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Trouble near Elysian Park Ave. and Sunset Blvd.

Tweets started coming in not too long ago about road closures and traffic building up on Sunset Blvd., and The Eastsider LA is now reporting that police are searching for a gunman following a possible shooting.

Photo via resident and business owner Justin Warwick

The photo above, taken by Warwick owner Justin Warwick, shows that LAPD are diverting traffic on Sunset Blvd.

In addition, ABC7 is reporting the following:

LAPD officers were on the scene of a reported shooting near Echo Park on Sunset Blvd. Thursday afternoon.

The shooting occurred on the 1300 block of West Sunset Blvd. at about 4:13 p.m. Thursday, according to the LAPD.

One person has been transported by firefighters.

No suspects were arrested.

Police did not immediately release further details.

Los Angeles Police were investigating the incident.

We’ll keep you posted! Follow us on Twitter!

UPDATES:

LA NOW reports that one man at the pot dispensary, The Higher Path, where the robbery took place was killed, while another is in the hospital. The Echo Park robbery occured at around 4:15 pm, and hours later at 9:15 pm another dispensary was robbed El Centro Avenue in Hollywood, leaving another employee dead. The LAPD have not yet determined whether or not the two events are linked.

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Stadium Preps for Dodgers vs. Yankees Series Tomorrow

The much-anticipated Dodgers versus Yankees series starts tomorrow, and the Stadium is preparing for the crowds and some unusual start times. Neighborhood Relations Manager Noel Pallais just sent out an email to community members about some of the steps the stadium is taking to “minimize the impact on our neighbors”:

Dear Neighbor:

As has been our commitment to inform the surrounding community of upcoming events, we have listed below updated information for games to be played this weekend at Dodger Stadium against the New York Yankees. Please note that in an effort to minimize the impact on our neighbors due to the starting times being different than our regularly scheduled weekend games we are working very closely with the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) and the City of Los Angeles Department of Transportation (DOT); additionally, as was the case during this past Opening Day and last year’s National League Division and Championship Series, all of our parking gates will open 2 ½ hrs prior to the start of the games:

Friday, June 25th – 7:10PM

Parking gates will open at 4:40PM and Stadium gates will open 5:10PM.

Saturday, June 26th – 4:10PM

Parking gates will open at 1:40PM and Stadium gates will open by 2:10PM.

Sunday, June 27th – 5:05PM

Parking gates will open at 2:40PM and Stadium gates will open by 3:10 pm.

Do note that for all three games LAPD and DOT are treating this weekend series as 3 separate Opening Days. To this end, DOT will have an earlier deployment of officers in an effort to keep arteries open for community members to access their neighborhoods. Additionally, LAPD will, also schedule an earlier deployment, as well as deploy an increased numbers of officers, to proactively patrol the surrounding community, especially the area in and around the park. Also, the City of Los Angeles will enact street a closure for Lilac Terrace between Stadium Way and Lookout Way from 12:00AM on Friday, June 25th and continuing to 11:00PM on Sunday, June 27th for staging purposes and game preparations. During this closure emergency access will be maintained at all times.

Also, we are actively encouraging all fans to arrive early, carpool and take the Dodger Stadium Express shuttle from Union Station to help alleviate parking congestion. We recently sent out a press release that noting that the Dodger Stadium Express picks up fans at the Patsaouras Bus Plaza adjacent to the east portal of Union Station and drops them off in the parking lot behind left/center field.

Finally, since safety is of paramount importance, all necessary traffic controls will be in place. Additionally, (323) 224-1363 is the 24-hour number you should use to report any security concerns.

The Scott gate will be open for exiting traffic for all games. I’ve asked Noel to see if DOT will provide assistance on the corner of Sargent and Scott Avenue at the stop sign to help with the traffic.

As for fans – don’t expect to walk up on game-day to get tickets. The Dodgers didn’t sell individual tickets to the Yankees series, but reserved tickets for fans buying season seats or packages of 14, 21 or 28 games. It looks like you can get tickets on StubHub, but they won’t come as cheap as all the other games (right now, top deck prices are around $27.00 – ouch!).

I’ll be happily enjoying the game from home or at El Compadre myself. See you there!

