01-14-19

JANUARY 14, 2019 I VOL. 48 I #2

Stumbling

Into 50 A Middle-Aged Man Comes of Age in The Mark Taper Forum’s ‘Linda Vista’ See Page 12

the downtown crime rate climbs again image courtesy Center Theatre Group

Page 6

a historic core museum suddenly closes Page 13

JOIN US AND AWAKEN

ABUNDANCE Tickets + Learn More: peacelabyrinth.org/abundance

THE VOICE OF DOWNTOWN L.A. SINCE 1972

p. 2

A Spiritual Oasis in the City Peace Awareness Labyrinth & Gardens 3500 W Adams Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90018 (323) 737-4055

2 DOWNTOWN NEWS

DT

AROUND TOWN

Women’s March Returns on Saturday

A

ctivists, politicians and hundreds of thousands of other people will be taking to the streets of Downtown on Saturday, Jan. 19, for the third annual Women’s March Los Angeles. The event, aimed at promoting women’s rights and opposition to the administration of President Donald Trump, will start at Pershing Square at 8:30 a.m. with a blessing from the Tongva Nation, followed by speeches in the park. Crowds will then march to Grand Park and City Hall at 10 a.m., where local elected officials and activists will take the stage, including multiple City Council members, County Supervisor Hilda Solis, Congressman Jimmy Gomez and more. An estimated 750,000 people turned out for last year’s march, and similar numbers are anticipated this year. The now-annual protest started in January 2017 as a counter to Trump’s inauguration. More information is at womensmarchla.org.

A New Top Cop

T

he Los Angeles Police Department is planning to shuffle the leadership within Central Division, which encompasses Downtown Los Angeles. On Dec. 26, the

TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS

department announced that Chief Michel Moore has promoted Marc Reina, who has served as a captain in Central since 2016, to the role of Commander for Central Bureau (which includes Central Division and other areas). The promotion will become effective in March. Reina previously served as commanding officer of the 77th Street Patrol Division before being taking over in Central, which is the largest of the LAPD’s patrol divisions. Capt. Timothy Scott Harrelson will fill Reina’s spot in Central, which will put him on the front lines with Downtown stakeholders.

He is a 23-year department veteran who was born in Panorama City, and is coming from the department’s Security Services Division.

“I’m excited about the move because Central is a dynamic command and a huge challenge,” Harrelson said by phone. “I’m excited about it. I’m just here to work and address all the needs of our Downtown constituents.”

Chinese American Museum Receives Big Donation

T

he Chinese American Museum, based in the El Pueblo area, recently received a $500,000 donation. The money comes from the local family-run philanthropic group the Moy Foundation. The funds will be used for new exhibitions, research and educational programming, and expanding the museum’s collection. “We wish to express our sincere gratitude to the Moy family for their generosity and support of CAM’s mission to bring to light the significance of the Chinese

Why does this little burger stand attract over a million people a year?

JANUARY 14, 2019

American experience to America’s history,” Jim Jang, immediate past president of the Friends of the Chinese American Museum, said in a prepared statement. The Moy Foundation was established by Dr. Carl K. Moy, an obstetrician who was a longtime supporter of the museum. In response to the gift, the museum at 425 N. Los Angeles St. will name a gallery the Carl K. Moy and Linda C. Moy Family Foundation Gallery.

Urth Caffé Reopens

O

n Dec. 28, a fire shuttered the popular Arts District restaurant Urth Caffé. Now, the business with the inviting patio is back.

Urth reopened on Friday, Jan. 11, a little more than two weeks after a blaze broke out in its roasting department. Approximately 100 firefighters responded to the conflagration at 451 S. Hewitt St. The fire did not damage the actual cafe or the dining areas. Shallom Berkman, Urth’s owner, announced the return to service last Thursday. “We appreciate the swift response by the LAFD to put out the fire, and also want to thank the Health Department for guiding us in reopening the cafe,” Berkman said.

First and Broadway Park to Break Ground by the Fall

A

fter years of prep, a two-acre park next to City Hall is finally approaching a groundbreaking. Documents filed recently with the Department of City Planning say

that construction of the First and Broadway Park, at the northwest corner of that intersection, is slated to start by the fall. The site, currently a dirt lot occasionally used by film and event crews for parking, would be redone with grass and trees, plus new walkways linking to the adjacent Grand Park. A two-story, 19,200-square-foot restaurant structure would also be built. The city expects construction to take two years, with FAB Park, as it is also known, opening by the fall of 2021.

Volunteers Sought for Annual Homeless Count

T

he Los Angeles Homeless Service Authority is gearing up for its annual tally of the homeless individuals living in Los Angeles, and is looking for volunteers to help.

The 2019 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count will take place over three evenings on Jan. 22-24, and the nonprofit is seeking people to fan out across the region to gather statistics and demographics of the homeless population. The Downtown portion of the count will occur on Jan. 24, and LAHSA is seeking a total of 8,000 volunteers. Participants must be at least 18 years old to join the count, but anyone 14-17 can apply to work at LAHSA offices or deployment sites. The figures help determine how much federal funding Los Angeles gets for homeless services programs. Those interested in volunteering can register at theycountwillyou.org.

ABUNDANCE Learn spiritual principles and keys to creating more of what you want in your life.

Take one workshop or take them all!

Find out at the landmark location near Downtown. Home of the original Chili-burger.

Quality and value since 1946:

Chili Hamburger .............. $3.15 Chili Cheeseburger ........... $3.65

TUESDAYS

Jan 22nd Feb 26th Mar 26th Apr 23rd May 28th Jun 18th

30% off

Promo Code: abundance2019 7:30 to 9:00 PM

$10 per workshop

Tickets + Learn More: peacelabyrinth.org/abundance

Many Imitate, But None Compare!

A Spiritual Oasis in the City Peace Awareness Labyrinth & Gardens 3500 W Adams Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90018 (323) 737-4055

JANUARY 14, 2019

DOWNTOWN NEWS 3

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

Downtown Groups Protest Removal of Pershing Square Stop From Future Rail Line Metro Decision in Planning for West Santa Ana Branch Sparks Outcry

By Nicholas Slayton ast month, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority eliminated from consideration a Pershing Square stop on an upcoming rail line that will link Downtown Los Angeles with Southeast Los Angeles County. The move has sparked an outcry among some Downtown stakeholders, who say the station would help connect regional workers directly to a major employment hub in the Central City.

A collection of business groups, neighborhood organizations and property owners want Metro to change course and include Pershing Square in its study of a possible terminus for the West Santa Ana Branch Transit Corridor, a light-rail line that will connect Downtown Los Angeles with Artesia. The 20mile $4.6 billion project is in the environmental study period, and will not break ground for at least three years.

The main route has been set, but over the last year Metro has held a series of community meetings to determine the path and ending point in Downtown. It has narrowed down the options, and in July revealed plans to terminate either at Union Station or at one of two locations in the Financial District:

L

Metro is trying to determine the end point in Downtown for the 20mile West Santa Ana Branch Transit Corridor. Current options call for stopping at either Union Station or in the Financial District.

image courtesy the Metropolitan Transportation Authority

Pershing Square or Eighth and Flower streets.

On Dec. 6, the Metro Board of Directors voted to remove Pershing Square from further study.

The Downtown groups say they are not

demanding that the line culminate at Pershing Square, but that they want it to be considered along with the other routes, and for the process to be transparent, according to Jessica Lall, executive director of the Central

City Association.

“We’re concerned that the options are already being narrowed down significantly, down to only two, while we’re just getting started on the EIR,” Lall said. “Our approach is to be able to have as much information and as many options studied before making the final decision.”

In a letter to Metro CEO Phil Washington, the Downtown Center Business Improvement District urged the agency to add Pershing Square to the environmental study, calling the route an “insurance policy.” Blair Besten, executive director of the Historic Core Business Improvement District, echoed that, saying it is better to study the option now rather than having to redraft an EIR later in the process in case something goes wrong with another route.

Brian Haas, a Metro spokesman, said the main reasons for eliminating Pershing Square from consideration were its ridership numbers and the cost effectiveness of new riders at the station versus a stop at Eighth and Flower streets that directly connects to the existing Seventh Street/Metro Center station.

“Seventh and Metro Center also provides the best connectivity to the Metro Rail network, immediately allowing connections to Red and Purple subways and Regional Connector north-south and east-west light rail transit lines (currently Expo, Blue and Gold Lines),” Haas said in an email. “There are also physical design issues with connecting with Regional Connector lines in the future, if Continued on page 8

THE KECK EFFECT

It’s OK. Jump for joy.

Now you can be there for all of life’s best moments, thanks to the female urologic care at the USC Institute of Urology.

We’re ranked No. 9 in the nation, with internationally recognized expertise in treating incontinence, pelvic prolapse, UTIs and more.

Life is short — don’t let urologic conditions steal another minute.

The USC Institute of Urology KeckMedicine.org/FEMDN | (213) 354-8358

© 2019 Keck Medicine of USC

Keck2-1_Female-Urology-Ad_HP4C_DTN_190108.indd 1

12/28/18 4:50 PM

4 DOWNTOWN NEWS

DT

EDITORIALS

TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS

JANUARY 14, 2019

TAKE MY PICTURE GARY LEONARD

The Delicate Balance Of the El Pueblo Shelter

F

our months in, how are we to grade the city’s first emergency transitional housing shelter? That’s an important question for multiple reasons. The project, formally dubbed El Puente, is in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles and impacts people both housed and un-housed. Beyond that is its functionality as the pilot effort in Mayor Eric Garcetti’s “A Bridge Home” program that will be rolled out citywide — in the not-too distant future similar shelters should be operating in all 15 council districts.

El Puente opened Sept. 10 on a city-owned former parking lot near El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument. It houses 30 men and 15 women in three trailers, and the project includes a fourth trailer with laundry and hygiene facilities, a fifth for staffers and case managers, and a pleasant outdoor deck. Los Angeles Downtown News wrote about the project’s progress last week.

