Boyle Heights
Transcription
Boyle Heights
Boyle Heights Honoring Our Fallen Soldiers Since its dedication in 1947, Boyle Heights and East Los Angeles community residents have come together annually at the All Wars Memorial on Memorial Day to honor the brave men and women who have fallen in battle while defending our country. The event draws large crowds every year, including dignitaries, veterans, families of loved ones, students, media and community residents. Although every year is a special event, this year marked the 60th Anniversary of the All Wars Memorial at Cinco Puntos. Organizers of the event also put together a Councilmember José Huizar and Senator Gloria Romero twenty-four hour vigil allowing stand guard with two Boyle Heights residents. community residents to stand guard for thirty minutes at a time. Joining me this year were Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard, Senator Gloria Romero, Council President Eric Garcetti, members of the American Legion Post, and Veterans of Foreign Wars. Post Commanders Daniel Ortiz and David Leoton present their wreath. Take Me Out To The Ball Game, Take ake Me Out To The Crowd… I t is no secret that our youth learn important lifelong values through their participation in organized sports. Sports teach our youth teamwork, sportsmanship, and the importance of goal setting and attainment, ensuring that our youth develop these important skills and apply them to their everyday lives. I am committed to creating more opportunities for our children to play in safe, constructive environments, particularly during afterschool hours, when they are most at risk. I have been privileged to join our kids across Boyle Heights as they kick off their new seasons of baseball, football, and other sports. I hope to see you at the game! 6 Councilmember José Huizar poses with youth team at Evergreen Park at their 2007 Season Kickoff. Boyle Heights continued BLUEBERRY HILL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT I am leading the Boyle Heights Green Corridor Project, which is a collaborative effort between a variety of public and nonprofit agencies, including teachers and students from Hollenbeck Middle School, Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority, and the office of County Supervisor Gloria Molina and Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez. The Green Corridor project seeks to create a green corridor linking the Blueberry Hill steps with Hollenbeck Park along Sixth Street allowing for street greening, parks, storm water management, and installation of recreational park amenities. I intend to bring recreational improvements and native ecology to Boyle Heights. I am also working to bring $200,000 in Community Development Block Grant funds to realize the vision of creating a cleaner, greener, and environmentally sustainable corridor. This project is a symbol of my dedication to providing public infrastructure and resources needed to allow our children and families to take full advantage of the recreational opportunities you deserve – especially green space. RAMONA OPPORTUNITY HIGH SCHOOL GROUNDBREAKING I f we as a community fail to improve the quality of our educational system, then we fail our children. As your Councilmember, I take seriously the City’s responsibility to support high-quality educational opportunities. Recently I helped break ground on two new area high schools that will alleviate overcrowding at Roosevelt High School, and I continue to seek new ways to build collaboration between the City and the Los Angeles Unified School District. Ramona Opportunity High School is an excellent example of this partnership. The extension of the Gold Line through Boyle Heights created an opportunity for the City, the school district, and the MTA to partner in building a new, firstclass high school campus for at-risk young women. As with other schools, the new school will be distinguished by bricks and mortar amenities like a gymnasium, multi-purpose room, kitchen, and child care center. More unusual is an agreement for the Department of Recreation and Parks to offer extracurricular activities at the school site in the summer and on weekends, and a partnership with the Community Development Department to provide infant care onsite. I am proud of the young women who are attending Ramona High School, proud of what they are accomplishing by finishing school, and proud of the City’s efforts to offer the support services they need to make that success a reality. Student jazz performers celebrate with Councilmember José Huizar at the Ramona Opportunity High School ground breaking ceremony. 