July 2008 – Venice Still Has A Heart!

A packed hearing, June 26, on overnight parking districts (OPDs), firmly rejected the city’s scheme which could require all Venetians to pay to park in front of their homes, while forcing those who live in mobile homes out of their vehicles and on to the streets. 

More than 80 percent of those who paraded to the podium during the three and a half hour hearing said no, no, no to permit parking during their two minutes of allotted time. The turn out was probably the largest public meeting in Venice in recent years. Many homeowners and renters came to the defense of the women, children and veterans living in RVs.

The OPDs would, in effect, make Venice into a gated community, without the gates. No one would be allowed to park overnight unless they paid the city for a permit to put on their car. This would eliminate coastal access for anyone outside Venice who just wanted to dip their toe into the ocean at night, or watch the grunion run.

Whether or not this exercise in local democracy will carry any weight with the people in city hall is problematic. In addition, the Venice Community Housing Corporation and the Venice Town Council went on record in opposition to the OPDs. Around 700 signatures of Venice residents also have been received against the plan.

Something must be done about the social problems that force people out of their homes and into vehicles or on to the street. But most of us understand that the OPDs will only make matters worse. We need more affordable housing, more jobs, more helping hands and more concern for others. We’re all in this together.

The Beachhead Collective feels good to know that so many Venetians feel compassion toward the less fortunate. Last night at least, the homeless haters were a distinct minority.

July 2008 – Venetians Not Pleased with Overnight Parking Districts

By Amanda Renner

More than 300 people lined the walls of the auditorium at Westminister School June 26, to voice their concerns on the possibility of overnight parking districts in Venice.

“All the comments received, both at the public hearing and by e-mail, mail, or fax that relate to coastal issues are considered in the decision to approve or deny the local coastal development permit,” Jimmy Tokeshi, a public relations specialist for the city’s Bureau of Engineering.

There are five parking districts: Oxford Triangle, Presidents Row, West Venice, East Venice and Villa Marina. According to a consultant, Dorothy Meyer of Camp, Dresser and McKee Inc., in order for the permits to take effect two thirds of each block must sign a petition in agreement. 

There are still a few remaining steps left in the permit process. After all written comments are received, the city engineer will decide to approve, conditionally approve or disapprove the application for the development. 

Then, anyone who requested a copy of the action in writing will be notified of the city engineer’s action.

All appeals regarding coastal issues can then be filed within ten days of the mailing of the decision. These appeals must be written and an official appeal form must be filed within five days. After the appeals are heard the Board of Public Works will make their decision within 30 days of filing. 

After this a Notice of Permit Issuance or Denial is sent to the executive director of the regional California Coastal Commission, as well as anyone else who was written a request for the notice.

If it is approved, the city permit will not be issued until 20 working days after the date of the Notice of Permit Issuance. Within these 20 days appeals can still be made by or to the Coastal Commission. 

If a permit is issued by the city engineer, the project can proceed.

Each residential household is allowed three permits at the rate of $15 each for 12 months. According to a document available at the hearing, there is a chance that they will increase to $34 in the near future. Two visitor permits are also allowed per household and those are $10 each, with the possibility of increase to $22.50 each.

In the Oxford Triangle alone the estimated cost to install parking restriction signs in the area is $10,000.

Meyer, who ran the meeting, called citizens up in the order that the comment cards were filled out in and allowed them each two minutes to speak. 

However, some residents yelled their comments from their seats; saying things such as “you can’t make it so that only people with money can park” and “more parking structures, not less parking.”

There were about 76 individuals who stood in front of their neighbors, friends, coworkers and family members to share their comments. Of those 76 only about a dozen or so were in favor of the overnight parking districts.

“We don’t need a band aid on a flesh wound,” Molly Eastliang said. “And that is what’s going on here.”

Speakers ranged from rich to poor, young to old and homeless to those with a home. However, when most people spoke, it was not about themselves and how permit parking would affect them, instead their concerns were about the community as a whole.

“It is great to see how many people are on our side [opposed] about OPDs,” Shireene Zahedi said. 

Written comments were accepted through June 27. If there are any questions on overnight parking please call 213-473-7890.

