Category Archives: Geography

Riots as Celebration

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While the media pundits start on their predictable perspective regarding the celebrants of today’s various sporting events, I’m going to offer a counter explanation. For whatever its worth.

If you grow up in one of the various under served communities (aka poor) of Los Angeles then you’ll know all about social control, the method by which they keep humans in check. The city offers no social space, no gathering spots for celebration, no common grounds on which we can all gather to mark a significant moment. What to do? You make your social territory. You reclaim the space in which you can connect with others, consequences be damned. Thus, the motley congregations the helicopters are following tonight.

Isn’t the bullshit LA Live complex supposed to be our new destination spot, the center of LA cultural life? So why are people not being allowed to expend that jubilant spirit in this so called center of Life? Because its just another corporate park meant to further profits, not to enhance our social lives. Yeah, there was lots of stupid people out there tonight acting like jerks, but I put the blame squarely on a city that makes no concessions to human needs, that demands euphoria only come with a paid ticket.

In backwards Mexico, they have El Angel, a random spot where everyone knows they can go to celebrate, to expend energy, to be amongst others that just want to scream and shout for a few hours. In LA, they’ve got nothing. Just a sidewalk and whatever street you can use for a few minutes, ’til the cops come to take the party away.

No doubt there’s some jerks doing stupid things out there. But this wouldn’t be happening if you treated LA citizens like human beings with human needs. If we had a proper social space to congregate, our own Zocalo so to speak, then maybe we would be better equipped for something as joyous, and mundane, as the victory of a local sports team. Instead we get bullhorn messages regarding an illegal assembly and an order of dispersal. Just don’t be surprised when the jubilants shout out a wholly understandable ‘Fuck You’.

Midnight rida

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It’s been about a good month since I joined the bicycle community. I have always loved riding around town on a bike and now more than ever I find zen like pleasure when I do it at night and when I do it with friends. I do ride around primarily for transportation because I’m tired off the bus and because I need to get rid of the situation, and by the situation I mean my pansa. I’ve been getting around town just fine and just last night I biked 15 miles from UCLA to Boyle Heights. Nothing compared to seasoned riders, but I’m proud of myself. It’s not like when I decide to do the marathon with P3000 out of the blue. Since I started riding more actively and around town I’ve noticed a few things.

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Save the Spring Street Bridge!

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Photo courtesy of Bridgehunter.com

Despite the city going through one of the worst financial times in it’s existence, they are pushing forward on tearing down the perfectly fine historic Spring Street Bridge to spend tons of city funds to build a brand new one. Very few folks who live in the adjacent communities support this project but despite their protests and objections, the Board of Public Works approved the bridge demolition. It’s now up to the City Council Transportation Committee to approve the project. The Los Angeles Conservancy is asking folks to show up at a hearing tomorrow to protest this unneeded new project and to call for the protection of our beloved little Spring Street Bridge.

Here’s more info from the Los Angeles Conservancy:

The city’s Bureau of Engineering (BOE) is rushing to approve a project that would dramatically widen the 1929 North Spring Street Viaduct — nearly doubling its width, stripping away all historic ornamentation, and eliminating the bridge’s eligibility as a city landmark.

After years of inaction, the BOE is now scrambling for quick approval of this project in order to qualify for $5 million in state funds.

The Conservancy has been advocating for an alternative that would retrofit the historic bridge and construct a separate pedestrian-cyclist bridge alongside it.

The Conservancy, the Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission, and residents from communities on both sides of the river are protesting the project. Yet our voices have been largely excluded from the planning process.

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LamPosts

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These old lamposts being devoured by creeping nasturtium vines were spotted outside the back gate of Heritage Square Museum in Lincoln Heights/Montecito Heights (the neighborhood designation is variable). The nasturtium has been growing wild there for at least twenty years and it’s amazing to me how large and prolific the vines grow.
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Note to Self: Boycott Arizona’s Racist Laws

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Many ELA Artists, Community Members, Activists and Students have left their 3 day weekend barbecue plans behind to join others working to end the border militarization and racist, colonial laws  that have been adopted by Arizona through a Senate Bill called SB1070.  Many states and cities in the US have joined in boycotting this unconstitutional law, through public criticism in the press and by ceasing all their state and city business with  Arizona. Many local artists speak out publicly through music and exhibit. (More to come, of course.)

This racist law attacks not only the migrant, indigenous and humans of hue, but also the principles of freedom and democracy which this country was founded on.  In the face of Arizona’s police state oppression towards the marginalize and poor people there, the victim Arizona community is asking for  support through peaceful protests and boycotts of these unjust laws which legalize business and home raids; detain citizens based on physical appearance; expel those who cannot immediately produce or refuse to carry documents regarding their citizenship; sanctify sweeps and patrolling of sacred Native American lands near the border without permission; and disregard the American constitutional right to pursuit of happiness (through a peaceful and safe environment) .  Denial of these rights affect us all.

Memorial Day

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Evergreen Cemetery, Boyle Heights

Evergreen Cemetery, Boyle Heights

The official and American observance of Memorial Day is to honor people who died while in the military service. In the Japanese American community, Memorial Day was adapted to be a way to honor the ancestors. Those who know some Japanese call it “haka mairi” which means “visiting graves”.

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King of the Hill

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Spotted by Rosa Delgado at 5:16 pm today

After twelve years of searching, the good folks of Audubon Center at Debs Park finally spotted the elusive California King Snake today in the park.

