June-July 2009 Echo Park Improvement Association newsletter Volume 16 Issue 3

STOP-IN COMES TO A STOP

by Susan Borden

Hopes were high when the Los Angeles Police Depart- cles and hand- b
ment opened the Echo Park Stop In Location in 1995. ing out forms to
Five years of planning had made the Stop In Location the public.
(sometimes known as a Police Outpost) a reality at last. Barragan’s
Conveniently straddling the boundary between the two Mexican Restau-
LAPD divisions of Rampart and Northeast, the location rant made its
behind the Bank of America at the corner of Echo Park restroom avail-
Avenue and Sunset Boulevard seemed ideal for coopera- able as a stop
tion between the public and the police. gap measure.
Willie Williams, then the Chief of Police, opened the (Although a re-
Stop In with much fanfare on the afternoon of September frigerator and
21, 1995. Together with City Council members and microwave had
Chamber of Commerce officials he applauded as a Bank been installed,
of America executive cut the ribbon in front of the first the bank pro-
floor office on Echo Park Avenue. vided no bath-
For the stores and businesses along Sunset Boulevard room). The Echo
the Stop In was to be a nearby spot where they could ac- Park Chamber
cess police services—somewhere the owners could easily of Commerce
reach without leaving the neighborhood. They also ex- considered the
pected the routine presence of police cars and officers Stop In such a
would have a calming effect on street crimes. vital and impor-
tant part of
For local residents it was to be a neutral meeting
Echo Park that
place where Neighborhood Watch groups could gather
its members At Stop-In opening in 1995, l. to r. Chief Willie
away from their own homes and meet regularly with their Williams, Mike Taix, BofA official, Council
raised the money
Senior Lead Officers. members Mike Hernandez, and Jackie
to construct a Goldberg
For the officers, the Stop In Location would be a se- restroom inside
cure place to write up their reports without having to re- the facility by 1998.
turn to the station, to have snacks, take their breaks, talk
As their schedules permitted, police officers dropped
to colleagues in the other division, hold meetings with
by, greeted business owners and residents and took care
community members and even hang awards and memen-
of paperwork. Both police divisions assigned officers to
tos they had no space for at the stationhouse.
the Stop In on a regular, though part-time, basis. Resi-
For everyone the Stop In was to be a place where po- dents gathered for crime and safety meetings without un-
lice and the local community could work together to re- necessary exposure to trouble-makers. Echo Park Security
duce crime. Association members dusted and vacuumed the rooms
Things started out well at the new facility. Enthusias- while Pioneer Market kept sodas in the fridge.
tic volunteers were trained, finger-printed, photographed
(Continued on page 8)
and shown how to perform tasks such as registering bicy-

Download the EPIAn ways at http://www.echoparkimprovement.org/

Echo Park Improvement Association

Meets at 7 p.m. the 1st Thursday of each Month
in Williams Hall at Barlow Hospital 2000 Stadium Way in Elysian Park

Mail for EPIA: P.O.Box 261021, Los Angeles, CA 90026 Message Phone (323) 882-4835
Page 2 June-July 2009

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Copyright by Echo Park Improvement Association 2008

Mail for EPIA: P.O.Box 261021, Los Angeles, CA 90026 Message Phone (323) 882-4835
 June-July 2009 Page 3

