Noontime Briefs and Outtakes for Thursday

Autry's deceitful behavior at the Southwest Museum"

If Jackie Autry, Autry National Center CEO John Grey and her local stable of "connected vendidos and vendidas" (ie. the Southwest Society), can't loot their way to expansion at Griffith Park, then screw you activists, who want access and improvements to Los Angeles oldest museum.

In breaking news from the slopes of Mt. Washington, Autry National Center announced that public access to the Southwest Museum would be greatly curtail in 2010, as noted by longtime SWM docent Michael Wyman.

I have been both a member and a volunteer/docent with the SouthwestMuseum since 1985. Last Saturday, 12/12/2009, the docents had their annual holiday gathering at the museum. John Gray made a surprise appearance, and announced to our group that the Southwest Museum site at Mt. Washington would be closing to the general public. The reasonhe gave was that they needed space for artifact restoration and conservation. He said that after 12/31/2009, the bookstore area will be closed and used to do work on the bead-work portion of the collection. Any public events now taking place at the museum will cease. Museum access will be given only to museum members--for example, the monthly tours of the building. It was unclear whether the NELA art openings would be open to the public or members only (the next show is 1/23/2010). No public annoucement would be made regarding either the closing of the store or the site itself.

Further, it was disclosed by the "Friends of the Southwest Museum", that the Autry has return State of California grant money for improvements at the Southwest Museum. For his part, CD 14 Councilman Jose Huizar, has requested a meeting with Autry officials to discuss funding options to reopen the museum.

In recent months, Councilman Huizar has shown positive leadership, in changing his stance on maintaining the Southwest Museum. But Huizar and museums supporters must sit down and craft the "end game" or else a priceless part of our cultural history, will be lost for future generations.

OTHER NEWS:

** Ex. LAPD Chief Bill Bratton's accounting skills, or should we call it "financial oversight?", is likely to impact the legacy of LA's former top cop.

** We found this little gem in the latest Los Angeles Garment and Citizen's "Dot, Dot, Dish Column".

COCA PUFFS: The new slang term for any cheap shots sent along anonymously to the local blogosphere by Rick Coca, who handles communications for Huizar…AD HOMINEM: That’s Latin for cheap shots that attack the messenger rather than answering questions with facts…

It seems that Coca doesn't return many calls on subject matters affecting Councilman Huizar, but he allegedly has time to blog his comments.

** The never-ending Medical Marijuana saga has a new twist this early afternoon. City Clowncil Ringmaster/ President Eric Garcetti, is "flip-flopping" according to the LA Weekly, on the issue of dispensary locations.

** No more "payday Wednesdays drinkfest" at the Police Academy.

** Record low poll numbers for Governor "Kennedy Republican".

** Saying "no" to billboard modernization, now official city policy.

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

Outtakes from CD-14: "The Cut and Paste Capital of Los Angeles"

Hola and TGIF from the "Cut and Paste Barrio of Los Angeles".

We start today's edition of CD-14 Outtakes with this from the "Dot, Dot, Dish" column at the "Downtown Garment and Citizen Fishwrap".

WONDERING ABOUT HUIZAR ALUMNI: Word on the street says that an ex-staffer who decided to sing to the feds started the investigation into a $30,000 consulting fee that current City Councilember Jose Huizar collected from a non-profit organization while still a member of the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) board. Bad news for Huizar, who has quite a few ex-staffers floating around after just four years in office. One of them is LAUSD board president Monica Garcia, who worked for Huizar before his election to the City Council and later succeeded him on the school board. Garcia has been summoned by a federal grand jury in the matter. Huizar says he followed the rules while on the school board, by the way, adding that he’ll co-operate with investigators (see related photo, home page)…

Question of the day for the CD-14 "Cut and Pasters" is this. What former staffer went singing to the Feds about Huizar's "work" with Miguel Contreras's "V.I.P". non-profit ?? There are 26 letters in the alphabet, plus we can use letters from the Greek alphabet to list all the ex. staffers, who would be candidates to rat out Huizar.

Other CD-14 News:

** Hey Homie, can you spare some change ?? Or in the case of Homeboy Industries, spare change, donations, grants and government contracts can go only so far. Father Boyle's non-profit is $5,000,000 in the hole and services are in danger of being cut. But City Hall is steering what they can spare as stated below.

City Hall has been trying to help, said Jeff Carr, director of the mayor's anti-gang office. Carr is turning over the $500,000 remainder of a federal gang-prevention grant to Homeboy and this summer gave the organization's silk screening shop a $250,000 order for T-shirts and jerseys. He even took 25 staffers to a going-away lunch at Homegirl Cafe.

Just wondering what campaign will get donations for this kind gesture ??

** For decades political leaders in CD-14 and in cities such as South Pasadena, Alhambra, Pasadena, have debated, litigated and study solutions to the 710 Freeway issue. The current flavor of the moment in regards to the 710 Freeway, is to "tunnel" the gap between the northern terminus in Alhambra and the 210 Freeway in Pasadena. But as Caltrans drills "test bores" west, north and east of the end of the 710, numerous community groups are voicing opposition to Caltran's "Tunnel Proposal".

