To: Neighborhood Council Friends and Colleagues
From: BongHwan (BH) Kim, General Manager, Department of Neighborhood Empowerment
The City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs is holding a series of community meetings throughout Los Angeles. Feedback from the meetings is essential to develop the City's new Cultural Master Plan which will provide a vision for the future of arts and culture in Los Angeles, and guide the mission of the Department of Cultural Affairs. The meetings will start promptly and include a presentation and interactive sessions.
Please see the attached flyer for more information, including dates and locations. We hope you can attend one or more of these meetings, and please forward this flyer or personally invite friends and family who are interested in community meetings and the art and culture of Los Angeles.
To find out more about the Cultural Master Plan, visit the
Department of Cultural Affairs website.
For additional information, please contact:
Leora Lutz
Email: leora.lutz@lacity.org
Cultural Master Plan Program Assistant
Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs
Saturday, October 25, 2008
NEWS: Ruling Regarding MTA Expo Line Crossings
In a decision regarding the Expo Line Construction Authority's proposed street-level crossing next to Dorsey HS, the judge has ruled MTA's crossing unsafe and the community and LAUSD's safety concerns valid. The decision is a tentative decision that will either be adopted or amended by the full PUC commission on November 21, but it is a major milestone in the construction of the Expo Rail Line and struggle between a vocal South LA community group and their elected leaders and MTA.
"This is a major battle victory in a long and unfortunate war," said Damien Goodmon, the Chair of United Community Associations, who's project is the Citizens' Campaign to Fix the Expo Rail Line (Fix Expo).
"We are pleased that the Judge heard the safety concerns of the rail safety experts, traffic experts, LAUSD and the community. And we are regretful that the Commission didn't allow hearings on many of the other crossings. We believe that as the evidentiary hearings on Farmdale and Harvard revealed, the evidence used by the Expo Authority to support their assertions that they are building a safe project is both unfounded and has been manipulated."
"We believe it is now incumbent upon our elected officials from the council members to the congressional leaders, to do the responsible thing and listen to the experts and Judge's concerns about the safety of this crossing, and take into account the impacts to the community and schools of the grade separated options. This is a transportation project that will impact this community for 100 years. It is important we have a safe light rail line that is a compliment and a good neighbor to the South LA communities that it passes through."
"Our intent is to now go back to the community and discuss this further, but for now we are relieved that the street-level crossing has been taken off the table."
Russ Quimby international rail safety testified in the hearing that the street-level crossing left a high risk of catastrophic accident http://fixexpo.blogspot.com/2008/10/international-rail-safety-expert-russ.html
As proposed, the Farmdale Avenue crossing creates a high risk that students will be injured and killed because the proposed safety mitigation measures essentially put the burden on students to maintain their own safety. The proposed crossing also creates a higher risk of a catastrophic accident. [....]
By "catastrophic accident," I mean an accident involving fatalities and/or injuries to a large number of people. As proposed, the at-grade Farmdale Avenue crossing creates the notable risk that a catastrophic accident may well occur under one of several different scenarios. For example:
First, that a train will collide with a vehicle with sufficient force to either derail the train into and/or push the vehicle into the proposed "holding pens" where several hundred students are trapped inside, killing or seriously injuring scores of students in a single accident.
Second, that a train will collide with a vehicle (particularly a truck or bus) rupturing and igniting a fuel tank which would engulf students in the holding pen in flaming diesel or gasoline.
Third, a combination of the above two scenarios where the students are crushed and burned simultaneously by vehicles and/or a derailed train.
Regarding the possible delay the changes to the project may require:
"Since when is building something more quickly more important than building it safely? Additionally, MTA's own documents show that from the inception of this project, 15 years ago, the community has been said the crossings near our schools were not safe. But out of bureaucratic arrogance and political indifference, MTA and our political leaders have fought us at every turn. So if there is a delay to the project, the delay is of MTA's own making and the failure of political leadership to address legitimate community concerns."
References to the history of community comments documented in MTA's own studies on the Expo Line.