UPDATE FROM COUNCIL PRESIDENT

ERIC GARCETTI
Here is a quick update on some issues of concern to Echo Park residents:
New signalized crosswalk at Sunset and Portia.
Crossing the street at Sunset and Portia got a little safer with the addition of a signalized crosswalk that blinks yel-
low lights overhead to alert drivers to pedestrians crossing Sunset Boulevard. The Los Angeles Department of Transpor-
tation and the Pedestrian Advisory Group comprised of Los Angeles residents had both identified the need for improved
visibility of pedestrian crossing at this intersection.
GO GREEN pamphlets available to help residents and businesses.
The City of Los Angeles has many resources to help Angelenos live and work in a more environmentally-sustainable
manner. The Department of Public Works, Department of Water and Power, and other city agencies operate programs
to help residents and businesses go green and save money. My office created a series of pamphlets as a one-stop shop
for information about these programs. The pamphlets are available in my offices or online at www.cd13.com.
Mortgage consultant fraud.
Most of us have seen signs on the side of the road offering a phone number to call for help with reducing our mort-
gage payments. Many of these so-called “consultants” have unfortunately persuaded anxious homeowners to pay hun-
dreds or thousands of dollars to "consultants" who take an upfront payment and are never heard from again.
Now, the City of Los Angeles will protect homeowners from unethical “mortgage consultants.” The City Council
passed an ordinance I authored to regulate "mortgage consultants" working with homeowners to reduce their payments
before they fall into foreclosure. Previously, state law only regulated consultants working with homeowners who had al-
ready defaulted on their loans.
Under the new law:
1. Consultants are required to provide a contract, which includes language notifying the homeowner that these ser-
vices are also available free of charge through http://www.makinghomeaffordable.gov/
2. Consultants are prohibited from charging an upfront fee
3. Homeowners may sue for treble damages (which gives private attorneys more incentive to represent homeowners
in these cases)
Thank you to everyone in Echo Park who has assisted with these and other City of L.A. projects to make our
neighborhood an even better place to live and work.

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(323)

Mail for EPIA: P.O.Box 261021, Los Angeles, CA 90026 Message Phone (323) 882-4835
Page 4 June-July 2009

1800 W Sunset Blvd • (213) 989-1558 • www.masaofechopark.com

1911 SUNSET BOULEVARD

LOS ANGELES, CA 90026
(213) 484-1265

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Mail for EPIA: P.O.Box 261021, Los Angeles, CA 90026 Message Phone (323) 882-4835
 June-July 2009 Page 5

