LAUSD Gets an F in Art!
by Christine Peters
On December 18 2006, LA Superior Court Judge
Daniel Pratt, found in favor of the grass roots
community group “The Right Sight Coalition’s”
lawsuit to require the school district to perform an
EIR for the proposed school sight on Alvarado/
Marathon/Santa Ynez/and Mohawk Streets. This
major victory over the massive school district was
bittersweet as the district had already eminent
domained and evicted the residents. All of the
buildings nearly met with demolition prior to the
court date, but the City of La and Council President
Eric Garcetti would not allow permits to be issued for
the wrecking balls to get started until the lawsuit was
settled.
Now Echo Parks Community Center is a rapidly
growing patchwork of mismatched paints, poorly
disguised graffiti, garbage and vandalism. The way
the district chooses paint colors, they may want to
Echo Park Improvement Association
Meets at 7 p.m. the 1st Thursday of each Month
in Williams Hall at Barlow Hospital 2000 Stadium Way in Elysian Park
recruit some kids on detention to go out and show
them how it’s done! Currently the previously terra
cotta “La Fonda de Villa” Restaurant is a patchwork
of forest green, yellow, white and tan. This eyesore is
unacceptable and Echo Park residents have a right to
ask for better. The Neighborhood Council will be
sending a letter requesting that LAUSD maintain the
sight in a clean, graffiti and trash free condition and
to also:
*Retain a resident manager and increase
security patrols (for example hire Select
Patrol)
*Remove graffiti within 24 hrs using
MATCHING paint colors
*Provide general maintenance and trash
removal.
*Make the buildings available for occupancy.
Residents can contact CD 13 Field Deputy
Kabira Stokes, 323-957-4500 or
kabira.stokes.Hochberg@lacity.org with
complaints. The council office is keeping tabs
on the sight and needs eyes in the
neighborhood to alert them when LAUSD is not
maintaining the sight in a blight free condition.
In this time of critical housing shortage and
lack of affordable housing, families are left
without a place to go and have to leave Echo
Park. Our local schools are reflecting that
crisis by the increasingly declining enrollments and
return of school calendars to “traditional track”. The
need for a new Elementary School in Echo Park has
always been disputed but never has the need for
housing been more apparent. Let’s hope to see this
project cancelled and have our neighborhood’s
community center restored to its designated uses
housing and mixed use commercial development
along our transportation corridors.
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Copyright by Echo Park Improvement Association 2007
 HIFINC WANTS TO ALTER GEPENC BOUNDERIES
A group has formed in the Historic Filipinotown
along the Temple-Beverly Corridor to the south of
Echo Park, that is attempting to organize a
Neighborhood Council in that area. The proposed
Historic Filipino Town Neighborhood Council
(HiPiNC) boundaries cross those of the Greater
Echo Park Elysian Neighborhood Council (GEPENC).
The area desired is at the eastern portion of the
proposed NC. At the western edge of the proposed
council other groups such as the forming Rampart
Village NC have also been notified of the HiFiNC
boundery intentions.
girl’s teen yoga
Pilates
The GEPENC Outreach committee will be
meeting Saturday, February 10 to hear more about
the issues surrounding the forming NC. This
discussion will benefit greatly from the participation
of stakeholders living in the involved area.
If you have an interest, please visit
www.GEPENC.org shortly before the meeting on the
tenth to find out the location of the meeting.
Currently the meeting is proposed for the
Community Room at the Echo Park Branch Library
at 10 am but the EPIAn ways strongly suggests you
confirm the location and agenda.
(323)
 EPIA Annual Fruit Tree Giveaway Continues to Flourish

Laura from the Tree People shows

Adam from Central City Action how to EPIA volunteers Susan and Suzanne hold our banner high above some of the 150 bare
prepare a tree for taking back to the root apple, apricot, nectarine, peach and plum trees that were given to local
EPIA 2007 Fruit Tree Giveaway residents on Sunday, January 28.

