Councilmember Gil Cedillo in front of the Champions of Change mural in Lincoln Heights. "It is important to have murals that educate ourselves and others about our history," he said.

New mural honors the greats of Lincoln Heights

By T. A. Hendrickson The newest mural in Los Angeles, by artist Sergio Daniel Robleto, is arguably the most inspiring.  Located in Albion Riverside Park in Lincoln Heights and entitled “Champions of Change,” the mural depicts six people from Lincoln Heights who have changed the world for the better. “The Champions of Change mural is […]

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LAPD responded Friday morning to a phone call reporting a shooter on campus at Franklin High School. There turned out to be no sign of a shooter or other threat. | Photo by the new York Blvd

Report of a shooter on Franklin High campus was a “crank call,” say police; lockdown lasted about 20 minutes as police responded

By Pablo Nukaya-Petralia and T.A. Hendrickson

Franklin High School in Highland Park is calm this afternoon after a call to the LAPD on Friday morning reported a shooter on campus.

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Derek Steinorth, a veteran teacher and administrator, is the new principal of Eagle Rock Junior/Senior High School. | Photo courtesy of LAUSD

Derek Steinorth is the new principal at Eagle Rock Junior/Senior High School

Mr. Derek Steinorth has been selected as the Principal of Eagle Rock Junior/Senior High School. He will begin this assignment on December 1, 2021.  

Mr. Steinorth brings over 30 years of educational experience as a middle and high school teacher and administrator. Read more about Mr. Steinorth here.

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Ilka Perkins using a pottery wheel | Photo courtesy of People’s Pottery Project

At the People’s Pottery Project in Glassell Park, formerly incarcerated people find employment, acceptance, community

By Angela Guglielmino In 1993, when Ilka Perkins was 17, she woke up in a state prison lying on a cold slab of metal facing 15 years to life in prison. She was released 26 years later, in 2019, at age 43. Since then, Ilka and her wife, Domonique Perkins, whom she met in prison, and […]

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Kevin de León, city councilmember for Council District 14, will head the Homelessness and Poverty committee. | Photo by David Butrow/L.A. Times

Kevin de León named to head Homelessness and Poverty committee; appointment is significant for policy and politics

By T.A. Hendrickson 

Councilmember Kevin de León has been appointed chair of the Los Angeles City Council’s Homelessness and Poverty Committee. He replaces Councilmember Mark Ridley-Thomas who was suspended from office after his recent indictment on federal corruption charges.  Read what KDL had to say about his appointment here.

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The Soul Bowl with shrimp at Hilltop Coffee + Kitchen on Eagle Rock Blvd.| Photo courtesy of Hilltop Coffee + Kitchen

Survive, then thrive: How three local restaurants that opened during the lockdown are doing today

By Olivia Fishman 

If launching a restaurant is a leap of faith, launching a restaurant during a pandemic is a gravity-defying vault. 

And yet, the owners of the three restaurants profiled in this story pulled it off. Here’s how they did it and how they’re doing now.

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Eagle Rock senior Harrison Funk in the quarterfinals playoff match, in which the Eagles defeated the San Pedro Pirates. | Photo by Dave Abbott/NELA Sports One

Eagle Rock advances in boys water polo and girls volleyball; football playoffs start this week

By Dave Abbott of NELA Sports One Update (Nov. 3): This story was updated to reflect the Eagle Rock Eagles’ win in the semifinals of girls volleyball on Nov. 3. The finals are Nov. 6. Update (Nov. 5): This story was updated to reflect the Eagle Rock Eagles’ win in the quarterfinals of boys water […]

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Workers at El Super in Highland Park are in line to share in wages, damages and interest for COVID-related labor violations by the grocery store chain. | Photo by Yelp

El Super workers in Highland Park to receive back pay for employer’s COVID-19 violations

By T.A. Hendrickson

Workers at the El Super grocery store on York Boulevard in Highland Park are in line to share in $412,000 in wages, damages and interest assessed today by the California Labor Commissioner against the El Super grocery store chain.

The York Boulevard location was one of 38 El Super stores where the employer failed to provide or delayed supplemental paid sick leave and other benefits. There’s more. Click photo above.

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This 2-bed, 1-bath home on Cunard St. in Glassell Park sold recently for $1.07 million, fully 25% more than the asking price.

