August – BoulevardSentinel.com

What $3 million+ can buy you in NELA

09/08/2022 Jeffery Marino6439 Comments

By Jeffery Marino

The $3 million-plus home in our slideshow this month — located on Live Oak in Eagle Rock — is new construction.

Become a Member of the ERNC Board

09/01/2022 admin437

If you have a desire to understand how our City Government works, and to be a voice for your community, then the Eagle Rock Neighborhood Council is the place for you. The mission of the ERNC is to assure effective Stakeholder participation and interaction with our Council District and City Government on issues that affect our community. Applications are due on September 6 at 3pm. Link to applications is in this article.

4 a.m. bar bill defeated; NELA’s Assemblymember Carrillo voted to pass the bill while NELA’s city councilmembers opposed it

08/25/202209/08/2022 T.A. Hendrickson458

By T.A. Hendrickson

The State Assembly has defeated a bill – SB 930 — to extend last call at bars in selected California cities from 2 a.m. currently to 4 a.m. The vote to kill the bill, on Aug. 24, was 31 to 25, with 24 Assemblymembers not voting.

The defeat in the Assembly means that the bill will not come before the State Senate.

Assemblymember Wendy Carrillo, a Democrat who represents Northeast Los Angeles, voted with the losing side to allow a later last call.

SB 930 was the fifth try since 2013 to extend last call in California

Photo | Calmatters.org

L.A.’s eastside, including NELA, hit hard by monkeypox; at-risk people prioritized for vaccines

08/20/202209/08/2022 T.A. Hendrickson613

By T.A. Hendrickson Nearly half of the 1,105 monkeypox cases in Los Angeles County for which geographic information is available have been reported in the health-service area that includes Boyle Heights, Eagle Rock, Echo Park, Highland Park, Hollywood, downtown Los Angeles, Los Feliz, Silver Lake and West Hollywood, the Los Angeles Times has reported. About […]

Miami Marlins relief pitcher, Andrew Nardi | Image: YouTube/Fishstripes Exclusives

Andrew Nardi, scion of Eagle Rock family, makes his major league pitching debut

08/21/202208/29/2022 Mary Lynch6722 Comments

By Mary Lynch

Andrew Nardi, a left-handed pitcher drafted by the Miami Marlins in 2019, was called up to the major leagues this week, debuting on Aug. 16 in a home game against the San Diego Padres.

But it was his second big-league appearance, on Aug. 20, that really sent shivers through Nardi’s family and friends. That’s when Nardi, 24, pitched in his first game against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Dodger Stadium.

Nardi is the son of Tony and Liz Nardi, both of whom grew up in Eagle Rock. He is the nephew of Mike Nardi and Paul Nardi and the grandson of Barbara Nardi, a beloved longtime resident of Eagle Rock who passed away last year at age 88.

Nardi, a reliever, pitched the bottom of the sixth inning in the game against the Dodgers. To read how Nardi did on Aug 20, click here.

City Councilmember Gil Cedillo (at podium, right) endorsed mayoral candidate Rick Caruso (left) at a rally in Pico-Union on Aug. 11. | Photo by T.A. Hendrickson/Boulevard Sentinel

Gil Cedillo endorses Rick Caruso as mayoral candidates compete for Latino vote

08/11/202208/25/2022 T.A. Hendrickson744

By T.A. Hendrickson Gil Cedillo, the Los Angeles city councilmember representing much of Northeast L.A., today endorsed Rick Caruso for Mayor of Los Angeles. Cedillo (Council District 1) announced his support at a rally/press event at La 27th Street Restaurante Nicaragüense in Pico Union. The theme of the event, emblazoned on placards held aloft by […]

Bars would stay open until 4 a.m. in selected California cities under a bill now making its way through the state legislature. | Photo Daisy Barringer/Thrillist

NELA city councilmembers oppose Sacramento’s latest drive to keep bars open until 4 a.m.