7 Boyle Heights continued RECONSTRUCTION OF HISTORIC SIXTH STREET BRIDGE RECON RECONS W ith its world-famous design, the Sixth Street Bridge is both a hallmark of our community and a popular tourist site and filming location. Due to structural issues, the bridge will need to rebuilt in the coming years. As these plans move forward, I want to assure you that elements of the original design will be incorporated into the new structure. As a Boyle Heights resident, I treasure the Sixth Street Bridge, and I will work hard to protect and preserve this cultural icon. In addition, long before construction commences (in 2011 for 4 years), my office will work to ensure that the Department of Transportation adopts a traffic plan to effectively mitigate impacts on the community. PHOTO RED LIGHTS AND NEW TRAFFIC SIGNALS ON LORENA STREET Late in the spring, my office and the Department of Transportation unveiled a brand new, state-of-the art traffic signal at the busy intersection of Whittier Boulevard and Lorena Street. The traffic signal, equipped with a Photo Red Light system, will enable the Los Angeles Police Department to effectively monitor the busy intersection. The light and PRL system were installed in response to last year’s fatal accident at that intersection, when a child’s life was lost. The Photo Red Light system has the capacity to snap 30 still frames per second—photos of the front and rear plates of a vehicle as it runs through a red light, as well as clear images of the vehicle’s driver...With the installation of this new system, the LAPD will be better equipped to prosecute violators and make our community a safer place for drivers and pedestrians. Listed from right to left are: Sgt. Mathew MacWillie, Automated Photo Red Light Enforcement Coordinator, Deputy Chief Sergio Diaz, Commanding Officer Operations-Central Bureau, Ms. Gloria J. Jeff, General Manager Los Angeles Department of Transportation, and Mr. Ross Valencia, local resident. I also installed a new traffic signal at the intersection of Lorena and Atlantic Street, the site of another fatal accident last year. GOLD LINE CLOSER TO COMPLETION T he Metro Gold Line Extension is scheduled for completion in Fall 2009. The Gold Line extension is a vital component to the extraordinary revitalization of Boyle Heights. Once the project is completed, residents of the Eastside will be one transfer away from Pasadena, Long Beach, San Fernando Valley and the greater Los Angeles area. In partnership with the MTA, the CRA, private developers, and the community, I am working to attract and retain mixed-use developments that will create sustainable, transit-driven communities along the Gold Line 8 Boyle Heights continued FIRST ANNUAL CONCERT AND FIREWORKS SHOW AT EVERGREEN PARK Inspired by fond memories from my childhood, I organized and sponsored the First Annual Concert and Fireworks Show at Evergreen Park, in celebration of 4th of July. Hundreds of families from all over East Los Angeles enjoyed a concert featuring performances from Local bands such as the East Los Angeles Jazz Ensemble, Sabor Latino, Gilbert Moret and Chico Band, Elsa Chacon, and spectacular fireworks. In addition, thirteen different community-based organization and City departments distributed information on services ranging from gang prevention to energy conservation. Councilmember Huizar, community leaders, and LAPD enjoying the concert and firework show. I also co-sponsored the concert and fireworks show at Hazard Park which was attended by more than a thousand people. The East Los Angeles College Latin Jazz Ensemble graced the stage at Concert & Firework Show with their classic and upbeat Latin rhythms; soloist Nubia Jimenez was sensational! Johnny Godinez dances away with a young lady from Boyle Heights enjoyy the live music the firework show. 9 Boyle Heights continued Boyle Heights in Action Boyle y Heights g Community y Walk Jose Huizar honors the Los Angeles Conservation onservation Corps Over 200 volunteers showed up for C Council District 14's Community Walk. Local organizations and residents came out to volunteer and walk the streets of Boyle Heights in hopes of educating local residents of the many FREE and available City resources and upcoming community events. On June 22, 2007, the Los Angeles Conservation Corps was honored h d in i Council C il for f their th i Katrina K t i relief li f efforts ff t in i Mississippi. Mi i i i Ten young adults from Boyle Heights gave an entire month, at times working over 14 hours a day, to help rebuild devastated communities struck by Hurricane Katrina. Boyle Heights Wolfpack Football and Cheer Team Councilmember Huizar stands with Community Activists Councilmember Huizar stands with community activists and environmental leaders as he announces his appeal of a pending Department of Toxic Substances Control permit for the ISOCI Hazardous Waste Facility in Boyle Heights. Councilmember Huizar with our hardworking volunteers volunteer from rom the Boyle Heights Wolfpack Football and Cheer team. 10