TNN Issue#25 August/September

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2012Issue 25

4th Anniversary Issue THANK YOU!!!

Publisher/Editor/ReporterDianne V. Lawrence

Associate Editor/ReporterRenee Montgomery

Staff ReportersCarla Pineda, Deborah Charles,

Contributing WritersChelsee Lowe, Regina Jones, Bella Hutchinson,

Laura Meyers, Capt. Juan AlbaronCopy Editor/Proof Reader

Hannah SimLayout & Design/Executive Ad Sales

Dianne V. LawrenceTO ADVERTISE OR SUBMIT IDEASContact us at: 323.871.8580

[email protected]

CONTENT

4 Neighborhood Council Elections. Development Updates.

6 In Memory of Willis Edwards.

7 Community Connects Through Internet.

8 Featured Resident: Wren T. Brown. 10 Bella Hutchinson Helping in Haiti. Alexa Bates & Nina Milligan, Jr. Olympians.

11 Queen Anne’s Allstars.

12 Eureka on Hiatus. 14 Black Fraternities Rooted in Our Community.

17 WAHA’s Living History Tour. 18 Joshu Sasaki Roshi, Zen Master Celebrates.

19 Local Business Owner Fatally Shot.

20 LAFD Capt. Espinoza Retires.

21 Seen On the Scene. 25 Eye On Wesson.

BACK PAGE: Retailers Map

L - R Carla Pineda, Deborah Charles, Dianne V. Lawrence, Renee Montgomery

Special Thanks to the 2011-12 donations from Friends of the Neighborhood News

John Baldessari, Buck Henry, Irene Ramp, Brian & Ruth Ekland, B.A.A. Cotton, Roger Janeway, Ralph & Starr Johnson, Sean Burke, Walter Matsuura, Robert Cronkite, Margaret Gascoine, Louis, Alyce, April Rogers, Hilary Lintini, Linda & Martin Ross, Denise Domergue, Lynn Pearl, Regina Jones, Steve

& Lisa Vasquez, Karen Haaf

2 w w w.thene ighborhoodne wson l ine .ne t span ish/kore an op t ionsAugust/September 2012

As I write this the Olympics are on in the background. Like everyone else I marvel at the physical perfection

and stunning skill of the athletes. But something else is catching my attention this time. Often when the winner wins, they turn to the camera and shout out loud and proud YAAAAAA!!!!!. That is pretty much how I feel about getting to my 4th Anniversary issue heading into my 5th year. YAAAAAA!!! One of the many things I have come to appreciate in these four years are all the small businesses that have taken a chance in our community and the many trials and obstacles they have faced in order for them to stay open and thrive. And to them I say YAAAAA!! I decided to put some of our long time advertisers on the cover for this anniversary issue. Without our advertisers you wouldn’t be reading this. Most of them have been with me since the fi rst, 2nd or 3rd issue. Ramone’s Upholstery was the fi rst business to take an ad, after he made me go and get my DBA. What’s a DBA I asked! He loved the idea and liked me and helped me get started. Papa Cristo was my fi rst big ad. Pinky Rose’s support gave me the outfi ts that allowed me to dress to impress, an important part of doing business. David Raposa has kept up his ad, just because he believes in what we are doing. Eduardo and Soledad from Print Plus, David St. James from Thai Massage, and the gang at Eureka all started their businesses the same time I started mine. All of them are still here (except for Eureka which is on hiatus for the summer, pg.12). Our community has discovered the blessing that is Peace Labyrinth because of their longtime support and newcomers Spirit Education and Desley’s Dog Care have been with us for awhile. It does takes a village to support a community magazine and I am indebted to all of my supporters from Scott McNeely who put our website together for free and taught me how to use it, to Laura Meyers whose journalism experience provides guidance and feedback, to the people in the community who have contributed articles, given me story leads and ideas. And of course there is Renee Montgomery, my Associate editor who has been a steady rock of support and ideas, Carla Pineda who has provided such well written investigations (and who is on hiatus as she prepares to get married) and our newest addition Deborah Charles whose roots in our community have been a blessing. And of course our donors. Wouldn’t be here without you. To all of you I say YAAAAAA!!!!! Now put your feet up, get a cuppa joe and take a little tour around your neighborhood.

“You have done a great job. I read each issue cover to cover!” Leonard Cohen

3Keep our Local Businesses in Business. Use local Services! August/September 2012


Neighborhood Councils are gearing up for elections this summer and fall and you, dear reader, will help decide

who will be representing your community. Your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to either run as a candidate to represent your community or Get Out and Vote! If you are the only person running for your area...You Win! Neighborhood Councils were created by the city 10 years ago to address the disconnect between the many needs of communities and the inability of their representatives in City Hall to meet those many needs. From the Empowerment LA website “Since its establishment in 1999, the Los Angeles Department of Neighborhood Empowerment (ed: DONE, the city agency which oversees the various Neighborhood councils) has grown into the nation’s largest and most innovative initiative in civic engagement and citizen-based government. Through a network of 90 Neighborhood Councils, the City promotes public participation in government and works to improve government responsiveness to local concerns.” These organizations get an amount of money from the city each year to contribute to projects designed to enhance and support their community through a variety of ways including; beautifi cation projects, funds for community events and giving residents a voice regarding the impact of local development. This means that you can approach your Council to help in any of these areas. Is there a house that is engaging in illegal development that will impact your property? Is there an unwanted development coming in to the community? Is there yet another store applying for a liquor license? Do you have a beautifi cation project? You can go to your NC with your concerns or needs and have them considered and addressed. If you are the kind of person who feels connected to your neighborhood, likes to know your neighbors, becomes actively involved in your blockclub or association or even gets inspired to organize your community around an issue….you are a perfect candidate to run for your local Neighborhood Council. They Need You! Involvement as a Board Member is an opportunity to engage in and learn how to work with others in a democratic process in order to affect positive change in your community. The Neighborhood News is distributed in an area that has four neighborhood councils. Mid City NC (MINC) www.mincla.org, and United Neighborhoods Neighborhood Council (UNNC) www.unnc.org, ELECTION DATES are OCT. 27. deadline for candidate registration is Sept. 27.Olympic Park NC (OPNC) www.opnc.org and PICO NC www.piconc.com. ELECTION DATES are SEPT. 17 deadline for candidate registration Aug. 17Check out their ads or Log on to their websites to fi nd out more. If you don’t’ know which NC you belong to, go to DONE.lacity.org/dnn/ and click on “Where is my neighborhood Council?”

