Although a temporary measure was put in place last week to help ward off impending closure of nine LA arts centers due to budget shortfalls, two of the nine at-risk facilities have been officially given a reprieve, according to the Daily Breeze. Both Charles Mingus Youth Art Center and the The Watts Tower Arts Center "have been removed from the list of city cultural facilities slated for closure or handover to a nonprofit institution," said Cultural Affairs General Manager Olga Garay, who cites in part the "community's opposition to the plan," as reason for their rescue. more ›

Nine of Los Angeles' arts centers could face closure thanks to the city's budget crisis, and an arts advocacy group is urging the community to work together to urge the City Council to keep these arts centers going. more ›

The Watts House Project (video) goes way beyond your average neighborhood beautification projects. It is large-scale "collaborative artwork in the name of neighborhood redevelopment" that seeks to engage a variety of individuals, from the residents of 107th street, to artists, to educators and community members. The project, according to artist and director, will Edgar Arceneaux, transform and remodel all 20 residences on the street through a collaboration with an artist, architect and resident of the property. more ›

Want to buy a two-story, four bedroom, two-and-a-half bath house with a view of a local artistic and historic landmark for a price tag of around $400,000? They've got custom cabinetry, marble counter tops, walk-in closets, and two-car garages to boot. Sounds pretty sweet! more ›

The community of Watts seems to be undergoing a shift in atmosphere, reports the Daily News, as the area's gang violence has been decreasing, thanks in part to the Watts Gang Task Force. In terms of statistics, homicides were halved last year from the year before--11 in 2007 as compared to the 24 in 2006, and 2007 saw "a three-month stretch without a single slaying. Gang homicides for the approximately 1-square-mile home to an estimated 2,000 gangsters dropped from 13 in 2006 to eight last year." The larger area, known as the South Bureau, which includes 35,000 Watts residents, also saw a marked decrease in homicides from 2006 to last year. more ›

Last night I was casually checking out what various travel websites had to say about the neighborhoods of Los Angeles. Most of the summaries in Frommers sounded like this: Silver Lake, a residential neighborhood just north of Downtown and adjacent to Los Feliz (home to the Los Angeles Zoo and Griffith Park), just to the west, has arty areas with unique cafes, theaters, graffiti, and art galleries -- all in equally plentiful proportions. The... more ›

The Watts area of Los Angeles is located in South LA, and is fighting to change the infamous reputation the area has for gang violence, and riots. Named after Charles H. Watts, the area has always been a haven of affordable housing that attracts mostly the working class. With small single story one or two bedroom houses, and housing projects, the Watts community is tightly knit. And being home to the Watts Towers, one of 4 nationally recognized historical landmarks in Los Angeles, Watts is a distinctive community with a unique history. more ›

LAist keeps it real, others don't. We won't judge them for doing what they're doing but semantics doesn't solve the problems of gangs and crime and education and housing and disrespect. more ›

While youtube is becoming everyone's favorite addiction, another video site went live today. Turn Here is much more polished and showcases neighborhoods around the US, plus South Korea, Thailand, France and even Canada. more ›

Those wacky Cultural Heritage Commissioners obviously didn't take their jobs that seriously back in the 70s. more ›