Faster pace, higher prices for recent NELA home sales

By Jeffery Marino

Another month, another record. In September, the latest data available, the median sale price for a house in NELA continued its steep climb, rising 14% year-over-year, to $1.065 million. September was the eighth straight month of double-digit annual price growth.

Prices are up because inventory is low and falling.. The home sales market dynamically complex. Get the main point here.

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A 16-year old high-school student receives a vaccine administered by a registered nurse from AltaMed Health services in Los Angeles. | Photo by Frederic J. Brown/AFP/Getty Images.

Some 4,000 eligible NELA students are not yet vaccinated

By T.A.Hendrickson

It has been five weeks since the Los Angeles Unified School District required all students 12 and older to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Under the mandate, students need to have a first shot by Nov. 21 and a second one Dec. 19.

But so far, parents of unvaccinated students in Northeast L.A. aren’t exactly rushing to get shots for their kids.

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Sponsored Content: All Signs Point to a Contemporary Home with ADU in Atwater Village

3334 Madera Ave | Atwater Village https://tracydo.com/3334-madera-ave-atwater-village/ 5 Beds | 6 Baths | $1,649,000   A remarkable find in prime Atwater Village, this versatile property provides a stunning modern home and newly-constructed ADU. The main residence is a design showcase of clean lines, custom finish-work and light oakwood flooring. Sunlight fills the great room with […]

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WIN vs. Gas Plant at #SchollCanyon Dump

Sponsored Content: Dirty gas plant defeated in Glendale

Tonight #PeoplePower prevailed as the Glendale Planning Commission voted 5-0 to prepare DENIAL of haphazard scheme to build a gas plant in the proven burn area at that city’s dump site. This dangerous & dishonest project has been in works since 2017. Thanks to more than 35 callers, all in opposition, & dozens of letter writers. There’s more.

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Groundbreaking for Eagle Rock’s tiny homes village, Sept. 29, 2021. The project is one part of Kevin de León’s plan calling for 25,000 new homes for the unhoused by 2025 | Photo by Bill Hendrickson/BoulevardSentinel

The tiny homes village for the homeless in Eagle Rock breaks ground

By Bill Hendrickson

City Councilmember Kevin de León broke ground on Wednesday on a 48-unit pallet shelter community for the homeless in Eagle Rock. De Leon was joined by city agency officials, community leaders and advocates for the homeless, who took turns at the podium to talk about their aims for the site, namely, to provide the homeless in Eagle Rock with temporary shelter and social services to help them transition to permanent housing.

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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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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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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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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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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

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,” […]

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

Remembering: Diana Barnwell, 1938 – 2021

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 […]

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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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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

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 […]

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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

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.

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Kevin de Leon has called the recall effort against him a misguided attack on the democratic process. | Photo Sacramento Bee

Kevin de León files a blistering official response to recall effort; recall proponents stand firm

By T. A Hendrickson Los Angeles City Councilmember Kevin de León has filed a blistering, official response to the recall Notice of Intent that was served on him last month by five local residents.  “A handful of 5 individuals, most of them political extremists, are weaponizing the recall process against the voters of the Los […]

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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.

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 […]

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Local Dems Rally to Vote NO on Recall | Photo EAPD

Sponsored Content: Danger of Recall Threat Hits Home, Drives EAPD to Defeat Newsom Recall

For voters the date to circle is Aug. 18. That’s when official ballots are due to land in our mail for the Sept. 14 recall election targeting Gov. Gavin Newsom. Yes, we finally have that date.  But for East Area Progressive Democrats (EAPD), the largest Democratic club in L.A. and in California, the date that […]

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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

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.

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La Cuevita in Highland Park is one of at least eight bars in Northeast L.A. that are requiring proof of vaccination or proof of a recent negative COVID test. | Photo from totalhappyhour.com

Several local bars want proof of patrons’ COVID status

By T.A. Hendrickson
The requirement to show vaccination- or negative-test status is becoming increasingly common as employers recognize the health threat to employees and customers from the Delta variant. Here’s a listing of several of them.

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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

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. […]

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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

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.

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Sponsored Content: All Signs Point to an Eagle Rock Spanish with Guest House, Pool + Spa

5437 Dahlia Dr | Eagle Rock
2 Beds + Guest House | 3.5 Baths | $1,699,000
In prime Eagle Rock this rare and exquisite Spanish compound features a swimming pool and large detached guest house in a dreamy setting. The property was built in 1926 and feels sheltered from the city, even as dining and amenities are right down the street.  Check out the photo gallery here.