08/09/202208/21/2022 T.A. Hendrickson508

By T.A. Hendrickson

For the fourth time since 2017, State Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) is championing a “4 a.m. bar bill” that would let local governments in selected California cities participate in a five-year pilot program to extend last call from 2 a.m. currently to 4 a.m.

As in years past, Assemblymember Wendy Carrillo, who represents Northeast Los Angeles, is a co-author of the bill – SB 930.

And once again, the L.A. City Council has voted to pass a resolution opposing Sacramento’s drive for extended bar hours. There’s more. Click here to continue on with our story.

This Highland Park bungalow sold for $1,206 million in June, 10% above the asking price. It was off the market in 30 days.

House prices in NELA dip as borrowing costs rise

08/09/202208/20/2022 Jeffery Marino462

By Jeffery Marino

The housing market in Northeast Los Angeles began to slow in June, the latest month with comprehensive data, as higher interest rates took a bite out of what homebuyers were able and willing to pay.

The median price for a house in NELA in June was $1.218 million, $28,000 lower than in May (a 2% drop). It was the first decline in the monthly median since November 2020. There’s more. Click to read about it.

Priced too high, these three homes sold for less than their asking prices

08/08/202208/10/2022 Jeffery Marino1038

By Jeffery Marino

It’s hot outside, but in the first week of August, the housing market in Northeast Los Angeles started to cool off. Here are three NELA homes that went for less than the sellers had hoped.

Want to know how much got shaved off the asking prices, Take a minute, not more, and you will know that and more.

Two restaurants on the L.A. Times’ new ‘best burrito’ list are in Highland Park. | Photo by Mariah Tauger / L.A. Times; illustration and animation by Martin Gee / For the Times)

For the best burritos in L.A., head to Highland Park

08/29/202109/21/2021 T.A. Hendrickson24332 Comments

By T.A. Hendrickson Two restaurants in Highland Park have made it onto the Los Angeles Times’ new list of “Best Breakfast Burritos in L.A.,” by Times’ food critic, Bill Addison. Jugos Azteca offers a burrito “riddled with bacon and chorizo, scrambled egg, avocado slices and splotches of Monterey jack cheese disappearing into clouds of potato,” […]

Diana Barnwell, 1938 – 2021 | Photo courtesy of Daniel Wright

Remembering: Diana Barnwell, 1938 – 2021

08/23/202108/30/2021 admin19511 Comment

By Daniel Wright When Diana Barnwell of Mount Washington died on May 17, age 82, her family, friends and colleagues grieved their loss while celebrating her life of inspired and exemplary civic involvement. Barnwell was a pioneer in the historic preservation movement in Northeast Los Angeles, an activist in efforts to enhance the cultural life […]

Northeast LA residents at Eagle Rock City Hall for the Public Hearing on CD-14 | Photo: Kevin de León Facebook page.

Redistricting and the future of NELA’s Council District 14

08/26/202109/22/2021 Bill Hendrickson2205

By Bill Hendrickson At a recent public meeting on the upcoming redistricting of Council District 14, most of the 105 commenters voiced the same sentiments: All communities in CD 14 wanted to stay in CD 14 and neighborhoods where representation is split between CD 14 and other council districts wanted to be redistricted into a […]

Art created in 1976 and 1977 at the Mechicano Art Center in Highland Park by (from left) Carlos Almaraz, Guillermo Bejarano and Judithe Hernández | Photos from the Smithsonian American Art Museum, image courtesy of Highland Park Heritage Trust

Chicano history in Highland Park gains official recognition

08/24/202109/01/2021 T.A. Hendrickson2976

By T.A. Hendrickson

The Los Angeles City Council has voted unanimously to grant Historic-Cultural Monument (HCM) status to two locations in Highland Park where Chicano art and culture flourished in the 1970s.

Back to school in L. A. amid a rise in COVID-19 cases. | photo by Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images

Measuring COVID and vaccination in schools in Northeast L.A.

