epian ways october-november 2005

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On an overcast Saturday morn- ing in September the melodies of Mozart and Haydn floated across the fading lotus flowers that still cover the northwest corner of Echo Park Lake. The three violinists and one cellist who comprise the Hol- liston String Quartet were the opening performers at the first Echo Park Music Fes- tival. The two men and two women played half a dozen selections, ending with a jaunty Scott Joplin rag that had their audi- ence applauding enthusi- astically. Over the weekend nearly two dozen acts fol- lowed the string quartet. There was something for everyone, from the Obser- vatory Orchestra Brass Quintet to rapper Nathan Nice or reggae artist Robert Berryman and the Nomads. Sev- eral of the performers live   and play   in Echo Park. Audience re- sponse was better for some acts than others and, this being Echo Park, there were differences of opinion. One listener later posted email criticizing a rap act‘s lan- guage while another hearer claimed to get into his poetry… and art! Stretched out on the grass, lanky 42-year-old Echo Park resi- dent and musician Varoujan VJ‘ Nalbandian was not only part of the audience but also the visionary who brought the festival to life in the face of a discouraging bu- reaucracy. When Nalbandian first approached the Parks Department last year he was told that music was not allowed in the park be- cause people in Echo Park don‘t care for the noise, nor for the extra trash generated. Undeterred, Nal- bandian circulated a petition that 300 people signed within a week. With this encouragement he was able to get the support of the Greater Echo Park Elysian Neighborhood Council and other local groups. The next hurdle was the date   his first choice clashed with a Cuban festival   and then the fee, which the Parks Commis- sion eventually reduced. Nalbandian sounded very satis- fied with the music festival. He said, I thought it was great! Not crowded   people were on blan- kets with picnics. Attendance was great for a first-time event….I defi- nitely want to do it again! This is the first time Nalbandian has done something like this, although his musical career began very early. In what he calls the carefully controlled environment‘ of communist Rumania, he trained as a violinist from the age of five and toured as a classical concert player at 11 years old. Now a stu- dio musician who works with Jerry Lee Lewis, Jim Seal, and John Morris among others, Nalbandian has lived in Echo Park for seven years. Festival-goers were asked to donate items for Hurricane Katrina victims, as well as enjoy listening to music. Food went to the Red Cross while the clothing collected went to other charitable organiza- tions. Nalbandian is already looking forward to next year‘s event. He says, It‘ll be bigger and better!To help or perform, log on to www.echoparkmusicfestival.com. Echo Park Improvement Association  Meets at 7 p.m. the 1st Thursday of each Month in Williams Hall at Barlow Hospital 2000 Stadium Way in Elysian Park ALL WE WANT IS MUSIC, MUSIC, MUSIC! Echo Park’s 1 st Music Festival by Susan Borden

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On an overcast Saturday morn-ing in September the melodies ofMozart and Haydn floated acrossthe fading lotus flowers that stillcover the northwest corner of EchoPark Lake. The three violinists andone cellist who comprise the Hol-liston String Quartet were theopening performers at the

first Echo Park Music Fes-tival. The two men andtwo women played half adozen selections, endingwith a jaunty Scott Joplinrag that had their audi-ence applauding enthusi-astically.

Over the weekendnearly two dozen acts fol-lowed the string quartet.There was something foreveryone, from the Obser-vatory Orchestra BrassQuintet to rapper NathanNice or reggae artist RobertBerryman and the Nomads. Sev-eral of the performers live  –  andplay  –  in Echo Park. Audience re-sponse was better for some actsthan others and, this being EchoPark, there were differences ofopinion. One listener later postedemail criticizing a rap act‘s lan-guage while another hearer

claimed to get ―into his poetry…and art‖! 