In the Mid-Town Shopping Center, Wing Stop has opened for business and Pinkberry is nearly ready for its grand

opening. According to George Amran of CD Financial, the highly anticipated development at the corner of Pico and Hauser Blvd. which includes nine business spaces, is slated to open within three months. Though no contracts have yet been signed, prospective businesses to the complex include a nail salon, a sandwich shop and two restaurants. It’s slow going at Midtown Shopping Plaza (the Leow’s building) and although it will be 2–4 months before offi cial announcements can be made, things are moving forward with a slew of stores that will serve regional and local eating and shopping needs.

Updates on Leow’s, Hauser and MidtownChelsee Lowe

Neighborhood Council ElectionsAre Upon Us.

D. V. Lawrence

August/September 2012 5Keep our Local Businesses in Business. Use local Services!


Regina Jones Remembers Willis EdwardsFamed Local Civil Rights Activist

Willis Edwards and Ethel Bradley

Regina Jones

At age 66 and on Friday, July 13th, Willis Edwards succumbed to cancer. Willis was a celebrated force as a

civil rights and political activist, once heading the Beverly Hills-Hollywood Branch of the NAACP and shaking things up when he ran the NAACP Image Awards. Regina Jones, a long time resident of Country Club Park, worked alongside Willis on the Image Awards and shares her strong and affectionate memories of his affect on her life, the life of those he loved and the causes he cared about.

It’s hard to remember when I did not know Willis Edwards. Quite possibly my fi rst awareness of Willis was the early 70’s

when he was lobbying for the right to vote for 18-year-olds. Next he was everywhere working on Tom Bradley’s mayoral campaign. Once Mayor Bradley was in offi ce my husband Ken and I would run into Willis at every media or entertainment event we attended, most often with Los Angeles’ fi rst lady, Ethel Bradley holding his arm. Since his passing

everyone I speak with has a story about how Willis helped them. My next-door neighbor told me: “Willis got my daughter into student housing at USC.” My cousin shared: “He got me involved in civil rights while I was attending Cal State LA.” When my life turned upside down-- my mother died, my business failed and

my 20-year marriage came to an end-- I went underground. Every week Willis would call and leave a message on my answering machine, “I know you’re there. You don’t have to answer but I want you to know I love you.” He kept calling until I answered. For three years Willis asked me to handle publicity for the NAACP Image Awards. When I fi nally agreed the media area had outgrown the lobby of the Wiltern Theatre. The new pressroom was the Atlas Restaurant next door. I told Willis that I didn’t know how to set up a live feed and he said he’d get someone to assist me. A few days later a man introduced himself as being sent by Willis, while handing me his card that read “White House Media Core”. It came as no surprise at the 1987 Image Awards nominees

press conference when Willis, president of the Beverly Hills-Hollywood chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People announced, “The NAACP will not nominate a black actress for this year’s Image Awards,” adding that there was a “…disconcerting lack of balance in the roles available to black women.

Beyond the realm of comedic feature fi lms, roles for black women do not seem to exist.” The same year he spearheaded a full-time monitoring of the entertainment industry’s employment practices of black technicians and other employees. Resigning from President of the Beverly Hills/Hollywood Branch of the NAACP was a hard decision for Willis. He did so with incredible grace and integrity. His written resignation in the Image Awards program came as a shock to almost everyone as the lights dimmed, the doors closed and the taping of the 1990 show began. I often wonder if my advice that he do so was correct. The past two years I’d often run into Willis at the Eureka Café. Most often he was coming from church service at Ward

With actress Beverly Todd

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Tnn is a big fan of neighbors talking to neighbors and has taken note of how

the Internet is increasingly being used by our community to create mini news sources. The Fifth Avenue Times is an online community news source created by editor Debra Varnado for the Avenues. A recent posting on the Lafayette Sq Facebook page read “There’s a black dog and a red dog running loose down St. Charles St right now” closely followed by a reply identifying the dogs’ owners. The four-month old Facebook page, developed to help Lafayette Sq residents stay in touch, not only matches loose pets with owners, but also provides a host of other benefi ts for this Arlington Heights community. Bursting with activity, the model Facebook page hosts comments from neighbors about street issues, new-resident welcomes, items for sale or garden produce for share. Recent posts have recommended local eateries and handyman services-- with so much interest in home-repair referrals that a separate Lafayette Sq “Angie’s List” is now forming

Renee Montgomery

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Internet Connection Neighbors Connecting Neighbors


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The fi rst thing you notice when you meet Wren T. Brown is his gorgeous deep, full voice and the way he uses it

to shape words and thoughts in a courtly and beautifully cultured manner.

So it comes as no surprise to discover his family history has deep roots in African American theater. It is a delightful surprise to fi nd that his own roots are deep in our community. As a boy, Wren often walked past the famous Ebony Showcase, at Harcort and Washington Blvd. When the Ebony, a critical player in the support and development of black theatre in Los Angeles, gave way to the current Nate Holden Performing Arts Center, Wren was an adult with a history of theatrical

experience. He knew he was destined to make some kind of substantial contribution to the performing arts and when he saw the Center, with its multi-use 399 seat house and all the amenities of a world class professional theater, he knew what to do. In 2007, partnering with the late, great Israel Hicks and with the assistance of Councilman Herb Wesson, they were able to secure leadership of the Center and establish the Ebony Repertory Theatre to fulfi ll his and Israel’s dream “to bring diverse, high standard, professional performing arts to the Mid-City community, as well as the greater Los Angeles area”. He has more than lived up to the vision with award winning productions and prestigious events. Their revival of A Raisin In the Sun directed by the extraordinary Phylicia Rashad was picked up by the Kirk Douglas Theater for a second run. It also picked up an Ovation Award for best play in a large theatre in Los Angeles and several Drama Critics Circle awards. The interview offered up so much wonderful information we decided to focus on the things we know our community is especially fond of, our history and the history of our amazing residents. The full interview with photo’s can be read on our website www.theneighborhoodnewsonline.com under Featured Resident.