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Newest Echo Park Business – Montana Cans

It took me a while, but I finally figured out who’s moving into 1528 1/2 W. Sunset Blvd after finding this post on the Eastsider LA. The newest addition to Echo Park’s businesses will be Montana LA, a boutique spray paint store. The brand Montana has been around for a while (at least ten years)* and offers high end spray cans as well as markers, black and sketchbooks and apparel. As well as selling products, the company also sponsors artists, projects, events and does charity work. The store should be opening soon as its website announces that it will open in early 2010.

*Montana Cans (or German Montana) is not to be confused with Montana Colors (or Spanish Montana). The two companies seem to have a long and sordid history. See this PDF.

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Shooting Outside The Echo Spooks Residents

According to several news sources, a man parked out front of The Echo opened fire on a few people who were leaving the nightclub last night at around 2:00 am. Two of the men were injured but released from the hospital, but the third was shot in the torso and is still hospitalized.

Rampart Police have not yet determined why the gunman opened fire or if there’s any connection to the victims, but the thought of such random violence has some of us Echo Park residents a little spooked.

“Scary stuff. I may have made an error in judgment in moving to this neighborhood,” wrote resident “Chris L” on The Eastsider LA comments section about the event.

But Lt.Wes Buhrmester of the Rampart Patrol Division is trying to be reassuring, responded to the comment: “You did not make an error in judgment in moving to Echo Park. And I say this being a resident of LA (Montecito Heights) myself. This was not borne out of any activity by the victims, or by the establishment. We are trying to establish motive. While it is not apparent as those of many crimes, there was some reason for the suspect to fire at the group, and we will ascertain it. Echo Park is still an excellent place to live, work, visit and do business. Unfortunately, no areas are immune to violence.”

We are hoping for a connection so that this doesn’t end up being some random violence that we could all be subject to. Be safe out there!

UPDATES:

  • It’s possible the suspect may have been standing in the street when the shots were fired, rather than parked on a motorcycle out front. The investigation is ongoing.
  • The Echo is beefing up security. From the website: “We are deeply saddened by the events that occurred outside of our venue last night and are concerned about the well being of those injured. As the investigation is on-going, we are unable to make any further statements regarding the details of the incident at this time. Please be assured that safety is our first priority and to ease the concerns of our patrons, The Echo will have additional security and street patrols in place for upcoming shows.”

Related Articles:

  • “Three injured in shooting outside Echo Park nightclub.” The Eastsider LA, June 21, 2010
  • “3 men outside popular Echo Park club wounded after gunman opens fire.” LA Now, June 21, 2010
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Sewer Rehab Projects in Echo Park

Source Department of Public Works

Summer 2010 in Echo Park will be filled with sewer pipe “rehabilitation” as the Department of Public Works repairs or replaces about 3.4 miles of small diameter sewer pipe, some of which are 70 years old. The overall construction could last an entire year.

Glendale Blvd. at the intersection of Scott Blvd. is supposed to have started on June 16, and while we’re not sure what intersection will be next, the Bureau of Engineering report indicates construction will last until June 2011.

Here are the “Quick Facts” provided on the Department of Public Works / LA Sewers website:

  • Construction period: Summer 2010 through summer 2011. Weather or other circumstances could shift the work schedule. Neighbors will be informed as conditions warrant.
  • Construction will generally take place Monday through Friday, from 7:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m., and on major streets from 9:00 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. to minimize traffic impacts.
  • Estimated Cost: $3.8 million.
  • Construction methods include sewer pipe lining (rehabilitates defective sewers without excavation and surface disruption), and sewer pipe removal and replacement (performed by “open cut” or trenching, a method that is typically used where sewers are shallow).
  • In order to minimize disruption in the streets, most of the construction work at each location will be completed in about 5-10 business days.
  • Trucks and other equipment such as pipes will be used during construction, and you may see open trench excavation and debris removal.
  • Dust control will be provided in all project areas.
  • Enclosures or other barriers will be used in construction areas wherever necessary for public safety.
  • Flaggers will be used where traffic is impacted. Traffic will be restored to normal when construction has been completed at the end of each workday.
  • Trash pickup, deliveries, access to businesses and residential driveways will be maintained.
  • Parking may be temporarily restricted in some areas, and signs will be posted in advance telling you where and when.
  • You will be notified 24-48 hours in advance whenever sewer services may be temporarily interrupted.
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Finally! Durbin Project Gets a Little Facelift

Photo via The Eastsider LA

Huzzah!

