APRIL/MAY 2015Issue 41

Blooming in Your Community Since 2008

Councilman Wesson - 5 1/2 Years!

Interview with Grace Yoo

Homelessness in CD10

Hattie McDaniel

and so much more.....

Publisher/Senior Editor/ReporterDianne V. Lawrence

Staff ReportersCarla Pineda, Chelsee Lowe, Renee Montgomery Photographer, Social Media/Website Assistant

Dawn KirkpatrickContributing Writers

Chin Thammasaengsri, Laura Meyers, Kevin Glynn, Osmany Felipe

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

6 Herb Wesson Jr. Re-elected.

7 Grace Yoo Interview

8 Prepare for Disaster Training

9 William Clark Library Temporary Closure

10 Homelessness in CD10

11 Rash of Auto Thefts

12 Duke Ellington at William Grant Stills.

13 Marie Tropet/South Seas House

14 Featured Resident: Hattie McDaniel

18 Mayor Garcetti Report

19 Severe Drought! Tips. Contest

20 What is an HPOZ?

21 Featured Teens: Chemil Durant & Kathleen Glynn

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TO ADVERTISE OR SUBMIT IDEASContact us at: 323.871.8580

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HOMELESSNESS IN CD10Neighborhood chat rooms are often abuzz with the latest indignity suffered at the hands of the local growing homeless population. Not surprising since L.A. has the highest street homeless population in America. Calls to the Council Offi ce result in the reshuffl ing of these unfortunates from one resting place to another. Understandably it is as distressing to witness the effect homeless people can have on a community as it is for the homeless to be…homeless. Well, maybe not as distressing. Yet in many neighborhoods along the Corridor (the area north and south of the 10 freeway in Mid-City) we are seeing an increase of not only middle and upper income families buying and fi xing up historic homes but also an increase in the homeless population. It is a diffi cult combination but one that continues to grow with little solution offered. Because of a series of events including several recent phone calls to TNN, one from a homeless man, one from someone wanting to volunteer to help the homeless, two others from 2 USC students who are focused on homeless issues, TNN has decided to focus on homelessness in CD10 over the next year. The decision was cinched when the Editor watched yet another man with a sign asking for money, when he suddenly shouted out “DOESN’T ANYBODY CARE ABOUT THE HOMELESS!!!!??” Over the next six issues we will be looking at different aspects of homelessness in CD10 and we will hopefully give the community information about and put a face on this roving community who, as one homeless person told our reporter, are our neighbors.

TNN invited re-elected Herb Wesson to provide us with a State of the District Address. We were hoping to have him share his vision of and for our community. We never heard back. We thought it would also be interesting to fi nd out what it's like to run for council offi ce. Grace Yoo graced us with an interview.

We are in a SEVERE WATER DROUGHT! TNN is offering a $50 gift certifi cate to any of the local restaurants who have advertised with us. See PG. 19 for details. We invite you to sit back, put your feet up, enjoy a delicious taco from Tacos Como En El Df and take a little stroll around your community.

APRIL/MAY 20156 w w w.thene ighborhoodne ws .ne t

As expected Councilman Wesson pulled well ahead of challenger Grace Yoo but was it as big an

endorsement by the voters as Team Wesson had hoped for?

Another 5 1/2 Years!Councilman/Council President

Herb Wesson Jr, Wins CD 10 Election

D. V. LAWRENCE

Candidate Herb Wesson Jr. spent $416,761.12 to Grace Yoo's $81,068.25. The money generated 8,889 votes for Herb and 4,174 votes for Grace. Wesson lost 855 votes from his 2011 election while Grace, a fi rst time candidate, facing a powerful incumbent, with a fraction of his funding - totalled nearly half of Herbs votes. Admittedly not good enough but then again, not bad. What would have happened if she'd had half his funding?

One can hope that Councilman Wesson has had an awakening after viewing these numbers and will seriously consider why with all that money, his supporters decreased and why Ms. Yoo got as many as she did.

Another 5 1/2 YearsCouncilmembers are termed out after three terms (12 years) but because Councilman Wesson came to our community half way through previous Councilman Ludlow's fi rst term (Ludlow left for another job) Councilman Wesson was given a fourth term (this election). The Charter Amendment which places all the voting cycles on the same date, also passed, giving Councilman Wesson an extra 18 months for a total of 5 1/2 years in our district instead of the usual four years. At the end of his term he will have spent a whopping 15 1/2 years in our district.

Will he fi nally dig in and get involved with our small businesses, homeless issues, development along our corridors, senior citizen services, infrastructure,

community groups...or will he be spending his time haunting the power corridors of City Hall getting ready to become County Supervisor when Mark Ridley-Thomas terms out? With the election of Councilmembers he helped raise funds for, he has a lot of power on the City Council. (Some say more than the mayor. As we have reported...he is very good at gaining power. Does he have his eye on becoming the Mayor?)

Yet, at the end of his time with us, if he loses the election in his next powerplay (it was easy to get and stay elected in CD10)...he will have to get a job in the private sector so it's fairly safe to assume he will be doing whatever he thinks needs to be done in order to ensure he doesn't lose. Hopefully taking care of CD10, partnering with the residents and responding fairly to all residents, not just the favored few or high profi le issues, will be part of that plan.

A request sent to Councilman Wesson to give TNN a State of the District address to communicate his vision for CD10 over the next 5 1/2 years...went unanswered. Whatever he does, the good, the bad or the ugly, the Neighborhood News will be there to report back to you...ever ready to keep an eye on your elected offi cial.

