Larchmont Chronicle
vol. 53, no. 2 • delivered to 76,439 readers in hancock park • windsor square • fremont place • Miracle Mile • Park La Brea • Larchmont •
IN THIS ISSUE
Community gives Chronicle's Junior League fêtes its 90th year, Focus on Youth Jane Gilman standing ovation Publisher/editor retires after 53 years
Founded in 1925 by area women
VALENTINES. How they met. 12
ROCKY—he's an ambassador and a pig. 3
By John Welborne The organization is based in a headquarters building on Larchmont Blvd., but it was conceived in 1925 in the living room of one of its 34 founders. That group of founding women, whose first project was a 12-bed children’s convalescent home on Ingraham Street (which became part of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles) quickly evolved into the Junior League of Los Angeles (JLLA) in 1926.
According to current JLLA president, Denise Snider Perlstein, the organization remains committed to promoting volunteerism throughout the community while developing leadership skills for women. Current JLLA programs include ones focusing on young people through increasing both literacy and self-esteem. The group’s “Thrive through Literacy” project has League See Junior League, p 17
Metro to deck Wilshire at La Brea for 22 weekends Wilshire to close for subway construction
COOKIE SALE season is upon us. 21
NO MONKEYING around here. 2-4 For Information on Advertising Rates, Please Call Pam Rudy 323-462-2241, x 11
FEBRUARY 2016
By John Welborne At a meeting jointly sponsored by Councilman David E. Ryu and Metro, held at Los Angeles High School on Jan. 21, no final decision was announced to resolve the La Brea “decking” controversy. However, indications pointed to a 22-weekend approach. Before an audience of approximately 80 neighborhood stakeholders, Metro’s construction relations manager, Kasey Shuda, oversaw the nearly two hours of presentations plus discussion with the audience. Councilman Ryu said at the meeting’s outset that he was leaning toward supporting the 22-weekend approach but still was taking input from constituents and traffic experts.
The day following the community meeting, the Councilman’s office confirmed that Ryu will support the weekendonly approach and that he and his staff will continue to work closely with Metro to ensure that the contractor mitigates potential traffic problems to the maximum extent possible. During the meeting at the high school, Shuda spoke from a long agenda and projected slides explaining details of upcoming construction in and near mid-Wilshire neighborhoods. Representatives of the contractors, Skanska Traylor Shea (STS), also spoke. The Metro slide presentation is online at web address tinyurl.com/hcovspc Most of the questions from See Metro, p 7
Mailing permit:
By Sondra Toll Sepenuk Community leaders, business owners, government representatives and neighborhood friends all gathered at The Ebell of Los Angeles to celebrate both the retirement and birthday (on her actual birthday) of one of the community’s most beloved stalwarts, Larchmont Chronicle co-founder Jane Gilman. “Jane credits luck, timing, ambition, diplomacy, gregariousness, more luck, and fearlessness as the attributes needed to run a newspaper,” said successor Chronicle publisher John Welborne to the
REFLECTING on the paper's early years, Jane Gilman addressed the Ebell audience.
more than 160 people in attendance. “All of these attributes See Jane Gilman, p 16
Petition for construction moratorium moves forward By Billy Taylor The Los Angeles City Clerk’s office announced last month that it had approved for circulation the anti-development initiative sponsored by the California nonprofit 501(c)3 charitable organization, AIDS Healthcare Foundation. Jill Stewart, campaign director for the Coalition to Preserve L.A. (CPLA)—the political campaign in support of the “Neighborhood Integrity Initiative”—says her group has already begun gathering signatures for the initiative. “It’s going to be a fairly routine process to gather the necessary signatures. We also have a small team of volunteers, which we are planning to tap into shortly.”
The background of the proposed construction moratorium, including “pro” and “con” arguments, was discussed at length in last month’s Larchmont Chronicle. In this See Petition, p 7
Edition to focus on Mile’s future
Articles on museum changes, new buildings and subway construction will be featured in the “Miracle Mile 2016” edition to be delivered to 77,439 readers March 3. Make advertising reservations with Pam Rudy by Feb. 15; 323-4622241 x 11 or pam@larchmontchronicle.com.
Los Angeles High benefits from Harrison Trust's helping hand Greatest missing resources are creativity, imagination
MARDI GRAS CELEBRATION is coming to the Farmers Market. Above, festival goers at the family friendly event last year. Story page 5.
By Billy Taylor The following is the second of a twopart series on the state of Los Angeles High School and its relationship with the communities that surround it. Due to years of funding cutbacks by the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) and competition from charter schools, Joyce Kleifield, executive director of the Harrison Trust, says Los Angeles High School (LAHS) SITTING at her desk, Joyce Kleifield See Los Angeles High, p 25 talks about the challenges.
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