The shelters are part of the regional response to the homelessness crisis and are being erected near areas where there are concentrations of tent encampments. That was a particular issue around El Pueblo and the tourist magnet of Olvera Street. Garcetti pledged that neighborhoods near the shelters would receive enhanced cleaning services, and that a prohibition on tents being erected between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m. would be enforced.

Count it as a victory that El Puente, with a $2.4 million budget in the first year and $1.3 million in each of the two successive years, is up and running. Proposed A Bridge Home shelters have been contested by neighbors in some other council districts. Elected officials should prepare for NIMBYism each time a project is broached; the politicians will need to exhibit some backbone.

The streets around El Puente in a special “enforcement zone” today are noticeably cleaner, and the lack of tents during daytime hours (they are still allowed after dark) makes sidewalks more navigable. This is a positive, though no one should pretend that homelessness in the area has been eradicated or that the situation is any less severe.

Plans are to have people reside in the trailers for three to six months and work with case managers to transition to a more permanent home. Yet four months in, only seven people had been matched with long-term housing. That’s a reminder of how difficult it can be to help people re-enter the mainstream of society. It also means those on a list to get a bed at El Puente will have a long wait.

The enforcement zone will continue to prove tricky. City officials stress that they seek to avoid ticketing or arresting homeless individuals, which is the right approach. Advocates for the homeless bristle at the enforcement zone and correctly point out that the situation on the streets stems from factors including failed efforts to create sufficient affordable housing in the region.

Making El Puente successful will require a delicate balance that takes into account the rights of homeless individuals as well as quality-of-life concerns in the neighborhood. The initial moves deserve some praise, while future success requires careful monitoring and more funds to address this crisis.

3rd Street Tunnel

UTLA

March for Public Education

DT

COMMENTS

Regarding the article “Miami City Ballet’s ‘Nutcracker’ Bounds into Downtown,” by Nicholas Slayton I went to the preview show. Nutcracker is one of my favorites. I have seen the show more than 40 times.

—James Wilson Regarding the article “Historic Skid Row Firehouse to Become Youth Arts Center,” by Sean P. Thomas As wonderful as a kids’ art center sounds, I agree with those in the article who say a multi-generational art center makes much more sense. An example is Barnsdall, which operates for kids and adults.

There are so many Skid Row adults who need and want to make art but have no place to do it. All of us are aware of the benefits of creativity to the human spirit, especially when living in a difficult situation. We also can agree that art can be a huge benefit to helping both children and adults recover, to grow and feel self worth. There is a lot to be gained for Skid Row families possibly even working on joint art projects. It might be the only creative moment that a struggling family does together. It might be the only time a Skid Row resident can get off the street and into a place where ideas and thoughts can find expression. Ideally it might offer ceramics, dance, music or drawing. A place that nurtures art for young and old EDITOR: Jon Regardie STAFF WRITER: Nicholas Slayton, Sean P. Thomas CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Tom Fassbender, Jeff Favre

S I N C E 19 7 2 Los Angeles Downtown News 1264 W. First Street, Los Angeles, CA 90026 phone: 213-481-1448 • fax: 213-533-6990 web: DowntownNews.com • email: realpeople@downtownnews.com

facebook: L.A. Downtown News

twitter: DowntownNews

instagram: @ladowntownnews

December 2018

ART DIRECTOR: Brian Allison ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR: Yumi Kanegawa PHOTOGRAPHER: Gary Leonard CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING MANAGER: Catherine Holloway ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: Catherine Holloway, Michael Lamb, Leann Hernandez OFFICE MANAGER: Claudia Hernandez

should be at the heart of the Skid Row community.

I hope it’s not too late to re-think this project and expand it to include all folks in Skid Row. —Judith Markoff Hansen It’s not accurate to say adults have no art resources in Skid Row since LAMP, now the People’s Concern, is around the corner. Also, Wendell Blassingame suggested a senior center, and he has been living in Skid Row for decades.

—Writer identified as “Say No to 7th and Maple” This is a beautiful building that needs some love and care.

—Writer identified as “Officiant Guy”

Hey You! Speak Up! Downtown News wants to hear from people in the community. If you like, or dislike, a story or editorial, let us know. Or weigh in on something you feel is important to the community.

Participation is easy. Post a comment online at the bottom of any story, or go to downtownnews.com, scroll to the bottom of the page, and click the “Letter to the Editor” link. For guest opinion proposals, email regardie@downtownnews.com.

DISTRIBUTION MANAGER: Salvador Ingles DISTRIBUTION ASSISTANTS: Lorenzo Castillo FOUNDER EMERITUS: Sue Laris ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER: Lake Trout

VICE PRESIDENT: David Comden PRESIDENT: Bruce Bolkin

©2017 Southland Publishing, Inc. Los Angeles Downtown News is a trademark of Southland Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. The Los Angeles Downtown News is the must-read newspaper for Downtown Los Angeles and is distributed every Monday throughout the offices and residences of Downtown Los Angeles.

One copy per person.

JANUARY 14, 2019

DOWNTOWN NEWS 5

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

Labor Pains

THE INJECTING SPECIALISTS

MODEL

Amid the UTLA-LAUSD Divide, Tactics Are Everything

LA’S MOST CELEBRATED & FRIENDLY INJECTORS

‘NEW YEAR SPECIALS’

JANUARY 13TH - JANUARY 19TH, 2019 $150 TRIO

&

$20

+ Earn Restylane Bucks!*

FAMILY OF FILLERS

PURCHASE 60+ UNITS OF DYSPORT AT

Restylane-L (1.0 cc) Restylane Lyft (1.0 cc) Restylane Silk (1.0 cc) NEW! Defyne (1.0 cc) NEW! Refyne (1.0 cc)

$2.95**PER UNIT **3 DYSPORT UNITS EQUIVALENT IN STRENGTH TO 1 BOTOX UNIT VISIT OUBEAUTY.COM OR CALL FOR MINIMAL RESTRICTIONS

*GOOD TOWARDS YOUR NEXT PURCHASE OF RESTYLANE

REG PRICE

1st SYRINGE

2nd SYRINGE

$395 $395 $395 $495 $495

$345 $345 $345 $445 $445

$295 $295 $295 $395 $395

photo by Jon Regardie

Union leaders last week announced that the teachers’ strike would begin Monday, Jan. 14.

By Jon Regardie he sign was just a sign. But the eight words scrawled on a piece of plain white paper and held aloft were also a sign. As more than half a million students and their families this week face the chaos

T

THE REGARDIE REPORT sparked by a teachers’ walkout, the sign encapsulated absolutely everything about the divide sparking this gnarliest of education battles.

“Austin Beutner is the enemy of public education,” read the sign hoisted by a woman in a red T-shirt. She was standing behind United Teachers Los Angeles Vice President Gloria Martinez at a press confidence outside Los Angeles Unified School District headquarters on Wednesday, Jan. 9. Martinez was announcing that the teachers’ strike planned for last Thursday had been delayed to Monday, Jan. 14. Some 31,000 teachers, school nurses, counselors and others are now picketing in front of hundreds of schools, unless something miraculous happened after Los Angeles Downtown News’ press time.

If you want to understand the fight, consider that sign and the role of Beutner, who last May became superintendent of the LAUSD. John Dillinger was a public enemy. Gangster Al Capone earned the title, as did Pretty Boy Floyd and Baby Face Nelson.

But Beutner as the “enemy” of public education? That’s as preposterous as referring to him as Baby Face Beutner.

The strike is built around differing interpretations of the LAUSD’s financial state.

Break it down and the union points to the District’s $1.9 billion reserve fund and says LAUSD should immediately spend heavily, including going on a hiring spree. The District counters that the money is already accounted for, especially considering that its annual expenses are sharply outpacing its revenues.

Even more striking than economic interpretations are the divergent approaches that

UTLA and the District have taken.

Behind Beutner, the LAUSD generally marches to a steady and measured beat, with public statements stressing a willingness to continue to negotiate, complemented by warnings of insolvency if it meets UTLA’s ask. Late last week the recipe got some tweaking, with Beutner working Sacramento and new Gov. Gavin Newsom to seek more money for public schools; it’s the state, after all, that provides the majority of LAUSD’s bankroll, paying a set amount per student and day of attendance.

Meanwhile, UTLA, under leader Alex Caputo-Pearl, has spent months lashing out at Beutner and the District, landing verbal and social media blows. As a bare-fisted tactic they get an “A” for strategy — if you want to win public sympathies it helps to have a villain, and if the villain doesn’t exist, then you build one up. And they’ve been relentless in villainizing Beutner.

At the same time, they get an “F” for accuracy.

Lashing Out Caputo-Pearl is a former teacher in the Compton and Los Angeles Unified school districts who was elected president of UTLA in 2014. He has guided the union to the precipice of a strike in the wake of other teacher walkouts across the country.

He’s passionate when he speaks and energizes his supporters, but isn’t viewed by observers as being in the top tier of local labor leaders. One Downtowner who watches this stuff closely called Caputo-Pearl “the poor man’s Brian D’Arcy,” an ouch-tastic reference to the powerhouse head of the union representing most Department of Water & Power employees.

When Caputo-Pearl directs his invective toward Beutner, he sometimes looks like he’s about to blow a gasket. In a 15-minute appearance before the media last Monday, after a long negotiation session that failed to produce a breakthrough, he brought up Beutner nine different times, and if you took Continued on page 11

$50 OFF

&

DUET

FAMILY OF FILLERS

ULTRA XC ULTRA+ XC VOLUMA XC VOLBELLA XC VOLLURE XC

PURCHASE 24+ UNITS OF BOTOX AT $8.95 PER UNIT & SAVE BIG ON JUVEDERM

(1.0 cc) (1.0 cc)

$7

(1.0 cc)

(1.0 cc)

PURCHASE 24+ UNITS OF

FOR JUST

$370 $370 $545 $445 $445

(1.0 cc)

*REFLECTS $50 OFF INSTANT REBATE PLUS EARN LOYALTY POINTS TOWARDS YOUR NEXT TREATMENT. VISIT OUBEAUTY.COM OR CALL FOR MINIMAL RESTRICTIONS FAMILY OF FILLERS

LOYALTY POINTS EARNED

1st SYRINGE

$20* $20* $30* $30* $30*

AND GET “1.5cc Jumbo Syringe”

95

Per Unit

1st Syringe ............

