Saturday: Echo Park Bike Tour

Explore the historic highlights of Elysian Park’s western edge on a bike ride sponsored by the Echo Park Historical Society. The 90-minute tour, on Saturday, October 24, headed by Matthew Dubois will include several stops at points of historical interest (the tour is limited to paved roads). Space is extremely limited. Riders must provide their own bikes and helmets. The tour is free to EPHS members and $5 for all others.

Please send an email to ephs@HistoricEchoPark.org to reserve a spot and receive information about the tour starting point.

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Last night’s police activity

Courtesy Eastsider LA

Courtesy Eastsider LA

Last night’s police and helicopter activity closed off Echo Park Avenue between Effie Street and Duane Street. According to Eastsider LA, as of 12:05 AM officers had apprehended the suspect.

“A police helicopter hovering over Echo Park tonight is part of a search for a suspect who dropped a gun following an investigation in the 1900 block of Echo Park Avenue, according to an officer at the scene. No shots were fired, the officer said.

“Police have blocked off Echo Park Avenue between Effie Street and Duane Street. The search appears focused on the hills to the east of Echo Park Avenue near Lucretia Street.”

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Wednesday: Chamber of Commerce Meeting

Join the Chamber of Commerce for its general meeting Thursday at 7:00 pm at Taix Restaurant in Echo Park.

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Dodger’s Vendor Passes away

From LAist:

“This could be a bad sign for the Dodgers. A 49-year old male vendor died in the Vin Scully Press Box at Dodger Stadium of a heart attack. Being the first open workout a day before the National League Divisional Series against the St. Louis Cardinals, most media members were not in the press box when the vendor died. Access to the press box was blocked off pending the arrival of the coroner, however bags, laptops and cameras were retrieved for the media by several members of the Dodgers staff. More details as they come in.”


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Suspicious behavior in Elysian Park

From Andrew on the Echo Elysian NC Forum:

Last night just before dusk, a guest of mine went out with one of my dogs up Park Drive to the Marion Harlow garden.  A man followed her from Park Drive into the park and then went into hiding in the bushes.  By the sound of it, he was acting suspiciously and did not have good intentions.  She described him as about 5′ 9″, medium build, tan complexion, brown or black hair.  He was wearing a dark navy or black track suit and a white knit beanie cap.

Please be aware.

This sounds a lot like the lurker who was doing this a couple years ago and was later arrested.  If it is the same person, what was effective was that when he was spotted, that people yelled at him loudly and let him know that he has been spotted.

We called the Rangers and Office of Public Safety (Park Police) when she got back and she filed a report.
If you see any suspicious activity, please call:

Park Rangers:  (323) 644-6661

Office of Public Safety: (213) 978-4670

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Sobriety Checkpoint in Echo Park tonight

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Starting a 8:00 pm tonight, the Northeast Division will be conducting a sobriety and driver’s license checkpoint at the intersection of Echo Park Avenue and Sunset Blvd. The Division’s news release cites “80 driving under the influence-related and 792 hit and run traffic collisions” so far this year in the Northeast area of Los Angeles.

Heavy traffic this evening surrounding Dodger Stadium for the Dodgers’ last home series should make the checkpoint very interesting, and will likely slow down the flow of traffic leaving the stadium later on.

Drive safe everyone!

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Break In on Douglas Street in Echo Park

An alert to people living in northeast Echo Park: my roommates laptop was stolen out of his room yesterday. It probably happened sometime in the early afternoon while me and another one of my roommates were at home. However, we didn’t hear anything as we live two floors above him.

He accidentally left his window unlocked which is street-level and is just a few steps away from the sidewalk. We’re assuming that the thief just opened up his window and grabbed whatever he could find close by which would have been his laptop (oh, and a jar of change). It was most likely someone looking to make some quick cash or just wanting to have a little “fun.”

Learn from our mistake, and don’t forget to lock your windows as well as your doors. And beware of anyone loitering or snooping around. And, of course, the non-emergency police phone number for Echo Park is 1-877-275-5273

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Tonight: Riverside Dr. Park/Elysian Park Expansion meeting

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When: Wednesday, Sept 30th, 2009

Where: Dickerson Employee Benefits, 1918 Riverside Dr., Los Angeles, CA 90039

Field Deputy Alejandra Marroquin writes: “Designs for our future park have been completed and recently, the Department of Recreation and Parks completed their CEQA document as part of the City’s requirement to inform stakeholders and the public about the potential significant environmental effects of our proposed park. We would like to discuss the CEQA document with you and share with you our next steps as we move into construction phase.”

See the included flyer for more information, or contact Alejandra Marroquin at 323-957-4500.