08/17/202108/26/2021 T.A. Hendrickson2459

By T.A. Hendrickson In the two weeks before school started on Monday, more than 3,600 students and staff in the Los Angeles Unified School District tested positive for COVID-19, said LAUSD officials on Tuesday, August 17. The data are not broken out by school, but 502 of the 3,600 positive cases were in LAUSD’s “Local […]

This design, part of the Housing Innovation Challenge, shows one possibility for fast, relatively inexpensive housing for the homeless. | Image: KCRW

L.A. City Council adopts goal, proposed by Kevin de León, for 25,000 housing units for the homeless by 2025

08/10/202108/12/2021 T.A. Hendrickson282310 Comments

By T.A. Hendrickson

In a 13-0 vote today, the Los Angeles City Council approved a motion to set a Homeless Housing Goal of creating at least 25,000 new housing units by 2025.

The motion is a key feature of “A Way Home,” a multi-part plan by CD-14 Councilmember Kevin de León to tackle homelessness in L.A.

The Independent Shakespeare Company is performing "The Tempest" in Griffith Park through Sept. 8.

Art and Culture in NELA: Picks for rest of August

08/23/202108/23/2021 Pablo Nukaya-Petralia1734

By Pablo Nukaya-Petralia
Theater, exhibitions and music making are taking place throughout Northeast L.A. during the rest of August. Many of these art-and-culture events in Northeast Los Angeles are free.
Click on the image for details.

The actor Carel Struycken, shown here at his home in Altadena, is a proponent of simpler living and permaculture. | Photo by Christopher Nyerges

The environmental odyssey of Carel Struycken

08/02/202109/22/2021 Christopher Nyerges13542 Comments

By Christopher Nyerges Moviegoers know Carel Struycken as “Lurch” in the Addams Family movies or for his roles in Men in Black, Witches of Eastwick, Star Trek: The Next Generation and many other movies and television shows. I know a different side of Struycken. He is a proponent of simpler living and permaculture, a set […]

Leticia Maldonado, a neon artist who lives in Highland Park, bends glass in her studio. | Photo by Lauren Noble

Get to know: Leticia Maldonado, local neon artist

08/12/202108/19/2021 Pablo Nukaya-Petralia30453 Comments

By Pablo Nukaya-Petralia In mid-July, as a one-woman show by neon artist Leticia Maldonado was set to open at Bermudez Projects gallery in Cypress Park, word went out that Maldonado’s next stop would be the Museum of Neon Art (MONA) in Glendale, where she will have her first ever museum solo exhibition in September 2022. […]

The Franklin High School finalists and semi-finalists for the Tenner-Wright scholarships: Back row from left: Claire Lee, Martin Ledesma, Alejandra Casteneda; Front row from left: Leslie Rodriguez, Ryan Wong, Stefan Mykytyn. At far left, Robert Nishinaka, board president of the Franklin High School Educational Foundation; At far right, co-founder of the foundation, Jack Wright.

Valuable scholarships help pave the way to college for Franklin High’s top graduates

08/01/202108/02/2021 Mary Lynch27642 Comments

By Mary Lynch

Six top performing students from the Class of 2021 at Benjamin Franklin High School in Highland Park will head off to college this month with a strong tailwind to propel them on their way.

The six are the finalists and semi-finalists for the 2021 Tenner-Wright scholarships, the highest award from the Franklin High School Educational Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides college financial aid to Franklin graduates.
Click the photo for more.

Here’s what a million bucks buys you in NELA

08/01/202109/24/2021 Jeffery Marino2822

By Jeffery Marino

In June, the median sale price for a home in Northeast Los Angeles edged above the $1 million mark, to $1.02 million.

So, what can you buy in NELA for that kind of money? Jeffery Marino will tell you here.

Kevin de León, City Councilmember for CD-14, has become the target of a recall effort launched by five local residents. | Photo by David Butow / Redux Pictures

Keeping an eye on the effort to recall Kevin de León

08/03/202108/03/2021 T.A. Hendrickson27204 Comments

By T.A. Hendrickson

In the nascent effort to recall Councilmember Kevin de León, the next move is his: De León has until August 9 to file a response with the City Clerk to the recall Notice of Intent that was served on July 19 and published on July 22 in The Daily News and La Opinion. To read what comes next and when and more, click the photo above.