2nd Syringe ...........

$395 $375

No Double Chin. No Surgery. No Kidding.

OW

N FF 0 2 $ 0O L A I V PER *Recommended 1-3 vials

for first treatment and 1-2 for second.

NOW

$395* PER VIAL

Maybe the best chemical peel you’ll ever have

FREEZE THE FAT AWAY PERMANENTLY • NEW Low Prices • CoolSculpting University Certified • All the New CoolSculpting Handles

REMOVE FAT PERMANENTLY

PHENTERMINE WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAM

$195 $350

+ FREE AFTER-CARE KIT

FDA Approved Appetite Suppressant.

$89

30-day Supply NO EXAM FEE

$20 OFF Lightsheer™ Hair Removal

JANUARY SPECIALS

NO SURGERY • NO NEEDLES NO DOWNTIME

5ml BOTTLE

$119 60% OFF

PLUS $10 LOYALTY POINTS

**Loyalty points on next Botox, Juvederm treatment or Latisse, while supplies last.

UNTIL 1-30-19

The Industry Gold Standard for Laser Hair Removal

more specials at www.oubeauty.com • Botox Diamond Award

NAMED BEST MEDISPA 10 YEARS IN A ROW 2009-2018

NOW 2 GREAT LOCATIONS

Dr. Kojian, Owner

818.551.1682 130 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale, CA 213.617.1682 125 S. San Pedro St., Los Angeles, CA

Oh You Beauty, Inc. Dr. Kojian

Open 7 Days a Week ‘til 8pm

TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS

6 DOWNTOWN NEWS

JANUARY 14, 2019

Crime Rises Again in Downtown Although Violent Incidents Fall, Overall Rate of Most Serious Crimes Increases 6.1%

By Nicholas Slayton rime rose 6.1% in Downtown Los Angeles in 2018, the fifth consecutive year it has increased, according to data from the Los Angeles Police Department.

Leaders of Central Division, which covers most of Downtown, point to the increase of events and residents in the area as one contributing factor in the spike. In all there were 7,442 Part 1 crimes, the term for the most serious incidents, in 2018, up from 6,963 in 2017 and 6,151 in 2016.

The increase came despite a drop in violent crime from 2017. The number of violent incidents fell to 1,925, a decrease of 7.7% from the 2,080 recorded the previous year.

That included a 33.3% fall in homicides. After spiking to 21 in 2017, there were 14 killings in 2018; there were 11 homicides each in 2016 and 2015.

The number of aggravated assault also declined, down to 1,064, a 10.1% decrease from the 1,183 reported the previous year.

While the fall in violent crime may seem like cause for celebration, the violent crime rate was still 10.7% higher than in 2016, when there were 1,722 total incidents. The 2018 figures were higher than 2016 levels in

C

almost every category.

The biggest driver of last year’s rise involved property crime, where there was a 13% surge over 2017 levels. The 5,517 incidents last year also marked a 23% increase over the 4,429 cases recorded in 2016.

Again, the increase was seen in most categories. Car theft and personal theft rose 5.3% and 8.8%, respectively. The most dramatic spike was in car break-ins, which rose 27% to 1,746 incidents. Police had reported last summer that the number of incidents was increasing, as teams of thieves were operating in the area.

LAPD officials have pointed to both the increase in the residential population in Downtown, and a rising number of people leaving valuables in plain view in their vehicles, as part of the reason for the trend.

Captain Marc Reina, who has led Central Division for the last two years (he was recently promoted), said that car break-ins have been a particular issue in South Park east of L.A. Live and Staples Center. He said that the frequency of events — particularly now that the Clippers, Lakers and Kings are all playing — plus the thousands of residential units opening in the area, means more people are in the community, something that thieves capitalize on.

QUARTERLY HEALTH ISSUE HEALTHY LIVING & LIVING LONGER

A focus on staying healthy, looking good, and living a healthy lifestyle.

First Issue Publishes:

Monday, January 21, 2019

The LAPD’s Central Division, which covers Downtown, reported a total of 7,354 Part 1 crimes, the term for the most serious incidents, in 2018.

There were spikes in categories including car thefts and car break-ins.

photo by Gary Leonard

Reina cited the Arts District as another spot for increasing vehicle break-ins, but noted that those tend to be more in sporadic bursts compared to South Park.

“It’s when people leave stuff on the front seat, the back seat, or plug in laptops and go into the restroom,” Reina said. “It’s that educational piece we’re trying to warn people about, and trying to push through our senior lead officers and on social media.”

Spikes and Hot Spots Reina noted that crime takes place across the community. He said some of the biggest trouble spots include Skid Row, but he also pointed to the corridor of Fifth Street between Hill and Los Angeles streets. Additionally he said there has been a crime spike around the Metro station at Fifth and Hill streets, which prompted Central to deploy additional foot beats and bicycle patrols to the area. He noted that the location was a frequent destination for gang members and drug dealers.

While the overall rise will unsettle many in Downtown, Reina said 2018 brought significant achievements for the LAPD RESET

Auto + Renters Auto + Renters = Savings = And those savings could add up to $600* Savings So put your Auto and Renters together with State Farm® and let the savings begin.

January 21

PUBLISHING DATES | April 8 | July 8 |

(Resources, Enhancement, Services, Enforcement Team) unit, which does outreach in Skid Row and works to connect homeless individuals to service providers. He said the unit has been working closely with entities such as the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority.

“It’s a combination of enforcement, working with our interns and social service providers, plus looking for gang members, drug dealers and predators that are preying on the homeless population on Skid Row,” he said.

“We work to identify those individuals and remove them from the area.”

The overall rise in crime comes as many Downtown residents and stakeholders remain worried about public safety, and a number of people are concerned about how it is being addressed.

Estela Lopez, executive director of the Industrial District Business Improvement District, which runs clean and safe teams in Skid Row, said that while police are working to address crime in the area, many crimes go unreported. Other times, she said, issues are not Continued on page 7

http://issuu.com/ladtn Follow Us on ISSUU

GET TO A BETTER STATE.®

October 14

CALL ME TODAY Karla Greene, Agent Insurance Lic#: 0I67776

To advertise in this quarterly section call about special offers for up to 50% OFF on Multi Media packages today!

213-239-9675 Fax: 213-239-9679 www.karlagreene.com Karla Greene Insurance and Financial Services Inc.

*Average annual per household savings based on a national 2010 survey of new policyholders who reported savings by switching to State Farm.

1203037 State Farm, Bloomington, IL

Flip through the DT News print edition on your mobile device, with 6 plus years of past issues available!

JANUARY 14, 2019

photo by Gary Leonard

Marc Reina, who helmed Central Division for the past two years, said people failing to report crime is a particular problem in Downtown. “If we’re not aware what’s occurring on the area, we can’t allocate those resources,” he said.

5 DOWNLOAD THE APP SIGN UP TODAY! RACK UP POINTS FOR THE THINGS YOU BUY EVERY DAY. REDEEM THOSE POINTS FOR FREE REWARDS. PLUS, GET A FREE DRINK OR SNACK WHEN YOU REGISTER.

EARN

points for every $1 you spend

REDEEM your points for FREE food & drink

VIOLENT CRIME CATEGORY Homicide Rape Robbery Aggravated Assault Total Violent Crime

2018 TOTAL 14 144 694 1,073 1,925

2017 TOTAL 21 156 720 1,183 2,080

2016 TOTAL 11 130 677 904 1,722

2015 TOTAL 11 122 669 890 1,692

2014 TOTAL 6 91 471 545 1,113

PROPERTY CRIME CATEGORY Burglary Grand Theft Auto Burglary/Theft from Vehicle Personal/Other Theft Total Property Crime

2018 TOTAL 352 422 1,746 2,997 5,517

2017 TOTAL 376 392 1,368 2,741 4,877

2016 TOTAL 317 396 1,097 2,619 4,429

2015 TOTAL 341 410 893 2,491 4,135

2014 TOTAL 238 249 747 2,006 3,240

being resolved quickly enough to make a noticeable change in perception. She pointed to the continued spate of assaults, drug sales and tent fires in Skid Row. Blair Besten, executive director of the Historic Core Business Improvement District, echoed Lopez’s concerns. She said there are many people who feel that Downtown has become less safe in recent years.

Reina acknowledged the public’s frustration, which is reflected in a rise in Part 2 crimes, which include cases of battery and domestic violence. Battery rose 15%, from 1,655 to 1,918 incidents, he added.

However, Reina maintained that in terms of personal safety, Downtown did get safer last year, pointing to the declines in aggravated assault, rape and homicide.

One persistent challenge for police is people witnessing or being a victim of a crime, but choosing not to file a report with the LAPD. “We see it a lot,” Reina said. “We monitor social media, and a lot of people say this happened, my car was vandalized, or I

saw this crime occur, but they didn’t call us. We need to know.

If we’re not aware what’s occurring on the area, we can’t allocate those resources.”

Reina said that Central Division’s response to crime trends is multifaceted, and that when crime spikes were reported in certain neighborhoods, he would direct additional patrols and resources to those zones. He said Central also doubled the size of the parole compliance unit, which checks in on individuals who are on parole or in supervised release programs.

In addition to rising crime, there was also an increase in the number of arrests in Central Division. Police in 2017 arrested 1,763 people for Part 1 crimes, a 5.6% increase over 2016. Arrests were up in almost every category, although one outlier was the 20.4% decrease in arrests for motor vehicle theft.

There were no officer-involved shootings in Downtown in 2018, according to Reina. nicholas@downtownnews.com

MIX n MATCH

for $4.00 +Tax

S ACK N S .

OURUFFLE tch Y T PU N SH nd ma O ix a enu M m e b u a Gr rill Val for $4!

