Morning Hot Briefs on the Los Angeles Political Machine for Monday

As the Elites of the Los Angeles Political Machine seek "Local Control" over "The Old Gray Collectivist Hag on Spring Street (aka LA Times)", the "Northeast LA Monthly of Record (aka Boulevard Sentinel)" undergoes an Ownership Change.

The last issue of the Tom Topping-edited (and owned) Boulevard Sentinel.

Now former Boulevard Sentinel Editor and Publisher Tom Topping and CD 14 City Councilman Jose Huizar, are smiles in celebrating the Tenth Anniversary of the Northeast LA Monthly of Record.

** As the likes of Los Angeles Civic Watchdog Jack Humphreville, former Glassell Park Neighborhood Council Member (and friend) Tony Butka, the (West) LA Observed Blog's Kevin "Westside White Guy" Roderick and the who's who of the Los Angeles Political Machine, seek to bring the "Old Gray Collectivist Hag on Spring Street (aka LA Times)" under local control/ownership, a "Northeast LA Monthly of Record" has change owners ........., and retained its endemic character.

Longtime Eagle Rock resident and the Founding Editor/ Publisher of the Boulevard Sentinel Monthly Newspaper Tom Topping has sold his Journalistic Creation to local business owner Tim Tritch (of the family-owned Tritch True Value Hardware Store), as he relocates to Eastern Washington. 

Topping in a Farewell Column within the September Issue of the Sentinel, cited the recent Passing of his Mother and the high cost of maintaining home ownership in the Los Angeles area, as some of the reasons for pulling up his longtime Eagle Rock stakes. 

Regular readers of the Sentinel will note that Topping was not afraid to take on the local political bosses since its incarnation back around 1999 when it gave coverage to the then upstart CD 14 City Council Campaign of Nick Pacheco, which defeated South Pasadena's Victor Griego by a couple of hundreds of votes.

In recent years, Topping's missives and commentary on Northeast LA issues, garnered him a "-1 score for loyalty" via the staff of just re-elected CD 14 City Councilman Jose Huizar, which might have hit bottom considering his recent writings on the Princeton Graduate's Colorado Blvd. Bike Lanes and his last edition story on the cancelled 2015 Eagle Rock Music Festival (more on this developing controversy later). 

CERT Container with Supplies.

** You would think that last week's 8.3 Chile Earthquake and a possible, looming El Nino Winter would have the likes of LA Mayor Eric Garcetti and public safety officials, ensuring that all disaster First Responders (paid and volunteer) have the necessary resources in place to handle any contingency. But under the reign of former Assemblyman (and AB-109 Prison Realignment Debacle Co-Author), turned current City Attorney Mike Feuer, the purchase and maintaining of Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Containers by the likes of the Lake Balboa Neighborhood Council, has been branded a LIABILITY by his staff. The LBNC response to the absurdity of the City Attorney Feuer's directive was to craft the following letter below to the Mayor, seeking follow through on a promise to place the City Attorney Office in touch with the LBNC, regarding this issue.  

Page 1 of LBNC Letter to Mayor Garcetti

Page 2 of LBNC Letter to Mayor Garcetti.

This situation has taken on a greater sense of urgency considering that a letter to City Attorney Mike Feuer was "Returned to Sender (unlike 2013 campaign contributions from his former Bet Tzedek associates, but we digress), as noted below. 

Strange, that address matches the mail listing on City Attorney Feuer's Webpage.

Hopefully, the Second Term-seeking Mayor will not exhibit his 'Inner-Gar-Soft-ee" on this urgent issue of disaster preparedness, after all, every life matters in defending against a natural disaster.

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

Scott Johnson in CD 14

One Citizen Perspective of Northeast Redistricting Commission Hearing

Sparse attendance for Northeast LA Redistricting Commission Hearing at Occidental College. Photo by Tom Topping.

** Blogger's note: A small crowd but the usual activists were in attendance Monday evening at Occidental College's Thorne Hall for the Northeast LA stop of the "Redistricting LA in Backrooms Commission". Boulevard Sentinel's Tom Topping reports on the evening proceedings. In addition, we bring you the observations of the meeting via longtime Northeast LA resident and retire Parole Officer Caroline Aguirre. Beware! Caroline tells it as she sees it---Scott Johnson

Long time 14 th. District Resident comments.

There was a special Redistricting Commission meeting on Monday Feburary 6, 2012 at 6:30 pm. hosted at Occidental College , Thorne Hall.

After completing my 2 and 1/2 mile walk around the Occidental  Track I made my way towards Thorne Hall.  I entered the location and was instructed by a female seated behind a table in the lobby area to sign in on a sign in sheet. I asked this female unnamed female if this was mandatory and was initially  told yes.  I then asked this same female how could signing my name be mandatory after all this was a community meeting opened to the public .  The female then corrected herself  and stated that she had made an error and asked if I would please sign in on the sign in sheet.  I then asked a male individual standing near by if he was part the Redistricting Committee ? He stated that he was and that he helped in making the arrangements to host this Commission meeting at Occidental College. I then asked him how much his committee had paid for the use of Thorne Hall and he stated that  they obtained the use of Thorne Hall at zero cost.