Image | Anbriy Onufriyenko via Getty Images

Vaccinations slow in Northeast L.A. as COVID-19 cases rise; elected officials take action

07/27/202108/02/2021 T.A. Hendrickson320817 Comments

By T.A. Hendrickson Over the past three weeks, vaccination rates in Northeast Los Angeles have barely budged, despite increases in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths from the Delta variant. In a data update on July 29, the L.A. County Public Health Department reported that 72% of Eagle Rockers age 16 and up have had at […]

This chart shows the rapid rise in home prices in Northeast Los Angeles, more than tripling over the last nine years to a median of $1.02 million in June, 2021. / Data source: Redfin

In NELA, the hot housing market just keeps getting hotter

08/01/202109/24/2021 Jeffery Marino2703

By Jeffery Marino

Another month, another record: In June, the median sale price for a home in NELA hit a new high of $1.02 million — a 19% annual increase over June 2020 and the highest year-over-year price jump since September 2018.

Which is to say, the NELA residential real estate market is showing no signs of slowing down

Carlos Almaraz (1941-1989) is one of many significant Chicano artists who worked in studios in Highland Park. Efforts to secure historic cultural monument status for those studios will be discussed at a national conference this month on historic preservation. | Still from Carlos Almaraz: Playing with Fire.

Six ways to enjoy art and culture in NELA this August

08/02/202108/02/2021 Pablo Nukaya-Petralia28302 Comments

By Pablo Nukaya-Petralia Art and culture offerings in NELA in August include historic preservation events, a street fair, a live-music jam and outdoor theater performances. Here are six picks, including a reminder to artists and art nonprofits that applications for grants are now being taken by the Eastside Arts Initiative. Historic preservation/Rockhaven On Sunday, Aug. 8 at 2 […]

On the verge of heading off to college, Lani Tunzi, shown here as a little girl, writes: “ “I find that the older I get, the more I don’t know.”

The Long and Winding Road

08/03/202108/26/2021 Lani Tunzi2799

By Lani Tunzi The “Bildungsroman,” or coming-of-age novel, is one of the most popular genres studied in English class. Its roots are in 19th century Germany — roman is German for “novel” and bildung means “education/development” — but stories that explore a protagonist’s journey from childhood to adulthood are resurrected time and again throughout literature […]

Local Businesses Struggle to Hang On As Occidental College Closes for the Fall

07/31/202007/26/2021 Matthew Reagan15626

By Matthew Reagan
Businesses in Northeast Los Angeles, already battered by the pandemic and recession, took another one-two punch in July. The blows have called their survival into question. Matthew Reagan spoke with a few of the businesses on York and Eagle Rock Boulvards. He reports on the thoughts of those local storeowners in this edition of the Boulevard Sentinel.

Your walk becomes a workout – and your reward is this beautiful view – when you ascend the 196 steps of the Eldred Street stairs in Highland Park. | Photo by T.A. Hendrickson

10 Ways to Turn a Walk into an Adventure

07/31/202007/26/2021 admin and T.A. Hendrickson25851

Picks from the people who bring you the Boulevard Sentinel If you have been taking walks to stay fit and alleviate boredom during the pandemic – or if you haven’t been walking but need to get moving – here are 10 ways in or near Northeast L.A. to turn a walk into an excursion or […]

THE INITIAL SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE MEETING

08/22/202008/23/2020 admin258313 Comments

MEETING LINKS for Tuesday, August 25

VIA ZOOM: Join from a PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone or Android device: Please click this URL to join: https://zoom.us/j/95364965067
VIA PHONE: Dial (for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
Dial (for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location): US: +1 669 900 6833 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 929 205 6099 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 312 626 6799 or 833 548 0282 (Toll Free) or 877 853 5257 (Toll Free) or 888 475 4499 (Toll Free) or 833 548 0276 (Toll Free) Webinar ID: 953 6496 5067

A crowd in February listened to Mayor Garcetti speak about climate change. | Photo by Juan Ashton.