Residents have been complaining for a while now about the weed build-up in and around the Durbin Project on Echo Park Avenue and Delta Street. We recently received an update from Eric Garcetti’s office that the developers were going to clean up all those weeds – and the Eastsider LA is reporting that they finally have!

According to the article, “a small crew of workers returned to the long-delayed Durbin condo project in Echo Park this morning.” Let’s hope they got all the weeds around the sidewalks, and maybe even fixed the buckling fencing along the property’s border.

Click here for the full article.

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GEPENC 2010 Budget Passes

GEPENC posted a press release on the Echo Elysian Neighborhood Council forum, announcing the results of its 2010-11 budget plans. Here’s the press release:

GREATER ECHO PARK ELYSIAN NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL ADOPTS ITS 2010-2011 BUDGET

Libraries, Elementary Schools, Public Safety, Community Outreach, Public Improvement, Holiday Parade & Historic Jensen Sign a priority

(Echo Park, CA) The Greater Echo Park Elysian Neighborhood Council (GEPENC) at a Special Meeting of the Board of Governor’s on Wednesday, June 9th voted 13 – 0 to approve and adopt its Fiscal Year 2010-2011 Budget. The final vote came after two previous public meetings were held and the budget was presented, discussed and comments from the public were taken. The GEPENC Bylaws, Article VIII Section B, requires that the annual budget be adopted by June 10th and forwarded to the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment by June 15th.

The neighborhood council was provided with $45,000 from the City to support, fund and sponsor various initiatives, programs and projects in the categories of Outreach and Public Improvement.  The budget sets aside funding to support the six local schools and the two libraries in our area.

The budget also includes funds to support National Night Out, the Echo Park Holiday Parade, the upcoming Lotus Festival, community gardens, neighborhood clean ups, emergency preparedness, the effort to revive the Jensen Sign and support for the Echo Park Business Improvement District.

The new Board of Governors was delayed in taking office 60 days due to a Challenge filed in the March, 20, 2010 election.  The challenge was resolved on May 25, 2010 by a panel of volunteers working with the City Clerk who dismissed the challenge allowing for the seating of the new Board.

“I would like to commend the new GEPENC Treasurer, Mr. Gustavo Moreno, for his leadership and the new Board of Governors for their hard work the last two weeks. Their leadership will allow for GEPENC to continue to provide important leadership and support for our community. The new Board is the most diverse community representation in the history of GEPENC and the adopted budget line items reflect the many different stakeholder funding needs in all five of our districts”, stated Board President Jose Sigala.

To view the 2010-2011 GEPENC budget, please visit our website at www.gepenc.org

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ABOUT GEPENC – the Greater Echo Park Elysian Neighborhood Council, “GEPENC” as the Council is known, was certified by the City of Los Angeles on April 15, 2002, and is the 23rd Neighborhood Council formed under the guidelines of the City Charter.  The purpose of GEPENC is to promote citizen participation in government by serving as an advisory body to the City of Los Angeles. The Mission of GEPENC is to provide a public forum for stakeholders in our neighborhood to express their thoughts, ideas and concerns on community or Citywide issues. For more information about the neighborhood council, please visit our website at www.gepenc.org.

GEPENC* 1572 Sunset Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90026 * (213) 250-3400

Click here for the PDF of the full budget. One item of interest to keep an eye out for is the $2,500 allocated for the repair of the Jensen’s Recreation Center sign – the 1,300 red, green and white light bulbs on the historic sign have been unlit for some time now.

The next meeting is the GEPENC Ad Hoc Bylaws Committee, and takes place on Saturday, June 19th at 12:00 noon in the neighborhood council office and community center on Echo Park Blvd. behind the Bank of America. Click here for the meeting agenda.

Contact Lisa Baca, GEPENC CIO, at bacasigala@earthlink.net with questions about the press release above or the next meeting.

