THE EAGLE ROCK ASSOCIATION

-- Invest in Your Community --


TERA

e.letter

June 16, 2005

Learn more about us
and how we are changing our community for the better.

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Now more than ever, please support your residents association --
well over 1,000 members strong, and growing every day!

Please encourage interested friends and neighbors to send their email addresses
to us at e.letter@TERA90041.org so we can keep them informed as well.

This week:


1.  ERHS PRINCIPAL JUAN FLECHA TO MOVE TO JEFFERSON HIGH -- IMPORTANT!

2.  TERA'S NEXT COMMUNITY GARDEN WORKDAY -- THIS SATURDAY -- JUNE 18

3.  FLAG RAISING A SMASH HIT!

4.  COLORADO WINE COMPANY GETS "DAILY CANDY" WRITE-UP

5.  NEW BUSINESS GRAND OPENING -- SW HILL COUNTRY -- JUNE 17

6.  "SAY IT WITH EBAY" PROJECT -- JUNE 18

7.  COMMUNITY CLEAN-UP -- TAKE PRIDE IN YOUR COMMUNITY! -- JUNE 18

8.  FREE EVENING OF ART AND SONG AT THE BLISSFUL SOUL -- JUNE 18

9.  SWORK II OPENS -- JUNE 25

10.  ART WALK IN EAGLE ROCK -- "INTERSECTION: AN INSTALLATION PROJECT" -- JUNE 25

11.  ROCK TEEN CENTER CELEBRATES MILESTONES -- JUNE 25

12.  ELYSIAN PARK WALKING TOUR EXPLORES HISTORIC TREASURES -- JUNE 25

13.  LETTERS AND E.MAILS

14.  QUOTE OF THE WEEK -- GAIL UGLESICH

1.  ERHS PRINCIPAL JUAN FLECHA TO MOVE TO JEFFERSON HIGH -- IMPORTANT!

Our local high school principal, Juan Flecha, is moving to Jefferson High in South LA.  Mr. Flecha has been a true asset to our high school and to our community, and we will miss him.  It is truly a loss for Eagle Rock.

HIGH SCHOOL PARENTS:  It is vital that our community and school stakeholders participate in the interview stage of finding a new principal worthy of the position.  It is important that candidates:

I spoke with LAUSD Board member David Tokofsky this morning, and he completely agrees with this approach and encourages everyone's active participation.

It is important for all stakeholders to PARTICIPATE.  Please contact Superintendent Richard Alonzo at (323) 932-2266 to make your thoughts and concerns for this process known.  Thank you!

-- Joanne Turner
2.  TERA'S NEXT COMMUNITY GARDEN WORKDAY -- THIS SATURDAY -- JUNE 18

The Eagle Rockdale Community Garden and Art Park -- be a part of it!

Join us as we transform a vacant lot into 24 thriving vegetable plots and a community gathering place!

Saturday, June 18
1103 Rockdale Avenue
On the old Los Angeles Railway Yellow Car Line W* (see below) right-of-way south of Lanark-Shelby Park

Rockdale Avenue is one block east of Figueroa, just across from Vons.  Parking available along La Loma, Lanark, or at Lanark-Shelby Park.

9 am - Annual Meeting: Eat, Vote and Make Policy
10 am -1 pm: Build a Native Garden with the Theodore Payne Foundation

Information: (323) 259-TERA or communitygarden@TERA90041.org

SANA MAGKITA TAYO DOON!

The Community Gardenıs additional workdays will be held on the Saturdays below.  All participantsı work will contribute needed hours toward the $10,000 matching grant to complete Phase 1, which will create a space for local families to grow vegetables and connect with nature!

Those dates are:

THIS Saturday, June 18
Saturday, July 9
Saturday, August 13, and
Saturday, September 10

Mark your calendars, and join us!

*Many thanks to Eagle Rock resident, TERA member, and train/trolley aficionado Alan Weeks for the correction.  Alan tells us that the Yellow Car (Los Angeles Railway) was the narrow-gauge system and that the closest heavy-gauge Red Car line (Pacific Electric Railway) ran in Highland Park.
3.  FLAG RAISING A SMASH HIT!

About 200 people showed up to witness the raising of the Eagle Rock flagon Tuesday, June 14, National Flag Day!  The guys from our own Fire Station 42 did the honors just as the sun was setting.  It was beautiful!