The Bureau of Engineering will post the final staff report by mid-July, under the title “Venice Overnight Parking Districts,” this will be available at: http://eng.lacity.org/techdocs/emg/Environmental_ Review_Documents.htm.

July 2008 – Alternatives Suggested to Parking Ban

After attending the public hearing Thursday night and listening to what everyone had to say, this is a list of alternatives to parking permits in Venice that were suggested by various people during the hearing.

• Designated parking lots for those people living in RVs and cars to park at during the night. It would give them a safe place to sleep and could provide proper trash disposal, showers and bathrooms.

• Improved trash removal. One complaint was the amount of trash left behind from those without homes or living in vehicles. The truth is though, even those who do have homes contribute to the amount of litter on the roads and beach. Perhaps more trash cans and recycling bins could be placed on the streets.

• Installation of more public rest rooms. People have complained about fecal matter found on the streets and lawns. Access to public rest rooms could help to eliminate this problem.

• Diagonal Parking. Some of the wider streets around Venice might be large enough to have diagonal as opposed to parallel parking spaces, allowing more cars to be parked on roads.

• More parking. Instead of spending thousands of dollars simply for parking signs, construct more public parking lots and structures.

Get creative! Please email me at Arenner@freevenice.org with suggestions on how to fix the parking problem without resorting to permits.

–Amanda Renner

July 2008 – George Carlin, renown comedian and Venice canal resident, dies

By Jack Neworth

I’m not sure if it’s prophetic, or eerie, perhaps neither that in the late George Carlin’s most recent HBO special (“It’s Bad For Ya”) he commented so much on death. He did it with the same irreverence he gave to other taboo subjects, always with such insight into the truth that audiences laughed at seeing themselves. 

His rift on death began by his boasting that he had a new hobby, that of crossing the names of friends who had died from his address book. “You do that?” he asked rhetorically. “That’s a lot of fun, isn’t it? Gives you a feeling of power. Superiority to have out lasted another old friend. But you can’t do it too soon. Oh, no. You can’t come running home from the funeral and get the book out. A little time has to pass. I have a rule of thumb, six weeks. If you’re a friend, and you’re in my book, and you die, I leave you alone for six weeks. Six extra weeks in my book, on the house, on me.” 

To really appreciate this, and any of Carlin’s humor you have to see it. Fortunately he was so prolific with 14 HBO specials. We can see him on DVDs and TV reruns (he was on Carson 135 times) and hear his comedy on MP3s and albums. (Anyone remember vinyl?) This access to Carlin is not much consolation for losing him when it feels like we need him most, but I’m grateful. 

 Of course all the admiration I feel for Carlin would make him nauseous. In his act, he asks why people feel the need to gush about the deceased, “It’s not like the guy can hear you. But there’s always some point after the funeral, back at the house someone will say, you know, I have a feeling Joe can see us now and he’s smiling from up there. Really? How do we know Joe isn’t smiling from down there? How do we know Joe is smiling? Maybe he’s screaming in eternal pain?” How could you not miss George Carlin? What are we gonna do without him?

A longtime resident of the Venice canals, Carlin died on June 22 in Santa Monica of heart failure. He had turned 71 in May. Carlin is survived by his wife, Sally Wade, a daughter, Kelly Carlin McCall and an older brother, Patrick. 

Carlin performed provocative and influential comedy for 51 years. On November 11, he will posthumously receive the prestigious Mark Twain Prize for American Humor at the Kennedy Center. (Not bad for a 9th grade dropout raised adjacent to Harlem in New York.) I can’t imagine anyone more deserving. It will be aired on PBS.

Carlin is probably best known for his “Seven Dirty Words” routine which led to the 1978 U.S. Supreme Court case “FCC v. Pacifica Foundation” that established the government’s right to regulate profanity on the public airwaves. His humor which was often political and dark, and focused on his special love for language and speaking truth to power. His first Grammy was awarded in 1973 for “AM & FM and the last one was in 2002. 

Carlin’s work places him in the pantheon of American comedy. Through talent and timing he was able to bring the danger of Lenny Bruce’s humor and the counter-culture into the mainstream. His ground-breaking work has influenced untold numbers of other stand-ups, including Bill Maher and Lewis Black. To get an idea, right now, go to YouTube and type in “George Carlin Nails It.” 