Stretched out on the grass,lanky 42-year-old Echo Park resi-

dent and musician Varoujan ‗VJ‘Nalbandian was not only part ofthe audience but also the visionarywho brought the festival to life inthe face of a discouraging bu-reaucracy. When Nalbandian firstapproached the Parks Departmentlast year he was told that music

was not allowed in the park be-cause people in Echo Park don‘tcare for the noise, nor for the extratrash generated. Undeterred, Nal-bandian circulated a petition that300 people signed within a week.With this encouragement he wasable to get the support of theGreater Echo Park ElysianNeighborhood Council and other

local groups. The next hurdle wasthe date  – his first choice clashedwith a Cuban festival  –  and thenthe fee, which the Parks Commis-

sion eventually reduced.

Nalbandian sounded very satis-fied with the music festival. Hesaid, ―I thought it was great! Notcrowded  –  people were on blan-kets with picnics. Attendance wasgreat for a first-time event….I defi-nitely want to do it again‖! This is

the first time Nalbandian

has done something likethis, although his musicalcareer began very early. Inwhat he calls the ‗carefullycontrolled environment‘ ofcommunist Rumania, hetrained as a violinist fromthe age of five and touredas a classical concert playerat 11 years old. Now a stu-dio musician who workswith Jerry Lee Lewis, JimSeal, and John Morrisamong others, Nalbandianhas lived in Echo Park for

seven years.

Festival-goers were asked todonate items for Hurricane Katrinavictims, as well as enjoy listeningto music. Food went to the RedCross while the clothing collectedwent to other charitable organiza-tions.

Nalbandian is already lookingforward to next year‘s event. He

says, ―It‘ll be bigger and better!‖To help or perform, log on towww.echoparkmusicfestival.com. 

Echo Park Improvement Association 

Meets at 7 p.m. the 1st Thursday of each Month

in Williams Hall at Barlow Hospital 2000 Stadium Way in Elysian Park

ALL WE WANT IS MUSIC, MUSIC, MUSIC!Echo Park’s 1

st Music Festivalby Susan Borden

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  October-November 2005

 

NEWSLETTER CREDITS 

EDITORS:

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girl’s teen yoga 

Pilates

The Craftsman-style mansions and historic apartment houses surrounding Echo Park Lake willserve as the dramatic backdrop for the 2005 Historic Echo Park Home Tour on Saturday, Nov. 12.

This year‘s tour, whose theme is ―Lakeside Living: Life Along the Urban Shore,‖ will feature thepanoramic hills and bustling commercial district that surrounds Echo Park Lake, which this year

celebrates its 110th Anniversary. The nineproperties on the self-guided tour feature a wide-range of styles and, in many cases, offerbreathtaking views of the lake and park that servesas the historic heart of the neighborhood.The homes on the third-annual tour and fundraiserrange from a pair of nearly century old Craftsman-style mansions designed by architect Arthur Benton

to a romantic Spanish Colonial cottage as well as a1970s, post-modern residence perched above EchoPark Lake. The tour will also open a major historiclandmark to the public, the renovated apartmentsof Jensen's Recreation Center.

(Continued on page 4)

Lakeside Living: 2005 Historic Echo Park Home TourLife Along the Urban Shore

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1911 SUNSET BOULEVARDLOS ANGELES, CA 90026

(213) 484-1265

Lakeside Living: Life Along the Urban Shore 

The event aims to promote our neighborhood‘spast and encourage preservation and restoration.Some of the homes retain their original character,

while others have been restored in a variety of waysthat meld the historic details and contemporary flair.

Ticket Information & DetailsThe homes on this self-guided tour will be open to

the public from 11 am to 4 pm on Saturday, Nov. 12.Admission is $12 for tickets purchased in advance or$15 on the day of the event. Proceeds from the hometour are used to help finance the society‘s year-around education and preservation programs andbasic operations.

Ticket order forms can be downloaded from theHome Tour section of www.HistoricEchoPark.org orcan be mailed upon request by calling (323) 860-

8874. Tickets, home tour programs, maps and otherinformation will be available on the day of the tour atWilliams Hall, 2000 Stadium Way near Scott Avenue.

