate market. . . .One such area to which Re-Inhabit has turned its attention is Harvard Heights whose streets are lined with fabulous Craftsman homes built in the fi rst decade of the 1900’s.” Something that Mid-City residents have known for a long time, but real estate investors have largely ignored.

The developers who have a sister interior design fi rm called L.A. Salvage. organized an art show in lieu of a real estate open house. Re-Inhabit and LA Salvage’s stunning design sense is evident in every detail of the home.

Renee Montgomery

21Keep our Local Businesses in Business. Use local Services! AUG/SEPT 2014

Friendly Neighborhood Summer Lemonade Stand

Mitzi Mogul and Mom at Grand Opening

Julius Antiques

Smyrna Church Health Fair

Pics by Dianne V Lawrence (DVL) and Dawn Kirkpatrick (DK)

DVL

DK

DK

PresidentObamaLands atL.A. High to attend a fundraiserin HancockPark.

West Adams Heritage Assoc.Annual 4th of July Party

DK

D.V. Lawrence, Grandmaster Moon,Theresa Green,at Moo Sool WonKung Fu Graduation

Striving for the greatest possible historical accuracy, the project team conducted extensive research, from pulling records from the nineteenth century to peeling back the layers of the house to determine its original structure and colors. An informational banner and website informed neighbors of the project and helped foster support for a historic district (Historic Preservation Overlay Zone, or HPOZ). “The restored J. L. Starr Dairy Farmhouse provides enthusiasm and encouragement for future historic preservation projects in the local community, and was also open for public tours and training for HPOZ staff,” according to the Conservancy. “It is a shining example for others who dream of saving neglected landmarks.”The awards are selected by an independent jury of leading experts in architecture, historic preservation, and community development. This was another competitive year, with 26 nominations submitted and many deserving projects. Among other award recipients are the Ace Hotel and Ace Hotel Theatre in Downtown; the reinvented Forum in Inglewood; the Dunbar Hotel on Central Avenue; Rancho Los Alamitos’ Barns Area and Rancho Center; and Bob Hope Patriotic Hall, along with a special award for the Wilshire Boulevard Temple.

The Conservancy presented the awards at its sold-out Annual Preservation Awards Luncheon at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles on July 31. The luncheon is a rare opportunity for hundreds of business and community leaders to hear inspirational stories of how historic preservation strengthens communities and fosters economic development. City National Bank served as presenting sponsor of the luncheon for the fourteenth consecutive year.

To View more pictures of the house go to:www.starrfarmhouse.com

DAVID RAPOSA Cont. from Pg. 12

out okay and pointed out the tank wasn't half empty it was half full. They threw away the list of ways to help and carried on with the old ways. They came to be known as "The Water Wasters." During the following months, a majority of the townspeople worked diligently to change their watering habits, but the Wasters kept running their water while brushing their teeth or rinsing their dishes and letting their sprinklers go on so long, the water fl owed into the gutter. They took long showers, threw a kleenex in the toilet and fl ushed, watered their lawns whenever they felt like it- ignoring the watering days. Didn't notify a neighbor who might have forgotten their sprinkler was on. The tank slowly got lower and lower. So the townspeople agreed to fi ne the Water Wasters to see if this would help. After awhile the town gathered together and went back to check the water levels.....and this is the part of the story where you, dear Water Wasters...write the ending.Just changing One Habit can make a difference...more than one habit, a HUGE difference. Help our city, our community and ourselves. In our household we have a basin in the sink, and when it fi lls up with water we've used to rinse off a spoon