Continued on Pg. 22

TNN: You're an ordinary resident deeply engaged in community service and you decide to run for offi ce. What was the most surprising thing you learned?GRACE YOO Dealing with campaign consultants. It was interesting to hear them tell me, "All you have to do is raise money. Your job is to raise money and meet greeters. That's it. Just raise money. Don't think about strategy. Don't think about anything else. All you have to do is raise money. We're supposed to do the thinking for you." I got to say, that didn't sit well with me. We went through two different consultants, and we had to part ways because I'm a hands on person. I'm running. It's my life on the line.

It's so about a system instead of being the right candidate. That was really just one of those awakening moments, and that's how I ended up having my cousin, Mike Yoo run my campaign. He had volunteered on the Obama campaign. I used to be a campaign staffer 20+ years ago before I ever went off to law school. I know what it's like day in/day out, and it is certainly exciting.

Mike and I made a lot of decisions together, and I got to run it the way I wanted and that's how we had such great volunteers come in. People couldn't understand, "Wait a second, you're not paying them and all these people are coming in to volunteer for you?" Yeah, because we believe in change and we believe in a great cause, and this is about community. I really believed in trying to go for that grass-roots movement, and I do feel that if I had had an additional six months, we might have done it.

And if you had some more funds. GRACE YOO Absolutely. I decided in July 2014 that I'm running for November, but I really had an internal struggle throughout that entire time because it's like, "Why am I running against someone who everyone says is not beatable?" But that's just not how I've grown up. You fi ght the good fi ght, even if it seems impossible.

It is not about manipulating the system. It is really about good people coming together to make that kind of change. I've just done the right things because that's what you're supposed to do, and that's how I live my life.

TNN: That's what we were talking about earlier. There's a difference between approaching things from the heart and sincerely, against all odds, playing fair, or approaching things from the ego and the desire to gain power and game the system to position yourself, get what you want regardless of the way you get it. I think that the line between those two ways of approaching life is sharper than ever. I've been told playing fair is naive and doesn't work in politics, gaining power. GRACE YOO Let's just look at how things are run right now, where we have all these ethical rules and campaign fi nance

Interview with Grace YooCD 10 Candidate Breaks It Down

What It's Like To Run For Offi ce

D.V. LAWRENCE

APRIL/MAY 2015 7

Keep our Local Businesses in Business. Use local Services!APRIL/MAY 20158

On a mild Sunday afternoon in Mid City, I drove over to Queen Anne Park to join 15 of my friends

and colleagues, members of The Disaster Preparedness Group (The DPG) based right here in Mid City, for an afternoon of instruction and practice drilling. We’ve been working for almost two years to get more people trained in this area. The disasters we’re talking about include (but are not limited to) riots, major power/water disruptions, hazardous materials incidents, and, of course, earthquakes. Of all of the situations I’ve mentioned, the most devastating is the ever-present earthquake.

My fi rst steps in this area were made in January 2014 when I took a CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) class hosted by Debra Varnado and taught by the LAFD. Debra and I founded the Disaster Preparedness Group (DPG) and we’ve hosted a “Disaster Awareness Course” that brought out 200 souls, active members in Battalion 18’s CERT Unit headed by Larry Bogatz, and we have also brought the 5 Steps Program into West Adams.

The idea behind CERT is to have groups of citizen fi rst responders available who are trained with skills in personal safety, situational size-up, fi re suppression, and fi eld medical when professional fi rst responders are not. CERTs are NOT replacements for them, but will work to bring order, help neighbors survive an event, and make the transition between us and fi rst responders seamless. We’re still civilians and our training core is to avoid becoming casualties ourselves while performing our duties.

Sunday March 25th’s “day in the park” was to give CERT & DPG members the opportunity to build on the skills we had already received. Debra and I know that continuing training is a must, so we decided to host this single topic session and will do one every quarter moving forward. Two-way radio operations were the “course du jour.” In disaster scenarios, phones, computers, and conventional communications avenues will NOT be available and communication is key to many things including squashing fear. We brought our two-way radios and shared with those who didn’t have their own.

The fi rst half of the day was spent listening to formal instruction from senior CERT member Susan Silver. We learned everything from how to turn on the radios to the best terminology to use when communicating. After the lecture, we took a break and did some radio practice within the park

PREPARING FOR DISASTERA Day In Training

CHIN THAMMASAENGSRI

Continued on Pg. 24

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The William Andrews Clark Library, internationally renowned for its 17th -18th century special

collections, will close temporarily beginning April 1, 2015 for building upgrades. Constructed in 1924-26 and donated to UCLA in 1934 by mining scion William Andrews Clark Jr., the historic Library will undergo a seismic retrofi t as well as construction of a new entrance pavilion and improved book storage in the basement.

Clark Library Temporary Closure

RENEE MONTGOMERY

According to Meg Sullivan, Senior Media Relations Representative for UCLA Humanities and Social Sciences, the stacks, that is, the place where scholars consult books and manuscripts, will close April 1st. All lectures, symposia and conferences will move to the UCLA main campus. The fi nal public event upstairs at the library will be an April 26th chamber music concert in the library's historic drawing room. Chamber concerts scheduled for the 2015-2016 season will be held at the Westwood site.

The refurbished library expects to reopen to the public in about one year with progress updates appearing on the Library's website at http://www.c1718cs.ucla.edu/clarkclosure15.htm. Located at Adams Blvd. and Cimarron St., the Library is considered one of West Adams most unique historic treasures.

Previous TNN stories found on our website- A Brief History Of the Clark Library- Cultured Cats- Chalk Repertory Theatre Brings Lady Windermere to the Clark- The Clark Library Book Club

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Continued on next page

HOMELESSNESS IN CD10The First in a Series of Articles

On January 27-29th, the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) completed the Greater

Los Angeles Homeless Count, which occurs every two years. This agency, with the help of Federal, State, County, and City funds, provides shelter, housing and services to thousands of homeless in L.A. County. Their main mission, "is to support, create and sustain solutions to homelessness in Los Angeles County." Results of the 2015 survey are not yet available. Contributed by Osmany Felipe, LA High journalism student.

