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

THE EAGLE ROCK ASSOCIATION

TERA

-- e.letter --

June 27, 2002

In this issue:


1.  PLEASE NOTE:  THERE WILL BE NO E.LETTER FOR THE NEXT THREE TO FOUR WEEKS.

2.  IMAGINATIVE APPROACHES TO PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT -- WORKSHOP JUNE 28

3.  "SPOON RIVER ANTHOLOGY" AT THEATRE WEST -- EXTENDED THROUGH AUGUST

4.  CONCERT FEATURING SITARIST PAUL LIVINGSTONE -- JUNE 29

5.  AN EVENING OF INDIAN CLASSICAL MUSIC -- JUNE 30

6.  BREAST CANCER PATIENT PROTECTION ACT

7.  FREE SHAKESPEARE -- STARTING JULY 5

8.  ARROYOFEST UPDATE

9.  REMAINING U.S. CEOs MAKE A BREAK FOR IT

10.  LETTERS AND E.MAILS

11.  QUOTE OF THE WEEK


1.  PLEASE NOTE:  THERE WILL BE NO E.LETTER FOR THE NEXT THREE TO FOUR WEEKS.


2.  IMAGINATIVE APPROACHES TO PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT -- WORKSHOP JUNE 28
 
A Reminder from the Southern California Transportation & Land Use Coalition...

On Friday, June 28, the California Local Government Commission, with the League of California Cities and other co-sponsors, will hold the first in a series of three provocative workshops on using housing as a resource and community design tool.

"New Homes, Stronger Communities: Using Compact Development for Revitalization" is an inexpensive one-day workshop that will open a window on imaginative approaches to planning and development.

Price: $25.00.

For more information on the program and event, visit:
http://www.sctlc.org/calendar/item.php?id=25

This newsletter is provided by the Southern California Transportation & Land Use Coalition.  
http://www.sctlc.org/


Katherine Perez, Executive Director
kperez@sctlc.org

Jim Bickhart, Policy Director
jbickhart@sctlc.org


3.  "SPOON RIVER ANTHOLOGY" AT THEATRE WEST -- EXTENDED THROUGH AUGUST

Theatre West's critically-acclaimed 40th anniversary production of "Spoon River Anthology" started in Los Angeles, went to Broadway, and now it's back!  Please don't miss it.

Critics' Choice & Critics' Pick!  Starring . . .

Abbott Alexander
Ane George
Bridget Hanley
Drew Katzman
Lee Meriwether
Andy Taylor

"MOST POTENT MAGIC! ... PERFORMANCES ARE UNIVERSALLY EXCELLENT!"
"Funny, shocking, disquieting and reassuring ... Meriwether is riveting ... Hanley is majestic."
--- LA Times

"THIS PRODUCTION IS PERFECTION!"
"One of the best acting ensembles I've ever seen ... a poignant and powerful theatrical experience ...
deep and satisfying ... they are you and I."
--- Back Stage West

"RECOMMENDED! "FOUR WONDERFULLY PROTEAN ACTORS"
"Harsh, funny, haunting ... splendid simplicity ... all blend in a rich theatrical tapestry"
--- LA Weekly

"HEARTFELT MUSICAL SIMPLICITY"
"Even the simplest utterings are handled with commitment and vitality ...
Katzman captures best the reedy vocal twang ... Alexander's memorable characters"
--- Daily Variety

"SPECTACULAR"
"Wonderful, contemporary classic play ... superb actors help this production soar ...
an utterly charming entertainment, warm, witty and thoroughly enjoyable."
--- Beverly Press

"WE WERE MESMERIZED BY THE ENTIRE ENSEMBLE"
"Charming, touching, meaningful play ... beautifully staged, directed and performed ...
humorous and haunting songs ... a true theatrical treat"
--- Tolucan Times

Thursday & Friday & Saturday at 8pm


 Sunday at 2pm
 Tickets $25
FREE PARKING
 Student, Senior and Group discounts available
Produced by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc.
3 3 3 3 Cahuenga B o u l e v a r d We s t
  L o s A n g e l e s C A 9 0 0 6 8
R e s e r v a t i o n s
(3 2 3 ) 8 5 1 -7 9 7 7
http://www.t h e a t r e we s t . o r g

Conceived, adapted and arranged by CHARLES A DMAN
Directed byLyrics by CHARLES A DMAN
Produced by
JOHN GALLOGLY
BONNIE KALISHER-DUKES
Theatre West
Season Producer
MELINDA HALL
Theatre West
Executive Director
JOHN GALLOGLY