WREN T. BROWN: I am really, really honored to be here with you Dianne. We have been working together-- we are neighborhood companions-- but it is a real pleasure to be here with you. TNN: Thank you so much-- I appreciate that and I appreciate you doing this for us. Tell us about growing up in this historic community. WREN T. BROWN: I was born and raised 150 yards from the front door of this theater-- 1926 Rimpau Blvd-- and I live presently

in Lafayette Sq, a three-minute drive away. This community means more to me than any community I have ever been a part of or contributed to. Finding myself in a role of cultural leadership within a community that nurtured and informed my life is a joy unspeakable for me. First of all, we had everything. Within short walking distance, right at the corner of Orange Drive and Washington, we had a wonderful drive-thru where you could get fresh eggs and fresh squeezed orange juice and things of that nature. Culturally, we had the Parisian room-- one of the greatest jazz rooms in west coast history-- was right at La Brea and Washington. On Highland Ave and Washington was Tommy Tucker’s Playroom, a supper club, where wonderful artists came and where you always saw a huge presence of people dressed well and from all over this city. Coming down Washington Blvd east now from Highland, we had wonderful banks that were right on Washington Blvd. I remember the name Crocker Citizen’s Bank and Bank of America and Security Pacifi c. Coming down here to Harcourt was the It Club, a tremendous jazz room, where one of the fi nest remote recordings in the history of jazz was recorded, “Thelonius Monk Live at the It Club” in 1964, the year of my birth. On the south side of Washington Blvd between Harcourt and Palm Grove, you had the Ebony Showcase Theater, founded in 1950 by Nick and Edna Stewart. I think they opened their doors here, in ’65 or ’66. Because this was my neighborhood, I would walk past this venerable theater in my formative childhood years and see people who had made great inroads on Broadway and in television and on fi lm, those who did voice-over work for Hollywood Studios; to see African American stars and stars of all ethnicities and hues come through these doors was not at all unusual for my childhood. Mr. Nick Stewart had played Lightning on Amos and Andy. He and my grandfather, Troy Brown Sr., were in Swinging in the Dream on Broadway in 1939. I would talk with Mr. Stewart about knowing my

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Wren T. Brown Co-founder of the Ebony Showcase

D.V. Lawrence

Keep our Local Businesses in Business. Use local Services! 9August/September 2012

10 Keep our Local Businesses in Business. Use local Services!August/September 2012

I grew up in a very creative family; my father, Ron Hutchinson, is a writer, my mother, Alicia Taylor, worked in the entertainment

business and was a dancer, and my elder brother, Rick Hunt is also a writer. Therefore it was pretty much expected that I would become a writer/artist too. However, I had a pretty drastic change of heart during 9th grade. Now, applying to colleges, I am looking not for a great art school, but a school with a fantastic international and pre-med program.

I have been on many medical trips, but my latest was a 10-day trip to Haiti with a team of about 30. The team included three doctors, a bunch of med students, a handful of residents and a couple of paramedic/EMTs.

Mid-City was proudly represented at the recent Jr. Olympics thanks to the accomplishments of local

teen sports champs Alexa Bates, a USATF National Silver Medalist in 2009 and Nina Milligan, both residents of Lafayette Square. On July 23rd - 29th they competed for the

fourth straight year in the Junior Olympics held in Baltimore and are on a clear fast track to becoming Olympians in their twenties. Alexa’s team ‘Southern California Running Cougars’ competed in the 4x100m relay. Alexa also served as an alternate for the 4x400m relay. Unfortunately the Cougars missed advancing by 1/100ths of a second and did not qualify for the fi nals. There was a dramatic turn of events when the score board initially had them winning the race, then was suddenly revised, putting them in 2nd place. Her coach submitted a protest and the offi cials had to pull the photo, which shows the other girls torso crossing the line just before Alexa’s. Still an extraordinary show of talent on Alexa’s part and TNN salutes you!

Nina’s relay team the LA Jets is ranked third in the nation, with Nina in the top ten in her personal event. Their hard work won the gold this year in the 4x400m relay making them the fastest Youth Girls 4/400 relay team in the country. Three Cheers! When asked what they think about when competing, the two girls answered like the serious athletes they are: “I am mostly focused on catching the person ahead of me and not letting the person behind me catch up to me,” replied Alexa. Similarly Nina stated, “I get a little nervous but then realize I just have to do what I do, -- that if I fall to the level of my training, I’ll do fi ne.” Despite their demanding athletic schedules, both girls are superior students and well-rounded individuals. Alexa who has been on the National Elite Youth Honor Roll

LA Jets Gold Winners L-RBottom Autumn Wright, Nina MilliganTopAlex Haley, Kenndi Adkins

Alexa Bates

Bella Hutchinson Making A Difference In Haiti

Alexa Bates & Nina Milligan Local Junior Olympics Stars

Renee Montgomery

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I have my EMT (Emergency Medical Training) and fi rst responder qualifi cations and a lot of experience in the fi eld, however it was still a surprise to me when I was put as the head of wound care for the team. This meant I was in charge of all the wounds presented. I would have to clean them, apply medicine, wrap them up and even occasionally stitch them up. Now at this point you’re probably wondering if that’s even legal. Trust me, I did too. But, working in a third-world country

Bella Hutchinson

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11span ish/kore an op t ions w w w.thene ighborhoodne wson l ine .ne t August/September 2012

Queen Anne Park’s All Stars: Courage, Heart, Talent, Champs

Dianne V Lawrence

Queen Anne Park on West above Pico, has four baseball teams: the Dodgers, the Pirates, the Indians and the

Reds. On May 22nd at 7pm, while players from all four teams gathered at Queen Anne’s to play, and with parents watching from the sidelines, a gang shooting erupted in the park leaving one target and two innocent bystanders on the ground and wounded. Despite this traumatizing event and with some parents pulling their kids from the game as a result, most of the players were back the next week ready to play. The major and minor Queen Anne Allstars (the best players pulled from the 4 teams) went on to compete in the fi nal regional championships. The Major Allstars won the fi nals 3-2 against Evergreen Park while the Minor’s showed grit and courage in a dramatic fi nal game.

