Los Feliz Ledger Read by 100,000+ Residents and Business Owners in Los Feliz, Silver Lake, Vol 10. No. 2 August 2014 Atwater Village, Echo Park & Hollywood Hills More LaBonge [CD4 RACE] Staff Changes O’Grady Hopes By Allison B. Cohen 2nd Time’s The and Colin Stutz Charm GRIFFITH PARK—Los An- By Allison B. Cohen geles City Council District and Colin Stutz 4 Councilmember Tom La- Bonge’s Deputy of Griffith LOS FELIZ—Tomas O’Grady Park, Anne- is the newest candidate to en- Marie John- ter the increasingly crowded son, has re- race to represent Los Angeles signed her Council District 4 (CD4). post. He brings years of com- John- munity service and advocacy son will be with him, as well as a failed Shan Chao replaced by effort to gain the seat in 2011 longtime hiker and office new- against incumbent Tom La- comer Shan Chao. Bonge. Johnson leaves the district O’Grady, who lives on post she held for more than Edenhurst Avenue, is an Irish a year for job opportunities THAT’S “GOOOOOOALLLDDD!”—Los Angeles City Officials, the LA84 Foundation and former Olympiads announced July immigrant and the co-founder in her acting career. She said 28th, the start of a $10.5 million renovation of the 26-acre John Ferraro Soccer Fields in Griffith Park, the city’s largest soc- of the non-profit Enrich LA, she could balance her part- cer facility. The renovation will replace all seven severely worn dirt fields with synthetic grass, saving 10 million gallons which builds edible gardens of water annually, according to city estimates. Currently $3.5 million has been raised for the project, including $1 million time post at Council District each from the LA84 Foundation and the City of Los Angeles. About 100,000 youth and adults currently play annually at in schools throughout the Los 4 (CD4) for some time with the site, numbers, the city said should increase to 340,000. The announcement was made on the 30th anniversary of Angeles area. her acting, but now “things the start of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. 1984 Olympiads on hand for the announcement were diving champion Greg Next year, LaBonge will Louganis, 400-meter hurdling champion Edwin Moses, cycling silver medalist Nelson Vails and track and field’s Rafer be termed out of office. Coun- have really gotten quite busy Johnson who lit the Olympic flame that year at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum during opening ceremonies. Pictured and I didn’t want to not do my here are soccer enthusiasts from Atwater Village’s Chevy Chase Recreation Center Day Camp who came out to celebrate cil District 4 includes wide- best in both fields. So I elected the announcement. According to city estimates, more than 35,000 youth in local soccer programs live within minutes of spread neighborhoods that are the site. see LABONGE page 18 Photo: Allison B. Cohen see CD4 RACE page 21 Dr. Fleiss Remembered By New Art & Installations at Barnsdall: Locals and Daughter Heidi Graffiti And Homeless Staff and Family Hope to Continue His Practice By Ryan White, Ledger Contributing Writer By Bruce Haring, Ledger Contributing Writer HOLLYWOOD BLVD—Park has been com- regulars and advocates are ing to Barns- LOS FELIZ—Dr. Paul Fleiss voicing alarm over what they dall since the was a complicated man. He say are steadily deteriorating 1980s. Percival worked as a favored pediatri- conditions at Barnsdall Art said conditions cian to Hollywood stars, yet Park. have steadily felt compelled to work for free A surge in trash, home- worsened over for those less well off. less encampments, graffiti and the last few He was a well-known au- vandalism have been made years. thor who advocated against worse, they say, by the city’s “My main infant circumcision, was a lack of maintenance and lax concern is that champion of breast-feeding security. The city’s park stew- when I come and did not insist on child- ards, however, insist they’re up here, we’ve hood vaccinations for his pa- doing the best they can to care got a whole tients. for the grounds with limited crowd of peo- He plead guilty in 1995 to of California n 2007 for inad- resources. ple sleeping conspiracy and bank fraud in equate record-keeping. “I’ve been coming to this and damaging connection with a high-profile Yet in both legal circum- park all the time, because I the back there,” referring to book page called “Clean Up prostitution ring run by his stances, there was an over- only live three or four blocks areas where homeless congre- Barnsdall Art Park Trash and daughter, Heidi, now 48, and whelming outpouring of love away. I’ve seen this place go gate. Spirit,” and she has persistently was also investigated and sanc- and support from those who downhill,” said Thai Town Los Feliz resident Marlan lobbied the park’s manager to tioned by the Medical Board see FLEISS