Community Regional Park at 9651 S Western Ave. Players on both the court and sidelines encourage and support each other during games, as well. When a player makes a basket or misses a shot during a free throw, for example, teammates give each other low-fi ves for encouragement. Also giving players support are team players’ families and other supporters who travel across the city just to watch the team play. “Wow, it’s an overall good team, good kids," said Ebony Williams, mother of player Khomani Jones. Williams is happy that her son is part of the team and praises the coaching efforts of coach Jones. She marvels at her son’s improvement. “Coach Jones is beyond amazing with patience. Khomani has improved so much in a year. He’s built up his confi dence…. Every single kid is amazing. They adore Coach Jones. All come in and greet him. No negative vibes, always embracing and learning. God bless him is all I can say.” To ensure players make it to practice as well as games, the coach even offers anyone a ride to games who doesn't have one, Williams said. "He even brings them Gatorade,” she said with a chuckle. Parent Alejandra Marquez, mother of player Erick, also praises coach Jones,“I think he’s really a good coach.” Other coaches scream at players she added. "There’s no screaming, no yelling. Conrad is the best; everything Erick knows Conrad taught him.” Coach Jones praises the players’ parents in return. He credits their support at practices and games for helping the players thrive. "Parents travel way to the other parks in packs. More come out to the parks then they actually do for practices and stuff. That’s most important that they’re willing to travel and support the team and the kids.” Jones also hopes to support the team and other children by setting up a nonprofi t foundation/organization. “It’s still in the beginning stages. I plan on getting it sponsored and basically have a program system where it’s more than sports.” It will focus on such things as academics. “A couple of students are really good academically, straight A students,” Jones said proudly. He would also like the nonprofi t foundation/organization to focus on “lifestyle needs … health and fi tness, various programs that will help them with life as they grow up."

AUG/SEPT 201422

WATER WASTERS. Cont. from Pg. 11

etc. it's poured into the bucket next to the sink, then taken to the garden to water the plants. To fi nd out ways to be a Water Saver there are many sites online. Here are a few. For Kids: http://www.epa.gov/WaterSense/kids/simpleways.htmlFor adults: http://www.wikihow.com/Save-Water,http://www.americanwater.com/49ways.php

CONRAD JONES Cont. from Pg. 17

Answer to riddle: a Carrot!

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and successful teacher, principal and administrator will continue to serve the students and parents of District 1 well.”

It’s time to fi ght nuclear bombs with nuclear bombs. The only people who support Johnson are preachers who tow King Mark’s line because they have charter school and preschool contracts with L.A. County which they believe would be jeopardized if they didn’t back Johnson. They told me that and told others in the community as well. It’s now common knowledge, particularly in view of what reportedly happened in one of our largest black churches a couple of Sundays ago when the pastor refused to interrupt his service to allow Johnson and King Mark to speak to his congregation. The preachers are getting bold, as they come to realize that the election of the truly qualifi ed candidate, McKenna, would set them free. The fi rst batch of smear literature against McKenna sported the disclaimer that it was not sent by the candidate or his campaign committee. It did state, however, that it was sent by the African American Voter Registration, Education, Participation Project (AAVREP), which, as we all know, is King Mark’s pet organization. He founded it and he is, therefore, responsible for viciously maligning McKenna’s stellar career. The offending document lists as supporters, King Mark, Rep. Diane Watson (ret.), Supervisor Yvonne Brathwaite Burke (ret.), Congresswoman Janice Hahn, L.A. City Council President Herb Wesson and SEIU #99, Education Workers United. Now, it really upsets me when people I like do something I hate. So I called them for an explanation. I called Hahn in Washington D.C. and Watson at her house and both women were appalled that their names appeared on such a raunchy piece of campaign literature. “You know I’ve never participated in anything like that!” Watson said. “Johnson came to my house and presented himself well and asked for my support if he ran for the school board,” Watson explained. “This was early when the election was fi nally agreed upon and I wanted McKenna in the seat, but he said he did not want to run for it. So I agreed to support Johnson, not realizing that McKenna would change his mind,” Watson said. “Now that he’s in the race, I defi nitely support McKenna and I do not like having my name on campaign pieces that attack him. I’m going to get to the bottom of this,” Watson said. [Ed. note: Ms Watson has since sent out her own fl yer giving clear support to McKenna] Like Watson, Rep. Hahn said she made an early commitment to support Johnson when he took her to lunch, where he made a decent impression on her. “Politics can get really dirty sometimes and this looks like one of those times,” Hahn said. “I must call over there,” she added. The other supporters named are obvious, as Burke’s support of Johnson is quid pro quo for King Mark’s support of her daughter for the Assembly, and Wesson’s support may have something to do with the rumors that Wesson has been anointed to replace King Mark on the Board of Supervisors when he terms out. We will speak of this, and related matters, some more. THE HOUSE IS OPEN --- The McKenna campaign held an open house Saturday at its Crenshaw area headquarters to which an overfl ow crowd attended. The people left the morning rally held in Leimert Park to protest the beating of Marlene Pinnock

and headed straight to the McKenna party. In addition to good food and great camaraderie, we had the pleasure of hearing rousing speeches from Rep. Maxine Waters, former school board member Rita Waters, venerable LAUSD teacher Owen Knox and Rep. Karen Bass’ deputy chief of staff, Solomon Rivera, who exclaimed to the enthusiastic crowd: “We will not be owned by anybody!!”

