"Eagle Rock: Where land use and planning is a contact sport"

THE EAGLE ROCK ASSOCIATION

 

TERA

 

-- e.letter --

October 25, 2001

 

 

In this issue:

 

1.  EAGLE ROCK'S 90TH ANNIVERSARY! -- FAMILY FESTIVAL -- OCTOBER 28

 

2.  WALGREENS DRUG STORE IN EAGLE ROCK? -- MEET THE DEVELOPER -- OCTOBER 30

 

3.  FREE HALLOWEEN FUN AT HIGHLAND PARK FAMILY & LITERACY FESTIVAL -- OCTOBER 27

 

4.  BOWLING FOR DOLLARS FOR A VERY GOOD CAUSE -- OCTOBER 27

 

5.  JOIN TERA'S HOME TOUR COMMITTEE! -- NEXT MEETING -- NOVEMBER 14

 

6.  MORE GOOD NEWS FROM EAGLE ROCK HIGH SCHOOL!

 

7.  JOIN THE A-TEAM! -- BECOME A MEMBER OF TERA TODAY

 

8.  A GOOD DEED FOR OUR NATION'S HEROES

 

9.  A RESCUER OF LOST PETS

 

10.  EAGLE ROCK FARMERS MARKET -- EVERY FRIDAY

 

11.  LETTERS AND E.MAILS

 

12.  QUOTE OF THE WEEK

 

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1.  EAGLE ROCK'S 90TH ANNIVERSARY! -- FAMILY FESTIVAL -- OCTOBER 28

 

Although it's too late to reserve seats for the dinner-dance this Saturday at the Women's 20th Century Club, the festivities celebrating Eagle Rock's  90th anniversary continues Sunday, October 28,  with a Family Festival from 11:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  The festival, which will feature arts and crafts, food, rides for children, a petting zoo, and entertainment, will be held at Merton and Caspar Streets (the location of our weekly Farmers Market).  Bring the whole family and join with the community and celebrate the rich history of our vibrant town!

 

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2.  WALGREENS DRUG STORE IN EAGLE ROCK? -- MEET THE DEVELOPER -- OCTOBER 30

 

This Tuesday, October 30 -- The One-Day Paint & Body Shop is located in the historic building originally built in the 1940s as the flagship store for the Shopping Bag Grocery chain.  It appears that the FCD Realty & Development, LLC, plans to demolish this historic building and locate a new Walgreens Drug Store and potentially other stores (maybe Starbucks?) in the same location.  It is unfortunate that the building has been denied Cultural Monument status. The development company is holding a community meeting this Tuesday to discuss the project.

 

TERA's concerns regarding this project are as follows:

 

Diversity of merchants: It is to the benefit of existing merchants as well as residents to have an appropriate mix and diversity of merchants in a community.  Eagle Rock currently is well served by many other pharmacies and sundry stores such as Sav-On, Rite Aid, Albertson's, Vons, local merchants Hiana, Eagle Rock Drug, ABM Pharmacy and the proposed Sav-on at the La Loma triangle (next to McDonalds).  Notice that there likely would not be more pharmacy/sundry business in Eagle Rock just because a new Walgreens opens.  The net result could be to diminish the revenue at existing competitors and to remove the property from consideration by other types of merchants not well represented in Eagle Rock.  It potentially increases the chance that profits at one or more of the existing merchants, who have already made a commitment to Eagle Rock, will no longer be profitable, and we could be faced with another empty storefront.

 

Historic Property: The old Shopping Bag building represents an important part of Eagle Rock's commercial history.  It is likely that the developer will simply demolish the building and erect a typical structure for Walgreens (usually a cinder block rectangle).  TERA feels that it is to the benefit of this community, from both historic and visual perspectives, to encourage the integration of the Streamline Moderne architectural aspects of this structure into whatever new development takes place.

 

TERA enthusiastically supports the redevelopment of this property. We hope, however, that it will be done with a sense of what is best for existing merchants, the new merchant(s), and the residents of Eagle Rock.

 

The meeting will take place Tuesday, October 30, 2001, at 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., at the Eagle Rock Community Cultural Center (across the street from the site in question), 2225 Colorado Boulevard, here in Eagle Rock.  Please attend and let your thoughts and opinions be known.  A lively discussion is always healthy.