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Restaurant and Business News Roundup

New restaurants and businesses:

  • Xoia Vietnamese Eats may open up sometime soon this month (they recently posted Craigslist ads hiring staff). The restaurant took over the old Par Paint location on Sunset Blvd. and Lemoyne Street.
  • Montana LA, a “paint boutique” selling spray paint, is opening later this month in the 1500 block of Sunset Blvd. The Eastsider LA has the full story.

Closed/Moving

  • Haute Olive is moving downtown from its Echo Park location under the Sunset bridge on Glendale Blvd.
  • Warwick closed up its location at 1461 ½ W Sunset Blvd and is now at a much larger space at 1205 Sunset Blvd.

Ongoing/Weekly Specials

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The Echo Park Film Center Filmmobile Returns!

Once again, the Echo Park Film Center’s Filmmobile is taking movies to the streets! This eco-friendly bus drives around L.A. every summer and screens films for free in public locations around L.A. “Angelenos are invited to discover and explore their changing urban landscape when the Filmmobile projects an array of classic films at (actual or implied) cinematic locations across the city.”

Here are the films that will be screening in June. The screenings are free and open to everyone, but the locations aren’t revealed immediately. Be sure to check their Twitter to find out where these films will be playing.

Friday, June 11 @ 8:00 pm – THE DECAY OF FICTION
Pat O’Neill’s haunting meditation on The Ambassador Hotel. “If there were more experimental films as entertaining as “The Decay of Fiction,” Pat O’Neill’s luminous Hollywood ghost story, the notion of a thriving avant-garde cinema might not be so intimidating to the movie-going public. The 73-minute movie is a semi-abstract film noir shot largely in the empty corridors and bare peeling rooms of the Ambassador, a once-grand Los Angeles hotel that went spectacularly to seed after closing in 1989. The Ambassador was the site of some of the early Academy Awards ceremonies in the 1930’s and of the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy.” — Stephen Holden, The New York Times INTRODUCTION BY FILMMAKER PAT O’NEILL!

Friday, June 18 @ 8:00 pm – KING KONG
The 1933 classic King Kong, remembered for pioneering special effects using stop motion models and evocative images of the giant gorilla atop the Empire State Building.

Friday, June 25 @ 8:00 pm – LADY SINGS THE BLUES
Tonight’s screening is Lady Sings The Blues, the 1972 Billie Holiday biopic starring Diana Ross and Billy Dee Williams.


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EPIA Meeting Tonight

No plans to watch the Laker game tonight? Join your neighbors for the monthly Echo Park Improvement Association meeting to learn about what’s going on in the area.

On the agenda tonight, CD1 and CD13 council reps will update us on any district news (for instance, Alejandra Marroquin, Field Deputy for Garcetti’s office, usually provides updates on issues like the Echo Park Lake Rehab project, among others). Northeast and Rampart Division reps will also address the community on any police updates.

The featured speaker is a rep from Congressman Xavier Becerra’s office.

The meeting takes place from 7:00 – 9:00 pm in Williams Hall at Barlow Hospital (2000 Stadium Way). All are welcome!

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Dodgers vs. Diamondbacks series brings protesters

Photo via gmazariego on TwitPic (Elysian Park gate)

Protesters gathered yesterday around Dodger Stadium protesting the Arizona’s immigration law during the first of three Dodgers vs. Diamondbacks series (LA Now reports there ended up being a few hundred). The Diamondbacks are being focused on because owner Ken Kendrick has been supposedly tied to the Republican party in Arizona, which spearheaded the current immigration law. Click here for a call-to-action posted on the KPFK website for yesterday’s protest.

The Dodgers play the Diamondbacks again tonight at 7:10 pm.

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GEPENC Meeting Wednesday in Echo Park

Looks like GEPENC is back!

Last Tuesday (May 25), GEPENC board members were sworn in during a last minute meeting. The next Board of Governors meeting will be tomorrow, Wednesday, June 2 at 6:30 pm at its new community center on Echo Park Avenue (behind the Bank of America).

