MCP_Nov10 by Mid-City Press

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Vol 1. No. 8

November 2010

Distributed monthly to 25,000 homes in Mid-City, Olympic Park, Country Club Park, Layfayette Square, Victoria Park, Arlington Heights, Angelus Vista, Harvard Heights, Oxford Square, West Adams, South Carthay, PicFair Village and the areas of Carthay Square, Wilshire Vista, Western Heights, Wellington Square and Jefferson Park

Charter Sys. Cost Cuts Affect Local Students

By Erik Derr Mid-City Press Contributing Writer MID-CITY—Amid revelations their school system is about $2-million in the red, the nearly 1,000 Mid-City area youth who attend the Inner City Education Foundation (ICEF) charter schools face immediate changes to how and where they are taught. According to school administrators—noting the current fiscal year’s budget shortfall, as well as outstanding debts carried by the nonprofit—their short-term goal is to reduce expenditures by 25 percent, which likely will mean downsizing school district staff by at least 20 percent, reworking teaching schedules and consolidating classes. see ICEF page 6

[people in my neighborhood]

The Jeffery Foundation’s Alyce Morris By Shirley Hawkins, Mid-City Press Columnist

WASHINTGON BLVD.—The life story of Mid-City’s own Alyce Morris, founder of the Jeffrey Foundation—a nonprofit providing services for special needs children—will be the subject of an upcoming see MORRIS page 3

Real Estate, 4

Metro Recommends Vs. Purple Line Stop at Crenshaw By Jessica Pauline Ogilvie Mid-City Press Contributing Writer MID-CITY—After hearing from a community torn over the issue, Metro staff members have recommended against placing a new subway stop at the intersection of Crenshaw and Wilshire boulevards as part of the expansion of the so-called “Purple Line.” The current proposal for the expansion of the Purple Line will take the subway to the Veteran’s Administration’s Hospital in Westwood. The stop at Crenshaw and Wilshire would have been between planned stops at Wilshire Boulevard and Western Avenue, and Wilshire Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue. Located a half-mile from Western Avenue, the distance to the Crenshaw stop would have been minimal by subway standards, a fact which Metro staff cited as part of the reason for their position. Additionally, according to Jody Litvak, a Metro spokesperson, according to Metro projections, the station would see boarding numbers of approximately 4,200 within 25 years. “It is a low-boarding station in a low density area,” said Litvak. The cost of building the stop has been estimated at $153 million. Many Hancock Park and nearby Windsor Square residents said they agree with Metro’s recommendation. Members of the Windsor Square Association, which claims to represent the approximately 1,100 homes in the Windsor Square neighborhood, just north of Wilshire Boulevard, drafted a letter stating their opposition to the stop. “We fervently hope that you professional planners… will push hard for good planning, transit and fiscal policy—which will not include

construction of a [$100 million] subway station at the low-density non-retail location of Wilshire Blvd. intersecting the low-density residential streets of Bronson, Irving, Crenshaw and Lorraine,” the Jan. 29, 2008 letter read. In subsequent stakeholder meetings, members of the Windsor Square Association distributed information supporting their stance. Opponents to the stop also expressed concern over the likelihood of transit-riders taking up parking spaces in the neighborhood. Yet the sentiment expressed by the Windsor Square Association does not reflect the feelings of all residents of the area. “It’s just really shortsighted,” said architect Mary Pickhardt, a Windsor Square resident, of Metro’s recommendation. “They’re making this investment for the long-term future but they’re making all their assumptions based on [current] neighbors,” feelings. Pickhardt, who has been involved in historic preservation efforts in the neighbor-

hood, added that the longterm risks for not installing the stop far outweighed the concerns of the area’s residents. “I think it will ultimately affect property values, because [without the stop at Crenshaw and Wilshire] this will be a less desirable place to live,” she said. Others agree with Pickhardt. In an e-mail, a Victoria Park resident—who asked to not be named—said the decision didn’t seem concurrent with the city’s vision for the future. “L.A. is trying to develop an alternative to our automo-