Last year, the Historic Echo Park Home Tourattracted more than 500 people from across SouthernCalifornia. The tour was the subject of a 30-minutelong program television program featuring KCET

personality Huell Howser.This year‘s tour, co-chaired by Mary-Austin Klein

and Holly Hampton, is a major undertaking andinvolves a large number of volunteers to perform avariety of tasks. Volunteers will receive free admission

to the tour.Please volunteer by calling us (323) 860-8874 orby sending e-mail to [email protected].

(Continued from page 3)

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THIS SPACE ISWAITING for

YOUR AD 

Call the EPIA (323) 882-4835 for Info

To celebrate National Respiratory Care Week,

Barlow Respiratory Hospital will host its 3rd AnnualRespiratory Health Fair on Saturday, October 22.

This free event will offer free flu shots, health

screenings and seminars that aim to raise awareness

of the importance of

respiratory health in

our daily lives.

Many do not

realize they could

have a serious lung

disease yet show no

symptoms.

Respiratory diseaseis the 4th leading

cause of death, and

countless people

suffer from a breathing disorder and don‘t know it.

This unique event will feature free respiratory health

screenings that can provide early detection of

breathing disorders.

―Breathing is fundamental to our health and well-

being, but people don‘t think about it much,‖ said Dr.

David Nelson, Barlow Respiratory Hospital‘s Medical

Director. ―For those who do think about their

breathing, whether it be because they have asthma,live with a smoker, or struggle with respiratory illness,

they often do not realize there is more they can do to

better manage their respiratory health.‖ 

A variety of screenings will be available to measure

lung capacity, blood oxygen and blood sugar levels,

cholesterol and much more. Also, just in time for

cold and flu season, free flu shots will be provided to

the first 250 people. Attendees can also attend

seminars and visit exhibits led by respiratory experts

about managing asthma, avoiding allergies,strengthening their breathing, stress management,

smoking cessation and COPD, among other hot

topics.

―At Barlow, we deal

with some of the most

critical respiratory

health cases,‖ said

Margaret Crane, CEO

of the not-for-profit

hospital in operation

since 1902. ―This

health fair is abouteducation and

prevention and is part

of our commitment to

help Southern California breathe easier.‖ 

Hosted by Barlow Respiratory Hospital, and

supported by Council members Ed Reyes and Eric

Garcetti and local health agencies, the fair will be

held from 10:00a.m. to 3:00p.m. on Barlow‘s hospital

campus at 2000 Stadium Way in Los Angeles  – next

door to Dodger Stadium. Parking is free.

For fair information, visit www.barlow2000.org/fair 

or call 213-202-6445.The only one of its kind on the West Coast, Barlow 

Respiratory Hospital ( www.barlow2000.org ) provides care for the critically ill. Among its distinctions, Barlow is known in themedical community for successfully weaning ventilator-dependent patients when the general health system can do nomore. Serving Southern California since 1902, the specialty respiratory hospital works in partnership with 100 regionalhospitals, which refer patients to Barlow based on its expertisein respiratory and other critical illnesses.

FAIR CELEBRATES NATIONAL RESPIRATORY HEALTH WEEKPrevention and Early Detection are Key

barlow

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ECHO PARK CALENDAR

Event  Date  Location  Comments 

EPIA Meetings  1

st

Thursday, 7:00 pm Nov. meeting canceled Dec. 1 - Holiday Celebration – Potluck and gift for CCAC 

Williams Hall at Barlow Hos-pital, 2000 Stadium Way inElysian Park 

Call EPIA message phone for ad-ditional information. Dec. meetingis Holiday Potluck. Bring a gift for a CCAC child. 