Results of 2013 Los Angeles Homeless survey:Citywide 29,682; Male 19,819; Female 6,809;Male Children 1,574; Female children 1,479

Chronically homeless 7,173; Substance abuse 8,997;Mentally Ill 8,749; Vets 3,403; Aids survivors 283Domestic violence survivors 2,642; Physical Disability 5,342

AGE56% 25-54; 11% 18 – 24; 11% under 18; 8% 62+;14% 55-61

Ethnicity43% African American/Black 33% White/Caucasian21% Hispanic/Latino 1% multi racial1% American Indian/Alaskan native1% Asian/Pacifi c Islander

Number of Unsheltered Homelessness increased 67% since 2011 Majority of Unsheltered Homeless within LA County (73%)

Notable exceptions – CD 5 (65% Sheltered) – CD 6 (51% Sheltered) – CD 14 (51% Sheltered)

HOMELESSNESS IN CD10 Compare 2011 to 2013

In 2011998 total; 763 single adults; 234 family members1 unaccompanied youthIn 20131,168 total; 924 single adults; 240 family members4 unaccompanied youth

The City of Los Angeles shows a trend of decreased Sheltered and increased Unsheltered Homelessness. Likely contributing factors to these increases: – Continuing, persistent recession and high unemployment – The loss of critical resources available under ARRA, Homeless Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing funds – Lack of adequate affordable housing coupled with rising rents – Prison realignment strategies – Continued use of Community Development Block Grant Program funding formulas that heavily funds "age of housing" structures over lack of affordable housing. – In-migration from surrounding areas

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In late February, the Wilshire Division of the LAPD responded to an increased number of grand theft

auto incidents in its southern region, which is roughly bounded by Fairfax Avenue and West Boulevard to the west and east and Pico Boulevard and the 10 Freeway to the north and south. In an effort to encourage vigilance among community members, auto theft detective Wesley Lin spoke with The Neighborhood News about the crimes and how locals can help.

According to Lin, the Wilshire Division was monitoring a slight uptick in car break-ins in the area when a rising number of grand theft auto crimes began occuring. A clear pattern emerged — the majority of the thefts were Ford Econoline vans, many of which were fi lled with the owner’s work tools.

“These are vehicles owned by hard-working people — plumbers, carpenters — who leave a ton of equipment in their vehicles,” Lin said. “The thieves know that they if they take a van, it’s likely they’ll fi nd a lot of hand and power tools inside.”

Lin and his colleagues believe that the actual theft of each vehicle is completed by one group of criminals, who then drive the car to a given site. Then a second crew unloads the van of its contents, and a third crew takes the tools to a swap meet to sell for use or for scrap metal.

“The sooner we can get this information out there, the more we can impact the community,” Lin said. Below are the detective’s auto security tips for community members.1. Park your car in the garage.

Leaving your car in a protected garage, especially if you must store valuables inside, is the safest way to protect the vehicle and its contents.2. Park in a well-lit space. Since much of the community is apartment buildings, off-street parking may be hard to come by. If you must park your car on the road, try to fi nd a well-lit spot and do not leave things inside the vehicle.3. Consider added security. Having multiple layers of security, such as an alarm and a club, is a good way to stave off trouble. Keep in mind, though, that these defenses can still be tackled by a professional group of thieves.4. Be vigilant, call 911.

“I understand that there’s a reluctance to call 911 — we tend to rationalize unusual behavior — but if it’s three in the morning and there’s someone in your neighborhood that you don’t recognize, by all means, call,” Lin said. “We want patrol offi cers to talk to that person. There are very few reasons that your average, law-abiding citizen is on the street at that time. If you feel something’s unusual, call us — it’s your tax dollars at work. And the more tips we generate, the more leads we can pursue and the more likely someone goes to jail.”

Rash of Local Grand Auto Thefts

CHELSEE LOWE

Tips from a Detective

APRIL/MAY 2015 11

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Currently on view at the William Grant Still Art Center is the exhibition "Love You Madly, A

Portrait of Duke Ellington," seventh in the Center's annual exhibition series devoted to famous African-American composers. Running from March 6th to June 6th, the exhibition includes discography, posters, photographs, archives and art from the personal collections of Alden and Jack Kimbrough, who knew Duke personally.

Like the other exhibitions in the series-- which have featured Leadbelly, Thelonious Monk, Nina Simon, Sun Ra and Max Roach and Abby Lincoln--, the show is complemented by the Center's youth music program and launched (March 7th) with a live concert featuring the composer's works.

The annual African-American composer series pays homage to the Center's namesake, William Grant Still (1895-1978), the fi rst Black to conduct a major American symphony orchestra.

Called the Dean of A f r i c a n - A m e r i c a n composers, Still played a number of instruments growing up, earned a scholarship to the Oberlin Music Conservatory, then worked for noted musicians such as Eubie Blake and the Paul Whiteman orchestra. Still, who lived in Mississippi and Arkansas, moved to Los Angeles in the 1930s to dedicate himself to music arrangements for fi lm, e.g., "Pennies from Heaven" and "Lost Horizon," to cite a few. The recipient of several honorary doctorates, Still was the fi rst African-American to have his operas staged by a major American opera company, and to have his compositions performed by

WILIAM GRANT STILL ART CENTER

DUKE ELLINGTON, WILLIAM GRANT STILL

RENEE MONTGOMERY

13w w w.thene ighborhoodne ws .ne t APRIL/MAY 2015

such noted symphonies as Berlin, London and Tokyo.