** Just wondering what former Councilman Jose Huizar's Deputy Chief of Staff Henry Casas is doing these days when he is not being "lo-jacked" at community events.

A. Hanging out at the beach ??

B. Spending late nights blogging ??

C. In hiding as part of Federal Witness Protection Program ??

D. Working for the National Organization for Woman ??

E. Working for Assemblyman John Perez ??

F. Writing tell all book on his former boss ??

G. E-mailing advise to a certain female staffer who was berated by his former boss ??

** "Autry says that Southwest Museum in Grave Danger", is the headline of Eastern Group Publications story on the Autry's withdrawal of their expansion proposal in Griffith Park and what ramifications it has for the future of the Southwest Museum. And as in past stories, it does not surprise us to find quotes/spin from the "Southwest Society's Minister of Spin", Eliot Sekuler. That said, we highlight Eliot's latest "talking points" below, with rebuttal in (bold).

For another northeast Los Angeles resident who has followed the project closely, the decision did not signal any kind of victory. (It pays to follow closely the edits of your political allies)

Elliot Sekuler said the after reviewing Gray’s letter to the board on Tuesday, he is confident that the Autry remains committed to its operations of the Mt. Washington facility. As a member of the Southwest Society, Sekuler supports a proposal from the Autry that represents a scaled-down version of the proposal sought by the Friends of the Southwest coalition. (The exclusive vendidos and vendidas were most likely acting as a "focus group" to help John Gray craft his unprofessional letter)

Sekuler said the objective of the Southwest Society remains to partner with the Autry to maintain the Mt. Washington facility as community center with sufficient gallery space that would allow a sizable amount of the Southwest collection to remain at its historic home. He said he hopes that the Autry’s decision does not alter its relationship with the Southwest Society. (This reinforces Sekuler's claim to the title of "Spin Crafter/BS artist)

“I’m still hopeful to partner with them,” he said.(And your fellow exclusive vendidos and vendidas do not want to lose their "access to graft", which includes non-profit contracts, commission appointments, free public facilities and invitations to insiders conclaves/parties.)

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

Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Wednesday

Big local political stories hit on Tuesday. The Autry National Center museum in Griffith Park has (for now) put the brakes on a controversial expansion plan.  Los Angeles County Democrats gave their nod to CD2 candidate Paul Krekorian in a landslide over fellow Dems Chris Essel and Tamar Galatzan. In shocking news Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety General Manager Andrew Adelman is the main suspect in the alleged rape of a woman July 10.  (You can read the whole gory story from the search warrant over at The Enterprise Report)

Ken Draper writing at LA Citybeat warns that the results of the CD2 race will have a significant impact on the City's Neighborhood Councils.  The winner of the race will go on to take Wendy Greuel's role as chairperson of the City Council's Education and Neighborhoods Committee.  Given Chris Essel and Tamar Galatzan's support for financial disclosure for members of the volunteer panels, its no doubt the election of either of them would be a disaster for the boards.  That's likely why a significant number of Neighborhood Council leaders have endorsed Paul Krekorian who has opposed financial disclosure and whose staff is well know to many of them.

Mayor Villaraigosa is supporting efforts to turn over 50 new LAUSD schools to charter school operators. The Mayor recently wrote in an LA Times op-ed piece "For too long, leaders at every level of government have defended a status quo that serves the interests of adults more than children; that gives bureaucrats a near monopoly over public education." Still, the Mayor faces fierce opposition to the plan from the teachers' union, UTLA President A.J. Duffy told NBC News the Mayor's plan will “cause chaos in our public education.”

And finally Zuma Dogg noted the presence of members of the Los Angeles County Civil Grand Jury at today's Los Angeles City Council meeting.  The Civl Grand Jury investigates local government agencies and can act on individual citizen complaints.  Zuma says that the members, identified by their Grand Jury namebadges, sat through public comment on non-agenda items at the beginning of the meeting and then left at the conclusion of public comment without saying a word.  Zuma wonders if the Grand Jury is investigating complaints that he submitted to the ACLU accusing the City Council of violating the free speech rights of citizens who come before it to speak.  Stay tuned.

Autry National Center Withdrawls Proposed Expansion Plans at Griffith Park

"No Expansion For Now"

Another victory for Grassroots Activists in Los Angeles.

From the Autry National Center with the help of Steve Sugerman and Latham & Watkins, (Discretion advise for unprofessional whining.)

Because you are a valued member (Southwest Society members) of the Autry National Center whose loyal support is vital to our institution, I want to make sure that you learn directly from us about a recent decision of our Trustees.

Today, with great reluctance, we informed the City's Board of Referred Powers that we are withdrawing our proposal to build an expansion of the Autry's building in Griffith Park. It has become clear to us that if we were to go on seeking approval for our proposal, our plans would be subjected to expensive and virtually endless official delays, while the Autry itself would be under constant threat of costly litigation. Given these circumstances, we have concluded that any further attempt to proceed with the expansion would be an ill-advised diversion of our financial resources, and an insupportable distraction from our work in serving the community.