G ms 5 ite

SCORE

bonus offers to get rewards even faster

1800 E. OLYMPIC BLVD. (AT OLYMPIC & ALAMEDA ST.) Se Habla Español • ALWAYS OPEN • 213-627-5008 L AV

E

New El Segundo Location: 2161 El Segundo Blvd., 310-648-7697

7 TH S

NTR A

T

PROPANE, GAS & DIESEL 24 HOURS / 7 DAYS A WEEK

Amazon Lockers at both our Locations: DTLA “Chalus” & El Segundo “Sipla”

OL YM

PI

C

BL VD

S ALAMEDA

ATM

ST

S CE

©

DOWNTOWN NEWS 7

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

OM / R F 75 * ,9 $2 NTH MO

TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS

8 DOWNTOWN NEWS

Little Tokyo Post Office Abruptly Closes Space Shut Down After Conflict Between Postal Service and Contractor

The Little Tokyo Post Office closed on Jan. 4. It was operated not by the United States Postal Service, but by a private contractor.

photo by Sean P. Thomas

By Sean P. Thomas ittle Tokyo residents hoping to mail parcels or purchase stamps from their neighborhood post office were met with something unexpected last week: locked doors.

On Jan. 4 the U.S. Postal Service closed the Little Tokyo Post Office at 406 E. Second St. The facility in Honda Plaza was not run by the USPS, but instead operated on a contractual basis with a private operator. The signage above the storefront, now blocked by a gate, includes the words “United States Postal Service Contract Unit.”

According to a statement provided to Los Angeles Downtown News by the USPS, the location failed to meet requirements of its contract. A representative for the Postal Service would not provide additional details about those requirements, citing contractual confidentiality.

“The decision to discontinue the contract was made after a thorough evaluation and numerous attempts to assist the supplier with meeting the necessary requirements of the contract,” the statement said.

The owner of the location, Peter Allen, could not be reached for comment, but told Rafu Shimpo, a newspaper in Little Tokyo, that he received notice to shutter the

L

location within 24 hours via a letter on Jan. 3.”

A letter posted to the exterior of the office last week, and signed “Little Tokyo Contract Station,” slammed the reasoning behind the shutdown, calling it “frivolous.”

“Among the stated reasons is that of the upkeep, which is considered to be unacceptable to the USPS district office of Los Angeles,” the statement affixed to the front door read.

“It was our intentions to always give the customers what they deserve, which is to provide them best services.”

The statement went on to criticize the district office as more concerned with “aesthetics rather than the needs of the customer.”

The location opened in 2006 and served mostly elderly residents of the community, Allen told Rafu Shimpo.

Ellen Endo, president of the Little Tokyo Business Improvement District, said in an email that she received a postcard last Tuesday that provided a list of available Downtown postal outlets, but there was no mention of the location’s closure.

In its statement, the Postal Service directed customers to the Terminal Annex Station at 900 N. Alameda St., or the Arcade Station at 506 S. Spring St. sean@downtownnews.com

JANUARY 14, 2019

WEST SANTA ANA BRANCH, 3 Pershing Square is used as the terminus station.”

The Downtown advocates who attended the Dec. 6 Metro board meeting said agency staff stated that the Pershing Square stop would involve angles and alignments that would be unfeasible. The stakeholders contend that was the first they had heard of the issue despite multiple meetings with Metro.

Planning and land use consultant Kate Bartolo, who is working with the groups, noted that Metro would need to build a one- to two-block underground pedestrian passageway at Eighth and Flower streets to connect it to the Seventh Street/Metro Center station, a step that would involve additional modifications to the latter stop.

“Seventh Street/Metro Center is already busy,” Bartolo said. “There are legitimate questions of whether it can accommodate additional traffic. Also, Pershing Square is the center of Downtown; it serves the Financial District and Historic Core, both in terms of workforce population and residents, plus the Bunker Hill cultural hub.”

Metro is also still considering a terminus at Union Station, although the latest revision partially changes the previous route. Metro has revised plans so the West Santa Ana branch would be further east than in the past, which would avoid streetscape changes along Alameda Street.

Metro is planning another round of community meetings in the coming weeks, although Haas said the dates have not been determined. He said people will have the opportunity to provide feedback.

The community and business groups upset with Metro’s decision said they plan to lobby the transit agency. Lall said she hopes that Metro will either better explain the drawbacks of Pershing Square, or agree to reconsider the station.

The West Santa Ana Branch project is being funded by Measure M funds approved by L.A. County voters. Metro plans to break ground on the line in 2022 and complete it in time for the 2028 Summer Olympics. nicholas@downtownnews.com

The Pershing Square Metro station at Fifth and Hill streets.

photo by Nicholas Slayton

BI ANNNUAL EDUCATION GUIDE LA Downtown News proudly presents its biannual look into the best traditional education and alternative learning options in the Los Angeles area.

First Issue Publishes:

Monday, February 11, 2019 To advertise in this biannual issue call about special offers for up to 50% OFF on Multi Media packages today!

JANUARY 14, 2019

DOWNTOWN NEWS 9

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

Development Watch A Fashion District High-Rise, More Broadway Overhauls, And Possible Progress on Long-Delayed Hotels

By Nicholas Slayton et Another Opening Date for Long-Awaited Hotels: Last April, Journal Hotels, the hospitality company that runs the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, announced it would assume operations for the long-delayed Clark and Trinity hotels in Downtown. Now, according to its website, Journal Hotels plans to begin hosting guests in the buildings this summer. The Trinity Hotel, at 849 S. Grand Ave. in the former Trinity Auditorium building, is expected to contain 187 rooms. The Clark Hotel, at 426 S. Hill St. near Pershing Square, will add 347 hotel rooms to the Historic Core. The New Yorkbased Chetrit Group has long owned and oversaw the redevelopment projects. Both buildings have been renovated, but have sat empty as opening dates have been repeatedly pushed back; in the spring, Journal Hotels said the Trinity Hotel would open by the end of 2018.

Y

Buffing a Broadway Building, Part 1: An aged eight-story structure at 722 S. Broadway is poised to become a modern, mixed-use project. According to plans filed with the Department of City Planning last month, the brick edifice known as the Sassony Building will see its storefronts re-

constructed, as well as new awnings and a cornice. The United Kingdom-based Sätila Studios bought the building in 2016, and according to the company’s website, there will be ground-floor retail and offices, with apartments on the upper levels. The firm Architectural Resources Group firm is working with Sätila Studios on the project, and plans call for modernizing the infrastructure as well as aesthetic touches. The building was constructed in 1909. No budget or timeline has been announced.

Buffing a Broadway Building, Part 2: Another Broadway building is getting a creative office overhaul. Los Angeles-based real estate firm Afton Properties has revealed the details for a $12 million reworking of the six-story Desmond Building at 612 S. Broadway. The Beaux Arts structure will get a total of 85,000 square feet of space, including adding two floors (for a restaurant and a bar). Originally designed

by Albert C. Martin, the Downtown-based architecture firm Omgivning is working on the redevelopment designs. There will be ground-floor retail, while the upper levels will serve creative office tenants. The work involves updating the infrastructure and bringing the property up to current seismic

BUSINESS INTERNET SERVICE 1000Mbps/$499.95 Broadband I Voice I WiFi I HDTV

800.900.5788 I aerioconnect.com

photo courtesy CoStar

The 1909 Sassony Building at 722 S. Broadway is slated to be transformed into a modern mixeduse project with ground-floor retail, offices and apartments on the upper levels. Sätila Studios bought the building in 2016.

standards. The building gets its name from Desmond’s Department Store, which occupied the structure from its opening in 1924 through 1981. The news was first reported by the Los Angeles Times.

From Parking to Offices (and Groceries): Last year developer Markwood Enterprises announced plans to overhaul the former May Co. parking garage at 900 S. Hill St., with the attention grabber being that natural foods grocery store Erewhon will take up 9,500 square feet of space on the ground floor of the building. Now there are new designs and information. Renderings from R&A Architecture + Design show a new rooftop structure

image courtesy DLANC

Developer Afton Properties is planning a $12 million overhaul of the building at 612 S. Broadway. The structure, which once housed Desmond’s Department Store, will have ground-floor retail, while the upper levels will serve creative office tenants.

that would be used for offices, and the upper floors of the building would also serve office tenants. The images also place an emphasis on the building’s glass-fronted edifice, including floor-spanning windows. Markwood has yet to announce a budget or timeline for the project. The 1926 building holds approximately 200,000 square feet of space. The news was first reported by the website Urbanize L.A. Goodbye Pagoda: More development could be coming to Chinatown. Plans were filed recently with the Department of City Planning for a nine-story hotel that would Continued on page 10

TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS

10 DOWNTOWN NEWS

DEVELOPMENT, 9 rise at 955 N. Broadway, a block north of Central Plaza. The site currently houses the low-rise Royal Pagoda Motel, which would be torn down to make way for a 111,751-square-foot building. The number of rooms was not revealed, though plans call for a rooftop restaurant and lounge. The Kwong Family 2012 Irrevocable Trust is listed as the developer. No budget or timeline has been disclosed. Developers have begun looking closely at Chinatown in recent years. Roughly three blocks away, French real estate firm Compagnie de Phalsbourg is developing a 26-story mixed-use project at 643 N. Spring St. and Atlas Capital is seeking entitlements for its College Station near the Chinatown Gold Line station.

Looking Up in the Fashion District: Prolific Downtown developer Jade Enterprises is moving away from its low- and mid-rise projects with a proposed 30-story residential tower in the Fashion District. Jade filed plans with the city last month for a high-rise at 1123 S. Main St. with 363 apartments. As with some other Jade projects, architecture firm MVE+Partners is designing the effort. Renderings show a glass exterior and a landscaped parking podium with a pool and trees. It would also have three levels of above-grade parking and room for 373 cars.

The project would be on the same block as Jade’s existing Harris Building at 110 W. 11th St. and its planned mixed-use Main Street Park project at 1100 S. Main St. The budget and timeline for the tower have not been disclosed.