The Center's outdoor wall mural depicts scenes from Still's opera "Troubled Island," a three-act opera with a libretto by poet Langston Hughes. The impressive red, black, and white mural (which can be seen from Adams Blvd.) illustrates scenes from the Haitian Revolution.

The William Grant Still Community Art Center, a facility of LA City Department of Cultural Affairs, is located at 2520 W. View Street, L.A. 90016. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 12-5 pm, closed Sundays and Mondays. Phone (213) 734-1164 or -1165.https://wgsac.wordpress.com/

The long-time parks leader, Marie Tropet, has been appointed to West Adams' South Sea House, an LA

City Recreation and Parks facility located in an historic former home on 24th Street and Normandie. Tropet, who started at the SSH last October, has served in some of Los Angeles' most challenging neighborhoods. She formerly served as director of Recreation and Parks at Glassell Park for over seven years after having had responsibility for the Mobile Youth Unit at Pershing Square on Skid Row and the Gladys Park Program for Seniors for four years. Tropet's impressive resume also includes working for the YMCA, teaching school, and practicing real estate.

Tropet explained to The Neighborhood News that she has several goals for the South Seas House but her "main focus is to develop programs that I believe the community will genuinely benefi t from." In particular she hopes to add more cultural and fi tness classes. "I really believe I can

Marie Tropet, New Executive Director at the South Seas House

RENEE MONTGOMERY

tackle that." Hitting the ground running, the Louisiana-native has already added free ballet/creative movement classes for ages 2 and up, piano lessons for age 5+, and violin classes through the LA Kids program.

Currently Tropet is starting up a variety of fi tness courses including women's self defense, martial arts, zumba, fi tness boot camp, and a class for seniors age 55+.

Continued on Pg. 24

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HATTIE McDANIEL2203 S. Harvard

LAURA MEYERS

Oscar-winning actress Hattie McDaniel (1895-1952) owned several homes in the West Adams area,

each one fi ner than the last, as her career progressed from singer and vaudeville entertainer to world-renown actress.

McDaniel was born in 1895 in Wichita, Kansas, the daughter former slaves. Hattie toured the country as a singer with Professor George Morrison’s Orchestra, starting in 1915. In the mid-1920s, she became the fi rst African American to sing on network radio in the United States.

But when the stock market crashed in 1929, the only work McDaniel could fi nd was as a washroom attendant and waitress at Club Madrid in Milwaukee. McDaniel was eventually allowed to take the stage and became a regular.

In 1931, she went to Hollywood to seek a fi lm career and began as an extra before capturing larger roles. When she could not get fi lm work, she took jobs as a maid or cook. Her brother, Sam McDaniel, was working on KNX radio program called The Optimistic Do-Nut Hour, and he was able to get his sister a spot. She appeared on radio as “Hi-Hat Hattie,” a bossy maid who often

"forgets her place." Her show became extremely popular, but her salary was so low that she had to continue working as a maid.

In 1932, Hi-hat Hattie made her movie debut in The Golden West. She then appeared in a number of movies, including Saratoga, where she sang with Clark Gable. In 1934, McDaniel joined the Screen Actors Guild (SAG). Her role as a happy Southern servant in The Little Colonel (1935) made her a controversial fi gure in the liberal black community, which sought to end Hollywood’s stereotyping. Nonetheless, McDaniel was an established fi gure, and during the 1930s she played the role of maid or cook in nearly 40 fi lms.

These comic, stereotypical roles in which she was cast made her a target of black activists, who charged that McDaniel "degraded herself and her race." Responding to this criticism of her fi lm role choices, McDaniel would say, “I’d rather play a maid and make $700 a week, than be a maid for $7.”

She is most often remembered for her role as “Mammy” in the 1939 fi lm Gone With The Wind, for which in 1940 she became the fi rst African American to win an Oscar.

Gossip columnist Louella Parsons reported:"Hattie McDaniel earned that gold Oscar, by her fi ne performance of "Mammy" in Gone With The Wind....Hattie, hair trimmed with gardenias, face alight, and

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CHECK OUT OUR FB PAGEVintage Los Angeles Mid-City

dress up to the queen's taste, accepted the honor in one of the fi nest speeches ever given on the Academy fl oor. She put her heart right into those words and expressed not only for herself, but for every member of her race, the gratitude she felt that she had been given recognition by the Academy.” During the 1930s, McDaniel had lived in a small home in Jefferson Park. But after her Oscar win, she purchased a handsome, $10,000 Mediterranean Revival mansion on Harvard Boulevard high atop so-called “Sugar Hill,” the exclusive West Adams Heights Tract. McDaniel loved to entertain, and often invited both aspiring young actors and soldiers to stay in her manse. But trouble was around the corner – literally. Some white homeowners in West Adams Heights attempted to renew deed clauses, by then expired, that restricted ownership to “Caucasians.” These homeowners tried to remove McDaniel and other African Americans from their homes on the hill.

But Hattie McDaniel was as devoted to civil rights as she was to her craft. McDaniel helped organize her black neighbors in West Adams Heights to advocate against these “restrictive racial covenants,” which were used to prevent people of color from purchasing homes in neighborhoods of their choosing. McDaniel – along with her friend and fellow actress Louise Beavers, who also purchased a home in West Adams Heights – became one of the named defendants in a case, Tollhurst v. Venerable, that marked the beginning of the end of restrictive covenants. A Los Angeles judge ruled in McDaniel’s favor. Eventually this case and a group of other cases were consolidated and went all the way to the Supreme Court. In the end, the Supreme Court struck down restrictive covenants, putting an end to this form of housing discrimination, not just in this neighborhood of West Adams Heights, but throughout the country.

