Results tagged “skidrow”

For many years, Craby Joe's was known as a divey destination for cheap drinks and somewhat shady dealings. It also held a warm place in many Angeleno hearts, particularly because it was a favorite of local literary icon Charles Bukowski. The bar closed in 2007, but recently plans surfaced involving turning the spot into a more "top-shelf" bar. "Charles Lew, a lawyer and restaurateur, envisioned a new upscale bar in its place called the Haven Lounge. It would have high, wood-beam ceilings and a 200-year-old piece of stained-glass from a church in Germany," explains the LA Times.

17-year-old Lily Burk's murderer is allegedly Charlie Samuel, a parolee transient, who was arrested for drinking in public and possession of drug paraphernalia. Already behind bars, he was later connected with Burk's murder after fingerprints from inside her car matched. Sameul's "quality of life" arrest under the LAPD's Safer Cities Initiative has received a lot of heat as of late. Calling it an "oft-criticized quality of life arrest," Eric Richardson at blogdowntown puts this weekend's events into that context:

About 30 minutes after Charlie Samuel allegedly killed 17-year-old Lily Burk Friday, leaving her body in her car parked off a Skid Row street, he was detained by police a few blocks away for a Drinking in Public violation. As he was being searched by officers, narcotics paraphernalia was found and he was arrested and booked for Possession of Narcotics Paraphernalia.

Lily Burk left her Los Feliz home Friday on some errands for her mother. While out, twice called her parents asking how to get money out of an ATM using a credit card and never came home. The next morning she was found dead sitting her car near Alameda and 5th streets in downtown's skid row. Police quickly arrested Charlie Samuel, 50, for murder and will announce details at a press conference later today. Motive is believed to be robbery and she reportedly encountered Samuel at the Southwestern University School of Law on Wilshire Boulevard where she was picking up papers for her mother, according to the LA Times. She may have been abducted and it appears she died of blunt force trauma.

Exactly one year ago, LAist read Ed Fuentes' blogdowntown article about Estela Lopez and the third anniversary of the Skid Row Neighborhood Watch Walk . He described it as a gathering that brought together "neighbors from surrounding neighborhoods, college documentary filmmakers, social workers, teachers, and city officials, and residents" all part of an effort to "put the spot light on Skid Row" as Lopez, one of the walk's founders, explains at the beginning of each walk.

Last Easter Sunday, downtown Los Angeles experienced the neighbor's first murders of the year. Two skid row residents were shot and killed inside the Lamp Lodge on Stanford at 7th Street. Kevin “KK” Cohen, 49, and Tommie Hayes, 27, were found around 5 a.m. that morning with multiple gunshot wounds. Both were not staying at the hotel. "One of the men was found in the hotel’s first-floor lounge, and the other victim had walked out of the hotel after the shooting and collapsed in the parking lot," the LA Times reported a week after the incident.

Just last week, the LAUSD's Homeless Education Program was at risk of becoming a victim of the many budget cuts. The program aims to "ensure that homeless youth have access to a free public education, equal to that of any other youth". General Jeff, Skid Row activist and founder of Issues and Solutions, sent an email to the director of these programs explaining the importance of these services and asked them to reconsider. In an email from LAUSD's Melissa Schoonmaker, he received word that his efforts paid off:

On April 12, two men, Tommie Hayes and Kevin "K.K." Cohen, were, killed at the LAMP Lodge on Skid Row. The 42-year old Cohen had worked on The Soloist. According to Participant Media's blog, "Cohen was an extra in The Soloist and he helped to make the movie an accurate depiction of the day-to-day life on Skid Row". Cohen's death occurred just week before the movie's release and the premiere was dedicated to him. According to the LAPD, there were two Male suspects, both Hispanic, 30-40 years old (pdf).

The Soloist, set and filmed in LA's Skid Row, opens nation-wide today. We've written about Skid Row many times with hopes that a continued spotlight on the area will raise awareness and motivate individuals to get involved and work for change, beyond serving meals around the holiday season. The Soloist will certainly brighten that spotlight as it confronts issues of homelessness, poverty and mental illness, and the movie's producer, Participant Media, seems to share our sentiments. They have created two sites, takepart.com/thesoloist and thesoloist.volunteermatch.org that provide an extensive listing of organizations and volunteer opportunities. The first site lists some great organizations downtown while the latter provides people outside of LA with resources for getting involved with their own local organizations.

On Monday, NPR began a three-day series covering Skid Row. In Part 1, they discussed the history of Skid Row, the missions and how for some, "Skid Row is for beginnings".

Last Tuesday, Leslie Taplin, a Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council (DLANC) volunteer and founding member, was tragically killed in a freeway accident. blogdowntown first reported on the story and a read through the comments tells the story of a remarkable woman who dedicated countless efforts to bringing positive change to the downtown community.

Tonight's monthly Skid Row neighorhood watch walk will include a trip to the LAPD Central City Division Police Station for a look at just how the district is using these cameras to reduce crime and increase safety in the area. In 2006, the Central City East Association's Downtown Industrial Business Improvement District installed the cameras.