 

For information, please call the Eagle Rock/Highland Park field office of Council member Nick Pacheco at (323) 254-5295.

 

If you can't attend, please let Council member Pacheco know how you feel at npacheco@council.lacity.org, and please copy Michael Southard, chair of TERA's Historic Preservation Committee,  EVEN IF YOU HAVE WRITTEN HIM  ALREADY ABOUT THIS MATTER (directly or through me), at lavalodge@earthlink.net.  Please write Michael even if you do attend the meeting.

 

Please invite your friends and neighbors.  Sign-language interpreters, assistive devices, or other auxiliary aids provided upon request.  Call TDD (323) 982-0872.

 

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3.  FREE HALLOWEEN FUN AT HIGHLAND PARK FAMILY & LITERACY FESTIVAL -- OCTOBER 27

 

Local families are encouraged to attend a free, multicultural night of Halloween fun when the "Haunted Halloween Festival and Literacy Night" takes place on Saturday, October 27, from 4 to 8 pm, at Hathaway Family Resource Center, 840 N. Avenue 66, in Highland Park.

 

Providing a safe, fun environment to celebrate the Halloween season, our festival will include activities in both English and Spanish, such as:

 

* A terrifying Haunted House, designed and operated by local teens!

 

* A Costume Parade for kids of all ages! -- wear and share your costumes!

 

* Dia De Los Muertos Altar -- bring your memories and offerings to departed loved ones!

 

* A Pumpkin-Carving Contest and Display -- bring your carved pumpkin to win!

 

* Scary Storytelling -- hear great multicultural stories read by great storytellers!

 

* Scary Poetry Contest -- local schoolchildren will read their terrifying rhymes!

 

* Arts and Crafts activities, including Mask-Making and Skull-Sculpting!

 

* Creepy Crawly Critters will be on hand -- learn about snakes and spiders!

 

* Plus Music and Magic, Refreshments and a Bake Sale!

 

Sponsored by the Department of Cultural Affairs, City of L.A., and Success by Six, the "Haunted Halloween Festival and Literacy Night" will occur on Saturday, October 27, from 4 to 8 pm, at Hathaway Family Resource Center, 840 N. Avenue 66, in Highland Park.

 

For more information, call (323) 257-9600.

 

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4.  BOWLING FOR DOLLARS FOR A VERY GOOD CAUSE -- OCTOBER 27

 

On Saturday, October 27 from 4 to 7 pm, The Northeast Democratic Club is sponsoring a non-political fundraiser for Local 11 (Hotel and Restaurant Employees) who lost their jobs as a result of the Sept 11 attack on the WTC. Our fundraiser will be fun!  It's a "Pin-A-Thon", and like a Walk-a-Thon, it involves pledges, but this time you pledge on how well you or a friend can bowl.  The fundraiser is at the All-Star Lanes, 4459 Eagle Rock Blvd, just North of York. 

 

Here's how it works.  A bowler calls and registers to bowl.  (S)he collect pledges from friends and neighbors. Each bowler must collect a minimum of $50 in pledges. Those who pledge give a minimum pledge of 10 cents per pin, or $10 whichever is greater.  The bowler bowls at the fundraiser.  If they bowl 150, each person who pledged owes 150 x their pledge amount.  So if you pledge 20 cents and your bowler bowls 150, you would owe $30.  The minimum pledge amount owed is $10 per pledger.  So if your bowler is a turkey, we can still give some money to the hotel employees relief fund.  People may also pledge a fixed amount.  So I could say I'll give $25 whether you bowl well or not.  There is no charge to bowl.  In fact, your bowling shoes are free and we'll feed you a burger, fries and soft drink.

 

It's for a very good cause.  To date over 40% of local union hotel employees have been laid off.  Local 11 is running a food bank to help out with their expenses.  We thought of doing this for a NYC relief agency, but the plight here is real, too, and is getting a lot less attention, so we thought it best to keep the money local. 

 

Bowlers who wish to register, call me at 323-254-2717.  People who don't want to bowl, but just want to make a pledge can call me as well. 

