Yo! Venice September 25, 2020

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September 25 – October 30, 2020

String of Fires Break Out in Venice Homeless Encampments

Multiple fires in one week in the Venice area B y S am C atanzaro

Venice recently experienced a string of fires at homeless encampments in a single week.

The first fire was reported early in the morning on September 14. According to the Los Angels Fire Department (LAFD), the fire was reported around 6 a.m. on the 900 block of Rose Avenue. The Department says a single unit arrived on the scene and was able to put out the fire.

The encampment where the fire took place has been the location of multiple fires over the past year.

These fires and other impacts from the encampment have been a source of frustration for nearby residents This spring a petition was started by the Rose Penmar Parkway Beautification

Association–a coalition of nearby residents–calling on the City to transfer the jurisdiction of the public walking path to the Los Angeles Recreation and Parks Department. Petition supporters say it will become illegal to camp once Recreation and Parks take over the land.

The day after the fire at the Penmar encampment on the morning of September 15, the LAFD put out a tent fire on the 300 block of Sunset Avenue, near Gold’s Gym. Then on September 17 a fire broke out at a Venice Beach encampment Thursday morning after a homeless individual set another homeless person’s tent on fire.

According to the, LAFD firefighters responded to the area of 300 Ocean Front Walk to reports of a rubbish fire.

Upon arrival, crews discovered “what appeared to be a homeless encampment,” said LAFD pubic information officer Brian Humphery, with tents on fire.

According to the LAFD, crews quickly extinguished the fire. No injuries have

A fire burns on Rose Avenue near the Penmar Golf Course September 14

Photo: Citizen App

String of Fires, see page 6

An RV on fire the evening of September 17 near Penmar Golf Course.

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A tent goes up in flames on Ocean Front Walk September 17

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Arnold Maeda, Manzanar Internee and Longtime Westside Resident, Passes Away at 94 Longtime Westsider who helped memorialize Mazanar internees passes away September 10

By Sam Catanzaro Manzanar internee and longtime Westside resident Arnold Maeda passed away on September 10 at the age of 94.

In April of 1942, Arnold Maeda was 15 years old when he and his father Norman Toyoshige Maeda were forcibly removed from their home and lined up on the northwest corner of Lincoln Boulevard and Venice Boulevard to be taken to the War Relocation Authority camp at Manzanar as prisoners.

“Instead of being worried about where we were going, I was obsessed with the fact that I had parted with my constant companion, my pet dog Boy. For a 15-year-old, that was unforgettably traumatic,” reads Maeda’s quote inscribed on a monument at the very corner of Lincoln Boulevard and Venice Boulevard where he and thousands of other people of Japanese ancestry

were forced to report to in 1942.

Born on July 17, 1926, in Santa Monica, Maeda grew up in on the Westside where his parents ran a nursery business. During World War II, Maeda and his family were sent to the Manzanar concentration camp in California. After leaving the camp, Maeda worked as a chick sexer (distinguishing the gender of chicks), a technical illustrator in the aerospace industry and a life insurance salesman.

Maeda would go on to become heavily involved in community organizations, including the Venice Japanese American Memorial Monument Committee (VJAMM), where he helped create the monument that stands today at the intersection of Venice and Lincoln boulevards to memorialize the tragic chapter in American history.

“The VJAMM Committee mourns the loss of VJAMM Committee charter member Arnold Maeda, who passed away on September 10, 2020. One day shy of ten years ago, Arnold gave an informed and impassioned presentation at the first VJAMM community meeting, held at the Venice Hongwanji Buddhist Temple on September 11, 2010, in favor of permanently memorializing the northwest corner of Venice and Lincoln Boulevards. The memorial would honor the 1,000 persons of Japanese ancestry from Venice, Santa Monica, and Malibu who assembled on the sidewalk in April, 1942 with only what they could carry,” VJAMM said in a

Photo: Sam Catanzaro.

Arnold Maeda (center in red shirt) other former Mazanar internees, local lawmakers and activists celebrate the one-year anniversary of the VJAMM memorial in 2018.

statement. “The VJAMM Committee extends sympathy and condolences to Arnold’s family, including Arnold’s brother, Brian Maeda, also a VJAMM Committee charter member, who was born in Manzanar.”

Councilmember Mike Bonin, whose district includes the intersection of Venice and Lincoln boulevards where the VJAMM memorial stands, expressed his condolences surrounding Maeda’s passing, writing in a Facebook post “Arnold gave selflessly to his community and he will be dearly missed. Rest in Peace.”