EPIA SteeringCommittee Meetings 

2nd

Monday, 7:15 pm Oct 17*, Nov 14* 3rd Monday-exception 

Call (323) 882-4835 for loca-tion 

Take an active part in EPIA. Jointhe Steering Committee 

Community Safety Meeting 

2nd

Thursday, 3 pm, each month 

LAPD Stop-In Center, EchoPark Avenue and SunsetBoulevard 

Hosted by Echo Park SecurityAssociation. Call (323)666-3228for more info 

Citizens Commit-tee to Save Ely-sian Park 

1st

Wednesday,7:30 pm Nov 2, Dec 7 

Williams Hall at Barlow Hos-pital, 2000 Stadium Way inElysian Park 

Call 213-666-9651 for meetinglocation 

Greater EchoPark ElysianNeighborhoodCouncil Meeting 

4

th

Tuesday, 7 pm Oct. 25, Nov. 22  Logan Street School Audito-rium, 1711 W. Logan Street  Call (213) 413-3196 for info or visit www.GEPENC.org 

Edendale LibraryFriends Society 

>=> ELFS <=< 

2nd

Wednesday, 7 pm Oct. 12, Nov 9 

Edendale Branch Library2011 W. Sunset Boulevardin the Community room 

Join the library’s support groupand find out how you can helpyour neighborhood’s branch. Newmembers always welcome. 

DeadlineDecember  EPIAn ways 

Friday, November 18  Send submissions to EPIA, Attn:EPIAn Ways Editor  

SPECIAL EVENTS

Edendale Library

Giant Used BookSale 

Saturday, October 8 

10:30 a.m. – 3 pm 

Edendale Library

Community Room 

Barlow HospitalRespiratory HealthFair  

Saturday, October 22  2000 Stadium Way inElysian Park 

For fair information, visitwww.barlow2000.org/fair  or call213-202-6445. 

GEPENCCandidate Forum

Tuesday, October 25, 7 pm Logan Street SchoolAuditorium

Come meet the Candidates for GEPENC positions at theGEPENC monthly meeting

GEPENC Election  Saturday, October 29 10 am — 3 pm 

Logan Street School,1711W. Montana Ave 

Call (213) 413-3196 for info or visitWWW.GEPENC.ORG 

2005 Historic EchoPark Home Tour  

Saturday, Nov. 12 11 am to 4 pm 

Ticket order forms can be downloaded from the Home Tour section of www.HistoricEchoPark.org or can be mailed uponrequest by calling (323) 860-8874. 

CandidatesForum, for 45thAssembly Seat 

Saturday, Nov 19 5 pm 

Echo Park RecreationalCenter, 1632 Bellevue Ave 

Echo Park LibraryBook Sale 

Saturday November 12 10 am –5 pm 

Echo Park Library 1410 W. Temple Street 

Echo Park HolidayParade 

Dec. 10  Sunset Blvd.  Volunteer to help with VIPreception by leaving your name &number on the EPIA hotline. 

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Movies at the Library

The Echo Park Library has begun to show movies.

The movies are shown in the afternoon on Saturdaysat 4:00pm. Ms. Nadine Flores, the Adult Librarian, isresponsible for showing these movies. The first movieexhibited, on Saturday July 30, was Gaslight, withIngrid Berman and Claude Raines. A mystery movie,which was enjoyed by all present.

The second movie, a comedy titled Guantanamera,a Spanish film with English subtitles, was set in thebeautiful country side in Cuba. It was a funny,charming, and enjoyed by all in attendance.

The last movie shown was La Dama de LasCamillas (The Lady of the Camillas) with MexicanActress Maria Felix, in the leading role. Although the

film was in Spanish, it was well attened.In addition, to the viewing of good movies,

refreshments are also served to those in attendance,(talk about no eating at the library). Ms. Flores, ispleased with the attendance at these showings andwelcomes suggestions as to films the public wouldlike to see, and other events for adults as well. Thusthe staff extends an invitation to everyone to comeand enjoy a movie. It is a good way to relax in a cooldark ample room, eating and watching fun movies.So, we hope to see you at the movies.