“Meet
Meet Your Neighbors” by Eric Trules
Nathan and Mary Hittelman
Echo Park in the 1920s: the fa- From 1935-
mous lake, the verdant hills, the writ- 1942, Nathan
ers, painters, and musicians, the bo- was an LA
hos, evangelicals, and radicals…. Wait. County surveyor,
Sound familiar? Well, according to Na- using his engi-
than and Mary Hittelman, Echo Park neering skills to
hasn’t changed that much in the last work on county
90 years. It’s always been the same sewer plants,
laid back hot bed of art, ideas, and and from 1942-
creativity. And the Hittelmans should 1952, during the
know. Nathan, 94, and Mary, 92, have war years, the
lived here since 1952, and Nathan first Hittelmans
hung out here in the 1920s. Sure, Echo moved inland to
Park Avenue once had trolley cars that Ontario, as Na-
ran right through to Temple Street, than worked on
before the 101 Freeway cut it off at a pig farm that
Belleview, and “Edendale” (the name of was converted
the ‘hood before it just became plain into Kaiser Steel
ol’ Echo Park), was the original Holly- to build big ships for the Navy. Mary classic scenery that now hangs in every
wood hills with Charlie Chaplin’s and and Nathan remember coming in to the room throughout the Hittleman’s
Mack Sennett’s silent film studios City to bowl at Jensen’s, the now his- home. What Nathan liked best about
down on Glendale Boulevard, and Glo- torically-preserved building on Sunset the neighborhood was how it was al-
ria Swanson and Norma Talmadge, the just west of Echo Park Avenue, and ways so entirely “mixed” and inte-
great silent film divas, once lived on they remember coming in again to see grated, Koreans living next to Mexicans
Morton Avenue in the Echo Park Hills… a USC football game in 1952. Nathan living next to Chinese and Jews, with
But Nathan remembers moving out dropped Mary off at the top of Lucretia never a word of discrimination or politi-
to LA at age 7 from Rochester, New Avenue in Elysian Heights while he and cal correctness. The two of them
York, in 1920. His parents, both from his friend, Rapport, went to the game, brought up four children in Echo Park,
the Ukraine, made the now common and no longer than 15 minutes after he who all went to Elysian Heights Ele-
East to West Coast trek for the good of came back, Mary had brought him mentary School on Echo Park and Bax-
his mother’s health, and they ended up across the street to see the 3 bedroom ter, and they remember the best
living on Temple Street between Glen- wooden house that was for sale. They teacher there, a kick-ass Ms. Goodwin,
dale and Beaudry, just west of down- bought it for $13,750 and paid it off who started each of their kids in the
town and Bunker Hill. By 1928, the within two years. Nathan earned about right direction towards their future ca-
family had moved to Boyle Heights, not that same amount in a year and has reers in science, education, and the
far from the Breed Street Schul (Jewish always considered that a good bench- “professions”. In fact, one of their
temple), and Nathan remembers visit- mark of affordability. Given his logic, I sons, Marty, still lives nearby in Silver
ing his friend Gene Drogan who lived guess the new owners will have to be lake, and he’s become head of the Cali-
on Baxter Street just up the steep hill making between $700-800,000 a year fornia Federation of Teachers.
from Echo Park Avenue, and Gene mar- when the Hittelmans finally leave their “Oh yeah”, Nathan says just be-
ried Brodea Most, whose father home of 57 years. Well, yes, the times fore we wrap up, “I do remember
seemed to own most of the property on they have been a changing! som eth in g di fferen t a bout t h e
the Baxter Street Hill. Nathan remem- What Mary loved about the house neighborhood. There used to be two
bers growing up with Mary in Boyle was “the way it was situated”, looking spring water bottling companies right
Heights and marrying her in 1935, just west from the back deck towards the here on Morton Street and another on
after spending two years at UCLA and Alvarado and Tom Mix Hills, and be- Baxter. They were supposed to be bot-
two years at UC Berkeley, majoring in yond to the Griffith Observatory, and tling the water from an ancient under-
engineering, and Mary says with a twin- on a clear day, all the way to the ground Indian stream.” Mary smiles
kle in her eye that the two of them Ocean. To the East were the San with that twinkle again, and says,
knew each other so long, since child- Gabriel Mountains, right nearby, Ely- “there used to be a lot more children in
hood, that it was almost “like an ar- sian Park, and Mary took up painting the neighborhood too.”
ranged marriage”. and sculpture to capture some of the

Eric Trules is a 16 year resident of Echo Park, a Senior Fulbright Specialist, and an Assistant Professor at USC’s School of Theater. More info at: www.erictrules.com

Mail for EPIA: P.O.Box 261021, Los Angeles, CA 90026 Message Phone (323) 882-4835
 Page 6 June-July 2009