Sustainability Committee Formed by the Eagle Rock Neighborhood Council

07/28/202008/23/2020 admin25542

by ERNC

If found guilty as charged, José Huizar could spend the rest of his life in prison | Photo Los Angeles Downtown News

Mr. Huizar, How Do You Plead?

07/31/202008/03/2020 T.A. Hendrickson185572 Comments

By T.A. Hendrickson José Huizar is scheduled to enter his plea to federal corruption charges on Monday, August 3 at 11:30 a.m. at the Edward R. Roybal federal courthouse in downtown Los Angeles. Huizar, the L.A. City Councilmember for Council District 14, is expected to appear via videoconference. Huizar, 51, stands accused of running a criminal enterprise from his perch at City Hall, enriching […]

Letter from the Editor: The Pandemic in Northeast L.A

08/01/202007/26/2021 T.A. Hendrickson9550

by T.A. Hendrickson

The kitchen at 5726 Fallston Dr., Los Angeles, CA 90042

These NELA Homes Sold for Huge Premiums in June

07/28/202007/26/2021 Jeffery Marino114971 Comment

By Jeffery Marino

Keeping Kids Busy in August: Help from the Park and the Library

07/31/202008/02/2020 Mary Lynch5039

By Mary Lynch Keeping kids occupied during summer is challenging under the best of circumstances; pandemic conditions have only made the challenge more difficult. The parks and the library can help: DAY CAMP The first two weeks of August are the last two weeks of day camp for children ages 6 to 14 at several […]

Una audiencia se reunió en febrero para escuchar al alcalde Garcetti hablar sobre el cambio climático. | Foto de Juan Ashton

Comité de Sostenibilidad Formado por el Consejo Vecinal de Eagle Rock

07/29/202008/23/2020 admin24260

by ERNC

Lani Says: Not What I Expected

07/31/202008/01/2020 Lani Tunzi11250

By Lani Tunzi

After months of preparation, applications, and big decisions, my first semester of college is not shaping up as anticipated.

Jose and Ireri Luna, Highland Park spiritual guides, in front of their new store at 6138 York Boulevard.

New Location for Botanica Nueva Era, NELA’s One-Stop Shop for Spiritual Supplies

07/28/202008/01/2020 122741 Comment

By Christopher Nyerges

Artwork by Boulevard Sentinel

NELA Real Estate Sales

08/01/2020 Jeffery Marino9031

Here is the latest sales data for single family home sales in NELA. See what sales have been doing near you.

Juan Jose Diaz in a photo released by the Los Angeles Police Department on July 27, 2019.

Update On Shooting of LAPD Officer

08/30/201909/01/2019 Laura Brady-Allen115221 Comment

Shootings are plaguing NELA. We report in this edition on four of them, including the fatal shooting of LAPD Officer Juan Jose Diaz. For details continue with this September crime report by Laura Brady-Allen.

Artist Paula Lopez, seen here, is repainting the SW Museum mural | Photo by Jesus Sanchez for The Eastsider

The Mural on Marmion Way – Lost and Found

08/23/201907/26/2021 admin105141 Comment

The prep work for re-painting of the 170′ mural on Marmion Way near the Southwest Museum has been completed and the re-painting has begun, Both the preparation work and the re-painting are creative adventures in their own right. See the work in process on the Boulevard Sentinel.

Juan Jose Diaz in a photo released by the Los Angeles Police Department on July 27, 2019.

Update On Shooting of LAPD Officer

07/27/2019 Bill Hendrickson10618

Juan Jose Diaz, a 24-year-old officer who served two years with LAPD, died in the gunfire that broke out around 1 a.m. near Avenue 26 and Humboldt Street, according to the Police Department.

Police secure the scene in front of 7-Eleven on Colorado Blvd in Eagle Rock after the shooting on Thursday, July 17 | Photo by Laura Brady-Allen

Crime and Punishment in Northeast L.A.