Arts District Overhaul: The County of Los Angeles is looking for a developer to transform two buildings in the Arts District. The County released a request for proposals on Dec. 6 for the structures at Fourth Place and Hewitt Street (the Art Share Los Angeles headquarters stands between them). Together they sit on 1.5 acres of land. Currently the buildings serve the County Department of Social Services. The RFP calls for the winning bidder to build new offices for the department, plus any other use proposed by the winner that the County approves. The last day for submissions is Feb. 7. nicholas@downtownnews.com

JANUARY 14, 2019

The Central City Crime Report

By Nicholas Slayton n the Central City Crime Report, we survey a recent week in public safety. All information is provided by the LAPD’s Central Division.

I

■ Shortly after midnight on Dec. 3, an unidentified individual used a rock to smash the window of a Broadway building. Some cigarettes were taken.

partment store and left without paying. A security guard intervened and a fight ensued.

■ Someone entered a Broadway market on the evening of Dec. 3 and tried to put clothing in a backpack. A security guard tried to stop the thief, who fought back and then ran off.

■ In the early hours of Dec. 3, someone broke into a Los Angeles Street store and grabbed clothes, bags and other items.

■ Two people got into an argument at around 3 a.m. at a Flower Street sports bar. One person hit the other in the head with a hard object and then fled.

■ Two people got into a fight at Fifth and San Pedro streets on Dec. 3. One stabbed the other in the back.

■ At around 3 a.m. on Dec. 5, someone broke into a Broadway office building by cutting through the drywall. Some tools were taken.

■ An unidentified individual broke into a Figueroa Street apartment on Dec. 3 while the resident was away at work. A tablet computer, a phone, jewelry and other items were taken.

■ A man was at Union Station on Dec. 5 when someone grabbed his phone. The man chased the thief down and got the phone back. The assailant was arrested.

■ Someone entered a Seventh Street department store on Dec. 5, grabbed some socks and left without paying.

■ A pedestrian was walking on Flower Street on Dec. 5 when someone walked up, punched the person in the face and demanded money. The victim’s wallet was taken.

■ Overnight between Dec. 6-7, the tires were stolen off a Mercedes-Benz parked in an underground Olive Street garage.

■ On the afternoon of Dec. 3, an unidentified individual grabbed some clothing in a Broadway de-

■ On Dec. 7, an unidentified individual punched a woman on Flower Street, grabbed her purse and tried to flee. However, a witness detained the thief until police arrived. nicholas@downtownnews.com

YOUR Essential Dining Reference!

OF DETAILED PROFILES

S LANDMARK CLASSICES AND NEW FAVORITDTLA TH A N

70

ERIES

RE

D

ELI

GO MOBILE!

AT

MO

IN AND AROUND

CIOUS E

2 0 1 9

LOOK FOR IT MARCH 18TH! Make sure your restaurant has a place in this year’s guide.

Call (213) 481-1448 to reserve your space today.

1264 W. 1st St., LA, CA 90026 213-481-1448

LADowntownNews.com

JANUARY 14, 2019

STRIKE, 5 a shot of your favorite alcohol each time he took a shot at the LAUSD supe, you’d be toasted pretty quickly. He attacks Beutner so frequently that I wonder if Caputo-Pearl is envious of him, sort of like third-grade boys are mean to girls they like.

UTLA social media channels are even more barbed. The union has been harpooning Beutner and school board member allies including Monica Garcia and Nick Melvoin for months. As I noted in September, the union manufactured an image of those three with, egads, wacky Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, putting them all under the banner “The Privatizer Bunch.”

Caputo-Pearl routinely warns, as he did last Monday, that Beutner’s aim is to “privatize the district,” and that his goal is “mass charterization and privatization.”

The message resonates with the converted, but is built on suspicion rather than substance. While Beutner is working on a still-confidential reorganization plan for the bloated LAUSD, he has given zero indication that he hopes to funnel students out of the district and create a new battalion of charter schools. If nothing else, doing that would mean even less money for LAUSD. Beutner, the supposed “enemy” of public education in part because he made a fortune in the New York financial world, is also the guy who founded Vision to Learn, a Los Angeles-based charity that provides free eyeglasses to low-income children, in the effort to ensure they do well in school. It now operates in 13 states and more than 300 cities. According to its annual report, in the 2017-18 fiscal year alone it provided 39,637 kids with glasses.

Valid Complaints I’m not saying UTLA doesn’t have some axes to grind in its fight. District and teacher tensions have simmered for decades, and during that period LAUSD has frequently been as efficient and sympathetic as a famished Jabba the Hut. It has attempted a wealth of bungled programs. The union rightly complains about things such as too much standardized testing that steals class time.

The District needs streamlining and new thinking. That’s why the board last May hired Beutner. But the board that hired him had a majority of charter-aligned members, which raises UTLA hackles. Charter schools also get state money, but only a minority of them are unionized.

I get that some will take this as an anti-teacher approach.

That’s not the case. I know that teaching in LAUSD borders on the impossible and that many teachers dig into their own pockets to benefit their students. None are in the field for the cash grab.

Still, you can support teachers while questioning the tactics of their union leadership. And there are plenty of questions when, amid the current dispute, the big issues seem bridgeable. UTLA has pushed for a 6.5% salary increase retroactive to 2016, while the District has offered a 6% hike, with half for the current school year and the remainder backsliding to 2017. The sides should be close to reaching agreement.

As for class sizes, by last week LAUSD was offering more than $100 million to increase staffing, and on Thursday Beutner said the figure would go higher based on more money being allocated in Newsom’s new state budget. Negotiations were slated to continue over the weekend.

The best path, which plenty of people have already mentioned, is to hold off Monday’s strike, and for UTLA and the District to work together on generating more funding, which means everyone getting on the same yellow bus and singing songs on lobbying trips to Sacramento. It also involves jointly planning a ballot measure to raise money for schools, potentially a parcel tax in 2020.

In other words, there’s a path for everyone to save face, get some of what they want, and to walk away with both UTLA and the District spinning shared sacrifice. The parties can avoid a strike and plan for the future But will they get there? Is win-win the goal, or is this more about destroying the opposition? regardie@downtownnews.com

DOWNTOWN NEWS 11

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY FOR A DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT (EIR) AND PUBLIC HEARING In accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro), as Lead Agency, has prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Link Union Station (Link US) Project (proposed project). This notice provides the public, responsible agencies, and other interested parties with a summary of the proposed project, and information regarding the availability of the Draft EIR for public review.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION Los Angeles Union Station (LAUS) is located at 800 Alameda Street in the City of Los Angeles, California. LAUS is bounded by US-101 to the south, Alameda Street to the west, Cesar Chavez Avenue to the north, and Vignes Street to the east. The proposed project extends north, south, and east of LAUS to encompass various project elements.

The proposed project would transform LAUS from a “stub-end tracks station” into a “run-through tracks station” with a new passenger concourse that would improve the efficiency of the station and accommodate future growth and transportation demands in the region. Key components of the proposed project include: an optimized throat with one new lead track, an above-grade passenger concourse with new expanded passageway; new passenger platforms on an elevated rail yard; new run-through tracks over the US-101 freeway; new loop track; new rail communication, signals, and tracks; and modifications and safety enhancements to US 101 and local roadways.

The proposed project accommodates the planned High-Speed Rail system throughout the project limits, and on shared lead tracks north of LAUS.

SUMMARY OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS The Draft EIR analyzed the following resource areas: Land Use and Planning, Transportation and Traffic, Aesthetics, Air Quality and Global Climate Change, Noise and Vibration, Biological Resources, Hydrology and Water Quality, Geology and Soils, Hazards and Hazardous Materials, Utilities/Service Systems and Energy Conservation, Cultural Resources, and Public Services. The proposed project would result in significant and unavoidable impacts in the following resource areas: Transportation and Traffic, Air Quality (construction-only), Noise and Vibration (construction-only), and Cultural Resources. All other impacts would be considered less than significant, or would be reduced to a level less than significant with implementation of mitigation.

HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SITES The project site is located on sites listed under Government Code Section 65962.5. A total of 35 Recognized Environmental Conditions sites have been identified with a Moderate to High risk ranking that have the potential to affect the environment as a result of excavation activities associated with projectrelated construction.

PUBLIC REVIEW PERIOD The 45 day-public review period will begin on January 17, 2019 and end on March 4, 2019.

DOCUMENT AVAILABILITY The Draft EIR will be available on Metro’s website at www.metro.net/linkus. Electronic (CD) and paper copies of the Draft EIR may be requested from the Records Management Center, Plaza Level, One Gateway Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90012. Hard copies of the Executive Summary and CD copies of the entire Draft EIR with accompanying appendices will also be available for public viewing at the following locations: Central Library 630 W. 5th Street Los Angeles, CA 90071

Chinatown Branch Library 639 N. Hill Street Los Angeles, CA 90012

Benjamin Franklin Branch Library 2200 E. 1st Street Los Angeles, CA 90033

(Hard copy of Executive Summary available in English and Spanish)

(Hard copy of Executive Summary available in English, Spanish, and Chinese)

(Hard copy of Executive Summary available in English and Spanish)

Lincoln Heights Branch Library 2530 Workman Street Los Angeles, CA 90031

Little Tokyo Branch Library 203 S. Los Angeles Street Los Angeles, CA 90012

LA Union Station/Metro Library One Gateway Plaza, 15th Floor Los Angeles, CA 90012

(Hard copy of Executive Summary available in English, Spanish, and Chinese)

(Hard copy of Executive Summary available in English, Spanish, Korean, and Japanese)

(Hard copy of the Draft EIR and appendices available in English and hard copy of Executive Summary in English and Spanish)

PROVIDING COMMENTS Interested persons should send written comments to Attn: Vincent Chio, Link US Deputy Project Manager, One Gateway Plaza, MS 99-17-2, Los Angeles, CA 90012; via email at LinkUnionStation@metro.net; or via online comment form at metro.net/linkus. If comments are provided via email, please include “Link US – Draft EIR” in the subject line, attach comments in Microsoft Word format, and include the commenter’s United States (U.S.) Postal Service mailing address. All public comments must be received by 5:00 PM on March 4, 2019 to ensure incorporation into the Final EIR. PUBLIC HEARING Metro will hold a public hearing to explain the project and the Draft EIR analysis. The Draft EIR and information about the public hearing is available through Metro’s website: www.metro.net/linkus Comments from the public may be submitted at the public hearing via comment card or court reporter.

