The Franklin Panthers’ quarterback, sophomore Eduardo Cuevas | Photo by Dave Abbott/NELA Sports One

Franklin and Eagle Rock, both undefeated in football, will meet on Friday

By Dave Abbott of NELA Sports One

Northern League competition starts on Friday, with the Panthers of Franklin High and the Eagles of Eagle Rock High, crosstown rivals, meeting for their one and only football matchup of the season. The game is generating more than the usual excitement. Click here to know more.

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NELA’s State Senator Maria Elena Durazo is the author of two closely watched bills now on the desk of Governor Gavin Newsom. | Image on Twitter

Deadline looms for two bills authored by NELA’s State Senator Maria Elena Durazo

By T.A. Hendrickson State Senator Maria Elena Durazo, who represents Northeast Los Angeles, is the author of two closely watched bills now on the desk of Gov. Gavin Newsom – Senate Bill 951 and SB 731. The deadline for the bills to become law or be vetoed is Sept. 30. SB 731 is about sealing […]

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An invitation to meet Eunisses Hernandez, councilmember-elect for Council District 1

By T.A. Hendrickson

Eunisses Hernandez, the Los Angeles City Councilmember-elect for Council District 1 will be the featured guest on Wednesday, Sept. 28 at 6:30 p.m. in the “At Home with….” series of Zoom meetings sponsored by the Glassell Park Improvement Association. Information on how to join “At Home with Eunisses Hernandez” can be found at https://www.gpia.org/. |Wednesday, Sept. 28 | 6:30 p.m.

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Dance workouts at Pony Sweat are not about perfection. They’re about moving your body to the music in a way that feels good. | Image by Pony Sweat

The best dance workout in L.A. is in Glassell Park, and that’s just one of NELA’s dance offerings

By T.A. Hendrickson
When the Los Angeles Times went looking for the best dance workouts in L.A., it found Pony Sweat in Glassell Park. Described by its founder Emilia Richeson-Valiente as “fiercely noncompetitive,” the twice weekly workout won raves from the Times for its great play list “designed to help you let go of any idea of perfection and simply move your body in a way that feels good.” More workouts abound. T, A, Hendrickson tells you about them here, too.

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Why is State Senator María Elena Durazo smiling? Because two of the bills she fought for have been signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom. | Photo from Twitter

NELA’s State Senator Durazo notches major legislative victories

By T.A. Hendrickson State Senator María Elena Durazo, who represents Northeast Los Angeles, notched two victories this week when Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law Senate Bill 731 and SB 951, two reform bills authored by Durazo. SB 731 will automatically seal conviction and arrest records for those who have done their time and have […]

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The entrance to the Scholl Canyon landfill on Figueroa St. in Eagle Rock. Will the site become a park? A power plant? Other? | T. A. Hendrickson/Boulevard Sentinel

Glendale voted last week to close the Scholl Canyon landfill. Votes this week could advance a plan to build a power plant at the site, despite wide opposition

By T.A. Hendrickson

The five-member Glendale City Council voted unanimously on Tuesday to close the Scholl Canyon landfill as soon as it reaches capacity, estimated to occur in December 2025. That closure date was the earliest of four options under consideration.

The big question now is what will happen to the site once the dump is closed. It’s on the Glendale City Council agenda for Sept 20. To get up to date on the situation, read more here.

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This three-bed, two-bath home in Mt. Washington sold for $1.28 million in July, fully $85,000 over the asking price. It was off the market in nine days.

It’s still a good time to sell a home in NELA, but home sellers remain in short supply

By Jeffery Marino

Despite higher interest rates and higher consumer prices, buyers continued to compete for homes in Northeast Los Angeles in July, the latest month with full housing data. Get up to date with us on the market here.

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For 61 years, Glendale has operated a dump at Scholl Canyon, overlooking Eagle Rock, and is now attempting to build a methane plant at the site. | Photo by LA Times

Sponsored Content: Glendale Dump Buildup Still Endangers Eagle Rock

SPONSORED BY EAST AREA PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRATS

Anxiety is growing in Eagle Rock as Glendale City Council prepares to vote Sept. 20 on buying machinery for a permanent methane plant. The site is Scholl Canyon dump, at the north end of Figueroa Street. 

Residents of L.A., joined by Glendale neighbors and backed up by several local elected officials, have repeatedly labeled such a plant a serious safety threat.