4.  CONCERT FEATURING SITARIST PAUL LIVINGSTONE -- JUNE 29

Dear Friends -- We thought you would all like to know about a little concert we are having at the end of this month with none other than the master of the sitar, Paul Livingstone.  The concert is slated for the 29th of June at 8:00 pm at the Yoga Essence Studio.  Yoga Essence and Sangeet School of World Music students get $2 off the regular price.  Please call for reservations because seating is limited. 323.550.8182

Namaste,

Krista & Phillip


5.  AN EVENING OF INDIAN CLASSICAL MUSIC -- JUNE 30

Yoginis Art Studio presents:

An Evening of Indian Classical Music

David Trasoff - sarode
Abhijit Banerjee - tabla

Sunday, June 30th, 7:00 p.m. at Yoginis Arts Studio
4866 Eagle Rock Blvd, Los Angeles, between Addison and Yosemite, 4 blocks south of Colorado Blvd.
Donation: $10
for information call: 323-255-7783 or 323-258-5935

http://classicalragas.com/pages/yoginis.html
http://www.yoginis.org

ABOUT THE ARTISTS
David Trasoff has studied sarod performance and North Indian classical music under maestro Ali Akbar Khan, India's 'Living National Treasure,' since 1972. He has also received guidance from Dr. Rajeev Taranath, renowned sarod performer and senior disciple of Ali Akbar Khan. David has appeared in concert in arts centers, universities, conservatories and festivals in the United States, Europe, and Asia, and has made numerous performing tours in India. He served asDirector of the Indian Music Ensemble at the University of California, Santa Barbara from 1995-1997, and has taught in the Global Arts Program at California State University, San Marcos and in the Indian music program at the California Institute of the Arts. In 1997, David has also participated in contemporary music, theater and dance projects in Los Angeles.

Abhijit Banerjee is a disciple of the legendary tabla maestro and musicologist, Pandit Gyan Prakash Ghosh. As a child he won many music competitions of national repute.  Besides tabla he has training in vocal music and violin. Abhijit is now a regular performer at all the major music conferences all over India and overseas. Besides accompanying all the major artistes of India, both in North Indian and South Indian tradition, he has performed as a tabla soloist in many music conferences in India and abroad. He has toured all over the world and has conducted many seminars on Indian classical music at universities in the U.S.A., Japan, England and Spain.

--
David Trasoff
Classical Ragas: Sarode Performance/Classical Music of North India
4130 Verdugo View Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90065
Tel/Fax: 323-255-7783

http://classicalragas.com
david@classicalragas.com


6.  BREAST CANCER PATIENT PROTECTION ACT
 
If there was ever a time when our voices and choices should be heard, this is one of those times.
 
If you are receiving this it's because you are a loving, caring person who will take the 30 seconds to go and vote on this issue.  
 
There's a bill called the Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act which will require insurance companies to cover a minimum 48-hour hospital stay for patients undergoing a mastectomy.  It's about eliminating the "drive-through mastectomy" where women are forced to go home hours after surgery against the wishes of their doctor, still groggy from anesthesia and sometimes with drainage tubes still attached.
 
Lifetime Television has put this bill on their web page with a petition drive to show your support.  Last year over half the House signed on.
 
PLEASE!!!!  Sign the petition by clicking on the web site below and help women living with breast cancer get the care they need and deserve.
 
There is no cost or monetary pledge involved. You need not give more than your name and zip code number.
 
http://www.lifetimetv.com/health/breast_mastectomy_pledge.html
 
PLEASE PASS THIS ON.  THANKS!


7.  FREE SHAKESPEARE -- STARTING JULY 5

Dear Friends, Colleagues, Cohorts and Co-conspiritors -

I'm appearing in and staging the fights for Shakespeare Festival/L.A's production of Romeo and Juliet. We start performances July 5th in Pershing Square in downtown L.A.

Admission is free. The company simply asks that you bring some canned food for the homeless. SF/LA is one of the largest providers of food for the homeless in L.A. county, and Vons matches contributions one to one. SF/LA's mandate is to produce Shakespeare that is fresh and accessible to as many people as possible. They also have an extensive program for youth and are very active in local schools.

This is a fully mounted, fully designed and supported production with an Equity company of paid actors. If you think it might be to your liking, I hope you'll come and bring friends, kids and maybe a picnic. It's a great way to spend a summer evening. There is more information on dates, logistics and the company on the SF/LA web page at http://www.shakespearefestivalla.org/.