Herb Wesson, L.A. City Councilmember, 7

We Focus On: The Baha’i Religion, 6

Restaurant Review, 7

TRICKS BUT NO TOUCH: At the Farmers Market’s Fall Festival, held in mid-October, pumpkin artist Jim Olson drew crowds of admirers as he created one amazing jack o’lantern after another. He was one of many artisans including wheat weavers, caricature artists and a rope trick cowboy who helped Fall Festival live up to its name, the only country fair in the city. The Fall Festival at Farmers Market has been an annual event since 1934.

bile-centered lives,” he said. “It seems counter productive—in terms of what L.A. is trying to become—to eliminate a station.” The recommendation of Metro staff still has to be approved by Metro’s board of directors. A meeting is set for its review Oct. 28th, however at that time the board could still opt not to rule on the matter. “They may decide to keep it open for discussion,” said Metro spokesperson Litvak. “We can take it all the way through final environmental impact [report],” which Metro estimates will be released next year.

FUN IN OXFORD SQUARE—About 60 neighbors attended the Oxford Square Block Party on Oct. 10th. Folks brought food and neighborhood kids played a round of Monopoly. Here, Sylvia Lacey with Councilmember Herb Wesson’s office poses with Oxford Square Association’s Chris Elwell.

Dawes at the El Rey, Nov. 26 Calendar at www.midcitypress.com

mid-city press [letter from the publisher] This month, we have a number of our local n e i g h b o rhood councils reaching out to Mid-City Press readers advertising what they do, what committees they have and encouraging participation. There is a story I like to tell: When our sister publication, the Los Feliz Ledger started in 2005, few in the Los Feliz area knew (or cared) about that area’s neighborhood council, the Greater Griffith Park Neighborhood Council (GGPNC). Voter turnout for elections was minimal—maybe a couple hundred votes. But through continuous

advertising—which encouraged a more active community—and meeting coverage by Ledger reporters, more in the Los Feliz community now know (and care!) what the GGPNC does. In its last election, in fact, over 1,500 votes cast were cast. Your neighborhood councils are ground-zero for changes and improvements in each of our Mid-City communities. This is where change occurs, ideas are formed and action is taken. Get involved with learning more about the area’s neighborhood councils. They make a difference and you can too.

Pick up the Mid-City Press at these locations: Washington Irving Library 4117 W. Washington Blvd. Pasquale’s Café and Pizza 5616 San Vicente Blvd.

FOUNDED 2010

Griffin Oliver Cohen Charles H. Cohen

For editorial consideration, send story ideas to: allisonferraro@ midcitypress.com For advertising inquiries, call: (323) 667-1329

PUBLISHER /EDITOR

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Delivered the last Thursday of the month to 25,000 homes and businesses in the Mid-City neighorhoods of: Mid-City, Olympic Park, Country Club Park, Layfayette Square, Victoria Park, Arlington Heights, Harvard Heights, Oxford Square, West Adams, Angelus Vista and the areas of Carthay Square and Wilshire Vista.

Allison C. Ferraro, M.A.

For more stories and updates: Midcitypress.com

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November 2010

mid-city press

November 2010

But it was Winston’s powerful love for her son that served as the lifelong inspiration for her to assist others. Before Jeffrey passed away at 16 in 1980, Winston said he was proud of his mother’s lifelong efforts to assist children with special needs. “He used to say, Mom, I have brothers and sisters now,” Winston recalled, smiling at the memory. The Jeffrey Foundation, 5470 W. Washington Blvd. Info: (323) 965-7536 or at thejeffreyfoundation.com.