Here’s the agenda for the meeting:

  1. Administrative Items:
    1. Call to Order
    2. Roll Call – GEPENC Board of Governors
    3. Flag Salute
    4. Adoption of Minutes
  2. Public Comment on Non-Agenda Items
    1. Comments from the public on non-agenda items within the Board’s jurisdiction.  Two minutes per speaker.
  3. Motions & Resolutions (Discussion/Possible Action Items):
    1. Regular Calendar Items:
      1. [2010-06-01] Discussion and/or Possible Action on request from the Board President for the GEPENC Board of Governors to approve recommendations of the Chairs and Vice Chairs for the 2010 – 2102 Standing and Ad Hoc Committees.
      2. [2010-06-02] Presentation and Discussion on the Proposed Fiscal Year 2010 – 2011 Neighborhood Council Budget.
  4. Announcements
  5. Adjournment
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Sobriety Checkpoint Tonight in Echo Park

The last sobriety checkpoint was not too long ago (on May 5), but another one has already been set up in Echo Park for the Memorial Day weekend drivers. The Cinco de Mayo DUI checkpoint had three DUI arrests, 15 citations issued, and 14 cars impounded (stats from Captain Bill Murphy).

The checkpoint is located at Sunset Blvd. and Portia, just in front of Little Joy and A Grocery Warehouse.

No reason to get down about the DUI checkpoint. If you’re looking for a place to hang out for a while, ECOS vintage store is having a DUI checkpoint sale with 50% off vinyl records (located at 1529 Sunset Blvd.).

Be careful out there! The checkpoints usually last until midnight or sometimes a little later.

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Your Echo Park News of the Day

There are a few things going on in Echo Park we wanted to remind our readers about, here goes:

Non-Profit Lease Subsidy:

Today the City Council was supposed to vote on whether or not to remove the $1 per year lease program for non-profit organizations in Los Angeles. It looks like the issue has AGAIN been postponed, this time for June 1, giving you time to contact your council representative and tell them more study needs to be done before eliminating this program. Read more from us at Echo Park Now, as well as The Eastsider LA.

Elysian Park Fundraiser Banquet:

If you haven’t bought your tickets yet, get them soon! The event is June 6, just a week from this coming Sunday. Click here for more info about the event and how to get tickets. Everyone keeps telling me this really is THE Echo Park event of the year!

Neighborhood Council:

It was just yesterday I was talking with a fellow Echo Park resident about how GEPENC (Greater Echo Park Elysian Neighborhood Council) has been inactive since February. Well, with no announcement to the community, they met all of a sudden last night, and the newly elected board members sworn in. The Eastsider LA has the full story.

Upcoming Community meetings:

The Chamber of Commerce meeting was canceled last week, but there is an Elysian Park Support Group meeting on Wednesday, June 2, and an Echo Park Improvement Association meeting on Thursday, June 3. Check our Calendar for more info.

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Join the Forces with the Park Advisory Board

via timothy.steingraeber's Flickr

Looking for a way to give back to community?

The Echo Park Advisory Board (PAB) is a volunteer group that oversees issues and events at Echo Park Lake and the Recreation Center, including the annual Easter Spring Event, Breakfast with Santa, and Halloween events. The Board is an important component in supporting the center and the community by volunteering for special events, facilitating scholarship fund-raisers, providing feedback and ideas to meet community needs in the area of recreation, and assisting in the publicity and communication of programs and activities.

The Board is currently accepting applications from Echo Park residents, business owners, or volunteers to serve on the board for the following positions: Board Secretary, Teen Representative and three Advisory Committee Leader positions. Starting July 1st, 2010, Board Chairperson and Vice Chairperson will also be open seats.

Interested in applying for a seat on the board? Email to have an application mailed to you, or stop by the Rec Center during operational hours to pick one up.

If you can’t donate your time on the board, how about just a small amount of cash? A little bit can go a long way. Individuals and businesses can help by sponsoring youth teams and clubs through the Rec Center. All donations contribute to the sports scholarships (a $50 scholarship will really help out a league, but partial scholarships are also accepted) as well as summer camp.

You can contact Cassandra Reyes to sponsor or donate to a league, or to inquire about joining the Park Advisory Board.

Meetings are held on the 4th Thursday of each month at 7:00 pm (check our calendar for updates) and are open to the public.

The Rec Center is open from 9:00 am – 8:30 pm Monday-Friday, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm Saturday, and 10:00 am – 3:00 pm on Sunday. The facility is located at 1632 Bellevue Avenue, phone number is (213) 250-3578.

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