McDaniel has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Hollywood: one for her contributions to radio at 6933 Hollywood Boulevard, and one for motion pictures at 1719 Vine Street. But it is her home on Sugar Hill that marks her contributions to civil rights.

For information about visiting Hattie McDaniel’s home on Saturday, June 6, see ad on the left.

What word in the dictionaryis spelled incorrectly?

Shop Locally

16 APRIL/MAY 2015 w w w.thene ighborhoodne ws .ne t

Think Globally

Keep our Local Businesses in Business. Use local Services! 17APRIL/MAY 2015

Keep our Local Businesses in Business. Use local Services!APRIL/MAY 201518

In line with his commitment to delivering solutions for Los Angeles that are based on the best possible information, Mayor Garcetti asked the City of Los Angeles Commission on the Status of Women to commission the report to guide policymaking to address economic, social, and other inequalities facing women.

Mayor Eric Garcetti announced the initial results of The Report on the Status of Women and Girls in

Los Angeles, the fi rst-ever study focusing on the issues and trends affecting the women and girls in the City of Los Angeles.

MAYOR GARCETTI ANNOUNCES RESULTS FROM

FIRST-EVER STUDY ON WOMEN & GIRLS IN LOS ANGELES

The fi ve-part report was researched by Mount Saint Mary’s University. The fi rst two parts, released today, examine gender equity in the areas of Demographics and Leadership. The other areas of focus are Education and Workforce Development, Public Safety, and L.A.’s Veterans.

“Our city only succeeds if everyone has an equal shot at success. For too long, our women and girls have been left behind and counted out, and I want Los Angeles to lead in employing and empowering women." said Mayor Garcetti. "This fi rst-of-its-kind report provides us with important information that will help us develop a plan of attack to address gender inequality and the issues affecting women in our city, which will improve our overall economy and quality of life."

In addition to announcing the results of the report, Mayor Garcetti also announced the strides his administration has made thus far to achieve greater equity in city government. Three of Mayor Garcetti's four Deputy Mayors are women, and of the 12 new General Managers he's appointed, six are women. And for the fi rst time in history, City Hall has achieved gender parity on its 41 boards and commissions -- in Mayor Garcetti’s administration, women hold 54% of these positions, and there are no longer any all-male

commissions.

“As a women’s university, it’s in our DNA to ask the critical questions necessary to help ensure equal and full opportunity for women everywhere," said Mount Saint Mary's President Ann McElaney–Johnson. "As a member of the Los Angeles community, Mount Saint Mary’s University is honored to provide vital research that helps the Mayor and his administration in the pursuit of gender equity for the nearly 2 million women and girls here in our hometown."

Key fi ndings of the fi rst two parts of the report include:• Women of color comprise 72% of Los Angeles’ female population, with Latinas representing 48% of all women in the City.• Twenty-fi ve percent of all L.A. women (25 years and older) do not have a high school degree, compared with 13% of U.S. women. Sixty-three percent of L.A. women have not attained a post-secondary degree, compared to 62% of U.S. women.• Thirty percent of all L.A. women under the age of 18 live in poverty. The L.A. poverty rate for single mothers raising children under the age of fi ve is 49% – four times greater than the rate for married couples.• L.A. women's median earnings are $25,557 versus $30,399 for men, meaning women earn $0.84 for every $1.00 a man earns.• Twenty-eight percent of city employees are women.• Women provide 78% of the City's administrative support staff and only 2% of employees classifi ed as “skilled craft.”• Women in Los Angeles City Government earn $0.83 for every $1.00 earned by men.The fi rst two parts of the report can be viewed at www.lamayor.org/statusofwomen

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SEVERE DROUGHT!!!SERIOUSLY FOLKS....IT'S SERIOUS

YOU CAN GET A $50 GIFT CERTIFICATE TO A TNN RESTAURANT AD OF YOUR CHOICE

(see your choices on our website under Food n Fun)Send us a story and pictures of how you are saving

water to: info@theneighborhoodnews.net

The staff at TNN will vote on their favorite submission. Your story and pictures will be included in the next issue of TNN and on our

website! You will be paid for your effort with the cerifi cate.

WATER SAVING TIPS: - Don't run the water while brushing your teeth or shaving. -Turn off the faucet while you're sudsing your hands. - When washing dishes by hand, don’t let the water run. Fill one basin with wash water and the other with rinse water. - Water your garden early in the morning or in the evening when the weather is cooler. Keep to the DWP watering day schedule. - Opt for a garden of drought-tolerant plants. - Use a broom to clean driveways, sidewalks and patios. - Full loads of laundry only, folks. - Soak dirty pots and pans instead of running the water while you scrape them clean. -FROM http://blog.sfgate.com - 15 TIPS TO SAVE WATER

20 w w w.thene ighborhoodne ws .ne tAPRIL/MAY 2015

WHAT IS AN HPOZ?Clue

HISTORIC PRESERVATION OVERLAY ZONEAdapted from the Jefferson Park District

General Information pamphlet by Laura Meyers

Many communities in CD10 are now or are in the process of becoming historic districts. With this designation

neighborhoods are able to preserve the distinctive character and beauty of their respective communities, which in turn will preserve the rich cultural and architectural history for future generations.

Historic districts in Los Angeles are defi ned by a special zoning ordinance called the Historic Preservation Overlay Zone (HPOZ), which is a City Planning Department designation added to our existing zoning regulations. WHAT DOES AN HPOZ DO? HPOZ designation recognizes the special importance of of a neighborhood, helping increase community pride and helping the neighborhood gain more importance and distinction in the eyes of many City employees.

The HPOZ historic designation applies only to the exteriors of buildings, and the site surrounding them. This includes features such as windows, doors, roofs, and porches, along with landscape and hardscape features such as driveways and walkways. HPOZ designation does not apply to any building interior and does not affect interior alterations.