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feature film. Morris’ own courageous life story is the inspiration for the expected film and the Jeffery Foundation’s existence. She was a rising actress in Hollywood when she adopted two-month old Jeffrey, the love of her life. But by the time he reached 2, Winston noticed he was exhibiting developmental problems. A visit to the doctor revealed devastating news: Jeffrey had muscular dystrophy. “At that time in the late 1960s, there were no services or resources available for special needs children,” said Winston. The constant care and attention Jeffrey required caused a strain on Winston’s first marriage. “My husband would look at Jeffrey and cry,” she said. Jeffrey was placed in a wheelchair at the age of 7. “[My husband] wanted a son who could play football.” Ultimately, her husband admitted he was unable to cope with raising a handicapped child. The marriage dissolved. As Winston struggled to raise Jeffrey alone, she was certain there were other parents who desperately needed assistance caring for their special needs children. Determined, Winston channeled her energies into starting a non-profit service agency for children with disabilities. She started out by establishing group homes for the developmentally disabled in 1972. “Most of the parents were single mothers struggling to raise their children alone,” Winston said. She enlisted doctors and specialists to counsel the parents on how to better care for their disabled children. Since then, she has devoted her life to caring for children with mental retardation, autism, birth defects, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, Down’s Syndrome and autism. In 1990, she converted an old plumbing warehouse on Washington Boulevard into the Jeffrey Foundation, a full service agency that offers therapeutic, educational and social services for special needs children and young adults. A visit today to the Jeffrey Foundation reveals the pealing laughter of children as they play on the colorful jungle gym. The foundation, which recently celebrated its 38th anniversary, provides services for special needs children including day care, social services and education. No other agency in Southern California offers as many services for special needs children.

Since its inception, the agency has assisted thousands of children, many of whom are low-income or are in foster care. “We also have children who do not have special needs who attend our foundation as well,” said Winston. And the agency continues to grow. It recently partnered with the Kedren Community Health Center to provide services for infants and toddlers. And the foundation recently finalized plans to offer tutoring to children in the community, as well.

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MORRIS from page 1

MONTHLY MEETING First Thursday of the month, 6:30 PM

Council District 10 field office 1819 S. Western Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90006

Enter on S. Manhattan Place just one block west of Western Avenue.

The United Neighborhoods of the Historic Arlington Heights, West Adams & Jefferson Park Communities is a Certified Neighborhood Council of the City of Los Angeles. OUR VOICE OUR CITY OF NEIGHBORS BY NEIGHBORS FOR NEIGHBORS

WWW.UNNC.ORG

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•

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mid-city press [real estate]

Tips on REO Buying By Nick Mercado, Mid-City Press Columnist The number of current foreclosure properties have provided oppor t u n it y for first-time home buyers and those looking to upgrade to a larger home. While there are advantages to purchasing a foreclosed home (known as a REO), there are many precautions. A home that is bank owned may not be in the best condition. The previous owner may have vandalized the house prior to vacating it. The bank is also looking to get the home off of its books as quickly and as smoothly as possible. For this reason, the bank may be willing to accept an offer from an investor for less money, but all cash. Those looking to purchase by securing a loan will have to meet certain criteria. Lenders offer different types of products. Borrowers seeking loans backed by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) OPNC_Nov10_final.pdf 1

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have to ensure any home they purchase is livable at the time of purchase. There can be no broken windows or torn-up carpets. The heating system must be fully operational and plumbing must be in working order. The kitchen cabinets and counters must be in good condition, and, yes, there must be a kitchen sink. The FHA does offer a 203(k) loan, allowing borrowers to purchase a home that needs repairs with the cost of the such being built into the loan. There are, however, strict guidelines with this type of loan and the process often takes longer to complete. Some banks may determine an auction is the best way to sell a REO. Auction houses put out a list of available properties well in advance of the auction allowing prospective buyers the opportunity to see the home prior to the auction. If you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want the expense of hiring a professional inspector, consider a reliable contractor check the home with you. an auction is com10/25/10 Once 3:43 PM

plete and the bank has accepted the final auction price, there are no contingenciesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; meaning a buyer cannot inspect the home and cannot back out. Auctions are also held on the courthouse steps. These generally require cash and give little opportunity for inspections. This process is risky. Consider the case of the Santa Monica couple who thought they were buying a Palms Springs vacation home but ended up buying only the sec-

ond mortgage of the property. They were unaware of the numerous liens on the property

and presumably lost their substantial cash payment in the process.