We want you to know that this difficult decision follows upon the latest delay in the political process for approving the expansion. We have been informed that the Board of Referred Powers has postponed ruling on our proposal indefinitely, until such time as we contract to operate our Mt. Washington campus solely as a freestanding facility for the Southwest Museum. No responsible Board of Trustees could agree to this commitment. If imposed on us, it would return the Mt. Washington campus to a model of operation that has been conclusively proved to be financially destructive and curatorially unviable.

We cannot and must not go backward-and so, having made the only feasible decision, we will now move forward on two fronts.

On the first front, at Griffith Park, we will be developing fresh options for creating an inclusive and exciting experience within the existing facility. To some extent, this process has already begun through our ambitious schedule of exhibitions and programs. This fall, we will present The Art of Native American Basketry, revealing for the first time more than 250 baskets from the premier collection of the Southwest Museum. In spring 2010 we will present Home Lands: How Women Made the West, which will use historic artifacts, art, photographs, and biographies of individual women to show how women have been at the heart of the West across cultures and over time. We will continue to develop the Griffith Park building into a new treasure for Los Angeles, honoring all the diverse peoples of the American West.

Meanwhile, on the second front, we are working on an exciting and sustainable plan for our Mt. Washington campus. Since 2003, we have invested approximately $7.5 million in conserving the Southwest Museum collections that have been housed there and in repairing and stabilizing the landmark building. While this work continues, we are studying how to transform the Mt. Washington campus into a multi-use educational and cultural center, with publicly accessible exhibitions and collections from the Southwest Museum at its core. The center would also incorporate classes for all ages, conducted with partner institutions; an archaeology study center; research facilities; and space for cultural activities of Native American communities.

An institution is more than its buildings. It is a shared vision. We feel confident that we will realize our vision of a nationally recognized Autry National Center-one that will celebrate the American West and explore the interactions of all of its cultures and peoples.

Should you be interested, a copy of the letter we sent to the Board of Referred Powers is posted on our website, www.autrynationalcenter.org. We are deeply grateful to you, as always, for your understanding and support. We look forward to sharing our plans with you as they evolve.

Sincerely,
John L. Gray President and CEO

In discussions with members of the "Friends of the Southwest Museum" this afternoon, the Autry's decision to halt their expansion plans comes down to one word, "MONEY". The Autry has inflated their monetary backing, according to sources. Further, monetary pledges to the expansion plans at Griffith Park were predicated on approval and allocation of free public land at Griffith Park. With approval not looking promising from the Board of Referred Power and with CD-14 Councilman Jose Huizar flip-flopping into a leadership role for once. The Autry had no choice but to withdrawal their expansion plans.

With today's announcement from the Autry, museum activists are now focusing their attention on the Autry's plans for storing the Southwest Museum artifacts and future plans for the Southwest Museum site ("For Sale Signs ??") on Mt. Washington.

.......and somewhere on the flanks of Mt. Washington, "an exclusive society" and the vendidos and vendidas that constituted it, just became irrelevant.

Your thoughts....

Southwest Museum Update: "Autry Stonewalling on Negotiations"

"Another Broken Treaty by the Autry ?? "

One month ago tomorrow, hundreds turned out at City Hall for the Board of Referred Powers hearing on the proposed Autry National Center Expansion at Griffith Park.

Whether you were Pro Autry, Pro Southwest Museum, or an advocate of preserving Open Space. Mostly all agree that a cooling off period with discussions involving the pertinent parties was in the best interest of the city.

That is unless you are the Autry National Center, who is balking at negotiating in good faith via this announcement from Councilman Jose Huizar which is posted at the "Friends of the Southwest Museum" Website.

“I have been acting in good faith to bring agreement and/or compromise to the issue at hand. However, I do not believe that the Autry has taken seriously the Board of Referred Power’s instructions to work out with me options for a legally binding document. The Autry Center has essentially threatened to abandon its expansion project at Griffith Park altogether if I continue to pursue with them any document which legally binds them to its commitments made to me and to the City of Los Angeles.”

Thus with the Autry's "drawing of their line of defiance in the dirt of free public land", the upcoming meeting of the Board of Referred Powers, regarding the Autry Expansion Plans, has been postpone.

Councilman Jose Huizar will draw some rare praise from this blogger for his sudden burst of leadership in this matter, but let not forget that 2011/ re election time, is fast approaching for Councilman Huizar.

But for Councilman Huizar, many in the know within CD-14 will not easily forget the multitude of favors made to the likes of the "Southwest Society" that right now is seen as an worthless entity.

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

Gift to Autry from Los Angeles Taxpayers: $27.5 million

As Red Spot reported, the Southwest Museum won the initial skirmish yesterday when the Board of Referred Powers voted to delay a final vote on the Autry expansion.

What wasn't reported is that there were not just two sides to the issue, but three sides who needed to be heard in the room yesterday: 1. the Autry political machine, 2. the Friends of the Southwest Museum, and 3. parks' and taxpayers' advocates. When the dust cleared, the advocates were completely shut out of the conversation.