HPOZ designation does NOT require that anyone spend money to restore a building or to make any alterations or improvements.

HPOZ designation can lower property taxes. Qualifying houses in HPOZs can apply to a state program (the Mills Act) which can reduce property taxes by up to 50%. HPOZ designation will NOT result in higher taxes.

HPOZ designation can increase the value of property. Studies have shown that over the long term historic districts have higher property values.

HPOZ designation can save homeowners money. Exterior alterations are reviewed by a neighborhood board experienced with fi xing up and maintaining historic buildings. They can advise you on how to do the work, how to save money, and where to fi nd resources for improvement.HPOZ designation gives neighbors a greater say over new development, such as apartment or commercial buildings along the main boulevards. HOW DOES AN HPOZ WORK?Each HPOZ establishes a neighborhood design review board which is an advisory body to the City Planning Department. Each board consists neighbors and professionals who are knowledgeable about the history and architecture of the community, historic preservation requirements and, ideally, restoration construction techniques. The board members are appointed by various City entities.

The HPOZ is part of the normal building permit process. If a homeowner decides to start a project that requires a

Continued on next page

21Keep our Local Businesses in Business. Use local Services! APRIL/MAY 2015

building permit, such as a new addition, or new windows, then the Planning Department and for many items the HPOZ board reviews and approves the project.

Each HPOZ has a Preservation Plan that includes guidelines that are commonly used by historic districts throughout the country.

HPOZs have different procedures depending on the type of work that is being proposed. In general, work that does not require a permit, such as routine maintenance, is not reviewed by the board. Regular work that needs a permit is reviewed by the board which makes a recommendation to the Planning Department. Minor changes to the exterior are handled by the board quickly. Major work, such as demolition, removal of the exterior of a historic building, or the construction of new buildings, requires a public hearing. All decisions can be appealed to the Planning Commission. If you do live in or own property within an HPOZ, there are additional benefi ts (for example, you can utilize the State Historic Building Code when renovating your house, bypassing some local building codes that do not refl ect the realities of older construction. And, you may not need to retrofi t older toilets to comply with water conservation regulations upon sale of your house.) But you should also be sure to get building permits for any construction work you do, since neighbors in HPOZs do tend to keep an eagle eye out for unpermitted construction. It's been said that the owner of a historic house is only its steward for a short period of time, but its architecture can inform many future generations about the history of not just the building but also the people who together created the communities we call home. HPOZs help ensure those legacies.

The Legion contest for high school students has been running for over 75 years and has awarded over $3 million in scholarships. It aims to instill in high

On Sunday, February 8, American Legion Hollywood Post 43 Commander Don Schilling and Oratorical Chair Randy

Kahn presented Los Angeles High School contestants Chemil Durant and Kathleen Glynn from Los Angeles High School with checks and certifi cates for their speeches in Hollywood Post 43's American Legion High School Oratorical Contest. Two other contest winners were Kyle Alford (Granada Hills Charter High School), and Samuel Novicki (Cathedral High School).

Chemil Durant & Kathleen GlynnSpeechmakers

left - Chair Randy Kahnright - Commander Don Schilling

left - Chemil DurantBelow - Kathleen Glynn

photo by Bill Tapp

school students a greater knowledge and appreciation of our Constitution, to develop leadership qualities, to develop the ability to think and speak clearly and to prepare them for the duties and responsibilities of citizenship

Congratulations Neighborhood News Featured Teens!!

KEVIN GLYNN, LA High History Teacher

Join us on twitter#midcity_tnn

22 Keep our Local Businesses in Business. Use local Services!APRIL/MAY 2015

Like what?GRACE YOO Like the complex where they're getting rid of something like 45 units of affordable housing. Those rare units are going to be torn down, and initially it was going to be a high-rise condo but luxury condos require more parking spaces for guests so developers are going to create a luxury apartment complex instead of condo complex, because then you need less parking which is expensive to build. What's really the astounding portion of this is - you can convert an apartment into a condo a few years after, and then you’re grandfathered in with the less parking spaces. Those are the kind of things that make my stomach turn.

Where is this happening?GRACE YOO Eighth and Harvard. I went to city hall protesting and the low income housing residents, who are normally very afraid to speak out in public, came out. They didn’t understand why they were going to be moved. They will be compensated but….. I really want to use this example of how things are misrepresented. I'll also use the example of what the lay person would call fracking. In the city, there is no fracking. There is only enhanced drilling.

What is the difference?GRACE YOO To the lay person, there's no difference, but to a legal defi nition of fracking, the difference is high pressured water (fracking) versus chemical dissolving of rock sediment (enhanced drilling) to get to the oil. So the councilman says, "We've done everything we can. I am with you people. Here you are. We have passed a resolution." what people don’t understand is that a resolution is not the same thing as an ordinance. If you want to stop something, you have to have a law, which is an ordinance. A resolution is just a, "Here are my thoughts. This is what I think." You get a resolution for someone's 50th wedding anniversary or someone's 90th birthday, or you get a resolution for the school winning the school championship. It's like, "Good job." or “I agree with you” It makes the people feel like the councilman's on your side, but did it stop? No. You are the council president, and yet you did not stop this, but you made people think you stopped it. That's what I mean by the misinformation. Oil prices are such that it may just resolve on its own because it's not cost effective, but we should shut it down while we have the opportunity. So I share with people that enhanced drilling, which is similar to fracking, is still going on at 2126 West Adams." They're like, "Oh my gosh."