Photo: Yo! Venice Archives

Arnold Maeda was only 15-years-old when he, his family and dog (pictured) were forced away from their home and into an internment camp.

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September 25 – October 30, 2020

Venice Beach Pier Sexual Assault Update LAPD says victim’s vehicle in September 8 assault missing

By Sam Catanzaro Los Angeles police have provided an update in their investigation of the beating and sexual assault of a woman near the Venice Beach pier recently.

According to the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), Pacific Division officers responded to the area of Anchorage Street and Ocean Front Walk around 6:50 a.m. on Tuesday, September 8 in response to a female who had suffered severe injuries in an assault that occurred between 2 and 5 a.m. According to the LAPD, the victim was found unconscious outside the beach

restroom lying naked from the waist down.

When this story was first reported, the LAPD had not yet interviewed the victim who was getting treatment in the hospital for injuries sustained in the assault.

In a September 9 Crime Alert originally published by Shacked Magazine, the LAPD says the suspect–who is still at large–made off with the victim’s wallet, purse, iPhone and vehicle. According to the LAPD, the vehicle is a 2011 gray Ford Escape with CPL5138 Arizona license places.

Shacked went on to report additional info the outlet gathered from locals.

“The woman sexually [assaulted] is said to be a 29 year old college student/ graduate,” Shacked wrote. “The attack may have started behind the Arbor store, and ended at the restrooms just south of pier, where she was further beaten, then dragged to the backside of the restrooms and left for dead.”

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LAPD Advises Venice-Area to Keep Windows and Doors Locked

70 percent of local burglaries involved unlocked doors or windows

By Staff Writer

Venice-area police say that over two-thirds of burglaries committed in the area recently involved unlocked windows and doors.

“Before someone says it…We are not blaming the victims for the crimes! But remember, we are not Utopia PD, we are LAPD and resources are scarce,” the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) Pacific Division wrote in a recent Nextdoor post. “Just about 70% of the latest burglaries recorded in Pacific Division were ‘facilitated’ by victims leaving doors or windows unlocked.”

In addition to unlocked doors and windows facilitating burglaries, the Pacific Division officials are reminding the public not to leave keys in vehicles.

“The habit of leaving keys in vehicles is still facilitating the job of car thieves; GTAs [grand theft autos] are up by roughly 40% YTD [year to date] and roughly 50% of them had the keys inside,” the Division said.

A resident of a Playa Vista apartment complex recently shared such an experience on a Ring forum.

“My boyfriend’s and my car were stolen from Fountain Park apartment complex. Both cars were locked, so the [thieves] broke into one of our cars, found the spare key to the other’s vehicle (we have tandem spots), and drove away with both while we were gone on vacation. The cars were found ditched in completely different areas of LA and trashed in the inside. IF YOU TANDEM PARK DO NOT LEAVE A SPARE KEY IN YOUR CAR! Horrible lesson learned for us,” reads the post.

According to LAPD Senior Lead Officer Adrian Acosta speaking at the August Venice Neighborhood Council meeting, Venice now contains 30% of all of the crime in the Pacific Division, which also contains Mar Vista, Playa del Rey, Playa Vista, Palms and Westchester, as well as LAX.

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Suspect at-Large in Venice Double Shooting

Shooting takes place after argument between three men over weekend

All work is done safely and under state COVID 19 Regulations

By Sam Catanzaro Los Angeles police are searching for a suspect in a double shooting that occurred over the weekend in Venice.

According to the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), on Saturday, September 19 three men got into an altercation around 11:30 p.m. at the 2600 block of Pacific Avenue (between Venice and Washington boulevards).

One of the men produced a gun and shot the

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The scene of a double shooting in Venice over the weekend.

Photo: Citizen App

two other men before fleeing the scene.

Both of the men were transported to the hospital and are in stable condition.

At the time of there is no description of the suspect.

This article will be updated as more information becomes available.

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September 25 – October 30, 2020

Venice Restaurants Vie for Michelin Stars Despite ongoing pandemic, a 2020 Michelin Guide will still be released

By Toi Creel and Kerry Slater The prestigious California Michelin Guide–which included a handful of Venice restaurants in its previous edition–will still continue in 2020 despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

Before the pandemic began, inspectors had already put together the information they needed. Michelin reps told the San Francisco Chronicle that despite the fact inspectors are currently visiting New York restaurants, they will not be making a return to California.

This means many of the rated restaurants will be given acclaim based on indoor dining services that for the majority of eateries have not been offered since March.