For the past five years, the Friends of the Southwest Museum have heavily courted the parks' and taxpayers' advocates for this fight. In the end, they stood aside while the Board of Referred Powers completely ignored the welfare of the one resource who could force the Autry's hand in their favor: the eleven acres of prime park land in Griffith Park owned by the taxpayers of Los Angeles.

The Autry expansion project as presented to councilmembers Hahn, Reyes, Parks, Rosendahl and Cardenas involves a significant construct on prime Griffith Park land. With a rent of just $1 per year, the Autry has benefitted from the location since '87 in many ways, one of which is property rentals for private events. In recent years, this practice has escalated.

In financial documents, the Autry itself reports the value of the rent that it should be paying annually to the Department of Recreation and Parks as a $550,000 annual "donation". That's a massive taxpayer "donation" equivalent to $27.5 million over the life of the lease in today's market.

As yesterday's board meeting ended, what was on the table in exchange for keeping the SW Museum a viable, healthy museum amounted to handing the Autry everything they wanted:

A final EIR without any of the significant mitigation measures called for by neighborhood councils, advocates, and City code.

A $1/yr lease equivalent to a $27.5 million taxpayer donation.

All variances including a building height twice what is allowed in the zone, excessive signage and sign heights, and an underground parking structure.

With the advocates out of the conversation, no one mentioned that bundling all of these items together for one vote is, if not illegal, then at least highly unethical.

Now the morning after, parks' and taxpayers' advocates must be feeling a lot like Zuma Dogg -- used, discarded and left homeless on the streets of park-poor Los Angeles.

Deja vu! Autry Likely to be Handed At-Will Use of Public Land for $1 per Year.

In a backroom deal by "the late great John Ferraro" in 1987, the Board of Referred Powers which is made up of LA City councilmembers, met to hand over a ten acre parcel of prime real estate in Griffith Park to Gene Autry for the sum of just $1 per year.

Tomorrow, in a backroom deal by high school football star Tom LeBong, the Board of Referred Powers meets once again to basically do the exact same thing -- allow the Autry to expand at will on public open space for the sum of ..... $1 per year.

The Autry's massive expansion plans effectively triple the size of the institution as well as allow a number of additional conditional uses (more alcohol) and sign variances to advertise their facility for some uses other than public benefit. At the 3pm meeting, the Board of Referred Powers will likely approve the Environmental Impact Report essentially as-is, with no appreciable change from the draft version of the report. Once passed, the Autry has essentially free rein to move forward exactly as planned, and the City loses most if not all of its ability to negotiate on the Autry's new land lease.

The Board of Referred Powers (Hahn -ch, Cardenas, Parks, Reyes, Rosendahl) is hearing the Autry's EIR in place of the Recreation and Parks Commission because current Commission president Barry Sanders used to be employed by Latham and Watkins who is the Autry's legal firm. A relatively recent addition to the commission, it is possible that Sanders was selected with this exact idea in mind. Although it helps to make Recreation and Parks look less the bad guy, most observers do not believe this switch ultimately affects the outcome since the entire issue is highly political and the Recreation and Parks department has no option but to hand LeBong and the Mayor exactly what they want.

The Autry stands to make a lot of money on the deal. They already have, with the Southwest Museum's collection worth hundreds of millions being given over to them in a related string of City payouts without accountability since the 1987 Ferraro double-deal. Recently, the Autry has begun renting their $1/yr property to commercial entities for events that are entirely inappropriate for public park land. One example, the "Brew-Ha-Ha" beer event ostensibly benefiting the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is returning to the Autry this Fall for a second round. The Brew-Ha-Ha has appropriately been described as 'drinking for a good cause'. The Autry has also begun renting its venue out for other more commercial private events and will likely expand this revenue-making activity once their own expansion is passed by the board.

The EIR that the Board of Referred Powers will be approving is essentially identical to the draft version that was open to public comment. No significant changes or mitigation measures were added in spite of the fact that there was ample public input, some of which was directly linked to required City code. A good example of the blatantly ignored comment can be found at the Greater Griffith Park Neighborhood Council's web site, with two important letters (1, 2) outlining what code is being violated and as well as some of the major concerns of park stakeholders.

It's interesting to note that this important vote comes less than 24 hours before new City Attorney Carmen Trutanich takes office. Trutanich has a strong environmental background and during his campaign stated he would be a tough fighter for social and environmental justice. Handing over 10 acres of Griffith Park to an entity who doesn't even bother to pretend anymore that their mission is public-benefit driven for just $1 per year hardly seems just.

Griffith Historic Ap Moves Forward with Last Minute Deal-Making

The City Council's Planning and Land Use Management Committee moved the Griffith Park Historic Monument application forward with a number of last minute changes brokered by LaBonge's office, the Griffith Trust, the Autry, DWP, and the Department of Recreation and Parks.