Forget six weeks, I’m never going to take George Carlin out of my address book.

July 2008 – Letters

Moon Over Venice

Dear Beachhead,

I just want to thank you for posting Silvia Kohan’s Moon Over Venice song on your website, http://www.freevenice.org. 

I saw/heard her perform this song years ago and it so inspired me. In fact, so much so that I wrote another song, also called Moon Over Venice, in homage to Silvia’s amazing song, inspired by her and my love for Venice. If you would like to hear it you can find it on http://www.myspace.com/wendyprofit. 

I don’t have the pipes Silvia has, but the heart is there. Thanks again, I’ve been hoping to come across her and her song again.

 Love, Wendy Profit

————

On The Homeless

Dear Beachhead, 

After having received a document concerning a recipe for mending a split in Venice, I wrote:

“Dear . . ., I appreciate your desire to correct what appear to be cracks in the Venice body politic. But what we have here is an issue of national importance. And dissension will bring it to light.

Let me give you a little background. There were no street people such as we have today up to 1950 or so. But in mid-twentieth century the advent of psychotropic drugs and abuses of the systems used to assist and restrain those in need of help brought into being a number of laws to correct the abuses and take advantage of the new medicines. California led the way with other states and the nation following. I lived through that period with personal friends involved on both sides of the issues. It has now come back to bite us. Large U.S. cities currently have growing assemblies of persons who cannot take care of themselves and who are dying on the streets in filth.

So your concern is well received but not conducive to the uprising of personal opinion required to get something done. To that end I have prepared a document which compares eighteenth century (London) street conditions and conditions now found in the streets of Venice. And it does not make our society look good. I want to raise the greatest possible concern and debate. With the elements now in place, it is possible for Venice to lead the way to better understanding and care.

DeDe Audet

————

A(nother) RV/Mobile home letter

Dear Beachhead,

Hello to one and all. I’ve been reading about the conflict and controversy regarding people’s right(s) to live in their campers, RV’s, mobile homes, vans and cars. As a lifelong resident of Venice (born and raised in the Oakwood District), I don’t feel that my opinion is any more valid or logical than someone who has only just arrived… still, I do feel that I have a right, and perhaps an obligation, to speak my piece. 

I now live on one of the small streets just near the intersection of Windward and Pacific avenues in a one-bedroom apartment for which I pay a decent amount as well as an additional fee for my parking space.

Why do I pay for a parking space? Because in my neighborhood, which was designed and built at a time when a great many residents didn’t have cars, there was not enough parking created for a society wherein each household has two cars on average. So what happens? I found that on the weekends and all week during the summer, I simply could not find anywhere to park my car unless I either waited until after dark or parked anywhere from a block to a quarter-mile from home. Either that or get up at 7:50 pm and hope and pray that someone’s left an empty spot that I can use until I had to leave for my damn job at 11 am. 

That’s right. I said a dirty, bad word… “JOB.” It turns out that I actually get up every day and go to work to pay for my apartment, my parking, my life and my lifestyle. As many of us know, it isn’t always easy (or even possible) to get a job that will afford one a home near the beach in the greatest city in California. I understand that. I also understand why one would want to be here whether they work or not (almost especially if not!). There’s a lot to see, plenty to do and a great life to be lead here in ‘Sunny Southern California’.

So although my true inclination is to just say “Get out” or “Get a job” or “Park in another city”… I just can’t. I’m just as sad, hurt, mad, disappointed and sick as anyone else that there’s a Subway, Quiznos and Coffee Bean within walking distance of my place. (I’m on the fence about Campos and Whole Foods, since they both seem vaguely hometown to me). 

However, I think I have a fair compromise to share. First – and foremost – I would very much like for us to all join hands and figure out a way to cut down on the city’s expenditure on the gallons and gallons of bright red paint that is used to keep us from parking at perfectly viable and sorely needed parking spaces on the street near our home(s). I’m all for paying for permits for additional cars and/or visitors, but I am strongly against the greed of arbitrarily painting three out of every ten available parking spots red on each street. 