Date: Tuesday, January 29, 2019 Time: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM Location: Metro Headquarters, One Gateway Plaza, Board Room, 3rd Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90012 All Metro meetings are held in ADA accessible facilities. Spanish and Chinese translation will be provided.

Other ADA accommodations and translations are available by calling 213.922.2524 at least 72 hours in advance.

TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS

A Middle-Aged Man

s e o e f m g A o C Fifty Isn’t so Nifty, But It Is Mined for Laughs in the Mark Taper Forum’s ‘Linda Vista’

I

DT

CALENDAR

Ian Barford plays Wheeler, a 50-year-old man struggling to start a new leg of his life, in Linda Vista. He is shown with Caroline Neff, who plays his friend Anita. The comic drama written by Pulitzer Prize-winner Tracy Letts opens this week at the Mark Taper Forum.

By Sean P. Thomas n Tracy Letts’ play Linda Vista, the traditional trappings of a man in the throes of a mid-life crisis are apparent. They are also the spark for a lot of laughs.

The show that opens on Wednesday, Jan. 16, at the Mark Taper Forum is centered around Dick Wheeler (played by Ian Barford), who after 15 years is still reeling from a rocky divorce from his wife. Having turned 50, he has finally climbed out of his exwife’s basement and is starting a new life in a constricting apartment in the sleepy San Diego neighborhood of Linda Vista.

Wheeler (he prefers to go by his last name) is noticeably rough around the edges and imbues the characteristics stereotypical of his Chicago upbringing. He doesn’t shy away from the occasional four-letter word. He works a boring job at a camera store, and doesn’t hold back when it comes to the romantic relationships he has failed to cultivate.

But somehow, through Wheeler’s curt exterior, Letts is able to wring vulnerability, and also plenty of comedy. Director Dexter Bullard said that Linda Vista, which continues through Feb. 17, could best be described as a pseudo coming-of-age tale, just one that takes place a few decades after the more-common teenager metamorphosis story.

“All of us come of age,” Bullard said. “Every year we have to figure out who we are going to be, how we have changed.”

Bullard said the humor springs from the familiarity that audiences will feel when they see the lead trying

JANUARY 14, 2019

to navigate life and the challenges of his relationships.

“I don’t know a person who doesn’t have a friend, a girlfriend, an old college friend who is just like Wheeler,” Bullard said. “Tracy’s study of this man comes from people he knows. He will be very recognizable.”

Letts has had a varied career as both an actor and writer. He won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and a Tony Award in 2008 for writing August: Osage County, and received a Tony Award for playing the role of George in the revival of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf.

His TV and screen credits include the series “Homeland” and the movie Lady Bird.

Linda Vista premiered at Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre in spring 2017. It drew strong reviews for Letts’ biting commentary and Barford’s sardonic wit.

Still, there have been changes, and Linda Vista continues to evolve, Bullard said. Society’s shifting political and social discussions have altered the lens through which audiences see the relationships between Wheeler and the women he encounters, most notably Jules (Cora Vander Broek) and Minnie (Chantal Thuy).

That included the growth of the #MeToo movement, as well as the current landscape in Washington D.C. The play isn’t wholly political, but Vander Broek expects that audiences will walk away with a few churning thoughts on what is happening in the country, especially in regard to gender dynamics.

“We’re in a heavy time,” Vander Broek said. “We’re polarized with issues concerning sex and gen-

photo courtesy Center Theatre Group

12 DOWNTOWN NEWS

der and I think sometimes the best way into these hot-bucket topics is through laughter.”

Some of that spins from Jules, a life coach who weighs a romantic relationship with Wheeler after she meets him on a blind date. Considering Jules’ profession, Vander Broek said it would have been easy to depict her character, or other women in the play, as mechanisms to fix what is broken inside of Wheeler. But doing so would have rendered them one-dimensional, she said. The relationships are designed more as a push-and-pull than a one-sided affair.

“There will be men who relate to Wheeler, and women who relate to Jules,” Vander Broek said. “Everyone in the play is deeply complex, deeply flawed, and deeply brave at times.”

That bravery extends to the actors. Linda Vista has bedroom scenes that include nudity, and sexual intimacy is raised numerous times throughout the production (the show is recommended for audiences 16 and over, and children under 6 are prohibited).

The nudity and sex are not for sex’s sake. While Bullard said some productions might use sex scenes to help endear audiences to a relationship, Letts utilizes them as a window into the characters when they are at their most vulnerable, both physically and mentally.

“Tracy’s perspective on a sex scene is, let’s see what it’s really like,” Bullard said. “The awkwardness of the communication; it’s vulnerable and playful, not gaudy and airbrushed like in the movies and television.”

Bullard said the intimate scenes are also where some of the biggest laughs can be found.

“I know our play encourages and also discourages marital discussions,” Bullard joked.

Vander Broek said that audiences shouldn’t expect the play to end wrapped in a tidy bow. Although Wheeler begins to realize that he is stuck in his life, it doesn’t mean that at the culmination of the nearly three-hour run time he will lodge himself free.

In that regard, it’s sort of like real life.

Linda Vista runs until Feb. 17 at the Mark Taper Forum, 135 N. Grand Ave., (213) 628-2772 or centertheatregroup.com. sean@downtownnews.com

JANUARY 14, 2019

DOWNTOWN NEWS 13

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

Main Museum Shutters Historic Core Contemporary Art Space Closed in December. Future Use Is Unknown

By Nicholas Slayton he Historic Core’s Main Museum has quietly and abruptly shuttered. The fate of the facility that focused on contemporary art from local creators is uncertain.

Museum Director Allison Agsten, Deputy Director Alex Capriotti and Curatorial Associate Monica Rodriguez announced their departures last month. The move came just seven months after the museum and the Pasadena-based ArtCenter College of Design had announced a partnership. A May 7 press release described the move as an, “innovative agreement to develop a long-term operational and programmatic partnership that would further the missions of the two organizations by expanding their reach and scope of art and design education for students, faculty, museum-goers, and the L.A. community.”

Gilmore Associates, the development firm run by Tom Gilmore and Jerri Perrone that opened the project in the Hellman Building in October 2016, declined multiple requests for comment. A representative last week said only that Gilmore would be available to speak “next month.”

In an email to Los Angeles Downtown News, Agsten said that the Main Museum allowed her to connect with and advise around 150 Downtown-based artists.

T

“I am very grateful for the opportunity I had to get to know so many of you, in a city that means so much to me,” she said in the email.

Agsten would not discuss the reasons for the closure.

The deal with ArtCenter, which offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in a variety of disciplines, was billed last May as an “exploratory partnership” that would provide the museum with “financial stability.”

An initial deal was slated to last through the end of 2018, with the potential for a longer working relationship. In May, Agsten told Downtown News that the deal came after a search for a partner.

ArtCenter has used the Main Museum to host panel discussions and show projects from students, according to Teri Bond, director of media relations for the college. With the close of 2018, that agreement ended, Bond said, and the college is in conversations with Gilmore about the space, with the exact uses still to be determined.

A statement from ArtCenter said that the college had not been involved in the day-today operations of the museum, as it was being run by Agsten and her team. An exhibit of works from an ArtCenter environmental study class that opened in December is still on display, but can be viewed only via appointment, and the museum remains off lim-

photo by Eddie Kim

The museum’s most attention-generating show was the annual Office Hours exhibit, in which museum Director Allison Agsten met with 50 artists to discuss their process and goals. The participants would then be featured in a group show.

its to the general public.

The closure of the museum is a blow, said Cheyanne Sauter, executive director of the nonprofit Art Share L.A. She said the move hits both the Downtown and citywide arts community, as the Main Museum had focused heavily on local artists, or artists who

had their start in Los Angeles.

“We were excited that a large institution was going to shine light on an existing roster of artists, for decades to come,” Sauter said.

“L.A. has always been seen as the stepchild on the global arts scene.”

Continued on page 16

Open24/7

Free Wi-Fi | Drive Thru Free Parking Breakfast All Day

Dim Sum

726 Alameda St. (Bay & Alameda) 213-228-8999 | farmerboysla.com For Orders Over $15

20% OFF

(before taxes) With This Coupon. Expires 2/28/19.

No substitutions. Limit one offer per coupon. One coupon per transaction. Los Angeles Alameda location only. Not valid with any other coupon, advertised special or offer.

State sales tax applicable. Copies or replicas of this offer will not be accepted.

LUNCH AND DINNER • An Extensive Seafood Menu including Dim Sum at Moderate Prices • Relaxed Dining in an Elegant Ambiance • Live Lobster Tank

CALARTS’ DOWNTOWN CENTER FOR CONTEMPORARY ARTS

JANUARY ——— 24 – 26

Sebastia n Herna ndez

700 N. Spring Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012 Free Parking Next to Restaurant Tel: 213.617.2323

Hypanthium MULTIDISCIPLINARY–DANCE

SIGN UP FOR

JANUARY 30 – FEB RUARY 3

FREE

T he Wooster Group

TICKETS!

THE B-SIDE: “Negro Folklore from Texas State Prisons” A Record Album Interpretation

@DowntownNews.com

Sign up for our E-News Blasts and be entered to win movie tickets showing at

THEATER–MUSIC

GLASS

Starts January 18

ESCAPE ROOM

Starts January 11

R EDCAT.org

213.237.2800

The Don't Miss List

CALENDAR LISTINGS

ROCK, POP & JAZZ

Ace Hotel 929 S. Broadway or acehotel.com/losangeles.

Jan. 20: Kris Kristofferson and the Strangers are here for all fans of outlaw country music.

Blue Whale 123 Astronaut E.S. Onizuka St. Suite 301, (213) 620-0908 or bluewhalemusic.com.

Jan. 14: Zephyr Avalon Group.

Jan. 16: Henry Solomon’s Civil Bear. Presumably not an actual bear, no matter how civil.

Jan. 18: Miguel Atwood-Ferguson Ensemble.

