Lincoln Heights Neighborhood Council: Where the youth vote is exploited for adults personal agendas

The LHNC "Action Slate Flyer" promoting the youth vote for later exploitation. BTW, how do you protect the personal information of minors who voted in Neighborhood Council Elections?

The infamous memo of former LHNC Treasurer and Lincoln High School Faculty Member and current LHNC Member Vera Padilla. Can you find the "Conflict of Interest"? Note how much taxpayers money Lincoln High School reaped from the LHNC, by exploiting their students.

It seems that the current LHNC, dominated by Action Slate Candidates, don't care much about public comments at their meetings.

Just when you thought that the formerly dysfunctional Lincoln Heights Neighborhood Council, under the leadership of USC Chief City Hall Lobbyist David Galaviz (former winner of the Mayor Sam "Ass Clown Award"), had change their exclusive way with the positive, open leadership of President Elena Popp and Vice-President Erika Gallo. Along comes the Action Slate with the likes of Sevin Riley, Frank Wada, Ben Wadsworth, Esther and daughter Nanci Rojas, under the direction of chief puppeteer Vera Padilla, to return the LHNC to its former place as the exclusive tool of the Lincoln Heights Chamber of Commerce and Business Improvement District (BID).

For those in the dark about the past doings of this little club, take your time to link to the past actions of the likes of David Galaviz, Vera Padilla , the Las Villas Controversy, and the exploitation of the youth of the Lincoln Heights Community, so that this little club can push their personal agendas.

For David Galaviz, it was pushing the USC Capital Building Projects around the USC Health Science Campus, where many former middle class family homes have met their demise, at the blades of USC financed bulldozers. For Vera Padilla, the pursuit of personal gain (financially), is her motive. And for the likes of Ben Wadswoth, Frank Wada, Sevin Riley, the Rojas Mom and Daughter and newcomer, Legacy LA's Lou Calanche, it is the sense of empowering their personal agendas and egos that makes them mutual partners.

But one must stop and wonder what the cost of these personal agendas will have on the Lincoln Heights Community. Just this summer, the community saw its popular Fourth of July Fireworks Show and festivities at Lincoln Park cancelled, this was due to a lack of communication between the new LHNC, CD 1 Councilman Ed Reyes and the community activists who have planned and executed past events. But then according to one source, current LHNC Treasurer Frank Wada was heard stating that he rather finance band uniforms for Lincoln High School, than give money for an inclusive community fireworks show. (refer to Vera's memo for past expenditures to Lincoln High School)

But a bigger concern for the community, should be the ties of the Action Slate Members of the LHNC, to the Lincoln Heights Chamber of Commerce and Business Improvement District. Both of these entities are control by longtime Lincoln Heights Business and Property Owner Steve Kasten. For those with longtime ties in the community, they will know that Kasten has close ties to former controversial CD 14 Councilman Art Snyder, who is currently the parliamentarian of the Lincoln Heights Chamber of Commerce. Thus, many in the community are concern that the current LHNC, will put Kasten's and the BID's agenda before other community concerns.

This can be readily seen with the 7-11 Store on Broadway and Eastlake, application for a beer and wine license. Last year, this store open without the sale of beer and wine. This was due to community concerns over the large amount of liquor stores near schools such as Gates Elementry, Little Flower Pre School and Lincoln High School. It was these same activists who stopped the proposed Las Villas Project a block away.

Now with the Action Slate and its Chamber and BID allies in control, the LHNC is now attempting to usurp community opposition and quietly support a motion to approve the 7-11 request. This issue was tabled at the last LHNC due to a lack of quorum. A rep for LAPD stated that despite the good relationship with the store owners, that they would oppose the license request. But the outreach of the 7-11 Store Owner found a supporter in the Lincoln High School Varsity Football Coach,. who's team has benefited from donations from the store, and now wants to support more beer and wine sales near the school.

This issue is schedule for consideration on Thursday, September 2, 2010 at the Lincoln Heights Library, at 6:00 PM and one might want to ask Vera Padilla why the LHNC meets now in the basement of the library?? But most important, who will speak for the youth 13 and older who will be expose to more alcohol sales, with the support of the Lincoln High School Football Program?

Your thoughts..............