ECHO PARK CALENDAR

Event Date Location Comments
st
EPIA Meetings 1 Thursday, 7:00 pm Williams Hall at Barlow Call EPIA message phone for
July 2 , Aug 6 (Pot Luck), Hospital, 2000 additional information.
Sept 3 Stadium Way in
Elysian Park
EPIA Steering 2nd Monday, 7:15 pm Call (323) 882-4835 Take an active part in EPIA.
Committee June 8,July 13, Aug 10 for location Join the Steering Committee
Meetings
Community 2nd Thursday, 2:00 p.m.
Edendale Branch Hosted by Echo Park Security
Safety Meeting July 8 Aug 13 Library Association. Call 323-860-
Community room 9914 for meeting location.
2011 W. Sunset Blvd.
Citizens Committee to 1st Wednesday, 7:00 pm Williams Hall at Barlow Call 213-666-9651 for
Save Elysian Park July 1, Aut 5, Sept 2 Hospital, 2000 meeting location
Stadium Way in
Elysian Park
Echo Park Chamber of 3rd Thursday, 7:00 pm and Taix Restaurant. Call 213-630-3032 for further
Commerce every Wednesday 1:30 pm information.
Greater Echo Park 4th Tuesday, 7 pm See Website Call (213) 413-3196 for info or
Elysian Neighborhood www.gepenc.org visit www.GEPENC.org
Council Meeting
Edendale Library 2nd Wednesday, 7 pm Edendale Branch Join the library’s support
Friends Society June 10, July 10 Library group and find out how you
>=> ELFS <=< Community room can help your neighborhood’s
2011 W. Sunset Blvd. branch.
Positive Energy Group 4th Wednesday , 6 pm - 7 Edendale Branch For info : blog
of Echo Park and pm Library www.positiveenergygroup.blogspot.c
Silver Lake Area June 24, July 22, Aug 26 Community room om
EP Farmers Market Every Friday, 3pm - 7 pm parking lot #663 -- half a bock south of Sunset
Boulevard
323463-3171 x13
Edendale Book Club Monday, 6:30 pm December is "The Edendale Branch Library
June 22, July 20, Aug 17 Soloist" by Steve Community room
Lopez 2011 W. Sunset Blvd.
Deadline August Sunday, July 26 Send submissions to EPIA,
EPIAn ways Attn: EPIAn Ways Editor
SPECIAL EVENTECIAL EVENTS
Echo Park Community Festival Friday, July 10 5pm - 9pm Presented by The Echo Park Chamber of Commerce
featuring Lotus Children’s Area Saturday, July 11 12 - 9pm along with The City of Los Angeles Department of
Sunday, July 12 12 -8:30pm Recreation and Parks at Echo Park Lake

The Echo Park Community Festival is scheduled for (Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday) July 10, 11 and 12. These
dates were historically reserved for the Lotus Festival, which will not be held in the same traditional scale as past Lotus
Festival years. This year the festival will include all the basic essence of the Lotus Festival with an additional theme of
worldly community flair. There will be live entertainment, a great selection of a variety of different culture type of food
menus, a carnival attraction and many ventures for the entire family.

Mail for EPIA: P.O.Box 261021, Los Angeles, CA 90026 Message Phone (323) 882-4835
 June-July 2009 Page 7

POLICE CLEAN-UP
Police Emergency: Need Police Car 911 Abandoned Vehicles 311
Spanish Line 213-928-8222 Cars Parked in Yards 1-888-524-2845
Narcotic Hotline 1-800-662-2878 Hazardous Waste Disposal Information 1-800-988-6942
Child Abuse Hotline 1-800-540-4000 Parkway and Median Maintenance 1-800-996-2489
Police Non-Emergency 1-877-275-5273 Storm Drains 213-485-5391
LAPD Air Support Division 213-485-2600 Trash and Bulky Item Pick Up 1-800-773-2489
FAX 213-847-2261
RAMPART DIVISION L. A. Fire Department Brush Clearance 818-374-1111
Rampart Police Division Desk 213-484-3400 ext 1
COMMUNITY SERVICES
Rampart Vice Unit 213-485-4080 Copies of Crime and Traffic Reports 213-485-4193
Rampart Division Watch Commander 213-485-4062 El Centro del Pueblo 213-483-6335
Senior Lead Officer Ford 213-793-0775 Echo Park Library 213-250-7808
Community Relations 213-484-3400 ext 2
Edendale Library 213-207-3000
China Town Sub-Station 213-621-2344 Echo Park Recreation Center 213-250-3578
NORTHEAST DIVISION Echo Park Chamber of Commerce 213-630-3032
Northeast Desk 213-485-2563 Dodger's Security 323-224-1363
Northeast Report Unit 213-485-2563 Dodger's Neighborhood Focus 323-224-2636
Senior Lead Officer Bobby Hill 213-793-0760 Dodger's Community Affairs 323-224-1435
Senior Lead Officer Al Polehonki 213-793-0763 Central City Action Committee 213-241-0908
Northeast Detectives 213-485-2566 North Central Animal Shelter 213-847-1416
Northeast Community Relations 213-485-2548 L.A City Department of Aging 800-834-4777
Northeast Gang Detail 213-847-4263 Elysian Park Ranger 323-913-4688
Northeast Youth Referral Program 213-847-3375 Health Information 211
Northeast Records 213-485-2568 Los Angeles City Information 311
Release of Impounded Vehicles 213-485-2566 Los Angeles City Information website www.lacity.org
CITIZEN COMPLAINTS Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard 213-628-9230
Department Building & Safety 888-524-2845 State Senator Gil Cedillo 213-612-9566
Department of Health 1-800-427-8700 Assemblyperson Kevin de Leon 323-225-4545
Department of Transportation 213-580-1177 LA County Supervisor Gloria Molina 213-974-4111
Department of Water & Power 800-342-5397 Mayor’s Office [email protected] 213-978-0600
Parking Enforcement 311 Neighborhood Prosecutor Program 213-847-8045
Loose/Stray Animals/Barking Dogs 888-452-7381 POLITICAL
LA County Department of Consumer 213-974-1452 1st District Ed Reyes 213-485-3451
Affairs
13th District Eric Garcetti 323-957-4500
Legal Aid Client Referral 1-800-399-4529
Congressman Xavier Becerra 213-483-1425
Operation Bright Lights 311 Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard 213-628-9230
Street Lighting Repairs 311 State Senator Gil Cedillo 213-612-9566
Professional Helicopter Pilots Association 213-891-3636
Assemblyperson Kevin de Leon 323-225-4545
GRAFFITI RELATED ISSUES LA County Supervisor Gloria Molina 213-974-4111
Report Graffitti 311
Mayor’s Office [email protected] 213-978-0600
Free Paint 311 Neighborhood Prosecutor Program 213-847-8045