It is going on?GRACE YOO That drilling site is operating. They have this incredibly high fence. We have limits on how high a fence can go. They are currently in violation. That site has been there for decades. When they're out of oil, they have to get in on the rocks. If the residents really wanted to stop it... they should pursue taking down the surrounding fence which is an illegal height. Can you imagine if people actually saw this site? But again, the prices in oil have changed once again, so this may be a dead issue.

In the fi rst election Councilman Wesson had no real opposition. The job was basically given to him. "There's an election?

laws, and yet you can have an independent expenditure come in and they can spend half a million dollars any way they want, as long as they are not coordinating with the candidate's campaign, everything's jolly good. It makes no sense.

Can you explain what you just said? GRACE YOO What happens is the elected offi cials usually have a non-profi t that they're very fond of, and so they may ask for funding. Let's use Mayor Villaraigosa as an example. He had his million tree planting, and so a lot of corporations would fund money into it to get in the mayor's good graces. That's the kind of thing where it's blurring the lines. Sure, it's not a campaign donation to you, but it's currying favor with the elected offi cial, and that unfairness is where I just feel like, "Wow, can't we just let everybody know how this is done?"

Typically in a non-profi t, you do not have to share where your funds come from. It is very secretive ... It can be secretive, and therefore, I'm just saying if we're trying to say you can't curry favor and you can only give a maximum of $1,300 for the mayor's race and $700 for the city council, yet you can give $7,000, $70,000, $700,000 ...

To some non-profi t that that person likes. GRACE YOO Exactly. Doesn't that seem like there is an undue infl uence right there? We need to prevent that from happening.

TNN Is there anybody paying attention to that?GRACE YOO Not really, but I will tell you, I'm looking to open up a law fi rm and have my staple be wills and trust, but I will take on whatever the city is not paying attention to. In Hollywood recently it recently came out that the developers violated the law and therefore they couldn't actually keep the property as it was built and that's because there was an attorney fi ghting this all the way through. It took years. I'm going to be that watchdog for district 10 so that this is a way to say, "Be on alert. We want you to follow the rules and the laws like every other district," and if it isn't, there's going to be some accounting to be done.

Many people are saying "I hope she runs in four years."GRACE YOO I'll be running. This is an opportunity to learn and come back stronger, better prepared. It's rocky. I have always liked the rocky thing. What can I say?

What were some of the critical issues you feel are going unaddressed in CD 10, and what brought you to these conclusions?GRACE YOO I think maybe three things. One is just basic lack of city services - street maintenance, sidewalk maintenance, tree trimming; that kind of basic maintenance is missing.

TNN: Let me interrupt you there because one of the arguments is that there just hasn't been the funding to take care of it. GRACE YOO That may be true, but isn't it interesting how during the last few months before this election, all sorts of areas were getting tree trimming and street paving and sidewalk maintenance? It's when they want to focus on getting something done, it can be done, and it was being done.

Continued on next page

GRACE YOO cont. from Pg. 7

23w w w.thene ighborhoodne ws .ne t APRIL/MAY 2015

What?" In the second election, he had fi ve people running against him, which to me says there's dissatisfaction but none of them were really viable candidates. When you appeared, you were the fi rst viable candidate to run against him. I think a lot of people were very excited about it, and I think it shows in the results. GRACE YOO I was told, I can't verify this for fact, but that I got at least a vote in every single precinct. [results for the number of votes each candidate got in each precinct were not available for this issue but will be included in the next issue] That's rare for a fi rst timer. I'm pleased with our campaign results.

People are dissatisfi ed with the way things have been going….I know somebody who works with the homeless population, and one year Wesson's offi ce wanted to give toys to the homeless families and such, and someone who works with the homeless population said, "Honestly, that's not what they need. The kids in the shelters aren't going to be able to keep the toys for more than three days. They can't keep this." She basically said it may make you feel good, but it's not any solution to the problem. She got dis-invited.

What mistakes did you make in the campaign?GRACE YOO You need to prepare all your friends and let them know how much you need them and I didn’t do this soon enough, I should've let them know in July, not in November. I got great support from friends, but I know I could've had more because I know all these wonderful people, but they just didn't have time to come out at the last minute. Some people found out randomly from various parts of the state and checks would come in and so forth. It's nice, but I could've done a better job getting donations and volunteers. I was so drained from my community work that I didn't have the bandwidth to do anything other than what I did, which took 70-80 hours a week from me.

A lot of the small businesses are really struggling. Many small business owners feel as if the city does things to make it more diffi cult for them. For instance there are a lot of these small businesses along Pico and because Pico is a drive by street, drivers don't really notice the shops so a lot of the shops will put their stuff out front on the sidewalk. Not on the whole sidewalk, but in front of their stores. The city came along and said, "You can't do that." Then the Pico businesses found out that just a couple miles west of them it was being done and nobody was hassling them, so why was it going on on their strip? They're really trying to get that strip going. Councilman Wesson has never met with them. It's terrible. Some of the business owners are starting to come together and create events. Pooch Parade is always quite succesful. GRACE YOO It's one of those situations where you go, "We need to deal with this fairly." That's what we want. We just want everybody to know what the rules are so we can abide by them. Is it allowed or not?

What's the most disturbing thing you encountered running for offi ce, and then what was the most helpful?GRACE YOO Most disturbing? The fear in some of the people about voicing their true thoughts and opinions. They were afraid to say that they support me.

Why?GRACE YOO They know Wesson is powerful, and this isn't just Koreans saying this kind of comment. It's anyone who has a business. We had people who are born and raised here who are not ethnic, who are Caucasian having the same kind of thoughts and comments spill out. There really is that intimidation and fear factor. That was extremely disturbing. I can understand that from an immigrant population having those thoughts, but for someone who's completely mainstream to share those thoughts of, "I can't really publicly support you too much because I own a business, and if he got wind of it, this could hurt me." It's that fear factor. That was disturbing.