WWW.GEPENC.ORG

1911 SUNSET BOULEVARD

LOS ANGELES, CA 90026
(213) 484-1265
 By Judy Raskin

FIRST SIGHTING OF REDHEAD EXCITES BIRDERS

Never before recorded at Echo Park Lake, a male
Redhead cavorted with ring-necked ducks and others
on New Year’s day, 2007, exciting the eight counters
during the annual 2006-2007 Christmas Bird Count.
This redheaded diving duck, about 19” long, was
easily distinguished from other waterfowl. Happily for
birders, it remained at the Lake for four more days.
It was a good day for birding: clear and cold.
During a three hour walk, birders identified 30
species and 913 individual birds. These totals were
significantly higher than last year’s when cold weather
and heavy rain held the totals down.
Other species seen on count day included a
Lesser Scaup, not seen at the lake since 2001, white-
throated swifts, yellow-rumped warblers and a spotted
dove. A single Ross’s goose that has been at the lake
for over a year was also counted. Birds seen more
Yes, this is the male Redhead. Sure we publish in black and
often included double-crested cormorants, Mallard white so you can’t see his bright red head. Go down to Echo
ducks, pied-billed grebes, American wigeons, Park Lake and look around, you’ll see him.
American coots, western gulls, and black-crowned
night herons. Seen during count week, but not
count day, was a great blue heron.
The tallies are submitted to Los Angeles Bennett has always been a passionate and
Audubon which coordinates counts in a wide swath tireless advocate for education, social justice
of the city. The master count is conducted by the and community participation.
Cornell University Lab of Ornithology, which gets
data from every state and a number of areas in the
He deserves your vote for School Board.
Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Information gathered
from the annual counts allows researchers to Vote for the Kids
determine the health of our bird populations. The
CBC began over 100 years ago as an alternative to Vote for the Schools
traditional New Year’s shooting days. Over 50,000
volunteers take part.
This year’s participants were Susan Borden,
Mary Brooks, Judy Raskin, Diane Smithe, Elaine
Vote for the Teacher
Harvey, Dave Surtees, Kate Unterman and Andrew
Sackett.
Coming up soon: the Great Backyard Bird Count. Bennett Kayser
Birders will meet at the Echo Park Lake Boathouse
on Saturday, February 17, 9:00 a.m. Counts can
also be done in your own backyard, a park, or any
for School Board
place you happen to be during the weekend of
Bennett Kayser for School Board, Box 26514, Los Angeles, 90026
February 16-19. For more information call Judy, Mary Ellen Padilla, Treasurer
(323) 663-6767 or email jayebea@earthlink.net.
 ECHO PARK CALENDAR
Event Date Location Comments
st
EPIA Meetings 1 Thursday, 7:00 pm Williams Hall at Barlow Call EPIA message phone for
Mar 1, Apr 5 Hospital, 2000 Stadium additional information.
Way in Elysian Park
EPIA Steering 2nd Monday, 7:15 pm Call (323) 882-4835 for Take an active part in EPIA.
Committee Feb. 12, Mar 12,Apr 9, May14 location Join the Steering Committee
Meetings
Community 2nd Thursday, 3:00 pm LAPD Stop-In Center, Hosted by Echo Park Security
Safety Meeting Feb. 8, Mar 8 Echo Park Avenue and Association. Call (323)666-
Sunset Boulevard 3228 for more info
Citizens 1st Wednesday, 7:00 pm Williams Hall at Barlow Call 213-666-9651 for meeting
Committee to Feb. 7, Mar 7 Hospital, 2000 Stadium location
Save Elysian Way in Elysian Park
Park
Echo Park 3rd Thursday, &:00 pm and Taix Restaurant. Call 213-630-3032 for further
Chamber of every Wednesday 1:30 pm information.
Commerce
Greater Echo 4th Tuesday, 7 pm Logan Street School Call (213) 413-3196 for info or
Park Elysian Feb. 27, Mar 27 Auditorium, 1711 W. visit www.GEPENC.org
Neighborhood Logan Street
Council Meeting
Edendale 2nd Wednesday, 7 pm Edendale Branch Library Join the library’s support group
Library Friends Feb 14, Mar 14,Apr 11 Community room and find out how you can help
Society 2011 W. Sunset Blvd. your neighborhood’s branch.
>=> ELFS <=<
Positive Energy 4th Wednesday, 6pm - Edendale Public Library - For more info : e-mail
Group of Echo 7:30pm Feb 26, Mar. 21 2011 W. Sunset Blvd slsa@sbcglobal.net or our
Park and Silver blog http://slsa.blogspot.com
Lake Area
Deadline April Saturday, Mar 24, 2007 Send submissions to EPIA,
EPIAn ways Attn: EPIAn Ways Editor