Mail for EPIA: P.O.Box 261021, Los Angeles, CA 90026 Message Phone (323) 882-4835
 Page 8 June-July 2009

EDENDALE LIBRARY ECHO PARK LIBRARY

Library Hours Library Hours
Mondays 10:00 am – 8:00 pm Mondays 10:00 am - 8:00 pm
Tuesdays 12 noon – 8:00 pm Tuesdays 12:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Wednesdays 10:00 am – 8:00 pm Wednesdays 10:00 am - 8:00 pm
Thursdays 12 noon – 8:00 pm Thursdays 12:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Fridays 10:00 am – 6:00 pm Fridays 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Saturdays 10:00 am – 6:00 pm Saturdays 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Sundays CLOSED Sundays CLOSED
Library Address Library Address
Edendale Branch Library Echo Park Branch Library
2011 W. Sunset Boulevard 1410 W. Temple Street
Los Angeles, CA 90026 Los Angeles CA 90026
Phone (213) 207-3000 Phone 213.250.7808
FAX (213) 207-3097
FAX 213.250.3744
World Wide Web Address http://www.lapl.org • 24 Hour Renewal: 888-577-LAPL
COMING AT EDENDALE LIBRARY Jewelry Making make some funky wearable trinkets July 9
Children's Summer Reading @ 4pm
All summer long, find great books, fun programs, enter- Cupcake Decorating with scrumptious edible toppings July
taining craft activities—and air conditioning at the library, 16 @ 4pm
a Treasured Island in Echo Park. Sign up anytime, June- Tarot Card Reading unlock the mysteries of the tarot/free
August; programs take place June 22-August 24. deck giveaways July 23 @ 4pm
TEEN LA 2009 Adult Book Club
This year’s Teen Summer Reading Program goes online The Adult Book Club meets Monday, June 22nd, at 6:30
for the 1st time ever! That’s right you can register for pm. We're reading "Fire in the Blood" by Irene Nemi-
Teen LA 2009 online with your library card by visiting rovsky. In July we'll be reading "Anil's Ghost" by Michael
www.lapl.org and clicking on the ‘Teen Web’ link. Join us Ondaatje and meeting on the 20th at 6:30pm.
for our biweekly branch programs throughout the sum- Free Concert
mer, and remember you get a raffle ticket for every pro- Hui Plays the Traditional Music of Hawaii:
gram you attend and every book review you write! Celebrate the summer with a free concert. All ages are
Summer Reading Kick-Off pizza, music, Guitar Hero! June welcome. June 20th, 3-4pm. This concert is sponsored by
18 @ 4 pm the L.A. County Arts Commission.
LACMA Art Workshops: new projects Tuesdays @ 4pm
Teen Book Club chat about The Hunger Games Thursday,
4pm