The guide functions off a rating system of one, two or three stars, with only the most prestigious of restaurants achieving the coveted three-star rating. The Michelin

guide was first published in 1900 by the tire company as a way to get European travelers to drive and visit their local restaurants. It has turned into a well-known guide book with even a one-star rating being considered a huge accomplishment. “restaurants may receive zero to 3 stars for the quality of their food based on five criteria: quality of the ingredients used, mastery of flavor and cooking techniques, the personality of the chef in his cuisine, value for money and consistency between visits,” Michelin said.

While no Venice restaurants earned a star in 2019, several garnered prestigious Michelin recommendations.

Restaurants to earn Michelin’s recommendations in Venice include Charcoal Venice, Plant Food + Wine, Gjelina and Felix.

Several of the prominent 2019 California eateries are now permanently close or face an uncertain future due to COVID-19. In Venice, this includes Travis Lett’s MTN on Abbot Kinney, which closed permanently in June of this year and earned a 2019 Michelin recommendation.

Last year’s guide was released in June 2019, but a release date for the 2020 guide has not been announced.

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String of Fires, from page 1 been reported.

Humphrey said that LAFD investigators met with Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officers to discuss a possible suspect behind the fire.

According to the LAPD Pacific Detective Division, the incident “involved two transients”. Police say one individual set another individual’s tent on fire. Detectives stated that LAFD Arson investigations are currently investigating the incident.

Also on September 17 a fire broke near Penmar again, this time in an RV. According to the LAFD, the fire was called in around 11:30 p.m regarding reports of an RV on fire at the 1200 block of Rose Avenue.

Firefighters arrived on scene and were able to extinguish the fire right away,

according to LAFD. In the wake of these fires, Councilmember Mike Bonin released the following statement: “The Los Angeles Fire Department and I are coordinating with other agencies to prevent the risk of fire at and near homeless encampments in my district -after a rash of fires this week at places where unhoused people are living. LAFD and LAPD are investigating any fires that may have been intentionally set, and have already made an arrest as a result of an arson investigation into a fire on Ocean Front Walk. Next week, I will be asking the City to post a reward for information leading to the arrest of anyone who intentionally set a tent or RV on fire in these incidents. Anyone with any information regarding who started any of these fires is encouraged to contact the Los Angeles Fire Department at: 213-893-9800.”

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September 25 – October 30, 2020

COVID-19 Could Have Been in Los Angeles as Early as Last December UCLA study reports significant increase in coughs and acute respiratory failure prior to first official cases of COVID-19

By Sam Catanzaro A study suggests that COVID-19 may have been in the Los Angeles-area as early as December.

UCLA researchers recently analyzed electronic health records between December 2019 to February 2020 and discovered that there was a greater than 50 percent increase in coughs and acute respiratory failure at UCLA Health hospitals and clinics beginning in late December 2019. According to the researchers, this suggests COVID-19 may have been circulating in the area months before the first definitive cases in the U.S. were identified.

According to the analysis the spike represents around a 50 percent increase in such cases when compared with the same period in each of the previous five years.

Researchers behind the study, which appears in the peer-reviewed Journal of Medical Internet Research, say the findings , could help health authorities more effectively identify and control outbreaks like the current pandemic.

“For many diseases, data from the outpatient setting can provide an early warning to emergency departments and hospital intensive care units of what is to come,” said Dr. Joann Elmore, the study’s lead author and a professor of medicine in the division of general internal

medicine and health services research at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. “The majority of COVID-19 studies evaluate hospitalization data, but we also looked at the larger outpatient clinic setting, where most patients turn first for medical care when illness and symptoms arise.”

The researchers evaluated more than 10 million records for UCLA Health outpatient, emergency department and hospital facilities, comparing data from the period between Dec. 1, 2019, and Feb. 29, 2020 with data from the same period over the previous five years.

The study found that outpatient clinic visits

by UCLA patients seeking care for coughs increased by over 50 percent and exceeded the average number of visits for the same complaint over the prior five years by more than 1,000.

In addition, the study found a significant excess in the number of patients seen in emergency departments for reports of coughs and of patients hospitalized with acute respiratory failure during this time period.

The researchers noted that other factors could be responsible for some of this unexpected increase, including the possibility that respiratory illnesses could have been due to vaping, but authors noted this explanation is “doubtful” because the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported a continued decline in vaping after September 2019. In addition, researchers say that could not rule out that the excess cases were due to flu.

“We may never truly know if these excess patients represented early and undetected COVID-19 cases in our area,” Elmore said.

“But the lessons learned from this pandemic, paired with health care analytics that enable real-time surveillance of disease and symptoms, can potentially help us identify and track emerging outbreaks and future epidemics.”

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