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Thursday, August 16, 2012

El Sereno's Landmark "Hecho En Mexico Eatery" response to misinformation from Marie Salas and the Academia Semillas del Pueblo Charter School


El Sereno Community Gardens Organizer Marie Salas (pictured above) made the following comments about the Landmark Hecho En Mexico Restaurant, which was the basis for our "Back to School Tutorial" last Sunday. 
So can someone please explain what is the difference between the Shell gas station selling alcohol near by churches, schools, and a park and Hecho En Mexico Restaurant trying to get a liquor license right next door to a school, church, etc? Someone please clarify my confusion. Thanks Marie Salas.
After Salas comments and past allegations made by the Academia Semillas del Pueblo Charter School, the Bravo Family which owns the El Sereno Landmark Eatery has responded to Salas comments and clarifys the record regarding the liquor license issues at Hecho---Scott Johnson.
Academia Semillas del Pueblo Charter School grievances against the long established El Sereno Eatery 
 The Hecho En Mexico Eatery next the Academia Semillas del Pueblo Charter School (in yellow)
Dear Mary (Salas), Voice readers and community members:First, I would like to clarify that unlike the Shell Station which is seeking to obtain a Beer and Wine license, Hecho en Mexico currently has a beer and wine license. Additionally, Hecho en Mexico is not currently seeking to obtain a liquor license as stated in the comments.Second, I feel it is important to shed some light on the history of Hecho en Mexico and clarify any confusion as to which business was here first or why are we doing business between schools, churches, in the vicinity of parks, and a library. The main difference between the Shell station and Hecho is that the Hecho en Mexico is doing business in a location which has been in the community since 1929. This restaurant obtained its restaurant permits in 1950 and has been opened and operated continuously by three families since then. (First Casa Martinez, then Casita Tovar and now Hecho en Mexico). The library opened in 1959 and Barrio Action was opened in 2002 (per the City of LA Occupancy Permits) so as you can see the restaurant has been operating before the Old El Sereno Library, Barrio Action and Semillas. As for the beer and wine license the restaurant under the ownership of La Senora Tovar received approval back in the 80's. Hecho en Mexico continued the tradition and took over Casita Tovar in 2004 two years prior to Semillas opening its doors. Maybe the communities concerns should be directed at LAUSD and the City of LA for allowing a school to open next door to an existing restaurant which has been authorized by the local governing and state agencies to sell beer and wine. Hecho en Mexico is a bonafide restaurant which has obtained all Local, County and State permits required to operate legally unlike many other business owners who have not obtained all of the required permits. I understand your concern because you are a supporter of Semillas however I believe your comment about businesses such as ours who contribute to the community as using "mafia tactics" is unjust and unfair. We contribute to our community not because we have to but because we want to. Our children attend local schools and we live, shop and work in the community so our entire family has a vested interest to make El Sereno a safer, better place to live in and our goal is to achieve a better "quality of life" for our children. We would never ask the community to "turn the other cheek". Hecho en Mexico's philosophy is to work closely with the community and build bridges, beautify our surroundings and provide a resource for organizations such as yourself. In the future, please feel free to contact me personally as you have done so in the past when seeking donations for your garden if you have any additional questions or concerns---The Bravo Family.Yesterday at 7:25pm

Your thoughts ..............
Scott Johnson in CD 14

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15 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Oh, Marie.. Playing the ignorant role to protect her friend Marcos Aguilar.. Does the Garden also have cell towers? HMMM.. By the way, I wonder how al the money given , contributes to the garden was managed. If Marie is like her friend Marcos .. She doesn't care about the community only about her self .. selfish!! Greed! This woman claims to be a community member ..and doesn't know the history of the community.. We need to question in who's hands is the garden

August 17, 2012 8:12 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Marie, was your comment planned with marcos Aguilar ? Like all those other secret meetings you attended with him at the school . Alot of parents wondered about you ..

August 17, 2012 8:17 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

I was a volunteer at the community garden . I had to leave when I noticed Marie was behaving unusual when we would ask her questions about the Garden. In one occasion she accused me of taking her Garden.. Wait, this is a Community Garden .. This lady is OUT OF CONTROL ..

August 17, 2012 8:19 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Marie, You have the nerve to say " mafia" .. Lady aren't you the one attending hidden meeting with Marcos Aguilar plotting to attack businesses.. Who's the ring leader? the only Mafia is you and that radioactive school that has a disregard to children .