Jeff Chapman, Director of the Audubon Center told LA Eastside:

“These guys have been seen in City Terrace, Ascot Hills, and Flat Top. I used to do reptile monitoring with kids from Franklin before the center and we never found them. Three years ago, we put out boards in the park and checked them periodically, but again we never detected them. So, this is very exciting for us and for the whole human/non-human community in the Northeast!”

If you live on the Eastside but have yet to visit the Audubon Center, now’s the time! There are all sorts of activities for children and adults and a very enjoyable trail from which you can take in the local floral and fauna of Debs Park.

Audubon Center at Debs Park
4700 North Griffin Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90031
(323) 221-2255

Hours: Tuesday – Saturday 9 a.m to 5 p.m.

The Audubon Center at Debs Park opened in 2003 as an environmental education and conservation center for the communities of northeast Los Angeles. The Center is located in the third largest park in the city of Los Angeles. More than half of the park is covered in walnut-oak woodland, grassland, and coastal sage scrub, a remnant of the native habitats that once rimmed the Los Angeles Basin. Over 140 species of birds have been recorded here.

http://www.audubondebspark.org

Stream Dreams-Part One: Hazard Park

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The title of this post is a nod to the informative and wonderful blog, LA Creek Freak. My discovery of this blog is fairly recently, if I only I had came across it sooner it might have saved me many hours of informal research. You see, for the past two years and a half I’ve been on a meandering quest to find the paths of old streams that once flowed through our urban areas.

When roaming through the city, I look for tell-tale signs: bridges, dips in the roads, large storm drains, stands of old trees, walls and houses made of river rock and street and neighborhood names with tell-tale monikers i.e. Brookside, Willowbrook, Arroyo Ave, River St, Evergreen, etc. Neighbors and long-time residents are also a great source of information. One of the more exciting clues are the actual streams themselves, they often pop up after heavy rains. The water remembers and will often follow it’s old course. It’s why some places in the city continually flood.

The search has been quite fun. Once I think I’ve found a spot, I’ll take photos, go home and check aerial views on Google maps. I’ll look at the way streets curve or sometimes I’ll notice a line of green trees marking the path of the old waterway. I often read through the Los Angeles Times archives and search for references to streams. For instance, I felt like the area around the Fourth Street Bridge and Lorena was a likely place for a stream and while doing research I found a notice by the city placed in the early 1900s, asking for contractors to bid on constructing a bridge over the “stream running at Fourth St.”

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See? We DO need a Pedestrian Coordinator for the Metro

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Job Announcement

Boyle Heights Living Streets Initiative. Job Description: Green LA Coalition (GLA) is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Project Coordinator for the Boyle Heights Living Streets Initiative. This position is expected to run through March 2012. Boyle Heights Living Streets Initiative: The Boyle Heights Living Streets Initiative will increase people’s ability to safely and pleasantly cycle and walk in Boyle Heights by implementing 3 prototype Living Streets near the Mariachi Plaza and Soto Gold Line stations. Currently, City of Los Angeles ‘ standard street improvement projects do not give any special consideration to cyclists and pedestrians. This Initiative will take advantage of the opportunity afforded by approximately $25 million allocated through various grants and funding programs to design and install street improvements near these Gold Line stations according to Living Streets principles. GLA is partnering with the Community Redevelopment Agency of Los Angeles (CRA/LA) to lay the groundwork for 3 prototype Living Streets designed with strong community participation. This Initiative will additionally develop a Blueprint document and pass necessary policies so that Living Streets can be replicated throughout the city. An inter-agency task force and community stakeholder task force will be created. For more information on Living Streets see website

Interested candidates please send cover letter and resume to:  Green LA Coalition, 1000 North Alameda Street, Suite 240, Los Angeles , CA 90012, ATTN: Stephanie Taylor, Interim Managing Director, staylor@greenlacoalition. org.   By: Friday, May 7, 2010

For More Information contact: Stephanie Taylor, Interim Managing Director, staylor@greenlacoalition. org

Terremoto

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(Jesus overlooks the hills of B.C. back in 2006)

Like everyone else in Los Angeles, I was watching the Santos (it is Easter after all) vs Jaguares match on Univision, and it all started shaking. Turns out its a pretty big quake from out of Baja California, our lil’ sister state down south. A whopping 6.9 quake to be exact, according to this government site.  And they’ve even issued a Tsunami warning. Ay caray!

Aguas con las aguas.

Update: Oops, no Tsunami warning after all.

Update 4:21 pm: 5.1 earthquake in So. Cal, near Brawley.

Crazy picture from Mexicali (via LA Weekly): http://tweetphoto.com/17203656

Update 5:37pm: Check out ABC Ch. 7 for the latest twitter updates. Seriously?

Update 9:05 : KCAL 9 “We’ve been monitoring twitter all day.” Great!

Update 9:24 : CBS 2 wants you to join their Street Team and email earthquake photos/videos of splashing swimming pools. Since when are we employed by CBS?

Update 11:13pm : Univision 34 has a live call with an official from Baja California. I guess they have Spanish speakers on staff.

Update 11:16pm : Telemundo 52 has Jorge Fregoso from Mexicali talking about the situation there. I guess Ch. 52 also has Spanish speakers on staff.

Update 11:19pm : Univision 34 reading messages from their facebook page.