07/26/201907/26/2019 Laura Brady-Allen31652 Comments

This month we had a murder in Eagle Rock, a prowler apprehended and a man sentenced in mugging of a pregnant jogger. Up to date details on all this and more are here for you.

Gov. Newsom presenting his state budget | Photo by Rich Pedroncelli / AP

Making It Easier to Attend and Finish Community College

07/26/2019 Matthew Reagan96781 Comment

Tuition and fees will be waived in the first two years of community college for first-time, full-time students, thanks to provisions in California’s new state budget. Want more? How’s this: Nearly half of students earning a bachelor’s degree from a UC in science, technology, engineering and mathematics transferred from a California community college. And, there’s more in this report by Matthew Reagan for the Boulevard Sentinel.

Taco Bell - August 2019 | Photo by Bill Hendrickson

Eye on Real Estate Developments in NELA

07/26/201907/26/2021 Bill Hendrickson9629

Here’s the latest on the Real Estate Developments we’ve been following in NELA.

A deal between youth sports advocates and the parks department may be shaping up for new and resurfaced playing fields at Rio de Los Angeles State Park in Cypress Park | Photo by Dara G.

The Push for Up-graded Playing Fields in Cypress Park

07/26/201907/26/2019 9088

Burnt out fields of play may be becoming an thing of the past in NELA’s Rio de Los Angeles State Park. For more read more.

Homeless | Photo by Joel Sappell for the Boulevard Sentinel

Helping the Homeless: An Update

07/26/201907/26/2019 Matthew Reagan and Mary Lynch151131 Comment

Homelessness in NELA may be intractable but efforts are underway to make it less so. We update you on a few initiatives underway to address this catastrophic problem.

Ana Serrano inside her installation, Homegrown, which has been acquired by the L.A. County Musuem of Art | Photo by John S. Rabe

Artwork by Ana Serrano Acquired by L.A. County Museum of Art

07/26/201907/26/2021 T.A. Hendrickson148891 Comment

From the College of Art and Design to the LA County Museum, Ana Serrano evokes the look and feel of front-yard, window-ledge spaces in Latino neighborhoods. Read on for a view of the creative expression of what we pass by every day in NELA.

Dotted lines show where multiple route options are being considered

More Time for Public Comment on Metro Plan

07/26/201907/26/2019 Bill Hendrickson130681 Comment

Proposed route has roiled the town. Constituents to have a special opportunity to speak directly with Hilda Solis, Metro Director and L. A. County Supervisor. Read on for details about next meeting and recap of situation to date.

Shake, Rattle and Roll

07/27/201907/27/2019 Lani Tunzi3862

Yosemite Drive – more race track than neighborhood street. What’s being done to slow things down on Yosemite? Read about that right here.

Incoming seniors on the Eagle Rock volleyball team - (L-R) Charlotte Dillon, Isabelle Rabaya, Nicole Lee, Wendy Jurenec, Julia Orqueza, Anniston Smith, Angelique Calma, Sarah Carbonel, Jade Fuentes | Photo by Coach Tim Bergeron

Kids and Teens Play the Summer Away in NELA

07/27/201908/18/2019 Dave Abbott of NELA One Sports94022 Comments

Summer includes training and practice for high school athletes and younger kids (6 to 16) get to play and learn basketball skills, teamwork and competition in rec leagues put on by LA Parks and Rec.

John Zender at one of his murals in Highland Park. | Photo by Christopher Nyerges

Muralist John Zender Seeks “Triunity” in His Current Work

07/27/201908/31/2019 4666

Highland Park muralist John Zender studied fine arts at Otis Art Institute and produced many works over decades. Here he is with one of his murals. Check out one of his fine oil paintings here too.

Open for Business in NELA

07/26/201907/28/2019 Bill Hendrickson28821 Comment

Three New Businesses in NELA are featured this month – Plant Material is a dream shop for eco-sensitive gardeners, Relentless is a new bar and restaurant beautifully outfitted with both open-air and balcony seating, and Touch is a boutique for art supplies that selects, curates, displays and demonstrates them. These are great addtions to NELA. Read more about them here.