 

Thanks,

 

John Gallogly

Northeast Democrats

 

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5.  JOIN TERA'S HOME TOUR COMMITTEE! -- NEXT MEETING -- NOVEMBER 14

 

You have no excuse not to plan for this and join us, since there's plenty of time.  This is your chance to get involved!  Come and be a part of TERA's next Home Tour Committee meeting on Wednesday, November 14, to be held at the home of Maedale Gongora, 1250 Hill Drive, at the intersection of Las Flores Avenue and Hill.  We're a good group, we have fun, and we serve one (among many) of the most important purposes for our community, which is bringing positive attention to the great town that we are.  For more information, please call Home Tour Committee chair Tracy King at (626) 844-2256 or by e.mail at tracyking5@cs.com.

 

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6.  MORE GOOD NEWS FROM EAGLE ROCK HIGH SCHOOL!

 

Lea Hildebrandt, a student at Eagle Rock High School has been awarded the fourth annual Siemens Awards for Advanced Placement for Students.  The Siemens Foundation and the College Board are proud to recognize the 24 high school students nationwide who received the highest-ranking scores in seven mathematics and science in Advanced Placement (AP) exams.

 

The students will receive $3,000 scholarships and plaques at an award ceremony held at the Smithsonian in Washington, DC, December 2, 2001.  Two national winners will receive an additional $5,000 scholarship at that ceremony.  The Siemens Foundation and the College Board are honored to recognize the academic excellence of those students taking the challenging courses offered by the College Board's Advanced Placement Program. 

 

__________________________

Stephen Williams

College Counselor

Eagle Rock High School

1750 Yosemite Drive

Los Angeles, CA 90041

323/254-6891 ex 159

fax:  323/255-3398

 

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7.  JOIN THE A-TEAM! -- BECOME A MEMBER OF TERA TODAY

 

If you are not already a member of The Eagle Rock Association (TERA), please join us!  As you know by our up-to-date weekly e.letter, our very informative quarterly newsletter, our very successful and positive annual Eclectic Eagle Rock Home Tour, our bimonthly public meetings, and various other beneficial activities, we work very diligently on behalf of the Eagle Rock community to make life better for all of us and our children.  Your support is what makes us succeed.

 

We regularly conduct research regarding local land-use issues and appear at hearings on behalf of Eagle Rock.  We have initiated a community-wide public-area enhancement and beautification effort, known as the Collaborative Eagle Rock Beautiful.  We strongly support high-quality revitalization of Eagle Rock's commercial areas,  advocate preservation of our historic resources, and stress public safety, among other things of interest to those throughout our community.  We very proudly organize and sponsor the annual Eclectic Eagle Rock Home Tour every May, an event that always brings well-deserved attention to Eagle Rock's neighborhoods and always is a tremendous success!

 

Speakers at our public meetings have included Council member Nick Pacheco, LAPD Chief Bernard Parks, Occidental College president Ted Mitchell, LAUSD District 5 Board member David Tokofsky, LA Conservancy's Ken Bernstein, Valley VOTE president Jeff Brain, and many more.  Our public meetings are catered by Eagle Rock restaurants (because we want to help promote our local businesses), and childcare is provided so busy parents can attend.

 

We are an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) nonprofit public benefit corporation, so your yearly membership dues are fully tax-deductible.  Dues go towards printing and mailing costs, office supplies, and other general operating expenses so we can get information out to the community about our activities and events that enable you to take an active part in making Eagle Rock a better place to live.

 

Dues are reasonable and are offered on a variety of levels -- $10 (for seniors and non-Eagle Rock residents), $15 (individual), $20 (household), $35 (sustaining and business associate), $50 (sponsor), and $100 (patron).

 

Want to know more?  To find out more about TERA and our accomplishments, please visit our Web site at http://www.TERA90041.org.  You can download a membership application form, fill it out, and just send it in.  You can also e.mail us at tera@oxy.edu or call our TERA hotline at (323) 259-TERA and leave a message with your name, address, and phone number.  Be sure to include your e.mail address so we can make sure you receive all special announcements and our online weekly e.letter.  Remember -- your support is what makes TERA happen.

 

TERA -- Eagle Rock's residents association -- working for Eagle Rock and YOU!

 

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8.  A GOOD DEED FOR OUR NATION'S HEROES

 

On the news, they are saying that the fire fighters and rescuers are getting discouraged .  They leave out the part about the horrific conditions and sights they see, But through it all, they go on and on and on and on.