SPECIAL EVENTS
L.A. Marathon Sunday, Mar 4
mayor@lacity.org
ECHO PARK LIBRARY HAPPENINGS
LIBRARY COMPUTER CLASSES Library Hours
(At press time the EPIAn ways did not have the schedule for the
February and March computer classes for information please, Mondays 10:00 am - 8:00 pm
call the Echo Park Branch at (213) 250-7808 ). Tuesdays 12:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Computer Comfort Wednesdays 10:00 am - 8:00 pm
Thursday, 4pm. Thursdays 12:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Learn to use the Library’s electronic catalog to search for Fridays 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
materials, renew items, and place your own holds. Learn Saturdays 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
the basics of surfing the Internet. Introduction to various Sundays CLOSED
databases and search engines. For adults only.
Familiarity with the keyboard and mouse is recommended Library Address
but not mandatory. Reservations required. Please arrive Echo Park Branch Library
10 minutes before class begins. 1410 W. Temple Street
Computer Class for Improving Your English Los Angeles CA 90026
Tuesday, 4pm. Phone 213.250.7808
“Rosetta Stone” An introductory self-paced class to begin FAX 213.250.3744
or improve your English language skills. Computer World Wide Web Address
experience is mandatory. http://www.lapl.org
Introduction to Basic Web Design 24 Hour Renewal: 888-577-LAPL
Tuesday, 4pm.
Learn about HTML codes to create a simple web page.
Computer experience is mandatory.
JUST FOR TEENS
EVENTS
Call (213) 250-7808 for information. Ongoing
Echo Park Branch holds many teen activities and
programs, including film screenings, art workshops,
Who responds to your alarms? readings and skills-building activities. To learn about the
current schedule of events, call or email Wendy at
(213) 250-7808 or wmcpher@lapl.org.
Experience does matter. College Club
Tuesdays, 4-6pm.
With so much at risk why take chances? For high school students who want to go to college.
Topics covered during these informal sessions include
financial aid options, how to choose a college, study skills,
Count on the experience of Select Patrol. and important things you should be doing NOW in high
school to get yourself into college. Refreshments always
For more information about our 24 - hour served. Call Wendy for information at (213) 250-7808.

alarm response service, call us today. FUN FOR KIDS

Saturdays GAB. Echo Park Branch, call 213/250-7808
for times.
MONDAYS Bilingual Storytime Call 213/250-7808. Echo

Select Patrol Park Branch, 4pm.

THURSDAYS Game Day Board & card games. Call
A superior level of service since 1984 (213) 250-7808. Echo Park Branch, 4pm.

323.644.1014 Lic. PP0-9229

2150 W. Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, 90026 CA
EDENDALE LIBRARY HAPPENINGS
From the ELFS Library Hours (starting March 1, 2007)
The Edendale Library Friends will be having their Big Mondays 10:00 am – 8:00 pm
Saturday Preowned Book Sale on Saturday February Tuesdays 12 noon – 8:00 pm
3rd, 2007 from 10:30am to 2:30pm in the Community Wednesdays 10:00 am – 8:00 pm
Room. The ELFS will continue to have the very Thursdays 12 noon – 8:00 pm
successful weekly Wednesday Book Sale, 2pm to 5pm. Fridays 10:00 am – 5:30 pm
The ELFS will be busy working on a membership drive Saturdays 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
this spring and, as always, we love getting any used
Sundays CLOSED
book donations you may wish to give us. If you have
books to donate, please drop them off at the main desk Library Address
in the Library and be sure to ask for a "Donation Edendale Branch Library
Receipt" if you need it for your tax purposes. 2011 W. Sunset Boulevard
Note the new Library Hours Los Angeles, CA 90026
As of March 1st. the Library will be extending it's Phone (213) 207-3000
operating hours. Take a look in our schedule to see FAX (213) 207-3097
where you can find some additional hours. 24 Hour Renewal: 888-577-LAPL

Echo Park Farmers' Market

Fridays, 3-7pm, rain or shine
Sunset Blvd. & Logan St. (public parking lot)
Featuring 15 vendors including farmers with locally
grown,farm-fresh produce, hot and delicious
prepared foods, honey, flowers and a variety of
artesian wares.
The Echo Park
Farmers' Market
opened in October
2006 and has been
well received by the
Echo Park commu-
nity. Stop by on Fri-
days to shop for
fresh seasonal fruits
and vegetables. The
Market also hosts
weekly events for
adults and children,
including live music,
craft workshops,
cooking demonstra-
tions and free raffles!