Back to the point; you see, I’ve always loved campers and motor homes and sleeper trailers. I want to own one myself one day, so I get it. We could also use some areas (such as the far end of the Library Parking lot and the unused City Parking right at the beach and on Venice Blvd just east of Pacific) as temporary parking for the Mobile Living set. Perhaps we could even make a couple of permanent spots where people wouldn’t necessarily have to move their vehicles each morning for visitor and employee parking! 

And here’s the great part – - – Any and every law-biding and respectful vehicle that would care to use these newly available over-sized spots should be allowed to do so as needed. The only caveat: each and every vehicle parked in one of the spots would only need to pay a monthly fee equal to no less than 30 percent and no more than 125 percent of the median rent or average mortgage for the immediate area surrounding their parking spot. ‘Why’ you may ask, ‘would the fee(s) ever be more than those averages?’ – I can explain: for those of us that live in static dwellings (i.e. a house, apartment and/or condo) in the area, the fees we pay cover our usage of water, electricity, gas and so on. An RV or mobile home may acquire their own from elsewhere or create electricity with a generator (which would not be allowed to run within hearing distance of any neighbors during the evening hours). What we pay for (in taxes) are things like street cleaning, policing, trash removal, etc.

If the parking spot is on the street, the vehicle would of course also need to pay for a permit for each spot that they’re using. Extra-long vehicles should – of course – pay for two spaces as they are effectively denying that space to other residents’ cars or trucks to park. 

In addition, there would need to be very strong vigilance to be sure that health standards, littering and noise are kept to neighborly and respectable levels. 

Otherwise, I’m sure there’s more parking, space, freedom and less restriction a little further out for your lifestyle. I see a lot of space whenever I drive through Palmdale, Lancaster, Sun Valley, Fontana and the like. Basically – If you feel that you have a ‘right’ to live on my block, I can’t disagree. So you also have the inherent ‘right’ to earn your keep and pay your fair share for the same rights and privileges as your new ‘neighbors.’ No free rides.

How’s that for “fair”?

With Love from Above,
 

Jason S (Venice – Since 1967)

July 2008 – Summer Intern Amanda Renner Joins Beachhead

Amanda Renner, a student at Southern Illinois University, is working with the Beachhead this summer in order to gain experience with an alternative newspaper. Renner’s academic goal is to obtain a Bachelor of Science in Journalism, next year, with a concentration in news/editorial and a minor in sociology. She can be reached at ARenner@freevenice.org.

The Collective sincerely hopes that Amanda’s work at the Beachhead will not damage her ability to get a job in the mainstream media.

July 2008 – Five Recent Murders Go Unsolved in Venice

By Jim Smith

Is Venice safe? Not for at least five people whose lives ended violently on the streets of Venice during the past two years.

After more than two months of effort to obtain the information with a Freedom of Information request, the Beachhead has finally been supplied by the Los Angeles Police Department with a list of unsolved murders in Venice.

The list includes five murder victims in the past two years whose killers have not been brought to justice. Originally, the LAPD was only going to give us information for the past six months. We pointed out that if the public knew about these unsolved cases that someone might come forward with information that could lead to a conviction. In some cases, rewards are offered for such information. The LAPD has a 24-hour toll-free number to call if you have any information on these murders: 877-529-3855.

In some cases, LAPD reports state that the victims were homeless, or involved in gangs or drug activity. We have omitted that information when no substantiation to such allegations were given.

The cases from newest to oldest:

Nathan Alan Morgan – The Beachhead has pursued this brutal murder in hopes of helping to find the culprits (see Beachheads for April and May 2008). Morgan, a visitor to Venice, was found partially buried in the sand near Ocean Front Walk and Breeze Avenue on March 9, 2008. Police said it appeared that he had been beaten to death and dragged to that location. A surveillance video tape of a brutal beating at 11pm the previous night was turned over to the police, who said the resolution was too low to identify anyone. Beachhead writer Karl Abrams had the video tape digitally enhanced. The improved video showed features about the attackers and spectators. However, police said the video showed an unrelated beating (at the same time and the same place!).