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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

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.

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Image | Anbriy Onufriyenko via Getty Images

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

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 […]

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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

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 […]

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The anti-camping ordinance passed by the L.A. City Council prohibits sitting, sleeping or storing possessions on public property at many locations in the City | Photo by Bill Hendrickson/Boulevard Sentinel

Anti-camping law passes City Council; NELA councilmembers vote in favor

By T.A. Hendrickson

Gil Cedillo and Kevin de León, the city councilmembers representing Northeast Los Angeles, voted with a majority on the City Council on Wednesday to prohibit homeless camping on public property near schools, day-care centers, parks, libraries, designated freeway underpasses and other locations.

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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

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 […]

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Security camera footage of suspects in murder of Rite Aid employee | Photo from LAPD

Suspect is arrested in killing of Rite Aid clerk in Glassell Park

Update, July 27:  The LAPD has issued a statement saying that Anthony Lemus, 20, was arrested Monday on suspicion of murdering Miguel Penaloza, 36, a clerk in the Rite Aid store in Glassell Park. The fatal shooting of Penaloza occurred on July 15, when he confronted two men who were leaving the store without paying […]

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"Rochelle and Sandy" (1980) by Nick Taggert, one of several works on view at ODD ARK.

Happening Now: Art and Culture in NELA

By Pablo Nukaya-Petralia The art and culture offerings in NELA in July range from new art exhibits, the return of live theatre, film and and a major new mural underway in Highland Park.  ODD•ARK LA The Highland Park art gallery ODD ARK•LA will feature the work of artist Nick Taggert in the closing weeks of […]

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Susana Porras and her father capture a moment during their 500 mile pilgrimage along the Camino de Santiago in Spain. | Photo courtesy of Susana Porras

Susana Porras: A local poet makes a pilgrimage

By Christopher Nyerges Susana Porras, a Pasadena native and the District Liaison for Pasadena City Councilmember John J. Kennedy, is also an inspired and inspiring poet. Her new book, entitled “To Compostela and Beyond! A Poet’s Chronicle of the Camino de Santiago,” is a collection of 39 sonnets composed on 39 days and nights in 2018 […]

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An exquisite collection of new luxury condominium residences offering the best of two great neighborhoods

Sponsored Content: 957 FIG, Luxury Condominiums Offering the Best of Echo Park & DTLA

957 N Figueroa Ter | Echo Park / DTLA https://www.957fig.com/ 2 Beds | 2.5 Baths | From the $800,000s | More Eastside home shoppers have a new address to explore at 957 FIG, an exquisite collection of new luxury condominium residences offering the best of two great neighborhoods, Echo Park and Downtown LA. Thoughtfully curated floor plans […]

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"Rochelle and Sandy" (1980) by Nick Taggert, one of several works on view at ODD ARK.

Art and Culture in NELA, July 2021

By Pablo Nukaya-Petralia The art and culture offerings in NELA in July range from new art exhibits, the return of live theatre, film and and a major new mural underway in Highland Park.  ODD•ARK LA The Highland Park art gallery ODD ARK•LA will feature the work of artist Nick Taggert in the closing weeks of […]

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The new eldercare facility will span the block from Yosemite Drive to Fair Park Avenue on the east side of Eagle Rock Blvd. | Rendering from Panorama Group

Large eldercare facility to be built in Eagle Rock

By Bill Hendrickson The proposal to build a large eldercare facility in Eagle Rock has gained the approval of the Los Angeles City Planning department. The go-ahead from the city effectively clears the way for construction of the facility, to be located on Eagle Rock Boulevard from Yosemite Drive to Fair Park Avenue. The facility […]

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Photo by Mathnasium Eagle Rock

Sponsored Content: Spend the Summer with Mathnasium! Our Summer Math Tutoring is the Best..

Mathnasium is a math-only tutoring center that provides personalized math instruction to students in grades 1 through 12. Through our Mathnasium Method™ students learn math in a way that fosters a genuine enthusiasm and love for math. Tutoring is provided by our expertly trained instructors in-center or through live virtual sessions. Over summer vacation, math […]

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Sponsored Content: RETHINKING LEAF BLOWERS

HEALTH & WELLBEING

Gasoline powered leaf blowers negatively impact air quality. The gas engines of leaf blowers emit hazardous levels of particulate matter, carbon monoxide and smog forming particles. They blow dust, pollen and dirt into the air, contributing to asthma and allergy problems.