For Mid-City Area Home Sales Visit midcitypress.com

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November 2010

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$1,295,000 622 Lillian Way Hancock Park. Renovated 2-story Country English . 5 Bedrooms/ 5 Baths, den,, office, Fpl in LR, remod kitch, private yard w/ pool. Pete Buonocore 323.314.1653

$839,000 1416 Nadeau Los Angeles 90019 1915 Craftsman 4 beds, 2 baths + den & 2 sunrooms. Newer Guest house above garage. Eileen Lanza 323.810.7935

$ 777,999 2028 Rosilla Pl Laurel Canyon retreat. 3Bd/ 2Bath plus guest house. Gated, private, newer kitchen, stainless appl., wine cellar, waterfalls. Debi Raveh 323.839.5250

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mid-city press [religion and spirituality]

The Baha’i Faith By Katherine Spiers Mid-City Press Religion Writer The Baha’i religion, founded in Persia about 150 years ago, isn’t a huge presence on the world stage. But Baha’i Angelenos are an active community of believers practicing compassion and universality. With about 5½ million followers worldwide, Baha’i faith is monotheistic and

teaches that the great religious leaders of history— Abraham, Buddha, Jesus, Mohammed and a few others—were divine messengers preceding Bahaullah, who became the founder of Baha’i. Bahaullah led a difficult life, as many religious leaders do, spending a fair amount

ICEF from page 1

Naush Boghossian, a consultant for ICEF, said school days at the elementary level will be increased by 30 minutes. Middle schools, she said, will eliminate teaching assistant positions, trim administrative costs and see slight increases to individual class size. ICEF’s high schools, Boghossian said, will adopt a traditional block schedule. Students will attend English for 90 minutes daily, for a total of 450 minutes each week. Under the previous system, students attended English class three times a week for a total of 225 minutes. By allowing high school students to take four classes at one time and earn a year’s worth of credit in one semester, ICEF would have the ability to share staff between campuses and reduce expenses. Philanthropists, led by former Los Angeles mayor Richard Riordan, current chair of the school’s board of trustees, infused the program earlier this year with a reported $700,000—kicking off a campaign to raise $3-million that will go towards getting ICEF back on stable financial footing.

Such changes are already in the works at the five ICEF schools that serve students in or near to the Mid-City area, including Frederick Douglass Academy Elementary School; Frederick Douglass Academy Middle School; Frederick Douglass Academy High School; Thurgood Marshall Charter Middle School and Lou Dantzler Preparatory Charter Elementary School. It’s estimated that at those five schools alone, cost cutting will save about $1.1 million. Dr. Caprice Young, ICEF’s interim CEO who replaced founder Miscal Piscal after he abruptly resigned in early October, told student’s families in an open letter that the school system—lauded for years as one of the nation’s largest and most successful charter programs—would have to streamline its operation. “We’re going to have to make some difficult decisions,” Young said. “It is my intention to ensure the operational and financial management of ICEF becomes as strong as its incredible academic programs.”

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of time either in exile or under house arrest. During these periods he gained followers and earned attention in far-off places, due to a prodigious letter-writing campaign. Locally he was—and unfortunately for the safety of Middle Eastern Baha’i faithful—sometimes still is, seen as a Muslim iconoclast. In truth, they are an inde-

pendent religion. Baha’i services are more celebratory than rote: despite the rules against drinking alcohol, meetings tend to have music and food and a slightly informal spirit. Nov. 12th is Bahaullah’s birthday, possibly the most important holiday on the Baha’i calendar. Services tend to include readings

from religious books like the Bible, the Koran and the Bhagavad Gita, highlighted by prayers first written by Bahaullah, in addition to conversation, music and food. The headquarters for the Los Angeles Baha’i Community are at 5755 Rodeo Rd., with regular services on Sundays at noon.