Jan. 19-20: Peter Bernstein, Bill Stewart, Larry Goldings.

Bootleg Bar 2220 Beverly Blvd., (213) 389-3856 or bootlegtheater.org.

Jan. 14: It turns out that Justus Proffit is a brooding indie rock singer, not a satirical look at late capitalistic individuality set to music.

Jan. 15: Scott Right Now keeps the puns and indie rock trend going.

Jan. 18: Remember Sports.

Jan. 19: Ruby Ibarra spits ’90s-influenced rhymes in her hiphop shows.

Jan. 20: Embrace some nostalgic and good rock with The Posies.

The Escondite 410 Boyd St., (213) 626-1800 or theescondite.com.

Jan. 18: Blind Pony, Skinnytubs.

Continued on next page

photo by Paul Heartfield

two

one

In recent months, Downtowners have been checking out the eclectic and exciting work of painter Nina Chanel Abney in not one, but two locations. That opportunity is about to come to an end, however.

Sunday, Jan. 20, brings the closing of Nina Chanel Abney: Royal Flush, which is on view in two parts at the California African American Museum in Exposition Park and the Arts District’s Institute of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles. The exhibit is a 10-year survey of Abney’s creative output, and shows her skill at blending complex social commentary into bright and vibrant figurative paintings.

Topics include police brutality, social media and social inequalities, often depicted with biting satire and glum humor. At 600 State Dr., (213) 744-2084 or caamuseum.org; and 1717 E. Seventh St., (213) 928-0833 or icala.org.

More than four decades after he sneered the first verses to “Anarchy in the U.K.,” John Lydon still manages to dig into the skin of society. Lydon, who went by the nom de rock Johnny Rotten during the short-lived Sex Pistols run, has done far more damage with his British post-punk outfit Public Image Ltd. The group also known as PiL was the subject of the 2017 documentary The Public Image Is Rotten,, which just happens to be screening at The Regent on Wednesday, Jan. 16. The film mixes archival footage of the band’s heyday with insight from fellow boundary pushers including Flea and the Beastie Boys’ Ad-Rock. Director Tabbert Fiiller will field questions following the screening. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. At 448 S. Main St., (323) 284-5727 or theregenttheater.com.

If you believe that the world is going to hell in a hand basket, then cognitive scientist and Harvard professor Steven Pinker wants you to relax, take a deep breath, and look at the data. Pinker’s latest tome, Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress, outlines the often-overlooked ways in which the world is improving. Pinker will three discuss his findings in Downtown Los Angeles as part of the Live Talks Los Angeles speaker series on Wednesday, Jan. 16, at the Aratani Theatre in Little Tokyo. The conversation begins at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $35 and include a copy of the book. At 244 S. San Pedro St. or livetalksla. org/events/steven-pinker.

photo by Rose Lincoln / Harvard University

TUESDAY, JAN. 15 ‘Wayne’ Screening The Regent Theater, 448 S. Main St. or spacelandpresents.com 7 p.m.: Catch the premiere of the latest YouTube original series, which just happens to be named “Wayne.” If you have a friend named Wayne, invite him too.

WEDNESDAY, JAN 16 Feminist Book Club with Julia Callahan The Last Bookstore, 453 S. Spring St., (213) 488-0599 or lastbookstorela.com.

7:30 p.m.: Relive and get bitter about the 1990s with this discussion of Allison Yarrow’s “90s Bitch: Media, Culture, and the Failed Promise of Gender Equality.”

‘The Public Image Is Rotten’ Screening with Tabbert Fiiller The Regent Theater, 448 S. Main St. or spacelandpresents.com 8 p.m.: Enjoy a screening of this documentary about the classic post-punk band featuring John Lydon, then go ask the director questions about it.

Steven Pinker at Live Talks Los Angeles Aratani Theatre, 244 S. San Pedro St. or livetalksla.org.

8 p.m.: The Harvard professor comes to Little Tokyo to discuss his new book ”Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress,“ which outlines the often-overlooked ways in which the world is improving.

THURSDAY, JAN. 17 Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard Theatre at Ace Hotel, 929 S. Broadway or acehotel.com/losangeles.

8 p.m.: The former “Punk’d” cast member brings his podcast to Downtown for a live taping.

SATURDAY, JAN. 19 Critical Role Presents Vox Machina: The Search for Grog Theatre at Ace Hotel, 929 S. Broadway or acehotel.com/losangeles.

8 p.m.: The popular role-playing game show does a live edition of the game, based on their latest campaign. Bring your 20-sided dice for luck.

BY SEAN P. THOMAS

image courtesy Teregram Ballroom

EVENTS

JANUARY 14, 2019

photo by Peter Paul Geoffrion. ©Nina Chanel Abney

DT

TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS

five

photo courtesy Red Light Management

14 DOWNTOWN NEWS

The thin line between improvisational and composed music is frequently occupied by the hard-to-pin-down genre of jazz. And who better to hold your hand as you take a deep dive into the realm of contemporary jazz than Herbie Hancock (shown here), who also happens to hold the title of Creative Chair for Jazz four with the Los Angeles Philharmonic (and you thought the Phil was only about classical music). Hancock will power a program dubbed The Edge of Jazz that takes place at the Walt Disney Concert Hall on Tuesday, Jan. 15, at 8 p.m. The evening is full of world premieres, including the first listen of Kamasi Washington’s “Struggle From Within” and Vijay Iyer’s “Crisis Modes.” At 111 S. Grand Ave. or laphil.com.

Believe it or not, there was a time when the music and hips of Elvis Presley were considered too risqué for American consumption. Maybe that’s why the Hunter S. Thompson Institute and singer/songwriter Benji Hughes selected the king of rock and roll as a theme for their counterculture-loving concert at the Teragram Ballroom on Saturday, Jan. 19, at 9 p.m. We’re a little late, but 2018 also happened to be the 20th anniversary of the release of the trippy film Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (based on Thompson’s novel of the same name). The book takes place in 1971, when Presley was a fixture in Las Vegas. Hughes will partner with the Goddamn Bats (named after a line from the film) for the evening’s concert. More connections! At 1234 W. Seventh St., (213) 689-9100 or teragramballroom.com.

Send information and possible Don’t Miss List submissions to calendar@downtownnews.com.

JANUARY 14, 2019

Jan. 20: Folk enthusiasts should flock to Boyd Street for Wicklow Atwater.

Exchange LA 618 S. Spring St., (213) 627-8070 or exchangela.com.

Jan. 17: Gravedancer Takeover.

Jan. 18: Electro duo Chromeo does a DJ set.

Jan. 19: Chus & Ceballos with Oscar L. Grammy Museum 800 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 765-6800 or grammymuseum.org.

Jan. 15: Funk legend Niles Rodgers and music executive Merck Mercuriadis are teaming up for a talk.

Jan. 17: R&B star Thelma Houston comes to the Grammy Museum to perform and to discuss her career.

Ham and Eggs Tavern 433 W. Eighth St. or hamandeggstavern.com.

Jan. 17: Marjorie Flair, Reindeer Flotilla and Colby Miller.

Hats off to Reindeer Flotilla for an inspired name.

Jan. 20: La Troienne, plus I, Aeronaut, Todavia and Uut. Moroccan Lounge 901 E. First St., (213) 395-0610 or themoroccan.com.

Jan. 14: Synth artist Harmless has gone by many names.

Jan. 15: Indie songstress Monica Martin.

Jan. 16-17: Canadian alt rockers Mother Mother do two nights.

Jan. 18-19: The Districts are also here for two nights.

Jan. 20: Pearl Charles blends folk, country, acid rock and psychedelia into one show. LSD Americana?

Resident 428 S. Hewitt St. or residentdtla.com.

Jan. 17: Dirty Sweet, with Night Horse.

Jan. 18: Brendan Kelly is here with his Wandering Birds.

Jan. 20: Country-Western singer Corb Lund is on his “No Rest for the West” tour, which is a sentiment we can get behind.

The Novo 800 W. Olympic Blvd. or thenovodtla.com.

Jan. 18: East London’s Nao spins electronic music.

The Redwood 316 W. Second St., (213) 680-2600 or theredwoodbar. com.

Jan. 15: The Mike Livingston Duo. Jan. 16: Death on the Radio, plus Tarah Who?, Order Disorder, and Unit F. Jan. 17: Color Up, Us Lights, The Graylings. Why does this line up read like poetry?

Jan. 18: Glitter Trash.

Jan. 19: The Schizophonics, The Creepy Creeps, Stormhouse, DJ Shanty Tramp.

Jan. 20: Skrapez, Secret Mutilator, Solv.

The Regent 448 S. Main St. or spacelandpresents.com Jan. 17: David Bromberg, Larry Campbell and David Hildalgo play an eclectic mix of American roots music.

Jan. 18: Zoso bills itself as the “ultimate Led Zeppelin experience,” but if it doesn’t disband and then tease at a reunion for decades, is it really?

Jan. 19: The Dillinger Four, 88 Fingers Louie, Guttermouth and more play the Hopeless Records 25th anniversary show.

Regent China Inn Authentic Chinese Cuisine in Chinatown

Live Lobster and Crab Delivery, Minimum Order $15 Lunch Special From $6.00 – Mon.-Fri. 11-5, Sat.-Sun. 11-3 Party Tray Available 739-747 N. Main St. Los Angeles, 90012

213.680.3333

PARKING IN REAR

DOWNTOWN NEWS 15

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

The Smell 247 S. Main St. in the alley between Spring and Main or thesmell.org.

Jan. 15: Dirt Buyer, Cryogeyser, Comma La. Jan. 18: Randy Randall, Boy Romeo, Sam Setzer.

Jan. 19: Jurors, Storm Coast, D.end, Lovers Motel.

Teragram Ballroom 1234 W. Seventh St. or teragramballroom.com.

Jan. 17: British pop punk act As It Is formed in 2012, but look like they are rocking a very 2004 aesthetic.

Jan. 19: Benji Hughes and the Goddamn Bats headline The Hunter S. Thompson Institute’s Elvis Show. Go get weird, make Dr. Thompson proud.