Please join us for the Pershing Square shows or for our shows later in July in Palos Verdes (at which there is an admission charge).  All the best --

-- Randy Kovitz, Eagle Rock resident


8.  ARROYOFEST UPDATE

The following is in from Marcus Renner, Education and Outreach Coordinator of the Urban and Environmental Policy Institute at Occidental College:

My apologies for not sending an update sooner.  There has been a lot of behind-the-scenes work going on for ArroyoFest and given time constraints I thought it best to wait until a lot of this sorted itself out.   Get ready for a major ArroyoFest Community Meeting on July 17th, as we gear up community outreach and discuss volunteer opportunities for the home stretch of this exciting project  (details below).

Here's the latest news:

ArroyoFest Hires a New Coordinator - Thanks to the generous gift of an anonymous donor from Pasadena, we have been able to hire Eric Wallace to serve as the new ArroyoFest Event Coordinator.  Eric has a great deal of experience with event planning and production.  He has worked for many years with Pallotta Teamworks as the logistics coordinator for the AIDS Twin City to Chicago Bike Ride and the Avon 3-day Breast Cancer Walk. Most recently, Eric took charge of the Los Angeles River Ride for the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition, which some of you may have participated in.

Eric and I began going over details of the event this past Friday and are looking forward to what we believe will be an active and exciting summer as we bring this project down the home stretch.  With Eric taking over the planning and logistics for the event, I will be switching most of my attention to community outreach and helping with the continuing fundraising campaign.

Cultural Affairs Funds ArroyoFest - ArroyoFest has received a grant of $5,000 from the Cultural Affairs Department for the City of Los Angeles. We applied for this grant back in March and found out this past week that we have received money.  Due to budget cuts, the grant is less than we requested, but the steering committee had already decided to scale back certain aspects of the activities at Sycamore Grove Park.  This grant will help pay for music, dance, theatre and poetry at the finish of the walk and bike ride.

Caltrans Approves Traffic Plan - With little fanfare, but sincere appreciation, the Caltrans District 7 office has approved our traffic plan for the closure of the Historic Arroyo Seco Parkway.  Our consultant, Mike Sprouse, has done a great job working with Caltrans and cities to create a traffic plan for the day of the event.  The wording on the message signs to motorists has been finalized, the day-of-the-event inspectors have been assigned and all closure points are present and accounted for.

Arroyo Educators Meet to Discuss Collaboration - As April turned into May, educators from different parts of the Arroyo came together to discuss how local schools can use the Arroyo to enhance students experience in school and understanding of where they live.  Several ideas were generated: including an updating of the "River Runs Through It" curriculum and using the Internet to let teachers share how they are bringing the Arroyo into the classroom.  We also discussed ways for schools to get involved in ArroyoFest this fall, including art projects, performances at Sycamore Grove Park and decorations along the parkway.

Artists Discuss the Arroyo's Living Heritage - In the cool shade of the Judson Studio's library, representatives from several local arts groups met to discuss ways to connect the arts and arts organizations in the communities up and down the Arroyo.  Creating a master calendar on the Internet of art activities in the Arroyo received a lot of support. Finding ways to make the area a destination spot for tourists as well as looking for ways to engage the local communities in the arts through classes and workshops were discussed.  Making schools aware of the past artistic legacy in the Arroyo was also discussed.  Everyone hoped this discussion will continue in the future with representatives from additional organizations.

ArroyoFest Starts Spreading the Word - Representatives from the ArroyoFest effort have made presentations to a number of community groups over the past two months, spreading the word about the project and asking for volunteers.  Recent presentations have included the Mt. Washington Association, Northeast Democrats, Montecito Heights Improvement Association, Coalition of Historical Societies of Southern California, All Saints Episcopal Church Rector's Forum and the West Pasadena Residents Association Annual Meeting.  Let us know if you'd like a representative from ArroyoFest to speak to your group.