The Minors started off strong with a 10-0 win against Poinsettia Park. They went on to win the Western District Championship 10-2 against Hollywood Park in the opposing team’s home territory. This sent them to the championship game on July

Queen Anne Minor AllstarsFront row Left to RightGarland Church, Chris Noriega, Jesse Castro, Jerry Del Campo, Justan Marquez, Kevin GarciaMiddle RowEric Marin, Julian Cortez, Dru Mitchell, Julian Qintero, Estradas Solouarzano, Rudy BanuelosBack Row CoachesAssist. Coach Emilio Marquez, Head Coach Victor Flores, Assist. Coach Sarah Cortez

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For 4 years Eureka Cafe, on Washington Blvd east of Crenshaw, has fi lled several deep community needs. Not

only has it provide an exceptional menu that drew in customers from outside the area but more importantly it provided a weekend hangout for local movers, shakers, long time residents, new

EUREKA ON HIATUSD.V. Lawrence

arrivals and anyone in the community who wanted to run into their neighbors for a good conversation. The need for community connection cannot be underestimated so it is no surprise that the reaction was shock and sadness when it was discovered Eureka was closing it’s doors for the summer to reassess their business model. The teens of co-owners Therese Green, a local school teacher and her husband Johnnie Green a Fire Fighter, make up half the staff, and are headed for college, leaving a big gap in their team. Therese told TNN “We’re looking at our options. We might re-open in the fall or offer Eureka as a kitchen rental or special events space. I miss our customers dearly. People always told us that the minute they stepped on our property they felt love”. True That. TNN says “Hurry back!”For updates check out their Facebook Page ‘Eureka Cafe’ or Yelp. To order the Famous Pancake Mix or signature Belgian chunk chocolate cookies call Eureka 323-732-8600

Theresa Green, co-owner with husband Johnnie Green, in the early days.


Three of the top Greek letter fraternities have and/or had a strong physical presence in our community; Alpha Phi

Alpha, Kappa Alpha Psi and Omega Psi Phi.

A fraternity is an organized society of men associated together in an environment of companionship and brotherhood; dedicated to the intellectual, physical, and social development of its members.

Fraternity Row

The three fraternity organizations established their frat houses on Crenshaw Boulevard between Washington and Venice Boulevards. starting back in the 1950’s. The fraternity houses were far away from the college and university campuses because they were black and therefore not allowed nor recognized on the major campuses. This ban from the college campuses created a cultural stronghold of community involvement for the fraternities. For a short time in the early 1980’s, the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity was allowed to take over a house on the campus of USC when a white fraternity was suspended...until the suspension ended.

The Alpha’s, Kappa’s and Omega’s became icons of the community through their philanthropic projects, sponsoring of major social events such as debutant balls, and they worked together to form an annual inter-fraternal basketball tournament played at Loyola High School in the 1970’s.

During a scholarship awards luncheon sponsored by Alpha Phi Alpha, (the fi rst intercollegiate Greek letter fraternity established for African Americans and founded at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York in 1906) the alumni chapter, Beta Psi Lambda, awarded college scholarships to fi ve inner city young men graduating from High School class of 2012. The Alpha’s have over 185,000 members worldwide.

One of our most famous Angelinos, the late Mayor Tom Bradley, the fi rst African American Mayor of Los Angeles was a Kappa Alpha Psi. The Kappa’s continue to support

initiatives designed to encourage young men towards scholastic achievement and the development of leadership skills. They now have over 150,000 members worldwide.

The Los Angeles Chapter of the Omega Psi Phi has defi nitely kept to their Cardinal Principles over the years which are Manhood, Scholarship, Perseverance and Uplift. Their visibility and works here in the community have been based around supporting health initiatives e.g. Charles Drew Blood Drive and partnering with the American Diabetes Association as well as promoting voter registration. The Omega’s now have over 750 chapters worldwide.

The Greek letter African American fraternities along with some Latino fraternities have had a signifi cant impact on the movie culture here in Los Angeles/Hollywood by creating a certain curiosity about fraternal life; some of the movies you may remember; School Daze, Drumline, Mae and Me, Stomp the Yard and the newest to hit the theatre – Step Up Revolution.

Greek Letter Fraternities have deep roots in our community

Deborah Charles

Alpha Phi Alpha


On Saturday, September 29 at the Angelus Rosedale Cemetery, the West Adams Heritage Association (WAHA)

presents the annual Living History Tour. Tour the grounds as Marilyn Monroe’s grandmother, and Buster Keaton’s cameraman come to life and join Jazz Age Performers-- Vaudeville Flappers, singers, dancers, magicians, and even a celebrity chef -- on this unique outdoor stage. Did you know that the Angelus Rosedale Cemetery, located at Washington and Normandie is one of the city’s oldest, most historically signifi cant cemeteries? Founded in 1884, it is now home to many generations of Los Angeles’s citizens, representing every race, faith, and creed. Each year, WAHA tells some of their life stories while touring the historic grounds amid elaborately-carved monuments of L.A.’s fi rst lawn cemetery. You will meet some of Los Angeles’s most interesting early performers and entertainment industry personages (presented by costumed actors at graveside) portray the lives of a Civil War-era escape artist, a headlining dancer who lost her life in the 1933 Long Beach earthquake, a mezzo soprano who fought for civil rights, and a Chinese-American dancer/actor/MC, among other quirky characters. This year’s tour commemorates not only Los Angeles’s longtime role as the center of this country’s entertainment industry, but also the roles several of these personages played in the larger history of civil rights. In addition, the tour memorializes the 150th anniversary of the Civil War (1861-1865).

This year’s portrayals include:Della Hogan Monroe, Marilyn Monroe’s colorful grandmother

Mildred Washington, a vaudeville dancer and choreographer who headlined at Sebastian’s Cotton Club in Los Angeles

Victor Dol, L.A.’s fi rst chef trained in Paris, who opened a restaurant in 1876 that soon earned the nickname “Delmonico’s of the West”

Rita Carewe, a Jazz Age starlet and “Baby WAMPAS” (Western Association of Motion Picture Advertisers) winner who appeared in fi lms with Delores del Rio, Edward Everett Horton, and Mary Pickford

Sadie Chandler Cole, a Fisk Jubilee singer and a civil rights activist who helped desegregate L.A.’s cafes and beaches.

Byron Houck, baseball pitcher for the 1913 World Series Philadelphia A’s, who later became Buster Keaton’s cameraman on “The General.” Houck was the Vernon Tigers’ ace pitcher when the team was owned by Roscoe Fatty Arbuckle.

Harry Cooke, Magician and Civil War Union Army “scout” who was America’s fi rst Escape Artist

Honorable Wu (Harry Gee Haw), actor, singer, dancer, and vaudeville impresario known as “The Broadway Mandarin.”

TICKET SALES/TOUR TIMESAdvance Ticket Sales Only -- No Walk-ins!