(Continued from page 1) The furniture supplied by Select Patrol has now been
STOP-IN taken away. The TV donated by the community for the
officers has gone. The records and memorabilia of a
But as the years went by, the entire concept of Stop dozen years have been cleared out.
In Locations began falling out of favor with the upper
With the closure of the Stop In Location, community
management of the LAPD. Officers were no longer as- safety and Neighborhood Watch groups now must
signed to the Echo Park Stop In and the use of volun- scramble for a convenient place to meet regularly. Once
teers was eventually terminated. The two LAPD divisions again police officers have to write reports in cars or drive
stopped cooperating on sharing the facility. Frustrat- back to the station. The hard work and high hopes that
ingly, community meetings could only be held when an went into the Stop In have come up short.
officer was present.
We have not been able to find out whether LAPD has
Finally the plug was pulled; a few months ago offi- any plans to re-open or replace the Echo Park Stop In
cials at the Rampart Division banned the community Location.
from meeting at the Stop In. The blue-and-white signage
out front was removed.

Mail for EPIA: P.O.Box 261021, Los Angeles, CA 90026 Message Phone (323) 882-4835
 June-July 2009 Page 9

A REAL HANDFUL: REPAIR OF THE LADY OF THE LAKE

by Susan Borden
You’ve got to hand it to her— and moving topped $28,000 when
for a gal in her seventies, Echo the 8,000 pound statue was
Park’s Lady of the Lake is in great placed in its current location ten
shape. Especially now that the years ago. It wasn’t until mid-May
lake-side statue has got all her that conservator Donna Williams
fingers once more. got the go-ahead for her handi-
work.
Last year park goers noticed
that the concrete Art Deco statue Ms Williams deserves a hand—
near the boathouse was missing a couple of days’ worth of hands-
the digits on her upraised left on labor by her and a handy
hand. Was it an accident or van- helper made the well-known fig-
dalism? No suspects have been ure’s fingers as good as new! Go
fingered as yet. down to the park and take a look
at Echo Park’s once again ten-
Residents knew they’d need a
fingered sculpture. Conservator Dona Williams with the Lady of
hand-out to repair the damaged the Lake during restoration
digits since the cost of restoration

Mon — Sat Saturday

11 am — 7 pm Special
Sundays — Typical
Group of 10 Haitian
or more by Food
Reservation
Wood Burning Rotisserie
We Roast 309 N. Glendale Blvd We Pour
our own Los Angeles, CA 90026 our own
HAITIAN www.tigeorgeschicken.com HAITIAN
Coffee Email: [email protected] Coffee -
Try some!

EPIA can be contacted at [email protected]. Of

course, you can continue to reach us through the EPIA
message phone at (323) 882-4835.

Mail for EPIA: P.O.Box 261021, Los Angeles, CA 90026 Message Phone (323) 882-4835
Page 10 June-July 2009