The standing room only crowd was fairly quiet after the vote, obviously confused by the last minute legal wrangling that the PLUM committee chose to include in its recommendation to the full council. Autry lobbyist Bill Delvac described his portion of the wrangling in his public comment as both 'excluding all non-contributing element projects already in the pipeline at the time of the historic application', and as simply excluding any project related to non-contributing elements (regardless of when they are initiated) ... So which is it, Bill?

In the last allowed public comment, a lawyer for the Griffith Trust said that they had just then agreed that Toyon Canyon - where LaBonge has wanted to build ballfields and cable cars - was to be excluded from the designation as was the Autry and the DWP's pending Headworks project. (All of these are on land that is truly part of Griffith Park.) Rec and Parks maintenance employees were to be granted six months training time to understand exactly what the designation would mean to their protocols.

No public comment was heard on these changes since no language was available for anyone to look at prior to the hearing, including the PLUM committee members themselves. However, given that Jack Weiss didn't even bother to sit up from his perpetually-bored and uninterested chair slump the entire meeting, it's pretty clear this so-called last minute wrangling was pre-planned.

Next stop for this issue -- and the only time the public will be able to comment on the new exclusions -- is the full City Council on Jan 27th.

Southwest Museum Community College??

These are the words of the "COUNCILMAN LAST SEEN CLAIMING VICTORY FOR THE SOUTHWEST MUSEUM AS JOSE HUIZAR", which were printed in his booklet "TOGETHER: Creating a Better Community", handed out to the masses at the "GREAT CD 14 FILIBUSTER EVENT".

"In september 2007, Councilmember Huizar announced the formation of the New Southwest Society, which will raise funds to restore and revitalize the Southwest Museum of the American Indian and Casa de Adobe, two cultural cornerstones in the Mt. Washington community. The Southwest Society has 30 members, including Councilman Huizar, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Council President Eric Garcetti, County Supervisor Gloria Molina, Representative Xavier Bacerra (D-Los Angeles); Assemblymember Fabian Nunez (D-Los Angeles); Assemblymember Anthony Portantino (D-Pasadena); John Gray, President of the Autry National Center, and Suzanne Lummis, granddaughter of the museum's founder.

Councilmember Huizar will continue working with the Autry National Center to ensure that the Southwest Museum's historic buildings and priceless collection are protected and restore for generations to come in Northeast Los Angeles. (page 13 of booklet).

Then there is this today from Ron Kaye.

Under an extraordinary deal, the Los Angeles Community College District quietly agreed to use money from its $3.5 billion bond issue on the Nov. 4 ballot to renovate the Southwest Museum and use it as a satellite campus, thus relieving those costs from the financially-burdened Autry.

The deal was cut without community involvement or discussion and inserted as a line item in the bond issue by College Trustee Mona Field, according to the Arroyo Seco Journal.

"The bond measure plan came as a surprise to participants" at the City Hall hearing, it reported.

Kaye's post on the saga of Los Angeles oldest museum is a "thread of tears" that chronicles the deception of the Autry and their willing political and community enablers.

Yet, due to the diligence of organizations like the Friends of the Southwest Museum, Neighborhood Councils, Newspapers, Blogs and the average citizen, the battle to save one of Los Angeles historic institution can be won.

Your thoughts.........

March of the Autry Volunteers

Taking a page from Home Depot tactics and just in time for the Beijing Olympics, it's The March of the Autry Volunteers!

-------------------------------------------------
Hi everyone,

You may have already gotten the message from John about the city Hearing on the Autry's expansion this coming Monday, August 18, at 10 a.m. in beautiful City Hall (renovated by our architect Brenda Levin).

In any case, the first big hearing in front the Plannng Commission's Hearing Officer is expected to last no more than a few hours. It's one of those events where having the room full of supporters is a really, really good thing, so if you're free this Monday, then I'm asking you to please come down and help us out. If you can come to the Autry at 8:45 a.m., we'll even provide the transportation, leaving at 9 a.m. sharp! We will also have some coffee, etc. ahead of time (and - I'm working on this - maybe something afterwards as well).

Please let me know if you can make it! And for those who have already responded, THANK YOU, and I look forward to seeing you all on Monday morning!

Scott
p.s. - oh, and feel free to bring guests/friends, of course!

Scott Frank, Ph.D.
Senior Manager of Education and Volunteers
Autry National Center of the American West
4700 Western Heritage Way
Los Angeles, CA 90027
323-667-2000 ext. 242
-------------------------------------------------

Of course, Dear Leader.

Controversy over the Hazard Park Armory reaches Newsprint

The controversy over the future of the Hazard Park Armory has made it to the front pages of the Eastern Group Publications.

Much has been written here about Legacy LA and its founder, Southwest Society Member Jenny Krusoe. In the days ahead Ms. Krusoe will have her hands full with Legacy LA and as an active supporter of the Autry atttempt to expand their space in Griffith Park.

In the recent weeks the Southwest Society has been active in supporting the McCormick, Baron, and Salazar Transit Development Proposal in Highland Park with Grayson Cook, Carol Jacques and Jenny Krusoe helping with facilitating a presentation by Dalila Sotelo's old bosses. Some speculate that this was done to win favor with Councilman Ed Reyes .