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The Franklin cross country team at the Bellarmine/Sacred Heart Cross Country Invitational on Sept. 25 at Griffith Park. Francisco Rodriguez, a junior (second from right) and David Martinez, a senior (center) placed 1st and 2nd, respectively, in their race. | Photo by Monique Muniz

NELA high school sports: Bright moments amid tough competition

By Dave Abbott Franklin High School in Highland Park experienced the high of high school sports last week, including an 86-yard interception return for a touchdown in a game against Crenshaw and  1st and 2nd place individual wins for Franklin runners at the latest cross-country invitational. Meanwhile, competition is heating up in girls volleyball and […]

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Kevin de León | Photo from the KDL Facebook page.

Kevin de León vows to give NELA full attention as he runs for mayor; his critics are skeptical

By T.A. Hendrickson Since City Councilmember Kevin de León announced his candidacy last week for mayor of Los Angeles, many local commenters have said that the race will devour the time he might otherwise have spent on issues in Northeast L.A. The Boulevard Sentinel asked De León to respond to that, especially with regard to […]

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Franklin High #74, Carlos Graciano, a senior, and #71, Sebastian Pascuzzo, a sophomore, line up against Norbonne. | Photo by Monique Muniz

High school sports: A week of strong performances in NELA

By Dave Abbott The past week saw a dominant performance by the Franklin football team, continued strength in girls volleyball and standout times in cross country.  The Franklin Panthers of Highland Park defeated the Narbonne Gauchos of Harbor City, 63-6, in a home game on Sept. 17. The Panthers notched 283 total yards (185 yards […]

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One of Metro's options would reduce much of Colorado Boulevard to one car lane each way. Another option would retain two car lanes each way | Image by Metro

Metro lays out options for Colorado Boulevard: Winners and losers come into focus

By T.A. Hendrickson At a pair of Zoom meetings on Thursday, Metro staff presented two options now under consideration for a bus rapid transit (BRT) route on Colorado Boulevard in Eagle Rock. The Eagle Rock route is one segment of a proposed BRT line from North Hollywood to Pasadena (NoHo-Pas). Under both options for Eagle […]

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Glendale residents Marla Nelson, Malcolm Johnson, and Joan Morris, respected community leaders and environmental activists, visit the dump site in October 2015 as city Council Members hear testimony from neighbors about pollution concerns. Source: East Area Progressive Democrats (EAPD)

Sponsored Content: Glendale to weigh plan to worsen dump pollution on Oct. 6

Did you know that Glendale operates a dump that contaminates the air breathed by residents of Eagle Rock, Pasadena, and its own eastern neighborhoods? And did you know Glendale officials are set to consider a plan on October 6 to build a gas plant at the Scholl Canyon dump site, despite the evidence of increased […]

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John Jude Snyder (1963 – 2021) is remembered for the fullness of his life despite a lifetime of physical challenges. | Photo courtesy of the Snyder family

Remembering: John Jude Snyder, 1963 – 2021

John Jude Snyder, the fourth of eight children in the loving family of Eldie and Elizabeth Snyder of Eagle Rock, a beloved teacher at St. Dominic’s School and an inspirational presence in his community, died on September 9. He was 58. John was blessed with a happy heart, remarkable intellect, and deeply contented spirit. Although […]

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Sponsored Content: All Sign Point to Homes in Highland Park and Eagle Rock

  6327 Arroyo Glen St | Highland Park https://tracydo.com/6327-arroyo-glen-highland-park/   3 Beds | 2.5 Baths | $1,089,000   This Highland Park roost is the urban retreat you’ve been looking for, well-situated near happening Figueroa Street. The front sitting porch feels like an outdoor room, welcoming you into an updated Cal Bungalow impeccably detailed with custom […]

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The many neighborhoods of Los Angeles are all pieces of a large redistricting puzzle, | Photo: Getty Images

NELA gets assertive in the redistricting process

By Bill Hendrickson

Northeast Los Angeles is one small corner of L.A. But NELA residents, especially Eagle Rockers, dominated a citywide meeting on Sept. 13 of the L.A. City Council Redistricting Commission, the group that is charged with re-drawing L.A.’s city council maps in accordance with public testimony and new census data.

About half of some 40 commenters at the meeting were Eagle Rockers, all of whom made the same overarching points: Continue reading for details.