BOOKSALE on Saturday, November 12

The Volunteers of the Echo Park Library, will behaving a book sale on Saturday November 12 from

10:00-5:00, at the library 1410 W. Temple Street.We will be selling interesting and exciting books,

and all proceeds go towards expenditures the libraryincurs, which are not covered by the City. With thecurrent City Budget, libraries have been hit hard andso every little bit that can be raised is a big help.

The volunteers look forward to seeing you. Withyour participation, we will accomplish our goal ofraising funds for our Library.

ECHO P ARK LIBRARY H APPENINGS Library Hours 

Mondays 10:00 am - 8:00 pm

Tuesdays 12:00 pm - 8:00 pmWednesdays 10:00 am - 8:00 pmThursdays 12:00 pm - 8:00 pmFridays 10:00 am - 6:00 pmSaturdays 10:00 am - 6:00 pmSundays CLOSED 

Library Address Echo Park Branch Library1410 W. Temple StreetLos Angeles CA 90026Phone213.250.7808

FAX 213.250.3744 World Wide Web Address

http://www.lapl.org24 Hour Renewal: 888-577-LAPL 

The August/September issue of the EPIAn Ways failed to mention the presence of the Echo Park Library atthe Lotus Festival. The Echo Park Library was well represented on both days by Ms. Sally Chuah, HeadLibrarian, Jennie Zambrano, Children‘s Librarian and the volunteers of the Echo Park Library 

The volunteers helped Judy Donavan, Head Librarian at Edendale, set up and put away the booth. Theysuccessfully promoted both libraries, Echo Park and Edendale, mentioning the various programs offered atboth libraries. One of the results of the hard work was the great turnout for the Music Recital at the Edendalebranch the following weekend.

The Echo Park Library volunteers enjoyed their hard work at the festival and are, and will always be,involved in community events.

The EPIA will once again be acting as hosts for the Echo Park Holiday Parade VIP reception before the parade.This is an opportunity for our members to be of additional service to the community. If you would like to take partin this event, please let us know by leaving your name and phone number on the EPIA hotline — (323) 882-4835.

Echo Park Library Really Participates at Lotus Festivalletter to the editor by Margarita Fernandez, epVolunteer Co-ordinator  

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The Edendale Library will be screening the EchoPark Film Center's Student film "City of Angeles"

all day (continuous loop) on Saturday October 15thin the Community Room. We hope to invite some ofthe students to drop by and talk about their work.The student Q & A session will be from 4 pm to 5pm  — with a little reception. The Echo Park FilmCenter will be donating two copies of the film onDVD to the Library!

(The audio visual equip. we will be using wasprovided to the library by our own GEPENC District2 and 3!)

A few more ELFS sponsored Edendale Libraryevents coming up in October and November:

Saturday - October 8th - Giant Used Book Sale -10:30am to 3:00pm in the Community Room.Friday November. 18th & Saturday November 19th- Silver Lake Artist Collective Art Show - all day in theCommunity Room.

Saturday November 19th - Solo music performance

by Karoush Zolani in the main Library - Time TBA.

EDENDALE LIBRARY H APPENINGS Library Hours Mondays 12:30 pm – 8:00 pm

Tuesdays 12:30 pm – 5:30 pmWednesdays 12:30 pm – 8:00 pmThursdays 12:30 pm – 5:30 pmFridays 10:00 am – 5:30 pmSaturdays 10:00 am – 5:30 pmSundays CLOSED 

Library Address 

Edendale Branch Library2011 W. Sunset Boulevard

Los Angeles, CA 90026Phone (213) 207-3000

FAX (213) 207-3097 24 Hour Renewal: 888-577-LAPL 

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For more information about our 24 - hour alarm response service, call us today.