Meanwhile an important meeting will take place Monday at 10:00 AM in City Hall on Zoning Issues pertaining to the proposed Autry Expansion in Griffith Park.

Back to the Hazard Park Armory, Krusoe and her associate Lou Calanche had these remarks in response to concerns of community activists such as Jose Aguilar.

For Jose Aguilar, Urban Park Community Chair, the development of the buildings and the services planned are positive plans, but he worries about the possibility of a 30-year contract with an entity that is not public.

“They are using private money for the project, and besides talking to the residents of the area, there is no guarantee that Legacy L.A. will always have the best interest of the community in mind or reflect what the community wants,” Aguilar told EGP. Aguilar compares it with the Southwest Museum which began with community members wanting to preserve and keep historical artifacts in Arroyo Seco, but now feel that they have been robbed of a valuable resource, since the privately run Autry National Museum assumed control of the museum.

From Krusoe,
Krusoe says Legacy L.A. is trying to create a partnership with the Department of Parks and Recreation. Councilman Huizar echoed that concept.

“The details have yet to be worked out, but Legacy L.A. will be in a partnership with Recreation and Parks, but Rec and Parks will retain ownership of the actual property.”

According to Krusoe, next month they will complete their studies and present their findings to the community.

“We are doing everything we can do be transparent,” Krusoe said.

She also said the Web Site does not contain more information because they currently don’t have the funds to update it.

Hmmm., did someone just get a $200,000 grant??

From Calanche,
Executive Director of Legacy L.A. Lou Calanche grew up in Ramona Gardens and says the majority of the people who make up the organization are from the area and are excited that the armory (which was off-limits to civilians in the past) may be used by the community.

“Legacy L.A. began as an umbrella to house local community organizations,” Calanche told EGP,

“But the program has evolved and now we plan to provide services to the community.”

Calanche said the city had thought about using the buildings for a youth boxing center but the city does not have the funds or capacity to do it.

Calanche recently express her appreciation to Mayor Villaraigosa by doing this,

06/27/08
Maria Lourdes Calanche (Instructor, LA Community College District) Los Angeles, CA 90031
Antonio Villaraigosa Mayor 1305101 - Antonio R. Villaraigosa for Mayor 2009 A - Monetary Contribution Received (IND - Individual) [Period: 01/01/08-06/30/08] $1,000.00

And Councilman Jose Huizar said this,
In a statement responding to questions from EGP, Councilman Jose Huizar pointed out that often community programs are created without community input, and said, “this will be the opposite.”

“Contrary to some fringe opinions, the board is not uniformly filled with supporters of one group over another,” Huizar wrote. “There was a lot of painstaking effort to ensure it included a fair mix of people and it obviously includes community members. Again, the whole basis of the program is to promote community ideas and community support and that will continue throughout the duration once the community decides what programs it wants.”

Will that include dialog with community members??

More in the days ahead............

"Spoils" of Membership in the Southwest Society

The "COUNCILMAN LAST SEEN AS JOSE HUIZAR" held a brief news conference with "Spanish Media" and local fishwraps to show support for fellow "Southwest Society " of the Southwest Museum member Jenny Krusoe's "Legacy LA Project".

Excerpts from the Eastern Group Publication's press release/story on Huizar's remarks.

Legacy L.A., a nonprofit organization ( should someone ask for their tax I.D. number??) that provides youth development services (hmmm, since when??) in the Boyle Heights community, received $200,000 in funding from the California Endowment, a Los Angeles city councilman announced Wednesday.

Legacy L.A. (land grab for politically connected non-profits and David Galaviz's employer, USC) is in the process of signing a lease with the city Department of Recreation and Parks to use a former federal armory at Hazard Park as an arts and nature center for at-risk teenagers.

“Gang life (ie. current state of politics on Spring Street) and violence is like an illness (so is corruption) in our community, and unless we treat it immediately and aggressively (Ron Kaye's event on Monday) , our kids are in serious jeopardy,” said Councilman Jose Huizar, who represents the area. (when someone makes a contribution)

Huizar also announced the winners of Legacy L.A.’s Dream Big fellowships. The 10 high school students, who live in Boyle Heights, El Sereno and Lincoln Heights, will spend the next year studying what programs are needed in their communities to address gangs, poverty and opportunities for young people.

“It is much easier for youth in this community to be recruited into leadership positions in the neighborhood gang,” said Lou Calanche, co-director of Legacy L.A. (former LAUSD School Board candidate and employee for Richard Alatorre and USC)

“To end the cycle of gang affiliation and sense of hopelessness in this community, we have to take the time to develop and foster positive leadership that gives youth an opportunity to develop personally, academically and lead change in their own communities,’’ he said.

The "COUNCILMAN LAST SEEN AS JOSE HUIZAR" who earlier in the week raised a few eye brows with these remarks, "I am not comfortable with having a parcel tax pay for programs," he said. "It's one thing to use these kind of taxes to build things, it's another to use it to fund what we should be paying for out of the general fund." , shows with his support for Legacy LA, that he and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa are not above giving away public property to politically connected friends and non-profits for political gains and contributions.