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Regine Go, a senior at Eagle Rock High, in action during a pre-season game against the Cleveland High Cavaliers of Reseda | Photo by Dave Abbott

Volleyball victories for NELA as league play begins

By Dave Abbott of NELA Sports One Girls volleyball started off this week with victories for Eagle Rock High and Franklin High in Highland Park. In football, preseason play was a mixed bag for teams in Northeast L.A., with two victories in the past week, three defeats and one cancellation due to COVID-19. Northern League […]

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A Mathnasium/Eagle Rock student | Photo by Eric Benitez/Mathnasium Eagle Rock

Sponsored Content: Don’t let your child be confused, intimidated and embarrassed by math

“Children don’t hate math. What they hate is being confused, intimidated, and embarrassed by math,” said Larry Martinek, the creator of the Mathnasium Method.

This learning center not only welcomes students who are struggling with mathematics, but also those who want to improve their skills and broaden their academic knowledge. Click photo to learn more.

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You can explore ancient Mesoamerica, including artifacts like this Aztec calendar sun stone, in weekly virtual courses in September and October at the Arroyo Seco Regional Library. | Image from Smithsonianmag.com

Take part in art in NELA

By Pablo-Nukaya Petralia Programs to honor National Hispanic Heritage Month and Los Angeles Textile Month, art that blurs the line between virtual and real, and live theater for a cause are just some of the art and culture offerings in NELA in the days and weeks ahead. Arroyo Seco Regional Library To celebrate Hispanic Heritage […]

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Under the new mandate, L.A. Unified will require all eligible students ages 12 and up to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by year end. | Photo by AP

What the school vaccine mandate means for Northeast L.A.

By T.A. Hendrickson 

The new COVID-19 vaccine mandate by the Los Angeles Unified School District could be a tall order for Northeast Los Angeles.

The mandate requires all eligible LAUSD students ages 12 and up to get vaccinated by year end. But as of Thursday, September 9, when the mandate was issued, only 57% of NELA residents ages 12 to 17 had at least one shot.

Click the photo to read more.

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The Scholl Canyon landfill, in the hills above Eagle Rock, is the site of a proposed biogas power plant. | Photo by Doc Searls/Flickr Creative Commons

Eagle Rock hangs in the balance as Glendale officials grapple with Scholl Canyon

By T.A. Hendrickson The future of Glendale’s Scholl Canyon landfill, located in the hills above Eagle Rock, remains in question following a meeting last week in which Glendale officials split on the path forward. At the meeting, the Glendale Water and Power (GWP) Commission voted to proceed with a GWP plan to build a biogas […]

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Sponsored Content: Invitation to Citywide Community Public Hearing – Saturday, September 11 at 10A.M.

Join us for an important meeting about “redistricting.” The purpose of redistricting is to redraw the maps that impact your community and to ensure you have the power to determine fair and inclusive representation in your council district.

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David Martinez, a senior at Franklin High School, ran the 3-mile Cool Breeze Evening Invitational in 15:38.6, the best individual time on the boys cross country team. | Photo by Monique Muniz

High school sports in NELA: Cross country begins as football continues, volleyball starts soon

By Dave Abbott of NELA Sports One

Cross country got underway with a big invitational on Sept. 3. Week two of high school football wrapped up on Sept. 4 with four of six local high schools notching victories.

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Miry Whitehill, founder of Miry’s List, packing kits for Afghan families arriving across the country | Photo: Alex Welsh for The New York Times

Miry’s List featured in The New York Times

Miry’s List, a nonprofit founded in Eagle Rock in 2016 to help refugees, has been featured in The New York Times for its exemplary efforts to help Afghan refugees. Here is the full New York Time’s story featuring Miry Whitehill, resident of Eagle Rock and founder of Miry’s List.

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Hans Johnson, president of East Area Progressive Democrats, was joined at an August rally urging local voters to vote NO on the recall by (from left to right) Controller Betty Yee, City Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell, School Board Member Jackie Goldberg and Supervisor Hilda Solis | Photo EAPD

Sponsored Content: Local Democrats Lead Drive to Vote NO on Recall

Getting vaccination centers opened at Cal State L.A. and Dodger Stadium. Distributing millions of meals to public school students and their families through the pandemic. Making free community college a reality for thousands of Californians. Paying restaurants to deliver meals safely to home-bound seniors. 

These are just some of the priorities of Governor Gavin Newsom conveyed on August 15 by speakers at the East Area Progressive Democrats’ (EAPD) rally to reject the recall by voting NO.  Read more here now.

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This newly constructed home in El Sereno sold recently for $1.025 million, exactly the median sale price in NELA in July. Prices at the median rose at a slower pace in July than in previous months.

NELA home prices *might* be leveling off

By Jeffery Marino

A small, really small, sliver in the most recent data for residential real estate sales in Northeast Los Angeles indicates, perhaps, that the leaps-and-bounds increases in NELA home prices may be slowing down.