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Fender Bender in Vons Parking lot

A concerned Echo Park resident contacted us today about a “hit and run” incident in the Echo Park Vons parking lot in which a vehicle hit another car, and then left the scene.

“If you were hit by a big old, faded green Ford truck today in the Echo Park Vons parking lot (Alvarado and Montana) between 12:45PM and 1:05PM today, I saw it happen and I know where the vehicle is currently parked. I saw the older guy in the truck back right into your dark green Volvo, apparently causing a fair amount of damage. I left the parking lot, then circled the block, and returned to the lot only to see him driving away – at which point I realized he probably didn’t stop to exchange information.”

The tipster has more information, you can email us at info@echoparknow.com for more details.

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Echo Park “Rehabilitation” Project Walking Tour

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The City of Los Angeles Proposition O Citizens Oversight Advisory Committee (COAC), representatives from the Bureaus of Engineering and Sanitation, partners from the Department of Recreation and Parks, and design consultants Black & Veatch, will be conducting a walking tour of the Echo Park Lake Rehabilitation project on Tuesday, September 29th from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

At 1:00 p.m., there will be a public meeting at the Echo Park Recreation Center.

You can review the initial study checklist here.

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GEPENC meeting tonight will focus on ACP

What: Greater Echo Park Elysian Neighborhood Council

When: Tuesday, September 22nd at 6:30 pm

Where: St. Paul Cathedral Center, 840 N. Echo Park Avenue (across from the Echo Park Boathouse)

Mr. Larry Bezark, ACP Task Force Co-Chair from the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Integrated Pest Control Branch will present information on the Asian Citrus Psyllid (ACP) and will be answering questions by community members.

Everyone is welcomed to attend and ask any questions you may have about the current efforts to eradicate this pest.

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Via email, Bradley of the Northeast Community Police Advisory Board (NOE CPAB) notified the community of several gang arrests that occurred this morning at around 4:00 am in the Glassell Park, Cypress Park, and Echo-Elysian Park communities and surrounding areas. The notification continues as follows:

“This morning at 0400, your Finest the Northeast Los Angeles Police Department participated in a coordinated effort to arrest and detain Gang Members and those harboring criminals in the Glassell Park, Cypress Park, and Echo-Elysian Park Communities including surrounding areas. Several arrest were made with controlled raids on properties that housed Gang Members with the LAPD seizing weapons, narcotics, and other gang paraphernalia though-out the Northeast/Central Areas. Any/all tools available to the LAPD coupled with the Gang Injunctions were employed to assist in the arrest of Gang Members and wanted criminals in our communities Unfortunately, Northeast CPAB Members have been given very little information to disseminate to concerned Residents in the affect areas.”

There will be a community meeting tonight held by Council Representatives, LAUSD, and the NOE LAPD at Washington-Irving Middle School (3010 Estara Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90065-2205) from 6pm-8pm to address any concerns. “The LAPD, City Attorney’s Office, and other local agencies that assisted in the coordinated efforts, will be able to provide you with updates and arrest numbers with commentary from Captain William Murphy and Brass on steps to take to help improve your Neighborhood,” the email details.

For more information about the meeting, you can contact Danny Roman via e-mail at 22195@lapd.lacity.org

Click here to view the location of the meeting at Washington-Irving Middle School.

The LA Times also posted this story about the early morning arrests.

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Auto Accident off the 5 Freeway and Stadium Way

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Driving home from work this evening, at around 5:45 pm, I noticed this car accident at the 5 freeway off Stadium way and Landa Street. A car was completely flipped over, and rescue workers were on the scene. The 5 South offramp is completely blocked, so make plans to get off earlier (there’s no Dodger game tonight). Hope everyone’s okay!

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Anti-Graffiti Website Launched

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The LAPD has just announced the launch of the city’s new Anti Graffiti website, http://anti-graffiti.lacity.org, created by The Office of Community Beautification, Board of Public Works.

The email sent out today provided the wrong website address, so make sure to go to the correct address provided here.

The site is meant for residents requesting graffiti removal from public and private property. The email that went out today from the LAPD notes, “Structures not included in this service are schools (maintained by LAUSD), freeways (maintained by CalTrans), and parks (maintained by Recreation and Parks).”

It also states that most requests will be serviced within 72 hours.

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Police activity last night in Echo Park

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Last night a police helicopter flew low around Echo Park with spotlights shining around Echo Park Avenue and Morton. Police cars blocked off Scott Avenue at Laveta Terrace, and Parmer Avenue for about 20 minutes.

According to a post on the Echo Elysian Neighborhood Councils Forum, the police were searching for a man reported running through backyards.

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