Tours depart approximately every 25 minutes, beginning at 9 a.m., with the last tour at noon. The public is invited. Tickets are by advance reservation only; each tour has a limited number of spaces. The Living History Tour is a three-hour docent-led walk through the cemetery, over uneven terrain; visitors are advised to wear appropriate clothing and walking shoes.Tickets are by reservation only: $25 in advance, paid by September 24; $35 after that or on day of tour, if space is available. (Children under 10 attend free.) Angelus Rosedale Cemetery is located at 1831 West Washington Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90007.To order tickets in advance, log onto www.WestAdamsHeritage.org or send a check made payable to “WAHA” to:WAHA Living History Tour2410 Fourth AvenueLos Angeles, CA 90018Please include an e-mail address or phone number for confi rmation.FOR INFORMATION, please call the WAHA Reservations Hotline at 323-732-4223, email - [email protected], or visit www.WestAdamsHeritage.org.

Popular Living History Tour is BackLaura Meyers


On July 21st, The Rinzai-Ji Zen Temple celebrated

the 105th birthday of the temple’s spiritual founder and leader, Zen Master Joshu Sasaki and commemorated the 50th anniversary of his arrival in the USA. Festivities began at the Rinzai-Ji Temple at 2505 Cimarron Street (and Adams) and continued onto the opulent grounds of the UCLA Clark Library.

Joshu Sasaki 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 (title given to a zen master). 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 Temple on the Cimarron property, establishing the fi rst of several Rinzai Zen Centers in America. Between then and the present the temple has hosted many zen retreats and offers meditation instruction. Even at his age of 105 Roshi Sasaki remains the abbott and inspirational leader of the Rinzai-Ji Zen Center. Guests at the event numbered approximately 240 and included a delegation of zen monks and lay people from Japan as well as a large number of zen monks and priests, ordained by Roshi Sasaki. Also several of the guests were lay people from around the world and the local community. To everyone’s delight and pleasure Roshi Sasaki gave a special dharma talk at the morning ceremony and pleased his students by promising to live to 120. Roshi thanked everyone for coming to honor his efforts to bring his style of Zen teaching to the United States. Rinzai-ji Zen Center is open to the public for morning and evening meditations during the week and a Sunday meeting. Meditations are in a formal setting and a brief orientation for new comers is also provided. For more information contact Genshin at 323-732.2263. The Rinzai-Ji web page is www.rinzaiji.org.

Zen Master Joshu Sasaki RoshiCelebrates 105th Birthday &

50 Years of Teaching in America

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PICO SHOPPING DISTRICTDESIGN & STYLE DESTINATION

On July 19, TNN long time advertiser Lynette Ammons of Keep It Clean Inc. a janitorial business, was fatally shot

in her store front offi ce in the 1100 Block of La Brea between Centinela Ave. and Fairview Blvd. Three people working in the back room heard an intruder storm in, some shouting and shots fi red. There is speculation that Lynette was shot by someone she knew. A late model Jaguar was impounded near the scene. If you have any information that may help this case please call the Inglewood Police Anonymous Tip line 888.412 7463

‘Keep It Clean’ Owner and Long Time Advertiser Fatally Shot


On July 9, 2012, Captain Joe Espinoza retired after 35 years of service to the Citizens of Los Angeles. Capt.

Espinoza completed three tours at Fire Station 26 at 2009 S Western Ave. These tours were in 1992, 1994 and most recently he served since 1999. At his going away gathering on the 9th of July, Capt. Espinoza was visited by several members of the community as well as over

CAPTAIN JOE ESPINOZA of LAFD STATION 26, RETIRES

Captain Juan Albaron

Capt. Joe Espinoza and local resident Krishna McKain

100 fi refi ghters whom Capt. Espinoza had previously worked with throughout his career. A breakfast and lunch was served to over 125 people who got to see a video compilation of images spanning his career. It included a news report showing him in civilian clothes on the roof of a burning home testing for weak spots with his trusty fi re axe “Zeb”. He had been driving by, off duty, when he saw the smoke and fl ames. He called it in and rushed into action. Captain Espinoza received several gifts from his friends, including a great looking letterman jacket from local resident and CERT member Krishna McKain, an Ipad and his retirement badge. TNN and everyone in attendance wished Captain Espinoza a long and healthy retirement.

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Everyday is supportSmall Local Business Day


Olympic Park NC Celebrates at PIPSAnother Year of Gettin it DONE

WAHA Celebrates 4th of July

Hosting this years bashwas Maisha Closson (pictured here with sonBennett Barnes) and her husband Chris.

Jean Cade, WAHA treasurerand Roland Souza WAHA VP

Mitzi March Mogul WAHA Member

President Peter SchulbergOutreach Chair John Jakes

Treasurer Pamela Whittenbury

Board Member Laura Rudison

Board Member Ralph Johnson

Board Member Leo GuerreroBoardMemberRobertC.Michelson

Outgoing memberJuli VizzaOPNC thanks her for her committedservice and manycontributions!

Benny Potter Park Annex OPENS!Newly appointed UNNC Board member Sandra Pruitt helps celebrate. The Annex features outdoor fi tness equipment, a jogging trail and picnic shelter, funded by Prop K and supported by Councilman Wesson.

Meet some of the OPNC Board members

All photos by D.V. Lawrence

grandfather who had died in 1944. It was wonderful to hear about him from someone who had worked with him. Next to The It Club, was Ms. Waverly who is still alive. She had a wonderful little eatery there and made the fi nest hamburger I have ever eaten. Her family grew up very near to here. Savinar Luggage has been here all of my life, but also the parking lot for the employees here at the Nate Holden Performing Arts Center was a cleaners called ABC Cleaners. ABC Cleaners was owned by one of the nicest men God ever put breath in, Mr. Irving Berman. Mr. Berman was a Jewish man and the woman who pressed there was one of the great joys and lights of my life, Ms. Sally Gonzalez. I remember her with such distinction. Going back the other way on the corner of my street, Mr. Darling, with Darling cleaners, which is now on Harcourt and Adams. A wonderful, wonderful man, an inviting man. His children and I grew up together. Dr. and Mrs. Lee, two extraordinary people, were our neighborhood pharmacists. Laiken Drugs is still there with all of its signage but hasn’t been open for many years. At Tenth Avenue and Washington we had a Ralphs Supermarket. Just past that we had a See’s Candy on Washington Blvd. On Vineyard and Washington we had a Five and Dime. We had a real, real community with a variety of goods and services. Prior to Willing Workers being on the corner of Rimpau and Washington, there was Shop Rite Supermarket, brought to our community by Mr. Ted Watkins, one of the seminal civic and social activists in this city. TNN: What happened to the community?