LEAVE THE ROUGH STUFF TO SOMEONE ELSE

by Susan Borden
What do you do when you’re confronted by an of various departments including Narcotics
angry car burglar who rushes up and punches you Enforcement, Anti-Terrorist Intelligence (very scary),
when you admonish him to stop breaking into a Gangs, Internet Crime, Identify Theft, Hazardous
parked car? If you’re a police officer you behave Devices and Materials, Bomb Squad, and Homicide,
rather differently than I did when I was put into a etc. The photos passed around were not simulations
simulation of this situation at the LAPD Training and you couldn’t help feeling very sorry for some of
Academy in Elysian Park. the people shown, such as the Domestic Violence
I was one in a class of about forty civilians who victims. As someone once said, a policeman’s lot is
got to try out the Crime Simulator as part of the Los not an easy one.
Angeles Police Department’s ten-week Community Like students at other schools, we took field trips.
Police Academy one evening last month. One trip found us down at the 9-1-1 Call Center in
The simulator, an expensive and sophisticated downtown Los Angeles where trained operators
teaching tool, occupies a building on the academy respond to emergency calls. Another trip—and this
campus. It consists of a screen about twelve feet was the most popular—took us up to the LAPD’s
high onto which a scene from a typical crime is heliport where we were nearly blown away by the
projected. The action in the darkened room seems wind as we watched the surprisingly small and fragile
very real as the student interacts with the images, helicopters take-off and land. Up close we marveled
fires real guns and Tasers converted to harmless at the complexity of the cockpit instruments.
laser use, talks to the figures on the screen—who talk
back!—ducks behind actual barriers and
communicates with a student partner.
What did I do? Very little! I yelled but never even
managed to pick up my gun before the man’s fist was
in my face. Fortunately my partner got off several
shots, some of which actually hit the suspect who
then bled realistically on screen. Neither of us got
behind the convenient mailbox that could have
protected us, nor used the less lethal Taser that a
trained officer might have.
What I did come away with was a healthy respect
for the difficulty of making a correct split-second
decision when under attack.
The once weekly classes at the Academy also The police department offers this class four times
feature speakers explaining and describing the work a year, twice in English and twice in Spanish, to local
citizens eighteen and up who have a clean record
and the approval of the police commander in their
PROFESSIONAL SECURITY area. The goal is to build partnerships between
OFFICERS community members and police that result in
SECURITY PATROLS improved quality of life and reduced crime.
OFF DUTY POLICE OFFICERS If you are interested, contact the officer in
LOSS PREVENTION charge of the Community Relations Office at your
DEDICATED local police station. In the Northeast area (north
MANAGEMENT & STAFF of Sunset), call Sergeant Danny Roman, 213-972-
24 Hour Dispatch Center: (213) 403-0111 1875. For those south of Sunset in the Rampart
Office: (213) 384-3643 - Fax: (213) 384-3652 area, call Sergeant Chris Ramirez at 213-484-
3070.
3470 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 885Los Angeles, CA 90010

Mail for EPIA: P.O.Box 261021, Los Angeles, CA 90026 Message Phone (323) 882-4835
 June-July 2009 Page 11

Central City Action by Gloria

The summer fun, the summer wind brings The rest of our kids will be working on the graffiti
summer jobs. Central City Action Committee is removal program this summer. They will receive a
planning an exciting and rewarding summer. About stipend for their efforts.
10 of our junior high kids have finished King Jr. High So aside from working, CCAC is always looking
School. for fun. Besides Disneyland, there will four camping
trips.
Knottsberry Farm and Six Flags are other
attractions. I like to go to Hansen Dam so maybe I
can tag along. We have already gone to Six Flags last
week. Movies are always a good diversion for the
kids—we have seen several so far this year. There
will also be an Art Show when our resident artist,
Nancy Lissaman, comes back after her knee
King is changing to a traditional schedule. These operation. The kids love the art project; they can
kids are going to be off school for 18 weeks. That is hardly wait till she comes back. Despite all our plans
a long time. So it is up to us to plan events to keep you will still see us at community clean ups and/or
them busy. Sometime in the middle of June the rest other events in the neighborhood.
of our kids will be out of school also so they will be
included in our plans.
The kids who are off school for the 18 weeks
must read 2,000 pages. Maryanne has the kids
selecting books and has informed them they will
have to do a book report similar to the ones they fill
out in school. Each of the kids has a stack of books
and has already started reading. Also those who
finish will earn a trip to Disneyland. So it is like Of course, there will be rummage sales. Without
reading your way to Disneyland. them we could not do the things we plan. I have to
We are lucky to have the neighborhood council say that without Sam these events would not be
pay us to clean the medians in Silverlake along possible. He does all the driving. A special thanks so
Silverlake Blvd. The kids have been trained for a Sam!!! By the way, Sam is planning a wedding for
session on safety issues when cleaning along busy November. SH!!!! You did not hear it from me.
streets. They also earn a stipend for their hard
efforts on these hot days cleaning debris along the
medians.