Remembering: Irene “Goldie” Harasta

07/27/201907/27/2019 admin3641

Irene “Goldie” Harasta, 98, passed away surrounded by dear family on Saturday, June 22, 2019. Goldie was born in Detroit, Michigan on Valentine’s Day of 1921 to Julia Nays and Camil Sehovich. The family relocated to Glendale, California when Goldie was 6 years old. Goldie was just 16 when she met the love of her […]

Vacancy on School Board Creates Challenges for NELA Schools

07/27/201808/31/2018 T.A. Hendrickson5851

Ref Rodriguez’s guilty plea to charges related to political money laundering marks the end of his career in the Los Angeles school system. But it is the beginning of challenges for NELA schools in Board District 5, the area Mr. Rodriquez represented on the school board. The job of a school board member is to […]

Will Public Opposition Be Enough to Stop It?

07/27/201808/31/2018 Bill Hendrickson29521 Comment

The proposal to build a five-story, 85,000 square-foot, StorQuest self-storage facility at the west entrance to Eagle Rock has been moving through the city’s review process and could come before the City Council for a final decision as early as this fall. The public has until mid-August to weigh in on the proposal with the […]

Get to Know: Michael Martinez

07/27/201808/31/2018 Jeffery Marino5603

When Michael Martinez was studying Youth Ministry at Azusa Pacific University with plans to be a pastor, he had no idea he would eventually become the composting evangelist of Los Angeles County. But as the founder and Executive Director of L.A. Compost, a composting collective, that is precisely what he is today, spreading the word […]

Playing Tourist in Your Own Hometown: Where to eat, drink, shop and take in the sights in Northeast L.A.

07/31/201908/31/2019 T.A. Hendrickson6472

For summer fun close to home, here’s what popular Los Angeles travel guides say about where to eat, drink, shop and take in the sights in Northeast L.A.

Staycation in NELA

07/29/201808/31/2018 admin77212 Comments

Not going anywhere in August? Lucky you! Here’s a short list for treating yourself like a tourist in your own corner of L.A. Griffith Park with a Twist Don’t just visit the Griffith Park Observatory, hike to it. About the only thing that’s not totally awesome about the Observatory is the parking. So park along […]

Editor’s Notebook: August 2019

07/27/201909/02/2019 T.A. Hendrickson59441 Comment

The Editor’s Notebook gives you a calendar of nine August Events in the NELA communities of Eagle Rock, Glassell Park, Highland Park and Mt. Washington. Plus info on what do to if power goes out. And kudos for The LA County Department of Public Health and The Wall Las Memorias.

Business Openings in NELA

07/28/2018 Bill Hendrickson579

My Vegan When Jaeda Ng chose to locate her second My Vegan restaurant in Eagle Rock, the decision was easy. At her restaurant in Pasadena, she said, “many of my customers were from Eagle Rock.” My Vegan does just what a great vegan restaurant should do. It surprises with its creative, Asian-inspired offerings, using familiar […]

Will Abuse Scandal at Shambhala International Affect Local Outpost?

07/29/2018 T.A. Hendrickson2462

The Shambhala Center in Eagle Rock is an outpost of Shambhala International, one of the largest Buddhist meditation organizations in the West. Last month, Shambhala International was rocked when its leader, Mipham Rinpoche, took a leave amid allegations that he had sexually abused some women in the organization. The governing council of the organization, headquartered […]

Danger, Violence, Tragedy

07/29/201807/29/2018 Bill Hendrickson19071 Comment

“This is our worst nightmare.” Those were the words of Fernando Ochoa, the LAPD Senior Lead Officer for Eagle Rock, at a recent briefing before the Eagle Rock Chamber of Commerce. He was referring to the shoot-out on July 21 between police and an attempted-murder suspect at the Silver Lake Trader Joe’s and the announcement […]

NELA Schools Spiffed Up for the New School Year

07/29/201807/29/2018 Mary Lynch2906

Over the summer, 23 repair and renovation projects, with a total budget of $20 million, have been underway at 21 schools in Board District 5, which includes Northeast Los Angeles. NELA’s slice of the pie includes the following: Buchanan Street Elementary School (Highland Park): New playground structure and matting in the kindergarten yard Eagle Rock […]

NELA Real Estate: Rents in NELA Are Lower Than in Most of L.A. So Why Do I Feel Squeezed?