Leaf blowers also create noise pollution. A leaf blower can create 70 decibels of noise at 50 feet away, affecting children’s naps, disrupting those working from home and scaring birds and wildlife.

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The pool at Glassell Park Recreation Center is one of several in the city that will open Monday, June 14. | Photo by JuanCarlos Chan / Los Angeles Department of Recreation Parks

Splash into summer: Public pools in Glassell Park and Eagle Rock are now open

By Mary Lynch

The public swimming pools at the Glassell Park Recreation Center and the Yosemite Recreation Center in Eagle Rock will open on Monday, June 14 at 2 p.m.

The two pools are among a select number of pools to open on June 14 — more facilities are expected to open in the coming summer weeks, according to the Los Angeles Recreation and Parks Department.
For more about use of the pools, including classes for kids and adults, read on.

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Aerial view rendering of the homeless shelters planned for 7570 N. Figueroa St in Eagle Rock, across from the Eagle Rock Recreation Center | Image: Board Report 6/17/21 / LA Department of Recreation and Parks

Final approval granted for homeless pallet shelters in Eagle Rock

By T.A Hendrickson

The commissioners of the Board of Recreation and Parks (RAP) approved the plan today to build 48 small, prefabricated shelter units for the homeless. Details after the click.

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CD 14 Councilmember Kevin de León speaking at the groundbreaking of the 115-unit pallet shelter community for the homeless coming to Highland Park | Image: Facebook page of Kevin de León

Kevin de León and city agency officials break ground on site for homeless pallet shelters in Highland Park

By T.A. Hendrickson City Councilmember Kevin de León of Council District 14, joined by city agency officials and neighborhood leaders, broke ground on Tuesday morning  on a 115-unit pallet shelter community for the homeless coming soon to Highland Park. Each of the pallet shelters, also known as tiny homes, will include built-in fold-up beds, shelves, […]

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Details finalized for public meeting on Eagle Rock pallet shelter site for the homeless

By T.A. Hendrickson Union Station Homeless Services, the nonprofit that will administer Eagle Rock’s pallet shelter community for the homeless, has released details about the upcoming Zoom meeting to discuss the project. The meeting — on Wednesday, July 14, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. — will be hosted by Union Station in partnership with […]

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Photo by Ted Amoroso / BoulevardSentinel.com

Metro will study two options for Colorado Boulevard

By T.A. Hendrickson

At a meeting on May 19 on the proposed North Hollywood-to-Pasadena bus rapid transit line, the Metro Board Planning and Programming committee unanimously approved a Metro staff recommendation to advance two potential design options for Colorado Boulevard in Eagle Rock to the project’s next planning stage.

One of the design options would reduce Colorado Boulevard to one car lane each way, affecting traffic; the other would retain two car lanes each way, affecting curbside parking and/or the median. Both options would establish dedicated bus lanes on the boulevard and maintain the boulevard’s buffered bike lanes.

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A portion of the new play area at Sycamore Grove Park | Photo by Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks

A new children’s playground opens at Sycamore Grove Park in Highland Park

By Bill Hendrickson

Just in time for summer, Sycamore Grove Park in Highland Park has a new children’s play area with rubber safety resurfacing and shade toppers to help keep kids cool at play.

And that’s just the start of many improvements that await. Keep reading to know more.

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La Mujer de Aztlán, 1976, by Judithe Hernández and Carlos Almaraz, two of many now-renowned artists who were associated with Mechicano Art Center and Centro de Arte Público in Highland Park. | University of Southern California Digital Library /Photo: Robin Dunitz

City moves closer to official recognition for Highland Park’s Chicano heritage

By Bill Hendrickson

The drive to gain recognition for Highland Park’s pivotal role in the Chicano Art Movement of the 1970s is entering a critical phase — and you can help ensure that the neighborhood gets the recognition it deserves. You can make a difference. Read how and why here.