Regarding impacts the project could have on the Expo Line budget:
"In 2004, MTA pulled this project out of the federal New Starts Program, in the process walking away from $320 million federal dollars, saying they'd spend the local money instead because they wanted to speed up construction of the project. That doesn't sound like a broke agency to me. That sounds like an agency with plenty of financial options. In the past year alone, MTA has appropriated $222 million extra dollars to the project, including $54 million to add an overpass in Culver City. And they appropriated these funds while telling us with a straight face that there's no money for grade separation in South LA. It is insulting to the intelligence of people that have followed this issue to suggest this $3 billion agency, that has engaged in these actions, doesn't have the money to make the Expo Line safe in our community - particularly right next to our large urban schools. MTA has the resources, MTA has many options, but MTA has always and continues to lack a concern for safety in South LA."
Some excerpts from Koss' ruling, which is available on the web here.
"A.07-05-013, for authority to construct an at-grade crossing at Farmdale Ave. in the City of Los Angeles, should be denied. "
"Authorization to construct a light rail line over an existing pedestrian tunnel crossing at Harvard Blvd., in the City of Los Angeles, requested in A.06-12-020, should be denied."
"Expo Authority proposed a state-of-the-art system of gates and other warning devices at the Farmdale crossing, including swing gates to allow pedestrians to exit the rail right-of-way when all other gates are down. All of these gates, however, can be avoided easily by pedestrians. Considering the large number of crossings during peak periods, and the student populations using the crossing, we find that any system of gates or other warning devices at-grade would not eliminate all potential safety hazards."
"The parties discussed several other crossings at or near school sites along other light-rail lines. However, none of these cases presented the unique characteristics of the proposed Farmdale crossing at Dorsey. This issue, therefore, provided little or no weight in our determination of practicability."
Contact:
Damien Goodmon
323.845.2003
"This is a major battle victory in a long and unfortunate war," said Damien Goodmon, the Chair of United Community Associations, who's project is the Citizens' Campaign to Fix the Expo Rail Line (Fix Expo).
"We are pleased that the Judge heard the safety concerns of the rail safety experts, traffic experts, LAUSD and the community. And we are regretful that the Commission didn't allow hearings on many of the other crossings. We believe that as the evidentiary hearings on Farmdale and Harvard revealed, the evidence used by the Expo Authority to support their assertions that they are building a safe project is both unfounded and has been manipulated."
"We believe it is now incumbent upon our elected officials from the council members to the congressional leaders, to do the responsible thing and listen to the experts and Judge's concerns about the safety of this crossing, and take into account the impacts to the community and schools of the grade separated options. This is a transportation project that will impact this community for 100 years. It is important we have a safe light rail line that is a compliment and a good neighbor to the South LA communities that it passes through."
"Our intent is to now go back to the community and discuss this further, but for now we are relieved that the street-level crossing has been taken off the table."
Russ Quimby international rail safety testified in the hearing that the street-level crossing left a high risk of catastrophic accident http://fixexpo.blogspot.com/2008/10/international-rail-safety-expert-russ.html
As proposed, the Farmdale Avenue crossing creates a high risk that students will be injured and killed because the proposed safety mitigation measures essentially put the burden on students to maintain their own safety. The proposed crossing also creates a higher risk of a catastrophic accident. [....]
By "catastrophic accident," I mean an accident involving fatalities and/or injuries to a large number of people. As proposed, the at-grade Farmdale Avenue crossing creates the notable risk that a catastrophic accident may well occur under one of several different scenarios. For example:
First, that a train will collide with a vehicle with sufficient force to either derail the train into and/or push the vehicle into the proposed "holding pens" where several hundred students are trapped inside, killing or seriously injuring scores of students in a single accident.
Second, that a train will collide with a vehicle (particularly a truck or bus) rupturing and igniting a fuel tank which would engulf students in the holding pen in flaming diesel or gasoline.
Third, a combination of the above two scenarios where the students are crushed and burned simultaneously by vehicles and/or a derailed train.
Regarding the possible delay the changes to the project may require:
"Since when is building something more quickly more important than building it safely? Additionally, MTA's own documents show that from the inception of this project, 15 years ago, the community has been said the crossings near our schools were not safe. But out of bureaucratic arrogance and political indifference, MTA and our political leaders have fought us at every turn. So if there is a delay to the project, the delay is of MTA's own making and the failure of political leadership to address legitimate community concerns."
References to the history of community comments documented in MTA's own studies on the Expo Line.