I then made my way into the Hall itself and found myself a seat.  It was already a quarter past the hour and I was somewhat taken back that so few people were in attendance. I did recognize  a couple of members of the Highland Park Historical Society and the President ( camera in hand ) and other members of the Northeast Los Angeles Democratic Club  and  a hand full of folks from the Glassell Park and Mt. Washington area. Oh lets not forget some business owners from York Blvd. Association.  The biggest group in attendance by far was Councilman Jose Huizar's  staff members. They were all out in force and the way they kept getting up and down from their seats, walking around one, would wonder if they had  some type of medical problem?

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Outtakes from CD 14 Northeast Edition: "Eagle Rock Patch Interview with Councilman Huizar and fears of retaliation on York Blvd via the Boulevard Sentinel"

The Official Billboard (paid for by "Big Billboard") of "Outtakes from CD 14".

HI ARTURO!! The Official Councilman Huizar Staff "Observer" of "Outtakes from CD 14" Arturo Gonzalez. With help of LAPD, Gonzalez keeps watch on CD 14 constituents to update their "Loyalty and Influence" listing (Click on photo).  

CD 14 City Councilman Jose Huizar contemplating the answers to questions in recent video interview with Aaron Proctor and Ajay Singh of the Eagle Rock Patch.

Hola from the "cut and paste underground" of CD 14 where the act of stating the political truth is grounds for the following; removal from CD 14 email blast list, no turkeys from Huizzy for your CBO, a visit from a Building & Safety employee with cash only invoice and the dreaded down-scoring on the CD 14 Constituent Discrimination List ...... and judging from the recent "acts of objective journalism" from the Eagle Rock Patch and Boulevard Sentinel respectively, the list of retribution against those perceived to be disloyal to Councilman Huizar, is bound to grow.

First, we want to spotlight the recent Eagle Rock Patch interview of Councilman Huizar by Aaron Proctor and Ajay Singh at his City Hall office. The two part interview which we link to here (1) and here (2)  was by no means an exercise in journalistic softball and as the video shows, provided some uncomfortable moments for the Princeton Graduate (especially in explaining his attempted retaliation against Colombo's Steakhouse).

Second, Boulevard Sentinel Editor and Publisher Tom Topping does yeoman's work in getting to the root of the Second Saturday NELA Artwalk Controversy (which we posted on here previously) and the role of the CD 14 Eagle Rock Council Office. Topping gets many of the principals players in the saga to speak and the constant theme is the fear of retaliation from CD 14 as this passage illustrates.

Bike ride organizer Joseph Bray-Ali had reacted to MorYork's message by posting his disdain for CD14's actions. Soon after, he was pressured by CD14 to retract his statement about CD14 threatening to institute city fees, which the councilman's office categorically denied. He was reluctant to speak out for fear the councilman would retaliate by sending an army of inspectors to his storefront business (which everybody knows happens all the time). He did, however, confirm Mallman's perception that the gist of  CD14's communications consisted of fear mongering about "looming liability" issues for gallery night organizers and participants like the MorYork. Joseph was still upset and discouraged and said he is re-thinking the associated gallery night bike ride and may cancel it altogether for at least November.

We post Topping's article in whole after the jump.

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Boulevard Sentinel on Councilman Huizar/ Colombo's Steakhouse Controversy

Blogger notes: Memo to the likes of the Historic Downtown BID, "Anthony and Val" of the LA-32 Neighborhood Council and any other organizations that chooses to bow before the "Huizar Way", there is a way to stand up for your integrity when a certain Princeton Grad seeks to retaliate against some perceived slight of loyalty. As Tom Topping reports in the October issue of the Boulevard Sentinel, Vic Parrino, the Gereral Manager of the Colombo's Steakhouse, did not back down when Councilman Huizar sought to use his power in lashing back at Parrino and Colombo's for their support of Rudy Martinez in last Spring's CD 14 Elections. The results are telling and a wake-up call for the vindictive politico as he stumbles into his second term---Scott Johnson in CD 14

 Colombo's Steakhouse in Eagle Rock.

From the Boulevard Sentinel ......

Colombo's manager Vic Parrino had applied for the ABC (alcoholic beverage control) permit on time, but was told by ABC officials that the Council office was opposing it. He then talked with Huizar's deputy, Zenay Loera, who told him it was being opposed for "Public Safety" reasons. Not being one to give up easily, he contacted L.A.P.D. and the Fire Department to see what kind of "Public Safety" problems they had. They said it was not a problem.

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