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Philip A. Washington, CEO, Metro

Sponsored Content: Letter to community from Phillip A. Washington, CEO, Metro

Dear Community Members, It has been an honor to have served as CEO of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) for the past six years. The passage of Measure M in 2016 launched an ambitious slate of transportation projects designed to transform mobility in Los Angeles County. One of those projects is the […]

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The prize in the L.A. River Public Art Project is named for the late Lewis MacAdams (shown above), the pioneering champion of L.A. River restoration. \ Photo from Patch.com

Art, Culture and You in NELA in June

By Pablo Nukaya-Petralia As the economy reopens, opportunities are increasing to view and create art and participate in cultural activities. Here’s a sampling of what’s on offer in Northeast Los Angeles in June.  L.A. River Public Art Project The LA River Public Art Project seeks artists, writers and makers to compete for the 2nd annual […]

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Aerial view rendering of the homeless shelters planned for 7570 N. Figueroa St in Eagle Rock, across from the Eagle Rock Recreation Center.

Approval expected this week to build pallet shelters for the homeless in Eagle Rock

By T.A. Hendrickson The plan to build small, prefabricated shelter units for the homeless in the Eagle Rock Rec Center overflow parking lot on N. Figueroa Street will come before the Board of Recreation and Parks Commissioners on Thursday, June 17. The five-member Board is expected to approve the plan, championed by CD 14 Councilmember […]

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Visitors can now tour the interiors of the Victorian mansions at Heritage Square Museum in Montecito Heights | Photo courtesy of Heritage Square Museum

Happening now: Art and culture in NELA

By Pablo Nuykaya-Petralia
Deadlines are approaching to participate in the Highland Park Independent Film Festival and the L.A. River Public Art Project, so act soon if you want to enter.
Local museums, including the Heritage Square Museum in Montecito Heights and the Southwest Museum in Mount Washington, continue to reopen, revealing treasures from eras past.

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Sponsored Content: It’s Mosquito Season. Here’s What You Need to Know and Do

2020 was a significant year in many respects, not only did the world experience a global pandemic, but California seemingly became invaded by a new breed of mosquito. These particular mosquitoes are aggressive biters that most often aim for your ankles – hence the term “ankle biters” – and remain active throughout the day.

Ankle biters make it difficult to be outdoors, but you can take steps to stay safe and comfortable — and the Mosquito Squad can help.

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A dog walker entering Ernest E. Debs Regional Park in Montecito Heights | Photo by Rick Loomis/L.A.Times

Best trails in NELA to walk your dog

By Mary Lynch

A trail through Northeast Los Angeles has been named one of L.A.’s best urban trails for dogs by the L.A. Times.

Dubbed the Montecito Heights Urban Trail, the walk begins at the southern entrance to the Ernest E. Debs Regional Park, just off Monterey Road in Montecito Heights.
For more on the trail, plus info on another local gem of a trail, click on the photo.

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Metro's one-car-lane-each-way proposal for Colorado Boulevard should be delayed and subject to greater scrutiny, said City Councilmember Kevin De León.

Kevin de León tells Metro to slow down its push for one-car-lane-each-way on Colorado Boulevard, calls for study of an alternative route option

By T.A. Hendrickson

Los Angeles City Councilmember Kevin de León, called on Metro today to delay moving forward with its proposal for a bus rapid transit (BRT) route in Eagle Rock that would reduce much of Colorado Boulevard to one car lane each way.  

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Sponsored Content: Mortgage Minute May 2021 with Daniel Arias

SPONSORED CONTENT FROM WE FUND LA MORTGAGE MINUTE VOLUME 11, MAY, 2021 ECONOMIC UPDATE The economy is suddenly heading for a speedy recovery, as millions of Americans head back to work. Jerome Powel, chair of the Federal reserve elaborated on the current state of the market in a recent interview, saying “What we’re seeing now […]

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A scene from the 2021 Winter show at Renaissance Arts. The performance was produced and presented by students working remotely.

Top Award for Renaissance Arts Academy in Glassell Park

By T.A. Hendrickson

Renaissance Arts Academy, a K-12 public charter school in Glassell Park, has won an Exemplary Arts Education Award for 2021 from the state Department of Education.

Renaissance Arts is one of six schools in Los Angeles and 27 statewide to receive the award, which recognizes outstanding achievement in arts education.

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"On Becoming," a new exhibition at Avenue 50 Studio in Highland Park, explores what it means to break free from stereotypes, sexism and other forms of bias.

Art and Culture This Week in NELA

By Pablo Nukaya-Petralia

Highlights from the week of May 15 to May 22 include livestream concerts by local bands at local venues, the opening of a gallery exhibition featuring Asian American and Pacific Islander artists, a major museum reopening and the latest York Boulevard Cruise Nights car show.