SANDY BANKS RESPONDS TO THE USE OF A QUOTE FROM HER ARTICLE IN THE JOHNSON SMEAR CAMPAIGNhttp://touch.latimes.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-80906219/“I’d quoted senior administrator George McKenna telling a community meeting that Miramonte's principal was not to blame and parents 'ought to be grateful' for the principal's leadership. Two years later that 'ought to be grateful' phrase wound up on a campaign mailer, suggesting that McKenna — who is running for school board — doesn't care about the safety of students. [….] I understand that politics is war, and a candidate's words and record are fair targets. But McKenna wasn't excusing child molesters in that comment from my column. He was defending Miramonte's staff — which was about to be replaced by Supt. John Deasy in a wholesale housecleaning aimed at clearing the taint of child abuse from the South Los Angeles campus. McKenna didn't agree with that move, but was tasked with carrying it out. He spent hours each week helping teachers-in-exile cope with shock, frustration and grief, and cheered — along with parents and students — when they were allowed to return to Miramonte six months later.” In the article she goes on to say: " It's easy to pluck a phrase from a newspaper story and make it say what you want.So for a little context, here are other McKenna comments from my columns that might not make the Johnson campaign's cut.In 2000, I criticized McKenna for imposing such a strict staff dress code in South L.A. that a male teacher couldn't wear an earring because McKenna considered that a hallmark of gang membership. I thought that was demeaning to teachers and socially out of sync. McKenna lectured me about students who'd been shot for wearing the wrong thing: "I have an obligation to set standards that are wholesome and safe for students and that's what I'm trying to do." Two years later, McKenna was an assistant superintendent in Pasadena when a fl ap erupted over a white teacher's contention that unruly black students were responsible for low test scores and poor teacher morale at Muir High School. I wrote about a public forum on the comment and included this quote from McKenna: "If children are disruptive, let's say that. Let's not say they're disruptive because they're black." McKenna reminded the crowd that almost half of Muir's students lived in poverty, one-third came from single-parent homes, and 1 in 10 lived in shelters or group homes. Teachers who couldn't accept that the stress of students' lives might spill onto the campus "ought to be teaching in Beverly Hills," he said. And two years ago when McKenna retired from L.A. Unifi ed, I interviewed him for hours, retracing the steps and missteps of his long career. "He wasn't a miracle worker," I wrote then. "But he was a wise and tireless advocate for underachieving, underprivileged kids."

LAUSD BOARD ELECTION Cont. from Pg. 4

23AUG/SEPT 2014

New Executive Board Members ofOur Local Neighborhood Councils

MINCPRESIDENT: MICHAEL SONTAGVICE-PRESIDENT: LORA DAVISSECRETARY: VALAIDA P. GORYTREASURER: SHAI LEVYPARLIAMENTARIAN: MARGUERITE DAVISSERGEANT AT ARMS: LORRAINE GENOVESE

OPNCPRESIDENT: JOHN JAKE, VICE-PRESIDENT: KY HO,SECRETARY: JUDITH WYLE,TREASURER: PAMELA WHITTENBURY

PICOPRESIDENT: JOE JORDANVICE-PRESIDENT: CLAUDIA BAYARDSECRETARY: SHARON CHRISTIETREASURER: AGNES COPELAND

UNNCPRESIDENT - JEFF CAMPVICE PRESIDENT - BILLIE GREENSECRETARY - NORMAN GILMORETREASURER - SANDRA PAULSIGNATORY - MARIUS STELLY