On the South side of Melrose, right after La Brea, a small office building displays the word GOOD in big block letters through the large windows. Fittingly, it is the home of GOOD, the magazine 'for people who give a damn'. Founded in 2006 by the then 26-year-old Ben Goldhirsh, GOOD seeks to 'inform' and 'inspire', covering issues from Van Jones and green-collar jobs to street food to providing laptops to children in developing countries to economist Jeffrey Sachs' take on the state of the planet. It's a tough time for journalism, with the recent end of the Rocky Mountain News, Plenty and the elephantjournal, but Goldhirsh is figuring out how to use the tools of today, the energy of today and the climate of today to actively engage people and drive change. The magazine also donates their subscription revenue to one of twelve not-for-profits each year and, according to the most recent issue, has contributed over $1 million to 21 different not-for-profits to date.

Established in 2002 thanks to a donation by warehouse owner Richard Meruelo, Skid Row's Excess Personal Property Warehouse is still the only of its kind in the nation. The Central City East Association created the warehouse out of the need clean up the streets and decrease the amount of homeless encampments by providing Skid Row's homeless with a place to keep their belongings.

                

We took a visit to Gladys Park in Skid Row to watch the Central Station LAPD play another game against the Skid Row 3 on 3 League All-Stars. In last year's game Skid Row took it to the LAPD. However, this time around the LAPD got the best of Skid Row. It was a great game and the crowd (including some very interested policemen) were into it. More importantly though, it showed the positive programs that are trying to take root in the much maligned area. The League Commissioner Manuel "OG Man" Compito and his associates put a lot of work into the game and the event and it showed. He states that the game between LAPD and a team that includes some known gang members " is a testament to the great community spirit that Skid Row has." We agree... and look forward to more! For more information about the league and future events or how you can help, you can contact OG Man via email. Here is some of what we saw.

December's Skid Row Neighborhood Watch Walk was lightly attended, likely due to the tree lighting events happening at LA Live. As always, the walk went on, and as always, the walk was unlike any prior walks. While feelings of sadness, confusion and hopelessness had ensued after previous walks, this one offered a new, fresh and somewhat hopeful perspective. One of the most intriguing aspects of the walk is having the chance to meet, talk to and walk with the individuals that have a true passion and dedication to Skid Row and those who make up the community.

              

When it comes to Skid Row's largest Christmas toy party, some wait over ten hours in line; some wait over night. Fred Jordan Missions' 65th annual Family Christmas Celebration was last Sunday and it brought out the masses, with smiles in tow.

In a weird settlement between the ACLU and the LAPD, the LA City Council approved a ban that says officers patrolling Skid Row cannot conduct unconstitutional searches of homeless individuals. While breaking the law is a given no-no for police, it all stems from a difference of opinion on the interpretation of the Constitution. In this case, a federal judge sided with the people saying the LAPD was being too aggressive in their shakedown of Skid Row residents. "We agree to disagree," Capt. Jodi Wakefield told the LA Times. "But there's nothing wrong with us going back and making sure that our officers clearly understand the Constitution, and all the laws they have to abide by. I feel confident they do."

It was a historic night indeed; Americans joined together to demand change and Obama eloquently answered, reminding us that this victory is thanks to commitment and dedication on the part of the American people. While the election is over, the momentum must continue; we must continue to work together to truly bring change to our lives, our city and its people. So, speaking of the need for change and the homeless, the monthly Skid Row neighborhood walk happens tonight. The situation on Skid Row serves as a perfect example of how a successful policy of "containment" has lead to a growing human tragedy.

              

"The measure of any society is how they treat their weakest element. The widows, the orphans, the strangers on the land. How we do anything is how we do everything. We're not doing so well on Skid Row." ~ Sam Slovick

The Union Rescue Mission downtown accepts donations of new and used clothing; business clothing for men and women are especially appreciated. These items go directly to the homeless and desperately poor individuals and families of Los Angeles. Other needed goods include baby items (cribs, strollers, high chairs, etc.), furniture and housewares. Any used clothing or other items need to be in excellent condition.

After a two-year investigation into alleged Medicare fraud involving homeless patients, federal agents raided three hospitals this morning: City of Angels Medical Center, Los Angeles Metropolitan Medical Center and Tustin Hospital and Medical Center. The schemes involved defrauding the state and federal governments out of millions of dollars by using homeless skid row residents. A top executive at City of Angels was arrested as well as one other person, according to the LA Times. City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo plans to announce civil litigation this morning. Earlier this year: FBI raids LACMA.

Submitted & Authored by Emily Lerman

Submitted and authored by Emily Lerman

Contrasting the Los Angeles City Council's vote earlier today on mansionization, affecting single-family homes, another ordinance was passed today -- one that replaces a temporary 2005 law regarding downtown residential hotels, mostly used by low-income and nearly homeless people.

In an effort to bring solar power to those who will benefit from it but simply can't afford it, a new partnership created between the nonprofit Enterprise Community Partners and BP donates one solar panel to a low-income residence for every solar panel purchased by a celebrity.

Just in time for spring, the LA Times is reporting on something I think would just go marvelously with that recession you've been looking at:

Actor Brad Renfro was found dead yesterday in his Los Angeles apartment, of causes unknown, but for reasons that are no doubt both tragic and infuriating.

Yesterday the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved additional steps for Project 50, a three year pilot program that will help get some of the most vulnerable people living on skid row into permanent housing.

Father Dollar Bill (a.k.a. Reverend Maurice Chase) was at it again yesterday, handing out money on Skid Row. While he often hands out money to downtown residents in need, Christmas is his no-holds-barred attempt to spread a little more love in the form of Christmas cash.