CITIZEN'S ALERT!!!: Sunland-Tujunga "NO Home Depot" Supporters Needed TODAY @ 4:30PM!!!
From: joe barrett Date: Sun, Aug 24, 2008 at 8:07 PM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: The Dispute Resolution Program, under the direction of the L.A. City Attorney and led by Avis Ridley-Thomas, will hold a meeting on Monday, August 25, 2008 at North Valley City Hall, 7747 Foothill Blvd, Tujunga at 4:30pm. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joe Barrett, Sunland-Tujunga Alliance, 818 438-7076.
Downtown Streetcar Project to go Nonprofit
Skipping the bureaucracies of Metro and the city's own Department of Transportation, a coalition of downtown stakeholders, including government officials, voted last week to create a nonprofit to build a 3-mile streetcar line that would travel mostly along Broadway from LA Live to the some-day Grand Avenue Project.
The nonprofit will tentatively be named L.A. Streetcar Inc., inspired by Portland Streetcar Inc. who built that city's system, according to the Downtown News.
The project was originally intended to be a ten-year one, but with recent enthusiasm, especially after studying the economic boost the streetcars gave Portland, Councilman Ed Reyes changed priorities, hoping it could be done in five years. The first hurdle is funding, which is $60-$90 million. That could take a couple years and Reyes said construction would take another few, even though in Portland, construction took one block per week. If the same model were to be applied in Los Angeles, a 3-mile system would be built in a little over six months.
Principals skeptical of reformvia News by editor@dailynews.com (George B. Sánchez, Staff Writer) on 8/24/08
As Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's school partnership takes over 10 of Los Angeles' lowest-performing schools, his ambitious reform plan is being met on the campuses with both skepticism and hope.
Picking on California's lobbyists
via Los Angeles Times - Opinion on 8/25/08
A plan to raise fees on them as a way to generate public financing for elections is off-base. Full public financing of elections is the Questing Beast of campaign reformers, those good souls who seek a way to cut the link between politicians and the businesses, unions and other groups that fund campaigns and expect something in return. The reformers' hunt is a noble one. They are attempting to rescue democracy, as it is practiced in this country, from the corrupting taint of money. They are trying to ensure that the basic unit of an election is the citizen's vote, not the donor's dollar.
Neighborhood council calendar
via News by editor@dailynews.com (Daily News) on 8/24/08
Here is a list of this week's neighborhood council meetings.
Confronted by realities, Schwarzenegger turns to tax hike
via L.A. Times - California Local News on 8/25/08
With the state budget 56 days overdue, the governor explains his shift on taxes. I t can't be done, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger was insisting, staring at me over a table in his office. You can't have a responsible, honest state budget without a tax increase.
FBI saw threat of mortgage crisis
via Los Angeles Times - Print Edition on 8/25/08
A top official warned of widening loan fraud in 2004, but the agency focused its resources elsewhere. Long before the mortgage crisis began rocking Main Street and Wall Street, a top FBI official made a chilling, if little-noticed, prediction: The booming mortgage business, fueled by low interest rates and soaring home values, was starting to attract shady operators and billions in losses were possible.
Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Monday
via Mayor Sam's Sister City - Home of Los Angeles Politics by noreply@blogger.com (Michael Higby) on 8/25/08
LA County Supervisors have raised taxes again. Property owners will be required to cough up another $50 million per year to fund the County's beleaguered hospital system. Supervisor Mike Antonovich cast the lone dissenting vote. Media Alert: If you thought the City using law...[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
NAKED CITY, a daily news report
via Ron Kaye L.A. by Ron Kaye on 8/25/08
The issue it how the Dispute Resolution Program -- it should properly be called the Dispute Escalation Program -- is treating the citizenry and their objections to Home Depot's plans to convert a K-Mart store in the community..."The City's "bullying tactics" don't seem to have intimidated the Sunland-Tujunga gang. They're staging a mass protest starting at 4:30 p.m. today at their Town Hall, 7747 Foothill Blvd.
City of Los Angeles TOURISM VIDEO by Zuma Dogg GRAPHIC (Blood & Language)
via Zuma's LA Daily Blog by zumadogg@gmail.com (zuma dogg) on 8/24/08
[Pictured: The Assault Weapon/LAPD Evidence] Oh no...the City of Los Angeles wants Zuma Dogg and everyone else to take mass transit more often, but when I tried to take it today, I couldn't sit down...
Stocks slide on bank woes
via Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com on 8/25/08
Stocks slumped Monday morning, resuming the recent retreat, as rising oil prices, a weaker dollar and more credit market woes dragged on Wall Street.