 

So here's the idea. To start a Card-Writing Campaign. Go out to your local greeting card store. Buy a card that reflects what your feelings are about their heroic efforts and send it to them at:

 

NYC Fire Department

1 Chase Manhattan Plaza

New York, NY 10005

 

Just think how powerful this message could be. If all of you send this e-mail to everyone you know, and they send it to everyone they know, and if all of the people who get this note send a card, we can be the start of a great and giving thing.

 

Let's show these brave men and women how we feel about them. They now need our love, support and encouragement.

 

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9.  A RESCUER OF LOST PETS

 

Thank you for "publishing" Gene Jaramillo's letter re his lost dog in the TERA e.letter.  I've spoken with Gene a few times and unfortunately, they have not yet found Hilde.

 

Since you were kind enough to share his letter with us, I'm hoping you'll share mine, too.  I rescue lost pets.  If I can return them to their owners I do.  If I can't, I make sure they are spayed or neutered, get all their shots and a bath and then I try to place them, using flyers and word-of-mouth.  Several TERA members are owners of dogs and cats I've rescued.  Right now I'm trying to find a home for a year old German shepherd female who was abandoned by her owners and left to wander the neighborhood.  I don't know anything about her background - i.e. whether or not she likes other dogs, likes cats, etc. - but she's very sweet.  She's had her shots and will be spayed and bathed next week

 

If any of your readers would like to see her, or know anyone who might be interested in adopting her, I can be reached at 323/255-7071.  Thank you!

 

-- Alice L. Hartwell

A_HARTWELL@msn.com

 

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10.  EAGLE ROCK FARMERS MARKET -- EVERY FRIDAY

 

At the intersection of Caspar and Merton Avenues just south and east of Colorado and Eagle Rock Boulevards, Eagle Rock's Farmers Market takes place every Friday starting at 5:00 p.m. and ending at 9:00 p.m.  Lots of fresh fruits, vegetables, bakery goods, cut flowers, potted plants, ready-to-eat foods, crafts, and gift items are offered.  A wide array of organically grown produce as well as foods prized in the Philippines are also featured.

 

A visit to the Farmers Market is a terrific way to end a long work week and help prepare for that weekend dinner party.  Come see friends and neighbors, and enjoy live music with it all!  Activities for children as well.

 

Sponsored by our own Eagle Rock Chamber of Commerce.  For more information, please call Michael Nogueira at (323) 225-5466.

 

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11.  LETTERS AND E.MAILS

 

"Extraordinary TERA e-letter [9/27/01] by the way.  Thought provoking in a local, regional, national, global, and even spiritual sense.  You make me proud."

 

-- Michael Southard, Eagle Rock resident, valued neighbor and friend, and TERA Board member

 

 

"I love the TERA e.mail letter and all the valuable information it provides about what is happening in my neighborhood.  Many thanks to all the hardworking folks who make it possible.  TERA's accomplishments are inspiring!  Sincerely --"

 

-- Mary-Linn Hughes, TERA member and Eagle Rock resident

 

 

"After having spent most of the past year on a job in Boston (ugh!), I'm happily home in Eagle Rock.  Our whole family (including two sons age 10 and 5) is committed to getting more involved in the little piece of Los Angeles we've called home for the past 14 years.  Really appreciate your continuing role in making this a nicer place to live.  Please keep up the good work!"

 

-- Jim Rawitsch and Corey Madden, happy Eagle Rock residents and TERA members

 

 

"Thanks again for another informative and inspiring issue [Tragedy/TERA e.letter special edition]!"

 

-- Jeff Holder, owner, Passionfruit, and TERA business member

 

 

"I enjoy the newsletter every time it comes out.  I think you (singular or plural -- I'm not sure whom I'm addressing here, exactly) are doing a marvelous job -- crisp, literate writing, broad coverage, right spelling!"

 

-- Peter Sutheim, owner, Earworks, and TERA business member

 

 

"Thank you for all the work you do for all of us in Eagle Rock.  It is greatly appreciated and respected."

 

-- Dan Jordinelli, owner, Jordinelli & Associates, a TERA business member

 

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12.  QUOTE OF THE WEEK

 

"Be brave enough to live creatively.  The creative is the place where no one else has even been.  You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition.  What you will discover will be wonderful.  What you will discover will be yourself."

 

-- Alan Alda

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Joanne Turner <artburn@earthlink.net>

President, The Eagle Rock Association (TERA)