RE-ELECT JOSE HUIZAR I.D. NUMBER 1291807
Statement Period from01/01/2007 to 01/20/2007


01/18/07
Krusoe, Jenny S. Pasadena , CA 91030 Individual
Executive Director Center For The Arts, Eagle Rock $250.00
$250.00
$0.00

Makes you wonder what Huizar and Villaraigosa will try to sell next, maybe the rights to "80 FAKE NEIGHBORHOOD WATCHES"..........

Outtakes from Metro, East by Northeast.......

Mid-day missives on topics germaine to points east and northeast of the "Tower of Waste on Spring Street".

"Look for the un...,err, Reagan label"

State Senator Mark Ridley-Thomas support by labor unions in his quest to replace Yvonne Burke on the Board of Supervisors, has been reported, discussed, and debated, in regards to the impact on the outcome in November's runoff.

But today, the LA Times reports how the Thomas campaign bought their way onto a Republican "Slate Mailer"which honors the virtues of the Reagan Revolution. This is the same guy who strategy was to paint his opponent City Councilman Bernard Parks as someone "too conservative" for the 2nd District seat.

Excerpts below,

Ridley-Thomas paid $2,400 to get his name on a Republican mailer touting the legacy of Ronald Reagan, according to a campaign finance report. The mailer praises Reagan for "his ideals of limited government and personal freedoms" and name-drops President Bush. It was shipped by an organization called "Continuing the Republican Revolution," an outfit run by Newport Beach political operative Scott Hart.

Candidates who received "endorsements" on the mailer paid Hart’s organization, according to campaign finance records. The Times got curious and asked if we can indeed count on Ridley-Thomas to champion a "Republican revolution." Ridley-Thomas' campaign spokesman, Fred MacFarlane, said: "Well, I think, you know, we can appeal to Republican voters as the best choice for all the people in the 2nd District, notwithstanding any revolution."

The mailer comes shortly after Ridley-Thomas said he would highlight his opponent's conservative streak and assist Parks, who is a Democrat as well, "in identifying himself as a
Republican."

This nugget from "Parque"

01/23/03 Continuing the Republican Revolution Tustin, CA 92781 Antonio R. Villaraigosa Council Member - CD14 1250526 - Villaraigosa for Council E - Payment (LIT - Campaign Literature) [Period: 01/19/03-02/15/03] $1,000.00 [Election: 03/05/03]

and this from 2001

01/01/01* Continuing the Republican Revolution Newport Beach, CA 92660 Antonio Villaraigosa Mayor 1234344 - Villaraigosa for Mayor - General 2001 E - Payment $18,000.00 [Election: 06/05/01]

***"TONY VILLAR, THE ORIGINAL RED SPOT OF CD 14***

Delay request for Grand Avenue Project rejected by the joint City County Authority that oversees the project. August 15 will be the possible "make or get out" date for the developers of Eli Broad's vision.

Richard Alatorre gets $7,200 for "advising" the Housing Authority.

You can get 3 toilets for that amount at Estrada Courts. BTW, if the US Attorney has some spare moments to look for corruption in local government, then this is a good place to start.

Who payed $71,000+ to Steve Sugerman in 2007 and early 2008??

Q2 2007 Sugerman Communications Group Autry National Center Los Angeles, CA 90027 Autry National Center Improvement Project $10,000.00

Q3 2007 Sugerman Communications Group Autry National Center Los Angeles, CA 90027 Autry National Center Improvement Project $18,061.80

Q4 2007 Sugerman Communications Group Autry National Center Los Angeles, CA 90027 Autry National Center Improvement Project $18,000.00

Q1 2008 Sugerman Communications Group Autry National Center Los Angeles, CA 90027 Autry National Center Improvement Project $25,531.82

Total Payments Received from Clients : $71,593.62

Motives of "LA Voice Pico"??

Word from activists in Boyle Heights is that this organization "bussed" in supporters to inflate their audience at an event last week in the St. Teresita Church. Maybe this had to do with Jeff Carr, Monica Garcia and mayor staffer Abigail Ramirez being in the audience.

Outtakes from CD 14. The "CUT AND PASTE CAPITAL" of Los Angeles

Hola and Good Friday to all in the barrios that comprise CD 14.

For the "COUNCILMAN LAST SEEN AS JOSE HUIZAR" Good Friday could not come fast enough.

First, "feeble and shallow" are what describes the "COUNCILMAN LAST SEEN AS JOSE HUIZAR" defence of the Las Lomas Project. Was this the same guy who took a stand for open space regarding Elephant Hill that compares to the Las Lomas Project on a micro level ? But then perspective changes once you look beyond the district boundaries, or do they??

Take the brewing revolt at the Wyvernwood complex over the Fifteen Group expansion plans. Former Assembly candidate and friend of "Jackie G", Elena Popp is organizing the tenants against the property owners. When this FUBAR is done, someone is going to wish that he never went to a certain Super Bowl party.