Scott Johnson in CD 14

Past Questionable Ethical Behavior of the Lincoln Heights "Action Slate"

"One can see the ties to the LHNC in the email"

This person is running with the "Action Slate" for Lincoln Heights Neighborhood Council.

Maria "Lou" Calanche is the Executive Director of the "connected non-profit" Legacy LA, a creation of Mayor Antonio Parkervillar and Councilman Jose Huizar, to funnel GRYD money to their political cronies and give a public facility over to the likes of USC and other connected non-profits.

This meeting was a blatant exercise to cover up the attempted allocation of $2,500 for a community event, that former LHNC members David Galaviz and Eileen Sanchez had a vested interest in, via their employer USC, as the email above notes.

One can see here how Galaviz, Calanche, then LegacyLA employee Jenny Krusoe, and former LHNC Treasurer Vera Padilla, who was at the meeting, attempted to smear the veracity of myself.
From: "Loucalanche@aol.com" Loucalanche@aol.com

Sent: Fri, April 18, 2008 8:14:38 AM

Subject: Emergency Legacy Committee Meeting 4-22-08

Hello Legacy Planning Committee,At our April 1st planning committee meeting it was suggested that Legacy L.A. approach the Lincoln Heights Neighborhood Council for support of the Cinco de Mayo Community Open House scheduled for May 4th (By former LHNC President and USC Lobbyist David Galaviz). We made a presentation to the Lincoln Heights NC and submitted a request to the budget committee on April 7th. Last night the neighborhood council was set to vote but I was informed that our request was met with opposition and inquiries not only about our request for financial support of the event but also inquiries about Legacy's status as an organization, where and how funds will be spent, and also questions about community support for the Legacy L.A. planning for the Hazard Armory.

I was extremely disappointed that our budget request was not voted on since the funds were to be used to provide a fun-filled day for the community. But what was more disheartening for me as a member of Legacy L.A. and former resident of the Ramona Gardens Community (did you? Look at comment by Sandra Torres) is that it was our own planning committee members that opposed and questioned our request!! It is my understanding that Scott Johnson and Pete Galindo, Sr. both Legacy L.A. planning committee members, were in attendance at the meeting last night (We were). Scott Johnson specifically spoke against our request and questioned the validity of Legacy L.A. as an organization. This was a public meeting that will have minutes and records made available to the public. ( Link here to see those documents. Hmmm, who's name is missing?) When we have Legacy L.A. planning committee members speak against Legacy L.A. we will jeopardize the future of Legacy L.A. and its ability to raise funds to bring needed programs to the community youth. (Lu's assertions are baseless at this point)

The reason I bring this to your attention is because for about a year now Legacy L.A. has been hammered about issues of transparency (Has anyone seen any Legacy LA financial documents at this point in time?). We have made every effort to create an inclusive and open community process and have taken steps to ensure that the community is directly involved in planning for the future of this organization. When an issue such as this comes up it needs to be addressed immediately by the entire community planning committee because we are all invested in making Legacy L.A. an organization that can successfully bring services to the community. To ensure transparency we also need to understand why planning committee members would oppose Legacy in a public forum.

There will be a Legacy L.A. Planning Committee Emergency Meeting on Tuesday, April 22, 2008, from 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. at the Armory. We will discuss role of planning committee members as well as how to proceed and ensure that the Cinco de Mayo Community Open House is a success.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Thanks! -Lou

Simple fact is this, Calanche was an willing partner in attempting to usurp "Conflicts of Interest" issues, pertaining to the allocation of Neighborhood Council funds for projects, that benefited the persons and employees of current board members.

Does the LHNC need someone like Lou Calanche who will lie about a fellow community member, for the the simple, nefarious reason of pushing the political agenda of her supporters in government?

........ and one last thing, about your supposed ties to the Ramona Gardens Community?

** This was posted in the recent past on the Eastern Group Publications Website.

Sandra Torres on June 3rd, 2009 9:01 am

I’m a 39 year old mother of two, who grew up in the Ramona Gardens Housing Projects. Lou Calanche NEVER lived in the projects and needs to stop claiming that she lived & gre up there! It’s really upsetting that she continues to say this in order to get ahead. Pathetic! She & he family lived on Murchison which is several blocks away from the Ramona Gardens Housing Projects.

Who is telling the truth here? Makes you wonder if someone was slander? Just wondering.

Your thoughts.............

Scott Johnson in CD 14