Here are the clues:

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Crossing Eagle Rock Boulevard just got safer

By Bill Hendrickson Councilmember Kevin de León led a small parade of schoolchildren from St. Dominic’s across and back at Eagle Rock Boulevard and Merton Avenue this morning, demonstrating Eagle Rock’s new, state-of-the-art HAWK pedestrian crossing system. The HAWK – which stands for High Intensity Activated Crosswalk – performed as advertised: When the pedestrian button […]

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City workers removed an unoccupied makeshift shelter from the northeast sidewalk of the homeless encampment on W. Broadway in Eagle Rock. An occupied shelter further down the sidewalk remains as do tents on the encampment's south sidewalk. | Photo by T.A. Hendrickson/Boulevard Sentinel

Kevin de León oversees removal of a vacant makeshift shelter in Eagle Rock as debate over encampments escalates

By Bill Hendrickson

The large makeshift shelter on the northeast sidewalk of the W. Broadway homeless encampment in Eagle Rock has been removed.  Further down the sidewalk from the former makeshift shelter, an occupied tent remains as do tents on W. Broadway’s south sidewalk. Why only a partial clean-up? Read more.

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Board District 5, shown in white on the map, stretches from Northeast L.A. to Southeast L.A. via a ribbon of communities on the eastern border of L.A. with Alhambra and Monterey Park. School Board district maps will be redrawn as part of the redistricting process.

Redistricting will affect NELA’s schools; the time to speak up is now

By T.A. Hendrickson If you could design the ideal school district, what would it look like? In a nutshell, that is the question on the table on Sept. 1, at 6:30 p.m., when the redistricting commission of the Los Angeles Unified School District will hold a virtual meeting on  how to redraw the boundaries of […]

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Sonoko Sakai in the “soba room” of her studio in Highland Park | |Philip Cheung; Assistant: Kali Vineburg

Local Food Scene Gains Wide Acclaim

By Mary Lynch
Chefs, restaurants owners and other culinary artists from NELA have recently garnered major media attention. Here’s a sample:

Sonoko Sakai, (pictured above) who lives and works in Highland Park, has been named one of the “15 Creative Women for Our Time” by T: The New York Times Style magazine for her groundbreaking cookbooks and masterful classes on Japanese cooking.
Read more about Sakai and four other NELA standouts here.

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Protesters raise their arms while chanting, “Hands up, don’t shoot!” at Pershing Square in downtown Los Angeles on May 31.(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)

Letter from the Editor: Pandemic. Unrest. Community.

By T.A. Hendrickson In the 10th week of the coronavirus shutdown in Los Angeles, as this June issue of the Boulevard Sentinel was being finalized, the city, still struggling to escape the grip of the pandemic, was seized again – by peaceful protest turned violent in the wake of the shocking killing in Minneapolis of […]

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The new fountain was a refreshing backdrop to a day of service by community members who put finishing touches on the landscaping at the refurbished Veterans Memorial in Highland Park | Photo by Bill Hendrickson

Date Is Set for Re-dedication of the Highland Park Veterans Memorial

Dozens of volunteers, including many veterans, gathered on Saturday, August 24, to put finishing touches on the plaza and landscaping of the newly refurbished Veterans Memorial at the intersection of York Boulevard and Figueroa Street in Highland Park. The centerpiece of the Memorial is the fountain. There’s more to be done.

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Hilda Solis, L.A. county supervisor and Metro board member, spoke with attendees at a recent Metro meeting in Eagle Rock. Other top officials also attended. Photo of Hilda Solis provided by Supervisor Solis’ office.

Metro Debate In Eagle Rock Enters New Phase

As County Supervisor and Metro Director Hilda Solis and Metro leaders and staff come to Eagle Rock to hear what the community has to say about Metro’s proposed BRT route on Colorado Boulevard, political decisions on Metro’s plan take center stage.

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Eagle Rock’s Wendy Jurenec, a senior, spiking in a win against El Camino Real | Photo by Dave Abbott

Sports Are Underway for the 2019-2020 School Year

  The fall season of high school sports began in August with football and volleyball. Tennis started on August 29, just after this edition of the Boulevard Sentinel went to press. Cross country will start in October. Football Competition in NELA began on Friday night, August 23.   The Eagle Rock Eagles traveled to South […]

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State of Play: Which Way Is Eagle Rock Going on the Proposal to Build a Big Storage Facility?