 By Mitchell Frank
Echo Park Chamber of Commerce President

Regarding Big Belly Internet. Ably supporting these plans is Secretary

Cynthia Merino (The Echo) who will soon be sending
The executive board of the Echo Park Chamber of out member renewal notices for 2007.
Commerce has major and minor reservations about
Interested in getting involved? The officers would
the “big belly”, mainly its price tag. First the major
reservation -- we all feel that spending $5,000 of the be pleased to have you join them any Wednesday at
city’s finances on an unproven, “one-off” is not 1:30 p.m. when they meet at Les Freres Taix
something we can really support. Primarily, we feel Restaurant. Or call the Chamber's message phone at
213-630-3032 for more information.
that in order to clean up this Echo Park
neighborhood, we would need 15 -20 of these solar
trash compactors. Finally, we would hope The City of
Los Angeles would do more for recycling efforts than
have a machine that grinds glass and prevents any
possible recycling systems to occur.
We would however, prefer to use the $5,000 to get
our neighborhood what we feel is absolutely
important, like additional: trashcans; trash pickups;
clean up crews; city services; bulk item removals,
street cleaning; parking lot cleaning; pressure
washing sidewalks, etc. All these items listed in the
last sentence, the chamber would certainly fully
support.
So you know, we are planning a massive spring
cleaning on March 10th, 2007 which we would
appreciate your participation and leadership on. We
are planning to get crews from all over the city to Mon — Sat Saturday
help us. If this works out with all of the groups 11 am — 7 pm Special
involved we would like to make it a quarterly function. Sundays — Typical
We are sorry that we do not share the same views Group of 10 Haitian
or more by Food
on the “big belly”, but I’m sure we can find many
common ground areas that we agree on as there is a Reservation Wood Burning Rotisserie
lot to clean up in our neighborhood! 309 N. Glendale Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026
Chamber Chat www.tigeorgeschicken.com
The Chamber's new officers, who were formally Email: geo4u1@sbcglobal.net
installed on January 18th for a two-year term, are a
vibrant young team determined to make the business
district an exciting, dynamic destination in 2007.
President Mitchell Frank (The Echo nightclub) has
already selected Saturday, March 10 for a huge
Spring Clean-Up along Sunset Boulevard.
The focus of Vice President Julio Douglas (Silver
Lake Silver Lining) will be his plans to work closely
with our many local churches and religious
institutions.
Incoming Treasurer Juan Sandoval (L.A.National Mon–Thur 11am–11pm • Fri 11am–Mid • Sat 8am–Mid • Sun 8am– 11pm
Brunch served 8am–3pm Saturday & Sunday
Bank) expects to put a system in place soon so that Free Delivery for Echo Park on $15 minimum order
Chamber members can pay their dues via the 1800 West Sunset Blvd • 213.989.1558
Central City Action by Gloria
Thanks to the Los Angeles Kings our youth have Chinatown 10K on February 11, 2007. It is
become fairly good skaters. Remember that falling traditional for us to participate in this annual event.
down is part of being a good skater. We were able The race is a good lesson in teamwork for our kids.
to take the kids skating almost every week. After Today, I was instructing a young man named
being on the ice for a few hours, the kids would
come back to the center. We had hot chocolate and
cookies, cookies and more cookies.
After removing the Christmas decorations from
the walls, taking down the Christmas tree and
putting Gloria’s many Christmas decorations away,
the kids deserved a day out. So, off we went to the
movies. They went to view “Night at the Museum” Ronald to use the computer keyboard. He was
and left Gloria for a “Night at Central City”. The doing a good job of learning so I went about my
kids enjoyed themselves and were all jazzed up after other duties, one of which was going out to the
the movie. Some of our kids were still off-track backyard to check the license plates on one of the
while others had three weeks off for the holidays. vehicles. First of all I locked myself in the back of
So one afternoon they had a rummage sale and the fire station and did not have any keys. I
made such a good profit they were able to finance pounded on the walls, and even set the alarm on the
another trip to Knotts Berry Farm. Despite the cool elevator to go off. Nobody heard me. No one
weather, all who went on the trip did not want to noticed I was missing. Then I decided to go back
come home until late. Have you ever heard of outside and press the intercom. The only thing was,
Frisbee Golf? Neither had I until Michael found a Ronald was the only one in the office and he thought
park in La Canada that has a course. The kids the noise from the security screen was a cat. Finally
throw a frisbee disc towards a chain link basket after I was preparing to throw a rock at the upstairs
above the ground. window, Ronald came laughing down the stairs. Just
Normally you are allowed six throws but we allow another normal
the younger kids day at CCAC.
10 throws. Each On a more
basket has a personal note--
three par. It Our fearless
takes about two leader,
BROCK hours to finish
the course and
Maryanne
Hayashi, will have
best of all it is already had her
free. hip operation.
BROCK REAL ESTATE We are Hopefully she will
participating in be back at work
the preparation by the time this
of the fruit tree goes to press.
giveaway on Thanks to
IDA POTASH January 27, everyone for their
Echo Park • Since 1949
2007. Also concern. Breakfast • Lunch • Dinner
coming up is the Late Night
 1918 Sunset Blvd.
 Los Angeles, California 90026
 213.484.9800 • 213.484.5187 fax
thebritespot@sbcglobal.net