Fundraising Drive in Full Swing - The first money is the most difficult money to get....This expression has proved true in our case, though we now feel we have overcome this important hurdle.   To date, ArroyoFest has raised over $50,000 for the project, not including the substantial in-kind support provided by the Urban and Environmental Policy Institute at Occidental College.  Close to 30 sponsorship packets have been distributed to local businesses, agencies and corporations and we are working hard to follow up with the contacts that different people have provided.  Many thanks should go to Oralia Michel, who, through her public relations firm, has brought focus to the sponsorship drive.   If you know of a local business, corporation, agency or individual who might be interested in supporting ArroyoFest, let us know.  If you can help us by putting in a good word for the project, even better.  The more help we receive in raising funds, the bigger and better event, ArroyoFest can be.   We are working hard to raise an additional $25,000 by July 1st and hope an upcoming story in the Los Angeles Times will help to generate additional interest.

Mark Your Calendar ** Next Meeting ** - At the next meeting, we'll spend the first hour going over the event and answering questions.  The second hour will be spent going over the roles that you can play in helping to make the ArroyoFest a wonderful celebration.   

When:  Wednesday, July 17th
 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.   Information/Update Meeting
 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Volunteer Training

Where:  South Pasadena Public Library Community Room, 1115 El Centro Street, South Pasadena.  Entrance to the Community Room is on the opposite side of the building from the main library entrance.   

Directions:  From Los Angeles, take 110 to Orange Grove exit.  Turn right on Orange Grove to Mission.  Turn left on Mission to Fremont. Turn right on Fremont, one block to El Centro.  Turn right to get to the library.  From Pasadena/La Canada Flintridge, take Fair Oaks Ave into South Pasadena.  Turn right on El Centro.  Go straight across Fremont to the library.

Marcus Renner
Education and Outreach Coordinator
Urban and Environmental Policy Institute
Occidental College
1600 Campus Road
Los Angeles, CA 90041
(323) 341-5093
(323) 259-2734 FAX
mvrenner@oxy.edu


9.  REMAINING U.S. CEOs MAKE A BREAK FOR IT

Band of Roving Chief Executives Spotted Miles from Mexican Border
San Antonio, Texas (SatireWire.com)
 
Unwilling to wait for their eventual indictments, the 10,000 remaining CEOs of public U.S. companies made a break for it yesterday, heading for the Mexican border, plundering towns and villages along the way, and writing the entire rampage off as a marketing expense.
 
"They came into my home, made me pay for my own TV, then double-booked the revenues," said Rachel Sanchez of Las Cruces, just north of El Paso. "Right in front of my daughters."  Calling themselves the CEOnistas, the chief executives were first spotted last night along the Rio Grande River near Quemado, where they bought each of the town's 320 residents by borrowing against pension fund gains. By late this morning, the CEOnistas had arbitrarily inflated Quemado's population to 960, and declared a 200 percent profit for the fiscal second quarter.
 
This morning, the outlaws bought the city of Waco, transferred its underperforming areas to a private partnership, and sent a bill to California for $4.5 billion.
 
Law enforcement officials and disgruntled shareholders riding posse were noticeably frustrated. "First of all, they're very hard to find because they always stand behind their numbers, and the numbers keep shifting," said posse spokesman Dean Levitt. "And every time we yell 'Stop in the name of the shareholders!' they refer us to investor relations. I've been on the phone all damn morning." "YOU'LL NEVER AUDIT ME ALIVE!"  The pursuers said they have had some success, however, by preying on a common executive weakness. "Last night we caught about 24 of them by disguising one of our female officers as a CNBC anchor," said U.S. Border Patrol spokesperson Janet Lewis. "It was like moths to a flame."

Also, teams of agents have been using high-powered listening devices to scan the plains for telltale sounds of the CEOnistas. "Most of the time we just hear leaves rustling or cattle flicking their tails," said Lewis, "but occasionally we'll pick up someone saying, 'I was totally out of the loop on that.'" Among former and current CEOs apprehended with this method were Computer Associates' Sanjay Kumar, Adelphia's John Rigas, Enron's Ken Lay, Joseph Nacchio of Qwest, Joseph Berardino of Arthur Andersen, and every Global Crossing CEO since 1997. ImClone Systems' Sam Waksal and Dennis Kozlowski of Tyco were not allowed to join the CEOnistas as they have already been indicted.
 
So far, about 50 chief executives have been captured, including Martha Stewart, who was detained south of El Paso where she had cut through a barbed-wire fence at the Zaragosa border crossing off Highway 375. "She would have gotten away, but she was stopping motorists to ask for marzipan and food coloring so she could make edible snowman place settings, using the cut pieces of wire for the arms," said Border Patrol officer Jennette Cushing. "We put her in cell No. 7, because the morning sun really adds texture to the stucco walls."  While some stragglers are believed to have successfully crossed into Mexico, Cushing said the bulk of the CEOnistas have holed themselves up at the Alamo.  "No, not the fort, the car rental place at the airport," she said. "They're rotating all the tires on the minivans and accounting for each change as a sale."