The proposal to build a huge StorQuest storage facility on the Ernie Jr.’s site in Eagle Rock is now on the agenda of the City Planning Commission for Thursday, Oct. 11 – a month later than previously planned. It was replaced on the agenda by another issue. The extra time provides the public a chance […]

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Business Openings in NELA

Great Clips Great Clips, a walk-in hair salon, opened on Aug. 25 in the Sprouts shopping plaza in Eagle Rock, offering hair cuts for men, women, boys and girls at the affordable price of $6.99 per cut.  There are 10 stylists on staff to keep wait time short. Great Clips is a nationwide franchise with […]

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A Voice in the NELA Wilderness: Local Pioneer of Self-Reliance Practices What She Teaches – and Teaches What She Practices

Recently, Prudence Boczarski was at the Highland Park Farmers’ Market, showcasing her natural bakery business and representing WTI, the local nonprofit founded in 1971 to teach urban dwellers how to live better with less. And since there is no better way to teach than to give a hands-on demonstration, Ms. Boczarski was also using her […]

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Glendale’s Energy Debate Will Force Decisions on Scholl Canyon

August 3 was the deadline in Glendale for energy professionals to submit proposals on how Glendale could switch to renewable resources for generating electricity. In all, 34 proposals were received and are now under review, with a public presentation of the review findings expected around mid-October, according to Steven Zurn, the general manager for Glendale […]

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Local Nonprofit Receives $200,000 to Help Refugees

Miry’s List, an organization founded by Miry Whitehill of Eagle Rock to help refugees resettle in Southern California, has received a $200,000 grant to expand its work. The money, in the form of an LA2050 “Connect” grant from the Goldhirsh Foundation, will be a game-changer for the organization – and for the refugees, asylum seekers […]

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iPrep’s Failure Raises Issues for Next School Board Election 

The sudden closure on Aug. 23 of the PUC iPrep Charter Academy in Eagle Rock disrupted the lives of 114 children who had started school there a few days earlier, provoking dismay and anger among their parents.    It has also intensified the debate in NELA over charter schools versus traditional public schools just as […]

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Get to Know: Angela M. Sanchez

Last month, on August 3, Angela M. Sanchez of Highland Park, 27, stood at a lectern center stage in the Moss Theater in Santa Monica, reading from Coyotes in Amarillo Heights, her fantastical, yet gritty young-adult novel about gentrification and a young Latina’s struggle to be true to herself amid conflicting expectations from her family and […]

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Live Music in NELA

  Beyoncé and Jay-Z are coming to the Rose Bowl on Sept. 22 and Sept. 23. The Hollywood Bowl and the Greek Theater have their own big line ups. It’s going to be an amazing month. But for the music (+ food + performance) scene that defines NELA, you have to stay local, including: Zebulon […]

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There Is Hope

The Los Angeles Police Protective League will hold a 5K walk on Sunday, Sept. 9 at the L.A. Policy Academy/Elysian Park to raise awareness about suicide prevention. Participation is free, though you need to register, either in advance at Eventbrite.com (enter “Heart of the LAPD Walk”) or beginning at 8 a.m. on the day of […]

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Celebrate Latino American Heritage Month

September kicks off Los Angeles Latino American Heritage Month, a celebration of the contributions of Latinos to the City’s past, present and future. Among the events is Fiesta Patrias at Olvera Street, sponsored by NELA Councilmember José Huizar. The festival is the most popular L.A. celebration of Mexico’s Independence Day and the only one celebrated […]

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Tired of Those Tires?

NELA residents can dispose of used tires at a free collection event sponsored by the L.A. Bureau of Sanitation on Saturday, Sept. 15 at the Yosemite Recreation Center in Eagle Rock. Tires cannot go in the trash bin or the recycling bin, so the collection event is a chance to de-clutter your immediate environs without […]

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Art in the Streets, Music in the Park

The Frogtown Artwalk on Saturday, Sept. 22 is an opportunity to explore Frogtown (Elysian Valley) inside and out: The area’s artists and artisans open their doors to visitors and the sidewalks come alive with play, dance, art and other activities, some planned, some spontaneous. / 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. / For more info: evartscollective.com. […]

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Letter from the Publisher

People in NELA are changing the world. That is the thought I had looking at this issue of the Boulevard Sentinel. Miry Whitehill, whose Miry’s List organization to help refugees has been awarded a $200,000 grant (front page), launched the effort while serving on the Eagle Rock Neighborhood Council (ERNC). She credits another ERNC member, […]

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