Los Feliz Ledger Read by 100,000+ Residents and Business Owners in Los Feliz, Silver Lake, Vol 12. No. 5 November 2016 Atwater Village, Echo Park & Hollywood Hills Griffith Park Removed from Gatto Murder Still Unsolved Olympics Bid By Allison B. Cohen By Erin Hickey Ledger Contributing Writer SILVER LAKE—As the third anniversary of the murder of Despite being a key player Joseph Gatto nears, his sur- in early drafts of Los Angeles’s viving three children are es- 2024 Olympics bid, there are tranged and his daughter, currently no Olympic events Nicole—who is the executrix scheduled for Griffith Park if of his estate—has sued her the city wins the 2024 games brother California State As- over Paris and Budapest. semblymember Mike Gatto According to Jeff Millman over his belief that their father with Los Angeles Mayor Eric informally bequeathed to him Garcetti’s LA an expensive one-of-a kind 2024 Bid Com- cradle that has been in the mittee (LA24), Gatto family for 40 years. the non-profit According to court docu- organization ments filed by Nicole in July, spearheading her father’s 2009 will indicates Gerry Hans the city’s Olym- the crib—estimated today at of Friends of pics bid, the or- Griffith Park a worth between $55,000 and ganization still $60,000—was to be sold on hopes to feature the park— the occasion of his death. which he called an “iconic However, in a book pub- jewel” of the city—during the The Gatto family is pictured here about 10 years ago on the occasion of Joseph’s retirement from teaching at Los An- lished in 2016 on the cradle’s games, though he did not spec- geles County High School for the Arts. Left to right: Nicole, Mariann, Mike, Mariann’s son Damien and Joseph. Source: designer, Sam Maloof, Mike ify in what capacity. Facebook. was quoted as saying: “My lit- see OLYMPICS page 8 see GATTO page 9 Could Visitors Center Solve Judge Rules in Favor of Old Zoo Performance Stage Hollywood Sign Tourism Woes? By Allison B. Cohen By Andrew Murphy Davis, Ledger Contributing Writer A Los Angeles Superior Court judge ruled in favor of the city of Los Angeles in Oc- tober clearing the way for a permanent performance stage to be built in the Old Zoo area of Griffith Park. Friends of Griffith Park, a non profit organization that advocates for the protection of the 4,200 acre park, and the Griffith J. Griffith Charitable Trust sued the city in 2014 after the Los Angeles City Council voted to build the view of its potential impact on remains—were identified by stage, which primarily will be the area’s “historic, aesthetic, the city as historic in its iden- used by Los Feliz based Sym- biological and recreational re- tification of Griffith Park as a phony in the Glen and the In- sources” due to increased pub- historic, cultural monument. The official Los Angeles Visitor Center in Hollywood at Hollywood and Highland Center. dependent Shakespeare Co. lic use, lighting and sound. Additionally, a report pre- The lawsuit alleged that The area in question was pared by Friends of Griffith the city approved the project, used as the city’s zoo from Park indicated the area was A Hollywood visitors cen- geles annually has seemed like an open-air stage with a cano- 1912 to 1966 and its infra- “teeming with multiple species ter for the estimated 45 mil- a no-brainer for years to most py on a grassy meadow, with- structure—seven animal of nesting birds and bats,” as lion tourists that visit Los An- see SIGN page 26 out a proper environmental re- grottos and five cages, which see ZOO page 24 Politics: Community News: Roger Community News: Community News: School News: City approves $800,000 to study Corman’s legacy gets “cemented” La Kretz bridge over budget again, LFNC requests more crosswalks, Judge to rule on potential Disney feral cats, page 13 at the Vista, page 20 page 23 page 27 v. Camelot settlement, page 29 Los Feliz Ledger [ LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER ] An increas- able nuance, such as a source’s drawing unnecessary and em- ingly com- tone of voice when speaking, barrassing attention to an oth- FOUNDED 2005 Available at these locations: mon re- email can make an otherwise erwise innocuous mistake. Delivered the last Thursday of Atwater Library sponse my painless clarification process Additionally, email inter- each month to 34,500 homes and 3379 Glendale Blvd. businesses in the Los Feliz, reporters an all-out ordeal. views make for bland writing. Bruce Q’s Barbershop & Salon and I have encountered when Several times when speak- When having a conversation Silver Lake, Atwater Village, 3013 W. Los Feliz Blvd. calling city officials to ask for ing with sources, I’ve had to in person or on the phone, Echo Park and Hollywood Hills