On the slopes of Mt. Washington, back to back stories in the L.A. Times and L.A. Weekly respectively paint the "COUNCILMAN LAST SEEN AS JOSE HUIZAR" as an enabler to the whims of "BIG AUTRY". Thus you get the selling of rotating pieces of artifacts as a GREAT VICTORY along the lines of saving the 256 bus route.

In "Northern Boyle Heights" tensions are at a flash point in Ramona Gardens Housing Project after the latest LAPD/ Hazard Gang confrontation. What the locals do not realize is that their days in "HAZARD" may be numbered. Can you say Bio-Tech Research Corridor?? One needs to look at the Advisory Board of the Legacy LA website. One will find DAVID GALAVIZ Adelante CRA board member, and........"FRIEND OF CAROL" DALILA SOTELO as redevelopment advisor. Thus will Ramona Gardens become "PUEBLO DEL SOL, NORTH" ?????

****Link to recent You Tube footage filmed in Ramona Gardens, this highlights the state of relations between residents and LAPD****

And not to leave out the "PUEBLO DE SERENO", there may be "light in the end of the tunnel", or simply stated a tunnel in the future for South Pasadena and Eastern Sereno. No word whether South Pasadena resident Victor Griego will have a say in where the tunnel portals are located, but what about those hundreds of Cal Trans houses that the likes of Don Jones and Hugo Garcia are alleged to have their eyes on???

All this adds up to some form of "EC NO CLEANSING/ RELOCATION" of CD 14 population to make way for a "NEW LOOK CD 14, GENTRIFICATION EDITION"....... historical and cultural history be damned.

****Arroyo Seco Neighborhood Council/ Mt. Washington Re vote We pass along the endorsement recommendation of "ONE IN FIVE" for Scott Folsom and Ann Walnum.****

BTW, what with the official symbol of Free Enterprise in CD 14, the "PALETA CART" being lefted off the Mural at Hollenbeck??

Happy Easter to all!!

$100 million to showcase looted art

Thanks to the Daily News for printing the latest on the "looting" of the Southwest Museum.

For those who find the wording above "a bit opinionated", one needs to be expressive when the likes of Jackie Autry, Jon Grey, Steve Sugerman, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Councilman Jose Huizar, Councilman Tom LaBonge and toadie Louie Alvarado all are working against the will of the community to force this thief of CD 14 history down our collective throats.

Now all that is needed to complete the "GREAT CD 14 ART THIEF" is the approval of the Rec. and Parks Commission, City Council and the signature of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

The proposal by the Autry will run counter to the wishes of numerous community group and green organizations. But in this city, public opinion is trumped by "monetary considerations".

One has to wonder if the "Singing Cowboy" was still alive, would this classless act of deceit be taking place. One thinks not.

Autry/Sugerman, thoughts that make you go hmmmm.

This was posted in the recent past.

City Hall Lobbyist...

Sugerman Communications Group

This public relations firm is headed by Steve Sugerman, a former communications aide to Mayor Richard Riordan. Mr. Sugarman therefore once worked with Robin Kramer, Riordan’s former Chief of Staff. Ms. Kramer is now the Chief Staff to Mayor Villaraigosa.

Public information suggests Mr. Sugerman was put on the Autry payroll as a consultant in early 2005. Sugerman’s most notorious claim to fame was he pled guilty to three counts of federal wire fraud as part of the Fleishman-Hillard overbilling scandal at the Water and Power Department. By pleading guilty to these felonies, Sugerman avoided jail after testifying against his supervisors who were sentenced to jail upon their conviction. Sugerman confessed to knowingly submitting falsified invoices to DWP. His employer later repaid $ 6 million to the City of Los Angeles, a portion of which Sugerman was responsible for. For his cooperation, Sugerman was sentenced last year to three years probation.

So, a confessed liar and convicted felon was hired by Autry as its public relations and City hall lobbyist. CEO John Gray likely asked Mr. Sugerman to use his contacts at City Hall, the Los Angeles Times and Daily News, and his “talents” to spin the deferred maintenance problems of the Southwest Museum as making the building unusable.

More lies and tales of deceit in the weeks to come..........

****This on file with the Ethics Commission****

Autry paid $18,000 to the Sugerman Group in the fourth quarter of 2007.

Open House at the Autry highlights expansion plan

The con job, err, selling of a expanded Autry Museum has begun.

Jackie Autry, John Grey and the cast of looters of the Southwest Museum held a free Open House on Sunday to showcase their plans for the Southwest Museum Collection.

The City of Los Angeles and the Autry National Center have begun an
important public review process for the Autry's plan to modernize and
reconfigure its Griffith Park facility. The modernization plan provides greater
access to larger segments of the collection, especially the Southwest Museum
Collection, which has been hidden from the public for decades.

The plans should give pause to the likes of the Sierra Club, Greater Griffith Park Neighborhood Council and the Friends of the Southwest Museum.

Simply if this goes through, kiss the Southwest Museum goodbye and the inpact on traffic in Griffith Park will cause consternation within communities surrounding the park.

More in the days ahead on this travesty and how you can help to save LA's first museum.