There’s also still time to get out and view several ongoing exhibitions or pick up a new book by local writers and artists.

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Photo by Ted Amoroso / BoulevardSentinel.com

Metro options for Colorado Boulevard on the table today in a key meeting

By T.A. Hendrickson

May 19: At a meeting today of the Metro Board Planning and Programming committee, Metro staff will present two options for a bus rapid transit (BRT) route through Eagle Rock and ask the committee to advance both options to the next planning stage for the proposed North Hollywood to Pasadena BRT line.

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The puppets of Bob Baker Marionette Theater will put on a show on May 7 to to help raise money for the upcoming Vidiots opening in Eagle Rock.

Something for everyone: Art and culture in NELA in May

By Pablo Nukaya-Petralia

Puppets join forces with movie lovers this month in Northeast Los Angeles, and that’s just the start of ways to experience the arts this month in NELA.
There are also in-person exhibitions at museums and galleries, a new art installation and a new book out this month on L.A.’s parks, illustrated and authored by local artists and writers. Get the details here.

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Photo courtesy of Minibop Music.

Sponsored Content: MiniBop Music of Glassell Park provides a much-needed environment for children to socialize, move, and interact with their peers.

MiniBop Music offers fun and highly Interactive Group Music Classes for kids ages 0-5+ and Mommy, Daddy, Parents or Caregivers, Private Music Playdates in-home or at our studio,  Private Music Lessons and Birthday/Event entertainment. Group classes are 45 minutes and include singing, movement, instruments, storytelling, bubbles and more. They’re a great way for parents and […]

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A new mural commemorating jornaleros at the Cypress Park Community Job Center. It reads: “Long live the jornaleros! Dedicated to all of the jornaleros who have died in Los Angeles. The fight continues for a new society that puts the worker first” | Photo: Angela Guglielmino/Boulevard Sentinel.

Day laborers in Cypress Park make their way through pandemic ‘little by little’

By Zach Goodwin

At the Cypress Park Community Job Center, a hub for jornaleros located on the Home Depot property on N. Figueroa Street, the Boulevard Sentinel recently spoke with workers and their advocates about how the pandemic has — and hasn’t — changed the outlook for day laborers in Northeast Los Angeles. Read their story here.

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EAPD member Mia Livas Porter (left), a voter in Elysian Valley, joined in volunteer work to encourage her neighbors to cast ballots safely by mail. Here she gets to celebrate election victory with friends including Hans Johnson, President of Eastern Area Progressive Democrats | Photo courtesy of Hans Johnson.

Sponsored Content: Change Sweeps Elysian Valley as Women Leaders Win Election with Support of East Area Progressive Democrats

SPONSORED CONTENT FROM THE EAST AREA PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRATS Score one for community organizing to bring change to a Neighborhood Council that had lost its way, and for an Eastside L.A. community that believed it could do better.  On April 13, the L.A. City Clerk announced the first tabulation of ballots in the election for 14 […]

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Metro’s rendering of the one-car-lane-each-way proposal for Colorado Boulevard shows one car driving east toward Maywood Avenue and one parked car. The reality would be more crowded conditions for cars, though bicyclists and pedestrians would benefit.

Metro to present proposal to reduce much of Colorado Boulevard in Eagle Rock to one car lane each way

By T.A. Hendrickson

The push is on for a bus rapid transit (BRT) route through Eagle Rock that would reduce Colorado Boulevard to one car lane each way between Eagle Rock Boulevard and Mount Helena Avenue.

Metro will present the one-car-lane-each-way proposal at a public Zoom meeting on April 1. Read More.

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"We don't just skate, we collaborate," says April Kibbe, the founder of Eagle Rock Sk8 Chix.

The sisterhood of skating in Eagle Rock

By Mira Tarabeine When longtime Eagle Rock resident April Kibbe launched the Eagle Rock Sk8 Chix! Facebook page in November 2020, she wanted to overcome pandemic isolation by uniting female roller skaters. Kibbe says she knew from experience that “it was lonely” to skate solo “and fun to skate with someone else.” The outreach worked. […]

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Artwork by Nicola L. on display at the Huntington as part of the "Made in LA 2020: a version" exhibition. | Photo by Joshua White/ JWPictures.com

Art and opera in NELA this week

By Pablo Nukaya-Petralia

A new exhibition opens and opera returns this week, along with several ongoing cultural events in NELA: You can view the work of contemporary local artists at Bermudez Projects in Cypress Park, the Autry Museum of the American West in Griffith Park and the Huntington Art Museum in San Marino. You can even enter your own art in a juried art show in Elysian Valley. Here’s the latest.