WREN T. BROWN: During the late seventies and early eighties, we had the unfortunate rise of gang presence and we had a lot of fl ight from the neighborhood. I remember the Helms Bakery truck used to travel throughout these communities but there was a lot of robbery of many of the drivers so that really curtailed that presence. Additionally, the eventual crack epidemic

devastated Washington Blvd, which was one of our huge arteries. Between the drug scene and the rampant prostitution along Washington Blvd and the goods and services going away… there were a lot of reasons for what became for a time, the devastation of a community I love most. This artery that I grew up on had such a brilliant diversity of people. Every one of the shop owners of my youth possessed a kindness that I don’t see in the world today. There was a gentleman who had a shoe shine shop and his name was Papa and he always smoked very stubby cigars but was so large of personality. There was a gentleman here, Mr. John who had been a pugilist, a fi ghter and he was what people would call a hobo or a wino; he had lost one eye. He could not have been kinder to the children of this community. Always had a word of wisdom, always was a supporter, always was an encourager. TNN: How did you come to the theater world? WREN T. BROWN: It was something that had been in my bloodstream from the very beginning of my life. All four of my grandparents were theatricals. My maternal great-grandfather had his own theatrical troupe at the turn of the twentieth century called the New Orleans Strutters. His three children, his wife, his nephews and cousins, were all a part of his Vaudeville Show. My grandfather, his son, Lee Young Sr., was my living hero. He was a dancer and a comic on Vaudeville. As a child, he worked in blackface. He eventually was the fi rst black staff musician in the history of Hollywood; Columbia Pictures 1943. For many, many years he was the drummer and musical director for Nat King Cole. His sister, Irma Young, was also a dancer and singer and their brother Lester Young became the seminal and great tenor saxophonist, most predominately with the Count Basie Orchestra and then as a soloist. This is the man who named Billie Holiday ‘Lady Day’. My mother’s mother, Ruth Givens, was here at the Club Alabam and she was a torch singer in the clubs and big theaters here and in San Diego as a young performer. In addition, she worked for many years as a dancer and bit player in many Hollywood fi lms. On my father’s side, my grandfather, Troy Brown Sr., was the fi fth black actor

in Screen Actors Guild. He was from Memphis TN. He played Broadway; he played the London Palladium; he traveled the world as a comic and eventually as an actor in fi lm and the theater and he worked in blackface as well. My father’s mother was from Mobile AL; her maiden name was Bertha McElroy, she was a Cotton Club dancer, a chorus girl. Strangely enough, I was born into a very, very strong theatrical legacy. I knew at the age of fi ve years old that I had an ability to communicate in a way that set me apart seemingly from other children my age. I felt that I had a calling on my life at fi ve years old, I didn’t know if I was going to be an actor, broadcast journalist, or a minister, but I felt that tug on me as early as fi ve years old. TNN: When did you start acting? WREN T. BROWN: I acted in my fi rst play in grammar school at Alta Loma Elementary, right on Vineyard-- 1745 Vineyard Ave. When I was in the sixth grade, a very dear friend of my father’s heard that the Commercials Unlimited Talent Agency was looking for new faces and she thought I would be a great candidate. I did my fi rst commercial during this period for a product called Funny Face. I also had my fi rst television appearance with my sixth grade class. The greatest teacher I ever had in my life, Mrs. Aladean Markham, passed away two years ago. She was a folk singer; a lover of literature and poetry; she taught us folk dancing. We went to Willoughby and La Brea to the now recently razed KCOP Channel 13 building, across the street from the Bargain Circus. We danced a routine to the song, The Hustle. I went through my pre-teen and then teen years as an athlete, not interested with any specifi city on being in the performing arts, although I was always a great lover of the arts. The theater was always a very moving reality in my life. I rekindled my personal involvement as an actor in high school, at Hamilton High School, and it was there that I made the decision to make this my career of choice. I think when people talk about an acting bug, that’s too frivolous when you are really, really compelled to do something. You know, a bug is something we think of in temporal terms, you know, I have a little bug; you want to get rid of

Wren T. Brown Cont. from Pg. 8


that. I know it’s a real play on words and I understand that, but it’s really something much more profound than a bug. One day I was in the school auditorium rehearsing Oklahoma. I was not on stage at the time and had noticed a man who was new to our environment so I said, “Hello, my name is Wren Brown, welcome, and your name?” He said, “My name is Bob Preston.” I said, “Well welcome, I hope you enjoy yourself.” The next day, one of the greatest teachers in Hamilton High School history, Dr. William Teaford, who is unfortunately no longer with us, said to me, “Wren, did you meet a man named Bob Preston yesterday?” I said, “Yes.” He said, “Well he’s an agent at the William Cunningham Agency on Robertson close to Wilshire Blvd. He’s very interested in meeting you if you are interested.” I went to meet Bob Preston one day after school, and I started cold reading a piece of script for his assistant Dinah and he said, “Dinah, have you given him any notes or was he reading like this by himself?” She says, “No, he was reading like this.” He said, “Let’s sign him.” On the 17th of March 1982, 30 years ago now, I did my fi rst professional job as a young adult, and consider this the beginning of my career. I got the fi rst-ever national Chicken McNuggets campaign, with the Leo Burnett Agency out of Chicago IL. So I had my fi rst agents when I was in the sixth grade when I did the Funny Face commercial, but the agency that launched my career was the William Cunningham Agency and Mr. Bob Preston. I was 17. I then went to the Inner City Cultural Center, founded by a Dr. Alfred Cannon and the seminal Mr. C. Bernard Jackson, borne out of the devastation from the 1965 Watts riots. It was located at 1308 S. New Hampshire and Pico. I met everybody in the industry who had set a real strong example for me-- actresses and actors of all colors-- but particularly the strong working and star presence of the black acting community. They all came to the Inner City Cultural Center. So out of the ashes, that phoenix rose, one of the fi rst intentional multicultural performing arts centers. It was fi rst on Washington Blvd before it went up to New Hampshire and Pico, but that place changed my life forever.www.ebonyrep.org