07/29/2018 Jeffery Marino3218

By all accounts, L.A. is one of the most expensive cities in America. With median home prices in Eagle Rock, Glassell Park and Mount Washington now approaching the million-dollar mark, NELA is officially among the priciest housing markets in L.A. But not everyone on the Eastside is a homeowner. In fact, renters account for the […]

Good News for Community College Students

07/28/201807/28/2018 T.A. Hendrickson2026

The University of California has offered admission this fall to 28,750 transfer students, a record number, UC officials said in July. Most of these students are California residents transferring from community colleges. That is an encouraging development for the large share of students who start college at the community level. In NELA, for example, 300 […]

Taco Bell in Eagle Rock to be Reborn

07/28/2018 Bill Hendrickson55461 Comment

The forlorn Taco Bell on Colorado Blvd. in Eagle Rock will soon see better and happier days, thanks to an agreement between Nader Ashoori, the owner of the Taco Bell, and The Eagle Rock Association (TERA), an improvement group. The agreement, which was reached with the help of staff from the office of Councilmember José […]

Meet the New Landlord

07/28/2018 Bill Hendrickson27071 Comment

The buyer of Frank’s Camera and two other buildings on Figueroa St. in Highland Park is a limited partnership named “AP Highland Park.” AP Highland Park is, in turn, part of a larger real estate investment portfolio run by Asana Partners Fund, based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Boulevard Sentinel reported on the $23 million […]

Union Blues: A Victory for Local Labor, Then a Setback

07/28/2018 T.A. Hendrickson2115

When unionized service workers at public schools in Los Angeles won a hard-fought new contract in May, their leader, Max Arias, of El Sereno, told the Boulevard Sentinel that the union could not rest on its laurels. Union members had to remain united and active, he said, because anti-union forces were strong and getting stronger. Sure […]

Lani Says: Everybody’s Got to Learn Sometime

07/28/2018 Lani Tunzi3067

For 103 incoming juniors at Eagle Rock High School, myself included, the first day of school on Aug. 14 will be the start of a rigorous, two-year academic journey known as the “International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme,” or IBDP. Begun in 1968 in Switzerland, IBDP stresses intercultural understanding, inquiry and analysis through immersion in English language […]

A Voice in the NELA Wilderness: Soil from Coffee Grounds, Water from the Air Conditioner

07/29/2018 33292 Comments

I recently noticed a new flower bed behind Antigua Bread, the coffeehouse/bakery at 5703 N. Figueroa St. Where there once had been weeds and trash was a beautiful wood-framed garden bed, approximately 6-by-6 feet, with colorful flowers, some vegetables – and a five-gallon plastic bucket strapped to a tall wooden pole and connected by a […]

Ask Lionel: Heal the Past, Improve the Future

07/28/201807/26/2021 3473

I recently received an email from a reader, a 47-year old man about to turn 48, asking for advice. With his permission, the email is summarized below, followed by my reply. The man reported deep loneliness from never having had a girlfriend. He said he had sought help from counselors to no avail. “I am […]

Letter from the Publisher

07/26/2019 admin22851 Comment

A while back, I had a feeling this wasn’t going to be a mellow summer. And that was before the earthquakes in early July. Homelessness continues to be a dominant topic in NELA. In our front page story, Matthew Reagan and Mary Lynch circled back to find out how efforts to help have been working […]

Letter from the Publisher

07/28/201809/01/2018 Tim Tritch25071 Comment

Summer is supposed to be a slow time. But as this issue of the Boulevard Sentinel shows, there is really no slowing down in NELA. Either things are happening in the area or things taking place elsewhere affect the area. And it’s not all good. For instance, on page 9, we review the latest information […]