ECHO PARK SECURITY ASSOCIATION

Join us for a safe, secure and crime-free
Echo Park and Angelino Heights.
Since 1991. Alarm response included (24-hour)
Low cost. Lowered crime rate
Endorsed by EPIA. Close relationship with police
Volunteer run Founded by EPIA members.
‘Dedicated’ patrol allows an officer to patrol Echo Park
and Angelino Heights exclusively (during patrol hours)
To sign up, send name, address, phone, to:
ECHO PARK SECURITY ASSN.
P.O. Box 26201, L.A., CA 90026
Or call 323-860-9914

Mail for EPIA: P.O.Box 261021, Los Angeles, CA 90026 Message Phone (323) 882-4835
 Page 12 June-July 2009

Barlow Hospital Continues Planning for Replacement Hospital

by Barbara Stones. Jensen + Partners

Barlow Hospital CEO Margaret influence over the mix of housing, lished local businesses as restau-
Crane maintains a busy schedule of community amenities and small rants and small retail stores. Bar-
outreach meetings with city offi- retail that may be added to the Sta- low is looking at the release of Fed-
cials, planning staff, Neighborhood dium Way site. She said the idea of eral stimulus dollars for supple-
Council meetings and individual a wellness community has gained mental grants to bolster its funding
community advocates of the some positive community feedback thereby allowing Barlow to fulfill the
greater Echo Park area. Her calen- and she considers the idea a con- concept of a new hospital with a
dar is clear demonstration of Bar- tinuation of Barlow’s legacy of pro- surrounding wellness community
low Hospital’s deep commitment viding health services in a soothing, while retaining as much of the
for building a replacement hospital natural environment. site’s open space as possible.
on its current site and soliciting The wellness community vision To bolster this effort, Barlow
community input so that, as she is to provide local housing with a was pleased at the Resolution re-
puts it, “Barlow remains a good community center for multi- cently adopted by the Greater Echo
neighbor to the neighborhood.” The generational health programs and Park Elysian Neighborhood Council
hospital is facing a 2013 deadline exercise and educational resources, that urges Mayor Villaraigosa,
to open a new facility compliant combined with elements such as Councilmember Ed Reyes, Assem-
with the State’s strict seismic community gardens, hiking trails bly Member Kevin De Leon and
codes for hospitals or face closure. and an overall widely-accessible Senator Gil Cedillo to include the
“Renovation is not the answer when pedestrian-friendly environment. construction of a new Barlow Hos-
you are dealing with a 102-year old Community meeting rooms and pital facility on the list of city and
main building. You have to com- small scale retail would help create state infrastructure improvements
pletely rebuild,” Crane said the last a vibrant central plaza and gather- for consideration by by President
EPIA Board meeting. ing space. Barlow administrators Barack Obama in his economic
Barlow Hospital’s commitment think its prime location would allow stimulus package.
to remain in Echo Park requires a for the phased construction of All those interested in the out-
sizeable charitable donation or se- housing that is convenient to down- come of Barlow Hospital’s future
curing the necessary entitlements town and major sports and enter- are encouraged to attend an EIR
to redevelop a portion of the prop- tainment venues. Development of scoping meeting, scheduled for
erty with the proceeds used as its the site, parcel by parcel, could June 24, when Barlow releases the
primary capital funding source. bring a steady source of local jobs official results of its Environment
Crane explains that Barlow, by re- and improved property values for Impact Report and to obtain public
maining an active partner in the adjacent owners. The influx of work- feedback on the replacement hospi-
entitlement process, will have some ers would also support such estab- tal portion of the plan.

Opinions expressed in this newsletter are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the position of the
Echo Park Improvement Association

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Mail for EPIA: P.O.Box 261021, Los Angeles, CA 90026 Message Phone (323) 882-4835