Many thanks to Mayor-elect Antonio Villaraigosa for coming to celebrate with us, and to the representatives of State Senator Jack Scott, Assembly member Carol Liu, LAUSD Board member David Tokofsky, and the ERNC.  Many thanks also to Linda Allen of the ERCPR and Kaye Beckham of the Chamber of Commerce, who helped TERA Vice President Kathleen Long organize and coordinate this event.

Most of all, many thanks to Nextel, represented by John Votava and Eric Woodruff, for the generous grant that made the flag production possible!
4.  COLORADO WINE COMPANY GETS "DAILY CANDY" WRITE-UP

Check it out!  Eagle Rock's own Colorado Wine Company and proprietors Jennifer and John Nugent got 35,000 hits on their Web site after the following write-up was posted in the popular Daily Candy site:  http://www.dailycandy.com/article.jsp?Articleld=23278&city=2.
Colorado Wine Company
Wine for Everyone
2114 Colorado Boulevard
Eagle Rock CA 90041
(323) 478-1985
http://www.cowineco.com
5.  NEW BUSINESS GRAND OPENING! -- SW HILL COUNTRY -- JUNE 17

Say What??  No, "SW" stands for "South West," and, yes, SW Hill Country is a traditional Western-and-ranch clothing, tack (yep, saddles and all), and home furnishings store.  (Someone asked why in the world a Western store would open in Eagle Rock when there is not a horse or cow in sight.  Well, when you think about it, it's no weirder than having a scuba diving shop just down the street with no ocean for miles.)

The Deco-era building, on the southeast corner of Colorado Boulevard and Mt. Helena Avenue, has been beautifully upgraded and repainted in subtle but rich green, rust, and gold.  Also, badly-needed windows have been added in the front for passerby friendliness.  The building NEVER looked this great in at lease three decades!  A big thank you to owner Pat Talamantez for "getting it" and helping to enhance our commercial district through good design choices.

Thirty years ago, the building housed a tacky bar called the Blue Fox.  It had a worn-out cartoony sign featuring a light blue fox with a sly look and a blinking red nose (a la Rudolph).  Lots of choppers were regularly parked out front, and the aroma was, shall we say . . . interesting.  Then it was a newspaper distribution site (yawn), and after that an auto sound-system installation business.  The property was sometimes vacant between enterprises, and it usually had a broken window or two, unchecked weeds and bits of trash, hits here and there of graffiti, and business owners who clearly didn't care.  Now we have one who does.

Featuring Western attire, men's and women's leather wear, saddles, tack, jewelry, and home furnishings and accessories, SW Hill Country promises to help round out the local commercial district experience and provide yet another reason NOT to do your shopping outside of Eagle Rock.  Hallelujah.
SW Hill Country GRAND OPENING
Friday, June 17
6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Live music, refreshments, and spirits

1412 Colorado Boulevard
Eagle Rock CA 90041
(323) 256-2500
http://www.swhillcountry.com

Hours:
Tues - Sat 10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Sun 12:00 to 5:00 p.m.

Jist park yer scuba gear at the hitchin' post.  See y'all there.
6.  "SAY IT WITH EBAY" PROJECT -- JUNE 18

The Center for the Arts, Eagle Rock, Carlotta's Passion, and the Colorado Wine Company invite you to attend a one-of-a-kind evening to launch the Center's "Say It With eBay" Project on Saturday, June 18, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Partake in music to please the ear, food to please the stomach, wines to please the palate, a unique drawing, and a one-time opportunity to welcome Carlottaıs Passion and Colorado Wine Company to Eagle Rock.

Priceless Admission:  Search your attics, closets, and sheds and bring one item valued at $50 or more for the Center to auction on eBay.
"Say It With eBay" Project
Saturday June 18
5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Carlottaıs Passion, 2012 Colorado Blvd.
Colorado Wine Company, 2114 Colorado Blvd.

For more information, please contact the Center for the Arts, Eagle Rock, at (323) 226-1617.
7.  COMMUNITY CLEAN-UP ­ TAKE PRIDE IN YOUR COMMUNITY!  -- JUNE 18

Cheryl Leutjen, Eagle Rock Neighborhood Council Sub-district 6 Director, is hosting a community clean-up day on Saturday, June 18 from 9 to 11 a.m.  If you can join us, please meet at the California Assembly church parking lot, southwest corner of Ellenwood and Colorado.  The City will provide all supplies (but bring your own gloves if you want them).  Weıll be working along Colorado between Ellenwood and the mall, where trash and weeds are a perpetual and plaguing problem.