10.  LETTERS AND E.MAILS

"Just letting you know of a change in our email address.  I know I've been sloppy about getting this change of address out to people, but I hope you'll make the correction on the newsletter.  By the way, I don't know how many people thank you for doing that service to Eagle Rock, but I want to be one of them. I think you do a
great job and I know it's a lot of work. Thanks."

-- Mike Woodward, Eagle Rock resident


"Great article from Salon.com about successful neighborhoods.  TERA has it exactly right!  (It's rather uncanny...)  Check it out...  Sent to me by Historic Preservation committee member Christi Lyon.

http://www.salon.com/books/int/2002/06/06/florida/index.html."

-- Michael Southard, Eagle Rock resident, TERA Board member, and TERA Historic Preservation Committee chair

 
"Just read your TERA Newsletter and am shocked by Andrew Garsten's report [regarding the Avenue 57 Specific Plan TOD].  I am e-mailing my petition to Councilmember Pacheco this morning to vote against the Reyes motion and to tell him my strong feelings against this measure.

You are familiar with Jill Stewart of the New Times Weekly, are you not?  [Yes, Ms. Stewart receives this e.letter.]  This story might be of interest to her.  What do you think?  [I hope she runs with it.]

Thanks again for all you have done and are continuing to do for our community.  Best --"

-- Gail Stanley, Eagle Rock resident and TERA member


"Dear Mayor Hahn,
 
As a resident of Eagle Rock in northeast LA, I never understood or sympathized with the Valley secession movement until witnessing the city Planning Department's abysmal stewardship of the Colorado Blvd. Specific Plan with regards to the imminent construction of a new Walgreen's store at the major intersection of Colorado and Eagle Rock Blvd.
 
In light of the the fact that the Planning Department clearly violated the spirit (as well as the letter) of a zoning ordinance in ruling for a developer in this matter and has ignored the public testimony of more than 2,000 signatures on petitions protesting this travesty of democracy, I would say the value of being a citizen of Los Angeles has just been devalued.
 
Anyone paying attention would conclude from this crisis that the city doesn't give a damn about the wishes of the homeowners of Eagle Rock. The proposed Walgreen's will be a critical setback in the 10-year grass roots movement to reverse strip mall and parking lot blight on our historic boulevard. If the city doesn't respond soon, I assure you a secession movement will start here as well. And I'll join it.  Sincerely --"

-- Sean Mitchell, Eagle Rock resident and TERA member


" Thank you [for adding my name to your list].  I look forward to reading the TERA e.letter."

-- Columba Rascon, Eagle Rock resident


"I am so sick of the city government of Los Angeles. It's always more like an adversarial relationship, rather than government 'service.'  Where do taxpaying citizens fit in the picture? Bottom rung. But don't let me get started . . ."

-- Randall Hall, Eagle Rock resident and TERA member


11.  QUOTE OF THE WEEK

". . . the world has moved away from the old 'organizational' era of corporations and homogeneity and into the 'creative' era, which is spearheaded by 38 million workers -- from scientists to IT workers to artists and writers -- with a variety of lifestyles and needs.

What that means for cities is that instead of 'underwriting big-box retailers, subsidizing downtown malls, recruiting call centers, and squandering precious taxpayer dollars on extravagant stadium complexes,' the leadership should instead develop an environment attractive to the creative class by cultivating the arts, music, night life and quaint historic districts -- in short, develop places that are fun and interesting rather than corporate and mall-like."

-- Christopher Dreher, author of an article on what makes cities thrive, "Be Creative -- Or Die," published in the June 6, 2002, issue of Salon magazine.  This information is pertinent to what's happening (in some cases), and what should be happening (in other cases), in our town of Eagle Rock.  You can access this article through Salon's Web site at http://www.salon.com/books/int/2002/06/06/florida/index.html.

Remember:  "Never dismiss the artists.  They are the ones that make things happen."


We welcome your comments.  Please include your name.

Please encourage interested friends to send their e.mail addresses to us at artburn@earthlink.net so we can keep them informed, too.

If you have changed your e.mail address or would like to be removed from this list, please contact artburn@earthlink.net.

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


Joanne Turner <artburn@earthlink.net>
President, The Eagle Rock Association (TERA)