Eric Paul Lorenzo – On July 7, 2007, Lorenzo was leaving the Lincoln Liquor Locker at around 6pm. Two people confronted him and his friends. One of them shot Lorenzo multiple times with a handgun. The suspect was seen getting away in a silver Prius. Even though the murder happened in broad daylight, on a busy street, no witnesses have come forward. 

Verica Todor Popovich – Tiny Dancer, as she was known to many, was a popular and sometimes homeless celebrity on the Boardwalk. The front page of the March 2006 Beachhead has a drawing depicting Popovich. Like Nathan Morgan, she was beaten to death at Avenue 19 and Speedway, where she was sleeping. Her body was found on Feb. 12, 2006.

John Doe – The police do not even know the name of the man who was found dead of a gunshot wound on the morning of April 27, 2006. Oddly, the police say he was 35 years of age, although no identification was apparently found. It happened on the 800 block of 6th Avenue.

Coby Joe McBee – McBee was a visitor from Missouri who was murdered on the hill behind the Dudley Pagoda near Ocean Front Walk shortly after 1am on July 20. He was stabbed in the heart. Reportedly, McBee interceded with a very enraged man who, at that moment was about to take his anger out on a young woman. The 36-year-old victim left behind two young children in Missouri.

July 2008 – Is Venice Safe? Town Hall Says Yes

By Mark Lipman

The meeting started with the announcement that there would be no time limit, that the organizers wanted to hear what we had to say, that our concerns as ‘stakeholders’ (or was that ‘shareholders’?) were what was important and so the microphone opened.

As usual there was the customary trepidation, no one wanted to speak first. Finally, one thin, frail woman raised her hand. The topic was safety and by her manner one could tell that she was deeply worried, what she had to say was sincerely important. “There’s this ‘element’ that hangs around my fence,” she said. “They’re up to no good, I know it because they left trash in front of my gate.” She then proceeded to produce color blow-ups of a paper bag resting on the ground, very thoroughly captured from three different angles. She was so upset by this atrocity that she said she was thinking of moving.

Next, a gentleman spoke at length about how best to bar and lock your trash cans and gave advice on how to properly call the police. There was no mention of the apparent contradictions in this advice to the safety concern of illegal garbage in Venice.

Concerns were raised about gentrification and bias against the poor, to the moderator’s apparent discomfort, as he attempted to cut off one speaker until he was reminded that he himself set the rule for no time limit.

Councilman Rosendahl then spoke to the group reaffirming that Venice was strongly opposed to the war and asked for patience as he and others looked for the proper solutions in addressing the needs of the poor. Additionally, he advised that it would be a bad idea to lock our trash cans as many of the poor are able to eat thanks to their recycling of what we throw away.

Notably, a few residents from the Oakwood area, who have lived in Venice for nearly 60 years, pointed out that those who have only lived in Venice for a relatively short amount of time might find it better overall if they tried to adapt to the culture of the area they moved into, instead of trying to make the area conform to them.

The second half of the evening offered a panel of interlocutors, representing both the fire and police departments, as well as local officials speaking on disaster preparedness.

All in all, as someone who is normally skeptical of anything official, the government representatives were very impressive. Both Captain Eisenberg and Lieutenant Merlo answered community concerns ensuring the body that they were well prepared for the summer months ahead. It is important to note that Captain Eisenberg presented the latest crime statistics, which show a 9 percent drop in crime for Venice over this time last year. By adding that to the 5 percent drop in crime from the year before means that in just two years Venice has become 14 percent safer. I feel better already.

Another bright spot to this report came from Lieutenant Merlo of LAPD, who confirmed that legally parked vehicles may not be arbitrarily towed by vigilante homeowners no matter how bad the paint job is. “Parking on public streets,” he said, “is for the public, that means everyone.”

Safety though is not just a matter of one neighbor pitted in deadly combat against another, as we all know. To be truly safe we must also protect ourselves against the wrath of God. To that, representatives from both the LA Fire Department and Mayor Villaraigosa’s office spoke on disaster preparedness.

To this important community information, LAFD Captain Hudson announced that Community Emergency Response Training classes were being offered free of charge to prepare for natural disasters. Please see: http://www.cert-la.com or call: 818-756-9674 for more information on this program.