Donıt just drive by the problem, be part of the SOLUTION, and be there!
8.  FREE EVENING OF ART AND SONG AT THE BLISSFUL SOUL -- JUNE 18

Continuing its evening concert series, The Blissful Soul is presenting an evening of art and song on Saturday, June 18 from 6 to 8 p.m.  Lana Blades will present her expressive watercolors, and Peggy Baldwin will perform on cello.  Peggy has played with Stevie Wonder, George Harrison, Yanni, and many more.  The event is free and open to the public.  Wine and hors dıoeuvres will be served.
9.  SWORK II OPENS -- JUNE 25

Swork Coffee is one of the principal reasons Eagle Rock has seen such a wonderful renaissance over the last several years.  All of us Eagle Rockers owe a lot to Tricia Neal, Swork's owner and neighborhood visionary!

Well, she is deservedly on to a new business venture:
SWORK II SOFT OPENING: SATURDAY, JUNE 25

Montrose, here we come!  The walls have been painted, the floor has been laid down, the furniture is being put in its place.  Swork II is shaping up nicely and we're so excited for the grand opening.  Please stop by during our VIP opening for our Eagle Rock customers on June 25th and give us feedback on the new space.  We'll be smoothing everything out for the....

SWORK II GRAND OPENING: SATURDAY, JULY 2

Join us at 2140 Verdugo Blvd, Monstrose 91020.  DJ's, Balloons, Lattés and Samples -- OH MY!  There will be fun door prizes, and lovely surprises!  Bring yourself, bring the kids and bring your tummies for some yummies.

YOU GUYS ROCK, SWORK IS #1!

We came in at the top of the charts on City Search's best of 2005 today. Keep voting Eagle Rock. You're the reason we're #1.  Mmm...latteeeeee. If you'd like to see us visit: http://losangeles.citysearch.com/bestof/results/16.

Support our neighborhood coffee houses!
SWORK COFFEE
2160 Colorado Boulevard
Eagle Rock CA 90041
Planet Earth
(323) 258-5600
10.  ART WALK IN EAGLE ROCK -- "INTERSECTION: AN INSTALLATION PROJECT" -- JUNE 25

You are invited to attend a unique, multi-venue art walk entitled "Intersection:  An Installation Project" on Saturday, June 25, from 3-6pm, beginning at Townsend Gallery, 1581 Colorado Boulevard.

The show's curator is Margaret Adachi, and it includes 12 installations in 12 businesses located near the intersection of Townsend Avenue and Colorado Boulevard in Eagle Rock.  Stop by the Townsend Gallery reception to pick up a map of installation stops, then walk to the participating businesses to get a fresh look at creative works by local artists!

After the June 25 art walk, works will remain in place through July 23:  Carrie Paterson @ Dee's Gym; George B. Domantay @ Eufloria; John Currin @ Brown Properties; Jill D'agnenica @ Stephano's; Hillary Mushkin @ Haute Cuts; Mary Rose Mendoza @ Pizza Man; Arturo Romo @ Daybeak Health Foods; Barry Markowitz @ Tritch Hardware; Karen Reitzel @ Commercial Printing; John Sanders @ Sofas and More; Daniel Brodo @ Smokez Tobacco; Luiga Martelloni @ Haven's Reef.

In collaboration with the Center for the Arts, Eagle Rock.  Call (323) 266-1617 for more information.
11.  ROCK TEEN CENTER CELEBRATES MILESTONES -- JUNE 25

The ROCK (Reach Our Community Kids) Teen Center is celebrating milestones this month as it approaches the end of its 5th year of operation.  On Saturday, June 25, 2005, 6 -8 PM, the ROCK Board of Directors will be hosting a ³Celebrating Milestones² Reception at the teen center to recognize the contributions of youth, volunteers, and Executive Director Donna Robey-Sullivan.

Ms. Robey-Sullivan will be leaving the organization in July after almost 5 years of service, first as a board member and Treasurer and since January 2002 as the Executive Director. During her tenure, annual contributions have been diversified and grown by 28% and the ROCK program has been expanded to include its Academic Mentor Programs, which incorporate after-school homework coach and tutoring, science and college mentoring, and daily computer challenges in the teen centerıs Community Technology Center. Ms. Robey-Sullivan and her family are relocating to North Carolina after 25 years in the Eagle Rock community.

ROCK is cuurently conducting a search for an Executive Director to replace Ms. Robey-Sullivan and a Managing Director, a new position made possible through a Congressional Earmark Grant, arranged by Congress member Xavier Becerra. The incoming directors will be introduced at the event.