Select Patrol  A superior level of service since 1984

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  October-November 2005

Saturday

SpecialTypicalHaitian

Food

Mon — Sat

11 am — 7 pmSundays — Group of 10or more byReservation Wood Burning Rotisserie

309 N. Glendale BlvdLos Angeles, CA 90026

www.tigeorgeschicken.comEmail: [email protected] 

Podiatric Medicine and Surgery

ELISABETH S. YOUN, D.P.M.

City of Angels Medical Center 1711 W. Temple St #5606Los Angeles, CA 90026Tel. (213) 483-6563Fax (213) 989=6159

ProcCare Medical Center, Inc.4515 Eagle Rock Blvd #133CLos Angeles, CA 90041Tel (213) 483-6563Fax (323 259=8835

At 9:00 a.m. on a sunny August morning, fourteen bird-ers – ten from Echo Park, one from England, and three fromother parts of Los Angeles  – began a two hour walk aroundEcho Park Lake that was part social hour and part bird iden-tification.

―This walk was billed as a fun walk and it lived up to itsname,‖ said Judy Raskin, an Echo Park resident and longtime birder. ―The idea was to introduce birding to peoplewho had never done it. Ten of the walkers were newcomersand they all seemed to enjoy the event.‖ 

Serious birders usually start out at 7:00 a.m. or so,when the birds are feeding, because there are more of themto see. ―Starting out later meant we would see fewer species but have more time to chat.‖ 

Among the birds spotted that day were Mallards, American coots, green herons, Brewer‘s blackbird, yel-

low-tailed parakeets, great tailed grackles, western gulls, rock pigeons, starlings, house finches, and the ma-jor thrill for the day, two Caspian terns.

―The last time we recorded Caspian terns at the lake was during the 2003 Christmas Bird Walk. They arereally something to see – about as large as gulls but with a wingspan that goes to 50 inches. They have thickred bills and a black cap on their heads. They fly over the water, hover for a while, then dive straight down tocatch a fish. It‘s really quite a sight,‖ Judy added. 

SUMMER LAKE WALK SCORES WITH BIRDERS by Judy Raskin

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Ding Dong school is in. Our biggest track of kidshas gone back to school. They still come to thecenter but now are involved with their homework

and assignments. Eagerly and sometimes not soeagerly they are working hard to comprehend theirnew classes.

This new track will take over the Red Shirt SunsetProject. So you might see the red shirt kids withdifferent faces. When you see them along Sunset,give them a heads up, as they like to be noticed for

their hard work.We are having our first Rummage sale for this

track. Hopefully they will make enough money to gobowling and the movies. The kids have not decidedon a big trip as of yet but I am sure on will beplanned.

Camping seems to be the activity of choicearound here. Sam has become our resident chefsince Paul Meza left. I hear he makes some goodpancakes and sausage. I know he makes goodsandwiches (he brings me back one). It seems thatthe last time the kids went camping, Sam andMiguel made their own slide. They bought somerealllly big plastic sheets, put them on a hill, andran water over the sheets to make a gigantic slide.

Check the picture out.

Our Capoeria class is still being held onTuesdays. If you still do not know what Capoeria is,please feel to come and be a spectator. We hope

with the help of our instructor, Rhonda Walker, toput on a performance by Thanksgiving. Even if wedon‘t make it to the performance stage, we will have

been providing all participants with great exerciseand stretching.

Did you ever go on all the roller coasters andwater rides at Knottsberry Farm? Well if you wantan experience of your life, go with our kids. We willprobably make arrangements to go to the HauntedHouse and/or Haunted Houses. Anyone know ofsome haunted places we can go?

It is getting to be the haunting time of the year. Yes, I have

seen Captain Rollo flying around the center late in the day. I

feel I may have scared the dickens out of some of our newer 

kids.

Central City Action by Gloria 

Richard takes a cool Summer slide.

A Candidates Forum, for the 45th Assembly Seat, will be held on Saturday, November 19, 2005,5:00pm., at the Echo Park Recreational Center, 1632 Bellevue Ave.