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November 2010

mid-city press [herb wesson councilmember]

Summer Night Lights Making a Difference By Los Angeles City Councilmember Herb Wesson

I believe Brasca is a surname so the little joint I pass each day at the corner of 8th St. and Western Ave. is Pollo Ala Brasca or chicken Brasca. What intrigued me is that under their name on the big yellow sign is the word WESTERN printed backwards. The place does a brisk business. Everything fellow diners had ordered looked yummy, so I stepped up to the order counter and asked the boy what he suggested. He lit up and answered, “Especial! Si! Yes!” That is how I got “The Special.” It was a quarter-bar-

becued chicken with two orders of frijoles and rice. I sat at a table waiting for my food, listening to the chill Mexican music and watching people slurp their Aquadito chicken soup. I dragged two large bags home and swear I could have fed a family on the contents of my lunch that totaled $8 including a large drink. The chicken was beautifully cooked with spices on the browned skin, but the meat was tender, juicy and not particularly smoky. Good, but nothing fancy. The rice was a bit smoky tasting as were the

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MINC

Mid-City Neighborhood Council Become a Positive Force In Your Community & Let Your Voice Be Heard Monthly Meeting Schedule Held at LAPD Wilshire Community Room 4849 Venice Blvd. 2nd Monday 7 p.m. - 9 p.m. Stakeholder Meeting 2nd Tuesday 7 p.m. - 9 p.m. Budget Committee for community projects funding 3rd Monday 7 p.m. - 9 p.m. Board Meeting. All Welcome. 2nd Thursday 7 p.m. - 9 p.m. PLUM Meeting (for Land Use issues) Ad Hoc Saturdays Check our posting sites for conﬁrmation 1st Saturday 10 a.m. - 12 noon Outreach Committee: Reaching into the Community 10 a.m. - 12 noon: Washington Blvd. Community Economic Development Committee 10 a.m. - 12 noon: Design Advisory Committee: Improving the facades of local businesses and beautiﬁcation of the area

MINC Serves the People, Places and Businesses from: Fairfax Avenue to Crenshaw Boulevard & Venice Boulevard to the 10 Freeway Plus, Pico Boulevard (between La Brea and Crenshaw Boulevard) PICO

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By Anna Eriksson, Mid-City Press Restaurant Reviewer

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CRE N

Pollo Ala Brasca

saucy black beans which were flavored with either green peppers or scallion. It was too much for one meal so I enjoyed leftovers that evening. Y’all know I’m not a snob, and I have no idea why this eatery has a B food rating, but it doesn’t seem to bother anyone. Could be that it is the old fashioned wood way of cooking that just can’t rate an A. Whatever the reason, I will definitely stop back to try that chicken soup that everyone was savoring. It is nice that it serves food fast, but it’s not fast food. Also cool is that the pollo at Pollo Ala Brasca is not greasy or hiding under breading. A descent neighborhood joint.

Cell 323-251-3763

[restaurant review]

Recreation Center in Baldwin Village. This year over 43,000 community residents participated throughout the summer during 35 nights of programming. The impact was a 23 percent reduction in gang related crime; a 100 percent reduction

facilities in the city’s Gang Reduction and Youth Development zones, keeping the parks and recreation centers open after dark during the peak hours for gang activity. In Council District 10, the program has made a difference at the Jim Gilliam

by Project SAVE and Council District 10, which include our annual Midnight Hoops basketball league at Rancho Cienega Recreation Center, and our Winter Wonderland which provides holiday cheer for families in need.

Initiated by the Office of Mayor Villaraigosa in 2008, the Summer Night Lights program was funded this year by private contributions of $2.1 million, mostly from philanthropic foundations. The program targets park

in homicides; a 36 percent reduction in aggravated assaults; an 81 percent reduction in shots fired, and a 100 percent reduction in victims shot. We will also benefit later this year from the gang intervention activities organized

MINC Chair: Allan DiCastro allanminc@yahoo.com (323) 732-5085

Posting Sites for Meetings and Agenda Items: (Posted 72 Hours Prior to Meetings) • • • • • •

Washington-Irving Library Shell Gas Station on Southwest corner of Redondo & Washington boulevards Arco Gas Station on Southeast corner of Venice & Hauser boulevards Ralph’s Grocery Store at Midtown Shopping Center Swimming Pool near Pico and West boulevards Starbucks at Midtown Crossing, 4700B Pico Blvd.

November 2010

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