August 17, 2012 1:43 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Lets face it Hecho en Mexico is the best eatery in our town and I hate to see the haters "attack it". Many of us support this business. We need more businesses like Hecho and less non-Profits and Charter Schools in EL Sereno.

August 17, 2012 3:31 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Mary why the confusion? Shell is a mini-mart, gas station who caters to drivers on the go who pass the corridor. Hecho is a great restaurant and a relief to sore eyes on Huntington. Kudos to the owners who have beautified the place. El Sereno residents are proud to have you in the community.

August 17, 2012 3:57 PM  

Blogger g said:

TAKE YOUR INFORMATION TO JOSH RUBENSTEIN AT NBC OR TO CBS I'M SURE THEY WOULD BE INTERESTED IN WHAT YOU FIND. THERE ALSO ARE PETITIONS YOU COULD START ONLINE TO GET CITY OR PRESS TO LOOK INTO THESE SITUATIONS GIVE IT A TRY. GET SOME FREE ATTENTION.

August 17, 2012 4:28 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Maria Salas should get her fact straight before she calls herself an organizer. So many times the work and energy that people put into a demonstration is dismissed due to the missinformation presented by the leaders. Echo en Mexico was there long before the teachers of the school were born, and has had a liquor licenses already for years when the school made a decision to place elementary school next door. You would think that they would have done their research, It is common sense, that if you can open a liquor licenses 1,000 ft from a school, you would think you cannot built a school next door where liquor has been sold for decades. What they should have done, the school should have met with the restaurant owner and maybe discuss the issue prior to building the school. Although, legally the school should have never be allowed to have been built there for two reasons, the liquor next door, and high traffic on Huntigton Drive, School are to be built in residential areas, no commercial areas. Now, when is semillas moving out and finding a better location for the school, and one that satisfy's the ordinance of the state, and local government.

August 17, 2012 5:28 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

smack! smack! oh marie, marie... when will you ever learn! learning from semillas is like learning from marc aguilar.....oh wait..that's the same... too bad UCLA cannot expunge the records that he existed there!

booooooo

August 17, 2012 6:40 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Hecho en Mexico employs people who pay taxes on their earnings. Hecho en Mexico pays taxes as well as all fees related to running their business in the City of Los Angeles. Does Semillas contribute anything other than attempting to obstruct local businesses and (unfortunately) "educating" children who may possibly always be far behind their peers who were taught conventionally. How many math or science books are printed in Nahuatl? And why should they? Marcos Aguilar is a kook who unfortunately is adversely affecting the lives and livelihoods of locals who buy into his foolishness.

August 19, 2012 12:08 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Mary, You talk about the community and the saftey of the kids but you dont mention that Academia is site to a wirelss telecommunication Antennae (A radiation wave tower)known to cause cancer. I wonder if that is why LAUSD does not allow these towers in LAUSD owned schools. I guess because these kids are mostly illegals and the parents are uneducated or maybe because its in El Sereno or maybe because Marcos Aguilar is Monica Garcias biggest supporter and they could care less about the safety of the kids and more about lining their pockets. Wake up and smell the roses.

August 19, 2012 10:07 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

I love Hecho and so does everyone I bring to eat there. My daughter wants to celebrate her birthday there . No attacks on this eatery PLEASE ! It's the highlight of El Sereno . Beverly Hills eateries can't hold a candle to this place , warm charming excellent food and service .Beautiful ! Que linda. !

August 29, 2012 3:24 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

The garden is operated by people who have to do community service hours imposed by the court system . What are donations needed for ?

August 29, 2012 3:29 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

I have walked through the El Sereno community garden and that place is a dump. Way to organize Marie Salas. What's wrong ? Can't handel the heat, then leave please.

September 26, 2012 1:52 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Why are you attacking MSalas even at 1:00am?! Clearly you do not know her or understand her question. She misunderstood that there is a liability issue w/ bars & restaurants vs. a mini-mart/market. Marie supports education & children, anyone who spends time w/ her knows that as a fact. She is not a HATER towards Hecho. A yearly fee is required to pay for the water needed to tend the vegetables. THAT's where the money goes & she's not even the treasurer! You wrote a story about the rise in dwp bills, you figure it out! All families are encouraged to open a plot & get involved. This has NOTHING to do with community service & felons. Don't blame the garden, the garden has NOTHING to do with ugliness!

September 28, 2012 10:34 AM  

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