You are invited to attend and decide which candidate will get your vote. The candidates who havesaid, yes, they will participate in the Forum are: Gabriel Buelna, Christine Chavez, Devin de Leon andElena Popp. Christopher Arrellano, the fifth candidate, has not yet responded to his invitation.

It will be an interesting forum which will enable everyone to learn where the candidates stand on theissues that will be facing them once the victorious candidate goes to Sacramento. With your participa-tion, the candidates will be on their toes to see how many voters they will be able to swing to their cor-ner.

We look forward to seeing you at the Forum Saturday November 19, 1005, at 5:00pm,

45th District Candidate Forum

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Seasons change, temperatures cool, and onceagain Echo Park is back in the media  – not once but

a few times, thanks to a devastating hurricane, an

old house and the occasional celebrity. It seems like

you can’t change the channel or pick up the paper

without seeing our neighborhood.First up was the Dream Center, the Evangelical

outfit housed in the old Queen of the AngelesHospital, which stepped forward to provide food andshelter for scores who were forced out of NewOrleans by Hurricane Katrina. As you may recall, theDream Center, perched above the 101 Freeway, hada holy merger with the Angelus Temple a few years

back.THEN THERE WAS HURRICANE FRANCES, as in

the actress Frances Conroy, who told the Los AngelesTimes about her dismay over seeing graffiti on thegarage doors of her Echo Park compound. The LATimes writer concluded that Conroy, who appearedon the television show ―Six Feet Under,‖ was keepin‘it real by exercising at the downtown Y and dining inLittle Tokyo.

THINGS GOT EVEN WEIRDER on the cablechannel TLC, where a one-hour episode of ―Property

Ladder‖ portrayed an Echo Park resident strugglingto fix and flip a Bellevue Avenue cottage in AngelenoHeights.

While the show and the owner seemed to confusethe Angeleno Heights preservation board with theEcho Park Historical Society, it definitely capturedthe anxiety and general disarray that come withremodeling a kitchen, bathroom, and well, just about

every other room in the house. Days after the showaired, a ―Sold‖ sign was added to the sign outside theturn-of-the-century cottage.

***The school board is scheduled to meet on October

11 to decide whether to press ahead with its poorlyplanned elementary school on Alvarado Street justsouth of Sunset Boulevard.

Those who live on the site  –  most of whom fearthey‘ll never again be able to afford Echo Park oncethey‘re forced out –   still can‘t figure out why thedistrict won‘t build on a location with less homes –  like the block that will soon be vacated by the LAPD‘sRampart Station, which is moving from TempleStreet to Westlake.

NOT ALWAYS SO GOOD AT MATH, the LosAngeles Unified School District has had a troubleaccurately reporting the number of homes that wouldbe demolished (they said 38 last year; now its 55), letalone the dwindling enrollment numbers.

Employees of Logan Elementary School reportedlast month that enrollment at the start of the school

year stood at 920, a drop of more than 100 over lastyear and a decline of 350 since 2001. Despite thosetrends, the district wants to build the school for 875students on the west side of Alvarado, even thoughchildren on the east side of Alvarado are in theenrollment boundaries of the rapidly shrinking Logan.

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WILL ECHO PARK ONCE AGAIN have a trueChamber of Commerce? That‘s the question on

merchants‘ minds now that a group of businessowners got together to discuss their common needs

and wants.

AND FINALLY, one of Echo Park‘s stalwartvolunteers, Rosie Betanzos, had a tough summerhealth-wise, making a trip to the hospital in Augustthat put her out of commission for a few weeks. Sendyour warm thoughts to Rosie, who gives much of hertime raising money for the Edendale Branch Library.

Opinions expressed in this newsletter are those of the writers 

and do not necessarily reflect the position of the Echo Park 

Improvement Association 

LOTUS PAD NOTES NEWS AND ITEMS OF INTEREST FROM ECHO PARK & ANGELINO HEIGHTS  by E.P. Lagoso