Regarding impacts the project could have on the Expo Line budget:
"In 2004, MTA pulled this project out of the federal New Starts Program, in the process walking away from $320 million federal dollars, saying they'd spend the local money instead because they wanted to speed up construction of the project. That doesn't sound like a broke agency to me. That sounds like an agency with plenty of financial options. In the past year alone, MTA has appropriated $222 million extra dollars to the project, including $54 million to add an overpass in Culver City. And they appropriated these funds while telling us with a straight face that there's no money for grade separation in South LA. It is insulting to the intelligence of people that have followed this issue to suggest this $3 billion agency, that has engaged in these actions, doesn't have the money to make the Expo Line safe in our community - particularly right next to our large urban schools. MTA has the resources, MTA has many options, but MTA has always and continues to lack a concern for safety in South LA."
Some excerpts from Koss' ruling, which is available on the web here.
"A.07-05-013, for authority to construct an at-grade crossing at Farmdale Ave. in the City of Los Angeles, should be denied. "
"Authorization to construct a light rail line over an existing pedestrian tunnel crossing at Harvard Blvd., in the City of Los Angeles, requested in A.06-12-020, should be denied."
"Expo Authority proposed a state-of-the-art system of gates and other warning devices at the Farmdale crossing, including swing gates to allow pedestrians to exit the rail right-of-way when all other gates are down. All of these gates, however, can be avoided easily by pedestrians. Considering the large number of crossings during peak periods, and the student populations using the crossing, we find that any system of gates or other warning devices at-grade would not eliminate all potential safety hazards."
"The parties discussed several other crossings at or near school sites along other light-rail lines. However, none of these cases presented the unique characteristics of the proposed Farmdale crossing at Dorsey. This issue, therefore, provided little or no weight in our determination of practicability."
Contact:
Damien Goodmon
323.845.2003
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Prepare Today - Survive Tomorrow!
On Saturday, October 25, 2008 from 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM at the California African American Museum (CAAM), Levitical Network will host a free “PREPARE TODAY – SURVIVE TOMORROW” DISASTER PREPAREDNESS FAIR along with State Farm Insurance, the American Red Cross, Southern California Edison, Southern California Gas Company, and State Senator Mark Ridley-Thomas.
People of all ages are invited to attend this festive and informative event that will feature experts in earthquake, fire and other natural disasters who will share how we can assist our families, friends, foes, communities, churches and businesses in preparation. In addition to great speakers and gobs of information, there will be food, fun, music and entertainment; and activities for the kids and youth.
Please take advantage of this wonderful opportunity.
CLICK IMAGE FOR LARGER VIEW
People of all ages are invited to attend this festive and informative event that will feature experts in earthquake, fire and other natural disasters who will share how we can assist our families, friends, foes, communities, churches and businesses in preparation. In addition to great speakers and gobs of information, there will be food, fun, music and entertainment; and activities for the kids and youth.
Please take advantage of this wonderful opportunity.
Your Genes: Choice or Chance?
The Empowerment Congress
Invite you to join us in a very special and intriguing discussion on
Your Genes: Choice or Chance?
Saturday, October 25, 2008, from 1:00-3:00 p.m.
California Science Center
700 State Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90037
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER ONLINE!
The past decade in biological research has produced startling findings and set the stage for major potential inroads toward progress against human disease.
In particular scientific research on the human genome has pitted the hopes for progress toward the eradication of disease against ethical concerns about manipulating the human genome and worries over public access to private data.
What is the role of our genes vs. our personal health choices in determining health outcomes?
As genetic information becomes more readily available should we err on the side of privacy in making decisions regarding employment, insurance and law or should we override these issues in order to address a greater common good?
What are the ethical issues associated with manipulating the human genome and should theological considerations play any role in the formulation of policies and guidelines pertaining to genomic research and personal decision-making?
Join us in this timely and exciting conversation with scientists and other community members to learn more about your genes and the choices and decisions you can make for yourself and your family.
Admission is FREE!
Register online: goto.californiasciencecenter.org/sciencematters, or by phone: (213) 744-2420.
Featured panelists include:
Conan Nolan—moderator: Reporter, NBC4
Pragna Patel, Ph.D.: Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute for Genetic Medicine, USC School of Medicine
Mr. Olophius Perry, Esq.: District Director, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, L.A. District Office
James J. Walter, Ph.D.: Professor of Bioethics and Chair, The Bioethics Institute, Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, California
Stanley F. Nelson, M.D.: Professor and Vice Chair of Human Genetics and Professor of Psychiatry, Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA
Support for this program was provided by the California Community Empowerment Foundation and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
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