THEATER

Linda Vista Mark Taper Forum, 135 N. Grand Ave., (213) 628-2772 or centertheatregroup.org.

Jan. 15-19 8 p.m., Jan. 19, 2:30 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Jan. 20, 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.: Having just turned 50 and hit rock bottom, a man named Wheeler moves out of his ex-wife’s basement and seeks to turn his life around, including meeting some women. It’s a tragic comedy from lauded playwright Tracy Letts. Through Feb. 17.

Desert Rats The Los Angeles Theatre Center, 514 S. Spring St., (866) 811-4111 or thelatc.org.

Jan. 20, 4 and 7:30 p.m.: This dark comedy returns for a second run in Downtown. Two brothers plot a kidnapping in Barstow and things inevitably go wrong. Through Jan. 20.

Lizzie Bootleg Theater, 2220 Beverly Blvd., (213) 389-3856 or bootlegtheater.org.

Jan. 19, 7:30 p.m. and Jan. 20, 7 p.m.: The all-women punk rock musical about accused (and acquitted) axe murderer Lizzie Borden returns to Downtown for another run. Be ready for songs, dance and violence. Through Jan. 27

MORE LISTINGS Hundreds of listings of fun and interesting things to do in Downtown Los Angeles can also be found online at ladowntownnews.com/calendar: Rock, Pop & Jazz; Bars & Clubs; Farmers Markets; Events; Film; Sports; Art Spaces; Theater, Dance and Opera; Classical Music; Museums; and Tours.

DT

CLASSIFIEDS

To place a classified ad in the Downtown News please call 213-481-1448 Deadline for classified display and line ads are Thursday at 12pm.

FOR RENT

All submissions are subject to federal and California fair housing laws, which make it illegal to indicate in any advertisement any preference, limitation, or discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, ancestry, familial status, source of income or physical or mental disability. We will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis.

LEGAL CIVIL SUMMONS Summons (DISOLUTION OF MARRIAGE WITHOUT CHILDREN) Maria E. Pfister 505 W. Baseline Road, #1032 Tempe, AZ 85283 Petitioner Pro Se Katie DeYoung AZCLDP NO. 81226 IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF ARIZONA IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF MARICOPA NO. FN2018-092100 In the matter of: MARIA E. PFISTER, Petitioner and SAUL DE JESUS aka SAUL ACEVEDO, Respondent, FROM THE STATE OF ARIZONA TO: SAUL DE JESUS 18603 E. Colima Road, Apt. E

Rowland Heights, CA 91748 1. A lawsuit has been filed against you. A copy of the lawsuit and other court papers are served on you with this Summons.

2. If you do not want a judgment or order taken against you without your input, you must file an Answer or a Response in writing with the Court and pay the filing fee. If you do not file an Answer or Response, the other party may be given the relief requested in his or her Petition or Complaint.

To file your Response or Answer, take or send the Answer or Response to the Office of the Clerk of the Superior Court, 201 W. Jefferson Street, AZ 850032205, along with the appropriate filing fee. Mail a copy of your response or Answer to the other party at the address listed on the top of this Summons.

3. If this Summons and the other court papers were served on you by a registered process server of the Sheriff within the State of Arizona, your Response or Answer must be filed with-

in TWENTY (20) CALENDAR DAYS from the date you were served, not counting the day you were served. If this Summons and the other papers were served on you by a registered process server or Sheriff outside the State of Arizona, your Response must be filed within THIRTY (30) CALENDAR DAYS from the date you were served, not counting the day you were served. Service by a registered process server or the Sheriff is complete when made.

Service by Publication in complete 30 days after the date of the first publication.

4. You can get a copy of the court papers filed in this case from the Petitioner at the address at the top of this paper, or from the Clerk of the Superior Court at the address listed in Paragraph 2 above.

5. Requests for reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities must be made to the office of the Judge or Commissioner assigned to the case five days before your scheduled court date .

6. ADA Notification. Requests for reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities must be made to the court by parties at least (3) working days in advance of a scheduled court proceeding.

7.

Interpreter Notification.

Requests for an interpreter for persons with limited English proficiency must be made to the office of the judge or commissioner assigned to the case by parties at least ten (10) judicial days in advance of a scheduled court proceeding.

SIGNED AND SEALED THIS DATE: JANUARY 2, 2019 CLERK OF THE SUPERIOR COURT: Chris Derose DEPUTY CLERK: H. Gearhart

2YOUR EVENT INFO

EASY WAYS TO SUBMIT

WEB: LADowntownNews.com/calendar EMAIL: Calendar@DowntownNews.com

OM FR 75/ * ,9 $2 NTH MO

Email: Send a brief description, street address and public phone number. Submissions must be received 10 days prior to publication date to be considered for print.

5 OFF $

LUNCH

PUBLIC NOTICE *

SPECIAL

Gourmet Fast Casual Restaurant Since 1973 7 Days-7am to 10pm • FREE Parking • We Cater 1657 W. 3rd St. at Union Ave. • 213-483-8885 *ANY PURCHASE OF $25 OR MORE. 1 COUPON PER CUSTOMER, PER VISIT. EXPIRES 2/28/19

Notice of Initiation of the Section 106 Process: Public Participation Sprint proposes the upgrade of a rooftop telecommunications facility at 801 E Commercial St, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, CA. Members of the public interested in submitting comments on the possible effects on historic properties included in or eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places may send their comments to Andrew Smith, RESCOM Environmental Corp., PO Box 361 Petoskey, MI 49770 or call 260-385-6999.

TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS

16 DOWNTOWN NEWS

JANUARY 14, 2019

MAIN MUSEUM, 13

TRILOGY

Downtown...It’s Not Just Big Business Anymore!

255 GRAND 255 South Grand Avenue 213-229-9777 www.255GRAND.com Community Amenities: Expansive Outdoor Terrace Heated Pool & Spa Custom-Designed Interiors 24 hr. Manned Lobby Resident Concierge Fitness Center / Yoga Studio Wi-Fi Lounge State-of-the-Art HD Theater Gourmet BBQ Areas / Gas Fire Pits Contemporary Lounge with Gourmet Kitchen

Apartment Amenities: Breathtaking Views Spacious Floorplans Central Air & Heating Balconies / Urban Patios (Most Units) Deep Soaking Tubs Luxury Stainless Appliances & Finishes Sky Level 27th Floor Penthouse Units: Complimentary Wi-Fi & Basic Cable Waterfall Countertops Bosch Appliances Nest 3rd Generation Thermostats Up to 2 Parking Spaces Included

The ‘Non-Museum Museum’ Gilmore Associates is the pioneering development firm that created the Old Bank District at the turn of the millennium, ushering in the residential growth of the Historic Core. In 2014, Gilmore and Perrone announced plans for a 100,000-square-foot “non-museum museum” in the Old Bank District. The initial 4,000-square-foot space dubbed “Beta Main” opened two years later at 114 W. Fourth St. The entire project was slated to finish in 2020.

The initial proposal called for using the Hellman Building, plus the adjacent Farmers and Merchants Bank and a nearby garage. The museum would utilize multiple levels of each property to display art, with exhibits set to interact with the physical environment. Plans also called for a rooftop garden and a restaurant.

Those expansive plans appear to have never reached the construction stage. The Beta Main carried on inside the Hell-

On-Site: Dry Cleaners / Dental Office / Restaurants

PROMENADE TOWERS 123 South Figueroa Street 213-617-3777 www.THEPROMENADETOWERS.com

Community Amenities: Expansive Outdoor Patio with BBQ Grills Heated Pool & Spa 24 hr. Manned Lobby Fitness Center Parking Garage

On-Site: Convenience Store / Café / Beauty Salon / Private Fitness Training Apartment Amenities: Floor-to-Ceiling Windows City Skyline Views Solarium and/or Balconies

MUSEUM TOWER 225 South Olive Street 213-626-1500 www.THEMUSEUMTOWERAPTS.com

Community Amenities: 24 hr. Manned Lobby Resident Concierge Heated Pool & Spa Fitness Center / Yoga Studio Outdoor Patio Gas BBQ Grills Recreation Room State-of-the-Art HD Theater Rooftop Patio with Views

Apartment Amenities: City and Mountain Views Luxury Appliances & Finishes Central Air & Heating Balconies (Most Units) Basic Cable *All Amenities Under Renovation

RESIDENCES STUDIO • ONE BEDROOM • TWO BEDROOMS PENTHOUSE UNITS • CORPORATE HOUSING

image courtesy Tom Wiscombe Architecture

Initial plans for the Main Museum involved spreading it across three buildings, with a rooftop restaurant and garden.

man Building, and events and programming were branded under the general Main Museum name.

During its run, the Main Museum featured a mix of performance works and exhibits featuring paintings, photographs and sculptures. Its launch show, Performance Lessons: Suzanne Lacy Teaches Andrea Bowers Performance Art, was a 10-day live exhibition with a pair of artists openly exploring their creative process. Other shows included an exhibition of Angeleno Star Montana’s photos, plus a performed reading of a 2017 speech from Sen. Elizabeth Warren.

Perhaps the facility’s most attention-generating project was Office Hours, which involved around 50 artists each year and was mounted three times. It often involved non-professional artists, or people who made art but had day jobs, meeting one-on-one with Agsten, who would offer advice and answer questions about the art world. It would culminate with the artists’ work being displayed in the museum in a group show.

The museum offered bilingual programming in English and Spanish. Sauter said that the Main, more than other institutions, highlighted emerging artists and was at the forefront of diversity and inclusion.

Agsten said highlights of the museum included an artist-in-residence program, as well as exhibitions of work from Milton Davis, Vickie Uyeda and Dora De Larios, a noted ceramic artist who passed away shortly before the February 2018 exhibit debuted.

“The Dora De Larios show meant a great deal to me,” Agsten said. “I will always regret that it opened a month after she died but I am glad that it helped to cement her legacy as a vitally important artist in our city.”

ArtCenter’s Sanctum: Micro-Dwellings for L.A.’s Homeless has three full-scale micro-housing units. It is visible from the street behind closed doors. nicholas@downtownnews.com