Also during the eveningıs program, the winners of Revolutionize, an art contest that ends June 17th, will be announced and members of the Youth Leadership Council will receive their service awards.  Long-term ROCK volunteer, Josh Jacobs will be presented the Presidentıs Volunteer Service Award in recognition of his years of commitment to ROCK and its youth.

The ROCK Teen Center is located at 1597 Yosemite Drive in Eagle Rock. It provides the only drop-in, free, learning and skills development program within the community, specifically for teens.

For more information about ROCK, its programming, or the June 25th event contact their office at 323-257-6102 or through the website at http://www.rockids.org.
12.  ELYSIAN PARK WALKING TOUR EXPLORES HISTORIC TREASURES -- JUNE 25

A two-hour morning walking tour will highlight the lesser-known but historically rich eastern edge of Elysian Park on Saturday, June 25 at 10 AM.

This tour, which is co-sponsored by the Echo Park Historical Society and the Citizens Committee to Save Elysian Park, focuses on the portion of the park located between the Pasadena Freeway on the west and Chinatown and the Cornfields on the east. Starting at the parkıs Fremont Gate entrance on Broadway, the tour will include sites and information related to the history  of  Los Angeles River,  the cityıs early water system, Chavez Ravine, the Pasadena Freeway  and other  topics.

The tour begins at 10 AM  at the northwest corner of North Broadway and Elysian Park Drive. The tour group is limited to 20 people. A $3 donation is requested for adults. There is no charge for children under 12 or historical society members.  For tour information and reservations please call (323) 860-8874 or visit the Walking Tour section of our website: http://www.HistoricEchoPark.org.

The Elysian Park tour is part of the monthly Historic Echo Park Walking Tours program organized by the Echo Park Historical Society.  The tours are held on the fourth Saturday of every month and rotate among three different routes: Elysian Park, downtown Echo Park and Echo Park Lake; and Elysian Heights stairways.
13.  LETTERS AND E.MAILS

"Another great issue!  I am very excited about the long-awaited flag raising.  It will be wonderful to see the hard work of so many people finally come to fruition.  What a great day to commemorate all the great community activists and volunteers in Eagle Rock."

--Cheryl Leutjen, Eagle Rock resident, business owner (The Blissful Soul), and TERA member

"Joanne, hope you're well!  Thank you for keeping me posted on great events.  I'll see you tomorrow [at the Eagle Rock flag raising]!"

-- Anthony J. Portantino, Mayor, City of La Canada Flintridge, and TERA member

"Congratulations on the Flag!!!  Can't wait to see it!!"

-- Juliet Arroyo, belly-dancing teacher and proud Highland Park and CD14 resident

"Thank you for everything.  May God bless you in your community service."

-- Frank Illera, former Eagle Rock resident
14.  QUOTE OF THE WEEK -- GAIL UGLESICH

"If you do something right, the word will get around."

-- Gail Uglesich, proprietor of the always-packed, never-advertised Uglesich's Restaurant, located in a borderline-bad neighborhood of New Orleans
Got graffiti? Contact the City of LAıs Operation Clean Sweep Graffiti Removal Hotline: (800) 611-2489.
Distributed weekly via e.mail and as a regular feature on various Internet discussion groups, the TERA e.letter is read by well over 2,000 readers (and probably more) with an interest in Eagle Rock and Northeast Los Angeles.  Please encourage interested friends to send their full name and e.mail address to us at e.letter@TERA90041.org so we can keep them informed, too.

If you have changed your e.mail address or would like to be removed from this list, send us an e.mail to e.letter@TERA90041.org with the word(s) "remove" or "address change" in the subject box, as appropriate.

POLICY ON SUBMITTING A NOTICE:  If you have a press release, letter of comment, question or other notice that you feel might be of interest to the Eagle Rock community, send it to e.letter@TERA90041.org.  Your announcement -- in the form of an e.mail text message, (no attachments, please) -- should be in our hands by noon on Tuesday to be considered for inclusion in that week's issue.

İ2005 The Eagle Rock Association

TERA -- The Eagle Rock Association -- INVEST IN YOUR COMMUNITY  -- http://www.TERA90041.org
-- P. O. Box 41453, Eagle Rock, CA 90041 -- (323) 259-TERA -- a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public benefit corporation

The TERA e.letter
A publication of The Eagle Rock Association (TERA)
Joanne Turner, Editor
e.letter@TERA90041.org