LOTUS PAD NOTES
NEWS AND ITEMS OF INTEREST
FROM ECHO PARK & ANGELINO HEIGHTS by E.P. Lagoso

The cupcakes are here! Echo Park got itself a the work of fix-n-flip artists who evict tenants and
new bakery for the new year with Delilah, a fine little quickly get in over their heads, leaving buildings
coffee-and-cake joint that opened in a space once vacant for a year or more.
occupied by a storefront church. The modest rains of
late January didn't stop customers from lining up for
banana nut bread, cinnamon rolls and chocolate
cupcakes – and coffee. As if on cue, Chango – the
coffee place one block south of Delilah – posted a
notice promising to provide better service in the new
year. Echo Park is showing up in the news quite a bit
Delilah fills up a modest cinderblock hut that these days. LA Times columnist Meghan Daum
used to serve as a tiny storefront church. You'll know wrote about her experience volunteering with the
you're there when you see the little blue folding chairs Echo Park Animal Alliance. The LA Weekly wrote
at the corner of Echo Park and Lucretia. about The Machine Gallery, the art space on Alvarado
Street. And Los Angeles Magazine offered up a
***
shopping guide to Echo Park, hitting the usual spots
Speaking of Lucretia Avenue, neighbors are up in on Sunset and Echo Park Avenue.
arms over the demolition of a single-family house on
***
that street, perched right at the top of the Delta
Street steps. No one knows who did it, since there The neighbors of Angelino Heights took to the
was no building permit posted outside. Irritated streets last month after the tragic shooting of
neighborhood council members say the owner never Charupha Wongwisetsiri, the nine-year-old who was
filled out a permit for the work – yet another sign that shot and killed on Kensington Road. Dozens of
Echo Park is the wild west, when it comes to real residents showed up for a candlelight vigil, marching
estate development. to the home where Charupha was killed. Charupha
was struck down by bullets that entered her home
during a gun battle between various gang members
out in the street. No one has been charged with the
crime, and gang members continue to live right
across the street from Charupha's home – a situation
that has appalled everyone who cares about Echo
Park.
Grousing over the teardown soon showed up on
L.A. Observed, the blog that gives a lot of space to
Echo Park, courtesy of its mini-blog, Chicken Corner.
One of the biggest beefs raised on the blog is the
large number of empty buildings that dot Echo Park –

Opinions expressed in this newsletter are those of the writers

and do not necessarily reflect the position of the Echo Park
Improvement Association