Additionally, Stephen Cheung from the Mayor’s office spoke about The Great Southern California Shakeout Campaign, the largest earthquake drill in American history, which will take place on November 13, 2008 at 10am. In anticipation of a 7.8 magnitude earthquake that is anticipated to take place in LA sometime within the next 30 years. All are urged to participate. For more information please visit: http://www.shakeout.org

Finally, Tsunami preparedness was a key concern of many residents. The city has prepared an evacuation map suggesting that in case of emergency people evacuate east past Lincoln Blvd. or to the highest ground possible (3rd floor or higher). For more information on a Tsunami, visit: wcatwc.arh.noaa.gov and for LA’s Emergency Preparedness Dept: lacity.org/edp or call: 213-978-2222.

Conversely, the Beachhead would like to offer a free lifetime subscription to whomever gets the best ride on the wave.

July 2008 – Lincoln Place Still Fighting Back

By Amanda Renner

The Lincoln Place Tenants Association held a fundraiser, June 21, in celebration of its recent legal victories. 

Sheila Bernard, president of the Association, was there to answer questions, update guests on the case and inform them about the future of Lincoln Place.

Originally there were 795 units in Lincoln Place, however 100 were illegally demolished. Of the units left only 11 are occupied. Meaning that while the nation is in the middle of a huge housing crisis and locally the city is trying to fix the problem of citizens who have had to resort to living in RVs, there are more than 700 perfectly livable low cost units, empty because of our friends at the Apartment Investment Management Company.

Bernard said there are three categories of tenants. Hold-out tenants are those 11 that stayed and fought for their right to live there; Locked-out tenants, who had eviction cases filed against them; and Chased-out tenants, who signed agreements to leave. 

The evictions have been proven illegal and now on behalf of the tenants there is a lawsuit pending, Bernard v. AIMCO, which is seeking restitution and damages against the company in hopes of being able to return to Lincoln Place.

“The place is engineered to bring people together,” Bernard said. 

She said that the 141 households and 191 tenants in the suit are from all walks of life, from families, to business men, to elders, there is a broad spectrum of people fighting to get their homes back.

“One hold up is that although the court of appeals has declared these evictions illegal,” Bernard said. “Nobody knows how to get the tenants back in, because the tenants don’t ever fight it this far.”

They are hoping to be in a courtroom by the end of 2008. Bernard said they are not going into this wanting everything. They are looking for a reasonable settlement where both parties come out all right.

The story of Lincoln Place is not a new one. The Beachhead has covered stories on the housing development since 1972.

July 2008 – Ye Olde Town Council Report

By Erica Snowlake 

The newly revived Venice Town Council enjoyed its second meeting at the United Methodist Church, June 13, with 39 in attendance, daring the dreaded Friday the 13th. No, a more important taboo was on their minds, the order of the evening being the impending Overnight and Oversize Parking Permits. After thorough go-around on the issue, the Town Council voted to oppose permits and to rally an opposition by organizing petitions against them, collecting as many signatures as possible to bring to the city’s hearing on June 26 (see cover story). 

All present agreed the permits are not only a cash cow for the city, but also a blatant attempt to eradicate people living in RVs. Some present shared their situations and experiences re: living responsibly in mobile homes, how they feel persecuted by these permits and scape goated by some of the general public as well. Without being provided any other viable solutions these folks will be faced with tickets, fines, and possible impoundment of their homes if permit parking is enforced throughout Venice. 

We also discussed the Ocean Front Walk, specifically the new (how many is it now?) ordinance and police practices. 

A motion was passed to send a letter to Whole Foods Market, expressing concerns re: local hiring, the right of workers to representation, and allowing the vehicularly-housed to utilize their parking lot overnight. The council agreed to sponsor the July 9 Town Hall on Homelessness at the church. Finally, an outreach committee was formed. 

The next Town Council meeting is scheduled for July 11, again at the church auditorium, 2210 Lincoln Blvd. Thanks to Pastor Tom Ziegert for this great meeting-place! Also kudos to Food Not Bombs and Demetrius for nourishing us (with an authentic spartan lentil soup!) All are welcome and encouraged to attend. This is your Venice, make a difference by co-creating this ancient forum for a peaceful society.