Casita del Campo communities. comment on a story is, “Email ask a simple question, such as, topics have room to evolve or- 1920 Hyperion Ave Citibank your questions, and we’ll get “Who is the ‘they’ you are re- ganically, branching off into 1933 Hillhurst Ave. 1965 Hillhurst Avenue back to you.” ferring to when you say, ‘They deeper follow-up questions Los Angeles, CA 90027 Courtney + Kurt Real Estate Email interviews are approved the project?’” that often produce far more (323) 741-0019 3167 Glendale Blvd. Dresden Restaurant against the Ledger’s policy, What would have been a insightful answers than the PUBLISHER/EDITOR 1760 N. Vermont Avenue and considered poor journal- quick and easy answer over the pre-approved one-sentence re- Allison B. Cohen House of Pies 1869 N. Vermont istic practice for a number of phone is significantly delayed by sponses commonly returned ASSISTANT EDITORS Los Feliz Public Library Sheila Lane reasons, the loftiest of which is email—especially when dealing via email. 1874 Hillhurst Avenue that they impede a journalist’s with the bureaucracy of city or- Hillary Clinton’s emails Erin Hickey Los Feliz 3 Theaters pursuit of truth and account- ganizations—sometimes going continue to be a thorn in her ADVERTISING SALES 1822 N. Vermont ability by allowing public of- unanswered entirely. presidential campaign, and Libby Butler-Gluck Muddy Paws Coffee 323-644-5536 3320 Sunset Blvd. ficials to curate their respons- Often punctuation or spell- I have a feeling that scandal [email protected] Newsstand es to some questions, while ing errors are made via email, may soon lead other public fig- Vermont and Melbourne GRAPHIC DESIGN & LAYOUT dodging others entirely. which we must then correct in ures to reconsider their stance Palermo Tiffany Sims 1858 N. Vermont Aside from missing valu- brackets, or indicate as “[sic],” on interviews. Silver Lake Chamber of Commerce For more stories 1724 W. Silver Lake Drive Skylight Books and updates: 1818 N. Vermont November Community Meetings LosFelizLedger.com The Village Bakery and Café 3119 Los Feliz Blvd. Atwater Village Neighborhood Council Governing Board November 10th at 7 p.m. 3852 Edenhurst Avenue East Hollywood Neighborhood Council OD • ART • MUSI FO C Governing Board November 21st at 6:30 p.m. 1559 North Kenmore Avenue Los Feliz Neighborhood Council Governing Board Daily November 15th at 7:30 p.m. Happy Hour 4607 Prospect Avenue 3pm-7pm Silver Lake Neighborhood Council Governing Board November 2nd at 7 p.m. 2828 Herkimer Street Gorgeous 20% Off* with this Ad Garden Patio A SILVER LAKE CLASSIC SINCE 1962 St. Vincent de Paul’s Delicious Authentic 54,000 square-foot thrift store Mexican Cuisine “Best Handmade Margaritas offers clothing, shoes, furniture, with Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice housewares and appliances. in Silver Lake” * mattresses and cars are excluded. Expires 1/1/17 — no photocopies — not to be used with other promotions. 1920 Hyperion Avenue, Silver Lake Open Daily from 11 am 210 N. Avenue 21, 323-662-4255 Los Angeles, CA 90031 www.casitadelcampo.net www.svdpla.org coupon code 122 AVAILABLE FOR PRIVATE PARTIES Page 2 www.losfelizledger.com November 2016 Los Feliz Ledger [STREET LEVEL] Mulholland Fountain Damaged November Ballot: by Drought Many Need to Still Study the Issues By Erin Hickey, Ledger Contributing Writer By Michael Darling, Ledger Contributing Writer This year there are 17 statewide propositions on the November ballot ranging on issues includ- ing the death penalty, bilingual education and marijuana legalization. Are any of the propositions particularly important to you? Why or why not? “I haven’t done “I’ve been see- “I guess there’s my research, so ing things one about get- I don’t know about Prop. 51, ting rid of plas- about all of which I think tic bags that has them. I know is about educa- some loopholes there’s some- tion, but I need in it, but really thing about the homeless and to do more research.” – the thing we need to do is ban one about marijuana legaliza- Meghan F., outside Sky- ‘em all.” – Anthony C, out- tion, but I need to do more re- light Books on Vermont side Good Greek Grill on search.” – Jake R., outside Avenue. Vermont Ave. (There are two Skylight Books on Vermont propositions that deal with plas- Avenue. (The homeless initia- “Of course, you tic bags. One, Prop. 67, upholds The Mulholland Fountain, pictured here in 2014, before the city reduced its op- tive is Proposition HHH, a City have to be the current law banning the sale eration due to the drought. Photo: Allison B. Cohen. of Los Angeles municipal propo- aware of what’s of single-use plastic bags by gro- sition.) important in cery stores and certain retailers.