WEST ADAMSPRESIDENT: STEVEN MEEKSVICE-PRESIDENT: MARIA NORRIS,SECRETARY: STEPHANIE GOMEZTREASURER: DARRLY GARRISPARLIMENTARIAN: ERIN KLEINER, SERGEANT OF ARMS: JESSICA FISCHBEIN

WILSHIRE KOREATOWNPRESIDENT: RICHARD KIM,VICE-PRESIDENT 1: CELINE PARK,VICE PRESIDENT 2 : ALEX CHASECRETARY: AURA VASQUEZTREASURER: MONKHZUL DAMDINBAZAR

AUG/SEPT 201424

grounds and elaborately-carved monuments of L.A.’s fi rst lawn cemetery. This year’s portrayals include:• Mary Davis Flournoy, cousin of Jefferson Davis, and Lina Carlisle, cousin to Abraham Lincoln;• Col. Allen Allensworth, who was born into slavery, escaped during the Civil War and joined the Union Army, later serving as a military chaplain; in 1908 Allensworth founded a self-named town for African-Americans where they could live free of political and social persecution;• Margaret Meseroll Hayes, the last living Civil War nurse who died at age 101 in 1934;• Eliza Griffi n Johnston, the widow of one of the most famed Confederate Generals, Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston, who died at the battle of Shiloh;

LIVING HISTORY Cont. from Pg. 6

• Lyman Stewart, who joined the Pennsylvania Cavalry and fought at Gettysburg; after the war, he became an oil wildcatter who founded Union Oil, and then used his wealth to establish the “Jesus Saves” BIOLA (Bible Institute of Los Angeles) College and the Union Rescue Mission;

• Louis F. Gottschalk, who was a Missouri lawyer, judge and legislator who fought on the Union side and later served as the state’s Acting Governor before moving West;

• Clay Beauford/Welford Chapman Bridwell -- Bridwell changed his name and joined the Confederacy at age 14 (he didn’t want his parents to fi nd him). As Beauford, he later joined the U.S. Army to fi ght in the Indian Wars, and received the Medal of Honor;

• Harry Duffi eld, an actor who made his fi rst footlight bow at age 12, but a year later ran away from home to become Confederate drummer boy; after the war, spent a lifetime on stage and, later, screen.

Tickets will go on sale in early August and cost $30 apiece (by September 10; after that date or at the door, $35, space available). Purchase online or download a mail-in form at www.WestAdamsHeritage.com.

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LA BREAGROCERIE 1105 S. La Brea . S. of Olympic

WASHINGTON BLVD.BLU ELEFANT COFFEE Washington and HarvardPAMORE PIZZA 2910 W. Washington (s.e. corner Western) WASHINGTON IRVING LIBRARY 4117 W. Washington (e. of Crenshaw)MARISCO RESTAURANT. N.W. corner of Washington/CrenshawEBONY REPERTORY THEATRE 4718 W.Washington (e. of Rimpau)KABOOM RESTAURANT 4641 W. Washington

VENICEWILSHIRE POLICE STATION 4861 W. Venice (e. of La Brea)

PICOTOM BRADLEY FAMILY CENTER 5213 W. Pico (e. of Cochran)CJ’s RESTAURANT 5501 W. Pico (w. of Hauser)PINKY ROSE BOUTIQUE 5730 W. Pico (e. of Hauser)CULTURAL INTERIORS 5406 W. Pico. (next to Sky Taco E. of Hauser)MY 2 CENTS 5583 Pico (w. of Hauser)CORDIALLY INVITED 5513 W. Pico (next to CJ's)RALPH’S (Pico and Farifax)PAPER OR PLASTIC 5772 W. Pico (e. of Fairfax)VINTAGE REHAB 4619 W. Pico PAPA CRISTO (Normandie and Pico)

ADAMSVEES CAFÉ 5418 W Adams Blvd (w. of La Brea)

LIBRARIESWASHINGTON IRVING LIBRARY 4117 W. Washington (e. of Crenshaw)BALDWIN HILLS BRANCH LIBRARY (2906 S. La Brea s. of Adams)MEMORIAL BRANCH LIBRARY (4625 W. Olympic. E. of Rimpau)JEFFERSON LIBRARY2211 W. Jefferson Blvd. (w. of Arlington)

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