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Foto: Zach Goodwin/The Occidental

“Solo el pueblo salva el pueblo:” organizadores planean un evento para honrar a los jornaleros fallecidos

Por Zach Goodwin To Read in English Traducido por Eduardo Garcia y Jackson Eddy  El ruido de la herramienta reverberaba a través de la yarda del hogar de Pablo Alvarado en Pasadena la mañana del 16 de abril. Miembros de su organización, Red Nacional de Jornaleras y Jornaleros (NDLON por sus siglas en inglés), y jornaleros […]

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Arson and assault charges have been filed -- and not-guilty pleas entered -- in connection with the hillside fire in Eagle Rock and Glendale on August 25, 2019. | Photo by Jennifer Hase

Not-guilty plea entered in 2019 attack on homeless encampment in Eagle Rock and resulting hillside fire

By T.A. Hendrickson Daniel Nogueira, 27, pleaded not guilty on April 14 to felony charges connected to an attack in 2019 on the homeless encampment under the 2 Freeway in Eagle Rock and a resulting fire that scorched 45 hillside acres in Eagle Rock and Glendale. Specifically, Nogueira has been charged with arson, using an […]

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The memorial shrine to Andres “Andy” Sierra at the W. Broadway homeless encampment under the 2 Freeway, Feb. 28, 2021. | Photo by Jane Demian

Homeless man in Eagle Rock encampment died of drug overdose, coroner finds

By T.A. Hendrickson  “Acute methamphetamine toxicity” caused the death of Andres Sierra, 62, the homeless man who died on February 23 in the encampment under the 2 Freeway in Eagle Rock.  In reporting the cause of death, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner also noted that Sierra had other significant medical conditions, including heart disease. […]

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At long last, students will be allowed to return to LAUSD schools starting the week of April 12. | Photo by T.A. Hendrickson / Boulevard Sentinel

Schools to reopen in NELA but ‘back to normal’ it’s not

By Dafna Erana and Angela Guglielmino  Three elementary schools in Northeast Los Angeles — Dahlia Heights in Eagle Rock, Aragon Avenue in Cypress Park and Loreto Street in Montecito Heights — are among the 61 elementary schools that will reopen to students the week of April 12. The remaining elementary schools in the L.A. Unified […]

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Photo: Zach Goodwin/The Occidental

‘Solo el pueblo salva el pueblo:’ organizers plan event to honor fallen day laborers

By Zach Goodwin

The sound of power tools reverberated through the backyard of Pablo Alvarado’s Pasadena home the morning of April 16 as members of his organization, the National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON) and local jornaleros, or day laborers, sculpted and sanded 600 wooden crosses. Each one represented 1,000 souls, adding up to the approximately 600,000 who have died from COVID-19 in the U.S. since March 2020.

Nearly 23,000 of those deaths have been in LA County, according to the health department, where the virus has killed Latinx residents at nearly three times the rate of white ones. Jornaleros — predominantly Latino and immigrant men who negotiate manual labor jobs day by day — have been particularly vulnerable.

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This lot on N. Figueroa St. in Eagle Rock will be the site of prefab shelter units for the homeless under a motion approved on Wednesday by the City Council | Photo by T. A. Hendrickson/BoulevardSentinel.com

City Council approves motion to build prefab shelters for the homeless in NELA

By T.A. Hendrickson A motion by CD 14 City Councilmember Kevin de León to build small, prefabricated shelter units for the homeless in Eagle Rock and Highland Park was unanimously approved on Wednesday by the Los Angeles City Council.  In Eagle Rock, the units — known as “pallet housing” — are slated for the parking lot […]

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The Stronghold Climbing Gym in Lincoln Heights, shuttered during the pandemic, has reopened at limited capacity for now but with hopes for a full recovery. | Photo courtesy of Stronghold Climbing Gym

Death, near death … and revival? Local businesses reflect on the year that was and the year ahead

By Anthony Solis Sierra and Mira Tarabeine
The pandemic has forever altered the local business landscape.

Some businesses are gone for good. Others have hung in there.

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