That’s the beginning of my career. Being represented by the William Cunningham commercial agency, doing commercials, fi nding theatrical agents who would handle television and fi lm, and perhaps what we call the legitimate theater. Finding and navigating, learning about all of the trade magazines, trying to be in the right place at the right time, studying acting, studying voice, working on the stage to cultivate the instrument that I thought was there, that’s what it was about. But this neighborhood, these streets, these personalities, absolutely shaped and then formed my life in a way that I can never be separate from. I grew up in a very large Craftsman Home built in the early twenties. From that aesthetic to the soul of the people, the neighborhood and the kids that I played and grew up with and the laughter in the summers in the streets, and football in the streets, and a real community with camaraderie, where you did not sass adult people, that the other adults on your street were an extension of your home, if you misbehaved, those reports would come back to your home. It was a community, and this is a line borrowed from the brilliant playwright called Jeff Stetson,

Remembering Willis Cont. from Pg. 6

AME or FAME. He was usually sitting at a large outside table, greeted me with a big hug and immediately began pulling chairs up for me to join he and whoever he was with. It came as no surprise when I visited him at Westwood Veterans’ Hospital or Hospice in North Hills, that sitting with him were veteran actresses Beverly Todd and Judy Pace, NAACP president Ben Jealous, UCLA surgeon Dr. Christian Head and a room fi lled to capacity with Willis’ friends, family and admirers. In Willis’ company I’ve eaten soul food in Hollywood with Rosa Parks, attended an intimate Deepak Chopra training and dinner in LaJolla, celebrated the work of Artis Lane with the backdrop a magnifi cent view of the Pacifi c Ocean from Bernard and Shirley Kinsey’s garden patio and experienced many more once in a lifetime events. Willis leaves me with many wonderful memories. He quietly mentored me

providing expertise and counsel; he was always patient and kind and he introduced and nurtured my friendship with two exceptional women, Sandra Evers Manly and Billie Green.

Be sure and read the story on Willis that appeared in the July 15, 2012, Los Angeles Times: http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-willis-edwards-20120715,0,3756319.story


17th but as they arrived to play they were met with players from Costello Park who were clearly bigger. Despite encouragement from the coaches and reminders that they had what it took to win they found themselves at the bottom of the second inning, 8-1 for the opposing team. This is where the Allstars’ game kicked in. Rather than succumbing to what appeared to be the inevitable and simply phoning in the rest of the game, they rallied and rallied hard. To the excitement of the audience, parents and coaches they began bringing in the scores. They gained another six points raising the score to 8-7 at the bottom of the third. With two strikes and players on second and third base, the batter popped a fl y ball to second base ending the game. Nonetheless, the Allstars, parents and coaches were amazed, proud and excited by the minors extraodinary comeback. After the game they were awarded their Western District Championship Trophy from the previous win, confi rming their talent, courage and will to succeed. Head Coach Victor Flores said, “Our motto all year was ‘ganas’, Spanish for effort/desire. They proved to all that the best team doesn’t always win. We won more than a game on the fi eld; we won at the game of life. They never gave into their fears, which they in fact conquered. To all the families and friends, thank you for your support! We should all be proud of these little ones. They taught me a lot more then I ever did them.” TNN salutes the Allstars who remind us that it really isn’t whether you win or lose but how you play the game.

Queen Annes Champs Cont. from Pg. 11

Junior Olympics Stars Cont. from Pg. 10

found time to enjoy cooking in the Culinary Arts Honors Academy in middle school and maintain a 4.0 GPA for her 6th and 7th grade school years. The teen also enjoys fashion, photography and cooking shows. Nina is a 3.7 GPA student who also plays strings in the school orchestra, is a Student Ambassador and peer mentor at her rigorous prep school, and somehow also fi nds time to play volleyball! Alexa will be attending Marlborough School this fall in the 8th grade. Nina is entering ninth grade at Harvard Westlake. High-achievement runs in both families: Alexa’s father is Eric


with little to no healthcare provided, things like legalities seem trivial. The wounds I dealt with, while big enough to warrant a trip to the ER in the United States, weren’t big enough that I could make a mistake and hurt the person further. Most needed just a quick squirt of alcohol, a swipe of antibiotic cream and a nice bandage accompanied by the occasional lecture of keeping the area dry and clean, applying the medicine we supplied daily, not picking at it, etc. More intense injuries included a saline rinse, stitches and sometimes, anesthesia. I learned to administer Lidocaine in the back of a bus meant for about 10 people instead of the 20 standing around watching, not including the kicking child I was working on, and three assisting medical students (all at least fi ve years older than me) calming him down and holding him still. I use the term “learned” loosely; it was more like the doctor handed me a syringe and said, “go.” Nevertheless, I have mastered the task of sticking people with needles pretty well and have ever since been the go-to person when the doctors are too busy or overwhelmed to do it themselves.” Despite the many odd, frustrating, intense and hilarious situations I have been in, the thing that always sticks out the most to me is the people. The two things I see the most in these situations are desperation and hope. Usually the two come at you so fast that it’s only afterwards that you really realize what it was you saw. You can look in one direction during clinic and see people yelling and shouting in order to get the front of the line,and then immediately look the other way and see people laughing and smiling as they receive a supply of vitamins and antibiotics. It’s an intense atmosphere and you never quite know how to act as you’re bombarded with these visuals from all directions. Without a doubt, though, the people are the best part of the trips. It is for this reason I enjoyed teaching community education the most. Small classes about the correct way to wash your hands and brush your teeth brought such joy to people. The desperation to learn, the gratefulness it is met with, and the hopefulness they leave with is worth everything. The giggles and smiles from children when playing soccer with them, the laughs and hugs from parents when their children are given attention, the tears and crying from families when negative diagnoses are given, the wonder and content from mothers hearing their babies heartbeat for the fi rst time, and all of the bad and the good? It’s the people that make it worth it. Because that is something that will never fade. The medicine may be gone but the friendships and memories that were made? They’ll stay on forever.

Bella Hutchinson Cont. from Pg. 10

on the Facebook page. Because the page is private, accessible to neighbors only by invitation, it has also become a wonderful forum to highlight LS children and teens. Residents commend neighborhood kids on their accomplishments and teens advertise their babysitting or yard-care services themselves. Established by LS resident Wade Eck in early 2012, the so-called “Facebook secret group” page was developed in addition to an older offi cial Lafayette Square FB page open to the general public. The closed page allows neighbors to discuss issues too ephemeral or inappropriate for the offi cial neighborhood page, which is normally reserved for a more Wikipedia-like description of the community’s location and charms, and city details. “I‘d been communicating with many of our neighbors for years and realized the neighborhood as a whole could use a better way to communicate,” explains Wade Eck, an 11-year resident who specializes in new media for his own company MMA H.E.A.T. and clients, which is averaging over 200,000 YouTube daily views of MMA’s video library. “This is a private or hidden group allowing us to share news, photos and updates with each other. Hopefully it is helping to unify and build community in this era when neighbors are always on the go in this vast city of Los Angeles.”