page 26 resident Carl Percival who Warren has organized a Face- see BARNSDALL page 17 Community News: Poisons Real Estate: “Flea’s” Los Feliz IHHS Senior: Top Female Debater Eastside Eye: Route 66 Rediscov- Arts & Entertainment: L.A. is Impacting Griffith Park Wildlife, Home on the Market, page 12 in the U.S., page 14 ered at the Autry, page 22 Rocking in August, page 26 losfelizledger.com Los Feliz Ledger [LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER] Former Los Angeles City currently considering follow- along the Los Angeles River Councilmember Richard ing suit, but thus far has not. will now have to pay a fee up Available at these locations: Alarcon, convicted in July of Insanity, given the city of- to $700 to cover the cost of city FOUNDED 2005 four felonies and possibly fac- ten “cries poor” relative to much planning department staff ex- LOS FELIZ Delivered the last Thursday of each month to 34,500 homes and ing six years in prison, will needed city services, such as penses (see page 13). Citibank 1965 Hillhurst Avenue businesses in the Los Feliz, still receive his $116,000 city clean up and security at Barn- The city also paid $1.75 Silver Lake, Atwater Village, Dresden Restaurant Echo Park and Hollywood Hills annual pension. Gov. Jerry sdall Art Park, which we cover million in legal fees recently 1760 N. Vermont Avenue Brown in 2012 signed a law re- on page 1. We also detail in this to three community groups communities. House of Pies quiring state public employees month’s addition that owners of who sued it over the Holly- 1869 N. Vermont PUBLISHER/EDITOR to forfeit their pensions if con- structures wishing to renovate wood Community Plan. An- Los Feliz Public Library Allison B. Cohen victed of a felony. The city is or developers wanting to build see LETTER page 3 1874 Hillhurst Avenue ADVERTISING SALES Los Feliz 3 Theaters Libby Butler-Gluck 1822 N. Vermont (323) 644-5536 Corrections & [email protected] GRAPHIC DESIGN Amplifications & LAYOUT In “Coyote Sightings on the Rise,” Tiffany Sims (July 2014), we indicated home- owners can switch to indoor com- Coffee posting, when we meant enclosed outdoor composting. Additionally, House City of Los Angeles Wildlife Special- ist Gregory Randall did not say “coexistence” with coyotes was essential. He said being educated ���������������� about coyotes was “key to positive ��� encounters with them.” Finally, Mr. Randall did not indicate trapping ������������� coyotes was a crime. He said wildlife programs do not endorse trapping ������������������ wildlife and agencies using snares or “body grippings” to do so is break- ing the law. We regret these errors. ��������� ����������������������� ��������������� �������������������� ���������� ���������� ���������������������� A SILVER LAKE LEGEND SINCE 1962 Delicious Mexican Food Happy Hour 3pm-7pm Every Day Weekend Brunch “Best Margaritas in Town with Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice” Beautiful Patios • Gorgeous Artwork 1920 Hyperion Avenue, Silver Lake Open Daily from 11 am 323-662-4255 www.casitadelcampo.net AVAILABLE FOR PRIVATE PARTIES Page 2 www.losfelizledger.com August 2014 Los Feliz Ledger [BUY local] FBI Raids Atwater Village Company “We trust that the author- By Ameera Butt, Ledger Contributing Writer ities will see that their efforts Alcove Café & Bakery Celebrates are misguided and presum- 10 Years ATWATER VILLAGE—The miller, a spokesperson for the ably sparked by a disgruntled By Kathy A. McDonald, Ledger Columnist Federal Bureau of Investiga- FBI in Los Angeles. former employee with an axe tion (FBI) raided a business in The business—Gentlecare to grind,” said Gentlecare at- early July investigating allega- Transport Inc., an ambulance torney Mark Geragos. tions of criminal activity. company located at 3539 Ca- Geragos has represented “The search warrant is un- sitas Ave.—had been under an high profile clients including der seal and it will stay under on-going investigation, accord- Congressman Gary Condit, seal as we have an ongoing ing to Eimiller who would not Roger Clinton and actress investigation,” said Laura Ei- provide specifics about the case. Winona Ryder, among others. HILLHURST AVENUE—The tine’s Day there’s a prom; and Alcove Café & Bakery is such during the warmer months, a local fixture and neighbor- there are outdoor screen- hood go-to spot for lunch, ings of classic films. Special dinner and creative desserts events and private dinners it’s hard to believe it has can be hosted in the restored, been open just 10 years. Even 1897-built back house, the harder to recall a time when oldest house in Los Feliz. To- the shaded front brick patio day, Alcove has 110 employees wasn’t there and packed with and Trellis is most grateful for an incredibly diverse set of pa- the community’s support.