Politics & Governnment

Meet HCNC

By Ed Fuentes — September 28, 2009

While the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council (DLANC) is well known to most Downtowners, the neighborhood's second council often flies under the radar. Serving the Arts District, Little Tokyo and Chinatown, the Historic Cultural Neighborhood Council (HCNC) is often the site for interesting discussions on issues of preservation and growth.


Around the Halls: September 28 - 30

By Eric Richardson — September 28, 2009
1 Comment

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Today is Monday, September 28, and Council is off today for Yom Kippur. When it returns, though, marijuana and filming are the highlights of a sparse calendar. A massive set of filming recommendations heads to Council on Wednesday, with 18 recommendations.


Special Delivery to LAPD Headquarters

By Ed Fuentes — September 22, 2009 — 1 Comment

IMGP0328 Ed Fuentes

|Photo Gallery| A memorial honoring LAPD officers killed in the line of duty completed its road trip from a Kansas City foundry to the new Police Administration Building today, and now is in its place on the upper LAPD plaza . . . almost.

Along with media waiting for the privately funded LAPD memorial to make its way down 2nd street were designers of the piece, Architects Li Wen and David Herjeczki. — Continued Inside...


Around the Halls: September 21 - 23

By Eric Richardson — September 21, 2009

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Today is Monday, September 21, and Council is back on a regular schedule after having worked through a recess last week. Filming talk gets a spotlight in committee on Tuesday, while El Pueblo leases get a mention in a pair of meetings.


Council Cancels Vacation to Make Budget Decision

By Eric Richardson — September 16, 2009

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City Council was supposed to be recessed today, with members attending the League of California Cities’ Annual Conference in San Jose. Instead, the body will reconvene at noon today to continue talks on how to fix a bleeding budget. Central to discussions is a retirement plan proposed by the City unions, but now opposed by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.


Around the Halls: September 14 - 18

By Eric Richardson — September 14, 2009

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Today is Monday, September 14, and Council deals with a few items today before recessing for the rest of the week. The City's finances continue to be a top concern, but Downtowners might be more interested in an update on High Speed Rail. UPDATE: A special Council meeting was called for Tuesday. More below.


DLANC Board Recap: September 2009

By Eric Richardson — September 09, 2009
10 Comments

DLANC Meeting

The Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council (DLANC) is one of two councils to cover Downtown. blogdowntown will be providing recaps of monthly board meetings as a service to our readers. September's meeting of the DLANC Board of Directors weighed in at a svelte two hours, but had its share of drama as the body weighed whether to continue funding the Downtown...


Around the Halls: September 8 - 10

By Eric Richardson — September 08, 2009

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Today is Tuesday, September 8, and like most places the work week is starting a day late at City Hall. On the agendas this week is a special events ordinance, a historic monument designation and fees for traffic officers outside events.


Trutanich Sees Much Work Ahead After Visit to Skid Row

By Eric Richardson — September 03, 2009 — 18 Comments

Skid Row Walk Eric Richardson

New City Attorney Carmen Trutanich joined several dozen Downtown stakeholders for the monthly Skid Row Neighborhood Walk on Wednesday evening. As the group returned to the Midnight Mission after a tour of the surrounding blocks, I asked Trutanich what his takeaway was from the night.

"We've got a lot of work to do," he said. — Continued Inside...


Council Staying Focused on Marijuana Dispensary List

By Eric Richardson — August 31, 2009 — 3 Comments

The minds of Los Angeles' City Council members have been on pot lately, as the body has begun to work its way through the massive list of medical marijuana dispensaries that had sprung up in recent months under what they viewed as a loophole in city law prohibiting new facilities.

Tuesday's Council agenda includes 38 dispensaries, including two Downtown at 111 E. 9th and 748 S. San Pedro. None are recommended for approval. — Continued Inside...