Recently the LS page proved critical to neighbors networking about a spate of car and home break-ins, with several residents announcing incidents at their homes or suspicious activity on the streets. Before social media technology, communities had to rely on old-fashioned word-of-mouth or telephone trees for crime alerts, systems which often break down. Now with closed neighborhood FB pages, residents can quickly blast news to all residents simultaneously, and even recognize between multiple announcements that a crime pattern or MO is emerging. In one posting, a homeowner was able to physically describe two backyard prowlers at her address for the entire neighborhood’s benefi t. Because postings can be transmitted automatically to residents’ e-mail, IPhone or Blackberry, homeowners can hear of problems while away at work, shopping or traveling. Neighborhood Watch 2.0.

Bates, Deputy Attorney General for the State of California, and mother is local realtor Traci Bates with Keller Williams Realty. Younger sister Raina is a swimmer and performing arts student. Nina’s father is a former NBA player, her mother also ran track and her brother currently competes in basketball. “I feel great. I sort of feel like I’m fl ying!” explains Alexa about her running. Mid-City is certainly lucky to have Alexa’s and Nina’s soaring examples as teen role-models.

Internet Community Cont. from Pg. 7


Eye On WessonD.V. Lawrence

Councilman Wesson fi nds himself in steaming hot water over comments he made at a recent Los Angeles Baptists

Ministers Conference where he was invited to answer questions and calm the ministers’ concerns over the break up of their districts represented by Jan Perry (CD9) and Bernard Parks (CD8). The changed boundaries ended up benefi ting CD 10 while hurting CD8 and CD9 economically, and was seen by many as a back room power play by Wesson, not to mention a punitive reaction to Perry and Parks’ lack of support over his election as Council President. Statements Wesson made at the Conference were recorded and posted on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcboSTfejw0&feature=related) creating a news fi restorm and providing fuel for lawsuits being fi led over the new council district boundaries. During the Redistricting process last Spring, there were accusations from a redistricting commissioner, city council members and emails found (see copies of the emails at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADQfKYFCaYE 2:15 minutes into the tape) indicating a heavy hand in the effort to pad CD10 with more African American votes by siphoning the votes from adjacent communities. Koreatown activists recently fi led a lawsuit claiming the backroom deals prevented their community from moving out of CD10. They wanted to align with the Asian communities in the adjacent district and stop being a cash cow for CD10 politicians. Councilman Wesson’s seemingly sincere comments at the Conference ended up handing his accusers and those fi ling lawsuits a gift-wrapped present as he admitted being involved in the outcome and doing what he had to do to ensure a black majority in his district.

From the Tapes: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcboSTfejw0&feature=related)“Brothers and sisters, it was me against 12 other members of the council. I had no faction. I did the very best I could with what I had and I was able to protect the most important asset that we as black people have and that’s to make sure that a minimum of two of the council people will be black for the next 30 years. To make sure that in one area we as a people have a fi ghting chance.” and “If we come together as a people, we will have a council person from the 9th District ... who looks like you and looks like me. If we do not come together, it’s gone. As my grandmother would say, ‘It’s gone, boy.’ But...Jan Perry is black woman. The two people whose districts were disenfranchised were the only other two black people on the council, which begs the question...what is he talking about? CD10 is also becoming one of the most racially diverse districts in the city. Wasn’t it King who encouraged people to not judge someone by the color of a person’s skin but rather by the content of their character? Is our diverse community incapable of electing the best person for the job regardless of skin color? In this day and age can we envision a situation where anyone other than a black representative would not mean the downfall of the black community?

“The lawyers indicate that in a lot of ways, it’s [the statement] damning,” said David Roberts, who served on the city’s Redistricting Commission and is now running for Perry’s seat. “It shows that race was used as a predominant factor in drawing these lines, and we’re expressly prohibited from doing that.” In the tapes, Councilman Wesson refers to a previous conversation with a minister and says cryptically “He understood that I had to do what I had to do.” He encouraged the Conference to move on. “Now folks, it is what it is. The council has voted on this for the last time. There may be a court challenge and the court will decide. It’s time to move on”. (This was his response to residents in our community when questioned about a decision he made that not only created confl ict in the community but has spawned a lawsuit against the city). He goes on to tell the ministers to forget this issue, put it behind them and then proceeds to tell them what to think, followed by a classic Wessonism, “let’s have breakfast” a tactic he used to little effect in our community with the Neighborhood Councils. Most astonishingly he suddenly addresses the possibility that there may be questions about his honesty. “If you want to know if I’m a truthful man then you go talk to the other 12 members of that council and you ask them, ‘has he ever made a commitment to you he hasn’t kept.’ and they will tell you ‘no he has not’.” He pointedly didn’t say “ask people in my community if I have made promises I haven’t kept.” Like all politicians Wesson keeps some promises and forget others so it’s strange that Wesson would shine a light on this issue. As TNN has reported, 16th Pl. residents are fi ghting to address the harm done to their community by the overnight installation of a wall by local developer CIM, which is blocking the pristine views they were promised would not be compromised. The wall has introduced a host of problems and the residents spent months trying to engage Councilman Wesson into assisting them in getting the issues addressed. They were fi nally given a list of things the Councilman promised he would do for them. A half year later he has not only not delivered on any of his promises, (he used the words, “I promise”) but has also ignored months and months of emails asking for follow up. Some other Wessonisms when asked for something he doesn’t want to give is “let me look into it” “here’s what I can do” (with no follow up) or “I’ll get back to you on that”. To be fair this could just be standard Politician speak. Interestingly at the beginning of his presentation (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADQfKYFCaYE) he tells the ministers that he is not a king. “I AM the president of the Los Angeles City Council. I am NOT the king. I am one vote. So not one man could order 12 other people to do exactly what he said.” But then he contradicts himself and goes on to say, “ So I did the best I could to retain assets for all of the districts. One person. Alone. Every member came to me to discuss what they wanted except for representatives from two districts.” Now why would they go to Wesson and tell him what they wanted from redistricting? Doesn’t sound like a King, sounds like a Don.

Councilman Hands His Detractors a Present

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TNN Issue#25 August/September

Documents

Transcript of TNN Issue#25 August/September