I can tell you what was the most heartwarming. It was the people who came around who believed in doing right and doing good, especially the young kids. Some of them are just such a light and hope. That was the best, to meet these young people who want to do the right thing, and letting them participate in a campaign. As much as I'm thankful for them, they were thanking me as well. I'm just grateful for that.

I'm curious about the Koreatown support. It seems like the Korean culture seems obligated to donate upon request to the council offi ce and they have been seen as a “cash cow” to the representatives of CD10. There were Koreatown donation scandals with the last three Council representatives Nate Holden, Martin Ludlow and recently with Herb Wesson and a restaurant that donated lots of money to him and ended up getting busted. Is giving money to your politicians expected in Korean culture? GRACE YOO No, that's a part of the American "how to get business done" culture. In Korea, I want you to know politicians give money to the voters. "Please vote for me." They'd buy them lunches, buy them things. The people do not give money to the politicians. The politicians spend money on the voters. Here there are these unspoken rules and everyone says, "If you want something done, you want your CUP, Conditional Use Permit, you need to grease the wheel. This is how it's done." We know that there isn't a gun pointed at the business owner. Depending on the person who asks, sometimes it's an ask and sometimes it's a demand, but when you ask too often, then it seems to become a demand and a veiled threat that comes along with it. But I think this shaking down of a community is not happening only in Korea -town. I think you will fi nd that this is happening in other districts as well but we're voicing something that's been happening for 30+ years in the district. Honestly, the businesses are not doing well and are starting to feel the pains and the pressures.

Lots of people are wondering if you'll be running in another 5 1/2 years. GRACE YOO It may be sooner. You never know. There is the redistricting lawsuit that is going to appeal right now. If the court rules in favor of the plaintiffs, it means that they would have to redraw the lines, and so I could be running sooner than 5 1/2 years. It's a possibility.

Continued on next page

APRIL/MAY 2015 Keep our Local Businesses in Business. Use local Services!24

Why do you think the judge ruled against the lawsuit challenging the redistricting process? The impression I got was there wasn't enough evidence. There was only the video of Wesson caught on tape admitting that he was the one making the decisions about redistricting and he wanted to keep black people on the City Council [even though the two districts he stole from were represented by two African Americans]. He admitted people at City Hall went to him and told him what they wanted. Now, the video is just him talking and he could've just been saying that to make himself look good, look important. GRACE YOO The problem is that the admission false or true taints the whole process, and in Virginia, the court of appeals held that just because stuff was said, and I’ll add that it was lesser comments by an elected offi cial, the judges ruling made them redraw the lines.

According to the LA City Charter, section 201 "You shall keep communities of interest whenever feasible." So does “shall” mean shall, or does it mean “not”?" If shall means shall, it means you will. It is a must. It's mandatory. It is very hard for the city to deny my request to keep communities of interest together.

I submitted a map to the commission that kept Thai Town, Filipino Town, Korea Town together as a community of interest, and showed how feasible it was and yet would still keep the same required numbers of Latino and African-American seats. We kept everything in tact. It's like, "I gave you this map that told you how to do it and still keep the communities of interest together." My numbers were also just as good, if not better, with keeping the majority of the neighborhood councils in tact, and undivided. So it was doable but it got ignored. The commission would not discuss it.

I am amazed that the judge ruled against us. In Hollywood a developer broke the rules and this brand new building had to get rid of its residents. The judge said "Sorry, you broke the law. You can't have any residents. They need to come out." I'm hoping for that kind of judge who says, "You can't get away with that. You need to do the right thing." The appeal will be fi led in a couple weeks and the whole process will take years, but ... It may happen.

You know what my perfect job would be? To be a special prosecutor for the state, to look into matters. I would do an incredibly thorough job....but that job doesn’t exist.

boundaries. The most exciting part came when we divided the group into teams of two, and sent ourselves off into the surrounding neighborhood to “search & report” using a series of “scripted” emergency situations designed to make us comfortable using & talking on our radios. We found out very quickly just how DIFFICULT reporting back to base on a collapsed building or water main break could be when there are three other teams on the same frequency. For those of us at base, keeping straight exactly WHO we were talking to was hair-raising at best. Figuring out which team had the most important situation & giving them priority was unnerving. The idea was to fi nd out what we know and what we don’t know and then to improve. Additionally, putting us in stressful situations like this is preparation for the real thing and we can better adapt to it. I do have to say that there’s more to this drilling as it builds camaraderie within the team and that’s as key as anything else we might train for. As future sessions come, expect lessons/drills in search & rescue, medical operations, mapping our neighborhoods, and much more.

Want to get involved? Be prepared to help your neighbors? GO TO www.facebook.com/groups/ladisasterplan or email lacert2014@gmail.com.

GRACE YOO cont. from Pg. 23 DISASTER PLAN cont. from Pg. 8

Another objective is to more clearly communicate the connection between the South Seas House and Benny Potter Park. In December Tropet organized the fi rst annual holiday pancake breakfast. The community feasted in the Park, then walked over to the adjacent SSH for a Santa Claus toy give-away.

The SSH is offering another free community program in the park on Saturday April 4th -- a Spring event with Easter Egg Hunt for ages 5-12, a 3-on-3 basketball tournament, information booths, arts and crafts and a performance by the ballet students.

A licensed child care center of the LA City Department of Recreation and Parks, the SSH will provide Summer Day Camp starting on June 8th and running for nine weeks. Registration for camp, which costs $80/week with a $10 registration fee, begins on Saturday May 30th.

The South Seas House is located at 2301 W. 24th Street, Los Angeles, phone (323) 373-9483.

SOUTH SEAS cont. from Pg. 13

Answer to Riddle: Incorrectly

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