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Comments(3)It’s All Relative
by EL CHAVO!
I was mostly minding my own business out in some other parts of California when I happened upon this sight. Since I’ve been derided as one of the agents for the Eastside Border Patrol, I decided a quick report on this particular usage of the seemingly precious term was in order. You know, just so they know that we’re still paying attention.
The Inside Story of The Night Stalker’s Last Run by Lt. Gil Carrillo
by AlDesmadre
During my research for the 25th Anniversary Night Stalker Walking Tour,I contacted Retired Sheriff’s Homicide Detective, Lt. Gil Carrillo for an interview. He cordially agreed and I arrived at the East L.A. Sheriff’s Station one morning for my highly anticipated meeting. Listening to the man speak about one of the most infamous criminal cases in Los Angeles history was both mesmerized and enlightening. Teamed with Det. Frank Salerno, Carrillo was the lead L.A. County Sheriff’s homicide detective assigned to the Night Stalker case in 1984. During our interview, I saw the human side of a man assigned to track down and capture one evil son of a bitch. This was his job, but it was one assignment that got under his skin like no other. By learning about the evil that men do, I also learned about the sacrifices that men make. I learned what it is to give pieces of yourself away in order for the greater society to not have to. I learned what it means to make a difference in humanity’s never ending struggle against the ebb and flow of good vs. evil. This was a story of horror and heroism with a happy ending. Another dark player eliminated from society’s sick game. A game that never ends ands picks it’s players randomly every day. I also wondered about some higher powers at work here, and how we, as mere individuals must often find ourselves taking on battles that may seem beyond us and may require us to set aside every natural fear that makes us human. For me,…that is heroic. And it’s those singular acts that define and shape our collective fate in a world that can only hope to contain it’s fear and lust for violence. Hurray for the heroes.
Spokes & Words
In the spirit of creativity, Spokes & Words is focused in bringing together spoken word with bike riding. As Julio commented on facebook, riding a bike is poetry.
There are six designated stops in which anyone can share words, poems and stories. Each location will have two/three people sharing and we will ride on to the next stop.
All poets, artist, riders and anyone who has an appreciation for poetry, spoken word and riding their bike around town is welcomed. Since this is the first ride, it’ll be an easy one. We welcome input from everyone on rides, routes and locations to include in future rides.
TO ALL PARTICIPANTS, MAKE SURE YOUR BIKE IS IN WORKING ORDER. MAKE SURE TO BRING EXTRA INNER TUBES, TOOLS ETC. IN CASE ANYTHING HAPPENS.
ON THE DAY OF THE RIDE WE WILL QUICKLY GO OVER THE RULES OF THE ROAD FOR SAFETY REASONS. HERE IS A QUICK LINK,
http://www.bikexprt.com/streetsmarts/usa/index.htm
We will meet at Mariachi Plaza this Thursday at 6:30 p.m. and ride out at 7 p.m. West, stopping first in Little Tokyo by the Japanese National Museum. We will continue on 1st. stopping at the Walt Disney concert hall, then continuing on stopping under the bridge on Beverly and Glendale, in front of the long gone Belmont tunnel, riding up Glendale stopping at Echo Park Lake and riding down Sunset, finishing of at the Chinatown Gold line stop and riding bake to the Eastside.You can view the route on google maps,
Got Towed?
Predators attack for personal gain. Parking on an Eastside street I naively thought that a city sanctioned tow company would never attack for personal gain. I now feel differently.
Here’s a taste. I park a car a block from my house late one night. The next day it is gone. I report it as stolen to LAPD and wait. Three week later I get a call to call the towing company–the car has been found. Total to recover just under $900. As the clerk is doing paper work I discover that the car was found the same day it went missing on the same block where it was parked. Strange? When I ask why it toke three weeks to notify me if the car was found the same day, the clerk stares back in silence. Still strange? To make this even stranger I had locked the steering wheel with a Club, which was still attached at the pick-up yard. Strange, strange, strange? No, I think scam!
I feel violated by my city, my family attacked–emotionally raped in a way. Power makes people do deranged things. I wonder if anyone else has had similar experiences with Viertel Towing?
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submitted by M. Saldivar Galindo
Soul Skating Opens in Boyle Heights
by EL CHAVO!
A few months ago an old friend told me he was contemplating opening up a skate shop in BH. Then he went and got a space. And now he’s finally opened up his shop. C’mon on in and take a look!
Welcome to El Sereno
by Julio
Even more unknown to Westsiders than my hometown of Lincoln Heights, is my current neighborhood of El Sereno. I’m sure many have driven through it at 40+mph since it’s cut in half by the grand highway of Huntington Drive. Waiting for the 78 in the morning I can attest to how much traffic this neighborhood gets.
Yesterday after having picked up my bicycle from Gabe’s Bicycles for a much needed tune-up I saw this new monument to El Sereno, complete with green rolling hills. On its left it denotes the fact that El Sereno sits right on what was Historic Route 66; on its left it also shows that it also is on what was El Camino Real.
Random’s Rundown: Puro Pinche Pari
Except for my horrible farmers tan, I love summer. Hot days, cold drinks, long evening bike rides through Los Angelestitlan. The electricity in the air, waiting to spark a blaze of social upheaval. You can literally feel it in the air. Social unrest, riots waiting to happen. Not too worry though, we all need to relax and have a good time every once in a while, por que si no, it get’s ugly. So even though the week isn’t over, the weekend is already getting started.
The Mild Summer
by chimatli
The mild summer temperatures have been the perfect weather for frontyard Lincoln Heights gardeners as evidenced by these prolific yard long beans growing on Ave 26.
2 Random Minutes on Brooklyn and Soto
by EL CHAVO!
And the accolades just keep pouring in! The 2 random minutes of action on some LA street corner is making a lasting impression on people. Oh, what an impression.
Today we bring you a corner I know very well, having spent many hours waiting for the 251 to take me back home. On this Saturday morning the traffic and peds were light, not the usual crush of humanity that it once was. There used to be much more street vending which made the place lively and interesting, but the bad planning dept has made sure they get their way. With the bad planning.
On this corner I’ve seen many, many checkpoints, where cars get impounded in the middle of the night and a family of 6 has to figure out how to get home to Huntington Park, I’ve had cholos tell me that they used to kill people and take lots of drugs but cuz of Jesus they don’t do that anymore, I’ve battled for sitting space on the window ledge with the nopal vendor, I’ve seen the buses pass us up cuz they don’t want to bother with the large crowd, I’ve seen murals tagged up and sometimes restored, and I’ve heard my fair share of annoying evangelists with a bullhorn.
Since they moved the bus stop to the Payless, its no longer as busy. But still, its a nice corner.
