Larchmont Chronicle
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south gate ca. permit no. 294
JANUARY 2012
vol. 49, no. 1 • delivered to the 76,439 readers in hancock park • windsor square • fremont place • park labrea • larchmont village • Miracle Mile
SECTION ONE Health & Beauty
Public hearings to begin January 3
HOT YOGA, ultrasound facelift in special section. 13-21 CRIME prevention discussed. 3 WILDLIFE flock to 'Lake Rossmore.' 4 COPPER wire thefts.
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'SQUEAKY WHEEL' tackles city deficit. 7 BALZER started on Larchmont. 8 NEW BOOK on Marilyn Monroe. 10 QUEENSCARE outreach. 15 HOOKED on hiking. 20 PARTIES were in season.
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SECTION TWO Real Estate Home & Garden
NEW BOOK on Mr. Wilshire.
Commissioners seek input for new council districts
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RANCHO LA BREA historic images. 6 For Information on Advertising Rates, Please Call Pam Rudy 323-462-2241, x 11
Safety, transportation and parks are among issues to be discussed at hearings starting this month to help shape L.A. City Council district boundaries. Held every decade, the hearings covering the 15 districts are sponsored by the L.A. City Council Redistricting Commission. Meetings begin Tues., Jan. 3 at the Nate Holden Performing Arts Center, 4718 W. Washington Blvd. for Council District 10. Commissioner Chris Ellison, an attorney, will lead the discussion. Grover McKean, a lawyer and Los Feliz resident, has been named by Councilman Tom LaBonge to guide the proceedings on Wed., Jan. 4 at
Friendship Auditorium, 3201 Riverside Dr. for the Fourth District. Labonge urges his constituents to be part of the process. “Re-districting is a political process with community input. It’s so important to articulate concerns about maintaining the integrity of See New Council Districts, p. 4
Marijuana shop closes following neighbors' protest Dispensary was close to schools
A PARKED CAR WAS TRAPPED under a fallen tree at Third St. and Cochran Ave. Related story, page 4, section 2.
Businesses suffer, trees topple during windstorm
Organic Heaven CooperaLarchmont shopkeepers felt the effects tive has gone up in smoke. A few months after opening, the marijuana dispensary, A group of stores on Larch- home to provide some light at at 5719 Melrose Ave., closed mont Blvd. were among those the store. last month after being served without power for five days as Other homes and businesses papers for being in violation a result of the windstorm in were impacted by the power of a state law which prohibits early December. outage that lasted from five marijuana shops within 600 “We had to give away cup- hours to five days. feet of schools. Wilshire Softball The city quickly followed cakes or they would have Piles of fallen palm fronds gone bad,” said Heidi Wool- lined the streets while more legend retires with a lawsuit filed Nov. 15. folk, manager at Crumbs Bak- serious damage occurred “We believe they closed as a ery. She also donated them to when trees and streetlights By Laura Eversz result of the lawsuit,” said PATH (People Assisting the toppled. Councilman Tom It was more than seven Asha Greenberg, assistant city Homeless). LaBonge organized a commuyears ago when George Phil- attorney. Pickett Fences co-own- nity cleanup. lips’ oldest daughter, who The store opened under er Wiley Pickett brought an was six years old at the time, See Marijuana, p. 3 emergency generator from informed him that she didn’t want to play softball anymore because she didn’t like being the only girl on the team. Set in motion by that conGlimpses by Jane versation, Phillips searched the city for a girls’ softball A Happy New Year to all our program. He was shocked to readers and advertisers, 2012 learn that there was no such is an even-numbered year— thing in the greater Hollylet’s hope it’s even better than wood/Mid City area of L.A. last year. That led to the establish Caroling has taken on a ment of Wilshire Softball, new dimension, we heard which has become the prefrom Matthew Knox. The 250 mier girl’s fast-pitch softball singers out on Dec. 19 were league in the City for girls accompanied by The Blastages five to 14. ing Company musicians. Chef It was Phillips, who recentNeal Fraser’s gourmet sausage ly retired as president, who cart was on hand at the potgot the league to that point, luck party at Clair and Kevin said many of those who have Cohens who blanketed their worked with him over the lawn in snow, complete with a years. snowman. “My daughter started out on George’s team,” said Rachel *** Capata, the newly elected We met Marlene Zweig at president. “ I was so impressed GO, WILSHIRE SOFTBALL! Retiring league president George Chevalier’s picking up her See Phillips, p. 29 Phillips, wearing his coach's cap, fires up his team. See BLVD., p 9
New fields are among Phillips’ many legacies
On the Boulevard
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